The Messenger
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Volume 53 No. 1 January 2015
Let's Have A Passion For What Jesus Had A Passion!
page 6
ALSO INSIDE:
Entering Your Story TRU Provides An Amazing Sense That We Are Not Alone! page 10
ISTOCK
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a publication of the Evangelical
Mennonite Conference
Editorials
Let’s proclaim the positive message of Christ!
I
n 1517 Martin Luther sparked the Protestant Reformation and in 1525 the first Anabaptist baptisms happened in Europe. How might that inspire us as we serve the Lord together in 2015? Let me suggest this: we are to proclaim the positive message of Christ in complicated times. The positive message of Christ in the 16th century? The Protestant Reformation was rooted in the grace of God. Much of this is reflected within the events and confessions of that time—Anabaptist, Reformed, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and more—to which we are indebted. Yet times were complicated for our 16th-century spiritual forebears: they lived in Europe during an outbreak of the bubonic plague, faced possible invasion by Turks, were shaken by the Peasants’ Wars motivated by fair grievances, suffered persecution, and both faced and contributed to an increasingly fragmented Church. Yet these believers, men and women, missioners and members, lived and
proclaimed their faith in ways that affect us centuries later. In 2015, as Christians who also live in complicated times, let’s proclaim the Good News. Each generation, country, and culture needs the Gospel. Whether the Christian Faith seems old or new, odd or exciting in varied settings in Canada and elsewhere, its truth and relevance remains: Christ is still Lord and he is still risen. Christ is to be proclaimed, many needs exist, much of his Church suffers, and we need to go forward. Our EM Conference needs wisdom in responding to the diverse contexts and opportunities before us. May Christ be lifted up and his Church strengthened and expanded. Pray that the Lord, who has guided us in the past, will continue to do so. In 2015 let’s proclaim the positive message of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Terry M. Smith
Whether the Christian Faith seems old or new, its truth and relevance remains: Christ is still Lord and he is still risen.
••
Christians are not tourists on Planet Earth
J
EAN VANIER tells of a couple that visited India and decided they would not go again. There was too much poverty, they said. They were tourists. Yet for Vanier the country’s poverty was precisely the reason why people should go to India. There are needs to be met. Vanier is not a tourist on Planet Earth. A dedicated Christian might hope, with all the troubles in the world, that the Lord would come soon. Yes, Christians can, will, and should pray, “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev. 22:20). Yet nowhere does it say in Scripture that the Church is to pray for the Lord’s return in order to avoid our responsibilities as Christians in a needy world. What would our Lord’s coming mean for many people who are not ready? The patience of God, “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2
2 The Messenger • January 2015
Pet. 3:9) is gracious, remarkable, and to be rejoiced in. In 2014 natural disasters and human conflicts disturbed, numbed, and overwhelmed us. What are we to do? We are to be people of faith shown in perseverance. The Christian Church’s presence in the world is a long-term response to long-term needs. The Lord is coming again, yes, and we are to live expectantly of “the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:1114). Meantime, we are to do what we can by Christ’s grace to bring healing to individuals, communities, and our planet. As we await our Lord’s return to his world, Christians are not tourists on Planet Earth. – Terry M. Smith
The Lord is coming again. We are to live expectantly while doing what we can to bring healing to individuals, communities, and our planet.
Table of Contents Features
Columns
6
5
Let's Have A Passion For What Jesus Had A Passion! – Charles Koop
10 Entering Your Story – Dr. Arley Loewen
13 TRU Provides An Amazing Sense That We Are Not Alone! – Adam Friesen
Been Thinking About Who Rules Us – Ward Parkinson
16 An Education App
Know what? The delegate was absolutely right! – Russell Doerksen and Terry M. Smith
page
14
24 Further In and Higher Up
Scratching your neighbour's itch – Layton Friesen
Departments 2
Editorials
3
Pontius’ Puddle
4, 25 News 17 With Our Missionaries 20 With Our Churches 32 In Memory 33 Shoulder Tapping
34 Here and Far Away
The simple truth: all help comes from Christ – Jocelyn R. Plett
35 Stewardship Today
Transformation to generosity – Peter Dryden
page
26
36 Kids’ Corner
How do your hands communicate? – Loreena Thiessen
page
30
page
28
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 3
The Messenger
News
Volume 53 No. 1 January 2015
Buchanan to speak at SBC Leadership Conference 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. The Messenger is published by the EMC Board of Church Ministries, 440 Main St, Steinbach, Man., and is a member of Meetinghouse and Canadian Church Press. Subscription rates 1 year $24 ($30 U.S., $45 foreign) 2 years $44 ($55 U.S., $85 foreign) 3 years $65 ($82 U.S., $125 foreign) Manitoba residents add 8% PST. Digital only subscriptions: $15 per year. Single copy price: $2 Subscriptions are voluntary and optional to people within or outside of the EMC. Subscriptions are purchased by the Conference for members and adherents. Change of address and subscriptions Undelivered copies, change of address and new subscriptions should be addressed to: 440 Main St, Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5 Phone: 204-326-6401 Fax: 204-326-1613 E-mail: messenger@emconf.ca www.emconference.ca/messenger Second-class postage paid at Steinbach, Manitoba. ISSN: 0701-3299 Publications Mail Agreement Number: 40017362 We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage for our publishing activities. Advertising The Messenger does not sell advertising, but provides free space (classified and display) to enhance our Conference, its churches, boards, and ministries; inter-Mennonite agencies and educational institutions; and the wider church. Ads and inquiries should be sent to messenger@emconf.ca. THE MESSENGER schedule: No. 04 – April. 2015 issue (copy due Feb 08)
4 The Messenger • January 2015
Focus to be on ‘Leadership Lessons from David’ STEINBACH, Man.—Mark Buchanan—professor, pastor, and writer—is the presenter at SBC’s Leadership Conference on March 20-21, 2015. His focus will be on “How the King has Distinguished Himself Today: Leadership Lessons from David.” Buchanan is associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at Ambrose University in Calgary, Alta. Previously he served as lead pastor of New Life Community Baptist Church in Duncan, B.C. He lives in Calgary. He and his wife Cheryl have three children. He has written numerous books, some of which include David: A Novel (2014), Your Church is Safe (2012), Spiritual Rhythm (2010), Hidden in Plain Sight (2007), The Rest of God
SBC
EDITOR TERRY M. SMITH
Mark Buchanan
(2006), and Your God is Too Safe (2001). He holds MA and MCS (Regent College) and BA and BFA (University of British Columbia) degrees. For information on SBC’s Leadership Conference, or to register, check SBCollege.ca/events. – SBC and EMC
EMC Young Adult Retreat 2015 March 13-15, Camp Cedarwood Lac du Bonnet, Man.
For Anyone 18 to 25-ish, Single or married No children, please. Cost: $110/person Speaker Pastor Garry Koop, Steinbach EMC Workshops will be held. Contact Nathan Plett, 204-355-4511, Nathan@prairierose.ca Jason Heide, 204-326-6572, jheide@semconline.com Gord Penner, 204-326-6451, GPenner@sbcollege.ca
Columns • Been Thinking About
Who Rules Us
J
ANDREW WALKER
esus Christ is Lord. A simple sentence. Four words. Very easy to say. These words can be uttered in prayer, song, testimony, recitation, devotion. They can be spoken both in safe haven and in public storm. As words spoken they have power to encourage and inspire and comfort. But often that’s about where it stops. These four words were never meant to be merely spoken. They must be lived. This is not to say that, as mere words, they carry no meaning. On the contrary, they form perhaps the weightiest sentence in human history. They describe the ultimate reality of the cosmos. In fact, all of history as we know it is rolling toward this ultimate revelation. The New Testament describes it as the “revealing of the Son of Man”—Jesus. We are told that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess this ultimate reality: Jesus Christ is Lord. This claim has been the foundational creed of the Christian Church since its inception. It is what marked her out from not only other religious practice, but from any societal convention. Church history scholar Larry Hurtado has documented both the evidence and pervasiveness of this creed in the first decades of church history. He cites Phil. 2:9-11 as perhaps the clearest example of the New Testament (echoing
Isaiah 45:23) giving Jesus the highest place, the place reserved for Yahweh alone (Lord Jesus Christ, 2003, 112). Of course in the first century, when Caesar alone commanded top spot in any discussion of lordship, to verbalize this creed was treasonous. To live this creed could be deadly. Yet for this creed to have an impact not only on Jesus’ followers, but on the world, it must be lived. This brings me to the first key word unpacked in our recently adopted EMC vision statement: live. The statement says, We envision influencing our culture as we dare to live our lives with Jesus Christ as Lord. See the complete vision statement under About on our home page. The implications of this statement are limitless. To recognize this, it can be helpful to supply some synonyms, because the word Lord can sound, well, churchy. What if throughout your day you focus on Jesus being your ruler, your king, your boss, your commander? Would it change the way you went about your life? How? If this sounds a little daunting, it should. The stakes are actually quite high. Living with Jesus in charge means giving up sovereignty over your own life. If you have never considered this, it is important that you wake up to real Christianity. This is why in our vision statement we use the word dare. Daring implies risk. Daring takes the cost into account. Daring says Jesus will give direction to my life no matter what anybody else says. In everyone’s life there are those that will support this daring and those that will seek to quell it. In every church’s life there are those that will support this daring and those that will tranquilize it. In our conference’s life, may we be those that rise up to lead a daring charge.
by Ward Parkinson Conference Pastor
Living with Jesus in charge means giving up sovereignty over your own life. If you have never considered this, it is important that you wake up to real Christianity.
