Fall 2012

The Free Methodist Church in Canada | Special Issue 2012 | Volume 9, Issue 3

CONTENT COVER A Lesson I learned from the Lilies

by Bishop Keith Elford PAGE 2 Editor’s Desk THE FUTURE IS TOGETHER

by Jared Siebert PAGE 3 One of MEGaP’s Questions

by Kim Henderson PAGE 4 How can I help?

Finding ways to connect with community

by Jay Mowchenko PAGES 5 Network Connection Finding ways to strengthen each other

by Hilkka Aavasalmi Media and the church: Using Social Media as a tool to connect your congregation

by Loreli Cockram PAGE 6 Passages Stewarding our Connections

by Sandy Crozier PAGE 7 OUR HISTORY: John Wesley and Jennie Haley: The Middle Years (1909-1934)

by Dan Sheffield Creating bonds globally and locally

by Paula Moriarity PAGE 8 Holding hands across the ocean: learning from Encounter Sri Lanka 2012

by Rachel Runnalls 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. lisa.howden@fmcic.ca www.fmcic.ca For submissions:

lisa.howden@fmcic.ca Dan Sheffield, Editor-in-Chief Lisa Howden, Managing Editor and Production Mailed under publication agreement #40008369 Return postage guaranteed

Reflecting the diversity of ministry expression within the Free Methodist family

A LESSON I LEARNED FROM THE LILIES BISHOP KEITH ELFORD

W

hen Doug and Martin Wightman took me on a northern Ontario canoe trip last spring, my myth about water lilies was destroyed. I’ve always thought that water lilies were cool plants - these large, usually white or pale pink flowers that one sees floating on still water surrounded by green leaves on ponds or in marshes. Because I had obviously not thought much about it, I had assumed that these water plants existed by drawing the nutrients that sustained their lives from the water that buoyed them up.

Imagine. Plants, not only surviving but actually thriving on just water! That’s what I supposed. That’s what it looked like on the surface.

As we paddled into the marshy inlets of a lake surrounded by rugged rocks and stalwart conifers, I saw wild rice growing and then further on we came to several water lilies. The water was crystal clear and, as I looked under the lilies, I saw some “things” dangling down and down and down … and that’s when my myth was busted. There were long stems under each plant that reached down and connected the flower on surface with the deep thick mud at the bottom of the marsh.

In this issue, we are talking about connections.

Others will explore connections between people, ministries in Canada and even with communities of faith and witness in other parts of the world. I want to explore the underwater world of the connections that support us. These connections are often out of conscious sight, but nonetheless are shaping who were are as individual parts that make up the movement that floats on the surface in Canadian communities where Free Methodists live, worship, serve and witness.

I want to explore the underwater world of the connections that support us. These connections are often out of conscious sight, but none the less are shaping who we are as individual parts that make up the movement that floats on the surface in Canadian communities where Free Methodists live, worship, serve and witness. inherent in the rental of pews to the wealthy demonstrated the spirit of true Methodism.

Although issues change, the sensitive social conscience remains, evidenced by continuing active participation in the social concerns of the day.

Let’s go under the surface to look at the rhizomes and roots that ultimately anchor us in the will and the character of God. The health of what’s on the surface is directly related to the connection under the surface.

Without discounting in any way the work of the Holy Spirit among us, it will be worth our while to actually go underwater to pause and reflect on the connections that feed what is flourishing in our movement.

“During the nineteenth century, the holiness movement, arising in American Methodism but spreading through other nations and denominations, called Christians to deeper levels of relationship with God and greater concern for the needs of hurting humanity.

Within this context, the Reverend Benjamin T. Roberts and other ministers and laypersons in the Genesee Conference of the Methodist Church in western New York, raised a protest against theological liberalism, unhealthy compromise on pressing social issues, and loss of spiritual fervour.

“The Free Methodist Church exists to make known to all people everywhere God’s call to wholeness through forgiveness and holiness in Jesus Christ, and to invite into membership and equip for ministry all who respond in faith” is the purpose statement that connects us to Free Methodists around the world. While we desire to see many new believers come to Christ, the real goal is to re-populate communities around the world with joyful, obedient disciples committed to what’s important to the Lord Jesus.

“Between 1858 and 1860, a number of these leaders were excluded from the Methodist Episcopal Church on various charges and allegations. In reality, the primary issue was their proclamation of the basic principles of Methodism, especially the doctrine and experience of entire sanctification…

On August 23, 1860, they met in an apple orchard in Sanborn, New York, to form The Free Methodist Church. Today, Centenary Park marks the approximate location of that historic event.

The brief history in the opening pages of The Manual of The Free Methodist Church in Canada tells us: “Socially, from their early days, Free Methodists displayed an awakened conscience characteristic of the early Wesleyan movement. Their outspoken action against the institution of slavery and the class distinction

“‘Free’ was chosen as an adjective in the name to signify their belief that slaves should go free, pews should be free of rent to any who wished to attend church, members should be free from oaths of secrecy in secret societies, and the freedom of the Spirit should be acknowledged in public worship. The body

that began inauspiciously in an orchard in western New York is now at work in more than 50 countries of the world, one of which is Canada.”

That’s the spirit that brought our movement into being and it is refreshing to know that spiritually healthy members of our movement still care about expressing today what was informing these core concerns in the earliest days. There’s a connection. Stay with me and you’ll see what I mean below when we snorkel over to the FMCiC’s “Core Values.”

Closer to the surface, we are connected by a common vision: “to see a healthy church within the reach of all people in Canada and beyond.”

But healthy churches on the surface don’t happen without being anchored in practices that are rooted in what the Bible emphasizes as essential to God’s eternal redemptive plans and purposes. If this is going to happen, connected spiritually healthy Free Methodists declare with their lives (not just their words): “Following God’s activity in our ‘Jerusalems, Judeas, Samarias and beyond,’ we will…

• • • •

Find ways to engage unreached people and unreached communities with the gospel Mature congregations through developing healthy pastoral and lay leaders Commission prepared people to purposeful service Interpret life theologically through intentional reflection

THIS ARTICLE CONTINUES ON PAGE 3 - LESSON

MOSAIC 2

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK Jared Siebert Director of Growth Ministries

Lisa Howden Managing Editor

How am I connected?

