The Messenger Vol. 52 No. 3 March 2014

The Messenger God

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Volume 52 No. 3 March 2014

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INSIDE:

God’s mission: creating a people for himself 6 Why Church? 8 The primary activity of God page

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Editorials

End of life assumptions

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n 1556 Menno Simons objected to capital punishment because a person not reconciled to Christ in this life would enter eternity apart from him (Complete Writings, 921). In July 2013, Dr. Tim Geddert said at our EMC convention that he objected to military service because to kill a non-Christian sends them to an eternity for which they are ill prepared.

Christ invites us into eternal life; he also warns us against being apart from him hereafter (Matt. 7:22-23). Historically, the Christian faith has taught that some people will experience discomfort in the afterlife— whether physical pain, emotional or psychological pain, or annihilation.

In both the “end of life” discussion and the call for physician-assisted suicide, two common assumptions are that all people are spiritually ready for death and that death means the end of suffering. It is difficult to reconcile these

two thoughts with the historic Christian faith.

As Christ suffered on the cross, he was a part of a trio of dying men (Matt. 27:38). Their misery bothered some of the crowd. One person offered our Lord hyssop (Mark 15:36). Was it an act of kindness to reduce pain or an act of mockery? Both options have been suggested.

The men dying near him were freedom fighters, closer to terrorists than thieves or robbers. Perhaps partly to be distracted from their pain, they mocked him.

When one turned to Christ in faith, our Lord comforted him with a promise of Paradise (Luke 23:43). Did the second fighter continue mocking Jesus after being rebuked by the first? If he became silent, only the Lord would know what was meant by this change in behaviour—from cursing to silence—and if the second fighter was truly ready to die.

– Terry M. Smith

Two assumptions are hard to reconcile with the historic Christian faith.

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Learning to be content

“I

have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:11-13).

Does this passage mirror your experience? Are you content in “any and every” situation, in want and hunger as well as in plenty and well fed? Not me.

I’ve known need, but not to the same extent as the apostle. I currently have plenty compared to most of the world’s population, though not by the less-important standards of the darlings of sport, cinema, and business.

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Unlike Menno Simons, the apostle Paul mentions no spouse or children affected by his decisions. Was Gertrude, the wife of Menno Simons, content when she and her family were hunted? What about the many Dutch-German Mennonites who were imprisoned during Stalin’s purges in the Soviet Union? Were their families content as they suffered, trying to survive as they waited?

While questions remain, what’s clear is that Paul worked at his contentment. He endured and prospered before he “learned” to be content.

Is there a difference between being content with circumstances and being content with Christ in the circumstances? Is this difference the secret of Paul’s being content? I am still learning.

– Terry M. Smith

Is there a difference between being content with circumstances and being content with Christ in the circumstances?

Table of Contents Features

Columns

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4

God’s mission: creating a people for himself – Travis Thiessen

8

Writings Shared

13 An Education App

Moving beyond Anabaptist dismay – Terry M. Smith

Why Church?

– Pastor Dwight Munn

10 The primary activity of God – Ervin C. Dueck

21 Further In and Higher Up Being good and angry – Layton Friesen

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13

22 Generations

Savouring my sabbatical – Gerald D. Reimer

Departments 2

Editorials

3

Pontius’ Puddle

26 Been Thinking About My messy Bible – Ward Parkinson

14 With Our Missionaries

27 Stewardship Today

17 With Our Churches

Grandchildren: growing from self-centredness to unrestrained generosity – Arnie Friesen

23 News 24 Poetry 25 Shoulder Tapping

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28 Kids’ Corner

A new beginning – Loreena Thiessen

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www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 3

The Messenger

Columns • Writings Shared

Volume 52 No. 3 March 2014

The Anabaptists and Contemporary Baptists: Restoring New Testament Christianity, Essays in Honor of Paige Patterson, Malcolm B. Yarnell III, ed. (B and H Academic, 2013), 352 pp. $49.99 US. ISBN 9781433681745. Reviewed by Pastor Earl Unger (Stony Brook), BA, MDiv.

EDITOR TERRY M. SMITH

ASSISTANT EDITOR ANDREW WALKER

Submissions to The Messenger should be sent to messenger@emconf.ca.

The Messenger is the monthly publication of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference. It is available to the general public.

Its purpose is to inform concerning events and activities in the denomination, instruct in godliness and victorious living, inspire to earnestly contend for the faith.

Letters, articles, photos and poems are welcomed.

Unpublished material is not returned except by request.

Views and opinions of writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the position of the Conference or the editors. Advertising and inserts should not be considered to carry editorial endorsement.

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THE MESSENGER schedule: No. 06– June (copy due April 08)

4 The Messenger • March 2014

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aving pastored among Baptists and Mennonites, reading The Anabaptists and Contemporary Baptists served as a welcome tonic to my soul. All those fruitless years trying to convince my Baptist friends what a great debt they owed to my spiritual forebears, the Anabaptists, have not been in vain after all.

The book is a compilation of essays covering three main areas: theology, Balthasar Hubmaier, and history.

All the essays are fertile soul for any inquiring mind, but the section on theology is by far the best part of the book.

This valuable resource was published in honour of Dr. Paige Patterson, a Baptist theologian and scholar and long-time advocate of a sixteenth century Anabaptist origin to modern Baptist thought. Patterson gives this shot across the proverbial bow of his Baptist brethren who hold to an English seventeenth century separatist birth to their theology: Given that Baptists do not baptize infants or anyone else without faith, that we treasure the concept of the free church and of religious freedom in general, the future is bright only

Guidelines for letters

Letters published are generally to comment on issues raised in The Messenger. The magazine reserves the right to edit letters for length, style, legality, and taste. It can refuse publication.

Letters by regular mail and by fax must contain a handwritten signature with at least the writer’s first and last names and an address. For letters by

if Baptists identify with and imitate the Anabaptists.

The current trend in Southern Baptist life to identify with the Reformed faith is a major step backward and must be resisted (p. 25).

But this is not a book only for Baptists. Anabaptists will be equally enthralled by the fair representation their theology receives and may, in fact, blush at some of the flattering comments directed their way. For example, in his essay Rick Warren attributes much in his ministry and most of his model of discipleship to what he discovered reading Anabaptist writings.

I would recommend a careful reading of this book for anyone interested in getting a general introduction to Anabaptist theology and the significant contribution it has made to the evolution of Christian thought.

e-mail, the writer’s name and email address are deemed to be an electronic signature. The writer’s regular postal address is to be included in e-mail correspondence.

The writer’s name and general address are to be published. In sensitive matters, names may be withheld. Letters to the editor are to be 250 words or less.

News

Mennonite World Conference—our global family Inspiring stories linked together by a common faith WINNIPEG, Man.—One of the inspiring aspects of working with Mennonite World Conference (MWC) is to see young adults actively involved in church life locally, but also participating in planning the Global Assembly.

Planning to attend the Global Youth Summit (GYS) at Messiah College, Elina Cipadi from Indonesia stated, “GYS is an oasis for young leaders in the church. Many arrive with burdens and challenges and return home with ideas, new energy and a global network of prayer partners and co-workers in Christ.”

From Ukraine, Andrei Utkin related how, in the GYS in Asuncion in 2009, he met youth from Switzerland who later visited his church in Ukraine and assisted them in running a camp for local youth.

Similarly, in Congo, where the Mennonite churches have had times of conflict and disagreement, young people have developed a program of exchange, where youth from one conference or region visit youth in another region or conference, thereby fostering positive relationships among the churches in the country.

Gina Mongala, a young person from the city, had the opportunity to visit a church deep in the interior of Congo.

She recognized the differences in culture, worship style, and convictions that rural believers held. Through her experience, and others like her, barriers are being broken down and Mennonite conferences and churches are finding greater unity.

In the United States, women have developed a “sister care” program that is catching on in other parts of the world. These seminars have already been shared with Anabaptists in several parts of Asia and Latin America, where women are dealing with loss, grief, and lack of self-worth.

Women in these countries often need to be reminded that they are valuable creations of God and worthy of respect at home, in the workplace, as well as in all parts of society.

In Mexico, the workshop was recently held in Cuauhtémoc after Josefina (Chepina) Rempening, a pastor in an EMC-related CEMM church, was found murdered. The workshop gave the friends of Rempening the opportunity to address their grief, as well as deal with their own feelings of fear and insecurity. Invitations from Kenya and Trinidad are currently being considered.

