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D.S. Steve Ottley
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People of Hope
In recent days I’ve heard leaders in different sectors of society and government offer words of hope for the future. I applaud our Prime Minister, our Premier, and Mayors for encouraging people across Canada that things are going to get better. They have assured us that we will get through this pandemic and the economy will bounce back. Jobs will be created, and things will get back to normal. Whatever your belief quotient is in what leaders tell us, they are offering words of hope.
I got to thinking about that – HOPE! As I pondered it and as I thought about all those who are trying their best to offer hope in this ongoing season of challenge, the Holy Spirit reminded me that of all people, the people of God are the ones who have and ought to offer HOPE to our communities. While political leaders do their best to plan for the best and offer words of hope, the people of God, though we are like fragile clay jars, contain a great treasure (2 Cor 4:7b) – The message of HOPE! We preach Christ crucified (1Cor 1:23a).
This has always been the case. The people of God have always been the carriers of hope. I’m reminded of the prophet Jeremiah, who purchased property in the middle of a war zone. Jeremiah 32 tells us that the city of Jerusalem was under siege from the Babylonian army. Jeremiah himself was imprisoned. Things were bad. Jeremiah knew that Jerusalem would be captured by Babylon. So why in the world would he purchase land in the middle of this war zone? Firstly, because God told him to. Secondly, as a message of hope to the people of Judah. Look at the hope filled message Jeremiah gives after he signs the deed on the property he bought.
14 “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Take both this sealed deed and the unsealed copy, and put them into a pottery jar to preserve them for a long time.’ 15 For this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Someday people will again own property here in this land and will buy and sell houses and vineyards and fields.' "Jeremiah 32:14-15 (NLT)
The Church of Jesus Christ is entrusted with the message of HOPE. Let’s not get distracted with even good causes. Preach Christ Crucified. This is the hope we have in these jars of clay:
27…God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:27-29 (NIV)
JESUS THE HOPE!
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D.S. PICTURES OF THE MONTH
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Zoila Miller - Church Board Chair D.S. Steve Ottley
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Thank you to the Emmanuel Spanish Church for providing worship leaders for the English congregation
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Installation of Pastor Tammy Hudson as Interim Pastor
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Pastor Tammy Hudson - Interim Pastor
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Kerby Stavropoulos
Online Service Host
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D.S. Steve Ottley speaking at Connect Online Service
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CONNECT KID'S WORSHIP
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NIAGARA HEIGHTS COMMUNITY
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Pastor Mary Phillips Installation of Pastor Mary Phillips
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Pastor Danny Moreno, Len Phillips, Pastor Mary Phillips,
Pat Ottley, D.S. Steve Ottley
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CHURCH - PASTORAL RELATIONSHIP REVIEWS
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Congratulations to Pastor Ann Hallyburton.
After a successful Pastor and Board Review, the Brampton Church Board has extended a 4-year call to Pastor Ann. She has served as the Lead Pastor of the Brampton Church since 2010.
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Congratulations to Pastor Otto & Beatriz Hung.
After a successful Pastor and Board Review, the Brampton Spanish Church Board has extended a 4-year call to Pastor Otto. He has served as the Lead Pastor of the Brampton Church since 2004.
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Two Upcoming Stewardship Seminars
- WILLS & ESTATES SEMINAR
Dr. Riley Coulter, Director of Stewardship Ministries for the Church of the Nazarene Canada is presenting a WILLS & ESTATES SEMINAR on SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12 at 1 pm Eastern. The seminar will be one hour in length and be presented by ZOOM.
Topics to be covered include establishing clearly defined goals in planning for your future; Will and Estate planning, including power of attorney & health care directives; understanding assets, liabilities and ownership issues; family law considerations and trusts; and charitable giving through your estate.
The seminar is of significance to all age groups, and will have special interest to young couples, parents of young families, as well as those reaching middle age and planning for retirement.
- LIFESTYLE GENEROSITY SEMINAR
Dr. Riley Coulter, Director of Stewardship Ministries for the Church of the Nazarene Canada is presenting a Seminar on LifeStyle Generosity, entitled Generosity by Design on SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26 at 1 pm Eastern. The seminar will be one hour in length and be presented by ZOOM.
God has blessed us with abundance and wealth; a measure of prosperity which calls followers of Christ to be good stewards of the resources God has provided. Developing a lifestyle of generosity is one of the significant challenges we face. In this seminar we will explore what generosity means and how we practice the discipline of Generosity in our daily lives.
The seminar is of significance to all age groups and will have special interest to young couples and parents of young families.
Interested in attending? Email Dr. Coulter at richardrileycoulter@gmail.com |
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2022 Toronto Prayer Breakfast
For the second year in a row, the Toronto Prayer Breakfast will be broadcast online to the entire city for free! You are invited to attend virtually
Tuesday, March 1, 2022
7:00-8:00 a.m.
