Hello Everyone,

On June 9th, Gloria Dei is hosting the Regional Pentecost Service. Each church is bringing an item for a lunch following the service, and we have been asked to bring desserts. Please plan to stay for lunch and enjoy the fellowship of our neighbours on the North Shore.

On June 16th we will have our traditional summer BBQ and June 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!

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News from the Bishop’s Office

Vancouver will Host the Women Deliver Conference – June 3-6

Dear Friends,

June 3-6 Vancouver will host the Women Deliver Conference that will gather over 6,000 world leaders, influencers, advocates, academics, activists, and journalists from more than 150 countries June 3-6, 2019.  According to their website, “this conference seeks to advance gender equality for women and girls across the world, especially those in the developing world.”  

About Women Deliver: As a leading, global advocate for the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women, Women Deliver brings together diverse voices and interests to drive progress for gender equality, with a particular focus on maternal, sexual, and reproductive health and rights.

We build capacity, share solutions, and forge partnerships; together creating coalitions, communication, and action that spark political commitment and investment in girls and women.”

If you are interested in listening in to the conference or reading more about their work please follow this link.  https://womendeliver.org/our-work/

In addition, our full communion partners at Christ Church Cathedral in Vancouver are hosting a learning event jointly sponsored by CLWR (Canadian Lutheran World Relief) and PWRDF (Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund) on Monday, June 3rd at 7:00pm.  The speakers for the evening, from Partners in Health Rwanda, are Toni Habinshuti and Dr. Christian Mazimpaka.   The executive directors of both organizations, Rev. Karin Achtelstetter CLWR and Will Postma PWRDF, will join these speakers.  

Please consider attending the event at the cathedral and/or listening in on a few sessions of this conference.  

Pastor Kathy Martin

Assistant to the Bishop

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Lutherans Connect LC† has produced another online devotional. “Living in the Spirit” will take us on the journey from the Ascension of Jesus to Pentecost to Trinity Sunday. Starts in less than a week. Look for it online or on Facebook. Come, Holy Spirit!

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Two small REST updates:  

Nasrullah is a young man from Afghanistan with a very sad history. He has been co-sponsored with his sister and St. Clement's church, thanks to a generous gift of funds from Christ Church Cathedral (money they had raised for sponsorship previously). His application is progressing at lightening speed, thanks to advocacy from Dave and Wilna, Shakuntala Soden, our diocesan refugee coordinator, and a letter of support from Jonathan Wilkinson, MP on the North Shore.  

Saber is doing well in his settlement in Burnaby, thanks to the valiant efforts of Joanne Graham. He now has a full time job after only 4 months in Canada. Way to go Saber!  

We are requesting a push for a little more fundraising. We have crunched our numbers and found that we will need just under $10,000 to be raised over the next 6-9 months, in order to fulfill all of the sponsorship commitments we have. We have enough money in the bank for now, but if anyone has some time, energy, and a great idea, we could raise this money quickly and this will all go to change the lives of some very needy people to start a new life with us in Canada.    Thank you for your ongoing support,  

Shannon Muir

REST Coordinator Chair, Diocesan Refugee Unit  

(Note from me – if you have any questions about any of our refugees, or the REST committee, please do not hesitate to ask me.  If you are able to give a small donation at this time to help out, that would be fantastic!! If you have an idea about a fundraiser, perhaps something you could at work or with friends, that would be fantastic too!)  

Please consider going to the film described below.  I’ve heard that it is excellent!    

FUNDRAISER: J

oin us for a night of film, a fundraiser aimed at helping to raise funds for two refugee families in North Vancouver. Co-hosted by Regional Ecumenical Sponsorship Team (REST) and Are You Syrious - Canada. Directed by a talented Vancouver film-maker Amar Chebib, Wajd offers a window into the lives of three Syrian musicians turned refugees. The film was shot initially prior to the civil war, then follows the lives of three refugees forced to rebuild their lives in exile. They turn to their love of Sufi music to find meaning in the aftermath of destruction and atrocity. The film is showing on two nights, June 4 and June 7, at Sutherland Secondary School Theatre. The filmmaker will be at the event to introduce his film and to take questions afterward. Tickets will be available at the door, but seating is limited, so purchase ahead to be sure to get a seat! At the moment, the website will only allow you to purchase 1 ticket at a time. We will fix this as soon as we can.

June 4: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/parish-of-st-agnes/events/refugee-fundraiser-film-event/  

June 7: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/parish-of-st-agnes/events/film-night-fundraiser-wajd-songs-of-separation/--       

 

Peace,  

Lin