Spring 2009 by Free Methodist Church In Canada

The Free Methodist Church in Canada | Spring 2009 – Volume 6 Issue 2

Reflecting the diversity of ministry expression within the Free Methodist family.

COVER What about a healthy mindset of chosen poverty by Bishop Keith Elford Family camp dates

PAGE 2 Editor’s Desk Finding the key to climbing out of the hole by Jared Siebert

PAGE 3 God makes a way . . . even when there’s too much month at the end of the money by Kim Henderson

PAGES 4-5 10 Stewardship issues every church leader should consider by Brad Leeper

PAGE 6 Passages Managing Finances in a Turbulent Economy by Joanne Bell

PAGE 7 Trusting God at Open Arms in Tillsonburg by Doug Dawson Denominational news: Farewell to ICCM team Welcoming new Director of ICCM

PAGE 8 Local church sends family to gateway city by Esther Teal Praying for our full-time missionaries

DID YOU KNOW?

The MOSAIC is produced using environmentally responsible processes. The paper is acid-free, contains 10% post-consumer waste material, and is treated with a non-chlorine whitening process. Vegetable-based inks were used throughout the publication and it is 100% recyclable.

recently watched a very thought-provoking video lecture entitled The Story of Stuff. In her presentation, Annie Leonard, who is an expert in international sustainability and environmental health issues, explores the impact of consumerism and materialism on global economies and international health. She talks about the North American practices of extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal and at the end, one cannot help but come to the conclusion that we have to start changing the way that we think about how we are using [and disposing of ] the earth’s natural and human resources. We cannot just keep thinking about ourselves only and what the drives of self-centred greed, pleasure and pride demand be provided for us here and now! [e.g. Her discussion of our unconscious buyin to “planned obsolescence” and “perceived obsolescence” gets to the heart of the issue.] Life is not about us only. There are others who share the planet with us and there are generations that will follow us if the Lord continues to tarry. Most of all, the earth is the Lord’s!! Have a look at Leonard’s talk at: www.storyofstuff.com and you’ll see what I mean.

In short, it is not about how much you have; it is how you think about what you have. I bring this up because what Leonard talks about on a big scale gives a perfect backdrop for considering this edition’s topic of managing personal and church finances. We are thinking about the story of how we manage “our stuff ” at home and “our stuff ” as congregations. The truth of the matter though, is that unless we are in touch with the underlying attitudes in our hearts, and the conscious and unconscious values we hold, we can have efficient budgets and great management strategies and at the end of our lives discover that we have been on a vector that has taken us far off the mark of God’s intentions. So let’s start there. What is at the heart of God’s intention for His creation – especially that part of it that He has endued with a conscience and a will capable of making choices, meaning you and me? In 2 Corinthians 8, the apostle Paul talks with his friends about how they are managing their “stuff.” He leads into this by talking to them about the amazing freedom of their very poor brothers and sisters in the Macedonian churches and then he writes: “I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:8 NIV

MOSAIC is a publication of The Free Methodist Church in Canada 4315 Village Centre Court Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 1S2 T. 905.848.2600 F. 905.848.2603 E. mosaic@fmc-canada.org www.fmc-canada.org

The Macedonians had figured something out as they lived every day in real and extreme poverty. As followers of the Lord Jesus, they had come to understand that He came to earth with a

Family Camp Dates

For submissions: mosaic@fmc-canada.org Dan Sheffield, Editor-in-Chief Lisa Howden, Managing Editor and Production

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“healthy mindset of chosen poverty.” This was not because there is innate nobility in being poor, but because such a chosen way of thinking gives freedom from self centredness, gives release to the resources of one’s life and unleashes reserves to help others. This “healthy mindset of chosen poverty” knows how to say a firm “No” to what’s not important so that one can say a loud “Yes” with deep conviction to what really matters now and what will matter in the future that stretches past the end of one’s life all the way into eternity. This is the heart of godly grace and living graciously. I know poor people (and churches) who live in stifling bondage because they do not understand this. And, I know people (and churches) “of means” who, in spite of the abundance of what they have, live with a wonderful, detached freedom. In short, it is not about how much you have; it is how you think about what you have. It is clear that the apostle Paul understood this. He told the Philippians (one of the Macedonian churches that he was telling the Corinthians about) that he had learned to be content whatever the circumstances. He knew what it is to be in need and what it is to have plenty, and he had learned the secret of being content in any and every situation (Philippians 4:11-12). In other words, he was not distracted by what he did not have or worried about how to safely hoard what he did have. He was following Jesus’ gracious example of living with this “healthy mindset of chosen poverty.” Read on to see what he says about the freedom the Macedonian believers had as they made choices about their “stuff,” meager as it was. “And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.” 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (NIV)

So what would be some guiding principles for managing the “stuff ” we have and get as churches and individuals? How about these? • • •

Understand that poverty can be nothing more than a mindset that craves things, pleasures and convenience. Be aware that poverty can be an illusion created by a materialistic culture. Root the values that inform your choices in the lifestyle Jesus lived and make what is important to Him, important to you.

There is nothing innately noble about poverty, but there is wonderful freedom in “a healthy mindset of chosen poverty.” Ask the Macedonians. Ask the apostle Paul. Ask the Lord Jesus. Rev. Keith Elford is Bishop of The Free Methodist Church in Canada.

Wesley Acres [week one], June 27 – July 5 email: wesley@reach.net www.wesleyacres.com

Arlington Beach Camp, July 19-26 email: contactus@arlingtonbeachcamp.com www.arlingtonbeachcamp.com

Maple Grove, July 4-12 email: maplegrovechristianretreat@bellnet.ca www.maplegrovecrc.com

Wesley Acres [week two], July 25–August 2 email: wesley@reach.net www.wesleyacres.com

Severn Bridge, July 17-26 email: sbc@bfmc.org www.severnbridgecamp.com

Pine Orchard Camp, August 7-16 email: info@pineorchardcamp.com www.pineorchardcamp.com

W E B S I T E

< < W W W . F M C - C A N A D A . O R G > >

MOSAIC

You probably don’t need it and it won’t make you happy anyway – trust me

Finding the key

rom the moment that I turn my radio on in the morning I am at war. Sometimes I don’t remember that I’m in the middle of a battle, but that does not alter the facts. What am I warring against, you might ask? t’s a fight between two contrary worldviews.

