August 15, 2020

WELCOMING      CELEBRATORY      INSPIRING      ADVENTUROUS     IN MISSION

Dear church family,

I would like to thank you for continuing to find ways to connect with one another.  I continue to hear words of appreciation from those who have received phone calls or mail from their church family.  It is good to be reminded that we are part of a church community especially with being apart for 5 months and counting. 

Our church family has lost a long time member:  Mary Burrows died Aug. 3. Her immediate family has had a small memorial service.  Please keep Mary’s family and friends in your prayers. This is a loss for her family and our church family, but it is also a loss across our national church because of Mary’s time as the seminary librarian.  Many of our pastors came to know and love Mary during their time at seminary. You can read Mary’s obituary at https://thestarphoenix.remembering.ca/obituary/mary-burrows-1079656782

You will notice that I have placed our 5-part “Augustana is” statement at the top of this note.  This 5-part statement is up on the wall at church and it appears on many of our documents.  It is good for us to reflect on what those words mean to us 5 months into a pandemic.

At the beginning of summer I asked you to reflect on what it means to be WELCOMING during covid 19.  And part of that is doing what we can to care for each other.  Another part of that is to care for those outside our own bubble. One opportunity to do this comes through CLWR (Canadian Lutheran World Relief) and PWRDF (Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund).  The explosion in Lebanon and the resulting unrest and homelessness are being addressed through both organizations and funds raised will be matched by the Canadian government. This need is significant to our congregation because the refugee family we are sponsoring, the Alhamad-Wahid family, is living in Lebanon. 

Thanks to the members of the “Holy Rollers and Tearers” who have been carrying on with the work of that group at home.  They are still able to provide soap and shampoo where needed.

The next word to explore is ADVENTUROUS.  Here are some opportunities to be adventurous: 

  • coffee after church on Sunday 11:15 am – meeting by zoom.  Invitation at the bottom of this update. (instructions on how to zoom are attached)

  • Holy Communion by Zoom – the afternoon of September 20th

  • It has been a blessing to have singers leading us during on-line worship.  I hear that it is also a blessing for those who are doing the singing.  Would you like to blessed in this way?  Please contact Deborah Buck if you want to join this musical adventure that is also good for the soul. 

The worship committee, health cabinet and others met this past week to explore returning to worship in person.  It was decided that we would postpone returning to worship in person until October. We thought it prudent to let the school year settle in first.  September often sees an increase in virus transmission during normal times and this year is an unknown.

The new plan is:

  • in-person worship on the 1st Sunday of every month beginning Oct. 4th,

  • zoom communion the 3rd Sunday of every month beginning Sept. 20th

  • on-line services every week.

  • Private family/”people in your bubble” baptisms (please set up the time with Pastor Marilyn) and

  • Holy communion at the church with the people in your bubble (again, set up the time with Pastor Marilyn)

This has been a long update, thank you for your persistence to the end J

God bless and keep you all well.

Pastor Marilyn

Link to this week’s worship (or follow the link on our website):  https://youtu.be/o62hnnBkgPQ

Join Zoom Meeting (coffee time after church)

Click on this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85895823130

Meeting ID: 858 9582 3130

YOU CAN ALSO JOIN IN BY PHONE:

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Meeting ID: 858 9582 3130

August 8, 2020

Dear Church family,

I’m back from my back yard vacation and study leave.  I hope you have been enjoying this summer close to home. 

Augustana and all the ELCIC churches in Saskatoon join in worshiping with Zion this week.  I have attached a copy of the whole service which includes a children’s page.  The service can be accessed from our website or from this link:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo7oFRb9WluqtWmHpv-yVgw/videos

I am exploring how to provide sacramental ministry such as Baptism and Holy Communion for our community. I did some visiting of other congregations during my vacation to see how others are being “church” during a pandemic and I have some ideas to talk over with our worship committee.

The news out of Lebanon this past week has been disturbing for the refugee family we are sponsoring.  The Alhamad-Wahid family are still in Lebanon awaiting word on when they can come to Canada.  They were not directly affected by the explosion in Beirut, but the ensuing unrest and shortages have been frightening for them and their family in Canada.  Please keep them in your prayers.

In Our Prayers at Augustana this week: for all who grieve especially Mik Bickis and family on the death of Mik’s brother Ugis , and for Bruce, Gloria, Clayton, Logan, William, Marcus, Brody, Karin, Anthony, Robert, Curtis, Linda, Marci, Earl, Janet, Gayle, Evelyn, Lisa, Danielle, Inger, Anne Jane, Deanna, Carol, Wilma, Mary, Marlene, those who feel a sense of isolation during this pandemic; for those who must travel; the Wahid family in Lebanon and the Iqbal family in Thailand; for teachers and students preparing for a new and different school year. Pray for the staff development people as they interview and hire a new administrative assistant in the near future.

