Monday Again

Beulah 2015 is just around the proverbial corner. Following the Friday night Prayer Covering, Saturday the 4th will be a great Family Day. Don’t miss Rodzilla – at 3 PM followed by a BBQ supper. Bring the kids and grandkids and enjoy.

 Full daily program details will be on the Beulah Camp website by the end of the week. Thanks to Andrea Gunter for putting all of this together. Will be a great camp. To use a Peter-ism, “I am atingle with anticipatory delight.”

ATTENTION – Ministers in Maine – Headquarters has arranged a Group Health Insurance Arrangement with GuideStone, a large and highly regarded organization. This is a US focused item and if you are presently serving in ministry in Maine, this is definitely worth investigating.  Go to www.wesleyan.org and you will see the GuideStone item covered in detail – check it out.

The statistical reports for the year that ended on April 30th are now essentially complete. Thanks to the pastors/churches for caring for this in a timely manner. Four of our churches have established new all-time high numbers for average attendance at their primary worship service – namely (in alpha order):

• Fredericton Corbett Avenue – 283
• Hammonds Plains Cornerstone – 290
• Kentville New Hope – 197
• Quispamsis Kings Valley – 1024

District Conference will cover the stats in detail. While there is always room for improvement, the overall trend this year is positive – onward and upward!

Congrats also to our own Dr. Duane Brown who has recently been named as Senior Director of Church Ministry with The Mission Society headquartered in Norcross, Georgia. “The Mission Society was formed as supplemental missions sending agency for the United Methodist Church on January 6, 1984. Since then, more than 500 men and women have been confirmed to serve Christ in more than 40 nations. At present, more than 200 Mission Society missionaries currently serve on the field, are in homeland ministry (furlough), or are raising their support to go out for the first time. A support staff of more than 30 people works out of our home office in the Atlanta area.” – from their website.

As you have been following IMA through these last several weeks, you have observed a high level of changes in solo and lead pastors in our tribe. The following is the overall list…

• Amherst – Evan Oxner – present pastor Raymond Fancy to Pembroke, ON
• Beals Island – Nick Wilson – present supply pastor George Woodward to retirement
• Blacks Harbour – Bill Lea – present pastor Nelson Koonce to Bakers Mills, NY
• Brazil Lake – Kevin Myers – present pastor Amy Corey seeking appointment
• Easton – Tony Stevens – present pastor Jason Coffman returning to IN
• Florenceville – Bristol – Ben Medel – present pastors Graham and Rebecca Perry to Moncton
• Havelock, NB – Glen McVicar – present pastor Jacob Ebbett to Lower Brighton
• Lower Brighton – Jacob Ebbett – present pastor Glen McVicar to Havelock, NB
• Miramichi – David Green – present pastor Gary Churchill to retirement
• North Head – Steve Bradley – supply pastor David Ingersoll to retirement (again)
• Port Maitland – Barry Vernon – present pastor Dale Robertson to secular employment
• Saint John First – Seth Fancy – elected as Lead Pastor after serving as Interim Pastor
• West Head – working with a prospective candidate – present pastor Bill Lea to Blacks Harbour.

Staff pastor changes are complete or still in process at Dartmouth Hillside, Fredericton Corbett, Fredericton Crosspoint, Hammonds Plains Cornerstone, Houlton, Kentville New Hope, Moncton, Perth-Andover, Quispamsis Kings Valley, Sussex, Woods Harbour, Yarmouth and others I may have missed. What a spring! Thanks to the Master for His help to all of us involved in navigating these waters of change. 

Peter was in Kentville New Hope over the weekend for a missions emphasis and I worshipped in Moncton where there was a baptism and 6 people stood to make a commitment to Christ. 

THOT: “I can honestly say that I was never affected by the question of success of an undertaking. If I felt it was the right thing to do, I was for it regardless of the possible outcome.” – Golda Meir

ON SECOND THOT: “You will never find a better sparring partner than adversity.” – Golda Meir 

Only a few weeks till Beulah 2015. It will be a great experience – Wayne Schmidt and Mark Wilson preaching/teaching; Jesus Film service with Director John Croft; special first-time Family Service; ministry outside the church celebrated; Heartland (the former Irving property) open house and dedication; Evening on the Blvd; meet new missionaries; hear the new President of Kingswood University; baptisms; Rhyno-led worship; three mystery preachers from our tribe; Maximizing Impact and Upon this Rock highlights; General Conference 2016 delegates elected and more. Don’t miss it. See YOU there.

Caton’s Island camp registration is open and camps are starting to fill up. Be sure and register soon!