The Angolan Mennonite Church has more than 200 congregations with a baptized membership roll of over 20,000. Several delegations of MWC deacons have been sent to that country in the past year because of their feelings of isolation and abandonment since MCC pulled out all programming a decade ago.

Ron Penner The MWC delegates came away from those visits, inspired by the strength of these Christians even though they were poor, uneducated, and illiterate many times and lacking in many of the resources we have in the West.

For more information and similar stories, visit the MWC website. Donations for this aspect of building the global church are also much appreciated.

– Ron Penner Minister and former EMC moderator Ron Penner (Aberdeen) is an MWC General Council member as an EMC representative, on MWC’s Executive Committee as a North American representative, and is strongly supportive of the global Anabaptist family.

MWC Assemblies are reunions of the AnabaptistMennonite family worldwide and take place every six years.

The 16th Assembly is on July 21-26, 2015, in Harrisburg, PA. The theme is Walking with God. The next Global Youth Summit (18-plus) is on July 17-19, 2015, at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, PA (from MWC website).

Join with Christ in shaping our

WORLD

Evangelical Mennonite Conference Board of Missions 204-326-6401 info@emconf.ca www.emconference.ca

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 5

God’s mission: creating a people for himself

by Travis Thiessen

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n Fall 2010 I spoke at leadership seminars with the Tharu, a tribal group situated on a long narrow strip on both sides of the Nepal-India border. Thirty years ago there were no believers among this tribal group. Today there are about 22,000 believers, largely the result of indigenous missionary Tashi Bahadura.

As I saw the joy in their faces as we worshiped together, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Rev. 5:9 came to life: “Your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” What joy there is in being part of God’s mission to create a people for himself from every people group in the world.

God’s mission to create a people for Himself continues with Abraham and his descendants, reaching out to include every people group on earth.

Begins in Genesis

The text most often used as a call to missions is found in Jesus’ words “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28). However, God’s mission begins in Genesis. Three times in the beginning God blesses Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:22, 28; 5:2), God’s desire was for them to take care of the Earth, reign over it, multiply and prosper. God was creating a people to be his very own, who would love him, worship him and reign with him over the earth.

After Adam and Eve sinned they did multiply on the Earth, but the Scriptures tell us that God was grieved that he created people because their hearts were intent on sin. God then sent a great flood that wiped out everyone except Noah and his family. When they came

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off the Ark, Noah was blessed by God who said, “As for you, be fruitful, multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” God’s mission has not changed. But again the human story ends in a global rebellion at the tower of Babel.

God Blesses All Through Abraham

In Genesis 12 we are introduced to Abraham and Sarah, and God’s interaction with them can truly be seen as his loving response to human sin. In Genesis 12:3 God says that he will bless Abraham and in turn Abraham will be a blessing to all the families on the earth.

God’s mission to create a people for Himself continues with Abraham and his descendants, reaching out to include every people group on earth. God blessed Abraham so he would be a blessing to all the families on the earth.

Israel, Priests to all People

Much later when the Israelites left their slavery in Egypt, God meets with them at Mount Sinai. God makes a covenant with them here.

God freed Israel from Egypt. They are free to live their lives in relationship to the God who redeemed them from slavery. Israel has been called by God to be kingdom priests (Ex. 19:5-6).

The whole nation was to be set apart as mediators of God’s grace to the world. The mission that God had for Israel is summed up in Isaiah 60:1, “Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see.” Much of the Old Testament is a judgement on Israel for their failure to be faithful in their mission for God.

God’s New Covenant

Because Israel is unable to keep up its end of the covenant agreement God makes a new one. In this covenant God will put his instructions in people’s hearts, they will know God personally and he will be their teacher (Jer. 31:33).

This New Covenant prepares us for the New Testament, the coming of Christ and the

PHOTO: DESIGNPICS

indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We find that the New Testament is not a new plan but the fulfilment of what he began with Abraham. Paul writes that the real children of Abraham are those who put their faith in God in the same way that Abraham did (Gal. 3:6–8).

The world will be blessed through the promise that God made to Abraham. This is why the first verse of the New Testament introduces Jesus this way: “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham” (Matt. 1:1). Jesus fulfilled the promise that God had made to Abraham. It is through Jesus that all the nations of the world are blessed. God’s mission from the very beginning was to create a people for himself from every tribe and nation through the work of his son Jesus Christ. God’s mission was never only about the nation of Israel as a cultural group.

God’s Mission is Good News for All

The children of Abraham are now seen in the body of Christ, the Church. This is why we read both the Old and the New Testaments; they are one story, our story. God longs to bring all people back into relationship with himself and restore all of creation into its original purpose and blessing.

God wants all to repent and he sent Jesus to give his life to purchase freedom for everyone.

When I shared this message with the Tharu in India they were delighted to know that they had always been in the plan and heart of God. The Tharu do not even rate in Indian society.

Being tribal they are considered lower than the lowest caste Hindu. They were enslaved to animistic superstitions and more recently to Hindu idols. But now God has set them free in Christ and made them his own.

This is unfathomably good news for a subjugated people group. I am lifted by their joyous response to God for the freedom and dignity they have received. They, in turn, are now reaching

their own people and neighbouring tribal groups.

God Will Accomplish His Mission

God longs to bring all people back into relationship with himself and restore all of creation into its original purpose and blessing.

John writes, “I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb” (Rev. 7). Later John says, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people” (Rev. 21). This is the heart cry of our God. This should be the heart cry of his children. God’s mission it to create a people for his own possession from every people group on earth.

A mission leader I spoke to in India recently reported that his mission has planted 154 churches and has over 700 house churches (20 or less people). He is only one of thousands of servants of God in places like India and Nepal.

God is blessing these poor, humble servants with miracles of healing and victory over the demonic.

Missions is no longer a prerogative of the West.

Today missionaries are being sent by nations to nations from every corner of the earth.

Keep Focused on God’s Mission

Let us in the West not lose heart as we struggle in an increasingly hostile environment towards Christianity. We can learn from our brothers and sisters in the East who are sharing Jesus against incredible odds, including lack of resources, funding, training and often violent persecution. God is not hindered by these challenges. He is only hindered by our lack of faith and loss of focus on His true purpose for calling us to Himself.

After serving 15 years as youth pastor and senior pastor in Ridgewood EMC, Travis Thiessen currently works with Advancing Indigenous Mission. www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 7

Why Church?

by Pastor Dwight Munn

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longing in their hearts.

The Church has remained throughout the past 2,000 years despite all the opposition and ups and downs and is thriving. The word church that is used means a group of people who have been called together.

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hy church? In the world of our day I ask this question, “Why church?” Has church not lost its value and worth?

“The church is the place of the greatest joys and the deepest sorrows” were words with which a friend of mine instructed his son. Many have experienced this truth through the church.

Some would say that church is a man-made idea that has become outgrown.

Yet, when we drive by a church building we are often left to wonder, “What is it like in there? What are the people who attend there really like?

Would they accept me and welcome me in, as if I were one of their own? Would anyone care enough to get to know me by name?”

Why church? The Church is a promise from God through the Lord Jesus Christ: “And on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).

Never Just a Building!

Why church? God’s intention has never been meant to be just a building. If you were to ask, “Where is Mission Heights Community Church?” some would give a location. But that is the location of the building. The church is made up of all the people who attend and they come from all over Grande Prairie County.

A number of years ago the television sit-com Cheers had a great theme song containing these words, “You wanna be where everybody knows your name.” The words of that theme song could best summarize what many of us would like to see when we come to church.

The Chinese are learning that the Church is not outdated or outmoded; it is in fact filling a deep longing in their hearts.

A Promise

I read an interesting quote that said, “A promise made is a debt unpaid.” Thus, the promise of Jesus Christ is a debt that is still unpaid as the church continues to be built in the world.

The church in China is estimated to be around 130 million people and growing at a rate of 12 to 15 million a year (stats from Ron Pearce of Empower Ministries International).

The Chinese are learning that the Church is not outdated or outmoded; it is in fact filling a deep

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A Family

Why church? God’s intention was that church should be a place of family and a place where

we celebrate that we’re members of one body, Christ’s body. Church is to be the place where we learn what God is really like and what is at the very heart of God. It is to be a place of warmth, welcome and where we are wanted. The sad fact about the church is that it is made up of imperfect people who have been saved by grace, but are struggling through this world.

