February 2005

The Free Methodist Church in Canada February 2005 - Volume 2 Issue 2

COVER What is a Free Methodist?

by Rev. Howard Olver

Reflecting the diversity of ministry expression within the Free Methodist family

What is a Free Methodist?

PAGE 2 Editor’s Desk Church Development It happens in the local church

by Alan Retzman

PAGE 3 Winning the battle of the gods

By Bishop Keith Elford New book for Multicultural Leaders written by Dan Sheffield General Conference update

by Tanya Prinsep

PAGE 4 Passages

PAGE 5 Making a difference Lakeview’s Compassionate Ministry

by Jacqui Acree Bastian Chair closer to plus million dollar goal

by Lloyd Eyre

PAGE 6 What does a “go to” church look like? by who wrote this?

PAGE 7 Student Ministries

by Andrew Brown

PAGE 8 Tsunami Disaster Relief in Sri Lanka

by Dan Sheffield My African Journal

by Gary Landers40008369.

MOSAIC 4315 Village Centre Court Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 1S2 Tel: 905-848-2600 Fax: 905-848-2603 www.fmc-canada.org For submissions: howdenl@fmc-canada.org Dan Sheffield, Editor-in-Chief Lisa Howden, Managing Editor and Production

Mailed under Publication agreement #40008369.

Return postage guaranteed.

W

hat is a Free Methodist? I wish I had the proverbial nickel for every time I have been asked that question. It might not have made me a rich man but I could probably take my family to Disney World. In his book, A Future With A History, David McKenna says the best answer to that question is, “Let me tell you a story:” (page 15). And the name “Free Methodist” does require a story to adequately explain its meaning.

Bob Haslam tells the story clearly and succinctly. “As the name implies, Free Methodists trace their heritage back to original Methodism as led by its founder, John Wesley.

When Methodism came to America, churches and annual conferences spread across the land. In 1860, in western New York and Illinois, the Free Methodist Church came into being. In New York a group of 1,000 Methodist laymen held several conventions and were joined by evangelical Methodist pastors. On August 23, 1860, the new denomination came into being. Issues that were important to them included slavery in America. While the mother church did not take a stand, those who took the name “Free” Methodist opposed slavery. Another issue in that time was the widespread practice of renting and selling church pews, thus relegating the poor to benches in the back of the sanctuary. “Free” Methodists called for free seats for all and emphasized tithes and offerings to support the church's ministries. Freedom in worship, in contrast to deadening formalism, was also important to “Free” Methodists. As a result, the newly named Free Methodist Church sought to maintain the heritage of original Methodism with its warm-hearted, biblical message and lifestyle.” (www.freemethodistchurch.org “Who Are Free Methodists?”) One founding value Haslam leaves out is freedom from secret societies.

It's only fair to the reader that I issue a disclaimer — I am an American living in Canada and all but the last fourand-a-half years of my thirty-four years of ministry have been spent in the Free Methodist Church in the U.S. My perception of the Free Methodist Church is coloured by that experience. However, my time in Canada has allowed me to view the Free Methodist Church from a different and perhaps more objective perspective. While the history of The Free Methodist Church in Canada is intimately connected to American Free Methodism there are elements of the development of the church in Canada that set it apart. Two books in particular are worth reading to gain a uniquely Canadian perspective, The Lord's Dominion: The History of Canadian Methodism, by Neil Semple; and More than a Memory: The Renewal of Methodism in Canada, by Wayne Kleinseuber, which includes the history of the FMCIC. What do the founding values of the Free Methodist Church mean today and do they still guide the life and mission of the church? Along with most other denominations, the cross-currents of secularism, post-

modernism, urbanism and globalization are forcing the Free Methodist Church to re-examine its identity. The second “Search for the Free Methodist Soul” symposium, moderated by Bishop Emeritus Gerald Bates and Dr. Howard Snyder, is being held March 14-15, 2005, in Indianapolis to look at such key issues as: “Continuity versus Change,” “Grace plus Discipline,” “Form and Freedom,” and “Music and Worship.” It isn't difficult to recognize the historical values represented by the word “Free” in Free Methodist contained in these issues. So the question, “What is a Free Methodist?” is well worth asking ourselves.

Perhaps another important question would be, “How are we doing?” “Are we living up to our name and our founding values?” Let me take a quick look at the founding values from my perspective.

Freedom from slavery is clearly reflected in several value, to which we are committed today, particularly the sanctity of human life. The sanctity of human life is a core value of the FMCIC. We believe “All persons are made in the image of God and possess intrinsic worth.”

However, for a denomination that grew in part out of the American What is a Free abolitionist movement, there is today an appalling absence of ministry with Methodist? I wish African-Americans. And while the Free Methodist Church is strongly Anti-Abortion it can hardly be called I had the Pro-Life because of the scarcity of ministries and support services for proverbial nickel mothers who choose to keep their children. There are a few exceptions for every time I such as The Birth Connection (Sacrament, CA) and Deaconess have been asked Home Pregnancy and Adoption Services (Oklahoma City, OK), and a that question. number of Free Methodist people scattered across the country volunteer with Crisis Pregnancy Centers in their communities.

The commitment to free pews grew out of a conviction that the gospel is for everyone — particularly the poor. According to my grandfather's copy of the 1935 Free Methodist Discipline, “All their churches are required to be as free as the gospel they preach. They believe that their mission is twofold — to maintain the Bible standard of Christianity, and to preach the gospel to the poor” (Par. 13). Unfortunately, the Free Methodist Church in North America and Canada, seems to have drifted away from concern for the poor. Neither the Discipline of the Free Methodist Church nor The Manual of the FMCiC contains such a statement as quoted above. Often, the only Free Methodist presence in marginalized communities is through ethnic congregations. World-

“

Continued on page 4 - FREE METHODISTS

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EDITOR’S DESK

Everything is in His hands THE FOLLOWING WORDS REFLECT REAL SITUATIONS “We had two lay ministers leave….”

