Dec 2013 Team - Trinity Lutheran Church

Trinity Team
December 2013
Trinity Team
Page 1
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
10014 81 Avenue
Edmonton, AB T6E 1W8
Phone: (780) 433 1604
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.trinity-lutheran.ab.ca
December 2013
“What Did You Get For Christmas”
By Pastor Tim
“What did you get for Christmas?”— manding, and can cry for a variety of reaperhaps the most popular Boxing Day ques- sons—mostly unknowable. In a word, they
tion of them all. Hopefully each of us will are exhausting. But they also provide a great
be able to identify a special, just right, kind deal of joy that always outweighs the hassle.
of gift or two. Hopefully we are able to in- And because of their wonderful potential
clude on that gift list a treasured moment they embody hope. Now while Jesus was
with family or friends. But beyond the very likely an ordinary baby in terms of the
good things and happy celebrations associ- care he needed from Mary and Joseph he is
ated with Christmas, and in truth not always so much more for all humanity. He is divine
hope bursting into human history.
experienced, are the profound life
This hope is never just some kind of
-changing gifts God gives. Gifts
Why would
Pollyanna everything will be okay:
revealed that night in that stable
God go to
in that out of the way town.
such lengths it is the freedom to live courageousAt four o’clock on Christmas for us? In a ly in the knowledge that our future
is in God’s good hands. This kind of
Eve here at Trinity our first worword, the
hope enables us to hang-in just a
ship service will include a reanswer is
enactment of Our Lord’s birth “Love.” Jesus little longer and at the same time it
complete with shepherds, angels, is God’s love is the ability to walk away in order
wise men, and the Holy Family
in the flesh. to start over. The second gift God
gives each one of is hope that transincluding a new born recently
lates into courage that makes life
baptized baby boy. It will be
sweet, picturesque, inviting and oh so clean. that much better.
Now let’s bring to mind the two kinds of
Completely opposite to the original situation. Scholars suggest that the stable was guests that come to the stable. Some are
very likely a smelly, cramped, and animal there to check out things and others are
filled cave. Yet it is in such a place we en- there to pay homage. Shepherds arrive dirty,
counter the Christ Child. The message, so empty handed and full of wild stories. The
beautifully illustrated, is that there is no wise men arrive in a dignity that reflects
place in life, so off-putting, desperate or their position, offering costly gifts, and full
distant that Our Lord will not come to seek of adoration that befits a new born king.
us out. The way Our Lord always answers Amazingly they find equal welcome. Such
our question, “Did I go too far this time?” is is the third gift given us - assurance of welalways “No!” Why? Why would God go to come regardless of our economic situation,
such lengths for us? In a word, the answer social position or capabilities; we all experiis “Love.” Jesus is God’s love in the flesh. ence God’s own hospitality, we are acceptThis love is God’s first gift to us. This love ed.
“What did you get for Christmas?” I don’t
makes each one of us valuable regardless of
what we are told or may even believe about know how you answer when it comes to the
stuff or the highlights but I do know each
ourselves.
What are babies like? As grandparents we one of us can include a love that declares us
have the happy privilege of babysitting and valuable, a reason to be hopeful and couraso get a periodic reminder of what they are geous, and the assurance we are welcome in
really like. They are utterly dependent, de- God’s Presence.
Inside this issue:
Reflections
 What did you get for
Christmas?
 Was hast du zu Weihnachten bekommen? ”
 Bishop’s Message
 By the Grace of God Pastor Indra’s message
 German Children’s
Events
 A Super Christmas
Called into Learning
 Council News
 The Church in Mission
 Christmas Joy Bursting
in on Illness
 Grief and Christmas
 Community Garden
 Flower Bed Proposal
 Yoga at Trinity
 DELKINA Conference
 One Day in the Life of a
Homeless Person
1
2
3
4
7
7
8
8
9
10
10
11
11
12
15
 Comings, Goings and
16
Celebrations
 Looking Ahead
16
Page 2
December 2013
Trinity Team
“Was hast du zu Weihnachten bekommen? ” von Pastor Tim “Was hast du zu Weihnachten bekommen?” Das ist wohl
die berühmteste Frage zum 2. Weihnachtstag, die es gibt.
Hoffentlich wird ein jeder von euch das eine oder andere
genau richtige Geschenk erwähnen können. Hoffentlich
gehören zu der Geschenkliste auch geschätzte Momente,
die wir mit Freunden und Verwandten verbringen durften.
Jedoch weit über die guten und fröhlichen Sachen hinaus,
die wir allzugerne mit dem Begriff “Weihnachten”
verknüpfen, die aber nicht immer von allen erfahren
werden, dürfen wir von Gott selber einige tiefgründige und
lebensverändernde Geschenke erhalten.
In unserem Familiengottesdienst, der Heilig Abend um
16 Uhr stattfindet, gibt es eine Darstellung der Geburt
unseres Heilands. Dazu gehören die Schäfer, Engel,
Weisen und die Heilige Familie samt dem neugeborenen
Kind. Es wird alles so süss, malerisch und sauber sein,
völlig das Gegenteil vom Original. Gelehrte glauben
herausgefunden zu haben, daß der Stall von Bethlehem
eher eine kleine, enge, nicht sehr wohlriechende Höhle
war. Doch gerade in solchen Orten begegnet uns unser
Heiland, Jesus Christus. Die Botschaft, die so klar
herausstrahlt, ist, daß es keinen Ort im Leben gibt, der so
anekelnd, so auswegslos, so weit von allem entfernt ist, an
dem unser Herr nicht zu uns kommt und uns aufsucht.
Unser Herr beantwortet unsere Frage, ob wir dieses mal
nicht wieder zu weit ausgeschweift sind, mit einem starken
“Nein!” Wieso bemüht Gott sich so
sehr um uns? Die Antwort besteht
aus einem einzigen Wort. LIEBE.
Jesus ist Gottes Liebe in konkreter
Menschenform. Diese Liebe ist das
erste Geschenk, das Gott uns gibt.
Obwohl wir uns selber als wertlos
betrachten mögen, oder gar von
anderen als wertlos betrachtet
werden, haben wir durch Gottes
Liebe den Beweis, daß wir in Gottes
Augen von großem Wert sind.
Wie beschreibt man eigentlich ein
Baby? Als Großeltern erfreuen wir
uns der Ehre von Zeit zu Zeit mal
babysitten zu dürfen, und somit
werden in uns hin und wieder die
Erinnerungen geweckt, wie ein Baby
so sein kann. Babys sind völlig von
anderen abhängig, können zugleich
aber auch sehr fordernd sein. Und sie
weinen – oft aus unerklärlichen
Gründen. Kurz gesagt, Babys sind
anstrengend. Sie machen einem aber
auch viel Freude, Freude die den
Ärger überwindet. Und jedes Baby
verkörpert die Hoffnung, Hoffnung auf ein neues Leben,
auf viele Möglichkeiten. Jesus war sicherlich ein sehr
gewöhliches Baby, indem er wohl der täglichen (und
nächtlichen) Pflege von Maria und Josef bedurfte, jedoch
für die gesamte Menschheit bedeutete er viel mehr. Er
verkörpert die göttliche Hoffnung, die in die Geschichte
der Menschheit hineinplatzt. Es geht hier nicht um den
naiven Optimismus, der im Kinderbuch Pollyanna zum
Ausdruck gebracht wird, -- eine unbestimmte
Überzeugung, dass letztendlich alles gut gehen wird. Nein,
wir dürfen mutig und frei leben in der Gewissheit, daß
unsere Zukunft in Gottes Händen gesichert ist. Diese
Hoffnung befähigt uns in diversen schwierigen
Lebenslagen noch ein bißchen länger durchzuhalten. Sie
befähigt uns auch, wenn nötig von einer Lage
wegzugehen, um einen neuen Start zu machen. Das zweite
Geschenk, das wir von Gott erhalten, ist die HOFFNUNG,
die sich in MUT verwandelt, der unsere Lebenslage
verbessern kann.
Lassen Sie uns nun die zwei Sorten Gäste betrachten, die
damals zum Stall gekommen sind. Die einen kamen, eher
aus Neugierde und die anderen kamen, extra um Jesus zu
huldigen. Die schmutzigen Schäfer kamen mit leeren
Händen an, voller Begeisterung und wilden Geschichten.
Die erhabenen Weisen kamen mit einer gewissen Würde
und mit kosbaren Geschenken herbei, mit der Verehrung,
die eines neugeborenen Kindes
gebührt. Trotz aller Erwartungen,
werden sie alle gleich an der Krippe
willkommen geheißen. Das ist das
dritte
Geschenk
–
die
VERSICHERUNG, daß wir alle
gleich empfangen und willkommen
geheißen werden, egal aus welcher
finanziellen Lage oder sozialen
Schicht wir kommen oder welche
Fähigkeiten wir besitzen. Wir alle
erfahren Gottes Gastfreundlichkeit
und werden von ihm akzeptiert.
