Fall 2007

The Free Methodist Church in Canada | Fall 2007 – Volume 4 Issue 4

Reflecting the diversity of ministry expression within the Free Methodist family.

COVER What is it like to be healthy?

by Bishop Keith Elford

What

like

PAGE 2

is it to be

Editor’s Desk Do any of us have the option not to be in Mission?

by Alan Retzman

healthy?

PAGE 3 Past, present and future

by Jared Siebert Upcoming Conferences & Resources PAGE 4-5 Counselling for Pastors

by Alfred Davis PAGE 6 Passages What’s your mentality?

Moving from scarcity to abundance Joanne Bell General Conference 2008 Study Teams and Chairs, resouces and sponsorship opportunities PAGE 7 Student Ministries

by Andrew Brown An Attitude of Sabbath

by Belinda Leibel PAGE 8 My Sri Lanka Experience - a time of personal discovery

by Sheryl Murray Thailand missions trip 2007 Debbie Hogeboom - shares some life experiences in Kenya

by Debbie Hogeboom DID YOU KNOW? The MOSAIC is produced using environmentally responsible processes. The paper is acid-free, contains 10% post-consumer waste material, and is treated with a non-chlorine whitening process.

Vegetable-based inks were used throughout the publication and it is 100% recyclable.

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. mosaic@fmc-canada.org www.fmc-canada.org For submissions: mosaic@fmc-canada.org Dan Sheffield, Editor-in-Chief Lisa Howden, Managing Editor and Production

Mailed under publication agreement: #40008369 Return postage guaranteed

W

hen I was in either grade nine or ten at Uxbridge Secondary, I signed up for a First Aid course with Mr. Cascomb, one the gym teachers at our high school. We learned a lot about ways to treat injuries and even save lives. Yet, the one thing that I remember most is where he started out in the training. It wasn’t with a long list of the things that could happen that would cause pain, disability or even death; it was a definition of physical fitness.

taken in stride, because these individuals live with a sense that they are where they are supposed to be, doing what they are supposed to be doing. They keep focused on what Jesus taught as important, shake off distractions, and steer around activities, unhealthy relational expectations, temptations and life habits that entrap and bind. I’ve noticed the following about people who are in harmony with their life context:

Here’s what he came up with: “A person is physically fit when he/she is able to care for all the responsibilities of his/her day and have some reserves of strength left for emergencies.” As an adolescent with boundless energy, I didn’t really grasp the implications of what he was saying, but 40 years later, I think I get it.

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Physically, they are not in conflict with excess weight and fatigue because they maintain a realistic level of physical fitness and self control.

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Financially, they are not in conflict with their lifestyle and when they make financial mistakes or face reverses, they can get back on track because they live by a plan that is shaped by what they understand as their life priorities.

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Emotionally, they live in calm most of the time and are rewiring their “hot buttons” with a healthy sense of humour. This is because they have made the effort to understand where they have come from and they have come to terms with wounds from their past.

He may have been just talking about rest and exercise, but now we think about health in a holistic way. We have to talk about living with healthy habits and wise boundaries so that the reserves of all the dimensions of our lives (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, relational) are continually being replenished and there are at least modest margins of surplus most of the time. Though stress and conflict and hard work are part of life, we were not created to live in exhaustion and depletion.

• Mentally, they are not intimidated by the more “gifted” nor This is especially important in the life of spiritual leaders. In this annoyed by the “less insightful” because they understand their edition, we are talking about Clergy health. If we are going to have own capabilities and are open to both humbly learn from and healthy churches, they must be led by healthy leaders. So where do graciously coach others. we go to find out how to live a godly, balanced life on this planet? I suspect that the reason that Jesus took on human form and If we are going to have healthy churches, they must be led walked among us is to give us some understanding as to how by healthy leaders. So where do we go to find out how to to live the “Great Commandment” — to love the Lord our live a godly, balanced life on this planet?

God first with all our being and then others as ourselves.

Early in my ministry, I embraced the notion that the way to JOY was Jesus first, Others second and Yourself last. But, though self-denial and self-giving sacrifice is a central part of the life the scriptures teach, if we watch closely, the definition of JOY would be more like Jesus first, Others and Yourself second.

The key to healthy living is balance. This is how the reserves of our lives are replenished. And this doesn’t happen without our taking responsibility for ourselves and paying attention. If we drive a car without paying attention, we run out of gas, the oil light comes on and the engine burns out, we crash into others, we take curves too quickly and roll over – you get the picture, don’t you? And not just about driving!

As I meet people who seem to be healthy, I notice two things: First, they have a quality of healthy adaptability that enables them to shift and adapt to maintain margins in their lives and after seasons of high pressure, to re-gain them.

For example, because he knew that both are necessary parts of life, Jesus experienced both life draining stress (butting heads with the Pharisees and responding to the human need around him that drained life out of him) and life replenishing solitude (the times alone when they had to go looking to find him; the pause to sit on the well alone while the disciples went into town for groceries).

The second thing I have noticed about people who seem to be healthy is that they are not in deep conflict with their life situation.

Naturally, they encounter conflicts and frustrations, but these are V I S I T

O U R

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Relationally, they are not conflicted by the expectations of others. While they are respectful and kind to all, they understand their relational capacities (how many close friends they can keep up with), their relational makeup - whether being with people energizes them (meet the extroverts) or drains them (meet the introverts) and they understand how to set and graciously maintain boundaries.

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Spiritually, they are at peace with God and have an integrated, spiritual graciousness about them that is deeper than good manners and expected piety. They are spiritually disciplined without being dogmatic or legalistic. They are sacrificial without complaining or expecting commendation. They take responsibility to build a deepening relationship with Jesus.

They understand the importance of centering during the daily “pause” in his presence, of rest and re-orientation in a weekly sabbath, and of spiritual renewal several times a year through lingering with him in solitude for a whole day.

My deep desire is to see this kind of holistic health among God’s people and especially among those called to guide his people to holy, wholesome maturity. At the same time, I need to be honest and paraphrase the Apostle Paul’s words and confess that I have not already obtained this life of integrated maturity nor have I already reached the goal, but I press on…..

Rev. Keith Elford is Bishop of The Free Methodist Church in Canada. To learn more visit the “WHO WE ARE” section of the website.

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MOSAIC

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It’s healthy to clean up your thoughts Recently, as part of a prayer exercise, I spent a whole day keeping track of the conversations I had. I wrote down everything that I said and everything I thought for the entire day.

There’s something about having to write down your conversations and your personal mind-ramblings that makes you more accountable than you would normally be.

