Worship Celebration Marking the Conclusion the Eastern Synod/Waterloo Lutheran Seminary 150/100 Anniversary Celebration
This year has been a celebration of a life time - observing the 150th anniversary of the Eastern Synod and the 100th anniversary of both Waterloo Lutheran Seminary and Wilfrid Laurier University.
Our planned Worship Celebration for the closing of the anniversary year Retell, Reclaim, Rejoice will do exactly that. We will retell and reclaim our Lutheran heritage with the inclusion of a massed choir performing Bach’s 80th Cantata, A Mighty Fortress, based on the Reformation hymn of the same name. The local members of the choir are already in rehearsal. They will be joined by other singers from Sudbury, Montreal, Ottawa and the Georgian Bay conference…in short from all across the synod. (We are expecting members from every conference except the Atlantic Conference). The choir will be accompanied by a 15 piece orchestra made up largely from members of the KW Symphony.
Scott Knarr, who has been charged with gathering the choir, expects that there will be approximately 100 choristers in attendance. Scott, along with five other K-W Music Directors*, have taken responsibility for this project since its inception and their church homes have also made financial donations.
But this service will not simply be a nod to our past. This unique worship gathering will both honour our heritage and through the use of today’s technology, explore our future together. Bishop Michael Pryse will lead us in a time of reflecting on our hopes for the future of the church – in part through short video clips filmed during this past summer's national convention in Saskatoon.
A special liturgy is being prepared by members of the seminary faculty. It will give congregational members the opportunity to lift their voice in song and prayer and act as the vital part that they are.
*The six music directors: Dr. Peter Nikiforuk, St. Peter’s Kitchener, Scott Knarr, Mount Zion Waterloo, Corinne Dutton, St. Mathews Kitchener, Lilla Hall, St. Mark’s Kitchener, Cedric Abday, St. John's Waterloo and Bradley Moggach, St. Peter's Cambridge.
The event will be broadcast on Reformation Sunday on CTV.
Submitted by St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Kitchener
