What do church plants need?
As your church members take some time off this summer to prepare for ministry programming starting in September, I’d like to encourage you individually and collectively to consider making some of your resources available to new church plants near you.
The EMC currently has 11 church plants and outreaches across Canada, defined as being roughly in their first 10 years of existence or receiving subsidy from the conference. Let me introduce you to these churches and their pastors/leaders.
Ontario
The Forge (St. Thomas) – Bill and Beth Janzen. Began in 2019. Focus is on de-churched or non-churched people. Average attendance: 40.
Glory of Christ (Toronto) – Jember and Tina Rijato. Began in 2019. Focus is on Ethiopian and Eritrean immigrants. Average attendance: 50.
Manitoba
Spanish Outreach (Winnipeg) – Mario Alvizurus. Began in 2015. Average attendance: 10.
The ConneXion (Arborg) – Peter Dueck. Began in 2006. Focus is on BELLS model (Bless, Eat, Listen, Learn, Sent). Average attendance: 20.
Kingdom Life Church (Winnipeg) – Ibrahim and Phebe Zabaneh. Began in 2020. Focus is on Arab-speaking people, primarily refugees. Average attendance: 50.
Many Rooms Church Community (Winnipeg) – Dave Guenther, Jen Kornelsen, Stephanie Unger. Began in 2004. Focus is on house churches in inner-city. Average attendance: 50.
Outreach (Ste. Agathe) – Scott and Debbie Dick. Began in 2018. Focus is on families in this predominantly French-speaking, dual-income, commuter community, 15-minutes south of Winnipeg. Average attendance – 25 people attend various bible studies and kids’ events.
Winnipeg Logos – Helen Wang. Began in 2017. Focus is on Chinese immigrants. Average attendance: 10.
Alberta
Ephrata Evangelical Church (Edmonton) – Molugeta Kalisho. Began in 2019. Focus is on Ethiopian and Eritrean immigrants. Average attendance: 15.
Gospel Light Fellowship (Redcliff) – Abe and Kara Penner. Began in 2013. Focus on community and Low-German speaking people. Average attendance: 20.
Island Gospel Church (Bow Island) – Abe and Lisa Dyck. Began in 2021. Focus is on Low-German speaking people. Average attendance: 70.
Here’s a non-exhaustive list of resources that our church plants would benefit from:
Prayer support
Prayer walking
Financial support for building rentals, outreach events, etc.
Donations of music equipment, toys, other supplies
People who can:
Play guitar, keyboard, percussion, or another instrument
Train church plant leadership in finance
Help write the constitution
Help with acquiring charitable status
Serve on the church board
Teach a Sunday School class
Teach English to first generation members of immigrant churches
Host a Bible study
Bake snacks for ministry events
Join in outreach events – handing out flyers, or wherever needed
Help with VBS
Provide sound or media tech support
Preach a Sunday sermon
Babysit the church planters’ kids
Help run youth events
Help run men’s events
Help run women’s events
Together, the body of Christ can see the church grow in a city, town, or neighbourhood near you! Thank you for your support!
