In my neighbourhood we have squirrels that run around raiding gardens. In Dryden Ontario, they have deer! Someone at the Regional Gathering this weekend in Dryden said that they counted 30 around the town!
Karlene and I enjoyed the very warm fellowship of this tight knit network/Regional Gathering. We talked, laughed, PRAYED, and dealt with good questions. Many of them drove hours to be there! One of the very good questions that was asked had to do with Missions. Let me tell you about our developing plans – they are exciting!
Our missionaries on home assignment Dave & Jennifer Wright, (one of them celebrated a birthday on Sunday and it wasn’t Dave), will be leading this new team. They have already assembled a team which includes International Child Care Director Paula Moriarity (this is our FMCIC agency), Don Miller, Church Relations Director at Tearfund (Don is an FMCIC minister, and we are quite connected to Tearfund – formally World Relief), Rodney Peterson (our Belleville pastor), Vinola (on our support staff at the Ministry Center) and myself. Furthermore, as we transition from Board of Administration sub-committees overseeing national ministries to the creation of “national teams”, the former Global Ministries sub-committee will continue to work with the team in order to facilitate a smooth transition (the transition will be complete at the November 2018 BOA meeting). Please note that the new mission team plans to offer an integrated and coordinated approach for your church – ICCM, Tearfund, and the Wrights developing a strategy to work with each of you and your desire to “mission”.
Church Planting (Jared), Church Health (Marc), Leadership Development (Marc and I) are also no longer BOA sub-committees but teams like Prayer (Ken Roth), and Children & Youth and will be comprised of practitioners / leaders / experts nationally in these particular areas. Some teams will operate solely with practitioners / leaders / experts on the team, while other teams will have them as resource people. For instance, the National Prayer Team is made up of Ken Roth, Elle Pyke, Cathleen Getchell, and myself – none of us experts in prayer! So the team has been in contact with national and international leaders to help us develop a Ministry Plan.
What is a “Ministry Plan”? Glad that you asked!
Since we have encouraged all our churches to develop a 3-5 Ministry Plan, we (the BOA), feel that FMCIC should also have one that reflects our corporate vision. Each new national team will develop a 3-5 Ministry Plan to submit to the BOA. A ministry plan includes: vision/mission statements, core values, and strategic steps. The BOA will ask the same type of questions that your board should ask particular ministries as they submit a ministry plan:
- Does this particular ministry plan fall within the overall vision of the church?
- Do we have the “right people on the bus” in order for us to accomplish this (leaders, team members)?
- Is the proposed budget God-sized and does it fall within the overall FMCIC plan (budgets have to live in the tension between requiring faith and being responsible!)?
If this ministry submission is approved then the particular ministry runs with it understanding that the “same power that raised Christ from the dead” is still alive in us, empowering ministry! All approved ministry plans are compiled into one document which becomes the FMCIC 3-5 Ministry Plan.
Back to Dave and the Birthday-girl… They are beginning by meeting with local churches (you) discovering what we are already up to ‘missionally’. With their new team, they will create a resource for churches which will include (but not limited to):
- a help to discover what the local church could focus on (in Canada and beyond);
- a list of mission opportunities in Canada (indigenous, Quebec) and beyond;
- a list of other churches who could potentially partner with your church based on mutual interest / calling (stronger together);
- training
This team is just starting so please be patient, CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THIS GIVING STREAM, and pray!
