Atlantic Connexion

Post-Tropical Lee Disrupts with Minimal Damage

Worst case scenarios were – for the most part – thankfully averted across the Atlantic region. However, the disruption on fall kick-off ministries resulted in most churches postponing key events until next weekend, including the Men’s Weekend on Caton’s Island.

We are blessed by the wise leadership in each of our churches as careful decisions were made to keep people safe (and serve those affected) as we continue to lean into this post-pandemic season with anticipation!

Pastoral Installation in Fort Fairfield

Kevin (Wanda) Jackins was installed this Sunday as Lead Pastor of Community Wesleyan. They began attending in 1986 and have faithfully served alongside pastors for more than 35 years. Kevin has been asked more than once to provide interim lay leadership for our CW family during seasons of transitions.

A retired Phys. Ed. & Health teacher from Mars Hill, Kevin officially began his pastoral journey earlier this year and was appointed by District Conference as a credentialed minister. Our Community family is in good hands for the chapter ahead and we celebrated together as Kevin shared about recently leading a young man to the Lord who is now part of the church family – PTL!

Nackawic (Ryan Farrell) held their 21st Annual Well Walk to raise funds and awareness for clean water in Sierra Leone. This is Ryan’s 15th year leading the walk following his succession of Revs. Carl and Evelyn Brewer who started this event. The well walk was started to fulfill the vision mission that Dr. Margaret Corey had to travel to Sierra Leone and serve. Unfortunately, Dr. Corey passed away unexpectedly before she could travel there.

World Hope International Canada CEO Tanya Nace was present for this day and reported, “The heart for the world that members of Nackawic Wesleyan share is contagious! We are excited that another community will get access to clean water as a result of this church’s clear vision to love the world.”

District leadership enjoyed our time on Thursday & Friday with the group gathered for New Lead Pastor Orientation. Every leader (lay and clergy) in our Atlantic Tribe is valued as we each play a key role in seeing our churches unleashed for transformed lives. We are especially blessed by the cadre of gifted and godly first-chair leaders who serve on the front-lines of our shared mission.

Houlton Pastoral Team Building Day

One of the perks of my Kingdom role is the opportunity 2-3 times each year to invest in our pastoral teams with focussed leadership development. At the invitation of Wayne Robertson, I enjoyed spending most of Tuesday with the Houlton Wesleyan team (including Andrew Ross & Katie Betts).

Wayne and Brenda took a trip last week to visit their new grandson – Eli Wylder Quinn – congratulations to all!

The Wesleyan Church has a long and rich history of women and men working alongside one another in ministry. What could it look like to more fully live out that historic value in our churches today? Last week, E&CD’s Rev. Carla Working interviewed Dr. Rob Dixon to learn how we can form ministry partnerships between women and men that are simultaneously personally satisfying and missionally effective.

CLICK HERE to glean the timely wisdom of this excellent interview based on the work in Rob’s most recent book. A complimentary copy of his book will be provided for every Lead Pastor at our January Ministerial which can be circulated to read by each member of your pastoral team.

PreacHer Sunday continues across the Atlantic Region (although a few needed to be rescheduled because of the tropical storm) with Katie Betts @ Houlton and Deborah Gilbert at Cornerstone Windgate. Carla Working shared, “There will always be this gender struggle with some wondering can women and men serve together and flourish and be healthy but I think we are making progress.”

Annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner @ Beulah

The Beulah Dining Hall was filled with volunteers Sunday afternoon as the rescheduled Annual Appreciation Dinner hosted residents who have invested above and beyond service over the summer months to assist in the summer ministries of Beulah Camp & Conference Center. The increase in post-pandemic engagement has been encouraging as we look to the future in how this treasure continues as a resource to unleash churches for transformed lives through recreational, residential, and renewal ministry. Every hour of volunteer service makes a difference and we are grateful for each one who makes a spiritual impact through their personal investment!

DBMD Executive Reviews Annual Service Reports

The DBMD Executive convened this week for the annual review of Atlantic Ministerial ASR’s. We were encouraged by the overwhelming majority of reports from our Ministerial Tribe reporting the depth and richness of a personal spiritual journey in this post-pandemic chapter of leadership. The tension between “Being vs. Doing” will always be one to manage, but we are grateful to see so many embracing the rhythms they need.

Many commented on the helpfulness of Full Strength Network for them and their families. We are grateful for the initiative of Education & Clergy Development (Johanna Rugh) to broker our denominational partnership with this amazing Kingdom tool with high quality leaders available to serve our ministers. The Atlantic District is pleased to provide a 50% refund for the first-year of registration for any leader (clergy or lay) serving in a pastoral role in the local church. We encourage your church to provide the other 50% and budget an annual subscription in their support of your leadership.