In October of 1990 the world began to realize how desperate the situation was for Romanian orphans under Nicolae Ceauşescu’s regime.

Deprived of any kind of normal connection and raised in ill-equipped and under-staffed institutions, these orphans lacked all the necessities that make it possible to flourish. The church that I attended at the time sent teams to Romania to work in the orphanages. Their main task was to feed and cuddle the children – to hold them as much as possible so that they could begin to thrive.

I remember studying Maslow’s hierarchy of needs when I was in school. Maslow discovered that only our need to feel safe and survive superseded our need to belong and be “relational” (or connected) with others.

Connection – it is the same for every human.

The plight of these orphans is an extreme case, but it demonstrates quite clearly that we all need to be connected and what happens when that connection is lost.

I have been thinking of the ways in which I am connected – to my family, to friends, at work, in my church, to my community and to God. I have to admit that some of these connections are more easily maintained for me than others. For example, it’s not hard for me to stay connected to my friends and family, but I have to constantly work at finding ways to involved myself in my community rather than cocooning myself in the familiar.

So, “How am I connecting?” is a question that perhaps we should all be asking ourselves.

I believe we can draw strong lines of similarity when we consider our own personal connections and the connections within our movement. A number of these connections are easier for some than for others. Take for example, the network groups, many have to travel great distances to meet and stay connected, while others live relatively close by.

Here at the Ministry Centre we are constantly evaluating the way in which we are connecting with leaders throughout our movement. The Pastor’s listserv is the primary tool that we use to stay connected, but we also have the Bishop’s Notes, networks, the FM video blogs, our website, facebook, twitter and of course, the MOSAIC just to name a few. Our desire is that we will all use these tools so that we can stay connected to each other. This is no small task when each person has important and pressing responsibilities – other connections that require attention. Like everything else, it will require hard work and a belief that it is vitally important to maintain and improve the connections that we share.

This issue of the MOSAIC deals with (you guessed it) our connections. I hope that you will enjoy these stories and know that we desire to connect with you.

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Romans 12:4-5

THE FUTURE IS TOGETHER I believe the future of the church is TOGETHER. That being said, as Evangelicals we have a long history of conducting the opposite kind of experiment: APART. Traditionally, we have had the tendency to settle our arguments by moving APART. It’s why we have so many denominations. APART we were able to carve out, define and hold to our important distinctives. APART we were free to recreate ourselves, to experiment, and to test new ideas. APART has its freedoms and charms. It has clear advantages. But I also cannot help but wonder if, at times, we have missed something because we didn’t try it TOGETHER. The Free Methodist Church in Canada today is a pretty diverse group of people. By diverse I mean actually different from each other. By diverse I mean that at times we see God, Life and Church from a whole range of differing perspectives. Traditionally, this is usually a precursor to life APART. But like I said I think the future of the church is TOGETHER.

our understanding of God. Why is TOGETHER so important? Because being different TOGETHER means we are all enriched.

So how do we do this? Well I think Andy Stanley has some good suggestions that I think we would do well to keep in mind. [1] Continually give value to both sides. If we value what each side brings to the table we leave ourselves free to be informed by them both. [2] Don’t weigh in too heavily based on your personal biases. This is about resisting temptation. It is important, as leaders, to understand the upside of the opposite view and the downside of the view we are most comfortable with. [3] Don’t allow strong personalities to win. The reality is if one person wins in

In this article I want to talk to you about two things: The first is why I think we should try the TOGETHER experiment. The second, how I think we could actually do that.

So why should we try to be TOGETHER? What are the advantages? The main one is what I like to call dynamic stability. In science, there are two basic kinds of stability: static and dynamic. A system that has static stability has achieved this when things are in balance AND nothing moves or changes. Think balanced scales. Dynamic stability occurs in a system where things are in balance AND things are constantly changing and moving. Think an eco-system. Static stability, the most common and easiest to manufacture form of stability, creates balance through sameness. Dynamic stability, a rarer and more difficult system to manage, achieves balance through difference.

Okay so what does this have to do with the church? Well for me the problem with APART is it is static in its stability.

It creates balance through sameness. The reasoning goes that if we can just all think the same way we can achieve balance. The intriguing and much more difficult idea of TOGETHER suggests that even though we don’t all think the same way there are benefits that we offer each other precisely because we are different. Here are some examples of important differences. What is more important to the church... growth or nurturing? Tasks or people? Systems or flexibility? Local impact or global impact? Faith or deeds?

In each of these sets we need them both to be a healthy church. That being said, in each of these sets each of us will have a bias for one or the other. We will see life more consistently through one lens rather than the other. We will be better able to understand and be more comfortable with one idea over the other.

Our biases and comfort can create a temptation to only want to be TOGETHER with people that see the way we do. Giving in to this temptation has the potential to impoverish our church. Giving in to this temptation can limit our future options. Giving in to this temptation can hinder movement. Ultimately it can even thin

Why is together so important?

Because being different together means we are all enriched. these situations nobody actually wins. We need passionate AND mature people who don’t always have to get their own way. [4] Don’t think in terms of balance. Think in terms of rhythms. There are moments and situations when one side needs to be emphasized and times when it needs to de-emphasized. A healthy group talks this over and agrees together when one is to be preferred over the other BEFORE the conflict begins.

I believe that we as a movement have an opportunity to benefit from the diversity that God has already given us. I pray that He gives us wisdom to manage the diversity that we already have. I also prays that He blesses us with even more diversity. After all if we want to see a Healthy Church within the reach of every Canadian we are going to need more and different kinds of people around the table.

Rev. Jared Siebert is the Director of Church Development for The Free Methodist Church in Canada jared.siebert@fmcic.ca

The Free Methodist Church in Canada Our Facebook page is a great way to connect to the larger Free Methodist body. Read and post encouraging stories, local FM church events. We also link to articles on the FMCIC website - so you’ll always be in the know!

@FMCIC FMCIC is on Twitter to provide you with news and information, as well as upcoming events.

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

SEABASS TRAVELCAST

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

JARED’S TWITTER FEED @jaredsiebert

DONATE TO CHURCH PLANTING Church Planting is vital to the ongoing health and sustainability of our movement.

