CliffsNotes – August 15, 2017

This past Sunday Karlene and I enjoyed the opportunity to be with our Pine Orchard Camp family. The camp chose to invite an anointed young adult worship team to lead the family camp. What a God-moment when I realized that I was using the Bible passage immediately following the passage that Thomas Eng had used the night before to start camp! Derek Spink is speaking at Pine Orchard this week. Following service we ate a great roast beef meal 🙂

Below is a note from Board of Administration member Darryl Dozlaw:

Bishop Cliff asked me if I would, while sitting in the airport waiting for my flight back to Saskatoon, punch out a few words of reflection upon the first coming together of the new BOA to engage in the continued work of LifePlan.

Although the work that we had before us was fairly clear- to address recommendations brought forth by the NLT in response to the findings of the recent LifePlan process; the challenge before us was also clear: with eight new members and under the leadership of both a new board chair and a new bishop, we needed to find the spiritual, emotional, and social chemistry to work together for the next three years. This is, after all, an exciting time in the history of our movement and there was a sense of excitement and anticipation in the room.

We had all been invited to read Ruth Haley Barton’s Pursuing God’s Will Together in preparation for the meeting. Reading this book and embracing the idea of the BOA as a discernment group, I found myself inspired and hopeful coming in. The mindset for BOA engagement that was fostered by the simple reading of this book was one of prayerful listening, readiness and expectancy.

Thursday night we had a BOA orientation and to wrap up the evening, Bishop Cliff led us through a covenant exercise that invited us to consider what our expectations were for each other, serving together as members of a united discernment team. In the two days that followed, Tamera Goller led us through some activity and prayerful reflection upon the first few chapters of the book, Daniel Graham facilitated intercessory prayer exercises based on Colossians 1.9-14 and Harold Gonyou masterfully led as our new Chair. There was the kind of engagement and open sharing that is more typical of a group that had spent a lot of time together than one that was essentially meeting together for the first time. As we closed in prayer Saturday afternoon, we offered thanks for how clearly the Holy Spirit had been at work during the preparatory reading and prayers, and had seen fit to work in and through us all.

There is some solid work ahead for your BOA. The findings of the recent LifePlan process; the discernment challenge embedded in the question What kinds of churches does Canada need? (including greater effort and innovation in reaching out to our francophone, indigenous and newcomer populations); the ongoing need for discipleship that includes the raising up of future leaders within our movement; as well as the NLT restructuring and recommendations moving forward will all require solid effort and prayerful commitment. Please remember us in your prayers.


MEDIA CONNECTIONS

Church Health Thursdays – Evangelism is a Four Letter Word: https://fmcic.ca/evangelism-is-a-four-letter-word/
The Little Big Picture Blog – God Provides Builders: https://fmcic.ca/god-provides-builders/
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: Brandon Richardson – The Embassy -> Slate Church:https://www.newleafnetwork.ca/podcast/ep-47-brandon-richardson-embassy-slate-church/
Faith and Finances Website: http://faithandfinances.ca
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/FMCIC
LifePlan Study Team Files
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PHOTO GALLERY
BOA/LifePlan Meeting


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SCHOLARSHIPS

The next deadline is October 15, 2017 to apply for both the Leadership Scholarship Plan (LSP) for the summer and fall semesters of 2017, and for the Special Scholarships. More information is available at this link:https://fmcic.ca/scholarships/

FOUNDATIONAL COURSES
Heart of Canadian Free Methodism:
Nov 3-5, 2017 at Trulls Road FMC, Courtice, ON

Wesleyan Theology:
Nov 3-5, 2017 at First FMC, New Westminster, BC
(also available online through FMC-USA:http://fmcusa.org/leadership/courses/)

Personal and Church Stewardship
6-week online course – start date TBA

Culture and the Missional Church:
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/ and now includes PayPal or credit card payment options. Those tracking for credentialed ministry should take the Heart course first and then Wesleyan Theology if possible.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Rev. Barry Taylor has been be appointed as Network Leader Mentor of the Western Canada networks (Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Colombia) previously mentored by Rev. Dennis Camplin, effective August 14, 2017.
  • Rev. Doug Wightman has been appointed as Network Leader Mentor of the Larger Central Ontario, Muskoka and Quinte networks previously mentored by Bishop Cliff Fletcher (in addition to the North Shore and Northwestern Ontario networks Rev. Wightman currently mentors), effective August 14, 2017.
  • Rev. Grant Wolfe, Rev. Dr. Mary-Elsie Wolfe, and the Grapeview FM Church in St. Catharines have gone into transition.

Ordination and Commissioning
N/A


CHURCHES IN TRANSITION
Interviewing

Blue Mountain Community Church, Thornbury, ON
Smiths Falls FMC, Smiths Falls, ON
Westdale Park FMC, Napanee, ON

Church Profiles available
(Contact Susan DePlanché at the Personnel office to request a church profile –[email protected])

Dryden FMC, Dryden, ON – Personnel Office receiving resumes until September 5
– Personnel Office receiving resumes until August 8
Warkworth FMC, Warkworth, ON – Personnel Office receiving resumes until August 8

Preparing Profiles
(If you are interested in seeing the profile for any of these churches, please contact Susan at the Personnel office [[email protected]] and the profile will be emailed to you as soon as it becomes available.)

Athens FMC, Athens, ON
Asbury FMC, Perth, ON
Blue Mountain Community Church, Thornbury, ON
Caistor Centre FMC, Caistor Centre, ON (Mary Lee DeWitt-Transition Pastor)
Cornerstone FMC, Prince Albert, SK – (Dyan Mouland-Transition Pastor)
Harrowsmith FMC, Harrowsmith, ON (Carl Bull – Transition Pastor)
Melfort FMC, Melfort, SK
Rustle FMC, Kingston, ON (Todd Stelmach-Interim Pastor)
Sault Ste. Marie FMC, Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Tabernacle de la Grace, Montreal QC


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 (Ousman Ali)
Cordova Mines FM Fellowship, Cordova Mines, ON
Eglise Chrétienne Méthodiste Libre de Le Gardeur, QC (Duplan Auguste Lython)
Enterprise FMC, Enterprise, ON
Frankford Community FMC, Frankford, ON (Bruce Kellar, Transition Pastor)
Killarney FMC, Killarney, MB (Raymond Riglin)
Markham FMC, ON (K.K. Leung)
Pineview FMC, Cloyne, ON
Richmond Hill Chinese & English Churches, Richmond Hill, ON (K.K. Leung)
Roblin FMC, Roblin, MB (Heath Butler)
Surrey FMC, Surrey BC (Nathaniel Prakash)
theStory, Sarnia, ON
Timmins FMC, Timmins, ON (Lewis Byer)
Vennachar FMC, Vennachar, ON (Laurie Lemke)
Wesley Chapel Japanese FM Church, Toronto, ON (Misa Mochinaga)
Wyevale FMC, Wyevale, ON
Yarker FMC, Yarker, ON (Ken Babcock)

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PASTORS IN TRANSITION

William Crozier
Roxanne Goodyear
Kim Henderson
Dan Sheffield
Derek Spink
Grant Wolfe
Mary-Elsie Wolfe
Wesley Wood


EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Associate Pastor – Barrie FM Church
In-Program Supervisor – Little Blessings Nursery School, Whitby, ON
Associate Pastor – Trulls Road FM Church