May the peace of Christ bless you,

Pastor Marilyn

Mark Your Calendar: The Health Cabinet and Worship committee will meet by Zoom (those who cannot be there in person) and in person (for those who can safely attend) to begin making plans for how we might return to worship in our church. We will be following all recommendations and guidelines that have been put forward by the provincial government and Saskatchewan Synod.

7 pm Tuesday August 11th.

We will continue to have on-line service so that those who cannot safely attend may still be part of our worshipping community. It is recommended that seniors, young children and those with ongoing health conditions or compromised immune systems worship from home. If you have concerns or ideas going forward, please send me an email or give me a call.

July 4, 2020

Dear Church Family,

I will be taking some combined study leave and vacation time in the next few weeks. Our worship services will continue to be made available on our website (www.augustanasaskatoon.net).  Each week we will have a guest preacher.  The ELCIC bishops and bishops’ assistants are providing these sermons. Thank you to Deborah Buck and the choir for their musical leadership and to Bryan Tastad who makes our worship accessible. Thanks also to our worship assistants: Greg, Ruth, Jayce, Javyn, Sheena, and Dale.

Our plans to return to worship in the church building are still tentative and we will continue to have taped or livestreamed services even when we do return to worship in the church building.  If all goes well, we will return to the church building for worship in September.  Please know that we will most certainly be following all the guidelines of the province and synod so that our worship space is safe.

Thank you to all who have contributed to our book of memories for Georgina Krenn.  You may see it on our website (it is with the newsletters).  The book has also been shared with Ron, Nicholas, Mitchell and Kendal Krenn. We will miss Georgina’s gracious presence in the church office and her ever full dish of sweets.

Church council and the personnel committee are working to fill the positions of administrative assistant and outside maintenance (grass cutting & snow removal). If you know of people who might fill these positions, please encourage them to submit a resume to the church office (augustana@sasktel.net).

God bless and keep you well.

Pastor Marilyn

Worship link for this week:  https://youtu.be/yIs4MQEtYCk

June 27, 2020

Dear Church Family,

I do believe summer is here.  This will be a summer to explore the world close at hand.  But you can go to church – in a virtual way – all around the world.  It’s a good opportunity to visit other churches and worship with them without having to leave your armchair (you can visit Pastor David & Margaret in Vernon or a friend or relative in another country).  I hope that you will also continue to worship at Augustana. This is one way we can continue to be together as a community of faith. 

I would like to thank the Augustana St. Timothy choir for their help with singing in our worship services. Each of the singers individually records themselves singing along with a recording that Deborah Buck has made and sent out.  Deborah then puts all the voices together into one recording and sends it to Bryan Tastad.  Greg Fowlie-Neufeld and I and the worship assistant meet at the church to record our portions of the service and then we pass these recordings on to Bryan.  Bryan weaves it all together and posts our worship service on youtube and provides us all with the link. WOW.

I am also thankful for the work of Luminhos especially in the last three months when I have not been allowed to visit in the hospital.  Pastor Michael Diegel (a member of Augustana) is the acting chaplain for Luminhos and he has continued to be able to visit in the hospital.  Here is the link to the current Luminhos newsletter:  https://www.luminhos.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/June-2020-Caregiver-June-25.pdf

I have been giving you weekly “assignments,” but now I would like to give you an assignment for the whole summer.  At the top of our summer edition of the newsletter (attached to this email & accessible through our website) there is a line that says:

WELCOMING   CELEBRATORY    INSPIRIING    ADVENTUROUS    IN MISSION

In the coming months I would like to explore how we can still be all of those things beginning with WELCOMING.  How can we be a welcoming community while we are apart?  How can we be a welcoming community when we gather for worship wearing masks keeping 2 metres apart?  Along with continuing to keep in touch with each other by phone, text, and messaging your task this summer is to come up with ideas and Bible verses & stories on how we can do this.  I am looking forward to hearing your ideas. 

May the peace of Christ bless you all.

Pastor Marilyn

Link for worship this week:   https://youtu.be/LtCygzaoDoc

June 20, 2020

Dear Church Family,

Happy Father’s Day to all you father and father-figures out there.  Being a caring and nurturing man in today’s world is not always easy, thanks for taking the job on.

