11460 60 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB. T6H 1J5 Canada. 780-434-1671
Next Church Service Sunday March 15, 2026@ 10:30am
Holy Communion 3rd Sundays of the month
Holy Communion 3rd Sundays
Martin Luther's Morning/Evening Prayer
Make the sign of the Holy Cross and say:
Morning Prayer
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Evening Prayer
In the evening when you go to bed, make the sign of the holy cross and say: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Then go to sleep at once and in good cheer.
2026 LCC Synod Convention June 12-15, 2026
2026 LCC Synod Convention June 12-15, 2026
2026 LCC Synod Convention - Lutheran Church–Canada
2026 Convention Updates - The Canadian Lutheran
Welcome to the 2026 LCC Synod Convention Info-page
Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)’s 13th Regular Convention will be held in Winnipeg from June 12-15, 2026, gathering under the theme “Together One: One Lord, One Faith, One Body” (Ephesians 4:4-6). The Convention was last held in the Central Region in 2008 under the theme “Give Jesus Glory – His Calling, Our Praise.”
The start of business related to this synod convention will begin on March 20, 2025, with the first meeting of the Commission on Nominations and Elections (CNE). The CNE manages the nomination process for elected positions at the synodical and regional levels, monitors the vetting process of nominees, and supervises the election of candidates to various positions at conventions of LCC.
News pertaining to LCC’s Synod Convention will be released on an ongoing basis in The Canadian Lutheran and on CanadianLutheran.ca; as well as in LCC’s weekly e-newsletter InfoDigest.
FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT
(15 March 2026)
Isaiah 42:14–21
Ephesians 5:8–14
John 9:1–41 or John 9:1–7, 13–17, 34–39
By His Word of the Gospel, Jesus Calls Us Out of the Darkness into His Marvelous Light
The Lord is grieved by the spiritual blindness of His people, yet in mercy He does not forsake them. He restrains His anger and keeps His peace, until He opens their ears and eyes to hear and see Him. “For his righteousness’ sake,” He magnifies His Word and makes it glorious in the coming of Christ Jesus (Is. 42:21). Jesus turns “the darkness before them into light” (Is. 42:16) because He is “the light of the world” (John 9:5). The incarnate Son of God does the works of His Father and displays the divine glory in His own flesh “while it is day,”until that night “when no one can work”(John 9:4). By the washing of water with His Word, He opens the eyes of the blind and grants rest to the weary. Therefore, though “at one time you were darkness,” now “you are light in the Lord” (Eph. 5:8). By our Baptism into Christ, we live in the eternal day of His resurrection, wherein He shines upon us. As often as we fall back into the darkness of sin, He calls us by the Gospel to “awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead”(Eph. 5:14). LCMS Summaries.
Introit (Psalm 27)
P: I always watch the Lord,
C: Because He will save me from trouble.
P: I ask the Lord one thing; I desire this.
C: All my life, I want to live in His house. All my life, I want to watch His beauty and meet God in His temple.
P: During trouble, He will keep me safe in His house.
C: He will hide me in His tent and put me high on His rock.
P: God will lift me high above my enemies. In His worship tent, I will give sacrifices with joy.
C: I will sing and praise the Lord.
All: Glory give to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, the same as it was in the beginning, is now, and will continue forever. Amen.
Prayer for God’s Word
P: Almighty God, our heavenly Father, every morning You show mercy new. We deserve punishment, but You love us as Your children. You give us everything we need for our body and soul. Let us see Your mercy, thank You for Your gifts, and live to follow and obey You. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord. Jesus lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C: (copy) Amen.
What Is a Lutheran?
While there are a variety of ways one could answer this question, one very important answer is simply this, “A Lutheran is a person who believes, teaches and confesses the truths of God’s Word as they are summarized and confessed in the Book of Concord.” The Book of Concord contains the Lutheran confessions of faith.
Perhaps you have attended an ordination of a pastor and heard him promise that he will perform the duties of his office in accord with the Lutheran Confessions. When people are received into membership into a Lutheran congregation through confirmation they are asked if they confess the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, as they have learned to know it from the Small Catechism, to be faithful and true.
These solemn promises indicate to us just how important the Lutheran Confessions are for our church. Let’s take a look at the various items contained in the Book of Concord and then we will talk about why the Lutheran Confessions are so important for being a Lutheran.
What are the Ecumenical Creeds?
The three ecumenical creeds in the Book of Concord are the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed and the Athanasian Creed. They are described as “ecumenical” [universal] because they are accepted by Christians worldwide as correct expressions of what God’s Word teaches.
What is the Augsburg Confession and Apology of the Augsburg Confession?
In the year 1530, the Lutherans were required to present their confession of faith before the emperor in Augsburg, Germany. Philip Melanchthon wrote the Augsburg Confession and it was read before the imperial court on June 30, 1530. One year later, the Lutherans presented their defense of the Augsburg Confession, which is what “apology” here means. It too was written by Philip Melanchthon. The largest document in the Book of Concord, its longest chapter, is devoted to the most important truth of the Christian faith: the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
What are the Small and Large Catechisms?
