CliffsNotes – March 3, 2020

Another General Conference Resolution & Strategic Planning in Balmy SK!

Is your church readying for “General Conference 2020: Be Free!”? Are you praying for our time together? Are you reading, and prayerfully discussing the resolutions? Are you registered for the Prayer Summit? Are you registered for GC? Today our Board of Admin secretary, Dr. Dave Kreutzweiser is answering the question about the new Personnel Team.

 The Manual describes a Personnel Committee, but based on conversations with past members, and considering how to further develop our National Leadership Team and their responsibilities, the BOA has reconfigured the Personnel Committee, into a ministry called Personnel Team. Dr. Dave, you are a member of this team and you helped us develop it. Tell us about the new Personnel Team.

DAVE: There has been an intentional effort over the past term to reconfigure and revamp the Personnel Committee and to transition it to a Personnel Team. Traditionally, a three-person Personnel Committee was in place to assist the bishop with performance appraisals of the National Leadership Team (including the bishop’s). But as we have transitioned to a Personnel Team (PT), the committee and its role has been expanded. This is intended to provide increased support to the Bishop on all matters pertaining to personnel management of conference employees, and to enhance guidance and stewardship of those personnel matters.

With the expanded role, there was an intentional effort to recruit PT members with relevant personnel and human resource management experience and skills. The expanded role of the PT now includes responsibilities in conducting an annual performance appraisal and regular check-ins with the bishop, in holding regular check-ins with the other National Leadership Team members, in providing oversight on performance appraisals, job descriptions, and compensation packages for all staff to ensure due process is being followed, and in serving as a point of contact for staff concerns that cannot be resolved through regular supervisory channels.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to serve on this Team, and am surrounded by capable people. The PT currently consists of the Bishop (but with clear policies around when it is appropriate for the Bishop to be recused from PT discussions and actions), Kim Henderson as chair, Daisy Wright (Bramalea FM), Mark Young as MEGaP representative, and myself as BOA representative. We are still working through this transition to PT and are learning and adjusting as we go, but we are confident that this new role of the expanded Personnel Team brings an enhanced degree of rigour to personnel management and gives our Bishop greater support and clarity in personnel matters. We can also envision how this PT can serve as a model for similar teams in local congregations to assist pastors and other church leaders in dealing with personnel issues.

Follow this link for General Conference resolution about Personnel Team: https://fmcic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/General-Conference-Recommendation-Personnel-Team.pdf

This weekend I was in balmy Weyburn SK – no seriously, as Ontario experienced a big storm, I enjoyed a nine-degree Celsius Saturday! I was with the Weyburn board to help them develop a Ministry Plan (Friday night-Saturday early afternoon). They worked Life Plan and were very ready to prayerfully discuss next steps. It was energizing for me to hear a very good board listen well to each other, pray, ask good questions of one another, speak lovingly and honestly about church family, affirm their new co-lead pastors, and pursue initiatives that are God-sized. The event ended with very specific plans. They assigned sub-committees to begin to work on each item. Sunday morning, I enjoyed their engaging worship and friendly welcome. Thank you, Weyburn.

 


MEDIA CONNECTIONS

Church Health Thursdays – Talk With, Not About: https://fmcic.ca/talk-with-not-about/
News & Stories Blog – Arlington Woods 1.5 Years Post Tornado: https://fmcic.ca/arlington-woods-update/
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 Network: The 2019 New Leaf Advent Reader – : https://www.newleafnetwork.ca/podcast/


ANNOUNCEMENTS

None this Week

 

ORDINATION AND COMMISSIONING SERVICES
None Scheduled


FOUNDATIONAL COURSES  https://fmcic.ca/foundational-courses/

Register online through the link above

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 5-7, 2020 – at Kingsview Free Methodist Church, Etobicoke, ON
November 6-8, 2020 –  location TBA*

Wesleyan Theology:
November 6-8, 2020 –   Ontario location TBA*
(also available online through FMC-USA: http://fmcusa.org/leadership/courses/)

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:
Course starts October 13 (deadline to register – October 5)
Part One: Oct 13-Nov 5 – advance online engagement
PLUS
Part Two: Nov 6-7 – two-day in-person class – Ontario location TBA*

Personal and Church Stewardship:
5-week online course (FRENCH) – start date – TBA
6-week online course (ENGLISH) – start date – June 1, 2020

(* These course locations are selected based on where the majority of the participants reside – so please register early!  Note:  Tuition payment is not required when registering for a course.  Payment is due 10 days before the course begins.)

 

2020 SCHOLARSHIPS   https://fmcic.ca/scholarships/

October 15 is the deadline to apply for the Leadership Scholarship Plan (LSP) for any courses taken during the summer and/or fall semesters of 2020. The 2020 application forms and instructions are now available to download from the link above.

October 15 is the deadline to apply for the annual Special Scholarships for courses taken during 2020 – apply online from the link above.

 

CONTINUING EDUCATION UNITS (CEUs)   https://fmcic.ca/introduction-to-continuing-education/

Ordained and Commissioned Ministers (except retirees) are to annually report Continuing Education Units (CEUs) acquired during each year.  Check the link above for information on CEUs, the report form and a list of examples of many different types of life-long learning that can be applied as CEUs.
Note:  For those who attend the fall Minister’s Conferences, add 6 hours of CEU credit when you send in your annual CEU report. 

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CHURCHES IN TRANSITION
Interviewing
Queensway FMC, Niagara Falls, ON

 

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)

Lakeland Community Church, Spiritwood, SK (March 24)

 

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 FMC, Campbellford, ON
Cedar Street Community Church, Simcoe, ON
Cornerstone FMC, Prince Albert, SK
First FM Church, New Westminster, BC (Rev. Vern Frudd – Transition Pastor)
New Hope FMC, Bracebridge, ON
Pineview FMC, Cloyne, ON
Richmond Hill Chinese & English FM Churches, Richmond Hill, ON (Rev. Louis Leung – Interim Pastor)
Smiths Falls FMC, Smiths Falls, ON (Rev. Aaron Birtch – Transition Pastor)
Trinity Christian Centre, Dresden, ON
Whitby FMC, Whitby, ON (Rev. Vic Stonehouse-Transition Pastor)


EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Executive Director – Wesley Acres Christian Retreat Centre
Part Time Youth Pastor –  First FM Church
Ministry Intern – Maple Grove Christian Retreat Centre
Youth Pastor – Malvern Methodist