I am sad to pass on the news that we have had two deaths in our church family this past week: 

  • Jennie Sukut whose family graveside funeral was held on Friday.  To share memories and condolences with her family, please visit www.parkfuneral.ca

  • Paul Freitag – sisters Mary and Monica are with Paul’s mom Meta.  Please keep them in your prayers.

Our wonderful grass cutter and snow remover, Otto Thresher, is unable to continue.  I have really appreciated his work especially in the winter when he takes such great care to make our sidewalks as safe as possible.  He was always very particular on a Sunday morning so that no one slipped coming to church. Church council is looking for someone to take this job on. 

We do have guidelines for returning to worship in the building.  We are going to go slow because there are lots of little boxes that need to be “ticked” so we can do it safely.  We will continue with on-line worship during the summer. We will do some “practice runs” during the summer on a Thursday evening as we record Sunday worship. That will help us get used to a new practice of worship.  The goal is to return to worship in the building in September.  One thing we possibly could do in the meantime is hold a worship service outside for 30.  Please let me know if this is something you would like to do. 

If you have items for the Summer edition of our newsletter, Augustana Previews, please forward them to Bryan Tastad at bryan.tastad@gmail.com by Tuesday June 23.

God bless and keep you well,

Pastor Marilyn

This week’s link to worship:  https://youtu.be/yFSLo4Q4MLg

June 6, 2020

Dear Church Family,

I hope that life is going well for you as the province gradually re-opens.  We are a little like the ground hog on February 2nd sticking our nose out the door to check how things are going. Here are a few notes on life at Augustana.

  • Worship Assistants – it has been good to have worship assistants for our on-line worship the last two weeks.  We will continue to have a worship assistant for our taped services.  If you would like to be a worship assistant, please contact me.  Here comes the standard disclaimer that we are all becoming more familiar with: If you are unwell, have come in contact with someone who has the covid 19 virus, have traveled out of the province or are within the vulnerable sector, please do not volunteer for this job.

  • On-going discussion regarding in-person worship – we are not in a rush to have in-person worship, but we are making preparations for this to happen safely.  We will begin with a non-communion service and then at least two weeks later we will have a communion service and when that has been safely established we will consider how to have a baptism, and so on.  On the advice of Pastor Ali Tote, who is also an epidemiologist, we are taking things step by step and evaluating each step along the way.  These are some of the practices we will adopt.

    • Worship participants will reserve a place prior to the service to ensure that we do not exceed the allowable number of participants.

    • 2 m. physical distancing will be ensured for all participants as they enter, worship and exit.

    • Participants are to wear masks and practice good hand hygiene.

    • The congregation may not sing, but we will have music and we will have a cantor who gives voice to our songs from behind a plexiglass shield.

    • We have developed a way to celebrate communion in keeping with current concerns.

    If all these details seem to be overwhelming, know that they are in place so that our worship participation does not make us vectors of the virus.  The cooperation of the majority of Saskatchewan people has had a positive effect on the spread of the virus in our province.  I believe the measures we take at Augustana will support that. Please let me or a church council member know your concerns and questions.

  • Next Sunday, June 14th, we will worship with Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.  They also have a weekly video service.  The link to that worship will be on our website.  I am going to take that opportunity to take a week of vacation time so I will not have weekly update for you next week.

  • Your “assignment” this week:  Our first lesson this week is the creation story. Take a bit of time every day to notice and appreciate the world around you.  What do you smell, see, hear, feel, taste? The past week has also seen an outpouring of concern for racism in our communities.  It is easy to see and condemn overt acts of racism, but less easy to see how we ourselves are part of a racist society.   I struggle with how we can and should respond as a faith community.  I welcome your thoughts on this.

May God bless and keep you well.

Pastor Marilyn

Our worship link this week:  https://youtu.be/O1YAwwgsTM4

 

May 30, 2020

Dear church family,

Someone once told me that there are two rules to follow in order to be successful: First rule – never tell everything you know …..

But really, I plan to tell you everything I know! And that is a challenge because lately current information changes from week to week.  Phase 3 of the Saskatchewan plan to reopen the province begins next week.  However, Augustana will not gather for worship at 1201 Broadway just yet.  There are a number of practical matters that have to be arranged before we can safely return to worship in our church building.  And even when we do return to worship in our building it will be different. We will still celebrate Word and sacrament, but we will learn to do so according to the needs of our time.  Music will remain part of our worship, but there will not be congregational singing.  Congregational participation will be part of our worship, but will be spoken not sung.  We will sit with appropriate physical distances between households.  Worshipers will likely need to reserve their place at worship so we can ensure that we do not exceed our attendance limit. If we need to, we will have more than one worship service a week.

