VISION IS A CLEAR MENTAL PICTURE OF A PREFERABLE FUTURE
WEEK 4
We are in a series of remembrance: remembering the FMCiC journey in the past few years. Thus far, we have remembered our vision, guiding principles, commitment to become a “house of prayer”, and the BOA covenant.
The BOA discerned a guiding question that would help us navigate future decisions: “what kind of Church does Canada need?” And then the guiding answer, “One that takes responsibility for it’s community.”
At this point the language we were using included: PRAYER, SANCTIFIED IMAGINATIONS, and TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. We talked much about these themes and the essential interplay of these themes in our local and national church life.
Part of remembering who we are as Methodists, was to remember CONNECTIONALISM, a waning value in our movement. We decided to create a position to help the National Leadership Team connect better, be more available to our local churches: COACHES. We did not have the funds to hire superintendents, so we chose healthy church pastors to become REGIONAL COACHES and the Church Planting team hired CHURCH PLANTING COACHES. These men and women have been brilliant in their work thus far!
We then combined Personnel with Church Health, thus creating a National Leadership Team position called, “Director of Leadership Development & Church Health”. In order for this to work, we had to shore up the support roles, and hire another team member. My commitment to Marc at that time was that we would monitor his role carefully, and when he had developed it to the place where it was no longer only one role, we would divide the job.
Jared presented a compelling case for Church Planting and New Leaf, and so once again we created a support team around him, hiring new administrative help to accomplish his goals AND Church Planting Coaches.
Other connection opportunities are:
- Annual Ministers’ Conference,
- Regional Gatherings open to all,
- National Spiritual Formation event,
- Monthly National Wednesday Prayer Time:
- Cliff’s Notes, Church Health Blog, New Leaf, Mosaic
- Pastors have “Pastor Networks”
- summer camps,
- Quarterly Worship Leaders’ Meeting,
- Task Forces’ Events,
- inviting the Bishop or another National Leadership Team member to visit your local church family,
- currently there is the midday-30-minute-national-zoom-prayer-time (here is the link, 12:00 noon EST Monday-Saturday until the end of January)
- to all of our artists and creatives, watch for the new opportunity for you!
- Of course, there are also opportunities to serve on our many national committees and teams (BOA, Nominating Committee, Personnel Team, Study Commission on Doctrine, etc),
- We have churches who team up for mission opportunities, and of course both International Child Care Ministries and Tearfund are FMCiC connections…
To be a Free Methodist is to make the effort to connect.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
2nd Tuesday of each month: What’s Got You Thinking?
(New editions of ‘What’s Got You Thinking?’ will resume a little later in the year)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rev. Ron Bartolo – Lead Pastor, Charlemont FMC, Wallaceburg, ON – in transition, effective February 5
ORDINATION SERVICES
None scheduled
2023 FMCIC INTERNSHIP PROGRAM https://fmcic.ca/intern-prog/
The FMCiC Internship Program exists to build healthy leaders for The Free Methodist Church in Canada and beyond. We invite any local church interested in participating in the FMCiC internship program to review the detailed information on the website (see link above) and apply online. The deadline to apply for a 2023 FMCiC-sponsored internship is FEBRUARY 28, 2023.
FOUNDATIONAL COURSES http://www.fmcic.ca/foundational-courses/
Register online through the link above (Tuition payment is not required when registering for a course. Payment is due 10 days before the course begins.)
Lay Ministers tracking for credentialed ministry and those transferring ordination credentials into the FMCIC need to take the following two courses for full credit – and if possible, the Heart course first and then Wesleyan Theology.
Heart of Canadian Free Methodism:
June 2-4, 2023 – Uxbridge FMC, Uxbridge, ON
Wesleyan Theology:
November 3-5, 2023 – location TBA*
Also available:
- Tyndale University – https://www.tyndale.ca/seminary/wesley-studies
- Free Methodist Church-USA NEW! Anytime on Pathwright (multiple instructor choices)
- Self-paced, up to 8 months to complete
- 16-week intensive version, select Instructor Vaughan (session start dates: Feb. 27, May 1, June 26, Aug. 21, Oct. 16)
- Central Christian College Feb/23 online, 6 weeks, asynchronous
- Northeastern Seminary at Roberts Wesleyan University
Ministerial Candidates tracking for Commissioned or Ordained Minister are required to take the following two courses for full credit. Those who are already commissioned or ordained are required to either audit these two courses for 1 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) each or take the two courses and complete the assignments for 3 CEUs each.
