A Leadership book worth reading…
Two more Regional Gatherings: This past Thursday the Barrie FMC hosted one Regional Gathering, and then on Saturday we were in Tillsonburg. Thank you to all who participated. I was asked what I hoped would be true about the FMCIC in three years if we followed the three-year ministry plan. Good question.
I imagine that if your local church follows the plan that:
- You will have created a prayer team comprised of intercessors, deliverance teams, etc – being trained, resourced and seeing healings, salvations, and wholeness in Christ. This is a very big deal!
- You will have created a discipleship plan (on paper) which is moving your church towards a discipleship culture;
- You will have a discipleship plan that includes an evangelism plan – towards an evangelism culture (actually, evangelism should be in the discipleship plan);
- Intercultural engagement is key in your own ministry plans, and you are not ministering alone – you are collaborating, partnering, rallying the Body of Christ;
- You are pursuing creative ministry opportunities that capture your community’s imagination and their participation in your church life;
- We have a pile of new leaders in the FMCIC because you have tapped potential young women and men on the shoulder in your church family, telling them that as a local church you see God’s calling on their lives;
- You may not even be reading this because you are a church plant that will happen in one year from now!
I am a fan of Dr. Brene Brown. She says that she is a Christian but her books are written for the general public. Her work is research-based and has focussed on vulnerability, fear, shame, and empathy. I’m especially enjoying her new book Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. Pastors this would be a very good book for a leadership team to study together. I mention it here because COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP is essential for any of what I have imagined above to be true in three years.
This past Sunday Karlene and I were in Marmora to celebrate their grand re-opening. A small-ish renovation led to an engineer discovering that a major renovation was necessary. We enjoyed very much the celebratory atmosphere and warm welcome that we received. Marmora FMC is also Pastor Adam Kline’s other job: he is the part-time pastor in Marmora and now our part-time Intercultural Engagement Team Leader. Thank you, Marmora for a good Sunday morning!
Bishop Cliff
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Pastor Jordan Fosseneuve
New Lead Pastor at Melfort FM Church, Melfort, SK, effective April 1
Queensway Free Methodist Church, Niagara Falls, ON
Going into transition, effective May 5
Ordination and Commissioning Services
No scheduled ordinations this week
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:
May 31-June 2, 2019 – Peterborough FM Church, Peterborough ON
November 1-3, 2019 – western Canada-location TBA*
Cours sur le Coeur du Méthodisme Libre Canadien
12 au 14 juillet 2019 à Montréal à l’Église Méthodiste Libre de St-Henri
Wesleyan Theology:
May 31-June 2, 2019 – Weyburn Free Methodist Church, Weyburn, SK
November 1-3, 2019 – 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:
*NEW* Western Canada course starts October 7 (deadline to register – October 1)
Oct 7-31 – advance online engagement
*LOCATION ADDED* Nov 1-2 – two-day class in-person at Lakeview Free Methodist Church, Saskatoon, SK
Personal and Church Stewardship:
5-week online course (FRENCH) – start date – TBA
6-week online course (ENGLISH) – start date – TBA
(*locations are selected based on where the majority of the participants reside – so please register early!)
2019 SCHOLARSHIPS https://fmcic.ca/scholarships/
October 15 is the deadline to apply for the Leadership Scholarship Plan (LSP) for any courses taken during either the summer and/or the fall semesters of 2019. The 2019 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 2019 – 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 attended 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
Caistor Centre FMC, Caistor Centre, ON
Madoc Wesleyan/FMC, Madoc, 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.)
Athens FMC, Athens, ON (Angel Valentin-Transition Pastor)
Hampton FMC, Saskatoon, SK
New Horizons Community Church – Sarnia, ON (Kim Henderson-Interim Pastor)
Queensway FMC, Niagara Falls, ON
Richmond Hill Chinese & English FM Churches, Richmond Hill, ON (Abbs So and Shadow Lau-Interim Co-Pastors)
Smiths Falls FMC, Smiths Falls, ON
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Intern Job Position – Maple Grove Christian Retreat Centre
Youth Pastor – Malvern Methodist