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In this week's Crossroads, you will find information on:
Covid-19 Update
St. Nicholas Festival Day
Thank you
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
Second Sunday of Advent
Ron Nelson
Rev. Dave Lefsrud
Holden Evening Prayer
Dessert & Dialogue
Calling and Caring
FaceTime Invitation
Christmas Baking for Shut-ins
The Cozy Collection
With sadness
2021 Pledge Drive and Giving Envelopes
One World Film Festival
CLWR: Give the gift of hope this Christmas
New Website
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16 Days of Activism to end Gender-Based violence
Study resource for the final report of the National Inquiry into MMWG
Threshold Housing Society
Holy Communion continues every Sunday
Continuing Ways to join worship on-line
Read ahead
This Week at Church of the Cross
The deadline for all Crossroads submissions is Wednesday at noon. Thank you.
Please visit our website for more information about us and our events.
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Covid-19 Update
Thank you for everyone’s patience and understanding as we  have cancelled in-person worship. We continue following protocols recommended by Dr. Bonnie Henry and our Covid-19 Leadership Team. Until we can again offer in-person worship, we invite you to join the worship livestreams and Zoom gatherings.
When in doubt, all our worship livestreams are available via the church web-site: lutheranvictoria.ca and click on “Worship Livestream.”
Sunday worship livestream, 10 AM PST
Tuesday morning prayer, 8:30 AM PST
Holden Evening prayer, Thursdays in Advent, 7:30 PM PST
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St. Nicholas Festival Day – Sunday Dec. 6
 We have celebrated the Festival of St. Nicholas at worship on the Sunday closest to December 6 with children leaving their shoes as they go out for a learning time and retuning to find them filled with “gold coins” and other goodies. The plan this year is children will find these outside their home on Sunday morning. They could even leave shoes on the doorstep if they like. If you will not be around or we need to make other arrangements on behalf of St. Nicholas, please contact Pastor Lyndon or Pastor Lyle. Thank you to Donna for making up the St. Nicholas treats again this year.
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Thank you! to everyone who was able to contrib ute Angel Gifts this year for the friends of Our Place and to Sherry Coughlin for coordinating and transporting the gifts again this year. They will be blessed as part of our worship on Sunday ands greatly appreciated by all who receive them.
And thank you! to the Women of Faith group and especially, Janice Nelson, Rosalene Saleski, Marge Adams, and Iris Schoffer for gathering items and preparing gift bags for the residents of Harrison Place women’s housing next to the church. The Gift bags will be greatly appreciated and will also be blessed as part of worship this Sunday.
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December 6 – National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
 It has been over 30 years since the murder of 14 young women at Polytechnique Montréal (December 6, 1989). This act of violent misogyny shook our country and led Parliament to designate December 6 as The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women.
On December 6, we remember:
- Geneviève Bergeron
- Hélène Colgan
- Nathalie Croteau
- Barbara Daigneault
- Anne-Marie Edward
- Maud Haviernick
- Maryse Laganière
- Maryse Leclair
- Anne-Marie Lemay
- Sonia Pelletier
- Michèle Richard
- Annie St-Arneault
- Annie Turcotte
- Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz
As we mourn their loss and honour their memory, we reaffirm our commitment to fight the hatred that led to this tragedy, and the misogyny that still exists today. In Canada and around the world, women, girls, LGBTQ2 (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two spirit) and gender diverse individuals face unacceptable violence and discrimination. Gender-based violence in Canada has been magnified and amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been reports from police services, shelters and local organization of an increase in calls related to gender-based violence across Canada during the pandemic.
The National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women is about remembering those who have experienced gender-based violence and those who we have lost to it; it is also a time to take action. Working together we can help prevent and address gender-based violence by remembering and learning from our past, listening to survivors, and speaking up against harmful behaviour.
December 6 falls within the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. Add your voice to the conversation between November 25 and December 10 and share the ways you are being part of the solution to end gender-based violence using the hashtag #16Days.
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Sunday, December 6 – Second Sunday of Advent – recognitions
This Sunday we will recognize the ministries of Rev. Ron Nelson, celebrating the 55th anniversary of his ordination and Rev. Dave Lefsrud celebrating the 35th anniversary of his ordination, giving thanks for their service to the church and God’s world.
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Ron Nelson
 This year, the Rev. Ron Nelson is celebrating 55 years of ministry, serving God and congregations across Canada in Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and British Columbia. Ron has five children and lives in Victoria with his wife of 25 years – Dina Kingma.
