Author
Nancy Farran, conference chair

Debating the virgin birth

Calvin Brown

It is interesting to reflect that faithful followers of both Islam and Christianity can confess that according to their scriptures Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. But at that point their theology diverges. Orthodox Christians believe that the virgin birth, which is confessed in all the historic and widely used creeds, is a clear declaration that Jesus is not only Son of Man but Son of God — that Jesus has co-existing natures and that it is accurate to say he is truly human and at the same time truly God. Christians do not believe he is half God and half man, but as Living Faith tries to explain it: “God's nature is expressed in Jesus, the very Word of God … Jesus Christ is Lord. He is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit.”

Churches support change to let refugees appeal

communications

A private member's bill that will grant appeals to refugees being sent back to their countries from Canada was slated for a second reading in the House of Commons in early December. Bill C-280 calls for the implementation of the Refugee Appeal Division, which was part of the 2001 Immigration and Refugee Act and would allow those who are denied refugee status to appeal the decision based on the merits of their case. This stipulation was intended to balance a previous government decision that reduced the number of adjudicators in a refugee hearing from two to one. The appeal process was never implemented, leaving life and death decisions up to a sole adjudicator. Then-Minister of Immigration Denis Coderre promised to implement the appeal process within one year, but so far this has failed to happen.

A light for future generations

David Jennings

In Presbyterian communities, a 50th birthday celebration is not a sign of old age — in some congregations the recipients of such well wishes still constitute the “young people!” Likewise, when the British Columbia Presbyterian Extension Fund celebrates its 50th birthday this month, it will be doing so thinking of itself as a young organization more concerned with its strong future than its past acts.

Standing up to bullies

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Shaneil Keesic and her younger sister Desiree rescued a handicapped youth after bullies coerced a group of eight- to 12-year-old children to shut the youth into the shed and set it on fire. The sisters, unafraid of the bullies, tried to open the door. An adult heard their cries and helped. “Shaneil and Desiree had been taught that God would want them to help someone in trouble,” said Rev. Margaret Mullin, director of Anishinabe Fellowship Centre, which serves as one half of WICM along with Flora House. The girls attend WICM's Sunday School. In the photo, from left: Shaneil, Desiree, their brother Fred and mom Cher.

Suggested reading

Kenneth G. McMillan<br />Mississauga, Ont.

G. Jean Elliot and Robert Harvey have a right to their own opinions but not to their own facts and I think they might add to their reading some other books on the future of Christianity. The Next Christendom, the Coming of Global Christianity by Philip Jenkins, professor of history at Pennsylvania University, provides information of which the general public is unaware. Jesus in Beijing: How Christianity is Transforming China and Changing the Global Balance of Power by David Aikman, former Beijing bureau chief for Time magazine, is another book about the life of the Church today. Jenkins also published a book in 2006, The New Faces of Christianity: Believing the Bible in the Global South.

Chester native

Joyce Trapp<br />Via email

If Robert Harvey's reference is to the same Rev. Donald Kemble who was minister of the church where I was a member, and his daughter to whom I taught piano — he was not a Netherlander but a native of Chester, England.

The eternal impact

Kathryn Back<br />London, Ontario

New to the city of London, I went to the closest Presbyterian Church. I never realized how intimidating it is for someone new to just walk into a church they've never been to before and sit down — until I did it myself. Of all the pews we could have chosen, we sat in one that had been occupied by the same family for over 30 years! And boy did they let us know it! No kind or encouraging words there. In fact, no words at all. Just nasty looks!

Microcredit in Canada

Margaret Lavictoire

The Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank for their development of micro credit is truly exciting as is PWS&D's involvement with microcredit around the world. Microcredit is also needed in Canada and groups in many Canadian communities are working to provide loans to those who do not meet the requirements of traditional financial institutions.

GOO

communications

GOO (God’s Outstanding Offspring) from the Kirkfield, Bolsover and Woodville Pastoral Charge held a Make Hunger History Event in March. They helped prepare and serve […]