The British Columbia Regional Gathering at New Heights Community Church is taking place Saturday May 12, 2018. To register click here for the form: https://fmcic.ca/wp-content/uploads/British-Columbia-Registration-Form-2018.doc
LOCATIONS & DATES
- BRITISH COLUMBIA @ New Heights Community [Mission] May 12, 2018
- ALBERTA @Westpark Church of the Nazarene, 3920 57th Ave. Red Deer, AB [Red Deer] May 26, 2018
- SASKATCHEWAN @ Northview Community Church [Regina] June 2, 2018 *REVISED*
- MANITOBA @ Victoria Inn Hotel & Convention Centre, 3550 Victoria Ave, Brandon, MB [Brandon] – June 23, 2018
Please see the website for more details – https://fmcic.ca/regional-gatherings-2018/
MEDIA CONNECTIONS
Church Health Thursdays -It’s More Than One “Big” Conversation: https://fmcic.ca/its-more-than-one-big-conversation/ New
News & Stories Blog – Everyone Benefits from Internships: https://fmcic.ca/everyone-benfits-from-internships/ 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: Kevin Makins – Holy Shift: https://www.newleafnetwork.ca/podcast/ep-52-kevin-makins-holy-shift/ New
Faith and Finances Website: http://faithandfinances.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FMCIC
PHOTO GALLERY
Dryden Regional Gathering
Do you know someone who would like to receive CliffsNotes? They can now sign up through the website at:https://fmcic.ca/cliffsnotes-signup/
ANNOUNCEMENTS
None
Ordination and Commissioning Services Schedule
None
FOUNDATIONAL COURSES
Heart of Canadian Free Methodism:
June 1-3, 2018 at Hampton FM Church, Saskatoon, SK
Wesleyan Theology:
June 1-3, 2018 at Holt FM Church, Mount Albert ON
(also available online through FMC-USA: http://fmcusa.org/leadership/courses/)
Personal and Church Stewardship
6-week online course – start date TBA
6-week online course (FRENCH) – start date TBA June 2018
Culture and the Missional Church:
Next course 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/. Those tracking for credentialed ministry should take the Heart course first and then Wesleyan Theology if possible.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The next deadline is October 15, 2018 to apply for the Leadership Scholarship Plan (LSP) for courses taken during both the spring/summer and fall semesters of 2018.
October 15 is also the deadline to apply for the annual Special Scholarships.
Here is the link for both types of scholarships: https://fmcic.ca/scholarships/
CHURCHES IN TRANSITION
Interviewing
Caistor Centre FMC, Caistor Centre, ON
Dryden FMC, Dryden, ON
Marmora FMC, Marmora, ON
Thunder Bay Free Methodist Church, Thunder Bay, ON
Warkworth FMC, Warkworth, ON
Church Profiles available
Contact Susan DePlanché in the Leadership Development Office to request a church profile – [email protected] or 289-228-1225 (deadline to apply in brackets)
Asbury FMC, Perth, ON (May 29)
Centennial Chapel FMC, Kamloops, BC (May 1)
Madoc Wesleyan/Free Methodist Church, Madoc, ON (May 29)
Melfort FMC, Melfort, SK (May 8)
Odessa FMC, Odessa, ON (May 8)
Preparing Profiles
(If you are interested in seeing the profile for any of these churches, please contact Susan in the Leadership Development Office [[email protected] 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)
Dunnville FMC, Dunnville, ON (Tom Gurnick – Interim Pastor)
Grapeview FMC, St. Catharines, ON (Dan Sheffield – Transition Pastor)
Port Rowan FMC, Port Rowan, ON
Richmond Hill Chinese & English Churches, Richmond Hill, ON
West Springs FMC, Calgary, AB
Weyburn FMC, Weyburn, SK
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 (Charles Tanner)
Cordova Mines FM Fellowship, Cordova Mines, ON
Eglise Chrétienne Méthodiste Libre de Le Gardeur, QC (Duplan Auguste Lython)
Enterprise FMC, Enterprise, ON
Harrowsmith FMC, Harrowsmith, ON (Robert Boutilier)
Killarney FMC, Killarney, MB (Raymond Riglin)
Markham FMC, ON (K.K. Leung)
Roblin FMC, Roblin, MB (Heath Butler)
Surrey FMC, Surrey BC (Nathaniel Prakash)
theStory, Sarnia, ON (Joshua Walters)
Timmins FMC, Timmins, ON (Lewis Byer)
Wesley Chapel Japanese FM Church, Toronto, ON (Misa Mochinaga)
Yarker FMC, Yarker, ON (Ken Babcock)
PASTORS IN TRANSITION
Glen Coates
David Greene
Kim Henderson
Jason Johnson
Fred Merritt
Jay Mowchenko
Derek Spink
Randy Williams
Grant Wolfe
Mary-Elsie Wolfe
Wesley Wood
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Associate Pastor of Next Generations – Trulls Road FM Church
Director of Youth Ministry – Trulls Road FM Church
Youth Pastor – Malvern Methodist Church
Summer Intern – Wawota FM Church
Worship Coordinator – Arlington Wood Free Methodist Church