Martin Luther realized early on how desperately ignorant the laity and clergy of his day were when it came to even the most basic truths of the Christian faith. Around 1530, he produced two small handbooks to help pastors and the heads of families teach the faith.
The Small Catechism and the Large Catechism are organized around six topics: the Ten Commandments, the Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, Holy Baptism, Confession, and the Sacrament of the Altar. So universally accepted were these magnificent doctrinal summaries by Luther, that they were included as part of the Book of Concord.
What are the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope?
In 1537, Martin Luther was asked to prepare a statement of Lutheran belief for use at a church council, if it was called. Luther’s bold and vigorous confession of faith was later incorporated into the Book of Concord. It was presented to a group of Lutheran rulers meeting in the town of Smalcald. Philip Melanchthon was asked to expand on the subject of the Roman pope and did so in his treatise, which also was included in the Book of Concord.
What is the Formula of Concord?
After Luther’s death in 1546, significant controversies broke out in the Lutheran Church. After much debate and struggle, the Formula of Concord in 1577 put an end to these doctrinal controversies and the Lutheran Church was able to move ahead united in what it believed, taught and confessed. In 1580, all the confessional writings mentioned here were gathered into a single volume, the Book of Concord. Concord is a word that means, “harmony.” The Formula of Concord was summarized in a version known as the “Epitome” of the Formula of Concord. This document too is included in the Book of Concord.
What is the connection between the Bible and the Confessions?
We confess that, “The Word of God is and should remain the sole rule and norm of all doctrine” (FC SD, Rule and Norm, 9). What the Bible asserts, God asserts. What the Bible commands, God commands. The authority of the Scriptures is complete, certain and final. The Scriptures are accepted by the Lutheran Confessions as the actual Word of God. The Lutheran Confessions urge us to believe the Scriptures for “they will not lie to you” (LC, V, 76) and cannot be “false and deceitful” (FC SD, VII, 96). The Bible is God’s “pure, infallible, and unalterable Word” (Preface to the BOC).
The Lutheran Confessions are the “basis, rule, and norm indicating how all doctrines should be judged in conformity with the Word of God” (FC SD RN). Because the Confessions are in complete doctrinal agreement with the written Word of God, they serve as the standard in the Lutheran Church to determine what is faithful Biblical teaching, insofar as that teaching is addressed in the Confessions.
Now may:
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you and show grace to you.
The Lord look on you and give you peace.
Be safe, keep each other in prayer and, God willing, we will all see each other next Sunday!
Pastor Ken
Scripture Readings March 15, 2026 (ASL Format)
March 15 2026
The Old Testament lesson is from Isaiah chapter 42.
The Lord says, For a long time I continued silent. I was calm and I waited. Now I will shout and breathe hard same-as a woman giving-birth. I will destroy the mountains and hills and kill all their plants. I will make rivers shrink and lakes will dry-up.
I will lead blind people to walk on a road they don’t-know and lead them on paths they don’t-know. I will make dark become light for them and make rough places level. I will do this, and I will not ignore them.
Then those people trusting idols and name metal idols their gods will feel much shame. I will reject them.
Listen, you deaf people. You blind people, open your eyes and see.
Who is blind? My servant. Who is deaf? My announcer I send. Who is blind the same-as the one belonging to Me? Who is blind the same-as the Servant of the Lord? He sees many things, but he doesn’t watch. His ears are open, but he hears nothing.
Because the Lord is righteous, He was happy to make His law wonderful and glorious.
This is the word of the Lord.
C: (copy) Thanks give to God.
The New Testament lesson is from Ephesians chapter 5.
Remember! In the past your life was dark. But now your life is light in the Lord. Live the same-as children in His light. Living in His light means everything good and right and honest. Try to learn what pleases the Lord.
Don’t join in dark sinful actions, but show they are wrong. That is shameful to talk about the secret sins people do. But when God’s light show they are wrong, then they see the truth. When they see the truth, that is God’s light. That is why God says: “Sleeper, wake-up! Rise from the dead! And Christ will shine on you!”
This is the word of the Lord.
C: (copy) Thanks give to God.
You have two choices for the Gospel lesson, a shorter reading from John 9 and a longer reading from John 9. Choose one.
This is the shorter reading.
The Gospel lesson is from John chapter 9.
C: (copy) Glory to You, O Lord.
Jesus was walking in JERUSALEM and He saw a man blind all his life, from birth. Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Teacher, who sinned and made him blind? The man himself sinned, or his parents sinned?”
Jesus answered, “No, his sin and his parents’ sin didn’t made him blind. He is blind for people to see God’s work through him. The Father sent Me, and we must do His works now in the day. The night is coming and then no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light for the world.”