We will continue to have on-line worship services for the foreseeable future so that those who can not attend services at 1201 Broadway can still worship with us.  Those who are most vulnerable will still need to worship at home. During our time worshiping together/apart our worship attendance has increased significantly, perhaps we need to continue on-line worship on the other side of this pandemic. 

Weekly assignment – because this is the festival of Pentecost I have a different assignment for you this week.  At Pentecost the disciples were given the ability to share the gospel in the language of those around them.  How might we share the gospel in a way that is understood by those around us?  What kind of language would we use?  Probably not “churchy” language. What body language would we use? What “actions that speak louder than words” would we use?  Thank you for your phone calls and messages to one another, I hear that they are appreciated.

For a darkly humorous view of what returning to worship in church buildings might look like check out Pastor Erik Parker in his blog “The Millennial Pastor.”

 (https://millennialpastor.ca/2020/05/26/so-your-church-is-opening-up-after-covid-19-closures-it-wont-be-what-you-are-hoping-for/?fbclid=IwAR0X02l2TIn0RAZ6inEjmxX2pM5YpnBPBJQ0WvWKJdm8ixAC_6CMsVXF7zA

May the Spirit of God blow into your lives,

Pastor Marilyn

Link for worship this week: https://youtu.be/WITGv3RnLnE

On the website this week:  the link to worship and the June newsletter

PS: One thing we need in preparation for returning to worship in our church building is Plexiglass.  If you happen to have an extra sheet of plexiglass in your garage, can we use it?

 

May 23, 2020

Dear Church Family,

Spring has really arrived and some restrictions are being loosened.  Both are welcome and both require some work.  Thank you to Gord Morley and Mik and Jane Bickis for their spring clean-up work in the church yard.  I have outlined some of the work in progress that goes along with loosening restrictions in the province.

  • We now have a Zoom licence. So if you wish to have a meeting please contact me to set it up.

  • Newsletter – please have items for the June newsletter in as soon as possible (bryan.tastad@gmail.com).  It will be available next weekend.

  • Book of remembrances for Georgina Krenn.  Please send in your items for this as soon as possible.  They can be your memory of Georgina and/or your message to her family.

  • Weekly assignment – there are many who feel the isolation more deeply: those who live alone and those who have underlying health concerns that make continued isolation necessary.  Please reach out, by phone call, to one of these folk.

  • Please keep Gabi Lindenbach and family in your prayers.  Gabi’s step-mother died on Mother’s Day.

  • Many of you have pointed out wonderful resources on the internet.  If you are on Facebook please share them with Augustana’s Facebook page.

  • I have been asked if etransfer donations can be made to the church. Yes, they can be made to augustana@sasktel.net.  The church banks through Affinity credit union.

Return to 1201 Broadway – aka the church building

Health Cabinet and Worship committee are working on plans to help us find a safe new normal for our congregation. We will, of course, follow all the Saskatchewan recommendations and regulations. Phase 3 of the relaunch Saskatchewan is set to begin June 8.  At that time it will be possible to have gatherings of 15 people or less (with physical distancing and use of face masks, etc).  We will continue to worship through the internet and deliver printed copies of our worship. 

When the number allowed in the church building reaches 30 we will possibly have one or two services a week in the building while also keeping our taped service on the internet.  We are exploring how to do this safely.  It will likely mean that people will sign up to attend a service in advance.  Our communion practice will be different. Many of our congregation will still need to worship at home. Church services will be offered in more than one way, but we will still be one community.

You will notice that I am using language that is tentative – “likely” and “possibly”.  We are still learning what steps are necessary to keep our community safe and healthy.  We want to act responsibly to ensure that.  

I hope you are able to enjoy the warmth of a springtime sunbeam. God keep you safe and well.

Your sister in Christ,

Pastor Marilyn

This week’s link to worship https://youtu.be/FC9fCdvYuo0

May 16, 2020

Dear Church family,

I hope you are continuing to cope with our ongoing exile from the church building.  It will be a while before we can return to our building for worship and some of you will need to stay away from public gatherings for even longer.  The Health Cabinet and I have begun exploring what we need to do in order to return to 1201 Broadway safely. Our custodian, Tammi Schumacher, has been working diligently to ensure that all surfaces in the church have been disinfected regularly.  I didn’t realize just how many surfaces there are in our church building!

