Since Nov. 1, 2022, congregations displeased with the adoption of Remits ‘B’ and ‘C’ which approved parallel definitions of marriage have had the opportunity to embark on a journey toward Voluntary Withdrawal from The Presbyterian Church in Canada. It’s a time-limited offer which expired on May 31, 2024. Now that the deadline has passed . … Continue reading Now that the deadline has passed
Category: Response to the Remits
Christianity and Liberalism
Classic 1923 text by J. Gresham Machen comes to life again. In this diverse world of ours, we live side-by-side with colleagues, friends, neighbours and even family members who hold sometimes radically different political views, lifestyles and opinions about life. The Presbyterian Church in Canada has never been wholly unified. Progressives and traditionalists have been … Continue reading Christianity and Liberalism
General Assembly 2023
General Assembly 2023 may not have included fireworks and momentous decisions, but it was still an eye opening experience. I was there to convene the Renewal Fellowship Prayer Room and act as an observer. July’s Renewal Café will be devoted to a debriefing of GA. Details and invitation below. Here’s my take on GA. DEFINITION … Continue reading General Assembly 2023
Wear the Fruit, Keep it Fresh
In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul has pointed words about sin in church. Basically, we are not to permit it. Don’t dine with sinners. Cast them out. For those in The Presbyterian Church in Canada who adhere to traditional and Biblical sexuality, it’s a bit late for that. The opportunity passed decades ago. Church law caught … Continue reading Wear the Fruit, Keep it Fresh
Let’s be “inclusive” of orthodoxy
Has “liberty of conscience and action” replaced “no divisive course” as the touchstone phrase in our polity? Ministers, elders and deacons promise in our ordination vows to “follow no divisive course but to seek the peace and unity of Christ among your people” and the wider church. It’s widely quoted and tacitly accepted, even though … Continue reading Let’s be “inclusive” of orthodoxy
Orthodoxy in the PCC
No matter what the flavour of our congregation, we are the Stay ‘n Pray group. But we are only part of the family. Among those who adhere to Reformed orthodoxy are those who are Planning to Depart. A few have a plan in place while most are still figuring out a way. Some who have already found New Pasture. And a final group, Discerning, isn’t completely sure where they will be in five years. … Read more
Living Stones: A Movement of Reformed Churches in Canada
While the Renewal Fellowship's mandate and current mission is to provide Prayer and Care for those who adhere to orthodoxy within the PCC, we recognize that some brothers and sisters are being called to depart. The following announcement was prepared by Living Stones and may not necessarily represent the views of the Renewal Fellowship's leadership. It's … Continue reading Living Stones: A Movement of Reformed Churches in Canada
Is Revival a Lost Dream?
Is the evangelical revival of The Presbyterian Church in Canada a lost dream? Not necessarily. The PCC may be officially affirming. It’s entirely possible that “liberty of conscience and action” regarding participation in ordinations and adherence to traditional definition of marriage may just be short-term accommodations. And it’s disheartening to see a majority of commissioners … Continue reading Is Revival a Lost Dream?
Does it Matter in the Long Run?
The denial of “balance and respect for both definitions of marriage” appeared to be a watershed moment at General Assembly 2022.[i] It revealed what many in orthodoxy have suspected – or feared: That The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC) is officially “affirming” in accordance with the adoption of Pathway ‘B’-- “inclusion” – in 2019. The … Continue reading Does it Matter in the Long Run?
GA Takeaways
Defining moments from General Assembly 2022 The General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church in Canada provides a four-day snapshot of the state of the church. Anyone concerned about the evangelical renewal of the church would have heard numerous causes for concern. RF Executive Director Andy Cornell watched the entire proceedings and compiled notable and telling … Continue reading GA Takeaways
Pray for GA 2022 – Week 4
Monday, May 30, to Sunday, June 5. This is the fourth of four weekly prayer guides as we pray fervently for the 147th General Assembly to be held online June 5-8, 2022. We are praying in advance for the commissioners, the moderator, the clerks, the General Assembly office, and all of those who have a … Continue reading Pray for GA 2022 – Week 4
Pray For GA 2022 – Week 3
Monday, May 23 - Sunday, May 29 This is the third of four weekly prayer guides as we pray fervently for the 147th General Assembly to be held online June 5-8, 2022. We are praying in advance for the commissioners, the moderator, the clerks, the General Assembly office, and all of those who have a … Continue reading Pray For GA 2022 – Week 3
Pray for GA 2022 – Week 2
Monday, May 16, to Sunday, May 22 Let us begin with timeless, ancient prayer: Jesus, my feet are dirty. Come even as a slave to me, pour water into your bowl, come and wash my feet. In asking such a thing I know I am overbold, but I dread what was threatened when you said … Continue reading Pray for GA 2022 – Week 2
Pray For GA 2022 – Week 1
Monday, May 9 - Sunday, May 15. As friends, members, adherents, elders, and ministers in The Presbyterian Church in Canada, we are fervently praying for the 147th General Assembly, to be held online June 5-8, 2022. We are praying in advance for the commissioners, the moderator, the clerks, the General Assembly office, and all of … Continue reading Pray For GA 2022 – Week 1
No Middle Ground
A recent survey from Renewal Fellowship asked readers where their minds were at four months after the historic change in doctrine of the Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC). It was hardly a scientific survey, but the responses mirrored what we’ve been hearing in conversations: In general, “We are staying in the PCC for now, while … Read more
Remit Response Survey
Along with the quarterly e-mailout of the Renewal News and Prayer Calendar, sent the last week of September, we included a survey, asking respondents to share their responses to the adoption of remits ‘B’ and ‘C.’ We received 21 responses: Ministers - 12; Elders - 5; Members - 3; Adherents - 1. Responses arrived from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland and included … Read more
Reflections of a Random Nobody
I am neither a minister nor an elder. I don’t have a Ph.D or the title of YAR. I am a Canadian who came to accept Christ as an adult; I became a Presbyterian intentionally. God literally led me to the Presbyterian Church, of which I am still a member. I was not researching Presbyterian … Continue reading Reflections of a Random Nobody
GA 2021 Prayer Initiative – Now What?
We could not have fulfilled the need for prayer without each of you. For all the time spent on knees, in prayer closets, listening, petitioning and interceding, we thank every one of you. But now what? What do we do now? How do we move forward, honouring Jesus while working through how we feel about the outcome? Maybe, just for a moment, we sit and wait. … Read more
Hungarian Congregations Speak Out
What’s inclusive for some is having the opposite effect for others. A group of Hungarian Presbyterian congregations is the latest to go on the record about feeling excluded by the ongoing liberal theological drift in The Presbyterian Church in Canada. “We sadly observe and experience that our beloved Church … Read more
Support For Anti-Racism Petition
Support is growing for the landmark petitions by Korean-speaking congregations which accuse The Presbyterian Church in Canada of racism by "demonizing" ethnic congregations. This week, a coalition of Chinese congregations, known as the Chinese Consultation, issued a statement in support of the petitions. "We thank the members of the Han-Ca Presbyteries for calling attention to the … Read more