Fall 2014

REFLECTING THE DIVERSITY OF MINISTRY EXPRESSION WITHIN THE FREE METHODIST FAMILY | Fall 2014 | Volume 11, Issue 3

Finding practical and authentic ways to carry Christ’s love to our friends and neighbours

INSIDE You can’t do one without the other!

Healthy Engagement Marc McAlister

Opening the West

Bishop Keith Elford

Feature: Community Engagement

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Dan Sheffield

MOSAIC is a publication of The Free Methodist Church in Canada | www.fmcic.ca

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

MOSAIC 2.0

MOSAIC is a publication of The Free Methodist Church in Canada

4315 Village Centre Court Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 1S2 T. 905.848.2600 F. 905.848.2603 E. lisa.howden@fmcic.ca www.fmcic.ca For submissions: lisa.howden@fmcic.ca Dan Sheffield, Editor-in-Chief Lisa Howden, Managing Editor and Production

Welcome to what we hope will be a new and improved MOSAIC experience! We were able to reduce the overall size of our newsletter – allowing us to use a smaller press – and double the pages! This makes it possible to bring you even more news from our Free Methodist world. The MOSAIC also provides an opportunity for our National Leadership Team to share with church leaders – both clergy and lay – what is going on in their respective areas of ministry.

Earlier this year, we did some thinking about what we most wanted to communicate to our readers, and this made us circle back to the reason the MOSAIC exists, “To reflect the diversity of ministry expression within the Free Methodist family.” So, how do we do that? Well, we share our collective stories — from east to west, church plant to established society, traditional congregation to a house church of twelve people — the MOSAIC tries to bring those stories to you so they can empower, encourage and inspire us all to become agents of change in both our local and global spheres of influence.

We’ve made the MOSAIC a little more user-friendly, enlarging the Passages [page 10] section to a full page so that you can read and see the great things that are happening within our movement (appointments, ordinations, new members to the Board and MEGaP, etc.) As well, we’ve added a Photo Gallery [page 6], to help you connect with other Free Methodist Churches in different communities.

We will also be hilighting some of the Disciple Making [page 14] resources that have been developed in-house. We provide a short description of what they are, who should use them and in what setting.

This issue is filled with great and inspiring thoughts and stories about community engagement. We hope that you continue to enjoy the MOSAIC. Lisa Howden, Managing Editor | lisa.howden@fmcic.ca

Community Engagement

9

CONTENTS FEATURE — Greg Elford, Keitha Ogbogu and Darrin Lindsay

Community Engagement ............................................................ 9

MINISTRY AREAS On my mind — Bishop Keith Elford You can’t have one without the other ......................................... 3 Church Health — Marc McAlister Healthy Engagement .................................................................. 4 Church Planting — Darryl Dozlaw New Friends ................................................................................. 5 Leadership Development — Kim Henderson The Everyday Commission? ......................................................... 6

STAPLES Editorial — Lisa Howden MOSAIC 2.0 ................................................................................. 2 Photo Gallery ...................................................................................6 Passages ....................................................................................... 10 The Little Big Picture — Alison McKinnon Sacred Space ............................................................................ 11 Our History — Dan Sheffield Opening in the west .................................................................. 13 International Child Care Ministries — Paula Moriarity Training Haitian Teachers .......................................................... 14

Stewardship Ministries — Sandy Crozier Did Jesus spend time with the poor? ......................................... 12

Discipleship Material Highlight ....................................................... 14

Global Ministries — Dan Sheffield Disciple-making as “Intervention” ............................................. 16

Student Ministries — Ed and Joyce Spears The Sears: Sixty-one years of Youth Ministry .............................. 15

on my mind COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: YOU CAN’T DO ONE WITHOUT THE OTHER! In this issue of the MOSAIC, we are talking about “Community Engagement.” It is a worthy topic because this must be at the heart of all that we are as Christfollowers. But hang on a minute, before we mount our horses and ride off in all directions at the same time in the name of “Community Engagement,” it would serve us well to be clear on what we mean by “community” and what we mean by “engagement.”

When I hear the term “engagement,” I think of deep feelings expressed in tender words when two people decide that they are now going to prepare to make the lifelong covenant of marriage. I also think of war (as in military “engagement”). So it is good to pause, don’t you agree?

As believers, we need to have a healthy preoccupation with experiencing “community” – in fact, two communities – the community within the church and the communities beyond the church.

Several years ago, Dan Sheffield helpfully taught us that God has a mission in the world (missio dei) to bring wholeness to all things presently … and ultimately.

