News

2ONE2ONE CONNECT - CONNECTING WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
Check out the link at LCC's website! (www.lutheranchurch.ca)

CONNECTING ONE2ONE: LCC wants to help you prepare to be more effective and comfortable about telling others of your faith by providing tips and information by e-mail.  Over the next months you can receive regular e-newsletters that can help you go and share about Jesus - personally.  Instructions to "Click Here" on the website will add your name to the list.

SCRIPTURE MEMORY BROCHURE: A scripture memorization guide is being offered to encourage you to memorize a key Bible passage each week so that you are better prepared "to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." (1Peter 3:15) Download the brochure from the website, print it out and put it on  your fridge as a reminder!  Share another copy with a friend so you can learn God's word together!

LCC RESPONSE TO THE ISSUE OF GAY ORDINATION (June.2008)

Winnipeg based Lutheran Church-Canada (LCC) has expressed concern over the planned ordination by a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) of a gay man in a same-sex union. Lutheran Church-Canada does not ordain sexually active gay men as pastors.
LCC president, Rev. Dr. Ralph Mayan, says that Lutheran Church-Canada continues to hold to the historic teaching of the church, as revealed in Holy Scripture, that homosexual behaviour and practice is contrary to God's will for His creation.  Dr. Mayan points out that while God’s grace and love are present for all who fail to live up to God’s standard and repent, God’s will for His people does not change.
LCC believes that the only foundation for church policy and public teaching should be the Bible.  On that basis, our church body stands in opposition to same-sex unions and would not ordain anyone involved in such a relationship or activity.  Lutheran Church-Canada is the country’s second largest Lutheran church body with 319 congregations across Canada and a membership of more than 75,000.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LCC EIGHTH NATIONAL CONVENTION
(June.2008)

  • The 20th Anniversary Worship service and Convention opening, in Edmonton, was attended by more than 450 delegates, guests and visitors.
  • Delegates elected Rev. Robert Bugbee as the synod's third President.  Rev. Bugbee currently serves Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Kitchener, Ontario.
  • Also elected were: 1st VP, Rev. Nolan Astley, 2nd VP, Rev. Daryl Solie and 3rd VP, Rev. Robert Krestick.
  • Concordia Publishing House announced that it will be dealing directly with Canadian orders and launched a new website: canada.cph.org
  • Shepherd of the Valley, Salmon Arm, BC, and Eglise Lutherienne de l'Ascension, Montreal, PQ, were accepted by resolution and welcomed as new congregations into LCC.
  • New VP of Iglesia Luterana Sinodo de Nicaragua and President Mayan signed a protocol agreement between the two church bodies.
  • A reception and "Family Hour" was held in honour of President Ralph Mayan and his wife Linda.  Dr Mayan is retiring after faithfully serving LCC as President for 12 years.

UPDATE ON ZION'S MISSION PROJECTS (May.2008)

Through our weekly mission offerings we help the Lutheran Church Canada serve in the mission fields of Nicaragua, Thailand, and the Ukraine.  We help support the work of Canada Lutheran World Relief with our offerings and through special projects.  We help to sponsor the work of bible translation in Cameroon by helping to support our missionaries there. 
Through our individual members we support, (with dollars and volunteers), The Mission Boat Society, I-Team ministry, a Christian School in Sierra Leone,  Wagner Hills Farm, and many special projects from month to month such as the work of the Pregnancy Options  Centre (formerly Surrey Crisis Pregnancy Centre).
There are also many groups within Zion who carry out mission work on their own.  Our school children have raised funds through their weekly chapel offerings for:  a foster child, “Raise the Rice” fund, and orphanages in the Ukraine and in Haiti.  A group of caring seniors reach out to our community twice a month through our food bank depot.   Our young adult group “Hands in Aid” raised money to establish micro loans in Africa for women looking to start businesses there.   Our Lutheran Women’s Missionary League has yearly projects where they reach out locally, provincially and globally.  Our loving Quilters send quilts and care packages around the world!  And plans are presently in the works for our senior youth group to make a mission trip to the Philippians in the New Year!
Whew.  That’s quite a list.  And that’s not all the work of service being shared around the world.  But it’s all done for the glory of the Lord and the good of those in need!
Do you have any other ideas of how we can care with the Gospel?  Let us know, we would love to hear about your passion for service in Jesus Name!

CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING MISSION LINKS!

