CliffsNotes – March 23, 2021

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Evangelism? Part 3/4

Just a quick reminder that if your Church family is planning on participating in the national Good Friday service (11:00 AM EDT – so that our BC brothers and sisters can join in), then please message me privately pastors, so that I can acknowledge your Church family in the service. The information on how to connect to the service can be found below.

Today is part 4 in Evangelism series. The goal of this series is for you to prayerfully consider Jesus’ Great Commission in your life, and then for Church leaders to consider “evangelism” in the life of the Church. The series has been designed to be discussion points for you alone, with your family, small group and pastors with leaders. If you have not already then please, take a moment and read the past 3 Cliff’s Notes: “Evangelism? Part 1, 2, 3 – use this link:https://fmcic.ca/category/cliffsnotes/ 
Here are further discussion points for you and your Church family – actually today’s Cliff’s Notes is particularly directed at your Church leadership:

  • Churches should appoint an evangelism champion, perhaps a small team, whose job it is to help ministries be evangelistic. The job description of the Evangelism Team (“ET”) may look like this:
  • The ET will develop a working definition of evangelism for their Church. This working definition will be approved by the board (i.e. “what is evangelism, and what will it look like at our local Church? And beyond?”);
  • The ET will meet with each ministry team in the Church annually. These meetings will be for discernment, encouragement, training and planning. The ET is there to ensure that each ministry has considered how evangelism is a part of their particular ministry;
  • The ET will equip the ministries to evangelize: “how to tell your story”; apologetics; age appropriate training in how to explain what the Gospel is; etc.
  • The ET will help identify those in your Church who have the gift of evangelism. They will offer evangelists prayer support, training and resources in order for the evangelists to carry out their ministry. I once had a serious conversation with my Church board about finding budget money to move a married couple with the gifts of evangelism to another street, since they had already led many on their street to Jesus!
  • The ET will report directly to the Pastor.
  • Who should be on the team? Members of your Church who love your Church family; people we would like to live like, in terms of their love for Christ and others; people who have friendships with people who are not necessarily believers; people who influence others; people who understand (and engage in) the privilege and moral responsibility to introduce others to Jesus; representatives from all demographics within your Church family. I recommend only 2-3 people on the team.

Evangelism Series Summary:

  • Develop a working definition of “Gospel” and “Evangelism”
  • Evangelism should not be a program or ministry in your Church, but the way you do Church family together
  • Evangelism is both a privilege and a moral responsibility
  • Evangelism is all about relationship, hopefully true friendship (though the Holy Spirit sometimes has us evangelizing strangers)
  • Evangelism is a part of discipleship
  • Evangelism in Canada today is highly relational, requires authentic Gospel-living, and may well be connected to “peace” (being peace-makers and peace-bringers)
  • Every Church should have an Evangelism Team / champion – not to do evangelism but to help all the ministry areas, small groups and members “do the work of an evangelist”.

 

Title: “Dinner’s Ready! Come to the Table!

On Good Friday, April 2, 2021 at 11am, we are happy to welcome many other churches in the Free Methodist Church in Canada (FMCIC) who are joining us as we celebrate the significance of the cross. Bishop Cliff Fletcher is speaking and we will be celebrating communion together, so please have some crackers or juice handy if you’re connecting with us online.

This service will be streamed on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ArlingtonWoodsChurch

 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

Tuesdays: Cliff’s Notes
Thursdays: Church Health Thursday article share
2nd Tuesday of each month: What’s Got You Thinking?
3rd Wednesday of each month: Get the Scoop with Lisa and Alison
4th Thursday of each month: Church Health Thursday 
Wednesday, January 6: Message from Jared Siebert
Wednesday, February 2: Message from Marc McAlister message
Wednesday, March 2: Message from Bishop Cliff

ADDITIONAL MEDIA CONNECTIONS
News & Stories 
New Leaf Learning Centre
FM Video Blog
Intercultural Engagement Team

ANNOUNCEMENTS

None at this time

ORDINATION AND COMMISSIONING SERVICES

Wilder Boutin – date and time TBA – Centre Biblique Louange a L’Eternel, Montreal, QC

Leonard Bruce –    date and location TBA

Erika Mills – July 25, 2021, Time TBA – Blue Mountain Community Church, Thornbury, ON

Benjamin Platz – date and time TBA – Next Church, Kingston, ON

Douglas Smith – May 2, 2021 at 2:00 pm, Fellowship of Joy, St. Williams, ON

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:
Nov 5-7, 2021 – location TBA*

Wesleyan Theology:
Nov 5-7, 2021 – location TBA*

Also available:

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):

October 15 is the deadline to apply for LSP for any courses taken during the summer/or fall semesters of 2021.  The 2021 application forms and instructions  are now available 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
Dunnville FMC, Dunnville, ON [Interim Pastor-Neale Robb]
New Hope FMC, Bracebridge, 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)

Cedar Street Community Church, Simcoe, ON

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
Harrowsmith FMC, Harrowsmith, ON
First FM Church, New Westminster, BC
Frankford Community Church, Frankford, ON
Lakeland Community Church, Spiritwood, SK
New Horizons Community Church, Sarnia, ON (Rev. Mary Lee DeWitt-Transition Pastor)
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)
Warkworth FMC, Warkworth, ON
Whitby FMC, Whitby, ON (Rev. Vic Stonehouse-Transition Pastor)

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Camp Director – Harbour Ridge Camp
Angelic Treasures Christian Daycare Newmarket – SUPERVISOR