Concern Over Government Plans on Anti-Abortion Groups
Canada’s finance minister has been instructed to make “anti-abortion groups who provide dishonest counseling to pregnant women about their rights and options” ineligible for charitable status. The EFC is concerned that this may single out groups solely because of their views on abortion and when life begins. For more information and a sample MP letter, see TheEFC.ca/CharitableProlife.
Our Common Calling Online Forum
We are looking forward to a week of nationwide conversations through the OCC Online Forum, starting Monday, January 24. The Our Common Calling Forums will gather Canadians from coast to coast to learn from each other through interactive postings on TheGreen.Community along with several Zoom gatherings.
Whether you are interested in welcoming the stranger, living your faith out at work, understanding the global diaspora in Canada, living inter-culturally or exploring indigenous realities, there is a conversation for you. Click here for more information.
Federal Conversion Therapy Ban Takes Effect
The federal conversion therapy ban, Bill C-4, took effect on January 7. See the EFC’s website and a recent blog for more information.
EFC’s French Prayer Summit
La Rencontre au Sommet 2022, the EFC’s French prayer summit, is planned for January 24-25, in Granby, Que. Find more information and register here.
New Podcast: Funerals. Yes Funerals
Who wants to sit around and talk about funerals? We do! In this special episode of the Faith Today podcast, EFC's resident theologian David Guretzki dialogues with Tim Perry, author of Funerals: for the Care of Souls, the book that inspired the cover story of the latest Faith Today. If you think this will be a downer, think again. But it might change the way you think about funerals.
Meet the Author of Refuge Reimagined and Explore the Journey With Displaced People
Sign up today at TheEFC.ca/MeetTheAuthor to join Mark Glanville and EFC discussion hosts Ilana Reimer and Bill Fledderus on Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. Eastern (4 Pacific, 5 Mountain, 6 Central, 8 Atlantic). Mark Glanville will share about his book Refuge Reimagined: Biblical Kinship in Global Politics (IVP Academic, 2021). If you’re a book reader, why not order it now from your local bookstore and read it beforehand?
Worldwide, people are forcefully displaced from their homes in increasing numbers. How can we extend solidarity and share responsibility for those affected by these crises? Glanville will share his perspective on how we can generously, creatively and engage with hope with refugee issues in our communities.
Living in the Light of His Kingdom: Column by EFC President
“Our primary citizenship resides elsewhere,” writes EFC President Bruce Clemenger in the latest Faith Today. “Thinking about the Kingdom keeps us hopeful and on task.”
New EFC Weekly Prayer Prompts
This week’s prayer request is about children and youth. Pray for children and youth in homes with Christian parents, that they may see authentic faith modeled. Pray for children and youth in secular homes, that they may encounter examples of Christian faith and have the opportunity to become followers of Jesus Christ.
Each week at 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 pray for Youth for Christ. Youth for Christ is a worldwide Christian movement working with young people around the globe. Motivated by our own faith, they give young people everywhere the opportunity to be followers of Jesus Christ.
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.
Coming Events at TheEFC.ca/Calendar
→ Celebrate Recovery for Women in Ministry/Pastors’ Wives, online starting Jan. 13
→ Watercooler Break for Communications Workers (CCCA), online, Jan. 14, Feb. 11
→ Leading Women - Exploring Bible Truth with Global Leaders (Women Together), online, Jan. 18
→ Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Jan. 18-25
→ OneWay Ministries Workplace Summit, online and in Ottawa, Jan. 19
→ Creator’s Call in a Climate Emergency (Menno. Ch. Cda.), online Thursday evenings starting Jan. 20
→ Tips from the Winning Christian Communicators: Writing Categories (CCCA), online, Jan. 21
→ Suffering Well and Suffering With (SA Ethics Centre), online Mondays at noon starting Jan. 24
→ Our Common Calling Forum (EFC/Lausanne/CCCC/CHEC), online, Jan. 23-28
→ Rencontre au sommet 2022 (EFC’s French prayer summit), Jan. 24-25
→ Meet the Author of Refuge Reimagined (EFC/Mark Glanville), online, Jan. 26
→ Conversations With Cyndi Desjardins Wilkens (Women Together), online, Jan. 26
→ EFC Prayer Gathering of National and Regional Church Leaders, online, Jan. 26
→ WEA Business Coalition Webinar, online, Jan. 26
→ 911 Response to Mental Health (Agora), Scarborough, Jan. 29
→ Making Peace in a Polarized World, (Jesus Collective), online, Feb. 2
→ Ending Poverty Together Workshop, (Food for the Hungry), online, Feb. 12
→ Racism & the Church. How then shall we live? (Acadia Div.), online, Feb. 15
→ Self-Care While Caring for Others (Acadia Div.), online, Feb. 15
In Case You Missed It
→ Funerals: How saying goodbye has changed and why it matters (Faith Today article)
→ EFC Annual Report
→ Dispatch from World Evangelical Alliance Ambassador: Post-Covid Church
→ Behind the Scenes and Christmas with the EFC Podcast Team (Faith Today podcast)