Friday, September 29, 2006
Tribute to a Great Leader!
I participated last night in a farewell dinner in Calgary for Dr. Murray Moerman, outgoing national coordinator for the Church Planting Canada movement. It has been a privilege to work with Murray who has served as founding leader for this significant movement within Canada. An evening of remembering and tributes came at the conclusion of the meetings of the CPC national executive.
Murray founded CPC as a national network of church planting leaders in 1996. I joined the venture as the leader of the Ontario regional leader at the end of 1997 following the first national CPC congress in Bramalea. Murray (and his wife, Carol) are moving to England to become the European area director for OC International. Rev. Cam Roxburgh, pastor of Southside Community Church in Vancouver, is assuming leadership as CPC moves through its first major leadership transition and updates its ministry to churches and leaders across our country.
Murray has become a dear and close friend as well as a ministry colleague. His life and example has left a deep mark on me as well as thousands of others over the last ten years. Thank you, Murray, for your contribution to the cause of disciplining our nation in accordance with the words of Jesus, "make disciples of all peoples" (Matthew 28:19)! GG
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Here's How We Do It ...
In case you may have wondered how we fund our ministry with Outreach Canada, here's how!
Some of the work we do is what would be called, 'contract ministry'. A church, denomination, or ministry ask us to serve in some way and agree to pay for the ministry we provide. The money is then sent to Outreach Canada, the mission organization with which we serve. In our eight full years of ministry with OC, as much as half of our support and ministry budget funds have come from this source.
However, much of our work is 'donor funded' -- churches and individuals provide missionary support through monthly, annual, or one-time gifts to Outreach Canada designed for the ministry of "Glenn and Dianne Gibson". How grateful we are to both our contract ministry partners and our missionary support partners!
If you would like to know more about contract ministry services or becoming a missionary support partner, contact us at ggibson@outreach.ca. GG
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Our Missionary Calling -- Why We Do What We Do
In 1983, I started to dream about someday working with congregations, denominations, and Christian leaders right across the country of Canada. Fourteen years later, both Dianne and I heard God’s clear call that it was time to get started! At first, I mistakenly assumed it would be happen on a business model where leadership training, coaching, and organizational consulting were provided on a fee-for-service basis. However, while sharing my plans with Murray Moerman in 1998, he made the wise and perceptive statement:
“If you do it as a business, the only groups and people you will be able to help are the ones with money. But, as a missionary, you can also serve those need help, but don’t always have the means to pay.”
In time, we joined Outreach Canada, the same Canadian mission organization where Murray serves. This summer, we started our ninth year of missionary service in obedience to that call.
This fall, we are facing a financial challenge and are communicating with our family, friends, and ministry partners to meet our budget goal for 2006. If you would like to know more and about ways to help us reach our annual target, drop us a note at ggibson@outreach.ca. GG
“If you do it as a business, the only groups and people you will be able to help are the ones with money. But, as a missionary, you can also serve those need help, but don’t always have the means to pay.”
In time, we joined Outreach Canada, the same Canadian mission organization where Murray serves. This summer, we started our ninth year of missionary service in obedience to that call.
This fall, we are facing a financial challenge and are communicating with our family, friends, and ministry partners to meet our budget goal for 2006. If you would like to know more and about ways to help us reach our annual target, drop us a note at ggibson@outreach.ca. GG
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Jumping to Ottawa!
Emilie is jumping to Ottawa for this school year! (CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO ENLARGE)
When Dianne and I left Sudbury on August 24, our grand-daughter, Emilie, was being packed up for a trip to Ottawa where Daddy (Max Hamel) had an interview for a teaching job at Embrun Separate Secondary School. On the 28th, we got the call -- he got the job and was starting the next day! He will be teaching history and social sciences. A lease for a semi-detached house in Ottawa has now been signed and they can move in as soon as they can get packed in Sudbury.
This week, the Hamel family stayed at Max's aunt's in the Ottawa area. But this morning, they are driving back to Sudbury where the packing will commence. Next week, Dianne and I will drive to Sudbury to help them pack for the big move later in September. GG
