Pastor Annika Klappert on Maternity Leave from August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025

UPDATE October 13, 2024: Congratulations to Pastor Annika Klappert and her husband Tim Büchner who welcomed a healthy baby girl, Elisabeth Marisol, on October 4, 2024. 7 pounds and 4 ounces. We wish them well on this exciting new path on the journey of life. We look forward to meeting baby Elisabeth.

UPDATE August 13, 2024: Photos from the send-off worship service and the backyard reception

July 14, 2024 – Congratulations! A new life is in process. Pastor Annika Klappert will be starting her maternity/parental leave on August 1, 2024 and we look forward to her return one year from now in August 2025. Best wishes and God bless! Ahead of her leave and vacation the last 2 weeks of July, all are welcome to attend a special Sunday service on July 21, 2024 to send off Pastor Annika, which will be accompanied by our church choir and musician Magnus Hjerpe. You can send well wishes to office@martinluther.ca.

Council has made the following arrangements for Pastor Annika’s coverage:

We are blessed that Vicar Alice Rothgordt from Germany was interested in spending one year exploring/working outside of Germany before starting with her own congregation, and she chose us! After two interviews, both with representatives of our Martin Luther Church and the EKD, the position was approved. Vicar Alice is arriving to serve our congregation full time from October 2024 to September 2025. Once she arrives, you may reach Vicar Alice Rothgordt at vicarrothgordt@martinluther.ca (cell TBD).

Once a German-speaking vicar was secured to serve the German-speaking members of our congregation, Council began looking for an English-speaking minister to complement our ministry team. Fortunately, we were able to hire Pastor Nkanyiso Kingdom Maphumulo to cover for one year on a part-time basis. Pastor Nkyanyiso is from South Africa, the Diocese of Zululand, a diocese of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (http://anglicanchurchsa.org/ ), and educated at the University of KwaZulu Natal. He is currently residing here in Canada and working on his PhD at University of Toronto, Trinity College (Doctor of Philosophy in theological studies). He was interviewed, then approved by Council and the Eastern Synod on June 25, 2024. Pastor Nkanyiso will be splitting his time between us and his other part-time position at St. Margaret’s Anglican Church, New Toronto (https://www.smnt.ca/ ) located down the road. Meet Pastor Nkanyiso at his first service at MLC, co-presided with lay preacher Iris Schweiger, on August 11, 2024. Beginning August 15, 2024, you may contact Pastor Nkanyiso Kingdom Maphumulo at pastorkingdom@martinluther.ca, cell 416-723-7349.

Each of their biographies will appear in later blog postings. Council hopes you will make them feel welcome. Our lay preachers (Tanya Zielke, Iris Schweiger, and Katja Brittain) graciously agreed to help with the worship services over the course of the year as well. We will also rebroadcast past radio devotions from Pastor Annika Klappert on Sunday mornings (CHLO 530 AM) at 9:30 am until our vicar from Germany arrives in October.

Message from Pastor Annika:

It’s time to say goodbye – for now.
After almost three wonderful years, during which I was able to experience and create so much together with you, I will be away from my position for a full year. I am very grateful for the support of Vicar Alice and Pastor Nkanyiso as well as our lay preachers, who ensure that our church services and congregational life remain lively.

I would like to thank you very much for all the good wishes and prayers that have accompanied my pregnancy so far. It is really good to know that you are supported by a community in this special phase of life, in which we work, live, learn and believe together.

On July 21, 2024, I will celebrate my penultimate church service with the congregation, but I will definitely be popping up again here and there – as a member of the congregation!

Tim and I don’t expect any gifts for the birth, your support and blessings are all we need.
I wish everyone a wonderful summer and a colorful autumn!
In the words of Erich Feyerabend:
May God be with you!
Your Pastor Annika Klappert