Sermon 🔈 (audio only)
Gospel and Sermon (PDF text format)
April 14th – Special Congregational Meeting, after the service, to review and discuss the proposed budget, followed by a ballot vote. Votes by email will be available.
Today’s 10am, Good Friday Service was held at First Lutheran in Pt. Colborne.
Pastor Bart’s Good Friday Sermon (PDF text format)
We do not have a video recording from this service, but Trinity Lutheran, Ft. Erie has published today’s Good Friday worship service video on their Facebook page. We thank Trinity Lutheran for sharing this video.
Trinity Lutheran’s Good Friday Worship Video Link
Music “Alleluia” played by user PIANODAYs on Audio Jungle and used with permission.
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of Carole Jean Bender surrounded by her family on March 23rd, 2024, at the age of 89. She will now be reunited with her beloved husband Cecil(2014) of 56 years as they begin their next journey together. Carole is survived by her loving children, Cindy
(Rico) Belvedere, Bill (Cindy) Bender, Pam (Jamie) Coring and Dave (Jan) Bender and her cherished grandchildren, Jack and Georgia. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Barb Lanneval (Marcel) and her brother Paul Morris. Carole is predeceased by her parents Ray and Muriel Morris.
In Carole’s younger years, she worked for Bell Canada where she met the love of her life. When she became a Mom, she stayed home with her children enjoying every activity and adventure with them. Later in life, she worked for McKenzie Communications and Tiz the Season. She was President of the Welland & District Business and Professional Women’s Club as well as Treasurer of the Welland Figure Skating Club.
Carole had a beautiful soul and was a devoted, caring and compassionate Mother, Grandmother and Friend.She inspired others and is a true role model for all of us. Carole loved spending as much time as possible at her Sauble Beach cottage where so many wonderful memories were created and will be treasured forever. She enjoyed playing Bridge and Hearts as well as watching Football, Hockey, Figure Skating and Curling.
Carole was an active and dedicated member of St. Matthews Lutheran Church, working in the church kitchen, involved with the Women’s Bible Studies and helping with Kids Art Day. She visited those that were unwell or unable to get out and drove anyone in need to appointments.
Thank you to the staff at Seasons Retirement Home where she lived and enjoyed her time over the last year. Thank you to the Health Care Team at the Welland General Hospital. Our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Njeri, Carole’s amazing and attentive caregiver who has been our Angel.
Cremation has taken place. The family will welcome friends on Thursday April 4th, 2024 at Pleasantview Funeral Home, 2000 Merrittville Hwy, Thorold (647-956-6052) from 6 p.m.– 9 p.m. A memorial service will be held on Friday April 5th, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. in the funeral home chapel.
If desired, memorial donations to the Alzheimer’s Society, St. Matthews Lutheran Church or a Charity of your choice would be appreciated.
Please share memories, photos and condolences at http://www.pleasantviewcemetery.ca
Archbishop and Primate Linda Nicholls (Anglican Church of Canada) and National Bishop Susan Johnson (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada) share a message of courage, hope and joy, as the church prepares to celebrate the risen Christ.
This Palm Sunday, our Jewish siblings celebrate Purim and commemorate Esther whose courage staved off the intended genocide of her people. Modern Purim celebrations often include some boisterous tableaus and parodies; especially when mentioning the royal official Haman, the architect of the genocide. At the very name of Haman, audiences participate in the Purim recitation of the story by hissing, booing and even tossing in a derisive “ptoo”.
Is it possible that the procession into Jerusalem at Passover where Jesus was heralded as messiah and king strikes similar notes of parody—outlandish defiance even? Imagine the rag tag improv act complete with scavenged fronds and foliage and cloaks tossed on the ground juxtaposed against the empire’s carefully orchestrated parades and related public spectacles designed to control and coerce people into compliance. We shouldn’t be all that surprised that a clash is sure to follow.
The writers of the devotional series developed by Lutherans Connect offer some thoughts about the stakes involved in Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem.
“On a day that in some church settings also finds the Passion being read, it might be easier to connect the dots between the Hosannas and the cries to crucify Jesus, if we consider the jeering that was likely also present. The Galileans were never very welcome in Jerusalem, let alone those who were presenting themselves as a Galilean ‘king!’” from Lutherans Connect March 18.
This Holy Week we traverse the trail between those two “dots”; the Hosanna’s and the demands for Roman justice to silence Jesus and all he stands and lives for.
St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Welland, Ontario, Canada 
Love it Rona. Thanks On Sat, Mar 7, 2026, 11:20 a.m. St. Matthew's Evangelical Lutheran Church,