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EFC Update Newsletter June 1, 2021

01 June 2021

Act Now on Conversion Therapy Bill

MPs held another day of debate yesterday on Bill C-6, the bill to ban conversion therapy. Your contact with your local MP is needed to bring clarity and changes. MPs are in the final stages of debate and the bill could come up for a vote quickly. This is a crucial time to contact your MP to ask for a more precise definition of conversion therapy and for protection for religious instruction and parental guidance. See EFC.ca/C-6 for more information.

House of Commons to Vote Tomorrow on Bill C-233 on Sex-Selective Abortion

The House of Commons will vote on Bill C-233 tomorrow, June 2. Bill C-233 is a private member’s bill that would ban sex-selective abortion. The bill would make changes to the Criminal Code to prohibit medical practitioners from performing an abortion knowing that the abortion is solely due to the child’s genetic sex. Please pray that this vote will uphold the sanctity of life and consider contacting your MP to urge them to support this bill. You can find a sample letter and more information at EFC.ca/Bill-C-233.

EFC Submits Brief on Bill S-203: Online Pornography Restriction

The EFC supports protection for children and youth from online pornography. The EFC has submitted a brief to the Senate committee studying Bill S-203. This private member’s bill, introduced by Senator Miville-Dechêne, will make it a criminal offence to make sexually explicit material available, for commercial purposes, to minors online. For more about the bill, a sample letter of support and a link to a petition, see TheEFC.ca/S-203.

Living Well After the Pandemic: Sign Up for Faith Today Webinar

Join us one week from today (June 8) for a Faith Today conversation with Carolyn Arends, April Yamasaki, Ken Shigematsu and Danielle Strickland. We’ll discuss what we've learned from this challenging, weird, difficult pandemic experience as Canadian Christians individually and as the Church. Our panel will share insights and experiences in spiritual health and wellness and how we can live even slightly tweaked lives based on our Covid-19 experiences. Bring your questions and observations to share about what we can bring forward in our personal and communal lives as good, healthy practices. Register now.

New EFC Weekly Prayer Prompts

Prayer is absolutely essential to any effective action. Each week at TheEFC.ca/TakeAction we rotate through one prayer request from each of these five areas: Sanctity of Life, Care for the Vulnerable, Church and Mission, Family and Community, Religious Freedom. We also list an EFC affiliate group to pray for.

This week, pray for displaced people who are waiting for a safe place to live. Pray for groups sponsoring refugees in your area. Pray for newly settling refugees to be supported as they adapt to life in Canada and for the ministries who support them. Look ahead to World Refugee Sunday June 20 -- could your church observe this global event? Learn more at TheEFC.ca/Refugees.

This week’s EFC affiliate to pray for is Citizens for Public Justice (CPJ.ca).

Covid 19 and the restrictions have a significant impact on our lives. The EFC continues to offer weekly “Friday@4” pandemic-focused prayer suggestions at TheEFC.ca/Covid-19.

June 16 Covid Prayer Event

EFC President Bruce Clemenger and Prayer Ambassador Roger Helland are facilitating an EFC affiliate-wide Zoom Prayer Gathering specifically for Covid-19 on June 16 from 11:00 a.m. – noon (ET). With designated worship and large group prayer leaders and small group breakout rooms, we will pray with and for those affected by Covid: for those infected and those who’ve suffered loss, for front-line medical personnel, for the psychological, social and economic impact, and for pastors and churches people. The Zoom link will be sent out soon to all EFC affiliates.

New Podcast: WEA Global Ambassador Brian Stiller Reflects on the World Evangelical Alliance and the Global Church Today

Our latest podcast is with Brian Stiller, the global ambassador for the World Evangelical Alliance and a commentator on global trends in evangelicalism. He has led Canadian Evangelical institutions, like the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and Tyndale University College & Seminary. In this interview he discusses the evangelical church in Ethiopia and the United States, offers advice to younger Christian leaders and touches on several other topics.

