|
Churches tour to promote Truth and Reconciliation
Leaders of the Anglican, Presbyterian, United and Roman Catholic churches will participate in a one-week cross-Canada 'Remembering the Children' tour to promote the work of the upcoming Indian Residential Schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The four denominations operated residential schools for the Canadian government. The tour will begin in Ottawa March 2 and will make stops in Vancouver, Saskatoon and Winnipeg. Participants on the tour will be: Phil Fontaine, National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations; David Giuliano, Moderator of the United Church of Canada; Archbishop Fred Hiltz of the Anglican Church of Canada; J. H. (Hans) Kouwenberg, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Canada; and Mark MacDonald, National Indigenous Bishop of the Anglican Church of Canada. They will be joined at each stop by local Roman Catholic and Aboriginal leaders.
Somerville to offer honeyed words
Margaret Somerville will be the guest speaker March 4 for the annual Honeyman Lectures at Tyndale University College & Seminary in Toronto. Somerville is an internationally renowned expert on ethical aspects of science and social issues and is founding director of the McGill University Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law. The morning forum will feature a conversation between Somerville and Tyndale president Brian Stiller on various issues; in the evening forum, which is open to the public, Somerville will answer questions from the audience on ethical issues arising from her work.
Walk connects air quality with the cross
A 'Walk for Justice' through downtown Toronto will focus on the link between the Good Friday story and air March 21. One of the organizers, Murray MacAdam, says air pollution "kills 1700 people prematurely in the Toronto area each year." The event starts at the Church of the Holy Trinity with a service of drama, dance, song, prayer and reflection. The walk itself features contemporary 'stations of the cross' where there will be presentations on air pollution and various efforts made to counter it. The walk, which attracts about 300 people, has been going on for over 20 years ago as a creative alternative to traditional Good Friday services. The 'Walk for Justice' draws its inspiration from the biblical account of Jesus' unjust execution as a political criminal. This year's theme is drawn from Luke 23:45: "He breathed his last."
Concordia appoints acting president
Tom Winger has been appointed acting president of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines, Ontario effective until the end of the academic year. Winger has been serving as academic dean and assistant professor of theology at the school. He replaces Harald Tomesch, who had been president since 2005 and who resigned February 5, expressing a desire to return to the classroom.
Continue article >>
|
Early opportunity to do evangelism
February 29 is the early bird registration deadline for the Cross the Street Evangelism Conference, which will be held at Church of the Rock in Winnipeg April 11 - 12. This year's conference is on the theme 'Tools for Engaging Your Community and Growing a Church.' Keynote speakers will be Tony Campolo, Claude Houde, David Macfarlane and Mark Hughes.
Effective outreach requires involvement, not money
Sixty percent of the congregations in Lutheran Church-Canada participated in the denomination's 'open house' last September, in which congregations invited their communities to various outreach events. Seventy-three percent of those congregations reported that the events resulted in connections to new people. The majority of churches spent less than $500 on the event, and all but a handful spent less than $1000. Although the denomination offered a variety of advertising resources, the churches said that by far the most effective means of making the connections were "personal invitation" and "word of mouth". However, 53 percent of congregational leaders expressed disappointment that more of their members were not "fully engaged' in the event.
Is your church connected?
Internet Evangelism Day (April 27, 2008) is an initiative of the Internet Evangelism Coalition to highlight and encourage Christian web ministry. The organization offers a free online evaluation tool for local churches' websites.
Eat with the EFC
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is offering "an evening of dinner, information and inspiration" March 10 at the Ramada Plaza and Conference Centre in Abbotsford, BC and March 11 at the Executive Hotel and Conference Centre in Burnaby, BC. Both evenings include an address by EFC president Bruce J. Clemenger and music by singer Debbie Fortnum. Contact: 1-800-302-3362 (ext. 235) or sayersk@efc-canada.com.
A call to Nazarites
Rob Parker of the National House of Prayer has issued 'A Call to Nazirites,' adults aged 18 to 35 willing to set aside four to six months, beginning in March, to go to NHOP's headquarters in Ottawa and pray for Canada. The idea is based on the Old Testament concept of Nazarites, who "voluntarily set aside an unspecified period of time to seek the Lord" (Leviticus 6:8).
February 20/2008
|
