It’s Monday Again
My week began with more than 200 Wesleyan leaders from around the world as we gathered in Bridgetown, Barbados for the 4th International Conference of The Wesleyan Church. The Exploration Essential of our global collective was in full bloom and it was an honour for Denn Guptill and I to represent the Atlantic District as we interacted with this deeply inspiring Kingdom cadre with oversight of ministry in 99 countries.
The theme “Everywhere to Everywhere” was selected by the International Board of The Wesleyan Church. General Superintendent Wayne Schmidt captured the permission-giving essence of this theme in his final address as outgoing Chair of the ICWC with this declaration, “We are not asking you to join us in this vision for everywhere to everywhere. We are asking you to lead us!” A new day of global interdependence in sending and receiving will find greater expression than ever before in the days of Kingdom synergy ahead.
Amazing global leaders like National Superintendent Joshe Bose (pictured above) shared of the sacrificial beginnings of The Wesleyan Church of Bangladesh which has grown from 11 to 52 churches since 2012.
A smorgasbord of workshops and seminars allowed for shared learning of best practices in a number of areas impacting the effectiveness of the global Church. This included an excellent presentation by Zambian National Superintendent Alfred Kalembo and Global Partners Africa Area Director Bob Bagley on the “Walls that Build a Mature Church.”
The Walls of Maturity are:
1. Evangelistic Focus
2. Deliberate Discipleship
3. Leadership Development
4. Self-Sustainable – Dependent on God & Interdependent with Others
5. Missionary Vision/Passion
An assessment tool to determine this reality in any African Church was developed and implemented across many of our National Churches on this continent. You may want to try this assessment out with your LBA to see how your church fares in this measure of maturity. GPAfrica.org offers a treasure trove of resources for understanding and partnering with The Wesleyan Church in Africa.
We joined National Superintendent Stephen Elliott and Dr. HC Wilson (AKA Dr. Emeritus) in representing The Wesleyan Church of Canada with style at the opening session!
On Tuesday and Wednesday over 300 leaders from across Atlantic Canada gathered at Dalhousie University to worship, pray, and plan for a fresh move of God across our region. The team from Multiply (led by Regional Director Chad MacDonald) hosted an excellent church planting conference with a number of speakers from Canada, USA, and beyond. It was also fantastic to see 40-50 Wesleyan leaders leaning into this new work. If this becomes a regional annual event it would be worth your time to have yourself and a team of leaders from your church in attendance. It will position your heart to engage Kingdom multiplication and give some practical steps for how God might be leading you.
The first new Members (pictured with Lead Pastor Andy Phillips and Assistant Pastor Nick Wilson) of The Reach were received yesterday in preparation for the first Local Church Conference (LCC) last evening. Andy shared, “There was spirit of hope and anticipation as God continues to grow His church!”
Check out this line up for Super Saturday @ Beulah Family Camp on July 6th!
Postponed Clean-up Day: Beulah Camp Caretaker Bruce Cheney has postponed the annual workday now scheduled for May 25th @ 8:00 a.m. Last year we had over 100 volunteers and we had a fun and productive day. A great meal will be served at noon. Hope to see you this Saturday!
Yesterday was special for Mike & Kate Agrell (The Ridge) as their son Nathaniel was dedicated to the Lord by proud Grandpa Jim Agrell (Sussex). Mike shared, “God being our helper we dedicate ourselves as parents to bring Nathaniel up in the nurture and counsel of the Lord.”
- It was a big weekend on the Avalon Peninsula. Peter & Cathy Hayes candidated at Solid Rock (Mount Pearl, NL). Special thanks to outgoing Lead Pastor Stuart & Kellie Marples (heading to our Wesleyan Church in Shawville, QC) for serving with sacrificial vision and faithfulness over this past decade. Peter Hayes received a unanimous vote yesterday and their family will be moving to The Rock after Beulah Family Camp to begin ministry with this wonderful church family in our tribe!
Ellen joins me in expressing sincere condolences on behalf of the Atlantic District family to Milton Bagley on the recent loss of his sister, Audrey Ingersoll. Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband Larry and the extended Bagley-Ingersoll family.
ICWC THOTS:
- If you strengthen the wall of discipleship it strengthens all the other walls that mark a mature church. (Alfred Kalembo, Zambia)
- Our family spent 3 months under police watch at our house. Militant Hindus came to beat us and threatened to kill us. Now these same families ask us to come and pray for them when they are sick. (Anonymous Superintendent, India)
- Prayer is the mother of all strategies. (Gloria Azikiwe, Kenya)
Attention all parents, teens, and youth leaders/pastors! One Conference is back again this year May 31 – June 1. This is a great opportunity for students to go deeper in their faith and meet other youth from across the Maritimes.
#globalcollective #raisingleaders
For more information or promotional material contact our District Director of Global Partners Denn Guptill (denn@cornerstonehfx.ca). Feel free to download the Canadian Church PDF OR American Church PDF to use for in-church promotion.
A Word from Caton’s Island Overseer – Brian Murray!
A call to carpenters and those handy with tools! Caton’s Island has become a shining light on our district. Throughout the years, hundreds of young people have received Christ as their Saviour and have continued on to become great leaders of this ministry.Caton’s Island is now preparing to embark on its largest and most ambitious project; to extend the present kitchen and dining room to seat 400 people and to make a fully equipped restaurant quality kitchen. The Choate Dining Hall Expansion begins this spring.
We ask our pastors to present this project to the congregation and to set up teams that will coordinate with Brian Murray who is overseeing this effort. Formal plans for all required equipment, electrical, plumbing, and other materials are near completion and we have presently raised $170K+ towards the total cost of $220K for Phase ONE which will be completed this summer. We do not wish to go into debt for this project, therefore we shall build in phases beginning with the structure this year. Then trusting those who see the great potential of Caton’s – to pray and donate time, expertise and finances. We have presently hired on-site manager and he will be developing and planning the work schedule along with Brian as project manager and Caton’s Overseer.
Pastors, if you would, please share this good news with your church family! Send your people and their questions for how to get involved to Brian Murray (spencerbrian@xplornet.com, 506.375.4330).
Dr. Lenny Luchetti serves as Professor of Proclamation at Wesley Seminary. He is known as an “insightful professor with a pastor’s heart.” Lenny is the author of Abingdon’s Preaching with Empathy: Crafting Sermons in a Callous Culture (Fall 2018) as well as Preaching Essentials: A Practical Guide, which has been nationally recognized by Outreach and Preaching magazines as one of the best books on preaching in its publication year.
This summer at Beulah Family Camp, Lenny will serve as our first Evangelist. In addition to preaching Sunday through Wednesday, he will be offering an afternoon workshop on Wednesday, July 10th, entitled Practices for Preaching with Empathy in a Culture of Apathy. The first 50 pastors to register by clicking HERE on or before June 1st will receive a complementary copy of his book courtesy of the Atlantic District.