Bulletin Insert

Musical talent needed
Prairie Fire, our Synod Youth Band is looking for two people, a vocalist and a keyboard player, beginning in Fall of 2007. For more information or to apply, please contact Pastor Larry Ulrich, Assistant to the Bishop at lulrich@elcic.ca on or before May 1, 2007. Auditions will be arranged.

Below is a memo from Bishop Elaine Sauer inviting congregations to apply for a grant from the MNO Synod Foundation.
Also attached is the grant application.
The deadline to apply for a grant is Thursday, May 31, 2007.

Social Justice Institute 2007:
Whose Story, Whose Justice: Imagining Alternatives
May 3 - May 5, 2007

Keynote speakers:
- Lee Cormie, St. Michael's College, University of Toronto
- Paul Hansen, CSsR, Chair of the Board of KAIROS-Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
- Kathy Vandergrift, Citizens for Public Justice; the Canadian Council of Churches Commission on Justice and Peace; Micah-Canada Advocacy committee; Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict; Child Soldiers Coalition

We hear many stories in this age of instant communication and all-news media. There are the culturally dominant stories of consumerism, individualism, domination, economic growth and environmental destruction. There are the stories of the homeless, immigrants, refugees, aboriginals, voices from the South and the voice of the planet. And as Christians we hear the Biblical stories and those of our faith traditions.

How are these stories interconnected? What do these stories have to say about justice in our world today? How could we respond to these sometimes conflicting stories? What alternatives are there and how can we contribute to creating them?

Come together with others for the whole event or for just one day, hearing and analyzing these stories, reflecting, praying, sharing our own stories, and imagining an alternative world with ideas and actions to take home with you.

Workshop options:
The Ethics of Democracy Promotion: the Case of Afghanistan -
Tom Keating, Political Science, U of A

African Economic Development - Elwil Beukes, the Kings University College

Life Before Profit: Corporate Responsibility in Mining - Clint Mooney, Kairos-Calgary; United Church of Canada

Stories of Resettlement: Refugees and Immigrants - Marlene Mulder, Prairie Centre of Excellence for Research on Immigration and Integration, University of Alberta

“The Outsider got it Right”- A Gloss on the Good Samaritan - Paul Hansen The Tarsands, Climate Change and “eastern 'bastards' freezing in the dark.” - Gordon Laxer, Parkland Institute

Responsibility to Protect: Is it an Alternative to Just War and Pacifism? - Kathy Vandergrift

The World Social Forum - Lee Cormie

Aboriginal Stories: Envisioning Alternatives - TBA

This ecumenical event has been organized in cooperation with: Alberta Synod-Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC); Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace; Kairos-Edmonton; The Kings University College; Newman Theological College; St. Joseph's College, University of Alberta; United Church of Canada.

Conference to be held at Newman Theological College
15611 St. Albert Trail, Edmonton Some accommodation is available - see the website or brochure for more info.

Cost: $75 or $10 for Thursday May 3 (evening only)
$35/day for Friday May 4 or Saturday May 5
Lunches (must be pre-ordered) $8.50/day
Banquet Friday evening, 5:30 p.m. Cost: $20

Brochure with registration form, agenda, and more information available at: www.albertasynod.ca/social_ministry/sji2007
email: sji2007@telus.net
phone: 780-467-2833

Bulletin Announcement
Social Justice Institute 2007: Whose Story? Whose Justice? Imagining Alternatives - with keynote speakers Lee Cormie, Paul Hansen, Kathy Vandergrift, and several other speakers and workshop options. This ecumenical event will be held at Newman Theological College, Edmonton. Overnight accommodation, meals available. For brochure with agenda, registration form, more information contact 780-467-2833 or email to: sji2007@telus.net

Comments from SJI 2005
-I was hoping to learn more about social justice - I did.
-I really liked the spiritual component.
-This was a very well organized conference. Thank you! The pace was fast but good, no wasted time.
-It’s always good to see where we're at and where we're called to go, with a sense of hope and possibility.
-I have renewed motivation.
-I have been energized by the SJI to continue working on SJ issues in my community and not give up.
-Good sharing ecumenical wisdom and signs of hope.
-I got a lot of information, connection to resources, and food for thought, study and prayer.
-Thoughtful, worshipful liturgies, acknowledging that we are a Christian people.