Within it, his church has a specific mission (mission ecclesia) to fulfill the Great Commission to make disciples, as we live out the Great Commandment to love the Lord supremely, our neighbours, and ourselves.

So why do I bring this up when I could be telling inspiring stories about congregations and individuals who are engaging in their communities? It’s because we need to be clear on how we are going to respond to God’s call to be engaged in His Mission in the world through the church. Otherwise, we may once again

jump on our horses and ride off in all directions at the same time.

When it comes to the topic of community engagement, I stick closely to two fundamental principles that Jesus underscored in two different metaphors.

1. If the branch is healthily joined to The Vine ( John 15), the vinedresser will have no hesitation in grafting other branches into it. Even some that are wild? Yes, even some that are wild.

2. If, as Christ followers, we stop “passing by on the other side,” our attitudes will mature, our hearts will be enlarged with godly compassion and God’s shalom will flow toward the neighbour. (Luke 10:25-37) We’ll have new family members who will follow us home.

Speaking plainly, if we authentically engage with one another as a community of Jesus’ followers where he is actually Lord, his grace, mercy and passion will be released within us to “go and do likewise” in the community beyond (Luke 10:37). What John Wesley called “Works of Mercy” (including sharing the gospel) will become second nature more and more. And, if we “go and do likewise”, we’ll hunger and thirst for that which flows out of practicing “Works of Piety.” In other words, we will not only get the point and the purpose of following spiritual practices (alone and with others in community), we’ll understand their absolute necessity!

Keith Elford is the Bishop for The Free Methodist Church in Canada | keith.elford@fmcic.ca

Read the Bishop’s Notes

They are sent out every Tuesday – if you would like them to be emailed to you let us know at info@fmcic.ca.

You can also read them from our homepage @ www.fmcic.ca

The Free Methodist Church in Canada :: MOSAIC :: 3

{Church Health}

HEALTHY ENGAGEMENT In his short book Autopsy of a Deceased Church, Thom Rainer lists what he has found to be the ten most common “symptoms” of a dying church. Perhaps not surprisingly, the absence of healthy community engagement is one of the main symptoms.

love and serve and listen and point people towards Jesus. They find ways to engage with the community around them in order to make God’s love real and tangible. They find ways to engage and serve in communities with a winsome spirit that draws people closer to the heart of God.

Rainer spends time detailing how churches that ended up closing lost touch with their community. What was once a neighbourhood church became a “drive in” church as people relocated. The congregation stopped caring about the community around the church building. Eventually the demographics of the church did not match the demographics of the community (meaning no new people from the community had joined the church). Often people from the original congregation would chose a church closer to their home. But because the congregation had stopped being engaged in the community, no new people had come to replace those who had departed.

It is interesting to note that two other major “symptoms” Rainer mentions can also be tied to this idea of healthy community engagement. One is that, in a dying church, the budget focus turned inwards, with the majority eventually going to pay a pastor to look after the congregation. The first thing to get cut was often outward focused, engagement type ministries and programs. Another major symptom along these lines is that a dying church loses their heart for the Great Commission. They simply stop caring about (and therefore) engaging with people outside the church.

Rainer writes that on what were rare attempts to “reach out”, congregations would essentially ask the community to come to them, as opposed to the congregation going out and loving and serving the folks of the community. Efforts to “go” were almost non-existent. In Rainer’s words, the church became a fortress.

“Taking care of ourselves” and “keeping things the way they are” became the walls of the fortress that kept the church from engaging with its community for the sake of the Kingdom.

That’s pretty sobering. Almost one third of the symptoms of a dying church can be cured if the church keeps the idea of community engagement at the heart of what they do. Now I am sure that there are lots of good, solid (Biblical) reasons for obeying Jesus commission to “Go” beyond self-preservation.

But the truth of it is – an others centeredness that focuses on loving and serving those beyond the walls of the church in Jesus name is good for us as individuals and as congregations.

Community Engagement helps us stay healthy. So we should “Go.”

Which is not really a healthy church model. Or even a Biblical church model. A healthy, Biblical congregation is otherscentered. They don’t just open their doors – they run out to

Marc McAlister is the Director of Church Health for The Free Methodist Church in Canada | marc.mcalister@fmcic.ca

TWITTER FEED @ mcalister_marc 4 :: MOSAIC :: Fall 2014

CHURCH HEALTH BLOG fmcic.ca/category/church-health/

{Church Planting}

NEW FRIENDS Because of God’s prevenient grace, something can exist even before there is any observable evidence.

Shawn and Alyssa didn’t know me from Adam. Initially when the text came from a mutual friend as to whether I could do their wedding, we had literally three mutual friends on Facebook: the guy who’d texted, the owner/operator of my favourite record store and another guy who is friends with everybody.