Contact the Growth Ministries department davika.dotson@fmcic.ca or by calling 905.848.2600 ext. 205 to donate.

3 MOSAIC

Kim Henderson Director of Personnel

ONE OF MEGAP’S QUESTIONS

A

standard question that is asked during the Ministerial Candidate interview is: “What is your understanding of what it means to be ‘connectional’ within the body of Christ?” Often the best answers are found in practice, as demonstrated by Pastor John Lang at Trinity Christian Centre (TCC) in Dresden ON. John sent me an update on life and ministry in Dresden recently and with his permission, I’m sharing that here.

Dresden is an agricultural community of 2800 in Southwestern ON. Some of us know Dresden as the home of Josiah Henson, the former US slave whose life story was the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

While some who were at the Regional Gathering in Brantford ON this spring know this next fact, it will be news to most. As of July 24, 2010 Dresden holds the title in the Guinness Book of World Records for the World’s Longest Tractor Parade! The tractor parade was used as a fund raiser for the Canadian Cancer Society, based on an idea by Ken Richards, who serves as the delegate (among other roles) at TCC. On that day in July two years ago 1,232 tractors (and drivers) participated. It was a very successful fundraiser for the Cancer Society.

TCC is a faith community of 25-30 and has been under Pastor John’s leadership for the last 4.5 years. In his report, John wrote that he has recently led the church’s small group through God’s Grace Channels – Wesley’s Means of Grace in the Christian Life (Dan Sheffield), supplementing this with a segment on the gifts of the Spirit, including a gift survey. John shared ‘As a result of this study I have noticed more Bible being used during the church services, more involvement in the worship services, and our mid-week prayer group has doubled in size with 7 to 8 in regular attendance. Also, more people are getting involved in reaching out to their neighbours and the Dresden community. This summer our church was involved in a Dresden Ministerial event called “We Are Christ Day” in which we blessed the Dresden community. Most from our small group got involved, putting grace to work.’

LESSON continued from cover • •

Invest human and financial resources strategically Communicate and celebrate through listening to and inspiring one another.”

Earlier, I promised that one can see in the Core Values that connect us today, a connection to the passionate commitments of those further down the stem of the passage of time. The order in which the Core Values are written seems random … (e.g. Why aren’t they alphabetized? …

Really? Do we start with “Persons”? What’s with that?

Does reality centre on human beings?)

I think that this scrambling may have been intentional because each of these sets of statements is important in their own right. To be honest, at different times one may need to be pulled out to have slightly more attention. So, if you find yourself saying: “No. This should be first in the list!”… pay attention. It may be that this is an area that the Holy Spirit wants you to consider more deeply just now.

Of course, these statements are not anywhere near the level of the authority of the Scriptures. They are different in their structure and purpose from our Statement of Faith known as “The Articles of Religion,” but here’s a suggestion.

Read through this list of connecting values quickly now, but at some point, take each set to your devotional time for a few days in a row and think about each point. In my search to live as a joyful, obedient disciple, I’ve done this from time to time and found stems here that concretely connect me to important truths rooted in the Scriptures and ultimately to the heart of the Lord Jesus. (I’ve also done this with “The Articles of Religion”. I know that the title doesn’t have much sparkle, but the contents have spiritual substance that also connect us to what is essential.) Back on the present point. Here are our Core Values as a movement in Canada.

John has also preached through an eight week sermon series on ‘What We Believe as Free Methodists’ based on the Articles of Religion (101 to 130 in the Manual). He incorporated membership materials into this series and so used this as a Sunday morning worship membership class. This resulted in 12 new members at the end of the series, increasing their membership by about 40%. They also celebrated three adult baptisms! With the support and encouragement of the board, John plans to do this again, using the membership materials developed by Dan Sheffield and Jared Siebert.

Every summer there are a number of migrant workers in the area. TCC is trying to connect with the Jamaicans that are in and around Dresden for six weeks during the tomato harvest, but John shared that previous efforts haven’t borne much fruit. The workers put in long shifts, seven days a week and have very little free time. The church has asked if they could hold Bible Studies during the workers’ lunch break before the start of the shift but that request was denied. So this year TCC focused on more one-onone ministry, developing friendships, with the hope that next year they can do something more as these friendships Persons • All persons are made in the image of God and possess intrinsic worth.

• All persons have a need to know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.

• All persons can be saved and begin a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

• All persons have their own gifts to contribute to the kingdom.

Church • The Christian community is the foundation for the growth of the Kingdom of God on earth.

• The Christian community is the primary context for developing believers.

• The Christian community is to minister in Jesus’ name to all people.

• The Christian community is to worship and serve God. Team • Teamwork demonstrates the diversity of spiritual gifts and personal competencies within the church.

• Teamwork recognizes our dependence on God and each other.

• Teamwork maximizes the leadership resources of the church.

• Teamwork builds Christian community.

Connectionalism • Free Methodists share a common theology, membership covenant, and leadership system.

• Free Methodists co-operate with other parts of the Christian church in redemptive endeavours and political response.

• Free Methodists build healthy inter-congregational cooperation, celebration and support.

• Free Methodists affirm diverse approaches to accomplish our common vision and mission.

develop.

John is an active participant in his network and hosts the Dresden and area ministerial weekly in his office, for prayer, sharing, talking theology and so on. He shares that those are rich times.

This is a lived-out answer of what it means to be connectional. Connections are happening locally – the small group is an example of this. Denominational connections and resource sharing happen through the network. The weekly meeting of the ministerial and ‘We Are Christ Day’ demonstrate harmony and cooperation across denominations. And the desire to connect globally is present, especially when some from another country are right in Dresden for part of the year! While John would receive a great score on this MEGaP question, the true importance lies in the lives that are being changed for the sake of the Kingdom. Thanks for sharing, John, so that we can celebrate with you!

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

Integrity • Integrity is grounded in the character of God. • Integrity establishes a framework for all relationships.

• Integrity guides all strategies, actions and programs.

• Integrity ensures the appropriate use of time, money, and energy.

Learning • Learning leads to excellence.

• Learning leads to creativity.

• Learning leads to faithfulness to biblical essentials.

• Learning increases skill.

Growth • The Scriptures call for every church to grow.

• The Scriptures call for the evangelization of the unreached.

