Event Equips Churches for Hospitality
Our Common Calling, a partnership of four national organizations including the EFC, is hosting a launch event for a new initiative called Welcome Church. This initiative aims to equip individual congregations to engage in radical hospitality and to develop more national readiness to respond effectively and nimbly to newcomers arriving in Canada.
The Canadian church has played an important role in that welcoming, and in so doing has reflected God’s heart for all peoples. We anticipate that a new wave of people will be coming from Hong Kong this summer.
Ministry/church leaders are invited to register now for the Welcome Church: Hong Kong Friends event, scheduled for July 13, 2021 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (EDT). Participants include Bruce Clemenger and David Guretzki (EFC), Dr. Krish Kandiah (Welcome Churches UK), Rev. Francis Tam (CCCOWE), Rev. Dominic Tse (ACEM), The Canadian Council of Churches and Rev. Jonathan Chan.
Statement on Targeting Places of Worship
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 statement on our website.
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.
The EFC Seeks Intervener Status in Religious Freedom Case
The EFC is 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.
How Does the Faith Formation of Children Happen in Your Home?
The EFC and 16 partner organizations are conducting a study on the needs of parents as they form the faith of their children. We’re currently looking for evangelical parents with children in the home to interview about their experiences and their views on faith formation or discipleship with their children. If this is you (whether you think it is going well or not) and you might have an hour to talk with us, click here to learn more about this confidential study.
We're Hiring!
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is expanding its team 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.
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.
New EFC Weekly Prayer Prompts
Prayer is essential to any effective action. Each week at TheEFC.ca/TakeAction we rotate through a prayer request from each of these five areas: Sanctity of Life, Care for the Vulnerable, Church and Mission, Family and Community, Religious Freedom. We also list an EFC affiliate group to pray for.
This week’s prayer request is about palliative care. Pray specifically for people in your church and neighbourhood who have been diagnosed with a life-changing illness or disease. Pray for the caregivers, churches and organizations that support them. Pray for hope, strength and courage. Pray for their tangible physical, social and spiritual needs to be met. Pray for high quality palliative care to be available across the country, for all Canadians.
This week's EFC affiliate highlight focuses on supporters who shared stories of palliative care with us in 2018. You can learn more on these issues at TheEFC.ca/PalliativeCare.
Covid 19 and the restrictions have a significant impact on our lives. The EFC continues to offer new Friday@4 pandemic-focused prayer suggestions each week at TheEFC.ca/Covid-19.
Faith Today Podcast: That Time We All Went Digital, with Joanna la Fleur
Listen to our new podcast with Joanna la Fleur, speaker, podcaster, TV host and communications consultant. With a business communications degree and a Masters in Theological Studies, she has been helping the Church communicate the best news in the world for over 15 years. Listen to this interview full of insights, learnings and practical tips for churches coming out of the pandemic.
A National Reckoning: Column on Residential School Graves
“We can’t claim to be unaware or avoid collective responsibility” for the tragedy of child deaths at residential schools, writes EFC President Bruce Clemenger. “Together we must come to the place of grief.”
Get more unique Canadian Christian journalism like this by signing up 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)
→ Classic ReBoot for Missionary Kids ages 17-20 (Canadian MK Network), online Thursdays July 8-29
→ Welcome Church: Hong Kong Friends (EFC/OCC), online July 13
→ 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
→ 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
In Case You Missed It
→ Ethics Committee Recommends Government Take Action to Hold Commercial Pornography Sites Accountable
→ Conversion Therapy Bill Advances in the Senate
→ We Are Neighbours (new resource from Roman Catholic-Evangelical Dialogue, in English and français)
→ Living Well and Growing Spiritually After the Pandemic(recorded webinar)
→ New Apostolic Reformation: What to make of the booming legacy of Peter Wagner(Religion Watch column from Faith Today)
→ Resources for the Reconciliation Learning Journey (on EFC website)