the free methodist church in canada
EPISODES
Regional Gathering #4 – Sault Ste. Marie
Our fourth Regional 
Gathering was held this weekend in Sault Ste. Marie, ON. Four churches were represented, primarily Hillside Church in the Soo and nearby St. Joseph’s Island FMC.
Each RG has its own flavour, and this one was delicious! Worship was led by a wonderfully talented intergenerational team of musician/worshippers. Snacks and lunch were beautifully prepared by gifted women in the church. Our exploration of “Unleashing Holy Freedom” brought fresh insights into our new Mission.
The only regret expressed at the end was that they wished more people had come! They want me to pass on to the church that these gatherings are not only for pastors and delegates or board members—they’re for the church! Our time together doesn’t feature “business”—it is for worship, inspiration, connection, and learning about what FMCIC is doing together and how God is at work among us.
So—we’ve got four more RG’s. If you have registered—great! Please ask yourself who else you could bring along! Spread the word in your church that all are welcome and nobody will leave feeling it was a waste of a Friday night and Saturday! If you haven’t registered yet, you can do so by clicking here.
Keep praying for us as we gather at Kingsview FMC in the GTA, Harrowsmith, ON, Moose Jaw, SK, and Dryden ON.
Peru Recap
Out of all the Encounter trips that I have led over the years, this was the most unique one because we focused on youth. The JUMELI youth Conference is for FM youth throughout Latin America and we were invited last year by Latin American FM Area Director, Dr. Ricardo Gomez. The conference was filled with worship, prayer, listening and learning. The team from Northview CC embraced every aspect of the conference and made life long friends.
Afterwards, we spent a few days in Cuzco (11,000+ ft in elevation) at Ps Edgar’s FM church during the missions portion of this trip. During the mornings we helped with picking up garbage around the church neighbourhood and building stairs to the church while the afternoons we did VBS for the kids with sports, crafts and English class. It was incredible to see our youth interact with the kids and parents while they used their new Spanish words but most of all share their love of Jesus. One of the highlights was the evening service where we worshipped in Spanish, Quechua, and English. The youth led praying for kids in small groups and shared their testimonies. The youth experienced effective ministry that was happening in a small church building. We were grateful for Ps. Edgar and the warm hospitality of the church leaders that we met.
JUMELI is every 2 years, if your youth are interested, please let me know… I know that we already have 5 spots filled from our youth wanting to return.
Paula Moriarity
Director of Global Missions & International Child Care Ministries (ICCM)
Camp Ministry
It was my great pleasure to recently host a “Camp Leaders’ Summit” where Executive Directors & key leaders from 6 of our 7 camps gathered to share ideas & resources, talk about challenges & victories, discuss strategies for volunteer & staff recruitment and further solidify the relationship between the camps and the denomination. (All while sharing a TON of laughs and a great time together socially!). The biggest takeaway that I left the Summit with is this: our camps deeply want connection with our churches and, in fact, see themselves as a part of our church ministries. The Camp Leaders actively shared how they plan their programs and events so they can build on what the churches and local pastors are accomplishing; providing retreats and outreaches that support the work of the church as a whole.
Visit fmcic.ca/camps-and-retreat-centres/ to learn more about what our camps are up to this summer (and beyond). There’s something for everyone!
Kevin Stenhouse
Director of Ministerial Formation
Quebec Regional Gathering
Quebec's Regional Gathering
For our third Regional Gathering, pastors, lay leaders and members traveled from across Quebec to Montreal. Some arrived on Friday night for an evening of getting to know each other, preparation for Saturday, and prayer.
On Saturday, the church was packed, the singing lively, and our mission of “unleashing holy freedom” in French resonated strongly. National Ministry Team members Kevin Stenhouse, Adam Kline, Sandy Crozier, Jenn Cornwall and I were delighted by the full participation of quite a few teens and young adults. Pastor Philippe Reichenbach ably led the session on disciple-making churches and unveiled a new communications strategy for our Quebec churches. One of the joys of the day was to meet a good number of new arrivals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who had immigrated last year and immediately planted a church.
