A new Anglican-Lutheran prayer cycle (PDF) lists prayer suggestions for the Anglican Church of Canada (ACC) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) side by side. The suggestions cover the work of bishops, ministries, and staff and are for use in Sunday services between Nov. 2008 and Nov. 2009. The prayer cycle was developed by the Joint Anglican-Lutheran Commission, which oversees this relationship in Canada.
Since 2001, the ACC and the ELCIC have been in a full communion relationship. The Waterloo Declaration asserted their similarities and allowed interchangeability of clergy. Several amalgamated Anglican-Lutheran parishes have sprung up across Canada.
The two denominational leaders, National Bishop Susan Johnson (ELCIC) and Archbishop Hiltz (ACC), have expressed their desire to work together in practical ways. To this end, certain Anglican and Lutheran staff met in early September to discuss joint work on mission and justice. On September 25, Bishop Johnson and Archbishop Hiltz marched together in Ottawa in support of the Millennium Development Goals. Next month the two leaders will issue a joint Christmas message.
“The Commission believes that a very important part of what we do for one another is to pray,” said the Rev. Paul Johnson, assistant to the bishop (ELCIC). “It is the hope of the Commission that every congregation in our two churches might take advantage of this offering in a very intentional way, and uphold both of our churches through the sacred work of prayer.”
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