Thanksgiving for Recent Installations in Vacant Congregations

Across the Regions – As many Canadians celebrated the Thanksgiving holiday this weekend, recent news about installations of pastors in LCC congregations is also a cause for thanksgiving, as gathering together to be fed by God’s Word and Sacraments in a foretaste of the heavenly feast to come sustains our earthly life, and we thank God for the gift of faithful pastors who respond to His calling to share the Gospel.

News of a blessing for the Peace River Circuit in the north of the West Region, found in the July/August issue of The Canadian Lutheran, is of two installations on one day, which will provide much-needed pastoral support in a geographically vast circuit spanning congregations in Dawson Creek, Fairview, Goodfare, Grande Cache, Grande Prairie, High Prairie, Peace River, Valleyview, and Wembley.

Rev. Ken Eifert, who has been serving St. John’s in Wembley, AB, was also installed as the pastor of St. Paul’s (Dawson Creek, BC) and Mount Carmel (Grande Cache, AB), in addition to his previous call. The three congregations are not an official three-point parish, but have agreed to work together in this way.

In addition, St. Paul’s also installed Rev. Jean-Luc Damas as Assistant Pastor. Rev. Damas recently completed LCC’s colloquy program, and will be assisting Rev. Eifert at St. John’s as Rev. Eifert takes on more duties at St. Paul’s and Mount Carmel. In addition, as Rev. Damas speaks French, there are hopes for a French-language ministry in the area.

Another vacancy was filled in this circuit with the installation of Rev. Stephen Bartlett in Valleyview in June. He will serve in Valleyview part-time, and serve the rest of the circuit part-time, including assisting at Faith Lutheran in Grande Prairie. Further details on this story are expected to be available in the November/December issue of The Canadian Lutheran.

Also in the November/December issue, Foothills Lutheran Church in Calgary will share news from the installation of Rev. Glenn Worcester, who began his ministry there in July. Originally from Detroit, Rev. Worcester had served his vicarage year in Lethbridge, AB, then returned to the LCMS for a time before serving in Winnipeg for many years. The Worcester family was welcomed to Foothills with thanksgiving after a year of vacancy.

The September/October issue of The Canadian Lutheran, available in churches shortly, shares the story of Rev. Paulo Brum’s installation at Grace Lutheran in Saskatoon. The congregation is thankful for God’s provision through the long vacancy, and for the support of the other Saskatchewan pastors who participated in the installation service.

Even as the Synod rejoices with the congregations who have received a pastor in answer to their Call and who are now able to regularly receive the benefits of Word and Sacrament ministry, we continue to pray for the many congregations who are vacant and seeking a pastor, that lay leaders and elders would be equipped and willing to serve during vacancies, and that in His time God would provide pastors for those Calling congregations. Thanks be to God that He sustains His Church on earth!

“The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest.”
(Matthew 9:37b-38)

Resources are available on the LCC website for lay-led services in a time of vacancy, as well as sermons written for use in congregations without a pastor.

Read the full story of each of these installations in the next issue of The Canadian Lutheran.

Thanks to all who submitted their stories using LCC’s Story Submission Forms, with guided prompts to make story writing easier. To share your completed congregation’s story, you may also contact regionaleditor@lutheranchurch.ca.

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