Queer Carol Service a Celebration of ‘Holy Family’
‘Here we are—Lutherans in the middle of the City, having Christmas for LGBT+ people.’
Rev. Maris Sants, LCiGB pastor of the Nordic Church in Liverpool, in one simple sentence summarises the joy of so many who attended the queer carol service at St. Mary-at-Hill Church on 12 December. The event was jointly hosted by the CLC and St. Anne’s Lutheran Church, and accompanied by the rich ensemble singing of Solomon’s Knot.
The service combined scripture readings, traditional carols and selected poems to celebrate the good news of the Christ child’s birth. Further, the music and words proclaimed a God who loves and welcomes all people and condemns no one for who they are or whom they love.
Blessed are the worshipers, praying from closets, pulpits, pews, and hardship.
—from ‘Blessed are the Queer’ by Helen HP Rivers
Theological student Tym Novak appreciated being a participant in the service. ‘I think as queer people, we’re not really represented or acknowledged in the churches,’ he expressed. ‘I had a conversation at my university today…they were talking about how suppressing [queer identity] was probably the best thing to do.’ Novak chose to challenge his fellow students, using this service as his example: ‘I think you’d find that Jesus would be here with us, celebrating life, celebrating us as human beings.’
Celebration was the order of the evening, which continued with a time of fellowship extending for hours after the final notes of ‘Joy to the World’ had faded. Rev. Sants marvelled at the simple fact that the service was taking place at all. ‘Never before in my life did I imagine being in a mainstream church having this kind of celebration. It was also amazing seeing so many people whom I know and whom I have seen in other contexts, who have been out of church—outsiders—and now they are in!’
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —over and over
announcing your place in the family of things.
—from ‘Wild Geese’ by Mary Oliver
Queer Carol Service
Join us for a Queer Carol Service on Thursday, 12th December at 6pm at St Mary-at-Hill Church, Lovat Lane, London EC3R 8EE. This special service will include a sermon by Pastor Maris Sants, music by the baroque collective Solomon’s Knot, and will be led by Pastor Meelis Süld and Pastor Sarah Farrow. Members of LGBTQ+ Christian groups and allies will come together for an evening of celebration, reflection, and community. Organised by St Anne’s Lutheran Church and the CLC Lutheran Inclusive Group, this event warmly welcomes everyone.
A Response to the Resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury
The Council of Lutheran Churches (CLC) notes with sadness and concern the historic, heinous decades-long abuse that led to the resignation of Archbishop Justin Welby on Tuesday, as he took personal and institutional responsibility for failures in handling the case. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of abuse. It is unimaginable that such evil could happen in a church-related setting, where we are called to care for each other and to protect the marginalised and vulnerable in particular.
The CLC is committed to safeguarding and building a safe space for all. This work is one where churches can collaborate, and the issue was prioritised at Churches Together in England’s Enabling Group in March 2024. We appreciate the comprehensive safeguarding trainings organised by the Church of England, which have been made available to CLC member churches. However, much more could be done to ensure that theory is put into practice in all churches, fostering openness and transparency.
The CLC, with its nine member churches, is a close partner of the Church of England, and we hold in our prayers all those affected by the resignation, including Archbishop Welby’s family. We ask for wisdom in selecting the new Primate of All England and spiritual leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. We also acknowledge Archbishop Welby’s ecumenical openness, including his prioritisation of the Porvoo Agreement, his courage in speaking up for migrant communities—especially in opposing the Rwanda scheme—and his efforts to make the Church of England a more inclusive church.
Reformation Day Service
On October 31, Lutherans around the world commemorate the anniversary of the Reformation. To mark this occasion, the Council of Lutheran Churches in Great Britain is organising a Reformation Day service with Eucharist on the 31st of October at 6pm. We invite all CLC Member Churches to join us in prayer and reflection on the significance of the Reformation in today’s world. The service will take place in London, at St George’s Lutheran Church, 55 Alie Street, London, E1 8EB. Light refreshments will be available.
