Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada

Description

The Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada was born of a union between the Evangelical Church in Canada and the Missionary Church of Canada in 1993.

The Missionary Church came out of the revival movements of the late 19th century; many of its members came from Mennonite and Anabaptist communities. The Church developed after many Church mergers over a period of a hundred years. The main principle of the Church was that Scriptures are the only acceptable doctrine and guide to life. The Church also derived some of its principles from those of other Churches: the doctrine of sanctification came from the Wesleyan movement; a fervent belief in Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation came from the evangelical Churches; and the strong sense of community within the Church and its congregations came from the Anabaptist and Mennonite traditions. The primary method of evangelization of the Missionary Church, both in the United States and in Canada, had always been missionary work, particularly in foreign missions. It had organized its own overseas work and supported missionaries abroad with other agencies. The continuing importance of missions to the Canadian church was evidenced after its 1988 separation from its US counterpart when, together, the two formed World Partners as their joint mission board.

The Evangelical Church in Canada was also born of the revival movement of the mid-18th century and developed from several mergers. Many of the Churches joining in these mergers followed doctrines based in Methodism. By 1946, the principal predecessor of the Evangelical Church in Canada was the Canadian Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB), which merged with the United Church of Canada in the 1960s. Those congregations of the EUB that did not want to become part of the United Church grouped together to form the Evangelical Church in Canada. The Evangelical Church in Canada emphasized holy living and a desire for further Christian revival. In the United States, some EUB congregations joined with the Methodist Church, while others created the Evangelical Church of North America, to which the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada retains ties.

Both the Evangelical Church in Canada and the Missionary Church of Canada were extensively involved in missionary work in other countries before their merger. When the Missionary Church of Canada separated from its counterpart in the United States, the two churches formed World Partners to continue their missionary work together, and when the Evangelical and Missionary Churches merged, the new Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada agreed to use World Partners for its missionary work. A few years later, in 1998, the Church formed its own board for missionary work, World Partners Canada. The Evangelical Church in Canada had participated in missionary works in Germany, Japan, Bolivia and Brazil and had provided missionary support to international agencies, including World Gospel Mission and Wycliffe Bible Translators. In 1993, the Evangelical Church in Canada was represented in 16 countries by more than 60 missionaries. With the merger of the Evangelical Church in Canada and the Missionary Church of Canada and the acceptance of World Partners as the new Church’s official missions board, missionaries sent out by the former Evangelical Church in Canada with other agencies became Missionaries on Loan. The Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada continues to participate in the world community of Missionary Churches. It also retains ties with the Evangelical Church of North America.

The Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada professes its belief in the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God created humans, and because of the sins of Adam and Eve, they fell from grace. Free will enables us to be either good or sinful, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we are able to be good. Jesus Christ died and was resurrected to mediate for humans and to ensure the forgiveness of sins. God requires that humans repent by confessing and making reparations so that sins may be forgiven. After the forgiveness of sins, believers are sanctified — filled with the Holy Spirit so that they can live a Spirit-filled life, having conquered sin.

The Church believes that Christ will return for a 1000-year reign during which Satan will be bound and Earthly problems such as poverty and war will cease to exist. On Judgment Day, both the righteous and the wicked will be raised and judged; the righteous will live an eternal life, but the wicked will be cast into hell.

Religious Elements

Scriptural and Doctrinal Sources

• Holy Bible, consisting of 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, given by divine inspiration and inerrant in its original manuscripts.

• Articles of Faith.

• Church Constitution.

Sacraments

In the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada, sacraments are ordinances appointed by Jesus Christ:

• Baptism by water: Water is the symbol of one’s union with Christ in death, burial and resurrection. Baptism is administered to adult believers, preferably by immersion.

• The Lord’s Supper: This memorial of Christ’s death is a centre of Communion and fellowship and is observed only by believers.

Moral Code

• The Ten Commandments are central to the faith.

• Christian stewardship is emphasized: humans use God’s possessions, and a tithe should be given to the Church so that God’s work may continue.

• An attitude promoting peace, kindness, godliness, love and joy is encouraged.

Houses of Worship

• Houses of worship vary in architectural style from early Canadian wood structures to neo-Gothic and modern buildings of stone and brick. The interior layout is similar to that of other Protestant churches and consists of a narthex (vestibule); a nave (large space for the congregation); and a chancel, or sanctuary (space around the Communion table for clergy). The size of the building generally reflects the size of the congregation. Churches commonly have a bell tower or a steeple bearing a cross. The Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada has many small congregations that may share church facilities with other denominations or rent meeting space in school buildings or multipurpose structures. Very small congregations may meet in members’ homes.

Devotional Practices and Services

• The congregation meets weekly for public worship, teaching of the Word of God, prayer, observance of ordinances and evangelism.

Clergy, Organization and Government

• The Church is both congregational and episcopal in organization and structure.

• Local congregations administer their internal affairs and send delegates to the District and General Assemblies. The Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada organization, which is incorporated nationally, is similar to the Anglican Church in that its constitution defines authorities and responsibilities for each level and Church assets are the property of the corporation.

• The Church has Eastern and Western divisions.

• A Board of Directors is led by a president. The board meets annually.

• The General Assembly, comprising Church board members and officers, delegates from divisions and congregations, and leaders of Church organizations, meets biennially.

• Missionary work is conducted through the church agency, World Partners Canada.

• The R&D; Committee oversees relief and development work, which is a part of the Missions Board.

• Ministers serve in leadership capacities. They are ordained when they have completed all study requirements. They may be further commissioned as “evangelist” ministers and missionaries.

• Both men and women may be ordained.

Propagation of the Faith

• Evangelism is conducted through literature (including an online magazine) and community outreach.

• Missions are conducted worldwide.

• The Church conducts relief and development work and is a member of the Foodgrains Bank, as well as World Relief Canada and Children’s Homes International.

• The Church participates in programs developed for relief for the poor, disaster relief, community development, resource development and aid for children.

Major Celebrations and Observances

Dates on which events are celebrated may vary from year to year according to variations in the liturgical calendar.

Days of Regular Observance

• Every Sunday (regular worship, in public and in private).

• Christmas: 25 December.

• Easter: date determined according to the common practice of Western Christian Churches.

• Other days according to the custom of the congregation.

Dress Requirements

• None.

Dietary Requirements

• None.

Medical and Health Requirements

• Illegal-substance abuse is not condoned.

• Abortion is neither sanctioned nor condoned.

• Prayers should be said for the sick, as God has the power to heal.

Death and Burial

• The Church follows standard Christian practices.

• Funeral services, comprising prayer and Scripture readings, hymns, and addresses by the minister and family or friends of the deceased, are conducted in churches. Ministers also preside at burial services.

Other

• Church members should give a tithe.

• Oaths to secret societies are not to be made.

• Since a true Christian is honest and leads a righteous life, a judicial oath (swearing on the Bible) should not be necessary.

• The individual may decide whether to participate in military service. The Church respects those who decide to serve and those who are conscientious objectors.

• Divorce is considered contrary to God’s will and the purpose of marriage. Divorced and remarried persons may be received by the Church if they are born again in the faith. Ministers are to refrain from performing wedding ceremonies where one or both parties have been divorced, except where divorce is the result of adultery.

Sources of Additional Information

http://www.emcced.ca — official website of the Evangelical Missionary Church, Canada East District.
http://www.emcc.ca/mainpages/canwest.html — official website of the Evangelical Missionary Church, Canada West District.
http://www.emcc.ca/index.html — official website of the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada.

The Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada
4031 Brentwood Road Northwest
Calgary, AB 2TL 1L1
Phone: (403) 250-2759