Taking Responsibility & Meeting With You This Week
I had to cancel a field trip to a youth center in Ingersol, Ontario. I had invited some pastors who had spoken to me about some of their sanctified dreams, and I thought that a walk thru of the Fusion Youth Center would generate exciting conversation. This is a You Tube fundraising link to give you a sense of what they do: https://youtu.be/
Fusion is an old elementary school converted into an activity and technology center for youth. It is driven by adult volunteers who mentor youth in in a variety of activities: radio station, tv station, computer lab, art classes, cooking classes, drama, sports, and more. Karlene and I were walking through this small town and ended up having lunch beside a police officer who told us how Fusion had changed the “youth problem” in their town. The youth were off the streets, drug offences and vandalism were “way down”, and the youth were learning skills that could be a part of their resumes! Better still, volunteerism was at an all time high, where skilled professionals (cooks, artists, computer people, etc) were mentoring youth. Sounds very church-like in scope of mission and opportunity – Methodist actually!
Imagine converting a building into a center that changes our town?! Say a church building. Sounds like “taking responsibility for our town”. I asked a question a couple of weeks ago, “is the church in Canada so fragile that we will be devastated by not meeting on a Sunday morning for a few weeks?” I assure you that a church that is a solution to a youth opioid issue in town, or a youth mentoring center, or a center that is a youth art center, or a safe youth gathering center where old and young connect, IS NOT FRAGILE. It would be a light on hill. It is much closer to what Jesus imagines that His church looks like. Maybe we are learning in this crisis that our buildings’ purposes should be shifting from being a one hour per week sacred assembly to something much more like Acts 2?! After all, some significant sacred assembling is happening virtually (don’t hear me wrong: I am not suggesting that zoom meeting will replace face to face meeting – but I am suggesting that we are learning that technology can help us step up our game and zoom can help us pray and meet more!).
Be sure to fully lean into this strange season prayerfully: “Father, what would you have for your church in this season? Jesus, what is a non-fragile church? Holy Spirit, help us to listen and be brave.”
This week: This past Saturday we enjoyed a national prayer and praise time (event is on FMCIC Facebook page); Sunday evening I met with some of our Quebec pastors to pray and check in; Monday at noon I led a Facebook live info and prayer session;
Tuesday, March 31, 2020 at 7:30 PM EST I am hosting with BOA chair Harold Gonyou, a Q&A time about the General Conference Postponement Vote : http://zoom.us/j/598894751
Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at 3:00 pm EST Marc McAlister will be inviting you to a corporate devotional time via FMCIC Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FMCIC
Thursday, April 2, 2020 at 12:00 pm I will be interviewing therapist Scott Armstrong about this crisis and mental health: http://zoom.us/j/877757125
Friday, April 3, 2020 Jared Siebert will lead us in a national devotional time (Time to be announced): http://www.facebook.com/FMCIC
Be sure to check in with each other because you are hosting prayer times all day long!
40 Days of Prayer and Fasting
Here is some information from the National Prayer Team for those who are interested in participating in the 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting. Here is the link to the letter: https://fmcic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cLetter-about-40-Days-Apr-22020.pdf
You can also contact Ken Roth for more information at ken@chapelridge.ca
MEDIA CONNECTIONS
Church Health Thursdays – You Can Do This Church: https://fmcic.ca/you-can-do-this-church/
News & Stories Blog – Connecting with You Over the Next Two Weeks: https://fmcic.ca/connecting-with-you-over-the-next-two-weeks/
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/
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Leonard Bruce, Pastor at Warkworth FMC, Warkworth, ON – recommended and approved for ordination
Dani Harris, Assistant Pastor at The Corner Church (formerly The FreeWay), Oshawa, ON – recommended and approved for ordination
Douglas Smith, Church Planter Pastor at Fellowship of Joy, St. Williams, ON – recommended and approved for ordination
ORDINATION AND COMMISSIONING SERVICES
Leonard Bruce – Warkworth, ON – ordination service date TBA
Dani Harris – The Corner Church, Oshawa, ON – ordination service date TBA
Douglas Smith – Fellowship of Joy, St. Williams, ON – ordination service date TBA
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:
Course starts October 13 (deadline to register – October 5)
Part One: Oct 13-Nov 5 – advance online engagement
PLUS
Part Two: Nov 6-7 – two-day in-person class – Trulls Road FMC, Courtice, ON
Personal and Church Stewardship: (NOTE: TUITION WAIVED FOR THIS ONLINE COURSE-FRENCH AND ENGLISH)
5-week online course (FRENCH) – start date – April 13, 2020
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/
October 15 is the deadline to apply for the Leadership Scholarship Plan (LSP) for any courses taken during the summer and/or fall semesters 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
Lakeland Community Church, Spiritwood, SK
Queensway FMC, Niagara Falls, 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)
None at this time
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
Cedar Street Community Church, Simcoe, ON
Cornerstone FMC, Prince Albert, SK
First FM Church, New Westminster, BC (Rev. Vern Frudd – Transition Pastor)
New Hope FMC, Bracebridge, ON
Pineview FMC, Cloyne, ON
Richmond Hill Chinese & English FM Churches, Richmond Hill, ON (Rev. Louis Leung – Interim Pastor)
Smiths Falls FMC, Smiths Falls, ON (Rev. Aaron Birtch – Transition Pastor)
Trinity Christian Centre, Dresden, ON
Whitby FMC, Whitby, ON (Rev. Vic Stonehouse-Transition Pastor)
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Worship Coordinator – Arlington Woods FM Church
Executive Director – Wesley Acres
Ministry Intern – Maple Grove Christian Retreat Centre