February 2014 Newsletter - Christ Our King Lutheran Church
Transcription
February 2014 Newsletter - Christ Our King Lutheran Church
February 2014 Newsletter Christ Our King Lutheran Church, 2150 Dundas Street West, Mississauga, Ontario L5K 1R5 905-822-8931 coklutheran@christourking.ca www.christourking.ca What Will You Leave Behind? Making Your Legacy Count for God’s Purposes Can you recall a time in your life when you were very intentional about something? Being intentional means you have a clearly defined purpose for doing what you are about to do. You understand a process, recognize the effort and know what you want as an outcome. God is very intentional with us. He is always seeking to establish a relationship with us that will move us to respond freely and joyfully as great stewards of His creation. He has entrusted us with life and all of life’s resources. Stewardship is our opportunity to manage what He has graciously provided to us in the best way possible to glorify Him. Stewardship is always outbound. Stewardship flows out of God’s act of love for us in Christ, which empowers us in turn, to love others in the same Christ‐like manner. Our God is a God of abundance, not a God of scarcity. When you think about the four mathematical functions of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing, we are naturally inclined toward subtracting and dividing but our Father delights in adding and multiplying. But in adding and multiplying our blessings, He also asks us to “do good, be rich in good deeds, and be generous and willing to share.” ‐ 1 Timothy 6:18 So how can we be intentional with our estate plans? It is so easy in this consumer‐driven culture we live in, to strive for earthly possessions and to store them up in abundance. Yet our Lord tells us that we are not to put our hope in “things” that can so easily come and go and eventually all go up in smoke, but to put our hope in the real and lasting treasures which are found in Him. This does not mean we shouldn’t take care of our families, but it does give us opportunity to reflect on how we can use the wonderful blessings He has giving us to continue His work on earth. Proverbs 13:22 says, “A wise man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children” On the surface, that passage might seem to imply that we should establish trusts for grandchildren, but a more thoughtful reading suggests otherwise. The kind of eternal inheritance that we can leave to our children’s children might include a strong local church where our loved ones can come to Christ and grow in their understanding of Him, a healthy mission field on which to serve, a place to receive an education with a Christian worldview, or an outreach to the poor and downtrodden. These are inheritances with eternal perspective and eternal worth. These are also inheritances that require resources to function well. And these resources can come in part, from our estates. Christian estate planning really helps us understand how we can be a blessing to our families and the Lord’s work by focusing on our role as God’s stewards. Our congregation has invited Lutheran Foundation Canada to present an information session on Christian Estate Planning Living and Dying with God’s Blessings Dates: Sundays, February 2, 9, 16, 23, 2014 Time: 9:45 a.m. The purpose of this information session is to help you look at your plans from a Christian perspective and think about the decisions you can make within your will, and overall estate, to be a blessing to your family and God’s plan. For more information on the Foundation or Planned Giving contact: Alfred Feth – East District Gift Coordinator (office) 1‐800‐465‐8179 #218 (cell) 519‐572‐5510 afeth@lcceast.ca February, 2014 Beloved in Christ Jesus, Why is Bible study important? If you’re not studying God’s Word, what is holding you up? We know from Scripture that the Law has no power to motivate. That’s why Bible study has to grow from a hunger to get into the Word and learn more . . . and more . . . and more. When we are led by God’s Spirit and powered by the Gospel, Bible Study is no longer a chore . . . it is a meal . . . a dinner . . . It is something to look forward to. Pastors need to demonstrate that hunger for the Word themselves. Pastors need to exhibit those “aha” moments when God shows them something different and new and exciting. Pastors need to make spiritual connections between Old Testament and New Testament and make the Scriptures come alive. Let me share one of my recent “aha” moments. Do you know why the Old Testament temple in Jerusalem was built where it was? In Genesis 22 God directed Abraham to