The Toronto Prayer Breakfast brings Christians together to pray for our leaders and our community, as a public expression of our Christian love and faith. This year, our Keynote Speaker will be Brian C. Stiller, and our Musical Guest will be
Brooke Nicholls.
CLICK HERE for more information and to register
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Reverend Donna Wilson
N.M.I. President
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Half - Million Mobilization
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Regional USA/Canada Vision
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PASTOR GASTON & LUCY ECHEGUIA
Pastor Gaston and Lucy have been approved by Nazarene Global Missions as Sponsored Missionaries to Spain in the Eurasia Region. In early 2022, they will begin pastoring in Polígono Norte en Sevilla, Spain on a 2-year assignment.
Gaston and Lucy are the first Canadians to be approved as “Sponsored Missionaries”. A missionary serving through sponsored deployment is primarily funded by the local community and will serve a localized need in the field. Affirmed by the local church, district, and the Church of the Nazarene, he or she will serve a maximum of four years in the field with no previous ministry experience required.
We invite churches and individuals to support Pastor Gaston and Lucy through your prayers, by inviting them to speak at your church or at an online event, and by giving towards funding their mission to Spain. CLICK HERE for more information.
To give, please follow these instructions:
- Email transfer: churchofthenazarenecanada@ gmail.com
- Pre-authorized Debit or void cheque for 24 months to “Church of the Nazarene Canada”
- Or cheque to “Church of the Nazarene Canada” mail to: 3657 Ponytrail Dr, Mississauga, On L4X 1Y2
Memo: please include with your donation: “DEPUTATION GIVING-ECHEGUIA
Thank you for your generous support.
God bless you.
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You are invited! Introduction to the New Testament
We are excited to begin this new year with a course taught by Dr. Dale Harris, Instructor at Eston College and Pastor of Whitby FMC. The registration fee is $300, and scholarships are available from Canada Central District upon request. Use this link to register by January 13. http://tiny.cc/BIB1023
This course is open to anyone who would like to take it as an auditor at no cost.
Taking a course for audit means that you don’t have to complete the homework or assignments. This is a great way to benefit from great, in-depth Bible teaching.
As always, DMTC courses are open for ordained ministers serving on Canada Central District for continuing education credit at no charge. No homework is required.
Please note: Those taking courses for ordination credit must pay all fees and complete all homework and assignments.
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Are you, or is someone you know called to ministry? The DMTC is a great place to explore aspects of Christian ministry and to gain a strong foundation for ministry in the church and in the world. Courses are open to those pursuing a vocational call to ministry, and to those who simply want to have more knowledge and skills for serving God in their local churches and communities.
To apply, contact Pastor Tammy at dmtc.director@centralnazarene.ca
Website: https://dmtcdirector.wixsite.com/dmtc
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February
We kicked off this month with a short and thorough meeting with Plan to Protect trainer, Doug Davis, on Zoom. This 1hr session updated us on the guidelines to online ministry as well as recapping some Plan to Protect essentials. We had 40 lay people, ministry leaders, and/or pastors join that call.
Thank you to all who attended!
If you missed it, check out our website where you can find the saved video of the meeting as well as more info on our district's Plan to Protect policy.
If you are wondering why you didn't know about this event, then that means one of two things:
1. You aren't on our e-mailing list. You can join it by clicking the blue button below
2. You haven't joined our Facebook group. To join, CLICK HERE
Thank you for your ministry. Below are some resources as well as songs of praise and scripture to encourage you. May this season of Lent bring you closer to knowing our Lord and His love.
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Below is a little virtual coffee date with our District SDMI Ministry Leaders. The underlined texts are hyperlinked for your convenience so that you can worship with us from home, read a verse or two from God's Word, and hopefully learn of a new resource to assist or encourage you in ministry.
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Upcoming DS. Schedule
Please pray for God’s anointing and wisdom for D.S. Steve Ottley
February 1 st – D.S. & District Leaders Half Million Mobilization Prayer Day
February 1 st – Transition Leadership Network Meeting – Zoom @ 1:00 p.m.
February 1 st – Plan To Protect Training - Technology Guidelines – Zoom @ 7:30 p.m.
February 2 nd – National Group Health Plan Meeting – Zoom @ 2:00 p.m.
February 3 rd – Online Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom 12:00 Noon
February 3 rd – Brampton Spanish Church/Pastoral Relationship Review – Zoom @ 7:00 p.m.
February 6 th – Online Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom 8:00 a.m.
February 6 th – Niagara Heights Church, Installation of Pastor Mary Phillips
@ 10:30 a.m.
February 7 th – Sonlife Board Meeting – Zoom @ 9:00 a.m.
February 7 th – Cambridge Preston Church Board Meeting @ 7:00 p.m.
February 8 th – Sonlife Board Meeting – Zoom @ 9:00 a.m.
February 8 th – District NYI Council Meeting – Zoom @ 4:00 p.m.
February 8 th – DMTC Board Meeting – Zoom @ 7:00 p.m.
February 9 th – Golden Horseshoe Missional Zone Pastor’s Meeting –
Hamilton Crown Point Church @ 10:30 a.m.