Members of the Strategic Planning Committee report at the EMC Conference Council meeting: Ward Parkinson, Tim Dyck, and Garry Koop.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 5
Good News, 2006
Thunder Bay, Ont.
Saskatoon, Sask.
Let’s Have A Passion For What Jesus Had A Passion! by Charles Koop
London, Ont.
EMC Canadian Church Planting Coordinator
New Life, 2007
PHOTOS: TERRY M. SMITH
Quebec
The ConneXion, 2010
6 The Messenger • January 2015
Edmonton, Alta.
T
In your praying, are you praying that from within your church family God would raise up those who are willing to move to a different community somewhere in Canada for the express purpose of starting a new church? What about Thunder Bay, Ont.? What about Saskatoon, Sask.? London, Ont.? Edmonton, Alta.? Would we even dream about going to Quebec, learning French and planting a church family in a province where only one in two hundred people attend an evangelical church?
he gospel says there is a God who created us and loved us so much that he came down to earth as a man. He was willing to go to the cross because he wanted to show us how much he loved us. There is hope for us in this life and also for our future! I don’t know your personal story, but I know that for me, the truth that Jesus could bring meaning and hope started a whole new way of life for me after years in a downward spiral of darkness. “Before 1971, less than 1 per cent of Canadians ticked the ‘no religion’ box on national surveys. Two generations later, nearly a quarter of the population, or 23 per cent, say they aren’t religious. What we’ve seen is a sea change in 40 years, a march toward secularization that mirrors what’s happened in Europe” (The Globe and Mail, Dec. 10, 2010). This means that everywhere we look we see people who need to hear the wonderful message of God’s love. The most likely way they will hear it is from you and from me. And a very effective way of spreading this message is through the planting of new churches.
It is Possible!
What Can I Do?
You may ask, “What can I do?” Sometimes it’s a matter of praying, “God,
DESIGNPICS
What if, in the next five years, 10 of our churches would start another church? Is this possible? The EMC might be little, but God often works little by little, bit by bit. There are all kinds of things happening. I love that our conference stepped forward about a year and a half ago and sent Oscar and Mirna Hernandez to Dauphin from the Brandon church. The idea was birthed in Brandon and the church was willing to send Oscar even though he was one of their muchneeded leaders. Already the small Dauphin church has baptized three people and the group is rubbing shoulders with many more people in the community.
open my eyes to see the needs that are around me. Open my ears to hear the cries of people who are broken, to hear those who feel hopeless.” In fact, all good things begin and end with prayer. That is something we all can and must do. Perhaps you are already developing good relationships with people in your neighbourhoods and workplaces. Are we making new friends? Are we calling people up to go for coffee, inviting neighbours over for a barbecue or spending time as families doing things together with other
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 7
Ebenezer Christian Church, 2010
families? Are we so booked up with our own commitments that we would miss an opportunity to love a stranger if it came our way? How about in our church families? Do we have a vision to reach out? I love it when the Steinbach EFC works with Spanish families who have moved to the Steinbach area. Or the fact that Steinbach EMC serves people within the Filipino community. Are you intent on making sure that your church activities include some kind of outreach
Church Planting Task Force (BLO) Supported Church Plants or Ministries
Churches Subsidized or Directly Supported
AYLMER, Ont.— Grace Community Church DAUPHIN, Man.—Iglesia Christanan Tabernacule Ebenezer REDCLIFF, Alta.—Redcliff EMC WINNIPEG, Man.—Many Rooms Church Community CALGARY, Alta.—Iglesia Emanuel PICTURE BUTTE, Alta.—Picture Butte Mennonite Church BRANDON, Man.—Ebenezer Christian Church OAK BLUFF, Man.—Oak Bluff Bible Fellowship
Churches with Subsidized Ministries WINNIPEG, Man.—Braeside EMC WINNIPEG, Man.—Fort Garry EMC STEINBACH, Man.—Steinbach EMC
8 The Messenger • January 2015
and are you willing to see a portion of your church budget dedicated to this type of effort? Over and above that, are you willing designate some of your own personal financial giving to church planting efforts specifically? Are you involved in these outreach ministries yourself or have you visited a newer church plant in your area just to encourage the planters? We also need to look beyond our own communities at towns and cities elsewhere. We often talk about church planting in urban areas. I’m all about urban; I love city life in Calgary where I’m surrounded by about 1.2 million people. We need to focus on where God is calling us specifically. Perhaps for some of us that will be a rural or small town calling. For instance, someone recently told me that there are 350,000 people in Manitoba who live between the TransCanada highway and the U.S. border.
Could your church adopt a church plant that is about to be birthed in one of these areas, supporting them as missionaries, praying, financially supporting and assisting in other possible ways? Are you feeling a nudge that God might actually be calling you to be the one to make a move?
New Life Christian Fellowship, 2007
In your praying, are you praying that from within your church family God would raise up those who are willing to move to a different community somewhere in Canada for the express purpose of starting a new church? What about Thunder Bay, Ont.? What about Saskatoon, Sask.? London, Ont.? Edmonton, Alta.? Would we even dream about going to Quebec, learning French and planting a church family in a province where only one in two hundred
people attend an evangelical church? Could your church adopt a church plant that is about to be birthed in one of these areas, supporting them as missionaries; praying, financially supporting and assisting in other possible ways? Are you feeling a nudge that God might actually be calling you to be the one to make a move? I believe with all my heart that God has called us to reach the lost in other parts of the world and also to reach the lost in Canada. May His Spirit ignite a blaze of renewal and revival in us as Christians in our established churches and may God call out many new workers with a deep love for the people of Canada. If we allow God to open our eyes, He will show us what He is already doing and if we are willing, He will invite us to ride the wave with Him! This is His work and it will be accomplished. “Not by might, or by power, but by my Spirit” (Zech. 4:6). Charles Koop is our Canadian church planting coordinator. This article is adapted from his report to conference council at Kleefeld, Man., on Nov. 29, 2014. Charles and his wife Lorraine live in Calgary, Alta.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 9
DESIGNPICS
Entering Your Story by Dr. Arley Loewen
S
everal years ago, when I visited a nongovernmental organization in Central Asia, I brought some candy for the staff. They, of course, thanked me, to which I responded, “It was nothing.” Really, it was a very little gift. One elderly man pointed at me and said, “But you thought about us.” When someone thinks about us, we feel encouraged. We feel honoured. Afghans would also say, “So and so entered my story,” which means that the other person honoured me by paying attention to my situation. This reflects human nature. We would die if absolutely no one cared for us or thought about us. Sadly, many people do die in the inside because they feel that no one thinks or cares for them. The idiom “entering someone’s story” is an apt expression to explain how someone really cares for another person. “Story” refers to one’s life experiences, the sad and the happy, the ups and downs and side turns, one way or another. Most people think only about their own and their family’s “story,” which they want to make interesting and satisfying. However, when someone enters our story, we feel honoured by them, and when they don’t care for us, we feel dishonoured and even insulted by that person. When we look at the mega-story of the
Bible, we see an amazing full-orbed story of good news.
A Gospel of Honour
The Gospel is the story of how God has honoured humans by entering our story. Throughout the Bible, we see God relating with humans. God entered the garden to talk with Adam and Eve, even after they had shamed God by disobeying Him and trying to gain more honour for themselves. God entered Abraham’s life, honouring him with a mandate to bless the entire world, indeed, to care for all peoples of this world. God entered Moses’ story to save the people of Israel from bondage in Egypt. God entered the world of Israel by ordering them to build a tabernacle where He could dwell, “My name will be there.” Ultimately, God entered our world as “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” In the Messiah, God ultimately and supremely honoured humankind. God’s story is a story of the Messiah entering our stories and honouring us. “For God so honours the people of the world and gives them dignity that He generously gave everything of His own being so that anyone who truly treasures and completely follows the Messiah as their true patron and master, such a
Ultimately, God entered our world as “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
10 The Messenger • January 2015
person will never be ashamed or dishonoured. They will indeed experience genuine honor and dignity for the rest of their lives and beyond” (paraphrase of John 3:16). Jesus walked with human beings, healed them and loved them. “When He saw the multitudes, he had compassion on them.” Jesus’ story of two lost sons classically reflects how the father honoured his own shamed sons by entering their lives. Finally, Jesus voluntarily offered His own life to restore dignity to every human being.