Mount Moriah where he was to sacrifice his son Isaac. When Isaac asked where the sacrifice was, Abraham responded, “God will provide the sacrifice Himself.” There is another Old Testament reference to that location. It comes in 1 Chronicles 21. In that Chapter, King David is again beset by sin. This time it is the sin of pride. He has begun to trust in the size of his army instead of trusting in the Lord. So the Lord asks him to pick his punishment … three years of famine, three months of war or three days of the avenging angel of the Lord. What did David choose? He knew that a famine has no heart, that enemy armies know no mercy. So he puts himself and all Israel into the hands of God, whom he knows has a heart of mercy. God sent His angel to do his worst, but part way through the three days of destruction, God called a stop to it all. In mercy, God could not continue to pour out His wrath a moment longer. The angel stopped his path of destruction, and the place where he stopped, the place where God’s justice met God mercy was the threshing floor of Arunna. That was where the altar and the temple would be built! What’s the significance of that spot? It was where God’s justice and God’s mercy collided. It would forever be remembered as the place where mercy overtook justice and forgiveness took root. Now here’s the exciting part, the “aha” moment. I thought about the widow of Nain and the parade of life and the cortege of death meeting at the edge of town. What was the outcome when life and death met? I thought about the sad reality of this question, “What if the son’s death was deserved?” Maybe he was guilty of drunk driving, or sexual immorality. Maybe he was shot by police while he was committing a felony. What if he deserved to die? Then … I thought, “Don’t we all!” Aha … So . . . what really happened at Nain? God’s justice and God’s mercy collided again. And mercy won! The son was restored to his mother. His sentence of death had been commuted! How many other Bible examples can you think of? Is that getting you excited yet? We have a great variety of Bible Study opportunities for you here at Christ our King. Just look: a. L.I.F.T. Bible study . . . “Ladies In Faith Together” This group at our church started just this year when need and opportunity met. We had a small group of young moms either on maternity leave for a year, or who had opted to stay at home with their pre-schoolers for a few years. We had 3 or 4 other ladies who for one reason or another were no longer in the work force. We also had one lady with the gift to teach. They now meet every other Thursday morning for an hour and a half at fellowship, bible study, and sharing (laughing, crying). b. Sunday Morning Bible class . . . we call it the Deep End of Sunday School. We often study the same lesson that the kids do, but at a deeper level, hence the name. CPH offers adult lesson materials that follow the Sunday school curriculum. It has it’s own leader’s guide and reproducible lesson sheets. Sometimes we do a new member class on Sunday morning for 10-12 weeks or so. We’ve used the old LCMS “What About” series updated and edited slightly with some Bible references and questions. We’ve done a series on Christianity and Atheism and how you answer the sceptics. We meet every Sunday at 9:45 for coffee and 10:00 for study. c. Seniors lunch . . . grew out of a sudden rise in the number of widows in the congregation who were all hurting in similar ways but who didn’t know each other very well. They go out together for lunch once a month, share fellowship and devotion time and have grown together as a group that supports and cares for one another. d. Wednesday Afternoon Bible Class … meets weekly at the Church from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. The class is led by Mr. Jim Mulligan, one of our elders (who probably knows more Bible languages than I do). They are currently studying 1 John. e. Monthly Men’s Bible Study Supper . . . A few years back we decided that we would reverse the trend that real men don’t do Bible study. We appealed to their stomachs and offered “Man food” once a month, chilli, barbeque, stew. We meet for a couple of hours for a meal, fellowship, Bible study and prayer. We will often use a video resource from The Lutheran Hour, Paul Meier, or Creation Science. f. Monthly Ladies’ Night . . . when our church ladies saw how much fun we men were having they got jealous and started their own “Dinner and a Bible Study” on Thursday nights from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. Some ladies have time to cook or bring a dessert, while others who come right from work just put $5.00 in the basket to cover costs. Meals can be simple or elaborate. They do an ice breaker or two, have some table favours, use real dishes and tablecloths, sing some hymns. It’s a nice night out. Two or three of them take turns leading the Bible Study. Men are not allowed . . . what happens at ladies’ night stays at ladies’ night. Board of Evangelism Report January 2014 1. ESL Classes: This program has not taken off due to absence of students. We will again try to advertise this year to attract some students. Actually there are few ESL school in our surrounding that’s why ESL students are available. 