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2003 ANNUAL CONFERENCE Reports Elizabeth Davis & Peter Anderson When
the enemy shall come in like a flood, the
Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.
(Isaiah 59:9) Over 125 attendees at Christian
Legal Fellowship’s national conference in Niagara Falls for the weekend of
September 25th to 28th experienced more than the powerful
force of water surging over the Horseshoe falls – they experienced the
powerful force of the Holy Spirit touching and transforming lives.
This conference was of singular
significance because it marked the 25th anniversary of CLF’s
incorporation. All would agree that
God’s smile of affirmation radiated as CLF celebrated 25 years of faithful
ministry. From the cooperation of
the weather, to the complimentary gifts, the vibrant Praise & Worship to the
superior teaching – God was clearly showering the event with divine blessing. For such a significant milestone,
it was particularly appropriate to feature world-renowned apologist & author
Ravi Zacharias as the keynote speaker.
Ravi’s eloquence and intellectual depth stimulated a wide-eyed,
chin-dropped response in the audience. It
was reassuring to be reminded that our faith is not a product of intellectual
suicide. The conference was structured
around the theme Faith, Fact, Action with each plenary session and
workshop fitting into one category. Faith In addition to Ravi’s
compelling presentation on the articulable reliability of our faith, Dee Wampler
explained how he, as a criminal lawyer, found the Biblical account of Jesus
Christ’s trial, death & resurrection to be irrefutable.
Media personality, Michael Coren, shared thoughts reflected in his new
book, Mere Christian and Paul Jeffrey, former pastor and now
environmental lawyer, explored his discovery of law as a calling.
Each uncovered a unique element of the interconnection between faith and
the legal profession. Facts CLF’s 2003 conference workshops
also grappled with the harsh realities of life and relationships.
With the recent legislative change to the definition of marriage in
Canada, the reports of constitutional lawyers, Kevin Boonstra and David Brown,
presented in the Religious Liberty Workshop attracted considerable
interest. Simultaneously, other
conference delegates attended a marriage enrichment workshop by Greg and Colleen
Sumner that examined communication techniques.
Greg and Colleen later shared more from their personal & counseling
experiences on how to refresh the fun in marriage.
Also, accomplished collaborative lawyers, Ron Smith and Valerie Hazlett
Parker, shared valuable lessons on how to litigate in a non-destructive way
through the medium of collaborative law. Action The lurking danger is to acquire
an understanding of faith or assimilate facts but fall prey to inertia or
immobilizing resistance. Workshop
presenter, Gary Wood, reminded us that knowing what to do and actually doing it
are usually miles apart for most Christian professionals.
In his workshops, Beating Burnout – Where to Start and How
Stress Works – And What You Can Do About It, Gary Wood addressed the
warning signs of burnout and followed-up with practical steps for personal
protection. As well, we were blessed
to hear fresh and transparent insights from His Honour, Judge Darrell Riemer,
Provincial Court of Alberta, in an address entitled Faith in Action … As a
Decision Maker. In light of the wealth of the
resources acquired, it was appropriate for Dr. William Bennett, legal counsel
for Campus Crusade for Christ and repeat CLF speaker, to challenge listeners to
humbly and honestly ask themselves whether they are being faithful to the call.
This issue of complete surrender to the great commission and God’s will
was echoed in CLF Executive Director, Ruth Ross’, Sunday a.m. charge.
Precious moments of fervent prayer and commissioning followed both of
these sessions. The
Cost of Faith in Action Perhaps the most moving session
came from the heart of Mack Smith, persecuted Christian and political refugee
from Egypt. His large scale
photographs and impassioned words reminded the hearers of the threat of physical
and emotional torture for Christians when a nation rejects the truth of God’s
Word. As Canada drifts steadily away
from the anchoring truth of the Bible, the reality of increased opposition is in
the forefront of our thoughts. The
audience listened with rapt attention. Mack
also closed the celebration banquet with a solemn prayer for persecuted
Christians throughout the world. Throughout the conference we were
blessed with skilled musicians leading us in praise.
Peter and Shirley Anderson along with Colleen Sumner led us into God’s
presence through song several times throughout the conference and the Redeemer
Worship Team from Niagara Falls stirred our souls with praise and worship on
Sunday morning. Whether the conference organizers
intended it or not, the theme of Faith, Facts, Action paralleled the
“total person” approach -- spirit, soul & body.