• The Scriptures call for every Christian to grow in grace and knowledge of Christ.

• The Scriptures call for every Christian to participate in the growth of the church.

Generosity • God is generous to all. Becoming more like Him, we extend God’s love through generosity to others.

• Generosity is grace-enabled as we trust God in all circumstances.

• Generosity is a source of joy and blessing as we join God in His ministry.

• Generosity glorifies God.

It’s time to re-surface. Lilies witness with their wholesome, beauty to the creator because they are connected to stems that are connected to roots. If the roots were displaced or the connections were cut, what then?

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

MOSAIC 4

con·nect·ed Bring together or into contact so that a real or notional link is established.



Join together so as to provide access and communication.

How can I help?

Finding ways to connect with community

I

was at Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago, August 2000, listening to Bill Clinton speak. He said something that has changed the way I see my ministry to my community. He said, “All day long, your political leaders see people who want something from them. Go to them and for 20 minutes, give them the gift of being with someone who wants NOTHING from them! Pray for them and ask them, ‘How can I help?’”

When I moved to Weyburn, I took advantage of being in a smaller centre and went to all three of the key political leaders in our city and asked, “Can I pray for you?” and “How can I help?” All of them were happy to see me and receive prayer. Since then, I have been welcomed into the Mayor’s office many times. (The others are open to me too – they’re good guys. I’ve just “clicked” with the mayor.) We always pray together, and have become friends. Her Worship is a sincere Catholic and relishes any opportunity to receive spiritual encouragement and support.

In 2010, she called me in to her office and said, “You want to know how you can help?

Housing. We are facing a growing crisis in affordable housing in this community. Will you help us pull together an advisory committee to help address this need?” I knew nothing about housing, but I DO know a thing or two about moving a group towards a goal.

A couple of years, many meetings and two commissioned studies later, we have several major developers active in our community, affordable housing initiatives and incentives underway, and a beginning relationship with Habitat for Humanity Regina. As a pastor, my impact on a community usually lasts from 2-15 years. By asking, “How can I help?” I have been invited to be part of something concrete that will still be blessing Weyburn 100+ years from now. What a gift!!!

For me, asking “How can I help?” is the foolproof gateway to practicing “works of mercy” on a consistent basis. Whether I ask it at home with my family, as a parent in the school, with my extended family, or even just talking to strangers, God ALWAYS does something in response! “Lord, show me someone I can help,” is a prayer that never fails to be answered.

That doesn’t always result in sunshine and roses though. Being more connected to our community means that I devote less of my time and attention to the people, programs and issues INSIDE the church. It has led to a constant tension that our whole leadership team works hard to be mindful of and to live with creatively.

We had few programs that were aimed at answering the question “How can we help?” Those that we had were good, relevant programs run by passionate skilled people. But it wasn’t enough and I felt we were failing.

It’s taken our family places we never thought we’d go – a nephew came to live with us for 14 months, we find ourselves giving things away BEFORE WE’RE DONE WITH THEM, and this fall we’re taking our kids with us to the poorest country in the world: Niger. When I go on a trip with my kids, I want to take them to someplace safe and fun like Disneyworld or the West Edmonton Mall. Diving into a nation full of civil war evacuees, famine, cholera and now a flood disaster zone was not high on my bucket list! And to be honest, I feel kind of silly asking “How can I help?” when a country is facing issues that large. Don’t think I won’t ask, but I’m pretty nervous about what the answer might be! No matter what happens, I will choose not to ever regret asking, “How can I help?”

In 2007, the LifePlan led us to examine the ways our church was or wasn’t connected to our community. At first, I was quite discouraged. We had few programs that were aimed at answering the question “How can we help?” Those that we had were good, relevant programs run by passionate skilled people. But it wasn’t enough and I felt we were failing.

I was encouraged by a board member to look a little deeper. I found that our people are VERY involved in the community on an individual level – many times, we found that their community service was the reason for their “attendance problem” and their “lack of ministry engagement problem.” WFMC people are VERY involved in helping their community – from the Cancer Society, Rotary, the Youth Centre, community theater, coaching and managing sports teams, school activities, Ag Society and 4H, nursing home services...the list just grows and grows!

Are we failing because we don’t have specific corporate programs aimed at one or two specific needs? Should we try to pull people away from those individual passions so that our church name can be more visible? I’m not so sure. Conversely, are we completely successful going at it as disconnected individuals? As we like to phrase it in the FMCiC, I think the answer for us is somewhere in that “both/and” range. So to try and bring a bit more corporate engagement with our community, we are trying to inject the “How can I help?” question into our LifePlan planning process.

At WFMC, we are blessed to have a lot of passionate, gifted individuals doing the best they can to be salt and light where they are. We’re more of a shotgun than a rifle at this point, which might not be all bad. What I love about being in the ongoing cycle of the LifePlan is that we continue to seek progress rather than perfection, and each time around, we keep getting better and better.

(L-R) Saskatchewan Minister of Health and MLA for Weyburn-Big Muddy, Dustin Duncan, Mayor of Weyburn, Debra Button and Jay Mowchenko, Pastor and Weyburn Housing Advisory Committee Facilitator.

Jay Mowchenko is Lead Pastor at Weyburn Free Methodist Church in Saskatchewan

5 MOSAIC

MEDIA AND THE CHURCH: USING SOCIAL MEDIA AS A TOOL TO CONNECT YOUR CONGREGATION

One of the most observable things we know about the apostle Paul is that he wrote letters to the churches to encourage them, to instruct them and to build them up when he couldn’t be there in person. It was a means of communication and connection.

Network Connection

Finding ways to strengthen each other

A

wonderful definition for “connection” is “a circle of friends or associates” (dictionary. com). One important “circle of friends” for me as a Free Methodist pastor has been the Pastors Network. Networks are groups (as close geographically as you can get in Canada...) that meet together through the year. So what has being part of a Network meant to me?

First of all, in any ministry or occupation, connecting with others who do what you do has tremendous value – whether it is talking about church brochures or how to coordinate community food drive campaigns or discussing website design, preaching practices, children’s ministry, conflict resolution, effective leadership or practicing spiritual disciplines together. As we share together, I am often energized by the interplay of ideas as we listen, ask questions, challenge, encourage and affirm one another. I’m also inspired as I hear what the Lord is doing in the lives and ministries of others. Gaining perspectives beyond my own FM ministry context stretches me, which in turn enriches local ministry.