As usual, Lindsay Noel served us all as an excellent interpreter, helping to remove the language barrier so we could worship and learn as one. We praise God for another beautiful and impactful Regional Gathering!
A Unique Easter Service Experience
For LWL this week, I invited NLT member Jervis Djokoto to write about a unique Easter service he experienced on Sunday. Read about it here.
Bishop Linda
Jumeli Gathering in Peru
I’m so excited for a team of Canadian youth and adults to join others from all over Latin America in Peru this week! Paula Moriarity has been coordinating the mission trip, which will feature a lot of learning and intercultural relationship building with Latin American Free Methodist youth.
Please pray for this youth gathering called “Jumeli”, and for all our team members to encounter God in new ways.
Exponential Conference in Orlando, FL
What a joy to be with a dozen FMCIC friends to experience Exponential, a passionate community of church planters and leaders committed to multiplying disciples, leaders, groups, churches, and networks. Two of the mainstage speakers were Canadians; two were from the UK; one from Uganda; one from Mexico; and several from the US. I was invited to lunch with 25 Canadian denominational leaders to brainstorm how Exponential might best serve the cause of Christ in Canada, and I learned that 200 Canadians were at this conference.
For 24 hours leading up to Exponential, 300 Free Methodists gathered for FMX, “Free Methodist Multipliers.” Most of these were from the US, but several represented Europe, Latin America, and other world areas. Our FMCIC delegation was inspired, challenged, and delighted to get acquainted with Free Methodist brothers and sisters from other countries—and the delight was mutual! We came away grateful that God is doing a new thing among us, as He promised in Isaiah 43:19.
Finally, during this event Rev. Fraser Venter, a Canadian-born pastor, was elected (online) to serve as a bishop for the next three years in the FMCUSA. Bishop Kenny Martin has asked to step down for health reasons, so Fraser will begin serving as a bishop this summer. Our group loved the irony of an American bishop serving in Canada and vice versa.
May the FMCIC experience wonderful fruit in the days ahead from the seeds sown in us at FMX and Exponential!
Regional Gathering – Calgary, AB
Churches from across Alberta gathered for our second Regional Gathering last weekend at West Springs Church in Calgary. It was a wonderful time of laughs, sharing and dreaming together as we explored all the ways God would help us live out our mission to “unleash holy freedom!” |
Regional Gathering – Surrey, BC
At the close of our Regional Gathering, we had the joy of witnessing the ordination of Ben Abercrombie. We were joined by many of Ben’s family and friends from New Heights Church in Mission, BC, where he serves as Associate Pastor & Community Development Coordinator.
Ben’s father and brother led in worship, and two young men, whom Ben is discipling, read Scripture passages. It was an honour and a privilege to share in this important step in Ben’s life.
Leadership Training in Sri Lanka
Today is a banner day for the Free Methodist Church in Sri Lanka! Some of our pastors have been in the ordination process for many years, and have been eager for us to create a pathway for them to finish the journey. We now have that process, and the first of four modules for 2026 is being offered March 3-5.
Gethsemani Leadership Training has been developed by Free Methodist leaders in Asia as a collaborative way to assist in ministerial formation. A team of three teachers is joining our pastors for Old Testament Overview this week. We have decided the information is valuable enough that all pastors, even those already ordained, should participate. For some, it will be new information. For others, it will serve as Continuing Education. For all, it will be a great time of learning together.
Our four 2026 modules are being sponsored by the Lorne Park Foundation’s Bell Scholarship. This fund memorializes Carmen W. and Louisa Bell, faithful leaders and generous donors to the Lorne Park Foundation. We are blessed that the Lorne Park Foundation Board considers our Sri Lankan pastors a worthy investment of their carefully stewarded resources. Here in Canada and beyond, God is raising up healthy leaders and healthy churches. We praise his name!
Please pray for these three days of spiritual and organizational enrichment.
Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy Conference
Why on earth would this group of women pastors go from Canada to Minneapolis in February? Not only is it farther north than Toronto, risking snow and ice, but this city has been in the news for months as the “tip of the spear” for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) actions, resisted by many citizens. Minneapolis is battered and torn right now.
Yet two years ago, it was announced that the Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy Conference, E2026, would be held in Minneapolis this week. Over 600 women pastors, ministerial candidates, students, and some male advocates from five denominations have come together for three days of wonderful worship, powerful preaching, equipping seminars, and networking.
The crowd is beautifully diverse. The music is bilingual in English and Spanish. The first preacher, an African American, exhorted us to embody the gospel this week. She said that our purpose for this conference has broadened out from soaking in the truth and beauty of the gospel and our calling as women on mission with Jesus, to demonstrating that beauty to others all around us through our unity and love.
This is a fitting way to prepare for Women’s History Month. These Wesleyan-Holiness denominations have historically championed the full inclusion of women in the church, including leadership roles. We are honoured to be among these passionate worshippers of Jesus, and to pray for the peace of the city where the Lord has sent us.
**March 8, 2026 is International Women’s Day. For more information about the Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy organization, you can visit their website here.
Ghana’s Annual Conference
What a wonderful week! This year, our Ghana mission team was simply Rev. Jervis Djokoto, Rev. Joseph Seidu, and me. Rather than travel around the country, this year we stayed in Accra and spent our time in equipping leaders. I met with the BOA and then we all three led a whole day marriage seminar (at their request). The pastors’ wives (and one pastor’s husband) came to participate in this seminar and, for the first time, the Provisional Annual Conference meeting.
As part of the annual meeting, every pastor and church planter gave an oral summary of his or her written annual report, including membership and financial data. Several showed photos so we could picture their church plants, the progress on constructing their building, or land they have managed to purchase. After their presentations, other delegates asked questions or offered advice, which was kindly offered and well received. It was real “conferencing.”
FMCIC has committed to stand alongside this newly-forming church in Ghana with our prayers and financial support. One reason we didn’t take a big team and travel around this time was that last year’s team suggested we come every other year, and on the years when the churches who love our work in Ghana do not send any team members, they could send an offering equivalent to what they would have spent on sending a team.
Please consider donating to our growing ministry in Ghana. Pastors and church planters serve sacrificially, often in areas with real strongholds resisting the gospel. As their partners, let’s do our part to encourage them with monetary support, which goes to the national church and is distributed among pastors based on need. And remember to pray!
Paula Moriarity will lead a team next March. Consider joining us!
Next Gen Ministry
Director of Ministerial Formation, Kevin Stenhouse, talks about Next Gen Ministries with Rev. Jay McIntyre.
Link to Next Gen survey: https://fmcic.wufoo.com/forms/nextgen-leadership-survey/
Coffee with Paula Moriarity
Are you interested in global missions but feel you don’t know much about it? Did you know the FMCIC offers many opportunities to get involved? Join Paula Moriarity, our Director of Global Missions, for a conversation about how God is moving through our partnerships, encounter trips, projects, child sponsorships and more. Ask your questions and learn how you (and your family or church) can become involved.
Date: February 4, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM EST
If you have any questions please email: paula.moriarity@fmcic.ca
Week of Prayer & Fasting
Friends,
I’m so grateful for the Week of Prayer and Fasting. On Sunday night, we had about 130 gathered via zoom, which would equal one person per church. Monday evening’s turnout was also more than 100. That’s wonderful!
It strikes me that this national prayer meeting, which includes a time of teaching and other contributions like testimonies and Q&A, is like a new wineskin for the new wine of the Spirit’s work in our day. When we head into our smaller breakout room times of prayer, it feels like we’re in the room with one another, saying “Amen” to each other’s sincere spontaneous prayers. God’s Spirit is uniting us.
I’ve joined similar prayer meetings with FM leaders from across Latin America and Asia, and even one that included FM leaders from five continents praying for one another. Enormous geographic distance, amazingly close communion!
