Gloria Dei Lutheran Church

09/07/2026

Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of Creation, this year’s theme being Living Water. We began our worship outdoors in our courtyard beside our beautiful rock fountain, surrounded by the warmth and beauty of a sunny late-summer day.

Water is life — a gift that sustains all creation and calls us to care for the rivers, lakes and watersheds entrusted to us.
As part of our celebration, we also made a commitment to support the Fraser River Challenge, a petition calling for 30% of the Fraser River to be protected by 2030. https://fraserriverkeeper.ca/take-action

May the living water of God flow through us in gratitude, hope and action for the healing of creation. 💧🌿
“Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” — Amos 5:24

09/03/2026

Fifty years ago, Rev. Pamela McGee became the first woman ordained to Lutheran ministry in Canada. This anniversary invites us to remember that milestone and the generations of women whose ministry, scholarship, leadership, and witness have continued to shape the church.

A new issue of Consensus: A Canadian Journal of Public Theology marks the 50th anniversary of the ordination of women in Canadian Lutheranism.

Rooted in Canadian Lutheran life, Consensus understands public theology broadly. Its readership and contributors reflect the ecumenical relationships of the ELCIC, including full communion with the Anglican Church of Canada, as well as the wide diversity of religious and non-religious backgrounds represented in our seminaries. Alongside articles, the journal publishes sermons, book reviews, and research.

LTS voices are among the contributors. Rev. Dr. Kyle Schiefelbein-Guerrero introduces the issue with a commemorative foreword; Rev. Dr. Kayko Driedger Hesslein contributes “I Never Thought I’d Be the Professor!”; and Dr. Ellen Duffield, a recent graduate of our Doctor of Ministry program, also contributes.

Consensus is co-sponsored by Lutheran Theological Seminary and Martin Luther University College.

Read the full issue:
https://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol47/iss2/

09/01/2026

09/01/2026

07/04/2026

Update 23 June: Thank you to everyone who has continued to pray and advocate for Natalie’s freedom. At this time there has been no determination in Natalie’s case, and the court proceedings are still ongoing. Her family is currently appealing to have her released on bail for the duration of the proceedings. Please continue to keep Natalie and her family in your prayers, and to advocate for her ultimate release.

Update from Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad on Natalie Abudayyeh:

Dear friends and partners,

We give thanks to each of you who have prayed and advocated for the safety and release of ELCJHL youth Natalie Abudayyeh after she was detained by Israeli forces on June 2nd. Unfortunately, Natalie has still not been released.

We have been informed that she had a court appearance yesterday, and the proceedings will continue in ten days. The other three women who were detained with Natalie remain in prison as well. We are deeply concerned about their continued detention and that these proceedings are being held in Israeli military court, where administrative detention can be extended without official charge or trial.

Disturbingly, Natalie’s ongoing detainment is part of a pattern of recent Israeli raids, arrests, and restrictions on Palestinian universities, limiting academic freedom and restricting the right of education. Our youth feel targeted. We are losing an entire generation as our young people struggle to imagine a future in their homeland. Our ELCJHL youth are incredibly dismayed and anxious about the wellbeing and future of Natalie, their sister and friend, and for their own safety here.

This pattern of violence, erasure, and fear is destroying Palestinian life.

We once again call on the global church to remember your commitment to work for justice, peace, and fullness of life, and we ask you to continue to advocate for Natalie’s immediate release.

Please continue to hold Natalie and her family in your prayers.

Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad

Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

07/04/2026

God of all people, and of your church in Palestine, have mercy.

Israeli occupation forces detained five Palestinian women during pre-dawn raids across three cities in the occupied West Bank, including Ramallah, Nablus, and Hebron.

The detainees include Jamila Dahu and Jamila Kanaan from Ramallah, Maysar Al-Faqih from Nablus, Faten Hnaisha from Beit Dajan, and Etaf Bader from Hebron.

Jamila Abu Dahu is a 65-year-old Palestinian Christian academic and researcher from Ramallah, who works in humanitarian and social development and is affiliated with Palestinian NGO networks.

Born in 1961 into a family known for its political activism. Throughout her career, she has contributed to humanitarian and community initiatives focusing on women’s rights, reproductive health, and support for vulnerable communities, and has authored multiple studies on Palestinian society and gender-related issues.

06/28/2026

Keep the Learning Going this summer. As National Indigenous History Month comes to a close, our opportunity to learn from our Indigenous neighbours continues. Read our blog post for learning ideas.

As National Indigenous History Month comes to a close, our opportunity to learn from our Indigenous neighbours continues.. Earlier this month, our congregation celebrated the dedication of our Reconciliation Quilt, giving thanks for the gifts of Indigenous artists and reflecting on our shared...

06/25/2026

As we receive news of the devastating back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela, we join together in prayer for all those impacted. We invite you to pray with the words shared by ELCIC National Bishop Larry Kochendorfer.

06/25/2026

When appeals of this kind come into our mailboxes, it is good to remind ourselves that we, too, live in a region that is at risk of a major earthquake, and may one day find ourselves at the mercy of the kindness and generosity of strangers.