“We had a ministerial candidate leave for another denomination….”

“Because of this, the board did not encourage the use of lay ministers or ministerial candidates.”

I was watching the final episode of Richard Branson's “The Rebel Billionaire” one night this week. I can already hear some of you groaning! I feel I must tell you that I'm normally not drawn to reality shows, and in fact, I'm very picky about what I'll spend time watching.

The series concludes with Shawn, the winner, being presented with a million dollar cheque.

He was then told that if he chose to he could risk it all and with the toss of a coin try his luck for a chance at something far greater. As the show paused for a commercial break — leaving Shawn sitting on a rock, his face in his hands agonizing about what he should do about this life-changing decision he was about to make — I wondered what I would do. Would I risk everything for a shot at something greater?

Just then I felt the Lord drop something into my heart, “My plan for your life is not a gamble Lisa, it’s a sure thing.”

There’s something incredible that happens in our hearts when the Holy Spirit speak to us —

T

his is a discouraging word. These words may give some of us reasons to say, “Look if this is going to cause problems let's just not try to develop leaders in the local church.”

I would say the opposite. “If we teach pastors and boards how to develop leaders in the local church then we may not hear such discouragements.”

On December 8-9, 2004 a group of pastors met with me to go the next step in preparing local churches to be the primary place where leaders are developed in the FMCIC. Pastor Cliff Fletcher, Barrie FMC, Barrie, Ontario, Pastor Steve Loughheed, Northview Community Church [Regina, Saskchewan],Pastor Angel Valentin, Smiths Falls FMC [Smiths Falls, ON], Pastor Will Kellar, Harrowsmith FMC [Harrowsmith ON], Pastor Jennifer Anderson, Queensway FMC [Niagara Falls ON], came to be a part of the meetings. Pastor Anderson leads the Mature Study Team who’s General Conference presentation is focused on stimulating identification of leaders in the local church. Pastor Brenda Haggett, Associate Pastor at Smiths Falls FMC sat in for part of the meeting. She has a vested interest in leadership development, being a leader who is tracking with the FMCIC and a developing leader. She happened to be spending her “day off ” in the area.

The group looked at two things: [1] How to connect the local church process of developing leaders with a “handshake” to the conference relationship in MEGaP. [2] We created interviews for the local church to use that will prepare emerging leaders for conference relationship.

This group is committed to the vision that leadership development happens in the local church. Everyone of these pastors is making an investment in developing leaders. Not every investment will yield high returns. Still we invest — through internships, scholarships, special scholarships, and planting assessments, just to name a few. This group is helping to give a wider group of churches the tools to make an investment in leaders.

The purpose of making an investment which has some risk is to get a larger return. We press on knowing that we have much work to do in the future to help reduce such experiences as described above. I am trusting that if this is God's idea, and I believe it is, He will help us to continuing to take the risk.

Let me answer some questions you may have. You may email me and ask any further questions you wish.

even when He simply confirms something that

Q

we already know. It’s that sense of assuredness

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— the feeling that His words to us are exploding with life. I love that God often chooses to use the ridiculous things in life to speak to us. The Rebel Billionaire is not exactly food for life’s

Q A

spiritual journey!

"What General Conference presentation will it be?"

It will be a major part of the Commission Study Team report for which NMEGaP has had responsibility over the last two general conferences.

Q A

"Does every church need to develop leaders?"

No. But if we did that would be wonderful. If we had 40 churches over the next 3 years developing leaders we would likely have enough new leaders to meet our growth needs in the FMCiC.

end, he made the right decision. I'm glad that

Q

my faith and obedience will bring about God's

A

"What does that say about the other churches?

Are we not as valuable?"

Not at all, we all start where we are under God's direction. God has called us to a Mission, the FMCIC (see the website, the Manual, our phone directory.) He has called us to claim a portion of the kingdom that has a heart for the Methodist ethos. We have our own "DNA." We want to be obedient to this call. Ephesians 4:10-12 tells us to develop leaders. There are many passages that make it a clear theme which we embrace.

Just like all churches need to plant churches; all churches need to send

Shawn decided not to risk the million dollars and it turned out to be a trick test — so, in the

perfect plan in my life. There won’t be any tricks and it’s absolutely risk free!

Lisa Howden Managing Editor

missionaries; likewise, all churches are to develop leaders. We can't plant churches without developing planters. We can't send missionaries without developing missionaries.

We can't grow churches without developing more leaders. We all start where we are under God's direction, plan and move forward from there.

"When are we going to hear about developing leaders in the local church?"

I've been writing about it in the Mosaic since Fall '04, so communication has already started. There will be a full presentation at General Conference. The team that is building this will help present it.

Q A

Q A

"When will this get started? With whom will it start?"

General Conference needs to approve the plan, first, as far as we have it by then. JDPAS was approved before we had it well functioning, and it will take us time to get this functioning. We will have to train local churches one by one. We may train facilitators, similar to what we did with JDPAS. We will start with those whom God calls. There are those who are saying, "Use our church to try out the process." Others will take a "wait and see," approach. Either is fine. The FMCiC works with the willing. We'll start with those that come with the passion and excitement to proceed. We believe God is in this and that he is planting the desire in the hearts of our churches already.

"What if it doesn't work?"

Anything worth doing (for God) is worth doing poorly (our problem, not God's)… in the beginning…until God gets it clear in our eager but ignorant hearts and heads (I'm talking about myself, friends.) God is teaching us as we fumble our way through this.

