A publication of the Renewal Fellowship

A publication of the Renewal Fellowship

Channels

Introducing Channels Magazine

The Renewal Fellowship within The Presbyterian Church in Canada was founded in May 1982, and during the next year, plans were made to begin a magazine to reassure isolated and sometimes discouraged Presbyterians in Canada who wanted renewal that they were not alone. Word associations with media, communication, and television channels resonated with the old hymn, “Channels only, blessed Master”, and suggested the name Channels. And so, Channels – intended to be an instrument of blessing for The Presbyterian Church in Canada – debuted in the fall of 1983.

Over the next 23 years, some 66 issues were published. Channels succeeded in placing the Renewal Fellowship within a broader national and international context. Publishing articles written by internationally known authors such as Eugene Peterson, James I. Packer, Michael Green, Darrell Johnson, and John G. Stackhouse Jr. helped members of the Renewal Fellowship to realize that they were a part of a much wider movement.

Recognizing the high quality of this magazine prompted a desire to make a digital archive of all 66 issues. Each article is presented in text format, and at the bottom, a searchable, downloadable PDF copy of the issue opens at the page where the article originally appeared. Enjoy!

Mission

A Cambodian Diary

By Paul Dylla, Marieke Schindell, and Grant Wilson. Fairview Presbyterian Church, Vancouver BC, celebrated its 100th anniversary by undertaking as a missions project: the building of Sunshine House, a home for children orphaned by AIDS in Cambodia. Three members of the congregation travelled to Cambodia, met the children, and recorded their reflections on the experience. … Read more

Daily Faith Theology

Purposeful Suffering

By Bryn MacPhail. Why does God allow suffering? Our heavenly Father, who is all-powerful, all-wise, and all-loving, has a plan when He allows His children to suffer. When we confess that God is sovereign, we confess that He is sovereign over everything — even suffering. And this is a good thing. … Read more

Ministry

Novelists, Pastors and Poets

By Eugene H. Peterson — Anyone of us, waking up in the morning and finding ourselves included in that part of the creation called human, sooner or later finds ourself dealing with language, with words. We are the only creatures in this incredible, vast creation doing this. Language is unique to us human beings. Turnips complete a fairly complex and useful life cycle … Read more

History Reviews

Reformation Overview

Reviewed by Albert Bailey. This is a kit designed to help us pass on knowledge of our Reformation heritage to new generations. The compact kit has two videotapes with six half-hour segments, a Leader's Guide with suggestions for ways of developing the programs, and printed resources. … Read more

Worship

Covenanting Liturgy

By Calvin Brown. This Covenanting Liturgy is based on Hebrews 11 and the Covenanting Prayer. It should be read with enthusiasm, feeling and growing intensity. The sense is that as we help one another remember the faithfulness of God exhibited among his people we more and more identify with them until we become one with them in Spirit and are willing also to make gladly the commitment that they did. … Read more

Leadership

Passing the Torch of Leadership

By Brian C. Stiller. As we look at churches and organizations today, we can see that there are many in need of torch passing. But either the senior leader desperately holds on too long with no attempt to train or give opportunity to the younger, or the tension produces so much conflict that the younger leader heads off … Read more