2024!
“Father, i pray that this year would be one in which we as the Free Methodist Church in Canada would be “stirred” by Your Spirit. i pray that You reignite our love and commitment to Your Word. Forgive us for treating Your Word as anything less than sacred, inspired, God-breathed, healing, redemptive, loving, hope-filled, instructive, relevant and true.
“i pray that You stir us towards prayer. Thank You for the national prayer times that You have inspired in us. i pray that You would capture our imaginations for prayer and direct our appetites to prayer. Forgive us when we make prayer a mere routine rather than prayer being expressed love, longing, privilege and awesome responsibility. Forgive us for taming prayer, and expecting the same thing to happen over and over, rather than anticipate Your promises of a “new song!” Oh Father, i pray that You teach us, and bless us with Your “new song”.
“Jesus, i join You in Your prayer for Your Church for unity, oneness (John 17). Please, Jesus, help each of us live into the responsibility of making us, the FMCiC, one. Forgive us for the lack of humility that has separated us. Forgive us for our lack of attention or even awareness of each other in our Free Methodist family – Oh Jesus stir in us to know each other, pray for each other, give to CORE (which is about a covenant we have made together), and to encourage each other. In our local churches, Lord, stir us to become discipleship cultures, where everything we do is a commitment to help each other grow closer to You, each other, and our calling. Forgive us for making discipleship a ministry in the Church rather than how we do Church. Forgive us for making discipleship something we talk little about. Stir us to become disciples, disciplees, disciple-makers”.
“Jesus, You told us to pray for labourers, because the harvest is ready, so stir first of all in us, that we would help each other discover gifts and calling. And stir with dreams and visions that we would engage in Your mission locally, nationally and internationally. Raise up pastors, missionaries among us. Stir in all of us a heart and boldness to pray with co-workers, neighbours, and family. Stir in all of us a heart and boldness to be “witnesses” to co-workers, neighbours and family. Holy Spirit, give our co-workers, neighbours, and family dreams with You, Jesus, inviting them to know You.
“Father, Son and Holy Spirit, stir in us we pray. Holy Spirit, stir in us, enliven us, fill us, empower us, lead us, we pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.”
On Sunday night we enjoyed national prayer on a live zoom time with 200 of us! And on Monday there were approximately 50 of us for 30-minute zoom daily prayer! On Sunday night I listed Bible verses that I encouraged us to consider in our prayer this week: Psalm 51, Zephaniah 3:17, Colossians 3:1-3, Proverbs 18:10, Colossians 1:29, Ephesians 4:1-6, Psalm 40:3, Hebrews 4:16.
This week, remember the National Week of Prayer and Fasting (click here).
I also note the following three opportunities:
- The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is inviting you to a prayer event (click here)
- Choosing Life in a Culture of Death Summit (click here)
- The Friar Briar! Maybe we can enter a FMCiC Team? (click here)
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. Bruce Cornfield – status changed from “Released for Service-Director of Finance, Pioneers Canada, Cambridge, ON” to “Retired”, effective December 31
Pastor Juan Carlos Cárcamo – employed as the Lead Pastor at New Hope Free Methodist Church, Bracebridge, ON, effective February 4
ORDINATION SERVICES
January 27, 2024 at 2:00 pm ET – Pastor Misa Mochinaga, Wesley Chapel Japanese Free Methodist Church, Scarborough, ON
February 18, 2024 at 3:00 pm ET – Pastor Josiah Piett, Grapeview Free Methodist Church, St. Catherines, 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:
June 7-9, 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
Salmon Arm, BC – Lakeside Community 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]
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)
Nepean, ON – Arlington Woods FM Church (Rev. Mike Hogeboom retiring May 31/24)
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