3 M O S A I C By

Bishop Keith Elford

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ow that we're fully around the corner and into 2005, what is on your mind? I'm thinking about an Old Testament verse that the Lord has impressed on me as a personal focus verse for 2005. It was and continues to be one of the central summoning statements for God's people. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deut 6:4,5). What powerful words to help this guy see what is of vital importance.

The gathering event in May 2005 known as General Conference is also on my mind. I've been mentally levitating above the tsunami of details that have to be attended to be ready for General Conference at the end of May and have been ruminating on its theme: “Called to declare Jesus, anywhere, any time and in all kinds of ways.” I've been seeking to identify the two or three things that are of major importance for us as a 21st century movement of God if we are going to respond wholeheartedly to this declaration. In other words, “What really is the point of our denomination? Why does The Free Methodist Church in Canada exist?”

Here's what I came up with. Developing healthy congregations and raising up godly, competent leaders tie for second place. We are here first to abandon ourselves to love God — not the church, nor ministries, nor particular people inside or outside the church, in Canada or beyond — but the Lord Himself. You may say “Duh” to this next statement, but in the early morning hours recently, God showed me in a fresh way that if He is not Lord (i.e. #1 God) significant people, solid ministry, great endeavours, and complex challenges can get set up in our hearts as false, substitute gods.

(Hmmm. Repentance is a good and liberating experience. O yeah. It is. I know.)

But to love God more deeply, we need to know him more and more fully. Donna and I have a very dear friend, but I recall that when she was first pointed out to me many years ago, I wondered about her. Based on first impressions, her demeanour struck me as very serious and perhaps even severe. As I watched her, it was obvious that she was very alert to what was going on in any social gathering and when those eyes eventually came to rest

on me, I really wondered what she was thinking.

Donna and I now count her and her husband among our closest friends and we know her as a very warm—hearted, compassionate person.

Those eyes often dance with delight, and laughter I've been seeking is her preferred response. This distant stranger became a dear friend to us because we have made to identify the two the effort to move beyond superficial impressions or three things and polite chatting.

So it is with God. I've been nourishing my that are of major inner life by reading some work that Clark Pinnock is doing, with others, to present us with importance for us a fresh, biblically and conceptually sound understanding of God. He believes that unless as a 21st century the portrait of God is compelling, the credibility of belief in God is bound to decline. I agree with movement of him and I like what he is painting on the canvas God . . . of his writing.

For example, read these sentences from his pen several times and think about them. “"It is important to recognize that God (according to the Bible) is both transcendent (that is, self-sufficient, the creator of the world…sovereign and eternal) and at the same time immanent (present to the world…involved, relational and temporal).” Read on. Here's a gem. “Combining the two, we say that God is so transcendent that he creates room for others to exist and maintain relationship with them, that God is so powerful as to be able to step down and humble himself; that God is so stable and secure as to be able to risk suffering and change.”

My head and heart connects with this picture of godliness. I need and want to get to know this God more fully. I want this kind of godliness more deeply developed in me.

Hear, O people of God. The Lord our God is one Lord. Our first preoccupation is to love Him.

“

New Book for Multicultural Leaders “If you haven't been totally frustrated with someone from another culture, and then gone on to love them and even alter your own perspective, then you will never survive in multicultural ministry.” So says, Rev. Dan Sheffield, Director of Global and Intercultural Ministries for The Free Methodist Church in Canada. Sheffield's new book, The Multicultural Leader: Developing a Catholic Personality (Clements Publishing, 2005) addresses the challenge of providing congregational leadership in Canada's multi-ethnic communities.

Based on multicultural church-planting experience in South Africa and research amongst multi-ethnic congregations in Toronto, Sheffield identifies emerging issues and offers a framework for understanding the requirements of leadership in these contexts.

On the basis of research in leadership studies and in-depth interviews with multicultural ministry practitioners, Sheffield has built a profile of the kind of leaders required for multicultural ministry. The multicultural leader: o envisions the eschatological reality of the multicultural congregation o embeds the multicultural vision in the practices of the congregation o embodies multicultural relationships o embraces cultural diversity o enables intercultural empowerment

Envisioning refers to the leader's ability to see and communicate a clear picture of a possible future. Embedding refers to the means by which leaders firmly fix the values and practices that they perceive are appropriate to the congregation's goals. Embodying refers to the ability of leaders to personally live out the values and practices that they espouse. Embracing is understood as that movement of different peoples who desire to be close to others without losing the integrity of their own identities. Enabling refers to the leader's ability to create an environment in which employees or members feel able to take the steps necessary to act upon the values and practices of the congregation. Empowering refers to the leader's ability to make resources available to employees or members and to encourage them to make autonomous decisions on the basis of those resources.

The promise of Scripture is that one day all nations, tribes, peoples and languages will stand before the Lamb of God. Sheffield suggests this text gives affirmation to the validity of different cultural viewpoints within the body of Christ.

The challenge is how can this picture of God's intention become reality in kingdom communities today, not just at some point in the future? The Multicultural Leader is an attempt to deal with the practical implications of this challenge for church leaders in our diverse Canadian context.

The Multicultural Leader can be purchased at: Regent College bookstore and www.amazon.com

GENERAL CONFERENCE UPDATE 2005 has arrived and crunch time for the General Conference has begun, May 27-30, 2005. We are excited about the progress and are looking forward to a great weekend. We hope that you can become involved as well. Right now, there are several ways that you can get involved.

First of all, one of the privileges of every church or member of the FMCiC is the privilege of introducing Resolutions to the General Conference according to provisions of Par. 410.5 of The Manual of the FMCiC. Please keep the following points in mind. A resolution must: a) have the support of a member of the General Conference (lay or ministerial delegate) in order to be introduced, and b) be sent to the Ministry Centre by February 15, 2005 as per the timeline of the General Conference 2005.

