Brief on Palliative Care to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health
The EFC has submitted a brief on palliative care to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health. The EFC highlighted the need for conscience protection for palliative care providers and facilities. Read the PDF on our website and learn more about how the EFC is responding to the need for palliative care in Canada.
Joint Letter to Ontario Government on COVID-19
The EFC joined with Christian Legal Fellowship and Canadian Council of Christian Charities to write Ontario's Premier about the province's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The organizations highlighted the essential role of churches and other religious communities and asked the Premier to prioritize support, increased flexibility and accommodation for religious communities.
Print Magazine Subscriptions Now Free in Canada
Canadian print subscriptions to our award-winning magazines Faith Today and Love Is Moving are now free as of May 1, 2020! Find out why Christians across more than 40 denominations have trusted our periodicals for more than 40 years. Existing subscribers will be automatically transferred to the new free subscriptions. If you don’t already get our print magazines, sign up today at www.faithtoday.ca/subscribefree.
New Analysis of Federal Conversion Therapy Ban Legislation
A new analysis of Bill C-8, the federal legislation to ban conversion therapy, is available on the EFC’s website. The analysis walks through the provisions of the bill and identifies the EFC’s concerns and recommendations.
New Podcast: Lorna Dueck: A Storyteller Retires
Lorna Dueck, a leader in Christian journalism in Canada, has announced her retirement from a ground-breaking and hugely successful career. In this audio podcast interview she shares some career highlights, advice to younger storytellers and her thoughts as she moves into this new chapter of life and being.
Faith Today Editor’s Spiritual Memoir Online Launch
Karen Stiller, senior editor at EFC’s Faith Today and host of the EFC Podcast, is also a veteran Canadian writer. Her latest book, The Minister's Wife: A memoir of faith, doubt, friendship, loneliness, forgiveness and more, is about to be released by Tyndale Publishers this month. Join a celebration online May 11 at noon Eastern with Karen Stiller and special guest Mark Buchanan, theologian (Ambrose University) and author of God Speed: Walking as a Spiritual Practice (Zondervan, 2020) as well as many other books including three new novels about the biblical King David. Sign up now for a reminder email or to add an entry to your digital calendar.
New Blog Series on Reconciliation and Peace
We’re launching a new biweekly blog series on peace and reconciliation. The debut blog post reflects on the news that Abigail Disney, granddaughter of the co-founder of the Disney media empire, called for peace and reconciliation for the company’s employees. This new blog series is a partnership between the Peace & Reconciliation Network and Faith Today. The PRN is an initiative of the World Evangelical Alliance, and the author of the first post is Phil Wagler of Kelowna, B.C., who is both PRN North American network coordinator and lead pastor of Kelowna Gospel Fellowship Church, Kelowna, B.C.
Online Classifieds for the Christian Community
Want to reach Canadian Christians with your help-wanted or classified advertisement? We can feature your message at www.faithtoday.ca/classifieds and at Christianity.ca for 60 days for only $10 per line (average line = six words). For even wider exposure, you can also include it in our next print issue of Faith Today for an extra $12 per line. Contact ads@faithtoday.ca for details.
EFC Speakers in Your Online Gathering?
The EFC has local ambassadors in many Canadian provinces and expert staff on a variety of topics. One of them would be delighted to make a live interactive presentation during an online gathering of your community, or to record a video message for your online church service, conference or small group. Learn more about our speakers, including ambassadors based in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, at www.TheEFC.ca/Speakers. In addition to the list of topics you’ll find there, including social issues from euthanasia to refugees to prostitution, and ministry issues from adoption to youth ministry, speakers are glad to consider requests to speak on unlisted topics. Request a speaker now!
The Galli Bombshell
Last December, Mark Galli, Christianity Today’s then editor-in-chief, called for President Trump’s removal from office. Faith Today columnist James Beverley interviewed Galli about his bombshell editorial. Read the interview in Faith Today.
Support the production of more Canadian Christian journalism like this by donating to the EFC or advertising with us.
→ Giving Tuesday, online, May 5
→ Unite Online (Jesus Collective), online, May 7-8
→ Watercooler Break for Communications Workers, online, May 8 at noon Eastern
→ Fridays Webinars: Preparing your church for coronavirus (Wheaton/NAE), online, noon Central time, May 8, etc.
→ Virtual National March for Life, online, May 10-14
→ Karen Stiller Spiritual Memoir Online Launch, May 11
→ International Day of Families, May 15
→ Religious, Spiritual, Secular: Living in a Pluralistic Culture, online conference from Vancouver School of Theology, May 24-27
→ Day of Prayer for Christian Camps, May 31
Publicize your event for free on our calendar and we will also share it in this email newsletter.
An Online Seminary Course? Why Not?
Online course registrations are now open for many seminaries and Christian postsecondary institutions. Several are listed on our online calendar (TheEFC.ca/Calendar).
→ Trinity Western University online summer courses (courses starting April, May, June, July)
→ Briercrest Seminary Summer Courses
→ Booth UC Online Courses (courses starting May 4)
→ Master’s College & Seminary (courses starting May 4 and June 22)
→ Providence College & Seminary (courses starting Sept. 17)
→ Horizon College (courses starting April, May, June, either free to audit or discounted prices for credit)
→ Ministry and Technology Online Course from Wycliffe College (course starting May 4)
→ Who Is Jesus? (NT II) Online Course from Wycliffe College (daily from May 4 to June 26)
Be sure to check the website of your preferred institution for more learning opportunities. Or visit www.checonline.ca to search a database of Canadian Christian online courses and choose for example from 118 undergraduate courses available in summer 2020.
In Case You Missed It
→ Cool things amid the pandemic (audio podcast)
→ EFC letter to Minister of Justice on Bill C-7
→ The EFC’s curated collection of pandemic resources for churches (contributions welcome)
→ EFC letter in support of matching grants for charities
→ Pandemic Pastor: An Interview with David Wells (audio podcast)
→ Does poetry have a place in the church? (Faith Today article)