It’s Monday Again
Congratulations to the Classes of 2020 & 2021 as Kingswood University held two Commencement ceremonies this weekend. Unfortunately the majority of the 2020 Class on Friday evening were unable to be physically present as hoped. President Steve Lennox & VP for Academic Affairs (Dr. Janet Starks) are to be commended for the creative and masterful manner in which the KU faculty and staff offered these blended events providing meaningful celebration for those both present and online.
An engaging Graduation Address from Archbishop David Edwards (Anglican Diocese of Fredericton) compelled Kingdom leaders to effective evangelism. Two of our Atlantic Tribe were inducted in the Delta Epsilon Chi Society (in recognition of leadership & character) – congrats to Joel Gorveatte (Moncton) and Tanya Nace (World Hope International – Canada). One of the prayers offered for the graduates was given by retired Prof. Ken Gavel – CLICK HERE to be reminded of our core calling as servant leaders embodied by his intercession.
We are so blessed in Atlantic District Camp Ministry by the effective and tireless efforts of our Executive Director, Tami Mutch-Ketch. Recent conversations are captured above regarding our regional ministry through Riverside Camp in Maine (with Chair Bud Fancy & Parker Davis of Framework), and in addressing recent developments at Beulah Camp and Conference Center (with Caretaker Mike White & Browns Flat Fellowship Pastor Steve Bradley). Please check the Beulah website for COVID updates prior to any plans you have to visit in the weekends ahead.
Congratulations to Luc Reed on his election this weekend as the next Lead Pastor of Crystal! Luc was a 2018 KU Grad and hails from upstate New York in Pulaski. Special thanks to Rich Thomas (Easton & Community) for serving as a pastoral mentor over the next two years. Luc will move to Maine and begin his ministry at a TBD this summer.Student Ministries Pastor Austin White shared these PRYME highlights from Moncton (Joel Gorveatte):
- PRYME partnered with a Baptist church in town to host a weekly school group with 24 students, four staff and two pastors. Only four of the students had a church home – please pray!
- In a different school, we had 20 students. Out of those students, six of them have come to youth for the first time in the past couple months.
- Online and in person attendance totaled 91 on Wednesday.
- We thought COVID would drop our numbers, but God has blessed us with 130 unique students between our three programs (two schools plus at the church).
- God is moving in one of our youth small groups , 7 students (50% of the small group) want to get baptized!
What if every church on the Atlantic District had opportunity to share a journey of discovery in finding the best contextually effective pipeline to mobilize disciples as disciple-makers for Kingdom impact in…
- …local church ministry?
- …community evangelism and outreach?
- …marketplace ministry?
- …new Kingdom locations/expressions?
- …vocational ministry?
Jon Wiest (Groundswell) conducted the final training session on Tuesday evening for 10 of our Atlantic churches. This training has prepared a pastor-lay leader team from each church to lead the Breakout Exercises during the fall Mobilization Pipeline Cohort. Each Lead Pastor will have opportunity to take advantage of this resource by registering a clergy/lay duo from their church. Each duo will participate in a six-session cohort this fall to develop a contextualized Mobilization Pipeline blueprint in answer to the questions above.
The third session of our DBA appointed 12-member Vision Team convened for four hours on Wednesday. Excellent progress is unfolding as our Auxano Senior Lead Navigator, Mike Gammill, continues to lead us through this multiple-month process which will conclude in the fall. Our re-calibrated District Vision will be shared in our January Ministerial @ Kings(Valley Location).
Points to Ponder
- Never negate the power of prayer. Don’t be like the apostles who tried on their own before they asked Jesus for help. (Denn Guptill on Matthew 8:26 #favouriteverse)
- Fun is just as important as any other healthy discipline, and you need to make time for it. (Annie Downs)
- Your body cannot maintain a world where you don’t do things that are healthy for you. (Annie Downs)
All credentialled Atlantic Ministers should have received an email from HQ with login instructions for TWC HUB, our new online reporting system. If you did not receive this email please check your spam folder. CLICK HERE to access the excellent instructional videos for all reports due – especially your Annual Service Report (ASR), Please do notcontact Karrilee at the District Office for assistance until AFTER you have viewed the instructional video and are still having difficulty completing your report. The Local Church Statistical Report (LCSR) email will go out directly from HQ to all Lead Pastors on May 1st. Note to Lead Pastors: Keep in mind there is a separate box to record online attendance which we look forward to celebrating at unprecedented levels in this pandemic year of ministry. Please kindly resist the temptation to include ANY virtual stats in the Primary Worship Average for in-person attendance.
