Chill October, John Millais

october 2012

Hello there!

It’s been far too long since I wrote one of these updates. My apologies! Summer is often a time for travelling and I’ve been doing a little myself recently.

The recent Break Out Pioneer Gathering, in Swanwick, England, last month, drew pioneering people from a range of denominations, Anglican, Methodist, Salvation Army, United Reform Church, Baptist, as well as a from range of countries, England mainly, but also Scotland, Wales, Australia and Canada. All of us were actively involved in pioneering ministries, either in frontline work, or in support, training, and resourcing roles.

The thing that brought us together was a passion for seeing Christians connecting with those with no existing church connection. The unifying factor was a shared commitment to engaging with God’s mission in a variety of very different contexts. The event gave me a window on what seems to be happening not just in Britain but in Canada and throughout the world too. Our shared commitment to God’s mission, seems to be more important than which denomination we are a member of.

I had already experienced something of this when we planted the emerge community in Montreal in the first decade of this century. Collegial support and fellowship came principally from a disparate group of fellow church planters from an assortment of denominations. In this increasingly post- Christendom environment it seems that denominational difference is becoming less of a barrier to cooperation in God’s mission. As some of God’s people we have a mixture of experience, resources, insights that can help in the work we have been called to do. We have much to learn from other members of the body of Christ, but also something to share. As we enter further into to this challenging era, we will need to find ways to support and encourage one another locally, regionally and nationally, irrespective of our differing denominational affiliations. Doing this I believe will lead us to become a more Jesus-centred and mission-shaped church from coast, to coast, to coast.

 A new resource from Fresh Expressions Canada

Re-imagining Church: shaped for mission is a freely downloadably, five session course for those who know something is wrong and want to understand what can be done about it. Sessions look at changes in our culture, the spiritual resources the church has to respond to the challenges, and what it means these days to be a “Christian.” Then participants explore some of the ways churches are already changing and adapting in order to be more effective. Finally, we consider what this might mean in our own situations.

The course has been rigorously road-tested, in a variety of locations across the country, by a variety of people, including three bishops! The course will be available for free download soon. For more information please email reimagine@freshexpressions.ca

Reimagining Church: shaped for mission is a Wycliffe College Institute of Evangelism Resource ©2012

• Trinity Anglican Church, Simcoe ON – meet third Thursday each month
• St Paul’s Anglican Church, South Porcupine ON
• Brigden United Church in Brigden ON – first MC Sept 25th
• The Anglican Church of St. Timothy, North Toronto – first Messy Church on October 19th

We had hoped to be able to offer the mission shaped ministry course in two distinct modes this fall. Unfortunately due to low registration the classroom course to be held at Wycliffe College, TO, has had to be cancelled. We hope to be able to offer an entirely online course to be called, appropriately enough, MSM online! Running this course again depends on registrations. So if you are interested in participating in the online course please email msm@freshexpressions.ca

The mission shaped ministry course takes participants on a learning journey as part of a supportive community, training them for ministry in fresh expressions of church.

Vital Church Planting Conferences 2013

Two cities: two conferences

A main speaker at both conferences will  be Bishop Graham Cray,  Team Leader for Fresh Expressions UK

Vital Church Planting Toronto: Thursday January 31 to Saturday February 2
Vital Church  Edmonton: Tuesday February 5 to Thursday February 7

The Wycliffe College Institute of Evangelism and Fresh Expressions Canada are co-sponsors of both conferences.

That’s about it for now! Check  our website www.freshexpressions.ca for the latest news.

Please keep us in your prayers.

God bless,

Nick

Nick Brotherwood

team leader on behalf of the Fresh Expressions Canada team

Both courses will take participants on a learning journey as part of a supportive community, training them for ministry in fresh expressions of church.

To find out more about either the classroom course or MSM online! email msm@freshexpressions.ca

John Bowen: Evangelism for Normal People 

Sure, it’s a cheeky way of putting it – but Wycliffe College Evangelism Professor John Bowen has some very serious things to say about how Christians witness to their faith.  His helpful definition for evangelism is: ‘Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, helping people take steps toward discipleship.’

In this interview with ChurchNext TV , this seasoned academic unpacks this definition, shares with us the things that are ‘working’ in the Fresh Expressions movement in Canada, and gives us some best practices toward building healthy congregations.

You can watch the full interview here.

Keep visiting the Fresh Expressions Canada website for news on the upcoming MSM online course or email us at msm@freshexpressions.ca

Andy,  (left) sharing a joke

Summer is a great time for going on trips and meeting family as well as seeing friends old and new. Earlier this year, Fresh Expressions Canada’s Andy & Sue Kalbfleisch, spent some time in England catching up on some of the fresh expressions of church that are emerging there. Andy has produced an excellent short video of one of them, Thirst Café Church.

You can find out more about Thirst Café Church by clicking here!

• Toronto: Thursday January 31 to Saturday February 2

• Edmonton: Tuesday February 5 to Thursday February 7

Plenary speaker at both conferences • Bishop Graham Cray

Team Leader for Fresh Expressions UK

Click here for more details.

Facebook Page

Ryan Sim

Fresh Expressions Canada web manager and church planter extraordinaire, Ryan Sim, writes about a new project he’s been working on here.

Scroll down to the article titled “Redeem the commute.”

This is a workshop given by John Bowen & Tim Haughton at the Vital Church Planting Conference 2012.

Length: 1h:05m

Subscribe to all our Podcasts here

This is a workshop given by Simon Bell at the Vital Church Planting Conference 2012.

Length: 1h:03m

Subscribe to all our Podcasts here

This is a workshop given by Jon Osmond at the Vital Church Planting Conference 2012.

Length: 1h:03m

Extra Resources

• Slides (PDF)

Subscribe to all our Podcasts here

This is a workshop given by Beth Fellinger at the Vital Church Planting Conference 2012.

Length: 51m

Subscribe to all our Podcasts here

This is a workshop given by Beth Fellinger at the Vital Church Planting Conference 2012.

Length: 49m

Subscribe to all our Podcasts here

This is a workshop given by Ryan Sim at the Vital Church Planting Conference 2012.

Length: 49m

Extra Resources

• Planning Workshop Slides (PDF)
• Sample Budget (Excel)
• Sample Budget (PDF)
• Missional Waymarks 1.9x (Draft PDF – Courtesy of Duke Vipperman)
• Lego Man in Space Story on CBC

Subscribe to all our Podcasts here

Length: 42m

Subscribe to all our Podcasts here

Length: 25m

Extra Resources

• PowerPoint Slides

Subscribe to all our Podcasts here

Norman Ivison photo by www.jeffreygwilkinson.com

“I realise that the church, called to be counter cultural, shouldn’t always pander to the wants and desires of the predominant culture. If it did we would have pews full of Christians singing cheesy Victorian hymns, separating church life from real life and having very convoluted and formal ways of making decisions. Actually, thinking about it….

But what the church can do, is take the hopes and desires of young adults seriously. Of course, this may not be for you. The last thing on your Christmas list is a church council full of 27 year old rebels. So if you want to make sure you keep young adults well away, simply apply these eight principles.”

Read Norman’s eight principles here.

Length: 50m

Subscribe to all our Podcasts here

Length: 1h:03m

Extra Resources

• PowerPoint Slides

Subscribe to all our Podcasts here

Length:59m

Subscribe to all our Podcasts here

Click here for details.

Sally Gaze