At the time, we had been in Saskatoon for nearly a year as church-planters and were intentionally pursuing every potential networking possibility within this context. There was a sense that seeds were in the ground, and we were up to our knees in mud, holding a hose in faith that new life had begun below the surface.

When the text came, I ‘friended’ Shawn and then messaged him with some information regarding who I was and why I’d be happy to meet with him and his fiancé regarding their nuptials that were just over a month away. We met at a gluten-free restaurant in our neighbourhood that was a favourite of the couple. They introduced me to our server who was excited about coming to the wedding and talked about the outfit she had already bought for it.

meetings that I like to have with a couple, but they were eager to read the book and have the conversations about the big day.

Over the month that followed, we met many times in the home that Vonda and I had bought in the neighbourhood we had been called to serve. On their first visit, Shawn presented me with the record that he and his brother had recorded. I served them coffee that I had roasted out back in a hot-air popcorn popper and together, Shawn, Alyssa and I talked about love and marriage, played records and became good friends.

Our lunch together was delightful, and it became clear very early that there was a comfortable chemistry between us. The wedding was going to take place at the retro theatre that my wife and I had come to frequent because of both its atmosphere and the films that were shown there. It was a short walk from our home and I had already had some initial conversations with the management about the possibility of it being the venue for some kind of church related gatherings. To get to do a wedding here would, hopefully allow the owners, friends of Shawn and Alyssa, a chance to get a sense of who I was, what we were all about and why some kind of partnership could be fun for all of us.

Editor’s note: I want to express my thanks to Darryl for so graciously agreeing to write this article while Jared Siebert was on sabbatical.

So I excitedly agreed to officiate Shawn’s and Alyssa’s ceremony provided that we could meet in preparation for it. We didn’t have much time to have the usual pre-marriage

Darry Dozlaw is planting a church in Saskatoon and is also on the Board of Administration for The Free Methodist Church in Canada | darryl.dozlaw@me.com

SEABASS TRAVELCAST

Follow Jared as he chats with church planters and leaders about their stories www.youtube.com/SeabassTravelcast

I officiated my new friends’ wedding on September 13, 2014. The Roxy was full of happy people that I had never met.

I believe that engaging the community requires becoming part of it. After a year in this one, a seedling has appeared.

TWITTER FEED @jaredsiebert

The Free Methodist Church in Canada :: MOSAIC :: 5

Here are some of our latest community images! They help to connect us and tell the story of who we are and what we do.

You can check out even more pictures on our flickr site: www.flickr.com/photos/fmc-gallery

Photo Album What’s been going on?

6 :: MOSAIC :: Fall 2014

Starting at the top row (left to right) • Verona Free Methodist Church Celebrates 125th Anniversary • Verona 125th: Rev. Ken Snider and Bishop Keith Elford • Echo Lake Camp, Youth Retreat • Next Church: Lead Pastor Steve Lapp and his wife Gwendolyn • Next Church: Act of worship, cleaning up their community • Wedding: Rev. Sabrina (formerly D’Rozario) and Terry Jordon with friend Rev. Paul Millar (on right) • Markham and Richmond Hill FMCs retreat • Pine Orchard Camp • South African General Conference Meeting • Bishop Elford and Bishop Emeritus Shembe consecrating Bishop Chanza as South Africa’s new Bishop • Maple Grove Chapel • Arlington Beach: Baptism, Dennis Camplin (on right) • Through the Roof: Celebrates it’s 10th Anniversary • Vennachar FMC: Celebrating 120 years of Ministry

{Leadership Development}

THE EVERYDAY COMMISSION? During the credentialing process, one question that is asked of all candidates at least once is this: If your church were to completely disappear from the neighbourhood, would anyone miss it?

Sometimes that question is challenged as a bad question, yet often it’s not the questions but the answers that we don’t like. Whether the question is liked or not, people answer honestly.

Sometimes the response is ‘no one would miss it at all.’ Sometimes the response is ‘the building would be missed.’ And sometimes the response is ‘the church family and the people are active in the neighbourhood so yes, we would be missed.’

The question itself is one that we should all be regularly asking ourselves as leaders. If we’re going to ask the question, we need to be prepared to answer honestly. I hope that we all agree that there should be a difference in the community because the church exists and if the local church left for some reason, it would be missed.

It’s all about the Mission I have often wished that the subtitle in the NIV for Matthew 18:16-20 was The Everyday Commission rather than The Great Commission.

