Dear Friend,
Each Christmas, we celebrate God’s wonderful gift to humanity – His Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus is central to all we do here at the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. We are deeply committed to uniting Evangelicals to bless Canada in
His name.
BECAUSE JESUS CAME, we understand the magnitude of His sacrifice and how precious each of us are to God (Lk 12:7).
As Christians, we understand that an inherent part of being ‘pro-life’ is recognizing God’s authority over life and death. We don’t believe one life has more value than another or that there are times when it’s acceptable to take a life.
That’s why
the EFC continues to stand and speak up whenever there are challenges to the sanctity of human life – whether we’re advocating for the care and protection of the unborn child, those living with chronic mental or physical conditions, or those facing end of life.
The EFC vehemently opposed the legalization of doctor-assisted suicide and euthanasia, but when they became legal, we succeeded, together with others, in having tight restrictions put in place. As various groups seek to push those boundaries – for example, to allow advance requests or requests by mature minors – we continue to make every effort to ensure that the restrictions remain as tight as possible to minimize harm and risk to our society’s most vulnerable persons. The EFC is currently pushing hard to stop the expansion this coming March for requests where mental illness is the sole underlying medical condition.
BECAUSE JESUS CAME, we understand the depth of His compassion and our duty to help the powerless, the weak and the hurting, speaking up for those who can’t speak for themselves.
As Christians, we are called to put our faith into action, loving one another with compassion and humility (1 Pet 3:8), in response to the love He first showed us (1 Jn 4:19; Phil 2:3-4).
That’s why
the EFC continues to stand and speak up for our society’s most vulnerable – whether it’s pushing for a national palliative care strategy, providing resources for those engaged in sponsoring refugees or welcoming new immigrants, promoting abuse awareness and prevention, pushing for an end to sexual exploitation, or helping those harmed by prostitution and pornography.
BECAUSE JESUS CAME, we understand the greatness of His love for us and that we have been ‘set apart’ by the transforming of our minds to praise Him and to follow His will (1 Pet 2:9; Rom 12:1-2).
As Christians, we believe that religious freedom is about more than a lack of restrictions – it should also foster positive actions that give expression to our faith and allow our religious communities to flourish.
That’s why
the EFC continues to stand and speak up to defend the ability of all Canadians to express and exercise their faith without outside interference or fear of reprisals – whether it’s defending the conscience rights of physicians and other health care professionals to not have to participate in abortions or doctor-assisted suicide; or the right of faith-based charitable organizations to maintain and preserve their religious character, identity and integrity as they serve the public good.
BECAUSE JESUS CAME, the EFC has worked tirelessly on all these issues and more throughout 2022. And it is only through your ongoing and generous support that we are able to
continue to stand and speak up for God’s unchangeable truths. We are so very grateful for partners in faith like you – brothers and sisters who, in response to the joy and the hope that Jesus has given us, are helping to bless Canada in His name.
The God who showed Himself in Jesus – Immanuel, God with us – ministered to and touched the lives of many. Today, He touches lives through those who speak and minister in His name. Through the EFC, you too can be a blessing to the many who face injustices because they have been overlooked or neglected, and to faith-based organizations that are facing discrimination or unwarranted interference in their operations because their religious views differ from that of the governments or the majority secular view.
With your financial gift this Christmas season, we can continue blessing Canada together as we:
- tackle issues of law and public policy through our Centre for Faith and Public Life;
- contribute to a broader understanding of the faith trends and issues that frame the context of ministry in Canada through our Centre for Research on Church and Faith;
- facilitate collaborative initiatives for greater ministry effectiveness through our Centre for Ministry Partnership and Innovation; and
- share insights and stories of effective Christian ministry and witness through our publications, webinars, podcasts, etc.
We seek to provide the Church in Canada with biblical guidance to live faithfully in
all circumstances and to share the gospel with those around us. When the body of Christ is engaged and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and the coming kingdom, we will be a blessing to all. Will you prayerfully consider sending a year-end gift in support of the EFC?
Wishing you a blessed Christmas,
Bruce Clemenger
President