The Eastern, Central, Western and Pacific North regions will be holding their conventions in the coming months. Click for more information about these conventions.

The Church of the Lutheran Brethren of Canada (CLBC) held its annual convention in Edmonton, Alberta on the weekend of March 18-20, 2011. Unlike the other four regions, which will have biennial conventions under our new CLB structure, the CLBC will continue to have annual meetings to fulfill government requirements. Under the theme, Bound Together by the Word, the wonderful weekend of inspiration, fellowship, food and business was held in two different locations—the Beaumont Community Centre in Beaumont near Edmonton, and the Burnewood Community Hall in south Edmonton—facilities where our congregations have been and are meeting.

Our opening worship service was led by Pastor Roger Olson and a Worship Team from Resurrection (Camrose). Our CLBC Regional Pastor, Art Hundeby, brought the message “Doing Church as a Team.” Saturday morning worship was led by Pastor Brian Smith from Rock of Ages (Saskatoon). The worship music portion, with Pastor Dean Rostad, Pastor Brian Tysdal and Daniel Stenberg on the instruments, ushered us into God’s presence. Delegates and friends were blessed this year to have special guests with us, including Eastern Regional Pastor Warren Geraghty, Director of Women’s Ministries for the CLB Ruth Vallevik, and CLB President Joel Egge.

At our business meeting, chaired by Pastor Roger Olson because our Chairman Pastor Jon Overland was ill, we were reminded of God’s faithfulness in providing in all ways for the specific areas of ministry he has called us to. We were thankful that Daniel and Karen Stenberg as well as Pastor Danny and Mandy Bronson and their families have joined our Canadian ministry team.

Art Hundeby is Regional Pastor for the CLB Canadian Region.

One of the bigger challenges of the first biennial meeting of the Pacific Region South of the CLB (Yuma, Arizona, February 25-26) was mastering the vocabulary—banishing district and annual and president and Southwest to the dustbin of history and embracing their current counterparts. Much more enjoyable was embracing a new member to our circle (new to us), Good Shepherd Ministries of Buda, Texas.

We theoretically also embraced our sister congregations to the north, joining with them in one great Pacific Region. But that’s a long stretch. At this point we share with them a Regional Pastor, a newly adopted constitution, and an ocean. The family spirit will have to grow with time and opportunity. Our major business was to adopt a constitution, the preparation of which was a joint effort with our friends to the north.

More obvious was our fellowship with the CLB as a whole. North American Mission was represented in the persons of all five Regional Pastors, and our opening session was a great panel discussion on their calling, gifts, cooperation among themselves and so on.

Warren Geraghty, Regional Pastor for the East, led a session on burnout in ministry and another on coping with personal loss. International Mission had a voice with a segment of the Glimpse Project Taiwan video, and Dr. David Veum represented Training Mission with an update on Lutheran Brethren Seminary.

The Yuma congregation hosted us royally and gave a tour of their new worship facility.
What cooperation with the northern churches will look like in the future remains to be seen—the constitution is intentionally flexible in this regard—but we do feel that the Lord has blessed us with a good start. If we could only get that down: Pacific Region South. Someday it will roll off the tongue.

Steve Lazicki is Co-chairman of the Pacific Region (South), Church of the Lutheran Brethren and resides in Pasadena, CA.

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