Secondly, many hands are needed to ensure the efficient implementation of such a large event. It is the individuals who give of their time and talents to this weekend that make it such a success. If you are interested in being part of the volunteer crew, please contact Tanya Prinsep at the address below. We look forward to hearing from you.

Finally, and most importantly, we would ask that you keep the conference in your prayers as we work together to seek God's direction for this weekend.

If you have any questions about the conference or these ways of getting involved, please feel free to contact Tanya Prinsep at flareevents@rogers.com.

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Passages APPOINTMENTS Andrew MacKay Associate Pastor - Director of Youth Prince Edward County FMC, Picton, ON December 6, 2004 Richard Sherlock, Senior Pastor (Supply) O'Connor FMC, Kakabeka Falls, ON December 10, 2004 Wallace (Wally) Frank, Pastor (Supply) Souris Valley Community Church, Estevan, SK December 20, 2004 Tim Richards, Pastor (Supply) Melfort FMC, Melfort, SK January 1, 2005 Robert (Bob) Rasmuson, Director of Alpha First Free Methodist Church, Moose Jaw, SK January 1, 2005

ORDINATIONS Steve Cylka Prince Edward County FMC, Picton, ON January 16, 2005

MINISTERIAL CANDIDATES APPROVED

by BOA [Board of Administration] Nouhoum Coulibaly (Holt FMC, Mt Albert, ON) John Enns-Wind Keith Lihaven (Calgary FMC)

Churches in Transition Caistor Centre FMC, Caistor Centre, ON Eastern Koinonia FMC, Toronto, ON Edmonton FMC, Edmonton, AB Kelowna FMC, Kelowna, BC Killarney FMC, Killarney, MB New Hope FMC, Bracebridge, ON Richmond Hill Chinese FMC, Richmond Hill, ON Surrey FMC, Surrey, BC Wesley Chapel Japanese Church, Toronto, ON Weyburn FMC, Weyburn, SK

Pastors in Transition David Barbour Brad Bent Germain Fortin Walter McIntyre Norman Shepstone Mike Smeltzer Dale Vinkle Eugene Whitehead

THE MANUAL updated version on CD

A new updated version of The Manual with revised paragraphs on pastoral evaluations and adjustments to several other paragraphs is now available.

Included on the CD, are the new revised updates to print and insert in your current Manual.

We sent one CD to every church. If you would like to receive a copy of The Manual on CD please email: goldsteinm@fmc-canada.org (They are free of charge.)

Delegates to First Canadian Free Methodist Convention held at Sarnia, ON [October 1920]

FREE METHODISTS -

continued from cover

wide, the Free Methodist Church continues to exhibit compassionate concern for those oppressed by poverty through mission activity in many different countries but is to a large extent blind to the plight of the poor in North America. Olive Branch Mission, the oldest Christian mission in Chicago, which now includes a satellite center in Flint, MI; Lighthouse Community Outreach Center in St. Louis, MO; Cornerstone Community Church in Akron, OH; and Northwest Urban Ministries in Seattle, WA, are notable exceptions.

The issue of freedom from secret societies is a bit more difficult to evaluate. The roots of this issue are found in the Genesee Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the covert manipulation of pastors and lay delegates belonging to the Masonic Lodge that led in part to the expulsion of the people who formed the Free Methodist Church. Those early church leaders were determined the hidden use of power would never happen in the Free Methodist Church so members were forbidden to join any organization or society “requiring an oath, affirmation, or promise of secrecy, as a condition of membership” (1935 Free Methodist Discipline, Par. 72.2). That stance has been somewhat softened while still holding to the principle. “We commit ourselves to give our loyalty to Christ and the church, refraining from any alliance which compromises our Christian commitment” (The Manual of the FMCiC, Par. 157). The issue of divided loyalty remains a threat to the health of the church but our response to this issue may require careful thought and deeper examination.

The founding value that has remained the most consistent is freedom in worship. Few of our churches could be charged with “dead formalism,” although there may be other equally mortal maladies. Free Methodist Churches today vary from fairly liturgical to fairly charismatic with most falling somewhere in between. There was a time when most Free Methodist congregations looked and sounded pretty much alike.

Denominational leaders aspired to “a representative Free Methodist Church in every community,” meaning a church that was similar to all other churches in the denomination. That time has gone. Congregations today are free to develop worship styles that express their composition and taste. Churches with multiple services often offer them in different styles. “Freedom in Worship” is rightly understood as the freedom to be flexible and adaptable to the church context and vision for ministry.

The founding values of the Free Methodist Church present interesting challenges to the church today. Do we abandon them in favor of generic evangelical values? Do we reinterpret them to fit a more middle class life style? Should we maintain them as historical artifacts but seek less

controversial values in hopes of attracting more members? Although I would resent being classified as a “traditionalist,” I feel strongly our founding values should be affirmed but perhaps refocused for the church today. Although there is nothing sacred about the name, “Free Methodist,” the founding values represent the reasons for which God called our church into being and they are values desperately needed in our world today.

The values of freedom from slavery and free pews in particular speak to issues that continue to concern us today. Although we think of human slavery today as only occurring in remote parts of the world, there are many women and children trapped in sexual slavery throughout North America. Racism and discrimination may be more subtle than in the past but are nonetheless real.

Classism and the growing gap between rich and poor in North America are threats to the health and stability of our society. A priority on preaching the gospel to the poor is still a value worth affirming. Jesus established that value in his inaugural sermon in Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor.” Rev. Anton Matthews, Pastor of Open Door Ministries, an African-American ministry on Chicago's South side, in a prophetic word to the Free Methodist Urban Fellowship a decade ago said, “Ministry to the poor and oppressed is the birthright of Free Methodism and God will not bless the Free Methodist Church until that ministry is recovered.” My heart and mind immediately responded, “Amen.” These two issues that played such an important role in the formation of the Free Methodist Church now represent concerns that may be the greatest challenge to the church to redefine for a new chapter in ministry.