2. Urdu / Hindi Service The first year for Urdu/Hindi service went along very well, better than what we expected. The attendance has been around 30 on the average. On the average, 30 people have been attending on regular basis. Most of them are regulars. Kanwal Dean helps me in conducting the service as well inviting people. My focus has been catechetical most of the times. There is an excellent feedback on the whole. The fellowship dinner is a source of bonding among the attendees. The offering and expense for dinner has balanced in a way that the Church did not have to spend any funds. 3. Christian Urdu / Hindi Radio Program The Urdu/Hindi Radio program finally took off on November 3, 2013. Since Rev. Luke was busy conducting two services at Christ Our King being the vacancy Pastor, Joseph Singh started preaching at the radio. Pastor Flohr decided to conduct early service with the help of an elder, to spare Rev. Luke for the radio. Starting Dec.1, Rev. Luke is preaching on the radio from 8- 9 am, every Sunday. He then helps Pastor Flohr for the second service at 11 am. Most of the Sundays, Kanwal Dean from our Church acts as host. Javed Akhtar joins him only whenever he is available. 4. Television Ministry We could not record a new TV program due to busy schedule of Rev. Luke as well some shortfall of funds and equipment. The District has helped in getting new powerful computer and also approved the appropriate software for editing, titling and making of DVDs. We still need to buy a professional Camera and keyboard. This will cost between 7-8 K for both the items. Once we have these, then we will be sufficiently equipped to produce a DVD to be given to Asian Television Network (ATN) for transmission. I would request our Church to consider giving funds for these items. Our program are so much liked that ATN played our last year program this Christmas. 5. Outreach Program We will discuss the possibility of various outreach programs for 2014 in our next Evangelism Board meeting. You may like to give us some suggestions. What I like about Lutheran Baptism (From a Baptist Minister who is a “Lutheran in progress”) I like the Lutheran view because it understands baptism as God’s act, not a human act. It’s primarily about grace, not faith. It is done to us in God’s name (that is, as an act of God performed by his representative), we do not do it to ourselves. It is not the sign of my response to God, it is the sign and seal of what God has done for me. I like the Lutheran view because it emphasizes the Word of God. When God’s Word of promise and salvation is spoken at baptism, ordinary water becomes a means of grace to sinners. Lutherans do not emphasize the water apart from the Word, nor do they worry so much about how much water is used, or by what method the water is applied. The key is that the simple, ordinary element of water is combined with the all-important Word of salvation. I like the Lutheran view because it appropriately broadens our understanding of the Great Commission. Many who argue against baptizing infants appeal to the Book of Acts, where believer’s baptism is the common practice. However, they forget that Acts describes mainly firstgeneration believers. Lutherans have no problem with baptizing believers who have received the Gospel (nor does any Christian denomination that practices baptism). What the N.T. does not exemplify so clearly is what should happen with second-generation believers. When does the child of Christian parents start becoming a disciple of Christ? That process begins when the child is born, and therefore it is appropriate to baptize the child and begin teaching him/her to obey what Christ has commanded from the beginning of life. I like the Lutheran view because it enlightens us about the true nature of faith. In evangelicalism, faith is usually described as my decision, my willful choice to follow Christ. Lutherans understand that faith is more mysterious and often less conscious than that. Infants exemplify this broader