Delegate Diary Day 2: “Eighteen Years Later: A Church Transformed”

The Diocese of Algoma is grateful to have The Rev. Brad Mittleholtz, Pastor of Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, serving as a delegate to the 2025 Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) National Convention, meeting this week in Winnipeg. As part of the Full Communion relationship between the Anglican Church of Canada and the ELCIC, Brad is representing Algoma in this important gathering of worship, discernment, and decision-making.

Here is Brad’s reflection from Day 2 of the convention:

Day 1: Rejoicing in Hope
(by Brad Mittleholtz)

Eighteen years ago I was in Winnipeg, in the very room I am writing from when we elected National Bishop Susan Johnson and the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada elected their new primate Fred Hiltz in downtown.  Today we move onto more votes that will lead to a new National Bishop (As of evening prayers we have two gifted leaders left to choose from) but I reflect that things have changed.  Eighteen years ago we were a much larger church, but we were a more divided church.  We were engaging again in hard and necessary questions about who is welcome in the church and whose gifts are needed and embraced. Today, we are a much smaller church, but to me somehow my church feels more hopeful, honest and faithful.  The Holy Spirit has not only opened the doors, she has broken them down. 

This morning guided by the leadership team for “Facing Today – Dreaming for the Future Task Force” we spent the morning around tables and in small groups looking at the church and its future.  Greetings were received from our partners. Both in Canada and in the United States.  Of particular note to my Anglican family the Most Rev. Greg Kerr-Wilson, Archbishop of Calgary and Metropolitan of the Ecclesiastical Province of Northern Lights brought greetings on behalf of the Anglican Church of Canada highlighting the recent work of General Synod and offering greetings and words of congratulations from ++Linda and our dear ++Anne to retiring National Bishop Susan.

A word about Lutheran voting for Bishops.  It is done a little differently … actually a lot differently.  First we don’t vote by houses, lay and rostered (what we call clergy: pastors and diaconal ministers) vote together.  The first ballot called an ecclesiastical ballot is a nominating ballot, 75% was needed on that ballot for an election.  The second ballot would require 2/3 and each successive vote a simple majority.  Over the course of the evening we went from many names to five, to three to the final two: current Eastern Synodical Bishop Carla Blakley and former Alberta and the Territories Bishop Larry Kochendorfer.  To get to this point the top 5 individuals had an opportunity to address the convention, with the top 3 answering the same 3 questions.  By Saturday morning there will be a new bishop.

Throughout all of the voting we sung and prayed ably led by retired dean of Niagara the Very Rev. Peter Wall.  Our evening concluded with prayers and song with the final hymn “All Praise to Thee, My God This Night”.  Anglicans would have felt at home.

Today’s “Aha” or “Reflective moment” was seeing individuals around the periphery: visitors, guests, interested individuals.  I began to recognize some of them.  Some of the wonderful pioneers of the ELCIC.  Those who served the church so faithfully with grace, courage and passion.  They were there “cheering” and “uplifting” the convention in the good work set before.  I can only hope that they know how grateful many of us are for the foundation in the gospel they have created for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada.