The Anglican Church of Canada Logo

Common worship guidelines for Lutherans and Anglicans in Canada

These guidelines provide practical support for planning and leading joint Anglican-Lutheran worship in Canada. Originally released following the 2001 Waterloo Declaration of full communion and later revised in 2003, the guidelines cover worship planning, leadership roles, liturgical practices and approved service books. The document addresses local, regional and national contexts and offers guidance for the Eucharist, celebrations of the word and special occasions such as baptism, marriage, funerals and installations of new ministry.

Best suited for: parish leaders, clergy, lay worship coordinators, theological educators and anyone involved in planning or participating in joint Anglican-Lutheran worship services in Canada.

Acknowledging the land and God’s creation

This acknowledgement is crafted in light of the Principles of Reconciliation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, as we seek to live faithfully in Christ and in right relationship with all. 

We give thanks to the Creator for this land, its waters, forests and all living beings, and for the abiding presence of Christ among us. From coast to coast to coast, these have been cared for and nurtured by First Nations, Inuit and Métis through countless generations. 

We honour the enduring relationship Indigenous Peoples have cultivated with these lands and waters, and the treaties and agreements that reflect these sacred bonds. We acknowledge the harms caused by colonial expansion, through frameworks like the Doctrine of Discovery and structures like the residential school system. We recognize our past failures as a Church, including disruption of connections to the land and suppression of Indigenous spiritualities. 

Guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ, we confess our need for healing. We commit ourselves to seeking truth, pursuing reconciliation and nurturing harmony with all creation. We place our trust in Christ, through whom all things are reconciled to God. 

May God strengthen us to live faithfully as stewards of the Earth. Let us walk in love, justice and reconciliation, joining in God’s work to restore all creation.