Born in Wisconsin, Ron graduated from Augsburg University in Minnesota in 1962. While Ron was in university, he served in the US Marine Corps Reserves. He received his MDIV from Northwestern Lutheran Seminary in 1965. Ron says that his decision to enter the ministry was like owning a Jaguar – the greatest thing ever and at the same time the craziest!
Ron served at Bethlehem in Drumheller, Our Saviour in Calgary, Grace Lutheran in Victoria (1973-1985), St. Paul’s in Niagara Falls, and Church of the Cross in Morris Manitoba. He retied in 1999 but was called out of retirement to serve another 14 years at Trinity in Winnipeg with a focus on the indigenous community! In 2014, Ron was awarded the “Faithfulness in Ministry Cross” by Luther Seminary in Minnesota.
When asked what people do not realize about life as a pastor, Ron said, “It’s a 24/7 job where you are always on call, which can be good and bad. There is no such thing as a 40-hour week – more like 60 to 80. But it didn’t seem like work to me!” In fact, Ron said that he still studies the appointed scriptures every week and prepares a sermon as he has done all his life. He said that each time he learns something new from the lessons.
Ron has been adapting to the impact of the pandemic on the church and on life in general. He watches the on-line worship on Sundays but misses being together with others in the community, shaking hands and touching others. Ron, we appreciate your years of service and how you have touched thousands of people’s lives over the years. God’s blessings to you and your family!
Michael Coughlin, Mutual Ministry Committee
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Rev. Dave Lefsrud - Celebrating 35 years of ordination as a Lutheran Church Pastor
Dave is Canadian by birth, a Lutheran b y Grace and a proud Scandinavian by luck! The oldest of six children, David grew up enjoying the blessings of a family’s love, rich traditions and Christian values. The Lefsrud’s lived in several locations during his early years including Edmonton, Saskatoon, Wisconsin and North Dakota while his father practised Psychiatry. He was a good student with a gift for music enjoying school musical programs where he learned to play the trombone in band. After high school, Dave continued on to the University of Alberta for his B.Ed in Music as it was his intention to become a high school music teacher. But subsequent enrolment at Trinity Lutheran College changed his life’s path. At Trinity Lutheran Dave earned a B.A. in Biblical Studies. Continuing on to seminary seemed the logical choice so Dave entered the Lutheran Theology Seminary in Saskatoon where he graduated with a Masters of Divinity in 1985.
Dave met the love of his life, Karen Johnson when he was a young boy. Both the Lefsrud and Johnson families were regular attendees of Zion Lutheran Church in Saskatoon in the early 1960’s. It was there that Dave and Karen shared common ground with church, Sunday school, children’s friendship and heritage connections. Over the years their families remained somewhat in touch. Dave and Karen’s love for each other grew at seminary and they were married at Lutheran Church of the Cross by Alfred Johnson and Don Johnson in 1983.
Dave’s first parish was at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran in Langley B.C. in 1985 where he was associate pastor. Interestingly, Karen was the intern pastor there as well. Later, they served together at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Richmond. As a “Clergy Couple” Dave and Karen understood the reality of team ministries. Few parishes could financially support clergy teams so opportunities outside mainstream parish work were pursued. In 1990, Dave was hired as chaplain at both the adult and youth custody centres in Victoria. Dave greatly enjoyed his Chaplaincy ministry where his parish was the prisoners, their families and institution staff. Prisoners revolve quickly in and out of jail so “planting seeds” within his parishioners became a focus. Most turned to the chaplain for guidance, compassion, and in return receive the gift of God’s word, forgiveness and love. Planting seeds of Christian love in his parish became Dave’s calling. Dave was promoted to Director of Religious Programs in AG and MCFD where Dave was functionally responsible for 26 other chaplains throughout BC.
In 2003 Dave retired from the Chaplaincy Program and began a new carer as a Social Worker with the newly formed crown agency Community Living BC. This work with intellectually disabled adults was challenging and continued his passion for working with marginalized people.
In recent years, Dave has accepted 11 interim Pastoral positions in parishes without clergy. In most instances, Dave travels to the lower mainland to prepare for services, attend meetings, conduct weddings and funerals, teach confirmation classes and counsel those in need. These short term interim ministries have been as short as 4 months and as long as 3.5 years! Dave states he loves this work and enjoys serving communities in these times of transition. He remains motivated to continue this ministry work for some time yet, although he does enjoy his retirement.
Dave possesses years of experience as an ordained minister, an accomplished musician of several instruments, a devoted husband, father and new grandfather. His service as a Pastor, Chaplain, Social Worker, friend and mentor has touched many lives in this Province and he will continue to be a blessing for many years to come. Congratulations Dave for your 35 years of Ordination in the Lutheran Church.
