Letter to LV Community on behalf of LV Board

  The Luther Village Board of Directors would like to give an update on what has been taking place in terms of strategic direction for the Camp. The first few months of 2022 have been a steep learning curve as the volunteer Board considered many issues. For the 2022 operating budget the camp was facing a $30,000 deficit, which violates our by-laws. The Board and management were able to find a solution and the MNO Synod formally approved the 2022 operating budget. 

  The Board is now focussing on the longer term decisions which will impact camp.  We do not believe in more debt.  As mentioned, the current year operating budget had a $30,000 deficit suggesting there is no retained earnings available to service a debt. 

  The primary focus of the Board has been to work on getting a dining hall and kitchen constructed and operational for summer 2023. We realize that many stakeholders were surprised to learn that we could no longer operate our current dining hall.

History:  The Board recognizes that there is a significant sense of loss surrounding the historic center, the hub, the gathering place or whatever other phrase you would use to capture the dining hall’s importance. The dining hall is approximately 70 years old and is literally sinking into the mud.Attempts have been made in the past six years to remedy the aging framework but time has taken its toll. Several attempts have been made to try and salvage the building but there is nothing left to fix and it has become an extreme danger, especially in the kitchen. Recent attempts were made to try and jack up the building to replace some of the beams, but the rot was such that nothing could be done. Two years ago, the stove went through the floor. It is currently supported by a couple of two by sixes. When this happened, it was discovered that not only was the floor completely rotten, but it was also full of mold. Therefore, the Board came to the decision that we would be faced with demolishing the dining hall, preparing the site so that there would be proper drainage (particularly on the hairpin side) and constructing a new building which could possibly also include washroom facilities for the staff and room for the office. We could go into much more detail about the state of the building but suffice to say that we have no choice but to invest in a new building.
  Since engaging in this process, we have experienced even more challenges and the Board will now not commit to a dining hall and kitchen at camp for 2023. We would like to communicate the factors which have resulted in this decision.

Challenges: The dining hall / kitchen project is now estimated to cost $600,000. This cost is up about 25% from the original price estimated last year. Essentially, this is a rise in labour and commodity prices. We need to wait for the funds to be in place before we commit to spending them  In the process of building a safe dining hall, we are required to consider power supply and to build the structure to code. The problem is that the camp does not have enough power to satisfy our existing footprint. Further, the current state of the camp’s power grid is not optimized or to code. The cost to bring additional power to camp has been estimated at $1.2M. This is the cost of running a second line from Rushing River to Luther Village. The issue of power therefore has become paramount in the Board’s decision to pause the dining hall project at least until the Board better understands the options that are available for us to rectify the power grid so that the entire camp is safe and secure. Therefore, with all of this additional information, the Board is choosing to pause work on the Dining Hall until we better understand our electrical issues.

  To review, we currently do not have enough money to build the dining hall. We have a significant infrastructure deficit in lack of power.  We therefore are pausing to deal with these strategic issues through the accumulation of data which we will use to make knowledgeable decisions.  As a response to this need for funds to improve camp, a capital campaign has been initiated titled “It takes a Village”.  This campaign has hired professional fundraisers to assist a volunteer group navigate the road to reaching our goal of raising $1.5 million dollars.  The campaign is in the initiate stages and to date has raised over $620,000. Our goal is to raise an additional $400,000 by the end of August, 2022. 

The Board understands there will be frustration with this decision to pause the dining hall project. This is not the news we wanted to share. But as a Board, we needed to communicate this to our stakeholders as we are committed to making decisions that can support the long-term viability of Luther Village. We will continue to communicate any progress we make as this process unfolds. 

Sincerely,
Marshall Ring
Luther Village Board Chair

LUTHER VILLAGE:

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

Head over to our on line booking registration system at  www.luthervillage.ca
We still have lots of cabin and campground rentals available throughout the spring, summer and fall.

We even have some spots available for FAMILY CAMP!  

If you have any questions about availability or programs that are running this summer contact Lisa executivedirector@luthervillage.ca or (204)783-3337

LUTHER VILLAGE BIKE-A-THON

TWO OPTIONS

IN PERSON: at Luther Village June 3-5

FROM A FAR: anywhere anytime in June

Head over to our on line booking to register for both options

In person- accommodations provided, snacks and BBQ on Saturday- Please bring your own linens,

Everyone who raises over $100 will get a Bike-a-thon T-shirt. You can raise money individually or as a team. Your sponsors can go to our website and donate and if supporting a team please make Team Name in the comments,
If you have any questions contact Lisa executivedirector@luthervillage.ca or (204) 783-3337

LV PAR CHALLANGE UPDATE

For those of you who missed out on the Challenge, you are still encouraged to sign up for PAR and support Luther Village on a monthly basis. 
All you need to do is fill out the form and send to me via email and attach a void cheque. I will do the rest- it's that simple!
You can choose you amount (as little as $10 month) and it will be withdrawn from your bank account on the 20th of every month.

