June 1 - 3, 2012 - Synod Convention
Gallagher Centre, Yorkton

Bulletin of Reports

Supplement #01 to Bulletin of Reports

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Youth Assembly Registration Form 2012

Click here for a registration package

Youth Assembly Registration Form 2012

Approximately 100 volunteers will be needed for this four day gathering which will instill youth and Home Team Leaders with memories and new friendships to last a lifetime. Since National events like CLAY rely heavily on volunteers to perform a variety of roles including nursing, security, pastoral care, registration support, information desk attendants, carpenters and audio/visual crew to name but a few we need you.

To become a CLAY volunteer please contact: Darrell Utley Local Committee Chair at 664-2623 or email darrell.utley@gmail.com

Registration Link for CLAY

Volunteer Application

Winter can't Stop Ordination Celebrations

It was a truly wintery day in this balmy month of January which brought 130 plus friends, relatives, parishioners, peers and visiting clergy to celebrate the Ordination of Mark Kleiner, and his installation and induction as pastor to Redeemer Lutheran Church and St. Paul’s Anglican Parish in Biggar. Redeemer Lutheran hosted the spirit filled gathering.

Lutheran Bishop Cindy Halmarson and the Anglican Bishop for the diocese of Saskatoon, Bishop David Irving, presided at the service. Vern Ratzlaff brought the sermon on the gospel of ‘Feed My Sheep.’ Glenn Dokken from Cabri, presented Mark for ordination. Many clergy attended from Saskatoon and throughout Saskatchewan to support Mark and bless him on his pastoral journey. Reverend David Hunter and his wife, Margaret Hundeby Hunter gifted the service with trumpet and solo voice.

Mark’s mother, the Reverend Heather Kleiner, presented her son with his father John’s red stole. Redeemer and St. Paul’s gave Mark a gift of an Advent/Epiphany stole. At the close of the service the assembly sang the hymn, Let Streams of Living Justice with words by William Whitla, a Toronto based composer and Anglican priest. The composer gave permission for the use of the hymn, and even sent two additional verses, including one written specifically for his friend’s ordination.

The celebration headed downtown for a wonderful roast beef supper that the local congregation hosted at the New Horizons Hall. Many people contributed to the decoration of the hall and the supper. Their generosity and hospitality was a blessing to Mark and his family who came from Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, Saskatoon and Regina. A beautiful cake, made by Linda Tapp, was a fitting ending to the supper and the day.

Offering from the service was collected to support the continued nurturing of future leaders in the Anglican and Lutheran church.


Mark Kleiner's Ordination photo
Front Row: Rev. Heather Kleiner, then Bishop Cindy Halmarson, Rev. Mark Kleiner and Bishop David Irving

Talking Circles are developed to help members of congregations, parishes and specialized ministries experience a safe setting for listening and speaking to one another about human sexuality and ministry in the congregation. Sharing between members is especially beneficial when their experiences and values are different. The Talking Circle is not a study session or a decision-making meeting.

Why is it being offered?

Congregations and rostered ministers have asked for assistance in dealing with strong feelings in light of 2011 ELCIC National Convention motions that permit (and do not compel) more inclusive ministry by and with gay and lesbian persons. Many congregations would benefit from an outside facilitator who can lead a process for members to share their thoughts about how convention decisions are impacting members, families and the wider community. Members are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Social Statement on Human Sexuality and the motions approved at the national convention prior the Talking Circle.

Complete the Request Form and call (1-306-373-1344) or email (sjw@sasktel.net) Sr Jean Widmeyer to receive the name and contact information for one or more facilitators in your area.

Please see the full information and request forms:

• Talking Circles Information (.pdf)

• Request from Talking Circles (.doc)

The following are the Recommendations reported in the ELCIC Structural Renewal Task Force Report:  Click Here

The full report (42) pages is found on the ELCIC website:  Click Here

Find the survey by clicking here.  Please take a few moments to help us out.  Your feedback is very important to the Implementation Team, to Synod Staff and to Synod Council.

Mission Moment

I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.                                                                           Ephesians 4:1-6

As we live out our calling as Christ followers, called by the one Lord, who is above all, through all and in all, we are joined together as one body, each of us bound one to another through Christ. Through the waters of our baptism, we share the mission of being a part of what God is doing in the world. And God is doing wonderful and amazing things among and through God’s people.

I share with you a story of God’s amazing presence. In September of 2003, I met John Mayer Dut. We sat together in a circle of chairs with a group of rather dazed and confused looking first year seminary students. John is from the Sudan and had come to Saskatoon through British Columbia with his family to attend Lutheran Theological Seminary to become a pastor. I didn’t know it at the time, but there was and still is a growing Sudanese community in Saskatoon; a community drawn together by their common heritage and love for God. John immediately began the work of trying to bring the Sudanese community together for worship and study, starting in his house.

John and a core group of faithful people from the Sudanese community continue the work of inviting others to come and join them in worship and discover the good news of the Gospel. John completed his internship with King of Glory Lutheran Church and that relationship continues in the area of children’s ministry and occasionally offering Holy Communion once a month. This community of faith has passionately taken hold of the Spirit’s calling to them to be in mission to the growing African and Arabic peoples in Saskatoon.

The Sudanese Community Church in Saskatoon was formed in October of 2010 with John Mayer Dut as the intern pastor. Their vision statement is “To be a reproducing community of Christ following that supports and disciples one another as we live and proclaim His Kingdom in this world.” They meet together for worship and praise every Saturday in a space rented from another church. In a meeting with John and some members of the church board, I asked what their worship gatherings meant to them. What a wonderful expression of a passionate love for God as they shared how God had blessed them bringing them from the pain and suffering of their homeland to the safety of Canada; how God had blessed them by giving them their church, a place where they and their families can sing and pray and praise God. God does and will provide. Amen!

The Sudanese Community Church of Saskatoon is one of the ministries the Canadian Missions Committee chose to support this year by providing some monies to pay John a salary for the first time since the church started in his house eight years ago and some monies to pay for the rental of their worship space.
Money isn’t all this community of faith needs. They do without many of the things we take for granted in our churches. I know from personal experience that there are rooms in the back of our churches that house those things we no longer use, but just can’t bear to throw away. Now there is a place where you can gift those items. The Sudanese Community Church would be blessed by you to have the following items:

• Minister’s desk edition of the ELW

• English Bibles

• Communion ware

• Paraments

• Piano or organ

• Sunday School materials

And most of all, your prayers for their ministry, prayers for employment for their community, prayers for peace and hope in the midst of a new and foreign country and culture.

Thank you for your prayers and help. If there are items that you would like to gift to the Sudanese Community Church in Saskatoon, please contact me via email at lhall@elcic.ca or by phone at 306-774-9078. May our eyes be opened to see God’s mission in, through and among us.

In Christ

Linda Hall
SK Synod Mission Coordinator

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Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada - Saskatchewan Synod Office
714 Preston Avenue
Saskatoon, SK
S7H 2V2
Phone: 306-244-2474
Fax: 306-664-8677
Email the office: sksynod@elcic.ca
Email the Bishop: chalmarson@elcic.ca
Email the webmaster: farmer@familyfarmers.com