I have a number of announcements to pass on to:

  • The first announcement is a sad one.  Pastor Caron Parke, a member of our church, died this past week.  Please remember her children in your prayers:  Melissa & Mark

  • Book of Remembrance for Georgina – Ken and Margareth Peterson were musing on how to share our grief on the death of Georgina.  Without the possibility of a funeral or memorial service it is difficult to share our remembrances and to entrust Georgina to God’s care.  Out of that musing came the idea of shared remembrances gathered together for our congregation that will be shared with Georgina’s family. I would like to encourage you all to share how you knew Georgina and, if you wish, something you remember about her.  Please also add your thoughts and prayers for her family.  I have also begun contacting the rental groups and people who have come to know Georgina through Augustana. You can send these remembrances to me at this email address.  I am looking for someone who has the word processing ability to make this book look as good as the documents Georgina put together.

  • A number of people offered to deliver groceries or medication to those who could not get out.  It does not seem to have been a great need. However CHEP is looking for volunteer deliverers.  CHEP has taken on huge new responsibilities for food security during this pandemic. They are delivering food packages to many vulnerable people in our city:  Lunch packages to the families of children who normally accessed meals at school; people who relied on food vouchers, and most recently for the home bound elderly.  If you have an SUV or van or truck they need your help.  You can call them for more information 306-655-4575

  • I missed giving you all an “assignment” last week …. But here is your mission, if you accept it,  for the coming week.  Find someone in one of our church directories where you can begin your phone conversation with “You don’t know me, but I’m part of your church family   (give your name).  I’m just calling to ask how you are doing …..”

  • Worship committee meets by zoom Tuesday at 7 pm and Church Council Wednesday also by zoom at 7 pm.

We and other ELCIC churches are worshiping together this Sunday.  Worship is lead by King of Glory.  It is a different format than what we usually have, but this is the format which King of Glory uses to worship together/apart.

Link to King of Glory Service https://saskatoonelcic.com/ (Look for the box titled Augustana/St. Timothy’s Saskatoon Joint Worship. Click on “Bulletin” to see the readings and prayers and click on the right arrow to hear the audio file.

The worship service also be accessed on our website

As a church family we are scattered physically, but as a church family we are also connected by our faith.  One body in many places.

May the peace of Christ bless you,

Pastor Marilyn

May 9, 2020

Dear church family,

My update this week begins with the sad news of a great loss to our church family.  Our administrative assistant, Georgina Krenn, died this past week.  Georgina’s warm and welcoming presence will be missed by all who stopped by or phoned the church office. It was a blessing to have her at Augustana and I am very thankful for the time I had working with her.  It was Georgina’s wish that there be a memorial service at Augustana when it is safe to do so.  I look forward to the time when we can gather and remember the gift we had in Georgina.  Please remember her family in your prayers especially this Mother’s Day.  Please contact me for information on forwarding cards, etc. to the family. 

We will worship with King of Glory next Sunday (May 17th).  I will forward that information on to you next week.

I would like to pass on something that came to me via Faith R.  A bit of humour to share some wisdom:  just what we needed this week.  

A while back I read a story of a visiting pastor who attended a men's breakfast in the middle of a rural farming area of the country. The group had asked an older farmer, decked out in bib overalls, to say grace for the morning breakfast. 

"Lord, I hate buttermilk", the farmer began. The visiting pastor opened one eye to glance at the farmer and wonder where this was going.  The farmer loudly proclaimed, "Lord, I hate lard." Now the pastor was growing concerned.

Without missing a beat, the farmer continued, "And Lord, you know I don't much care for raw white flour". The pastor once again opened an eye to glance around the room and saw that he wasn't the only one to feel uncomfortable.

Then the farmer added, "But Lord, when you mix them all together and bake them, I do love warm fresh biscuits. So Lord, when things come up that we don't like, when life gets hard, when we don't understand what you're saying to us, help us to just relax and wait until you are done mixing. It will probably be even better than biscuits.  Amen."

Within that prayer there is great wisdom for all when it comes to complicated situations like we are experiencing in the world today.

Stay strong, my friends, because our LORD is mixing several things that we don't really care for, but something even better is going to come when God is done with it.  AMEN!

God bless and keep you well!

Pastor Marilyn

Our worship link for this Sunday:  https://youtu.be/d-klby2fF1w  (or follow the link from our website)

PS:  The Canada Lutheran featured an article about parish nursing this issue.  Our own Carol Kostiuk and Gayle Dixon are in the article. It is a pretty good description of what parish nursing is all about: a blessing to Augustana for sure.

