On Friday, I ate Indian food with the National Leadership Team. On Saturday I was treated to Japanese food as our Japanese Church family celebrated Reverend Misa Mochinaga’s ordination. Thank you Misa for pursuing God’s calling as a pastor and spiritual director. I was reminded what a wonderful Church family we have with such an ethnically diverse membership! Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Assyrian, Tamil to name a few!
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On Sunday we worshiped with our Brantford FM family. Remember this is the Church family who courageously decided to sell their building to partner with a local mission which offers meals, has a foodbank, clothing and many other community outreach initiatives. Their interim pastor is also the Executive Director of the Friendship Centre, which makes for an excellent marriage of their mission and Church familying. Thank you, Pastor Shawn and welcome to the FMCiC family.
An invitation to a free webinar. My wife Karlene is involved in a ministry called “Renew Arts and Theology” https://www.renew-arts.org/team. It is an initiative of “One Way Ministries” in Ottawa https://onewayministries.ca/. Renew is offering a free webinar which is open to everyone, but especially those interested in art and the power of story telling. I interviewed Karlene, and let me just say that she was quite sassy with me throughout the interview! I am choosing not to reflect this in this article…
Me: Tell me about Renew Arts and Theology?
Karlene: The vision is that, “We seek to create a community of Christian Artists that integrate faith and the arts in all of life. Our God is beautiful, true, and good, and He gifts His followers with creativity.”
The mission is, “Renew is a safe and nurturing community for artists and creatives to recognize their gifts from God. This community provides an outlet for expression of their relationship with God, reflecting His attributes into the world.
Renew encourages Christian creative expression in the local church and opens dialogue between the arts and theology, faith and life.”
Me: You use the words “artists and creatives” can you define these for me.
Karlene: Artists include visual arts (sculpting, painting, photography), actors, musicians, dancers, writers, producers/directors. A creative is an ideas person, someone with vision, who uses their imagination to produce something artistic. When an artist or creative is a follower of Jesus then their art can be a part of evangelism, worship, discipleship, and prayer.
Me: tell me about this event (click here for event details)
Karlene: We are hoping that artists across Canada have networking opportunities. We want to facilitate connection. There seems to be an awakening to art in the Church, and we’d like to offer resources and opportunities to encourage this. Artists and creatives have the gift of story telling, so we, the Church, should explore this.
Me: Thank you Mrs. Fletcher for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me. I will see you at supper!
Tuesdays: Cliff’s Notes
Check out all the latest photos from around the FMCiC here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fmc-gallery/
Do you know someone who would like to receive CliffsNotes? They can now sign up through the website at: https://www.fmcic.ca/cliffsnotes-signup/
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rev. David Barbour – transferred ordination credential from the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada into The FMCiC, and appointed as Chaplain-Baptist Housing (Seniors Living), Kelowna, BC, effective January 29
Rev. Alyson Lauber (Saskatoon, SK) – withdrew as an Ordained Minister and member of conference, effective January 29
ORDINATION SERVICES
February 18, 2024 at 3:00 pm ET – Pastor Josiah Piett, Grapeview Free Methodist Church, St. Catharines, ON
April 14, 2024 at 2:00 pm ET – Pastor Yves Anthonuel, Eglise Evangelique des Mille-Iles, Laval, QC
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 7-9, 2024 – location TBA*
Wesleyan Theology:
November 8-10, 2024 – location TBA*
Also available:
- Tyndale University – https://www.tyndale.ca/seminary/wesley-studies/courses
- Free Methodist Church-USA Anytime on Pathwright (multiple instructor choices)
- Self-paced, up to 8 months to complete
- 16-week intensive version, select Instructor Vaughan
- Central Christian College online, 6 weeks, asynchronous – deadline to apply: Sept 15/24 (course runs Sept 30-Nov 10/24) and Jan 1/25 (course runs Jan 6-Feb 16/25)
- 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!)
2024 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 2024. The 2024 application forms and instructions are available to download from the link above. Please use the application forms marked “rev 2024.”
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 2024 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.
Send a report online anytime you have hours to submit for CEUs: 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.
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CHURCHES IN TRANSITION
Interviewing
Brampton, ON – Bramalea FM Church
Brantford, ON – The Open Door Church
Sombra, ON – Zion FM Church
Church Profiles Available
To review the church profiles that are available, please contact Lorilee Bishop in the Church Health Office at [email protected] – [deadline to apply in brackets]
Marmora, ON – Marmora FM Church (Part-Time) [February 13]
Seeley’s Bay, ON – Pine Grove Community Church (Full-Time) [February 13]
Nepean ON – Arlington Woods FMC (Full-Time) [February 27]
Preparing Profiles
Once these church profiles become available, they will be listed above as “Church Profiles available” .
Belleville, ON – Belleville Centennial FM Church (Rev. Rodney Peterson retiring Aug 31/24)
Campbellford, ON – Campbellford FM Church (Rev. Leonard Bruce – Interim Pastor)
Cloyne, ON – Pineview FM Church
Dryden, ON – Dryden FM Church
Frankford, ON – Frankford Community Church
Godfrey, ON – Cole Lake FM Church
Kingston, ON – Kingscourt FM Church
Mississauga, ON – Grace FM Church (Rev. Steve Cylka – Interim Pastor)
Newmarket, ON – New Hope Methodist Church (Rev. Terry Gibson retiring Aug 31/24)
Orillia, ON – Church on the Hill (Pastor Velma Shewfelt – Interim Pastor)
Richmond Hill, ON – Richmond Hill FM Church (Rev. Louis Leung – Interim Pastor)
Tillsonburg, ON – Open Arms Church
Wallaceburg, ON – Charlemont FM Church
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Part-time Worship Leader – New Hope Methodist Church