Lutheran Urban Ministry is an exciting area of growth for our Lutheran congregations. Our Board of Directors includes members with many talents but could use yours too. If you have secretarial talents and are computer savvy, have good organizational skills and will enjoy a challenging volunteer commitment, please indicate your interest to judydikk@mts.net (LUM Board chair) Watch this space for further volunteer opportunities.

The ELW Board thanks National Bishop Raymond Schultz and National Church Council for the opportunity to worship together at the opening of both meetings on Thursday, March 15, 2007.

Celebrating the release of a new resource—What’s Enough?
The two governance bodies mentioned above also had the opportunity to learn about and celebrate a partnership of Lutheran Planned Giving and its Director Jeff Pym and ELW to produce a resource called What’s Enough?. This exciting and innovative resource will help individuals rejoice in the financial resources God has entrusted to them and feel empowered to use these gifts to make a difference in their own life and in the lives of others. To order this resource, contact the ELW office at 204.984.9160 or elwinc@elcic.ca.

Be Not Afraid Women's Convention
Plans are starting to be revealed for the National ELW Women’s Convention taking place in Calgary, Alberta, July 10-13, 2008. Kelly Fryer, author of the books Reclaiming the ‘L’ Word and Reclaiming the ‘C’ Word will be the lead speaker and part of the program team. ELW staff, Ruth Vince and Catherine Pate, met with Kelly and look forward to working with her over the next year and a half to prepare a challenging and exciting convention program!

Start now to encourage many members
of your congregation to attend. This is
the same year as the National Youth
Gathering. Can the women and youth
work together to support each other’s
efforts to attend their respective
gatherings? Try it and send the ELW
office your partnership success stories!

Focus Groups
In the coming months, focus groups will be held in each Synodical ELW to help identify the future vision and mission of the organization. It is hoped that there might be at least 20 people in each group with these sessions being led by Rev. Paul Gehrs, Assistant to the National Bishop and Ruth Vince, ELW executive director.

ELW Finances
The auditor for ELW presented the 2006 audit results. Grace Gift giving in 2006 was down overall by $11,300 from 2005. The better news though is that the net of income and expenses is in a deficit position of only $6,784. And why would a deficit be good? Only because the 2004 National ELW Convention approved a deficit budget for 2007 (anticipated a $5500 deficit) so we were close in meeting our projected budget figures. Our goal as an organization should be to stop the under funding of the organization. A slight increase in giving by all participants would solve this problem. The Esprit magazine in 2006 was only slightly over budget; however, subscriptions are down by 6% from 2006 to 2007.

Praise Offering
ELW once again was able to give $100,000 to the ELCIC to support its overall mission and ministry.

Projects supported over the $100,000 include:
Diaconal Ministers and Candidates for diaconal ministry gathering ($5000): This event takes place every two years. The 2007 gathering will be important in reflecting on the role diaconal ministry plays in the ELCIC and on how candidates are prepared for ministry therefore this gathering will have a lasting effect on leadership development in the ELCIC. The 2007 gathering will be held in Winnipeg, July 29-August 4, 2007.

The development of a program on exploring women’s understanding of and/or relationship with their own bodies ($2400). This program is being developed by Kelly Speak, a Lutheran woman attending the University of Winnipeg Women’s Studies Program, who participated in Consider this…take counsel….speak out! A Consultation Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation. This program also is:
In response to the CSE Consultation; specifically the idea and practice of women’s bodies being exploitable
In support of ELW’s growth and renewal
Goals of this project:
To explore Lutheran women’s understanding of and/or relationship with their own bodies
To name and discuss “society’s” view(s) of women’s bodies
To expand our understanding of creation
To enhance our faith and our relationship with our Creator
To build cross boundary relationships (age, location, size, +/- body image)
To accomplish this, facilitated learning, group discussions, journaling, body castings and painting of castings will be done. These will then become a focus for an artistic display at Be Not Afraid Women’s Convention and other places when possible. Other uses of this program will also evolve over the next couple of years in ELW resources.