The first is the cultural notion, with which we are bombarded day and night, that we must work hard to earn enough money in order to gather as many “things” as possible – because this is the key that will make us happy. This mindset has been woven into the fabric of North American culture. Let me share a recent example from my own life … I was running errands close to home when I drove past a store with a huge “50% Off Everything - Sale On Now” sign in the window. So I did what anyone would have done . . . I turned the car around, pulled into the parking lot and went shopping. I came out sometime later with my purchases in hand. I was very excited about my new clothes! I should add that these were not purchases that I had planned to make or clothes that I needed - but with the “sale” sign reflecting in my eyes I did not think about this at the time. I was so excited in fact, that I drove over to my sister’s home and tried everything on for her. A few weeks have passed since that time and these clothes have worked their way into my closet. I hardly think about them as I get dressed in the morning and they certainly don’t invoke the same happiness and joy that I experienced in that moment when I first bought these items. Is it possible that I’ve been conditioned, like Pavlov’s salivating dog, or perhaps a better correlation would be that I’ve bought into the idea that buying, in and of itself, will make me happy? I know – when I pause to stop and think, of course, that it won’t – it will only leave me wanting more – waiting for my next “fix” and then leaving me empty again. In contrast, the second worldview is one that is determined by our desire to honour God with our lives – which also includes our spending habits. When I pause to reflect, all of the happiest and most memorable moments of my life have involved people, not the acquisition of “things.” These truly happy moments were also related to “giving” and did not involve “getting”, “buying” or “receiving” anything. So, why is it so hard to remember what will truly make me happy – long term? Why do I keep struggling between these diametrically opposed worldviews? Well, a bit of it has to do with great marketing; and, if I’m honest, some of it involves my own selfishness – putting myself and my desires before the needs of others; but I think mostly it has to do with purpose – specifically, forgetting who I’m called to be – and whose character I should be reflecting. The Free Methodist Church in Canada recently adopted a new core value – generosity. I believe that contemplating the statements associated with generosity is a great way for me to reflect on the ways God wants to partner with me to practically meet needs and effect change.

to climbing out of the hole

an I tell you a story? My wife and I have had some bad financial habits. Our story is not one of risky real estate deals gone bad, gambling on the stock market, or excessive spending. Ours was more like death by a thousand paper cuts. The cumulative effect of our bad habits eventually caught up with us and we needed some help. We did some online research, we talked to friends, and we took Joanne Bell’s course on stewardship. By applying a number of principles and few little tricks, over the past 18 months, we now see the light at the end of the tunnel and this time it’s not a train. Our financial turn around began by taking our finances seriously. Now this may sound obvious but for us it wasn’t. We just assumed that good intentions were enough to be good stewards. We didn’t go crazy on new cars and bass boats so we assumed if we could make ends meet at the end of the month that was good enough. We were wrong. By choosing not to plan our money was being wasted in all kinds of different ways. By choosing not to plan we were going backwards financially and we didn’t even notice. By choosing not to plan opportunities to be generous passed us by.

Our story is not one of risky real estate deals gone bad, gambling on the stock market, or excessive spending. Ours was more like “death by a thousand paper cuts.” The first thing we needed to do to turn things around was to track what we spent and where we spent it. We tried a bunch of different methods (envelopes, software, etc..) until we found the right combination for us. We moved from cash to debit cards when we purchased things (that way we could track our expenses online). We opened up several accounts (one for day to day stuff, another for checking, another for saving for big bills, and another for longer term savings goals). Finally we used a simple spread sheet and planned our budget two weeks at a time. With our system in place we worked to balance out our expenses. We made phone calls to move our payment dates around so that each pay period had a similar number of bills due. We also divided big bills like our utilities and made contributions to these bills every paycheck. It’s a lot easier to pay $50 every paycheck for 2 months than it is to come up with $200 in a single pay period. We hadn’t cut a single expense and already this was making a huge impact. Things were starting to feel more in control. Once we got everything balanced out and stabilized we started looking for places to cut. This was tough; deciding honestly what was a want and what was a need. With some room now in our monthly budget we tried something we learned in Joanne Bell’s stewardship seminar. We did a debt “snowball”.

Increase in pay could mean so much more than merely an increase to our “standard of living,” it could also mean more radical acts of generosity. The idea is to start with a small debt and pay it off as quickly as you can even if you are only adding $5 extra to the monthly payment. Once the debt is paid take that amount you spent on it and apply it to another debt. Once that debt is paid take the two amounts and apply it to another debt and so on. This little trick is what has really changed our financial picture. We are now working on paying down our third major debt and things are moving so much faster than we imagined.

The articles in this MOSAIC contain some great strategies and tips on how to best manage personal and church finances in order to help us reach this goal. I hope you take some time to read them.

The final stage of our plan, once we have our debt taken care of, is to fully live out the Wesleyan axiom of “make all you can, save all you can, give all you can”. We have been practicing this in part already, but once our finances are well in hand we can really put these ideas into practice. The trick with the axiom is the word “can”. “Can” in the case of personal finances can be both literal and relative. If you are swimming in debt “can” is a literal in the sense of ability. If you’re buried in debt there are some things that you are literally capable of and some things that you are literally not capable of. However, if you have your finances under control “can” becomes more relative and spiritual. Your abilities are not as controlled by hard numbers as they are by what you believe about things. In this final stage our understanding of “how much is enough?” is going to need more development. We will need to know enough in terms of spending. We will have to know enough in terms of savings. If we can come to terms with these then the giving away part will be an even greater joy than it is now. Increase in pay could mean so much more than merely an increase to our “standard of living,” it could also mean more radical acts of generosity. Our goal in all of this is not merely to become good stewards of what we have. It is not just to experience the blessing and contentment of having enough. Our goal is to experience the joy of God inspired generosity. It will be to live the blessing of being able to materially support and partner with the God-sized dreams of His people.

