Next year is the cinquo-centennial of our theological parent, John Calvin, the originator of our Reformed identity. To mark the event the Committee on History will publish a popular series of 10 monthly articles from September to June in the Presbyterian Record on the significance of John Calvin in today's world.
Rev. Ian Morrison has stepped in as the acting General Secretary of the Life and Mission Agency for an unspecified period of time. Morrison, who served in this position for nine years until retiring in 2005, is filling in for Rev. Rick Fee who is recovering from time spent in hospital.
ENI – The National Council of Churches in India spoke out against what it describes as the growing commercialization of the Christian faith.
Alfonso Martinez* knew God had a plan for him since childhood. An indigenous Mayan from Chiapas, Mexico, he comes from a family who were among the first Christians in his culture. While visiting the national office in March, Martinez told the Record that his “grandmother was my first mentor. She prepared me for this role.”
My interest was piqued by the Education for Discipleship report to General Assembly. The report noted that nearly 20 per cent of congregations in the Presbyterian Church had no Sunday school in 2005. In 2006, 164 out of 932 congregations (reporting statistics) were in that situation. This suggests that Presbyterians are not reaching the next generation of Canadians.
Dear Mr. Cantelon,
ENI – Despite the daily challenges in Sudan, the church – as it is in many parts of Africa – is growing. But they must contend not only with a nation that is rebuilding after two decades of civil war, but also with the presence (and growth) of Islam. Churches complain of rumoured conversions to Islam based on inducements of scholarships, money and material goods.
This is a superb collection of 18 essays by Dr. Joseph C. McLelland. They span a half-century and cover a variety of topics grouped under three main headings: Theology and Ministry, Theology and the Reformed Tradition and Theology and Canadian Society. Most of the essays were written during McLelland's 50-year association with The Presbyterian College, Montreal, and his almost equally long association with McGill University where he occupied the J. W. McConnell Chair in Philosophy of Religion. A witty, lighter take on the history of The Presbyterian College entitled Adventures in P-C Land: A Saurian Testament has happily been included as an appendix. The essays are written in McLelland's lively, engaging style and are a delight to read.
A couple of years back, a red squirrel moved into our doghouse. He is a charming, cheeky little fella and I like him very much. Shortly after moving in, he filled our large, insulated doghouse with cones and twigs and built a tunnel system under the entire fenced dog run. I think the tunnel system is filled with cones as well. I am not sure why he did this, because he appears to dine out almost exclusively at our perpetually stocked bird feeders.
Former Glad Tidings editor, L. June Stevenson has been nominated for the 2008 Best New Canadian Christian Author Award for her memoir Tracing Rainbows: Lessons Along the Way. Stevenson, of Ajax, Ont., is up against five other authors for her manuscript which, if it wins, could be published by Castle Quay Books Canada.
An aboriginal judge has been appointed to the government's truth and reconciliation commission designed to provide a nationwide forum where former students of residential schools can tell their stories of abuse.
These are tough times for Bible reading in the mainline Protestant church. A former colleague of mine once said there are basically two groups of people who read the Bible: those of us who make it say whatever they want, and those of us who make it say nothing at all.
It was a small room, barely holding the single bed occupying it. The tiny casement window was a half-inch deep in frost and the room was bitterly cold.
Let's be honest, this issue does not have a light summer reading list! There are two things one say can about that. One is that if we don't highlight some of these books for you, we're pretty sure no one else will. The other is that there is increasing evidence that mainline Christians are looking to go deeper in their faith – and that ultimately means exploring theology.
“What does it take for a congregation truly to know change in its life?” This is a question being asked in many Presbyterian congregations today. The title of Peter Bush's new book, In Dying We Are Born, points to his answers. As he writes, “The congregation cannot give itself life, cannot make growth happen, and cannot stem the slide to death. The ability to do all of those things belongs to God alone … The church must therefore humble itself to the point of death, and then and only then will it find itself raised to life by the power of God.” In other words, faithful, meaningful and significant new life can be granted by God only to congregations willing to die to the way they have been.
June 22: Genesis 21:8-21
A beloved elder of the Presbyterian Church in Nigeria who died two years ago prompted an idea from Canadian Presbyterians to help others in his name. Elder Chief Ntieyong Udo Akpan died in August 2006 at the age of 82. He contributed to the growth of the church in Nigeria, and always welcomed young Canadians and foreigners to his homeland. Upon his death, the PCN organized a foundation in his honour. The N.U. and Margaret Akpan Memorial Elders' Formation and Renewal Fund was the idea of Rev. Rick Fee, former missionary to Nigeria and current general secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Canada's Life and Mission Agency. Fee consulted with Rev. Arlene Onuoha, a PCC missionary currently in Nigeria, and the Principal Clerk of the PCN. After sending out an appeal to those who knew Akpan and his wife, Margaret, about 1 million Nigerian Nairas (about $8,500 Cdn) was contributed to the fund from former missionaries and from the PCC's International Ministries department.
Shortly after Cyclone Nargis ripped through Myanmar (previously known as Burma) killing an estimated 100,000 people on May 2 and 3, Presbyterian World Service and Development partner, Action by Churches Together was preparing emergency supplies to take into the country. Donations can be made through PWS&D.
It's been a good, yet busy year. I continued as the pastor of my congregation, overseeing its continuing worship, witness and work, while engaging local, regional and national duties. True, my workload doubled and my emails tripled as I tried to fulfill my goal to lift up the local church by preaching and teaching in as many places as I could, but I also had fun. I avoided as many meetings as possible, except for the Assembly Council. Regretfully, there were a few invitations I couldn't fulfill, but for the most part it was an enriching and encouraging year.
OTTAWA – Canadians have a unique opportunity to engage in “nation-building” said the special advisor to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Indian Residential Schools, Robert Watts, in an address to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada on June 5.