BAPTISMS FOR MARCH:  

Inspired by the congregational pledge made in the  service of Holy Baptism (see page 228, EvLW), we  will be including names of those baptized at St.  Luke's Zion in our monthly newsletters. We hope this will be a reminder to lift them up in   prayer, wherever they may be in their faith-walk.

The following were baptized in the month of March  in previous years:

Katelyn F. S.

Alyssa L. T.

Colton D. B. M.

Sydnee J. S.

Owen A. J. Z.

Alyssa H. K.

Levi R. R.

Emily J. S.

IN OUR PRAYERS:  

Please remember in your prayers our

shut-in’s in long term care:                             

Phyllis A. - Concordia Place   

Laura G. - Red River Place, Selkirk  

Doreen S. - Luther Home  

Alfred T. - Red River Place, Selkirk   

Melita T. - Luther Home   

Alice V. - Middlechurch Home    

MAIL / EMAIL:

If you are receiving this newsletter by mail, and actually have an email address, please let us know!  Simply email us at stluzi@mymts.net.  Thanks!

ONLINE WORSHIP:

For those who would like to join in our online worship, here's how to do it:

1. If you have a Facebook account, sign in to Facebook and search for @stlukeszion.  The video will not appear until the live stream begins, which is usually a few minutes before 10:30 am.  You can also view it any time after that.

2. With no Facebook account, go to Facebook.com/stlukeszion.  Click on "Not now" when it asks you to sign in or to sign up.  You should be able to view the service any time after 10:30 on the same day as it is recorded.

OPTIONS FOR OFFERINGS DURING COVID:

1. Sign up for PAR.  This is an automatic debit on the 20th of each month.  It costs 50 cents a month.

2. Give through the MNO synod website (mentioned above).  However, Canada Helps receives 4% of each donation.

3. E-transfers are now available by contacting Sharon Appler.

4. Send in the mail.

5. Drop them off at the church.  Thank you!

SLZ ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:

Via ZOOM

Time: Sunday, February 28th, 2021 at 1:00 p.m.

LENTEN PROJECTS:

Are you looking for an additional ministry to support during Lent this year?  Consider the following options as possibilities:

-ELCJHL schools / scholarships (supports students in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land)

-Kids in Cameroon (formerly known as Kids Helping Kids – supports the orphan program at the hospital in N’gaoundere)

-LUM / the Urban – a Lutheran inner-city ministry in Winnipeg

-CLWR – Canadian Lutheran World Relief

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE:

   At our Annual Meeting on February 28th, we will be electing members of church council and a delegate to the MNO Synod Convention.  The MNO Convention will be held via Zoom on April 23-24, 2021.  We are also entitled to nominate a lay delegate for the 2022 ELCIC National Convention.

   If you would consider serving on church council or have an interest in being a delegate to either the Synod or National Convention, please speak to Pastor Lynne or to a member of council!

VIRTUAL LENTEN PILGRIMAGE

Materials for “A River Through the Desert” will continue to be sent out via email each Sunday during Lent.  You can participate on your own or join in the Zoom discussion time on Fridays (or other days) at 6:30 p.m.  There will also be another “Live from Jerusalem” webinar on Wednesday, March 24th at 7:00 p.m. Central (which I now know is 3:00 am in Jerusalem…).

HOLDEN EVENING PRAYER

The service will (hopefully) appear by 6:30 p.m. each Wednesday during Lent on the St. Luke’s Zion Facebook page.  The reading each week will be the same as for our virtual Lenten pilgrimage.

SUNDAY SCHOOL:

We are continuing our weekly lessons through  email & Google Classroom until we can meet together.

We will keep you informed of updates as they come up. We miss our time with you on Sunday mornings  and look forward to when we can gather again.

God Bless You All

YOUTH:

Grades 3-6 youth

Save the date: Contact Lisa for more details

Next event Sunday March 21st Zoom meeting 1:00 p.m.  Watch for details

You can follow us (we love new followers)

Instagram: slawg.jr .youth 

Facebook: slawg.jr. youth 

SLAW YOUTH – paint night:

Theme: Luther Village 

Sunday, March 7th at 7:30 p.m. via ZOOM

NATIONAL YOUTH PROJECT

In 2018 at the CLAY gathering in Thunder Bay we were introduced to the new National youth project called "WELCOME HOME" focusing on youth homelessness in Canada. Since the gathering was postponed to 2021 the National Youth Project is still on going. This extreme cold weather in Winnipeg has really made us think about those who are homeless. It doesn't matter if you have been to CLAY or have never been, it's about an important issue, learning and doing something to help.

THE LEARNING PART: 

National Youth Project Zoom Event

Date: Thursday, March 18th

Time: 7:00 p.m. 

THE DOING PART: 

We will be collecting items needed for 

Siloam Mission 

WORLD DAY OF PRAYER:

This year the Service is going virtual, it has NOT been cancelled.  We are getting quite comfortable with this new way these days , so please join in with this annual event as well.  Please register to join the ZOOM meeting.   Email your request to stanthonycwl014@outlook.com.  Include your name and Church in the email message.  The program this year was done by the Republic of Vanuatu.  This is a series of islands in the South Pacific in the region of Fiji and Australia.  

The service starts at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 5.  

If you have any questions please call Beverley 204-586-4911.

