Dal Schindell’s death on August 6, 2019 in Vancouver leaves us saddened at the passing of a unique Canadian evangelical who made a significant contribution to the establishment of The Renewal Fellowship within the Presbyterian Church in Canada. Dal had a vision for a publication of the organization which had been founded in May 1983. … Read more
More than 100 people joined us for our first online Renewal Day and AGM on Saturday, April 25th, 2020, using Zoom Webinar. The theme was “20/20 Vision: Vigilant and Vital.” Speaker Rev. Jonathan Hong, of Toronto Korean Presbyterian Church, spoke about the current theological division in the denomination … Read more
How often do we stop and consider the meaning of our words – the absolute and true meaning? Take the word “resolution”. In everyday use, especially at this time of year, it refers to a New Year’s decision to change. Frequently, the resolution dies within a few weeks or months. Life goes on. But check … Read more
It was the first time in more than three months that I’d been in a sanctuary with other people on a Sunday morning. I was filled with unspeakable joy. I sat in the first available row and was swaying with the music, hands raised, grinning like a crazy man. It felt good. For the first … Read more
I retired four years ago after 39 years as a minister of the Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC). This naturally put me out of the loop for a while with much of what goes on nationally in our church. But my vantage point has improved due to a year of frequent online meetings with more … Read more
Leafing through the fall 2023 edition of Presbyterian Connection, the denomination’s quarterly newsletter, I find plenty of stories about social justice and activism: racism, aboriginal rights, climate, poverty, hunger, sexuality and affordable housing. There’s content on church business: use of property, social media, travel tales, congregational renewal and stewardship. There’s the usual multi-page spread of … Read more
Of the many surprises in the recent General Assembly, and the strange twists that the debates took, none was more surprising than an unexpected recommendation, dependent on the passing of the remits, that we apologize to the United Church of Lachine for past wrongs. The recommendation suggested that a great wrong had been done to … Read more
"Up! – Get up, look up, be up" is a daily e-mail devotional written by Rev. Matthew Ruttan, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Barrie, Ontario. It is published five days a week (Tuesday to Saturday), and is something you can read in about one minute. I started my subscription about a month ago, and I found the … Read more
This blog represents the thoughts of the author. While they may reflect the theological position of The Renewal Fellowship, they should not be seen as an official statement. We call it “the issue” – code for the tortuous wrestling with our official response to same-sex attraction. Long after the secular world and most other mainline … Read more
It is the work of the Spirit to create faith. Faith is confidence and trust that the benefits of Christ are mine, that what happened back on the cross and at the empty tomb achieved salvation and that it applies to me here and now. The Holy Spirit is the means by which this salvation reaches even us. … Read More