Watch Our Mentoring Webinar
Missed our mentoring webinar last Wednesday? You can now watch the full webinar online. What exactly is mentoring, and why does it matter so much? How can we do it better? How can Christian ministries and churches make mentoring part of their culture? Watch expert guests Doug Ward of Arrow Ministries, Marg Gibb of Women Together and Pierre Bergeron of SIS Leadership discuss this relevant topic with host Karen Stiller.
Pray for EFC Intervention in CMDS v. CPSO Appeal
A hearing took place today and yesterday in the appeal of the legal challenge to the Ontario requirement that doctors provide effective referrals for procedures they object to on grounds of conscience, such as euthanasia and assisted suicide. The EFC was granted leave to intervene in this appeal. Learn more and check for the latest updates at www.TheEFC.ca/CMDS.
Don’t Force Facilities to Host Assisted Death: Letter to Alberta Minister of Health
The EFC has written to the Alberta Minister of Health to ask the Alberta government to continue to protect the freedom of religion and conscience of faith-based institutions. The Minister said she would review the policy which exempts these institutions from having assisted death within their facilities. “We ask you to continue to recognize the beliefs and distinctives that are the foundation of faith-based facilities and not force these institutions to allow euthanasia or assisted suicide on their premises.” Read the full letter.
Religion and Society Series Event: Ticket Giveaway
Do you want a better understanding of the relationships between artificial intelligence, cognitive sciences and religious belief? The EFC’s Karen Stiller will be the moderator for a public discussion on these issues this Friday, Jan. 25 in Toronto.
Stiller and her colleagues at the EFC magazine Faith Today want to treat two readers to the debate. Email socialmedia@theEFC.ca with a reason you'd like to attend and your name will be entered into a draw to win two free tickets! You can also buy tickets to attend the event in person, or there is also an option for groups to sign up for free to host a live feed of the event and then a local discussion.
What Does It Mean to be Human: Ghosts and Machines will be held at the University of Toronto Convocation Hall. This event, sponsored by Faith Today and several other groups, is part of the Wycliffe College Religion and Society Series of critical conversations on matters of faith, society and public interest.
Cardus Survey on Christian Education and Faith Development
Our friends at Cardus are reaching out to church pastors in hopes of enlisting their help in a new study of church leader perceptions and children’s faith development. Cardus Education is working with The Barna Group via an online survey. The survey is about 20 minutes in length. Kindly consider helping Cardus by clicking on the link and completing the survey before January 31, 2019.
Cardus writes: “Christian schools in Canada face a number of challenges, yet despite these challenges, a significant number of parents in Canada desire and choose a religiously oriented education for their children. Church pastors can play a valuable role in helping parents with these important decisions and often have significant relationships with schools. But a changing context may also serve to influence the norms within church communities and how church leaders see themselves in relation to these matters.”
If you are not a church leader, please consider forwarding this request to your pastor, but do not share more broadly. Questions? Contact senior researcher Marisa Casagrande at mcasagrande@cardus.ca.
How to Walk Through a Crisis
The Finch Avenue van attack last year which shocked Toronto’s Willowdale community also prompted nearby Christian institutions to reach out to those impacted by the trauma. How should Christians respond when tragic events strike our community? Marion Goertz, director of Tyndale’s Family Life Centre in Toronto, gives advice in Faith Today for responding to crises in ways that are “timely, intentional and strategic.”
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→ Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, worldwide, Jan. 18-25
→ Canadian Youth Workers Conference, Saskatoon, Jan. 25-26
→ Crisis & Trauma Recovery Workshops, Jan. 26
→ Break Forth One, Edmonton, Jan. 25-27
→ Rencontre au Sommet 2019, Granby, Jan. 28-30
→ Christian Persecution: Launch of the 2019 World Watch List, Ottawa, Jan. 30
→ Global Christian School Leadership Summit, San Antonio, Jan. 30-31
→ EFC Speaker at Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford, Jan. 31
→ Canadian Youth Workers Conference, Abbotsford, Feb. 1-2
→ Missionfest Manitoba, Winnipeg, Feb. 1-3
→ Youth Leadership Conference 2019, Vancouver, Feb. 1-2
→ EFC Speaker in Burnaby, B.C., Feb. 3
→ Scientist in Residence: Dennis R. Venema at CMU, Feb. 4-6
→ Journey Discipleship Course, West Kelowna, Feb. 5
→ Multiply Conference, Vancouver, Feb. 6-7
In Case You Missed It
→ Crisis Response: How Your Church Can Help When Disaster or Tragedy Strikes in Canada (Faith Today article)
→ EFC Podcast: How Churches Walk With Those Hurting
→ EFC Analysis of 2019 Canada Summer Jobs Program Application