One of the things that really struck me when I read through the notes I had made about my day was how negative my thinking could be at times. Instead of keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus and allowing my faith to grow, I was letting my mind wander through all the possible ways things could fall apart and not work out. It worked subtly in my mind until, overtime, like a wagon travelling over the same path – grooves formed and it became an established way of thinking for me.

Now, before I go any further, let me assure you that I’m not speaking of anything sinister – these are struggles that I am sure we can all relate to and have at some point had to overcome.

Can I say that to some extent, the way we feel is dictated by the way we think, without someone assuming that I’m trying to write my own chapter of “The Secret”? We are fooling ourselves if we believe that the way we think does not impact our spiritual, physical and mental health. I’m sure we could all relay personal stories of negative or anxious thoughts affecting our feelings, our mood, causing headaches, etc . . . not to mention the spiritual repercussions.

Once I acknowledge that my mind needs to be constantly renewed by Christ it becomes a question of discipline and re-training. I have to be honest, at times it feels as if I’m completely at the mercy of my thoughts (or more correctly, my un-Christlike patterns of thinking) – getting the wheel out of the groove is hard work – but it’s not impossible!

John says that if we say we are without sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us! [I John 1:8] So maybe our thoughts are not always centered on Christ and His desires for our lives. But perhaps that’s not such a bad thing. It keeps us dependent on Jesus, accountable to each other and humble, knowing that we don’t have it all figured out. Let me finish with this scripture which has lately become quite meaningful to me: Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized.

Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Philippians 4:8 (The Message)

Lisa Howden Managing Editor

CORRECTION - In the last issue of the MOSAIC [summer 2007], the quiz answers were listed improperly. My apologies for any confusion this might have caused. The correct answers are listed below.

[1]

Where did the birthplace of Free Methodism take place? {answer b} Pekin, New York in 1860

[2]

Who is William Willberforce? {answer a} An English political figure to whom John Wesley wrote a letter on slavery just before his death

[3]

What are the Core Values of The Free Methodist Church in Canada? {answer c} Persons, Church, Team, Connection, Integrity, Learning, Growth

[4]

When did The Free Methodist Church in Canada become self-governing? {answer a} 1990

[5]

Which of the following is NOT one of the original “Free’s” {answer b} Freedom for women (opposing the tradition that women should not serve as ministers)

[6]

Who is George Whitefield? {answer a} A preacher who convinced John Wesley to preach in the fields

V I S I T

L E A D E R S H I P

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Do any of us have the option, not to be in Mission?

“H

ow are you, really?” I’ve been asked this by empathetic friends and people wishing me well.

I’m a little surprised by the question until I remember that Bishop Keith said “health reasons” have brought me to announce my retirement as Director of Personnel, December 31, 2007. In February 2007 I discovered I am a Type II diabetic. I try to stay humorous about this. I probably should join a support group: “Hi, my name is Alan and I’m a diabetic. I’ve been off ‘Sour Kids’ for six months.” Then I could confess sins of gluttony of glucose.

“I fell off the wagon when I had a waffle cone with one scoop of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough that was virtually a pint of ice cream.”

I’ve sensed a release, but it’s a very difficult decision. I’m giving up something very good.

I have some FMCiC work lined up, so you may

see me around. Bishop Keith wants me to help make General Conference plans with the National Ministerial Guidance and Placement Committee (NMEGaP) who will be meeting in February 2008.

Dan Sheffield has asked me to go with the Sri Lanka Team in February, 2008 as well, which I have done for 5 years now. I hope to serve the FMCiC part time, and I am not looking outside the FMCiC for other part time ministry.

I’ve agonized over the decision to go into transition. When I left my work as a pastor in I feel God is opening new relationships. These 1992 I agonized over that as well. This is major new friends are teaching me something about stuff. The call of God is not to be taken lightly at any stage in life. I looked for a new challenge relationship —I see God in them already. from God in 1992 when I left pastoral ministry.

As well, in 1999 when I agonized over leaving medical social work to serve the FMCiC. I anticipate that the FMCiC part time work will There was a similar “ring” each time that God graciously “dry up” after General Conference and the new Director granted through the affirmation of the Holy Spirit, my of Personnel is oriented. If there is more, that would be wife, and trusted friends. This time there is something fine, but I don’t have that expectation. I will trust Jesus different going on, something added to all the above in for the next steps. I know what I can handle and what I this transtion: can’t now.

The need for replenishment. I preach this to my

Bishop who is also my friend. I want it for him as much as I need it for myself. Though replenishment is needed for anyone working passionately in a very high calling, I have found it harder at my age to get replenished. The passion is there, but it’s like my passion is running on ahead, then turning around to see my body lagging behind.

We can’t live in the margins all the time without some consequences. Signs started showing up, emotionally (like, free floating anxiety, sleep disruption) and physically that I have not listened to well. The type II diabetes scared me. The day before flying to Calgary for the Pastor’s Conference, I buried a family member who had undetected diabetes at age 55, and suffered a long cognitive and physical decline to age 70. He was a devoted uncle to our daughters when they were very young, a man I respected highly, and I grieve the loss of him. I do not want to repeat his path.

It takes longer to recover than it did even two years ago. This position, like most of yours, requires

high energy and resiliency. I could do that but now not as easily. Normally, I see my attitude as “bring it on, hit me with another challenge or problem to solve.” I still love that kind of life! Yet, I am not getting recovered as quickly; I can get feelings of panic (and I don’t think I have space to describe that feeling. The attitude of “bring it on” has often become, “stop, that’s enough!”

I like what I do. I feel called to this work, or work similar to it. I heard a person say about slowing down, “even Nolan Ryan’s fastball lost a few KPH after he hit forty.”

Roger Clemons’ fastball has slowed down a bit as well, but enough with the sports analogies. Abraham slowed down…uh, I can’t go there. I am aware, I’m slowing down, I’m sixty. BUT: What is God up to now? I don’t have an option NOT to be in mission. I don’t mean Mission, British Columbia, as nice as it is there. My call is to my friend, Jesus.

I have loved my work in the FMCiC. I have loved

working on this National Leadership Team. Bishop Keith is the best boss I’ve ever had. WE are very fortunate to have him. Dan Sheffiled and I have worked together in Niagara Falls in the 1990’s. Jared is a breath of fresh air.

Norm Bull kept me accountable and now Mark is doing the same. But it’s a full time job needing full time energy.

I am open to how Jesus will lead. That may sound like a platitude, cheap language. For me it means asking: “What is God up to now in my life?” “Who and what will God bring into my life that I may not have earlier paid attention to?”

