It’s Monday Again
On Wednesday the North Session of the DBMD convened for a full day of interviews with “prophets-in-process” – including three for Ordination. The diligence, hard work, and wisdom of this group cannot be overstated as they serve the point of our district spear in raising leaders. Deep appreciation to DBMD Chair Dale MacDonald (Woodstock) and all those who serve to guard the gate and guide the called.
As you respond to the challenges of your context, how are you as a Kingdom leader who has been raised up and deployed taking care of your soul? This Barna Report on
“The Mental & Emotional Health of Pastors and Their Congregants Amid COVID-19” will give you insight to take a confident step in the right direction.
The Board of 20+ Trustees for Kingswood University convened on Friday, beginning with an excellent devotional, “Finding the Pace of Grace,” offered by Kevin Johnson, District Superintendent of Maritimes PAOC. These are days of unique and unprecedented challenge for President Steve Lennox and the Administrative Cabinet, Faculty, Staff, and Student Body.While the somber reality of impact due to the pandemic was directly addressed, the BOT was encouraged by the excellence in leadership of President Lennox and the steps being taken to position this next chapter of KU to leverage the unique opportunities which are emerging.
Worship Leader Paul Baloche was featured in the livestream worship of Moncton (Joel Gorveatte) yesterday morning for one song with Worship & Creative Arts Pastor Marc Jolicoeur and his team. His warm greeting to the Maritimes included speaking of his family connection and annual visit to Nova Scotia.Special thanks to Marc Jolicoeur (Moncton) for providing the following opportunity for worship leaders across our region…
Where: https://zoom.us/j/94466438225 Meeting ID: 944 6643 8225 // Password: Please contact the District Office
Who: Worship leaders everywhere
What: In preparation for the session – 1. Consider some of the unexpected benefits / blessings of this time… Might you have a story of encouragement to share? 2. Consider some of the hurdles that you thought you would have crossed by now, or that you hoped would be a non-issue by this point… Might the group be able to help?
National Superintendent Stephen Elliott convened the National Board on Thursday this past week. The Wesleyan Church of Canada continues to lay a strong foundation for the future ahead as both districts work together.Does it sometimes feel that everything about COVID-19 is bad news? Think again. This article from Thom Rainer shares some of the good news being reported around North America from Churches during the pandemic. Item #2 is a bit shocking and unexpected and item #7 seems a worthy point of exploration for every church family during this season.
So, what next? How do we prepare for the next phases of ministry in the pandemic and how do we prepare for the “new normal” after we can return to a life not disrupted by the need for social distancing? What if this is a golden opportunity to relaunch with a new sense of purse in a post-quarantine world?Check out the details for this free RESET webinar on Wednesday, April 22nd @ 2:00 p.m. Atlantic Time. To join in by Zoom directly use this link: https://zoom.us/j/95988184940?pwd=UURnT2hlcGVnRlljS2U0dERoNnM2Zz09
- What: An Online Pentecost Prayer Event (click above for the video greeting)
- When: Pentecost Sunday, May 31st (7:00 p.m. EST, 8:00 p.m. AST, 8:30 p.m. NLT)
- Who: The Wesleyan Church across North America and beyond
- How: Graphics and social media messages are available to promote this call to prayer – just visit https://www.wesleyan.org/event/together for more information for you and your church family to participate
- John (Willo Ann) Symonds has been re-appointed by the DBA at the unanimous request of the LBA to continue as Interim Lead Pastor of Crosspoint through the summer of 2021.
- Braden (Avery) Corliss has been invited by the LBA to candidate for Lead Pastor at The River with a congregational vote on Friday, May 1st. They currently reside in Indiana and all interviews & interaction (including Braden’s candidating message) will continue with the congregation in a virtual format during the remaining days of April.
- The creative potential for hope and vision is unparalleled right now – but paradoxically this creativity will only be fully available to us if we also make space for grief and lament. (Andy Crouch)
- God wants to use this season to totally transform your life and turn you around. “… we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” (Prayer of Jehoshaphat via Joel Gorveatte, 2 Chronicles 20:12)
- By helping others, we helped ourselves. We got through it. We shared what we had with other people who hadn’t anything. (George Allen, 107-year-old NS Retired Minister on remembering the Spanish Flu pandemic)
It is that time of year to start thinking about filling out your Annual Service Report (ASR). You should have gotten an email from Headquarters with your login username. Below is a link to help you with the process. Please go to this link before calling the office: https://www.wesleyan.org/asr-and-lcsr-instructions – Please call the District Office if you have problems getting logged in or have questions about the process. Also let the District Office know if you didn’t receive an email with your username.
COVID-19 Resources
There is little doubt we are in a season of testing and refinement…
not only for the Church, but for her leaders.
- “The three determinants of culture are shared values, shared language and shared vision. Can you see ways to nurture and cultivate all three virtually?” (Scott Rodin) Shaping culture virtually in crisis is far from business as usual. These are days of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA). As James Emery White so clearly articulates, “You are leading in a VUCA world.” This blog gives excellent direction in how to effectively shape culture in our current context.
- National Superintendent Stephen Elliott has provided this helpful Summary of Government Financial Direction for consideration by local church leadership in response to the fiscal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Canadian Government Financial Link for COVID-19 Response. Canada Helps has also provided this Guide for Charities with Government Programs.
- HQ RESOURCES: We are grateful for the excellent and growing online hub of COVID-19 resources provided by The Wesleyan Church HERE which includes links such as our CMAD Division with specific direction for NextGen ministry innovationsuch as the NextGen Facebook Group for Wesleyan Youth Pastors/Leaders.
- This COVID-19 Ministry Resources PDF includes a variety of ministry links to explore as you seek the best way forward in leading your church family. Barna Research provides this Local Church COVID-19 Report from 1500 pastors recently surveyed.
- Online Service Webinars: “What if [Church] leaders started thinking of themselves as a digital organization with a physical presence, instead of a physical organization with a digital presence?” (Carey Nieuwhof) During Easter week, two of our local church pastors provided workshops (pictured above) for a Beginners Online Service (Tom Cann – Yarmouth) and an Intermediate Online Service (Shane Grant – Moncton). Also, a friendly reminder that your local church CCLI License does not cover streaming your worship songs. However, you can check out their CCLI Streaming License info HERE.
World Hope International – Annual Spring Gala
This inspiring annual event is now rescheduled for Friday, June 19, 2020
at Wesley Hall (Kingswood University). Save the date – registration details above!
Want some good news to experience and share? Check out this recent newsletter from Executive Director Tanya Nace – we are grateful for her stellar leadership during these days!
World Hope International has created an online platform, Get-Support, to help communities and churches stay connected and provide support to one another. This is a platform where users can submit and respond to requests for assistance from one another. Five churches in the Atlantic District are registered to use Get-Support. If you are interested in using this tool in your church, watch this Webinar that explains how the system works. For more information and to register, https://get-support.ca/
- Summary of Canadian Government Financial Direction for COVID-19 Response
- Overview of the Retirement Plan Life insurance and Long-term disability benefits
- Information for the Wesleyan Retirement Plan
- New form for allocating contributions to a Tax Free Savings Account
- Prayer Poster for our Canadian Missionaries (current as of Dec. 31, 2019). Full size posters are available from: Stephen@wesleyan.ca
- Poster promoting the need/opportunities for Church Planting in Canada. Full size poster are available from: Stephen@wesleyan.ca
- Direct Deposit form for the financial support of our Canadian Global Partners missionaries (accelerates donor process by at least 50%)
- 2020 options/contact info for the National Cell Phone Plan (Bell Aliant)
Click here for the 45-minute video 2025 presentation