Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! 8 May 2020

A Blessed Season of Easter to you as we approach the Fifth Sunday of Easter

The Last Supper by Irish artist, Bohdan Piasecki, 1998

Does this picture seem out of sync with the Church Year?

The Fifth Sunday of Easter does a time trick to take us back before the resurrection to the Last Supper when after the meal, Jesus spoke to his disciples and then prayed for them. Only John’s Gospel records this long after dinner speech in chapters 14 – 17.

Check out the attached “Adult Forum in the Home” to explore the text and this Last Supper painting by Bohdan Piasecki and another one by Salvador Dali.

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Day #55 of Sheltering at Home: How are you doing?

Trillium cancelled worship on 15 March and the doors have been closed since. 55 Days and counting. Among Trillium members: Many are working from home.

Many have lost their employment. Those in hospital, long term care facilities, retirement homes cannot be visited. Schools are closed and parents are creatively home schooling children. Funerals have been held for some with only 9 people and Pastor Nevile in attendance while other memorial services are postponed until the pandemic state of emergency is concluded.

So how are you doing? Do you need someone to talk to? Are you able to reach out to some Trillium friends by phone to touch base and share a supportive conversation? Pastor Stephen is available by phone at 519 574 2464. There are many for whom we are praying these days – medical workers and other front line care givers, government leaders and health care policy makers, people who have become ill and those who thankfully have recovered. Among the many for whom we are praying these days, please remember our congregational members and community in your daily prayers as this unusual and stressful pandemic season continues.

When will churches re-open in Ontario?How’s your crystal ball? When do you think we’ll be able to gather again for worship at Trillium Church?

The press is reporting that some churches are beginning to re-open in Germany – but no singing! Bring your own mask! Sit 1.5 meters apart. No physical contact at the sharing of the peace. Attendance is limited to 122 people in Cologne Cathedral, one of the largest churches in the world. https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-germans-go-back-to-church-but-no-singing-allowed/a-53316113

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Appeal for Government Assistance to Charitable Organizations

All of the ELCIC national and synodical bishops and treasurers have signed on to a public appeal endorsing the Canadian Council of Christian Charities (CCCC) proposal for the government to sustain the charitable sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.

They write:

Dear Minister:

On behalf of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC), we are writing to endorse the Canadian Council of Christian Charities (CCCC) proposal to sustain the charitable sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. We attach a copy of the CCCC’s April 21, 2020 proposal for your reference. Canadian Christian charities extend well beyond the reach of the CCCC’s member national denominational offices. In the ELCIC, our congregations and faith communities are engaged in helping those most vulnerable through food banks, counselling, senior’s care, shelters, community outreach, as well as welcoming refugees to Canada, and more. Canadian Christian charities provide a vital benefit and support to Canadians, adding to the richness and health of our nation. As bishops and treasurers of the ELCIC’s synods and national church, we are deeply aware of the efforts our congregations and faith communities are making to care for the people they serve. As the CCCC notes, faith-based charities provide significant public benefits to individuals, neighbourhoods, regions and the nation. For every dollar in a place of worship’s operating budget, the community receives more than $4.50 of socio-economic value and non-members of churches are four times more likely to use a church’s community programs than are its members.

To read the full letter, check this link: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgxwHNMRZLJdSPMrfNNfdQNbLHsGc?projector=1&messagePartId=0.2

Yesterday, Bishop Pryse wrote to Trillium and all Eastern Synod congregations to consider joining in the appeal by writing their own letter to The Hon. Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children, and Social Development,

with a copy to our Member of Parliament.

Zoom to Church?

In recent weeks, while working from home,Pastor Stephen has been Zooming around:

Bishop Pryse has met twice with rostered leaders in each of our synod’s 18 Ministry Areas – 3rd time for Trillium in the Two Rivers Ministry Area will be 21 May;

Confirmation Camp / Summer Lutheran Youth Camp congregation pastors met 29 April to decide to cancel the summer camp;

Trillium’s Board met in April by Zoom and will do so again 21 May; Community Ministry Management Committee met in April by Zoom and will do so again 14 May; There’s a synod Zoom workshop tomorrow to which Trillium has been invited to share experiences and

learn from congregations in transformation; And, via Zoom, he’s been attending live and pre-recorded Sunday worship at congregations in New

Hamburg, Toronto, Geneva and elsewhere both to worship and evaluate.