Enter God’s Story
As followers of the Messiah we need to enter God’s story. But the Gospel story is much more than God becoming involved in our lives and honouring us. The prophets of old called people to love and honour God with all their hearts and to ensure that their children would follow God as well. When Jesus walked among the people, He called them to follow Him. Jesus said repeatedly, “Believe in Me.” Since the Messiah has favoured us with this great good news, every beneficiary of such news responds by acknowledging the Messiah as their supreme master and patron.
A believer becomes totally loyal and “keeps the faith,” remains true to his Master. A believer has full confidence, trusts in his Master to protect and support him in all of life. A believer serves this Master and returns favours for the amazing provision of salvation. A believer boasts of his Master, spreading His story to the world. When we believe in this way, we enter God’s story.
Enter the Story of Others
We need to enter the story of others. The Gospel story continues through believers’ lives. As we enter God’s story, we become part of His story. This means we cannot ignore other people. It is impossible to honour God if we don’t care for others. Anyone who experiences God’s honour in their lives and enters God’s salvation story, will naturally enter the lives of people around them. We must do to others what God has done to us. Miroslav Wolf said in Exclusion and Embrace, “Inscribed on the very heart of God’s grace is the rule that we can be its recipients only if we do not resist being made into its agents; what happens to us must be done by us. Having been embraced by God, we must make space for others in ourselves and invite them in—even our enemies” (129). When God honours us, we must honour others. This is a transformed and new way to gain honour—by honoring others. When a believer does not honour people, he dishonors and shames God. We read, “Since God first honoured us, we honour one another. If a person says, “Glory to God! but pays no attention to his brother, such a person shames God and lies to Him because if this person pays no attention to his brother whom he sees, how can he give honour to God whom he does not see? God has given this mandate to us: “Whoever honours God, must enter his brother’s life” (paraphrase of 1 John 4:19-21).
The Law of Christ
This is the law of Christ. When we join God’s story, the Messiah’s law reorders our way of life. It turns on its head the old culture of endless
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 11
honor competitions, envy, boasting and struggling to make a name for oneself and one’s social group. In this new system we disdain selfish ambition and in gracious humility esteem others as genuinely significant. In this story, we become interested in others and care for them, even one’s enemies. E. Stanley Jones says, in the Song of Ascents, “In the highest reaches of Christian caring, the caring reaches even to enemies and to those who mistreat you . . . The future of the world is in the hands of those who care, not on a limited scale-myself, my family, my class, my race, my party—but in the hands of those who care with unlimited caring . . . No matter how good its doctrines, beautiful its liturgy, strong its teaching, and loud its claims, if it [the Church] isn’t the society of universal caring, it ultimately loses” (292-294). Paul recommends his colleague Timothy to the group of believers in Philippi, “Timothy truly cares about how you are doing. All the others are looking out for their own interests. They are not looking out for the interests of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 2:20-21). Timothy is part of the Jesus story when he is genuinely interested in others. He entered the Messiah’s story by entering the story of other people. God’s Story goes full circle; a dance of receiving honour from God and returning that honour by esteeming others. This story transforms the worlds of twisted honours where we resort to dishonourable means and vices in order to accumulate self-absorbed honour and build up our own stunted stories. This God-Spirited, “other-oriented” story catapults me to rejoice in the growth and joys of the other person. As a Persian poem 12 The Messenger • January 2015
says, I rejoice with the one who is full of joy, I flourish with those who flourish. As a practical conclusion, think of three ways you can enter the lives of other people. Dr. Arley Loewen, with a background in Persian studies, is a bridge-builder among cultures. This article first appeared in Mission Frontiers (http://www. missionfrontiers.org/issue/) and appears here by permission.
Join our Prayer Team in Paraguay to pray
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BRIGITTE TOEWS
National News
Members of Rosenort EMC lead in worship.
TRU Provides an Amazing Sense That We Are Not Alone! by Adam Friesen
F
rom Oct. 17 to 19, 2014, nearly 100 youth workers from the EM Conference gathered together at the Wilderness Edge Retreat and Conference Centre in Pinawa, Man., for the TRU leadership conference. Most of these leaders were from Manitoba churches, though this year’s event brought leaders all the way out from Ontario, making the total number of churches represented 14. TRU is a biennial weekend retreat for the conference’s youth leaders and stands for Train, Refresh, and Unite. The weekend is geared towards, and places a heavy emphasis on, creating a relaxed weekend to enable and refresh the people that are usually planning similar events for their individual youth groups. To accomplish these goals laid out in the weekend’s name, we had a balanced schedule of opportunity for personal rejuvenation, spiritual refocusing, and team building, both as individual church groups as well as an EMC team.
Train
The weekend consisted of three main sessions with Dr. Ed Neufeld, the pastor of the Kleefeld Christian Church Community as well as professor of biblical studies at Providence Theological Seminary. Ed spoke on the importance of following Jesus in order to be effective leaders. He spoke on how throughout the gospels Jesus is constantly calling people to follow Him and how that call is still relevant today. In the July 2014 issue of this magazine, Gerald Reimer wrote an article leading up to this event. In it, he wrote about the fact that how different the world is for youth today from when our current youth leaders were teens. Even those who are just recently graduated from high school didn’t experience some of the problems that junior youth are facing now. This, however, is where Ed’s message became very applicable to youth ministry. Ten years ago, even though the actions may have looked a little
TRU is a biennial weekend retreat for the conference’s youth leaders and stands for Train, Refresh, and Unite.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 13
National News sponsored by the Board of Church Ministries, and were given as a token of appreciation for the leaders work, as well as a way to continue to encourage the personal growth of youth workers as effective leaders and radical disciples of Jesus.
Refresh
TRU includes times of rest and relaxation.
bit different, the central application of the message of the Gospel has always been, and always will be, to follow Jesus. On top of the main sessions, Saturday morning consisted of two blocks for more specific workshop times. These workshops covered topics such as prayer and discernment, utilization of the Psalms in youth ministry, reaching out to the vulnerable in our society, reconciliation and finding hope in the midst of conflict, discipleship Jesus’ way, and how a minister reads the Bible. These workshops provided the opportunity for leaders to expand their knowledge in particular areas of youth ministry, or even ministry in general, that may be of particular interest or a specific struggle for them. “I never expected to be so inspired and transformed with my commitment to youth ministry. Jesus was persistent with his disciples, shaping and moulding them; he never gave up. I want to follow his example and be a part of making solid disciples who will go out and make solid disciples of their own,” said Kyla, a youth leader. The conference continued equipping the leaders even as they left from the weekend by providing a book to each leader. These books were
While a large part of TRU is the training aspect, refreshment is certainly a focus as well. Ministry is tough. Anyone who has been a part of any form of ministry knows this. You pour all you effort into your ministry, sometimes seeing results and sometimes not. Sometimes all you get back is criticism. Even when a ministry is completely successful and is run smoothly, it is still draining. That kind of ideal ministry, however, is rare. Most of the time something will come up that was unexpected. One of the other leaders might get sick and can’t be there, leaving the others with more work. Most of the time someone will be unhappy with how something was run and there will be conflict within the team. Possibly one of the most discouraging things in ministry is when a lot of energy has been put into ministering to a certain person only for them to reject the gospel in the end. Hiccups like these within a ministry take it from draining to downright exhausting, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and can leave the leaders of the ministry burnt out.
"I never expected to be so inspired and transformed with my commitment to youth ministry."
14 The Messenger • January 2015
Togetherness is important at TRU.
National News
Dr. Ed Neufeld: Jesus' call is relevant today.
The National Youth Committee recognizes this while planning the weekend and provides plenty of down time for physical rest, as well as specific Soul Care times for spiritual renewal. Pinawa is a beautiful small town along the Winnipeg River. It is filled with tame deer and has a naturally peaceful environment, which is conducive to rest and relaxation. People enjoyed their time canoeing on the river, playing games together, visiting, or simply resting. The Soul Care times were personal devotional-type times led by leaders from different churches. One such time simply consisted of a walk with God. We were encouraged to simply go outside and take a walk with God, talking with him as we went along. It was a peaceful time, engaging in conversation with the creator as we were in his creation.
