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In this week's Crossroads, you will find information on:
Confronting Racism with Faith and Courage
Support Bill C-15
National Indigenous Day
Covid-19 Update
Prayers, Solidarity and Support for Jerusalem and the Holy Land
Register Now for the 2021 National Worship Conference
CLAY 2021 Registration is Now Open
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Ecumenical Letter Against Racism in BC
COVID-19 Emergency Appeal for India
All Creation Sings Worship Book
For Brian
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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Confronting Racism with Faith and Courage
As a congregation deeply committed to jus tice and inclusivity for all people, the scope of that commitment and the actions required to live it are continually expanding. This growing awareness challenges the racism within ourselves, our church community and the church at large, as well as the places where we live and work. Confronting racism takes faith and courage. It takes a willingness to learn and be changed by what we learn.
Coming to grips with our own racism, prejudices and biases is uncomfortable and even frightening. It can feel overwhelming to be confronted by our racist attitudes and habits. So what to do? The first step is learning to recognize racism for what it is, a way of thinking and believing that people of colour are somehow less, frightening or inferior. The second step is to learn and understand.
Acting together as a community committed to the acceptance of all peoples as Christ did, is our starting place. Showing up at anti-racist events to show support for social change will make a difference. Listening and learning the blatant and subtle ways of racist attitudes and behaviours is also essential. Following are a few organizations which offer resources for learning about and confronting all elements of racism. Find a friend(s) who are willing to meet and share learnings about and experiences of racism you have witnessed. Be the change we want to see in ourselves and in our church!
Feminuity: Owning Up, The Unspoken Racism in White Allyship
https://www.feminuity.org/blog/owning-up-the-unspoken-racism-in-white-allyship
University of Waterloo: Human Rights, Equity and Inclusion
https://uwaterloo.ca/human-rights-equity-inclusion/anti-racism
Canadian Association for Neuroscience: https://can-acn.org/anti-racism-resources/
Public Service Alliance of Canada: https://psacunion.ca/anti-racism-resources
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Support Bill C-15
National Bishop Susan Johnson writes to the church to ask members to lend their voices in support of Bill C-15, an Act respecting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. To read the text of the letter on the ELCIC website, please click here.
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National Indigenous Day - Service of Lament
Sunday, June 20, 2021
Ho sted by Carolyn Klaassen, Indigenous Representative on the BC Synod: Journey Towards Reconciliation Facilitation Team
The worship resource will be available on June 16 and will be sent to all congregational pastors and congregations at that time.
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Covid-19 Update
On June 6, 2021, the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) issued updated guidelines for gatherings and events including worship and other gatherings for religious communities. The update may be found here. The Covid-19 Leadership Team of our congregation has reviewed these guidelines and the further guidelines provided by the BC Synod that may be found here. It is the conclusion of the Leadership Team that the congregation not re-open for worship at this time. The restrictions are similar, with some additions, compared to last summer/fall. The requirements for pre-registering, distancing, and masks, including for worship leaders have increased. As well, we are entering the summer when both our pastors and others will have vacation times, increasing the demands on a smaller number of people to prepare and lead worship. Re-starting in-person worship, along with continuing livestreaming, adds considerably to the work involved for everyone. The Leadership Team and Council will continue to follow the announcements and guidelines from the PHO and the BC Centre for Disease Control and are looking toward and hopeful for the late summer early fall to reopen in-person worship and other programs, including Sunday School, as restrictions permit. As stated before, we will continue to livestream worship even when we re-open for in-person worship, providing people the option of worshipping online, especially those who find online worship more accessible or who are joining online worship from greater distances. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please speak with a member of the Covid-19 Leadership Team - Laura Cochrane, Craig Knight, Janet Molnar, Rory Molnar, members of Council or our pastors.
