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EFC Update Newsletter - August 9

09 August 2022

The Importance of Art in Troubled Times, Hosted by Love Is Moving

We are (hopefully) transitioning out of the pandemic, yet war and other tragedies still weigh down our news feeds. World catastrophes can provoke us to ask, “Do the arts even matter?” Join a virtual discussion to talk about why art can still be vital amid challenges and grief. Hear from two panelists, Ivanka Galadza and Andrea Nwabuike, on how art has been part of their own processing and healing. The event will also include a reflection from award-winning artist Josh Tiessen.

This is a great networking space for Christian young adult creators. You’ll get to participate in a discussion group and a Q&A. Register here to join via Zoom on August 23 from 8-9:30 p.m. Eastern (5 p.m. Pacific, 7 p.m. Central, 9 p.m. Atlantic).

The EFC Presents Three Centres for Ministry

The EFC has recently reorganized its work into three more clearly defined centres for ministry. These centres will help us do our work well and communicate about that work even more effectively. Learn more about the Centre for Faith and Public Life in Ottawa, the Centre for Ministry Partnership and Innovation, and the Centre for Research on Church and Faith in the latest issue of the EFC newsletter Canada Watch at TheEFC.ca/CanadaWatch. Aussi disponible en français.

Summer Citizenship Challenge: Make One Positive Contact With Your Local MP

The EFC is challenging Canadians to make a positive connection with their Member of Parliament this summer. Connecting with your MP is a way of following Scripture’s call to pray for those in authority over us, and it creates a positive context for future interactions. Read more in the EFC’s recent blog post.

Bill to Verify Age and Consent on Pornography Sites

Bill C-270 is a private member's bill that would require commercial pornography sites to verify the age and consent of people depicted before posting their images or videos. Today the EFC sent a letter of support to the sponsoring MP Arnold Viersen, Join the EFC and ask your MP to support Bill C-270. Learn more and find a sample letter you can use to write your MP at TheEFC.ca/C-270.

Action Kit to Halt Expansion of MAiD

People with mental illness as their sole underlying medical condition will become eligible for medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in March 2023. This change was passed into law in 2021, with a two-year delay before the change would take effect. Many Canadians are seriously concerned about this change, including the EFC. Please join us in asking MPs to halt this expansion of MAID for mental illness alone. The EFC now offers a kit showing how each of us can take action at TheEFC.ca/MAIDreview.

Early Christmas Request

Does your church do something creative to serve your community at Christmas? Faith Today magazine would love to hear about it for our Nov/Dec installment of Church in Community. Contact the editors at editor@faithtoday.ca

EFC Job Opening for Fundraising Researcher

The EFC is looking for a part-time Prospect Researcher, Major Gifts to join the EFC Development team. The role involves research to identify and provide insight on high net-worth individuals, private foundations and corporations. Application deadline is August 16. Learn more at TheEFC.ca/jobs.

Caring for People at a Supervised Consumption Site

“As an active Christian I wanted to make sure I followed God in all my life. And what better place to do this than in the notorious Downtown Eastside of Vancouver?” Faith Today guest columnist Meera Bai tells her story of ministering to those struggling with addiction by working at a supervised injection site.

Sign up at FaithToday.ca/SubscribeFree to read more columns like this.

This Week’s EFC Prayer Prompts

Each week at TheEFC.ca/TakeAction, we rotate through a prayer request from five areas. This week we’re praying about Human Trafficking.

Pray for healing and justice for victims of human trafficking and other forms of sexual exploitation, not only in Canada but also around the world. Pray that governments will be proactive in enacting laws that prevent the sexual exploitation of persons online and offline.

This week, our affiliate to pray for is Defend Dignity. The EFC regularly partners with Defend Dignity, an initiative of The Christian and Missionary Alliance (an EFC affiliate denomination). Defend Dignity exists to end all forms of sexual exploitation in Canada.

Also, we offer pandemic-focused prayer ideas we call Friday@4, which we suggest you pray through on Fridays at 4 p.m. local time. Find new ones each month at TheEFC.ca/Covid-19

Coming Events at TheEFC.ca/Calendar 

→ International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief, August 22
→ Consumed - A Sacred Quest 3-year spiritual growth program (Renovaré), online weekly with 2 retreats a year in Saskatoon, Sask., starts Sept. 1
→ Perseverance: Moving Towards Greater Mental Wellness (Agora), online Sept. 10
→ Business as Mission Global Conference (BAM Global), online Sept. 15
→ Canadian International Faith & Family Film Festival, online and in-person in Toronto Sept. 16-18
→ Life Shared Summit, in-person in Toronto Sept. 22-24

In Case You Missed It

 → Job Openings: Justice and mercy coordinator; leadership centre director of programs; pastoral leader; director of philanthropy; pastor; director of human resources; and more (FaithToday.ca/Classifieds)
→ Faith Trends Podcast: Second-Generation Chinese Evangelicals
→ Faith Trends Podcast: Needs of Women Ministry Leaders
All Things Reconciled (new podcast series on Ukraine)
When Discipleship Comes Home (Faith Today guest column by Stephanie Christianson)