Global Workers
& Partners Week
GLOBAL WORKERS AND PARTNERS WEEK 2025 |
NOVEMBER 17-21
Global Multiplication
This year Global Workers and Partners Week brings you stories of multiplication from World Partners Supervised Global Workers across the world, beginning here at home in the Canadian mission field, and going as far as Romania.
As a denomination, the EMCC has been praying this year for God to increase not only his harvest, but also his workers. We hope these stories and interviews, which tell of His faithfulness to multiply, will bring encouragement and inspiration to you and beyond.
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Part 1 - Planting, Watering, and God’s Increase ⇩
Dorothy Reid leads us into this week, sharing her prayer early in her ministry to see God’s multiplication, and telling us about his faithful answers to that prayer.
Part 2 - Noticing God's Movement in our Midst ⇩
Dan Chapple shares how God has continued to equip and guide his involvement in a developing Spanish-speaking congregation, meeting at Listowel EMC.
Part 3 - An Increasing Legacy ⇩
Ken & Carolyn Benson share about moving from place to place as God called them on to new things over the years. The pain of loss was met with God’s provision for the ministries they left behind, and the joy of new work laid before them.
The ministry of Rob and Sharlene Dilts continues to penetrate many hearts today. Rob shares with David Benjamin about the ways God is working to provide material and spiritual connections. Murray Swalm also shares about this journey of sowing and watering which can sometimes feel aimless and futile.
Part 5 - Different Roles, Same Belief ⇩
To wrap up this week, we’ll hear from Sally Bragg as she reflects on her and her husband's ministry around Saugeen Reserve. Their faithfulness reminds us of the power of knowing when we might be in seasons of planting and then shifting to seasons of watering, all along trusting Him for an increase.
Part 1 - Planting, Watering, and God’s Increase
Hello friend,
Welcome to Global Workers and Partners Week 2025! We're excited to share inspiring stories of multiplication from our supervised global workers.
Our focus this year within the EMCC has been on multiplication. As labourers in God's Kingdom, we long to see growth in various avenues – in Gospel witness extended, new followers of Jesus born and discipled, leaders developed and new expressions of the church forming.
Jesus described the Kingdom as a field ready for harvest, and the Apostle Paul expanded that picture: each of us has a role in tending the field, but the results belong to God alone.
"I planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase." (1 Cor. 3:6-7)
As you read these stories this week, may you celebrate with us how God is bringing multiplication through our global workers' ministries. Be encouraged by how God is working through you as well and listen for where and how else He may be seeking to use you.
- Pam Hicks, for the EMCC World Partners Team
Training Tomorrow’s Leaders
with Dorothy Reid
"God, what is your dream for my life that is so big, only You can do it?"
Many years ago, I began praying,
After months of seeking, He replied, "That hundreds and thousands of boys and girls would hear the Good News."
I remember being astonished and thinking at the time: "That's a huge dream! But Aylmer, Ontario, is not that big!" It never entered my wildest imagination that He would send me to Romania!
When He invited me to join Him there, I still questioned the how. "It will take me years to learn the language before I can teach that many children," I told Him. He said, "Not you. You will teach others, who will in turn teach the children and train other workers."
God gave me a simple diagram with stick figures and workers reaching groups of children in their villages and towns, and in turn training them to share with other kids.
In 2006, a single gal, Rita, and I moved into a house in the hills of Transylvania. She admitted that she had never worked with children. Together we prepared the lessons, with me contributing in English and her in Romanian. It is a huge joy to get messages and photos of how God is using her now to reach people who live off the garbage dump. She has a thriving ministry among the children, youth and women there.
From there God led me to the southernmost part of Romania where a young lady-- an orphan-- living with the pastor and his wife, would accompany me to the children's clubs. At that time, she didn’t know English, so it forced me to really learn the language. Gradually she attempted a verse here, a song there. At the beginning her confidence was low and she would call me afterwards full of concern as to how she had done.
It was exciting when the day came where our roles switched. She was leading the Sunday School, and I came to assist her! She was going from place to place holding kids’ clubs around town and turned out to be fantastic at visitation, spending time with the families, and eventually discipling youth who came to Christ through her.
It all points back to the influence she had on their lives. She and her husband are now living in a university city where she continues to minister to children in creative ways
Another encouragement for me is to see how one of the young children, Mariana, who attended the very first club in this region, went on to give her life to Christ, started a Bible club to disciple children and adolescents in her village, and is now married to a godly man.
God is at work even though it takes a while to see the results. He is so faithful.