One of the most important things we do is “check in” with one another to see how we’re doing, both in our personal and ministry lives. Trust is built as brothers and sisters share both the joys and challenges that inevitably come with life in ministry. Together we rejoice as well as bear one another’s burdens as we carry them to the Lord in prayer.

Here`s a personal example from a few years back.

I think their faith and prayerful support right from the start was among the reasons I coped so well with treatment and was able to continue on with ministry.

I’m stating the obvious when I say there are a plethora of ways to communicate within our church(es) nowadays, although pen and paper is not the primary means. We text, instant message, e-mail, blog, and use social media (with all its options). Oh yah, some of us still make phone calls. With each new option, it becomes increasingly difficult to navigate these tools. Which is the most appropriate choice for you and your congregation?

Still wearing the Captain Obvious hat, I’ll tell you that I am a big advocate of social media as a method of communication for the church. Besides the fact that it’s my job, I will probably have a kindly debate with you when you tell me why you won’t jump on this bandwagon. I will tell you that the pros far outweigh the cons… with a few criteria to help us understand the best way to use it.

Social media can be helpful in building connections, but it is also limited. It’s important to make full use of its potential, as well as work within its boundaries, for maximum impact.

Know Your Purpose Why do you have a Facebook page or Twitter account? Sure, we enjoy perusing photographs or sharing an interesting article on to others, but ultimately it’s about making connections. Networking isn’t where it ends, instead it leads to the opportunity to build IRL (In Real Life) relationships.

Our church has a Facebook page so that people can be in-the-know about events, news and updates, but ultimately so that we will participate in them.

Know Your Audience Knowing your audience feeds into knowing your purpose. Even as I write this, I presume that I am writing mostly to leaders in the Free Methodist church, which informs my content. I presume that I am speaking to like-minded people who wish to see our churches thrive and so we, hopefully, meet on this level. I should gear my information to you so that you can benefit from the information and possibly use it to make decisions that would, in turn, benefit your congregation.

Listen to your community – where are they spending their time? If you hear that they are online, it’s an easy decision to connect with them there.

In May of 2009, our Network was together in Barrie. As a Network leader, I had committed to revamping and testing a Communications Workshop I’d used in the past.

As it happened, I received a call that day from my doctor with some test results: a lump looked suspicious for cancer. As the day ended, I closed the door and shared the sobering news through my tears. What better place could you be to receive news like that than with a group of pastoral brothers and sisters you trust? As they gathered around me, they prayed that Jesus would tell His story through all of this. They prayed against the work of the enemy in my life. They noted that I’d been obedient to do what Scripture called me to do: to call the elders to pray for me, and so with that, they committed me to the Lords’ care. What a gift to have their support and faith on my behalf. Knowing I was being lifted up in the following weeks (as I awaited further results before telling family members) meant so much.

Know the Risks While I am an advocate of social media, I am cognizant of the fact that there are those who do not have the freedom to use it as I do. Social media is highly promotional. You must be aware that you are displaying public information that could possibly be used against you. If not now, then in the future. There are those who would wisely abstain from using social media. This could vary from people who work in closed countries, are part of a tribal group (and thus do not have the authority or freedom to speak on behalf of the group), police officers, high-level government officials, or people going through court proceedings, to name a few.

Full circle to March 2010. Fortunately I coped well with treatments so I made the choice to lead Network meetings the day after my radiation ended. As we gathered again, that same group of pastors celebrated the successful end of the journey with me as we prayed together. As I look back, I see the Lord’s hand of spiritual protection as He book-ended my journey with their prayers (along with their support throughout). I think their faith and prayerful support right from the start was among the reasons I coped so well with treatment and was able to continue on with ministry. I am grateful to the Lord for them, and for using them in my journey back to health.

It may be that as a believer, depending on how you use social media, messages of your faith could cause degrees of persecution. While we want to base our conduct on love and not fear, it is a reality that cannot be ignored.

As such, using social media will never be the ultimate means to build connections.

Truly this is the challenge of any mode of communication. However, the onus rests on the communicator to find an effective way to get the message out and build connections. Social media lends itself easily to the task in this day and age.

First Corinthians 12 speaks of our need for one another as members of Christ’s body.

Though I greatly cherish the learning I’ve received, nothing is sweeter than the Lord speaking to us, encouraging, challenging and changing us through the relationships and prayerful support we’ve built in this circle of friends called Network.

Did you know… most Bible verses can fit into the 140 character allowance on Twitter? What a wonderful way to encourage others to engage with scripture.

Hilkka Aavasalmi is an Ordained Minister with The Free Methodist Church in Canada

Loreli Cockram is the Social Media Journalist for The Free Methodist Church in Canada | loreli@bfmc.org

MOSAIC 6

PASSAGES Appointments Phil Hamilton – Transition Pastor – Butternut Creek FMC, Kingston, ON – effective August 1, 2012 David Heasler – Transition Pastor – New Horizons Community Church, Sarnia, ON, effective August 21, 2012 Andrew Klinger – Director of Young Adult & Youth Ministries – Arlington Woods FMC, Ottawa – effective August 1, 2012 Gary Landers – Transition Pastor – Cornerstone Community Church, Almonte, ON – effective September 1, 2012 Dyan Mouland – Assistant Pastor – Saskatoon FMC, effective September 1, 2012 Scott Sanders – Pastor – The Journey church plant, Niagara Falls, ON September 21, 2012 Glen Snider – Lead Pastor – Pine Grove Community Church, Seeleys Bay, ON, effective October 14, 2012 Vic Stonehouse – Transition Pastor – Malvern Methodist Church, Toronto, effective September 1

Network Leader/Mentor Changes Keith Elford – Muskoko Network (replacing Hilkka Aavasalmi), effective October 3, 2012 Peter Goodyear – Eastern Ontario Blend Network (replacing Rick Hamilton), effective September 14, 2012 Tom Gurnick – Southwestern Ontario Network (replacing Doug Griffin), effective October 3, 2012 Rick Hamilton – Mentor for Eastern Ontario Networks (replacing Angel Valentin), effective September 14, 2012 Doug Wightman – Mentor for Northern Ontario Networks (new configuration of 2 networks), effective October 3, 2012

Ordination Approved

Sandy Crozier Stewardship Development Director

STEWARDING OUR CONNECTIONS As I write this article on ‘connections within our movement’, I am mourning the loss of my Aunt Martha (the last of my mom’s family) who passed away last night. Connections – whether family, friends or a movement – seem all too real at this moment.