PPS:  Due to the weather the church outdoor clean up day has been moved to next Saturday, May 16

May 2, 2020

Dear Church Family,

If you had told me 3 months ago that I would be video conferencing almost everyday … that I would lead worship on youtube … that I would be communicating primarily through technology … I would not have believed you.  I would have said “Oh no, that is just not my thing.”  But here we are and that’s the way life is.  This is a story that has a long history in our faith.  Just think about all the Bible stories where someone says, “I can’t do that” and God replies, “Oh yes you can.”  So -- as we come to 7 weeks of physical distancing and we wonder if we can carry on -- our long story of faith tells us that God will provide us with what we need in order to do what we are called to do.  Think of the 23rd Psalm: “The Lord is my shepherd and will provide ……”

We will be able to worship together in person, but it will not be for a while yet.  And it will not be an immediate return to the familiar. As restrictions are gradually lifted we will be able to meet as a small worshiping group.  I expect, at first, we will still need to provide video worship for those who are not able to attend. 

Have patience, but remember that patience does not mean inaction. Please continue to keep in touch with your church family, especially with the people in our community who are most isolated and vulnerable. 

If you know of people in the hospital, you can send a message to them through the hospital “well wishes” program  (https://forms.saskatoonhealthregion.ca/wellwishes/).  Your message might take longer than usual to arrive, but it will be delivered to their hospital room. We have two people in hospital presently: Jennie Sukut (RUH) and Georgina Krenn (St. Paul’s). Thanks to Eileen Carlson for her detective work in finding out if this program is working during the pandemic (it is).

Our worship link for this week is:  https://youtu.be/GVy6LPXyaF0

May God bless and keep you well.

Pastor Marilyn

PS. There is a beautiful and colourful crop of dandelions next to the church.  I know that they are a weed, but at this time of year they are a welcome weed.  You might not agree with me, but you can come see them on our annual SPRING CLEAN UP day which will be MAY 9 at 10 am.  Our work will be done with 2 metres physical distancing.

April 25, 2020

Dear Church family,

It has been a full month since we have been learning how to deal with our new normal.  We have been discovering new ways of being faithful to our calling as followers of Jesus. Thank you for your support and patience – it has been a steep learning curve for us all.  I am sending a May newsletter on to you so this will be a brief update (the newsletter is also available on our website).

  • Georgina, our wonderful administrative assistant, is on short term disability leave right now.  Please keep her in your prayers.

  • And another prayer request, but one of thanksgiving.  I received a note from Nathan Rhodes telling me that he and Chelsea and daughter Simi have welcomed a new member into their family: Kate Pauline.  Nathan, Chelsea and family moved to Regina last August for a new job for Nathan. They are all well and healthy.

  • Your assignment should you accept it (that sounds a bit like mission impossible, but it is really mission possible): I notice that people often sit in the same place on a Sunday morning and these are the first people they share the peace with.  Please phone or message those people.  If you don’t have a special pew, please pick someone to phone or message.

  • I would like to have a Facebook video call with the children in the congregation on Wednesday morning.  Parents, please let me know if this is possible.

God bless and keep you well,

Pastor Marilyn

You can go to our website for this Sunday’s worship or you can follow this link:  https://youtu.be/PLip1SBCBso

April 18, 2020

Dear Church Family:

This week as we gather for worship in our own homes we travel back in time to the first Easter evening and join Jesus followers behind locked doors.   There is a similarity to ourselves as we also live in unsettling times. 

We gather for worship this Sunday with the other ELCIC congregations in Saskatoon.  Resurrection will lead us all in worship.  The link for worship this Sunday is at the bottom of this email and the bulletin is attached. 

As a church family we are trying to regain some of our regular routine. 

  • Church council meets by “zoom” and other church groups are also looking into that possibility.  If you wish to hold a meeting by zoom, please contact me.

  • We will have a May newsletter next Sunday.  If you have items for the newsletter please forward them to Bryan Tastad (bryan.tastad@gmail.com).  Since we have not had a children’s time or Sunday school during our time away from the building there will be a children’s page as part of the newsletter.  And on that note I noticed that our national bishop Pastor Susan Johnson has prepared a children’s message (https://youtu.be/36wHnNKHzgA ) for this Sunday.

I have been giving you all “assignments” to help us maintain our relationships with one another and I thank you for your efforts to do them.  I have heard many expressions of appreciation for your phone calls and emails to one another. My new “assignment” to you is to contact someone who from another generation i.e. someone about 20 years older or younger than yourself. 