“Was hast du zu Weihnachten
bekommen?” Ich weiß nicht, wie Sie
auf diese Frage beantworten, wenn es
um materialle Dinge geht, oder wenn
Sie ihre schönsten Momente auflisten.
Aber ich weiß was sich unter den
Geschenken aller Menschen befindet:
eine Liebe, die uns als wertvoll
erklärt, einen Grund für Hoffnung und
Mut, und die Versicherung, daß wir
alle in Gottes Gegenwart willkommen
geheißen werden.
Trinity Team
December 2013
Page 3
Bishop’s Message
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ –
May grace and peace be yours in abundance (I Peter
1:2a).
Hanging in my office is the beautiful image of Our Lady
of Guadalupe, also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe. The image is a reproduction of an original painting
by a Roman Catholic Priest, Father Salvador, who my
wife, Cathy, and I, and several other adults visited in 2001
in the community he served in the Parish of the Holy Spirit
and St. Mary of Guadalupe in Ecatepec, Mexico.
According to tradition, an indigenous peasant, Juan Diego, had a vision of the Virgin in 1531. As he was walking
among the hills he heard a song which sounded like birds
singing – a song soft and beautiful. He wondered if he
was dreaming but he followed
the sound and was met by the
Virgin Mary who appeared to
Juan Diego as she does in the
painting – as an indigenous
woman dressed in royal garments. She spoke to him in
his native tongue calling his
name and asking him to go to
the bishop and tell him to have
a shrine built in her honor on
the place where she had appeared to Juan Diego. He
went to the bishop and with
great difficulty was finally
able to see the bishop who
responded with great skepticism to Juan Diego’s request.
The Virgin appeared a second time and Juan Diego
begged the Virgin to send
someone more important. “I
am insignificant,” he said, “a
piece of rope, the last rung of
a ladder.” She responded,
“My child, the smallest, the
least, I send you. I have many messengers, but I have chosen you.” She said that she wanted a building to be erected where she could show and give love, compassion, help
and defense to the inhabitants of the land; a place where
people could listen and find solutions to their miseries,
pain and sufferings. The bishop responded to Juan Diego
insisting that he needed a sign.
A third time the Virgin appeared to Juan Diego this time
asking him to collect roses which were nearby (very rare
flowers not grown in the area) and to take them to the
bishop as a sign. Juan Diego gathered the roses in his
cloak and when he opened his cloak to show the bishop,
out fell the flowers and imprinted on his cloak was the image of the Virgin. The bishop immediately fell to his
knees and asked Juan Diego for forgiveness at not having
listened to him. A church was built on the site where the
Virgin had appeared and today, on this site, hangs the
cloak and its image of the Virgin in the Basilica of Our
Lady of Guadalupe – a worship site visited by more people
each year than the Vatican in Rome.
One of the things that intrigued me about this story is
that from the margins – the fringe – of his world, Juan Diego, an indigenous Mexican, was prodded awake by God’s
presence in the world through the appearances of
Mary. Like many before him, Juan Diego was a reluctant
prophet begging the Virgin to entrust the mission to someone of importance. But she
would not take no for an answer, and Juan Diego’s awakening to his mission would precipitate the awakening of all of
Mexico to God’s love through
Christ.
As we journey this Advent and
Christmas season, listen carefully – listen closely to how often
God will chose someone on the
margins to carry an important
word: Mary – who gave birth to
the Savior of the world; Zechariah – who, serving in the temple, is unable to speak until his
son John the Baptist was born;
Elizabeth – who gave birth to
the one who would prepare the
way for the Messiah – John the
Baptist; and shepherds in the
field – who were chosen to welcome and announce the birth of
Jesus.
This Advent – this Christmas –
listen carefully – listen closely –
for God at work through the poor, the lowly, those on the
outside, those on the edge and then ask a very Lutheran
question: “what does this mean?”
The God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the
Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).
In Christ Jesus –
Shalom,
Larry
Rev. Dr. Larry Kochendorfer
Bishop, Synod of Alberta and the Territories
Page 4
December 2013
By the grace of God
I am what I am
Trinity Team
„Durch Gottes Gnade,
bin ich was ich bin“
(1 Cor 15:10)
(1 Kor 15,10)
Pauluskirche Aurich
Dear Congregation,
For almost 16 months I served as a Pastor in Training at
Trinity. For more than a year, I was part of this congregation, of a pastoral team, of church council and of many
other committees. In this short time I made friends, connected to people, led services, taught the confirmands, visited members, sang in the choir, and participated in many
other aspects of congregational life.
For me it was a time of so many new experiences, and I
can’t name them all in a short article like this. In my exit
interview with church council I was asked to name areas of
satisfaction during my work here at Trinity; some of them
I’d like to share.
Probably you have realized during my time at
Trinity that one area that
brought me great joy was
the worship service. Celebrating worship in two
different languages was
challenging and fruitful
at the same time. Of
course, the German service from the beginning
was easier and more familiar to me, but the
English was a learning
experience I never would
have wanted to miss.
Again it showed me how much the people attending service shape the atmosphere within worship. Especially
learning the different liturgical settings from the ELW was
a challenge and enrichment at the same time. Never having
heard theses melodies, I was pleased to have support from
my colleagues, the choir, you the congregation and of
course our very competent musicians, Jordan and Cherie.
Thanks to you!
Another area that I really enjoyed was working with our
youth. It took me a while to really get into it, but my effort
in getting to know our youth was worth it. I gained a lot
out of this work. In confirmation the young people shared
what they want to do and showed what they need to feel
...see Pastor Indra - page 5
Liebe Gemeinde,
fast 16 Monate habe ich als Pastor in Training in der
Trinitatisgemeinde verbracht. Mehr als ein Jahr, in dem
ich Teil der Gemeinde, der Mitarbeiter, von Church
Council und andere Gremien und Ausschüsse war. In
dieser kurzen Zeit habe ich Freunde gefunden, bin mit
Ihnen ins Gespräch gekommen, habe Gottesdienste
geleitet, Konfirmandenunterricht gegeben, Mitglieder
besucht, im Chor gesungen und an vielen anderen Stellen
im Gemeindeleben mitgemacht.
Für mich war es eine Zeit von so vielen Erfahrungen, die
ich hier nicht alle wiedergeben kann. Bei meinem
Abschlussgespräch im Church Council, wurde ich nach
den Dingen gefragt, die mir viel Spaß bereitet haben, und
deshalb möchte ich zum Abschied mit einem kleinen
Rückblick hiervon einige benennen.
Wahrscheinlich haben es viele von Ihnen im Laufe der
Zeit bemerkt, dass ich besonders großen Spaß am
Gottesdienst hatte. Gerade die Her-ausforderung mich in
Gottesdienste mit zwei verschiedenen Sprachen
einzuarbeiten hat mich begeistert. Der Deutsche
Gottesdienst war natürlich von Anfang der mir wesentlich
vertrautere, uns der Englische eine Lernerfahrung, die ich
nicht missen möchte. Eine besondere Herausforderung
stellten hierbei die zehn verschiedenen liturgischen
Abläufe des englischen Gottesdienstes dar. Niemals zuvor
hatte ich die Melodien zu den Liturgien gehört und bin
deshalb sehr dankbar über die Unterstützung meiner
Kollegen, der gesamten Gemeinde und im Besonderen
von Cherie und Jordan, die mir mit ihrer Hilfe immer zur
Seite standen.
Ein
weiteres
Betätigungsfeld,
das mich sehr
gepackt hat, war
die Arbeit mit
den
Jugendlichen.
Nach
einem
etwas
schwierigen
Start, kann ich
...siehe Pastor Indra - Seite 5
Trinity Team
December 2013
Page 5
Pastor Indra from page 4
Pastor Indra von Seite 4
comfortable at church.
Having planned an Easter Vigil with the youth leaders, I
now know a little bit more about the dreams our youth
have for their church, what they miss, what they value and
how they understand life and church life. Thanks for sharing your ideas about church and discussing what you believe in.
sagen, dass sich jede Mühe gelohnt eine Beziehung zu den
jungen Menschen aufzubauen. Ich habe eine Menge aus
der Arbeit mit Ihnen gelernt. Sowohl in der
Konfirmandenarbeit als auch in der Zusammen-arbeit mit
den Jugendleitern. Besonders denke ich hierbei an die
Vorbereitung der Osternacht. Danke für die Einblicke in
euer Kirchenverständnis und euer Glaubensleben. Es
waren wertvolle Diskussionen für mich.
Furthermore, I appreciated all the support I was offered.
