In this issue: Renewal Day and AGM goes online; Dispelling Disorder, Embracing Truth – Ian Shaw, RF Board Chair; One Man's Holy Dissent – Rev. George Anderson; Orthodoxy in the PCC: Where It's At – A summary of the online discussions; Overtures from five congregations; Board profile: Jillian McWhinnie ... Read more
Month: March 2020
Response to 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
One Man’s Holy Dissent
Any member of a court who has voted on a question and who disagrees with the outcome may register a dissent. The following was written in response to the Presbytery of Hamilton's decision to support Remits "B" and "C". Rev. George Anderson All things in the church start and end with Jesus Christ who is … Continue reading One Man’s Holy Dissent
Dispelling Disorder, Embracing Truth
Rev. Ian ShawBoard Chair “People did whatever they felt like doing.” These words summarize the end of a most sad time in the history of God's people as recorded in the book of Judges. It was a time of moral, relational and political chaos. In some ways that summation faintly echoes the chaos with which … Continue reading Dispelling Disorder, Embracing Truth
Remit Voting Results
From September 2019 through March 2020, each of the 45 presbyteries in the Presbyterian Church in Canada will be voting on the two Remits concerning same-sex marriage and ordination. If a majority of the 45 presbyteries approve, and that majority consists of at least half of the combined total of the constituent members on the rolls of presbyteries, then the remits will go to next year’s General Assembly, which is free to vote “Yes” or “No”. The dates, results, and numbers were supplied to us by members of the courts ... Read more
Read, Share, Study, and Pray
Churches from every nation and persuasion 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. Many churches which are doing things differently have been sharing their practices ... Read more
May this shake us and wake us
Among the notable features of orthodoxy is the belief that God is always at work. He didn’t create the universe and walk away, nor does He just show up from time to time. Our triune God’s hands are in this world, constantly. In that light, what are we to make of the unprecedented reaction to COVID-19, the latest coronavirus that – we are told – is about to infect millions? We can immediately ... Read more