Holy Week. Palm Sunday. Maundy Thursday. GOOD FRIDAY. EASTER!
“Thank You Jesus for Your sacrifice. Thank You for living with us, loving, healing, delivering, teaching and giving us hope. Thank You for submitting to a betrayal, a kangaroo court, false allegations, beatings, humiliation, rejection, and death. Thank You for being the final sacrifice. Thank You for EASTER! Thank You for defeating death once and for all, and “by Your stripes we are healed!” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus, help me to live fully into Your love, healing, delivering, teaching and hope…”
I have begun the onboarding process with our new Bishop. I look forward to what God has in store for FMCiC through her leadership. She ministers from a deep place with God, is a critical thinker, wise and very Free Methodist in doctrine and function. This week she is meeting with Ministry Centre team. Pray for her as we help her move to Canada, understand FMCiC and begin to discern a strategic path forward.
Two links to review this week: a sports ministry and an important communication from the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada to be aware of.
I enjoyed being with our FM Church family in Cloyne for Palm Sunday. I heard two people’s stories about their recent new life in Jesus! Praise the Lord!
Message from the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada – EFC
An overview of the new online harms bill
We want to share with you an overview we’ve put together on the online harms bill introduced by the government at the end of February. This is a lengthy and complex bill that we are studying carefully.
We’ve heard strong concerns expressed about the bill’s possible impact on expression, including the expression of religious beliefs. We believe that holding religious beliefs and acting on them is of vital importance.
We approach this bill, as we do all laws and policies, through biblical principles. The commandments to love God and to love our neighbour can be fleshed out in principles such as caring for those who are vulnerable, upholding human dignity, advocating for religious freedom.
In broad strokes, Bill C-63 has three main sections. The first section is the Online Harms Act which would impose responsibilities on online platforms to reduce exposure to seven categories of harmful content. These include intimate images distributed without consent, content that sexually victimizes a child, induces a child to self-harm, incites terrorism, and foments hatred. The bill would set up a new regulatory framework with a Digital Safety Commission and an Ombudsperson.
The second section makes changes to the Criminal Code. The third section adds communicating hate speech to the Canadian Human Rights Act.
We understand the intent of the bill is to protect children and to stem the tide of hateful and violent rhetoric online. Minority religious groups such as Jewish and Muslim communities are asking for hateful, violent rhetoric, online and in the real world, to be addressed. As Christians, we are also concerned about increasing anti-religious sentiment in Canada.
We have serious concerns and reservations about the amendments to the Criminal Code and, in particular, the Canadian Human Rights Act. We recognize that it is an incredibly complex task to achieve an appropriate balance, but we do not believe that balance has been achieved in this bill.
The EFC is asking that the bill be divided, so that content that sexually victimizes a child and intimate content distributed without consent can be dealt with now and not bogged down by the controversy and complexity of the rest of the bill.
We will continue to study the bill and will be making recommendations. We wanted to share with you our thoughts and preliminary assessment.
We are thankful for your partnership in the gospel.
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
Pastor Micah Downing – approved as a Ministerial Candidate and appointed as Lead Pastor at Dunnville FM Church, Dunnville, ON, effective March 20
Rev. Angelica Atkins – approved to transfer from the Presbyterian Church into The Free Methodist Church in Canada, and appointed as Associate Pastor at Trulls Road FM Church, Courtice, ON, effective March 20
Rev. Marc McAlister – suspended for conduct unbecoming a minister, effective March 18
ORDINATION SERVICES
April 14, 2024 at 2:00 pm ET – Pastor Yves Anthonuel, Eglise Evangelique des Mille-Iles, Laval, QC
2024 WESLEY CONFERENCE – The Living Word: Transformative Encounters with Scripture
Tyndale University in Toronto is hosting this year’s “pre-conference” event on April 24, the day before General Conference begins.
Rev. Dr. Jessica LaGrone, Dean of the Chapel at Asbury Theological Seminary is the keynote speaker. Dr LaGrone will give two talks centred around the theme “The Living Word: Transformative Encounters with Scripture.”
There will also be breakout sessions on a range of practical and theological issues, including preaching, parenting, prayer, grief, the problem of evil, and animal ethics. Free Methodist presenters include David Schuchardt, Joy McEwen, and Steve Tungate (FMCUSA).
The Lorne Park Foundation is offering to pay the registration for up to fifty Free Methodists (lay or ordained) to attend the conference in person.
***If you would like one of these free spots, please register here by March 31 (do not register through the Tyndale website or Eventbrite page):*** https://fmcic.wufoo.com/forms/wesley-conference-april-24-2024/
You can find out more about the event here: https://www.tyndale.ca/seminary/wesley-studies/annual-symposium
Attendance at this pre-conference is worth 6 hours of required Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for Ordained and Commissioned Ministers.
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*
(click here for other options to take this course)
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]:
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.
[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 (click here for details).
October 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).
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
Marmora, ON – Marmora FM Church
Nepean ON – Arlington Woods FM Church
Seeley’s Bay, ON – Pine Grove 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]
Newmarket, ON – New Hope Methodist Church (Full-Time) [April 2]
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 (Pastor Jordan Ruby – Interim Pastor)
Mississauga, ON – Grace FM Church (Rev. Steve Cylka – Interim Pastor)
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
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Associate Pastor of Connections – Chapel Ridge FMC
Part-time Worship Leader – New Hope Methodist Church
Tearfund Canada – Summer Internship Opportunities