Then Jesus spit on the ground and made MUD. He put the MUD on the man’s eyes and told him, “Go and wash your eyes in the pool named SILOAM.” SILOAM means “sent.”
The man went and washed his eyes. When he came back, he could see.
People brought the man to the PHARISEES. Jesus made the mud and healed the man on a SABBATH worship day. The PHARISEES asked the man how he could see. The man answered, “Jesus put MUD on my eyes. Then I washed my face, and now I can see.”
Some of the PHARISEES said, “Jesus can’t be from God because He doesn’t obey the SABBATH worship laws.” But others said, “How can a sinner do these wonderful works?” The group was divided. They asked the blind man again, “Jesus opened your eyes. What do you say about Him?”
The man answered, “He is a prophet.”
The PHARISEES said, “You were born full of sin, and you want to teach us?” Then they threw the man out of the Jewish church.
Jesus heard about that. Jesus found the man and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
The man answered, “Please tell me, who is the Son of Man? Then I can believe.”
Jesus said, “You have already seen Him. The Son of Man is talking to you.”
The man said, “Lord, I believe!” Then the man worshiped Jesus.
Jesus said, “I came to this world to judge. Then blind people will see, and people who see will become blind.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: (copy) Praise to You, O Christ.
This is the longer reading.
The Gospel lesson is from John chapter 9.
C: (copy) Glory to You, O Lord.
Jesus was walking in JERUSALEM and He saw a man blind all his life, from birth. Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Teacher, who sinned and made him blind? The man himself sinned, or his parents sinned?”
Jesus answered, “Not his sin and not his parents sin made him blind. He is blind for people to see God’s work through him. The Father sent Me, and we must do His works now in the day. The night is coming and then no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light for the world.”
Then Jesus spit on the ground and made MUD. He put the MUD on the man’s eyes and told him, “Go and wash your eyes in the pool named SILOAM.” SILOAM means “sent.” The man went and washed his eyes. When he came back, he could see.
The man’s neighbors and people who knew the man asked, “This man is the beggar, right?” Some people said, “Yes, that is the man.” Other people said, “No, he only looks the same.” But the man continued saying, “I am the man.”
Then people asked him, “How can you see?”
He answered, “Jesus made MUD, put that on my eyes, and said, ‘Go to SILOAM and wash.’ I washed and now I can see.”
People asked, “Where is Jesus?”
He answered, “I don’t know.”
People brought the man to the PHARISEES. Jesus made the MUD and healed the man on a SABBATH worship day. The PHARISEES asked the man how he could see. The man answered, “Jesus put MUD on my eyes. Then I washed my face, and now I can see.”
Some of the PHARISEES said, “Jesus can’t be from God because He doesn’t obey the SABBATH worship laws.” But others said, “How can a sinner do these wonderful works?” The group was divided. They asked the blind man again, “Jesus opened your eyes. What do you say about Him?”
The man answered, “He is a prophet.”
The Jews didn’t believe the man was blind and then could see. They brought the man’s parents and asked them, “Is this your son? You said he was born blind? How can he see?”
His parents said, “We know he is our son, and he was born blind. But we don’t know how he sees. We don’t know who opened his eyes. Ask him. He is old enough. He will answer.” His parents were afraid of the Jews. The Jews decided that if anyone believed Jesus is the Savior, the Jews will throw him out of the Jewish church. That is why the parents said, “He is old enough, ask him.”
A second time, the Jews brought the man who was blind but now can see. They said, “Give glory to God and tell the truth. We know Jesus is a sinner.”
The man answered, “I don’t know if Jesus is a sinner. But I know this – I was blind, but now I see.”
The Jews asked, “What did Jesus do? How did He make you see?”
He answered, “I already told you, and you didn’t listen. Why should I tell you again? Do you want to follow Jesus?”
The Jews hated him and said, “You follow Jesus, but we follow MOSES. We know God spoke to MOSES. But we don’t know where Jesus is from.”
The man said, “That is amazing! You don’t know where Jesus is from, but He made me see. We know God doesn’t listen to sinners. But if a person worships God and does what God wants, then God listens to him. In all the world’s history, if a man was born blind, no one can make him see. If Jesus is not from God, He couldn’t do anything.”
The PHARISEES said, “You were born full of sin, and you want to teach us?” Then they threw the man out of the Jewish church.
Jesus heard about that. Jesus found the man and said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
The man answered, “Please tell me, who is the Son of Man? Then I can believe.”
Jesus said, “You have already seen Him. The Son of Man is talking to you.”
The man said, “Lord, I believe!” Then the man worshiped Jesus.
Jesus said, “I came to this world to judge. Then blind people will see, and people who see will become blind.”
Some PHARISEES heard Jesus say that. They asked Jesus, “Are we blind?”
Jesus said, “If you are blind, then you will not be guilty. But because you say you can see, you are guilty.”
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C: (copy) Praise to You, O Christ.