Bishop’s Office Message for April 2006

Dear Partners in Ministry,

As we journey through Lent toward the tomb of Good Friday, it might be helpful for us to reflect upon those things in our lives that act like tombs, robbing us of joy, fellowship, relationships with God and with one another: depression, addictions, chronic illness in our own life or the

life of a loved one, the death of a loved one, broken relationships of all kinds, bankruptcy, unemployment or underemployment, poverty, homelessness - the list could go on and on. Any of these things can leave us wounded and wondering where God is in all of this.

The wonderful thing about such reflections is that we do not come to them only from the perspective of Lent, still walking toward that tomb. We know how the story ends, that Christ rose from the tomb on Easter morning, shattering its stranglehold forever. Just as Christ has defeated the power of death, so Christ works in our lives to defeat the power of anything

which acts like a tomb. The tombs are still very real, and Christians are not spared the pain of grief when a loved one dies, but we do not grieve as those who have no hope. May the sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life in Christ Jesus sustain and encourage you as you face the tomb-like experiences in your life, now in this season of Lent, and always.

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

+Stephen P. Kristenson, Bishop

Synod of Alberta and the Territories

Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada

10014 - 81 Ave.

Edmonton, AB T6E 1W8

Phone 780-439-2636 Fax 780-433-6623

Email: SKristenson@elcic.ca

http://www.albertasynod.ca