Lisa Howden Managing Editor

Rev. Jared Siebert is the Director of Growth Ministries for The Free Methodist Church in Canada

If you have not had a chance to read it yet, here it is: God is generous to all. Becoming more like Him, we extend God’s love through generosity to others. Generosity is grace-enabled as we trust God in all circumstances. Generosity is a source of joy and blessing as we join God in His ministry. Generosity glorifies God. I read somewhere once that “a goal without a plan is just a wish.” I believe it’s true and with this in mind, I am determined to focus on my goal of living generously and charting out a course (a plan) to get there. Following Christ’s example of generous living will bring real joy, happiness and fulfilment.

MOSAIC

God Makes a Way…

even when there’s too much month at the end of the money

tewardship is an important concept that encompasses so much more than finances, yet money is an important aspect of stewardship and for some, it is the predominant aspect. I suspect the fact that Jesus had a lot to say about money contributes to that. So when it comes to personal money management, we have access to Scripture and a wealth of other resources and tools to guide our way, so that we are good stewards of whatever finances God entrusts to us.

blessed with money left at the end of the month! She’s also taught her children valuable lessons about saving money, giving (both financially and through volunteering), living within your means and finding fun things to do and buy on a small budget.

Sounds straightforward enough, doesn’t it? Yet life has a way of exploding at times, and all of our plans seem to explode with it. In those times, practicing good personal financial stewardship may still be straightforward and simple – but it isn’t easy. It’s hard. I’d like to share with you two stories, from two different Christ-followers, with their permission. Both have learned to lean on God, work within His will when it comes to personal finances, have experienced His faithfulness – and have ‘tasted and seen that the Lord is good’ (Psalm 34:8).

The second story I’m sharing is also from a single mom, told in her own words:

Planning can go a long way The first story I’d like to share with you is the account of a woman who would have celebrated 30 years of marriage this June, but instead is in her 19th year of being a single mom, due to divorce. She has three children who were all under 10 years of age at the time of the divorce. As I listened, her story started with Christmas, when she was married, and the familiar pattern of ‘doing Christmas on a credit card’. The cycle of impulse buying in December by both parents, with no plan, no budget and no communication, followed by the shocking credit card bill in January and months of paying off debt amidst varying emotions of anger, resentment and blame was well established. When she became a single mother, she found she was experiencing too much month at the end of the money on a regular basis and not just at Christmas. For the next two years, the Christmas mindset didn’t change. She felt she needed to keep spending and provide what her children wanted. So much had changed in their young lives that she wanted to be able to maintain what they were used to at Christmas, more out of guilt than necessity. Christmas on a credit card continued, which meant that she was always scrambling to pay off that extra debt until August of the next year. In order to accomplish that she sacrificed – no vacations, no personal entertainment, no shopping for herself. She took on extra part-time work and looked for creative inexpensive (or free!) ways of doing things. After two years of that, she realized that she needed a better plan, so she did establish a budgeted amount per child for Christmas expenses, with the new budget being about half of what she would normally spend. She had now moved into a state of ‘controlled planned debt’ and while she didn’t have the money to pay the credit card bill in January, she owed less and had it paid off more quickly. Three years ago, when she had paid off the previous Christmas (and realized what that was really costing in interest alone), she figured out that she could keep paying this amount into a savings account, even though that still meant sacrificing. She found that when Christmas came and went, she had most of the amount saved and it only took two or three months to pay off the balance. She then re-evaluated the Christmas budget and looked at different, creative ways to give gifts (eg. cashing in Air Miles for gift cards), took her total amount that she would spend, divided that by 12, and started to put that amount away each month for the Christmas fund. This past Christmas, when the credit card bill came in January, she paid it. In full. For the first time! During this time she has looked at her overall budget and overhauled it – looking for ways to streamline, searching for the margins. She also wanted to increase her giving at her local church. She has always given, but knows she’s still not tithing yet. Each year she has increased her giving by the same percentage as her salary increase and she’s steadily working toward 10%. She has money set aside in an emergency fund, separate from the Christmas fund. She has participated in Joanne Bell’s seminar for managing personal finances and found it to be affirming as well as providing her with tools to do more. She has reevaluated her mortgage and increased her payments so that the mortgage will be paid in full by her retirement. She’s giving more, saving more, has reduced stress and worry, and has been

God honours faithfulness “In 2005, as I was going through a separation, I became worried about my financial situation and wondered how I was going to be able to support myself and my three children financially – ages 15, 13, and 11. I stopped my regular practice of tithing because I couldn’t see how there was going to be enough. I did give the occasional offering, but only when I felt I could afford it. “By the fall of 2008, my financial situation got to the point that all my savings had been used up and I just couldn’t make ends meet. I was renewing my mortgage, trying to get the payments lower so that my children could remain in the home they had always known. At the time of my separation, a friend had offered to help financially – they had helped me finance a recording project that fall, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask for more. By October, I finally had to ask my mom for a loan in order to make the household payments for the next little while.

She’s giving more, saving more, has reduced stress and worry, and has been blessed with money left at the end of the month! “I don’t know the exact reason why, but at the beginning of this year I decided to get back to my practice of tithing. I still didn’t know how there was going to be enough money coming in to cover all the expenses, but in January of 2009, I calculated what my tithe would be – 10 % of all my income, and placed that in the offering envelope. I gave the envelope to my son as I was heading up to the choir room for rehearsal (I am the choir director at our church). I didn’t want anyone to see the amount on the envelope and I remember telling him to make sure that the envelope was face-down on the offering plate! “That same morning at church, a couple handed me an envelope, explaining that there was a cheque inside, and they were acting on the direction of the Holy Spirit. When I got home I opened the envelope. Inside was a note explaining that their gesture seemed a bit reckless to them, and probably as well to me (I knew that their financial situation was also precarious) but they had decided to step out and live more according to 2 Corinthians 5:7 “We live by faith, not by sight”. “The amount of the cheque was the exact amount of money that I had borrowed from my mom. They had no way of knowing that, and I had no way of knowing what was going to happen that day. My friends explained that they felt they should have acted on it sooner, but on that day, January 18, 2009, both of us acted on faith, and the result was God’s blessing. I then shared my part of the story with them. “I have kept up tithing and my bank accounts (chequing and savings) are back up to the normal amounts.” I know that God’s blessing to us doesn’t always mean more money – the ways He chooses to bless us are countless. But these two courageous women have experienced His blessing in tangible financial ways and they serve as models for us that it can be done. When there seems to be no way, God will make a way. It can be done. I’m encouraged by that and so thankful for my heavenly Father’s faithfulness….and the way He works through ‘people with skin on’ to remind us again and again of His love. Rev. Kim Henderson is the Director of Personnel for The Free Methodist Church in Canada

MOSAIC

Stewardship issues every church leader should consider

hether whispered silently in our heads or energetically wrestled through in leadership meetings, economic fears challenge churches. We offer hope and meaning to our communities and a world growing more restless in finding truth. What a terrible price to miss authentic ministry because we lacked financial resources, especially when our neighbors may be driven to their most open spiritual moments in years because of their personal financial stress.

even 18 year old rockers.