I had an opportunity to go sailing for three days with four other guys from Niagara Falls, Ontario. The friend who invited me told the others he had invited “a pastor.”

So at first I think they wondered what I might do if they used swear words. Maybe walk on water to scare them? I don’t know. I felt like these guys were brothers after three days. I had conversations with one of them about Donald Miller’s book, Blue Like Jazz. I started finding things in common with them, besides living in the same city. They are not my project but that is mission at its best.

My wife Ellen and I have found friends through her teaching connection. I started going fishing with the husband of Ellen’s teaching friend. Ellen has started a group in our home for this guy’s wife and some neighbors. We are making plans to take a Spring Break together to go see their son pitch. He’s been signed by the Seattle Mariners. I feel God is opening new relationships.

These new friends are teaching me something about relationship—I see God in them already.

In Gordon MacDonald’s, The Resilient Life, he writes about having a vital Christian walk throughout the whole span of life. Gordon is about

66, much older than I! (Smile.) He made a projection that is etched in my heart. He said, “I believe that my most significant ministry may be in my 60’s.” I resonate with that projection. This may be the most significant ministry that is yet uncharted ahead, diabetes and all.

Taking more time to replenish and not doing everything I use to do will be no deterrent.

I came across Matthew 5:9, “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.” That is going to be my verse for the decade of my 60’s. Cooperating with God’s mission. Look at the big result: you will discover who you really are and where you fit best. For me, this describes a great mission!

Alan Retzman is the Director of Personnel for The Free Methodist Church in Canada

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MOSAIC

past, present & future Hope for today…

G

lenn Gibson, my coach in the early days of my current ministry once said that time orientation has everything to do with church health. Churches tend to be focused on either the past, the present or the future. Churches focused on the past are seeking to recover the glory days. Churches focused on the present are often “so busy mopping the floor, they don’t have time to turn off the tap”. Churches focused on the future are convinced that God has placed their best days ahead of them. Since the major currency in any church is hope (“for in this hope we were saved.” Romans 8:20) a healthy future orientation is a more positive and healthy stance. As leaders it is our responsibility to preserve and grow our congregation’s hope in God. No matter what direction your congregation is facing… past, present or future… we can help them find hope.

If your church is overly focused on the present there are important choices we can make to preserve and grow future hope. It can seem counter-intuitive, even irresponsible when there are so many fires burning to take time to get some perspective. Getting stuck in the moment can rob us of our energy and eventually our hope. We can begin to believe that this is just the way this church always was, always is, and always will be. However, that kind of thinking does not mesh well with God’s plan for his church. So how do you get perspective? Well begin by asking each other questions like, “What is the purpose of all of this activity?” “What is all of this leading toward?” “What is God’s plan for this church in the future?” “Who are we becoming?” The present is the only time that exists, therefore, it is only in the present that we can make our hope for the future take shape. Churches that have a present, pointing toward God’s future for them, are healthy and robust. They may not be any less busy than a present focused church, but their hope rests in what lies ahead.

As leaders it is our responsibility to preserve and grow our congregation’s hope in God.

Back to the future…

Hope in my past…

If your church is looking back to the glory days there are lots of things we can do to preserve and grow hope for our future. To do this you will have to explore and honour the past. First ask yourselves what was so glorious about the glory days? What were we doing back then? What were we focused on? What did we believe in? What were we passionate about? What were we willing to sacrifice and fight for? The past, if the days truly were glorious is an amazing resource for generating hope in a congregation’s future. Once you have a picture of the past, begin to ask how those passions, attitudes, self-sacrifice, and unity of purpose would look like in your church if they were evident today. What are you willing to do, change, or challenge to make all of this your current reality?

We stand on the shoulders of giants. Those that have gone before us are the inspiration (not the mold) for our present and future selves. Those that have gone before us are now “the great cloud of witnesses” that cheer us on to victory. We have no need to fight the past. The past can be a boundless source of encouragement and strength and most importantly hope. Hope, however, cannot live in the past, hope belongs in the future.

If your church is focused on the future there are important things you can do to ensure you continue to preserve and grow hope.

1. Be transparent. Avoid projecting that your present is better than it actually is. The mistakes you are making and problems that you currently have can prompt recurring discussions about God’s future for you.

2.

Keep it simple. Keep your church structures as simple and pliable as possible. This helps you stay on target: focused on God’s future.

3. Take the time to celebrate. Make sure that you celebrate and mark the important moments that come your way as you follow God. This can be honouring the past. Celebrating what’s going on right now. Or precelebrating the future that God has in store.

Jared Siebert is the Director of Growth Ministries for The Free Methodist Church in Canada. For more information on church planting and current projects visit the www.lifecycleproject.org.

Upcoming Conferences & Resources DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE Seminar on conflict management for church leaders.

Part of the CCN Professional Development Series.

For: Pastors, elders, board members and church leaders When: October 30, 2007 Where: Abbotsford Evangelical Free Church, Abbotsford, B.C. Featuring: Alan Simpson of Outreach Canada Cost: Early bird (by Oct. 24) and group rate – $79 Regular rate - $99 CCN sponsoring denomination members’ rate – $49 To register, call 1.888.5.CLERGY or 604.539.7940.

REFRESH 2007: CLERGY CONFERENCE Sponsored by Focus on the Family Canada and Promise Keepers

PASTORAL COUPLES’ MARRIAGE RETREAT When: November 13-15, 2007 Where: Delta Sun Peaks Resort, Kamloops, B.C. Featuring: Author and speaker H.B. London Jr. and marriage and family specialists Paddy and Carole Ducklow

When: November 9, 2007; 1-4 p.m.

For information, vist: www.focusonthefamilyretreat.ca Where: Mississauga, ON Featuring: Gary Smalley PASTORS RETREAT NETWORK Cost: $25 for pastors and Pastors Retreat Network provides self-directed, Christ-Centered retreat $10 for spouses experiences that strengthen Christian pastors for better ministry to the people they lead.

To register, visit Promisekeepers.ca or call 1.888.901.9700 Who can attend? Pastors Retreat Network serves full-time local church pastors and their spouses. Our properties can accommodate adults only and attendance at any or our retreats is by invitation. There are no fees for our services — your retreat is a gift from foundations, corporations, laity, previous guests and churches who share our vision.

