|
|
|
|
|
If you have a Mac or the links are not working,
please try clicking on 'View it in your browser'.
|
|
|
|
|
|
In this week's Crossroads, you will find information on:
Welcoming New Members
Spring Cleaning
Continuing our dialogue together on Racism
Anti-racist information
CLAY 2021
Prayers, Solidarity and Support for Jerusalem and the Holy Land
Amazing Journey Day Camp
|
|
COVID-19 Emergency Appeal for India
Support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
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.
|
|
|
 Welcoming New Members – Holy Trinity Sunday, May 30 - 10 AM PDT
We give thanks for the opportunity to once again welcome new members, even during a pandemic! This Holy Trinity Sunday, May 30 at 10 AM. Although those being welcomed – Boston Laferté, Jacob (Jake) McPhee, and Bill Williamson cannot be present in the worship space, we will welcome them through Affirmation of Baptism online together including pre-recorded introductions by those serving as sponsors for them. Welcome Boston, Jacob and Bill! And if there are others who would like to join the congregation at another time or have questions about membership, please contact Pastor Lyndon or Pastor Lyle.
|
|
|
Spring Cleaning
With great appreciation the Greening Committee and Trustee s say thank you to all volunteers who participated in the annual week of Spring Clean up. The Church interior is spotless and the exterior and grounds look magnificent. This was a job very well done by all.
Grant Froyland
Board of Trustees
|
|
|
Continuing our dialogue together on Racism
 Thank you to host Sabine Lehr and guest speaker Florentien Verhage for a very enlightening presentation on the consequences of racism in the Greater Victoria, based in part on the survey results in the recent report “Racism in Greater Victoria: A Community Report” (May 2021).
What comes to mind when you hear the words “racism” and “racist”? If you have been doing your own reading, reviewed the results of the recent racism report, or attended the virtual Dessert & Dialogue on racism your answer will be that racism “means a power differential.” Racism is a structure. Racism is not only conscious acts of cruelty carried out by bad people. Racial bias is unconscious and something that white folks have been socialized into throughout the history of colonialism. Racism was brought about by the discrimination and often unconscious prejudice of people holding positions of power over people of color who have been placed “systemically and historically on the margins” through colonialism.
Tuesday night’s virtual dialogue and discussion revealed two things: 1) how the survey data supported what Asian, Indigenous, Black folks and people of colour (IBPoC) already knew - racism in Greater Victoria is real; 2) white people are theoretically aware that racism exists in Victoria but the complexity of racism needs continued dialogue to overcome racial bias. The most common places survey respondents experience racism include online, workplaces, government offices, and public places such as school or on public transit. Religious buildings including temples, mosques, and churches are seen as safer places with lower occurrences of racism, but still require work especially in predominantly white spaces.
Those of us attending the dialogue learned how racism hurts and harms people who regularly experience it, as well as the steps that are required to undo racism. Anti-racist work is ongoing work that requires listening and learning to move beyond our comfort zones, take bigger risks, and begin the actions which are the necessary and important steps in becoming an ally or accomplice in anti-racism. In order to change the “fractured and complex relationships” that we have inherited through history and racism “...people from significantly different backgrounds “... need to engage in conversations ...within a supportive experience of learning that builds relationships and...encourages respect, reciprocity, reconciliation, and relevance...” (4R's Youth Movement, https://4rsyouth.ca/our-framework/).
What I have learned from my readings and through Florentien's dialogue can be summarized by the words of African American educator, activist and philosopher Angel Davis “...in a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.” Anti-racism requires commitment and practice to understand the ways racism continues to structure our history and our world, and our roles in helping to dismantle it. Racism impacts the health and life choices of many people of colour including where to live, opportunities for work, educational choices and social engagement in community life.
Over the next several weeks the Social Justice Committee will continue the dialogue on anti-racism including suggestions on what a bystander can or should do when they see overt acts of racism occurring.
Susanne Standeven
Social Justice Committee
|
|
|
Anti-racist information from the Board of Education
Rev. Dr. Melva L. Sampson is Assistant Professor of Prea ching and Practical Theology at Wake Forest University School of Divinity. She is an ordained minister of the Progressive National Baptist Convention and an ordained ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church, USA. She is a passionate preacher and her research focus is womanist theology (feminism from a black woman’s perspective. Check out this link to learn more about how she reaches out to women and empowers them. Especially black women.
https://www.drmelvasampson.com/womanist-works
|
|
|
CLAY 2021 
The National Youth Planning Committee has been hard at work and is happy to officially launch the registration for CLAY 2021 - May 27 at 8:00 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time (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 help those who may not be able to afford the registration fee.
