August 9, 2026
Flowers are placed on the altar in praise and gratefulness that through the holy Word of scripture, the comfort of the eucharist meal, and in the refreshment of God’s created world, we experience hope and peace – and an invitation to practice being the sign of God’s presence in this needy world.
Pastor Eric away This Week: Pastor Eric is away August 10-15, helping with the BC Synod Youth Camp at Loon Lake. Please contact the office should a pastoral need arise during his absence.
Next Sunday – August 16: We will enjoy some time listening to reflections from a special guest next Sunday – new CLWR Executive Director Darryl Loewen. We hope you can come in person to hear him speak to us about CLWR and how their new initiatives – including the Friends of Creation Lake Chad rehabilitation that we are getting involved with – are positively impacting the world around us.
Friends of Creation – Lake Chad Fundraising Page: In advance of the Season of Creation that begins next month for 5 weeks, our church has initiated an online CLWR Friends of Creation – Lake Chad fundraising initiative. CLWR has kindly set up a specific on-line fundraising page for our church, which launches our goal to raise $5,000 (100 acres at $50 each) to help remediate the area that was formerly the Lake Chad lake basin, which has severely diminished in size due to global warming. Our GSLC online donation page is accessible by clicking here, or via the QR code on the poster that follows. If your preference would be to donate cash or a cheque towards this initiative, we have special envelopes available for that purpose as well. Donations can be anonymous or else you can opt to show your name next to your donation amount – the choice is up to you! As the Season of Creation is almost here, we welcome your support through the launch our “CLWR – Friends of Creation” fundraising page. Donate once or donate as often as the Spirit moves you. See the bulletin board for more info.
Summer Foodbank Drive: Please don’t forget Foodbank Donations over the summer. Food insecurity doesn’t stop because of summer holidays. Please check out the items NEEDED, on the sign in the Narthex. (where the bin is) Donations will be delivered to the SHARE Food Bank periodically over the summer. Thankyou for your continued generosity. ~ From Your Outreach Team
Our Next Big Community Event!: Plans are taking shape for our next big fall community celebration. It will be a music festival on our parking lot featuring folk, jazz and rock music acts. There will be free food and ice cream, kids activities, contributions from the Kwikwetlem First Nation and some quieter indoor activities. We are looking for volunteers to help out with various tasks, and you can sign up on the sign-up sheet on the Ushers Table. As well, please see the poster that follows and plan to attend.
Favourite Hymn Sing: As is our usual practice over the summer months, we gather ten minutes before the service starts (at 10:20 am) to sing a couple of our favourite hymns before our regular service begins. The songs sung are selected by those attending, so come early and nominate your favourite hymn!
Vacation Bible School 2026: Plans are well underway for VBS Summer 2026. It will be held at our church August 24-28, 9:00-12:00, hosted by Saint Laurence and Good Shepherd Lutheran. VBS is for kids ages 4-11 and this year’s program “Rainforest Falls – Exploring the Nature of God ” is filled with learning and fun through games, crafts, storytelling, science experiments and music. See the poster that follows for all the details and to register you can click here. If you would like to help out in any way, please contact Amy MacLeod our VBS co-coordinator, or Pastor Eric.
Job Opportunity – Youth Minister: ignyte – the joint youth ministry of Good Shepherd and St. Laurence Anglican – is hiring for a new leader. This is a role for someone who loves working with young people, thrives on genuine relationships, and is ready to build something meaningful in partnership with a community poised for growth
To see more details click on the ignYte page on our website here
Next Conversation Across the Church: All are invited to join Bishop Larry and members of the ELCIC for the third Conversation Across the Church on Sunday, September 13th at 3 pm PST. The focus will be on the Season of Creation and why this is a priority for our church. Register here to register for the Zoom link to participate.
Liberating Lutherans: Theology & Organizing for the Church Today: Spirit of Life and Church of the Cross (2 churches in our Synod) are collaborating on an on-line education offering consisting of 1 hour classes on Thursdays, from September 17 to November 5.This is brief survey of Liberation Theology and its application to ministry today in our context. This is not an academic course, but a reading group open to anyone who wants to join. For more information, contact either of the church offices who will forward your email on.
spiritoflifelutheranoffice@gmail.com lutheranchurchofthecross@shaw.ca
Campfire in the City: You are invited to come and join us at Dunbar Lutheran’s garden (3491 West 31st Ave) for evenings of family-friendly campfire fun – songs, stories, and s’mores. Stop by for the evening, or just for a while. Bring a lawn chair if you have one – if not, we’ll find a seat for you. Light drizzle won’t stop us, but in case of heavy rain, the event will be cancelled. We gather in the summer months on one Friday evening, with the next gathering on August 14th, then lastly on September 11th, 7:30 pm – 9 pm. See the poster that follows for all the details.
Youth Camp Starts Tomorrow: BC Synod is hosting a Youth Camp from August 10-14 at Loon Lake Lodge in Maple Ridge. It is open to all youth ages 11 to 18. If you are interested in helping, please contact the synod office here.
Seeking Accommodation: Yvon Malenfant and Michelle Ryu are seeking temporary housing. If you have any, or know of any, please let them know. Yvon writes:
We are looking for temporary housing for the interim. 1 bedroom with a bathroom would be great! Something not too expensive. Let us know if you have anything. Thank you for your kind consideration.
Yvon & Michelle: 778-862-5240 Y / 778-863-5240 M
‘Every Square Foot Counts’ – Educational Opportunities for Congregations:
- This month’s blog post is “What the Quiet Season Is Asking of Us” which invites congregations to reflect on how their buildings and land they sit on are seen and understood by their neighbourhoods. Read the full blog here.
ignYte Return it Express Account: You’re invited to support our ignYte Youth Ministry with your recyclables. See the instructions on the bulletin board.
Greater Church News
- Monthly Reflections on Climate Justice: The Task Force on Carbon Neutrality provides monthly reflections on climate justice to encourage engagement, share resources and call for prayer, reflection and learning. Biblical Passages Related to Climate Change and Carbon Neutrality and Community Focused Environmental Stewardship are monthly reflections that you can read today by clicking here.
- Ministry with the Sick and Dying in the Context of MAID: You may be interested in the ELCIC’s 2019 Call to Faithfully Journey with the Dying and/or the Anglican Church of Canada’s liturgical prayer resource in the context of Medically Assisted Dying.
Justice Updates
- Next National Housing Strategy: The Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) recommends Five Things Canada Can Do in the next National Housing Strategy to Drive Large Scale Reductions in Homelessness. To read more about the recommendation and how you might help click here. CAEH also invites you to email your MP to call for a transformed Canada Housing Benefit.
- New Resource on Responding to Christian Nationalism:A new resource titled Kingdom Over Nation created by Churches Together in England (CTE), offers timely guidance for navigating conversations around Christian Nationalism. Rooted in ecumenical collaboration, Kingdom Over Nation invites Christians to consider what shapes their vision of the world and to place God’s Kingdom above national identity. Get this resource when you click here. To read more about the creation of this resource, check out the interview by the World Council of Churches. This resource is a thoughtfully developed collection of theological and pastoral materials designed to support reflection on faith, identity, and discipleship in today’s cultural context.
- Canada is Better and Stronger with Refugees and Migrants: Ask your MP to join us and so many others in supporting and celebrating the ways in which welcoming refugees enriches our community. Please join our call to protect Canada’s legacy as a welcoming country by writing a letter to your MP and sharing this call to action in your networks.