Safeguarding Training
The CLC’s safeguarding advisor Simon Bass from Church Safeguarding Consultancy will offer one session of in-depth safeguarding training this autumn. The training is for church leaders and those working with children, young people and adults and we can focus on the specific situation of the Lutheran churches.
The date is: Thursday, 7th November, 6pm on Zoom.
The session will cover the following content: understanding abuse and its signs and symptoms, how to respond well to concerns and disclosures of abuse, best practice when working with children and adults at risk of harm.
There will be discussions in the plenary and work in break out groups.
The link to register your attendance on Eventbrite is below:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/2024-advanced-safeguarding-training-online-tickets-1028809315357?aff=oddtdtcreator
Last Chance: Trip to Wittenberg and other places of the Reformation
From 10th-14th October, CLC is organising a trip to Wittenberg and the surrounding historic sites of the Reformation under the guidance of the local tour operator Christian Tours Europe.
Download the brochure: Brochure Lutherland
Cost
The registration is extended, the fee is 750 Euros per person in a double room or 850 Euros in a single room. For those who are unable to afford the costs of the trip, CLC can subsidise the fee by £400 for members of one of our nine member churches or regular participants in the ILSC.
More information and registration meelis.sueld[at]lutheran.org.uk.
The trip will include:
Swedish Archbishop Modéus Highlights Unity as a Force for Good During London Visit
Martin Modéus, Archbishop of Uppsala and Primate of the Church of Sweden, is visiting the UK. On Thursday evening, he was the guest of the Nikaean Club, which supports the ecumenical ministry of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, expressed his gratitude for the longstanding relationship between the churches: “The Porvoo Communion* is often overlooked because it works. For many years, we have worked together, exchanged ministers, and prayed for each other.” He highlighted the importance of the Porvoo Prayer Diary and gave thanks for this opportunity to come together in fellowship.
Archbishop Modéus reflected on the Church of Sweden’s deep ecumenical involvement and its relationship with the Church of England, which dates back to 1925 with Archbishop Nathan Söderblom. Looking ahead to the ecumenical theme for the year 2025, “Time for God’s Peace,” he spoke about how this will culminate in August, with an open invitation to participate. “In a world marked by terrible conflicts, one of the main goals is to work together as a strong force for peace and reconciliation. We need each other so we can be a force for good in this world.”
He emphasised the importance of international links such as the Porvoo Communion, describing it as “important theologically, spiritually, and practically,” and noted, “We feel at home with each other.” He also highlighted the upcoming Porvoo Church leaders’ consultation next month in Sigtuna, which will focus on climate issues.
The Council of Lutheran Churches was represented at the dinner by London Swedish Chaplain Rev Magdalena Sjöholm and CLC General Secretary Rev Meelis Süld.
* The Porvoo Communion is a communion of 15 Anglican and Evangelical Lutheran churches in Europe.
Work for us: Communications Manager
The Council of Lutheran Churches is the representative and enabling body for 9 Lutheran churches in the UK that offer pastoral care to over 200,000 people. We are seeking a part-time Communications Manager (2.5 days a week) to deliver the Christian message, to support the Council of Lutheran Churches and our member churches in the UK and to raise awareness of the Lutheran tradition and its part in the wider Christian community.
We want someone who:
- Will develop an internal and external communication strategy that delivers our mission, vision and values.
- Has a strong background in journalism or communications.
- Has an impressive track record in creating, producing and publishing engaging social media content.
- Is an active Christian – ideally with a good understanding of Lutheran theology and tradition.
- Has excellent written and spoken English language skills – ideally you will be a native English speaker as you will be working with a variety of people speaking English as a 2nd language.
- Has experience in setting up and running livestreaming events, as well as providing technical support to presenters and participants.
- Is keen to learn and implement new ideas and technologies and is open-minded to work with people from different cultures and countries.
Please note that the nature of our work means that occasional weekend work and travel within the UK will be required. We are based in London (Waterloo) and applicants must live within commuting distance of our office.
To apply, please email your CV to: david.rogers[at]lutheran.org.uk
Read the full job description: CLC Communications Manager Job Description (August 24).
Closing date for applications: 9th September 2024
No agencies please