Lutherans for Life Canada holds Annual General Meeting

Rev. Ken Maher speaks during LFLC’s 2023 AGM.

TILLSONBURG, Ontario – Lutherans for Life – Canada (LFL-C) held its Annual General Meeting on November 18 at Peace Lutheran Church in Tillsonburg, Ontario, with those who could not be present in person invited to attend online.

The day began with worship, followed by a presentation by this year’s guest speaker, Rev. Ken Maher of Christ our Hope Lutheran Church (Collingwood, Ontario). Rev. Maher spoke on the subject of “Dignity and Compassion: Hospice Care vs Euthanasia.”

“Hospice recognizes that the dying process is not a failure of the medical system, but is a part of the normal process of living,” Rev. Maher explained to the gathering. “It focuses, therefore, on enhancing the quality of remaining life…. At the end of life, care is emphasized over cure, and being a servant over being a saviour.”

“A well-rounded approach” to hospice, Rev. Maher continued, must focus on “comfort, spirituality, relationships, and personal development right up until the final moments. It isn’t about a proper death but a meaningful life.”

In Quebec, Rev. Maher noted, euthanasia has already reached seven percent of all deaths—“the highest in the world.”

Rev. Maher went on to outline the current state of euthanasia in Canada, noting how governments are increasingly pushing hospices to allow the practice on their premises—in one instance in B.C., for example, terminating the lease of one hospice in order to take over and enforce the change. And the expansion of euthanasia continues to accelerate in Canada. In Quebec, Rev. Maher noted, euthanasia has already reached seven percent of all deaths—“the highest in the world.”

As his talk continued, Rev. Maher contrasted Christian ethics surrounding death and dying with euthanasia. “Death is not a friend to be embraced,” he explained of the Christian position. “It is the final enemy. But death is also not something to run from, for it is defeated. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!” That knowledge gives Christians an opportunity to care for the dying with compassion. Euthanasia, by contrast, may be expedient but it hurts the most vulnerable in society, and erodes trust between people and their families, government, and healthcare workers.

Rev. Maher’s full presentation is available to watch online.

The business meeting followed lunch, during which time participants heard reports, planned for the future, and filled positions on the board which had come to term. Judy Obelnycki, Alan Schmitt, and Ian Stewart were all acclaimed to serve another three-year term as directors on LFL-C’s board.

Lutherans for Life Canada is a listed service organization of Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC).

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