Lost In the Prairies.....Found by God

During the last week of July, two court decisions in western Canada have demonstrated the increasingly tenuous state of religious liberty in Canada. On July 23, Saskatchewan's Court of Queen's Bench Justice Janet McMurty upheld the ruling of the province's human rights tribunal that marriage commissioner, Orville Nichols did, not have the right to refuse to marry a same-sex couple in April 2004 on basis of his personal Christian beliefs for The tribunal had also ordered Nichols to pay the complainant $2,500 in compensation.

Nichols had appealed the May 23 ruling, arguing that his religious beliefs should be protected under Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. McMurty dismissed his argument, however, in her 39-page ruling dated July 17, concluding that the human rights tribunal was "correct in its finding that the commission had established discrimination and that accommodation of Mr. Nichols' religious beliefs was not required." Nichols has 30 days to appeal the decision. He has not indicated whether he will do so.

Please pray that God will continue to keep Canada "strong and free."
Pray for church leaders in Canada to be courageous in standing up for religious freedom in their nation.
That our passion for Christ will be a light that draws others to Jesus (Matthew5: 14-16)