Support in every imaginable way, but especially when it
came to attending committees, conventions etc. within the
Alberta Synod or even the National Church. I got the
chance to learn, not just about Trinity, but also about the
structures of the ELCIC which was of great interest to me.
All of that wouldn’t have been possible if Church Council
and the whole congregation wouldn’t have supported the
idea of sending me to attend events like that to get some
inside experience. Thanks especially to Church Council
and to Frank as chair for making that happen.
A final area I want to name and I’m thankful for
all the experiences I gained, is working for
DELKINA. Being involved with the German interest conference and in planning
their biennial meeting here in Edmonton was a stressful period
during my stay, but also one
in which I learned a lot.
Thanks for the opportunity and the
support combined
with the trust that I
could manage a task like
that.
I am thankful for 16
months at Trinity where I was
treated as one of you. I got all the
help I asked for and even more.
Right from the beginning, I had the
Lay Committee supporting me and
helping me to first of all adjust to Canada.
Thank you Rosanne, Karen, Sylvia, Sig,
Andrea and Dorothea, for being there for me
and making me feel so welcomed!
“By the grace of God I am what I am.”
All of you always accepted me for who I am. You
helped me to find my place within the congregation
and together we learned and walked a path of faith.
With this verse from 1 Corinthians 15:10 that I choose
for my ordination, I wanted to show (others and myself)
that being the one I am is nothing I “made”, but it is God
who made me who I am. God by his grace makes all of us
into who we are. He is the one leading our way and saving
...see Pastor Indra - page 6
Darüber hinaus bin ich über jegliche Art von
Unterstützung, die ich seitens der Gemeinde erhalten habe,
sehr dankbar. Besonders im Hinblick auf die großzügige
Unterstützung, die mir die Teilnahme and diversen
Meetings, Kirchenkonventen und besonders an der
National Convention in Ottawa ermöglicht hat. Hier
bekam ich einen Einblick in die Strukturen der
kanadischen Kirche auch über die Trinitatisgemeinde
hinaus und hatte die Möglichkeit mit Kirchenmitgliedern
aus ganz Kanada ins Gespräch zu kommen. Herzlichen
Dank besonders an Church Council und an Frank als
Vorsitzenden, dass ihr das für mich möglich gemacht
habt.
Ein letztes Feld, das ich hier ansprechen möchte, ist
die DELKINA Arbeit. Über das hinaus, was ich
an deutsch-sprachiger Arbeit in Kanada durch
die Aktivitäten in der Trinitatisgemeinde
erleben konnte, bin ich dankbar für die
Möglichkeit
auch
überregional
Erfahrungen erlangt zu haben. Die
Mitwirkung im Vorstand der
DELKINA und die gemeinsame
Planung der Vollversammlung
in Edmonton, war eine
besonders arbeitsreiche und
intensive Phase meiner
Zeit in Edmonton, aber
auch eine aus der ich
sehr viel gelernt
habe. Danke für diese
Gelegenheit und für das
Vertrauen aus der Gemeinde, das
ich dieser Aufgabe gewachsen bin
und so an dieser Aufgabe wachsen
konnte.
Ich bin außerordentlich dankbar für meine Zeit
in der Trinitatisgemeinde und dass ich von euch von
und ganz in die Gemeinde aufgenommen wurde. Gleich
von Beginn an, hatte ich das Lay Committee, das mir die
gesamte Zeit mit Rat und Tat zur Seite stand und mir
geholfen hat mich erst einmal einzugewöhnen. Danke
Rosanne, Karen, Sylvia, Sig, Andrea und Dorothea, dass
ihr für mich da wart und mich herzlich willkommen
...siehe Pastor Indra - Seite 6
Page 6
December 2013
Trinity Team
Pastor Indra from page 5
Pastor Indra von Seite 5
us by his grace.
And I, no matter where I am, believe that God is the one
who is with us on our way and that because of him each of us
can say: “By the grace of God I am what I am.”
On October 27, I became a fully ordained minister and I
thank all of you for your support in prayer on that special day
of mine. It was one of the most amazing days in my life. I
had my family around me, lots of friends and my new con-
geheißen habt.
„Durch Gottes Gnade, bin ich was ich bin“.
Alle von Ihnen haben mich immer als die
angenommen die ich bin. Sie haben mir geholfen
meinen Platz in der Gemeinde zu finden um dann ein
Stück auf dem Glaubensweg gemeinsam zu gehen. Mit
dem Vers aus 1. Kor 15,10, den ich als meinen
Ordinationsspruch ausgesucht habe, wollte ich (anderen
und mir selber) noch einmal zeigen, dass so zu sein, wie
ich bin, nicht in erster Linie von mir „gemacht“ ist,
sondern von Gott geschenkt. Durch seine Gnade, sind
wir die die wir sind. Er ist es, der uns auf unserem Weg
leitet und uns durch seine Gnade rettet. Und ich, egal
wo ich bin, glaube, dass Gott mit uns auf dem Weg ist
und dass durch ihn jeder von uns sagen kann: „Durch
Gottes Gnade, bin ich was ich bin“.
Seit dem 27. Oktober bin ich nun ordentlich ordinierte
Pastorin der Hannoverschen Landeskirche und ich
möchte mich ganz herzlich bei allen bedanken, die an
diesem Tage im Gebet oder in Gedanken bei mir waren.
Es war ein ganz besonderer Tag in meinem Leben, den
ich mit meiner Familie und Freunden und meiner neuen
Kirchengemeinde feiern konnte. Ich fand es sehr
schade, dass sie nicht dabei sein konnten, habe mich
aber umso mehr darüber gefreut, dass Pastor Markus
die Trinitatisgemeinde an diesem Tag repräsentiert hat.
Gleichzeitig hat er mir auch das Geschenk von Trinity
überreicht für das ich mich ganz herzlich bedanken
möchte. Nicht nur die Stola zur Ordination, sondern
auch die Abschieds-geschenke, dich ich bei meinem
Abschieds-gottesdienst erhalten habe, haben mich sehr
gefreut. Ich war von der Großzügigkeit sehr überwältigt
und finde immer noch schwerlich Worte meinen Dank
auszudrücken. Ganz herzlichen Dank!!
Wahrscheinlich haben sie schon
gemerkt, dass in meinem Artikel eine
Person bis jetzt noch überhaupt nicht
erwähnt worden ist.
Mein letzer Dank geht an Pastor Ingrid,
die in den vergangenen 16 Monaten das
Amt meiner Mentorin übernommen
hatte. Ingrid, du warst mir eine große
Hilfe und ich bin dankbar, dass du mich
in dieser Zeit meines Sondervikariates
unterstützt und begleitet hast. Es war mir
eine große Freude mit dir gemeinsam zu
arbeiten. Danke für alles und Gottes
Segen!
Trinity ist eine Gemeinde, die ich niemals vergessen
werde. Ich wünschen ihnen allen nur das Beste und den
Segen Gottes.
Auf Wiedersehen
Ihre Pastor (in Training) Indra
gregation. I missed having you being part of this celebration,
but was unbelievably happy to have Pr. Markus representing
Trinity and being one of my ordination assistants, giving me
a special blessing for my time in ministry.
The gifts you made…
I hardly have words to say what I felt receiving them. The
farewell present I got in my last service, the money I got
from you and again the gifts Markus
brought for my ordination; all of these presents I received in great gratitude. I’m
thankful for your generosity and all I can
say right now is: Thank you all!!
Probably you have realized that there is
one person not mentioned at all in my article until now.
My final thanks go to Pastor Ingrid my
mentor during these 16 months. Ingrid, it
was a pleasure for me to get to know you, to
work with you and to have you guiding me
and supporting me. You will always be
more than just a mentor or a colleague and I
trust you know that. I wish you all the best in ministry and
God’s peace.
Trinity is a place I will never forget and will hold in my
prayers. I wish you all the best and the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God Bless You!
Your Pastor (in Training) Indra
Trinity Team
December 2013
Page 7
German Children’s Events at Trinity
A Super Christmas Pageant
On the fourth Sunday of each month, a small circle of German
speaking children gather in the Social Room for Kinderkirche,
a mini version of a church service which features lots of handson activities to illustrate the topic of the day. This year, our Big
Question has been “Who is God?” and each month we are adding more to the picture. Along with Kinderkirche, we have
hosted the St. Martin’s Day Lantern Walkabout for a number
of years. This year, we added a new twist. Learning from St.
Martin’s caring for the poor, we gave the children an opportunity to share their earnings with the Food Bank. Children
were asked to listen carefully to the story of St. Martin, and
afterwards they could earn $2.00 for answering questions correctly. One (real) dollar was given to the Food Bank and the
other (chocolate) dollar was quickly enjoyed by everyone who
got a question answered right! In total $50 were given to the
Food Bank.