Interested? To request an invitation or obtain more information on our locations, experiences and programs please visit us on the web at: www.pastorsretreatnetwork.org

Consider a gift of appreciated securities Did you know…

When someone chooses to “gift” appreciated securities rather than sell them and donate the proceeds, there is a significant tax advantage. Here is an example: Gift of Shares

Value of Shares Original Cost of Shares Gross Capital Gain Taxable portion of Capital Gain Approximate Tax Credit Tax on Taxable Portion of Capital Gain Net Savings (to reduce taxes on other income) V I S I T

Sale of shares donation of proceeds

$ 20,000 4,000 16,000 8,000 10,000 0 $ 10,000 G R O W T H

$ 20,000 4,000 16,000 8,000 10,000 4,000 $ 6,000

M I N I S T R I E S

In this example the donor, when gifting the securities, will be able to use the $10,000 donation tax credit to offset tax on other sources of income, thereby reducing their tax liability.

When the cash is given, there is still a tax credit available, but it is significantly reduced.

The Free Methodist Church in Canada is able to process your gift of securities through our brokerage account and then disburse the proceeds as you direct. This could include donations to your local church, to Giving Streams, and to other affiliated ministries.

Consider a gift of appreciated securities – it just makes sense! @

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MOSAIC

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Counselling for

Pastors

T

iger Woods hires the best coach in the world, Butch Harmon, to ensure that his swing is working well. Why? Because he wants to be the best golfer that he can

be.

The largest companies in Canada hire the best consultants in the country to help them do Strategic Planning and to solve their business problems. As proud as executives can be, they still know that it pays to hire professional help because they want to win at the game of business.

The richest families in Canada hire the best Financial Advisors in the country to help them manage their wealth so that it keeps growing. They know that wealth management is a difficult job, so they rely on the experts.

These people and organizations also pay the highest fees to receive the help they need because they understand the benefits of good help.

What about pastors?

Isn’t it interesting then, that pastors, who I believe have the most difficult and demanding job in the world, seldom turn to others for help. In the Free Methodist denomination, Bishop Keith Elford advises me that there is funding available for professional counselling, but it is one of the most under-utilized programs in the area of pastoral benefits.

Is a pastor’s job tough?

It sure is. Show me an occupation that has the range of responsibilities and demands that are regularly experienced by a pastor. Pastors not only spend copious hours researching and preparing excellent sermons for preaching on Sunday mornings, but they also lead their staff as head of the team. They are expected to shepherd their congregants, responding on short notice to handle emotional crises, including funerals. They get involved in the preparation and marrying of church members, and they need to encourage in the touchy area of financial giving so that the bills can be paid. They need to be visionaries, understanding the trends in society to ensure that the church remains relevant. They need to plan events, provide good administration of church affairs, be accountable for everything that happens at the church, while smoothly working with difficult people, handling criticism and inspiring those around them.

“... there is funding available for professional counselling, but it is one of the most under-utilized programs in the area of pastoral benefits.”

In addition to all the time consuming work, the pastor has the task of dealing with unrealistic expectations. In business there is a rule that you learn and I learned it the hard way. Never work for two bosses. Experience shows that each boss will expect you to give 100% and as a result neither boss will be happy. Well, pastors are in the impossible situation of having more than two bosses. They have expectations coming from the Board, the key families in the congregation, the denominational hierarchy, the public in the community around them, the elderly, the youth, the singles, the staff and this does not even take into account the important expectations of family, including spouse and children. If a pastor has never learned the skill of managing boundaries, then the job can be overwhelming.

Given the reality of a pastor’s life, it is truly remarkable that more pastors are not burning out. Maybe the truth is that more pastors burn out than churches realize and maybe more pastors are burned out and they don’t realize it themselves.

Life at the top When I worked in the business world (28 years), I noticed an interesting phenomenon.

An organization would figure out that their people were in need of learning certain skills or new ways of doing business. Management would then mandate a training program to help their staff to become competent in this new skill or ability. A consultant would be hired to teach and train the group. The staff would go away to a resort or hotel to learn the latest about customer service, teamwork, quality control or whatever the felt need was at the time. Invariably the staff would dutifully attend and there would be good things to learn. The interesting observation is that the person who seldom attended these seminars or training sessions was the boss. It seemed like the boss knew what was good for others, but somehow did not need the training for him/herself. I always wondered what the logic was behind the absence of the senior person. Is the President too busy for this training? Is the executive already knowledgeable in this area and does not need to waste time with such basic material? Would the boss’s attendance signal a deficiency that would somehow diminish the image of the executive? Is the word boss or superior indicative of a “pride” that inhibits the participation of the person in the activity? In other words, are they above it? Or is it the job of the person at the top to tell others what to do and therefore they are excluded because they are the ones giving the orders? I do not know which is the right explanations. Maybe it varied in each situation.

But I do know that the people at the top did not attend the training sessions.

The Pastor’s Life At The Top I am wondering if there is a variation of this syndrome in churches where the pastor is expected to be at the top of the chain of helping others and therefore is above needing help him/herself. In fact, in a church, the culture may have an even stronger influence than in business. If the pastor preaches all the wise words on Sunday, he or she must know all about humility, love, gentleness, kindness, serving and joy. As the spiritual leaders, pastors must be the most saved, transformed, whole, pure and holy of the flock.

In most churches, the congregation wants this to be true. Also, it is easy for the pastor to buy into the belief that he/she must provide the example of being a new creation who is experiencing the joy of God’s salvation by smiling and happily helping. Either way, the pressure is there for the pastor to be perfect. While grace can be a wonderful thing, often pastors do not receive grace when they make mistakes. The expectations on a pastor are so high that a pastor may just find it easier to hide personal imperfections instead of dealing with them. What happens if members of the congregation find out that their pastor is not the epitome of love? Will they give less financially? Will they volunteer less? Will running the church be more difficult if people find out that the pastor is not perfect? What church wants a grouchy pastor? Aren’t pastors supposed to lead their flock to the promised land of freedom and ecstatic joy?

This problem doesn’t just exist for pastors. One of the challenges of the church is authenticity. How is it that people at church dress well, smile nicely, greet each other with enthusiasm week after week and tell each other that everything is going well, and yet, behind the scenes there are all kinds of problems. There is a tension between God being the solution, bringing joy and happiness, and the problems of daily life. If church is just a twelve step program where everybody is hanging out all their dirty laundry, where would the attraction be to draw new members? So the question is “How is one to be authentic and honest and still demonstrate the full life that Jesus wants us to experience?”

The Pastor’s Dilemma If the pastor has a personal problem and the focus of the church shifts to dealing with the pastor’s problem, then everything is turned upside down. The church is then taking care of the pastor instead of the pastor taking care of the church. When a pastor shares personally from his/her life experience, it is therefore more beneficial to provide an example where God has helped the pastor overcome an issue in the past and now life is full and abundant as God has promised. Sharing in this way provides an opportunity to be both authentic and to also prove the benefits of Jesus’ amazing love. The pastor can share that there was a problem in the past, and now the problem is gone so the congregation does not need to concern itself with the pastor being broken. Sharing past issues can be great opportunities for demonstrating God’s love. Sharing current problems can become problematic.