Ukraine à http://www.lutheranchurch.ca/missions/ukraine.html
Nicaragua à http://www.lutheranchurch.ca/missions/nicaragua.html
Canadian Lutheran World Relief à http://www.clwr.org/
Lutheran Bible translators à http://lbt.gospelcom.net/
http://www.lbtc.ca/about.html
Thailand à http://www.lutheranchurch.ca/missions/thailand_page9.html
B.C. Mission Boat à http://www.bcmissionboat.org/
Youth Trip to Philippines à http://hftnph.com/page.aspx?id=102409
Sierra Leone à  http://kabalaschoolproject.blogspot.com/
Wagner Hills Farm à http://www.wagnerhills.com/
Pregnancy Options Centre à http://www.pregnancyoptionscentre.com/
Rice Raiser à http://www.riceraiser.org/
Surrey Food Bank à http://www.surreyfoodbank.org/
ITeams à http://www.iteams.org/

April.2008
KOREAN CHURCH AGAIN USING ZION'S FACILITIES

A few years ago we helped Pastor Charlie Song and his Korean Hebron Presbyterian Church get started by offering them the use of our sanctuary and kitchen facilities.  They are now a flourishing congregation worshipping in their own facilities on Glover Road in Langley.  Since March we have welcomed another Presbyterian group of Koreans.  Jesus Village Church, with Rev. Lee as Senior Pastor, will be worshipping in our sanctuary every Sunday afternoon at 2 PM.  We, at Zion, consider helping other Christian congregations get started an important part of our mission outreach.  

April.2008
FAMILY COUNSELOR AT ZION

Dr. Harry Janzen is now offering his services as a clinical counselor on site here at Zion (he will be using the corner office by the sanctuary).  He is a professional counselor with vast experience in relationships counseling, and has been a couselor, teacher, pastor (in the Mennonite Church) and school principal.  Dr. Janzen will be offering his services for the entire Cloverdale area and, as per agreement with Zion, will be offering a number of sessions each week to Zion Church and School families.  His office hours will be Mondays from 8 AM to 5 PM and Wednesdays from 2 PM to 9 PM.  We welcome Dr Janzen to Zion and pray for God's blessing on his counseling practice.  For more information please speak with one of the pastors.

April.2008 
ONLINE DONATIONS TO THE SAMMY WEBER MINISTRY

Just go to www.iteams.ca and go to Give, then click on Give Now then click on Staff, Interns, Missionaries.  Fill out your information there.  Put "Samuel Weber-Cameroon" in the box that says, "Note to Donor Services."  At the bottom of the form you can specify whether you want to give this amount on a regular basis or as a one time gift.

You can watch Sammy's International Teams Support Video at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uB2Ab53cRY
Also, you can check out his new website at: www.vision4cameroon.com

FOOD BANK DEPOT AT ZION (July.2008)

The Surrey Food Bank, operating since 1983, is a non-profit charitable organization whose mission is to "Help People Help Themselves."  This is done, primarily, by providing a supplemental food hamper to low-income people living in Surrey and North Delta.
The Cloverdale depot has been operating from Zion's "Great Room" since November 2004.  The Food Hampers are pre-packed at the main Surrey warehouse in Whalley and delivered to us, for distribution, every second Tuesday throughout the year, from approximately 9:30 AM until noon.  In addition to the bagged hampers, "add ons" such a fruit, vegetables, juices, milk, bread and other staples are bagged on site by our volunteers.
Individuals and families receive assistance based on such criteria as income or disability.  The food bank does not distribute to the "homeless" (no cooking or preparation facilities) who can seek help from other community agencies.
In addition to the hampers picked up on site, the Surrey Food Bank also has a "Hamper to your Home" program which distributes hampers directly to the homes of individuals with medically documented physical or mental disabilities.
New moms (or moms to be) are also provided for through the "Tiny Bundles" program which aims to provide proper nutrition with supplements of eggs, milk, formula, cereals, jars of baby food and diapers.
We are restricted by the Surrey Food Bank from direct evangelizing, however, we can, and do, offer literature advertising events at Zion and all the volunteers provide a warm, non-judgmental atmosphere for those who use the program.      

PRAY FOR THE PERSECUTED CHURCH  (November.2008) 

Today, more than 200 million Christians are persecuted in some way. This year, about 160,000 of them will be martyred for their faith in Christ.  Holy Scripture urges us: "Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering" (Heb. 13:3.).  Are you willing to devote one worship service and one Bible study to tell their story and to pray for their endurance?  Are you willing to heed our Lord's call to visit them in prison and to alleviate their destitute poverty by feeding, clothing and housing them (Matt. 25:34-40)—at least by sending aid to those who actually do this?  Would you even "pray for the persecutors," as called for by Jesus Himself and by St. Paul (Matt. 5:44; Rom. 12:14)?   Prayers are urgently needed now for Christians suffering severe persecution in Iraq, India, Eritrea, West Papua (Indonesia), Laos and North Korea.
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