A few months ago we put up a large piece of paper,
called it "God Graffiti" and let the Confirmation students go wild with images that they thought would tell
people about God. There was an amazing number of
Superhero pictures drawn. So when we came across a
Christmas Pageant featuring Superheroes we knew we
had a fit. Preschool children, older Sunday School kids
and Confirmation students will all have roles in the pageant this year.
We have been trying to create more opportunities for
children in these age groups to come together. We are
also encouraging the older ones to be "Superheroes" or
at least mentors or friends to the younger ones. The
morning after the Youth Sleep Over in November we
asked the Youth to help the Preschoolers and Sunday
School kids to do a simple Bible picture puzzle, then
draw and colour prayers. It was touching to watch a
teenage boy who had been running around most of the
night playing games, asking a three year old if he could
find the other zebra piece for the Noah's Ark puzzle, and
to see the little boy look up with adoring eyes at the older one.
We hope you will be able to see the Superheroes in
action at the Christmas Pageant Dec 15 during the 11am
service. There will be some very cute little angels too.
Kids (and their moms) listen intently as Mark Knoefel poses
questions. (Photo by John Espinaco)
The celebration of Candlemas (Maria Lichtmess) February 1st
Light up the Darkness with Candles
The various traditions related to the Birth of Christ are well
known and often celebrated. Less well-known are old church
traditions around the dedication for Christ as a young infant.
Historically, the Church found a way to combine the joy felt by
the elder prophets Simeon and Anna, when they caught sight of
the infant Saviour on his first visit to the temple, with a number
of seasonal and practical elements into yet another celebration
in the church year. These include pancakes, candles, methods
of counting the days till winter arrives, and more. How can all
these elements be combined you ask? The answer is our next
intergenerational German church outreach event to be held on
Saturday, Feb. 1. Similar to the St. Martin's Day Lantern Walkabout, this event, which has yet to be named, will be promoted
as a fun way for German speaking families with young children to be exposed to some core church values and historic
German traditions. More information will be shared in January.
Da der St. Martin Gutes für die Obdachlosen und
Hungernden getan hat, haben wir den Kindern nach
der Nachspielung der Geschichte und dem Umzug
und Gebäck Fragen gestellt zum Thema St. Martin.
Für jede richtige Antwort "verdienten" die Kinder
$2.00, die sie mit der Food Bank teilten, d.h. ein
Dollar war Hartgeld und ein Dollar war ein
Schokodollar. Insgesamt wurde eine Frage 50 mal
richtig beantwortet und somit "verdienten" die Kinder
ganze $50, die dann der Food Bank gegeben wurden.
Wir haben zusätzlich noch mit den Kindern über die
Aktion "Coats for Kids“ geredet und ihnen erklärt,
wie auch sie "den Mantel teilen" könnten, indem
Jacken, die zu Hause nicht gebraucht wurden,
gespendet werden können. Am Sonnabend, den 1.
Februar werden wir wieder Familien mit Kindern zu
einer
traditionsreichen
Begegnung
mit
Glaubensgeschichten einladen, und zwar zum Thema
Maria Lichtmess.
Page 8
December 2013
Trinity Team
Called into Learning
As I learn your righteous rulings, I will praise you with a pure heart. - Psalm 119: 7, 15, 130
Council News
Pastor Tim has now been part of our ministry team at
Trinity for 2 months and it has been wonderful to have his
support for Pastor Ingrid and his refreshing input to staff
and Council meetings. Church Council has deliberately not
convened a search committee at this time because we’re
not sure that calling a 2nd pastor is the best solution for our
congregation right now.
The Advent season has just started and the busyness of
the Christmas season is upon us. We will continue to function with Pastor Tim as our interim pastor for the foreseeable future. Early in 2014 we will begin the process of deciding what our future staffing should look like. This is not
just a job for church council, it is important that the whole
congregation has an opportunity to participate in this conversation. There are many things to consider and we have
been gathering information for quite some time already.
Once we are clear on the future for Trinity we can start
the conversation about what ministry staff is required to
support this future. When we are clear on the ministry
model that is right for Trinity we will convene a call committee to begin to look for candidates to meet our needs.
But this should not be our vision for what ministry at
Trinity looks like; the ministry at Trinity is not our ministry, it’s God’s ministry. Determining the future for Trinity
needs to be a process of discernment. Individually and collectively we need to spend time with Scripture, in prayer
and in reflection. And we need to be open to hear God’s
voice calling us. When Jesus called people it was seldom a
call to what they were expecting, so we must not approach
this work having already determined the “right” outcome.
We know it will be difficult to remember this as we head
into 2014. We have our annual meeting coming up at the
end of February, we need to develop a budget, set priorities
and make plans for the new year. Please keep your church
council in your prayers, that in the midst of all the decisions we need to make we leave ample room for God to act
in our midst.
The good news is that we don’t have to do this alone, God
will send us people to help us on our journey. David Rust,
a member who regularly worships in the English service
has already felt God calling him to challenge all of us to
begin this conversation with God. Watch the bulletin over
the coming Sundays to learn more about how each of us
can participate in this conversation with God.
Frank Thede, Council Chairperson
10
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your
faith and are saved. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who
believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there
is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same
Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on
him,13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the
Lord will be saved.” 14 How, then, can they call on the
one they have not believed in? And how can they believe
in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can
they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And
how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is
written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring
good news!” Romans 10: 10-15
The Church in Mission
What does this mean for Trinity?
In a world growing less and less interested in attending
our churches (or most any church for that matter), our
future increasingly depends on our ability to raise people
up (discipleship) and send people out (mission). Problem? Few of us Christian leaders know how to do this
effectively. Churches haven't modeled it and seminaries
haven't taught it. This is not news to Trinity, the results
of our natural church development survey clearly indicated evangelism is our weakest link. As we work to engage the question of what it would take for Trinity to
become a radically welcoming community, or even simply to be faithful to Jesus command to “make disciples of
all nations” it has become increasingly clear that we need
to learn how to share the good news of Jesus Christ with
others.
The churches in the ELCIC have agreed that our focus
is to be a church in mission. At the end of October Pastor Ingrid and I attended an ELCIC Discipleship and mission Workshop in Regina. We came away from Regina
with the certain knowledge that we have a lot to learn,
first to become effective disciples and secondly to help
others become effective disciples. Jesus is still calling
people to be disciples, and it’s not just the pastors. We
have started our journey of discipleship and over the next
few months will be inviting others at Trinity to join us.
Thank you for this opportunity to learn.
Trinity Team
December 2013
Page 9
Called Into Learning
Christmas Joy Bursting in on Illness
As we move into the Advent and Christmas season, filled
with joy about God’s gift of supreme love (or anticipation
of gifts wrapped in pretty paper, especially for the children), we are asked to reach out to those in our extended
families, our workplaces and neighbourhoods, as well as in
our congregation, for whom Christmas is not as joyous.
Living with chronic illnesses, especially those considered
invisible, can be a complete mental drain, not to mention a
strain on the finances for many a family. The long waiting
for a diagnosis, the question as to whether a proposed
treatment might be effective; the general family turmoil
caused by many a trip to a medical facility – all of these
may be combined with a deep sense of loss. People have
lost the dream of the healthy, happy family, the one that
has time, money and energy to decorate the house and plan
the pretty table settings we see in the magazines. Parents
of severely ill children might be mourning the loss of their
children’s future or a happy carefree childhood. And family members of those exhibiting signs of mental illness
might be sensing the loss of their loved one’s psychological well-being. Or we may be that person who is losing all
control of his or her physical or mental health and feeling
emotionally numb, unable to feel the joy associated with
the words “Merry Christmas.”
Did you know that according to Alberta Health Services;
on average, over a three year period over 33% of Albertans receive at least one mental health service from a physician? So, on average, one in three of us may have discussed concerns regarding our mental well being with our
doctor and possibly have received some sort of treatment
in the past three years. In a single year, approximately
16% of Albertans seek the help of a physician for mental
health concerns. These figures do not include any of us
who were not sufficiently aware of our symptoms, not
aware of where to turn for help, or who may have feared
the stigma associated with admitting that there is something wrong and seeking help. So the actual prevalence of
mental health disorders in the province is likely higher
than reported.
Anxiety and depression are the most common reasons for
seeking help in the area of mental health. Also included
under the general heading of mental health services are
services provided in the case of disorders related to substance use and abuse, and developmental disorders most
often first diagnosed in children. These would be related to
problems with learning, communication, attention deficit
and conduct, including any conditions along the wide
spectrum of Autism related disorders. And finally, Alberta
Health Services includes a category called adjustment disorders under the general heading of mental health services.
These are defined as significant symptoms that emerge as
a result of a range of stressors such as financial strain, relationship issues, and changes in one’s phase of life or being
a victim of crime or having experienced a natural disaster.
