Martin Luther Evangelical Lutheran Church 60th Anniversary [PDF]
Our Members and Friends
Martin Luther Church is blessed with a wonderful, welcoming and active faith community.
The congregation comes together for worship throughout the year, not only for Sunday services, but to celebrate special events in the church calender in unique ways: from the Jazz New Years Service to the Easter Sunrise Service to the many Lent and Advent services. Members have also continued the tradition of outdoor ministry for decades: visiting Camp Edgewood for the Church Picnic and Camp Lutherlyn for a week of Summer Camp annually.
Our members are involved in many activities that enrich our services, contribute to community outreach and encourage the building of meaningful and multi-generational relationships. The Sunday School Swim, Christmas Bazaar and, most recently, Mimico Party in the Park, are just some of the ways we come together, not to mention the meetings of our groups and teams. The choir, bible study, worship team, seniors group, coffee and cake team, the Sunday School, drum circle, refugee support team, improvement committees, confirmation class, media crew and many more help to keep our church community alive and growing!
The following is a snapshot in time of many of the members and friends of our congregation involved in church life in the year of the anniversary.
A note from the Council President:
Dear friends,
It is a great joy for me to introduce the 60 th anniversary photo book. I am proud of our accomplishments and the work our church. has done in the community. As we look back over the years, we can be thankful to the Lord that He has blessed us with His constant presence. We are the Lutherans on the Lake, who welcome everyone, support oneanother and show commitment to faith in everything we do. This photo book is a beautiful proof that our congregation is full oflife and ready to take on the next 60 years.
Wishing you God’s blessing for the future,
Tanya Zielke
A note from the Pastor:
Dear congregation and friends of the Martin Luther Church/Liebe Mitglieder und Freunde der Martin Luther Kirche!
2015 was full of blessings for our church. The Anniversary itself was a highlight in the life of our congregation. On the 2nd Advent Sunday we celebrated not only the past, but how vibrant our church life has become. Our strength comes from the joy we take in the gospel, and the reading from the anniversary sums up perfectly what I see when I look through this book:
“I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. (Phil 1:3-5)”
May God bless the life and service of our Church community!
Christian Ceconi
The Last 10 Years
2005
November 27th 2005
Martin Luther Church celebrates its 50th Anniversary
2006
April 2006
Roof work begins on the church
May 2006
Pastor Stefan Wolf announces his new position in Germany
July 2006
Mona Frantzke puts down her baton after leading the Church Choir for 23 years.
The sewing circle retires
November 2006
Daycare playground renovation completed
December 17th 2006
The Sunday School children write their first Christmas play and take the stage
2007
We start an e-mail distribution list
January 2007
Kaethe Kleinau retires as church secretary; we welcome Anita Ratz to the office
April 2007
Alexander Mielke is chosen as the new EKD Pastor
June 24th 2007
MLC celebrates the time spent with the Wolf family in a farewell service
September 16th 2007
The Mielke family arrives, and is welcomed into the congre-gation with a special installation service
2008
March 2008
Heike Eble, the church’s organist of 19 years, passes the job on to Klaus Schneeberger
April 2008
A German library is started in the church basement
October 12th 2008
The congregation celebrates a special service in honour of its long partnership with Brazil
November 2008 to January 2009 Katarina Prosenjak interns at MLC
2009
February 15th 2009
The first joint service with Mimico United Church is held
June 7th 2009
The EKD North America conference is warmly received in Toronto at MLC
December 2009
The Sunday School, Youth Group, and many volunteers come together to prepare the first annual Christmas bazaar in the church basement
December 20th 2010
The first Candlelight Service for the Young and Young at Heart is celebrated
2010
March-April 2010
Nancy Rahn interns with the Pastor
Spring 2010
Pastor Alexander Mielke opens us up to world religions by introducing the “Getting to Know Our Neighbours” series
June 13th 2010
The Daycare’s 40th and the Church’s 55th Anniversary are commemorated with a joint service and BBQ
October 2010
Linda Marcinkus takes over at the organ for Klaus Schneeberger
2011
January 2011-December 2011
Katarina Prosenjak returns to the congregation for a year of service as a vicar
January 2011
Stephen Harmelink introduces a Youth Choir and Richard Heinzele takes the reigns of the Church Choir
Summer 2011
Renovations are done on the basement ceiling, the church foundation and the roof of 5 Superior Avenue.
September 18th 2011
The first annual “Welcome Back from Summer” Service is celebrated.
Summer camp sells t-shirts.
September 2011
Sonja Schweiger begins organizing the Youth Group while Christine Rabey conducts the Youth Choir
2012
February 2012
Linda Marcinkus becomes the new Choir Director
December 2012
Christian Ceconi is elected as Pastor Alexander Mielke’s successor
2013
May 2013
The Church participates in Doors Open Toronto
June 23rd 2013
We say thank you to the Mielke family with a farewell service
Summer 2013
Dan Sommerfeld retires as Summer Camp Director after 15 summers, and passes the torch to Anna Lisa Wienecke
September 22nd 2013
Pastor Christian Ceconi is installed and his family is welcomed into the congregation
October 2013
Martin Luther Daycare continues the preschool program in the church basement following the fire at 5 Superior Avenue. The congregation and community generously support the commitment to reopening the building.
2014
January 2014
A new welcome committee, worship team, and summer camp team begin to take shape
August 2014
We welcome Mimico United Church as their community supper, food bank and office relocate to MLC’s basement
Martin Luther Church Toronto
@MartinLutherChurchToronto
We get a new logo, website (www.martinluther.ca) and Facebook (Martin Luther Church T0ronto – @MartinLutherChurchToronto), and Pastor gets Twitter!
September 2014
MLC starts hosting Meet-Ups and “New to Canada” seminars
December 2014
Yvonne Kohlmann lends a hand over the Christmas holidays, and delivers the little green Martin Luther from Germany
Christmas 2014
The congregation announces its decision to support Syrian refugees through Canadian Lutheran World Relief
2015
People take little Martin Luther all over the place!
Winter 2015
Round table meetings and the formation of a building committee and drum circle play a part in the future of MLC
April 2015
Marlene Müller is oficially welcomed as secretary and takes over for Anita Ratz who retires after almost 10 years
May 2015-2016
Moritz Menacher joins MLC for a year as the Vicar
June 2015
Karen Hoffmann brings her design talents to the newletter