The Confidentiality of Counselling Guess what? Pastors are human beings just like everybody else. Pastors experience grief when there is a loss, pain when there is a hurt, resentment and anger when they are frustrated and spurned, anxiety when overwhelmed and worry when things are not going well. Pastors are not perfect people. They are people. And like any other person they need help from time to time. The key to pastor help is confidentiality. It is not helpful for the congregation to be regularly focusing on helping the pastor. The congregation really does need the pastor to be the positive, enthusiastic, happy, spiritual leader who demonstrates the benefits of Jesus transforming love. So, pastors need a safe, confidential place to go and deal with their very real human issues. That is one of the benefits of professional counselling. It is totally confidential. Any issue can be discussed and it will not get back to the congregation. Is this being authentic? Maybe not, but it is realistic.

Secrecy One of the problems that pastors experience is dealing with issues on their own. Pastors learn to be strong. They learn to cope and continue to fight the good fight. The truth is that when a person keeps a problem to his/herself, the problem only gets worse.

If a person keeps a secret, Jesus is not invited into that room in the mind and then Satan is able to bring more darkness and help make the problem worse. An example is pornography. Some denominations have research showing that 35% of the pastors are addicted to pornography. My theory is that pastors are under a lot of stress. They are trying to carry a big load on their shoulders. When the problems become too much, one solution is to find a little pleasure or reward to take away some of the pain of life.

Pornography is one way of escaping into what is initially believed to be pleasure. Of course, any Christian who looks at pornography is committing the sins of adultery and lustful thinking. Along with pornography comes guilt because the viewing is always done in private and in secrecy. Ted Haggart is an example of how keeping a secret can feed the addiction. Since pastors are supposed to be holy, once pornography has been viewed, Satan helps lure the individual into the guilty pleasure again and again until eventually it is a big hidden secret.

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The Benefit of Counselling One of the main ways of dealing with sin is confession. A Christian counsellor is an ideal person to use as your confession partner because of the confidentiality of the relationship. Once confession has occurred, it is no longer a secret. Confession brings the sin out into the light where Jesus can help. Secrecy and confidentiality are different.

Secrecy means that nobody knows. One of my clients held on to a secret for 25 years and when he shared it with me the relief of getting it out was real. A load was lifted. We then went to the Lord in prayer and found out that the words in his head had been a lie and he had been living with the consequences of that lie for 25 years. In trying to deal with the issue in the privacy of his own mind, the man was blinded to truth. He could not think clearly and the actions that flowed from the thinking negatively affected his life and his marriage.

Other Ways of Using A Counsellor Christian counsellors can fulfill many functions. One way I work with pastors is as a spiritual director. One pastor comes for a regular spiritual checkup. We are able to pray together. Did you know that psychologists are not allowed to pray with their clients? An associate of mine gave up her PHD in psychology, went back to seminary and became a spiritual director. Spiritual directors help their clients to read and meditate on scripture.

They encourage the person to listen to the still small voice of God and they pray together.

The emphasis is on allowing the Holy Spirit to be involved in the process.

Another way of working with a Christian counsellor is to use the counsellor as a mentor. It is an opportunity for the pastor to ask questions and hear another opinion about issues. In the past, the image of visiting a therapist was a negative thing. A person who needed to see a therapist was seen as “sick” and it was a terribly serious thing to be “sick”. Today seeing a counsellor is a normal thing to do. I have one business man who uses me as his Board of Directors. He regularly bounces ideas off me and I mentor him based on my experience.

MOSAIC

Yet another role that a Christian counsellor can play is that of assisting in what I call Inner Freedom. Whenever a person experiences emotional pain of any sort, it is possible to go back to memories that are the root of the feeling and Jesus can transform the memory. When Jesus brings his truth, whether past memories or current thinking, his truth will set you free. I do a lot of this type of one-on-one work. Pastors need to do this work too, just like everybody else.

Whenever you are frustrated, hurting, overwhelmed, grieving, or just in need of talking to a safe caring friend, think about calling a professional Christian counsellor.

They are there waiting to help you and you have every right in the world to receive that help.

Conclusion There is no obligation for you to be alone in dealing with your life issues. Other people turn to the best professional help and it is OK. We have come a long way from the days when seeing a therapist meant that you were “sick”. Today, receiving professional help is not only normal, but wise. Turn to those safe, confidential support people around you to help you be the best you can be as you do your work in the Kingdom for God. Alfred C.W. Davis (MBA, M.Div) has a Christian counselling practice based in Oakville, Ontario [Agape Healing International Inc.] and is the author of two books Free to Be Me and The Training Manual for Christian Counseling and Christ-Centred Transformation and Inner Healing. He holds a Master of Divinity degree majoring in Counselling [Tyndale Seminary].

Try this self-evaluation quiz to see if calling a Christian counsellor might be helpful for you.

Another way of using a Christian counsellor is as a coach. A coach is different from a mentor in that a coach is an accountability partner. The coach will help you set goals and then hold you to them. The coach will help you plan, manage your time effectively, help you evaluate the results and then encourage you to reorganize to do it better the next time. A coach never goes on the playing field. The pastor is the one who is in the field and from time to time needs to leave the game and talk with someone who is objectively viewing from the sidelines. One of the dilemmas of being alone in your head is that you can lose objectivity. It can be very helpful to just talk with another person who is not inside your head. The old expressions that more heads are better than one is true. Your coach is there on your side to help you win. His sole function is to help you be better and to help you see options and alternatives that you might never have considered.

P True P False

My marriage is the best that it has ever been?

P True P False

I regularly find time to read the Bible, pray, be still and listen to God.

P True P False

I seldom feel anxious or upset with what is happening at work.

P True P False

I usually have enough time to spend with my loved ones.

As a Certified Marriage and Family Therapist, one of my roles is to help advise about marriages and relationships. Many people come to talk to a counsellor because it is beneficial to work through issues related to the marriage relationship. Did you know that you go through at least six different marriages with your same spouse over a lifetime? Each stage requires change, learning and growth. How you cope with each stage will affect the marriage relationship

P True P False

I am seldom tempted with lustful thoughts.

P True P False

I am feeling good about my parenting of my children.

Stages of Marriage

P True P False

I regularly enjoy hobbies or interest outside of work.

P True P False

My spouse feels that we have enough emotional intimacy in our marriage.