Although conference delegates traveled from diverse corners of the
country and counseled in different areas of the law, reports indicated that the
Holy Spirit addressed unique concerns they carried.
Reports abounded of discovering answers to unique spiritual and mental
challenges or simply finding physical refreshment from the getaway.
The students too overflowed with
exciting reports of being inspired by examples of lawyers and judges purposing
to follow God’s call unreservedly and to support CLF’s mission.
The significant student representation was similarly thrilling for the
legal counselors, many of whom had recognized the potential of student
involvement and invested in student sponsorship.
Almost 20 students received some degree of financial assistance. As CLF members tackled business
decisions in the Annual General Meeting, spouses joined Priscilla Riemer for a
time of heart-to-heart sharing in the Spouse’s Program.
Eighteen spouses participated in this program! The absence of CLF President,
Robert Reynolds, due to serious illness was of grave concern and warranted
several corporate prayers for his physical restoration.
In his absence, Ruth Ross, did an outstanding job of ensuring
administrative excellence and challenging the participants to aspire for great
exploits both personally & corporately. This conference has confirmed the
value of a national annual conference. We are already planning for next
year's event and, although particulars are not yet settled, we are seriously
considering Vancouver in August or later. We may be able to arrange for
campus housing which will provide reasonable housing for singles, couples or
families. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us. Our
spirits are still radiant with the afterglow from CLF's 25th Anniversary
Conference. Without a doubt, this weekend will mark a critical moment in
CLF's history. Elizabeth
Davis has recently joined the CLF administrative staff and is a London area
resident, has completed her legal degree from Oak Brook College of Law and
Government Policy (Fresno, California) and is awaiting her California bar
exam results. ************************************* Ruth Ross has described our CLF
conference in Niagara Falls this year as a "mountaintop experience".
I'm afraid I have to differ. Last
year in Banff was a mountaintop experience - this was more like a waterfall.
And I'm not just playing with visual images about the locations of the
two conferences! I cannot recall
when I last experienced such an outpouring of God's Spirit as I experienced at
Niagara. It was like a river
flooding through the conference, catching us up and sweeping us along.
Like the song by Paul Bellous:
"In my life You are the River
Purify, wash away
Cleanse me of my stubborn rebellion
Recreate me day by day" God used speakers like Ravi
Zacharias to challenge us to face a post modern world with gentleness and
humility, but always prepared to give an answer for the Hope within us.
Maged El Shafie (Mack Smith) brought home the true meaning of freedom
from bondage, as he recounted his experience as a Christian persecuted and
imprisoned for his faith - and showed himself to be a child of God on fire for
the persecuted Church world wide. Paul
Jeffrey spoke of law as a calling, and challenged us to view our practice and
profession as a call from God to serve in the courtrooms and boardrooms of the
nation. In their workshop, Colleen
and Greg Sumner extended that call to our relationships with our spouses,
providing tools for resolving conflict and bringing Christ's love into the most
intimate of our earthly relationships. And
as always, Ruth Ross was there to encourage, console, minister and administer,
and model to all of us what it means to truly serve and submit to the lordship
of Christ. And I've failed to mention many
speakers and conference attendees too numerous to name, all of whom convicted
and challenged me in my faith, my life and my profession. The only negative about the
conference – all too soon it was over, and Shirley and I had to return home.
And I admit that the shallowness of my own human condition leaves me
concerned about my ability to withstand the attacks I will face in my daily
life, as I try to integrate what I know and believe with the pressures of
my job, my family, and even my church. Praise
God that He has provided an answer even there!
As the worship team on Sunday morning reminded us:
"In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand."
(Stuart
Townend / Keith Getty, 2001) Maged El Shafie prayed on more
than one occasion that he thanks God for yesterday, today and tomorrow.
I thank God for giving me the opportunity to attend the CLF conference
"yesterday", I praise Him for the power to stand for Him in my life
today, and I eagerly await next year's CLF conference a few
"tomorrows" hence. Peter
Anderson is a CLF member, worship leader and songwriter, and practices law at
Boughton Peterson Yang Anderson in Vancouver. |
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