It’s “great” in that it is important yet as I’ve engaged in conversation with people, some have interpreted “great” to mean that only certain people are called or qualified to actually fulfill God’s mission. That is not the truth at all; we are the priesthood of believers!

them into relationship with Jesus and always maturing believers to repeat the process?

2. If the answer to #1 is ‘yes’ – then we need to identify markers for success. How many people within the church are actively serving and engaging in the community? Do we celebrate that? Are we seeing new people from the community participate in church ministries? And do we celebrate that?

3. Are we willing to do the work of preparation?

Are we willing to be trained so that we can engage in conversations with others and effectively and meaningfully share our faith?

Are we willing to let our pastors model this – which might mean they won’t be in the office as much? Are we willing to openly and lovingly receive people who are different from us?

4. Are we willing to be active in the mission? It will take all of us – not just our pastors – to reach the community.

5. This one takes us back to question #1: Are we ready to go to the community instead of waiting for them to come to us?

So how do we invent and engage in mission in our community? Here are some things to ponder:

Again, it’s not so much about the questions (as long as we actually ask ourselves the questions).

It’s far more about the answers and then what we do about those answers. As God is transforming us, He wants us to join His mission to transform communities. We can do this — God being our helper!

1. Is it a priority for us? As local expressions of church are we engaging with the lost (God loves them the same as He loves us), inviting

Kim Henderson is the Director of Personnel for The Free Methodist Church in Canada kim.henderson@fmcic.ca

The Heart of Canadian Free Methodism and Wesleyan Theology foundational courses always take place on the first weekend in May and the first weekend in November?

The deadlines to apply for scholarships every year are October 15 for the fall semester and February 15 for the winter semester?

The Personal & Church Stewardship foundational course is now being offered online?

The report from the pastor’s annual Performance Evaluation is due by December 31 every year?

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20 MOSAIC :: 7

{Feature: Community Engagement}

There is no cookie-cutter formula to engage with neighbours and friends — every story is different.

One thing that they all have in common are people who are willing to listen and be open to the opportunities that God presents to them. Here are three such stories ...

8 :: MOSAIC :: Fall 2014

CHURCH WITH MISSION IN MIND Through a life-planning process, New Heights Church has been able to articulate some things we have known intuitively for years. Our city has a problem that they want to see fixed. It is expressed in the presence of many complex and marginalized people that use the downtown in ways business owners, and would be window shoppers don’t approve of. They are a highly visible reality. Half the city sees the problem in the word “visible” while the rest of us see pain and brokenness. As we have articulated a vision of “Church with Mission In Mind” (conveniently our church is located in Mission BC) we view the collaboration toward solutions of the latter group as an absolutely essential part of representing Jesus. In our search for God’s Mission and my own mission within that inspiring challenge, we have found connection with like-minded folks. What if Mission, in all senses of the word, could be ways that God’s prevenient grace draws human beings from either side of our soup kitchen counter into an experience of partnership with the ONE who longs and enables any person to be restored?

Greg Elford Lead Pastor New Heights Church Mission, BC

{Feature: Community Engagement}

NEIGHBOURHOOD CHURCH

HOW THE THREE R’S BECAME A BRIDGE

In 2013 Hampton Free Methodist opened its doors to one of Saskatoon’s newest neighbourhood’s, Hampton Village.

From our grand opening last October till now it has been full steam ahead as we make inroads in connecting with our neighbours. Our facility is used several times a week to host soccer, dance and other community events which has helped us develop a positive connection with our local community association. Once a week we host a playgroup that has a mix of families from our church and families from our neighbourhood connecting together. This September we opened a preschool which has children from the church, from our playgroup and our neighbourhood at large. And as we were getting ready to kick off our second year in our new neighbourhood, we took stock of the diversity of our congregation and our neighbourhood and held a community international festival. Members from the church had food representing their ethnic backgrounds and performers from around the city showcased international dance and song. Our neighbours loved the event and we were overwhelmed by their participation! Our move from 2221 Hanselman court to 2930 McClocklin drive in Saskatoon has given us the opportunity to be more than just a church in a neighbourhood, but instead to be a neighbourhood church.

God has drawn our congregation into (what continues to be) a great adventure in our local community. It wasn’t due to any measure of our own genius, but rather because of God’s graciousness. We simply asked the public school in our backyard how we could help. They told us that there was a real need for volunteers to help with the homework club already being run in the school by a social service agency, on very limited funds. With the help of the associate pastor, our youth ministry leader, and a number of retired school teachers, we jumped in to help. The environment was a bit chaotic, and the volunteer-to-student ratio was a little bit high at times, but was it ever fun. We were blessed to be among people – a group of largely Muslim newcomers to Canada, helping their kids learn to read, write and do math in English. We got to know each other over wonderful spiced tea and cheap cookies: we learned about each other’s culture and faith, and talked about Muslim and Christian holidays, fasting practices and prayer. God clearly used this simple ministry of helping kids with the three R’s to bridge a divide between Christians and Muslims (and others) and Jesus’ love was demonstrated to our community.

