I’m looking at my Christmas tree.
Each Christmas we give our children an ornament from a special moment, adventure or achievement that year. Our tree tells our family story. There are tiny graduates, a soldier, driver’s licenses, sports figurines, compasses (engraved with a verse and reminder about “home”), bells (engraved with a Bible verse), camping equipment, a Disney princess, and many others. Every year as we decorate, we remember these stories out loud with each other, and they never seem to grow old. These stories have formed us and at the top of our tree is an angel with a manger scene underneath. I love our story tree.
Karlene and I shopped for our 2020 ornaments this weekend. I wonder what your 2020 ornament would look like. What would you pick? Remember, whatever you pick will become a part of your story tree from now on, so a rotten tomato for instance would not be a good idea! 2020 is not to be forgotten, it is to be remembered. 2020 is simply another ornament on your beautiful story tree – after all no one has a one-ornament tree.
Remember what you learned about yourself.
Remember what we learned as the Church.
Remember it loud with whoever decorates life with you: God and family.
Remember and, wait for it, BE THANKFUL.
Some final notes:
- Pastors, the NLT members and I are available to be with you virtually on a Sunday morning! We’d love to help, and connect;
- We are preparing a full service for you for Sunday December 27. This recording will be ready on December 17th;
- On Wednesday December 30th (the last Wednesday of the month) as per usual we will have a national zoom prayer time;
- I hope that you marked on your calendars the dates that we sent out last week
General Conference Vote – February 20
Regional Gathering Event – April 17
2021 General Conference – June 5-6 - I was invited to participate in an emergency prayer time Saturday with our Quebec churches. There is COVID, sickness, crisis… please pray for our Quebec brothers and sisters. Actually, please pray for your FMCIC Pastors and their families as many are dealing with health issues.
- Finally, know that you are loved
MEDIA CONNECTIONS
Church Health Thursdays – This Advent Season: https://fmcic.ca/27503/
News & Stories Blog – The Story Continues – https://fmcic.ca/the-story-continues/
New Leaf Learning Centre: Anticipating the Coming King in a Changing Reality – https://www.newleafnetwork.ca/events/advent-in-the-learning-centre/
FM VIDEOS: https://fmcic.ca/category/fm-video-blog/
Intercultural Engagement Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/IETfmcic
SCOD: Topics Worth Thinking About – https://fmcic.ca/topics-worth-thinking-about/
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rev. Dr. Sabrina Jordan, lead pastor at Wesley Chapel FM Church has been appointed Network Mentor of the Ontario (South Western and some Eastern) church networks, to replace Rev. Darrin Lindsay
ORDINATION AND COMMISSIONING SERVICES
Leonard Bruce – April 25, 2021, Warkworth FM Church, Warkworth, ON
Douglas Smith – May 2, 2021 at 2:00 pm, Fellowship of Joy, St. Williams, ON
Wilder Boutin – Centre Biblique Louange a L’Eternel, Montreal, QC – date and time TBA.
FOUNDATIONAL COURSES https://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:
*NEW* – 6-week course via Zoom starting Thursday, January 21, 7:30-9:30 pm EST
Wesleyan Theology:
Date and location TBA*
(also available online through FMC-USA: http://fmcusa.org/leadership/courses/)
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! )
SCHOLARSHIPS
2021 APPLICATIONS https://fmcic.ca/scholarships/
LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP PLAN (LSP):
February 15 is the deadline to apply for LSP for any courses taken during the winter semester of 2021. The 2021 application forms and instructions will be available soon to download from the link above. Please use the application forms marked “rev 2021.”
SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIPS:
October 15 is the deadline to apply for the annual Special Scholarships for courses taken during the 2021 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/introduction-to-continuing-education/
Ordained and Commissioned Ministers (except retirees) are to annually report Continuing Education Units (CEUs) acquired during each year. Check the link above for information on CEUs, the report form and a list of examples of many different types of life-long learning that can be applied as CEUs.
Note: For those who attend the fall Minister’s Conferences or the spring Regional Gatherings, add 6 hours of CEU credit for each event when you send in your annual CEU report.
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CHURCHES IN TRANSITION
Interviewing
Cedar Street Community Church, Simcoe, ON
Church Profiles available
Contact Davika Dotson in the Leadership Development Office to request a church profile – davika.dotson@fmcic.ca or 416-240-7845 (deadline to apply in brackets)
None at this time
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.)
Campbellford FMC, Campbellford, ON (Rev. Jurgen Rausch-Transition Pastor)
Cornerstone FMC, Prince Albert, SK
Dunnville FMC, Dunnville, ON
First FM Church, New Westminster, BC
Harrowsmith FM Church, Harrowsmith, ON
Lakeland Community Church, Spiritwood, SK
New Hope FMC, Bracebridge, ON (Rev. Gary Denniss-Interim Pastor)
New Horizons Community Church, Sarnia, ON
Pineview FMC, Cloyne, ON
Richmond Hill Chinese & English FM Churches, Richmond Hill, ON (Rev. Louis Leung – Interim Pastor)
Trinity Christian Centre, Dresden, ON (Rev. Alan Adams-Interim Pastor)
Whitby FMC, Whitby, ON (Rev. Vic Stonehouse-Transition Pastor)
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Executive Director – Arlington Beach Camp and Conference Centre
Angelic Treasures Christian Daycare Newmarket – SUPERVISOR
