The following information is a background of how we approve and maintain relationships with missionaries. This is an abridged version on our Missions Policy and Process document. If you are a missionary and would like to apply for funding from our church, please download and fill out our Application Form and submit it by dropping it off at the church or by emailing it to the church office.
Missions Overview
At St. Joseph Island Free Methodist Church, we provide various ministry opportunities in keeping with our Missions Objectives & Values for our church family to get involved in Global Missions and participate in God’s call to the Great Commission. These opportunities include:
- Supporting Our Missionaries and Missions Organizations around the world.
- Participating in a variety of Missions Events throughout the year.
- Participating in one of our Short-Term Missions Trips.
Our Focus
Our objectives are the practical applications of the mission statement of our church, but specifically applied in the realm of foreign missions. In keeping with our church’s mission statement, we will focus our funding and resources on the following priorities:
- Active sharing of the gospel
(proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ: that God loves us and sent His Son Jesus to redeem us and save us from our sins.) “Active sharing” means teaching, preaching, and evangelism: we will always use words; our conduct and the way we conduct ourselves and our ministry will always be above reproach and worthy of the name of Christ. Sometimes this will mean using material goods—but it is always done in support of active proclamation of the gospel and God’s Word. - Discipleship of believers
Seeing indigenous believers raised up who are worshipers of Jesus Christ; whose conduct is worthy of the name of Christ and who continually grow in Christ-likeness; who worship God in every aspect of their lives; who become students of the Word of God; who manifest the Fruit of the Spirit in their lives, and whose love for Christ motivates them to pray and serve in their own vocations and realm of influence to see others come to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour. - Training and assisting in raising up healthy local churches
We are not abroad to replace or to remain forever but to train either current generations of church leaders (leadership development) and/or future generations of leaders (church planting) so that their congregations and converts can be disciples.
In order to gain financial support from our church, missionaries are vetted through a rigorous process, including an application, interviews, deliberation, and, of course, prayer. You can view an outline of the process by clicking here to view our policies that lay out the methodology that we use. If you are seeking missionary funding from our church, please email our church office to receive a fillable form for your application process.
New Missionary Applicants: Becoming Part of Our Missionary Family
In its desire to be obedient to fulfilling the Church’s role in the Great Commission, SJIFMC is considering new additions to its supported missionary family. For those interested in being considered for missionary support, please see the Application Form for Missionaries/Projects. Those who desire to become a supported full-time missionary/ministry, part of our “Missionary Family” will go through the following process:
- The Missionary will complete the Application Form to be submitted to the Missions Committee.
- The Committee will then prayerfully review the application, interview and interact with the missionary, review character references, and will provide further direction to the candidate. This direction will be either wait (not the right time), no (process is stopped), or go ahead. This is done using the Missions Policy and Process.
- If the missionary is given the direction to go ahead, the Missions Committee will make a formal recommendation to the Official Board regarding the amount of support and their endorsement of the applicant as a candidate. A copy of the completed application and any additional documentation or certification will be attached and forwarded to the Board. Final approval will be made by the Board.
- Only those missionaries/projects who have been approved by the Missions Committee will be funded. Likewise, the final decision regarding support will be carried and made by the Official Board.
Requirements for Continued Funding of Long-Term Missionaries
- Regular Reports to the church for general distribution including prayer requests. (No less
than 3 per year). - An in person visit when home on furlough to meet with the Missions Committee, and if
requested by the church to share at a gathering or meeting of the church (either in a home
or at a church location). - Regular communication with the Missions Committee regarding more personal needs,
decisions, and opportunities (not necessarily to be shared with the broader church). - Seeking out the confidential prayers of the Pastor / Missions Committee individuals for
input and support in decisions that are being considered. (i.e. changing ministry
emphasis, moving to a new ministry location, moving home, or considering a sabbatical
or leave.) The missionary will involve the pastor or missions committee members in the
decision-making process. - The registered charity you are serving under remains in good standing with the CRA.