Even though, at the mention of mental illness, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders might come to mind
first, in 2004/05 they accounted for only 16% of all inpatient services in the area of mental health. Overall, the
World Health Organization estimates that by 2020, 15% of
all health care services will be related to mental health disorders. http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/2774.asp
In 2011, 40,000 Albertans lived on Assured Income for
the Severely Handicapped (AISH).
Mixed diagnoses are not rare. For example, an individual
may have cerebral palsy alongside of attention deficit disorder and a learning disability, or obsessive-compulsive
disorder and autism spectrum disorder combined. With a
maximum monthly living allowance of $1588 when the
average price of rent of a two-bedroom apartment in Edmonton is $1200, it is nearly impossible for a single parent
on AISH to cover the costs of living for a child.
So what of Christmas? What of all of the “preparations”
we tend to want to make for the holidays? The shepherds
of old were not “prepared” for Christmas. At the fringe of
society, it was THEY who were the first to receive word of
God’s holy gift. Their joy was pure; their eagerness to experience God in the flesh was immediate. They have a
message for us. God breaks into our brokenness, our
mourning, our anxiety, our phobias and disorders, and
gives us that cosmic, angelic hug, giving us all, the well
and the unwell, the grace to say with the Psalmist:
I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me
and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a
song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put
their trust in the LORD. Psalm 40:1-3
Page 10
December 2013
Trinity Team
Grief and the Christmas Season
Christmas is such a central part of our celebrations as
Christians, yet Christmas can be such a painful time for those
who have lost a loved one. I have worked with those who are
grieving for over 30 years, and have discovered that there are
no easy answers to making the season less painful. There are
some strategies that seem to be somewhat helpful.
Approach the season deliberately, make plans however
small. Those people who hope to sleep through the day or
pretend that Christmas doesn't exist this year tend to do poorer. Think about creating some structure to the day or season.
Attempt to balance keeping traditions with change. Grief
arrows are those times when you feel like you have been
stabbed with overwhelming emotion. Be aware of the occasions they may hit and make decisions about the value of the
tradition. If, for example, you have always gone to a candlelight service, but just hearing a favourite hymn brings on intense emotion, you might want to change that tradition for a
few years and go to a family oriented service. Or you might
consider that tradition so dear you want to go anyway being
prepared to be sad.
Many people find it helpful to create a new ritual or tradition to honour their loved one. This can be a new Christmas
tree ornament, a walk in a special place, sharing memories
with others. Sometimes it takes several years to find a new
comforting tradition.
Grief is so personal, it is difficult to predict what will be
painful or helpful for each person. Family and friends often
shy away from talking about your loved one so not to make
you feel uncomfortable. If it is helpful for you to share memories or talk about your grief, you might need to be the one to
bring up the conversation. Similarly, take care of yourself by
deciding what is helpful and not so helpful regarding society's portrayal of Christmas. Christmas music in stores might
be painful to one and not to another. Protect yourself as much
as you are able from fatigue.
Finally, don't underestimate the pain of the second Christmas. Often one gets carried through the first year in a blur,
and second year's grief blindsides you.
Grief and Christmas are both seasons that have the potential to impact our vision and experience of God and move us
into a deeper relationship with Him. It is often in our brokenness and grief that He reaches into the deep parts of our spirit
to bring a comfort that the world cannot give. I love the story
of Jesus weeping at Lazarus' death ( John 11:25) even though
He would later resurrect him. He demonstrated an understanding and a personal, emotional response to loss. Sometimes this can provide comfort; the King of the Universe,
who came as a baby, understands how hard it is to lose a
loved one. This truly is the miracle of Christmas.
Submitted by Karen Goldstone
COMMUNITY GARDEN REPORT
As in all gardens, the fall was a time of harvesting and preparing for winter. We harvested delicious tomatoes, as well
as many other vegetables. (Some of these were on display on
Thanksgiving, and some will be part of the next community
dinner.) We cleared the beds, spread and dug in the compost,
and started a new compost pile. As far as I know, this year no
grass clippings and no leaves went into our garbage bins - it
was all composted. In this way, the garden is helping reduce
Trinity's waste (and waste removal bill), and improving the
natural cycle of growing and decomposing.
In the fall, we heard that our grant application to Sustainable Food Edmonton was successful. We can now move ahead
with our plans for the garden. We got busy right away and
built a shed in October! Check it out (in the park under the
oak tree), it's beautiful. Thank you very much to Jeff Gusdal,
who donated many hours preparing and leading the shed construction.
Next year, we will turn our attention to the beds in front of
Luther Centre and plant them with (mostly edible) perennials,
shrubs and one or two fruit trees. There will also be a herb
garden. We realize that this year, these beds were not always
very sightly (although we loved the squash in their prime,
and the herbs). We were working on soil amendment this
year, and did not have the funds to purchase shrubs etc. Next
year the beds will look different - following permaculture
principles but more "landscaped".
An informal poll suggests that most of this year's gardeners
will continue next year. There will be a small number of
spots for new member gardeners. So if you are interested and
live nearby, do not hesitate to contact us. Members pay an
annual fee (about $20) and commit to volunteer
hours/workbees. In return, they are entitled to gardening and
a share of the harvest.
Andrea Wilhelm
Secretary, Trinity Community Garden
A Note from Church Council
In April 2012 Church Council approved a proposal from the
community garden group to remodel the beds in front of Luther Centre. Color diagrams of the proposed beds were posted in the atrium for several weeks and circulated to key committees in the congregation for their comments. The description of the proposal clearly indicated that these changes
would require removing the existing junipers, which were at
the end of their life, and letting the soil recuperate for a year.
At our September meeting council members shared comments that had been received from church members about the
state of the flowerbeds in front of Luther Center. Church
Council reviewed these concerns and is satisfied that the
community garden group has met their commitments for
making these changes. When council approved the redevelopment plan we understood that 2013 would be a transition
year and that the soil conditions might limit the possibilities
to grow vegetables or groundcover in the flowerbeds this
year. We look forward to more comprehensive landscaping in
2014. A copy of the original sketches for the proposed flowerbeds are shown on the next page:
Trinity Team
December 2013
Page 11
Luther Centre Flower Bed Proposal
West End
East End
Yoga at Trinity
by Camilla Witt
Yoga is a complex set of practices, developed by many
practitioners over more than 5000 years, to build strength,
resilience, flexibility, vibrant good health and well being. It
is not a religion although many Hindus use some of its practices as part of their religion. Practicing yoga brings fitness
to the body, and builds a calm and positive outlook.
There are many meanings that can be ascribed to the word
“yoga”, but its root is a verb in Sanscrit, “yuj”, which means
to connect. In yoga practice, we work to keep the mind,
body and breath connected, which brings focus and effectiveness to the practice, as well as calm to the mind.
The Eight Limbs of Yoga
There are many different facets to yoga, which has been
divided into eight parts, called the “eight limbs of yoga”.
These are:
Asanas, the postures and physical practice of yoga
Pranayama, breath work to develop strong and healthy
lungs and pulmonary system
Pratyahara, awareness of our bodies and the messages they
are sending us
Yamas, ethical practices (including truth, non-violence,
sharing, not coveting, not stealing and conserving resources,
both personal and natural)
Niyamas, self observation (including cleanliness, practicing
gratitude and contentment, purification of the body, partly
through exercise using the asanas, study, and awareness of
God)
Dharana, meditation
Dyana, concentration
Samadhi, connection with God through meditation
In addition to building a strong and healthy body, practic-
ing the asanas builds the flexibility needed to be able to sit
quietly in meditation for long periods. Yogic theory is that in
meditation one may find connection with God. Meditation
has also long been part of the practice of some Christians.
According to Father Thomas Ryan, a Catholic priest and yoga teacher, monks have been practicing meditation since the
3rd century.
In our classes here at Trinity, we are now teaching the Asanas, Pranayama and Pratyahara. We also teach yoga in a way
which is consistent with our Christian faith.
The Asanas (Physical Postures)
The Asanas, the physical postures, have been carefully developed to do exactly what our bodies need. Many of the
postures use oppositional movements and work through our
ranges of motion. Many of them take us to positions we don't
normally put our bodies into as adults. They challenge us in
a variety of ways. However, we always work from where we
are, doing what is good for our bodies now, and slowly building our abilities. The result is that our bodies become more
fit, we develop stronger, healthier bones, our tendons and
ligaments become stronger, thicker, and more flexible, our
joints become healthier, have greater range of motion and
move more smoothly, and our muscles become stronger. If
our posture wasn't straight, it becomes straighter. We become less likely to get injured, and less likely to get sick. If
we had aches and pains, they fade away. In fact, after a
while, our bodies just feel great.
