Monday Again

I will be in Indianapolis most of this week for meetings of the General Board (GB) and the Wesleyan Educational Council. The GB will consider the report and recommendations from the Membership Working Group (MWG) and will also process the resolution concerning Established National Conference status for The Wesleyan Church of Canada. The MWG matter is very significant across our broad tribe as we look to effective ministry in our time and place. As you think of it, prayer would be requested and appreciated.

A Church Planter Assessment was held at Beulah last week under the direction of Jesse Pratt who pastors in Sandy Lake, PA and represents the Church Multiplication and Discipleship Division of our church. There were 3 assessors in training from our district and 3 experienced assessors from the Central Canada district.  There were four couples assessed and only the Master knows how these folk will impact the Kingdom in the days ahead.

Peter was present throughout and did excellent work in arranging and providing overall leadership to the entire event. I dropped in one evening for supper and the very interesting interaction with the group that followed.

I met with the LBA at Halifax Metro last week for a Maximizing Impact (MI) discussion/interaction. The pastor had indicated interest in MI coming to Metro and the LBA unanimously endorsed that invitation. The team will be there in early January for a weekend visit. 

The team has now conducted 7 MI weekends with two more scheduled for the spring. We had 4 invitations within the last couple of weeks from pastors requesting that the team come to their church. There is rising momentum under MI. If you have interest in us coming to your church, you should drop me a note straight away. 

It is very energizing to see the traction that out two major thrusts are getting – church planting and church health. Very cool. Onward and upward!

• Congrats to Jerry and Karly Wurnig who were married on Saturday.  Jerry is Assistant Pastor at Deep Water and was ordained this past summer. All good.
• The DBA met last week – Friday the 13th to be exact. Excellent meeting with these leaders whose counsel, support and Great Commission commitment are of high value.

• Lindsay Ingersoll is improving but is seriously ill. Don, Janet and Lindsay appreciate your ongoing prayer support.
• Nick Graham is in and out of the hospital frequently these days and focused prayer for him and their family is solicited. The church on the Ridge held a specially called prayer meeting over the weekend for Pastor Nick.
• We were all shocked and saddened by the murder of Amanda Blackburn in Indy early last week. Her husband Davey has deep and strong roots in The Wesleyan Church. 
• Robert Brown, who served for a number of years at Kingswood, passed away last week. I was privileged to be a part of bringing Robert, Karen and their sons into The Wesleyan Church while serving as Delta DS. I sent condolences from our district to both the Blackburn family and to Karen Brown.
• And then there is Paris……..a horrific day – what to say? how to pray?

We are expanding our district office space that will result in a technologically well-equipped, comfortably appointed space for board, committee, vision casting, training and other meetings and gatherings for up to circa 20 people. A special gift is helping to make this possible – more word later.

Bruce and the crew at Beulah have been working diligently to clear the fall leafs before ole man winter shows up. As of last Friday, they had moved 24 dump trailer loads – great job – well done Bruce and company – appreciated. 

THOT: “A scared world needs a fearless church.” – A W Tozer

ON SECOND THOT: “ Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.” – Don Marquis

Reflecting the heart of God, Christians at their best are known as people who take special care of orphans. It’s thrilling to see believers today still earning that reputation. More Wesleyan churches are emphasizing adoption and foster care locally as well as through international outreach to orphan projects such as Global Partners ministries in China and Haiti. Any church or family can be a part of this growing movement on Orphan Sunday, November 8, or pick a Sunday of your choice in November. Learn more at Orphan Sunday (Christian Alliance for Orphans).

Advent 2015: LOVE Revealed
November 29 – December 20
The Church Multiplication and Discipleship Division of The Wesleyan Church has announced the release of the Advent 2015 all church resource. LOVE Revealed features four weeks of spiritual preparation leading up to Christmas. Included are sermon outlines, disciple group lessons for children, youth, and adults, devotionals, daily readings, and more.
Revealing His LOVE for the world, God sent His only Son so that we might live through Him. It is His LOVE that drove heaven down, and it is this same LOVE that redeems, reconciles, transforms, and makes all things new. God is with us and He lives among us. This Christmas season, may those around you be drawn to His LOVE Revealed.
Click here to download the 2015 Advent series.   #Advent2015

FOLLOW 2015, the International Wesleyan Youth Conference, will be held in Indianapolis, IN on December 28-31 and we want to gauge interest from our district on who is interested in taking some of their students. As a member of the FOLLOW Executive team, we’re anticipating over 7500 students and leaders will fill the Indianapolis Convention Centre this December and we hope to expose our district students to the Wesleyan Church on an international stage. If you want to know more information about FOLLOW 2015 please visit www.follow2015.com or if you have any questions, please email me atjamie@crosspointchurch.ca for more information. Follow this link for your chance to win a free registration to FOLLOW 2015: http://ow.ly/QSiYm