Announcements

July 19, 2026

Flowers are placed on the altar in gratefulness for God’s merciful promise that those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. May the good works of justice, love and mercy go forth from us in to a needy world.

Thank you!: We extend our thanks to Pastor Marlys Moen who is leading us in worship today.

Pastor Eric away until August 3: Pastor Eric is currently away on holidays. Please contact the office should a pastoral need arise during his absence.

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

Emergency Appeal for Venezuela: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada joins with partners around the world in prayer and support following the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday, June 24. Through its partnership with Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR), the ELCIC is encouraging members to accompany those affected through prayer and support. To read the full news article and to know how to make a donation, please click here. 

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. 

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 once a month on Friday evenings, next on August 14th, then on September 11th, 7:30 pm – 9 pm. See the poster that follows for all the details.

Youth Camp: BC Synod is hosting a Youth Camp later this year 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 in any capacity with this event, please contact the synod office at bcsynod@elcic.ca.

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

  • Synod Council Highlights: Our BC Synod council (which Pastor Eric chairs) publishes highlights of each of its meetings. You can access highlights of its last meeting 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.
  • ELCJHL Update on Natalie Abudayyeh: Read the full letter here.

Justice Updates

  • 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.
  • Apply for the “Faith and Genetics” Training Program: An 11-week “Faith and Genetics” course jointly offered from September to December by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and Christian Medical College will share and discuss ethical concerns to ensure that progress in genetics serves humanity holistically and builds public trust. For more information and to apply for this course, please click here.