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Our History

 
 

September 1984 – The Reverend Craig Knight is dispatched by the Lutheran Church in America (L.C.A.) to develop a mission in the Orleans and Gloucester Area. Initially Pastor Knight's ministry consisted of a house to house visitation program, introducing the Lutheran Church to individuals and families, inviting them to participate in establishing a new congregation.

Kelly Funeral HOmeFebruary 1985 – Ninety-five attend the first worship service on Sunday February 24th. The chapel is provided by the Kelly Funeral home on St. Joseph Blvd. Reverend Knight is formally commissioned at the service. The installation is performed by the Reverend Albert Lorch, Assistant to the Bishop of the Eastern Canada Synod of the Lutheran Church of America.

June 1985 – The first parish directory is drafted recording 66 adults and 38 children in the congregation.

January 1986 – The congregation grows, services are relocated to the Convent Glen Separate School on 6212 Jeanne D'Arc Blvd.

February 1986 – On February 2nd, a meeting is held and the congregation formally adopts the name Resurrection Lutheran Church. At the same meeting the congregation approves a constitution and elects the first council. A consecration service is held on February 23rd at the Community Pentecostal Church. Bishop William Huras presides as Resurrection becomes the first congregation organized in the newly constituted Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. (E.L.C.I.C.)

April 1986 – A building site is purchased at 1325 Gaultois Avenue, Orleans.

August 1986 – Congregation is incorporated under the name, "Resurrection Lutheran Church of Orleans", on Aug. 31st.

September 1986 – Reverend Knight is formally installed as Resurrection's first pastor on September 21st. The Reverend Guenter Dahle, Assistant to the Bishop of the Eastern Synod of the E.L.C.I.C. presides over the occasion.

November 1987 – A Capital Funds program is initiated on November 11th to provide financial resources for the construction of the church building.

CBC Easter service1April 1988 – The Easter Sunday Service of Resurrection Lutheran Church, led by the Reverend Craig Knight, is broadcast on CBC.

September 1989 – The Reverend Joanna E. Malina is installed as Resurrection's second pastor. Bishop Huras presides over the September 17th service at Convent Glen Separate School.

November 1989 – The congregation votes to begin the process of planning and construction of the church building. The plan requires selling the parsonage for additional funds and accepting the use of free worship facilities offered by the Kelly Funeral Home and Chapel on St. Joseph Blvd.

April 1990 – The Division for Canadian Mission of the E.L.C.I.C. approves the congregation's building proposal and agrees to finance a mortgage.

May 1990 – A building Construction Committee is appointed and begins interviewing architects.

June 1990 – The Committee selects the firm of Peter C. Pivko Architects to design our church building.

April 1991 – On April 28th Bishop William Huras and Pastor Joanna Malina consecrate the building site and participateSod Turning Cermony in a sod turning ceremony to signal the start of the project.

July 1991 – It is not quite seven years now since the initial spiritual seeds were planted. Excavations begin in preparation for the laying of the physical foundation.

August 1991 – On August 2nd, the long anticipated building permit is issued and construction can now begin.

Winter of 1991 – Volunteers labour hard to close in the building before the snow comes. Work continues in the unheated church throughout the winter months. Prayers of support and hot meals are supplied by the women of the congregation and keep the volunteers spirits high.

February 1992 – The proposed completion date of the first Sunday after Easter is re-evaluated. A decision is made to ease the pace and a new target of September 13th is established.

Church Bld.RaftersAugust 1992 – As the completion date nears, there is a buzz of activity around the site. The fire lane is levelled, washrooms equipped and vent covers installed as the checklist for an occupancy permit becomes shorter each day.

September 1992 – It is now one week before the dedication and everything is rolling into place except for the carpets, which are in a factory somewhere in the United States. On September 6th, during the last scheduled service at the Kelly Funeral Chapel, a child in the congregation makes a simple prayer. "Lord Jesus, may the carpets come on Tuesday, Amen." On September 8th, (Tuesday), the carpets arrive. On September 11th the inspections are completed and an occupancy permit is issued to Resurrection Lutheran Church. On September 13th, 1992 at 10:30 a.m., the first worship service begins. It is anResurrection open for business parkinglot emotionally charged time demonstrated by the tears of joy throughout the congregation. The furnishings are dedicated by Pastor Malina and Reverend James Chell, Executive Director of the Division for Canadian Mission. At 2:30 p.m. a festival service is held to formally dedicate the Church building. The dedication is presided over by Bishop William Huras and Pastor Joanna Malina. Over three hundred people, members and friends of the congregation are in attendance to witness the event.

December 1998 – Dedication of the cross tower.

September 2002 – Construction of church walkway and railing.

June 20, 2004 – Pastor Joanna Malina holds her final service, before her retirement begins.

October 24, 2004 – Pastor Mark Ehlebracht is formally installed by the Reverend Guenther F. Dahle, Assistant to the Bishop of the Eastern Synod of the ELCIC and becomes our 3rd pastor.

Mortgage BurningOctober 19, 2008 – Our mortgage is retired and a celebration is held at Resurrection Lutheran Church. Bishop Michael Pryse (Eastern Synod Bishop of the ELCIC), Rev. Guenter F. Dahle (Assistant to the Eastern Synod Bishop of the ELCIC), Pastor Joanna Malina (Ret'd), Rev. Ann Salmon and Rev. David Selzer (Barrhaven Lutheran Anglican Ministry) are active participants in this celebration. In addition, our congregation received best wishes from our first pastor, Reverend Craig Knight.

2009 – Pastor Mark Ehlebract resigns from Resurrection Lutheran Church to accept a call to St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kitchener, Ontario.

2009 –  Pastor Joanna Malina (Ret'd) becomes our Interim Pastor.

June 2010 – Pastor Mei Sum Lai accepts the call to Resurrection Lutheran Church.

September 12, 2010 – Pastor Mei Sum Lai is formally installed by Pastor Annette Smith (Dean of the Ottawa/St. Lawrence Conference) and becomes our 4th and current Pastor. 

February 2016 – Solar panels are installed on the roof of the church.

August 26, 2018 – Pastor Mei Sum Lai holds her final service.

September 1, 2018 – Pastor Ed Bastian becomes our Interim Pastor and holds his first official service on September 16th.

July 26, 2020 – We bid Pastor Ed and his wife Pastor Elina farewell and godspeed as they accept a call to Trillium Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Ontario.

September 1, 2020 – We begin sharing the services of Pastor Joel Crouse with St. John and St. Peter's Lutheran Churches.