Life Sunday 2014

CANADA – While much of the Canadian landscape is frozen, snow-covered, and seemingly lifeless at this time of year, in our churches we remember how sacred human life is from conception to final breath. Sanctity of Life Sunday—also known as Life Sunday—will be held January 19 this year.

At its 2011 convention, Lutheran Church—Canada voted to observe Life Sunday each year on the second Sunday after Epiphany. This year, Lutherans for Life is using L.I.F.E. (Living In Faith Everyday) as its theme. Congregations are encouraged to observe the day with an emphasis in their services on defending those whose lives are vulnerable, including the unborn, chronically ill, and the elderly. Sanctity of Life Sunday comes at a particularly disturbing time this year as so-called “right to die” legislation is before the Quebec National Assembly which would make physician-assisted suicide legal for terminally ill patients in that province.

“We at Lutherans for Life-Canada (LFLC) want to encourage all Lutherans to think about the sanctity of human life,” said LFLC President Cliff Pyle, “and remember to pray for peace and healing for all those affected by abortion.” In October 2013, Lutherans for Life-Canada was part of the Life Canada conference, held in Charlottetown. In Prince Edward Island, surgical abortions are not provided, but are paid for by the public health care system if patients are referred to public hospitals outside the province.

In 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada nullified the law banning abortion in Canada. Attempts by the federal government to pass a new law were unsuccessful, which has resulted in Canada being one of the few countries with no law either banning or limiting abortion procedures.

Congregations observing Sanctity of Life Sunday may wish to include the following prayer during their worship:

O Lord God, be with us this day as we observe Sanctity of Life Sunday in our country. You once fashioned our first father Adam from the dust of the earth and breathed life into Him. So too you continue to breathe the breath of life into all people at the moment of conception. Help us to affirm and publicly defend the value of all your children, especially those who are most vulnerable: the unborn, the chronically ill, and the elderly. Guide our leaders as they consider laws regarding euthanasia and abortion, and turn the hearts of Canadians to recognize the sanctity of all human life. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

For more information and resources, visit the website of Lutherans for Life-Canada at www.lutheransforlife-Canada.ca or its American counterpart at www.lutheransforlife.org.

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