Heartbeat for God . . . Passion For People

Approximately 100 delegates gathered at Good Shepherd Moravian Church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, from April 23-25, 2004, for the Canadian District Synod of the Northern Province. There are eight Moravian congregations in Alberta that make up the Canadian District*. They are:
Bruderheim Moravian, Bruderheim
Christ Moravian, Calgary
Good Shepherd Moravian, Calgary
Edmonton Moravian, Edmonton
Millwoods Moravian, Edmonton
Rio Terrace Moravian, Edmonton
Good News Moravian, Sherwood Park
Heimtal Moravian, South Edmonton

The Moravian Church in Canada began in 1895 at Bruderheim and Bruderfeld (now Millwoods) in Edmonton. The first Moravian Church in Calgary was started in 1902. The Canadian District, along with the Eastern and Western District, form the Northern Province of the Moravian Church in North America.

A synod is an assembly of church delegates, including clergy and lay people, who are called together every four years for discussion, decision, and policy-making regarding church matters. Each church of the Canadian District was represented by their pastor and anywhere from five to eight delegates based on their total communicant members.

The theme for the synod was “Heartbeat for God. . . Passion For People.” The Rev. Dr. Carol Vogler served as the worship leader for the event.

Opening worship on Friday, April 23, focused the delegates on the idea of gathering together from the well of community. Each pastor brought with them a sample of water from a source best representing the life of their church. Water was also brought in from visitors from farther away including Toronto, California, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Germany, to name a few. Each person presented their water to the delegates telling why they had chosen the source they did Some of the water came from baptismal fonts, community streams, the lake at Camp Van-Es, a family farm, and even out of the faucet of a fellowship kitchen. As each story was told, the water was poured into a fountain. Wonderful stories emerged of congregations full of life and love and passion. When all of the water was entered into the fountain, the Rev. Dr. Vogler turned on the fountain, mixing together the waters of the gathering community, creating a sound of peaceful running water. Along with the sound of the water were these words in musical response from the hymn, Water Has Held Us, from the synod floor, “Water has held us, moved by creation. Out of dark chaos, broke forth the light. Up from the deluge, showing God’s promise, has come a rainbow, gladdening sight.” The Rt. Rev. Percival Henkleman then lit a candle in remembrance of all those who have passed on since the last Synod and displayed a flame of hope for the future. Both the fountain and the candle were constant reminders during the days of Synod of focus for work.

The guest speaker for all of the services of Synod was the Rev. Dr. Hans-Beat Motel, who is the former President of the European Continental Province and also the former Chair of the Unity Board. His messages brought clarity to the time of working together for the future of the Moravian Church in Canada.

Following the opening worship, roll was taken and the official business of the Synod began. The Rev. David Wickmann, who served as Chair for the event, led the Synod. Graham Kerslake served as Vice Chair and the Rev. Larry Christianson was Parliamentarian.

Graham Kerslake, outgoing President of Canadian District, delivered the State of the Church Address focusing on the journey of the Moravian Church in Canada. He said to remember the past but to focus on the future, of where the church is going on its journey in the upcoming four years. He also thanked the churches and their pastors for the experience of being District President and for honoring his decision to step down from the position to allow a new leader to take the Canadian District into the future.

The first action of Synod was to grant youth delegates under the age of 18 full vote and voice on all things except financial matters. The unanimous support of the Synod vote to allow the youth delegates, six in total, to have voice and vote set the stage for the upcoming days. Immediately following this action, the Synod was asked to vote for their new District President. The position of Canadian District President, along with a Board of Elders - comprised of elected lay and clergy, has supervisory responsibility for the congregations and clergy of the District, works with congregations in calling pastors, addressing conflict, managing finances, and determining budgets for the various ministries that congregations do together. The Board of Elders and the President are concerned with everything from conflict management to evangelism. In order to be elected as Canadian District President, a person can be officially nominated by a nominating committee or can be elected by free vote through delegates submitting write-in votes. In the Canadian District, this position can be held by either a clergy or lay person. A two-thirds majority vote is required for election. On the first ballot, the Rev. Stephen A. Gohdes, received 56 out of 79 legally cast votes, electing him to the position.

Upon being elected, Gohdes stated, “The Moravian Church has been a community of people of service, inclusion, initiative, kindness, hope, and peace in the name of Christ. I am awed and humbled to serve a church with a rich mission past and a new commitment to serve the needs of the world in relevant and creative ways. I am excited to be part of a vibrant team amidst the District Board and our vital Moravian Churches of Alberta.”

