Celebrating French Ministry

Brazilian Lutheran Immigration Update: Bem-vindos ao Canada!

MONTREAL – For decades, lay people and pastors from Brazil have been a part of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC), participating in church life at both the congregational and synodical levels. Several pastors from Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil (IELB) have served congregations in Canada.

Over the past three years, the number of Brazilian Lutherans coming to Canada has increased. De l’Ascension in Montreal, for example, has had regular attendance by Brazilian students since the 1990s. In 2017, however, de l’Ascension began to see more young families from Brazil coming not just as students but as immigrants.

The Brazilian Lutheran immigration to Canada continues to be a fruitful and appreciated part of the growing diversity in our congregations, most notably in Quebec and in Saskatchewan. This development has prompted conversation  on the use of Lutheran Hour materials from Brazil for the burgeoning Brazilian presence in Canada.

A Baker’s Dozen (12 + 1) for 2019

MONTREAL – In the twelfth month of 2019, the twelfth new Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) member was received at Église de l’Ascension in Montreal. Among the twelve, de l’Ascension celebrated two baptisms, six transfers, and four professions of faith. The thirteenth, a communicant member, was added from within the baptized memberships. Rev. Dr. David Somers, who serves as Missionary at Large for LCC’s French ministries in the province of Quebec, reports that another Brazilian Lutheran family has arrived in this new year. 

French accent on the What About …? series

FRENCH MINISTRY RESOURCES – A partnership between The Lutheran Hour – Canada and LCC French ministries is producing a French version of the “What About” articles concerning the Small Catechism. The translation uses the new Small Catechism text from Église évangélique luthérienne – France as well as hymns from the French hymnal Liturgie et cantiques luthériens. Some of these texts were written especially for the LCC hymnal, including the winning Baptismal hymn in LCC’s REFO 500 French hymn contest.

YouTube Hymn Project, With One Voice

FRENCH MINISTRY RESOURCES – A commonly-known, broad-based hymnody is yet to be established for the francophone LCC faithful. While the hymns are certainly easily accessible in LCC’s Liturgie et cantiques luthériens (LCL), many melodies remain unknown to many members. To familiarize worshippers with the tunes, a list matching LCL hymns with YouTube videos is being prepared by several volunteers and will be posted on the LCC French-language website (egliselutherienne.org). For an example of this work, search “Nous t’amenons cet enfant LCL 495” on YouTube.

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Rev. Dr. David Somers serves as Missionary at Large for Lutheran Church–Canada’s French ministries in the province of Quebec.

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