A “JOY” sign is a popular Christmas decoration in the neighborhood where I live in Minnesota, USA. Sometimes a Nativity is found inside the “O.”

Certainly this is an appropriate decoration for Christmas. When the angel announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, the angel said: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10). The Psalm for Christmas Day states: “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth” (Psalm 98:4).

But only Christians know what the “JOY” of Christmas truly is. It is the delight that settles into our hearts when we know that God forgives our sins for Jesus’ sake. It is the deep, inner happiness of knowing that God loves us even though we are filled with sin—because the Son of God came to earth to live, die, and rise in our place to reconcile us to God. The angel said: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you” (Luke 2:11).

This is a joy that transcends all earthly circumstances. Many of you who are reading this greeting may have intense personal struggles at the moment. You can still have a feeling of pleasure and well-being inside, as the Holy Spirit leads you to treasure Jesus as your Savior from sin. Paul said about the Thessalonians: “You welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6). About himself, Paul wrote: “In all our troubles my joy knows no bounds” (2 Corinthians 7:4).

It is the prayer of the CELC Planning Committee that all of you as members and friends of the CELC may find great JOY as you contemplate the birth of Jesus. A blessed Christmas to all of you!

Thomas P. Nass,
CELC President

P.S. Even as we find joy in the good news of the gospel, we also find joy in one another as believers (see 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20). Please watch for registration information about the CELC convention to be held, God willing, on June 6-8, 2023 in South Korea—where we may rejoice in one another’s company. Registration will begin on January 4.

Olympic Parktel in Seoul – Site of the 2023 CELC Convention

The CELC Planning Committee has approved a tentative schedule for the 2023 international CELC convention in Seoul, South Korea. God willing, the convention will begin on Tuesday, June 6 at 8:30 am with introductions and an opening communion service. The convention will end on Thursday, June 8 at 8:00 pm after a closing service and banquet.
 
Participants are expected to arrive on Monday, June 5 and to depart on Friday, June 9. People who would like to come early or stay later can do so, but they will have to contact the Olympic Parktel privately.
 
The Planning Committee has also approved the following registration fees (USA dollars), which will cover all convention expenses, including lodging and meals. 
•    $400 – Individual with double occupancy
•    $750 – Individual with single occupancy 
•    $750 – Married couple

These fees are a modest increase from what was anticipated for 2020, in keeping with recent inflation. The actual cost would be much higher per person, but many convention expenses will be covered by the CELC treasury.

The registration window will open on January 4 and close on January 31. Registering will be done online through a link that will be available on the CELC website.

CELC churches should be planning who will represent them in South Korea. Each CELC member church is encouraged to send two voting delegates. We hope that many, if not all, of the 34 CELC member churches will be represented. 

For voting delegates who may need it, some travel assistance will be available through the CELC Travel Assistance Fund. Delegates may indicate that need when they register online.

The CELC Planning Committee is eagerly looking forward to meeting together again! We pray that God will bring many people together and that he will bless our time as we worship Jesus and study God’s Word together. 

Please share this information with anyone you think might be interested. 

From the CELC Planning Committee

 

Worshippers at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kremenets, Ukraine

As I write this update about the Ukrainian Lutheran Church (ULC), it is day 288 since the war began on February 24. Throughout Ukraine there has been much damage to property—vital infrastructure, hospitals, schools, train stations, to mention just a few. While there are no official figures, there have been many casualties, both soldiers and civilians. But as of today, no ULC members or pastors have lost their lives. Praise be to God! 

In the face of war, the ministry continues, relatively uninterrupted. The ministry has actually expanded as pastors and congregations are now helping refugees and members in need, along with their friends and neighbors. Christians are not only speaking of their faith in Jesus, but putting their faith into action. People and communities are witnessing the love and concern Christians have for others in their time of need.

Much of Ukraine now is without electricity or is experiencing periods of blackouts lasting for hours. Some of the effects of this are the loss of heating, charging phones and computers, running refrigerators and freezers, and lights at night. Winter always has a shortened period of daylight time, but without lights it makes the days longer and depression settles in quite easily. Many people buy candles, but now candles are hard to find and the cost of a candle which used to be ten cents is as high as two dollars and 50 cents (American currency). There are very many cases of stress related illnesses among the people. Bishop Horpynchuk says that at present their greatest concerns are heat and food.

Many people have been praying for Ukraine and the ULC since the outbreak of this war. Gifts from CELC churches have enabled pastors and congregations to buy generators which have been a big help for them. Now there can be at least some heat in the buildings for their worship services. They also are able to buy food, medicines, fuel, warm clothing, blankets, shoes, and hygiene products. They thank you for your gifts that enable to make these purchases.

I’m often asked to pass along, from the members and pastors, thanks for all that people have done for them with their prayers and gifts. They appreciate these very, very much. In times of need, and at all times, Christians work together, laugh together, cry together, but we cherish the truth that we are all one in Christ. Our times are in his hands, and what better place can there be. The ULC extends wishes for God’s blessings for all of you, our fellow believers. Thank you for your prayers.

Submitted by Rev. Roger Neumann, WELS liaison to the ULC

 

       Olympic Parktel in Seoul – Site of the 2023 CELC Convention

The CELC Planning Committee is pleased to announce the five essayists for the 2023 international CELC convention planned for Seoul, South Korea on June 6–8, 2023. The essayists and their topics are:

• Rev. Nicholas Proksch (ELS)
  Biblical exegesis:  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
• Rev. Uģis Sildegs (Latvia)
  Doctrine:  Civil Government
• Rev. Kebede Yigezu (Ethiopia)
  Lutheran Confessions:  Formula of Concord, Articles I + II
• Rev. Angus Cheung (Hong Kong)
  Church History:  Lutheranism in East Asia
• Rev. Mario Gálvez (Chile)
  Practical Theology:  Training the Laity for Evangelism

The reading and discussion of theological essayists is always the center of CELC conventions, and we are delighted to have a writer from each of the CELC regions. We think that there is a nice variety of topics that should be of interest to everyone. We have much to look forward to!

If you are part of a CELC member church, it is time to plan who will represent your church at the convention. Information about costs and travel assistance will be shared in December. Registration will take place online in January 2023.

Please share this information with anyone you think might be interested.

From the CELC Planning Committee

                        Worshippers on October 30, 2022

The day of the Reformation is a great feast for the church of God! After apostolic times, the false doctrine of salvation by good works spread more and more in the church. The gospel truth of salvation through faith in the substitutionary work of the Savior was on the verge of extinction. And so, when the time came, the merciful God, through the doctor of theology Martin Luther, freed the church from false teachings and returned the saving message of the Bible to its place. The truth about Christ and salvation through faith alone has triumphed!

Luther expressed this biblical teaching in these words: “At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, ‘In it the righteousness of God is revealed, as it is written, He who through faith is righteous shall live.’ There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith…. Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates.”
 
We, the conservative Lutherans of Russia, share this great biblical teaching with Martin Luther. Today and all the days of our lives, we thank and glorify God for his saving Word, for grace, for our faith in Christ as our substitute at the judgment of God!

Submitted by Pastor Arkady Sedelnikov
Chairman of the Council of the Centralized Religious Organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Russia