Pranayama and Pratyahara (Breathing Exercises and
Awareness of our Bodies)
Pranayama, breathing exercises, both build the health of
...see Yoga - page 12
Page 12
December 2013
Yoga from page 11
our pulmonary system and help the asanas, the exercises we
are doing, to be more effective.
Pratyahara, awareness of our bodies, gives us more information about our bodies and in the long run, leads us to
make different, healthier decisions for ourselves.
Building Mindfulness and Awareness
Yoga teaches us to live in the present, and to experience it
as fully as possible, noticing more and more of what is happening around us and how that impacts us internally. We
become more observant, and we notice things we have not
been aware of before. In my experience long time practitioners tend to become more aware of the grace of God in their
lives and more thankful. Yoga builds both mindfulness and
awareness.
Melting away stress and its effects
If one is experiencing stress, yoga is a great thing to practice. Many people are aware of the body's fight or flight response to challenges, which leads one to feel stress in various ways, throughout one's body and mind. If one experiences an immediate threat, like having to fight off a wild
animal, the stress reaction is very helpful – it gives one extra
strength and motivation to fight. However, if the stress is present often, such as
in the context of a demanding job or demanding life circumstances or constant
time pressure, the hormones secreted to
depress the function of our organs while
we are dealing with the “threat”, can
slowly damage all of those organs.
Fortunately, the body has a counterpart
to the fight or flight reaction that has
been recognized and studied, first at Harvard University in approximately 1970.
It is called the relaxation response. Interestingly, it does not happen in sleep. It
may happen when we are practicing the
Trinity Team
asanas, if we are using the breath correctly. It may happen in
meditation. It may also happen if we use relaxation techniques such as progressive relaxation. Practicing yoga therefore not only ends the body's stress reaction, but can help
heal damage caused in the past.
Disadvantages / Advantages
Are there disadvantages to practicing yoga? While the
benefits are clear and well established, yoga takes time and
commitment, and at first that can seem like a disadvantage.
However, the more we do yoga, the better we feel, both
while doing it and the rest of the time. In addition, the resulting changes to our bodies and brains lead us to be fit,
sharp, energetic, more positive, more aware, and less likely
to waste time dealing with illness and injury, That can make
spending time on yoga feel more than worthwhile.
Can anyone practice yoga?
Yes, There are thousands of poses and modifications of
those poses, and many techniques that can be used, so anyone can start at any point, begin to build strength and flexibility, and enjoy the other benefits. However, we have found
that it is better for people to deal with certain problems first
with a physiotherapist and then come to class, so they are
able to do either the poses taught in class
or modified versions of them.
If you are interested, please call Camilla
Witt or email her at yogaattrinity(atsign)
gmail.com. A new session of Monday
evening classes (taught by Camilla) and
Thursday evening yoga classes (taught
by Rose Radke) will start soon, and a
new session of Gentle Yoga (taught by
Camilla and by Lana Pilotte) will start in
the new year. Each class lasts 90
minutes and the cost is $10. It is less
when a person cannot afford that
amount.
German Evangelical Lutheran Conference Convention in Edmonton and Jasper
DELKINA (Deutsche Evangelisch-Lutherische Konferenz in Nordamerika)
(http://www.delkina.org/en).
September 13 – 19, 2013
DELKINA is a special interest conference for ministry
among people of German language and/or heritage in North
America. Reaching out to people whose primary language is
not English (i.e., German), DELKINA sees itself as an integral part of the multicultural mission and outreach of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
As an official interest conference, DELKINA works with
and is supported by the two major Lutheran church bodies
in North America, namely, the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in Canada (ELCIC) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA), and by the Evangelical Church in Germa… see Delkina - page 13
DELKINA ist eine Interessenkonferenz der Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Canada (ElCIC) und der Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Ihre zweijährlichen
Vollversammlungen finden abwechselnd in Canada und den
USA statt. St. John’s Lutheran Church und Trinity waren
Gastgeber der diesjährigen Tagung, der Geschäftsteil wurde
von Pfr. Frank Kopania und Pastorin Ingrid Doerschel
geleitet.
Bischof Dr. Larry Kochendorfer, Pfr. Kopania und Frank
Thede hießen alle Teilnehmer am ersten Versammlungstag
ini Trinitatis herzlich willkommen. Prof. Dr. Dietmar
Mündel hielt einen Vortrag zum Thema der
...siehe Delkina - Seite13
Trinity Team
December 2013
Delkina from page 12
ny (Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland or EKD). An important part of the German Interest Conference is its biennial general assembly, which serves to foster fellowship and
communication among its members and to plan for the future. Between the biennial meetings, an elected board does
DELKINA’s work.
This year, two bilingual Lutheran congregations hosted
the conference in Edmonton: St. John's Lutheran Church
and Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. It has been a
pleasure to work together on this major event and to offer
our hospitality to the German speaking delegates who arrived from all over North America. They were welcomed
warmly at the airport and taken to their hotel. Hand crafted
bags, filled not only with protocols and business stuff, but
with information about Edmonton, Jasper, and Alberta
helped the participants to get a glimpse of the history, the
urban and rural landscape, and the beauty of nature of Alberta.
Rev. Dr. Larry Kochendorfer, Bishop of Alberta and the
Territories, Rev. Frank Kopania, (former) President of
DELKINA, and Frank Thede, Chair of Trinity Lutheran
Church, welcomed our guests and enjoyed breakfast and
conversation. Rev. Frank Kopania and Rev. Ingrid Doerschel, Vice President of DELKINA, led the business sessions in Edmonton and Jasper.
Prof. Dr. Dittmar Muendel held a lecture on the theme of
this year’s convention: He focused on Hebrew 13: 14 “For
here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for
the city that is to come.” He explored the question “What
does it mean for our understanding of life to be deeply rooted in a specific cultural and traditional heritage and at the
same time to be committed to the land and the people where
we live as Christians and citizens?”
A delicious dinner and classical music performed by
young students concluded the first day.
One of the highlights of the conferences always is the
main worship service attended by all participants, this time
two German speaking congregations celebrated together at
St. John's Lutheran Church, which also celebrated its 100th
anniversary that Sunday. With Pastors Sigmar Reichel, Ingrid Doerschel, and Indra Grasekamp presiding and Bishop
Dr. Larry Kochendorfer preaching and the combined choirs
singing, we celebrated a festive worship service in German
and English. After worship we greatly enjoyed an
“anniversary” lunch at St. John's. In sunshine and in good
spirits the group visited Historical Fort Edmonton Park in
the afternoon and spent the evening at the “Victoria Soccer
Club” savouring a great dinner.
Most of our guests had not been to the Rockies, and it was
a pleasure to see how delighted they were visiting the Rockies and spending some time walking through Maligne Canyon and along Maligne Lake, watching canoeists and taking
pictures at Medicine Lake and Athabasca Falls.
We stayed at Pine Bungalows, located close to Jasper on
the Athabasca River, and we held our business sessions in
… see Delkina - page 14
Page 13
Delkina von Seite 12
Vollversammlung: „Wir haben hier keine bleibende Statt,
sondern die zukünftige suchen wir“ (Hebräer13,14) – Heimat
in der Fremde. Andrea Wilhelm gab eine Führung durch
unseren Community Garden und Strathcona bis zum Farmers
Market, um den Besuchern einen Eindruck von der Umgebung
unserer Kirche zu vermitteln. Ein musikalischer Abend mit
Dinner beschloss den ersten Tag. Höhepunkt in Edmonton
war der deutsch-englische Sonntagsfestgottesdienst in St.
John’s, geleitet von Bischof Larry Kochendorfer, Pastor
Sigmar Reichel, Pastorin Ingrid Doerschel und Pastorin Indra
Grasekamp, unter Mitwirkung der Chöre von St. John’s und
Trinity; gleichzeitig feierte die St. Johannesgemeinde ihr
hundertjähriges Bestehen. Nach dem Mittagsfestmahl in St.
John’s gab es eine Stadtrundfahrt mit anschließendem Besuch
in Fort Edmonton Park – ein wahrhaft „historisches“ und sehr
interessantes Erlebnis für unsere Gäste an dem herrlichen
Spätsommertag. Überhaupt zeigten sich Edmonton und
Alberta wettermäßig an all diesen Tagen von der besten Seite
mit sonniger Wärme und blauem Himmel! Dieser zweite Tag
endete mit einem eleganten, köstlichen Dinner im Victoria
Soccer Club.
Tagungsort für die weiteren Tage war Jasper im idyllisch am
Athabasca River gelegenen Pine Bungelows Resort mit
Konferenzsaal.
