February 26, 2007
Volume 1, Issue 2

Editor: Rick Scherger

'The Parish Paper'

For many years now, these short articles about congregational life and renewal have come to you from the Committee for Mission, through the Bishop's Newsletter. With the moving forward to 'Crossword', this is not possible, since The Parish Paper is purely a print-on-paper publication.

For those congregations wishing to purchase an annual subscription to The Parish Paper:

An annual subscription to The Parish Paper gives your congregation copyright permission to photocopy or reprint 12 consecutive issues of this monthly publication and include them with your newsletter, and/or to use them locally for any purpose you wish. The publisher will mail camera-ready masters .

The "Welcome New Subscriber" cost is $49 U.S. (regular subscription is $69 U.S) You will receive a bonus of six previous issues (18 issues for the price of 12), PLUS Volume #5 of Herb Miller's Nuggets, titled "How to Increase Financial Stewardship."

Across North America, many clergy use their book allowance for the subscription, since The Parish Paper provides leadership insights and methods. In some instances, a layperson donates the subscription cost.
Please mail the $49 U.S. "New Subscriber" photocopy-rights U.S. cheque/money order , payable to The Parish Paper, to Herb Miller, 3805 94th Place, Lubbock, Texas 79423 U.S.A.

URGENT! Luther Village is in need of summer staff...NOW!!!
In the midst of winter, it is often difficult to think about summer time and jobs for university and grade 12 students. But, the time is now to apply to work at Luther Village for a meaningful "summer" job. Applications have been slow in arriving and with the deadline quickly approaching (Feb. 28!) there are still many jobs to fill. Please take a few minutes to think about a young person you know, preferably university age or a mature grade 12 student, who would be a good camp employee. We are looking for dedicated and loyal people willing to share their gifts in ministry at Luther Village in the areas of maintenance, kitchen and housekeeping, program and lifeguarding.
WE are also looking for a head cook and property manager. Positions are 2-4 months. Applications and job descriptions are available on our website www.luthervillage.ca Thanks for helping with this urgent need for your camp!

Canadian Lutheran World Relief News

CLWR issues appeal as cyclone worsens flooding in Mozambique
Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR), in partnership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s (ELCIC) Global Hunger and Development Appeal (GHDA) is issuing an appeal today to support emergency
relief for flood victims in central and northern Mozambique. Tropical cyclone Favio struck Mozambique Thursday morning with winds of up to 230 km/h as the country already struggles with severe flooding in the provinces of Zambezi, Sofala, Tete and Manica. CLWR supports projects in Sofala and Tete.

Heavy rains throughout February in neighbouring Zambia and Zimbabwe have overwhelmed the Cahora Bassa Dam in Mozambique, destroying houses, roads, bridges and crops, and cutting off communities. Mozambique has declared an emergency, with an estimated 120,000 Mozambicans already driven from their homes.

Help CLWR bring much needed emergency relief to Mozambique by making your donation at www.clwr.org, 1.800.661.2597, or by mail to 1080 Kingsbury Avenue, Winnipeg MB R2P 1W5. ELCIC members are encouraged to donate through GHDA, www.elcic.ca/ghda.

Got Hunger? CLWR launches hunger awareness project
CLWR has launched HUNGER (inter)MISSION, a hunger challenge for youth to discover what hunger—domestic and international—is all about. You can find everything you need for HUNGER (inter)MISSION, including registration information, at www.clwr.org.

In a world where millions struggle with the very serious problem of chronic hunger and starvation, we in North America often have trouble trying to simply understand what real hunger would be like. Real hunger is
something most of us have never experienced. We have to resort to holding mock famines and hunger
challenges on a weekend to come to understand it.

HUNGER (inter)MISSION, with its tongue-in-cheek tone, tries to show the near absurdity of this situation—millions suffering chronically from something that we ourselves have never experienced, much less understand. In a world full of cool products that we can buy to “save Africa,” in a time of cool celebrity fundraising concerts, HUNGER (inter)MISSION plays hunger as something North Americans are missing out on—but ultimately ends up delivering the true dirt on hunger.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada's Global Hunger and Development Appeal (GHDA) is accepting donations to support relief efforts in Mozambique after weeks of heavy rains in the central Zambezi River valley caused severe flooding to the area. Further flooding is feared with the arrival of Cyclone Favio, a powerful tropical cyclone with reported winds of up to 230 km per hour, which hit southern Mozambique on Thursday morning.

According to BBC reports, "Cyclone Favio, the strongest to hit the southern African country, was heading towards the Zambezi River valley where it was likely to worsen floods that have already killed some 40 people and driven 120,000 from their homes."

Designated funds received through GHDA will be sent on to Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) which is already engaged in relief efforts in the region, including the evacuation of low-lying areas and the distribution of immediate shelter materials, blankets, clothing, food and cooking utensils.

Following fears of new flooding, CLWR reports, "staff from CLWR partner organizations are visiting each project area to warn and help disaster-preparedness committees prepare for the cyclone." Restoring food security and capacity-building to create better disaster management practices will be part of CLWR's long-term goals in the affected region.

To support relief efforts in Mozambique, donations can be made to GHDA - Mozambique Appeal as follows: |
- Via the ELCIC Website: www.elcic.ca (click on the Donate Now link)
- By mail:
GHDA, 302-393 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 3H6
(please indicate "GHDA - Mozambique Appeal" in the memo portion of the cheque)
- Through all ELCIC Congregations