Unite
Unity is one of my favourite things about the EM Conference. Events such as TRU or in my own youth days, Abundant Springs, provide an amazing sense that we are not alone. Even though this unity should be present within the community
of churches within a certain geographical region, there is an extra sense that we are all together in this mission together when the group is made up of people from many different locations. This unity provides perspective. It shows that we are not the only ones who struggle with certain issues and provides an opportunity to share ideas, since we are all of the same belief, seeking the same goal: to reach the young people of today with the love of Christ and to guide them into a personal relationship with him. Whenever I am with another EMC church group, I feel overwhelmingly supported and encouraged. Be this at TRU, Abundant Springs, the EMCup or while attending SBC, the EMC community is a unified body of believers with others in mind before self. Thank you to the National Youth Committee for planning and running this weekend. Thank you also to the worship team from Rosenort EMC, led by Cody Reimer. And, finally, thank you to you, the EMC community who continue to support the ministry of your individual churches. Without your prayers and encouragement we as youth leaders could not do the work that we do with the youth. Adam Friesen (Steinbach EMC) is in his second year of a three-year BA in Christian Studies with a focus in Pastoral Ministry. He is involved in youth ministry at SEMC.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 15
Column • An Education App
Know what? The delegate was absolutely right!
by Russell Doerksen BCM Member
and Terry M. Smith Executive Secretary
The BCM seeks to directly equip our local churches and our members. Yet in responding to biblical illiteracy, Christian postsecondary institutions play a key role.
16 The Messenger • January 2015
ANDREW WALKER
W
hile reporting for the Board of Church Ministries (BCM) at conference council on Nov. 29, 2014, Russell Doerksen highlighted a key element of combating biblical illiteracy in Canada—the need to affirm Christian higher education. Unfortunately, while he and other BCM representatives mentioned additional responses of the board to this problem, the post-secondary affirmation overshadowed other elements. One delegate stood to say that if we wait until young people are in post-secondary training, we are too late; they need help earlier. The delegate was absolutely right. The key EMC training centres are the local churches and the time for training in Bible knowledge, critical thought, and apologetics (the defense of the faith) within them is now. As highlighted in our broader reporting, the BCM is responding to church needs and biblical illiteracy in numerous ways. The BCM seeks to directly equip our local churches and our members, most of whom will never attend a Christian post-secondary institution. We provide The Messenger (a major teaching tool), the Christian Education Update (a list of resources), Theodidaktos: Journal for EMC theology and education, and other resources. Our national staff members Terry Smith and Gerald Reimer visit and serve local churches. We’re involved in campus chaplaincy at the University of Manitoba. We hold Abundant Springs for teenagers and TRU for youth leaders—and the list goes on. The BCM is concerned about biblical illiteracy, which most EMCers realize is an epidemic in Canada. According to a recent EFC survey, only 14% of Canadians read the Bible monthly, youth think God is only concerned that they be moral and happy (this is not Christianity), and people who neglect the Word are six times less likely to attend religious services. What’s the best way to fight an epidemic? Local populations need to have healthy practices and habits, which are developed with the help of doctors, nurses, and health educators.
BCM members and staff met for lunch during Conference Council: chair Wes Kroeker, Cyndy Warkentin, Terry Smith, Russell Doerksen, Jessica Wichers, Gerald Reimer, Kevin Wiebe, and Brigitte Toews. Missing: Henry Friesen and Andrew Walker (photographer).
The central way to fight biblical illiteracy is by healthy congregations, which are assisted by an in-depth biblical training of EMCers. Christian post-secondary institutions have a key role to play in such training. The history of the Bible college movement in Canada shows that churches richly benefit when members gain discipleship skills and biblical knowledge and return with these to enrich what they have learned within their home churches. Today, though, less of this is happening. While attending Christian post-secondary institutions was once common, it isn’t the current trend. Many high school students today choose programs by a financial cost/benefit analysis. In this way, Christian post-secondary institutions often lose out: ministry professions do not pay well and tuition can be higher because the institutions are not publicly funded. Because of this, many Bible colleges are closing their doors and the Church is quickly losing a powerful resource. Are finances the only measuring stick to be used? For the on-going spiritual health of our young people and churches, we hope not. As one part of a multi-pronged response, we promote the key role played by Christian postsecondary institutions in strengthening our local churches. May the Lord bless all local churches and ministries as you engage in on-going local education and apologetics!
With Our Missionaries
Prayer Story When Jesus was with his disciples his prayer life created an intrigue in his followers to such an extent that they wanted Him to teach them to pray. That request continues to this day. We need to be taught how to pray. Going to Jesus to have him teach us is a great place to start. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit also tweeks our prayers and fleshes them out when we are at a loss of words, insight or sensitivity. Each year when a Prayer Team come to Guadalajara to pray there is this sense, “Lord teach us how to pray,” especially Prayer Walking. Praying “on site with insight” using the information we have observed, we bring this to the Lord and ask “that His kingdom would come as it is in heaven,” right where we are at that moment. It is refreshing to walk with another person and pray spontaneously about what we see, feel, and long for. The prayer flows as each person feeds off of what has already been prayed, but also using our senses to pray for families, businesses, schools, government officials, churches, for the poor, the rich, the violence, the traffic, the needs of the hurting and the broken. Having had four Prayer Teams come to Guadalajara it has been exciting to see the way God has used each team to minister in specific ways. The first Prayer Team came and walked with us in determining in what part of the city we should live and start our Church Plant targeting the middle upper class in a city of seven to eight million people. Shortly after, God guided us in finding two other homes on the same street for the other missionaries that came to join Connie and me.
BOM
MEXICO
Connie and John Reimer
The second Team prayed for us and with us and the sense we arrived at, was that people would literally come to us asking our involvement in their lives. We had our neighbours and acquaintances asking help in teaching English to them, asking for counsel, cooking meals as they were going through health issues, asking us to have Bible Studies with them. The Third Prayer Team came and strongly felt that they wanted to affirm and bless us missionaries, by speaking into our lives, blessing our families and marriages. Significant decisions were made as we recognized our gift sets and opportunities. The last Prayer Team, just left Nov. 18, 2014, and there was a strong sense that God spoke through them, in affirming us in the target group that the Board of Missions had chosen for us to reach. The Prayer Team met a lot of our contacts and observed our strategies and through prayer affirmed that the audience and the approach was the right one. God has affirmed us in recognizing that as the Scriptures says if two or three prayer walk together, as was the case here, he hears us and answers us. As 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” – John Reimer John and Connie Reimer (CBF, Swan River) are involved in church planting in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco state, Mexico.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 17
With Our Missionaries
One day soon Just close your eyes and imagine yourself in Joanna’s tribe. Imagine what it would be like to live in a one-star wooden house with her family a million miles away. Then there’s the incredible task of learning a language that is so complex only God could have designed it. Joanna Jansma People constantly need medical attention with their many sicknesses like malaria, machete wounds, or birthing crises, and they depend on Joanna for help. Their culture is confusing; fears of spirits control every part of their life. Their food needs to be eaten with a smile even if it is a grub worm, bats or snakes. There are challenges to help settle village disputes such as wife stealing. There is the challenge of teaching them to read a language, for which you made the alphabet, so that one day they can read the Word. There’s the challenge of translating the Word in preparation to teach it for the first time ever in that language. There’s continually pouring out love and building so many sweet friendships—all so that one day the gospel will make sense and be believed and lived out like they saw in the examples of Joanna and her teammates all these years. One day their eyes will be open and they will trust God over their many fears. They will find truth from the Word instead of appeasing spirits. One day their ritual dances will turn to singing about the Lord parting the Red Sea or the many other stories they will soon hear. Instead of killing their second-born twin baby, they will learn of God who creates life. Instead of fearing death, they will hear of their Saviour. One day soon. – Kim Field NTM
WISCONSIN/PAPUA NEW GUINEA
As I sit here on my couch at New Tribes Bible School in Wisconsin, I am overjoyed for the daily blessings our family has of serving the Lord among all these amazing students. The joy we have as their lives bless us and we get to be a blessing to them in our friendships, is so gratifying. To top it all off, many of them will be taking what they learn here and share truth around the world. But sometimes as I sit on my soft couch, I think of many missionaries around the world who don’t get such a nice couch—my friend and New Tribes Bible Institute classmate, Joanna Jansma, for example. You can see her in this photo with these precious children from a people group deep in the jungles of Papua, Indonesia. From her pictures and stories you can tell in an instant that where she lives is not a place anyone would consider going just for the fun of it. I should ask her to e-mail me about how hard it is to live in a hot dangerous jungle at the end of the world. But I won’t ask her, because I can already hear her answer: “I am so close to getting this language. In only a few more months we will have the lessons and Bible portions translated so that we can very soon start teaching the good news, which is the reason any list of hardships is so worth it all.”
