British Columbia Synod

Forty years ago, Lutherans across Canada stepped into a new adventure together as we became the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. In British Columbia, our first Synod Convention gathered under the theme: One in Mission. Looking back, it is hard to imagine a more fitting theme.

For 40 years, congregations, leaders and members across this vast province have been discovering what it means to be one church, sometimes in seasons of growth and celebration, sometimes in moments of uncertainty and change, but always seeking to follow where God’s Spirit is leading. The BC Synod of today looks very different than it did in 1986.

Some congregations have grown, others have merged, new ministries have been planted and long-established congregations have reimagined themselves for a changing world. Some communities have made the difficult decision to sell beloved buildings so that ministry could continue in new ways. Others have discovered fresh possibilities through shared leadership, partnerships and creative models of ministry.

Throughout these decades, we have wrestled with important theological questions, sought to become more inclusive and welcoming communities and worked intentionally to create space for voices that were not always heard. We have learned that faithfulness is not about preserving the church exactly as it was, but about continually discerning how God is calling us to be church in this time and place. Time and again, we have found ourselves travelling “by paths as yet untrodden,” trusting that God’s hand was leading us even when the destination was not yet clear.

That journey has been guided by generations of leaders and members, and by five bishops: Rev. Marlin Aadland, Rev. Ray Schultz, Rev. Gerhard Preibisch, Rev. Greg Mohr, and Rev. Kathy Martin. Each served during different seasons of the church’s life, helping us navigate changing contexts while remaining rooted in the gospel. Along the way, certain themes have surfaced, again and again; discipleship, mission, renewal and hope.

Convention themes such as Being and Making Disciples, Disciples in Mission, Mission at the Edge, and In Mission for Others —Signs of Hope reflected our synod continually asking: How is God calling us to serve our neighbours? How can we share God’s love in a changing world?

Those questions led congregations to experiment, collaborate and imagine new possibilities.

In 2010, for example, Augustana Lutheran and Christ Lutheran in Vancouver came together to form Spirit of Life Lutheran Church. Rather than focusing only on preserving existing structures, members chose to use their resources to create something new. The tiny Matsqui (Village) Lutheran Church, once at risk, has found new life and resilience. Shepherd of Valley, Comox, meets in the community centre, shifting worship to reflect the needs of those gathering. Lord of Life, Sandspit, continues its ministry as a community mission church creatively welcoming pastoral leadership to visit and lead worship. These stories are powerful examples of a church willing to work together and take risks for the sake of God’s mission.

Over the years, congregations and leaders across the synod have engaged in renewal conversations, missional learning, and community discernment. We learned that renewal is not a program.
It is a way of listening…to God, to our neighbours, and to one another.

Then came COVID-19. Like churches everywhere, we faced disruption unlike anything we had experienced before. Yet amid the uncertainty, three words continued to guide our life together: Connection. Collaboration. Communication. At a time when isolation seemed inevitable, we discovered anew that the Body of Christ is not confined to a building, a gathering, or a particular moment in time.

Congregations learned new ways to gather. Leaders met online for worship, study, encouragement and resource sharing. Distances that once felt significant suddenly seemed smaller. We discovered that community could extend beyond geography and that the relationships connecting us across the province were stronger than we realized.

Those practices continue today. Increasingly, we are learning to see ourselves not only as members of a particular congregation, but perhaps equally as simply ELCIC Lutherans serving and living in the BC Synod.  The challenges facing congregations are rarely unique. Whether we are discerning our future, navigating leadership transitions, developing new ministries, or seeking ways to engage those newer to faith, we are stronger when we learn from one another.

That spirit was evident this past June when lay and rostered leaders gathered for We Are One Body 2. Together we reflected on where God has brought us and where God might be leading next. We celebrated initiatives that have flourished, learned from experiments that didn’t unfold as expected, and imagined new possibilities for ministry. In the words of a prayer written for the event, “Through conversations, worship, laughter and wonder, we found companions for the journey once again. Old friendships deepened, new relationships were formed, and together we imagined possibilities we could never have discovered alone.”¹

The following weekend, that same spirit extended across the border as members of the BC Synod and the Northwest Washington Synod gathered for a shared picnic. Around tables filled with convesation and laughter, participants reflectedon questions both simple and profound:  What is one thing you love about your country? What is one thing you wish was different about your country? What is one thing you love about your church/ministry? What is one thing you wish our churches (even across borders) could do together?

The conversations reminded us that while contexts differ, many of our hopes are shared. We long for communities that are welcoming, faithful, courageous, deeply connected and committed to living God’s gospel of love and justice in the world.

Perhaps that is one of the important things we have been learning in these 40 years. The future of the church will not be built by isolated congregations working alone. It will be shaped by communities willing to listen, collaborate, experiment and support one another. It will be shaped by leaders who share wisdom/history and by other leaders who bring new gifts and perspectives. It will be shaped by people who trust that God’s Spirit is present, active and leading us out into our neighbourhoods and into the future.

As we celebrate 40 years of the ELCIC and the BC Synod, we give thanks not only for where we have been, but for how God continues to lead us in this great adventure in Christ as we live out God’s grace and unconditional love. We do not know exactly what the next 40 years will bring. New challenges will emerge, new opportunities will appear, and new leaders will step forward.

Yet we move forward with courage and hope, trusting that God’s Spirit is already at work where we cannot yet see the way. Bound together by grace, connected through relationships, and called into God’s mission, we continue the journey….

Thanks be to God!—Bishop Kathy Martin and Rachel Genge

¹ Excerpt from a prayer written by Assistant to the Bishop Rev. Aneeta Saroop.