Ignite Prayer Summits in April and May in Four Canadian Cities
Christians in four regions will hold Ignite Prayer and Worship Summits this April and May to pray for unity, spiritual awakening, church vitality and healing. Earlier the same day, pastors and other church leaders will gather in a seminar to focus on cultivating a strong culture of prayer in each local church.
Join us in Ottawa (April 14), Calgary (April 20), Kelowna (April 28) and Regina (May 5). There are no fees for the seminar (which concludes with an evening meal for registrants) or the evening public gathering. Co-hosts include the EFC, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association of Canada, National House of Prayer, Peace & Reconciliation Network, and Vineyard Canada.
For more details and to register for the afternoon seminar/dinner, visit TheEFC.ca/Ignite. Ottawa registration deadline is March 31.
Hastened Death for Mental Illness Delayed Until 2024
A bill has passed that will delay MAiD for mental illness from taking effect for one year, until March 2024. The justice minister introduced Bill C-39 to give doctors more time to prepare. The EFC welcomes the delay but does not believe a delay is enough. The EFC is asking for MAiD for mental illness to be stopped altogether.
The EFC supports a new private member’s bill that would reverse the law allowing MAiD for mental illness alone. MP Ed Fast introduced Bill C-314 in the House of Commons in February. See the EFC’s letter of support and a sample letter you can use to contact your MP at TheEFC.ca/C314.
EFC President’s Vision for Ministry (Faith Today Podcast)
Who is David Guretzki, the EFC’s new president and CEO? In our latest podcast episode, he chats about the EFC’s role in the Christian community across Canada and his hopes for the future (and also about his hobby of astrophotography and his cat Scrunchy).
You can also learn more about David Guretzki or invite him as a speaker at TheEFC.ca/DavidGuretzki.
International Prayer Conference: Early Bird Registration Deadline Next Week
EFC Prayer Ambassador Roger Helland will be a workshop speaker at The 6:7 Awakening May 30 to June 1. This international prayer conference includes plenary presentations, corporate prayer and practical workshops to rejuvenate, inspire and awaken a passion for Jesus Christ and His mission. This gathering is aimed to help raise up the next generation of church leaders committed to ministry powered by prayer and Scripture. For more information and registration click here. Early bird registration deadline March 31.
New articles in French // Des nouveaux articles traduit de « Faith Today »
Last week we posted four new French translations from Faith Today: our new cover article “Appreciating small churches,” our extended interview with new EFC President David Guretzki, and columns entitled "Not without prayer" and "Tolerance and dialogue." // La semaine dernière, nous avons publié quatre nouvelles traductions françaises de Faith Today : notre nouvel article de couverture "Hommage aux petites églises", notre longue interview avec le nouveau président de la AEC, David Guretzki, et des chroniques intitulées "Pas sans prière" et "Tolérance et dialogue". You can read and share all Faith Today's French articles at FaithToday.ca/francais.
Interfaith Conference on Politics and Religion
Miroslav Volf, Kathleen Wynne and EFC senior ambassador Bruce J. Clemenger will be speakers at the upcoming Our Whole Society Conference being held May 7-8 by the Canadian Interfaith Conversation. Participants will explore how to address the causes of division within our society and how to foster dialogue, justice and find common ground in Canadian civil society along with academic, community and religious leaders. The registration page includes more details (two days of keynote addresses, plenary panels, workshops and lunches for $125). Student rate is $65. There’s an online option with limited access. In-person events are at Martin Luther University College, Waterloo, Ont.
Tolerance and Dialogue
True tolerance respects and dialogues with people of different belief systems. It does not mean embracing all belief systems as the same, writes EFC senior ambassador Bruce J. Clemenger. “Tolerance can lead to passivity and can be mistaken for indifference or acquiescence. Jesus was neither. He did not compromise who He was to win friends or be heard.”
Sign up at FaithToday.ca/SubscribeFree for a print subscription to read more articles like this. A sampling of articles from the latest issue are also available at FaithToday.ca.
