LWMLC ABC District holds convention

LWMLC Board of Directors

RED DEER, Alta. – The 33^rd LWMLC ABC District Convention was held at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Red Deer from June 2-4, 2022, with 76 ladies attending in person and 24 attending virtually. 

For three days, Mount Calvary buzzed with laughter, chatter, hugs, and electrifying voices as singing led by Martha Feculak was interspersed throughout the sessions.

Rev. Dr. James Gimbel reminded attendees in his sermon for the opening worship service that when Christians are clothed with Christ in their hearts, outward appearances are irrelevant to our purpose here on earth. More than 130 people attended the service, in which eight pastors participated.

Opening Worship Service pastors in attendance

The Bible studies, “One in Him,” led by Rev. Jonathon Kraemer, LWMLC ABC District Pastoral Counsellor, were encouraging, uplifting, and comforting. The group was privileged to receive in-person greetings from Rev. Robert Mohns, West Regional Pastor; Linda Long, LWMLC President; Lisa Jackson, Managing Director for Lutheran Laymen’s League and Lutheran Hour Ministries; and Dr. Gimbel, President of Concordia Lutheran Seminary.

The conference featured informative and heart-wrenching presentations from guest speakers Mark Jones, Chief Executive Officer of The Central Alberta Childs Advocacy Centre (the convention’s Walk or Sit and Be Fit mission pledges recipient); Rhonda Kelman, Executive Director of BC Mission Boat Society; Rev. Dr. Stephen Chambers on his archaeological work in Hippos, Israel; and Silvio Resta, Coordinator of the Scripture and garment ingathering for rural schools in the Red Deer area; and a video from The Rock.

As this was the last LWMLC ABC District Convention, there were memorabilia items on display for attendees to reminisce over, as well as fact-finding information and quizzes to complete for the history buffs.

At the Saturday night banquet, the past presidents of the district for the past seventy-one years were honoured. Of the seventeen presidents, nine are still with us; eight attended the convention in person, and one virtually. 

Brooke Nicholls, Keynote Speaker

The group enjoyed beautiful music by harpist Janet Lutz, following which the keynote speaker, worship leader, and songwriter Brooke Nicholls, shared her faith and beautiful singing voice.

LWMLC Districts now elect just one position—Vice President Administration—and Sherley Hearty was elected to fill this role.

LWMLC Past presidents

The delegates voted in mission grant projects in the amount of $60,000, in support of initiatives such as: BC Mission Boat Society; LCC Vancouver, B.C. Youth Worker, Samantha Neeb; Bethel Lutheran Sports Ministry for Sherwood Park and surrounding area; and the Concordia Lutheran School, Penticton, B.C., tuition aid fund.

Convention offerings meanwhile will go to: LWMLC, Inc. Mites ($3,820.30); The Rock ($1,940.10); and BC Mission Boat Society ($2,075). Proceeds from the Mission Walk & Sit & Be Fit will go to Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre ($5,829.50).

The ingathering for the Scripture and garments program at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church brought in $985, plus clothing items for the children.    

———————      

Karen Hildebrandt

Print this article