On the road: Alberta Among the joys of travelling to new places and meeting people is that one never knows exactly what to expect. It’s in times like that I pray and ask for God’s hands to work. Planning a road trip begins with a single invitation or opportunity from a distant place — a … Read more
Following the actions of General Assembly 2019, gatherings of Presbyterians who adhere to orthodoxy have taken place in Montreal, Moncton, Vaughan, Ont., Kelowna and Calgary. Here are some brief accounts. “A Place to Stand” at Vaughan Community Church, Sept. 28. Hosted by the Presbytery of Eastern Han-Ca. More than 250 people representing dozens of presbyteries … Read more
Moderator, in my brief time before the court, I will provide several reasons to vote against these remits. I will demonstrate that they will not bring peace to our divided denomination. They will not advance the Kingdom. And they are not in God’s will. I will approach this from three points of view: theological, practical, … Read more
Two advocates before the Supreme Court of Canada have written opinions that if the Remits are implemented in their current form, it will be difficult to effectively defend the position of PCC clergy, congregations, or members who refuse to participate in same-sex wedding ceremonies, with potential resulting liability to the PCC itself. Any member of a church court can forward these legal opinions to their court’s clerk … Read more
By Rev. Joel Coppieters, in response to the proposal by the Presbytery of Montreal regarding voting for Remits ‘B’ and ‘C’ on October 15, 2019. There are three reasons why we should not proceed by secret ballot. First, throughout this debate there has been a persistent plea for open dialogue with a strong insistence that … Read more
Remarks prepared by Rev. Joel Coppieters to the Presbytery of Montreal, October 15, 2019 I cannot vote in favour of these remits for biblical reasons. I echo the report the PCC’s own Church Doctrine Committee presented to the 2018 General Assembly, that after years of study we have not seen sufficient biblical grounds to abandon … Read more
The recommendation to the congregations in our Presbytery is that they vote “No” to the remits handed down by GA 2019. The following are both the rationales for a “No” vote, and the implications of a “Yes” vote should the remits pass. Should the remits pass an alternative definition of marriage that is in contradiction to the scriptures will be introduced … Read more
A gathering hosted by the Presbytery of Eastern Han-Ca at Vaughan Community Church, Ontario, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2019. You can watch the videos on the VCC EM Facebook page. We also have a recording of the event, which we have made available on the Presbytery of Eastern Han-Ca Youtube page. Conference Achievements and Next Steps … Read more
The court rendered its decision. Before sentencing, the victims were allowed to speak. One by one, they opened their hearts and bared their souls, sharing how the decision had impacted them. Many prepared carefully-worded statements. A few were off the cuff. All were spoken from the heart and testified to something which had changed their lives – and the lives of those around them … Read more
Since the early 1980s, The Renewal Fellowship has striven to be a voice of encouragement to those who stand for orthodoxy. Our vision has been the renewal of the Presbyterian Church in Canada by adhering to authentic Reformed hermeneutic, Spirit-led prayer and effective Gospel witness. That dream remains – even though some tell us … Read more