Movement to Israel

International Christian Embassy Jerusalem "a movement of Christians worldwide who share a love and concern for Israel and an understanding of the biblical significance of the modern ingathering of Jews to the land of their forefathers," organizes tours for Christians to visit the Holy Land. A Pastors' Tour and Conference is scheduled for July 2-9 and a Feast of Tabernacles Tour and Conference for September 18-October 1. Separate "Grafted" tours are scheduled for young adults aged 18-30. ICEJ's Canadian office is in Toronto.

Prepare with prayer

The National House of Prayer (NHOP) in Ottawa has scheduled a prayer walk in Israel March 29-April 14. The eight-person prayer team will be led by NHOP founders Rob and Fran Parker. The focus of the walk is 'Prepare the Way of the Lord,' including prayer for the people of Israel and for a preparation for the second coming of Christ.

Intercession in Edmonton

The National House of Prayer and Cityscape Teams have planned a National School of Intercession to be held February 25-27 in Edmonton. The event includes speakers, practical workshops and fellowship.

Anglican relief is cut

The executive committee of the Primate's World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF), the relief and development arm of the Anglican Church of Canada, has decided to cut its 2010-2011 budget to $5.2 million. That is down from $6.3 million in 2009-2010 and $7.1 million in 2008-2009. The cuts resulted in the elimination of seven staff positions, the creation of three new ones and changes in some others. A further 10 percent cut is planned for 2011-2012 in order to replenish the organization's reserves, which have been reduced by $2.2 million over the past two years. The budget problems stem from decreased donations and some shifts in funding from the Canadian International Development Agency. PWRDF executive director Cheryl Curtis resigned January 29, the day after announcing the cuts.

Anglicans and Lutherans play together

The Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) are looking for seven performers aged 18 or over to perform in a show called Roots Among the Rocks this summer. Guided by directors Jenny Salisbury and Peter Reinhardt, the performers will talk to priests and other people in the two denominations to find stories which they can meld together to "build a show that is a reflection of where the church is today, and where it might be going." The group will present the show across Canada, beginning with the Anglican Church of Canada General Synod in Halifax in June and ending with the Canadian Lutheran Anglican Youth Gathering in London, Ontario, in August. Applications for the team must be in by February 28.

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Abortion proposal 'pathetic'

After Prime Minister Stephen Harper called for G8 countries to make it a priority to improve health and reduce mortality rates for women and children around the world, Liberal Party leader Michael Ignatieff stated that the policy must include providing contraception and abortion. That position has been strongly criticized by some Christian groups. Thomas Collins, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Toronto called Ignatieff's idea "a negative proposal, which in no way serves to improve the health of mothers or children, but which rather imperils the most vulnerable among us." Calgary Bishop Fred Henry was quoted by National Post columnist Charles Lewis as saying that Ignatieff's proposal was "pathetic." Pierre Morissette, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, wrote a letter to Ignatieff about the issue. In a detailed blog, Don Hutchinson, vice-president and general legal counsel for The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada suggested nothing could be more contradictory to maternal health and reducing child mortality than abortion, which "has cost Canada an estimated over two million children since 1988" and caused "emotional and mental trauma" to mothers and fathers.

HAITI

Need has increased

cbm is a Christian ministry based in Stouffville, Ontario, which specializes in helping people with disabilities. It has been helping over 80,000 people in Haiti every year for the past 30 years. There were hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities in the country before the recent earthquake, and it is estimated that 200,000 were injured in the earthquake, including 2,000-4,000 who have already had amputations. cbm has sent its emergency response team to the country, and is working to re-establish its work on five projects in Port-au-Prince, including work at three hospitals that were damaged in the earthquake. Plans are also in place to set up a children's day care centre to meet the psychosocial needs of children who have been traumatized by losing their family members.

Children still vulnerable

International Justice Mission Canada (IJM Canada) has called on the Canadian government and the international community to continue to make the protection of vulnerable Haitian children a top priority. It says the breakdown in law and order and the thousands of children orphaned or separated from their families have created an environment "ripe for abuse by people who prey on children for human trafficking and exploitation."

Red Green would be proud

Biology teacher Karalee Kuny was duct taped to the wall at Rosthern (Saskatchewan) Junior College in January. It was one of many innovative fundraising stunts for the school's annual two-month Pennies for Poverty campaign that ended January 25. The students and staff had already raised $7,000 for projects in Guatemala run by the relief agency Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and for the Rosthern ministerial food pantry. After the January 12 earthquake struck Haiti, students and staff quickly raised an additional $3,000 for MCC's relief work in Haiti.

Where missions meet

The website Godreports.com was created in 2004 by Mark Ellis to help missionaries and ministry organizations create their own webpages for free, tell their stories, ask for prayer and raise funds. The site also allows missionaries to connect with each other and find other missionaries, often in their local area, who offer specific ministries. The site currently has a list of agencies working in Haiti.

February 11/2010