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Birthday WishesThe following people are celebrating birthdays this month. We wish them a year full of God's blessings! 10 – Olivia Assam 19 – Markus Adler 23 – Jim Berger 31 - Sue Engelbert |
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A Note from Pastor VidaA headline in my Twitter feed caught my attention this week, "Which mask? What test? Covid's latest surge spreads an epidemic of confusion." Indeed, knowing what to do and not to do seemed much easier at the beginning of the pandemic, when schools and churches were closed to in-person learning and worship, restaurants were limited to take-out service only and anyone who could, was advised to work from home. As the pandemic has dragged on far longer than any of us imagined, public health and government officials have had to weigh not only the risk of transmission, but also the risks that lockdowns pose to mental health as well as economic and societal functioning. One result of this more moderate approach is that it has put more responsibility on individauls, organizations and businesses to assess the risk in our own context as we make decisions as to how much or how little social or public contact we want to undertake. When the Omicron wave began to surge BC in December, just as we were nearing the end of Advent and looking forward to our Christmas Eve Service, church worship gatherings were not shut down. It was left up to each denomination or congregation to decide how to respond to Omicron. In the face of exrememly high case counts on the North Shore, your Council made the difficult decision to cancel in-person services through the end of January. This decision was made primarily for two reasons: 1) to protect the vulnerable in our midst - people over 70 years and the unvaccinated, including children. 2) to do our part in consideration of overworked healthcare workers, so that we do not contribute to more hospital visits and admissions. In today's provincial COVID-19 briefing - even as there are signs that this recent wave may be plateauing, Dr. Bonnie Henry advised those over 70 years old to refrain from mingling socially for another few weeks. Her counsel underlined Gloria Dei's decision to go to online services as the right one for our context. Your Council and Worship Committee are anxious to resume in-person Sunday worship as soon as it is reasonably safe to do so. The decision will entail our own assessment of risk and balance. Please keep us in your prayers. Nevertheless, the work of the church has continued to go on -- bishop's ordinations, the work of National Church task forces, refugee support, Indigenous reconciliation and more -- we have highligthed a few of these in this issue. And in the months ahead, further opportunities will arise for us to engage in God's mission for the world. In the meantime, although we are all tiring of screen time, I encourage you to tune in to our livestream broadcast at 10AM on Sunday mornings - on Facebook and our website - www.facebook.com/GDLCNV/live or www.gloriadei.ca/live Yours in Christ, Pastor Vida
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Rev. Kathy Martin's Ordination . . .Over a hundred and fifty people from our Synod gathered on Zoom with others joined the livestream last Thursday to watch the ordination of Rev. Kathy Martin as our new Bishop. The occasion was the first time that the provisional Unified Order for Ordination of Pastors, Deacons and Bishops of the ELCIC was used - newly created by the Program Committee for Worship and its task group. In addition to Bishop Greg Mohr and National Bishop Susan Johnson, Bishop Jason Zinko from the Manitoba Synod and Bishop John Stephens of the Diocese of New Westminster were present, with other ecclesiastical and ecumenical guests joining online. As I sat with my laptop I couldn't help feeling sad that such a significant event in the life of our Church had to have attendance restricted once again. I felt remote and cutoff from the energy and dynamic happening inside the sanctuary of Mount Olive, but was pleasantly surprised that my spirit was still moved by the hymns and prayers broadcast to me through my screen. National Bishop Susan Johnson began the service with a Land Acknowledgement -- expressing gratitude to the local Semiahmoo First Nation and acknowledged that, "as Canadian Lutherans we commit to working towards reconciliation and journeying together to a better understanding of Indigenous history, culture, spirituality and a new experience of sharing the land and these coastal waters together." In response, the Right Rev. Barbara Andrews, member of the Enoch Maskekosihk Cree Nation in Alberta and interim pastor of Hills of Peace Lutheran Chruch in Kamloops responded to the land acknowledgement by issuing this invitation: In the spirit of reconciliation we invite Bishop elect Kathy and the BC Synod into relationship with Indigenous peoples here in BC and welcome your commitment to developing a deeper understanding of First Peoples and to work with us for the care of the land and all of creation. I am proud of the intiatives Gloria Dei has taken thus far in our own journey of reconciliation. Watch for news about an opportunity coming in Lent to learn about the historical Doctrine of Discovery and how its legacy continues to negatively impact Indigenous Peoples. Pastor Vida
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Thank You from Bishop KathyDear members and friends of the BC Synod, |
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Gloria Dei and Ethiopian RefugeesA conflict between the government of Ethiopia and forces in its northern Tigray region has thrown the country into turmoil. The fighting in Tigray in its first month alone is believed to have claimed thousands of lives and displaced more than 1 million people. The Regional Ecumenical Sponsorhip Team (REST) comprising of the Anglican congregations of St. Clement's nd St. Agnes and Gloria Dei, has an opprotunity to help sponsor a young refugee couple from Ethiopia. The wife is from Ethiopia and the husband is Eritrean. He has worked to help organize the Eritrean refugee community to improve their safety, which made him a target of the Ethiopian government, in order to capture him and repatriate him to the troubled Tigray region. The couple have family here in the Lower Mainland who have raised enough funds to sponsor them. This family (an aunt, cousins, and friends) inquired with REST to see if there was a church who was willing to act as co-sponsor for their application. As a co-sponsor all that would be required of the congregation would be to provide a bank account to deposit the funds and administer them properly. The Council deliberated and voted in favor as it was deemed that providing administrative support is within our capabilities as a congregation. The REST Committee and family will help with practical support. The application process is quite arduous and it will take quite some time--perhaps even 2 years--before the couple touches down on Canadian soil. We will share updates with you as they become available. |
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ELCIC Taskforce Survey - 2SLGBTQQIA CommunityThe taskforce addressing homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) is inviting people in the 2SLGBTQQIA community to share stories and experiences in order to help form the taskforce's report and recommendations. |
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Gloria Dei on Front Cover of Eternity for TodayLast June, Gloria Dei hosted Indigenous leader, Cari Klaassen as she led a video vigil service for the 215 children who died at the Kamloops Residential school and were buried in unmarked graves. The service began in Gloria Dei's courtyard where Cari and her helpers had built a candle memorial to the 215 children. The photo features Cari as she offers prayers and smudging in memory of the children. There are still a few copies of the Jan-Feb-March issue available at the church. If you can't drop by the church to pick up a copy, contact Shelley at the office and we will mail it to you.
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Thought of the Week |
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Some Humour |