Kim and Dave Field (Steinbach EMC) serve at New Tribes Bible Institute in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The story of Joanna is told with her permission.
18 The Messenger • January 2015
With Our Missionaries
Creating platforms for radio follow-up PARAGUAY
BOM
“We don’t hand out calendars. We preach the Gospel,” was a pastor’s reply when we offered him Radio Mensajero’s (RM) calendars to distribute in his church and community. Different views, different approaches in evangelism. Nothing new, right? We insist that our mandate and desire is to communicate the Good News in a relevant way; others are more reserved. In radio follow-up we find it essential to work together with local churches to provide them with tools for effective evangelism and discipleship training for new believers. Therefore we continuously look for a common ground, a platform, to combine forces. In Paraguay, radio is known to be an effective tool for evangelism, especially to connect with listeners and win their trust. To have RM’s calendar displayed in a household or a public place visibly affirms: “We like what we’re hearing!” Some have saved all calendars for more than 15 years. If listeners—be they Latino, German Mennonite or Indigenous—feel respected, loved and cared for, they open up to other ministries. Yes, some will reject our programming because of our faith. Others gradually open up to our presence. Some receive Jesus and RM has helped them in the process. It takes special holistic programming to win listeners and keep them connected to RM. That is, we meet them at their level, in their world, on their platform. In radio work we assimilate these platforms as we produce programs in which we embrace their interest and touch their personal and family needs.
Esther and Benny Goertzen
Our love and care to them is also felt when we hand out calendars, distribute Christian magazines, give seminars, provide counselling or do special projects in their community. That builds trust. It opens closed doors. Based on personal stories, here’s how various activities might work together: a student hears a speaker from Radio Mensajero at a workshop at their university. Motivated by a promotional sticker, he or she dials 100.9 FM. Because they like what they hear, the student and other family members listen daily to the radio station. Eventually RM is contacted with a request for other promotional materials offered (for example, a calendar). Workers of RM personally deliver the item and also share the Plan of Salvation. The person comes to know the Lord and on a later visit family counselling follows. Some face opposition in the family or community. They ask for literature to assist them with teaching others what they have learned. We keep contact with local pastors, encouraging them to disciple such new believers. Pray that we will be faithful in proclaiming Jesus through radio, but also wise to know what platforms to use as we join hands with others in the radio follow-up ministry in Paraguay. – Benny and Esther Goertzen Benny and Esther Goertzen have served in Paraguay under EMC Missions since 1990.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 19
With Our Missionaries
Isaiah’s proclamation of hope for Roma in Europe EUROPE
Many Roma people living in Europe are not that confident and have reason to be afraid. Discrimination directed at them is a bitter reality for many. In September I was in Budapest taking part in a large gathering of Christian Roma and non-Roma leaders from a number of European countries. I was moved by the testimony of several of these people. Notwithstanding challenging and oppressive situations, the Roma there expressed a joy and confidence in their salvation and shared about how they worked towards others also experiencing this salvation. During a recent visit to Eastern Europe, I encountered a group of Roma whose living situation looked dismal. In one town, on a frosty morning I was taken to the garbage dump where I saw a lot of activity, which I thought at first was random movement. But then I noticed a horse and cart, people walking around among the rubble looking for things, and smoke rising from several locations. I was told that people were looking for plastic bottles, paper, and other useful or recyclable items. They do this from morning to night, and some also work night shifts. At first, a sort of settlement had been formed by them about a kilometer away, where the air was clearer and the smell not so bad. City officials, not wishing these Roma to live there, had the shacks removed. Then, some time ago a non-government organization bought the tract of land that the settlement was on, and I was told that the Roma can now legally remain there. The shacks are being replaced one by one with small wooden houses and a small community building has been built, in which there is a church and three Kindergarten classes. This is making a difference in this particular locality. The next day I traveled over to a city in central Romania, known as Târgu Mureș to roughly half the inhabitants and Marosvásárhely to the other half, to continue my networking with Roma teachers and organizations interested in language and education. While there I briefly joined a group of Roma and SIL personnel checking the Easter passages from the Gospel of John. My husband, Lesley, is a consultant for this project.
20 The Messenger • January 2015
BOM
“See! God is my salvation. I am confident and unafraid; for the LORD, Adonai, is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation!” (Isaiah 12:2)
Lesley and Marianne Fast
That group of Roma men and women meeting there in that hall of the Baptist church seemed full of life and love to me. I could see they have tasted the salvation of God to which Isaiah pointed. They were participating with joy in the reading and discussion—and occasional changes were made to the draft. Lesley told me that at one passage, one of the men said, “Hey, I am going to explain this passage to other people. It is important.” At another passage, Lesley asked the group if they thought they would be able to use it to encourage or challenge other people they knew. They all agreed they would be able to and would like to do so. Long ago the prophet Isaiah’s people were in an oppressive, dark place in their life. Many surely lacked confidence and were afraid. He called out to them with hope, hope in God’s purpose to make them whole and to give them a future. I am blessed to know Roma people who are professing these words of Isaiah as true for themselves. I am committed to pray and work with them for God’s work of salvation for others whose lives are marked by fear and hopelessness. - Marianne Fast Marianne and Lesley Fast (Blumenort) serve with Wycliffe Bible Translators/SIL. They live in the Netherlands.
With Our Churches Heartland Community Church
LANDMARK, Man.—On Nov. 19, 2014, Travis Plett and his youth group hosted the Adult and Teen Challenge outreach dessert night at Heartland. The Teen Challenge worship band and choir led us in worship and made public testimonies of God’s faithfulness. Their creative ways of sharing their “reality” as it was, versus the “Truth” of who they are now, left us in awe of our God and His power to change lives. On Baptism Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014, we heard the public confession of faith of five baptismal candidates and one membership transfer candidate. Each person baptized later received a personalized quilt with their favourite Bible passage on it, a tangible reminder of God’s comfort for his children. Their testimonies are used with permission. Michelle shared about her confusion while living in an unstable home. She said it was the Christian influence of her grandmother, her first home church (Saturday Night Church), and her Christian friends in Landmark that contributed to her wanting to know God. Michelle has serves as a Sunday School teacher and youth sponsor. Dillon grew up in a Christian home and knew who Jesus was, but he instead depended on external crutches to alleviate the stress he was experiencing at school. When he made the commitment to follow Jesus, with the help and support of his youth pastor and Christian friends, he has experienced new freedom in Christ. Dillon volunteers in the youth program and plays the electric guitar in the worship band.
Pastor David Thiessen officiated at the baptism/membership reception of Michelle Carter (transfer), Dillon Unger, Krista Kubanek, Jenna Kubanek, Tyson Plett, and Lyndsey Moore.
HCC
Adults and teens challenged to step out in faith
Teen Challenge served on November 23.