P True P False

I met with a Christian counselor at least once in the last 12 months.

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6)

marriage as a free young couple unencumbered with children marriage coping with no sleep and bringing up young children marriage dealing with teenagers marriage of the empty nest as the children leave marriage when retirement occurs marriage when one partner is ill

If you are stuck at any of these stages, it would be helpful for you to talk to a trained marriage counsellor.

P True P False

I rarely lose my temper.

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PASSAGES APPOINTMENTS Carl Bull – Interim Senior Pastor at Westdale Park FMC, Napanee, ON, effective September 9, 2007 Steve Cylka – Lead Pastor at Wesley Chapel, Toronto, effective December 1, 2007 Darryl Dozlaw – Lead Pastor at Northview

Community Church, Regina, SK, effective September 7, 2007

Jan MacPhail – Assistant Pastor-Youth and Young

What’s Your Mentality?

Moving from scarcity to abundance

Adult Ministries at Pine Grove Community Church, Seeleys Bay, Ontario, effective September 7, 2007.

Fred McCracken – Pastor at Athens (ON) Free Methodist Church, effective August 12, 2007.

Jean Mbaitoloum – Pastor at L’Église Évangélique

Internationale Méthodiste Libre: Le Refuge in Montréal, effective September 13, 2007.

Rodney Peterson – Pastor at Belleville Centennial Free Methodist Church, Belleville, Ontario, effective September 1, 2007.

CHANGE OF STATUS Dwayne Tanner – “Leave of Absence—Health Reasons,” effective August 16, 2007.

Andrew MacKay – “Released for Service beyond the

denomination—Director for Prince Edward County, YFC/Youth Unlimited,” effective November 1, 2007

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hen I worked in the field of fundraising I attended conferences to develop my skills and abilities. At every conference I went to, I remember presenters focused on the fact that there are a limited number of people with a limited number of dollars willing to donate to charities. So as a fundraiser, you have be the best at finding those people with those dollars. You have to be the best at communicating your message to those potential donors so that you would receive those dollars to allow you to do what you want to do.

Steven Covey calls this a scarcity mentality. He contends that people with a scarcity mentality tend to see everything in terms of win-lose. There is only so much; and if someone else has it, that means there will be less for me.

APPROVED FOR ORDINATION

Kris Gowdy – October 14 at Trulls Road,

Courtice, ON

Matthew McEwen – October 28 at Holt FMC, Mt

Albert, ON)

Jennifer Anderson – November 4 at Queensway

FMC, Niagara Falls

Brandon Shillington – February 17, 2008 at Rustle,

Kingston ON

MINISTERIAL CANDIDATES APPROVED Joyce Box Germain Coulombe Christopher Jardin Kevin Stenhouse Andrew Suttar Phistel (Fritz) Vigue ORDAINED MINISTER RECEIVED BY TRANSFER Joseph Manafo (The Story, Sarnia, ON) from the PAOC (Alberta & NWT District) Jean Mbaitoloum (Le Refuge, Montreal) from the Evangelical Churches & Missions of Chad

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPLACEMENT Carl Bull has replaced Mike Hogeboom (resigned) on the Nominating Committee CHURCHES IN TRANSITION Campbell’s Bay FMC, Campbell’s Bay, QC Charlemont FMC, Wallaceburg, ON Dunnville FMC, Dunnville, ON Eyebrow FMC, Eyebrow, SK Lakeland Community Church, Spiritwood, SK New Hope FMC, Bracebridge, ON Polson Park FMC, Kingston, ON Prince Edward County FMC, Picton, ON Roblin & Grandview FMC, Roblin & Grandview, MB Trinity Christian Centre, Dresden, ON West Springs FMC, Calgary, AB Yarker FMC, Yarker, ON

People with a scarcity mentality have difficulty sharing recognition, credit, power, or profit. They also have a tough time being genuinely happy for the success of other people. It’s almost as if something were being taken from them when someone else receives special recognition or success.

So how do we move from a scarcity mentality to an abundance mentality? First, we need to deepen our understanding of God. We tend to shrink him down and box him in, but as we get to know him, we begin to catch a glimpse of just how big God is.

Secondly – We need to give as God directs. The act of giving in obedience to God sets a number of things in motion – good things. As we give, our faith in God is deepened.

Matthew 6:21 comes to life for us: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” We begin to care more about meeting the needs of others rather than fulfilling our own desires.

If your income is $25,000 Canadian or more you are in the top 10.64% of the richest people in the world.

People with a scarcity mentality either hoard their money because they are afraid of what will happen to them in the future, or they spend now because if they don’t they might not have another opportunity to make that purchase.

They tend to be stingy – with their time, their money and themselves.

A church with a scarcity mentality sees itself as competing with other churches for people and other ministries for money. If there is a budget surplus the first reaction would be to hold onto the money because you just never know if you might need it in the future.

But there is an alternative – abundance mentality. Biblical Stewardship is consistent with an abundance mentality. Our God is a God of abundance. He is the creator, the owner, the provider. Philippians 4:19 says, “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

People with an abundance mentality celebrate the success of others. They are truly happy when someone else receives recognition. They don’t see themselves in competition with others. They prefer collaboration. They understand there is enough… enough for everyone. They rest on the Sabbath because they believe God has provided them with enough time. And people with an abundance mentality are generous.

Thirdly – We need to broaden our worldview. Rather than comparing ourselves and our own situation to others in North America, let’s compare ourselves to the rest of the world.

•

If your income is $25,000 Canadian or more you are in the top 10.64% of the richest people in the world

•

Only 8% of the people in the world own cars

•

Almost two in three people lacking access to clean water survive on less than $2 a day, with one in three living on less than $1 a day.

A simple change in focus can be powerfully effective.

Canadians in general are a very blessed people. I’m not saying there isn’t economic disparity in Canada – there is. And those of us who have been blessed need to respond to decrease the gap between the rich and the poor – in Canada and around the world.

“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving.

People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.”

Luke 12;29-32 The Message

Churches with an abundance mentality are generous.

They are pleased to see other churches growing. They trust that God will direct people to their church and when they arrive, they look after them well. They seek out opportunities to meet needs in their communities and beyond.

