CliffsNotes – January 10, 2018

The NLT and I are currently at Mount Carmel Spiritual Centre in Niagara Falls, ON along with the Network Mentors, Network Leaders, Regional Coaches and the Church Planting Coaches for some training and discussions. Please pray for us while we meet.

Every FM church board and leadership team has been asked to prayerfully consider one question: “What does it mean for us to take responsibility for our community?” I’d love to hear your answers. Here is part of Pastor Peter Tursa of Rymal Road in Hamilton’s response:

Cliff: How have you engaged in your community?

Peter: We are running a “Conversational English as a Second Language” class.  We offer this for free and the classes are on Monday nights for 8 to 10 weeks leading up to Christmas/Easter. We have just completed our third session.

Cliff: How did you fall into it or develop this class?

Peter: God began to stir my mind and heart in 2014.  Having had immigrant parents and basically growing up having to teach them English made it an easy fit for me!  I began talking to anyone doing this kind of ministry.  I went and visited some ESL classes. I went to a Christian High School and met with the staff that taught ESL to students.  I tried to educate myself in the materials available and the different ways it was being done by others. In 2015 I presented the idea to the Official Board and the congregation but had no buy in.  I knew I needed help and so I waited and kept researching ESL.

In the summer of 2016 I tried the idea of ESL again with the congregation and this time there were 10 people who offered to help! That September I attended a Billy Graham Association Evangelism Conference in Niagara Falls and ended up sitting down at lunch one day with Rick and Patti Love who run a ministry in Alberta called Love New Canadians. They were thrilled to hear of what and how I was going to start ESL that October. I kept in touch with Rick and he gave me a lot helpful tips in getting it started.

We put a 4×8 foot sign out at the street (which is now 5 lanes) and posted it on our Facebook page and had 20 students that first fall!  We were off and flying by the seat of our pants!

We have learned so much and appreciated all the new friends we have made! It has been wonderful to see our people step up and serve in this way!  I have even had people from other churches and the community get involved.  Reefa who herself came from Bangladesh phoned one day; said she saw our sign and asked if she could help.  I met with her and explained we were Christians and as a Muslim did she mind working with us? She helped teach that year and I not only got to befriend her but also her husband and children.  This fall the family moved to Saudi Arabia because she was able to attain employment teaching ESL.

There is so much more I could say but let me add; it has taken a lot of time and hard work. But I can tell you it’s more than worth it when at our Christmas Party last Monday night, Carlos (from Columbia) stands (unprompted) and begins to thank us for how we are helping them and then Jean (from the Democratic Republic of the Congo) also stands up and expresses how thankful she is for the ESL class……words cannot describe!

 

Church Health Survey
For all those who have already completed the Church Health Survey – thank you! If you have not yet done so, please take time to complete the 16 question survey. Just a reminder that at least three people should fill out this survey – Lead Pastor, Board Chair, and Delegate.  If you would like more people (staff or leaders) to participate, that would be great  but we would still like three of you to respond to the survey at this time.
Here is the link to the Church Health Survey


SAVE THE DATE2018 REGIONAL GATHERINGS


MEDIA CONNECTIONS

Church Health Thursdays – The Event Matters: How Going to Church Helps Us Be The Church: https://fmcic.ca/the-event-matters-how-going-to-church-helps-us-be-the-church/ New
News & Stories Blog – A Church with Mission in mind – Interview with Greg Elford :https://fmcic.ca/a-church-with-mission-in-mind-interview-with-greg-elford/New
the conneXion
– a Free Methodist theology blog: 3 Minute Theology 2.5: Knowing the Bible Inside Out: https://fmcic.ca/3-minute-theology-2-5-knowing-the-bible-inside-out/
New Leaf Podcast: The Story Behind the Story- William Paul Young: https://www.newleafnetwork.ca/podcast/ep-50-story-behind-story-william-paul-young/
Faith and Finances Website: http://faithandfinances.ca
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/FMCIC