Folgende Tagungspunkte und Beschlüsse sind besonders
hervorzuheben:
1. Das Kirchliche Monatsblatt, das über 25 Jahre von Pastor
Jakob Pillibeit im Alleingang herausgegeben und versandt
wurde, besteht seit Januar 2013 nicht mehr, da Pastor
Pillibeit aus Gesundheitsgründen sein Amt niederlegen
musste. Abonnementsvoraus-zahlungen werden auf Antrag
rückvergütet. Delkina ist jedoch bemüht, ein neues
Nachrichtenblatt, evtl. in anderer Form, ab 2014
herauszugeben. Alle KM Abonnenten sind inzwischen
entsprechend schriftlich benachrichtigt worden.
2. Die Bildung einer Arbeitsgruppe zur Herausgabe eines
neuen, deutschen Liturgieheftes für Pastoren und
Laienhelfer in deutschen Gottesdiensten, die nicht deutsch
sprechen.
3. Aus Ersparnis- und und Effizienzgründen wurde der neue
...siehe Delkina 14
Page 14
December 2013
Delkina from page 13
their conference room.
We dealt with four major items:
1."Kirchliches Monatsblatt" had been published and
mailed by Pastor Jakob Pillibeit, editor of KM and secretary of DELKINA. Due to health reasons, Jakob has
resigned from his office and has not been able to publish our newsletter from January to September 2013.
The conference decided to discontinue the traditional
edition of “Kirchliches Monatsblatt” and to continue
working on publishing a different kind of German
newsletter in 2014. The new board was asked to send
letters to all congregations and individuals who had
already paid their yearly subscription fees and to offer
refunding their prepayments.
2.A group was formed to work on a German worship
book, requested especially by non-German speaking
pastors and lay people serving in German speaking
congregations.
3.In order to work more efficiently and to save money,
the conference decided to elect only four board members instead of six; they are:
 President: Rev. Dr. Holger Roggelin, Baltimore,
USA;
 Vice President: Rev. Ingrid Doerschel, Edmonton;
 Secretary: Rev. Dr. Olaf Wassmuth, Washington,
USA;
 Treasurer: Albert Christ, Winnipeg, Canada.
4.Former President Rev. Frank Kopania has received a
call from the EKD (Evangelical Church in Germany).
The conference thanked him for his industrious work
during the past two years.
The conference offered a big thank you to Rev. Jakob
Pillibeit, former editor of “Kirchliches Monatsblatt”. He
has done a marvellous ministry to German speaking congregations by publishing the newsletter for more than 25
years!
A heartfelt thank you to Trinity’s kitchen crew who
spoiled us with delicious food at Pine Bungalows in Jasper.
Many thanks to the Trinettes, the English choir and to
the people at St. John’s Lutheran Church who provided
us with tasteful breakfasts and several meals.
Thank you to Cherie Larson who arranged a wonderful
concert, and to the organizing team of St. John’s and
Trinity who had been working hard to set up the conference!
And lastly a big thank you to our congregations who
prayed for us and helped to finance the event.
The convention closed at St. John’s Lutheran Church
with a worship service and the installation of the elected
officers (and another dinner – Lutherans do love food!).
Trinity Team
Delkina von Seite 13
DELKINA Ausschuss von sechs auf vier Mitglieder reduziert.
4. Wahlergebnis des neuen Vorstands: Vorsitzender – Pfr. Dr.
Holger Roggelin, Baltimore/USA; Stellvertr. Vorsitzende –
Pastorin Ingrid Doerschel, Edmonton/Canada; Schriftführer –
Pfr. Dr. Olaf Wassmuth, Washington/USA; Schatzmeister –
Albert Christ, Winnipeg/Canada.
Besonderer Dank galt dem ehem. Vorsitzenden Pfr. Frank
Kopania für seine ausgezeichnete Geschäftsführung in den
vergangen zwei Jahren – er erhielt einen Ruf vom EKD; Pfr.
Jakob Pillibeit für die Herausgabe des Kirchlichen Monatsblatts,
einem langjährigen, arbeitsintensiven Dienst; sowie den Köchen,
die täglich aufs Beste für unser leibliches Wohl sorgten.
Wahrhaft begeistert waren die Besucher von der vielseitigen
Schönheit des Nationalparks und der Landschaft Albertas – die
Bustouren nach Maligne Canyon, Maligne Lake, zur Jasper
Lodge und auf dem Rückweg nach Edmonton zu den Athabasca
Falls bestätigten die Vorstellungen, die die Broschüren
vermittelten und erfüllten viele Erwartungen! Zahlreiche
Aufnahmen werden später daran erinnern. Pastorin Ingrid
überraschte uns alle als eine sehr gut informierte Reiseleiterin
und ausgezeichnete Organisatorin. Der Aufenthalt in Jasper
endete mit einem Gottesdienst in der lutherischen Kirche,
geleitet von Pfr. Kopania.
Die Vollversammlung fand ihren Abschluss in Edmonton mit
der Amtseinführung der neuen Vorstandsmitglieder während des
Abendgottesdienstes mit Heiligem Abendmahl in der St.
Johanneskirche – und einem abermals köstlichen Dinner!
Wir danken den Pastoren, Chören, musikalischen Leitern,
Organisatoren und allen Helfern der St. John’s und
Trinitatisgemeinden für alle Arbeit und Unterstützung,
besonders auch finanzieller Art, die zum guten Gelingen der
DELKINA Konferenz beitrugen.
Yours in Christ
Talita Klingbeil, Ursula and John Meyer (delegates),
Pastor Ingrid Doerschel
submitted by Margarete Schwarz
Trinity Team
December 2013
Page 15
Called Into Learning
ONE DAY IN THE LIFE OF A HOMELESS PERSON
Lights on straight in my face at 5:50 a.m. “Rise and shine
ladies!” the lady loudly and with glee cries. “It’s time to
head out and it’s minus 27 degrees Celsius with a wind chill
so dress warmly”. I groan because morning has come too
early again so I lie under my thin blanket as long as possible
to get a few minutes more rest and warmth before heading
out for another tiring and aimless day. Finally the workers
force me to get up. I put on my tattered and old running
shoes and socks that are too tight but warm, my fairly warm
coat, a hat, scarf and mittens and head out the door before
6:30 a.m.
Other people from the shelter are outside and invariably
ask me for a cigarette. I grudgingly share one but try to get
away before everyone asks me for a cigarette. I trudge over
to the Co-op through the dark, windy and cold night. I have
to sign in and state whether I slept inside or outside. I also
have to get my breakfast number so I can get breakfast in an
hour. It’s busy and loud and it takes me a while to find a
seat. I am too late for the first round of coffee/juice so I have
to sit down and wait for a half hour and try to warm up. The
people are quite loud and feisty this morning. They are making drug deals in front of me and I just witnessed someone
steal someone else’s I Pod but I don’t dare say anything. I
try to read the book I got free from the public library but it’s
too loud and I still feel tired.
Finally the canteen is open for coffee and I scoot over into
the line to wait to get one cup of coffee. I return to my seat
and gratefully have my coffee. I’m still tired so I just manage to get a second coffee before the canteen closes again to
prepare for breakfast. After my two coffees, I manage to
steel myself to go outside for a quick cigarette before breakfast and manage to only be asked for a cigarette by two people. It is street rules to share cigarettes up to a point as the
poor seem better at sharing what little they have.
When I get back people have started lining up for breakfast so I line up as well. Today we received one sausage and
miniature hash browns and yogurt, not much after waiting to
eat since 6 a.m. but I wolf it down and also drink another
cup of coffee. I wait at the Wild West Co-op until about
8:30 a.m. before trudging through the cold and windy morning to the public library downtown. There, I grab some
books and a seat for the day (hopefully). Two other homies I
know are sitting near me so we take turns going out to have
a cigarette while watching each other’s stuff. I finally warm
up and feel tired so I fall asleep sitting up for a while. The
library security guard wakes me up to tell me to put my runners on. My feet were sore from the tight socks so I had taken the runners off to relax my feet. It’s hard having to wear
the same socks and runners for days on end.
Then it is time for lunch. I hide the books I have been attempting to read before heading off to line up for lunch at
the Hope Mission. It’s cold outside so there is a huge lineup
and they cut me and some people in front of me off since
there are no more lunch tickets left and I got there a bit late.
Instead, I get a cold bagged lunch of somewhat stale white
Canadian bread with bologna and an apple. I can’t stand this
kind of bread but manage to force myself to eat most of the
bread and I enjoy the apple.
Back in the library, I manage to find some of the books I
was reading and continue reading them. I have read what
feels likes hundreds of books since becoming homeless. I
run into a homeless friend and we decide to go look for cigarette butts at and around the downtown mall since we are
running low on cigarettes. We spend several hours and manage to get enough for the day if we smoke sparingly. Smoking seems like a luxury but it makes you feel better. My
friend suggests we stay at a different shelter tonight where
there are less people, the workers are nicer and you can
sleep a half hour longer.