I will continue to keep you all in my prayers and thoughts.

your sister in Christ,

Pastor Marilyn

Worship link:  https://web.tresorit.com/l#uZrO75bvDZaDIZcc2PrSUw

April 11, 2020

Dear Church Family

We greet Easter in a similar way as those first followers of Jesus:  from behind closed doors.  And those closed doors were not a barrier to the joy of the resurrection then nor are they now.

On Maundy Thursday, before we sat down to eat our supper, I washed Greg’s hands and he washed mine.  I was thankful to have him with me, but I was also reminded of those who live alone.  Please reach out this weekend to someone who lives alone, so that they know they are not alone. 

  • Our Easter Worship Service is attached to this email and the YouTube link is below and on our website

  • One way for our church community to carry on with its regular activity is to continue to put together a newsletter.  Admittedly, the calendar will not have much on it, but it will tell us who we are worshipping with on a Sunday. And since we do not have Sunday school right now, I plan to put together a children’s page and we will also have news from church council and our prayer concerns.  

  • We have a new slate of church council executives:  Chair – Dawn Ingram; Vice-Chair – Mik Bickis; Secretary – Katie Ottley; Treasurer – Larry Trenouth.  God grant them and all of church council wisdom in the year ahead!

Knowing that God’s presence in our lives is assured, I pray that you will have a blessed Easter.

Pastor Marilyn

Easter worship link:  https://youtu.be/jYo84-mwM8M

Ps. Craft alert:  The pictures attached show you how to make your own Easter lily and here is a link to the meaning of the Easter lily.  https://www.dgreetings.com/easter/easter-lily-history.html

Rev. Marilyn Fowlie-Neufeld

Augustana Lutheran Church  www.augustanasaskatoon.net

1201 Broadway Ave. Saskatoon  S7H 2A4

306-242-9553

306-250-6172 (cell)

April 8, 2020

Dear Church family,

“This is the lentiest Lent ever” – I read this on Facebook and it certainly seems to be the case this year. And this is a different Holy Week also. There are so many things about Holy Week that are not translatable to a video or audio worship service: no palms branches to wave (except for the Lindenbachs who made their own palm branches), no foot or hand washing, no shared meal on Maundy Thursday with all taking part in stripping the church in preparation for Good Friday. Most of our senses are shut off from Holy Week this year. BUT the most important part of Holy Week is available for us: to hear again our story of faith. And we are able to reflect on what does this mean in our lives, how does this effect us as followers of Jesus?

There are a number of ways for that to happen.

  • With this email is the link and text for Augustana’s Good Friday Tenebrae Service. https://youtu.be/Dary-bTlgkc

  • Bishop Sid is providing a set of Meditations: The Story of Our Lives—a Journey into Holy Week https://www.sasksynod.ca/media/holy-week-2020/

  • Greg and I have also been listening to and reflecting on Pastor Ali’s devotional services every evening this week. http://www.resurrectionlutheranchurch.ca/

  • Pastor Mark Kleiner of Christ Anglican has also been posting daily services on the church’s Facebook through Holy Week

  • We can do a hand or foot washing in your own homes on Maundy Thursday.

And even more importantly we can remember our mandate from Jesus: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

Thank you for all your support and encouragement to me and to each other. Our photo gallery on our website is growing. Send me your photo of you at worship (or doing what you do during a pandemic) and we will post it on our gallery.

I keep you in my thoughts and prayers,

Pastor Marilyn

April 3, 2020

Dear Church Family,

I write this update from my temporary office: my dining room table.  It feels strange to do my work, zoom meetings, and phone calls from here, but “strangeness” is the new normal.  With the current threat to our community’s health and well-being I feel that I should be out there doing something …. anything.  But what you and I are asked to do is:  nothing.  It would almost be easier to have something concrete to do. But staying home is what is most needed.  So we try to stay home patiently.

Patience does not mean inaction.  Patience asks us to look for what we can do as we live with physical distancing.  Keeping in touch by phone or electronic means is one way to safely stay close and care for others. And our faith tells us that closed and even locked doors are no barrier to God’s presence in our lives and homes. 

Holy week will be different this year. As we reflect on Jesus’ journey through suffering and death we also hold in our prayers the many who are journeying through suffering and death here in Saskatchewan and around the world.  We begin Holy Week with worship this Sunday.  If you are able, please take time to worship at our regular worship time.  In this way we are gathered together even when we are physically apart.  Good Friday will be shared with other Lutheran congregations in the city and that link will be provided next week.  Bishop Sid will also be hosting a short evening service from Holy Wednesday through to Holy Saturday.  I will make that link available as well.

