Hello Everyone,

This Sunday we will have our traditional summer BBQ and June/July/August Birthday party.  Hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, cake and ice cream will be provided.  If you are able to bring a salad so that we can say we ate vegetables that day – that would be really nice! It is also Father’s Day, so we will be nice to all the fathers.  And it is also Sunday School acknowledgement day – we have a lot to be thankful for!!  

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Our own Pastor Larry Denef featured in the Canada Lutheran!       

Have you had a chance to read, "My Life as a Theologian" in the April/May issue of the Canada Lutheran?   Pastor Larry writes about how his understanding of both his vocation and his Lutheran faith grew, evolved and changed as his work immersed him in living relationships with others. The real life questions and concerns those others brought to him challenged him to reflect on what it means to be a Christian. Those conversations propelled him to "live his life in ever widening circles" where he was blessed to see the Spirit at work bringing more life and salvation into the world.     As you read about Pastor Larry' experience perhaps take a few moments to reflect on how God's has mediated "living truth" through the web of relationships in your own life.   

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From this month’s E-communique

With Passion for the Church and the World: LWF Strategy 2019-2024

The Lutheran World Federation recently released With Passion for the Church and the World which sets out the strategic priorities for the coming years. The priorities are (1) supporting churches' presence and vibrant witness in the world and (2) promoting human dignity, justice and peace. The full text is available for download on the website. The Rev. Dr. Martin Junge, LWF General Secretary, will be with us at our 2019 National Convention.   To receive the monthly E-communique letter here is the email address: ecommunique@greatbignews.com or you can view it online on the ELCIC website.

 

In June, Canadians celebrate National Indigenous History Month to honour the history, heritage and diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada.  

DID YOU KNOW? (from METRO VANCOUVER’S PROFILE OF FIRST NATIONS, 2019)   

Aboriginal Peoples invented lacrosse and hockey.   

National Indigenous Peoples Day is on June 21, the summer solstice and the longest day of the year.   

In BC, there were 270,585 individuals identifying themselves as Aboriginal, or 5.9% of the province’s population.   

Aboriginal Peoples were granted the right to vote in provincial elections in 1947, and in federal elections in 1960.   

In many Coast Salish languages, the maple tree is called “paddle tree” as it is the preferred wood for making paddles.   

Orange Shirt Day is held annually on September 30 in Canadian communities encouraging citizens to wear an orange shirt or lapel pin that day to promote awareness about the Indian residential school system and the impact the system has had on Indigenous communities for more than a century in Canada.   

Status Indians in Canada were not allowed off reserves between 1882 and 1935 unless they showed a pass. 

Aboriginal Peoples used their knowledge of the land to develop safe trails that became the basis for many present highways.    Aboriginal place names in BC include “Squamish” (mother of winds), “Kamloops” (meeting of water), “Chilliwack” (going back up), “Lillooet” (wild onions), and “Qualicum” (where you find dog salmon).  

   

Peace,  

Lin