PRAYER REQUEST: This past week I received several sad phone calls or visits from pastoral families: crisis, health, loss… I’m asking that you commit some focused time this week to pray for our pastors (retired too) and their families.
This past weekend I was in BC. I hoped that I was leaving behind snow and cold for a couple of days, but BC had other plans: lots of slushy snow! Still it was a very good visit: to hear the developing and inspiring vision in our New Heights church; to be with our Surrey leadership team as they told me about growth and healthy church family relations; and to be with New Westminster FM to map our transition plans.
Next week I will begin a series of interviews with the chair of the Board of Administration of the FMCIC about the upcoming General Conference. This week is also about General Conference – arguably the most important opportunity we have with regard General Conference: PRAYER. I asked Rev. Ken Roth, the leader of our National Prayer Team, about prayer and General Conference…
Ken, soon we’ll be sending out details about preparing PRAYERFULLY for General Conference, and about the Prayer Summit, but I’m wondering if you could give a teaser. How is the National Prayer Team mobilizing us to prepare for GC?
Ken: Actually, we see our PRAYERFUL preparation for General Conference as something bigger than just asking for a “good” conference. We are believing God to stir us up as a movement to pray, not only for a Spirit-anointed conference, but the renewal of the Free Methodist Church in Canada. What we are in earnest about is that as we approach conference, the level of prayer for our movement will significantly increase and that long after it is over, we will have grown to a new level of prayer that will invite a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit upon us. To help us to pray in this way we are planning a 40-day period leading up to conference where churches will participate in a 24/7 prayer tag-team, daily devotionals on prayer (written by leaders from across the country) will be shared, and specific prayer requests for conference will be shared along with praise points. This will lead up to a Prayer Summit the day before the General Conference that will be a learn-and-do experience. The keynote speakers are a very experienced couple who lead the Prayer Ministry of the Free Methodist Church in the U.S., Doug and Margie Newton. We are hoping that this will be a “sold out” event, even though there will be no charge for it.
MEDIA CONNECTIONS
Church Health Thursdays – What Mr. Church Health Wants for Christmas: https://fmcic.ca/what-mr-church-health-wants-for-christmas/
News & Stories Blog – First Response Bags: https://fmcic.ca/first-response-bags/
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 Network: The 2019 New Leaf Advent Reader – : https://www.newleafnetwork.ca/podcast/
PHOTO GALLERY
Surrey FM Church
Network Mentor, Leader Meeting
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- Rev. David Wright (Ordained Minister) and Pastor Jennifer Wright (Commissioned Minister) – formerly Denominational Ministry-Missionaries to Niger – in transition effective December 31 2019.
- Rev. Greg Langille – Pastor at New Hope FMC, Bracebridge, ON – transitioning to retirement, effective April 13, 2020.
- Rev. Peter Goodyear – Pastor at Whitby FMC, Whitby, ON – in transition effective March 31, 2020.
- Rev. Fred Boom – retired Ordained Minister (Arden, ON) – transferred credentials to the Independent Holiness Church, effective November 26, 2019.
- Rev. David Ryttersgaard – appointed as Lead Pastor at Crossroads FMC, Salmon Arm, BC, effective January 1, 2020.
- Rev. Dyan Mouland – Pastor at Cornerstone FMC, Prince Albert, SK – in transition effective January 31, 2020.
ORDINATION AND COMMISSIONING SERVICES
Rev. Todd Stelmach (Kingston, ON) – ordination service on February 2nd at 4 pm at Rustle Free Methodist Church, Kingston
FOUNDATIONAL COURSES https://fmcic.ca/foundational-courses/
Register online through the link above
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 5-7, 2020 – at Kingsview Free Methodist Church, Etobicoke, ON
November 6-8, 2020 – location TBA*
Wesleyan Theology:
November 6-8, 2020 – Ontario 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:
Ontario course date and location TBA*
Personal and Church Stewardship:
5-week online course (FRENCH) – start date – TBA
6-week online course (ENGLISH) – start date – June 1, 2020
(* These course locations are selected based on where the majority of the participants reside – so please register early! Note: Tuition payment is not required when registering for a course. Payment is due 10 days before the course begins.)
2020 SCHOLARSHIPS https://fmcic.ca/scholarships/
February 15 is the deadline to apply for the Leadership Scholarship Plan (LSP) for any courses taken during the winter semester of 2020. The 2020 application forms and instructions are now available to download from the link above.
October 15 is the deadline to apply for the annual Special Scholarships for courses taken during 2020 – apply online from the link above.
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, add 6 hours of CEU credit when you send in your annual CEU report.
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CHURCHES IN TRANSITION
Interviewing
Athens FMC, Athens, ON
Lakeland Community Church, Spiritwood, SK
Queensway FMC, Niagara Falls, 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 (deadline to apply in brackets)
None available at this time
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.)
Campbellford FMC, Campbellford, ON
Cedar Street Community Church, Simcoe, ON
Cornerstone FMC, Prince Albert, SK
Eyebrow FMC, Eyebrow, SK
First FM Church, New Westminster, BC
New Hope FMC, Bracebridge, ON
Pineview FMC, Cloyne, ON
Richmond Hill Chinese & English FM Churches, Richmond Hill, ON
Smiths Falls FMC, Smiths Falls, ON (Rev. Aaron Birtch – Transition Pastor)
Whitby FMC, Whitby, ON
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Executive Director – Wesley Acres Christian Retreat Centre
Youth Pastor – Malvern Methodist
