Government to Propose Delaying MAiD Expansion
The government will soon introduce a bill to delay the expansion of Medical Assistance in Dying to people with mental illness as their sole underlying medical condition. Thank you for to everyone who contacted their MP. The justice minister has made it clear, however, that this is only a delay. Please continue to pray for this expansion to be stopped.
Life Together: Disability and Belonging in the Church
EFC staff have written about disability and belonging for the Christian Medical and Dental Association of Canada’s magazine, Focus. See page 14 (16 according to the sidebar) for the full article.
Pope Benedict XVI: A Reflection
In our latest Faith Today blog, Tim Perry offers a reflection on Pope Benedict. He looks across a "tragic divide now over five centuries old" and sees the Spirit of God at work in the life of the former pope who died last week.
Francophone Prayer Summit – Registration Deadline
Today is the early-bird deadline (to save costs on registration) and Sunday January 15 is the final registration deadline for Rencontre au Sommet, the annual francophone prayer summit held in Granby, Que. Don't miss this encouraging time away from daily ministry to focus on being in God's presence, Jan. 23-24.
Tips on Creating a Flourishing Christian Workplace Culture
In our latest cover article, Toronto writer Matthew Neugebauer interviews experts who offer some suggestions for how Christian organizations can build thriving workplaces.
Sign up at FaithToday.ca/SubscribeFree for a print subscription to read more articles like this. A sampling of articles from the latest issue are also available at FaithToday.ca.
Ensure Patients, Not Doctors, Initiate MAiD Discussions
The EFC has asked the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) to make sure that discussions about MAID are only initiated by patients, not doctors. As the EFC submission to the CPSO says, “Doctors are in a position of authority, and ideally, trust. Raising MAID as an option suggests to a patient that the clinician sees their life as not worth living, or that ending their life is something worth considering.” The EFC also asked the CPSO to protect doctor’s conscience rights and to push for MAID to be included as the cause of death, on death certificates. Read EFC's submission to the CPSO here.
This Week’s Prayer Prompts
This week’s prayer request is about family and community. Pray for our culture to affirm the dignity and worth of all children and youth, for wisdom and relevance in teaching our kids, for families in crisis, and for ministries to children and youth. Pray also for children and youth needing a permanent home, for youth aging-out of government care and for those vulnerable to entering prostitution, and for children and youth who see media portrayals of anti-social and harmful behaviours, including violent and degrading pornography.
This week's EFC affiliate highlight focuses on International Student Ministries Canada (ISMC) which IS “a ministry in Canada focused on ministering to international students, empowering them to become fully devoted followers of Jesus and to reach out and minister to those God has placed in their lives, whether in Canada or in their home country.”
You can always find the week’s prayer prompts at TheEFC.ca/TakeAction. Also, we offer new pandemic-focused prayer ideas each month at TheEFC.ca/Covid-19.
→ Communications Workers Watercooler Break (CCCA), online, Jan. 13, Feb. 10
→ Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, worldwide, Jan. 18-25
→ Rencontre au sommet 2022 (prayer summit), Granby, Que., Jan. 23-24
→ Mission Central Conference, Vancouver, Jan. 27-29
→ Scientists and the Church (CSCA), online, Jan. 28
→ Gather Rise Conference, Calgary, Feb. 4
→ Calvin Symposium on Worship (CICW), online/Grand Rapids, Mich., Feb. 8-10
→ Powerup Gospel Music Workshop (Toronto Mass Choir), Toronto, Feb. 23-26
→ Coldest Night of the Year Fundraising Walk, various locations, Feb. 25
→ Today’s Teens, online/Oakville, Ont., Feb. 25
In Case You Missed It
→ Job Openings: Vice president academic (Hamilton); pastor (Lethbridge, Montreal, Brampton, Toronto, Ottawa, Sault Ste Marie, Uxbridge); Toronto congregational justice and mercy coordinator; Montreal director of leadership programs; and more (FaithToday.ca/Classifieds)
→ Charitable Status for Pro-Life Organizations (includes EFC video interview)
→ The FT Interview with Lesli van Milligen
→ EFC President Bruce Clemenger Releases New Book