CLC Newsletter, March 2023: LWF Pre-Assembly in Oxford, Strategy Meeting at Ashburnham Place, CLC Chaplains visit the Uni Chaplaincy in Leeds, Lutheran History corner and more. Read and share! http://eepurl.com/im0k1Q 

LGBTQ+ people of the UK Lutheran community and their allies are invited to come together to establish Lutherans Inclusive support and interest group. There will be time for prayer, discussion about the LGBTQ+ inclusivity in our churches and socialising. The meeting will take place at the Council of Lutheran Churches office, Ground Floor, Trident House, 46-48 Webber St, London SE1 8QW on the 16th of February at 6:00pm. Please register your participation via email to Rev Māris Sants marissants@gmail.com (LCiGB pastor) or Rev Meelis Süld meelis.sueld@lutheran.org.uk (CLC Outreach Coordinator & LCiGB pastor). The meeting is planned in-person, but in case of interest we may provide hybrid Zoom option. LGBTQ+ people are welcome to contact also if they can’t or prefer not to join the first meeting because of timing, privacy, or any other reason. The invitation can be shared among those who may be interested.

In CLC January Newsletter: The Storytelling workshop in February, first recordings in our podcast studio, establishing Lutheran LGBTQ+ group, Lutheran history corner, student chaplaincy activities, events in member churhes. Please read and feel free to share https://mailchi.mp/35f0cd7577ed/clc-news

Council of Lutheran Churches and Churches Together in England and the are delighted to offer a series of events exploring the art of storytelling in the contemporary church.

Webinars

The art of storytelling with Pastor Flemming Kloster Poulsen – Thursday 2 February 12.30 – 2pm on zoom

How to create and tell compelling stories

The art of spoken word with Bishop Mike Royal and Pastor Paul Faulkner – Thursday 9 February 12.30 – 2pm on zoom

How to use this powerful form of expression in your church

The art of media engagement with PR expert Marcia Dixon MBE – Thursday 16 February 12.30 – 2pm on zoom

How to get the press interested in stories from your church or Churches Together group. More speakers to be confirmed.

All events are free, bookings https://cte.org.uk/storytelling/.

In her New Year message, The Lutheran World Federation General Secretary, Rev Dr Anne Burghardt urges Christians “not to be indifferent but to speak and act wherever we see how human brokenness is sowing seeds of hatred, disunity, oppression and disrespect for God’s creation.”

Read the message: https://www.lutheranworld.org/news/new-year-message-eyes-mercy-and-grace

We are all familiar with the figures in a nativity scene. Mary and Joseph, obediently accepting their part in God’s plan. The shepherds, encouraged by the angel to find the Messiah. The Magi, intrigued by a star announcing the birth of a king. In their midst a newly born baby. It is the presence of this baby that has brought them all together. As a matter of fact, the baby cannot do anything much other than to be present at this point.

In this presence, past and future converge. Prophecy turns into fulfilment. All the other people present in the scene have come with some kind of expectation regarding the future of the baby. In the Gospel of Matthew, Joseph is told that the baby will grow up to save his people from their sins. In the Gospel of Luke, Mary is told that the baby will grow up to reign on David’s throne forever. The shepherds are told that the Messiah has been born. The Magi are looking for a baby that will grow up to be the king of the Jews. So it is that all of them arrive at the lowly stable not only to welcome a newborn. They come with hope.
Christmas is only the beginning.

We finally opened our new Lutheran headquarters at Trident House on 31^st October. The Council of Lutheran Churches, the Lutheran Church in Great Britain and the International Lutheran Student Centre invited guests from across the Lutheran and ecumenical community to join them.

Bishop Tor and Bishop Jāna form the Lutheran Church were joined by Bishop Christopher from the Church of England Diocese of Southwark for the liturgical act of commitment of the new space. The service was followed by three short greetings from CLC General Secretary Dr. Anna Krauß, LCiGB Council Chairman Jeff Trinklein and CLC Student Chaplain Rebecca Daniel.

We were joined by trustees, people from across our member churches, the student chaplaincy and some ecumenical friends from the Methodist and United Reformed Church. The house was open for visitors to explore the space late into the afternoon.

We moved on to St Mary’s German Church for a Reformation Day Service. People from four different continents and eleven countries were gathered together as Bishop Tor preached and the Swahili choir lifted the spirits even further with their singing.

The office at Trident House is now open Monday to Friday during normal office hours. Let us know if you want to come and visit, so we can make sure someone can give you a tour! Member Churches can book our rooms for free, but we do ask for a refundable deposit if a meeting happens outside the hours of 9am to 5pm and on weekends. If you are not a CLC member church, please get in touch to find out how you can hire a meeting space or use our recording studio.

We would love to invite you to join us in the Reformation service on the 31st of October at 6 pm at St. Mary’s German Lutheran Church, 10 Sandwich Street, London WC1H 9PL. It will be good that all CLC member churches can join in commemorating the Reformation day. Kindly let us know whether it will be possible for you and your congregation to be part of this service by sending an e-mail to Meelis meelis.sueld@lutheran.org.uk.

We are finally able to move into our new office in Southwark! The office will be opened on 31^st October with an act of dedication at 10 am. If you would like to be present in the morning, please let Emily know (Emily@lutheran.org.uk). For those who are unable to attend in the morning, the office will be open for visitors until 5pm. We will end the day with a Reformation Day Service at St Mary’s German Church to which everyone is warmly invited.