“Full strength has been the best resource for coaching and counsel. Thank you for providing this!” (Anonymous ASR Comment)

An Ontario Multiplication Network Welcomes Partnership

The Genesis Multiplication Network is one of a handful for emerging networks in the Central Canada District created to help foster growth, multiplication and fresh expressions of Jesus’ Kingdom movement.

Since its inception, the Genesis Network has seen multiplications come to fruition in the form of a missional café (www.outpostcafe.ca), focused ministry and church planting for the Canadian military and university students (in Kingston), multi-ethnic church revitalization (Cornwall) and has several pending kingdom location launches for Montreal and Smiths Falls with longer term planting vision for various portions of Quebec (Quebec City, Shawinagin, Rimouski, Riviere-du Loup, Trois Rivieres, Saguenay, Gaspe and others).

We are asking for two considerations from our Atlantic tribe:

Focused prayer for wisdom, people of peace and Jesus’ Kingdom heart for present and future multiplications.
Prayer-led investment of resources – funding, people, gifts and/or talents to help the movement grow.

If you’d like to hear more about the movement, or would like to explore partnership in some capacity, please reach out to Jason Frizzell (jason@croad.ca) and follow the movement on its socials – Facebook & Instagram.

If you’d like to see a video highlighting some of the ministry happening through one of our expressions, you can do so HERE. Each one of these people being baptized is either a volunteer, a customer or a family member of someone who has connected with Jesus through this missional initiative.

World Hope International – Christmas Opportunity

Clean water touches every aspect of our lives. And access to nearby clean water changes the game for vulnerable communities! This Christmas we are celebrating “When the Clean Water Came…” and inviting your church to partner with World Hope to help see transformation happen around the world. We have put together resources for you to make this easy from videos, to talking points, to social media posts and more!

CLICK HERE for all you need to engage your local church in this vision!

The Bible is utterly unfamiliar with casual prayer. (David Thomas)
Is it the grace of God in our lives to bring us to the end of solutions that can’t actually solve the problems we need solved? (Brent Ingersoll)
Jeanie Duck said that in the absence of information, “people will connect the dots in the most pathological way possible.” Often the stories we tell ourselves are full of all manner of pathology and half-truths. (Steve Cuss)

Love Atlantic 2023 Starts Sunday!

Spiritual Emphasis Week @ Kingswood University

Kingswood’s Fall 2023 Spiritual Emphasis Week is right around the corner, and you do not have to be a Kingswood student to attend! Mark your calendar for September 26th and 27th and join us on campus to worship and learn from God’s Word together!

This year’s speakers will be Revs. Danielle and John Freed, who serve as the Multiplication Directors for the Great Lakes Region of the Wesleyan Church. Rev. Danielle Freed also serves on the Board of Trustees for Kingswood University.

CLICK HERE for 2023 Pastor Appreciation Resources

CLICK HERE for Promo Poster

Young Adults Headed to College?

If you have students from your church that are heading to university or college this fall, you know that their faith will be tested in critical ways over the next number of months. The pressures they face could honestly end up breaking down the faith that they’ve built during their years at your church.

But that doesn’t have to be the story. In fact, recent research shows that if someone from your church helps to build a bridge to Christian community in a student’s new town, the chances that they’ll stay connected to the local church doubles. It’s for that reason that Jeremy MacDonald (Moncton) has put together the resources to do that in a unique and special way — by inviting your graduating students to become Post-Secondary Missionaries. Sent from your church to their new communities.

Everything you need is located in this folder: https://bit.ly/3gnm7hU. You can also reach out to Jeremy with any questions or help you’d like with your youth ministry as his organization, the Youth Worker Community, is helping churches across our country better disciple students each week. He can be reached at jeremy@youthworker.community.

– Fredericton: Corbett Avenue, Crosspoint, Journey
– Halifax: Cornerstone, Deep Water, Hillside, Kings
– Moncton: Moncton
– Presque Isle: Framework
– Sackville: Amherst
– Saint John: Kings, Saint John First
– St. John’s: Solid Rock
– Sussex: Encounter
– Wolfville: New Hope

Follow 2023 – International Wesleyan Youth Conference

Our Church Multiplication & Discipleship team would love to invite you to the International Wesleyan Youth Conference – Follow 2023.

All middle school, high school, and young adults are welcome to come discover their kingdom calling. We are expectant for God to move in mighty ways. Mark your calendar for December 28-30, 2023 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

SAVE THE DATE: Atlantic District 2024 Winter Ministerial
When: January 17-18, 2024
Where: Kings Church (Valley Location)
Who: Dr. Steve DeNeff

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