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ANNOUNCEMENTS

None

Ordination and Commissioning Services Schedule
None


SCHOLARSHIPS

The next deadline is February 15, 2018 to apply for the Leadership Scholarship Plan (LSP) for the winter semester of 2018.  More information is available at this link:https://fmcic.ca/scholarships/

FOUNDATIONAL COURSES

Heart of Canadian Free Methodism:
June 1-3, 2018 in Western Canada (location TBA*)

Wesleyan Theology:
June 1-3, 2018 in Ontario (location TBA*)
(also available online through FMC-USA: http://fmcusa.org/leadership/courses/)

Personal and Church Stewardship
6-week online course – begins January 29, 2018

Culture and the Missional Church:
Next course date and location TBA*

(*these locations will be selected based on where the majority of the participants reside – so please register early!)

Registration is online for all courses at this link: https://fmcic.ca/foundational-courses/. Those tracking for credentialed ministry should take the Heart course first and then Wesleyan Theology if possible.


CHURCHES IN TRANSITION
Interviewing
Harrowsmith FMC, Harrowsmith, ON
Sault Ste Marie FMC, Sault Ste Marie, ON


Church Profiles available
Contact Susan DePlanché  in the  Leadership Development Office to request a church profile – susan.deplanche@fmcic.ca or 289-228-1225.
None

Preparing Profiles

(If you are interested in seeing the profile for any of these churches, please contact Susan in the Leadership Development Office [susan.deplanche@fmcic.ca or 289-228-1225] and the profile will be emailed to you as soon as it becomes available.)

Athens FMC, Athens, ON (Angel Valentin-Transition Pastor)
Asbury FMC, Perth, ON
Caistor Centre FMC, Caistor Centre, ON (Mary Lee DeWitt-Transition Pastor)
Centennial Chapel FMC, Kamloops, BC (Vern Frudd-retiring May 31, 2018)
Dunnville FMC, Dunnville, ON
Grapeview FMC, St. Catharines, ON (Dan Sheffield – Transition Pastor)
Madoc Free Methodist/ Wesleyan Church
Marmora FMC, Marmora, ON (Adam Kline- Interim Pastor)
Melfort FMC, Melfort, SK
Odessa FMC, Odessa, ON
Tabernacle de la Grace, Montreal QC
Thunder Bay FMC, Thunder Bay, ON (Andre Korstanje retiring July 2018)
Warkworth FMC, Warkworth, ON
West Springs FMC, Calgary, AB
Weyburn FMC, Weyburn, SK


Functioning with approved local arrangements
Avonlea FMC, Avonlea SK
Campbell’s Bay FMC, Campbell’s Bay, QC (Orville White)
Church On The Hill, Orillia ON
Cordova Mines FM Fellowship, Cordova Mines, ON
Dryden FMC, Dryden, ON
Eglise Chrétienne Méthodiste Libre de Le Gardeur, QC (Duplan Auguste Lython)
Enterprise FMC, Enterprise, ON
Killarney FMC, Killarney, MB (Raymond Riglin)
Markham FMC, ON (K.K. Leung)
Richmond Hill Chinese & English Churches, Richmond Hill, ON (K.K. Leung)
Roblin FMC, Roblin, MB (Heath Butler)
Surrey FMC, Surrey BC (Nathaniel Prakash)
theStory, Sarnia, ON
Timmins FMC, Timmins, ON (Lewis Byer)
Wesley Chapel Japanese FM Church, Toronto, ON (Misa Mochinaga)
Yarker FMC, Yarker, ON (Ken Babcock)


PASTORS IN TRANSITION
Glen Coates
Roxanne Goodyear
David Greene
Kim Henderson
Jason Johnson
Fred Merritt
Jay Mowchenko
Derek Spink
Grant Wolfe
Mary-Elsie Wolfe
Wesley Wood


EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Associate Pastor – Trulls Road FM Church