understanding. Does an infant choose to be conceived or born? Does an infant decide to bond in trustful repose upon its mother’s breast? Does the infant intelligently weigh its options and determine to choose life and love? No, the infant’s new life begins solely by the will of others, when they come together in an act of love. Then the incomprehensible life force one day moves the baby to enter the world, breathe, and respond to those who love her. Even so, God, through Word and Sacrament, works faith and spiritual life into those who receive his promise. I like the Lutheran view because it emphasizes the ongoing significance of baptism. Since evangelicalism views baptism as a one-time initiatory act that communicates a singular message about conversion, those who practice believer’s baptism don’t bring up the subject again in the course of the Christian life. However, Lutherans (following Luther himself) see baptism as an ongoing object lesson of the Christian life that we must remember and reenact every day. We practice our baptism daily by repenting (dying to the old life) and rising to walk in new life. (reprinted from Sunday Morning Bible Class, January 26th, 2014) The Gender Neutral NIV Bible The New International Version (NIV) translation of the Bible has been one of the largest-selling Bibles in the English language since it was introduced in 1984. Our Lectionary and even our pew Bibles are the NIV. The Bible most Lutherans use to study from since 1986 has been the Concordia Self-Study Bible (NIV). In 2002, Zondervan, who owns the copyrights to the NIV translation, introduced a new NIV gender-neutral Bible called Today’s New International Version (TNIV). The original NIV translation of the Bible is becoming harder and harder to find while the TNIV translation is being largely publicized. In 2009, in response to the TNIV, Bible Concordia Publishing House published the Bible that is becoming the Lutheran standard – The Lutheran Study Bible (English Standard Version). At the same time, CPH published a new Lectionary, Altar book, hymnal, and Catechism (all with burgundy covers) using the ESV translation of the Bible. Most Lutheran churches are switching over to the ESV translation. So why did we, and many other Christian denominations, not switch from the original NIV to the TNIV as Zondervan hoped? A gender-neutral Bible may be politically acceptable in our society today. But is it acceptable to the Christian community? The answer is no! The God of the Bible is not gender-neutral. We believe in and profess a Triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; not parent, child, and spirit. The Triune God created everything that exists including Adam and Eve (male and female). When Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, He was born a male child, not male and female. Much like the false teachers who plagued the early Christian church and denied either the divinity or humanity of Jesus, the TNIV presents a very different Jesus from the True God and True Man which is presented in the original Greek texts. The TNIV translation of the Bible does two things to erase the male-oriented details: (1) it eliminates them (changing ‘man’ to ‘mortals’; ‘father’ to ‘parent’; ‘son’ to ‘child’; ‘brother’ to ‘fellow believer’; and ‘he’ to ‘they’; so that all male meaning is gone), or else (2) it adds female-oriented details that are not found in the original text (such as changing ‘brother’ to ‘brother or sister,’ to remove the male emphasis in the Bible). Here are four examples of these changes from the 1984 NIV to the 2002 TNIV. Hebrews 2:6-8 New International Version (NIV) 6 What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 7 You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor 8 and put everything under his feet. In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. Today’s New International Version (TNIV) 6 What are mere mortals that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? 7 You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor 8 and put everything under their feet. In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. English Standard Version (ESV) 6 What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? 7 You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, 8 putting everything in subjection under his feet. Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. What's wrong? The TNIV removes the possibility of connecting these verses with Jesus, who called himself "the Son of Man." It mistranslates the singular Greek words huios (‘son’) and anthropos (‘man’). It no longer refers to the human race as a unity named "man" (the name given by God in Genesis 5:2), but "mere mortals." This adds the idea of mortality that is not in the Greek text. (Note that man as created by God was not mortal, and this passage has creation language in it.) But the TNIV's goal has been achieved: The maleoriented details are erased. Hebrews 12:7 New International Version (NIV) Today’s New International Version (TNIV) English Standard Version (ESV) Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their parents? It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? What's wrong? The TNIV mistranslates the Greek words huios (‘son’) and pater (‘father’), which in their singular forms cannot mean ‘child’ or ‘children’ or ‘parent.’ It also obscures the parallel with God as Father in this passage. Again, the male-oriented details are erased. Revelation 3:20 New International Version (NIV) Today’s New International Version (TNIV) English Standard Version (ESV) I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. What's wrong? The TNIV mistranslates the Greek masculine singular pronoun autos (‘he, him’). Therefore it loses the teaching of fellowship between Jesus and an individual believer. The plural pronoun ‘them’ naturally refers to "those whom I love" in the church of Laodicea in the previous verse. So in the TNIV, if any one person in the church opens the door, Jesus will come in and eat with a group, with the whole church. What is lost is the teaching that Jesus will fellowship with one person individually and personally. For what reason? To appease the politically correct, liberally moral, and gender neutral society. 2 Corinthians 5:17 New International Version (NIV) Today’s New International Version (TNIV) English Standard Version (ESV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has the new creation has come: The he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come! passed away; behold, the new has old has gone, the new is here! come. What's wrong? In the TNIV, Paul no longer says that an individual person ‘he’ will be a new creation, who is born again, but that some generic ‘new creation’ will happen if an individual is in Christ. This no longer talks about baptism and being born again but about God creating a new creation to replace the old creation. This will only happen when Jesus returns on the Last Day in judgment. This removes the Biblical concept of abiding in Christ and Christ abiding in the individual believer. The TNIV puts us all on our own. So, what do we do? First, there are hundreds of other TNIV mistranslations of Scripture that preclude any serious use of this Bible. The theology presented by this translation is politically correct but Scripturally incorrect. If you are going to purchase a new Bible, I would recommend either the 1984 NIV Concordia Self-Study Bible or the ESV The Lutheran Study Bible. If you purchase a different NIV Bible, be sure to check the copyright date. If it is 2002 or later, it is a gender-neutral, unscriptural Bible. Jim Mulligan for the Board of Elders LWMLC NEWS It’s hard to believe that we are about a month away from the start of the season of Lent. Our upcoming Pre-Lenten Breakfast and Prayer Service ,to be held at St. Matthews, Scarborough, on Saturday March 1st, will certainly prepare us for this time in the church year! A big thank you goes out to all who have been supporting our efforts to collect mites which provide funding for mission projects, both close to home and abroad. Our next collection and dedication of mites takes place on Sun. Feb. 2nd. Please remember to bring your mite boxes. A few upcoming dates need to be marked on our calendars. The first is our monthly meeting which takes place on Tuesday Feb. 11th. For this meeting we will carpool and travel to Daphne Miller’s residence at Regency Retirement Home on Mississauga Rd. Here we will have some fellowship and a Bible Study. Please join us! It’s time again to order the Tapestry. This is a magazine put out four times per year and has very interesting and revealing articles. Subscriptions are $8.00 yearly. Please see Mary Mulligan, if you are interested . Due to our success in gathering together and assembling items for Canadian Lutheran World Relief last year, we are once again appealing for your help .As we did last year, we will again be putting up a display of the needed items and we ask your help in supplying only those items. We should like to purchase a few of the needed items (notebooks, small toys) so for these items as well as shipping costs ($5.00 per kit) monetary support would be greatly appreciated. Items that we are collecting for these Learning and Living