Every member brings their past and present with them when they met together plus their hopes and goals for the future.

We come with our frail humanity where we have good days and bad days.

We come at times when we lift up and encourage one another and other times when we discourage and drag others down with us.

Some of the questions that we often ask ourselves when we enter into a new church as we look around are: “Is there anyone here like me? Do they have noisy children, too? Will they accept me?

Will they take the time to learn my name? Will anyone accept me into their circle of friends?”

How awkward it is for us to walk into a new place for the first time! Christ intended for His Church to become like Him, and He is a friend of sinners.

The Bible is the book where we learn what Jesus was like and the place where we learn what the Church was meant to be.

You Can Meet God!

Why church? It is where you can meet with God for the first time or the five hundredth time. It is where you can find out how to be encouraged when you are discouraged.

It is where you can find out about life after this life. It is a place where you learn that the mortality rate is the same for everyone: one per person.

It is a place where you can learn about hope when life seems hopeless. It is place where you can find out about hope for living and hope for dying.

Why Church? Because in the “End” we all need it. It is an imperfect place filled with imperfect people, but it is what God has chosen to build in this world—not the buildings but the people.

Check out one in your community this weekend!

How awkward it is for us to walk into a new place for the first time! Christ intended for His Church to become like Him, and He is a friend of sinners.

PHOTOS: ANDREW WALKER

Dwight Munn, senior pastor of Westpointe Community Church in Grande Prairie, Alta., since 2008, was raised in New Brunswick, worked in the logging industry, and graduated from New Brunswick Bible Institute.

He’s married to Sherry. They have six children, 10 grandchildren, and four horses.

Dwight’s the one wearing the hat.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 9

PHOTOS: DESIGNPICS

The primary activity of God

by Ervin C. Dueck

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hen I think of my life, I often think in terms of my family (I am a husband and a father), my occupation (I am a teacher), and my various pursuits (I am a writer, a sports fan), and, of course, I am a Christ follower. And while I don’t mind being labeled a Christian, I am only beginning, after years of following, to understand my God and my relationship with the Divine. It is indeed a journey.

The Bookends

I have for years been mesmerized by similar passages in Exodus and Revelation. They articulate what I believe to be God’s primary activity. The concept is assumed in the Genesis creation narratives and even in the patriarchal narratives, but is more directly articulated in Ex.6:6-8: Therefore, say to the Israelites: ”I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to

Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.”

These verses specify that God’s primary activity is being God to his people. They dictate that God is in the business of securing for himself a people to whom he will be God. This is the story of salvation, but it is much, much more. It anticipates God dwelling with his people.

Indeed the last third of the book of Exodus stipulates the tabernacle specifications and design. The term “tabernacle” means tenting or dwelling place; God is tabernacle-ling/tenting among his people. They camp around the structure and inside the tent are the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, representing God’s very presence through the Ark of the Covenant and various furnishings.

This is the story of salvation, but it is much, much more.

It anticipates God dwelling with his people.

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God’s Dwells Among His People

This concept of divine dwelling is so significant that it bookends the Bible, being articulated in Exodus and again at the end of our Bible, Rev. 21:3: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’” John specifically declares, “Look!” or “Behold!”

This passage is the culmination of all that has

been prefigured and foreshadowed in both the Old and New Testaments. God is truly dwelling with his people and they are enjoying his presence. The next verses note that there are no tears and no death or sorrow, nor crying. And pain is no more. It is a wonder to behold! Dwelling is no longer symbolized by the furniture in the Exodus tabernacle. Now the people of God have the very presence of God among them.

It is interesting that God is the subject of the sentence in the Revelation passage. Humanity is the object.

God dwells with his people.

The implication is that God makes the move. He initiates his presence toward his people.

This is how it has always been: God moves towards humankind offering his presence.

Humans seem limited in their movement toward God. It’s like we want to move towards God, but find ourselves utterly confused and our efforts limited by our pride and sin.

Paul seems to utter this conundrum, stating that God did what we could not, by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and condemning sin in the flesh (Rom. 8:3-4). God moves toward his people, rescues them, and makes his presence known and experienced.

He indwells the believer and does what is most natural to him—being God.

was the late 1970’s and charismata were intriguing. I did so primarily to experience the power of the Spirit. In time I found that this kind of power can be manipulated, lessening its legitimacy.

Some years later, my focus was turned toward experiencing the ethereal, ecstatic presence of God, especially through music. The Christian worship music explosion seemed to beckon me to enter into worship experiences.

But the fits of spiritual ecstasy were both difficult to manufacture and even more difficult to sustain and maintain long-term.

The Exodus and Revelation texts seem to assume that people understand the dwelling presence of God as just that—his presence. It’s not something to be manufactured through music, not something to be found in some revival service, and not something to be experienced through spiritual power. Rather it is something that just is.

Don’t misunderstand me. I am not opposed to music that authentically stirs our souls to worship. I am not opposed to genuine revival per se. And I am not opposed to the legitimate power of the Holy Spirit.

But my spiritual journey has brought me to a place of spiritual rest, much like Hebrews 4 anticipates. In some respects my rest can be described as a kind of being, not doing. And I must admit it is a glorious rest. While it is a bit difficult to explain, an example from regular life might help. ➢

Humanity is the object. God dwells with his people. The implication is that God makes the move. He initiates his presence toward his people.

A Spiritual Journey

I grew up in a Mennonite church. In my late teens I pursued some charismatic experiences. It

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 11

The primary activity is assumed in the Genesis creation narratives.

The Dwelling Presence of God

My primary activity is that of being a father; at least to my son it is. Most days I am almost oblivious to the activity. I just do it. Being a father is who and what I am. It is natural. I do not manufacture it. I do not desperately attempt to sustain or maintain it. I simply am my son’s father.

In much the same way, my son does not in any way struggle to be my son. He just is my son.

God Being God

between the daily habits and religious experience of the believer.

Maybe I simply need to learn what it means to let God be God to me and for me to be his child, part of his people.

Being a father is who and what I am. It is natural. I do not manufacture it. I do not desperately attempt to sustain or maintain it.

Ervin C. Dueck, BTh, MTS, MA (English literature), has served as a youth pastor, a chaplain, a Bible teacher, and an English teacher (at Pacific Academy, a Christian high school). He attends North Langley Community Church, a Mennonite Brethren congregation.

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This begs the question: Why, if God’s primary activity is being God to us, is it such a struggle for us to simply be his people? I dare say it may be because we have yet to learn what it means to be in relationship with God. We simply do not understand the Incarnation—God becoming actual human flesh. And maybe more importantly, we simply do not Evangelical Mennonite Conference understand the indwelling presence of T I NG 2 0 0 Annual Financial Report 2013 A R Y God through his Spirit—humankind B having the actual, living presence of Jan–Dec Jan–Dec God inside of them.

2013 2012 emc So, maybe the presence of God Receipts and Transfers 2,014,380 1,907,916 is less ecstatic than I thought it was Disbursements 2,017737 1,905,541 when I sought the power of the spirit Excess/Shortfall -3,357 1,975 and the moving of music. Maybe the presence of God is so much more natural than we realize, so A Word of Thanks much so in Thank you to all the churches and individuals of the EMC who contributed generously to the fact that there ministries of our Conference in 2013. Because of your faithful partnership, the life-changing is virtually no ministries of our Conference continue to have an impact on people all around the world. distinction Thanks be to God who gives us all that we need in the work we are doing together.

1812 ~ 2012

– Tim Dyck General Secretary

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Columns • An Education App

Moving beyond Anabaptist dismay

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by Terry M. Smith

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odern Anabaptist writings often speak with dismay about Constantinianism—the merger of church and state that occurred, it is claimed, when Constantine won a battle and subsequently declared Christianity to be the Roman Empire’s official religion.

Dr. N. T. Wright, though, asks, “Eusebius’ glowing account of bishops sitting down to dinner with the emperor sticks in our throats today, but what should the bishops have done instead?

Begged Constantine not to convert, not to seek to apply the rule of Christ in his empire…because it was so much more authentic for Christians to be in the position of being a beleaguered minority, a persecuted radical group?”