Krista spoke of the many influences in her life that had an impact on her faith journey: family, school friends, volleyball coach, as well as her travel experiences where she found unity in worshipping with other believers around the world. Jenna spoke of living a relatively stress-free Christian life until God allowed her to encounter losing something she really loved as well as enduring some bouts of anxiety. Through this, she learned to truly lean on God through prayer and was rewarded with peace. Tyson shared his thankfulness for his Christian family upbringing, especially his grandparents. But when both of his grandfathers died, it left him with questions. He also felt that peer pressure was pulling at him to make bad choices, but instead chose to move toward God. Tyson also mentioned mission trips and summer camp as experiences that helped to strengthen his faith. Lyndsey shared that she had lived a life apart from God and was living in a common-law relationship. When she moved to Landmark and started participating in the Moms and Tots program at Heartland, she began to associate with Christian moms. After a couple of really tough years, she realized her need for God. Lyndsey is compassionate and reflects Christ’s light through her presence, prayers, and encouragement in our church. Hearing their faith stories, and seeing how faithful God is to meet them where they are at, has been an encouraging reminder for the rest of us as well. – Brigitte Toews
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 21
With Our Churches Pleasant Valley EMC
ROSENORT, Man.—On May 12, a shower for six brides was held at the Heritage Centre in Rosenort by the Pleasant Valley Ladies Fellowship. The venue was beautifully decorated and the speaker for the evening was Teresa Johnson. On Oct. 2 the ladies held their first event of the Fall and Winter seasons where Destiny Klassen shared significant aspects of her journey as a young mom and pastor’s wife. Praise God for Christ-filled women. We have enjoyed many special events and services in the past several months. On May 25 the Christian Education Committee hosted their yearly appreciation lunch for all Sunday School teachers and their families. On June 6 to 8 all men from grade 10 and up were invited to participate in a great weekend of worship, work, friendship, fun, fishing, and food at the ICYA wilderness camp at Gem Lake. On July 20 our church family joined other churches from the area in a Stampede Worship service as part of the Morris Stampede. On Aug. 10 we joined the Rosenort EMC and the Rosenort Fellowship in hosting a church service and lunch as part of the Rosenort Festival. On Sept 7 God blessed us with beautiful weather as we worshiped God in the Stephenfield Park for our Sunday morning church service. It was followed by a “make our own tacos” lunch prepared by our food committee. On Oct 26 during the morning service Lynn Rance shared a children’s feature after which each child was encouraged to pick two treats, one for themselves and one for Pastor Darren in view of Pastor Appreciation Month. The church also added to these candies with a special gift for pastoral couple Darren and Pearl Plett. People moving: On Aug. 24 Ron and Jamie Peters with their two children moved to Vernon, BC. Our junior youth leader couple, Jesse and Erin Penner, bought their house and moved in the following week. Also on the move in our church family were Don and Hedy Wiebe who moved from their home in Pleasant Valley to their new home in Rosenort. In early Sept, Ryan Robert left for Hamilton, Ont., to participate in the Live Different leadership development program. On June 20 to July 1 the senior youth and leaders traveled to Harrisburg, Penn., to bring the love of Jesus to a local immigrant community by helping a local church plant with VBS and other support ministry. We also praise
22 The Messenger • January 2015
PVEMC
Many special events held at PVEMC
On Nov. 16, four couples and their young children participated in a parent/child dedication. Pastor Darren and Pearl Plett stand beside Nathan and Luise Waldner with Jackson, Justin and Krystle Brandt with Liam, Marshall and Alyssa Reimer with Isla, Pete and Rhonda Friesen with Natalie.
the Lord for an amazing week of VBS, which we hosted in Sanford on July 7-10. Then on July 14-17 we helped to organize and run an exciting week of VBS in Rosenort. As part of a fundraising project in support of Marvin and Heidi Schmidt, the children were encouraged to sell bags of birdseed. After difficult logistical and staffing hurdles were cleared, our Living Fountain Bible Camp (run with Rosenort EMC, Rosenort Fellowship, and Morris Fellowship) was once again ready for action. Children’s camp was run on Aug. 11-16 and teen camp on Aug. 18-23. During the months of July and August we enjoyed several great missionary speakers. Gilbert Plante of Union Gospel Mission in Winnipeg; Brett Loewen working with Power to Change in Calgary; Corey and Masami Giesbrecht, heading to Japan; John and Connie Reimer, Guadalajara, Mexico; and Darryl and Sharon Germaine, the Philippines, all shared of how God has blessed them in their specific journeys. More recently Bert and Elma Kornelson hosted a coffee and dessert bar fundraiser at the Rosenort Heritage Centre for the 2015 Dominican Relief Projects that they are planning to participate in this coming winter. Henry and Ann Bartel celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary at Rosenort Heritage Centre on Oct. 26. The children and grandchildren brought a meaningful program, including the reciting of many Bible verses. – Marilyn Kornelsen
With Our Churches St. Vital EMC
Thanks to our very own Mary
Redcliff EMC
sent flowers when needed, kept track of church records, attended the EMC conventions, and kept Pastor Jerry Plett on his toes. There is an equally long list of things that she’s done that no one knew about, or has simply been forgotten. If Mary Bueckert something needed to be done, then it is likely that Mary, with Gord at her side, has been there. We love you, Mary, and as a church we are so thankful for the seven years of effort that you gifted to us as our church secretary. You and Gord have blessed our church from its very beginning and we look forward to many more years worshipping with you. Thank you for all you’ve done and continue to do. – Kristal Heppner ST. VITAL EMC
WINNIPEG, Man.—Mary is a good name. The Marys that one encounters in the Bible are a group of women who grow to love Jesus deeply. They served Him wholeheartedly and listened to His words. At St. Vital EMC we are also lucky to have a Mary. We’d like to recognize how she has served our church and lives up to her beautiful name. This December 2014 Mary Bueckert retired after seven years of volunteering as our church secretary. I don’t think anyone could keep track of all of the things that Mary and her husband Gord have done and continue to do for our church. Mary has cheerfully answered phones, made snacks for Kids’ Club, taught Sunday School, opened and locked doors, hosted new families for meals, hosted international visitors for months, organized our annual Block Party and Christmas Craft Sale, run games at the Costume Carnival, hosted Bible Studies, hosted youth for meals and events,
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REDCLIFF, Alta.—Redcliff EMC has been going on for a few years with things like DVBS, fellowship evenings, Bible studies, youth activities, a Gospel Music Jamboree, and such. However, on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014, things got underway a bit more officially with our first Sunday morning service. It was a wonderful blessing to see a large group out that first service. Many well-wishers and supporters showed up to see us get underway. Others also came. Among them were those who had already committed themselves to this church plant. And then there were those who came to check things out. They had heard that we were starting up and wanted to see what it was all about. John and Joyce Dyck of Blumenort, Man., ministered at this first service. Joyce had a children›s feature while John ministered the Word of God. We had two services, morning and afternoon, with a potluck dinner in between. Now we continue to move forward with regular Sunday services, along with what we have been doing, waiting
REDCLIFF
Redcliff holds first Sunday morning service
Ministry through music and PowerPoint was provided by ministerin-training Abe and Kara Penner, pastoral couple Anna and Abe Bueckert, and Verna Doerksen.
upon God to bring out people who are spiritually hungry. We want to do our part to establish a good, healthy, attractive, inviting, enthusiastic group of people who will be in love with God. We ask for your prayers that God would continue to move in our midst and that we would faithfully do our part. – Abe Bueckert
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 23
Column • Further In and Higher Up
Scratching your neighbour’s itch
by Layton Friesen
Give as little thought to loving your neighbour as you give to scratching your own itch. It should be our second nature.
24 The Messenger • January 2015
DESIGNPICS
L
ook at how we use this scripture in our culture: “Love your neighbour as yourself ” (Matt. 22:39). The quickest guess would be that Jesus is telling us to love our neighbour. But this is used now mostly to show that Jesus teaches that we should love ourselves, and that those who do not love are probably insecure inside. Now, it may be that loving our neighbour takes good self-esteem, but I don’t think that’s what Jesus means when he says “as yourself.” I think Jesus is saying something similar to the apostle Paul: “No one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes it and tenderly cares for it” (Eph. 5:29). Jesus is assuming that I will look after myself already. When I am thirsty, I will drink. If I itch, I will scratch. When I see cabbages flying, I will duck. That last one is interesting (hypothetically, of course). Neuroscientists tell us that when our eyes see sudden danger, like something flying at our head, we react literally without thinking. We duck before our brains can to make a rational choice about the best solution to the danger. Our bodies jump to our defense instinctively, quite apart from what we might think of ourselves that day. Animals and plants, in their own way, do the same thing. In fact, we could say that a rock, when it refuses to budge or go soft when I stub my toe on it, is securing its own existence, asserting its right to be there as a stone in that spot. Everything in God’s creation seems to have a built in “belief” that it is good that it exists; and everything does what it can, according to its nature, to keep on existing. When, even on a bad self-esteem day, I duck the flying tomatoes without deliberating, my body is rejoicing with God who saw what he had made and pronounced it good. Back to loving your neighbour as yourself. Can you imagine a person who would give to a needy neighbour with no thought or selfcongratulation, just like you do when you stop
in the hall to give yourself a drink from the fountain? Why is it that before I give to my neighbour I ask all kinds of searching questions: Is he really needy? Does she deserve it? Am I the right person to fill this need? Will he appreciate it? Will she just use this to buy beer? Or how is it that after I have given to my neighbour I think so fondly about my act, the statement I have made, the coals of fire I have heaped, what kind of person I must be to bring such cheer to the world? But when I am hungry, I sit down and serve myself with no thought, with no thanks to myself for being such a generous person to give myself food. This, I think, is what Jesus is getting at. Give as little thought to loving your neighbour as you give to scratching your own itch. It is good that your neighbour exists. This is love that has become a virtue. It is a pattern that by Spirit-fueled repetition has become second-nature, my natural way of living when I’m not thinking about how I should act. May I soon have the virtue of charity.
