June is a busy month with seeding, gardening and growing more of our own food because of climate uncertainty with food supply chains! All of this is impacted by Climate Change and Social Justice issues.

Climate Creation and our Role in it…. We were given free will for things on earth.
June brings us the hope of summer weather which is becoming increasingly unpredictable with the ongoing climate crisis (es) that are experienced worldwide and locally. Our office administrator Sylvia-Linda’s reflections in this newsletter highlight how we can be better stewards of God’s ‘ongoing’ creation. The emphasis is on the word ongoing, and I encourage us to read all the links in her article. Indeed, the April/May issue of the Canada Lutheran also focusses on the climate crisis, and in particular Bishop Jason Zinko’s article talks about ‘An obligation for care and protection’, as we are trampling on the gift of creation. “These are the gifts that God has given us in creation. Let’s work with God in protecting them.” (p27).
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=962b2acbb9&attid=0.2&permmsgid=msg-f:1733817592115593469&th=180fc1e9f35f80fd&view=att&disp=safe

Pride Month
We are all created in God’s image and therefore God loves diversity. We recognize that we need to continue to learn about each other and lean in to the grace, love and mercy God has for each of us. More information can be found at www.reconcilingworks.org for inclusion in Lutheran churches, and SERC Brandon is a close local resource for others as well in the LGBTQ2SIA+ community. You can find their information at www.serc.mb.ca We will be looking to participate in some of their events, and there is usually a Pride event in Wasagaming each September as well.

National Indigenous History Month
It is important that we learn about Indigenous history and culture and unlearn any myths or preconceived notions that we may have. This website link helps provide this information from an indigenous perspective https://mytoastlife.com/how-to-celebrate-national-indigenous-peoples-day-2022-in-Canada/#:~:text=In%20Canada%2C%20Indigenous%20History%20Month%20is%20celebrated%20every,contributions%20of%20First%20Nations%2C%20Inuit%20and%20M%C3%A9tis%20peoples.

This is where you can find links to podcasts about Indigenous culture and topics, online courses and documentaries, how to support authentic Indigenous designers and businesses as well.

There is also an interesting book that I am currently reading and it gives such a good understanding of the roles of the people in the New Testament. It’s called First Nations Version: An Indigenous Understanding of the New Testament. 2021 Inter Varsity Press “A Stimulating read of the life of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) and his Good Road (Gospel)” Publishers Weekly Starred Review

In Peace and Gratitude for your faith and prayers!

Financial Committee

Prior to the regular Council Meeting on May 19, 2022, Council met with Venton , Portia and Reg. Purpose of the meeting: to streamline financial records by filing at the church, to review the local financial situation as it has been operating, and to provide clarity for our new Treasurer Cathy. Cathy has experience with QuickBooks and will review QuickBooks with Administrative Assistant every 2 weeks. Reg files the ELC Charities return with CRA, makes some retroactive corrections in QuickBooks to adjust for some missing entries and at year end, provides professional accounting duties. Portia, as Financial Recording Secretary, records donations to ELC sending out receipts quarterly. Envelopes are kept in her home for 6 years and in the 7th year are shredded. Portia and Venton count the weekly offerings and Venton does the bank deposits. They check each others’ records for accuracy to ensure security of church funds as recommended by MNO Synod. Venton oversees the investments and consults with Steve Robson at RBC to ensure the best interest rate and cashes out GIC’s and investments as necessary to keep the bank account in the black. RBC stipulates that only one individual does the banking. Cathy (ELC Treasurer), Reg (CRA and Accounting Advisor), Portia (Financial Recording Secretary) and Venton (Funds Manager) agree to sit on this committee and alert the Funds Manager of any large expenditures and seek advice on any matters in question. With open lines of communication, regular meetings will not be necessary. A lockable filing cabinet will be purchased for financial records including the six years of donation records including envelopes and Charities returns.

Old Business:

Council is in agreement that we can relax COVID restrictions slowly starting by having coffee in the narthex after the service. We will leave the sign-in for contact tracing, masking, physical distancing and cleaning protocols in place for the time being since COVID is still with us. We will review these measures again at our next meeting including potluck lunches at the beginning of the month.

Council and members of the Cemetery Committee are in the process of obtaining quotes for fencing on the road side of Scandinavia Cemetery. The clearing of scrub and roots will continue when Mr. G gets his stump grinder operational.

Council is looking into purchasing a garden shed for storage of barbeque, lawn chairs, tables, yard games to facilitate outdoor activities this summer as well as lawn care tools and garden hose.