Wright, an Anglican, says, “After all, if the ruler is serious about allegiance to Jesus Christ, the church will retain the right to tell the ruler in no uncertain terms when he (or she) is failing in this basic duty. The current anti-Constantinian mood in New Testament scholarship fails to take account of the fact that church leaders for centuries after Constantine did exactly that.

Clear thinking is not well served at this point by oversimplification and broad-brush polemics” (The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions, HarperOne, 1999, 220).

Dr. A. James Reimer was also wary of a too-easy dismissal of Constantinianism, for he found a “multiplicity of responses” to the mix of church and state in the third to fifth centuries (Mennonites and Classical Theology, Pandora Press, 2001, 281–295, 307). To dismiss the fourth century as “apostate” and not to acknowledge ourselves as “heirs” of it is “self-righteous hypocrisy” (284-285).

I both grieve and accept the shift in Canadian society away from Christendom. I grieve, in part, because for some people it reflects movement away from even nominal linkage with the Christian Church. Nominal church linkage at least provides some points of contact, which can be important in times of crisis.

While opinions are divided on whether Canada was ever a Christian country, I accept

the shift because I affirm the voluntary nature of being part of the Church. It would be sad to see the government imposing alternating brands of Christianity upon the populace, such as has happened in England, Scotland, and Wales.

Yet I wonder: is the modern evangelical Anabaptist church in Canada as well-equipped as it thinks to respond to post-Constantinianism?

How many EMCers are concerned when Bible reading and prayer are not allowed during public school class time? Or when the Gideons are not allowed to distribute New Testaments in a public school?

Shall we continue to seek tax exemptions for churches and pastors? Would we be concerned if some Canadians sought to have “God keep our land” removed from our national anthem? If so, this reflects, in part, aspects of the Constantinian legacy in Canada.

Menno Simons ministered amid the Christendom of 16th century Europe, experiencing both its flaws and strengths. He knew what was most important: “Therefore it should be far from us that we should comfort ourselves with anything but the grace of God through Christ...

In short, by grace eternal life was given us through Christ Jesus” (1552, in Complete Writings, 506-507).

– Terry M. Smith

I grieve the loss of Christendom.

Even nominal church linkage at least provides some points of contact, which can be important in times of crisis.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 13

With Our Missionaries

A return to foundational teaching PAPUA NEW GUINEA

We do so much appreciate your prayers as we continue on.

After returning to Pukapuki we’re starting to get a picture of where the believers are at and some direction for the months ahead.

There are a lot of sincere people in the two churches here in Pukapuki. They want to learn more about God’s Word, but so much of their culture, including the PNG “church” culture, and a lack of direction have hindered them. Many still lack a good foundational knowledge of the message of the Bible.

It’s been over 15 years since we first presented the message of the Bible chronologically to the Pukapuki people.

There are so many young people that were either young children at that time or weren’t even born. Also, many of the older people have been so influenced by the various conflicting and often false teaching that is so much a part of the “church” culture of PNG. We had a meeting last week with the leaders of both churches in Pukapuki and they are agreement that we should go back to the foundational teaching. We have the lessons prepared in the tribal language and also in Pidgin English, the trade language.

PHOTO:BOM

However, we realize the culture of the people has changed considerably in the past 20 years. Our prepared tribal language Tim, Laurel, and Joanna Schroder lessons address that old animistic thinking. Many of the people have lost that part of their culture.

The young people have almost no understanding of the old ways. We’re now working on revising the lessons with more relevant information and illustrations. It will take some weeks to finish the revisions.

Please pray for God’s wisdom in this. Pray that the Lord would give us the words and tools to best present the teaching so the people will understand. We know that’s the work of the Holy Spirit but we need to be the best communicators we can be. This is where you come in. We covet your prayers.

– Tim and Laurel Schroder Tim and Laurel Schroder (Pelly) serve in church planting as EMC missionaries with New Tribes Mission.

••

The team is strengthened After nearly a year of being short-staffed, as of Sept. 2013 our team is up to 12 missionary family units: a program manager, a base manager, a finance manager, three maintenance specialists, five pilot/mechanics, and one pilot. We also have eight national staff members: one maintenance specialist, one maintenance apprentice, one flight operations manager, two loaders/refuelers, one receptionist, one flight follower, and one chaplain.

We thank God for bringing fresh enthusiasm to the team by way of new missionaries coming to serve here in Lesotho and others refreshed following their furloughs in their home countries. It is good for us old-timers to see that and renew our own vision for what God is doing here in the Mountain Kingdom.

Please pray for this team as we learn to work together for the glory of God. Pray that we would affect Lesotho

14 The Messenger • March 2014

PHOTO: MAF

LESOTHO

MAF continues to be a vital link for those requiring transportation to the mountain hospitals to receive critical medical care.

with His love and that people would come to know Him as Lord and Saviour.

– Melvin and Kari Peters Melvin and Kari Peters (La Crete) serve as EMC missionaries with Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) in Lesotho, a small mountainous country surrounded by South Africa.

With Our Missionaries

Invited to celebrations—one expected, one not

PHOTO: BOM

SOUTH AFRICA

The reason for going to South Africa in late 2013 was to attend an anniversary to which the Evangelical Church denomination had invited us. This is the church that we worked with for most of our missionary years.

It is 120 years since the first TEAM missionaries came to work with them in 1893. It was held in Swaziland, where it all began for them. How refreshing to see them telling the world who they are by expressing their gratitude like this.

Nicholas and Soneni Nyawo had written a 261-page book, Our Heritage, giving a picture of the denomination’s growth from the beginning. It has 112 churches in Swaziland, 132 in South Africa, and 78 in Mozambique, many with unorganized daughter churches.

An interesting but unexpected component of our visit was that South Africa’s first democratically elected president, Nelson Mandela, passed away on Dec. 5, a week after we arrived in the country. The country did a superb job of honouring a life that had done so much for South Africa.

Indeed, he had done it for Africa and the world. The masses of South Africa couldn’t even decide on curricula for their children’s education. Today they stand tall, strong, and in control of their children’s destiny.

It is interesting to draw parallels to events around our Saviour’s death. Satan surely clapped his hands after he finally had his Rival hanging on the cross, but realized his doom after the curtain in the temple was ripped in two.

South Africa’s apartheid penal forces must have clapped their hands when finally they had Mandela arrested and behind bars back on Aug. 5, 1962. Today we know that it was his 27 years behind bars that gave him the respect and following that this martyr needed to transform the country.

Olga and Joe Reimer

We often hear of people who have passed away that they made a change near the end of their journey, thus indicating that they were ready to meet their Maker and went to heaven. That is troublesome, unless they also said something about Jesus.

What, then, do we do with Mandela? Publically, he never came out with a clear testimony about what he thought about Jesus. There is no question that his exemplary forgiving demeanor far exceeded a behaviour that humanity without Christ measure up to.

Here was a man whose actions spoke louder than words. His actions spoke of Christ-like forgiveness. It was powerful to the point that the hostility brewed up during all the years of apartheid was simply defused.

When we retired in Sept 2011 we did so with a satisfaction that we were doing what we needed to do. It was after an intense time that we had served as TEAM’s area leader and we were ready.

Will we return? Probably. We might even take on some short-term project again as we did last year.

We have a wonderful church family and neighborhood here. We need to enjoy the luxury of settling our minds on this side of the ocean now.

– Joe and Olga Reimer Joe and Olga Reimer (Blumenort) served with the EMC Board of Missions from 1973-2011, mostly in South Africa.

CANADIAN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 15

With Our Missionaries

Tragedy in South Sudan SOUTH SUDAN

PHOTO: BOM

Sudan was racked for 40-plus years with an internal armed conflict, which only two years ago led to the establishment of South Sudan as a separate country.

Since mid-Dec. 2013 newspapers, TV and radio have been reporting escalating levels of fighting in South Sudan. The latest news confirms that tens of thousands of people have fled the conflict. The fighting initially started in and around the capital of Juba, but has now spread to the rich oil producing Unity State, east of Juba and to Jonglei State, north of Juba.

The leaders of the warring faction include the government forces lead by President Salva Kiir and anti government forces lead by former Vice-President Machar.

The situation is very complicated, and though there are many tribes represented in South Sudan, no one tribe can be blamed. As of Jan. 23, 2014, the peace treaty has been signed by the two parties, but the conflict and activity have not stopped.

