I worshipped with the Athens FM congregation this weekend. I especially appreciated that though the service officially starts at 11:00, they begin to prepare their hearts in worship BEFORE with worship songs. In fact the sanctuary was already filled before 11 with people already engaged in worship! Thank you Athens for that experience. Would you be surprised if I told you that after the service, we ate? Apparently they do this every week (and so do I).
I also met with Paul Millar from Westport FM. He and his leaders decided a couple of years ago to visit with each member of the congregation in their homes to ask each person four questions:
1. What has been your experience in church(es)?
2. What are we doing/not doing well?
3. What have you seen other churches do that you found inspiring?
4. What are your dreams for our church family?
Out of this came conversations about accepting responsibility for their community – including a storefront Thrift store that has been running for a couple of weeks. They also pay for 20 hot lunches for students in a local school, and fund a breakfast club in another school. Paul and his leaders decided not to tell parents who is paying for this – the principal was surprised and wondered why not (“isn’t this good publicity?”)? Paul explained that it makes no sense that there is a church in a community and there are children going hungry. That math equation didn’t make sense. The teachers and principal loved this answer I’m sure – in fact they have told people about this, thus becoming evangelists!
Another project is the Westport Community Action Fund, wherein WFMC seeded the fund with $40,000. The Community Action Fund’s purpose to find courageous new ways to meet unmet needs in the Westport area. The committee includes the mayor, other Westportians, Paul and a couple others from WFMC. Thank you Westport for accepting responsibility for your community… BTW Paul and I ate breakfast together!
MEDIA CONNECTIONS
• The Little Big Picture Blog: A Co-operative Dream in the Dominican Republic: https://fmcic.ca/14279/
• Church Health Blog: When Churches Want a Pastor Who Can “Bring in Young Families”:https://fmcic.ca/when-churches-want-a-pastor-who-can-bring-in-young-families/ 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: Cultivating the entrepreneurial spirit for mission – Jeremy Barham and Mike Temple: https://www.newleafnetwork.ca/podcast/ep-44-cultivating-entrepreneurial-spirit-mission-jeremy-barham-mike-temple/ New
• Faith and Finances Website: http://faithandfinances.ca
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FMCIC
•The National Ministry Centre Team video: https://fmcic.ca/portfolio-item/the-national-ministry-centre-team-who-we-are-what-we-do/
• LifePlan Study Team Files
PHOTO GALLERY
John-Mark Cockram’s Ordination
Una Church
Paul Millar/Westport FM Church
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SCHOLARSHIPS
The next deadline is October 15, 2017 to apply for both the Leadership Scholarship Plan (LSP) for the summer and fall semesters of 2017, and for the Special Scholarships. More information is available at this link: https://fmcic.ca/scholarships/
FOUNDATIONAL COURSES
Heart of Canadian Free Methodism:
30 juin – 2 juillet 2017 – Le cœur du Méthodisme libre Canadien À l’Église Méthodiste Libre de St-Henri, 3453 Notre-Dame Ouest, Montréal, QC
Nov 3-5, 2017 in Ontario*
Wesleyan Theology:
Nov 3-5, 2017 in western Canada*
(also available online through FMC-USA: http://fmcusa.org/leadership/courses/)
Personal and Church Stewardship
6-week online course – start date TBA
Culture and the Missional Church:
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/ and now includes PayPal or credit card payment options. Those tracking for credentialed ministry should take the Heart course first and then Wesleyan Theology if possible.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
Rev. Linda Dixon – appointment changed from “Transition Pastor” to “Lead Pastor” at Crossroads Free Methodist Church, Salmon Arm, BC, effective July 1, 2017
Rev. Jonathan Grant – appointment changed from “Associate Pastor” to “Lead Pastor” at Trulls Road Free Methodist Church, Courtice, ON, effective July 1, 2017
Ordination and Commissioning Services Schedule
N/A
CHURCHES IN TRANSITION
Interviewing
Blue Mountain Community Church, Thornbury, ON
Dryden FMC, Dryden, ON
Pineview FMC, Cloyne, ON
Ryde Centennial FMC, Gravenhurst, ON
Smiths Falls FMC, Smiths Falls, ON
Warkworth FMC, Warkworth, ON
Whitby FMC, Whitby, ON
Church Profiles available
(Contact Susan DePlanché at the Personnel office to request a church profile – susan.deplanche@fmcic.ca)
Cornerstone FMC, Prince Albert, SK – Personnel Office receiving resumes until May 30
Frankford Community FMC, Frankford, ON – Personnel Office receiving resumes until June 20
Westdale Park FMC, Napanee, ON – Personnel Office receiving resumes until June 20
Preparing Profiles
(If you are interested in seeing the profile for any of these churches, please contact Susan at the Director of Personnel office [susan.deplanche@fmcic.ca] and the profile will be emailed to you as soon as it becomes available.)
Caistor Centre FMC, Caistor Centre, ON (Mary Lee DeWitt-Transition Pastor)
Harrowsmith FMC, Harrowsmith, ON (Carl Bull – Transition Pastor)
Tabernacle de la Grace, Montreal QC
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 (Ousman Ali)
Cordova Mines FM Fellowship, Cordova Mines, 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)
Vennachar FMC, Vennachar, ON (Laurie Lemke)
Verona FMC, Verona, ON (Kathy Casement)
Wesley Chapel Japanese FM Church, Toronto, ON (Misa Mochinaga)
Wyevale FMC, Wyevale, ON
Yarker FMC, Yarker, ON (Ken Babcock)
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PASTORS IN TRANSITION
William Crozier
Kim Henderson
Dan Sheffield
Derek Spink
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Children and Youth Summer Worker 2017– Westdale park FM Church
Associate Pastor – Barrie FM Church
In-Program Supervisor – Little Blessings Nursery School, Whitby, ON
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2017 ORDINATION ANNIVERSARIES
| 10 years | 25 years | 30 years | 35 years | 40 years | 45 years | 50 years | 55 years |
| Hilkka Aavasalmi | Brian Eschbach | Glen Coates | Doug Wightman | Floyd Babcock | Sheldon Carlson | David Ashton | Frederick Gordon |
| Mary Lee DeWitt | Barry Smith | Robert Lay | David Howick | David Panton | |||
| Jennifer Donnell | Brenda Tursa | Steve Lougheed | John Vlainic | ||||
| Michael Gibney | |||||||
| Raynal Jean-Charles | |||||||
| Andrew MacKay | |||||||
| Joseph Manafo | |||||||
| Matthew McEwen | |||||||
| Pierre Sanambe | |||||||
| Grant Wolfe | |||||||
| Abraham Yonas |
