Legal issues disrupt life for church community
Barry and Jennifer Pendergast say they are on a mission to educate people about spiritual abuse after going through an extremely difficult time at a church they formerly attended in Calgary. (Photo: Colin Smith)
CALGARY, AB—Church disputes are a harsh reality for many congregations across Canada and the ramifications can be far reaching when problems escalate into the legal sphere.
Such was the case for South Calgary Community Church (SCCC), a growing Baptist congregation with plans for expansion. When some former members alleged they were victims of spiritual abuse at the hands of church leadership, lawyers got involved and the situation got messy.
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Fire leads to forgiveness
and faith
BARRIERE, BC—The man whose dropped cigarette ignited one of the most destructive wildfires in Canadian history had no way of knowing it at the time, but that fateful mistake was to become his first step on a journey to faith in Jesus Christ. read more>
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Teen Challenge comes to Atlantic Canada
MONCTON, NB—Teen Challenge, a Christian drug rehabilitation centre for men with life-controlling drug and alcohol problems, will open its first centre in Atlantic Canada. read more>
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Christian affinity group helps build “the Kingdom”
TORONTO, ON—Ontario’s churches and charities have a new fundraising tool at their disposal that won’t cost them a cent to implement.
All they have to do is convince supporters to buy their natural gas supplies on contract through Interfaithpower.
Interfaithpower is a new Canadian company whose representatives say their goal is to help people of faith donate money to the registered charities of their choice as they purchase everyday commodities like natural gas.
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Grocery chains protest Sunday shopping ban
HALIFAX, NS—Two major grocery stores in Nova Scotia—Sobeys and Superstore—are asking the provincial government to reconsider a Sunday shopping ban.
Stores of more than 4,000 square feet are not allowed to open on Sundays in Nova Scotia, although smaller shops and specialty stores like pharmacies don’t have to close.
Sobeys and Superstore say the rules put the large stores at a competitive disadvantage, especially when the smaller stores offer similar merchandise.
Canada Post agrees to sell religious stamps
In an unprecedented move, Canada Post will start selling religious and secular Christmas stamps together, hoping to appease all sides in a bitter debate over holiday terminology in Canada. They plan to offer three non-religious stamps and one featuring the Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus for Christmas 2006. The Canada Post released three stamps featuring the birth of Jesus in November 2005 after the Catholic Women’s League of Canada sent letters to the government demanding Nativity stamps.
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