Short-Term Mission Trips
Short-Term Mission Trips Short-term Teams are “Senders” in the Missions Relationship
As a church we highly value short-term missions as a learning and exposure opportunity. We want to offer short-term trip experiences to church members to partner with our missionaries to further their work of reaching the lost and creating discipleship moments where we can fulfill God’s Great Commission personally and grow in our faith and dependence on Christ.
While short term missions (STM) missionaries and teams can have a positive impact on those taking part, we are at times ignorant of the host culture and its dynamics—a STM can have a detrimental effect without realizing it. One’s impact for good is increased when he is under the guidance of a local ministry/missionary. A successful STM team can also go with simply a goal to encourage and build up a missionary unit.Sending STM teams will only be done in areas where we can work with and learn in partnership with a full-time missionary (preferably our own), in order to achieve long-term fruit and furtherance of our gospel objectives. Although STM teams “go” to foreign locations, they are going primarily in a sending posture to support or assist the existing missionary unit/ministry.
The focus of our short-term mission trips is as follows:
- Present the Gospel message
- Encourage and support our missionaries in the field
- Support our missionary’s ministry in the field
- Model global evangelism and outreach
- Spiritually stretch and grow our members participating in the trips
- Expose and encourage SJFMC members to commit to a life of mission’s service
STM trips are proposed and coordinated by the Missions Committee to the Official Board.Proposals are submitted to the Chair of the Board at least 6 months prior to the trip/project in order for the Official Board to do due diligence. Final Decision of proposals is with the Official Board.
Proposals for STM Teams must include the following:
- Overview of the mission trip/project
- Goals and activities to be carried out, including its purpose and benefits
- Projected start and end date, including proposed timeline
- Estimated total budget for the trip/project, including any estimates
- Location of the project and responsible contact person at project location
- Person responsible for overseeing the overall project on behalf of our church
- Process for monitoring project (communication, progress reports, photographs)
- Estimated number of participants
- Evaluation of risk and health & safety considerations
- Required travel documentation and immunizations
- Outline of fundraising plans
Proposals will be considered in the context of our church’s Mission Statement and our Missions Objectives.
Fundraising for STM
All fundraising methods must be approved in advance by the Official Board and be coordinated with the Missions Committee. In the event that sufficient funds are not raised, the Official Board will determine whether the trip/project will proceed.
STM Participant Requirements
Each person participating in a short-term mission trip must complete an application form which will include:
- Personal and emergency contact information
- Character References (not family members)
- List of experience and skills
- Expectations of Short-term Missions Trip Participants
- Physician medical note
- Background checking consent
- Consent from parents or guardians, if under the age of majority.
- Copy of valid passport (not due to expire within 6 months of the date of proposed trip).
- Copy of Any Vaccination Requirement Documents (i.e. Yellow Fever card).
An interview may also be requested. The Missions Committee will review the application form sand then make recommendations to the Pastor and the Official Board. Those candidates approved, will form the short-term mission team, subject to adequate funding being in place. A release of liability form, customized for the trip, will be reviewed with and signed by each participant of the mission trip.
STM Reporting
Upon completion of a trip/project a written summary report must be submitted to the Board for our records. This is to be done within one month of returning home or the completion of a project.
Original signed expense receipts to support expenditures must be submitted to the Treasurer within two weeks of returning home. There must be a clear paper trail of all monies; showing when, where, and how the money was spent from the time it leaves the church account. All currency exchange receipts/rates must be obtained and submitted to the Treasurer.
If financial assistance is given to non-qualified Donees; progress reports, financial records,copies of communication, and photographs are needed to prove resources have been used for our own activities as required by the Canada Revenue Agency.
All documentation must be translated into English so church treasurer can follow the trail of all monies.
STM Debriefing
Short term Missionaries and teams will always go through a debriefing as a team with a seasoned leader, either a pastor or another missionary leader.During the debriefing, STM teams will receive guidance and work to prepare a brief ten-minute presentation to be shared with the church at a later date.
Summer Students Serving at Home in Ministry
We are thrilled when young people from our own church chose to spend their summer serving Christ alongside local ministries, for example at Christian summer camps. Our Church is happy to consider providing a small gift each summer to our own Students. Students who would like to be considered are encouraged to submit a prayer letter to the Missions Committee.