No word has been received on the status of the MNO Synod Acts Grant Application but Pastor Heather will be starting to meet with the Youth Group in June. Several interested young people were sitting on the bench outside the main entrance as Pastor Heather was leaving and asked when Youth Group would start. Inspiring eagerness!!The Elsie Hall plaque honoring the pioneers of the Erickson district is being planned.

We are considering VBS in a different way this year… Since this year we are focussing on OUTREACH but time and safety concerns of planning a two day event seem too challenging, sending several youth to Luther Village Camp Week or Dauphin Bible Camp is being explored.

Intern Pastor’s Report

Pastor Heather is in the office 1 -2 days per week, 3 in-person and 4 phone visitations, funeral preparation and one funeral request

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Completed assignments for Intro to Pastoral Care and Counselling course by May 11th with final marks available May 20th.

Pastor Heather personally brought a mini-fridge into the office to facilitate Pastoral Care meetings and for personal use.

She Joins in monthly ZOOM meeting with MNO clergy and Deacon Michelle Collins to talk about mutual concerns and for support. Pastor Trudy Thorarinson of Morden is Heather’s Internship Mentor.

Candidacy Committee Interview on development and progress on the Alternate Path to Ordination will be scheduled soon.

Seminary courses resume in August.

Adminstrator Report

Sylvia-Linda was away May 10th – 16th due to COVID. Glad your recovery was speedy Sylvia-Linda

Attended to regular duties: financial reports and reconciliation, Bulletins, Newsletter, mailings, cleaning church, etc.

Additionally, she met with Treasurer to familiarize her with the financial process; finalized the ELC burial report and printed out for records; continued work on Membership Roll; Sent out summer schedule information to Parks Canada and businesses; helped Pastor Heather reorganize the library in her office; planning a trip next week to Brandon LTO and Queen’s Bench Court to deal with Titles and to RBC in Minnedosa for signing authority.

Council wishes to send a big Bouquet and Many Thanks to Sylvia-Linda for all her work organizing the office and catching up on records that have been untouched for a long while. You are a wonder!! Thank you! Your reward: you don’t have to attend council meetings unless we need your expertise. Enjoy the once monthly Thursday evening at home!

New Business:

None this month… Just working on the old stuff!

Submitted by Benita Nylen, Secretary

Our Annual General Meeting was held on March 6, 2022 with 18 voting members in attendance. The 2021 annual minutes and reports (all contained in the 2022 Annual Report) were approved and the members of the new council were elected, namely: Cliff Nichols, Benita Nylen, Beth Wotton, Cathy Hackenschmidt and Raymond Rossnagel. There is one vacancy on council which needs to be addressed by council. At a subsequent council meeting it was decided by council that Cliff Nichols would be Chairperson, Benita Nylen, Secretary, Cathy Hackenschmidt, Treasurer and Beth Wotton and Raymond Rossnagel, members-at-large. By virtue of resolution passed by Council previously, the Chairperson, Secretary and Treasurer also become the Trustees of Erickson Lutheran Church.

The goals and missions for the Erickson Lutheran Church for ensuring year are to focused on Youth Activities, Seniors Support and Food Security. These goals and missions are to be the focus of the Memorial and Gifting Fund as well. An application has been made to the MNO Synod for an ACTS grant which encompasses all of these three goals. Suggestions were made abount creating a Youth Drop in Centre in the Youth Room and using the church for a seniors meal program. These activities hopefully will tie into projects and activities with the Foodbank and community regarding food security and sustainability using the Souithquill Foodbank’s greenhouse and gardens to grow vegetables and to encourage participation by youth and seniors in these projects.

A review was given to the members of the resolutions passed by the council in regards to the Special Funds and Purpose Statements. There are now only three special funds: Elsie Hall Fund, Memorial and Gifting Fund and the Scandinavia Cemetery Fund, all of which now have a written statement purpose which outlines the purposes of these funds as well how they are to be used and what happens to the monies in these accounts should the church dissolve. Several special fund were dissolved: Music, Piano, New Pastor and Youth and the monies transferred to the general operating funds of the church. The council now has the power to designate how funds can be used should a project not proceed or there are excess funds so as to direct them to where they may be needed most by the church. This was done so as to avoid “zombie funds”.

The next annual meeting will be on March 5, 2023.

Mary Nichols provided the 2022 Meals on Wheels calendar and volunteered, again, to deliver meals on behalf of Erickson Lutheran Church. The meeting then adjourned.

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