General Conference 2005 will be held May 27-30. A number of issues connected to the founding values of the Free Methodist Church will be on the agenda. Ministry to First Nations and aboriginal Canadians, support for urban and ethnic church planting, and social service ministries are among the items for discussion. It would be well for us to pray and plan the future of the church with its history in mind. Why did God call the Free Methodist Church into being and what does he want us to do today? That is the question that should be on the mind and heart of every Free Methodist in Canada. I am not pessimistic about the future of the Free Methodist Church because I believe God is the Lord of the Church and I believe God raised up this denomination for a unique purpose in His Kingdom. Our task is to refocus the mission of the church while remaining true to the founding values.

Rev. Howard Olver is Senior Pastor of Kingsview Free Methodist Church in Toronto.

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n Rumours of Another World, Philip Yancey writes a synopsis of Ernest Gordon's experience in a Japanese prisoner of war camp during World War II. He describes Gordon and his fellow prisoners' forced labour on a railway through the dense Thai jungle as a scene straight out of Dante. Their suffering is incomprehensible; the natural elements took on the persona of an executioner, and the guards were no better. In theory, people would become animalistic under such circumstances; survival instincts kick in and it's every man for himself. Yet an alternate community was catalyzed in response to a prisoner who gave his life in the place of another. Gordon himself received tender care as he suffered from diphtheria. Eventually, Gordon became the chaplain of a tiny church, the prisoners established a “jungle university” with such courses as history, philosophy, and economics, a garden was grown, art was created, and an orchestra was formed. The human spirit prevailed and a tiny settlement of the kingdom of God took root .

The family of Lakeview Church desires to be an alternate community. We want to be part of the kingdom of God breaking into this world. A significant part of our mission is Caring and we strive for a reputation as a caring community, not simply a church with a Care Ministry. Jesus did not say, “Love your neighbour as yourself if you have the gift of mercy” or “if you feel like it” or “if you can make the time”. It's “Love your neighbour as yourself,” period. How do we take these words and translate them into a living reality; how do we show the world what this alternate community could look like?

Here's what it looks like at Lakeview…

While certain people are indeed blessed with a unique mercy gift, we accept the universal call to be caring individuals. So many times people jump headfirst into the “doing” aspect of care ministry, but caring is both a verb and an adjective. Doing naturally flows from being. It's imperative to acknowledge who we are for two reasons: 1) we will be unable to authentically care for others if we are not grounded in our identity as God's dearly loved children, and 2) we will lack inspiration and motivation to care for others if we do not see them as God's dearly loved children.

In our aim to become a caring community, we hesitate to place too much emphasis on programs. We want to be responsive to needs as they present themselves, both as individuals and as a body. However, programs are useful in helping us to take initiative, get some experience and overcome any fears that we may have in caring for others. One such opportunity is through Lakeview's food hampers at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter. Three years ago we began handing out plastic yellow bags a few weeks before the hampers are packed and delivered; these bags are tagged with a card that gives specific instructions regarding what kind of grocery items could be included.

Lakeview attenders take the bags home, fill them up with nutritious nonperishables, and bring them back to help us fill up the hampers. When packing and delivering day comes, an enthusiastic bunch of people pitch in to bring abundant food hampers to around 50 families and individuals. No doubt the hamper recipients are blessed through this effort, yet the old cliché stands: it's better to give than to receive.

Hampers provide us with a venue to meet an immediate need, but the possibility of helping any further is low. As our caring mission gained clarity a couple of years ago, we sought opportunities that included building relationships and extending a helping hand to those who don't count themselves as part of our church family.

The Bridge on 20th is an inner city church and soup kitchen that we have entered into an exciting partnership with. In December, we finished our second Alpha Course at The Bridge, which included a team of people who cooked and served lunch every Monday and another team who led discussion groups. Many friendships were made as we ate, laughed and learned together.

This spring, we'll be taking a break from Alpha and participating in “A Life Worth Living” instead (another video course by Nicky Gumbel). Our intent with both of these courses is to build relationships with people from different socio-economic backgrounds, to empower leadership from within the participants, and to take next steps on our faith journeys.

As we've built a relationship with The Bridge, we've found other ways to serve together. On the third Saturday of every month, individuals from Lakeview offer their time to wash dishes, chop vegetables and serve soup. In November, a team of junior high students and leaders offered their help on a monthly basis as well. In fall, we held our first “Clothing Exchange” at The Bridge; people brought good used clothing to Lakeview and we in turn brought it to The Bridge to offer it at no cost to anyone who could use it. The response was overwhelming and we plan to hold this event again in spring.

Support and Recovery Groups are another way in which we extend empathy to those hurting within our own family as well as those in the community. We currently have three groups: DivorceCare, Chronic Pain/Depression, and Adult Children of Dysfunction. This is a burgeoning area in our desire to become a caring community. Painful circumstances are inevitable in life; no one is exempt. We are currently advertising our groups

in partnership with another Saskatoon church through a brochure in the local newspaper. At the very least, we hope to communicate a cooperative and caring spirit to our community through this brochure, and at the very most who knows?

SO MANY TIMES PEOPLE JUMP HEADFIRST INTO THE “DOING” ASPECT OF CARE MINISTRY, BUT CARING IS BOTH A VERB AND AN ADJECTIVE. DOING NATURALLY FLOWS FROM BEING. While Lakeview sincerely desires to use our resources to meet the physical needs of others, it can be difficult to discern how best to help. NeighbourLink offers us a solution to that problem. NeighbourLink is a national ministry of World Vision that networks and equips churches to work together to respond to needs in their communities, and Saskatoon is blessed to be the only Saskatchewan community with a NeighbourLink affiliate. The purpose of NeighbourLink is to serve as the conduit between community needs and churches, thus freeing churches to respond without the added confusion of screening the legitimate needs from those abusing the system. Whether giving an elderly person a ride to a doctor's appointment, delivering a food hamper, or cleaning eavestroughs for a single mom, our dedicated church coordinators are passionate about matching community needs with Lakeview volunteers.