The form can be found on the LV website
www.luthervillage.ca

UPCOMING YOUTH EVENTS:

Sunday June 12th Luther Village Bike a thon 

Another reminder about our bikeathon event coming up with a few extra details added. This includes 

grade 3-6 youth- Slaw youth, leaders, and families. Faith Lutheran youth group will also be joining us. This is a big fundraiser for Luther Village, and they need our support! You are welcome to join us for just the dinner, or just the ride, or both!

We have received a faithlife financial grant for this event, so there will be no cost to for the hotdogs dinner and they will be making a donation to Luther Village! I will bring some faithlife tee-shirts for people to wear and there will be a photo waiver to sign.

If you do not have a bike, see if you can borrow one. (helmets are encouraged)

When: Sunday June 12th   

Time: Hot dog dinner @ 5:30 p.m.   Bike ride leaving @ 7:00 p.m.

WHERE:  Meet in the West beach parking lot a Birds Hill Provincial Park. We will be walking/riding to a picnic spot from there, if you’re just coming for the bike ride, we will also be meeting there to leave for that.

For people able to ride you will need to register online: (team is SLAW youth)

To register as a rider:  Sign-in | Luther Village (campbrainregistration.com)  (look for bike a thon) 

DONATIONS: We need is people to encourage sponsors (family friends church members) to donate money to Luther Village

We have set up at SLAW youth team for donations: 

To donate: Donate to Luther Village (campbraingiving.com)  ( in the box donation note: put SLAW youth team) 

If you cannot join us but are able to collect some donations that would be awesome too  

Please let me know if you will be participating and if you have any questions. 

Emma Kushnier   emmakushnier@hotmail.com

BAPTISMS FOR JUNE:  

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 June in previous years: 

Michael W. G.

Tristan J. S. D.

Bruce A. S. H.

Henry D. S.

Colby D. S.

Kiara Q. J.

Jessiah A. J. L. B.

Sydney A. S.

Cohen P. T. M.

Colby A. G. V. R.

Elizabeth M. W.

Sadie E. G. 

IN OUR PRAYERS: 

Please remember in your prayers our shut-ins in long term care:                            

Phyllis A. - Concordia Place  

Doreen S. - Luther Home 

Alfred T. - Red River Place, Selkirk  

Melita T. - Luther Home  

COVID COVENANT:

At this point in time, most of our St. Luke’s Zion Covid Covenant is still in effect. 

COVID PROTOCOLS

Each month, church council is evaluating the protocols that we have in place. 

Details for this month:

-Masks will remain a requirement for now

-Every other pew is no longer roped off.

-Coffee can be served after worship whenever volunteers are able and willing to do so.

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 into 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 (mnosynod.org).  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!

WORSHIPING IN PERSON:

While we do continue to livestream our Sunday worship, here are a few things you might want to know about coming in person:

-Our Covid Covenant is in effect, available in the previous newsletter or on the St. Luke’s Zion website.

-You may wish to bring your own elements for communion, especially if you a) have allergies, or b) are concerned about plastic waste. Otherwise, prefilled cups containing a wafer and red grape juice are available.

-Most of the service can be followed on the screen, but a small number of printed bulletins are available for those who require them.

BLESSING OF GRADS:

We will be including the blessing of grads in our service on Sunday, June 12th.  Please let Pastor Lynne know if anybody in your family is graduating from high school or post-secondary institutions this year.

WEDNESDAY’S  BIBLE  CONVERSATIONS:

 will continue to the end of June until the fall.

SUNDAY SCHOOL:

We had our Sunday School wind-up on May 29th at Billy Mosianko Lanes. We had a great turnout of 25 children, friends & family! It was very nice to have Pastor Lynne join us. Everyone had a very good time. Thank you to everyone who has supported the Sunday School throughout this 2021-2022 year.

We are looking forward to this September; the tentative date for the Sunday School registration for the 2022-2023 year is planned for September 11th …a confirmation of dates will be printed in the August newsletter. Have a Great Summer! 

YOUTH:

Emma Kushnier from Abundant Life will be the new interim youth leader until such time as a new person is hired. Our junior leaders will be Colin and Jill.