When Public Debate Ignores Right and Wrong

EFC Vice-President David Guretzki shares how he reviewed media coverage of euthanasia Bill C-7 and realized to his surprise, “No one was actually making a moral argument, for or against, euthanasia at all.” Read more about how we can respond as Christians to moral issues when they are debated in the public square.

Get more unique Canadian Christian journalism like this by signing up at FaithToday.ca/SubscribeFree.

Online Generosity: Celebrating the Virtual Offering

How can a church celebrate the offering in an online worship service when there is no plate to be passed? We just posted some wise and humorous advice from Lori Guenther Reesor, a giving and fundraising consultant in Mississauga, Ont., at our FaithToday.ca blog.

Coming Events at TheEFC.ca/Calendar

→ The Impact of Residential Schools (Kairos Canada), online June 1
→ Une soirée au sommet (La Rencontre au Sommet), en ligne 1 juin
→ Dealing with Dementia in Your Parish (Novalis), online June 2
→ Why Critical Race Theory is Critical for Every Church (New Leaf Network), online June 3
→ Treaty and Covenant: Creating Space for Hope (NAITTS), online June 3-5
→ Abide in My Love Prayer Event for Christian Unity (CCC/CCE/PCE), online June 5
→ Discovering God at Work in Your Neighbourhood (Forge Canada), online, June 3, 17
→ Loving Muslims Together Bridges Course (LMT), online Thursdays June 3-July 8
→ Working for God and Sustainability: Tales from Two Continents (The King’s University), online June 3
→ Spiritual Parenting: Raising Disciples at Home (Tyndale SFC), online June 5, 12, 19, 26
→ Living Well After the Pandemic, with Carolyn Arends, April Yamasaki, Ken Shigematsu and Danielle Strickland (Faith Today), online June 8
→ Ageing and Spirituality Conference (Conrad Grebel University College), online June 10
→ Institutional Racism: Fake News or Reality? (New Leaf Network), online June 10
→ Astronomy and the Muse (The King’s University), online June 10
→ Watercooler Break for Communications Workers (CCCA), online June 11
→ EFC online presentation at Abbotsford Church, online June 15
→ How Mission is Flourishing During the Pandemic (Wycliffe College), online June 15
→ Métis Teachings (Kairos), online June 15
→ EFC Prayer Gathering for Covid-19, online June 16
→ Why are Women Still Among the Most Vulnerable Among us? (P2P), online June 17
→ I Am Not a Racist: Personal Responsibility in a Developmental Continuum (New Leaf Network), online June 17
→ World Refugee Sunday, worldwide, online June 20
→ National Indigenous People’s Day, June 21, Canada-wide
→ We Are All Treaty People (Kairos Canada), online June 21
→ The Timothy Trust Summer School (Metropolitan Bible Church), online June 21-24
→ Connect with the Jesus Collective, online June 22
→ Recognizing and Supporting Vulnerable Men (Plan to Protect), online June 24
→ Let’s Get Practical Around Navigating a Racialized Society Together (New Leaf Network), online June 22
→ Wilderness Reboot for Missionary Kids (Outreach Canada), SW of Calgary, June 27-July 3
→ One with Them: A Day for Christian Captives (Open Doors Canada), online June 27

Publicize your event for free on our calendar and we will also share it in this email newsletter.

In Case You Missed It


Bill C-268 Protection of Freedom of Conscience Act to Be Debated Soon
The EFC Welcomes the Supreme Court Decision in the Aga Case
The EFC Signs Letter to Ontario Premier on Pandemic Restrictions
Submission to the CPSO consultation on MAID policy
Living with Dying (Faith Today article)
EFC President Interviewed in Maclean’s
Submission on Human Trafficking in Canada to Indigenous and Northern Affairs
Living Well After the Pandemic (webinar)
When Spoken Words Give Life (Faith Today blog)
Interview with Faith Today senior editor (from The 700 Club Canada)
Invitation to create (Faith Today call for homemade art, deadline June 30)
Nouvelles ressources en français / New French-language resources (on EFC website)