As we move through 2009, the financial uncertainties force us to ask the most penetrating questions about stewardship that we have asked in decades.

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Churches can be abundantly resourced during the most challenging times. How can your church position itself to maximize financial resources even in troubled fiscal climates?

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Growing and courageous churches should consider these 10 issues. 1. A bold vision with meaningful results will rarely be underfunded

Now is not the time to shrink back from pursuing your neighbors in need. Even in the midst of personally challenging time, donors still want to make a meaningful mark on others. Internally, there is always that personal drive to live beyond ourselves and influence others. The church that vividly tells its story and challenges Christ-followers to live beyond themselves attracts financial resources. Evidence shows that in down economic times, many church members do not treat giving as an expendable luxury item. They are inclined, however, to become far more selective in their giving outlets. The church that consistently and creatively articulates a compelling vision and celebrates the successes will attract giving in hard times. 2. Conversations about giving must move beyond stewardship toward spiritual formation

Generosity is a spiritual issue of the heart. A person cannot move toward spiritual maturity until he or she understands that “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Our culture works overtime to convince us that there is no correlation between our faith and our finances. A first-time reader of the New Testament could not miss the plentiful teaching about our faith directly impacting how we live not only now, but also how we build our treasure in heaven. In conversations with pastors, I am constantly amazed at how fearful these leaders are in shepherding people in the area of finances. Spiritual leaders yield far too easily to the myth that it is inappropriate as a pastor to interact with people about their possessions. Certainly, we would not give preference to the rich man as admonished in James 2. But we must not be passive about teaching how the incorrect image of money can prompt wanderings from the faith. (I Timothy 6:10)

Where do your people stand in juggling financial realities? According to a USA Today article May 2008:

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Another source reports that Americans now save, on average, less than 1% of their income. How can we expect people to give generously when their margin is already so razor thin? Be daring in your coaching. Teach people how to get out of debt. Teach them how to save. Inspire them to live above the roar of our consumer-driven machine. When I perform a giving analysis for a client, it is very typical to receive a list of regular attending households (OK, relax. I do not ask for names) with over 50% of those households having giving nothing in the last year. I have had pastors tear up when they realize that they are the number 2 top donor in the church. Your people are not as up to speed about finances as you think they are. The church that preaches and teaches about sound, biblical financial practices will create a long-term culture that gives abundantly to match its compelling vision. 5. Churches can still raise financial resources for major projects if …

Churches that successfully raise additional funds for major projects make an audible from classic campaign approaches. Donors are eager to give to the right projects if we adapt our methods from past practices. People eager to give generously look for certain qualities in a project before giving. Their decision-making grid is radically different than even just a few years ago. • •

The last frontier in American Christianity is the conversation about money. Spiritual transformation’s last obstacle is our wallet.

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Asking for money without the backdrop of spiritual formation will hit minimal financial results. The church that aligns spiritual formation and money will never lack. One cannot help but to give generously if there is a vibrant connection with their faith and finances.

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3. Conversations must move beyond stewardship to generosity

With all due respect to the biblical concept of stewardship, the term itself is passive, hard to understand, and boring. In the secret places of the heart, people do not long to be good stewards. They do long to make an impact. To be a difference maker. To be generous to the point of giving up something that is good in exchange for something that is better. Churches that celebrate generosity become more generous. Churches that are silent about generosity become zealous about cutting expenses. I have lived in that cutting expenses season. Experiencing generosity is much more fun. Try a vocabulary shift in 2009. Replace stewardship with generosity and unpack the stories about how the generosity of your church changed lives. Watch your giving flourish. 4. Churches must speak more intentionally about finances

Economically tough times create intense static in the minds and hearts of your people. Consider that we have been accustomed to a consumer driven lifestyle accompanied by $3 cups of specialized coffee and the internal confusion hits decibel levels too loud for

9 out of 10 consumers in their 30s are in debt. 45% of respondents in one survey said they had too much debt to think about saving. Do we think the answer is any different about their generosity? 20% of adults in their 30s are still paying college loans.

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Generous people look for more specific benchmarks and ask much harder questions in search for validation of the project. Does the project make sense? Is the reason to give sacrificially clear and compelling? Has the leadership thought this project through? Has the leadership done due diligence? Just because the pastor loves this project has little bearing on my love for the project. Would my investment directly help people? Buildings do not inspire me. There are far more attractive projects outside the church that appear more meaningful to me. Just because I attend church here does not mean that I automatically buy into your project. Does this project help the poor?

Give a change of pace from predictable practices to foster generosity. Even though much of my work centers on capital campaigns, I fight hard to keep those two words from my interaction with clients. Most of my clients call their effort a “mission expansion project” or “vision expansion project”. Stewardship is replaced by generosity. Vision casting and telling gripping narratives begin months in advance not compressed into a five week package. Print media is replaced with moving video work that is viewed repeatedly on YouTube. The traditional three-year giving period for a mission expansion project can be shortened. People are increasingly skeptical about long-term commitments. A fast growing church can actually be hindered with a long giving season. Churches that have made adjustments to converse with a new kind of donor still cultivate significant resources for their vision.

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MOSAIC

Churches that celebrate generosity become more generous. Churches that are silent about generosity become zealous about cutting expenses. I have lived in that cutting expenses season. Experiencing generosity is much more fun.

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6. The church must intentionally build greater trust with its people

Most church giving, especially project-driven giving, is in direct correlation with the trust account balance with its people. How often and how creatively can you build the trust connection that gives people instant freedom to say yes to a spiritual investment? Your people might love the primary teaching pastor. They most certainly love the people of their church. Significant trust comes from neither of these sources. Shaping confidence is a neglected art. • No bank account replenishes itself automatically after a withdrawal. So too must church leadership constantly make trust deposits. •

How can we increase our trust account?