Through all of these opportunities, we're being inwardly transformed. In Henri Nouwen's words, we're learning “to recognize the Lord's voice, his face, and his touch in every person we meet”. The picture we paint at Lakeview is really just a child's refrigerator scribbles; beauty emanates from it only as God's hand covers our own as he helps us create the picture he sees.

“In the soil of this violent, disordered world, an alternate community may take root. It lives in hope of a day of liberation. In the meantime, it aligns itself with another world, not just spreading rumors, but planting settlements-in-advance of that coming reign”.

Jacqui Acree is Director of Care Ministry at Lakeview FMC in Saskatoon, SK

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“go to” church is a church that says the people who need good news are out there in our community. It says, we have to go to them. A “come to” church, on the other hand, is a church that says everything happens at our church. It says, people need to come to us to get access to the good news that we've got. This is how Dr. Gary Nelson, the featured speaker at our recent pastors' retreats, described the two different types of churches found amongst the evangelical community. Including amongst Free Methodists!

I recently had a chance to spend a few days with New Heights Community Church in Mission, BC. This congregation struck me as a “go to” church. It's a little difficult to find this church, if you are looking for a building. The church has an office on a main thoroughfare in this rough and tumble town of 39,000 in the Fraser River Valley. The office space is part of a former retail shop/garage/warehouse, that is shared with Youth for Christ.

Youth events, street church, outreach to First Nations people, and other dropin type ministries happen from this location in the heart of the community.

The pastors are daily on the streets and in people's homes. Sunday worship is held in rented space in a local high school theatre-style auditorium. They've been meeting there for years with no plans to change. This is a church that is taking good news to where people need it, not waiting for them to come to a particular building or program. In this church, mission is a way of life, not just an add-on to other multiple activities.

Dr. Nelson suggested that “go to”, or missional, churches understand why they exist, when they are existing, where they are ministering and who they are. Missional churches understand their purpose is to demonstrate visible signs of the kingdom of God to communities in need of good news. They understand their times in the flow of history and social change. They understand the geographical, social and cultural context of their ministry.

They know their historical and theological values and practices, reshaping them for the present context.

When we talk about our desire to develop “healthy churches” in Canada and beyond, we are touching on some of the qualities of missional churches.

Natural Church Development (NCD) gives eight characteristics that most of our churches are seeking to evaluate on a regular basis. I have often thought of these eight factors as components in the engine of a car. With any of them missing, the car doesn't work, so we need to keep them working well. But ultimately the car has to have a driver in the seat and a direction to move in.

The “missional” or “go to” image suggests a church on the move, in the direction of people who need good news.

In a recent book, Treasure in Clay Jars (2004), the authors give a set of indicators for identifying missional churches. They suggest that missional churches: P P

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proclaim the gospel. The story of God's salvation is faithfully communicated in a multitude of different ways. are communities where all members are learning to become disciples of Jesus. This disciple identity is held by all and growth as disciples is expected. hold the Bible as normative. The church is reading the Bible together to learn of God's gracious intent for all creation, the salvation mystery, and the identity and purpose of their life together. understand themselves to be different from the world around them

The Chair for Wesley Studies at Tyndale Seminary, Toronto, is $40,000 closer to being fully funded, according to Rev. Lloyd Eyre, president of the Lorne Park Foundation.

Recently, the Management Committee of the Board of Administration of The Free Methodist Church in Canada allocated an undesignated $40,000 bequest to this fund, bringing total cash in hand to $770,000. Of this amount, $360,000 is held by the Lorne Park Foundation and $410,000 by the Free Methodist Foundation of the Canadian church.

The Donald N. and Kathleen G. Bastian Chair of Wesley Studies at Tyndale Seminary was established in 1993 to assure that Free Methodist and other students in the Wesleyan tradition receive a good understanding of their theological foundations as they train for ministry at Tyndale, a transdenominational seminary.

The objective regarding the Chair is to raise enough money in a permanent fund so that the interest from that fund will provide the salary for a professor in perpetuity. This avoids a yearly drain on other funds needed for church ministries and assures that the training will always be available.

Dr. Victor Shepherd, the first occupant of the Chair on a half time basis, has been a popular professor for the whole student body and has made the

because of their participation in the life, death and resurrection of their Lord. In its corporate life and public witness, the church is consciously seeking to conform to its Lord instead of the multitude of cultures in which it finds itself.

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seek to discern God's specific missional responsibility (or vocation) for the entire community and for its members. The church has made its “mission” its priority and is seeking ways to be and do what God is calling them to. are indicated by how Christians behave toward one another. Acts of selfsacrifice on behalf of one another in the church and in the community characterize the generosity of the congregation. practice reconciliation. The congregation is moving beyond homogeneity (alikeness) toward a more heterogeneous (diverse) community in its racial, ethnic, age, gender and socioeconomic makeup. hold themselves accountable to one another in love. Substantial time is spent with one another for the purpose of watching over one another in love. practice hospitality. Welcoming the stranger into the midst of the community plays a significant role in the life of the congregation. celebrate worship as their central act. There is significant and meaningful engagement in communal worship of God, reflecting appropriately and addressing the culture of those who worship together. have a vital public witness. The congregation makes an observable impact that contributes to the transformation of life, society and human relationships. recognize that they are an incomplete expression of the kingdom of God. There is a widely held perception that the congregation is on a journey toward a more faithfully lived life in the reign of God.