Graham Kerslake, outgoing Canadian District President, stated, “Steve is an exceptional choice to represent the Moravian Church in Canada. He is well known from serving congregations, both at Edmonton and Calgary, in a variety of ways throughout his pastoral career. He serves as a mentor to many and the journey for the Moravian Canadian Church under his leadership will be an exciting one over the next four years.”

Other elections held throughout the days of Synod included electing five members to the Board of Elders of the Canadian District and one Board of World Mission Representative who then also serves on the Board of Elders. The following persons were elected to these positions: The Rev. Dr. Carol Vogler, Edmonton; Michael Melle, Sherwood Park; Sally Dunn, Edmonton; Ryerson Christie, Edmonton; Bernard Amiot, Calgary, and Alice Sears, Edmonton, (Board of World Mission representative). Brother Freeman Taylor was elected to the position of Chair of the Camp Van-Es Board.

Committee sessions were held daily to complete the work of Synod. Delegates were assigned to one of seven committees to bring legislative action to the floor. Those committees included: Church in a Changing World; Church Government; New Church Strategies – Evangelism and New Church Development; Stewardship and Finance; World Mission; Camp Van-Es; and Youth, Christian Education, and Programming. The sessions were times of discussion, which may or may not have resulted in memorials that needed to be passed by the Synod floor. Friday evening and Saturday proved how busy the committees had been when many memorials were brought to the floor for Synod approval. Some passed quickly while others generated useful and informative discussion from many different perspectives. In this way, Synod fulfills its intention by encouraging a community of discussion and understanding.

Throughout the business of Synod, several guests from the Province and other agencies of the Canadian Moravian Community brought greetings and took some time to inform the group about the work they are doing. Display booths by various agencies of the church were presented in the fellowship hall for free times and breaks. Some of the more memorable light moments of the event included reports on the latest hockey scores, light hearted and laugh-filled fellowship at mealtimes in the new fellowship hall of Good Shepherd, and the honorary “White Hat” ceremony for esteemed visitors of Calgary was bestowed upon Hans Beat-Motel by Alderman Bob Hawkesworth, a member of Good Shepherd Moravian. The White Hat Ceremony was conducted on behalf of the city of Calgary. (As an Alderman, Bob is elected to city council along with 14 other Alderman and a Mayor.)

The work of Synod ended on Sunday morning, the 25th. At the conclusion of business, the delegates were asked to join Good Shepherd Moravian Church in A Celebration of Community and Sacrament worship service. The full sanctuary was treated to A Liturgy Celebrating the Church of Jesus Christ written by Ann Weems. The meaning of the liturgy was enhanced by the alternating single voices of the pastors of the eight churches in between the responses of the entire congregation.

For those attending church who did not attend the Synod, the water theme was explained through the Children’s Chat, where the Rev. Dr. Carol Vogler explained to the children the meaning of the running fountain. She then asked the children to add their own water to the fountain, a representation of the youth and the future of the church community coming together to flow completely.

The service included an installation of the newly elected Board of Elders, Canadian District by the Rev. David Wickmann, President, Provincial Elders’ Conference, Northern Province. The Rev. Wickmann recounted the story of the washing of the disciples’ feet and the importance of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ through their work in the communities in which they live. The Rev. Wickmann then went to the fountain that represented a gathering community, and in silence dampened a rag to wash the feet of the new members of the Board of Elders expressing the importance of their work in the name of Jesus Christ. This moving display was followed by a responsive installation that included the newly elected members, the synod delegates, and the congregation.

The service was filled with music expressing love and partnership, unity and thanksgiving. The combined choirs of Christ Moravian and Good Shepherd Moravian, the two Calgary churches, showed how the voices of two separate church communities could be combined for even greater beauty and power. After a message by the Rev. Dr. Hans-Beat Motel, the service concluded with Holy Communion. The Rev. Dr. Hans-Beat Motel, the Rt. Rev. Percival Henkelman, the Rev. Basil Coward, and the Rev. Dr. Carol Vogler served the communion elements.

The 2004 Canadian District was a time of fellowship, strengthening of relationships, and bringing together a District that is not measured in size but in strength. It was a passion-filled event expressing a heartbeat for God and a passion for people.

*Editor’s note: The New Dawn Moravian Church in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is considered part of the Eastern District of the Northern Province due to its closer geographic proximity to the Eastern District than the Canadian District. The Rev. John Daniels of Toronto, was present at the Canadian District Synod as a guest of Synod and was granted voice and vote by the Synod delegates.

Deanna L. Hollenbach, serves as Director of Communication of the Moravian Church in North America. Photos of the Synod provided by Deanna Hollenbach and Travis Kerslake, member of Good Shepherd Moravian, Calgary, Alberta.