News
Marpeck Commons opened at CMU ‘We are honoured to open this spectacular space,’ says university president WINNIPEG, Man.—Canadian Mennonite University celebrated the grand opening of Marpeck Commons, its new library, learning commons, and bridge, on Saturday, Nov. 29. “We are honoured to open this spectacular space to the university community and the communities surrounding CMU,” says president Cheryl Pauls, who adds that the bridge offers coherence to the CMU campus by providing students, staff, and guests a safe and accessible way across Grant Ave. Central to Marpeck Commons is the library, vital to CMU’s effectiveness in connecting students with one another and with the expertise and mentoring of faculty, librarians, and staff. Marpeck Commons also houses CommonWord, a book and resource centre created in partnership with Mennonite Church Canada that will allow users to buy, borrow, and download a wide range of resources, as well as a coffee and snack bar called Folio Café.
Marpeck Commons is named after Pilgram Marpeck, a 16th century Anabaptist leader and civil engineer whose writings emphasize Christian love, the pursuit of peace, and active pursuit of justice before God and among all people. Construction on the project began in July 2013. To date, $13-million has been committed toward the campaign’s $14.4-million goal. – CMU
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Weddings
Register open now for Winter courses. The CMU Graduate School of Theology and Ministry invites students into a community of scholarship, committed to the life of the church, experienced in mission and service, and accomplished in research and publication. Visioning, Strategic Planning and Organizational Leadership (3 credit hours) Instructor Ron Toews | Feb 16-20, 2015, 9 AM - 5 PM This course provides Christian leaders with a Biblical perspective on planning within ministry organizations, an understanding of ministry governance models, the skills to develop a shared vision for ministry, and a set of practical planning tools for making progress towards that vision. Visit cmu.ca/gstm
Worship Seminar with Dr. Christine Longhurst Saturday, March 7, 2015, 9 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Heartland Community Church 333 Main Street Landmark, Man.
Registration: $20. Contact Arlene Schulz at 204878-2016 or Arlene.ams@gmail.com, or Heartland at 204-355-4690. Please visit our website http://heartlandcommunitychurch.ca/calendar.
MCDONALD-SIEMENS: Evan George and Danielle Terrice were married on July 12, 2014. The couple resides in Clairmont, Alta. HUNTER-BIENERT: Duane Wood and Kathryn Joy were married on Aug. 16, 2014. The couple resides in Sexsmith, Alta.
Births THIELMANN: to Jeremy and Bethany, a son, Jordan Jeremiah, on April 18, 2014. WIEBE: to Johnny and Dianne, a son, Drew Evan, on Aug. 19, 2014. HONG: to Joseph and Susan, a son, Ronan Eden, on Aug. 24, 2014. FRIESEN: to Chad and Alysse, a daughter, Ada Renee, on Oct. 9, 2014. POPA: to Viorel and Carmen, a son, Jonathon Andrei, on Oct. 23, 2014. HARDER: to Marv and Bev, a son Decclan Grant, on Nov. 9, 2014. DYCK: to Gary and Shawna, a daughter, Kinley Faith, on Nov. 20, 2014.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 25
News
EMC and PTS sign letter of understanding on Anabaptist Studies Track A quarter-century later, an idea comes closer to reality
ANDREW WALKER
KLEEFELD, Man.—Because of a General Board decision here on Nov. 27, 2014, EMC students at Providence Theological Seminary will have an increased access to Radical Reformation-oriented courses on site in Otterburne, Man. The EMC’s General Board agreed to sign a letter of understanding with PTS toward developing an Anabaptist Studies Track, which will see several courses taught within this theological stream. While the MDiv program is highlighted, the courses will also be available to MA students. EMC moderator Abe Bergen and Dr. Stan Hamm, academic dean of the seminary, signed the letter on Dec. 9, 2014, at the EMC national office. The first course, to be held on May 18-22, 2015, will be on Radical Reformation: History, Thought, and Practice. It will be led by Layton Friesen, an EMC minister currently engaged in doctoral studies at the University of Toronto. Ministers and candidates who have not studied Anabaptist history and theology and who seek to be credentialed within the EMC are encouraged to take this course for credit at a graduate or an undergraduate level. Those not pursuing credentialing can audit it. Unofficially, the EMC has a long history with PTS, where more of its members have studied than at any other seminary—or all combined. Both in the past and currently, EMCers serve Providence as faculty and staff members. Members of other Anabaptist conferences also serve at Providence. In 1984 the EMC conference council agreed to appoint a member on PTS’s advisory council. In 1989 two EMC ministers, then serving as Providence college or seminary
A handshake signifies a joint commitment toward the effective training of EMC ministers and members.
26 The Messenger • January 2015
Dr. Stan Hamm watches as EMC moderator Abe Bergen signs the letter of understanding between PTS and our conference.
professors, proposed that the conference develop an Anabaptist Studies program at PTS. While a Chair of Anabaptist Studies involves a significant cost, an Anabaptist Studies Track is different. PTS hires the instructor and hosts the course; the EMC publicizes it and encourages its members to take the course. The EMC has no financial obligation toward PTS, but both benefit from mutual feedback. The Track is an Anabaptist one, but not a specifically EMC one. Track courses will be developed with members of other Anabaptist conferences equally in mind and equally welcome to be involved. The EMC is also involved with the Graduate School of Theology and Ministry within Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, Man. The PTS-EMC arrangement does not change our involvement with the GSTM. The GSTM offers MA and certificate programs geared toward theology studies and church ministry. Relating positively to both PTS and CMU is done simply in recognition that wherever our members choose to study in Manitoba, where more than half of EMC churches are currently located, our conference wants them to be well-equipped to serve our congregations. EMCers also study in fine institutions outside of Manitoba, but no other agreements are being pursued at this time. – Terry M. Smith Executive Secretary
National News
Ministerial looks at ‘Healthy Ministry Families’ Moore counsels ministers to have a be’ēr, a well-spring MORRIS, Man.—EMC ministerial members looked together at Healthy Ministry Families, visited together, and shared congregational and personal needs on Nov. 28, 2014, at Morris Fellowship Chapel. Alvin Plett, new chair of the Board of Leadership and Outreach (BLO), welcomed ministerial members from the EMC’s nine regions in Canada to this twice-yearly event.
Devotional
During his devotional, host pastor Vern Martin highlighted American Thanksgiving and asked members for what they were thankful. If they could not think of anything else, he counseled them to be thankful for God’s mercy and saving us, drawing on Rom. 8:38-39.
First Presentation
ANDREW WALKER
Before introducing the guest presenter, Earl Unger, BLO member, asked how many present were the child of a minister, a deacon, or a missionary. About half of those present said yes. Earl said that he was the son of a lay pastor who had struggled to balance ministry and family time. Knowing this influenced Earl when he was called into ministry. Mark Moore, director of Compassion Canada, was the main speaker for the morning. Moore is a counselor, a former pastor, and a musician who was raised as the son of Canadian evangelist Barry Moore.
Ministerial members came from the EMC's nine regions.
BLO chair Alvin Plett welcomed ministerial members.
Moore’s story reminded those in ministry that God’s call includes caring for family as well as for the ministry, to be wary of unfair expectations of your children, and to allow your children to know you as a person. Wisdom includes knowing how to relate to people of different temperaments, he said. Your relationships at home authenticate or disqualify you as a preacher, parent, or spouse, he said. There is a need to be aware of redemption in relationships.
Second Presentation
Mark Moore highlighted Phil. 4:13 in his second presentation. The idea that “I can do all things” tends to get separated from “though Christ,” he said. In the work of ministry, we need to remember the scene from the movie Rudy, where a priest says he has learned two things: “There is a God” and “I’m not him.” While we all need the power that Christ supplies, Paul is not suggesting that we do all things to where we have nothing left to give to our families, Moore said. A “boundary violation” occurs when a pastor sets their personal needs above that of a parishioner, but also if a parishioner’s need is placed above a pastor’s own need—for it can lead to burnout. Pastors need to beware of overload. Warning signs are a decrease in perception (they cannot absorb more information), a perceived loss of www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 27
National News options, regression to “infantile” behaviour, and an inability to make appropriate changes in destructive relationship patterns, he said. “No” is a complete sentence, Moore said. There is a need to put “non-negotiables” on the calendar and then put in your workload as a pastor. There is no indication that Jesus was in the ministry “24/7.” He went to bed even though not all people were healed. There is a need to study how Jesus set limits, he said. When life gets tough, have a “be’ēr,” Moore advised. “Be’ēr” is a Hebrew word meaning well-spring—a source of life, such as an oasis in a desert land. He advised that there are four key well-springs: personal worship (because you want to know God), the Word (not for a sermon or family devotional), prayer, and community (pastors can be lonely). Sometimes you need to let people “see you sweat” because they then know you need help, he said. A question and answer period followed.
