EMC leaders meet online to strengthen mission and plan ahead

On April 17 and 18, the EMC ministerial and conference council gathered for their semi-annual meeting. This cycle of meetings is online. It was good to see strong attendance from across the Conference.

Ministerial

On April 17, the ministerial met and had three presentations to prepare and enhance the dialogue in upcoming November meetings. Andy Woodworth, EMC conference pastor, began with an address about the state of the church. His talk encouraged all churches to not think in terms of programs or facilities but to think about bringing people into a relationship with Jesus. If we get caught up in programs and buildings, we miss the point of why these programs are in place.

Mo Friesen, EMC director of next generation, followed up by discussing discipleship and his own journey. As we look to the future, he encouraged us to think of discipleship as a relationship, not a process with prescribed steps (see graphic). We need to help the next generation develop a transformational relationship with Jesus, powered by the Holy Spirit.

Next, Carl Heppner, EMC director of Canadian outreach, reviewed the resources available to churches for leadership development and church planning. These resources are designed to help churches as they plan for the future and what is next for their congregations.

Finally, Cameron McKenzie, chair of the Board of Leadership and Outreach, closed the meeting by unveiling upcoming ministerial discussions on baptism and membership. The goal is to ensure the topics remain relevant and grounded in the EMC’s historic confession of faith.

Conference council

The spring conference council followed the new format introduced last year—a Zoom meeting in April. An emphasis has been placed on the November meeting being in-person.

Andy Woodworth opened the meeting with a devotional. He encouraged participants to discern God’s will by being attentive to his guidance, even if it means changing course.

Elections were held and everyone nominated received strong affirmation. There remain vacancies on boards, and delegates were encouraged to seek nominations for these openings.

The audited statements were presented and accepted, highlighting a $149,000 deficit due to lower giving, higher spending, and a planned $50,000 gift to Steinbach Bible College. Despite the deficit, the Conference maintains a strong financial position, with a $700,000 surplus in the general fund and a $30,000 surplus across all funds.

Constitutional amendments were presented and discussed. They were then tabled in accordance with our policies. They will be voted on in the fall. A detailed list of changes is available on our website at emconference.ca.

Each board reported on the work they have been doing. It was encouraging to hear about the progress in the Conference as we seek to live, reach, gather, and teach.

Thanks to Abe Bergen, who has served as the moderator for the past five years and is now ending his second term. His service to the Conference is deeply appreciated.