EFC Applauds Court Ruling Upholding Prostitution Law as Constitutional
The EFC applauds yesterday’s ruling by the Ontario Superior Court that upholds Canada’s prostitution law as constitutional. Justice Goldstein found the law to be “a carefully crafted legislative scheme that prohibits the most exploitive aspects of the sex trade while immunizing sex workers from prosecution.” The EFC was an intervener in support of the law, arguing that Parliament’s determination that buying sex is inherently exploitative should be respected by the courts. See the EFC’s statement on the decision.
Ask Your MP to Support Bill to Reverse MAiD for Mental Illness Law
A law will take effect in March 2024 to allow MAID for mental illness alone. Please ask your local MP to vote for Bill C-314 this fall. Bill C-314 would reverse the law allowing medical assistance in dying for people with mental illness alone. A vote in the House of Commons could come as early as Oct. 3. Please contact your MP’s office by phone, email or letter. You can also circulate a petition in support of Bill C-314 and return it to your local MP. For more resources including sample wording for a brief letter or call, visit TheEFC.ca/C314.
Prayer to Stop MAiD for Mental Illness
Will you pray with us? The EFC is inviting churches across Canada to pray together on Sunday, Oct. 22, for a stop to euthanasia for mental illness. If nothing changes, the law allowing euthanasia for people with mental illness as their only medical condition will take effect in March 2024. Will you mark this date in your calendar and join us in asking God to intervene and reverse this legislation? EFC resources are available to help inform and guide your church in this prayer initiative at TheEFC.ca/MAiDPrayer.
The EFC is also holding an hour of Presentation and Prayer where supporters can learn more and pray together online this Thursday at 11 a.m. Eastern. You are welcome to join on Zoom.
Nine More Awards for Faith Today
Last year Faith Today published the country's best single column, profile, blog post, personal experience article and column series for a Christian audience, as judged by The Word Awards, announced Sept. 16. The awards are held annually by The Word Guild, a Canadian association of Christians in writing and publishing. Three Faith Today writers also won awards for books they published. Get details.
EFC Ottawa Office Move
The EFC’s Ottawa office has moved to a new location at 275 Slater St, Suite 810, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5H9. This new office, a brief walk from Parliament Hill, will house the Centre for Faith and Public Life, the Centre for Research on Church and Faith, and the hub for the Communications team of the EFC, including a new media studio. Ottawa will also be the location of the EFC President’s Office.
Ignite Prayer Event in Vancouver this November
Join us Nov. 17 at Broadway Church for the Ignite Vancouver prayer gathering for unity and spiritual awakening. This event is a sequel to prayer summits that took place earlier this year in Ottawa, Calgary, Kelowna, and Regina.
The afternoon will include a free dinner and seminar for pastors and ministry leaders (registration required). Afterwards there is a free evening prayer and worship summit open to the public, no registration required. Ignite events are co-sponsored by the EFC, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association of Canada, National House of Prayer, Peace and Reconciliation Network, and Vineyard Canada.
Visit the TheEFC.ca/Ignite for schedule, speakers and registration for seminar and dinner.
Seeking Stories About Community Service at Christmas
Does your church do a community service project at Christmas? Faith Today magazine would love to hear about it for possible coverage in our Church in Community series. Email us at editor@faithtoday.ca and let us know what you have planned.
Valuing Responsibilities, Not Just Rights
Our society is heavily preoccupied with the idea of rights and autonomy. EFC Senior Ambassador Bruce J. Clemenger points out this attitude can shape a society where “little thought is given to our responsibilities to one another and what is mutually beneficial.” Read this column and more in the Sep/Oct Faith Today.
It’s free to sign up at FaithToday.ca/SubscribeFree for a print subscription within Canada.
This Week’s Prayer Prompts
This week’s prayer request is about family and community. Pray for a culture that respects and fosters faithful, committed relationships; for the marriages and family relationships of the people you know; for wisdom and relevance in teaching our kids; for families in crisis; and for children and youth in government care needing a permanent home.
This week's EFC affiliate highlight focuses on Women Together, whose mission is to engage Canadian Christian women to provide education, leadership training, skills development, and biblical instruction to women leaders around the world.
You can always find the week’s prayer prompts at TheEFC.ca/TakeAction.
→ Gender, Sexuality & Christian Ethics Course (SAEC), online, Mon’s Sept. 18–Nov. 27
→ EFC Presentation and Prayer Gathering on MAiD, online, Sept. 21
→ Understanding Suicide: Perseverance Conference 2023 (West Highland Baptist), Hamilton, Sept. 23
→ Israel Prayer Watch Summit (IPWC), Mississauga, Sept. 24
→ +Stories of Transformation in Canada (TOWC), online, Sept. 26
→ Mid-life Leadership Getaway for Christian Business Leaders & Spouses (Deliberate U), Huntsville, Sept. 27-29
→ The Transformative Power of God’s Manifest Presence (Women Together, Roger Helland), online, Sept. 27
→ Canadian International Faith & Family Film Festival (CIFF), online, Sept. 28-30
→ A Night with the Persecuted Church (Open Doors): Calgary Sept. 28, Grande Prairie Sept. 29, Redwater Sept. 30
→ Christian Parenting & Grandparenting (West Highland Baptist), Hamilton, Sept. 30
→ Toronto + GTA Ministry & Business Leaders Afternoon (Missions Canada), Oakville, Sept. 30
→ Life Chain (CLC), various locations, Oct. 1
→ Victorious Festival (CBS), Calgary, Oct. 7
→ Called Leadership Gathering (Women Together), Guelph, Oct. 12-14
→ Equipped Women’s Getaway with Andrea Thorn (MBC), Huntsville, Oct. 13-15
In Case You Missed It
→ Job Openings: pastor (Red Deer, Montreal, Saint John); Montreal director of leadership programs; and more (FaithToday.ca/Classifieds)
→ Hastened Death for Mental Illness Needs to Be Stopped (EFC info and call to action)
→ Resource on Disability and Belonging in the Church En Français (EFC resources)
→ Pandemic Lessons on Productivity (Faith Today article)
→ Safe Places for Patients in an Era of MAiD (EFC blog post)
→ How Grief and Gratitude Mix (Faith Today blog)
→ Should Christians Call Jesus their ‘Personal Saviour’? (Faith Today article)
→ New Faith Today articles en francais