A Personal Update from Pastor Lynne
 After having pursued every avenue of inquiry we know of, including my Member of Parliament and consulting with officials at Citizenship and Immigration Canada, we have learned that Austin will not likely be entering Canada in the near future.  At the present time, Austin is on his way to New Hampshire in the hopes of finding a job there through a friend of his.  For the foreseeable future, I am here and Austin is not, and it will likely remain that way for months, or even years.  We appreciate your prayers and ask that you would continue to pray that God's will in all of this would be revealed to us and would be done!

IS THIS YOU?
" Organizational skills / Able to delegate
" Good communicator / Willing to phone people
" Loves Jesus and loves children
" Able to fill in as a teacher at the last minute / flexible
" Eager to learn more about the Bible and the Church
If this is you, you might be our next Sunday School superintendent!
Please speak to Pastor Lynne to "apply."
:

WELCOME!
 Samantha Mather has now come on board as our music director (as of the beginning of June).  We look forward to learning, growing, and making music together!

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS
THANK YOU to Dawna and a very special Thank You to all the Sunday School staff for their hard work and dedication.  Have a safe and happy summer!

"THANK YOU'S"

A great big THANK YOU to everyone who helped with the picnic on June 5th.
 The kids had a great time and the food was fantastic.  Even the rain couldn't stop the fun!

THANK YOU to all the people who bring baking on Sundays, make coffee and clean up after us.  We all enjoy the fellowship after church. 
P.S.  We need people to sign up for the summer.
 

ST. LUKE'S ZION - MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE!

Have you really looked at the growth along the north side of the driveway?  At first glance you think "weeds" and while there are some there are also beautiful wild flowers.  I was fortunate enough to discover this "Yellow Lady's Slipper" still in bloom. St. Luke's Zion is probably the only church in Winnipeg that has Lady's Slippers growing wild in their yard!  We also have other flowers ready to burst forth in bloom as well as bushes that bloom.  Take a walk one Sunday after church and see what you can find on our grounds.  God has put together a magnificent display of colours for us to enjoy.
Here is some information about the Lady's Slipper I found on the net:
Manitoba has 37 species of wild orchids, plus a number of distinct varieties within certain of the species. There are orchids in just about every kind of habitat in this province, from wetlands to boreal forest, and from tall grass prairie to the tree line.
The lady's slipper orchids, of which their are 7 species in Manitoba, are easily identified by their inflated slipper-like lip. They are our most recognizable wild orchids. The group contains some of our most common and our rarest orchids. The small white lady's slipper (C. candidum) is one of the few plants in Manitoba to be declared an endangered species. The yellow lady's slipper (C. calceolus) is very common, often popping up in roadside ditches throughout southern Manitoba.
http://www.naturenorth.com/spring/flora/pladysl/plady2.html
    

Poet's Corner

SOUNDS  OF  SUMMER
 
I am enthralled.
I listen in awe
At nature's sounds
Abounding around
 
                Squirrels squealing
                Sparrows twittering
                Crows cawing
                Blue jays screeching
                A melodic chorus
 
                                 As I work in my garden
                                 My spirit is uplifted
                                 In praise to our Lord
                                 Who created them all.
.

  by Anna McDonald

LUTHER HOME PROJECT UPDATE
As of June 19th we have received $760.00 toward the needed $2000.00,
or 38%!

"Straw Poll" Results
 To those of you who returned ballots regarding the question of blessing same-sex couples, thank you!  This question will be coming before our national convention in July.  The ballots have given a little "snapshot" of our congregation at the present time.  The question on the ballots was this:  "Should congregations and pastors in the ELCIC be allowed to bless same-sex couples?"
 Ballots received: 106
 Spoiled or blank: 6
 Yes:   27
 No:   73