Monday Again

The Executive Board of the denomination, on which I am honoured to serve, met by conference call this week to appoint a Membership Working Group (MWG) tasked with the assignment to consider the place, provisions, priority, philosophy and practise of membership in the 21st century Wesleyan Church. I have been appointed as Chair of the MWG which consists of a total of nine people. Included in that group are our own Brent Ingersoll and President Gorveatte from Kingswood. This will be a daunting and important task – prayer requested.

Yesterday was the first Sunday that Peter and I were both on site in local churches of our district as we begin this new and dynamic chapter of Atlantic life. Peter was in Maple Ridge as we continue to hold up the arms of Pastor Nick and the church and I was in Ingomar to meet with the church as it faces a very early and unexpected pastoral change.

While in the area or headed there, I had the opportunity to chat with Rod Guptill, Amy Corey, Dale and Sherry Robertson, David Hockley and John Symonds. I also dropped in to have a look at the parsonage and church in Shelburne. 

Last Sunday, Hammonds Plains Cornerstone viewed the GS’s video on the Ebola crises in West Africa They received an impromptu offering of over $1600 on the spot. Well done. Has your church viewed this 3 minute update? (Pastors and others: click here to download the video for showing in churches.)

The purchase of the former Forest Hills United Church by Dartmouth Hillside and the purchase of housing to be occupied by the AJ Thomas family in Bangor were both completed last week.

This will be the last week for this summer that the district office will operate at Beulah. We will move back to Moncton right after Labour Day and be in full swing there by the middle of next week.

Pastors Brent Ingersoll and Del Heiney are serving in a youth pastors training event in Haiti. I strongly encourage churches to be involved in the mutually beneficial reality that is a well planned and well run short-term mission team. 

Dale MacDonald, DBMD Chair, Peter and I spent an invigorating afternoon recently in discussing/dreaming about ways to refine and enhance our ministerial preparation program. Excellent meeting. Expanded board. Regional mini-boards. Adjusted demographic. Focus on between-meetings follow up. Save the trees by going digital. A new day is dawning.  Onward and upward.

I was privileged on Friday to attend a breakfast meeting at Crandall University as a part of Oasis14 – the annual meeting of the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches. The breakfast was focused on denominational leaders and I truly enjoyed interacting with the leaders present.

Caton’s Island staff and Beulah volunteers poured the floor of the new washroom and meeting facility. Hats off to Dean Stephenson and Bruce Cheney & crew!

THOT: “How completely satisfying to turn from our limitations to a God who has none.”  A. W. Tozer

ON SECOND THOT: “We go astray when we attempt to do spiritual work without spiritual power.” A. W. Tozer

AND YET A THIRD: “Refuse to be average. Let your soul soar as high as it will.”  A. W. Tozer

NB/ME Children’s Ministry Huddle at Presque Isle Wesleyan on Sept 20 from 9 AM-3PM. Cost is $25 per person or $99 for for 4 or more per church. This includes breakouts, networking and lunch together.

One-day affordable event for your children’s ministry team. Sunday School teachers, nursery workers, VBS helpers, children’s church workers and volunteers experience the excitement and energy of discovering practical, new ideas you can use NOW from a team of passionate and dedicated workers. 

Get ready for a time of growth, renewal and fun.

Register your team today – contact linda.lamos@kingsvalley.ca

Kingswood is gearing up for their fourth annual ENGAGE conference on October 24-25. Designed for pastors, worship leaders, and anyone involved in planning or implementing the weekend worship gathering in the local church, teams that attend find this event to be an inspiring Fall experience.

Visit www.kingswood.edu/engage for information about seminars, keynotes and registration. Take advantage of early bird pricing until September 15th!