Grant Froyland, Mutual Ministry Committee
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Midweek Advent Worship On-line: Holden Evening Prayer
 Thursdays in Advent: December 10, 17, 7:30 PM PST.
Join in this time of quiet evening prayers by candlelight either on Zoom (a Zoom invitation was sent in a separate email) or livestream from the website. Readers will join in from their homes, and music will be led by our Choral Scholars and Gail Froyland. And Thank you to Brian for facilitating the Livestream and Zoom call. If you have any difficulty connecting please email Pastor Lyndon or Pastor Lyle.
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Dessert & Dialogue - December 8th, 2020 at 7pm PST- Covid -19 and Congregational Update
Everyone is invited to join in this Zoom Dess ert and Dialogue on our congregation’s plans for the Advent Christmas season and an update on other projects related to the Shelbourne Community Kitchen, the Intergenerational Housing Project and Luther Court. A Zoom invitation was sent in a separate email. If you did not receive the email, please email Pastor Lyndon or Pastor Lyle.
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Calling and Caring
 During COVID-19, we are trying to find ways to connect as a congregation. We have started a group of people dedicated to calling and touching base with others in the community. If you are interested in helping out, please contact Scott Constantine at 222scott@gmail.com or the church office. Scott will fill you in on the details!
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FaceTime Invitation
Congratulations to the iPad Group (that met  regularly at Church of the Cross) for a unique project. Using a grant from the BC Synod Missions Committee, they purchased 4 iPads which group members used to train 4 Luther Court residents to use FaceTime. The iPads will remain at Luther Court. Now, your help is needed. These newly trained residents need someone to FaceTime with. If you are comfortable using FaceTime, have some time to spare and would enjoy engaging with a Luther Court resident, contact Gerry Saleski at gerry.saleski@gmail.com or 250-727-9249 or contact the church office.
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Christmas Baking for Shut-ins
 The Board of Care for Communities will be providing a poinsettia and some Christmas baking to members of our congregation who are unable to attend church on a regular basis. If you are able to provide some Christmas baking, please bring it to the church by Sunday, December 20th. If you have any questions, please contact Thiago Hinkel (thiagohinkel@uvic.ca | 778-678-6761) or the church office. Your contribution is much appreciated!
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The Cozy Collection
The Social Justice Committee is offering an opportunity to fill a  box in the entranceway with cozy, warm, gently used or new clothing items for the homeless and marginalized folks in our community. It’s that time of year when the wind whips and the rain chills to the bone. Many of our friends that we don’t know, are living in the cold and facing a long winter ahead. In that spirit we are collecting hats, mitts, gloves, scarves, coats, boots, socks, rainwear, sweaters, blankets and sleeping bags. These items will be sent to Our Place in the middle of January.
As we go about our Christmas preparations, let’s remember those struggling among us.
Social Justice Committee
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With sadness
 It is with sadness that we announce the death of Ed Philp on November 5, 2020 at his home with Elvira and Rachel and family with him. Ed requested that there be no funeral. Our prayers continue to be with Elvira and Rachel and their family for God’s comfort and peace.
We also pray for Robyn, Joshua and Rebekah and their families, and Bishop Greg and his family and many others who grieve the sudden death of Jonathan Mohr on Sunday, November 29.
Rest eternal grant them, O God, and let light perpetual shine upon them.
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2021 Pledge Drive and Giving Envelopes
 The distribution of 2021 giving envelopes and pledge cards is complete. Special thanks to Nicholas Walker for doing a lot of the delivering! If you have not received envelops and a pledge card and wish to, please contact Barry Walker or the church office. You should have received a stamp addressed envelope to return your pledge card to the church or simply drop it off at the church if you prefer. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the Financial Secretary Barry Walker at bhwalker@shaw.ca 250-381-1698 or the church office at lutheranchurchofthecross@shaw.ca 250-477-6222.
Your generous support has been unwavering during this difficult year and has allow the church to continue its work during a difficult time for all. Thank you.
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One World Film Festival
To celebrate its 30th anniversary and given the current  circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the One World Film Festival (OWFF) will be presenting its first online festival of thought-provoking documentaries. The OWFF’s parent organization, One World Arts, is thrilled to be partnering with The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) Canada, Amnesty International Canada, CARE Canada and Oxfam Canada in this endeavour.
The One World Refugee Film Festival’s (OWRFF) program of films and discussions will address a range of issues related to refugees and forced displacement globally, and it will take place over a two-week period from December 1st to 14th, 2020.
The One World Refugee Film Festival will be accessible virtually across Canada at owrff2020.eventive.org. A festival pass is $30 and includes access to all contents over the duration of the festival as well as a one year One World Arts membership. Single program tickets are $10 each. All proceeds from pass and ticket sales will go to charities chosen by each partner organization.
