Defending Prostitution Laws
The EFC will be in court this week arguing in support of the prostitution laws. A court challenge of the prostitution laws is being heard in the Ontario Superior Court this week and the EFC is submitting arguments as an intervener or friend of the court. The EFC will point out that Parliament’s objective in passing these laws was to protect communities, human dignity and equality. Please pray for EFC’s legal counsel and the other interveners to be able to clearly express the reasons to maintain the law.
Vote on Conscience Bill
MPs will vote on Thursday on whether to advance a private member’s bill that would make it a criminal offence to coerce someone to participate in MAID. If Bill C-230 passes Thursday’s vote, it would next be studied by a parliamentary committee. The EFC supports Bill C-230 and its initiative to protect conscience. Please pray for this vote and consider contacting your MP. See EFC’s sample letter at TheEFC.ca/C-230.
Please Join In. The EFC Issues Urgent Request for Canadians to Contact MPs to Stop MAiD Expansion
A change in the law allowing medical assistance in dying (MAiD) for mental illness alone will come into effect this March. The EFC is calling on Canadian Christians to ask their Members of Parliament to stop the expansion. See the EFC's media release and action kit for more information.
Letter to Justice Minister on Upholding Prostitution Laws
In a letter to the Justice Minister today, the EFC is asking him to uphold the prostitution laws because they are an essential tool in the fight against sexual exploitation. The government will soon be responding to a Justice Committee review of the laws. EFC’s letter urges genuine options to address poverty, racism and lack of housing, rather than accepting the sale of a person’s sexuality as the answer. See TheEFC.ca/ProstitutionLawReview
EFC Centre for Faith and Public Life: Latest News
Prostitution laws and MAiD are in focus at the EFC this fall, according to the new Oct/Nov issue of the EFC newsletter Canada Watch. As a group of sex worker advocacy organizations have launched a court challenge of prostitution laws, the EFC will be arguing in court that the current laws should remain in place. The EFC also continues to be engaged in the discussion around medical assistance in dying and its planned expansion in the spring of 2023 to include people with mental illness alone. Read the concise updates in this newsletter at TheEFC.ca/CanadaWatch. Aussi disponible en français.
Did You Know? EFC Ambassadors Available to Speak
The EFC has ambassadors across Canada who are available to speak at your church or event. Ambassadors can speak on issues relating to religious freedom; sanctity of life; church and mission; and more. You can browse our list of speakers, which also has a topic filter so you can narrow your list to see only the speakers associated with a particular topic. Requests for individual speakers are dependent on availability. Request a speaker now!
Disaster Relief for Maritimes After Storm Fiona
As reports of the damage and cleanup (see CBC video) continue to come in from the powerful storm that recently hit Atlantic Canada, several EFC affiliate organizations are directly involved in relief efforts. Learn more about the relief work of Samaritan’s Purse and Mennonite Disaster Services and The Salvation Army and Canadian Baptist Ministries. Also the federal government is matching donations made through the Red Cross.
Sanctity of Life Is Priority for Health Care (Faith Today column)
In March 2023, medical practitioners in Canada will begin providing assisted suicide to mature minors and those with mental illness. EFC President Bruce Clemenger writes about the spiritual implications of expanding euthanasia: “As hassle-free, hastened death is increasingly normalized and promoted, the message being communicated is this – We’re not sure we can provide adequate care, but we are willing to kill you.”
Sign up at FaithToday.ca/SubscribeFree for a print subscription to read more regular columns and articles like this. Anyone can now read a limited selection of articles from the latest issue online at www.faithtoday.ca.
(Aussi disponible en français comme : “La priorité en matière de soins de santé.”)
Bill to Clarify Law on Child Sexual Abuse Materials
A private member’s bill would change references to “child pornography” in the Criminal Code to the more accurate term “child sexual abuse material.” MP Mel Arnold introduced Bill C-291 in the House of Commons on June 17, 2022. The EFC agrees that terms like “child pornography” risk normalizing, trivializing and legitimizing the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. Read more about this bill and how you can support it.
Bill to Verify Age and Consent on Pornography Sites
Bill C-270 is a private member's bill that would require commercial pornography sites to verify the age and consent of people depicted before posting their images or videos. Not long ago, the EFC sent a letter of support to the bill’s sponsor, MP Arnold Viersen. Join the EFC and ask your MP to support Bill C-270. Learn more and find a sample letter you can use to write your MP at TheEFC.ca/C-270.