One thing you will notice amongst healthy churches who are living out a missional identity is their limited fascination with numbers! But healthy churches are attractive and, as Christian Schwartz suggests, they “grow all by themselves.” I hate shopping in stores where all the salespeople are working on commission - they are consumed by how much product they can sell, not the quality of the product itself. I like shopping in stores with good products - if the product is attractive, I'll buy; salespeople just help me understand how to use it.

The closing “hymn” at New Heights Community Church that Sunday was a straight-ahead rock and roll version of the Rolling Stones' song “You Can't Always Get What You Want.” OK, I admit that's not everybody's idea of how a worship service should end, but it was a song and message that touched the people and the ministry context of Mission, BC. I would like to suggest they are a church that is living out many of the indicators listed above.

They are not consumed with numbers, but they are consumed with being the people of God in their community. And funny thing, they have grown from 0 to 300 in eight years, making them one of our larger Free Methodist churches and have sent more mission teams overseas in the past three years than any other FM church in Canada. But they don't have a church building and they barely pay their pastors. Mission is their life. Go figure.

by Rev. Dan Sheffield

Chair highly visible. This, in turn, has given voice to the Wesley heritage and contributed to the training of ministers of several denominations. It has thus created an appreciation for Wesley's contribution to the Protestant mosaic.

Dr. Shepherd has recently become Professor of Systematic Theology at Tyndale and an interview process is going on for a replacement to fill the Wesley Chair. It is expected that a full time professor will be on staff by the fall of 2005.

The minimum amount needed to reach the goal of a fully funded chair is $1,200,000. It is hoped the fund drive will not end until $1,500,000 is raised.

Outstanding pledges exceed $400,000.

Although Free Methodist leaders initiated this venture, until the Chair is fully funded, the following Wesleyan-oriented bodies provide annual amounts to make a full time Chair possible: The Free Methodist Church in Canada, the Brethren in Christ Church, The Salvation Army, The Wesleyan Church and the Church of the Nazarene.

Both the Management Committee of the Board of Administration and the Board of the Lorne Park Foundation see this as an important project in the development of the Church in Canada.

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his past month as I read my “Voice of the Martyrs” weekly email updates, I felt extremely appreciative of the freedom we have in Canada to openly share good news of Jesus Christ. Here are a few of the stories I read over the last couple weeks …

Restrictive Constitutional Amendment Proposed (Sri Lanka) - The JHU party, composed entirely of Buddhist monks, is attempting once again to engrain Buddhism as the state religion … the amendment would also prohibit converting Buddhists to any other religion as well as spreading other religions among Buddhists.

Convert from Islam Seriously Wounded (Philippines) A 24-year-old Christian man in southern Philippines, was seriously wounded by Muslim militants. The relatively new convert from Islam … was shot in the abdomen and the chest. One bullet lodged in his spine, causing fear of paralysis. The man has been an ardent evangelist since he came to faith in Christ. His public testimony has resulted in several death threats against him.

Two Die in Attack on Evangelistic Team (Nigeria) Ten heavily-armed Islamic militants attacked an evangelistic team in northern Nigeria during an open-air evangelistic event. According to Compass Direct, the “New Life For All” evangelistic team was leaving for street evangelism when they were attacked.

Native Missionary Severely Beaten (India) A Gospel for Asia missionary, was severely beaten by a mob opposed to his ministry. The mob beat and kicked him while others ransacked his home, burning over 200 New Testaments and other literature.

As I consider situations like these all over the world, I am thankful that in Canada we continue to have the freedom to publicly share our faith without fear of violence or imprisonment. As Christ's followers we should make the most of the opportunities that God has given us to proclaim the “Good News”.

In recent years the use of sports in evangelism has become more prominent. Sports are a great ministry tool in that they serve to connect us to those we wish to reach. Several Free Methodist churches are already using this medium as part of their approach to evangelism and many of you have indicated a desire to explore further the possibilities of using sports to reach out to youth and young adults.

With this mind we will be holding a Sports Ministry Summit on Saturday April 2nd, 2005 at Kingsview church in Toronto.

The purpose of the summit is to provide an opportunity for individuals and churches to come together to consider the use of sports ministry as an evangelism tool.

We will have guest speakers from several sports ministry organizations that will give us a framework for facilitated small group reflection and discussion.

Pastors, student ministry leaders, youth and young adults that are interested in sports ministry are encouraged to come and participate in this event. Come as an individual or as group from your church. We will be providing a travel subsidy for Western representatives wishing to attend.

To register for the event or for more information contact andrew@reachforth.net / 905-527-3289 or check the FMCiC website www.fmc-canada.org.

Final Decision on Vilification Charges Imminent (Australia) The Victorian Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal will be announcing the decision on accusations of “religious vilification” of Muslims by Pastors Danny Nalliah and Daniel Scot. Pray that this decision will be favorable, allowing the freedom of Christians to speak the truth in love.

Andrew Brown is Student Ministries Director for The Free Methodist Church in Canada and will be continuing in his role as President of Reach Forth (www.reachforth.net), a multi-denominational evangelistic sports and youth ministry in Hamilton, ON.

Upcoming Opportunities . . .

One day, I got this phone call from Andrew asking me if I would be interested in going to a 24/7 prayer event that would take place in a garage. I really had no idea what this 24/7 prayer thing was all about and I had no idea why I had actually agreed to go. On the way to the prayer event we talked about what God had been doing in our lives and Andrew filled us in on what the 24/7 prayer was all about.

