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EFC Update Newsletter - July 12

12 July 2022

New EFC Podcast Series: All Things Reconciled 

Our newsfeeds are full of disturbing and discouraging stories from the war in Ukraine and other places of conflict. The stories that are less frequently heard are the equally true accounts of reconciliation and peacemaking. The All Things Reconciled Podcast tells those stories. Canadian podcast hosts Jeannette Böhm and Phil Wagler work with the Peace and Reconciliation Network of the World Evangelical Alliance. Series 1 of the podcast, produced by the EFC, launched on July 5 and focuses on Ukraine. The four episodes can be found at TheEFC.ca/Podcasts and on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and SoundCloud by searching "Faith Today Podcast". 

Are Congregations Thanking Donors Like Stella? (Faith Today essay) 

Stella is someone who still gives a handwritten cheque to her church each week. Faithful contributors are the true superheroes of our churches, and we thank God for their encouragement. In an article in the Jul/Aug issue of Faith Today, stewardship coach Lori Guenther Reesor takes us beyond the numbers to imagine such a donor and to look at giving trends in the Canadian Church. She also asks churches to think about how we’re doing at saying thank you. Aussi disponible en français.  

Review of Prostitution Laws Released 

The parliamentary justice committee released a major report June 22. It heard witnesses urging MPs to keep current laws, which penalize sex buyers and pimps. Others urged MPs to repeal the laws and decriminalize prostitution. The EFC’s brief was quoted in the report. The EFC strongly disagrees with the report’s judgment that the laws cause harm and its assumption Canada should move towards decriminalization. The report did have positive recommendations to address causes of entering the sex trade and to increase support for exit services. Continued advocacy is needed. See TheEFC.ca/Prostitution-Law-Review

Imagining Reconciliation: Pitch a Creative Project by July 31 

Submit a creative, innovative idea for a project on the theme “Imagining Reconciliation.” Pitch a project in the medium of your choice, such as a performing arts, video, visual art, photography, digital media, or writing. The winner will receive up to $1,000 to complete their project, and their work will be promoted across multiple platforms. This commission is sponsored by the Creative Collective, an EFC initiative that facilitates community, networking, training and work opportunities for Canadian Christians who are performing artists, video content creators, visual artists, digital innovators and writers. Application deadline is July 31, 2022. Applicants must be 18-35 years old. Learn more about the theme, criteria and how to apply. 

Eight New Articles in French // Huit nouveaux articles traduit de « Faith Today »

In the last ten days we posted eight newly translated articles at our website on topics such as medically assisted death, abuse by Christian leaders, Christian priorities amid pain and distractions, and servanthood in a narcissistic age. You can read and share them at www.FaithToday.ca/francais

Au cours des dix derniers jours, nous avons publié sur notre site Web huit articles nouvellement traduits sur des sujets tels que la mort médicalement assistée, les abus commis par des dirigeants chrétiens, les priorités chrétiennes au milieu de la douleur et des distractions, et la servitude à une époque narcissique. Vous pouvez les lire et les partager à www.FaithToday.ca/francais. 

This Week’s EFC Prayer Prompts  

Prayer is essential to any effective action. 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.  

Pray that God may help everyday Christians to actively seek the good of those around us and our country, as mentioned for example in Jeremiah 29:5-6. May this be a winsome part of our Christian witness. Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide Christians in discussions about public policy and politics for the good of all Canadians. You can learn more about these issues at TheEFC.ca/CivicEngagement

This week’s affiliate to pray for is the National House of Prayer. It was established in 2005 and is committed to praying for the Government of Canada. They say, “Our heart is to establish and ongoing positive Christian presence in Canada’s capital as we seek to fulfill 1 Timothy 2:1-3.”  

The EFC continues to offer new Friday@4 pandemic-focused prayer suggestions each month at TheEFC.ca/Covid-19

Coming Events at TheEFC.ca/Calendar 

 → The Fear of the Lord & the Virtue of Accountability (C. Stephen Evan/Regent College), online/in-person in Vancouver, July 11 
 → The Body of Christ and the Household Codes in Ephesians (Lynn Cohick/Regent College), online/in-person in Vancouver, July 13 
 → Sing the World God Imagines (The Hymn Society), online, July 17-21 
 → Theology of the Land from a Palestinian Perspective (Yohanna Katanacho/Regent College), online/in-person in Vancouver, July 18 
 → Marking Completion in Precarious Times (Susan S. Phillips/Regent College), online/in-person in Vancouver, July 20 
 → Silence, The Holy Spirit, and Music in the Processing of Traumatic Experience (Chelle Stearns/Regent College), online/in-person in Vancouver, July 25 
 → Reimagining Humility (Dennis Edwards/Regent College), online/in-person in Vancouver, July 27 
 → World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, July 30 
 → The Sacred Function of Stories: How Imagination Discloses the Imago Dei (Mary McCampbell/Regent College), online/ in-Person in Vancouver, August 1 
 → How Biblical Poetry Offers Hope in Suffering (Beth M. Stovell/Regent College), online/in-person in Vancouver, August 3 

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) 
 → The Faith Today Podcast has reached its 200th episode (FaithToday.ca/Blog) 
 → Medical Assistance in Dying must not be Canada’s solution to poverty or lack of supports (TheEFC.ca/Articles) 
 → Bill C-5 would reduce sentences for human trafficking (TheEFC.ca/C-5) 
 → Be open and listen! (FaithToday.ca/Reconciling) 
 → Canadian Christians partner on global vaccine equity (FaithToday.ca/Blog)