Kits are as follows: • • • • • • • 10 unsharpened pencils with erasers 1 pencil sharpener 1 eraser 1 pack of crayons or pencil crayons 1 bar of soap 1 toothbrush (individually wrapped) 1 metric ruler Items can be left in the box provided under the Kit Display. Many thanks, in advance, for helping children who need our support! This month’s mission focus is that of helping to support Medical Missions in its need for shipping funds four times yearly. We pray: Lord Jesus, You are the God of mercy and have promised to hear the prayers of the faithful .If it is Your will, grant health where there is illness and healing where there are wounds Enable us to bring hope where there is despair by providing the funds necessary to ship medical mission supplies where they are needed four times yearly. Amen. NEWS FROM THE WOMEN’S GROUP “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 What a cold, bitter winter night it was on Thursday, January 16th as our Ladies’ Group met once again to come together for the evening to enjoy warm fellowship, delicious food and God’s holy and uplifting Word. Despite the cold and snow, we still had a wonderful number of women who came out, and for that kind of dedication and commitment, we give much praise and thanks. We started off our evening with some most delicious and tasty home‐made soups lovingly prepared by Sharyn Thibault, along with sandwiches, veggies and cheese. A perfect meal for such a cold evening! After our very tasty dinner and mouth‐watering desserts, we then enjoyed a fun‐filled ice‐breaker activity along with laughing at some extremely funny anecdotes. What a fun time we always have enjoying each other’s company! Once our laughter was put to rest, Mary Mulligan then led us in Bible study where we focused on “Our Resolutions and God’s Promises.” The promises that we studied from various scripture readings reminded us that they all come from God, and that they can help us pass His forgiveness on to others. As shared among the group, we all concluded that forgiveness is sometimes not so easy to do, but with God’s help, we can learn to do it with honesty and sincerity. With forgiveness comes joy, and that true joy is based on the Lord our God who grants us salvation, forgiveness and His presence in our heart and in our life. After Bible study, we then concluded our evening with worship and prayer, being mindful of all the many blessings that our good and gracious God showers on us daily. And one of those blessings being this wonderful, loving and caring group of faith‐filled women who spend time monthly to grow in faith, fellowship and love. Our next Women’s Group get‐together will be taking place on THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20th starting with dinner at 6:30 p.m. at the church. Here is an invitation to all the women of our congregation to prayerfully consider coming out that evening to join us for a few hours of fun, fellowship and growing in God’s word. So….if this is one of your New Year’s resolutions, then what better time than to start now. We’d love to have you there! Hope you can make it! In His service, Donna Prusha Helping Syrian refugees through the winter and beyond With your support and through the assistance of the Canadian government, some hope and comfort have made their way to seven-year-old Brawat Al Salih and her family, Syrian refugees living in northern Jordan. They are one of 2,000 families who have received or will receive heaters and carpets to bring warmth to their shelters through the winter months. They are also one of 300 families to receive shelter upgrades like proper plumbing and insulation - bringing clean water, safe sewage disposal and added warmth to their home. “We don’t have wood smoke in our house anymore and it is much more healthy. My sister and brother and I do not get sick from the cold like we used to,” says Brawat. “Thank you, Canada.” Two generous grants totaling approximately $2 million from the Canadian government, as well as your continued and faithful support, are making this possible. To learn more about the grants, please click here. The need is still very great. Another Syrian family, the Al-Haj family, will be receiving help very soon. Their shelter is a chicken coop with no running water, and the cold weather is taking a toll, especially on the youngest children. Click here to read their story in full. To offer your support to families like these, please click here to learn how to donate heaters, food vouchers and winter clothing. SWEATERS FOR SYRIAN REFUGEES: Another important part of the Canadian Lutheran response to Syrian refugees is the