Canadian Lutherans and Anglicans mark 25 years of full communion with a joint statement

Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) Conference of Bishops, including National Bishop Larry Kochendorfer, met the Primate and Metropolitans of the Anglican Church of Canada in Niagara Falls, Ont., on Oct. 4–5, the ELCIC said. The meeting marked 25 years of full communion between the two churches. On Oct. 7 they released a joint statement titled "Giving thanks for 25 years of full communion."

The relationship rests on the Waterloo Declaration, read aloud on July 6, 2001. Under it, the two churches recognize each other's ordained ministries and commit to joint consultation and shared mission. In an earlier anniversary statement published in June, the churches said the relationship has since widened. They now recognize each other's agreements with partner churches in the United States, and both are in full communion with the Moravian Church in North America.

According to the ELCIC, the leaders discussed:

- the changing setting for churches in Canada

- healing and reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples

- "concern for churches and people in Palestine"

- a shared call to work for justice and peace

The statement says unity in Christ "is not simply about practical collaboration but a gift of grace that strengthens the Church in serving the world God loves." It ends by giving thanks for the anniversary as Canada heads into Thanksgiving weekend.