The International Wesleyan Church will join TOGETHER at 7:00 a.m. & 7:00 p.m. (both Eastern Time on Pentecost Sunday, May 23, 2021, to ask God to move in even more powerful ways. We will focus on five themes in prayer amid worship and testimonies from around the world.
- Holy Spirit, fill and lead me
- Use me for breakthrough witness
- The calling of workers —ministers, missionaries and marketplace multipliers
- Disciples making disciples
- Churches multiplied
Caton’s Island camp registrations are at a record high for this time of year. All camps are capped at 90 (six pods @ 15 campers) – for an update on which camps still have openings CLICK HERE. It is still a good idea to add your child’s name to the waiting list for full camps as the Province of NB may increase pod size before July.
CLICK HERE to listen as Parker Davis (Framework) shares an exciting announcement about Riverside Camp this summer!
World Hope Canada CEO Tanya Nace highlights that their annual Mother’s Day and Father’s Day project has been gaining popularity for the following reasons:
- Churches don’t have to worry about unintentionally hurting individuals who have not been able to be mothers or fathers
- This project saves the church time (and often money) because no shopping or preparations are needed to honour mothers and fathers
- This year, a financial gift in honour of mothers and fathers will relieve some of the pressure from COVID regulations of giving items to people
- The church as a whole gives a gift to help mothers and fathers who are vulnerable and hurting around the world
- The church promotes an outward need that is global in nature while honouring the parents (whether biological or heart) in their congregation.
This year, we are using our tapped water project, TapEffect for our Mother’s and Father’s Day project! Grab more info in this PDF here and click here for a video to share with your congregation!
The Future is Bright: An online gala event!
Join World Hope International Canada on May 14 @ 8:00 p.m. AST / 7:00 p.m. EST for the second annual online gala event! CEO Tanya Nace shares, “Come hang out with us, have fun, and be inspired by the transformative projects that empower kids so they have a chance at a bright future!” CLICK HERE to RSVP.
A tentative plan has been approved that will allow for an on-site six-day Beulah Family Camp 2021! Here are a few of the plans which are based on the assumption of at least a Maritime Bubble. Final decisions will be determined by the DBA on or before June 7th pending an open border between NB & NS.
- The six-day camp will begin with an evening service on Tuesday, July 6 and concluding with a morning service on Sunday, July 11.
- A full four-day program for kids and youth will be scheduled during the mornings of Wednesday – Saturday and each of these days will offer a morning and evening service in the Tabernacle.
- Ordination is tentatively scheduled for the classes of 2020 & 2021 on Friday, July 9 with President Lennox preaching.
- Save-A-Seat online registration has been purchased and will be used to preregister all services, programs, and dining hall meals which will be limited based on physical distancing regulations.
- Our Camp Evangelist will be Rev. Jon Wiest (pending border/quarantine restrictions).
- There will be neither an in-person nor an online District Conference this summer. The General Board has approved districts which deem it best due to pandemic travel restrictions to conduct the business of the District Conference by the DBA in July. This option was also elected last summer.
- On or before June 7th, the DBA will make a final decision regarding Beulah Family Camp pending an open border between NB & NS. If BFC is cancelled it will also result in a private Zoom Ordination Service for 2021.
Who: Canadian Centre of Christian Charities (CCCC)
When: May 5th @ 2:00 p.m Eastern Time
What: A Webinar entitled, “Stewardship of Your People Through Policies and Practices”
Why: It’s easy to overlook the creation and implementation of some HR policies as being unnecessary administrative work; maybe you think your team is too small, or that your employees understand the rules and expectations well enough as it is.
How: CLICK HERE for information and registration
When: May 5th @ 2:00 p.m Eastern Time
What: A Webinar entitled, “Stewardship of Your People Through Policies and Practices”
Why: It’s easy to overlook the creation and implementation of some HR policies as being unnecessary administrative work; maybe you think your team is too small, or that your employees understand the rules and expectations well enough as it is.
How: CLICK HERE for information and registration
What if COVID-19 is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
for leaders to think more strategically
about doing church?
(Will Mancini)
for leaders to think more strategically
about doing church?
(Will Mancini)
Check out these great resources above at www.wesleyan.org – we are blessed by the many ways our denominational leadership serves the front lines of the local church.