EFC Staff Presenting at Heritage Leadership Day
March 30 is the annual Ministry Leadership Day at Heritage Theological Seminary in Cambridge, Ont. This year’s keynote speaker is EFC senior ambassador and president emeritus Bruce J. Clemenger. He will discuss Pluralism, Secularism, and the New Orthodoxy: Christian Witness amidst Canada’s Emerging Civil Religion. The EFC’s director of research Rick Hiemstra will also be presenting at the conference. Pastors and ministry leaders are invited to Heritage for a day of encouragement and equipping or to join online for the livestream.
This Week’s Prayer Prompts
This week’s prayer request is about collaboration.
As a national association, the EFC plays a unique role in promoting collaboration among churches, ministry organizations and higher education institutions. Pray for our work with other evangelical ministries and leaders to collaborate for good. Pray also for unity among the church, as Jesus’ followers and for them to be known by their love, as we work out our common calling and service together, as salt and light to those around us.
Catch up with some of the EFC’s latest initiatives in this area at TheEFC.ca/Collaboration (click “What’s Happening”).
This week's EFC affiliate highlight focuses on A Rocha Canada. A Rocha is an international Christian organization which, inspired by God’s love, engages in scientific research, environmental education, community-based conservation projects and sustainable agriculture.
You can always find the week’s prayer prompts at TheEFC.ca/TakeAction.
→ EFC Denominational and Congregational Affiliates Prayer, online, Mar. 22
→ Preserving Biodiversity: Creation Care from Faith to Action (CPJ; For the Love of Creation), online, Mar. 23
→ Young Adults Making Impact / Send Me (Church on the Queensway), Etobicoke, Ont., Mar. 24-25
→ ReBoot Men’s Event (UCB Canada), London, Ont., Mar. 25
→ Inspiring Testimony (Loving Muslims Together), online, Mar. 25
→ Commissioning and Reception for the EFC’s New President David Guretzki, online/Mississauga, Mar. 27
→ Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in Faith-Based Organizations (Wycliffe College/Karen Carter), online, Mar. 29
→ Hear O Israel! The Shema in John’s Gospel (Wycliffe College/Lori Baron), online/Toronto, Mar. 30
→ Ministry Leadership Day 2023 (Heritage Seminary/Bruce Clemenger/Rick Hiemstra), online/Cambridge, Ont., Mar. 30
→ Theology Pub Night on Jesus in His Jewish Context (Wycliffe College/Lori Baron), online/Toronto, Mar. 31
→ Jesus and Women: It's Complicated! Jesus in His Jewish Context (Wycliffe College/Lori Baron), online/Toronto, Apr. 1
→ Earlybird Deadline for Business as Mission Global Summit, March 31 (event is Apr. 27)
→ Earlybird Deadline for Christian Communicators Retreat and Awards, April 1 (event is May 25-27)
→ Communication Workers’ Watercooler Break (CCCA), online, Apr. 14
→ Recalled: Getting Back to Jesus-style Disciplemaking (Navigators/West Highland), Hamilton, Apr. 14-15
→ Ignite Prayer Events: Ottawa, April 14; Calgary, April 20; Kelowna, April 28; Regina, May 5
→ Secularism and the Pursuit of Transcendence: A Church & Culture Conference, Hamilton, Apr. 27
→ Business as Mission Global Summit (BAM Global), online, Apr. 27
In Case You Missed It
→ Job Openings: Vice president academic (Hamilton); pastor (Lethbridge, Montreal, Brampton, Toronto, Ottawa, Sault Ste Marie); Montreal director of leadership programs; and more (FaithToday.ca/Classifieds)
→ Seasons of Sorrow (Faith Today podcast with guest Tim Challies)
→ Not Without Prayer (Faith Today column by EFC President David Guretzki)
→ EFC Researchers Interviewed About Small Church Study (guest appearance on This Is Us! Podcast)
→ Start Your Journey of Prayer for Muslims in Your Community (Faith Today website post)
→ Doctors and Experts Write Public Dissent of MAiD Report