Our Armadale FM Church celebrated 142 years of ministry in the Toronto area – apparently, Canada’s oldest Free Methodist Church! Thank you for faithful ministry Armadale. This weekend Karlene and I were in Sarnia as they celebrated 125 years! We heard about Elisa who started the Sarnia Free Methodist Church in Canada, in her home. She actually showed up during announcements in full 125-year old costume and had a conversation with Pastor Mary Lee! Sarnia is a prayerful, warm and welcoming congregation. I met new friends from South America who told me how grateful they are for the love and hospitality they have been shown as new Canadians. Thank you, New Horizons.
This morning, I read the chart below about our differences generationally. One generation is not better than the others, we are all different. Are these differences reflected in our church ministries? Do our ministry plans consider these generational differences, embrace them and strategically address them? Or do we simply hope that intergenerational relationships form, and that our songs, preaching, teaching and opportunities happen to minister to each generation?
Data Source: Mazlo | Infographic design by Antonio Grasso for educational and motivational purposes
Do we assume that what ‘worked’ back then should continue to work now and with every demographic?
One very interesting note that I’d like you to pay attention to in the chart. Boomers “enjoy mentoring”. Gen Z is the only other group to mention mentoring. Gen Z hopes that mentoring is a part of their work! Mentoring is an element of discipleship according to the FMCiC working definition of “discipleship”. Discipleship is our thing Church (click here for FMCiC’s working definition of discipleship)! Mentoring should be a part of our thing, and according to this chart, we have two generations willing to participate.
My question today is how do we connect willing participants? How do we help mentors connect with mentees? Are we the kind of churches who promote mentorship? What does “promote” look like in your church? Do young business women in your church have older Godly mentors available to them, equipped and ready to invest in their lives? Do young first line responders, teachers, or farmers have older members of your congregation who are mentors?
Mentoring is not limited to one on one. How do we help Bob and Sally, for instance, who have a healthy marriage of over 50 years, mentor young Tom and Amy? It is highly unlikely that Bob and Sally were mentored and will have no idea logistically what a mentoring relationship would look like, so how do we equip them? How do we help, very busy Tom and Amy make time for this kind of relationship?
Let me encourage you to consider mentoring. Of course, mentoring does not only belong to the oldest and youngest generations. I mentor and I am mentored. I have identified specific people who I trust to speak into my life about specific areas: organizational structure, administration, prayer and the like. These are relationships that I have developed over time, and at this point require little more than a phone call or coffee to talk through an issue. I also have those who have identified me as a voice they would like to have speak into their lives. Mentoring is one more way we deepen relationships within Church family…
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
2nd Tuesday of each month: What’s Got You Thinking? New
4th Thursday of each month: Church Health Thursday
ANNOUNCEMENTS
None this week
ORDINATION SERVICES
None scheduled
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 – location TBA*
Wesleyan Theology:
June 2-4, 2023 – location TBA*
Also available:
- Tyndale University – “John Wesley’s Theology: Renewing the Heart, Renewing the Church” https://www.tyndale.ca/syllabi/winter/2023/theo-0629
- Offered January 13 – April 10, 2023 in hybrid format: Two Fridays of “live” class (in-person or online) on January 27 and March 17, plus online lectures and discussions.
- Available for seminary or undergraduate credit
- For more info contact James Pedlar ([email protected])
- FMC-USA https://leadership.fmcusa.org/education/courses
- as a 7-week intensive online course: Wesleyan Theology [#74W] Dr. Robert Vaughan – start date: (2023 start dates to be posted soon)
- as a correspondence course (8 months to complete): Wesleyan Theology (#74C), Dr. Allen Wachter
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]:
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 will soon be 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.
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CHURCHES IN TRANSITION
Interviewing
Hilton Beach, ON – St. Joseph Island FMC
New Westminster, BC – First FMC
Salmon Arm BC – Lakeside Community Church
Sarnia, ON – New Horizons Community Church
Thornbury, ON – Blue Mountain Community Church
Warkworth, ON – Warkworth FMC
Church Profiles Available
Contact Davika Dotson in the Leadership Development Office to request a church profile – [email protected] (deadline to apply in brackets)
None available this week
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.
Bracebridge, ON – New Hope FMC (Gary Denniss – Interim Pastor)
Brampton, ON – Bramalea FMC
Campbellford, ON – Campbellford FMC
Cloyne, ON – Pineview FMC
Dunnville, ON – Dunnville FMC (Rev. Neale Robb – Interim Pastor)
Frankford, ON – Frankford Community Church
Kingston, ON – Polson Park FMC
Madoc, ON – Madoc Free Methodist/Wesleyan Church
Marmora, ON – Marmora FMC
Richmond Hill, ON – Richmond Hill Chinese & English FM Churches (Rev. Louis Leung – Interim Pastor)
Sault Ste Marie, ON – Sault Ste Marie FMC
Seeley’s Bay, ON – Pine Grove
Tillsonburg, ON – Open Arms Church
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Café Manager – Arlington Woods FMC
Senior Director of Administrative Services – FMCiC National Office
Unique Associate Pastor Opportunity – Trulls Road FMC