Keitha Ogbogu Lead Pastor Hampton Free Methodist Church Saskatoon, SK

Darrin Lindsay Co-Pastor Kingsview FMC Toronto, ON

The Free Methodist Church in Canada :: MOSAIC :: 9

{Passages}

APPOINTMENTS

John-Mark Cockram Co-Pastor Corporate Worship, Discipleship and Pastoral Care Kingsview FMC

CHURCHES IN TRANSITION

Darrin Lindsay Co-Pastor Administrative, Missional and Vision Leadership Kingsview FMC September 1, 2014

ORDINATION APPROVED & SERVICE SCHEDULED

Joe Scchaefer Transition Pastor Campbellford FMC September 1, 2014

NETWORK LEADER APPROVED

Kathy Doornekamp Westport FMC November 16, 2014 (Commissioning)

Darryl Dozlaw Church Plant Network (Prairies)

NEW MEGAP COMMITTEE MEMBER

NEW BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION MEMBER

Edrice Clermy Ministerial Education Guidance and Placement (MEGAP) member for Quebec

Tamera Goller attends Mewassin FMC Duffield, AB

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Bramalea FMC, Brampton, ON

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Campbellford FMC, Campbellford, ON

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Cole Lake FMC, Godfrey, ON

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Cordova Mines FM Fellowship, Cordova Mines, ON

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Cornerstone Community Church, Almonte, ON

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Crestview Park FMC, Winnipeg, MB

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First FMC, New Westminster, BC

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Malvern Methodist Church, Toronto, ON

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Pine Grove Community Church, Seeley’s Bay, ON

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Uxbridge FMC, Uxbridge, ON

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Wawota FMC, Wawota, SK

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ORDINATION!

Rev. Luke Haggett {Lee-Anne} - Associate Pastor Chapel Ridge Free Methodist Church Stittsville, Ontario

Congratulations we rejoice with you!

Rev. Cam Montgomery {Kim} - Pastor Ecclesiax Free Methodist Church Ottawa, Ontario

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{the little BIG picture} Our Facebook page is a great way to connect to the larger Free Methodist body.

Like us on facebook :) 548 likes so far

Following twitter.com/fmcic is a great way to stay in the loop! @FMCIC

To read other Little BIG picture stories go to: fmcic.ca/category/fm-blog

Our Free Mehtodist photo gallery is hosted on www.flickr.com/photos/fmc-gallery

SACRED SPACE My family and I spent Labour Day weekend in Sarnia, ON visiting grandparents and soaking up the last rays of summer. Knowing I had to write a piece for this issue of the MOSAIC I met up with Nathan Colquhoun to learn what community engagement looks like at theStory.

The story of theStory’s (sorry I couldn’t resist) community engagement is best told in photos so I’ll just fill in a few blanks. theStory is located on a main street in downtown Sarnia which is currently experiencing a revitalization. Their storefront building has two large open rooms. theStory worships in the space on Sunday mornings but the rest of the week it uses the space as a tool to engage with the community.

The space has been used for concerts, art installations and non-profit run workshops and classes. theStory also opens its doors for First Friday, a monthly cultural event that partners visual artists and performers with support venues in downtown Sarnia.

Sometimes the space is used to showcase local artists and other times they have used it for one of their own First Friday art installations to explore spiritual questions.

People learn about their space through word of mouth. Those at theStory know their neighbours and their neighbours know them. They are a part of the good things happening in downtown Sarnia.

Alison McKinnon is the Social Media Journalist for The Free Methodist Church in Canada | alison.fmcic@gmail.com

The above pictures are of community events that have happened in and around theStory.

The Free Methodist Church in Canada :: MOSAIC :: 11

{Stewardship Development Ministries}

DID JESUS SPEND TIME WITH THE POOR? This question was asked by Shane Clairborne in the book, ‘The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical.’ In the survey, 80 percent said yes. ‘Of course Jesus spent time with the poor!’

 Visit courses.fmcic.ca for access to courses like: Debt Free & Financially Fit Seminar Combining basic financial methods and biblical principles, this seminar will provide you with 7 steps in becoming debt free and become financially fit.

Participants will be able to download the free resources for your own use to help them become debt free and financially fit.