The Canadian Council of Churches is hosting in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism and the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism an online Week of Prayer for Christian Unity event on Saturday, June 5 at 3:00 p.m. EDT.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity gathers Christians around the world in prayer and fellowship. This season of Pentecost, you are invited to experience God's abiding love as many branches of Christ the True Vine. Leaders from diverse Christian traditions in Canada will offer prayers and Scripture readings. This event will be accessible in English and French. For more information and to register in this free event through Eventbrite, please click here.
|
|
|
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 the following letter, 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. The letters can be found below.
Dear Friends in Christ,
We are deeply distressed by the escalating violence and bloodshed in Gaza and central Israel. The volatile situation in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, where dozens of Palestinians are being evicted from their family homes by Israeli settlers, has progressed into the death of numerous civilians, unprecedented destruction and deeper community divisions.
Our beloved and besieged church partners, the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, tell us “we know from experience that violence and hatred will never lead to solutions to the deep ethnic and religious divisions that have afflicted this region for over a century. We urge all parties to act responsibly and calmly, and to preserve human life at all costs. We continue to pray and advocate for reconciliation and a just peace for Jerusalem and all its residents – Christian, Jewish, and Muslim, Palestinian and Israeli.”
We have written to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, urging Canada to do more to promote peace: elcic.ca/From-the-Bishop/documents/20210519LettertoMinisterGarneau.pdf.
On May 16, 2021, Canadian Anglicans and Lutherans observed Jerusalem and the Holy Land Sunday. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem continue in their missions of healing to the wounded, humanitarian relief to those who have lost homes and jobs, and comfort to all who mourn the death of loved ones. We thank all parishes, groups and individuals who find ways to lift up our partners.
We urge every Canadian Lutheran and Anglican, and all peoples of good will, to walk in solidarity with our partners by:
- Praying continuously for the cessation of all hostilities and peace in the Land of the Holy One and for the ministry of our partners.
- Reviewing our letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and forwarding it to your local MP.
- Making a donation to support efforts by our partners to continue ministries of relief, care, justice and peace.
Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City
In the words of Archbishop Hosam Naoum “Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City has been on the frontlines of these relief efforts, a beacon of hope to those trying to stay alive under such dire conditions. But they are overwhelmed and in desperate need of funding to obtain precious fuel for hospital generators, and to purchase emergency medicine and medical supplies so that the doctors and nurses who are working around the clock can meet the crushing flow of injured and traumatized victims.”
August Victoria Hospital, Mount of Olives, East Jerusalem
Most of the patients served by Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH) continue to be in social need and seeking life-saving specialized care. On a daily basis, these specialty services touch countless lives, both young and old, from communities across the Palestinian territories. In light of the escalating violence, AVH has expanded its Triage Unit into a Temporary Emergency Set-up to help receive and treat injured individuals.
To make a donation in support of Al Ahli Arab Hospital: anglican.ca/jerusalem/donate
To make a donation in support of August Victoria Hospital: clwr.org/AVH
We join together in prayer:
God of Love,
In the midst of continuing political and social conflict, in fear and uncertainty, we thank you for faithful leaders in the Holy Land, especially Bishop Azar of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, and Archbishop Hosam Naoum of The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. Give them strength in speaking out against injustices which eliminate the security and freedom of people. Give us that same courage to open our eyes to what is needed to protect and support those who are most vulnerable. We prayer for true and lasting peace. In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Yours in Christ,
The Most Rev. Linda Nicholls
Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC)
The Rev. Susan C. Johnson
National Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC)
|
|
|
Amazing Journey Day Camp
 The annual Amazing Journey Day Camp will be happening this year August 9th to August 13th. This small group program will be held from 9 am to noon outdoors at St. George's, Cadboro Bay. The program is for children who have completed Grades 1 to 5.
Registration is now open for this year's Amazing Journey Camp. You can register online at this link.
The registration form is also available on the church website to download as a Word document or pdf. If you wish to type in the document, first save the Word document to your computer and then type in it. Once completed, print the registration form and sign it. Completed registration forms (with registration fees) can be returned to:
- St. Luke Cedar Hill Anglican Church: 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Road, Victoria, BC V8P 2M6
- Lutheran Church of the Cross: 3787 Cedar Hill Road, Victoria, BC V8P 3Z4
- St. George’s Anglican Church: 3909 St. George’s Lane, Victoria, BC V8N 4E3
Please make cheques payable to Lutheran Church of the Cross and write “Amazing Journey” on the memo line. Completed registration forms can also be scanned and e-mailed to amazing4kids17@gmail.com.
If you wish to pay by e-transfer, please contact Lutheran Church of the Cross at lutheranchurchofthecross@shaw.ca or call 250-477-6222.
Early Bird Registration Fees are $30 - 1st child, $25.00 - 2nd child, $20.00 - 3rd and additional child.
Early Bird Registration Deadline is Wednesday, June 30th.
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
Support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Bill C-15 dices Canada to implement the Declaration. T he Bill is headed to the Senate and you can take action to support the legislation. The ELCIC is joining with ecumenical partners in making a submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Indigenous Peoples.
|
|
|
This Week at Church of the Cross
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