DONATIONS OF USED EYE GLASSES:

   At St Luke’s Zion, the collection of used eyeglasses was growing while a search went on for an organization that would distribute them to those in need. Several local contacts were made but these agencies didn’t or no longer accepted used eyeglasses.  However each agency kindly suggested another place to call.  After about 8 calls, there was success.  The Lions Eye Bank (Portage and Sherbrook) is happy to redistribute these eyeglasses.  They accept readers, prescription and/or sunglasses, however they do not want any eyeglass cases.   They forward the eyeglasses to a prison in Alberta where inmates have been trained to read and mark the prescription on each pair of glasses.  Then the glasses are sent to needy people overseas.

   From our collection, 32 pairs of prescription glasses and 9 pairs of sunglasses were recently dropped off at the Lions Eye Bank.  Fourteen pairs of readers and 3 pairs of sunglasses were taken to Siloam Mission who will accept non-prescription eyeglasses for local needs.  The empty cases were left with a local second-hand store.

   Thanks to all who saved these items from going to the landfill!  Any eyeglasses no longer being used can continue to be placed in the marked box on the table in the entrance hall at St Luke’s Zion.

LUTHER VILLAGE:

Registration is now OPEN for 2021

DATE                   PROGRAM TITLE

May 21-24............Spring Clean-up weekend

                             Work weekend/May Long

May 28-30............LIT Training weekend       

June 4-6...............Bikeathon

June 11-13...........Women’s Retreat

June 25-27...........Small Fry Camp (Grades 2-3)

July 4-9................Teen Canoe Trip

July 4-9................LIT Training week

July 11-16............Grades 4-6 Camp

July 18-24............Family Camp 1

July 25–31......,,... Family Camp 2  

Aug. 1–7..........,... Family Camp 3

Aug. 8-14.......,..... Family Camp 4

Aug. 15-21......,.... Family Camp 5

Aug. 22-27.......,...7-10 Camp

Aug. 27-29……,...Family Camp Retreat

Sept. 3–6……,…..Labour Day Long Weekend

Sept. 10-30.....,... Personal Retreat

New This Year! Register Online at Luthervillage.ca

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION **SAVE $25 on week long youth camps if registered by May 1, 2021

S’MORE DISCOUNT * Bring some more people! SAVE $50 for Youth week long camps! If you are a returning camper and refer a NEW friend to join you for your week at camp, you and your friend receive $50 off if registered by May 1, 2021.

LUM (Lutheran Urban Ministry)

February 2021 News from your Ministry Manager

Manitoba has been experiencing brutally cold days and nights in this first part of February. This is especially difficult for those who are homeless, or live in drafty accommodations, and for all those who must always walk to their destinations in terribly cold weather.

A huge thank you to all the knitters who have donated mitts, scarves and toques. These warm woollies were added to almost all of the 75 men’s, 75 women’s and 75 children’s/youth Christmas gift bags; and they are being given to many who arrive to pick up bagged lunches and need extra warmth.

We are so grateful for this abundance of generosity and busy hands because we were able to give excess toques and scarves to Greenway School, John. M. King School, and the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council – Welcome Place. There are many West End children and refugee/new immigrant children who have warm heads and necks because of you. We are so happy to share this abundance with these inner-city schools and newcomers.

To all who have donated warm winter jackets and boots: We have often noticed that some in our Urban community are inadequately dressed - and our observation “you need a warmer jacket - hold on - and we’ll go and get one for you right now” is met with happiness.

We look forward to the day that the pandemic is over and that we are safe to gather again for worship services, sharing circles and fellowship over coffee and tea. It is our commitment to ensure that health and safety at the Urban remains the primary focus.

Pandemic Notes:

Until Further Notice: the Urban is continuing the suspension of all regular programming (sit-down community meals, coffee hours, sharing circles, men’s group, worship services, etc.) in the lower level of Lutheran Church of the Cross, due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Struggling and vulnerable single people and families (in the same numbers as pre-pandemic times when we were open downstairs) are continuing to come to the Urban - but for now bagged lunches 4x/week are distributed outside (Wednesday men’s lunch, Wednesday & Thursday supper times and Sunday lunch). Our meal teams are happy to help us in this way and we are so very grateful for this. Our website calendar shows available dates for meal teams. Fellowship is happening briefly in the parking lot as long as weather permits! Worship services and sharing circles will resume when the pandemic is over.

· Mid-week and Sunday devotionals are emailed to me from Pastor Barry Bence, printed and tucked into lunch bags.

· We have changed our pre-pandemic emergency food bags to an equitable “one food item” (if enough in our pantry) per person (two items if a family) once or twice each week during the distribution of bagged lunches. Toques, mitts, etc. (and bi-weekly bread/pastries) are also distributed outside.

· Masks and 2 m social distancing are mandatory on the church sidewalk and parking lot. The line sometimes overflows to the city sidewalk if necessary. The Urban provides a disposable mask if needed.

The Lutheran Urban Ministry has so much gratitude for our volunteers and the meal teams; for the pantry donations, for the mitt/toque knitters/quilt makers; for the prayers; and for all those who donate financial support toward our operating expenses.

Our website has been updated with photos from Sunday, December 20th (www.theurban.ca). Please keep our vulnerable Lutheran Urban Ministry community in your prayers.

Please contact me: rhonda@theurban.ca for additional information, or to have your meal team added to the calendar.

Kind regards, Rhonda Gorham,

Ministry Manager, Lutheran Urban Ministry