However, it was the next question that really got my attention. ‘Do you spend time with the poor?` Only 2% said they did.

Let me ask that again. Do YOU spend time with the poor? If I am ‘in Christ’ and Jesus spent time with the poor – do I? In this crazy busy life, am I intentionally generous with my time to get to know people I don’t yet know?

In an effort to engage with their community, I read about one church who tried an asset-mapping exercise for faith communities. They had a very active soup kitchen that served those in need, but the church soon realized that they did not really know those they served. They found when they took the time, that those they served were wondrously created in the image of God with gifts and abilities they did not see before. They did not want to be in that food line. They really wanted to be able to cook and serve. In response to this, the church started to invite people to make and serve soup!

They took the time to know those they once served the way Jesus would get to know them. And they ‘turned the tables’ on their whole ministry. In fact, this soup kitchen now sells their soup to local restaurants and groceries!

Generous living puts us in Jesus’ story of redeeming the world. It involves taking time to engage with people around us. The question we now must ask ourselves is, “What can we do together to model Jesus’ life of generosity?” How can I generously spend not just our money but time, abilities, heart and mind with the poor that God has placed around me? And would I be as generous with them as Jesus was with me? Or perhaps my fear of being poor has hindered my desire to be generous like Jesus.

Dear Lord Jesus – let me be like the 2% - and give myself for your sake.

Sandy Crozier is the Stewardship Ministries Director for The Free Methodist Church in Canada | sandy.crozier@fmcic.ca

Upcoming Events Calendar

Board of Administration Meetings @ National Ministry Centre (Mississauga, ON) November 7-8, 2014

Foundational Courses Wesleyan Theology • Ontario – November 7-9, 2014 @ Whitby FMC [Whitby, ON] • Western Canada – November 7-9, 2014 (location TBA) Heart of Canadian Free Methodism • Ontario – November 7-9, 2014 (location TBA) • Western Canada – November 7-9, 2014 (location TBA) Culture & the Missional Church • Western Canada – December 5-7, 2014 at Weyburn Free Methodist Church, Weyburn, SK

(for Ministerial Candidates, Lay Ministers serving as Lead Pastors, Commissioned Ministers and Ordained Ministers only)

This calendar is meant to provide highlights and is not exhaustive

12 :: MOSAIC :: Fall 2014

{Our History}

OPENING IN THE WEST “To anyone who knows the numerous and grave obstacles against which Free Methodism had to contend from the beginning in Canada, as also the strictness with which the Discipline of the Church has ever been enforced, and also the unpopularity of many of its principles in the Dominion, the showing of these two Conferences is not unfavorable…

“The beginning of Free Methodism in the Canadian West was when some devoted lay members of the Free Methodist Church in search of homes settled in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Prominent among these may be mentioned Mrs. Sarah Green who, with her husband and family, and also Mr. and Mrs. Robert Elsom, settled in the fertile district of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. These, and others who soon settled in the same vicinity, being interested in the spiritual welfare of the people about them, and also in the spreading of Scriptural holiness, began the work of disseminating the truths so dear to them as best they could in various ways. Preaching services were held, Sunday-schools were organized, religious literature was distributed, personal visitations were made among the people; and these things in some measure prepared the way for the events which were to follow…

Moose Jaw’s First Free Methodist Church [1904 - 1954]

The field was immense as to territory, and the members were few and separated by long distances from each other. Mr. Wilson, his devoted wife, and Mrs. Jennie Robinson, who accompanied them to assist in the missionary work of this newly settled country, experienced numerous and serious difficulties in their efforts to get a nucleus established for the work in this great and needy field. They tried at different points, and held several protracted meetings without much fruit, before anything of a permanent character was accomplished. Finally, however, through a gracious revival at Westview, twenty-five miles from Moose Jaw, they were enabled to organize their first Free Methodist society in the Canadian Northwest. Sixteen members were received on probation as the result of their labors at this point. This was sixteen months after their arrival on the field.”

The History of the Free Methodist Church in North America (Vol II), 1915, Bishop Wilson T Hogue Dan Sheffield| dan.sheffield@fmcic.ca

Question: What do you do with the core money local churches send to the National Ministry Centre?