Bible-Theology Children’s Ministry Counselling Missions Pre-Education Pre-Social Work Pastoral Worship Youth

www.SBCOLLEGE.ca

16 The Messenger • March 2014

The Skopniks: Gordon, Sharon, and crew

Impact South Sudan has been working with emerging Christian communities and church based organizations in South Sudan. The fighting has resulted in almost all of these groups fleeing to the border South Sudan shares with Uganda and setting up temporary living spaces in refugee camps. These camps are now filled to overflowing with desperate mothers, children, widows and orphans.

The good news is that we are now in contact with all of our existing partners, many of whom are seeking to serve people like themselves displaced by the fighting. We know that the basic needs of people living in the camps are not being met. In particular, there is a desperate need for food, water and the basic essentials necessary for life.

Some leaders and partners in South Sudan said, “Two days ago there was a fasting and prayer of peace conducted in South Sudan on Jan. 20, 2014, at the Conference Centre main hall which brought together 6,000 participants from different denominations, government officials and staff from different organizations within Kajo-Keji county. On the same day in the other parts of the country there had been demonstration demanding the government to take into account the lack of food.”

The violence, particularly in Northern part of the country, has continued up to this point, and the death toll and the number of internally displaced people has risen—currently estimated at more than 500,000 internally displaced persons (IDP).

In Juba, the capital, partner staff reported that the security situation as of yesterday and this morning (Jan. 23) is relatively calm, but food scarcity is the challenge.

– Gordon Skopnik Gordon Skopnik (Wymark) serves with International Teams Canada, “helping churches help the poor.”

With Our Churches Steinbach EFC

STEINBACH, Man.—Irai A. Rodrigues Filho was ordained as a minister of the gospel on Jan. 19, 2014. Irai, his wife Silvia, and their children have been involved in our congregation ever since he was approached three years ago to give leadership to Hispanic ministry within the congregation.

Raised in Brazil and married to a Bolivian, Irai works part-time within the congregation while studying at Providence Theological Seminary. As an adult Sunday School teacher, he guides in English, though it is about his third language (after Portuguese and Spanish, along with some knowledge of a tribal language).

In his Sunday School class he draws upon his studies in Greek and Hebrew. Irai is devoted to the Lord and concerned about careful study of the Word. He is an active, friendly man who genuinely cares about people and social change.

He has a tremendous heart for helping immigrants and new Canadians to adjust and get settled in their new home. He is a gifted preacher and teacher, but his passion is evangelism. He is excited about finding new ways to connect with people.

Silvia is a caring mother with a heart for helping people. She loves to worship and sing, and uses that passion to help lead the Spanish worship team. Irai and Silvia have two young children, Anna and Samuel. Anna started kindergarten this year at a French immersion school, and Sammy loves his soccer jerseys and is starting to get excited about the Canadian game—hockey.

In his sermon, Pastor Kenton Penner looked at why we ordain people. It is a biblical action, he said. Unlike being commissioned for a term in a particular setting, ordination is for a lifetime and can involve various settings. Within the EMC it involves more than local recognition; it also includes conference screening and recognition.

Based on the qualifications for leaders listed in the Pastoral Epistles, Kenton said only one skill was needed: the ability to teach. The remainder of the lists relate to what kind of people leadership candidates are, not the skills they bring. What matters is that they walk with Jesus.

Churches have unrealistic expectations of pastors; they want them to be 25 years old and have 30 years of experience, he said. Yet Jesus himself served a small circle of 12 men, one of whom betrayed him and then took his life.

Was Jesus not a good pastor?

PHOTO: KEVIN DAVIS

Irai Rodrigues Filho ordained to ministry

Through prayer, Irai and Silvia were supported as they accepted a lifetime calling to ministry.

A pastor cannot overrule the choices of those he leads, said Kenton. More important than leadership is what a church chooses.

Penner said he had observed many EMC pastors who have left the ministry, often because their wife could no longer bear the burden of ministry: seeing her pastor husband criticized and being unable to do anything about it.

Kenton questioned Irai, Silvia, and the congregation about their commitment to their roles. Representatives from the congregation and the wider EMC (general secretary Tim Dyck) then led in prayer, said in English and Spanish, for the pastoral couple. Hugs were shared.

Irai spoke briefly, giving credit to his mother, on a visit from Brazil, for guiding him in his faith as a child. He also gave tribute to his wife Silvia for her commitment to him even through financial hardship.

– Terry M. Smith and Mo Friesen.

Copies now available free.

Contact info@ emconf.ca or 204-326-6401.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 17

With Our Churches Prairie Rose EMC

Foyer, brides, and babies

PHOTO: PRAIRIE ROSE EMC

LANDMARK, Man.—If any of you have been to Prairie Rose lately, you should have noticed that the foyer has a new look to it, at least one side.

A committee got together to plan a small renovation for the foyer to change it into a comfortable conversation/ coffee area and a place that could be used to display godly talents that might not be front and centre in a church service but still honour and praise God. In fall this was accomplished and we had a fundraiser as a kick-off to using the area. The program included beautiful scenery slide shows, visually engaging music videos, several Prairie Rose’s foyer will be used to highlight talents to Christ’s honour. vocal groups and creatively presented great-tasting food.

Before and after the program people wandered through soloists, ministerial, pre-schoolers, and youth.

As an annual Christmas tradition, the Candle Light the foyer looking at art of various types and styles. The idea Service took place the Saturday before Christmas. Music is to change the art several times a year to include as many groups from the whole community participated and, with contributors as possible, always with godly focus. our hosts Anthony and Connie Koop, brought home the Also in fall, a Phil Cross and Poet Voices concert was story and significance of Christ’s birth. hosted at Prairie Rose. Though the name might not be On a sadder note we said good-bye to Tina Kroeker, Alf familiar, many of the Southern Gospel songs were. The Warkentin, and Norman Kroeker; their funerals took place music and testimony presented focused on worshiping and in the past few months. praising our Lord and Saviour.

After all the food and family gatherings of the ChristIt’s always exciting to get together to celebrate and what mas season it was good to come together on New Year’s better opportunity than brides and babies. So the ladies put Eve for communion, to participate in the elements, share, on a shower for one bride and two expectant mothers one and pray together and for each other. What a great way to Sunday afternoon, blessing them with gifts and advice. As end one year and welcome the next. our church “grows” we expect to have more of these events.

Speaking of the New Year, we are looking forward to an During the Advent Sundays we were reminded and evening ladies Bible study, the annual Winter Family Fun challenged as we watched a group of young talented actors Nite, and the men’s group Valentine’s Extravaganza evening. present “Do we still remember?” Each Sunday’s theme – Lisa Friesen was coordinated with a singing component that included

•• Straffordville EMC

STRAFFORDVILLE, Ont.— On April 21, 2013, six members were received by transfer (Tina and Pete Braun) and baptism (Jonathan Froese, Christina Krahn, Jennifer Klassen, and Lisa Peters).

– Katherine Klassen

18 The Messenger • March 2014

PHOTO: STRAFFORDVILLE EMC

Six new members received

With Our Churches Steinbach EMC

STEINBACH, Man.—“… their number grew as God added those who were saved” (Acts 2). We praise God for those He has added to our church this past year. We were blessed on May 5, 2013, as we listened to the stories of God’s work in the lives of five young women and witnessed their baptism. Three other people transferred their membership.

In December 2013, during the Advent season, Alun Shiels, Megan Lupky, Susan Reimer and Ron Kornelson shared their testimonies and were baptized. What an appropriate time to publicly declare one’s allegiance to Jesus, Emmanuel, King of Kings, who came into this world to bring us salvation. Transferring their membership were Gordon and Diana Schellenberg, Karoline Schulze, Peter and Marina Radekop, and Brandon

and Lindsey Post.

We have also said farewell to several members who have left us to serve the Lord elsewhere. Our director of worship arts, Shannon Sawatzky; her husband, Dale; and their children left for Malaysia in July 2013, where Shannon and Dale are teaching.

We thank God for sending Brandon Post to fill this position. Brandon and Lindsey met and got married in Germany and then moved to Manitoba, where Brandon is studying at Providence.

