Withdrawing from the world. How stories are essential to Christian faith. Church support for dementia? When pastors retire. Infertility treatments for Christians. The FT interview with The Pastorate director Jason Ballard
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Cover story
Withdrawing from the world. Christian retreat centres offer respite, renewal and refreshment. By Catherine Morris
Features
How stories are essential to Christian faith. Wisdom from Ontario storyteller Brad Woods. By Marianne Jones
Church support for dementia? It's no longer a specialty ministry focus. It's mainstream, say experts. By John Longhurst
When pastors retire. Not a landing strip, but a launching pad. By Darryl Dash
Infertility treatments for Christians. Trying to discern repro-tech rights and wrongs. By Maria Kossman
The FT Interview: One on one with The Pastorate director Jason Ballard
In each issue
Behind the scenes. Summer traditions. Welcome to our pass-the-mic summer issue. By pass-the-mic columnist Abby Ciona
Talking points. Podcast lineup, Readers write, Milestones, Contributors
News. Notes. Ideas
- Reimagined Muskoka camp ministry. Widjiitiwin (helping each other) welcomes high-priority youth.
- Winning the race. Remote-control racing builds community
- By the numbers. Should mental illness be a reason for MAiD? The law to implement this expansion of euthanasia in May 2027 is controversial
- Connecting with God, others and the Earth: A vision for hospitality, spirituality and integral ecology
- Spring up, oh wells. Lifewater Canada's work flourishing after 35 years.
- Inspiring ideas: Alberta market provides free items. Grandpa's audiobook Bible. Money for youth through Tim Horton's partnership. Men's ministry with variety. Ontario church's 10th blessing of the bikes.
- A summer in Ottawa, a future in public life. ARPA launches program for young adults.
- Integrating faith and community on college campuses. The Rock on Campus meets the spiritual health needs of students.
- Noteworthy: N.W.T. church reopens after five years. New 6th-century pages of Paul's epistles. Young adults want marriage, just later. Monastery discovered in Egypt. Century piano a blessing to Saskatchewan church.
Cross connections. Our unsteady cultural tree. Is this a ripe moment for a rooted Church? By pass-the-mic columnist Gil Dueck
At issue: For prayer and action. A decade of MAiD.
The gathering place. A time to react, a time to build. God's call is not only to respond in the present, but also to build for the future. By pass-the-mic columnist Melissa McEachern
Event Calendar. EFC events. Community events.
News from the EFC. Aligning for effectiveness. Urging reversal of MAiD law. Newsletter changes. Research report on women in church. Hearing on religious freedom in healthcare.
Thriving in digital. Translation isn't enough for evangelism. What artificial intelligence will always miss. By pass-the-mic columnist Soukeïna N'Diaye
History lesson. Abundant scandal, deep faith. English queen Anne Boleyn was also a religious reformer. By Martha Tatarnic
All things reconciled: News from the Peace and Reconciliation Network. Jewish cookbook connection. Nepalese in Malaysia. Venezuelan works for reconciliation. Italian Olympic outreach.
Church and community. SNIPS serves local needs and beyond
Books & culture
- Extended review: Unfolding redemption: The Heart of the Gospel in the story of Old Testament, by Ian J. Vaillacourt
- Extended review: Kingdom of the Clock: A Novel in Verse, by Daniel Cowper
- Extended review: Disabuse: How to Prevent Detect, Investigate, and Eliminate Abuse in Churches in Faith-Based Organizations by Bob Stenhouse and Randal Rauser
- Reading the bestsellers: Extended review: Joyful, Anyway by Kate Bowler
- Q + A with spiritual writer Ken Shigematsu
- Canadian Creatives: Unknown, familiar, artwork by Malik Dieleman
- New media roundup
- Commune with Me: An Invitation to Feast with Jesus, by Emily T. Wierenga
- Entrepreneurship: A Christian Perspective, by Richard J. Goossen and R. Paul Stevens
- Called to Serve: Stories of Atlantic Baptist Women in Ministry, edited by Hannah Hunt, Joetta Fernando and Melody Maxwell
- In Defence of Israel: Critical Thinking about the Israel-Hamas War, by Hendrik van der Breggen
- Finding Leaders for Tomorrow's Churches: A Discernment Guide for Leaders and Teams, by Mark Wessner
- Faith for a "Whole" Life, by Donna Lee
- Experiencing God in Everyday Life: A Journey Toward Spiritual Maturity, by Richard, Mike and Daniel Blackaby and more.
Final word. Danielle Strickland of Vancouver is an author, podcast host and speaker who has helped found Women Speakers Collective, Brave Global, Infinitum, IMBY (in my backyard) and more.