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Tell people frequently how their financial gifts are being used.

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Teach how they are building treasure in heaven.

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Celebrate generosity at each offering.

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Help people understand how financial accountability is a big deal in your church.

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Maintain an open atmosphere about your finances.

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Unapologetically spend money on an annual, independent audit and proclaim the results of the clear audit. Make audit copies available in your lobby.

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Leaders appropriately share how they give.

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Send a thank you note to a household after their first gift to the church. As we swim in these economically turbulent waters, consider more radical moves to build trust.

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Stop ineffective ministry even though you will take hits. People are adjusting their budgets by stopping spending that they would rather not stop. Model for them how to adjust spending patterns.

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Redeploy budget line items to more practical human needs. Food banks, justice ministries, fighting child slavery, mercy ministries and other such works are perceived as far more important than operating expenditures. If the economy worsens, you will need to support some in your church to ride out the storm.

Consistently building trust accelerates generosity. 7. Potential larger gift donors need pinpoint coaching and encouragements

As leaders, we hear an outstanding vocalist and we encourage them to move into the music ministry. We find a young leader gifted as a communicator and we prompt them into ministry options. Yet, we find a person with financial capacity to give large sums and we go into silent mode. Churches that coach and elevate the gift of giving contribute vast resources for Kingdom work. Rather than showing the rich man favor, we actually raise the bar of discipleship for them and release enormous sums toward those things that stir the heart of God. Most potentially larger gift donors are often paralyzed about their giving. They often are ill-equipped to know how to give, where to give, and the mechanics of making wise gifts. Appropriate financial guidance can multiple a gift to your church while legally minimizing tax liabilities. Our government tax code subsidizes our giving. Although people can earn huge dollars, they are not automatically inclined to know how to give

wisely. A wealthy person who understands how much is enough can substitute giving for lifestyle and release untold resources to valuable ministry needs. Churches that disciple high capacity donors multiply vast amounts of resources. 8. Leaders must model sacrificial giving

We cannot lead people where we ourselves are not going. Our people are hungry to view authentic leaders living and giving in the context of faith. Leading by example inspires. How we model and appropriately demonstrate generosity can be tricky. It is done with integrity and humility in generous churches. 9. Human need trumps brick and mortar

Pastors tend to like ministry and facilities large. People like church to feel small and relational. Pastors understand how facilities are tools to reach more people. Most people, however, are less concerned about the facility and more concerned about human need. It is the new normal now to include the human element in vision expansion projects. Church planting, multi-site, a clinic in Africa, homeless ministry in the community, and similar high human touch elements are increasingly expected in major projects. Human investment validates the construction. A colleague worked with a client’s vision expansion project that had nothing to do with any construction undertaking. Every investment dollar flowed boldly to planting churches around the city. The multiple of annual income raised was incredible! A clear connection on how personal giving reduces human need throws gasoline on generosity. 10. Free yourself from the past. Your church members have

The recent Barna report on giving in 2007 repeated the same theme from prior years. Just 5% of American adults tithed. The most generous segment, evangelicals, only topped the charts at 24%. The numbers have remained steady over the decade. We are anemic as a church in prompting generosity. Trends in giving, however, are shifting more radically than ever before. For those of us passionate about the local church, Barna sends up a bright warning flare. People are changing how they relate with the church. No longer content with standard church interaction, they are “expanding their circle of Christian relationships beyond local church boundaries.” People increasingly give their money to organizations other than the church. I served a client this past year that had small groups unofficially connected with their church in multiple states. This strategy was not intentional nor were these groups even supported by the church. The groups emerged from a meaningful interaction with the church podcast ministry. These groups gave generously to this church without a hint of request by the church. There is an increasingly sophisticated donor in an ever increasing competition for the faith dollar. A challenging economy will accelerate the competition. Many donors fail to connect how their attendance at your church translates into giving practices to your church. If inspired, motivated, and simply prompted, however, people would still rather give to their church. Our silence leaves them uninspired, unmotivated, and believing that we have no need of financial resources. The church that shifts generosity dialog and practices to better match the shifting patterns will receive substantial resources. Conclusion

In the midst of economic uncertainty, understand the urgency of making adaptations to your giving practices. You will find the process engaging, energizing, and incredibly meaningful to your people. They will be transformed with an amazing collaboration with their investments and God’s call on your church.

Brad Leeper is a senior strategist at Generis (www.generis.com), one of the leading generosity and stewardship consulting firms for churches and ministries. Brad can be contacted at brad@generis.com. Used by permission

MOSAIC

6 Stewardship Ministries

PASSAGES

Managing Finances in a Turbulent Economy

APPOINTMENTS David Greene – Assistant Pastor at Harrowsmith (ON)

FMC, effective May 5, 2009

Dyan Mouland - Youth Pastor at First Free Methodist Church, Moose Jaw, SK, effective April 23, 2009 Caylen Robertson – Pastor at Eyebrow (SK) FMC,

effective May 1, 2009

Barron Timmons – Youth Pastor at West Springs FMC, Calgary, AB, effective May 1, 2009 Jason Tripp - Lead Pastor at Valleyview Community

FMC, Blezard Valley, ON effective June 1, 2009

Matthew Wiley – Lead Pastor at Rice Road Community Church, Welland, ON effective April 15, 2009

NETWORK LEADER CHANGE Joe Manafo (replaces Jared Siebert - West Ontario CSN), effective April 1, 2009 APPROVED AS MINISTERIAL CANDIDATES Dean Holtz (New Horizons, Sarnia, ON) Andrew Klinger (Saskatoon, ON) Caylen Robertson (Eyebrow, SK) Lynda Sinclair (Arlington Woods, Ottawa, ON) Barron Timmons (West Springs, Calgary, AB) Jason Tripp (Valleyview, Blezard Valley, ON)

APPROVED AS COMMISSIONED MINISTER

Terri Payk (Rice Road, Welland, ON), Commissioned

on April 19, 2009

APPROVED AS ORDAINED MINISTER Chris Payk, Ordained on April 19, 2009 (Rice Road, Welland, ON) David Stephenson, Ordained on June 28, 2009