- Dorothy Reid
Part 2 - Noticing God’s Movement In Our Midst
Hi friend,
In 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, the Apostle Paul reminds us of the roles we play but that God is the one working in the seen and unseen places. Today, we will reflect with one of our workers on joining new expressions of the church forming – noticing and participating with what God was already doing.
For those who regularly receive our biweekly prayer bulletin, welcome to Global Workers and Partners Week 2025.
Today, we have the opportunity to hear from Dan Chapple about supporting a developing ministry among the Latin diaspora in Listowel, ON. Additionally, there are some prayer requests to take with you into your Sunday service, prayer meetings, or private prayer practice related to the ministry of EMCC-connected global workers.
May you be inspired by how God is a God of Mission, and we have the opportunity to join the Triune God in this work.
- Nicole Jones-Qandah, for the EMCC World Partners Team
Watering God's Seeds Already Sown
with Dan Chapple
In this short interview, Dan shares how God has continued to equip and guide their involvement in a developing Spanish-speaking congregation, meeting at Listowel EMC.
His invitation and challenge to those watching is to see the missional opportunity in our neighbourhoods, and consider who God has brought in your midst.
We hope that you will follow-up on Dan and Anne-Marie's story in our EMCC Together Magazine to be published in January.
Prayer Requests for Global Workers Serving Across The Globe
World Partners, as the mission mobilization arm of the EMCC, appreciates your continued participation together in prayer for global workers and global partners who serve God faithfully in a variety of contexts worldwide.
Here are some prayer requests to that end, for these cross-cultural servants.
Pray for our supervised and recognized global workers that they would uplift and support well the emerging works of God in the contexts they serve in. May they know friendship and partnership and trust Him with the increase.
Pray for those serving in creative access countries, that they would know our prayers for them. May they not feel alone or isolated – that the Lord would sustain through life-giving friendships, perseverance, and creativity in demonstrating Jesus.
Pray for sending EMCC churches of both supervised and recognized workers. May our denomination be a community of churches who extend friendship, hospitality, and partnership with those called to extend the gospel beyond their language, geographical, or cultural group.
Part 3 - An Increasing Legacy
Hi friend,
Today, we’ll hear from Ken & Carolyn Benson, who have served within EMCC in a variety of roles over the years. They went from place to place as God called them on to new things. As they moved around, they had to leave behind beloved people and thriving ministries. But as they went, God kept bringing along the next person who would step into that vacancy. Our theme verse this week, written above, reminds us to keep focused on where God wants us and leave the ultimate results with Him.
Happily, looking back over so many years, we have the greater perspective to see how God brought multiplication, His increase, in those various places. And the multiplication has come in various forms.
Hindsight usually gives us greater clarity as to what God was doing before. As you read this story, reflect back on your own life to where you were 5, 10, 25 years ago.
Paul planted. Apollos watered. You planted. Another watered. Or vice versa.
Do you see the multiplication effect through God's hand upon you? If not yet, carry on in your service for Him. He is faithful.
- Pam, for the EMCC World Partners Team
The Master of Multiplication
with Ken & Carolyn Benson
We have had the privilege to serve with the EMCC since 1988, in Sarnia, Vancouver, Portugal, and the Greater Toronto Area. Throughout these years we have seen God’s faithfulness in helping things multiply.
After serving the Youth at Sarnia EMC, we were invited to join the Missionary Church Planting team in Coquitlam, in 1991. Dave and Irene Barker led a multigenerational team who began meeting in homes, followed by renting a church, and later we moved to a business mall and eventually merged with a small congregation who welcomed us into their building.
By God’s grace, when we sensed Him leading us to join a church planting team in Portugal with World Partners in 1998, our church had grown to a congregation of more than 50 people. Now, 27 years later, that same congregation, Hillside Community Church exceeds 300 – pastored by Durwin and Angel Gray, who joined the team near the beginning.
During our 13 years in Portugal, the Holy Spirit led us as we learned to walk by faith and perseverance. It took three years of relationship building, prayer, and diligent study as we learned Portuguese and developed a relationship with a local church willing to partner with us in a church-planting project in the north.
In a Gideon-like twist, just weeks before our relocation to the north, our partnering couple took on an assignment in another city, forcing us to pray through new plans. God provided local Portuguese partners in our target area and we were reminded that His plan is best. He opened the doors for us to assist and encourage two small church plants and lead a Youth Adventure Camp that gathered youth from around the area. One of the youth we trained as a camp leader is now part of a church plant in a nearby city, and several who attended our Youth programs have returned to their home country of Angola to live out their faith.