BGEA Evangelism Summits
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association of Canada is holding three free evangelism summits for pastors and church leaders Oct. 13 in Calgary, Oct. 18 in Halifax, and Oct. 20 in Toronto. Lunch and summit materials are provided. Register and get more info at www.billygraham.ca/evangelism-summit.
How Faith Can Help with Mental Illness (Faith Today blog)
Marja Bergen, who lives with bipolar disorder, writes on the mysterious link between faith and mental health that brings healing in this new blog at FaithToday.ca, published for Mental Illness Awareness Week Oct. 2–8.
This Week’s EFC Prayer Prompts
Each week at TheEFC.ca/TakeAction, we rotate through a prayer request from five areas. This week, we’re praying about Religious Freedom. Pray offering thanks to God for the freedom of religion we currently enjoy; for boldness to follow God’s calling to be salt and light; for our nation to allow religious communities to exist and flourish; and for wisdom for the courts and elected officials.
Remember that IDOP (International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church) takes place this year on Sunday, November 6.
Also, we offer pandemic-focused prayer ideas we call Friday@4, which we suggest you pray through on Fridays at 4 p.m. local time. Find new ones each month at TheEFC.ca/Covid-19.
→ No Greater Love Tour (The Color), Winnipeg Oct. 4; Regina Oct. 5; Saskatoon Oct. 6; Calgary Oct. 7; Edmonton Oct. 8; Grande Prairie Oct. 9
→ Making Peace in a Polarized World (Jesus Collective), online Oct. 4, 12 & 18
→ xPlore courses (CMU): 1. Connecting with Self and Others After Adversity. 2. From Creation to Renewed Creation: Biblical Visions of God’s Good Future. 3. Mennonites in Canada 1970 to the Present. 4. Pacifism with the War in Ukraine in Mind and Heart. All online Wednesdays starting Oct. 5 (also in-person in Winnipeg)
→ Dementia and Spirituality: Loss, Love and Navigating Change Together (CMU), online Thursdays starting Oct. 6
→ Paul: A Radical Jew as God’s Messenger to Non-Jews (CMU), online Tuesdays starting Oct. 11
→ Preacher’s Refresher (Timothy Trust), Canmore, Alta., Oct. 11-13
→ Evangelism Summits (BGEA), Calgary Oct. 13; Halifax Oct. 18; Toronto Oct. 20
→ Called Leadership Gathering (Women Together), Guelph, Oct. 13-15
→ Kentro Workshops for Relief and Development Orgs, Vancouver Oct. 14; Mississauga Oct. 21
→ Communications Workers' Watercooler Break (CCCA), online Oct. 14
→ Small Church Pastors’ Retreat (Small Church Connections), Banff Oct. 17-20; Cambridge Oct. 24-27; Cornwallis Park, N.S., Nov. 14-17
→ Sex Trafficking and the Demand Issue (SA Justice), online, Oct. 18
→ Picturing the Bible: How Artists Tell the Story (CMU, Prof. Robin Jensen), Winnipeg, Oct. 18-19
→ Intercultural Outreach in the GTA Workshop (TWR/Lausanne), Markham, Ont., Oct. 19
→ Global Leadership Summit 2022, simulcast, various locations, Oct. 20-21
→ Business as Mission: Connect (BAM Global), online, Oct. 20
→ Inspiring Testimony (Loving Muslims Together), online, Oct. 22
→ Human Rights Codes for Charities (CCCC), online, Oct. 26
→ EFC Presidents Day, Toronto, Oct. 27
→ Unbound: The Path to Change (Village Church), Surrey, Oct. 27
In Case You Missed It
→ More Than Just a Day for Truth and Reconciliation (All Things Reconciled blog with video)
→ Unexpected Pregnancy Meets Unexpected Strength (FaithToday.ca)
→ Job Openings: Justice and mercy coordinator; leadership centre director of programs; pastor (Montreal, Brampton, Toronto, Ottawa, Sault Ste Marie, Uxbridge); director of human resources; and more (FaithToday.ca/Classifieds)
→ The EFC Appoints New Senior Leadership Roles
→ Fifty Years of Serving Charities (Faith Today article on CCCC)
→ Four New Articles Translated into French (FaithToday.ca)
→ Congratulations to Faith Today award winners (FaithToday.ca)