May the peace of Christ be with you,

Pastor Marilyn

Link to Palm or Passion Sunday:  https://youtu.be/I3PZjUgr3rY

  • Please continue to contact people through the church directory

  • Send a picture of yourself at worship in your home or post a selfie on facebook (If you send your picture on to me I will take that as permission to post it on our website)

Rev. Marilyn Fowlie-Neufeld

Augustana Lutheran Church www.augustanasaskatoon.net

1201 Broadway Ave. Saskatoon S7H 2A4

306-242-9553

306-250-6172 (cell)

March 28, 2020

Dear church family,

I continue to hold you all in my heart and prayers.  These are different times we are living in:  challenging & difficult to say the least.  I and my husband, Greg, are mostly working from home.  I am available by phone, text, and email.  Please contact me, especially if you are finding it difficult to cope (which is very understandable given our present circumstances) or if you need a safe person to debrief with.  I do go in to the church building a number of times during the week to check the mail and phone messages.   

As I gather my thoughts to share there are three things that I want to share with you:

Church without walls

We are learning how to be a church community outside of our church building.  THANK YOU for being a caring community.  I continue to hear how you are keeping in touch with one another.  We do have to keep our physical distance from one another, but we also need to know that we are not isolated.  You are not alone. I do have some suggestions to help us know that we are still a church community outside the church walls.

  • Last week I asked you to contact the 2 people ahead and behind you in your church directory.  This week I am asking you to move 2 up and 2 down from your name and contact those people.  Don’t feel you are limited to only those people.  And if you have an old directory – great – use it.

  • Many people worshipped together at 10:30 last Sunday.  Let’s worship together again this week as well.  Don’t feel you are limited to that time only.

  • Greg and I took a selfie of ourselves at worship last week (I think it is on the website).  Take a selfie of your household at worship this week and post it on facebook or send it to me and I will forward it on to our website (I will assume if you forward it on to me that you have given me permission to post it).  This will give us a partial picture of our church at worship.

  • Many people have asked me about how to get their offering to the church.  Presently, you can mail your offering in or you can put it in the mail slot at the church’s front door.  There is someone at the church regularly to deal with mail.  PAR is available as well.  Church council is also working on other options.   

  • I have a list of people who are able to deliver groceries or medicine to your door.  If you are needing this service, please contact me.

Sunday Worship

We have been invited to worship with Redeemer Lutheran this Sunday. 

Link for worship at Redeemer:   http://www.redeemersaskatoon.ca/uploads/sermons/2020-03-29-Redeemer%20Lutheran-Web%20Service.mp3

The Saskatoon pastors are going to share worship services.  One service we will join another Saskatoon church at worship and the following service will be with our home congregation. Next Sunday we will worship “at home” with our Augustana church family.

Prayers for healing

This morning I woke to the news that 55 Canadians and over 28,000 around the world have died from the covid 19 virus.  As Jesus wept for his beloved friend Lazarus, we also weep for them. And we pray for their friends and family as they grieve. This Sunday was originally going to be a healing service at Augustana and  I feel it is important that we not cancel our prayers for healing.  This service will continue to be available on our website.

Link to Prayers for Healing (Augustana) -  https://youtu.be/M12pEw2-H40

May the peace of Christ bless you!

Pastor Marilyn

March 17, 2020

Dear Church family:

I hope you are coping well with this unprecedented situation. I want to keep you updated on what is happening in our church community. I received a letter from ELCIC bishops last night which directed all ELCIC congregation to cancel all worship services and gatherings immediately. We will do that, but this does not mean that we quit being a church community or that we quit caring for each other in the safest way possible. Here are some of the ways that we will continue to care for each other:

  • Pastor Marilyn is available by phone (numbers below). A phone visit is a good way to talk during this time. I plan to spend my day doing phone visits beginning with the people who are isolated or home bound.

  • The church’s phone message will be updated as changes occur.

  • The website will have worship, pastoral care information, and information from parish nurse Carol. If you do not have access to the website please let me know and I will continue to email out updates and resources.

  • Parish nurse Carol will not be making home visits, but she is still available for phone consults. You can leave a message for her and she will call you back (306-291-2586).

  • There are folk who are able to deliver groceries to people who are isolated. If you are isolated and need someone to drop off groceries, please contact me. If you are able to be one of the people who can make a delivery, please let me know.

Please keep in touch with your church family. A phone call to someone you know is a good way to care for them and may make them feel less isolated. May the God who chose to walk with us be with you now!

Pastor Marilyn Fowlie-Neufeld

Phone: 306-242-9553 (office); 306-250-6172 (cell)