the free methodist church in canada

Leadership Development

The 2024 FMCiC Internship program is now closed.

ONLINE APPLICATION (Lead Pastor to complete).

The purpose of the FMCiC Internship program is to build healthy leaders for The Free Methodist Church in Canada and beyond.

To have healthy churches we want to create healthy leaders. We believe healthy leaders develop by putting them in healthy church environments. We hope to increase the leadership pool for the present and future needs of The Free Methodist Church in Canada both locally and globally. Healthy local church leaders know that our connectional nature now requires global awareness and personal involvement. The internship provides one opportunity to prepare for ministry challenges in a rapidly changing world.

Goal of FMCiC Internships:

  • Confirmation and affirmation of an intern’s call to pastoral leadership
  • Training leaders in and for The Free Methodist Church in Canada
  • Training, equipping and mentoring men and women for ministry positions within the setting of the local church
  • An opportunity for an intern to get next to a pastoral team in the local church, over an extended period of time:
    • to catch what God is doing in a local church and let it become part of his/her emerging ministry DNA
    • to be mentored
    • to be a sensitive observer and learner
    • to be coached in specific ministry opportunities that will help evaluate an intern’s SHAPE for ministry.

The local Church develops leaders.
The FMCiC sees itself as a resource to help local churches identify, train, and deploy new leaders for the Kingdom of God. The Internship provides candidates for ministry an opportunity to get on-the-job training. The longer internship is the better internship in our view.

Why do we have internships?
Maybe on-the-job training is reason enough. But there is more: The Internship is part of an organic system of building healthy churches in the reach of every Canadian and beyond.  The local church is the focus of ministry.

Interns spend extended time in local Churches.
We put interns into local churches for extended periods of time so they experience local church life. The supervising pastor spends regular time with the intern in training, mentoring, and sharing all aspects of the pastoral life. Extended time in the local church with experienced pastors is the best way to allow Interns to “catch” what God is doing in the healthy local church and let it become part of their emerging ministry DNA.

The Intern is a learner/worker.
The intern comes as a careful observer, asking questions, probing all aspects of ministry life from personal spiritual disciplines to calendarizing ministry strategies. The supervising pastor is expected to let the intern develop skills by doing ministry, build a “track record” of accomplishments. This can range from starting a Bible study, or carrying out a brand new initiative, to equipping and deploying a new ministry leader in the local church.

Are all interns going directly into full-time local Church ministry?

There are many previous interns who have moved into full time ministry from internships:

  • Rev. Matthew McEwen is an Ordained Minister and is appointed Pastor at Holt FMC in Mount Albert, ON.  Matthew is also an instructor for one of the FMCiC foundational courses.
  • Rev. Greg Elford is an Ordained Minister and is appointed as Pastor at New Heights FMC in Mission, BC.
  • Rev. Grant Wolfe is an Ordained Minister and is appointed as a Co-Church Planter with his wife, Rev. Dr. Mary-Elsie Wolfe in the Orleans South neighbourhood in Ottawa, ON.  Grant is also a Church Planting Coach.
  • Rev. Matt Wiley is an Ordained Minister and is appointed as Lead Pastor at Rice Road Community Church in Welland, ON.
  • Rev. Darryl Dozlaw is an Ordained Minister and is the church planting pastor at Riversdale Neighbours Church in Saskatoon, SK.
  • Rev. Keitha Ogbogu (nee Slack) is an Ordained Minister and is appointed as Lead Pastor at West Springs Free Methodist Church in Calgary, AB.
  • Rev. Chris Payk is an Ordained Minister and his wife Terri is a Commissioned Minister.  Both Chris and Terri are currently in active missionary service in Taiwan.
  • Rev. Todd Stelmach is an Ordained Minister and is appointed as Lead Pastor at Rustle Free Methodist Church, Kingston, ON.

Some interns have not finished school yet; others are working in unpaid positions in local FM churches and tracking for credentialed ministry in the FMCiC; and still others completed internships and then have remained as active lay leaders in their local churches.

Developing Emerging Leaders

  • Are you a member of a Free Methodist church and looking for a place to work alongside a pastor who can model leadership for you in a church, church plant, youth ministry, children’s ministry?
  • Are you looking for a pastor who can help you discover what area of ministry you are most suited to pursue?
  • Are you looking for a coach who can help you develop a personal ministry plan and schedule steps to accomplish the plan?

The Internship program of the Free Methodist Church in Canada will seek to place you in a ministry environment that will help you develop into a leader.

Being licensed as a Lay Minister by a local Free Methodist Church is the ideal for being approved for the Internship Program. (Exceptions are considered on an individual basis)  It would be best for you to talk with your pastor who will help you prepare an application for the official board of the church.

FMCiC-sponsored Internship – First Steps:

1.  Dialogue begins between the local church supervising pastor and the intern candidate.

2. Pastor and Board approve an internship for the church.

3. Pastor fills out an online application (see link below).

4.  Pastor and Board create and submit a proposal and job description for the intern by February 28, 2024.

5. Intern submits a current resume to the Credentialing Coordinator by email attachment.

6.  The Director of Leadership Development, along with the Leadership Team, will review the applications along with the proposals and intern job descriptions and use a funding formula to help decide which churches will receive the internship funds that are made available through the Lorne Park Foundation, the Free Methodist Foundation and the Leadership giving stream.

Churches will be notified by March 31 each year.

Requirements: Local Church

  • has done Life Plan, Ministry Map or NCD and has a plan of action
  • is doing some type of membership and discipleship training
  • has the recommendation in their Official Board minutes regarding the internship
  • has prepared a proposal and job description for the potential intern position
  • agrees to match the funds provide and/or apply for any government grants both federally and provincially
  • will secure adequate/average room and board for the intern as a minimum form of remuneration, if applicable

Requirements:  Supervising Pastor

  • will be responsible for overseeing the internship at the local church
  • will not be gone more than 2 weeks twice during internship (especially if s/he is the mentor)
  • agrees to at least a 50/50 split on learner/doer ratio
  • has completed the online application
  • will provide a proposal and a job description for the internship
  • will provide a mid-term and a final written evaluation to the Credentialing Coordinator

Requirements: Intern

  • is a member of a local FM church
  • has built a relationship with the supervising pastor where s/he wants to be an intern
  • has seen and approves of the room and board arrangements, if applicable
  • will initiate process with his/her school for supervised ministry credit, if applicable
  • will provide a final written evaluation to the Credentialing Coordinator

Canada Summer Jobs 2024  – The Canada Summer Jobs 2024 applications are now closed.

Contact the Credentialing Coordinator Susan DePlanché in the Leadership Development Office if you have questions.