On our return to Canada thirteen years later in 2011, we were invited to use our cross-cultural experience and our teaching background to help equip Global Workers for cross-cultural ministry and debrief them upon return.
We’re grateful for the way our Good Shepherd has faithfully guided us through the joys and challenges of each season and for the opportunity to lead our MissionPREP team to help equip people for the four corners of the world who have said “Yes” to God’s call - pastors, teachers, healthcare workers, engineers, youth leaders, translators, business as mission workers, etc.
We have seen in our journey that God is truly the master of multiplication.
“… neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”
1 Corinthians 3:7
- Ken and Carolyn Benson
Pray With Us
We offer you a set of prayer points which can be used on Sunday morning or during another gathering, as part of Global Workers and Partners Week 2025.
The slide below can be downloaded as a pdf powerpoint slide, by clicking it.
Part 4 - Faithful In Sowing
Hi friend,
The prayer of Jabez is both simple and layered,
“Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”
Did God answer Jabez’s bold prayer? Indeed! God answered. At another time, God Himself invited the people of Israel to plan for expansion and blessing following a period of drought.
When we pray, we listen for His guidance and act with His timing. It may begin with a simple act of kindness that multiplies into other types of ministries. Our influence is strengthened through partnerships and collaborations, and our impact will penetrate deep in lives and communities. Today, God’s work around the world continues to increase through cross pollinations, people movement and generational layers of faithfulness.
In our story today, Wanda Knights, from Eastridge EMC, recalls the faithfulness of one person in the indigenous community in years past. Now other churches have joined hands to create fresh opportunities and open doors, and the ministry of Rob and Sharlene Dilts continues to penetrate many hearts today. Murray Swalm, who serves with his wife Lorrie on the World Partners member care team, reminds us that this journey of sowing and watering can sometimes feel aimless and futile. Yet God is faithful. So let us pray and prepare for God’s guidance for God’s work in God’s timing.
- David Benjamin, for the EMCC World Partners Team
Collaborating Together to See Increase
with Rob Dilts
In this interview, David Benjamin, EMCC's World Partners Church Facilitator, speaks with Rob and Sharlene Dilts about their work in the community of Golden Lake, Ontario where they serve the Lord in their ministry, Traveling the River Together - Pinaaz-i Zibi Maamawi.
Prayer Reminder
We invite you to pray with us this week, specifically about the points available here.
Part 5 - Different Roles, Same Belief
Hi friend,
Thank you for joining us for Global Workers and Partners Week 2025.
To finish our reflections this week, we’ll hear from Sally Bragg as she reflects on our key verse for the week in the context of her and her husband's ministry around Saugeen Reserve. Their faithfulness reminds us of the power of knowing when we might be in seasons of planting and shifting to seasons of watering, all along trusting Him for an increase.
May the stories from this week serve as a reminder of how you can participate in God's mission where you are, and join with the larger story of what God is doing in Canada and globally, as part of the EMCC.
Grace and peace as you walk faithfully with Jesus,
- Nicole Jones-Qandah, for the EMCC World Partners Team
Seed Planting and Watering In Equal Measure
with Sally Bragg
Serving the Lord on a First Nation Reserve in Ontario for the past twenty-five years has been both a tremendous blessing as well as a burden.
Working amidst intergenerational trauma is very difficult at times. Many of the early years were spent breaking down barriers to the Gospel & removing rocks of religion. This in preparation for the soil to receive good seed. Sharing God's Word weekly with children, youth and their families for twenty years was an honour and a privilege.
Seeing the seed watered through Biblical teaching & encouraging First Nation leaders has been our passion in recent years. As we provided the necessary environment & care we fully trusted God would bring the increase. He alone can change a heart, transform a life and renew a mind. As we labor through various ways such as weekly Women's Bible Studies, Men's breakfast & prayer, gathering to worship & pray with First Nation believers, we trust that God will bring growth.
We are excited to see God working in the younger generation stirring their hearts to reach out with the love of Christ. A newly formed youth group has begun under the leadership of a young married First Nation couple. Sunday morning services have started in a First Nation home. We see God moving and answering prayers as we gather and seek Him for a great move not only in our communities, but across this great country as well!
- Sally Bragg
Prayer Reminder
Once more, we invite you to view and use our prayer list in order to help guide a corporate prayer gathering for Global Workers and Partners Week 2025.
Thank you for journeying with us through these stories. We pray you are encouraged and challenged to continue making disciples where God is leading you.
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Phone: 1-877-375-7600 ext. 222
Email: wp@emcc.ca
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