It was so good to be together! Pastors from North-Western Ontario, MB, SK, AB and BC gathered for our annual Ministers’ Conference in Saskatoon. Thank you for your prayers, it was everything that we hoped! Check out the group photo below. Our Eastern pastors meet this week.
Local Church Prayer Leaders (“Prayer Point Persons”) have been meeting in a monthly cohort. I hear very good things. The goal is that these leaders would feel more equipped with resources and ideas that they can bring to their pastors and boards, to help mobilize our churches in prayer. Click here to view an example of one of the shared cohort resources.
I continue to pray that we, the FMCiC, would more fully engage into the deep and mysterious ocean called prayer, which is both a privilege and responsibility. I pray that we develop many more creative spaces, resources, opportunities, events, initiatives for prayer within our local churches and nation-wide.
My son-in-law, who is First Nations, joined me in a short video to introduce “orange shirt day”. As a people of peace, I strongly encourage you to support this campaign. Josh (my son-in-law) explains that the event remembers and “honours” those who are victims of abuse. The event also celebrates the resiliency of a community and those who survived. Click here to view.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN
2nd Tuesday of each month: What’s Got You Thinking?
4th Thursday of each month: Church Health Thursday
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Pastors Edgar and Maureen Adams (Commissioned Ministers) – released from appointments as Associate Pastors at Harrowsmith Free Methodist Church, Harrowsmith, ON, and transitioned into retirement, effective September 15
ORDINATION SERVICES
October 16 at 11:45 AM – Nathaniel Prakash – Surrey FMC, Surrey, BC
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!)
2022 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.
October 15 is the deadline to apply for LSP for any courses taken during the summer and/or fall semesters of 2022. The 2022 application forms and instructions are now available to download from the link above. Please use the application forms marked “rev 2022.”
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 2022 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.
______________________________
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
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 Community Church
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Unique Associate Pastor Opportunity – Trulls Road FMC
