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ABC Connect
Keeping the ABC District Connected. |
Volume 2, Issue #1
January 3, 2011
Second Sunday after Christmas |
O God, our Maker and Redeemer, who wonderfully created us and in the incarnation of Your Son yet more wondrously restored our human nature, grant that we may ever be alive in Him who made Himself to be like us; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
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Greetings!
 Welcome to 2011! We are currently distributing this weekly newsletter to over 600 people all over Alberta and British Columbia (and across the country)!
Feel free to use this information for bulletin announcements or newsletters. You can also Forward to a Friend or at the bottom of the email. Share this information with your all of your members including your church secretary, treasurer, elders, or president!
How do you like our new look?
Questions, comments, feedback? Send them to news@lccabc.ca.
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Prayers
For Pastor Rob Mohns and his family as they mourn the death of Anna who was called to her eternal home on Christmas morning. The funeral will be held on January 15 at 1pm at Redeemer, Didsbury, AB.
For the family of Rev. Bill Rumsch whose wife Dorothy was called to her eternal home on December 17. Dorothy was also Rev. Tim Rumsch's mother.
For Keith Kruse as he recovers at home from a heart attack.
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Calls/Installations
Rev. Laverne Hautz's installation will take place on January 9, 2011 at 3pm at Hope, Port Coquitlam, BC.
Rev. Darren Siegle's installation will take place on January 30, 2011 at 4pm at Grace, Osoyoos, BC.
For the most up to date information regarding calls, please visit www.lccabc.ca/calls
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Reminders
- 2011 Synodical Convention Assessment payment is due by March 31, 2011. However, this is the date that the ABC District is responsible to have the money to Synod. We encourage you to pay this invoice as soon as you can.
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Deadlines
- March 15 - Application deadline for the placement of Vicars, DPS Interns, Pastoral candidates, and DPS candidates.
- April 1 - Application deadline for the placement of teacher candidates.
For more information on the application process, please contact Lynn Giese at the District Office. You can access the application forms here.
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Watch the Mailbox!
You should have received the updated District Directories. If you have not received it, please contact the District Office!
There is a change to the Directory. CLWR's toll free number is 1-800-667-2597.
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Help a Seminary Student Take Wing!
The Seminary is looking for 2 congregations for the Take Wing program.
For more information, click here or contact Daniel Deyell (780-474-1468 ext 230).
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2011 Automobile Expense Limits and Mileage
On December 29, 2010, the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance announced that the automobile expense deduction limits and the prescribed rates for the automobile operating expense benefit will remain unchanged for 2011. To view the 2011 rates, click here.
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Upcoming Seminars
The Canadian Council of Christian Charities (CCCC) offers many seminars geared directly at Churches that are of great benefit to you!
Receipting Basics
Successful fundraising is vital to supporting the work of Christian charities. Yet even experienced staff can have difficulty knowing what qualifies as a gift and how much may be receipted.
Abbotsford, BC - February 8, 2011 from 1:00-4:00 at Sevenoaks Alliance
Burnaby, BC - February 9, 2011 from 1:00-4:00 at Westminster Bible Chapel
Edmonton, AB - March 1, 2011 from 1:00-4:00 at Beulah Alliance
Calgary, AB - March 2, 2011 from 1:00-4:00 at Alberta Bible College
Charity Finance Essentials
Learn about recent changes that will impact the finance function of your ministry and understand the role of the board treasurer and the annual finance cycle.
Abbotsford, BC - February 8, 2011 from 7-10 pm at Sevenoaks Alliance
Burnaby, BC - February 9, 2011 from 7-10 pm at Westminster Bible Chapel
Edmonton, AB - March 1, 2011 from 7-10 pm at Beulah Alliance
Calgary, AB - March 2, 2011 from 7-10 pm at Alberta Bible College
For more information, including a listof topics for each of these informative seminars, please visit the CCCC Seminar website.
For more information on the CCCC and its benefits to you as a congregation, please click here, or contact Belinda. |
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Upcoming Events
Concordia Lutheran Seminary offers learning opportunities to the wider community of believers that we belong to.
Quest is a continuing education program presented by CLS. Each series offers lifelong learning classes especially for lay people. Seminary faculty and guest speakers present a short series of classes on subjects relevant to the day-to-day faith living of contemporary Christians. Beginning on Tuesday, January 25, 2011, the winter session of Quest will be led by Rev. Lorne Manweiler (Zion, Wetaskiwin, AB) and cover the topic of 'What Does It Mean to be Lutheran?' To register, or find out more, please contact the Seminary or visit here.