(Ridgeway FMC, ON)

Kathy Stephenson, Ordained on June 28, 2009 (Ridgeway FMC, ON Matthew Wiley, Ordained on April 19, 2009

(Rice Road, Welland, ON)

ORDAINED MINISTER RECEIVED BY TRANSFER Henry Dyck [Barrie (ON) FMC] from the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec David Greene [Harrowsmith (ON) FMC] from

Congregational Christian Churches in Canada

CHANGE OF STATUS Peter Banks - “Released for service beyond the denomination – Pastor to families with Youth, First United Methodist Church, Siloam Springs, Arkansas,” effective June 1, 2009 Richard Finlay – Leave of Absence – Secular Employment, effective June 1, 2009

CHURCHES IN TRANSITION Asbury FMC, Perth, ON Avonlea FMC, Avonleak, SK Bramalea FMC, Brampton, ON Charlemont FMC, Wallaceburg, ON Eastern Koinonia, Toronto, ON Ecclesiax, Ottawa, ON Kingston West FMC, Kingston, ON Lakeside Community Church, Salmon Arm, BC Mainstreet Community Church, Kelowna, BC Pineview FMC, Cloyne, ON St Joseph Island FMC, Hilton Beach, ON Surrey FMC, Surrey, BC Wawota FMC, Wawota, SK Westdale Park FMC, Napanee, ON Whitby FMC, Whitby, ON PASTORS IN TRANSITION Ousman Ali Linda Dixon Harold Fox Tom Gurnick Larry Hart Dale Hawley John Kurish Steve Lougheed Doug McLeod Samson Mehari Jim Peetoom Kevin Tompkins

Weekly Bishop’s Notes The Bishop’s Notes are generally sent out on Mondays. If you are an ordained minister or a ministerial candidate you automatically receive these notes through the pastor’s listserv. If you are a lay person, and you wish to receive the Bishop’s Notes via email, please visit our website www.fmc-canada.org and look under the “Who We Are” banner - see “Bishop’s Notes” for rss feed. Ministry Opportunities For an up-to-date list of job postings, please visit our website www.fmc-canada.org and look under the “Who We Are” banner - see “Ministry Opportunities.”

t seems like everywhere you look these days there are people giving advice about how to manage personal finances. I’ve read articles on: the 8 steps to financial security, 6 steps to stabilizing your finances, 10 steps to getting your credit back on track, etc. When you put all the advice together, you soon realize there really isn’t anything new. Even though our economy has changed, what we need to be doing in order to manage our finances as faithful stewards is the same as what we should have been doing prior to the collapse. Perhaps the biggest difference is that we need to get serious about it – be more vigilant in doing what we should have been doing all along. In my last article in the Mosaic, I spent some time talking about the importance of budgeting and including God in our budgeting process. In our current economic climate, developing a budget and tracking your spending are more important than ever. In this article I want to focus on some very practical things you should do to help you weather the downturn in the economy. This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but rather some suggestions of things you can start working on today. Credit Report and Score

The first is about your credit report. I believe everyone should be checking his or her credit report at least once a year. There are two companies that provide this service in Canada: Transunion (www.transunion.ca) and Equifax (www.equifax.com/home/en_ca). It is important that you contact both service providers to know what each of them is reporting about you. Your credit report outlines all the credit accounts you have such as credit cards, mortgages, car loans, student loans, etc. It also indicates if the account is in good standing (if you regularly pay your bills on time), what your credit limits are and the outstanding amounts owing on loans. Closed accounts are also listed as well as the reason the account was closed, for instance, you paid the loan off in full or you asked for a credit card account to be closed. Given all the information that is collected and communicated about your credit worthiness, it is important that you know what is in your report. It is up to you to ensure that the information reported is correct. If a mistake has been made on your credit report, there is a process that you can go through to correct it, but it is up to you to identify the mistake and prove that what is being reported is incorrect. The sooner you discover the mistake, the easier it will be to correct.

Ideally your emergency fund should contain the equivalent of 6 to 8 months worth of income. This provides you with some financial margin, some breathing room in case a job is lost, hours are cut, or someone gets sick and is unable to work. In our current economic climate with layoffs happening regularly, those people who were able to build up their emergency fund are in a much better position to respond to a financial crisis. Cut the Fat

Today is the day to get serious about cutting your expenses. And because of the current economic climate, we as consumers have much greater negotiating power than we did when business was booming. It costs approximately 10 times more money for a company to gain a new customer than it does to keep a current customer. So now is the time to go line by line through your budget and take a look at where you can save money. Just remember… everything is negotiable! Companies count on us to be lazy or at least too busy to do our homework, check out the competition, and ask for the best deal. If you are willing to spend some time doing this, you can save yourself a lot of money. Telephone, cell phone, cable companies are actively pursuing new customers with amazing new deals and plans. As an existing customer, take the time to call your service provider and ask for the same deal. I recently made a call to our telephone company and within 20 minutes was able to save over $200 per year. That’s a return of $10 a minute or $600 an hour (of after tax income!). Here are a few other areas to look at cutting the fat out of your budget:  Eat at home more – stop going to restaurants as often  Make a lunch to take to work or school rather than buying it  Start using coupons – don’t just rely on the ones in the weekend flyers, check out the coupon sites online and download coupons for products you are buying anyway – Google is a great way to find Canadian coupon sites  Turn your heat down a degree or your air conditioning up a degree – you can save up to 3% on your energy bill each year with this easy tip  Use mother nature to dry your clothes rather than the clothes dryer 

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Transuion and Equifax both calculate a credit score for each person. The credit score ranges from 300 to 900, 900 being the best score possible. Your credit score is calculated based on a number of factors including: number of credit accounts; total of outstanding debt; credit limits on credit cards and lines of credit; number of inquires from creditors; and of course your payment history. The higher your credit score the less risky you are deemed and therefore the better “deal” you will receive from creditors. The lower your credit score, the higher the interest rate you will be required to pay to offset the additional risk. By knowing what is being reported on your credit report as well as knowing your credit score, you will be in a much better position to renegotiate your mortgage and other loans, thus enabling you to get out of debt faster. Emergency fund

Saving for an emergency fund is crucial at this point in time. To begin saving for an emergency fund, start off by saving $1000 and placing it in a short term savings account. By having $1000 saved, when the car breaks down or the refrigerator needs to be replaced, you have the money to pay for it without resorting to a credit card.