Evangelical Lutheran Worship
As more and more congregations across Canada are introduced to the new hymnal some find that there is confusion as to how to reference it in bulletins and newsletters. Since ELW (the women’s organization, that is!) has been around for the past 20 years and is an organization that produces resources for the same community of people using the Evangelical Lutheran Worship, it would be appreciated if congregations would reference the worship book in one of the following ways: Worship (change the size of font to meet space requirements); WOR (the spine of the book has the word Worship); or as WB (Worship Book). Thanks so much for your support to reduce confusion!

Disbanding Congregational ELWs
Some Congregational ELWs have decided that it is time to officially disband from the whole organization. These decisions are not usually made lightly and often are associated with some feeling of sadness yet thankfulness for the years of participation where friendships have been made, faith life has been nurtured and support has been given and received.

The National ELW Board thanks the following ELW’s for their dedication and contributions in their Congregations, Conferences, Synodically and Nationally over the years:
Ascension, Edmonton, Alberta
St. Matthews, Cornwall, Ontario
Trinity, Windsor, Ontario
St. James, New Dundee, Ontario
Faith, Lampman, Saskatchewan

Breakfast at the National ELCIC Convention
Are you attending the National ELCIC Convention? Consider attending the ELCIC Women’s Desk/ELW breakfast on Saturday, June 23, 2007.

Call for Proposals: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future
Source: Claire L'Heureux-Dubé Fund for Social Justice, University of Ottawa

Are you a group of women seeking change? Do you have ideas about how the feminist movement should change to accommodate the next generation of feminist students and activists? Would you be interested in meeting other feminists with similar interests?

Claire L'Heureux-Dubé Fund for Social Justice is looking for proposals from women who would like to organize a 3-day workshop that would bring together feminists to explore how the needs of new generations of women can best be fulfilled in the feminism of the future.

Timing: Workshop to be held in 2008.
Location: Anywhere in Canada.
Budget: Maximum grant available is $40,000.
Who Can Apply: Open to any group of young women (under age 30) in Canada.
Deadline for Applications: 31 May 2007.

Format for Applications:
1. Title of Workshop
2. Date and Location of Workshop
3. Objectives of the Workshop
4. Description of the 3-day Retreat
a. Describe the participants you will include - criteria for selection, and numbers
b. Outline the schedule of activities
c. Indicate the anticipated outcomes that the workshop will produce - short and long term
5. Budget: (Maximum $40,000)
a. Itemize estimated costs for organization of workshop, travel,
accommodation and meals, costs of facilitators/speakers (if any), costs of preparation of final report on outcomes of workshop
6. Description of the Group Submitting the Proposal
a. Name
b. History of group (if any)
c. Objectives of Group
d. Previous activities (if any)
e. Contact person: name, address, phone, email.

Please send applications to:
Claire L'Heureux-Dubé Fund for Social Justice
c/o Professor Constance Backhouse
Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa
57 Louis Pasteur

Please note: Projects will be evaluated by the Board of Directors of the Fund, and selected from the competition based on their propensity to further the egalitarian objectives that underline the legacy of Madam Justice Claire L'Heureux-Dubé's important contribution to equality within Canadian society. Applicants will be advised of the Board's decision by the fall of 2007.

The Claire L'Heureux-Dubé Fund for Social Justice is an organization committed to supporting innovative feminist projects.

For more information, please go to
http://www.commonlaw.uottawa.ca/heureuxdube/eng/call2007.php and/or visit www.commonlaw.uottawa.ca/heureuxdube

Bulletin Inserts
The board of LUM has been meeting regularly since last fall and is presently in the process of developing a constitution and by-laws. We are also working toward becoming a registered charity under the Corporations Act. At the same time, the work of the ministry continues. We welcome and are thankful for your financial support for this ministry. Contributions can be made through regular Sunday offerings designated LUM.

Lutheran Urban Ministry is currently running a clothing exchange that works much the same as a food bank in that clothing is provided to people who need it. This is a request for in-season SPRING OR SUMMER clothing. There is always a need for SOCKS, so if your sock drawer is overflowing with socks you no longer wear, get together with your fellow
congregation members and arrange delivery to 441 Sherbrook. Call 774-3143 to arrange delivery time.