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EFC Update Newsletter October 12, 2021

12 October 2021
 

New Podcast: Where the Light Fell: Interview with Philip Yancey

Our latest podcast is with Philip Yancey, a popular and prolific author whose honest and searching books over a long career have helped Christians come to terms with questions like where is God when it hurts and the reality of feeling disappointment with God. Now, he's released a memoir that takes us back to his fundamentalist upbringing and the pain, trauma and resiliency of his childhood.

EFC Presidents Day

On Oct. 28, the EFC will gather virtually with presidents and ministry leaders from affiliate schools, churches and organizations from across Canada. We will encourage and strengthen each other as we gather.

Flourishing Congregations: Register Now for Online Book Discussion

On Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. Eastern, the EFC will be hosting a discussion on what it looks like for a congregation to flourish. It will draw on the book Signs of Life: Catholic, Mainline, and Conservative Protestant Congregations in Canada (Tyndale Academic, 2021). Plan to join co-author Joel Thiessen of Ambrose University in Calgary, engage in a live Q and A and take part in breakout group discussion. Order the book today from your local bookstore so you can read it by November. Event registration is now open at www.TheEFC.ca/BookClub.

Quatre Nouveaux Articles Traduit // Four Feature Articles Now in French

Nous avons traduit quatre articles majeurs de Faith Today. Jetez un coup d'œil à toutes les dernières nouveautés sur faithtoday.ca/francais. // Don’t miss four new French translations of Faith Today feature articles, online now.

Not Everything Has a Purpose (Faith Today column by David Guretzki)

You’ve probably heard Christians say, “Everything has a purpose.” But is that statement really theologically sound? EFC Vice-President and Resident Theologian David Guretzki writes, “To affirm God works out everything according to His purposes is very different than saying everything – every event, every tragedy, every mystery, indeed every evil and sin committed in this world – has a God-ordained purpose.” Gain access to more unique Canadian Christian thinking like this by signing up at FaithToday.ca/SubscribeFree.

New EFC Weekly Prayer Prompts 

This week’s prayer request is about reproductive and genetic technologies. You can learn more on these issues at TheEFC.ca/Repro-Tech. Pray that decision-makers will protect and respect human life. Pray that the church will speak up on behalf of the vulnerable and support families.

Each week at TheEFC.ca/TakeAction we rotate through a 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, we highlight Tearfund, a biblically-driven non-profit community, focused on facing the challenges of poverty and injustice through God’s love, whose vision is to see people freed from poverty, living transformed lives, and reaching their God-given potential.

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

Looking to Hire or be Hired?

Faith Today's website currently has online classified listings for four pastor positions (in New Glasgow, N.S., and Ontario cities of Erin, Port Hope and Toronto), a chief financial officer, an accounting/finance associate, a major gifts officer (covering Ontario and the Maritimes), a professor of psychology/counselling, and also some part-time positions. Check it out or post your help wanted ads at faithtoday.ca/classifieds.

Coming Events at TheEFC.ca/Calendar 

→ Online Learning Collective: Exploring the Jesus-Centred Way in a Polarized World, (The Jesus Collective), online Wednesdays Oct. 13-Nov. 17
→ Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery (Mennonite Church Canada), online Oct. 13
→ Heritage Preaching Lectures, with Darrell Johnson (Heritage Seminary), online Oct. 14
→ Change Youth Conference 2021, online, Oct. 15
→ World Food Day (Canadian Foodgrains Bank), Canada-wide, Oct. 16
→ Called 2021: Relentless Online Conference (Women Together), Oct. 16
→ International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (Dignity for All), Oct. 17
→ Canadian Indigenous Realities and the Canadian Church: Master Class with Ray Aldred, online (Food for the Hungry Canada), Oct. 20 and alternating Wednesdays
→ Global Leadership Summit (GLN Canada), online, Oct. 21-22
→ Courage and Calling: A Christian Response to Medical Assistance in Dying (CMDA and EFC), online, Oct. 23
→ EFC Speaker at Moncton Church, Moncton, NB, Oct. 24
→ What Makes a Church Jesus-Centred? (Jesus Collective) Moncton, NB, Oct. 25
→ EFC Presidents Day (online), Oct. 28
→ Christian Education in a Secular Age: A Conference (Briercrest), Oct. 28-29
→ Ottawa Civic Prayer Breakfast, Oct. 29

In Case You Missed It

Mixed Feelings About God’s Power (Faith Today column by Carolyn Arends) 
EFC Granted Intervener Status in B.C. Star of the Sea Parish Case
→ Submission on Federal Approach to Harmful Content (EFC brief)