We were disappointed when Rick Bettig, our associate pastor, announced that he and his wife, Phylis, had accepted a call to pastor the Creston Baptist Church in B.C., after having served us faithfully for five years. We will miss them, but wish

PHOTO: LINDSEY AND BRANDON POST

New members and staff changes

Lindsey and Brandon Post

them joy, wisdom and God’s blessing in their new ministry.

John and Joyce Dyck have left for Mexico again to teach at the Steinreich Bible School for a few months.

– Martha Kroeker

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 19

With Our Churches Pleasant Valley EMC

Loewens appreciated for 52 years of service

PHOTO: PLEASANT VALLEY EMC

ROSENORT, Man.—On Nov 3, 2013, after our morning service, we held an appreciation lunch for the 52 years that Ernie and Mary Ann Loewen have served our church.

They have served as pastoral couple, assistant pastor, Sunday School teachers, youth leaders, finance committee chair, EMC Board of Missions chair, and in many other less formal ways.

They were also presented with an appreciation gift during the morning service. The junior and senior youth

with their leaders, Jesse and Erin Penner and Michael and Alyssa Thiessen, took care of serving for this occasion. The meal doubled as a fundraiser for the youth snow camp weekend on Nov. 8-10.

Dave and Cindy Friesen, Kaylee Friesen, and Randall and Patricia Reimer shared their testimonies and formally joined the Pleasant Valley Covenant Community on Nov. 24, 2013. Praise the Lord for a strong and committed Leadership Council made up of our Deacons and Elders. On Dec 10 Julia Friesen and Duane and Arlene Rempel joined Grace and Rudy Loewen, Keith and Lynn Rance, and Pat and Kim Siemens on our Deacon Team. We thank Earl and Shelly Loewen who have served faithfully in this role for the past five years.

Several from our church family have traveled for shortterm ministry during the winter months. Kari Plett spent three weeks over Christmas at the Ping Yu Home of Hope Orphanage in China. Her sister Tara knitted 29 toques, one for each of the children in the orphanage.

Kerry and Barb Brandt led a board meeting and field visit to the Live Different ministry site in Baja, Mexico. Brenden Friesen and Marshall Reimer went to serve for a week with MDS in Crisfield, Maryland. Bert and Elma Kornelson traveled to the Dominican Republic to help with building homes for the less fortunate.

– Marilyn Kornelson

Ernie and Mary Ann Loewen

Speakers

Covenant Christian Reformed Church (Fri., 7 p.m.)

Concert/Story Telling Emily Colson, Ken Medema McIvor MB Church (Sat., 9 a.m.)

Keynote Speaker: Emily Colson Workshops, worship, and more

Winnipeg, Man. | April 25–26 A conference about including individuals who live with disabilities

20 The Messenger • March 2014

Covenant Christian Reformed Church (Sat., 7 p.m.)

Register at www.in2014.org or call Our Beautiful Secret movie Hope Centre Ministries at 204-479Co-sponsored by the 4893. Cost: by April 14 $130, after $155. Evangelical Mennonite Conference Emily Colson

Ken Medema

Columns • Further In and Higher Up

Being good and angry

C

an you imagine becoming someone A wolf seeks God by hungering for a rabbit. who, when you lost control of your Humans combine all these appetites and lift anger—and I mean lost them all to God by adding it—and became possessed by a physito them rationality, the cal rage, would thereby bless the world ability to think about God around you? I know a few people who and how our bodies, souls make the world a better place when and minds can be ordered they lose their cool. For the rest of us, in their appetites to move getting angry ends up embarrassing towards the beautiful Layton Friesen at best. vision of God awaiting us But here’s a troubling thought: who in our eternal rest. A saint we are when we lose our temper is a is a Spirit-filled person sure sign of the kind of person we are. whose body (with its pasSometimes a hockey player will sions) is united with the make a tearful apology after bludgeonsoul and the intellect in ing someone to the ice: “I am so sorry PHOTO: DESIGNPICS such a way that her entire for what I did; I am just not that kind person reaches out for of person.” That is precisely wrong; he is preits eternal rest in the vision of God. That’s how cisely the kind of person who would bludgeon; Aquinas saw it. it just took his rage to finally show us the sorry Anger is a pre-rational passion; it is a bodily, state of his character. physical response to the magnetism of God that Thomas Aquinas said that anger is a Goddoes not necessarily wait for the intellect to send given way for our bodies to long for God. Evinstructions. In a sinful person that passion is erything in creation, according to Aquinas, has misdirected and disordered. It destroys rather its own way to long for God and move towards than brings life. Our destructive anger is our its rest in God. A stone moves towards God by appetite for God reaching for things that are not gravity, clinging to the Earth. A plant moves God, or revolting against something that is of toward God by seeking the sun and nutrients.

God. So how then can our physical body, with all its passions, be ordered toward God? It’s not just the mind showing the body who is boss. I suggest that the way the Spirit sanctifies the body is by drawing it to mingle with the physical, resurrected body of Christ on Earth.

Our appetites are ordered by mingling physically in the worship, friendship, service and suffering of the body of Christ on earth.

At church we get Jesus into us, and, as the decades roll on, our bodies slowly learn where, when, why, and how to be angry. In church we take in the body and blood of Christ in all sorts of ways, symbolized in bread and wine. It is not merely a physical ordering, but it’s not less than physical. In the body of Christ we learn to be Open your home Commit a year to serve alongside or workplace to an others in Africa, Asia, Europe, good and angry. international volunteer Middle East and Latin America His disciples remembered that it was written, ivep.mcc.org salt.mcc.org “Zeal for your house will consume me” (John 2:17).

Thomas Aquinas said that anger is a God-given way for our bodies to long for God.

LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH

International Volunteer Exchange Program

Serving And Learning Together

Programs of Mennonite Central Committee

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 21

Columns • Generations

Savouring my sabbatical

“Y

I am so thankful for the opportunity to step away and refuel on the Lord’s grace.

22 The Messenger • March 2014

PHOTO: SANDY REIMER

Gerald D. Reimer Youth Minister/ Missions Mobilizer

our kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

Those words of life from Jesus increasingly became my prayer through my sabbatical.

They repeatedly drew me back into the presence of God. They defined my humble need of Him “from whom all blessings flow.” And Christ himself, the author of these words, became my focus.

After 14 years of my working out of the EMC Office—18 years, if you include my missions service in Mexico—the Board of Missions and the Board of Church Ministries generously granted me a six-month sabbatical for rest and professional development. From July 9 to Jan. 5, I was out of the office.

While my role with the conference is not equivalent to that of pastors in our churches, there are similarities. And so a recent article in Outreach Magazine about ministry burnout— “Grace Beyond Burnout,” by Rob Wilkins— caught my attention. It’s available online.

The piece highlighted several different surveys that revealed the tremendous amounts of stress that many pastors and their wives experience. In fact, a reference is made that more than 90 percent of people entering ministry quit, burn out, get fired, die or suffer a disqualifying moral failure before retirement.

While I may not have experienced ministry burnout, there were a lot of indicators in this article that I could identify with. And for that reason, I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to step away and refuel on the Lord’s grace.

The refuelling took many forms, including regular mentor sessions with a veteran pastor, developing callouses through backyard work projects, completing my read-through of the Bible, prayer walks, spending loads of time with my wife and children, reading nearly a dozen books, and more time in prayer and worship then I’ve made a priority in many years.

The mandates of the two boards also included some highly anticipated work as well.

This involved taking two courses around the theme of conflict resolution and peacemaking. While the value was great for me personally, I expect that it will also be of use in my ministry for years to come.

Furthermore, I tackled several missions research projects. One was analyzing our short and mid-term mission programs, and the other project dealt with the expansion of our mobilization efforts in partnership with our constituent churches.

Both projects include proposals for the board to consider.

Beyond these activities, I was privileged to speak at Ridgewood Bible Camp for one week, enjoyed many hours out in God’s beautiful creation, and had some amazing vacation times with family.

While I enjoyed feasting on these pristine mountaintop experiences, the Lord brought me through several dry and difficult seasons as well.

I determined that both the highs and the lows were equally valuable for my soul.

Thank you again for the privilege of serving you. I am so blessed to be part of the EMC. You have supported me beyond measure.

News

Keeping the faith at climate change talks Two faiths need each other

PHOTO: CAROL THIESSEN

WARSAW, Poland—Climate change negotiations have been playing havoc with my sense of hope.