A new addition to the continuing education that CLS provides is the Spirituality Lecture series, which begins at the end of January. Lectures will be webcast for those who want to tune in from afar! Beginning on Thursday, January 27 with the topic of 'Spirituality and Human Strife' with Dr. Colleen Hammermaster. For more information, please contact the Seminary. |
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Seminary Task Force Report Available
The report on the Seminaries has been released. You can download it here.
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Transforming for Missions
C.F.W. Walther, first President of the LCMS, on the subject of Transformation for Missions (T4M) "You see, dear brethren, ... we are assembled here not for our own sake. We are in the faith, and by this faith we  hope to be saved! But there are still many millions who have no faith! This is why we are here ... so that we might bring salvation to as many people as we possibly can, so that the sad situation in Christendom and the corruption of the poor, blind heathen might be remedied ... Only for this reason does our gracious God allow Christians to live on earth, that they might bring others to the saving faith. Otherwise God would immediately take a Christian to heaven as soon as he is converted." (From: C.F.W. Walther, Essays for the Church, vol. 2, St. Louis: Concordia, 1992:60-62)
Interested in joining a T4M learning community? Is your congregation in need of a T4M consultation? For information on T4M contact Dr. Glenn Schaeffer at 780-474-0063 or visit . |
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Happy New Year from Church Extension Fund
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Corinthians 5:17) Happy New Year from CEF!
If you haven't already had a chance to check out the December edition of the CEF Representative Newsletter we invite you to click here and find out the happenings of Church Extension Fund. Also available for you to look at is the Investments by Congregation Report.
We have also provided easy to personalize bulletin and newsletter announcements for your congregation's publications. These are available for your use here.
CEF is able to make affordable loans to ABC District congregations, schools, and other ministry organizations because of the faithful men, women and children who invest some of their savings in CEF. We rely heavily on our volunteers to get the word out about CEF investment opportunities and to encourage LCC members to invest in CEF. If your congregation does not have a CEF congregation representative, please consider finding someone to fill the role. Below is a brief description of the congregation rep's role.
A CEF Congregational Rep is:
- A visible, local CEF presence in his/her own congregation.
A CEF Congregational Rep's role is to:
- Raise congregational awareness of the importance of the ministry of the Church Extension Fund.
- Inform people of the various opportunities for investing in CEF.
If your congregation does not currently have a CEF Congregational Representative or K.I.D.S. Coordinator, please consider the above information and let us know if there is someone to fulfill this responsibility.
If you have any difficulty viewing the above information or would like it emailed, mailed or faxed to you, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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Mission Remittances
We would like to thank you and your congregation for your continued support of Lutheran Church - Canada and the Alberta - British Columbia District through you mission remittances over the past year.
Don't forget to submit your Commitment form for 2011 by January 31, 2011.
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Resource of the Week
This book draws on C.F.W. Walther's Law and Gospel these to present and apply these foundational truths to contemporary Christian faith and living. The author opens his pastoral heart ad shareshis experiences and understanding of God's Word to help Christians not only appreciate, but live, in the rhythm of repentance and faith, of genuine sorrow and heartfelt trust in Christ.
For more information, please visit Concordia Publishing House or call 1-800-325-3040.
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Feedback Requested
Have you read any of the Resources of the Week? Any ideas for future ones? Please share them with us, and we will look into them!
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Lutheran Church - Canada Links
LCC has a variety of interesting and informative websites about the work we do together. We encourage you to check out the following:
Think Digital First
Looking for new ways to use technology to do God's work? Check out LCC's Director of Communications, Ian Adnams' blog.
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Pastor Humour
Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, but when they lit a fire in the craft, it sank. This proves once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.
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Canadian Lutheran Stories Wanted
Once again, a big thanks to everyone who has contributed to the Canadian Lutheran. It is only through you that we can share around the districts and the country the work that is going on in our congregations.
Keep the material flowing. We are working on setting up an online photo album where we can share the pictures! Stay tuned!
Email any contributions to Belinda.
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God's Blessings on your day!
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Questions or comments about our newsletter? Drop us a line: news@lccabc.ca
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