wfn.org | Evangelical Partnership Launches Micah Challenge in Canada

["Henry Hess" <hessh@crcna.ca>]

October 19, 2004 - The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) is pleased to
be a partner with other Canadian Christian ministries in launching the
Canadian expression of the Micah Challenge. 

The Micah Challenge is a global Christian campaign that will raise a
prophetic and powerful call and commitment to reducing world poverty. It
looks both inwards, to deepening Christian commitment to work for and with
economically poor communities, and outwards, urging leaders of rich and poor
nations to fulfil their public promise to achieve the Millennium Development
Goals, and so halve poverty by 2015. 

At the October 15 launch of the Global Micah Challenge in New York, South
African Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane declared, "The Micah Challenge
represents a significant new movement in global civil society to address the
evils of poverty. It is God's challenge to us, to be His agents of hope in
this hurting world."

"This is a unique moment for the Canadian Church to step up to the plate and
join with our global community in demonstrating God's love to the world's
most vulnerable and impoverished people," remarked Geoff Tunnicliffe, the EFC
director of Global Initiatives, as he returned from the global launch to kick
off the campaign in Canada.

At the Canadian Launch, held October 18 at the Laurentian Leadership Centre
in Ottawa, Fidelis Wainaina, director of Kenya's Maseno InterChristian
Children's Self Help Group (MICH) addressed the gathering, stating that the
heart of the Micah Challenge consists of, "...focusing on the people - seeing
the world through the eyes of individuals."

Wayne deJong of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities Relief and
Development Group and co-chair of the Micah Challenge Canada stated, "We are
very excited about the potential of the Micah Challenge campaign to help
Christians understand the complex issues related to global poverty, and unite
them in speaking with one voice for and with the poor." DeJong is the
Canadian director of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, the
relief and development agency of the Christian Reformed Church.

"Canada has a reputation for compassion to the wider world," said Dave
Toycen, president of World Vision Canada, "The Micah Challenge is a strategic
opportunity for Christians to express their love for their neighbour in a
powerful, life changing way."

Bruce Clemenger, president of the EFC, told a story of one Canadian's escape
from poverty in the past century. "Many Canadian Christians are only one
generation removed from need, and are acting out a biblical mandate, and
motivated by an empathy and experience that fosters hope for a real reduction
in poverty, globally." 

The leading partners in the Micah Challenge in Canada are the Evangelical
Fellowship of Canada, the Canadian Council of Christian Charities Relief and
Development Group, the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, and the Canadian Council of
Churches Commission on Justice and Peace. More information on the Micah
Challenge is available at:
www.micahchallenge.ca <http://www.micahchallenge.ca/> (domestic) and
www.micahchallenge.org <http://www.micahchallenge.org/> (international).

  - 30 -

For further information or an interview, please contact:

Gail Reid
Director, Communications
Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
905-479-5885, ext. 227
reidg@efc-canada

________________________________

THE EVANGELICAL FELLOWSHIP OF CANADA
Bringing Christians together for greater impact in mission, ministry and
witness

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada gathers Christians together to dialogue,
to equip and to partner for greater effectiveness in ministry and public
witness.  Since 1964 the EFC has provided a national forum for evangelicals
and a constructive voice for biblical principles in life and society.  

The EFC affiliates include evangelical congregations, denominations,
educational institutions and ministry organizations, who uphold a common
statement of faith <http://www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/about/mission.asp>.
It is an active participant in the World Evangelical Alliance.
 
To view our current initiatives and partnerships visit the EFC website
<http://www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/> 
Visit the EFC's gathering of the Canadian Christian community online:
www.christianity.ca <http://www.christianity.ca/>  
Join the celebration, visit: www.celebration2005.ca
<http://www.celebration2005.ca/>  

---------------------------------
Henry Hess
Director of Communications
Christian Reformed Church
905-336-2920 ext.236
hessh@crcna.ca

To learn more about the Christian Reformed Church, visit www.crcna.org