On one hand, there is the knowledge that a climate crisis is coming if we do not act urgently to slow emissions and help vulnerable people adapt to the changes they are already experiencing. We only need look to the tragic images from Typhoon Haiyan for a visceral reminder of the urgency.

On the other hand, there are the tactical chess moves of negotiations and painfully slow movements forward—and sometimes backwards—that seem to be so common here in Warsaw at the United Nations Climate Change Conference.

All too often, short-term national self-interest and business-as-usual seems to trump care for the poorest and love of creation.

So it was with a heavy heart that I entered Warsaw’s St. John’s Archcathedral for an ecumenical climate service on Sunday evening. The interior felt as chilled as the damp cold outdoors.

The service was predominantly in Polish in a Christian tradition unfamiliar to me. But as prayers for love of

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creation and climate justice alternated between Polish and English, I began to feel the warmth of Christ within me.

During the service, Lic Elias Crisostomo Abramides of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, reminded us that the whole earth community deserves to benefit from the beauty of creation Carol Thiessen and its bounty.

It is, he said, a spiritual and ethical issue, as well as an issue of justice and of peace—“an issue of Christian love for all of humankind and of peace.”

“As people of faith we cannot remain silent,” he added, noting that we must speak out on behalf of our neighbours.

The service was an emotional reminder for me that what may seem hopeless on the surface can still be possible. With God all things are possible—including the possibility of changed hearts in us all.

A few days before the service, following another day of negotiations at the Conference, a fellow Canadian asked me: “So you haven’t lost your faith yet?” I laughed and said “no.” Later, I wondered if he was referring to my Christian faith or to my faith in our ability to take collective action on climate change.

But that Sunday evening, as the ancient liturgies washed over me, I realized the two depend on each other.

I have faith in our collective future because of my faith in a loving God—a God who can touch all our hearts.

And so I will hold onto my hope.

– Carol Thiessen Carol Thiessen is a senior policy advisor at the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. She attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Warsaw, Poland, in Nov. 2013.

CANADIAN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 23

Poetry

Big Fish

by Brigitte Toews PHOTO: BRIGITTE TOEWS

You’ve said: “I’m too weary I’ve been fishing all night I haven’t caught a single fish, not even a bite Now our nets are still empty and the day’s almost spent!

So I’ll head back to shore and there Arrowhead mirror shoreline along the Bloodvein River, Manitoba pitch my tent!

Is the fishing hole empty? Have we run out of bait?

My disciples have stopped fishing Have the lakes frozen over and we can’t stand to wait?

They’re too close to the shore Do we not understand the fishing guide notes?

They must go out further Did we cast out our nets on the wrong side of the boat?

It’s time to explore!

Why don’t we seem to catch any big fish?

Where the fish are plenty and ripe for the catchWe’ve stepped out of the boat I will strengthen your nets for this spirited batch Is there something amiss?

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus said: They will put up a fight I know where the fish are So I need “fishers of men” You must listen to see Let’s go fishin’ again!

I Am the True Guide The fish finder is me Take along Matt. 14: 22-36, Mark 6:45-56, Luke 5:1-11, Retreat for a while to a solitary place John 21:1-14.

Where you can hear my voice and seek my face

Breath of Love

by Eleanor Lee Gustaw

The cross avails wholeness from brokenness, Freedom from bondage, Health from sickness, Love from hate, Eternal life from eternal condemnation, And light from darkness.

In it, resurrection holds the Triumphant victory to all nations.

The power of the cross was so momentous That it tore the Temple curtain in two, Turning day into total darkness The impact of Christ’s death left the imprint Of forgiveness so complete That it is eternal, If we accept His sacrifice.

With each nail hammered into His feet and hands, The Breath of His love was full and complete.

It shall ever be the greatest test of love, The greatest strength in seeming weakness.

For on that cross, The greatest power of love was shown.

24 The Messenger • March 2014

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With each agonized, laboured breath of pain, The cross still cries out, “I love you, my child.”

Such profound love rests in the joy of every believer Because of one man, Jesus Christ.

The Breath of His love still beckons, “Come, follow Me.”

Shoulder Tapping Ministry Information Profile *With any applications for EMC church pastoral positions, candidates are expected to also register a Ministry Information Profile with the EMC Board of Leadership and Outreach, which can be obtained through Erica Fehr, BLO Administrative Assistant, at efehr@emconf.ca or 204-326-6401.

EMC Positions Prairie Grove Fellowship Chapel is looking for a full-time lead pastor. Our congregation consists of about 80 attendees and has a real heart to love God and love people. We are looking for a pastor who has strong preaching and teaching skills and is gifted in relating to the multiple generations of the congregation.

He will provide leadership on the ministerial team and serve alongside our half-time youth pastor. A Bible college education and previous pastoral experience are desirable.

PGFC is an EMC church located in the growing community of Lorette, Man., 15 minutes southeast of Winnipeg. To apply or for more information, contact Alek at pgfc.search@gmail.com.

The ConneXion church in Arborg, Man, a community of one thousand, is currently seeking a half-time pastor. Arborg is in the heart of Manitoba’s Interlake, one hour north of Winnipeg’s perimeter. The church of 25 to 50 adherents is affiliated with the EMC. We practice the values of “BELLS” as we build our community; we seek to bless, eat, listen, learn and send.

There is significant opportunity for other part-time employment in the community.

Interested applicants should contact the pastoral search committee chair or submit a resume to peter.dueck@vidir.com. We are seeking a faithful Jesus follower with proven leadership skills.

Taber EMC is seeking a full-time youth/associate pastor. Candidate should have the ability to plan and oversee a comprehensive youth ministry and oversee associate pastor ministries as arranged by the church leadership. Valuable assets would be skills in sports and music. Contact church board chair Abe Klassen at 403-223-0588 or 403-331-9563. Send resumes to Taber EMC, Box 4348, Taber, AB T1G 2C7 or taberemc@ yahoo.ca.

Hillside Christian Fellowship is looking for a fulltime or interim pastor. Previous experience is preferred and housing is available. Hillside Christian Fellowship is a rural church located on Highway 697 in the Buffalo Head Prairie area, about 25 kms from La Crete in northern Alberta. The industries that drive our community are farming and logging. We have about 50 to 60 people attending on average each Sunday. For information contact Jim Friesen at

valley@sis.net or call (work) 780-928-3880 or (cell) 780-926-7717.

La Crete Christian Fellowship is seeking candidates to fill the role of senior pastor. LCCF is located in a beautiful, prosperous farming and logging community in northern Alberta. We are a multi-generational congregation with a strong commitment to missions. Our average Sunday attendance is 450.

The senior pastor would be a team member working with and providing general oversight to the associate pastor, youth pastor, office staff, lay minister and a large, supportive ministerial. He would have appropriate Bible college education and preferably a number of years of pastoral experience.

He would agree with the EMC Statement of Faith and Church Practices. Duties include, but are not limited to, preaching, teaching, some administration and officiating at various church functions.

Information can be found at www.lccfc.ca.

Please contact Darryl Olson at darrylwolson@gmail. com or 780-821-0287 if you can serve together with us in this capacity.

Other Positions Christian summer camp staff needed for underprivileged children’s camp: counsellors, program directors, wranglers, kitchen, secretary, lifeguard, nurses.

Brightwood Ranch, near Edmonton, Alta., is a Christian camp for kids from single parent, foster and group homes. One-, two- and four-month positions available. Salary plus room and board. www.hopemission.com/summercamp. Contact us at: bright.wood@ hopemission.com Bergfeld Mennonite Church (EMMC), a rural congregation in southern Manitoba, is looking for a full-time pastor. We are an evangelical, missionminded church of about 120.

Our church has many strong committees and programs in place, especially a vibrant adult Sunday School.

Contact: Bergfeld Mennonite Church, Attn: Pastoral Search Committee, Box 1478, Altona, MB R0G 0B0; abereg@mts.net; 204324-8283 (ask for Abe).

Aylmer EMMC prayerfully seeks a full-time bilingual lead pastor. Our average attendance is 300 to 350. The senior pastor would be a team member working with and providing

general oversight to the associate pastors, youth pastor, office staff, lay pastors, board, and other church leaders. Please contact: AEMMC Lead Pastor Search Team: search@aemmc.ca or 519-866-3202 (chair Abe Wiebe).