We got there and went into the garage and there was the girl who had organized the event sitting in a chair. She introduced herself and explained to us how and why she wanted to have a “24/1” prayer in her garage (it wasn't exactly a 24/7 prayer because this one was only for 24 hours). The garage had chairs set up around it and there was some music playing softly in the back ground, there was a board set-up with different prayer requests from youth, and there was a candle set up that you could light if you felt like it. We felt like we wanted to pray as a group to begin with so we just started to pray. I soon forgot about the coldness and about how I really didn't want to be sitting in a garage on a Friday night but I just started to focus on the others' prayers. I could feel God in that small, some would say insignificant garage and I began to realize that there was a reason for young people to gather and pray together. I can't even explain the way I felt just pouring my heart out to God and having others there to support me and that I could pray for. It was such an amazing experience that I would like to encourage you all to go to a 24/7 prayer event. I believe God worked in all of our lives that night and that He met with us in a special and real way. Please don't give up the chance to pray with others or even on your own during one of these 24/7 or even “24/1” events God will meet with you and touch your life and He will work in others through you.

Kahlan Coates (Grade 11) - Holt Free Methodist Church

Student Missions Summer 2005 Madrid Spain Urban Missions Church Plant Missions Sports Mission Team Opportunities for High School and College & Career age individuals and groups to be involved in missions this summer.

For more information contact: andrew@reachforth.net tel / 905-527-3289 or check the FMCIC website: www.fmc-canada.org

None of our present Free Methodist churches are in the affected coastal area Medium-term Response to Crisis of Sri Lanka. However, various pastors and church members have made The longer term implication for these displaced peoples is the construction trips to the affected areas to provide limited relief and assess the situation. of temporary shelters that may need to suffice for up to a year or more.

Many homes have been destroyed as well as peoples' livelihoods. Because Our Major Relief and Development Partner seawater has polluted wells and agricultural lands, many will not be able Major relief organizations such as our partner, World Relief, have the best return to their home areas for some time, months and even years. Many will ability to respond quickly to crises like this and have local partners they be temporarily re-settled in areas at some distance from their homes. work with. These organizations are providing the most pressing needs of Therefore we are seeking to raise at least $20,000 for the building of food, water and medical aid. Donations sent directly to World Relief, clearly temporary shelters for family units. These will be simple post and beam marked for "Tsunami-Sri Lanka," will be sent directly to their partner structures covered with metal sheeting, costing about $200 per shelter. This working in Sri Lanka. amount of money will provide shelter for about 100 families.

Immediate Response to Crisis $10,000 was sent in January to help with such items as milk powder, cooking and eating vessels, undergarments, toiletries, bedsheets, lamps, mosquito protection, tents and bibles. These goods will be purchased and distributed by leaders in our Free Methodist churches and will go directly to those in need on the east coast of Sri Lanka, particularly in the Batticaloa and Ampara areas.

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ow many times have you heard it said that anyone who participates in a Missions Trip will experience personal life changes? This fact has graduated me into the class of the “dittos”! I’ve been changed!

Travelling with our Director of Global and Intercultural Ministries, Dan Sheffield, to Niamey Niger, Africa, as well as a side trip to the Village of Hope in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, was a fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

As a young boy I sat listening to my “Mentor” Missionary tell stories of ministry in Africa (what was then the Belgian Congo.) Would my future ever include such an adventure?

Thanks to a supportive church, that dream became reality. When David and Jennifer Wright responded to the challenge of Niamey, Niger, Africa, immediately I wondered if my connection with SIM through a niece and nephew serving exactly in that location could be of any value in the process of their settling in. A conversation with Dan began the journey.

When the Valleyview Official Board came alongside, even greater momentum resulted. Board members challenged me to pray for a “partner” from our church to accompany me. And so Randy McNab joined our team.

Together, we three were messengers of encouragement, taking the maximum amount of suitcases (and then some!) from supporting churches to bless David and Jennifer (Cole and Ben were especially thrilled with the “Shrek” watches).

To witness the progress in the Wright family as they adjust and effectively lay foundation for future ministry, is a confirmation of this new missions endeavour. Without question Niamey is a city desperate for the transformation that Jesus can make. The gifts and talents of the Wrights, teamed with those desiring to plant churches and disciple believers, are

Ministry team in February A ministry team is visiting Sri Lanka in mid-February, led by Alan Retzman and Pastors Jeyerajah and Gomez. This team was intending to continue leadership and organizational development for the Free Methodist Church in Sri Lanka. Donations can be sent through your local church for “Sri Lanka-Tsunami relief.”

already giving evidence of Spirit-led direction. Partnering to pray and provide some life necessities is the immediate task at hand. Some pressing items range from cell phone to hot water heater, air conditioner and freezer.

Specifically pray for David’s continued increasing grasp of French. Pray that Cole and Ben will adjust to their new world. Finally, pray that Jennifer’s impact on the students at Sahel Academy would result in well-adjusted and well-prepared graduates facing their future.

During our 10-day trip Dan lectured at the college and met with ministry Leadership. Randy and I were “Show and Tell” guests at Jennifer’s school, and interacted with university students taking English as a second language.

Serving with “Care Force International,” my oldest daughter and her husband have twice been a part of work teams, building the Village of Hope in Burkina Faso. A personal invitation to come and share there was a an additional ministry opportunity, the highlight of which was preaching to a Sunday Youth Service of over 600 in attendance (meeting in a space designed for 200!) It was a powerful “moment of ministry” with many lives affected for eternity!

So what has changed in my life? The word “beyond” in our Free Methodist Vision Statement, is no longer simply an idea or a goal. “Beyond” is fast becoming a way of life. Already locally we are planning our next investment into the lives of the Wrights and others.

What a privilege to be part of the bigger picture of Global Missions!

Rev Gary Landers is Senior Pastor at Valleyview Community Church, Val Caron, ON Left: the Wright family Bottom left:Pastor Gary speaks to congregation in Burkina Faso Below:This picture is ESL class in Niamey - Randy McNab, Pastor Gary Landers and SIM Missionary James Borody