A major item of business on the Agenda of the upcoming Synod Convention will be a package of amendments to the MNO Synod Constitution. Following the 2006 Convention, Synod Council decided the constitution needed an overhaul to give the Synod more flexibility when it came to changing the way it wanted to conduct business. The constitution, as it now stands, contains many details of a logistical nature. It spells out, for example, job descriptions of officers and synod council members, when terms of office begin, how often various bodies are to meet, etc. To amend such details requires that proposed changes be passed at two successive conventions.  Hence, a change such as giving voting privileges to a convention Youth Assembly, can take up to six years to be put in place.

The bulk of the constitutional changes being presented to delegates at Dauphin will begin the process of transferring logistical detail out of the constitution and into the bylaws. If passed at Dauphin, the package would be voted on again at the 2010 convention.  If passed a second time, an amended set of bylaws including the logistical details previously housed in the constitution, would be presented for approval.  Once the process has been completed in 2010, any future changes to logistical provisions will be handled through bylaw amendments that can be passed and implemented by a single convention.

One other significant constitutional change being proposed is to separate the roles of Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Synod Council. Our current constitution prescribes both roles to our Bishop.  The proposal is to have the Bishop retain the CEO function but transfer the role of presiding over Synod Council meetings and conventions to a newly created position of Chair. The position of Vice-Chair will be eliminated. These changes are not meant do diminish in any way the Office of the Bishop but rather to allow the Bishop to be a more active participant in meetings of the Council and the convention.  The Alberta and Saskatchewan Synods have already adopted this model.

Delegates are asked to watch for the constitutional reform information that will be included in the convention docket and are encouraged to study the material in advance of the convention. Such study comes with a side benefit.  Extended reading of the document has been certified as a cure for insomnia.

I have two 20 year old people, one male and one female, who are junior leaders in their respective congregations, but whose congregational groups are full, so they would be available to other congregations who may have both male and female participants in their groups, but who are needing an additional leader (male or female) to go along with their main leader.

Registration guidelines require that at least one of the leaders in a mixed group must be 21 or over, but the other can be a junior leader (leader in training). If this would fill a need for your group, please let me know, and I will put you in contact with these young people.

Contact Larry Ulrich lulrich@elcic.ca

The Urban will be offering an Urban Ministry Course in April, taught by Mark Young from Booth College. This course will concentrate on
practical ways to approach urban ministry, the Biblical background and lots of discussion and is open to all congregation members, the
community of the Urban, our West End neighbours and our volunteers.

Anyone who is contemplating getting involved in the Urban but is unsure of what is involved, what to expect, this course is for you. Keep reading CrossWord for more details.

A special thanks to all our volunteers who have kept the Urban running following Denise's resignation in early February. The youth group at First English delivered flyers to the neighbourhood inviting the local children to our Thursday Night Kid's Club, our faithful Wednesday and Sunday volunteers have continued to serve and share in the community, the Board is taking turns picking up phone messages and mail, volunteer Pastors are leading the Worship Service and the Wednesday Food Banks continue at First Lutheran on Victor. We pray that a strong candidate will be found very soon to continue the work that Denise initiated and to provide a consistent presence to the community members.

Wanted: two adult male volunteers to participate in the Kid's Club on
Thursday evenings. Includes games and a snack. Email Tannys -
tannys_strand@hotmail.com Also, one volunteer is required for alternate weeks for the Kid's Camera Club - again contact Tannys.

Interlake Conference Convention
Saturday, March 8th, 2008
9am-4pm
Peace Lutheran Church,
Moosehorn,MB
Cost $15.00

Agenda
9:00am-9:30am            -           Registration 
9:30am-10:00am          -           Opening Worship
10:00am-10:15am          -         Coffee Break
10:15am-11:00am          -         Bishop Elaine
11:00am-12:30pm          -         Guest Speaker; Curtis Hull
12:30pm-1:15pm            -         Lunch 
1:15pm-2:30pm            -           Small Group Discussion 
2:45pm-3:30pm            -           Closing Worship

Registration deadline - Saturday, March 1st
Send your delegate numbers to Pastor Trudy at 378.2325 or
rhlc@mts.net

68 Million Lutherans DO Make a Difference

Global Increase in LWF Churches’ Membership Pushes Total to Over 68.3 Million; An Additional Two Million Members in Africa’s Lutheran Churches

Africa’s Lutheran churches saw their total membership increase over the past year by just under two million, boosting the total membership of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) member churches worldwide to over 68.3 million. Lutheran churches in Asia registered an increase overall, while slight decreases were again recorded in other world regions.

According to the latest LWF statistics, membership in the organization’s 140 churches, 10 recognized congregations, and one recognized council in 78 countries worldwide rose by a total of 1,640,700, to reach 68,322,299, an increase of 2.5 percent over the previous year. In 2006, LWF member churches had some 66.7 million members worldwide, up from 66.2 million in 2005.

Over the past year, the total membership of all Lutheran churches worldwide rose by 1,623,024 to approximately 71.8 million (71,823,423), an increase of 2.3 percent. In 2006, all Lutheran churches worldwide counted some 70.2 million members, up from 69.8 million in 2005. The number of Lutherans in non-LWF member churches fell by 17,676, or 0.5 percent, to reach 3,501,124.

Mar. 16, Faith, Winnipeg
Apr. 20, Trinity, Starbuck
All services begin at 7 p.m.