CMC’s clothing fest was born out of a need to supply many of the poor and needy people in our community with appropriate seasonal clothing, especially for people on social assistance, recent immigrants, and, more recently, unhoused people and refugees.

“Where is Fort Frances?” is a question we hear often. It’s usually followed up by, “Oh, it’s in Ontario. How far are you from Toronto?” Quite far it turns out. About a 24-hour drive. Oh, the dilemmas of living in Northwestern Ontario.

It has been said, “If your church wasn’t there would anyone notice? Would anyone care?” When EFC was built on its current location in the late seventies, a lot of the surrounding area was open field. Today we would say that God has brought the mission field to us.

As we consider the current context of ministry in Canada, there are many reasons to be encouraged. Openness to the gospel itself is higher than ever, and willingness to accept an invitation to church is way up.

“What has kept us from planting more churches in the recent past?” EMC Director of Canadian Outreach Carl Heppner asked this question as part of his report during the April 18, 2026, conference council meeting (see the more detailed report on the weekend meetings on p. 25). It’s been five years since EMC has planted a church, he said; the most recent is Bow Island EMC in Alberta, which was planted in 2021.

Picture a sleepy prairie hamlet nestled at the foot of the Pembina Hills in southern Manitoba, surrounded by rolling hills and lush farmland, with a small creek running through it. This lovely farming community boasts six streets, three churches, a community store, an outdoor rink, a public rose garden, and a memorial. It is in this idyllic setting that you will find Roseisle EMC, a growing congregation of worshippers of all ages and backgrounds.

When I arrived at Pineridge Fellowship Chapel in 2020 to pastor, the church was already warm and friendly. My family and I instantly felt welcomed, which was important given all that was going on in 2020. It is easy to become complacent as a congregation. Sometimes when you have a smaller church, new people can almost be treated like outsiders, particularly if they’re different from the church.

AS I READ newsletters, send emails back and forth, and have phone or Zoom conversations with EMC missionaries serving around the world, I have been inspired by several things. These are ordinary people from our EMC churches doing ordinary things in other countries.

THE ST. MARY’S First Nation, where Venus Cote lives and does ministry, is inside the city limits of Fredericton, New Brunswick. It is home to the Maliseet people, or “people of the beautiful river.” Although the proximity of the reserve to the city makes it seem like it would be culturally similar to Winnipeg, where her aunt Elvira Cote works, Venus says it is very different and therefore ministry looks different as well.

The Personnel Committee is pleased to announce that George Dumitrascu has agreed to serve as EMC Director of Global Outreach. George will begin his role in the summer of 2023.

After receiving many “green lights” we moved forward, bought a building and opened our doors in November 2021. There is always a lot of work in starting a new church, but God has been so good and helped us.

We thank God for the 62 years of faithful witness of the Northern Fellowship Chapel to the community surrounding Creighton.