PASTORS IN TRANSITION Glenn Dixon Sabrina D’Rozario Harold Fox Dale Hawley Jason Johnson John Kurish Jim Peetoom William Richardson Rob Van Norman Dale Vinkle

Joanne Bell is the Stewardship Development Director for The Free Methodist Church in Canada. Please contact her at bellj@fmccanada.org or visit the website: www.generoussteward.org

General Conference 2008 | Study Teams and Chairs, Resources and Sponsorship Opportunities Healthy Churches - Here and Beyond Co-chairs: Janice Babcock and Doug Griffin Members: Milton Edwards, Greg Elford, Dan Hall, David Kneeshaw, Joe Manafo, Howard Olver, Joseph Seidu, Michael Tesema, Sherry Thomas Generosity - A way of Life Chair: To be announced Members: David Barbour, Diane Clifford, Gavin Martin, Doris Meredith, Jody Pfeifer, Joe Schaefer, Doug Trithardt Developing Godly, Competent Leaders for Today and Tomorrow National Ministerial Education, Guidance and Placement committee Careful Thinking about God’s Truth Study Commission on Doctrine

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Visit the website for more information Agenda; guest speaker; location; etc.

Would you like to sponsor General Conference 2008?

The purposes of this conference are to bring pastors and delegates from across Canada to meet together to worship and pray together as leaders, to inspire involvement and build momentum in our movement, to teach leaders and influencers, to build relationships, to celebrate our diversity and what God has accomplished and to attend to matters of the Corporation. As you can imagine the cost of bringing an event like this together is quite substantial and any help (either individually or corporately) that can be offered would be greatly appreciated. If you would like to know more about this opportunity please contact Tanya Prinsep our General Conference events coordinator, at flareevents@rogers.com

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MOSAIC

Student Ministries

He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

As I write this, I’m just about to head away with my family for a two week vacation on Lake Huron near Goderich. This has been a regular ritual of mine since my parents began this tradition when I was a small child. It is a time to be with family, to rest and to connect with God. The magnificence of that lake and the often pounding waves never cease to refresh me and focus my attention on God. I cherish this time so much!

In years past I would often arrive at the cottage in quite a haggard state, but over the past 10 years God has increasingly impressed upon me the importance of regular rhythms of Sabbath and T.A.W.G. (Time Alone With God). One of the highlights of my weekly schedule is a long hike alone with Him; it energizes me for an often busy

Psalm 103:5 (NLT)

week ahead. I also love my time of connecting to God each morning, my daily prayer walk and how He often speaks to me as I read his Word each night before I sleep.

I appreciate Jennifer’s words of wisdom below and how she lives them out daily. By the way, Jenn, thanks for the T.A.W.G. acronym!

Andrew Brown is the Student Ministries Director for The Free Methodist Church in Canada. You can contact him at andrew@fmdog.ca or visit www.fmdog.ca

An Attitude of

Sabbath

Without a doubt, this has been the busiest summer of my life...

T

he first two weeks were filled from morning to night as I taught the Disciples in Training Course at Circle Square Ranch in Arden, Ontario.

Then, without a day to recoup, I headed off to Sherbrooke, Quebec for a five day Vacation Bible School [VBS] Missions Trip. After arriving home on Thursday, I managed to squeeze in a counselling session for a couple I was to marry, a birthday supper for my sister, lunch with another youth pastor, Sunday Worship, and I convinced one of my teens to help me with the final details for Mission Rochester, which started on Tuesday. Tuesday came and I packed up four teens and myself and headed to Trulls Road FMC to meet up with the rest of the team who were joining us. Six days later, after an amazing experience of God’s faithfulness, I arrived home to prepare for the wedding I was performing on Saturday and to get ready for my vacation, which started on Sunday. Vacation this year included whipping around in a boat at a friend’s cottage, house swapping with my cousin, four days in New York City with my mom and watching Phantom of the Opera at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

Three days after I came home from vacation I headed off to Echo Lake Camp for a week of teen camp. To finish things off, I took a busload of teens to Canada’s Wonderland to help get them plugged back into the youth program, which was scheduled to start in two weeks.

I’m sure you might be thinking that I might have packed a little too much into my summer … but I have a secret, it’s called “Sabbath”. Sabbath is a concept that is repeated throughout the Scriptures: from the very beginning in Genesis 2:2 when God rested from all his labours to Revelation 14:13 when we are told that those who die in the Lord will rest from their labour. We also know, that in Mark 2:27, Jesus taught how the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So, it would seem to me, that since the Sabbath concept runs throughout Scripture, it must be important!

I believe that God has given us the concept of Sabbath in order that we would have the strength to do all that He has called us to do in this life. Isaiah 30:15-16 (RSV), says, “For thus says the LORD God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’” The secret to my sanity was keeping God first, and I did this by maintaining an attitude of Sabbath. So, even though I was crazy busy, I made sure to meet with the Lord every day and rest whenever possible. Each morning, time was spent in prayer, re-dedicating my thoughts, words, actions and heart to the Lord and His purposes - every morning.

Each day, I read from the Word - each day as the bible says, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matt 4:4 NIV)By making Scripture a priority, I managed to read through: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations and Ezekiel. The Lord taught me so much this summer about praise, wisdom, the unbelievable life of His prophets as well as how He speaks to us through pain. Daily devotions were key to making sure that I remained focussed over the last two months. I knew that if I went without praying or reading Scripture F O R

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- even for one day, I would feel as if I was missing out on something that God wanted to tell me - like I was starving myself spiritually. Not only were prayer and Scripture reading a priority, so was rest. When I talk of rest, I’m not just talking about having a nap - even though that was a very key part. I’m talking about taking a break from the normal schedule of life in order to connect with God and to renew my strength. Psalm 23:2 says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, and leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.” I knew that if I wanted to restore my soul, I needed to be still. So, whenever there was a break from the craziness of ministry I would rest. I would often take time to be alone at Circle Square and Echo Lake Camps instead of hanging out with people all the time. In Sherbrooke, we made a mandatory rest hour each afternoon to refuel ourselves for the evening events. During Mission Rochester, we would stop for half hour each afternoon after VBS for an ice cream break in the Rose Garden so we could collect our thoughts and gain some energy before heading to Hope Initiatives for the afternoon. In New York City, there were also moments when I caught some rest. A bird on the bush beside me reminded me that if God sees this little sparrow, then He sees me too! Even at Canada’s Wonderland, amid all the noise of the rides, I managed to find a green spot, lie down and focus on the Lord - who at that point reminded me that He knows all about the Fall program and He would let me in on it when I was ready.

It wasn’t just Scripture, prayer and brief periods of rest that sustained me. I also made the most of my days off. These days were often spent quietly, focussing on prayer, fasting, meditation, naps, spiritual reading and simply being with the Lord. James 4:8 in the NKJV says, “Draw near to God, He will draw near to you.”

