Louise and I like to get away up to the top of the mountains to snowshoe - just after a fresh snowfall with clear blue sky is best. The cold air is crisp and all is quiet.  The only sounds are your deep breathing and the snowshoes crunching in the snow. It's perfect for clear thinking and quiet prayer. The views are breathtaking and being on the mountaintops can make me feel closer to heaven.

~ Ken Parkinson 

On January 25 - the Feast Day of St. Paul, a small gathering of Christians from diverse traditions gathered at St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church in West Vancouver to pray for Christian unity. Gloria Dei was represented by Pastor Vida and Ursula Adler. As clergy from various churches of the North Shore were in the narthex waiting to process, a blast of sound greeted our ears. It was the haunting sound of the shofar calling us to prayer. 

Pastor Vida writes:

I spoke with Glenn, the shofar blower, following the service and learned that his particular shofar came from the kudu antelope. The horn is quite large and spiral shaped. In Jewish tradition it is still used today during Rosh Hashana to call the people to repentance. One rabbi writes how the haunting cry of the shofar "urges us to wake up and feel how distant our true selves have strayed from He who gave us life." 

This spirit of repentance, sounded by the shofar at the beginning of the service, continued to ripple through the prayers that followed. We acknowledged how we erect walls between people rather than work towards understanding. We confessed our abuse of the earth's resources and prayed for humility and patience to walk with others with respect on their journey.  

In his sermon, Father Gary Franken drew an analogy between us and the Magi. A comic theme that often crops up in Epiphany pageants is how the Magi had different ideas about how to follow the star. As Christians from diverse traditions, we too have differences about the details of our journey.  But what is important to remember is that we are all on a journey towards Christ and called to extend the kingdom of God on earth by making the world a place where Christ is known and loved.

 Offerings Options  

As we enter our 3rd year of Covid 19, our members continue to support our parish financially, using the following methods:

1. Cheques mailed or dropped off at the church office.

2. PAR monthly deposits.

3. Canada Helps.

 Your ongoing support is needed each Sunday as “in person” services are presently cancelled due to pandemic protocols issued by the Ministry of Health for B.C. and it is not certain when they will commence in the future. The parish has monthly overheads such as salaries, benefits, facilities and office expenses that must be paid regardless of in person services.

Some members have asked if there is any other way of contributing their offerings month, and we are pleased to inform you that we have “e-transfer” available with our banker Blue Shore Financial.

Those members who have online banking, the following procedures must be initiated:
1.    Sign in to your online account
2.    Go to products and services
3.    Set up a recipient e-transfer account for:
4.    Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
5.    gloriadei5838@gmail.com
6.    Enter the amount of offering
7.    Enter the payment date
8.    Click on send

“It’s just that easy” to send your offerings and is an immediate financial assistance for our parish. Thank you for your continued support of Gloria Dei’s mission in the community.

* LIVESTREAMING CONTINUES - Church Council has voted to continue livestreaming worship services until Feb. 20, 2022. Hopefully by that time the state of the pandemic will allow us to resume in person services.

* I mentioned last week in this newsletter that the Balfours had moved. Here is their new address: #1404 - 135 W. 15th Street, North Vancouver, V7M 1R7. Phone number remains the same.

* We have received news that Ginger Meyers, former Gloria Dei member, passed away recently. She and her husband had made their home in California. 

This Sunday Pastor Vida will bless the latest batch of baskets for the Turning Point Recovery House. Thank you to all of you who donated funds and to Lin Parkinson, Shelley Meglaughlin and Ursula Adler for purchasing the items and putting together the baskets.

We would like to congratulate LaDonna Miller on her new position as the Executive Director of the North Shore Stroke Recovery Centre! God's Blessings to you LaDonna as you start your job!