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Carefully review your banking fees – ask your bank to decrease your fees or consider changing banks – there are several that have no fee banking Shop around for home and auto insurance – there can be significant differences between insurance rates from company to company Stop paying so much for entertainment – there are many free community events and recreation opportunities you can take advantage of Get together with friends and develop a movie lending group Don’t go shopping so much – what you don’t see you can’t buy

I’m sure you each can come up with additional ideas of creative ways to decrease your expenses. Wouldn’t it be great if within each of our churches we could pool ideas and resources that would enable us to help each other as well as members of our communities to not just survive but to thrive during these turbulent times. By investing some time in these activities, you will be in a much better position financially and will be able to be more generous towards God and others. Joanne Bell is the Stewardship Ministries Director for The Free Methodist Church in Canada. Please visit www.generoussteward.org for more information and ideas. You can contact Joanne at bellj@fmc-canada.org

MOSAIC

Trusting God at Open Arms in Tillsonburg

hen I was a new Christian a retired pastor took took me under his wing to disciple me. One of the Christian principles he taught me was the principle of tithing. At that time it was a new concept to me but his teaching, based in scripture, moved me to trust God and begin tithing. In my thirty-four years as a Christian it is a principle I have continued to practice. I can say that God has provided for our family in ways that have amazed us over the years. In July of 1994 I was appointed to pastor the Tillsonburg Free Methodist Church (now called Open Arms Church). My previous church in Sault Ste Marie had many faithful tithers, a parsonage, stable finances and a budding building program. Tillsonburg had not had a pastor for eight months, had no parsonage and fluctuating finances. Some money had been set aside from the sale of the parsonage to loan to a new pastor for a down payment on his own home. Before my first official Sunday I attended a board meeting where the budget was being voted upon. I discovered that the congregation was receiving an annual conference subsidy and that the amount they had budgeted for pastor’s salary/ housing was far less than I had been told by the then conference superintendent. What a way to meet your new congregation! After many phone calls the conference decided to raise the amount Tillsonburg received and for the next five years Tillsonburg was subsidized to the amount of 20% per year. I remember asking the treasurer how many people in the congregation tithed. He thought it was around 30%. In the fifteen years we have been in Tillsonburg we have seen the finances rise and fall. We have had many desperate prayer meetings pleading with God to meet the needs. I have worked outside of the church part time a few times to help pay the insurance bills. Many years the budget was cut and cut again as we tried to meet the most basic needs. In my first fourteen years at Open Arms I received one pay raise and that was given back the next year because it seemed to be too much of a burden. After preaching a series on tithing six years ago the board decided to take a step of faith and began to tithe to CORE. For a few months things went well and then some people left the church and the giving shrank. In order to pay the local bills the tithing dropped. Discouragement set in. Yet, in the midst of this God was faithful. Our church building experienced a flooded basement. Insurance would not cover the damage of $7,000. We didn’t have the money. I felt God asking me to call other churches in Tillsonburg and ask for help. Within days the monies were given and workers showed up to pitch in and repair the necessary damage. God was faithful. A few years ago our congregation began to get a vision to minister to Mexican migrant workers who come to this area of Ontario from April through to October. We began with no budget and a few cases of pop to distribute to the workers when they came into town on Friday nights. Three years ago we began to receive financial help from the congregation at New Horizons in Sarnia to pay for a storefront location from which to minister. The owner of the building decided to waive the rent that summer so the donated money was used for bus rental and food. This ministry has grown. Last year we ministered to 80+ Mexican migrant workers and local Spanish-speaking people. Since November we now have a weekly Spanishspeaking congregation numbering in the twenties sharing our building. Praise God. Over the last few years our congregation has given sporadically to CORE and Giving Streams. In 2008 our congregation again took a step of faith and as a body decided once more to tithe to CORE. Immediately after that decision the family who gave the most left. Another blow. The flat part of our church roof began to leak and the repair bill was $5,000. Another blow. But God proved faithful. Giving came from other sources including some who did not attend but felt led by the Holy Spirit to give. My father passed away in 2008 and with the inheritance I received I was able to pay back the down payment loan just in time to see the roof fixed. By the end of 2008 our congregation had been able to pay our tithe to CORE for the first time ever. We also saw our Giving Streams giving increase dramatically and saw giving to local ministries increase. Our small congregation provides much of the funding for the Comfort Zone, a ministry to adults with drug/alcohol addictions. This year the Spanish-speaking congregation is helping pay the utility bills. The number of tithers in our congregation has increased and many of our senior saints give sacrificially. Is everything rosy? No! Layoffs in the area are affecting some in our congregation.

Faithfulness. It is a word that I had been reflecting on over the last little while when Vivian Hyndman [picutred above middle], International Child Care Ministries (ICCM) Director, came in to my office to let me know that, after more than a quarter century of service in this leadership role – 27 years, to be exact – she would be retiring at the end of June. As the office would be relocated to the Ministry Centre both Marie Dodridge [above, left] and Audrey Zandvliet [above, right], who have worked devotedly alongside Vivian, decided that they would step down from this ministry at the end of June as well. After working alongside Vivian for 19 years, Audrey will be focusing on spending more time with her children. Marie will also be joining Vivian in her retirement journey having faithfully supported ICCM for the past 14 years.

