Expanding our Awareness of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Reconciliation
The Reconciliation Proclamation is an important document drafted in 1995 by Indigenous and non-Indigenous evangelical leaders. We are re-circulating it to help us expand our awareness about reconciliation, Indigenous Peoples and colonial history.
Watch a video version where Canadian leaders collaborate to read the Reconciliation Proclamation. This video was produced in 2020 and updated in June 2021. Learn more and link to a print version of the Proclamation at TheEFC.ca/SevenCommitments.
This Week’s EFC Prayer Prompts
This week’s prayer request is about civic engagement. Pray that God may help everyday Christians to actively seek the good of those around us and our country, as mentioned for example in Jeremiah 29:5-6. May this be a winsome part of our Christian witness. Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide Christians in discussions about public policy and politics for the good of all Canadians. You can learn more on these issues at TheEFC.ca/Citizenship.
This week's EFC affiliate to pray for: The National House of Prayer was established in 2005 and is committed to praying for the Government of Canada. “Our heart is to establish and ongoing positive Christian presence in Canada’s capital as we seek to fulfill 1 Timothy 2:1-3.” www.nhop.ca
This week’s prayer requests come from a rotation of topics at TheEFC.ca/TakeAction, cycling through the five main areas of EFC ministry: Sanctity of Life, Care for the Vulnerable, Church and Mission, Family and Community, Religious Freedom.
The EFC also offers additional Friday@4 pandemic-focused prayer suggestions each week at TheEFC.ca/Covid-19.
Art Contest Encourages Hope
This spring Faith Today invited Christians to take up their pen, brush and other creative materials to express where they see Hope Through the Pandemic. Today we made two posts on the Faith Today website showing entries that were submitted. Please visit to be inspired and encouraged by the God-given creativity of so many people: (1) Poems and Prose, Music and Audio. (2) Visual Art.
Apply Now for Digital Media Manager, Major Gifts Officer Positions
The EFC is expanding its staff to include a full-time digital media manager. As part of the communications team, the digital media manager will help direct the EFC’s online presence from conception to implementation. The work can be done from our offices in Ottawa or Richmond Hill, Ont., remotely, or a combination of those locations. Application deadline is August 1.
See details on this position and on our other job opportunities including Major Gifts Officer Eastern (Ontario to Maritimes) and Major Gifts Officer Western (BC to Manitoba) at TheEFC.ca/Jobs.
Faith Today blog: Mission Agency Reflects on New Strategy
Ben Porter, co-founder of the youth initiative Love Is Moving, is the new director of Fellowship International, an organization that has been shifting from a church planting model to a disciple-making model. In our new blog, he shares his thoughts on global evangelism and the need for more people to allow the Holy Spirit to work through them.
Faith Today Writers Shortlisted for Awards
Congratulations to all the writers from Faith Today whose work has been shortlisted in The Word Awards this year, including EFC staff Bruce Clemenger, Joel Gordon and David Guretzki. Winners will be announced Sept. 25. The 18 articles related to Faith Today that are in the running for the awards are now listed on the Faith Today website, with links so you can go and read them.
Filmmaker Dallas Jenkins on The Chosen
In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, the producers of The Chosen – a new dramatic series about the life of Jesus – decided to make the entire show free online, for at least a few weeks. They couldn't have anticipated the outpouring of interest that followed. Read more in this Faith Today feature by Peter Chattaway. Get more unique Canadian Christian journalism like this delivered right to your mailbox by subscribing. Home subscription in Canada is now free at FaithToday.ca/SubscribeFree.
Nouvelles ressources en français / New French-language resources
→ Au travail pour protéger les enfants de la pornographie (5 juillet)
→ Sur la colline du Parlement de juin-juillet 2021 (30 juin)
→ Au travail pour la protection de la conscience (29 juin)
→ Mise en chantier d’une communauté scolaire chrétienne à Québec (24 juin)
→ Quel est l’avenir de l’Église au Québec ? (11 juin)
→ Protecting the Elderly (Plan to Protect), online July 15
→ World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, online July 30
→ Jesus-Centred Essentials: Theology Rooted in the Radical Reformation (Jesus Collective), online Aug. 4, 11
→ EFC’s David Guretzki Speaking at Beulah Alliance Church, Edmonton, Aug 7-8
→ Youth Ministry Online Summit – Staff (Alpha/YWC/Change Conf.), online Aug. 11
→ Safe Adventures in the Outdoors: Webinar for Field Trip Organizers (Plan to Protect), online Aug. 12
→ Gospel Impact Canada (Shareword/Gideons), online Aug. 13-14
→ Ending Poverty Together workshop (Food for the Hungry), online Aug. 14
The EFC Seeks Intervener Status in Religious Freedom Case
As noted in last week’s EFC Update, we are seeking intervener status in a human rights complaint against a Roman Catholic parish that declined to rent out its meeting hall to the White Rock Pride Society for a fundraising event for Pride Week. The parish rents the hall to outside groups if the intended use is in accordance with Catholic teaching. Human Rights Codes need to be interpreted with a robust understanding of religious freedom and respect for the communal integrity of religious associations.
Statement on Targeting Places of Worship (from July 5)
As the EFC grieves the tragedy evidenced by the unmarked graves of Indigenous residential school children, we are also deeply saddened by the vandalism and destruction of places of worship. Read the full July 5 statement on our website.
In Case You Missed It
→ Ethics Committee Recommends Government Hold Commercial Pornography Sites Accountable
→ Conversion Therapy Bill Advances in the Senate
→ Christian School Community in Quebec Breaks Ground (Faith Today blog, aussi en français)
→ Every Life is Valuable from Conception to Natural End (Faith Today blog)
→ We Are Neighbours (new resource from Roman Catholic-Evangelical Dialogue, in English and français)
→ Faith Today Podcast: That Time We All Went Digital, with Joanna la Fleur
→ A National Reckoning (Faith Today column on residential school graves)
→ Resources for the Reconciliation Learning Journey (on EFC website)