approximately 60,000 sweaters you generously donated for people living in the Za’atari refugee camp. Basel Al Ahmed is one person of many who are looking forward to receiving your sweaters. His family of seven is struggling to keep warm in their tent, waking up in the mornings with frost on their blankets. They asked CLWR’s Tom Brook to send their thanks to you for your support. Click here to read their story in full. There are 47,706 sweaters on their way now, and a third and final shipment will be leaving our warehouse in early February. The first two shipments are scheduled to arrive late in January and early in February. Quest Quest is a continuing education program presented by CLS. Each series offers lifelong learning classes especially for lay people. The topics address every follower who needs to better understand his or her personal faith and religion. Seminary faculty and guest speakers present a short series of classes on subjects relevant to the day-to-day faith living of contemporary Christians. The classes are designed to be informative and enlivening, comprehensible and relevant, compact and budget-priced. Evening non-credit classes are scheduled in the Fall and the Winter. Quest courses may also be made available online. Minimum equipment requirements can be found here. Contact the Development Assistant to the President for more information. Upcoming Quest Courses: Winter 2014 “A Man for our Times: Bach's Music and Theology for a New Millennium ” with Rev. Lorne Manweiler So often, J.S. Bach is held up as a paragon of the high Baroque and of an even higher church music. It may be surprising to many that Bach dealt with the same grass-roots challenges the modern church worker and church musician faces: chronic lack of resources, doctrinal inconsistency, cultural pressure, few capable parish musicians, and often antagonistic working relationships. These four sessions will examine Bach’s philosophy and theology of church music practice historically, musically, practically, and theologically, and translate those principles into the new millennium. The course caters to the non-musician and musician, theologian and layperson alike. Rev. Lorne Manweiler is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Edmonton, AB, instructor of organ and resident organist at Concordia University College of Alberta, Edmonton, and accompanist for the Concordia Community Chorus. A winner of organ performance and improvisation competitions, he has performed in concert with Canadian orchestras and choral ensembles and as a solo performer in major churches and concert halls in North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom. This Quest class is offered as a webcast for distant students. Access the live videoconference here: http://concordia.adobeconnect.com/quest Time & Date: 7:00pm - 9:00 Feb 4, 11, 18, and 25, 2014. Cost: No registration fee - donations welcome. To register for the free classes contact Rhonda Buck at development@concordiasem.ab.ca or 780-474-1468, ext. 225 February Sun Partners in Prayer Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 LCC Pastor Flohr Pastor Luke 2 LBW-C Sunday School 3 CLWR NS & K Rudy Beharrysingh 4 CLMS NS & K Jurgen & Ghezel Beier; Simone 5 LFL-C NS & K Howard & Janet Bender 6 LWML-C NS & K Robert Beskau; Tim 7 LLL NS & K Elfrieda Betsch 8 CLS Pastor Flohr Pastor Luke 9 LBT Sunday School 10 CLTS NS & K William & Camille Bonhardt 11 East District NS & K Anette Boilesen 12 Central District NS & K Rob & Sharon Brennen 13 ABC District NS & K Dave & Pat Brezynskie 14 LCC NS & K Larry & Anita Browne 15 LBW-C Pastor Flohr Pastor Luke 16 CLWR Sunday School 17 CLMS NS & K Gary & Frances Bundscho; Kevin 18 LFL-C NS & K Kent Bundscho; Kaitlynn 19 LWML-C NS & K Christa & Jim Carroll; William, Thomas 24 East District NS & K Heidi & Shawn Corley; Nathaniel 25 Central District NS & K Gisela & Deither Dabis 26 ABC District NS & K Kanwal & Sheila Dean 21 CLS NS & K Kristine & Philip Coffin; Danielle, Staci 28 LBW-C NS & K Mario & Andrea Di Clemente; Mila 22 LBT Pastor Flohr Pastor Luke 23 CLTS Sunday School 20 LLL NS & K Dave & Wendy Chant; Braden, Jessica 27 LCC NS & K Bruno & Debbie Di Clemente; Sarah LCC * Lutheran Church Canada CLWR * Canadian Lutheran World Relief LFL-C * Lutherans for Life-Canada LLL * Lutheran Laymen’s League LBT * Lutheran Bible Translators LBW-C * Lutheran Braille Workers-Canada CLMS * Concordia Lutheran Mission Society LWML-C * Lutheran Women’s Missionary League CLS * Concordia Lutheran Seminary-Edmonton CLTS * Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary-St.Catharines 2014 Nursery School/Kindergarten News