Contact Emma at:  emmakushnier@hotmail.com

Luther village Summer Youth Retreat

When: Friday August 26- Sunday August 28th

more details to follow          

ELCIC:

Help us Care for Children in Cameroon

Gifts From The Heart

Within this program, 60 children suffering from extreme poverty receive support with school tuition, supplementary food for their diets and emergency medical care.

Donations can be made through any MNO Synod congregation by marking “Kids Helping Kids” on your offering envelope.

Booklets are available on the table in the narthex.

LUM (Lutheran Urban Ministry):                 

May 2022 News from your Ministry Manager

Connection to each other: “All my relations” is the Indigenous reminder that we are all in relation and that all parts of creation are inter-connected. The daughter of a good friend of mine wrote recently of how our souls are created for connection and she included a quote by Ram Das: "We're all just walking each other home". It’s so very true because there are so many times in life when strangers, friends or family walk alongside each one of us - through the happy, the sad and the complex twists and turns of our lives – sometimes it’s for a very brief walk - or for years and years. We can see the face of our Creator in those who walk alongside.

Resource links on our website: www.theurban.ca  https://www.opencounseling.com/hotlines-ca

Free Telephone Counseling Hotlines in Canada

https://klinic.mb.ca/contact/  Klinic https://www.wpgboothcentre.ca/ Centre of Hope - Salvation Army

https://www.siloam.ca/ Siloam Mission https://www.mainstreetproject.ca/need-assistance/

Main Street Project

https://willowplaceshelter.ca/ Willow Place https://www.wwhealthline.ca/displayService.aspx?id=200411 National Indian Residential School Crisis Line

https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1576089519527/1576089566478  

Hope for Wellness Hotline – English, French, Cree, Ojibway, Inuktitut

https://www.dmsmca.ca/  Daniel McIntyre / St. Matthews Community Assoc.

https://wcwrc.ca/ West Central Women’s Resource Centre

https://efsmanitoba.org/  Elizabeth Fry Society of Manitoba

https://johnhoward.mb.ca/  John Howard Society of Winnipeg

Pandemic Notes: Pandemic worries are not yet over in Winnipeg and the Urban continues with the following:

Until Further Notice: the Urban is continuing the suspension of all regular programming (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 - 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.

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. Gloves, socks, seasonal jackets etc. (and weekly bread/pastries) are also distributed outside.

Masks and 2 m social distancing continue to be mandatory on the church sidewalk and parking lot. The line sometimes overflows to the city sidewalk if necessary and all current gathering sizes are enforced as per provincial regulations. 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 prayers; and for all those who donate financial support toward our operating expenses.

Our website: www.theurban.ca. Check out our new video on our website, “Urban Gratitude”! 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 Corp.

FIESTA DAY PLANT SALE:

Saturday, June 4th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the West Kildonan Memorial Community Centre

346 Perth Avenue

-Annuals, perennials, herbs and more…

-Silent Auction

Note: cash sales only    Masks Mandatory

West Kildonan Horticultural Society

LUTHER HOME:

New Physician at Luther Home May 16, 2022

It is with much anticipation that I welcome Dr. Kevin Saunders to Luther Home as a new Attending Physician to assist Dr. Heather Domke in the provision of medical services for our Residents.

Dr. Saunders officially starts in his new role, today, May 16, 2022. He will assume the responsibility for the medical care of half of the Luther Home Residents and will share the on-call responsibilities with Dr. Domke.

Dr. Saunders was initially assigned to Luther Home to assist in caring for our Residents during the COVID-19 pandemic and has decided to stay on with us on a permanent basis.

Please join me in welcoming Dr. Saunders to Luther Home!

Sincerely,

Keith Bytheway

Chief Executive Officer

Roy and Eugenie Meakings

Roy and Eugenie are celebrating their 57th wedding anniversary on Sunday, June 5th.

Roy & Eugenie were born, raised and married in England. They travelled to Spain for their honeymoon and  throughout their 57 years together they travelled to many different countries; Norway, Mexico, Hawaii, Switzerland, Costa Rica, Scotland, Venezuela. They have been back to England four times since they immigrated to Canada; 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2006.

In 1972 they lived in Dawson City, Yukon for 5 months; as well as Fort Walsh, Saskatchewan for a short while in 1973 and have lived in Winnipeg for the past 40 years.

In 2011 they both started attending SLZ regularly until Covid hit…and currently have been faced with health issues which have taken a toll on their day to day life.