Some EFC staff were busy traveling between provinces this past spring to speak at events in the Maritimes, Western Canada and Ontario. The Maritime MAiD Tour took place in Halifax, Moncton and Charlottetown in mid-April, while two Faith Matters sessions were hosted in Calgary (April 24) and Barrie, Ont. (May 2).
Maritime MAiD Tour
The “Made for Life: What’s Wrong with MAiD” tour partnered with other Christian organizations to provide public awareness forums and leadership sessions for pastors and spiritual care workers about Christian perspectives on life, suffering and public policy around euthanasia.
Speakers included EFC President David Guretzki, Terry Branscombe (Inspire.FM), Paul Elliott (Focus on the Family), Pat Wiedemer (PEI Life) and Larry Worthen (CMDA Canada). In total, 300 people attended.
Several attendees commented afterwards that the tour had opened their eyes to the reality of MAiD in Canada and the need for a Christlike response. One wrote, “[I] didn't know how far MAiD has gone. How many people have died from MAiD. It was a wakeup call that we have to take a stand (lovingly) against this.” Another participant said, “An eye-opener on what MAiD is and the implications to us all. We as Christians need to understand that the world is suffering and know that God loves us.”
Faith Matters Calgary
Faith Matters Calgary, a workshop led by EFC President David Guretzki on “MAiD in Canada – A Matter of Life & Death,” drew almost 100 people, including some who had driven several hours through a spring snowstorm. Afterwards, participants shared how they appreciated the workshop’s thorough overview of the legal, cultural and theological perspectives on MAiD. “Really appreciated the clear and direct approach, given with grace and sympathy,” wrote one.
Faith Matters Barrie
EFC Director of Research Lindsay Callaway led “Passing Faith to the Next Generation,” a workshop in Barrie based on the Parenting Faith Research study. In a subsequent survey, some participants expressed gratitude for how the presentation provided evidence-based research on contemporary Christian parenting trends. “Having the practical suggestions that were based on the research on how to address the issues was very helpful!” said one attendee.
Why EFC events?
You may be wondering why the EFC invests in the Made for Life tour and the Faith Matters workshops. As Canadians, we are living through significant cultural and social shifts that directly impact our faith, families and congregations. Sometimes these shifts happen in government policy, like the ongoing expansion of MAiD (medical assistance in dying). Other times, they happen right inside our own church doors, like what new research tells us about family faith formation or how youth and women are participating in church life across Canada today.
Whether we are navigating complex public policy or analyzing new data about the health of the Canadian Church, these are critical issues. We cannot afford to navigate them in the dark, and we don't have to tackle them alone.
That is why the EFC provides resources and expert speakers to help your community explore these essential topics with biblical clarity and grace. We are here to partner with you, whether you want to gather multiple congregations for a larger community event or simply bring a guest speaker into your own church.
Ready to connect?
To start a conversation about hosting a Faith Matters event alongside your neighbouring churches and welcoming the public into the conversation, email us at events@TheEFC.ca.
To invite one of our expert speakers to share directly at your individual church for a service or local session, email us at speakers@TheEFC.ca.
Let's start a conversation.