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February 2, 2016

01 February 2016

THE EFC UPDATE - 2016.02.02
Uniting Evangelicals to bless Canada in the name of Jesus

Sign up to receive the EFC Update via email every Tuesday to keep up with current news from The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.

SIGN UP FOR EFC WEBINAR ON ASSISTED SUICIDE, FEB. 17
Registration is now open. Sign up to hear what every Canadian Christian needs to know about euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. What can we and our congregations be doing to protect life? Contribute your questions to our live online discussion and hear the latest updates and developments straight from Parliament Hill. Our experts will include Bruce J. Clemenger, EFC President, and Julia Beazley, EFC Director of Public Policy. Get details and register today at theEFC.ca/webinars.

STAND AGAINST ASSISTED SUICIDE
Have you added your name to the 9,800+ Canadians calling our government to protect vulnerable Canadians and improve palliative care? You can do so at euthanasiadeclaration.ca. Surpassing 10,000 signatories will demonstrate cross-Canada support for limits to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. This declaration was developed in October by the EFC and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (aussi disponible en français).

PRESENTATION ON ASSISTED SUICIDE
The EFC’s Rick Hiemstra spoke at Jubilee Christian Fellowship in Stratford, Ont., last Sunday. An audio recording is available online. This coming Sunday, EFC Ambassador Neil Siemens will be speaking at Bethel Evangelical Free Church in Vauxhall, Alta. Consider inviting an EFC speaker for your group or church at theEFC.ca/speakers.

KEEP THE OFFICE OF RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
The EFC sent a letter yesterday to the minister of foreign affairs urging a continuation of “the important work of the Office of Religious Freedom” and expressing strong concern over media accounts indicating that support for the office might not be renewed.

FROM THE YOUTH WORKERS CONVENTION
The recent Canadian Youth Workers Convention in Abbotsford, B.C., was the largest yet for this annual event. The EFC’s youth initiative, Love Is Moving, was highlighted throughout the conference, and printed copies of the debut print issue of LIM magazine were distributed. LIM founders Benjamin Porter and Joel Gordon also had an encouraging meeting with keynote speaker Chap Clark of Fuller Seminary to share about how God has been moving forward the LIM ministry. They also recorded a two-minute video in which Jon Kornelson, a youth worker from Chilliwack, B.C., reflects on a Clark’s challenge to view ourselves and our youth as God’s beloved and adopted children.

WIN A FREE RETREAT FOR YOUR PASTOR
Nominate your pastor before the end of February for a rejuvenating retreat. One winner in each province! Details on this Faith Today contest in English at FaithToday.ca/contest or en français à FaithToday.ca/concours.

EFC WEBINARS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Would you like to chat with experts from the Canadian evangelical community on issues that matter, ask them specific questions and get an immediate, understandable answer? That’s what happens live online during EFC webinars. The discussions are also recorded for those unable to attend. Three of our most recent webinars tackled clergy wellness (how should churches help pastors avoid burnout?), helping refugees (tips for congregations) and statistics showing how Canada and the church have changed (and tips on possible congregational responses). They’re free online at www.theEFC.ca/WebinarArchive.

COMING EVENTS AT THEEFC.CA/CALENDAR 
→ EFC Quebec Prayer Summit, Granby, Que., Feb. 8-10 
→ Missiological Insights for Local Impact (Chris Wright), Toronto, Feb. 11 
→ Bizzle/Flipped in the 6ix Concert, Toronto, Feb. 12 
→ Briercrest Youth Quake, Caronport, Sask., Feb. 12-14 
→ EFC Webinar on Assisted Suicide, Feb. 17 
→ She's Not for Sale, Toronto, Feb. 21

BETTER EQUIPPED
Do you want to be better connected, informed and equipped this year? Subscribe to Faith Today, Canada’s Christian magazine, published by The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. Subscriptions now also include our free new youth magazine, Love Is Moving. Our risk-free trial gives you two issues at no cost before deciding on a subscription. Details at FaithToday.ca/RiskFree or toll-free 1-866-302-3362.

LATEST POSTS AT BLOG.FAITHTODAY.CA 
→ Good things happen (for everyone) when churches come together, by Karen Stiller 
→ 38 and counting! Canadian congregations respond to Faith Today contest, by Karen Stiller

IS YOUR CONGREGATION AN EFC AFFILIATE?
Congregations that affiliate with the EFC take a public stand for religious freedom, collaboration for ministry effectiveness, and the importance of bringing biblical principles to issues of Canadian law and public policy. Join hundreds of other congregations from more than 40 denominations at work in “uniting Evangelicals to bless Canada in the name of Jesus” at theEFC.ca/affiliate.

SUPPORT OUR YOUTH
Have you seen the new magazine Love Is Moving, published by the EFC’s new youth initiative? It’s written by youth to encourage each other to put faith into action. You can add your encouragement (whatever your age) by uploading a photo of yourself to any public social media channel using the hashtag #loveismoving. We’ll use these photos in an animated Love Is Moving mosaic we are building to highlight the collaborative character of this movement (see a one-minute video). Pass along this invitation – and the link to our latest issue – to the Christian youth and young adults in your church.