Despite what the obituaries say, in remembering those we lost it is never about what they accomplished or where they worked or even what they gave. Rather it is about how they ‘connected’ with you. What is important is what type of ‘relationship’ did you have with them. More importantly, it’s about how much you loved each other.

Our ‘connections’ in the church are not much different.

It’s not about the size, location, music or program of the church… it is about how we treat each other and look after each other. It’s about how much we are in relationship with each other. It’s about how we love each other. This is how the early church connected with each other…

“The whole congregation of believers was united as one – one heart, one mind! They didn’t even claim ownership of their own possessions. No one said, “That’s mine; you can’t have it.” They shared everything… And so it turned out that not a person among them was needy. Those who owned fields or houses sold them and brought the price of the sale to the apostles and made an offering of it. The apostles then distributed it according to each person’s need.” Acts 4:32-35 MSG

Rob Clements (Assistant Pastor, The FreeWay, Oshawa, ON) - October 28, 2012 at Trulls Road FMC in Courtice, ON at 4:00 p.m.

The first key to this happening is that the church was of one mind – they were ‘connected’ to each other. They were in relationship.

Change of status

The second key is that they knew that all they had belonged not to themselves, but to God. And that all they had was to be used for His purpose – not ours. This is foundational in all stewardship theology.

Chris & Terri Payk – Leave of Absence - ESL Teacher, Taiwan,” effective September 21, 2012 Chad Vankoughnett – Located at Saskatoon FMC, effective September 20, 2012

CHURCHES IN TRANSITION Avonlea FMC, Avonlea, SK (Dennis Camplin, Interim) Barrie FMC, Barrie, ON (Henry Dyck, Interim) Butternut Creek FMC, Kingston, ON Cornerstone Community Church, Almonte, ON Église Méthodiste Libre de Gatineau–La Lumière, Gatineau, QC Lakeview FMC, Saskatoon, SK Malvern Methodist Church, Toronto, ON Marmora FMC, Marmora, ON New Hope FMC, Bracebridge, ON New Horizons FMC, Sarnia, ON The Next Church, Kingston, ON theStory, Sarnia, ON Wesley Chapel, Toronto, ON

FMCIC Calendar This calendar is meant to provide highlights and is not exhaustive

Ministry Centre - Christmas Schedule Friday, December 21 - office open Monday, December 24 - office closed Tuesday, December 25 - office closed Wednesday, December 26 - office closed Thursday, December 27 - office open Friday, December 28 - office open Monday, December 21 - office open Tuesday, January 1 - office closed Wednesday, January 2 - office open Network Leader Training January 8-10, 2013 National MEGaP February 8-10, 2013

When we first have an intimate relationship with God, we can then see ourselves not as ‘controlling owners’ but as faithful stewards of all His good graces.

The third key is that they were willing to share as the needs were revealed – they saw what God had given them was to be used to bless others, and they saw that others were in need and they shared what they had with each other.

In the end – there was no needy person among them.

Wow! This is generous stewardship in action.

In the book, ‘The Steward Leader’, R. Scott Rodin shares that stewardship is not about our stuff or what we do or don’t do with it. That goes for our time, talents and our treasures. Rather, it is all about relationship – first with God, then yourself, and each other. Only then can we possibly steward our time, talents and treasures.

When we first have an intimate relationship with God, we can then see ourselves not as ‘controlling owners’ but as faithful stewards of all His good graces. We are then able to see and treat each other as also created in the image of God and worthy of being loved – including the poor, the outcast and the ‘unlovely’. When this happens, the control our ‘stuff ’ and time has on us is released as we start to steward everything God has blessed us with to look after each other for His glory.

These four relationships with God, self, others and creation are the ‘building blocks’ of how we connect with each other in all areas of life – especially the poor and those in need.

Jean Vanier from the L’Arche Daybreak (a community celebrating the gifts and lives of people with an intellectual disability) says, “In the end, the most important thing is not to do things for people who are poor and in distress, but to enter into relationship with them, to be with them and help them find confidence in themselves and discover their own gifts.”

When I think about my relationship with my Aunt Martha, I don’t think about what she gave me or did for me. She was a very generous person. What I think about are the times she spent ‘with’ me – and the big bear hugs that she gave. And how she laughed with me. It is how she loved me that eases the pain of her loss as well as those who upon hearing of her passing mourn along with me.

When I think about our movement and the great people within it, I don’t want to think about the great things we did – but rather, I want to remember the people I meet at all the churches I visit and their hospitality. I want to remember the care they bestow as well as how they get excited about hearing about what God is doing in the rest of the body. I want to hear that no matter what happens to them, they “act in a manner worthy of the Gospel” (Phil.

1:27). I want to hear the stories about how much we loved and cared for each other. I want to hear that there are no poor among us.

The Steward Leader Workshop – based on the book, The Steward Leader – is designed to help church leaders realize the ‘connection’ to transforming communities is about your relationships with each other and the community. If your church is interested in this workshop, please contact myself at sandy.crozier@fmcic.ca.

HELPING HANDS continued from BACK (PAGE 8)

After lunch, as Shamila rubbed tingly paste into the skin of my shoulders and neck, I thought about how humbling it is to let another serve you. It means that I have needs that I’m not adequate to meet on my own, and something more to learn. As Shamila’s fingers made my tension melt away, I realized that my independence is really just fear-fear that, even if I admitted I had needs, no one would care enough to help me. I was deeply touched by Shamila’s act of kindness to me. It said something about the kind of person she is and the kind of person I want to be: attentive to the needs of others, and willing to touch and be touched as she cares for them.

