Breaking News! Introducing an SKMB Counsellor…
SKMB has retained the counselling ministry services of Jason Kovacs for vocational leaders and their spouses as a response to the significant challenges of this pandemic season. This would include pastors, planters, directors, chaplains, professors and organization leaders (and their spouses) belonging to, or partnering with, the SKMB family.
Jason has been serving individuals, leaders, families, churches and non-profit organizations in the areas of pastoral care and counselling for over 20 years. He helped plant a church, started a non-profit, and most recently served as the Pastor of Counselling at the Austin Stone Community Church where he founded and directed The Austin Stone Counselling Center.
Jason’s areas of interest include marriage, parenting, depression, anger, anxiety, addiction, stress, and work-related struggles. Jason received his Master of Arts degree with a focus on Biblical Counselling. He utilizes a gospel centred, clinically informed approach. He is a member of the Association of Biblical Counsellors, a Certified Biblical Counsellor, and serves on the Board of the Canadian Biblical Counselling Coalition. He founded and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Gospel Care Collective providing counselling, training, and consulting.
Jason’s greatest passion is to see clients and churches experience the reality of the overcoming grace of God in their lives that leads to wholeness.
A special corporate connecting time with Jason will take place via Zoom on Tuesday November 2nd @ 1 pm. This event will be recorded for those unable to join in. Zoom link to be sent out later.
What is being offered?
• Subsidized online biblical-centred counselling support for three one-hour sessions.
When will this begin?
• November 3rd.
How will this work?
• Complete an MOU with SKMB for the support. Jason who will arrange your online sessions.
What information will the MOU request?
• Name, contact info., and which payment option you wish to employ (see below).
What is the cost breakdown?
• Two options [per session]: (A) Client $25, Employer $25, SKMB $75 or (B) Client $50, SKMB $75. We are open to other options if these costs are not workable for you.
Can I continue with this counselling support after three sessions?
• Yes. You would, however, be responsible for the full costs. Again, we are open to assist in special circumstances.
How can I get started?
• Contact Phil Gunther or Luke Etelamaki .
What We’re Working On…
SKMB, Multiply and Parliament Community Church (Regina) are collaborating on a proposal to send out an apostolic missional leader, Athanase Chiruza, pastor of Mission Pentecostal Church (Regina), for a global Gospel impact ministry. Chiruza has planted six churches in Africa, trained countless pastors as a bishop and continues to have a global mentoring reach via Zoom. His role with SKMB would be one of inspiration – inspiring the Conference constituency onto mission locally and globally. The proposal would be for him meet with SKMB churches, inviting collaboration with him and supporting specific projects that would raise up leaders to advance the Gospel. Chiruza would also work with immigrants to Canada and potentially encourage the African based ministries in the United States.
Nuts and Bolts
On October 20th about 75 people from Manitoba and Saskatchewan joined in discussions around their learnings from the recent Posture Shift Conference held in late September. Posture Shift is a missional training event for Christian leaders seeking to reach out to the LGBTQ2 community. Personal learnings, questions and opportunities were shared by participants. Nuts and Bolts sis a forum for both training and dialogue for MB pastors and lay leaders started by the Manitoba MB Conference. Phil Gunther arranged to have Saskatchewan joint he Nuts and Bolts events in 2021. The October event was presented both in person and on Zoom.
Writing a New Chapter
Phil Gunther was invited to facilitate pastoral leadership dialogue at the Alberta MB Conference’s Pastor & Spouse Retreat October 23 – 26 in Banff, Alberta. The theme of the event was Writing a New Chapter. Gunther’s sessional devotionals were “God’s Got You, And This,” “God, I’m Feeling Forgotten” and “In Christ, With Christ” while his teaching revolved around the following foci: Stop & Start: Reclaiming A Positive Ministry Posture and Kniption or Kenosis: Becoming Less in a culture Feeling Entitled to More. Gunther is a strong advocate of working collaboratively with our MB provincial leaders.
SKMB Office Communications