Response to COVID-19

Prayer and Care

In recent weeks, many Canadian provinces have ended their mask mandates. For the first time in almost two years, we see each other’s faces in grocery stores and perhaps also in church. And yet for the most part there is no feeling of liberation or great cry of joy. To be sure, we like it. … Continue reading Prayer and Care

Prayer and Care in a Divided World

As we work towards the renewal and revival of the church in accordance with Biblical orthodoxy, The Renewal Fellowship is focusing on two priorities in 2022: prayer and pastoral care. To be effective in those two things, we need to understand our church and the world in which we exist. The following essay is intended … Continue reading Prayer and Care in a Divided World

The Next Big Thing

Anniversaries are a great opportunity to press pause and take stock. We look back and note how a watershed moment has changed our world. Sept. 11 is the big one. There’s also Nov. 22, if you’re old enough to remember. And now we have March 11, the day in 2020 when the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 global pandemic. One year later ... Read more

Safe Space to Sow the Seed

I'm a young-enough Christ follower to remember my seeker days. I was a believer in something. God for sure. Jesus, yes. But was He the actual Son of God, the only way to connect to the Creator? I had my doubts. That despite having been raised in church, knowing the Anglican liturgy by heart, having ... Read more

Lessons From the Busyness

"Are we ready for this?" That was the headline in mid-March as pandemic restrictions hit like a tsunami. Thankfully, all those arenas converted to emergency wards were never needed. Now, as we enter phase 2 of the recovery, I ask: Are we ready for a new way of doing church? ... Read more

An Opportunity, Not a Threat

One of the most-encouraging aspects of church renewal is seeing the Holy Spirit work in surprising ways. When all appears to be without hope, a Saviour appears. When churches around the world were forced to suspend in-person worship in mid-March, I was blown away by how many of my colleagues immediately opened their virtual doors ... Read more

Reflections on COVID-19

April 2020 - Dr. Clyde Ervine engages the COVID-19 pandemic theologically to discern possible lessons for God’s people as they pursue faithfulness. A month ago, I was enjoying spring weather in Northern Ireland, the place of my birth, meeting family and old friends, talking about this and that, but not about the topic we’ve talked … Continue reading Reflections on COVID-19

Churches everywhere have responded quickly to the pandemic precautions. It's inspiring. It's powerful. It's a witness to the truth that the church will never die. And it testifies to the dictum that the church is reformed and continues to do so. In this section, we've created a menu of items in which we can tell … Continue reading Response to COVID-19

Online Worship

The Renewal Fellowship would like to publicize churches that are livestreaming Sunday worship services for the benefit of those whose churches are unable to do so. If your congregation is web-casting this Sunday, please send the instructions, and we will publicize it. Here is the information that we have so far ... Read more

Ministry

How now shall we live as pastors, elders, caregivers and believers with a heart for the Gospel and the Great Commission? We may be prevented from most human contact outside our families and close associates, but there are many ways to reach people and to interact. Online meeting tools. There are many options: Zoom, GoTo … Continue reading Ministry

Help

We're not all tech savvy. But it's not difficult to learn. Here are a few selected sources of information. YouTube is a user-friendly way to record and upload and share your videos. For those with zero experience, here's a primer: Create a new channel. You'll need a gmail address to start, so watch the video … Continue reading Help

Emerging from COVID-19

You are not alone. While change of any sort is always stressful, we pray that this time will be used to move us closer to God. I firmly believe that God works in times of trouble. You don't have to be a Pollyanna to believe this. We are learning technology in a new way. We … Continue reading Emerging from COVID-19