Answer: Good question! The National Ministry Centre is primarily funded by the money it receives from core dollars given by Free Methodist local churches. The Bishop and National Leadership Team (NLT), who facilitate different ministry areas (church health, church planting, personnel, global and intercultural ministries and administrative services), provide a vast variety of services for congregations and pastors Here’s a short list of oversight and services they provide: (this list is not exhaustive): • • • • • • •

leadership in the carrying out of our national strategies identify “best practice” methods for ministries support to facilitate the development of healthy, long-term churches support, funding and encouragement to church planters hands on support and coaching to churches and pastors in transition hands on support and coaching to pastors applying for a new appointment hands on conflict resolution coaching and materials including on-site visits

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

help to local churches to participate in various levels of church planting oversight to the development of mission work in Sri Lanka, Ghana and Niger oversight of personnel processes for long-term, cross-cultural missionaries coaching/consulting for short-term missions/teams, global partnerships assistance to local churches and/or their pastors through crises loan/mortgage funding for local churches general legal advice for local churches and camps Government compliance advice and updates for local churches and camps payroll services for local churches, camps and daycares Administration of the group benefits program (medical, dental, vision, etc) refugee immigration application support for local churches guidelines and coaching for local church property sales the archiving of historical materials a rigorous screening and credentialing process to provide godly, competent, pastors an annual Performance Appraisal resource for pastors and churches guidance and assistance on questions related to The Manual an application process for issuing Provincial Marriage Licenses Discipleship Materials and training (Following Jesus, Wesleyan Means of Grace, etc) membership materials LifePlan Manual and video training series as well as on-site coaching

The above list is not exhaustive – there’s lots more – but this gives you an idea of the ministry core dollars are facilitating within our movement. So, Let’s be stronger together!

“Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” Ecclesiastes 4:12 The Free Methodist Church in Canada :: MOSAIC :: 13

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TRAINING HAITIAN TEACHERS “Fle, Fey, Tij, Rasin” --They say the Creole words for the parts of a plant with laughter and enthusiasm and my teacher heart smiles. The goal—to help Haitian teachers to incorporate higher order thinking in their Science lesson plans with minimal materials. As I boarded the plane for Haiti in July 2014, it was with the excitement of a new adventure.

I went to be the first Canadian representative on a team of eight teachers travelling to be part of the Haiti teacher training institute. Our task was to teach content and methods to 500 Haitian teachers who spend their days serving at 53 ICCM schools. Our classrooms were under trees and our students studied at desks meant for small children, however the chickens and dogs kept the class lively! At the end of each lesson I asked my students to share what they had learned that day. One teacher’s response was, “We say that we can’t teach because we don’t have much to use but we have flowers and we have plants and we can use them to teach with.”

The highlight of the trip was when I met two of our family’s partnership children, Celiner and Frantz! It was a great privilege to actually get to teach both of the children’s teachers. One of the children came with his Mom. Through a translator she thanked God for, “…sending someone to do for her son, what she wished she could do for him.” What an honour!

In the end I was the student, realizing that I so often measure wealth in terms of material goods and yet at times I am spiritually impoverished! Back in Canada my days are filled with marking, lesson plans, and learning new technology but I do so with a newfound respect and appreciation for my role as a teacher. When asked by many if I would return to Haiti my answer, without hesitation, is, “In a second!”

Written by Colette Wales who attends Westdale Park FMC in Napanee, Ontario PHOTOS: [Top] Colette with her two ICCM sponsored children; [middle] 53 Haitian teachers take part in the training institute; [bottom] the lesson: different parts of the flower using sidewalk chalk.

Paula Moriarity is International Child Care Ministries Director | paula.moriarity@fmcic.ca

A Handbook for Partnership: Joining the Ministry Community of your local Free Methodist Church Who: Persons who desire to join The Free Methodist Church in Canada.

What: The Free Methodist Church views all baptized believers as members of the Body of Christ. We also place a value on working together inter-connectedly with those who have a commitment to the values and practices of our particular Christian faith-family. This study material explores what it means to make a ‘covenant‘ or ‘partnership’ commitment with other leaders of a Free Methodist congregation to work together on a “common playing field.”

Where: The Partnership Handbook as well as the Leadership Guide can be downloaded from the fmcic.ca website @ www.fmcic.ca/partnership-course/ Handbook contents: Questions for joining the ministry community; Participating in the ministry community; Free Methodist family tree; Distinctives of the Free Methodist movement; The Ministry Covenant; Articles of Religion; The Goal of the Christian Journey; Leadership Structures of the Free Methodist Church

14 :: MOSAIC :: Fall 2014

Resource Di Directory t Revamp!

Take a look at the new and improved resource directory.

You can search alphabetically as well as by category for fmcic resources. www.fmcic.ca/fmcic-resources

Download videos from the website

Did you know that you can download FMCIC videos directly from our site?

Go to: www.fmcic.ca/videos In the bottom right hand corner of the video you want to download you will see a “vimeo” logo. Click and you will be taken to the vimeo website where you will see an option to download.