So, why not Zoom to worship at Trillium while the state of emergency has closed our church?

Good question! And it is being explored now by a team of Trillium Tech Talent. Can we do it? Should we use Zoom or YouTube or Facebook? Live or pre-recorded content? How to involve Trillium’s musicians? As we continue to research the possibilities, more questions seem to arise.

So stay tuned. If we decide to move toward Zooming to church, one possible target date is Pentecost Sunday, 31 May. (Note the word “possible”.) Stay tuned.

To prepare you for that Zoom worship, here is another videotaped sermon of Pastor Stephen when serving the Lutheran Church of Geneva. The Gospel text was from John 17 (which we’ll hear on May 24) and the sermon has brief references both to Mother’s Day and interim ministry with the question then and now:

What is the future to which God is calling our congregation?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssNBBWOOOgk

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Reduced Trillium Office Hours During Ontario's State of Emergency, Trillium's Office Hours are:

Wednesday & Friday – 9 a.m. to 12 Noon

News from the Lutheran World Federation

All LWF international events for May and June have been cancelled.

LWF President Archbishop Panti Filibus Musa and General Secretary Rev. Dr Martin Junge have joined Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in a call for a worldwide prayer of believers of all religions on 14 May. "Our world is facing a great danger that threatens the lives of millions of people around the world due to the growing spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic," says the letter of invitation from the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity which is extended to all religious leaders and peoples around the world. https://www.lutheranworld.org/news/covid-19-united-prayer-humanity?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_20190719_COPY_01)

Week 5 of the LWF’s daily prayer in a time of pandemic is now available at https://www.lutheranworld.org/sites/default/files/2020/documents/20200510_easter_reflections_week_5_en.pdf

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Reflections From a Physician – Pastor on Our Pandemic Time

Rev. Dr. Peter Kuhnert is a rare creature: a medical doctor and an ordained Lutheran pastor. From both perspectives he offers this reflection in the latest Eastern Synod newsletter:

This year will mark my 30th anniversary of being an independent physician and my 15th year as a pastor and theologian. While I have had many and diverse experiences across both vocations, this is my first experience of life, providing health care, and helping people find meaning all in the midst of a pandemic. Like many of you, my experience has been marked by uncertainty, fear, isolation, boredom, anxiety, as well as busy-ness. It has also been marked by gratitude for my wife and daughters, my family, my co-workers, my faith community, and for my country that values a sustainable, affordable, comprehensive, and inclusive public health care system. I would like to share several reflections from this unprecedented time.

To read the entire article, visit https://easternsynod.org/content/faith-and-caring-time-covid-19 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Public Ministry via the Newspaper

Rev. Lyle McKenzie is another rare pastor with three roles: Co-Pastor of a dynamic Lutheran congregation in Victoria, B.C.; a Multifaith Co-Chaplain in campus ministry at The University of Victoria; and part-time national worship coordinator for the ELCIC as Assistant to the Bishop for Worship.

https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/blogs/spiritually-speaking/pandemic-reveals-what-is-truly-essential-1.24128318

Thank You to All Who Are Supporting Trillium

During these unusual weeks when we have suspended Sunday worship, we are deeply grateful to those Trillium members who make use of PAR (Pre-Authorized Remittances or Canada Post to get their financial offerings to the church.

If you wish to drop your offering off at the church, remember that the church building is officially closed church office is mostly closed, so please use the letter box by the triple side door – it is extremely secure! Thank you for your understanding…

A big 'thank you' also goes out to those who have offered assistance to help other Trillium members with errand such as delivering groceries or medications.

Trillium is a remarkable community of support to one another.

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May this Mother's Day be a time of thanksgiving for the gift of children and family

We give thanks to God for the gift of new lives in twin boys, Darby and Zane, born to Chiedza and Dale Hanna on Thursday morning, May 7, 2020. Spoiling privileges go to Lynn & Terry Hanna, their proud grandparents.

In the same spirit of thanksgiving and gratitude, may this Mother's Day also be a time for God's mercy and consolation to embrace those for whom this is a difficult holiday.