Culture and the Missional Church:
Date and location TBA*
Personal Stewardship:
5-week online course – Start Date TBA
(* These course locations are selected based on where the majority of the participants reside – so please register early!)
2023 SCHOLARSHIPS:http://www.fmcic.ca/scholarships/
LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP PLAN (LSP) [APPLY TWICE PER YEAR]:
[PLEASE NOTE: The FMCiC preference for LSP is for students to attend one of the approved schools on this list. However, if you decide to apply to a non-approved school, you must first send a request to the Credentialing Coordinator to determine whether the committee will approve funding for you to study at a non-approved school. Along with your request, please include a written explanation as to why you are choosing to study at a non-approved institution. It is strongly recommended that you do this before paying tuition, and well in advance of the LSP deadline. The Credentialing Coordinator, along with the LSP committee, will consider each request individually and according to LSP policy.]
The Leadership Scholarship Plan (LSP) provides financial assistance to candidates who are studying to meet the educational requirements for credentialed ministry, or for members of conference pursuing continuing education.
February 15 is the next deadline to apply for LSP for any courses taken during the winter semester of 2023. The 2023 application forms and instructions are now available to download from the link above. Please use the application forms marked “rev 2023.”
SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIPS [APPLY ONCE PER YEAR]:
The Special Scholarships provide financial assistance to those who are members of a Free Methodist church pursuing post-secondary education to grow in their Christian faith, to those who are pursuing credentialed ministry, and to members of conference pursuing continuing education.
October 15 is the deadline to apply for the annual Special Scholarships for courses taken during the 2023 calendar year – apply online anytime from the link above. Special Scholarships are awarded in late November/early December each year.
CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEU’S) https://www.fmcic.ca/introduction-to-continuing-education/
Ordained and Commissioned Ministers (except retirees) are to annually report hours acquired during each year for Continuing Education Units (CEUs). Check the link above for information on CEUs, and a list of examples of many different types of life-long learning that can be applied as CEUs.
You can now send a report online anytime you have hours to submit for CEUs. Here is the link: https://fmcic.wufoo.com/forms/continuing-education-unit-ceu-report-form/
Note: For those who attend the fall Minister’s Conferences or the spring Regional Gatherings, attendance is now taken at these events so 6 hours of CEU credit for each event will automatically be recorded.
For those who took courses and/or did in-depth research and learning about how to make the changes required during the pandemic (ie how to live-stream services), add the number of those hours to your annual CEU report.
______________________________
CHURCHES IN TRANSITION
Interviewing
Thornbury, ON – Blue Mountain Community Church
Warkworth, ON – Warkworth FM Church
Church Profiles Available
Contact Davika Dotson in the Leadership Development Office to request a church profile – [email protected] (deadline to apply in brackets)
Bracebridge, ON – New Hope FM Church (part-time) [February 14]
Hilton Beach, ON – St. Joseph Island FM Church (full time) [February 7]
Kingston, ON – Polson Park FM Church (full time) [January 31]
Madoc, ON – Madoc Free Methodist/Wesleyan Church (full time) [January 31]
Sault Ste Marie, ON – Hillside FM Church (full-time) [February 21]
Sarnia, ON – New Horizons Community Church (full-time) [February 21]
Preparing Profiles
If you are interested in seeing the profile for any of these churches, please contact Davika in the Leadership Development Office [see above] and the profile will be emailed to you as soon as it becomes available.
Brampton, ON – Bramalea FM Church (Rev. Peter Tursa – Transition Pastor)
Brantford, ON – The Open Door Church (Rev. Greg Pulham – retiring Apr 30)
Campbellford, ON – Campbellford FM Church (Rev. Leonard Bruce – Interim Pastor)
Cloyne, ON – Pineview FM Church
Dunnville, ON – Dunnville FM Church (Rev. Neale Robb – Interim Pastor)
Frankford, ON – Frankford Community Church
Kingston, ON – Kingscourt FM Church
Marmora, ON – Marmora FM Church (Pastor Keith Deyo – Interim Pastor)
Richmond Hill, ON – Richmond Hill Chinese & English FM Churches (Rev. Louis Leung – Interim Pastor)
Salmon Arm BC – Lakeside Community Church
Seeley’s Bay, ON – Pine Grove Community Church
Tillsonburg, ON – Open Arms Church
Wallaceburg, ON – Charlemont FM Church
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Part-time Children’s Pastor, Part-time Worship Leader – New Hope Methodist Church
Café Manager – Arlington Woods FMC