{Student Ministries}

THE SEARS: SIXTY-ONE YEARS OF YOUTH MINISTRY This past August Bishop Keith Elford and Donna visited Echo Lake Camp which was beginning its annual week of ministry to teens. At that time Bishop Keith asked if we would share some of our Echo Lake story so here goes.

We have been involved in Youth Camp ministry since 1953. It all started with Frances Casement’s dream of a camp at Crowe River in Campbellford, ON. Early in 1956 as we were searching for a permanent camp home, a Free Methodist gentleman, Robbie Wagar, visited our home to tell us he felt God wanted to use his farm as a Youth Camp. Frances, Harold Sutton and Earl looked over the property and it was purchased. With Robbie’s generosity and faithful stewardship, Echo Lake Camp has always been financially independent.

Since that time, our lives have revolved around Echo Lake. In the early years, we spent almost every Saturday from April to October at the camp. The children played with neighbour children in an old oak tree while the adults repaired, tore down and built up, painted, cut grass, built a beach, erected tents for worship and enjoyed great fellowship.

We have witnessed the miraculous ways God has blessed this ministry: physical healings, casting out of demons, creating lifelong relationships, calls to full time ministry, protection from serious harm and salvation of many souls. Some say that Echo Lake is unique. It probably is and we give God the glory for all He has done.

Today’s staff of volunteers, most of whom are former campers, is dedicated to bringing young people to know Christ and equip them for His service.

Special tribute must be paid to Frances and Glendyne Casement, Harold and Shirley Sutton, Bev and June Kennedy and dozens of others who worked so diligently to build the camp.

Earl & Joyce Sears The Free Methodist Church in Canada :: MOSAIC :: 15

{Global Ministries}

CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGE

thinking globally, working locally

Jaylynne Fox (Northview, Regina), leading children’s program at Sri Lanka Family Camp

Children’s ministry team at Sri Lanka Family Camp

Pastor Kumarasiri thanking Tracey Taylor for her talk on the pastoral family in ministry - Rev. Barry Taylor (First Free Methodist, Saskatchewan) looks on

“You don’t get a view like this in Saskatchewan!” That was a comment from Dalton Taylor, a member of a team from two Saskatchewan churches who travelled to Sri Lanka in August.

He was looking out over lush green forests and mountainous terrain, with a high waterfall in the background. Dalton celebrated his 13th birthday in Sri Lanka. Thankfully, his parents Rev Barry and Tracey Taylor (lead pastor at First FMC, Moose Jaw, SK) were also with him!

One of the things I appreciated about Dalton was that he was always curious. He was paying attention to what was going on around here. He kept asking questions. Even when language was a serious barrier he sought to initiate connection with other kids his own age. Those were some of the values we talked about in team training before departing for Sri Lanka. Pay attention, don’t assume you know what’s going on (ask questions) and build relationships.

The team from Saskatchewan included people from two different congregations, which have both had long-term connections with FM ministry in Sri Lanka. Northview FMC (Regina) first sent someone from their church in 2005; First FMC (Moose Jaw) in 2008. Jaylynne Fox (office staff at Northview) first went to Sri Lanka in 2006; this was her 3rd ministry visit.

Jaylynne’s husband Rick came along for the second time this year as well.

In a recent issue of Leadership Journal, an African Christian spoke about North American mission teams from the perspective of a recipient.

“I was thrilled they wanted to help us, but I always wondered about the particular activities they chose. In Kenya, for example, we have rampant unemployment, and there is literally an endless supply of Kenyans who would do such menial labor for very little money. If a missionary is going to spend so much money to fly and visit us, shouldn’t they be doing work that only they can do?”

Samuel Ikua Gachagua goes on to say that the most appreciated short-term workers “saw that the thousands of dollars they had spent to come visit us could be best used in building relationships, both with the students in our orphanage and with the elders as well, not in painting, building, or manual labor that Kenyans could do. It was in these relationships—when I learned about the wider world, got to practice my English, and built some key connections that would last a lifetime— that I saw the real benefit to having shortterm missionaries come to the orphanage.” He concludes with this advice: “If there is one thing I could tell short-term missionaries, it would be this: focus less on ‘helping,’ and more on cross-cultural exchange, and becoming friends.”

What I appreciated about Dalton and the rest of the Canadian team this past summer was their desire to learn, to pay attention, to discover, and to build relationships with our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. In a country where living as a Christian is very difficult, our greatest contribution to their ministry may be our ongoing friendship and support.

Dan Sheffield, Director of Global and Intercultural Ministries | dan.sheffield@fmcic.ca

The Free Methodist Church in Canada :: MOSAIC :: 16