Conversion Therapy Bill Passes in House of Commons
MPs voted this afternoon to pass the bill to ban conversion therapy, Bill C-6. The bill will now go to the Senate for debate and study. It is not yet known if the Senate will begin debate on Bill C-6 immediately or wait until after its scheduled summer break. The EFC has been asking for changes to the bill, to clarify the definition of conversion therapy and to add protection for religious instruction and parental guidance. See TheEFC.ca/C-6 for more information.
We Are Neighbours: Catholics and Evangelicals in Canada
The Roman Catholic–Evangelical Dialogue has released a new resource entitled We Are Neighbours: Catholics and Evangelicals in Canada. This 12-page resource invites Catholics and Evangelicals to form joint study groups and includes suggestions for study questions, icebreakers and ideas for joint action. The aim is to help individuals from both traditions become more familiar with similarities and differences in their faith while seeking also to work together on issues of common social concern. Download the new resource at TheEFC.ca/NousSommesVoisins and TheEFC.ca/WeAreNeighbours.
The Roman Catholic–Evangelical Dialogue is a joint initiative of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. Its co-chairs are the evangelical missiologist Glenn Smith and the Most Reverend Joseph Dabrowski, CSMA.
We Are Neighbours is based on two earlier resources, the CCCB text Our Evangelical Neighbours: A Catholic Reflection on Evangelical Christianity, and the EFC text Our Roman Catholic Neighbours.
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.
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 one 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, pray for conscience protection. Pray specifically for federal Bill C-268, which aims to prevent medical professionals from being forced to participate in euthanasia or Medical Assistance in Dying. Pray for EFC affiliate the Christian Medical & Dental Society of Canada, a national organization of Christian physicians, dentists and students who “seek to honour God by integrating faith with professional practice.” You can learn more on these issues at TheEFC.ca/Conscience.
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.
Recorded Webinar: Living Well After the Pandemic
Faith Today recently hosted a conversation on what we've learned from this challenging, weird, difficult pandemic experience as Canadian Christians individually and as the Church. Our panel—Carolyn Arends, April Yamasaki, Ken Shigematsu and Danielle Strickland—shared insights and experiences in spiritual health and wellness and how we can live even slightly tweaked lives based on our Covid-19 experiences.
Religion Watch: New Apostolic Reformation
The New Apostolic Reformation, which proclaims the existence of modern-day prophets and apostles, has attracted both fervent praise and fierce criticism. How should we regard this fast-growing movement? Our Religion Watch columnist James Beverley weighs in: “On the basics, the New Apostolic Reformation is not New Age, pagan or satanic. This affirmation comes with two balancing concerns.” Read more in the latest Faith Today.
Get more unique Canadian Christian journalism like this by signing up at FaithToday.ca/SubscribeFree.
→ Connect with the Jesus Collective, online June 22
→ Fiction Writing Workshop with Laura Thomas (Women Together), online June 22
→ Youth Leader Gathering: Summer Session (Alpha Canada), online June 23
→ Recognizing and Supporting Vulnerable Men (Plan to Protect), online June 24
→ Let’s Get Practical Around Navigating a Racialized Society Together (New Leaf Network), online June 24
→ One with Them: A Day for Christian Captives (Open Doors Canada), online June 27
→ Wilderness ReBoot for Missionary Kids aged 21-35 (Canadian MK Network), online Mondays June 28-July 19
→ Social Injustice in the Court System (Kairos Canada), online June 29
→ Entry Deadline: Hope Through the Pandemic (Faith Today art contest), June 30
→ Classic ReBoot for Missionary Kids ages 17-20 (Canadian MK Network), online Thursdays July 8-29
→ Protecting the Elderly (Plan to Protect), July 15
In Case You Missed It
→ Bill C-268 Protection of Freedom of Conscience Act to Be Debated Soon
→ Sharing the Story of Indigenous Peoples (podcast)
→ The News from Kamloops and the Ongoing Ministry of Reconciliation (Reconciling blog at FaithToday.ca)
→ London Church Joins Vigil for Victims of Vehicle Attack (Faith Today blog)
→ Invitation to create (Faith Today call for homemade art, deadline June 30)
→ Nouvelles ressources en français / New French-language resources (on EFC website)