As an accountant, there can be a tendency to talk only in the context of money. So I will provide one number – $1,000,000. This is the amount of contributions from generous donors that were entrusted to ICCM Canada in 2008. However, while money is needed to provide a multitude of programs within the ICCM context, this is really about the people that make it happen. I am always encouraged to hear Vivian recount the work that is going on by other dedicated people in countries like Haiti or the other 13 countries where Canadians provide financial support. We know the Lord has a plan for Vivian, Marie and Audrey in the next chapter of their life journey. While ICCM Canada will no longer take up the day time hours for these dear servants in Christ, I know they will remain faithful in His service. From the bottom of our hearts, we at the Ministry Centre know the Lord will continue to hold them in His hand as He directs their future paths. Mark Molczanski is the Director of Administrative Services for The Free Methodist Church in Canada

New Director of International Child Care Ministries The Free Methodist Church in Canada is pleased to announce the employment of Paula Moriarity as the new International Child Care Ministries-Canada Director, beginning May 1, 2009. Vivian Hyndman, who has served ICCM with passion and dedication for 27 years, retired on June 30, 2009. ICCM is a child sponsorship program operating in 14 countries of the world. Through education, meals, and medical care, children in need are given an opportunity for a better life. The Canadian Director of ICCM will provide overall leadership of a budget approaching $1 million per year, monthly sponsorships of approximately 2,500 children in the ICCM program and has primary responsibility for the ICCM program administration, promotion and marketing of the ICCM program in Canada through connecting with Free Methodist Churches across Canada and individual donors. Paula will liaise with the ICCM International Director in Indianapolis and with National Coordinators where ICCM Canada provides financial support. Based in the national Ministry Centre in Mississauga, Paula will work closely with Dan Sheffield, the Director of Global Ministries. Originally from British Columbia, Paula brings to this position a background in financial planning and human resources staffing with education in business administration and economics. Paula also worked in the Canadian headquarters of Campus Crusade for Christ. Paula and her husband, Dave, live in Oshawa where they attend The Freeway FMC. Paula has been a member of the National MEGAP team for a number of years.

Yet, with God’s help and trusting in His faithfulness we will continue to tithe to CORE, continue to give to missions, continue to minister to Mexican migrant workers, continue to fund The Comfort Zone and continue to minister to those in our area and beyond. Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this”, says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” I want to praise God for moving us from being a receiving congregation to a giving congregation, for giving us a giving heart. I want to encourage congregations that struggle with CORE. Keep on trying. The road may be rocky at first but God is faithful. Trust Him. Rev. Doug Dawson is the Pastor of Open Arms Church in Tillsonburg, ON

Global Ministries

Local church sends family to gateway city Chris and Terri Payk, from Rice Road Community Church (RRCC) in Welland are completing their 5th year in a pastoral internship; on July 25th they and their 2 children, Kent and Anna, will fly to Taipei, Taiwan for three years, sent by this local church as our very first missionaries!

ow did this all happen? Well, the steps of their story have been observed by the RRCC family over the last 14 years; how God prepared them for each other. Chris and Terri actually attended the same high school at the same time but never met. Chris is a native of Welland; Terri Hart moved to Welland in 1994 with her family where they joined the ministry team at RRCC . Chris and Terri met at a church youth group after high school but each were moving in opposite directions: Terri to Bethany Bible College in New Brunswick and Chris to Guelph University. However the chemistry was strong and Chris spent a lot of time being mentored by his future father-in-law, until he received the gift of faith in Jesus Christ. Terri moved on to Indiana Wesleyan University where she was awarded her BA in English Education, and where she said “yes” to her future Mrs Chris Payk title. They were married in Niagara in May 2000, and became regular attenders and active members at RRCC. Both enrolled at Brock University where Chris was awarded his BA in History, Philosophy and Environmental Policy, and Terri, her M. Ed in Curriculum Studies. God was calling them to overseas ministry somewhere and they began dialoguing with Dan Sheffield at FMCiC. Around that time, Dan Sheffield, Director of Global and Intercultural Missions for the FMCiC, had a conversation with Shih Chun Lo, pastor of Mucha Free Methodist Church in Taipei, Taiwan, who with his congregation had been praying for a couple who could come to their church to minister in theological and English ministry. Dan later told Chris and Terri Payk, “Pastor Lo had been describing you two exactly.” A partnership was birthed in 2006, between the RRCC in Welland, Ontario and the Mucha Free Methodist Church in Taipei. Chris and Terri spent the summer of 2006 in Taipei ministering with the Mucha Church. A pastor and a church board member also visited during this time to build a partnering relationship. In November of that year Kent was born.

and as chair of Global Missions: Taiwan Project Committee. This committee has encouraged RRCC membership and friends to support the Payk’s financially and prayerfully: has initiated several fund raisers, information evenings, and announcements to keep the RRCC family in touch with all the Payks’ plans. With the church board this committee has been involved in establishing their salary for the next 3 years while they are in Taiwan. We have been blessed by several other Free Methodist churches who have joined with RRCC supporting the Payk family financially and with prayer. On April 19, 2009 Chris was ordained as a Free Methodist minister by Bishop Elford of the FMCiC and Terri became a commissioned minister of the FMCiC. What an amazing path of grace we as a church have witnessed as this couple and their two children whom we love very much, have said “yes”, to God’s call beyond our familiar borders. We have an awesome privilege to share in their lives and support them as they fly to minister and work with our brothers and sisters in Taipei, Taiwan! Esther Teal is a board member of Rice Road Community Church and member of the Global Missions:Taiwan Project committee.

In August 2007, Chris returned to the Mucha Free Methodist Church alone for 4 weeks: preaching, teaching, and visiting FM missionaries. Upon his return Chris continued his studies at Tyndale University and Seminary in Toronto where in May 2009 he was awarded the Master of Theology degree after successfully defending his thesis on John Wesley’s doctrine of prevenient grace. Terri worked part-time as a research assistant for Brock University, also serving at RRCC on the Global Missions committee and as Director of Children’ s Ministries, until October 2008 when little Anna was born. Chris has worked part-time for several years at Christian Horizons in Niagara, and has served the local church through internship in preaching, (which is a gift of his),

Chris and Terri Payk with children, Kent and Anna, leave for Taipei, Taiwan on July 25, 2009

Fast facts on Taipei

Capital city: Taipei is the capital city of Taiwan Languages: Mandarin Chinese (official), Taiwanese Religions: Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist (93%) others Percentage of Evangelicals: 2.7% Population of Taipei: 2,630,872 Taiwanese flag

[above] picture from Dan Sheffield’s first visit to Taipei in 2005

Two workshop resources to help with your global ministry involvement: “Essential skills for intercultural communications” and “Becoming a global church.” Visit “Global Ministries” section of the website: www.fmc-canada.org

Please continue to pray for our full-time missionaries Linda Stryker DR Congo, Equatorial Africa

David & Jennifer Wright Niamey, Niger

Dan Sheffield International, Urban Ministries Facilitator

Debbie Hogeboom Kenya, Equatorial Africa