There was a meet & greet with our Crossroads FM family. They host a community wider luncheon for those who need a meal, connection, or both. Three times per week this happens in their parking lot under a tent. When it gets cold they set up fire-barrels to help. On the Friday that I was there, they hosted 70 people! They see this not only as a way to feed people but as a way to meet and befriend people. Thank you Crossroads.
Lakeside FM (in Salmon Arm) is in transition, as is New Westminster (in New Westminster!). Both are feeling quite encouraged by about how God is working, and what seems to be their next steps. Pray for our churches in transition.
I had breakfast with Pastor Shelley, her husband Dan and Kamloops FM’s new associate, Connie. They were quite encouraged by how God was moving in their Church family (are you seeing a theme?!).
I took time to visit the Residential School in Kamloops. It was important for me to be there, though it was quite unsettling. I prayed there, though I found that I didn’t have words.
On Sunday I ordained Pastor Nat Prakash. He completed our tracking process, and his Church family poured love on him. The Surrey FM family has wonderful capacity to pour out love!
I look forward to being with our Mission Church family in the Spring!
I love hearing that our Church family across Canada is praying, and finding ways to connect with communities in order to invite them to know Jesus. Good people who are trying their best to live Holy lives, “worthy of their calling” (Ephesians 4:1). Let me remind you that being a Jesus-follower is not about trying harder and adding more hours to our days. It is about DISCIPLESHIP (a Biblically robust definition includes befriending, loving, maturing, commissioning people), and PRAYER (again a broad definition will include worship, and Scripture). Lean into these and I believe that we will find everything else will fall into place.H
Ordination Service for Pastor Nat Prakash
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
2nd Tuesday of each month: What’s Got You Thinking?
4th Thursday of each month: Church Health Thursday
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Pastor Martin (Lanny) Heinlen (Ministerial Candidate) – appointment changed from Assistant Pastor at Polson Park FMC, Kingston, ON to Assistant Pastor at Westdale Park FMC, Napanee, ON, effective October 16
Rev. Adam Kline (Ordained Minister) – released from appointment as Pastor at Marmora FMC, Marmora, ON, effective December 25.
ORDINATION SERVICES
None scheduled
FOUNDATIONAL COURSES https://fmcic.ca/
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/seminary/course/theo-0629
- Offered Winter 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 (jpedlar@tyndale.ca)
- FMC-USA http://fmcusa.org/leadership/courses/
- as a 7-week intensive online course: Wesleyan Theology [#74W] Dr. Robert Vaughan – start date: Nov 1
- 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 and Church 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 https://fmcic.ca/scholarships/
LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP PLAN (LSP):
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:
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 (CEUs) https://fmcic.ca/
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 – davika.dotson@fmcic.ca (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
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
Tillsonburg, ON – Open Arms Church
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Unique Associate Pastor Opportunity – Trulls Road FMC
