NEWSLETTER – SEPTEMBER 2021

September 2021

“‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
Matthew 24,40b

Dear brothers and sisters,

Many devotions have been written on this famous verse taken from the Gospel of Matthew. Looking for a theme, it spoke to me right away. It spoke to me, because sometimes what needs to be done is so easy and so simple and because I just experienced some beautiful moments of compassion in the last days.

Sometimes it is a smile, a kind word, a word of comfort and compassion: I found this in the flight attendants and personnel of a large airline, that helped me to overcome seemingly overwhelming hurdles on my recent return to Canada. They made the impossible happen: I returned on the planned day and even found my luggage upon arrival in Canada. So many friendly words, helping hands, advice, guidance … whatever I needed, I could find it in those people on that day. They did their job, but they did it with kindness and that was what I needed.

I found this sentence in the words of the immigration office, welcoming me back to Canada, who looked at me and said: “You look like you had a hard day” and then sent me home to go to bed and sleep without insisting on all documentation for my return.

I found it in the immigration office from another booth, who picked a young mother with a crying baby out of the long line up, to give her priority service. This allowed her to find a quiet place to feed the infant after clearing immigration. I saw her sitting in the empty luggage hall on a bench on the side later on, huddling the infant who was feeding from her breast.

The “least of mine” are for sure those who are disadvantaged in life, those who struggle but often enough also the person next to me. We all can suddenly be and become the “least” of Jesus’s brothers and sisters, at least for a small moment. Then it is even more important when we, when others, do what needs to be done, help us, support us, find ways to resolve the situation. Sometimes all it takes is to do our job with kindness.

Pastor Kristina Breit

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Covid-Update

Dear members,

With September rolling around, we had hoped that the last restrictions are going to fall. But we know now, that case counts are increasing again and that new restrictions have come. There might be more.

For us as a church, the legal situation is complex. The short version is: Worship services are not restricted at all, at this point. All other events are restricted by the orders on events and gatherings – this includes group-meetings, celebrations etc.

We are planning to re-open with almost normal proceedings at St. Marks in September. Almost normal, because we will have to wait once again how the new orders will impact our plans and how the general situation develops.

For now, we ask everyone: please continue to physical distance, to wear masks and to practice good hand-hygiene. We are continuing to keep attendance lists for our service and ask all groups to do the same for their meetings. That will help us in case on of us would get sick with COVID-19 or would test positive.

For the Church Council,

Pastor Kristina Breit

Dates and Events

Starting September we resume English service on a week-to-week basis.

On September 12th – we will have our Annual General Meeting. We will start with a service and then have the meeting right after the service in the sanctuary, to avoid too much moving around.
For those who are interested in attending virtually, we will be providing a Zoom-Link in a timely manner. It helps if you are telling us in advance, if you want to attend via Zoom. Please send an email to Pastor Breit (pastor.breit@shaw.ca) so that we get an idea who wants to attend virtually.

On September 19th – we will have a Combined Service to bid farewell to Pastor Hardo and Friederike Ermisch. We start at 9:30 with a service. Due to the new health orders and due to the limits on gatherings and events that still apply, we have to review how we can proceed after the service.

Group Meetings
All groups are required to meet in a spacious or well-ventilated room and to keep a record of all attendees.
Be prepared that you might need to show proof of vaccination when the new public health order comes due in mid-September. You will receive information on this through the Leader of the group.

Bible Study for Women meets on September 8th. For information, please contact Kecia Boecking (604-988-1356).

English Bible Study meets on September 21st at 7:30pm – location to be announced –for information please contact Pastor Breit (604-435-5950).

Freudenquell Ladies meet on September 20th at 2pm in the Church Basement.

The Men’s Bible Study meets on – September 15th. Please contact René Boecking (604-988-1356) for more information.

Calling Committee News 

The Calling Committee is excited to formally announce that Pastor Ingrid Cramer-Doerschel from Alberta will be joining our congregation in mid November as a transitional pastor.  Together with Pastor Ingrid, the congregation will spend the next two years in self-study and goal setting by reviewing the past and planning for the future in such a way as to strengthen and enhance the mission and unity of the congregation.

A lot has happened since our last update in June:

In order to explain the process we are embarking on, the Calling Committee created a memo with frequently asked questions and links to two sermons Pastor Ingrid prepared for the congregation in German and English (the memo was sent by email on July 12).

Due to Covid restrictions, an online Meet&Greet between Pastor Cramer-Doerschel and the congregation was set up on July 14 (a link to the recorded meeting was sent out to members by e-mail on July 15). A wide variety of topics and issues were discussed in this meeting, from the importance of youth engagement and education, to Christians’ stewardship of the environment and, of course, the transition process.

Following this Meet&Greet, Pastor Cramer-Doerschel was offered and accepted a call as a Transitional Pastor to St. Mark’s for a period of two years.  Pastor Cramer-Doerschel came to visit our church and the parsonage on August 3 and 4. The two days were filled with meetings and outings with Church Council and Calling Committee members, Associate Pastor Breit and departing Pastor Ermisch.

While the signing of the contract formally concludes the work of the Calling Committee, a number of members have indicated their continued commitment to the transition process.

Andrea Mechler (on behalf of the Calling Committee)