I was proud of our movement, as I observed the quality of relationships we have built over time with Christian leaders in Sri Lanka. The commitment of others who’ve gone before me, to good communication and long-term connection, made it possible for a “white lady” like me to find a new friend on the other side of the ocean. I feel

like I still have so much to learn about ministering crossculturally, but one thing I’m sure of. I want to go again. I want to let my friends in Sri Lanka lean in and touch my cheeks, to receive care from them and exchange whatever gifts God has given us to share, face to face.

Rachel Runnalls | Youth Pastor (Staff) at First Free Methodist Church in Moose Jaw, SK

7 MOSAIC

JOHN WESLEY AND JENNIE HALEY: THE MIDDLE YEARS (1909-1934) Paula Moriarity International Child Care Ministries Director

CREATING BONDS GLOBALLY AND LOCALLY In this technological age we connect faster, simpler and more cost effective. We can connect in different ways. We connect cities by roads and bridges, we connect to the information highway by plugging in virtually, we connect to an audience on a big screen, we connect to relationships by phoning or writing email messages, updating our Facebook status, and even committing to face to face time, we connect by agreeing on the same vision.

But what does connecting have to do with me, you, ICCM or our churches across the country or other parts of our world??

Well, let me share a few stories from my travels this year.

Connecting in my home

Rachel told me about a young teen in her church last year and noted this teen was very keen on global ministry, specifically children. When asked what she wanted for Christmas, she responded that she would like to distribute the Christmas boxes for Operation Christmas to children. And after telephone calls, face to face meetings, numerous email messages, Elizabeth has decided to be the point person to help her church connect with ICCM kids. In November she will be traveling with our team to Haiti as part of our ICCM Encounter trip. Elizabeth has felt led to go to Haiti for many years and this seemed like a great opportunity to do so while serving the Lord. When she returns from Haiti, Elizabeth would like to share her experiences with her church in order to engage more people to ICCM and ministry in Haiti, and experience a deeper relationship with God. Connecting at the IHOP in Vancouver

When I am in Vancouver, I always meet with Pastor David from Surrey FMC, one of my home churches in BC. While we were catching up, Pastor David handed me a cheque from the church as a donation to ICCM. It seems that the church was challenged to give up buying coffee/tea during Lent and then use those funds as a contribution towards ICCM. When I looked at the cheque it was enough for a year’s sponsorship and a birthday/Christmas gift for a child. The congregation was excited to know that their sacrifice was able to help a child in India go to school, have a meal and uniform. And they are planning on doing it again next year!!

Connecting during tea at Audrey’s

After many phone calls, I finally met Audrey in Calgary as she invited me into her home to have tea with members of her congregation. I shared about the ministry of Kenya and specifically the school that they were involved in financially and prayerfully. The next morning we video-skyped with Daniel in Kenya, who thanked her for the generous contribution towards the new Mautuma school and told her how each student knew her by name because they had been praying that she would be healed. Despite going through radiation therapy, she and her church have given towards the school building and needs of the students.

These are encouraging stories of how connections are made locally to impact children and families globally. I was once asked why I was part of this denomination and I simply said, “the connectionalism – it’s who we are.” I have experienced this over and over again here in Canada and abroad. We are connected by our ethos and doctrine. But if you think about how all of this connects or unites us together as Kingdom followers it means that we are able to see the bigger picture of how God is working in this world – a sense of shalom and that God is in control of our world and He is seeking for obedient, faithful leaders to serve.

Let me know if you would like to connect with ICCM . . .

Encounter Haiti Trip A team of seven representing five Free Methodist churches in Ontario will be leaving for Haiti on November 6 and returning on November 15th. Each member of the team has either traveled to Haiti, is connected to a family member who was on a work team, or has a passion for Haiti.

What is Paula reading?

As always, the key is to experience culture, build relationships with churches/schools, engage in ministry that is already happening, and meet sponsored kids that team members have been impacting for years!

Globalization: A very short introduction Manfred B. Steger

Abundant Simplicity: Discovering the unhurried rhythms of grace Jan Johnson

After almost eight years of ministry in Southern Africa, J W and Jennie Haley returned to Canada for health reasons, as it seemed Haley himself was suffering the ongoing effects of a malaria infection. Free Methodist Bishop W T Hogue, writing in 1915, summarized this first term of service: Haley “always stood high among the missionaries, and was among the most successful of them.”

During this hiatus, however, we must not imagine Haley as reclining in some convalescent facility. He and his young family returned to Canada where he took up farming 634 acres in southern Saskatchewan for a period of four years as his body recovered strength.

One of the results of their time on the prairies was a new church plant in the village of St Boswells. In 1913, when Haley was 35, the family moved to Ontario where he served in pastoral ministry for 3 years in Niagara Falls.

During Haley’s absence from Southern Africa (1909-1916), momentous actions had taken place in the political and social context of the region. Haley had arrived for his first term of service (1902) immediately following the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902). In 1910 the British and Boer colonies were brought together as the Union of South Africa, a dominion of the British Empire, an arrangement very similar to Canada. 1912 saw the founding of what would eventually become the African National Congress. The Natives Land Act of 1913 would restrict black Africans from buying land outside of the “native reserves” which amounted to only 7% of the total land mass of the Union.

In 1917 the Haley family returned to the coastal region of southern Natal province, to the Free Methodist mission station at Fairview/Umzumbe. He was 39 years old. At the time, Haley indicates, he felt it his “duty to get to the bottom of it” – “the native question.” He says that he “read widely in an effort to discover its meaning.” At the beginning he was “inclined to think the Europeans were dealing fairly with their wards,” but as time went by his opinion changed, and with deeper knowledge and greater experience, he “began to feel that the native question could be visualized as, how to get the most possible out of the Native with the smallest possible return.”

In 1922, the Haley family moved from rural Natal province to Benoni, on the outskirts of Johannesburg. He had just arrived at the heart of the South African 1916: The Haley Family prepares for their ‘native question,’ – the gold mines, and return to Southern Africa. the emerging migrant labour system.

In fact the Haley family arrived one week after the start of the General Strike on the mines in January 1922 which would evolve over the next several months into what became known as the Rand Rebellion, or alternatively as the “Red Revolt.” About 22,000 white gold miners went on strike protesting “intensified exploitation and a decision by gold-mining industry leaders to replace many white workers with black workers.” Striking workers would take over the city of Benoni where the Haleys were residing, resulting in house-to-house searches by government forces and the dropping of bombs from small planes on labour strongholds.