Blessings and peace,
The Covid-19 Leadership Team
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Prayers, Solidarity and Support for Jerusalem and the Holy Land
 Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada National Bishop Susan Johnson and Anglican Church of Canada Archbishop Linda Nicholls share their deep concern for the escalating violence in Gaza and central Israel. In their letter, which may be found here, the two leaders, urge every Canadian Lutheran and Anglican, and all peoples of good will, to walk in solidarity with our partners. The leaders call for prayers for the cessation of violence, invite sharing the letter they have written to the Minister of Foreign Affairs with our local MPs, and encourage making a donation to support efforts by local partners in the region to continue ministries of relief, care, justice and peace.
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Register Now for the 2021 National Worship Conference
 Registration is now open for the 2021 National Worship Conference (NWC). Disruption and Grace: Learning Edges in Liminal Times - the 2021 NWC is all about exploring the disruptions and the graces we have experienced in the current pandemic and other unsettling circumstances. What have we learned from these experiences? This conference will take place on July 6-7, 2021. To see the full schedule, keynote speakers, and other information, please visit nationalworshipconference.org.
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CLAY 2021 Registration is Now Open
August 20-22, 2021
New this year, get early-bird access to the CLAY 2021 theme song with your completed registration.
Registered Home Team Leaders will receive details about the HTL Orientation Event taking place on June 23rd from 4 to 6 pm MDT.
Before submitting your registration, please check out the Registration Booklet which will likely answer all of your questions in advance. In an effort to make CLAY 2021 as accessible as possible, the cost of participating will be pay-what-you-can. The suggested amount for every participant is $45. Home teams that can pay beyond the suggested amount are encouraged to helping those who may not be able to afford the registration fee.
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Ecumenical Letter Against Racism in BC, especially against Asian Canadians.
Bishop Greg Mohr, BC Synod ELCIC, is inviting us to sign a public letter together with ecumenical leaders, standing against racism in BC. The letter was written for Asian Heritage Month and in response to the rise of anti-Asian hate during the pandemic.
You can read the letter here.
You can sign your name to the letter here.
Art from NYC project “We Belong Here.”
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COVID-19 Emergency Appeal for India
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada's partner Canadian Lutheran World Relief is accepting donations to assist with this crisis. Donations will provide emergency medical support to those who are sick at home, and help support critical advocacy and public awareness efforts to keep as many people safe as possible.
Individuals and congregations wishing to support relief efforts can donate as follows:
- Make a designated offering donation for "India Covid Crisis" through any ELCIC congregation.
- Send a cheque made payable to CLWR and mailed to CLWR, 600-177 Lombard Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 0W5. Please indicate that you wish to contribute to "India Covid Crisis."
- Call CLWR at 1-800-661-2597 (locally at 204-694-6502) to donate by credit card or go online at: clwr.org/india
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All Creation Sings Worship Book
 The Board of Worship will be placing an order for additional copies of the new worship supplement All Creation Sings. If you would like a personal copy you may contact the church office to add your copy to the order. The cost is $23 each. Make cheques or e-transfer payable to Lutheran Church of the Cross. Contact Nicky in the office to reserve a copy. E-mail: lutheranchurchofthecross@shaw.ca
Office phone: 250-477-6222
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For Brian
 As most will know, our congregation’s Cantor, Brian Wismath, will be moving to Ontario later in the summer. We are making plans to say farewell. Part of a gift to Brian is gathering photographs and cards that Lennor Stieda is putting together. If you have photographs of Brian or cards and messages to contribute to an album and memory book, please email them to lennorstieda@gmail.com or they can be dropped off at the church office. We will be gathering funds for a gift for Brian and planning a time of farewell for later in the summer. More information will be shared soon.
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Read ahead: Third Sunday after Pentecost 
- June 13, 2021 1 Samuel 15:34 - 16:13
Psalm 20
2 Corinthians 5:6-17
Mark 4:26-34
Worship Bulletin: CLICK HERE for Worship Bulletin
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This Week at Church of the Cross
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