This summer, it was confirmed, time and time again, that when I spent time with the Lord, the Lord drew near to me. The Lord restored me, He refreshed me, He renewed me and He reminded me that He saw me, knew what I needed and promised to provide it. As a result, I was more patient and rarely overreacted when things didn’t go my way. I could see the Lord’s hand in several situations that came up and I had a sense of peace, which I knew could only come from the Lord.

By making Scripture, prayer and rest a priority in my life, I was able to carry out the ministry that I felt that God called me to do this summer.

Jennifer Wagar is the Youth Pastor at Verona Free Methodist Church [Ontario].

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MY SRI LANKA EXPERIENCE — A TIME OF PERSONAL DISCOVERY Encounter Sri Lanka 2007 will be marked as an incredible milestone in my Christian walk. I knew this trip was going to be different right from the start. Unlike the Sri Lanka trip I had taken the summer before, Encounter Sri Lanka 2007 was wrought with obstacles, difficulties and sometimes indecision. For starters I found myself severely cash strapped, struggling to recover from my trip expenditures the year before. I weighed the decision whether to go, and decided if God wanted me to be a part of the team carrying out the job before us, he would make a way.

And make a way he did. I miraculously received a $500 cheque return from the purchase of my home 2 years ago the week of the required $500 deposit for the trip. One month before stepping on the plane Onika Brown (another member of the team from Wesley Chapel) and myself set out to plan and deliver a fundraising dinner and auction, all while getting ready to end the school year as professional teachers. Family and friends rallied to help us and at the end of the night we had raised the targeted $2000 and served a fine meal of food that came mostly from the generosity of saints. It was beginning to be clear that God wanted me on the Encounter Sri Lanka team.

The days leading up to the actual departure were fun-filled though not necessarily stress free. We would spend many hours into the night planning and re-planning the many activities and lessons that would make up the children’s camp that the Sri Lankan pastors had requested — as well as the first ever teacher training sessions. I was tired and looking forward to the long flight so I could catch up on my sleep. But God had something else in store.

During the two day cultural sensitivity training at the national ministry centre of the FMCiC I felt God calling me to go deeper; things I had seen and heard before were taking on new shape and meaning. I started seeing and learning things about myself and life that were incredible. God had me reading scripture late at night or writing thoughts in what seemed like never-ending streams, frequently throughout those two preparatory days. This pattern continued during the trip, with periods of self-exploration being triggered by almost anything, from our daily devotions, to the unsuspecting words of a fellow team member.

In the end it became clear that God’s will would be done, whether I wanted to be

Some of the member from the Sri Lanka Encounter Team 2007 — from left to right: Onika Brown, Jared Anderson, Wanda Dozlaw, Mark Dozlaw, Pastor Darryl Dozlaw, Pastor Ben Gomez, Shalene McRorie, Sandra Volpe, Devon Dozlaw, Sheryl Murray.

a willing part of the process or not. We are called to be his instruments but if we are stubborn and refuse he will find another way to achieve HIS goal and we are the ones that will be left without the blessing of the experience. That realization made me think about my life at home. How business had often times kept me from truly enjoying a close relationship with God. How often I had taken matters into my own hands and tried to get things “fixed” instead of seeking HIM first and ended up with more stress on my plate. It is funny, I left my home to meet and share with my Sri Lankan friends this summer, and little did I know how much personal receiving I would be doing along with the planned sessions of teaching.

The school year has started, and though I had a week’s break to get over my jet lag it seems like I stepped right off the plane and into my first parent-teacher interview. But God reminded me through the wisdom of scripture and friends – it’s not about me. I need to seek him first and get ready for the wonderful year of discovery that is ahead.

Sheryl Murray attends Wesley Chapel in Toronto, one of the partner churches for FM ministry in Sri Lanka. Sheryl is a teacher at Crescent School and has served on the Official Board of Wesley Chapel. These are her reflections on her recent ministry trip to Sri Lanka with our Encounter team.

Thailand Missions Trip 2007 This year marks four years of New Heights Church’s (NHC) involvement in orphanage work in Thailand. In August a team of 18 people sent out from NHC in Mission BC, traveled to Chiang Mai Thailand to work with the 33 kids that they sponsor. Their involvement through sponsorship of food, rent and payment for education culminates in a yearly visit that adds the important element of relationship building and planning for the future. This trip was particularly exciting as the team was able to purchase a new truck for the orphanage and explore options of combining with the Thai Free Methodist Church to see the project become affiliated with a local church. If your church would be interested in getting involved with this partnership please email NewHeightsChurch@gmail.com. written by Greg Elford, Pastor at New Heights Community Church in Mission, BC

DEBBIE HOGEBOOM SHARES SOME OF HER LIFE EXPERIENCES IN KENYA Run the race with perseverance …

As I watched the athletics competition in Osaka – cheering the Kenyans who are famous for their running ability - I am reminded by the writer to the Hebrews of the race that we as Christians are challenged to not only run but win. I sure am glad that running this race is not dependent upon my skill and agility not to mention speed because if it were, I wouldn’t get out of the starting block! The last little while has been filled with triumphs and disappointments. Nevertheless, we are told to run the race with perseverance with our eyes fixed on Jesus. Thank you for your prayer support. It is good to know there are “cheerleaders” on the sidelines.

Body Building

another”. The Turkana women, from a very young age, are taught to make bead jewellery, but often with the passing of time the skill is forgotten. Recently the parish pastor and I encouraged the women to meet together to make jewellery that could be sold in order to bring some income to the home. Most of the women who have begun this project are pastors’ wives and widows in the church. After working together for a while and learning new patterns, they break for a time of prayer and Bible study.

friends along with church leaders came for the celebration . . . and celebrate they did! There was much singing and dancing.

A Day of Celebration

“The God of Kenya” – Please pray

There is nothing dull about a graduation ceremony even if it lasts three hours. These students had completed two years of the modular Bible School program with two-week long sessions in April, August and December. Family and

Eldoret women gather together regularly to “build up one

Currently Bible school sessions are conducted at rented facilities. Pray with us that we will soon be able to purchase property to build a Bible School. The goal is to extend the opportunity for more students to be trained at a residential school by September 2008.

Recently, a presidential candidate declared that if elected, he would bring Kenya under the leadership of the God of Kenya – Allah! Pray for Christians to be mobilized to make their votes count. Generally Kenyan Christians stay out of the world of politics since they see politics and corruption in the same light.

Debbie Hogeboom has been a missionary with The Free Methodist Church in Canada for 19 years. She is currently ministering in Eldoret, Kenya, where she works alongside a Kenyan church plant. She also serves in Christian education leadership and development within the Kenya Annual Conference, along with youth ministry and teaching at the FMC pastors’ bible college program.

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