Mid-Way Christian Leadership, based in Thompson, Man., is looking for an adult life coach, youth life coach and office manager. Please email generaldirector.mcl@gmail.com for full job descriptions or inquiries.

Inner City Youth Alive, a faith-based youth organization in Winnipeg, Man., is looking for a motorsport director, a dynamic person with strong leadership and organizational skills to work with youth in the race car program, Inner City Motorsport. Knowledge in metalworking, mechanical skills and use of related tools is an asset. If you or someone you know would be interested and qualified, go to www.icya.ca for job details. Forward resume to Don at don@icya.ca.

Where are position ads to be sent?

Ministry-related position ads are welcome. Please send all position ads, including pastoral search ads, to messenger@emconf.ca. All ads are to be 150 words or less. Space is provided without charge. All ads are subject to editing and can be removed after two appearances unless prior arrangements are made to have them appear longer. Please notify The Messenger as soon as possible when an ad is no longer needed. Thank you.

May the Lord bless your search.

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www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 25

Columns • Been Thinking About

My messy Bible

R The individual stories of Scripture, like pieces of a puzzle, come together to display God’s glorious story of creation, redemption, and restoration.

26 The Messenger • March 2014

PHOTO: DESIGNPICS

by Ward Parkinson Conference Pastor

ecently in my devotional reading I’ve been in the Old Testament Book of Judges. A lot of it is actually quite disheartening.

There are stories in Judges that I’d prefer were not in the Bible.

Even some of the characters that we, as kids, saw as heroes are certainly less than heroic in reality (hello, Samson).

And then there are stories that reveal base and evil behaviour. Jephthah sacrificing his daughter, and making like it’s her fault. The idolatry committed by the whole tribe of Dan. And the horrible story of a Levite’s concubine being gang raped and murdered by the men of Gibeah. What possible redeeming value do these stories have?

The surface answer is none. Rather, these stories are the inspired biblical epitaphs left behind by generations of Israelites who “had no king; all the people did what was right in their own eyes” (Judges 21:25). The implied, biting opinion of the biblical author is that not even the Lord God was regarded as King in Israel and his ways were abandoned.

But it’s not just the bad guys. Sometimes the saints wallow in the mud as well. Jacob was a maternally encouraged deceiver.

David’s fling with Bathsheba is well known.

Jonah was a prophet who hated the people he preached to. There was incest happening in the Corinthian church. And even Peter and Paul got in each other’s face at least once.

What do you do with these messy stories in your Bible? No use pretending they’re not there.

We, as good evangelicals, believe that these stories are as divinely inspired as John 3:16.

I have found it helpful to keep two things in

mind when I come across stories in the Bible that make me cringe a little.

First, the Bible is a book that deals with reality. God meets us where we’re at, and where we sinners are at is not usually pretty. The Bible never hides or sugarcoats sin.

This is a good thing, because Jesus did not suffer anguish and death on the Cross in order to excuse us from sin, but rather to rescue us from sin. If the Bible only recorded the lives of perfect people, you and I could never relate and that would be more disheartening than ever.

Second, it’s important for me to keep the big picture in view when I read any particular part of Scripture. Think of a jigsaw puzzle.

We can look at a single piece of a puzzle and not immediately see how it fits with the others.

The colour is different; the details are unrecognizable. Only when they come together do we see how they fit into the bigger picture.

The individual stories of Scripture, like pieces of a puzzle, come together to display God’s glorious story of creation, redemption, and restoration. Reading them on their own, we sometimes wonder how they fit, or even why God preserved them. But if we, over a lifetime of loving God’s Word, develop an appreciation for the vast sweep of the Gospel story, we can recognize God’s holiness and grace in every piece, even the dark ones.

So, even reading Judges, we can rejoice that the true King has come. And one day all the kingdom’s people will do what is right in His eyes.

Columns • stewardship today

Grandchildren: growing from selfcentredness to unrestrained generosity

N

ovember 2012 brought us our first grandchild. With our grandson came a myriad of hopes and dreams. What will he be like? What will he contribute to society? How will his faith be shaped? Recently, his parents dedicated themselves to teaching him about God. So they are off to a great start!

PHOTO: DESIGNPICS

But how will our grandchildren learn about the joys of living a generous lifestyle?

One word we never have to teach a young child is “mine.” In fact, from the moment of birth, children will demand that all attention be on them.

When a child wants to be fed, the whole community will be informed. When he or she wants to be changed, everyone had better drop everything else and attend to the mess.

In short, “my will be done or else.”

So, the challenge is to inspire a growing child or grandchild to move along the continuum, from self-centredness to unrestrained generosity. Grandparents can have a powerful influence on their grandchildren by teaching virtues like diligence, honesty, hard work, patience, and sacrifice.

Learning to connect with grandchildren, either through personal interaction, times

away together, linking up through social media, or telling life’s stories, is key to establishing a solid relationship through which life’s values can be conveyed.

Ideas for transmitting the value of generosity to grandchildren include: • Insist that a portion of any monetary gift, including inheritance, be used for sharing • Foster Christmases where the focus is on giving rather than receiving • Model hospitality, contentedness and gratitude • Partner with the grandchild’s parents in teaching what it means to be stewards of money • Take your grandchildren on a missions trip—a vacation with meaning • Teach the value of money—not bailing out for consumptive wishes nor covering all educational costs • Allow grandchildren to face the consequences of misspent money and to learn the cost of borrowing • Tell stories of God’s generosity and how love motivates us to be generous • Create a family legacy of generosity, focused on abundant sharing rather than accumulation.

Author and pastor Randy Alcorn suggests, “The most fundamental lesson any child can learn about finances—even more important than saving—is the lesson of giving.”

Let’s inspire our grandchildren to be faithful in joyful giving.

by Arnie Friesen

Grandparents can have a powerful influence on their grandchildren by teaching virtues like diligence, honesty, hard work, patience, and sacrifice.

Arnie Friesen is a stewardship consultant at the Abbotsford, BC, office of Mennonite Foundation of Canada. For information on impulsive generosity, stewardship education, and estate and charitable gift planning, contact your nearest MFC office or visit Mennofoundation.ca.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 27

Columns • kids’ corner

A new beginning

by Loreena Thiessen

There are many new beginnings in the Bible too.

Activity: Find something new.

Need: camera, pencil, coloured pencils, drawing paper.

Do: Go outside and find signs of something new, a new beginning.

You might see birds that have returned, new animals, like ducklings, calves or lambs, new grasses beginning to grow, tulips or daffodils.

Do the trees have new buds? Look up at the sky. Does it look different from a winter sky?

Take photos of anything new. Draw what you see. Then share what you have discovered.

28 The Messenger • March 2014

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A

re you happy for spring? What makes you most happy?

Spring is the beginning of something new. All that was quiet and hidden under the snow is coming to life again. Animals wake up or return. Plants begin to stir.

Animals and birds look for food and a good nesting spot. Soon long rows of downy ducklings swim after their mothers on the pond. On the farm new lambs bleat.

You hear the birds and their individual songs.

The wren’s is trilling and joyful; the robin urgent and scolding; chickadees answer each other and the crow is demanding.

As winter disappears you go out ready to explore and find something new. You feel free and full of energy. Just like nature.

There are many new beginnings in the Bible too. The lame man in John 5:2-9, whom Jesus healed, is now able to walk, and able to help others. Lazarus and his family are re-united. Instead of mourning, his sisters, Mary and Martha, are overjoyed.

The blind man in John 9:6-7, can now enjoy colours. He can see his family.

The ten lepers in Luke 17:12-16, whom Jesus healed, can join their families. They can meet their friends and move back to their homes.

Before they were healed, they were feared and rejected, and sent away.

Joseph forgave his brothers for hating him and pretending he was dead. He welcomed them and now they had a chance to begin a new life in Egypt.

When Jesus was arrested and died on the cross, his followers were afraid. They were sad and disappointed. They believed Jesus would become a powerful ruler and change their lives.

They had believed his promises but now he was dead. All their hope was gone.

But then Jesus rose. He was alive again and came back to them to prove it. This was a new beginning. Instead of feeling sad, they were now full of joy. Instead of feeling hopeless, they now had hope for the future.

Read John 20:26-31.

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