If you haven’t joined in yet, please do. Invite your church members. It will make our connection to one another in the FMCIC more tangible and renew your church’s prayer life. And, by the way, the teachings that are being posted on our website each day have French subtitles, so we welcome our Quebec churches to benefit from them. The gatherings on Tuesday and Thursday have simultaneous translation into French.
Lord, renew us again!
https://fmcic.ca/prayandfast2026/
Induction Services
This past weekend, two of our Free Methodist churches in Ontario formally inducted their new pastors for ministry in their local context. Rosemary Legge has been serving Dryden Free Methodist Church since November 1, 2025 and Colin Leaver just began as the new Lead Pastor at Picton Free Methodist Church, effective January 1, 2026.
A Service of Induction is a meaningful time whereby a new Lead Pastor affirms their calling and commitment to the local church and the local church, in turn, formally welcomes the Pastor into a place of leadership and authority. In the case of both Pastor Colin and Pastor Rosemary, their ministries are affirmed by the denomination while they are still on the credentialing journey.
Congratulations to Dryden FMC and Picton FMC on the induction of your new Pastors! May this be the beginning of a wonderful season of fruitfulness and joy in your communities of faith!
Thank You For Giving Generously
FMCIC, I want to thank you for your rapid response to my appeal for emergency relief for our loved ones in Sri Lanka. Several of you responded quickly, and we were able to send $10,000 within a week of the typhoon.
In the grand scheme, that is a drop in the bucket. Large international aid agencies and governments are assisting on a massive scale, since the devastation was so widespread.
But for our own people, our Canadian Free Methodist contributions of dollars and prayers spoke volumes. We are in this kingdom enterprise together. We care. When one part of our body suffers, we suffer with them.
Paula Moriarity, our Director of Global Missions, stays in regular contact with our ministry leaders in Sri Lanka and has some photos to share here.
Once again, thank you for your compassionate response. When the time is right, we will send more relief for their ongoing efforts. God bless you!
And don’t forget to pray for the church in Sri Lanka, with whom we have a unique relationship. God is using our partnership for his glory and the good of his people.
From Paula:
Devastating flooding, from Cyclone Ditwah, had severely impacted our brothers and sisters. The Sri Lanka FMC is a Mission District of the FMCIC. God moved in big ways and our Free Methodist family responded generously to help. Various pastors (including Rev. Pramila) were able to use the money sent from the Bishop’s Relief Fund to purchase much needed food and medication to distribute to their congregation members as well as to non-believers in their community.
National Prayer Week 2026
How does a group of about 125 churches, distributed from British Columbia to Quebec, experience the important reality of our oneness in Christ and his mission? In many places, the nearest Free Methodist church is hours away from us, so it can be hard to feel like we’re “one.”
Thankfully, we anticipate coming together for our General Conference every three years (April 14-18, 2027), and each Spring we gather for Regional Gatherings (eight of them this year from March to June). But how else can we connect on a national level?
Our annual Week of Prayer and Fasting is another important shared spiritual experience in the Free Methodist Church in Canada. Sunday, January 25, we’ll begin with a zoom service at 7 PM Eastern Time in which I’ll introduce our theme, “Unleashing Holy Freedom” and we’ll spend time in prayer. Monday through Friday, the regular noon Eastern Time zoom prayers will centre on different aspects of this theme, and each evening at 7 PM Eastern Time, we’ll gather again around our zoom screens all across the country for reflections from the Scriptures and prayer. The final service on Sunday, February 1 will be in person at Wesley Chapel in Scarborough, Ontario, and livestreamed for all who want to join but can’t make it to Toronto that evening.
Prayer is the lifeblood of communities of faith. Corporate prayer enhances our focus and unites us in purpose. Fasting is a tried-and-true means of grace—forgoing food or another legitimate blessing for a season in order to consecrate our time and attention on God.
I warmly encourage you to begin the New Year by entering into a shared obedience to our Lord’s command to be people of prayer. Let’s do it together.
Merry Christmas!
Christmas greetings from some of the many nationalities that make up the global FMC.