February 9 th – Canadian District Superintendent’s Meeting – Zoom @ 1:00 p.m.
February 15 th – Spanish Missional Zone Pastor’s Meeting – Zoom @ 10:00 a.m.
February 15 th – Lakeside Church Board Meeting – Zoom @ 7:00 p.m.
February 16 th – District Advisory Board Meeting – Zoom @ 10:30 a.m.
February 20 th – Hacedores de Historia Church Worship @ 4:00 p.m.
February 22 nd – Markham Village Church/Pastoral Relationship Review – Zoom
@ 7:00 p.m.
February 24 th – Global Leadership Summit 2022 - Special Edition – Online
@ 11:30 a.m.
February 27 th – Ottawa Haitian Church Worship – Ottawa @ 10:30 a.m. |
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Be Sure to Click "View Entire Message" at the bottom of the email.
We don't want you to miss any of the district news!
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We love to hear what is happening in the churches of our district! If your church has pictures or news to submit for the next edition of IN THE LOOP, please send them in to support@centralnazarene.ca by the last Wednesday of the month! |
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Remember to visit our website at www.centralnazarene.ca. We will be keeping the calendar and site up to date, so please check there for information. If you have any questions or concerns about the website or newsletter, please contact support@centralnazarene.ca
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DISTRICT SCHEDULE
Updated February 1st
Tuesday, February 1 st – D.S. & District Leaders Half Million Mobilization Prayer Day
Tuesday, February 1 st – Plan To Protect Training - Technology Guidelines –
Zoom @ 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 3 rd – Online Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom 12:00 Noon
Sunday, February 6 th – Online Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom 8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, February 8 th – District NYI Council Meeting – Zoom @ 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday, February 8 th – DMTC Board Meeting – Zoom @ 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, February 9 th – Golden Horseshoe Missional Zone Pastor’s Meeting – Hamilton Crown Point Church @ 10:30 a.m.
Tuesday, February 15 th – Spanish Missional Zone Pastor’s Meeting
– Zoom @ 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, February 16 th – District Advisory Board Meeting – Zoom @ 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, February 20 th – Plan to Protect Training – Zoom @ 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 1 st – Local Church Pastors Half Million Mobilization Prayer Day
Tuesday, March 1 st – Barna Webinar, The State of Your Church –
Online @ 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 2 nd – ASH WEDNESDAY
Thursday, March 3 rd – Online Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
Thursday, March 3 rd – Wholistic Wellness Team Meeting – Zoom @ 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, March 6 th – Online Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, March 8 th – District Nominating Committee – Zoom @ 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, March 17 th – District NMI Council Meeting – Zoom @ 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 22 nd – Clergy Development Day – Zoom @ 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, March 27 th – GTA Missional Zone Celebration Rally –
Toronto Rosewood Church @ 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 29 th– District Board of Ministry Interviews – Zoom @ 9:00 a.m.
Sunday, April 3 rd – Online Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, April 5 th – Wednesday, April 6 th – National Board Meeting – Zoom
Tuesday, April 5 th – Wednesday, April 6 th – National Board Meeting – Zoom
Thursday, April 7 th – Online Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom @ 12:00 Noon
Saturday, April 9 th – SDMI Council Meeting – Zoom @ 10:00 a.m.
Sunday, April 10 th – PALM SUNDAY
Monday, April 11 th – Family Camp Committee Meeting – Zoom @ 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 12 th – District NYI Council Meeting – Zoom @ 4:00 p.m.
Friday, April 15 th – GOOD FRIDAY
Sunday, April 17 th – EASTER SUNDAY
Monday, April 18 th – EASTER MONDAY
Wednesday, April 20 th – District Advisory Board Meeting –
District Office @ 10:30 a.m.
Sunday, May 1 st – Local Church Congregations Half Million Mobilization Prayer Day
Sunday, May 1 st – Online Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom 8:00 a.m.
Thursday, May 5 th – Online Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom 12:00 Noon
Thursday, May 5 th – Ambrose University Preaching Conference
Wednesday, May 18 th – District Advisory Board Meeting – Zoom @ 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, May 25 th – GTA Missional Zone Pastor’s Meeting – TBD @ 11:00 a.m.
Thursday, June 2 nd – Online Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom 12:00 Noon
Sunday, June 5 th – Online Pastor’s Prayer Gathering – Zoom 8:00 a.m.
Thursday, June 9 th – Friday, June 10 th – Annual District Assembly
Tuesday, June 14 th – Spanish Missional Zone Pastor’s Meeting – TDB @ 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, June 15 th – Board of Ministry Studies Committee Meeting –
Zoom @ 10:00 a.m.
Thursday, August 4 th – Friday, August 5 th – Global Leadership Summit – Online
Sunday, August 24 th – Sunday, August 31 st – Riverview Family Camp
Friday, June 9 th – Friday, June 16 th, 2023 – General Assembly –
Indianapolis, Indiana |
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