Renewal Fellowship Summer Update

Dear friends of the Renewal Fellowship,

I have returned from the General Assembly meeting at Cape Breton University in Nova Scotia and am happy to report that we had a significant prayer presence there. Although numbers weren't huge, those who came to one or both of our prayer times were very encouraged. There were no earth-changing issues debated, but there were some indications that there was some positive movement to allow students who attended evangelical seminaries not to have to repeat over half of the courses at our denominational colleges. There were two reports from the Church Doctrine Committee. The first was concerning how we speak of the authority of Scripture. This was in answer to an overture about whether our church believed in the inerrancy and infalliblity of the Bible. The second was on Supercessionism, which dealt with how God and the church currently relate to the Jewish people. Both these papers, which can be found on the Presbyterian Church in Canada website, are worth reading and reflecting on. I also had great opportunities to meet evangelical pastors and elders that I hadn't met before.

In a week's time we begin the Family Camp at Dorothy Lake, where I will teach on the biblical attitude to Steven Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. That camp is followed by the two weeks of camp for aboriginal juniors and teens.

I have also had a busy preaching schedule this summer, and we have just completed the plans for another Men's Conference at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Ancaster, Ontario, where we will have our first Renewal Fellowship event ever in this congregation. Dr. David Sherbino will be the speaker on November 13th, and we will meditate on the theme of "Looking for Peace and Quiet".

The theme for the Assembly was "Sailing into the Future", and I need to ask you to keep us in your prayers for the summer activities and especially the camps. With Assembly being so far away this year, there were extra expenses, and we need your help to get back in the black financially. I know that many of you are busy this holiday time, but if you would take a minute and send off a special summer gift, it would mean a lot to us. Reflecting on the nautical theme of the Assembly, I feel that we at the Renewal Fellowship are presently on a sea, bailing the boat and praying for a good stiff wind to move us along. I hope you will be prompt in helping us bail and ask the Holy Spirit to blow His blessing on us.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to this in prayer and by the action you decide to take.

In His service,

Calvin Brown

Executive Director, The Renewal Fellowship within the Presbyterian Church in Canada.

The Renewal Fellowship,
3819 Bloor St West,
Etobicoke ON M9B 1K7