CliffsNotes – March 1, 2022

A Good Sunday, Lent, Hate & Donating to
Crisis Relief in Ukraine


On Sunday morning I worshipped with our Newmarket FM church family. The last time I was there, Pastor Terry had them wear Leaf’s jerseys (there were several Habs jerseys which made the room feel friendlier!). There were no Leaf’s jerseys this time, I’m guessing because of the 5-2 loss to the Habs! I especially appreciated how many people participated in their service: a worship leader, prayer, reader, announcer… It felt very church family! Thank you Newmarket!

On Sunday evening I spoke in a downtown Barrie church which focusses on the downtown. Many members of the church family are a part of the church’s recovery program which includes volunteering at a café (called “Higher Grounds”). A young woman pulled the pastor aside after service and asked how to become a Christian! The church had embraced this young woman, and on Sunday she gave her life to Jesus! There is no better moment in church life, than when one more person invites Jesus into their life!

Reminder that the FMCiC National Lent event begins this week. There is a low-key introductory Ash Wednesday service and you will find the material for the month here (click here for material).   

This week I confess that it has been easy to hate. War does that. I see particular world leaders on the news accusing, threatening, lying, or being complicit in this Ukraine-crisis and I wonder what could be done to silence them, or smarten them up. Hate is a pathway. The path often starts with unforgiveness; it leads to bad thoughts of others, and broken relationships; hate is inevitable for those who stay on this path. The unforgiveness-hate path causes us to stop seeing others as those who also bear the image of God. What do you think happens when we stop seeing each other as image-of-God-bearers?

Hate is toxic, and can actually replace prayer in our live; that is, when we are feeling and thinking hateful things to ourselves, we are not able to pray to God. We are filled with this poison, and holiness and poison cannot share the same space.

Father, I see these war criminals on the news and I am filled with anger and hate. I want to be able to surrender all these feelings to you. This poison has no place in my life. Father replace this unhealthy anger, with a resolve to be responsive to this injustice. Certainly, I will continue to respond in prayer, and perhaps You, Father, have another way I can help?

Replace any hateful feelings or negative thoughts with Your presence (love and peace), and the assurance that You will ultimately deal with these evil doers. I trust You to make things right. I trust You Father.


People of peace, must pay attention to the unforgiveness-hate path. We must stay off it, or get off it as soon as we realize that we are on it. We must also help others know about it and the damage it does to self and community. People of peace, also help others find the “narrow path”, the path of peace, love, mercy, justice and forgiveness.

Relief funds for Ukraine. $5000 has already been approved by the Intercultural Engagement Team for our Free Methodist Church family. This money, from the Bishop’s Relief Fund, is being sent to “Free Methodist World Missions – Crisis in Ukraine”. The FMWM is able to direct the funds to FM works in Ukraine and refugee aid. If you would like to contribute, please donate to your local church, and ask your local church to forward the funds to “The Free Methodist Church in Canada”, and in the memo line of the cheque, “Bishop Relief Fund”.


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WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

Tuesdays: Cliff’s Notes
2nd Tuesday of each month: What’s Got You Thinking?
4th Thursday of each month: Church Health Thursday
Message from Bishop Cliff: https://vimeo.com/518725147
Coffee with Jared: https://vimeo.com/533730644
Mystery Beverage with Marc: https://vimeo.com/504427854


ANNOUNCEMENTS
None this week

ORDINATION SERVICES
March 20 at 2:00 pm – Alyson Lauber – Lakeview FMC, Saskatoon, SK
June 12 at 2:00 pm – Erika Mills – Blue Mountain FMC, Thornbury, ON

Date and time TBA:
Benjamin Platz – Next Church, Kingston, ON

Tyndale University’s annual Wesley Studies Symposium on April 26:  \”Sisters in the Spirit: Women in the Holiness and Pentecostal Traditions\”https://www.tyndale.ca/seminary/wesley-studies/annual-symposium
The Lorne Park Foundation (https://lornepark.org/) has generously offered to sponsor 25 in-person and 25 online registrations for this event.  This offer is open to both clergy and laypersons on a first-come basis only until April 8.  If you are interested, notify Susan DePlanché at [email protected] as soon as possible and no later than April 8 to be put on the list.  If you register through Susan, do not register through the Tyndale link.  Be sure to indicate whether you are interested in the in-person or online version.  This event is worth 6 hours toward Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

FOUNDATIONAL COURSES  http://www.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:
June 3-5, 2022 – Trulls Road FMC, Courtice, ON
November 4-6, 2022, – location TBA*

Wesleyan Theology:
June 3-5, 2022 – location TBA*
November 4-6, 2022, – location TBA*

Also available:

  • FMC-USA as a 7-week intensive online course: http://fmcusa.org/leadership/courses/ Wesleyan Theology [#74W] Dr. Robert Vaughan – start dates:  Feb 22, Apr 19, June 7, Jul 26, Sep 13, Nov 1

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!)

 

2022 SCHOLARSHIPS  http://www.fmcic.ca/scholarships/


LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP PLAN (LSP):
The Leadership Scholarship Plan (LSP) provides financial assistance to candidates who are studying to meet the educational requirements for credentialed ministry, or for members of conference pursuing continuing education.

October 15 is the deadline to apply for LSP for any courses taken during the summer and/or fall semesters of 2022.  The 2022 application forms and instructions are now available to download from the link above.  Please use the application forms marked “rev 2022.”


SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIPS:
The Special Scholarships provide financial assistance to those who are members of a Free Methodist church pursuing post-secondary education to grow in their Christian faith, to those who are pursuing credentialed ministry, and to members of conference pursuing continuing education.

October 15 is the deadline to apply for the annual Special Scholarships for courses taken during the 2022 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://www.fmcic.ca/introduction-to-continuing-education/
Ordained and Commissioned Ministers (except retirees) are to annually report hours acquired during each year for Continuing Education Units (CEUs).  Check the link above for information on CEUs, and a list of examples of many different types of life-long learning that can be applied as CEUs.

NEW:  You can now send a report online anytime you have hours to submit for CEUs.  Here is the link:   https://fmcic.wufoo.com/forms/continuing-education-unit-ceu-report-form/

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.

For those who took courses and/or did in-depth research and learning about how to make the changes required during the pandemic (ie how to live-stream services), add the number of those hours to your annual CEU report.

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CHURCHES IN TRANSITION
Interviewing

Hilton Beach, ON – St. Joseph Island FMC
Saskatoon, SK – Lakeview FMC
Thornbury, ON – Blue Mountain Community Church

Church Profiles available
Contact Davika Dotson in the  Leadership Development Office to request a church profile – [email protected] or 416-240-7845   (deadline to apply in brackets)

Oshawa, ON – The Corner Church (Free Methodist / Church of the Nazarene) [full-time] (Mar 29)
Warkworth, ON – Warkworth FMC [full-time] (Mar 1)

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, ON – Campbellford FMC, (Rev. Jurgen Rausch-Transition Pastor)
Cloyne, ON – Pineview FMC
Frankford, ON – Frankford Community Church
Hamilton, ON – Rymal Road Community Church
Harrowsmith, ON – Harrowsmith FMC (Pastor Keith Deyo-Interim Pastor)
New Westminster, BC – First FMC
Richmond Hill, ON – Richmond Hill Chinese & English FM Churches (Rev. Louis Leung – Interim Pastor)
Sarnia, ON – New Horizons Community Church (Rev. Mary Lee DeWitt-Transition Pastor)


EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Associate Pastor – The Open Door