Letter to the New Minister of Justice David Lametti
The EFC sent a letter yesterday to the new Justice Minister urging him to keep the limits on Medical Assistance in Dying and to maintain the current prostitution laws. The EFC also described its recommendations to change Bill C-75 so that serious offences related to human trafficking and assaulting clergy will not be hybridized with the potential to be treated as less serious summary offences.
EFC Staff at Event for Persecuted Church
To raise awareness of 245 million Christians in the world who face persecution, the ministry Open Doors is holding launch events for its annual World Watch List in Ottawa on January 30. David Guretzki, the EFC’s Executive Vice-President, will represent the EFC and make brief comments at a luncheon for MPs, Senators, and media. The general public is also invited to an evening program at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Ottawa. The 2019 World Watch List Guide is already freely available from Open Doors.
Pray for MPs as Parliament Resumes
Please pray for MPs as they return to the House of Commons this week. Pray for wisdom for each one, especially your MP and the Prime Minister.
Write to Protect the Conscience Rights of Healthcare Workers
The EFC is a member of the Coalition for Healthcare and Conscience, which is asking the government of Saskatchewan to protect healthcare workers from being compelled to participate in euthanasia or assisted suicide. See the Coalition’s website for more information.
Permanent Job Opportunity: Social Media Coordinator
The EFC is now accepting applications for a permanent, paid, part-time position as Social Media Coordinator. The position holder will be responsible to work ten hours per week posting content, designing graphics, writing copy, scheduling posts and implementing a social media plan for the EFC and its ancillary communication streams including those of its magazine Faith Today. The work can be done from a home office or EFC offices in Ottawa or Richmond Hill, Ont. At least one year of experience is required, demonstrating a proven track record of innovative, creative social media use. Training on the EFC's current social media tools will also be available. Applications are welcome until Feb. 15 or when the job is filled. For a full job description and how to apply, see www.TheEFC.ca/Jobs.
New Canada Watch: The Victory and the Challenges of the Canada Summer Jobs Changes
The January Canada Watch is out! Read this EFC newsletter for brief summaries about the new Canada Summer Jobs changes, along with other articles: “Youth research makes its way across Canada;” “Updating you on Canada’s most immediate issues;” “Message from the president;” “The EFC launches Church-in-Community Initiative.”
Canada Summer Jobs: Application Deadline Extended
The application deadline for the federal Canada Summer Jobs granting program has been extended to February 3, 2019. See the EFC’s resources and analysis of the CSJ program.
New Audio Podcasts: Distracting Technology and Rethinking Downtown Urban Churches
Modern devices and ancient disciplines: Are our devices shaping us in destructive ways? How is our spiritual life impacted by tech overload? This audio podcast of a Faith Today article takes us inside these big, big questions.
In our latest audio podcast, learn how Rev. Graham Singh is reimagining what it means to be a downtown church in today's Canada. It has to do with space-sharing, innovation and, yes, good business.
Final Week: Pastor Survey on Children’s 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 Communicate When Your Church Has Bad News
“Experts and church leaders agree it is not if a crisis communications event will occur, it is when,” reports Faith Today writer Robert White. How can churches be prepared for the dreaded times they must share bad news? Read advice from experts in his article in the latest issue of Faith Today.
Subscribe to get more Christian journalism like this delivered directly to your door. Subscribers also get the satisfaction of knowing they support the production of more Canadian articles like this one.
→ Going Further with Mentoring
Publicize your event for free.
→ Christian Persecution: Launch of the 2019 World Watch List, Ottawa, Jan. 30
→ Global Christian School Leadership Summit, San Antonio, Jan. 30-31
→ Emerging Adulthood: EFC Researcher in 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
→ Emerging Adulthood: EFC Researcher in Burnaby, B.C., Feb. 3
→ Scientist in Residence at CMU: Dennis Venema, Winnipeg, Feb. 4-6
→ Journey Discipleship Course, West Kelowna, Feb. 5
→ Multiply Conference, Vancouver, Feb. 6-7
→ Human Sexuality and Christian Ethics Webinar Series, online video series, Vancouver, Feb. 11
→ Unstoppable: Ignite God’s Vision for You, webinar online, Feb. 12
→ Convictions Matter Webinar Discussion Series, video conference, Winnipeg, Feb. 12
→ Death, Funerals, and the Christian Hope, Winnipeg, Feb. 12-13
→ Foundations of Media Strategy Online Course, online, Feb. 14
→ Youth Quake, Saskatchewan, Feb. 15-17
→ MoveIn’s 10 Year Celebration! Guelph, Feb. 16
In Case You Missed It
→ How to walk through a crisis (Faith Today article)
→ Don’t force facilities to host assisted death: Letter to Alberta Minister of Health