The Union government would conclude that “the revolt had been a socialist revolution organized by Bolshevists, international socialists, and Communists.”

During a furlough in 1926, Haley published Life in Mozambique and South Africa. In it Haley provides anthropological insights on marriage customs, ancestral responsibilities, socials systems, mine compound life, the place of traditional brewing methods and ‘Bantu’ religious practices. Haley comments on the South African government’s Report of The Native Churches Commission, an examination of the reasons for the emergence of independent, separatist church movements. “The report traces several of the principal sects to their origin and states that in many cases the unsympathetic attitude of the white missionary is responsible for the breaking away of the native minister and his adherents.”

In the preface to Life in Mozambique and South Africa, Haley references a recent, highly influential book by J. H. Oldham that he viewed as valuable in his writing – Christianity and the Race Problem. Oldham had produced ‘a cogently argued rebuttal’ of ‘scientific’ racism, a notion popular at the time that sanctioned racial superiority, inferiority and racism. This book no doubt influenced Haley’s own growing discomfort with traditional missionary practice.

[Installment 2]

Our History; Learning from the past is a regular column that will highlight stories about key figures who have played a role in the formation and growth of the Free Methodist Church.

Dan Sheffield is the Director of Global and Intercultural Ministries for The Free Methodist Church in Canada | dan.sheffield@fmcic.ca

MOSAIC 8

Global Ministries thinking globally, working locally

Dan Sheffield Director of Global and Intercultural Ministries

HOLDING HANDS ACROSS THE OCEAN: LEARNING FROM ENCOUNTER SRI LANKA 2012 | BY RACHEL RUNNALLS

THIS SUMMER, I JOINED THE TEAM OF CANADIANS FOR ‘ENCOUNTER SRI LANKA 2012,’ A TWO WEEK OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL AND MEET PEOPLE IN THE FREE METHODIST CHURCHES THERE. Within 24 hours of arriving back home in Moose Jaw, I received an email from Shamila, one of the Sri Lankan women I connected with during my visit. I read and re-read Shamila’s bare four lines of text, wishing I had the luxury of her presence with me for a visit over tea, where all the nuances of facial expression and touch communicate layers of depth far beyond this badly punctuated email. Until I have another chance to step on a plane bound for Colombo, these emails are one of the only ways for me to connect with my new friend.

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA: Rachel Runnalls embraces Shamila with Ben Gomez enjoying the moment (left)

Would I do it again? Would I spend two weeks away from my family, and hundreds of hours travelling by plane or by van across a foreign country? Absolutely.

In spite of the challenges of building relationships across time zones and language barriers, I am convinced that something beautiful is unfolding as various Free Methodist churches in Canada partner with Free Methodist churches in Sri Lanka.

In Sri Lanka, friends greet each other by leaning in and touching their cheeks on both sides. When I met

Shamila for the first time, she handed me a bouquet of flowers and leaned in to greet me. I had a moment of panic—where was I supposed to put my hands? Which cheek side were we starting from? What was I supposed to do with this pokey bouquet in-between us? She gave me a smile, unruffled by my clumsy attempt to receive and return her greeting. I was grateful for her kindness, and that feeling of gratitude returned again and again as I encountered new Sri Lankan friends who invited me into their world with warmth and grace for my difference.

I thought about how humbling it is to let another serve you. It means that I have needs that I’m not adequate to meet on my own, and something more to learn. As Shamila’s fingers made my tension melt away, I realized that my independence is really just fear--fear that, even if I admitted I had needs, no one would care enough to help me.

Now that I’m home, I’m processing my experience, examining how it impacted and shaped me. I think our desire in Canada is to reach across the ocean to hold hands with the church in Sri Lanka — to communicate support, encouragement, and solidarity with our touch.

But imagine grabbing the hand of a stranger as you stand beside them on a street corner—when there is no relationship with the other; that touch is unwelcome and may be perceived as violence. Even when we’re in a relationship with a friend or colleague, we need to be attentive to when touch is appropriate, and what kind of touch is needed. Do they need a hand up, or just an encouraging squeeze?

The Free Methodist Church in Canada, as the initiator of this ministry in Sri Lanka, is committed to visiting annually and joining in with the Pastors Family Camp.

Family Camp is a unique opportunity to connect crossculturally. Our team shared meals with pastors and their families, laughed together at ‘talent night,’ took

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA: (left) Shamila and Rachel Runnalls; [top right] Encounter Sri Lanka Team 2012 – Jaylynne Fox (Regina, Northview FMC), Lanna and Zac Abbott (Regina, Northview FMC), Rachel Runnalls (Moose Jaw, First FMC) and Jason Johnson (Calgary, West Springs); [bottom right] Rachel Runnalls story-telling with children, Ben Gomez (Toronto, Wesley Chapel) interpreting.

in Bible teaching times, and had the leisure to share stories as we walked to and from sessions, or sat in the shade together. Family Camp is an annual event which creates space to listen closely to one another and learn the facial cues and hand gestures that help us overcome our clumsy language barrier. Though the logistics of finding a location in a developing country to host nearly 80 people in family groupings are an ongoing challenge, it’s worth it to have the time to get to know individual pastors and their family members personally.

I first met Shamila at her home in Badulla, where her husband is the pastor of a thriving congregation, but we really connected over our time together at Family Camp.

My first impression was that she was not comfortable speaking English, but by the second day at Family Camp, I discovered she understood and spoke far better English than she let on. We talked at length—with the help of Premila, another Sri Lankan English speaker— about the needs of the pastors’ wives for Bible teaching and equipping for ministry in their communities.

On the second morning of Family Camp, Shamila tapped on my door with a pitcher of milk tea and asked me how I was. I laughed and said I was stiff, my neck and shoulders felt very tense. “I will give you a massage later,” she said. “After lunch, okay?”

I could see that I shouldn’t say no to this offer, but I felt hesitant. In my Canadian context, the list of people I would permit to give me a shoulder massage is a short one. Accepting Shamila’s offer would make me vulnerable, and that felt dangerous. I stepped way out of my comfort zone and said ‘yes.’

Continued on page 6 - Helping Hands Visit Dan’s blog Culture and the Mission sheffield.typepad.com