We spend a few more hours at the library warming up,
relaxing and reading books before it is time to head off to
line up for an hour or so to get supper. This time I’m lucky
and after freezing outside for about 45 minutes I get into the
building, get a number and get to wait another 45 minutes
before eating a quite delicious supper. I stay as long as I can
to warm up before heading off to the Co-op again to wait an
hour before lining up at the new shelter. My friend keeps me
company at the Co-op for a while, escorts me to the shelter
and then takes off to different shelter where he doesn’t have
to wait in line. I get to the shelter at 7 p.m. and have to stand
in line for 1 ½ hours before finally being let in. In the mean
time, some of the men make sure I am relatively warm and
protected from some of the wilder people in the line and
they share a few cigarettes. Everyone becomes argumentative and unruly shortly before opening time and some people try to butt in. Finally it is my turn and after being
searched to make sure I’m not bringing in something not
allowed, I get to go pick my mat.
I take off my boots, put them under the mat to serve as a
pillow, get earplugs and a few drinks of water, quickly lie
down, keep my winter hat on, put on the ear plugs and drape
my winter coat and 1 sweater over me to keep warm. It
takes me quite some time to warm up after being outside so
long. Finally I am able to fall asleep when I have warmed up
and I know I’ll get an extra half hour of sleep.
They say truth is stranger than fiction. This short story is
about one day in my life when I was homeless for about 2
years. I always appreciated the kind souls who would come
by the shelter lineups to distribute warm gloves, hats
scarves, socks and other warm clothes. Homelessness can
happen to anyone and once it happens to you, you will never
forget it.
Written by:
Erika Ewen Jr.
Trinity Team
December 2013
Page 17
Called into Service
What can I offer to the Lord for all his goodness to me? I am your servant, Lord. - Psalm 116: 12, 16-19
Small but Vital Communities
Being a guest at a 12-Step Meeting in our Building
Various times in the week, our upstairs Council Room
becomes “home” to a wide range of people. Members of
three different 12-Step programs gather anonymously to
offer each other vital support and companionship. I had the
honor of being invited by my friend of almost 40 years as
she celebrated her 10th “birthday” as part of a regular Friday night home-group meeting of Cocaine Anonymous,
otherwise known as CA. For 10 years now, she had managed to overcome the strong pull of alcohol and other
drugs in order to stay clean (drug free). No one knows
how to celebrate this milestone more than a fellow addict
with the same struggles and the same goal. Speeches were
given, and cake was cut and shared. The atmosphere was
festive and I learned a lot.
First of all, I realized that my mental image of an
“addict” was skewed. The people gathered around our
council table did not “look” like addicts. This could have
been a community league meeting, a parent council meeting or even a church council meeting. The people were
ordinary everyday people, the majority of whom hold
down jobs from the trades to the professions and anything
in between. Many of those in attendance have been coming to this home group for years, known only to each other
by their first names. Having members remain anonymous
is one of the key pillars of the 12-step movement. Only
one contact person per group is registered here with the
church office and has access to the church key and alarm
system. He or she then sets up a buzzer at the back alley
door which rings upstairs in the council room. One by one,
the group members buzz at the back door and are let in.
The chairperson of the meeting begins with introductions. My name is X and I am an addict. Recognition that
one is an addict is the first step toward throwing off the
power of one’s addiction. That evening, a young man arrived at the meeting for the first time. I witnessed how the
community welcomed him in, making sure to get his
phone number and to ensure that he would have information about all of the other 25 or more CA meetings in
the city, so that at any time, when this young man is confronted with the urge to use any mind-altering substances,
he knows where he can turn to for support so as not to give
into the temptation to use drugs of any kind. As well,
thanks to modern communication technology, people can
also turn to online meetings on a regular basis.
As part of the meeting, the chairperson passed out various texts to be read aloud including excerpts from the 12
steps initially written down in Ohio in 1935 by two men
known as “Bill W.” and “Dr. Bob” in a book entitled Alcoholics Anonymous. Even though the different 12 step
groups are not allied with any religious denomination, political organization or other institution, I found it very interesting that these texts include many references to God
and His power. The first three steps in particular reminded
me a little of the confession of sins, as they pointed out the
need to recognize and turn to a higher power to help overcome our shortcomings.
Step One involves admitting powerlessness over mindaltering substances of all kinds, as well as admitting that
these had made the person’s life unmanageable. Step Two
includes a belief statement in a “Power greater than ourselves” that is able to restore lives. Step Three includes the
decision to turn one’s life to the care of God, as “we understand him.”
Throughout the evening, people reflected about how
God is leading them through various portions of their recovery. Even those who do not specifically believe in God
referred to “a Higher Power.” Each of the members of the
group is linked with another person who has come further
along the 12 steps toward recovery. This person is known
as one’s sponsor. When individuals feel overcome by
stress and face the temptation to turn back to any kind of
mind-altering substance, they know they can call their
sponsor for a lengthy chat over the phone or a face to face
visit. At this special Birthday Party, a number of women
spoke up and thanked my friend for the support she had
offered them as their sponsor over the years. She knew of
their many struggles, just as her sponsor knew of hers. After the meeting, many of the members gather in a local
restaurant to continue their fellowship and support over
pizza.
As everyone left the building via the back door, I felt
like I had witnessed a gathering much like those of the
early church. A small group of believers meeting behind
closed doors turning to each other for support, yet grounded in the knowledge that God sustains them all. Within our
large congregation, we tend to keep our personal struggles
hidden from each other. Other than perhaps the Faith Discussion Group, we tend not to meet in small groups and
share with others how God moves in our lives. I don’t believe we confess our shortcomings in front of others for
mutual support and understanding. I believe these communities who meet behind the closed doors of our building
have a lot to teach us about ways of being a people of God.
Hannah Noerenberg
Page 16
December 2013
Trinity Team
Comings, Goings and Celebrations
Baptism:
- Dec. 2, 2012
- Feb. 24, 2013
- August 4, 2013
- Oct. 6, 2013
- November 21, 2012
Marriages:
- May 25, 2013
– June 1, 2013
– June 1, 2013
- June 22, 2013
- July13, 2013
- July 27, 2013
- Aug. 10, 2013
– Aug. 24, 2013
- Aug. 24, 2013
- Aug. 31, 2013
- Sept. 7, 2013
– Sept. 28, 2013
- Oct. 19, 2013
– Nov. 9, 2013
– Nov.30, 2013
Confirmation:
- Oct. 27, 2013
- Oct. 27, 2013
- Oct. 27, 2013
Funerals/Memorials:
Beate Barleben - Jan. 3, 2013
Eugenia Zenke - Feb. 1, 2013
Gerda Brunsch - Feb. 2, 2013
Edward Resler – March 19, 2013
Kurt Schwarz - May 13, 2013
Otto Aippersbach – June 8, 2013
Walter Konojacki – June 20, 2013
Horst Hoyer – July 23, 2013
Robert Welke – Sept. 26, 2013
Margaret Smith “Granny” - Oct. 26, 2013
Mato Bozic - Oct. 30, 2013
Ewald Lemke – Nov. 15, 2013
Looking Ahead
Special Services
Sunday, Dec 15 - 10:30 AM - Combined German English with “A Super Christmas Pageant”
Christmas Eve - Tuesday - Dec 24:
4:00 PM - Family Christmas Eve Service
6:00 PM - German Candlelight Service
8:00 PM - English Candlelight Service
Christmas Day - Dec 25
9:30 AM - German with Holy Communion
11:00 AM - English with Holy Communion
Tues - Dec 31 - 5:00 PM German New Year’s Eve
Wed - Jan 1 - 11:00 AM English New Year’s Day
Regular Services Every Sunday:
9:30 AM - German Language Service
11:00 AM - English Service
The Trinity Team is a publication of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Edmonton, Alberta. The Team is published 3-4
times a year - in August, in December, in February, and in May
under the auspices of the Communications Committee.
The TEAM newsletter is intended to provide inspiration, information, and education to members of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran
Church. The content of all articles must be relevant to the congregation and serve the above goals. I.e., articles are to inform and build
up the congregation. Articles must be sound in Christian/Lutheran
theology. We do not accept anonymous articles or articles with pen
names. The editorial board, including the pastors, decide if an article
is appropriate.
Next publication date: March 2014.
Deadline for submissions for next issue - March 17, 2014
The Team is intended to serve the members of Trinity Lutheran
Church as a comprehensive communications tool. The editors welcome your comments or questions.
Please submit all Team articles, information, comments or questions
to: [email protected] or
drop them off at the church office - Attn: Trinity Team
 Trinity Lutheran Church, 2013 - Source should be acknowledged if material reproduced in whole or in part.