What a wonderful new year this is! At the end of December our enrolment was 15. In January, 3 more children joined us. In February, we already know that one more student will enrol and there is the possibility of 2 or 3 more. This is exciting news! This past week the children went to The Erinview (formerly Erin Mills Lodge) to sing songs. The residents love seeing the children and often times join in the all time favourites like “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, ABC song and Jesus Loves Me”. Last year we were not able to go to visit the “Grandmas and Grandpas” because of the low numbers. What a joy it is to see the smiles on their faces as the children sing to them. This is the reason Thursday is one of the days the parents request because they want their child to be part of this awesome experience. We give thanks to our great God for this opportunity to tell the children about the love of Jesus. We thank Christ Our King for your prayers and support. The Peace of Meditation So we may know God better and feel His quiet power, Let us daily keep in silence a meditation hour. For to understand God’s greatness and to use His gifts each day, The soul must learn to meet Him in a meditative way. For nature’s great forces are found in quiet things Like softly falling snowflakes drifting down on angels’ wings. So let us plan with prayerful care to always allocate A certain portion of each day to be still and meditate. For when everything is quiet and we’re lost in meditation, Our souls are then preparing for a deeper dedication That will make it wholly possible to quietly endure The violent world around us, for in God we are secure. The House of Prayer Just close your eyes and open your heart and feel your cares and worries depart. Just yield yourself to the Father above and let Him hold you secure in His love. For life on earth grows more involved with endless problems that can’t be solved, But God only asks us to do our best, then He will take over and finish the rest. So when you are tired, discouraged, and blue, there’s always one door that is opened to you And that is the door to the house of prayer, and you’ll find God waiting to meet you there. And the house of prayer is no farther away than the quiet spot where you kneel and pray. For the heart is a temple when God is there as we place ourselves in His loving care. And He hears every prayer and answers each one when we pray in His name, “Thy will be done.” And the burdens that seemed too heavy to bear are lifted away on the wings of prayer. A beautiful beginning for Peace on Earth Let us all remember when our faith is running low, Christ is more than just a figure wrapped in an ethereal glow. For He came and dwelled among us and He knows our every need, And He loves and understands us and forgives each sinful deed. He was crucified and buried and rose again in glory, And His promise of salvation makes the wondrous Christmas story An abiding reassurance that the little Christ child’s birth Was the beautiful beginning of God’s plan for peace on earth. February Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 Mite Sunday 8:30 Worship Service 9:45 Sunday School & Bible Class 11:00 Cont. Service 6:00 Urdu Service 9 8:30 & 11:00 Communion Service 9:45 Sunday School & Bible Class 3 7:30 Praise Choir 7:30 New Members’ Class 4 6:30 Confirmation 7:30 Board of Evangelism 5 8 – 2 Office Hours 1:00 Bible Study 6:15 Choir 6 10:00 L.I.F.T. 7 8 – 2 Office Hours 8 10 7:30 Praise Choir 7:30 New Members’ Class 11 6:30 Confirmation LWML 12 8 – 2 Office Hours 1:00 Bible Study 7:30 NSK Meeting 13 14 8 – 2 Office Hours 15 16 8:30 & 11:00 Worship Service 9:45 Sunday School & Bible Class 6:00 Urdu Service 23 8:30 & 11:00 Communion Service 9:45 Sunday School & Bible Class 2:00 Theatre Excurs. 17 7:30 New Members’ Class 18 6:30 Confirmation 19 8 – 2 Office Hours 1:00 Bible Study 6:15 choir 20 10:00 L.I.F.T. 6:30 Ladies’ Night 7:00 Elders’ Meeting 21 8 – 2 Office Hours 22 10 – noon Kids’ Club 24 7:30 Praise Choir 7:30 New Members’ Class 25 6:30 Confirmation 26 8 – 2 Office Hours 1:00 Bible Study 6:15 Choir 27 28 8 – 2 Office Hours Ash Wednesday March 5th 7:30 p.m. Communion Service 2014 Just for Kids Come and Join us for our Saturday Kid’s Club at Christ Our King! February 22, 2014 10:00 a.m. to Noon How many of God’s promises do you know? Which one is most important? Do you have a favourite? How about this one: “God is Faithful” That means He always keeps His promises! Come and explore God’s promises with us! Bible Stories … Songs … Crafts … Games Christ Our King Lutheran Church 2150 Dundas West, Mississauga ℡ 905-822-8931