Media contact:
Mukarram Ramadan
Events and Communications Coordinator, One World Film Festival
Board Member, One World Arts
mukarram@oneworldarts.ca
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CLWR: Give the gift of hope this Christmas
 Canadian Lutheran World Relief's 2020 Gifts from the Heart catalogue is now available! The new catalogue is full of thoughtful and creative gifts that will fight COVID-19 and make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. Although the holiday season looks a little different this year, you can still bring joy to your loved ones and change the lives of the people around the world this Christmas with a meaningful gift. The new Gifts from the Heart catalogue will be included in the December issue of Canada Lutheran, or you may have already received a copy in the mail. You can also shop online anytime by visiting www.clwr.org/gfth .
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New Website
Canadian churches and faith-based organizations have  now launched their new For the Love of Creation website. This includes information on hosting local climate conversations. The ELCIC participates in For the Love of Creation. Read the press release For the Love of Creation in English or French.
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16 Days of Activism to end Gender-Based violence
 Every year from November 25 (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to December 10 (World Human Rights Day), people around the world observe 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence. The following are resources to provide you more information.
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Study resource for the final report of the National Inquiry into MMWG
The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) has released a study resource for the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Women and Girls, entitled Why Work to Decolonize? To access this resource, please click here.
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Help Threshold Housing Society provide at-risk youth with safe homes this Christmas
 On any given night, there are over 150 youth who are experiencing homelessness in the Capital Region, with countless more couch surfing or living in unsafe housing situations. Homelessness is a crisis, and youth homelessness is a tragedy.
This November, Threshold Housing Society is Shining a Light on Youth Homelessness. We believe that every youth in our community deserves a safe home. We hope to spread awareness of the work we do and raise funds to continue being able to provide safe housing, support services, and community to at-risk youth.
Threshold Housing has partnered with Silk Road Tea to create ‘12 Days of Tea’ gift boxes to raise funds to support our program.
The 12 Tea flavors include: Angelwater, Berry Victoria, Beau-tea-ful, English Breakfast, Express Chai, Imperial Earl Grey, Jade Spring, London Fog, Philosophers Brew, Quench, Sour Cherry, Winter Warrior.
These are available to purchase by completing and submitting an order sheet (attached) to Jasmine Campbell at jasmine.c@thresholdhousing.ca
Your order can be picked up at 1524 Fort Street. Office hours are Monday to Friday – 9am to 4pm. Delivery is also available. Please feel free to call our office at 250-383-8830 ext. 1001 if you have any questions or would like to order over the phone.
These make the perfect gift during the holiday season and all proceeds come to Threshold Housing Society.
Order Sheet Download Here
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Holy Communion continues every Sunday
As worship includes Holy Communion every Sunday,  those who wish to join in celebrating Holy Communion at home are invited to prepare a small amount of bread and wine (or grape juice if required) on a plate and in a cup, prior to worship. You may also wish to light a candle(s) as part of worshipping at home. At the time of Holy Communion, you are invited to have the elements in front of you, join in the words of thanksgiving and to lift the bread and wine at the same time as the presiding minister. At the time of Communing, share the bread with yourself or with one another with the words: “The body of Christ given for you.” and “The blood of Christ shed for you.” After Communing, or following worship, please consume the remaining bread and wine. This invitation is for those who wish to and feel comfortable joining in Communion at home during worship. Those who do not feel comfortable are welcome to observe Holy Communion celebrated at the church as we trust in God’s Spirit and gifts of grace offered to all as and where we are. If anyone has any questions or concerns, please contact Pastor Lyndon or Pastor Lyle.
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Continuing Ways to join worship on-line:
Sunday Worship Livestream, 10 AM PDT:
Go to website: www.lutheranvictoria.ca and click on the livestream link.
Copies of the bulletin/worship order for each Sunday are available for download, and printing if you wish, on the website.
View past worship videos by visiting “About/Videos” tab of the website:
https://www.lutheranvictoria.ca/about
View Sunday School videos and activities here:
https://www.lutheranvictoria.ca/kids-youth-students/childrens-ministry-sunday-school
Tuesday Morning Prayer continues each week at 8:30 AM PDT
On Facebook Live and you can view past videos here:
https://www.facebook.com/lutheranvictoria/
You do not need a Facebook account to view the church page.
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Read ahead: Second Sunday of Advent
- Sunday, December 6, 2020 Isaiah 40:1-11
Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
2 Peter 3:8-15a
Mark 1:1-8
Worship Bulletin: CLICK HERE for Worship Bulletin
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This Week at Church of the Cross
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