Afternoon
In the afternoon, two children of pastors, Arlene Friesen and Glenn Loewen, spoke of what it was like to grow up in a ministry home. A young woman told Arlene Friesen, who is also married to a minister, that it was better if pastors did not have children. As the child of a pastor who became a college professor and who then returned to the pastorate, Arlene said she has no negative memories. When her Dad returned to the pastorate, she was afraid people would expect her to be a model child, but was reassured by a youth pastor. She thought it positive that her Dad could compartmentalize work and home and for children to be shielded from conflict. She felt blessed as a pastor’s child because “older” people gave her positive attention and she had opportunity to share in ministry.
Earl Unger, Mark Moore, and Alvin Plett
28 The Messenger • January 2015
Speaker-counsellor Mark Moore
Arlene got weekly sound teaching from her preacher Dad and saw her Mom’s example of ministry: seeking out people on the fringe and being hospitable, being involved Bible studies, baking, and gifts. In looking at 2 Tim. 1, she referred to the faith passed on by generations: Timothy, mother Lois, and grandmother Eunice. Glenn Loewen focused on how he integrates his children within his ministry as a pastor. For him, it means no compartmentalizing; it means “doing” Christianity with his children. Growing up, he saw many visitors in his parents’ home: they tried to have 1,000 people in their home in Blumenort, Man., in a single year. Glenn took his family along on his retreat in Colorado where he and a son signed up for the same discipleship course. He shares books and friends; he asks questions of his children and they of him. Sunday and Tuesday nights are family time. There is a cost to this. He asked, “What are you doing to run the race so they end up victorious?” He once had 19 questions to ask his children. He wants his story to have a “Jesus ending,” he said.
Sharing and Prayer
The ministerial then held a time for sharing and praying about congregational and personal needs. There were corporate and small group prayer times. In the advance information about this event, the BLO says, “This is a leadership day for pastors, ministers, youth and associate pastors, deacons, elders, missionaries, church planters and spouses of all the above. Retired leadership people are also most welcome.” – Terry M. Smith
National News
Council approves zero-increase budget for 2015
ANDREW WALKER
A concern: missionary recruitment is needed
BCM chair Wes Kroeker
KLEEFELD, Man.—Conference delegates approved a national-international budget of $2.12M (unchanged from 2014), heard of the need for more missionaries, discussed four strategic planning initiatives, and made it known that they want more input—that was the upshot of the meeting held on Nov. 29, 2014, at Kleefeld EMC. Moderator Abe Bergen welcomed delegates and led in the singing of “To God Be The Glory.”
Devotional
Host pastor Darryl Klassen explained that the story of the man whose eyesight was healed in two stages (Mark 8) is connected with how the disciples did not see Jesus. Yet, later, Mark wrote the gospel and the apostles died for their faith in Christ. Klassen read from The Anabaptist Vision by Dr. Harold Bender, a booklet showing the significance and impact of the early Anabaptist movement. The Anabaptists saw Jesus clearly and were willing to die for him, and Darryl hoped EMCers will do the same. “Look to Jesus,” Klassen said, for he is our vision, Lord, gospel, and Saviour.
events early during her spiritual journey and encouraged delegates to recognize the importance of youth events. Executive secretary Terry Smith highlighted educational resources and projects, including the updated Christian Life book now available and a new edition expected by Spring 2016. The conference’s journal Theodidaktos will include a paper on “Responding to the Gay Marriage Debate” by Bruxy Cavey of The Meeting House (Brethren in Christ). It upholds a traditional view of marriage, and with it comes a note by editor Darryl Klassen: “The intention behind publishing it is not to suggest any change in our conference’s position on marriage.” Russell Doerksen, a board member, spoke on biblical illiteracy and our need to respond, highlighting the value of Bible college education (see his column, page 16). Glen Klassen, of the Archives Committee, spoke of grant money received to assist the database for EMC materials being transferred to Mennonite Heritage Centre and of the need for more volunteers.
Mennonite Foundation of Canada
Stewardship consultant Harold Penner highlighted how donors give by cheque, cash, stock transfers, and bequest.
Board of Church Ministries
Chair Wes Kroeker invited churches to indicate which resource materials work and which do not. Gerald Reimer, conference youth minister, highlighted TRU (held on Oct. 17-19, 2014) and Abundant Springs (to be held on May 20-23, 2015). Board member Brigitte Toews, who has served six years on the National Youth Committee, spoke of being invited to youth
Harold Penner, MFC
Board of Missions
Chair Fred Buhler (Pineridge) said the church donates about a month of his time for his board involvement. A conference prayer coordinator
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 29
National News General Board
Dr. Terry Hiebert of SBC
is needed, and a fourth prayer team recently returned from the city of Guadalajara, Mexico, learning the value of “praying with insight on site.” Jesus spoke of how the harvests fields are ripe and people are being harassed (Matt. 9). Mission mobilizer Gerald Reimer spoke of Ascend, a missions internship program in which several people are interested. Tim Dyck, general secretary, called missionaries present forward for prayer. Ken Zacharias, foreign secretary, spoke of the positive outreach in Guadalajara. He said that 2015 will be significant: with ministries being transferred locally (CEMM Spanish and CME German works in Mexico, the MBN radio ministry in Paraguay, the AMAR HIV/AIDS ministry in Paraguay) and personnel completing their service, doors are closing. But other doors are opening and recruitment is essential. Tim Dyck said that the EMC Missions team has declined significantly in numbers from peaking about 1980. It is not a time to panic, but “Who will you send?” he asked.
Project Builders
Len Barkman, part-time staff person with PB, said that it has approved projects around the world, including in Canada. Since 1973, 150-plus projects have benefited communities in Christ.
Steinbach Bible College
Dr. Terry Hiebert, academic dean, said the college has an overall increase of 15 students (to 115) and nine more from the EMC (to 32). There has been an increase of students from other evangelical and Mennonite conferences. The previous budget year ended in a slight surplus, and SBC was grateful for funds received to repair a dorm flooded in fall.
30 The Messenger • January 2015
Abe Bergen said the Global Anabaptist Survey results will be available in Spring. If individual churches want their results, they need to approach MWC and pay a fee of $250. Canadian Mennonite University now has a study room in honour of Dr. Archie Penner, an EMC educator. The EMC and Providence Theological Seminary agreed to offer and promote several Anabaptist courses; a creation brochure was approved; and the EMC history book, Seeking to be Faithful, needs updating. Discussion continues about MCC Manitoba’s decision to cancel its 50th anniversary celebration. There is a need to hear from First Nations people we work with, to convey concerns, and to hold events that build trust, Bergen said. The 2015 convention speaker is Nik Ripken, who will address “The Insanity of Obedience: Identifying With the Persecuted Church.”
Tim Dyck, EMC general secretary
Strategic Planning
Tim Dyck reviewed the EMC’s vision statement and highlighted the Strategic Initiatives. Delegates discussed which initiative was most important: sharing stories, reaching into diverse cultural groups, times of gathering, or developing a “standardized, agreed upon Biblical understanding.” Answers from delegates varied, partly depending on how they saw the question: which was most important overall or most important for the EMC to work on at this time. Charles Koop said that without sharing the good news, there will no stories and no gathering. John Schlamp (Aberdeen) said that the initiatives seemed to be slanted toward evangelism, yet there is a need for areas such as social justice.
National News It was explained that this was an early discussion, with much yet to be worked out.
Mennonite World Conference
Janet Plenert expressed gratitude for EMC support, shown by Ron Penner’s administrative roles and the Global Anabaptist Survey. She encouraged delegates to review the “Bearing Witness” segment of its website, highlighted its “Shared Convictions,” and encouraged EMCers to “Come!” to the Assembly in Harrisburg, PA, on July 21-26, 2015.
Board of Trustees
Allister Penner, chair, said that with $571,898 needed for year’s end, significant donations are needed in Dec. The board has provided bulletin inserts, contacted churches in fall, and trusts that the need will be met. Half of funds available for building loans have been dispersed and the Pension Review Committee is monitoring the pastors’ pension plan. The proposed budget of 2015 remains the same as in 2104, though fewer bequest funds are anticipated and other giving will need to increase by 2.2 percent. The Board of Missions’ budget had a slight decrease and the four other boards’ budgets have slight increases. John Enns (Abbeydale) said his church needed to receive the materials earlier to review them. Tim Dyck said that the intention is to have them out early in Nov. After modest discussion, the 2015 budget was passed as presented.
MCC Canada
Don Peters, executive director, said April 2014 was the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide that affected Hutus, Tutsis, and Batwa in Burundi. Members of the three people groups are working on reconciliation, in once instance assisted by an MCC worker.
Board of Leadership and Outreach
Abe Bueckert (Redcliffe, Alta.) spoke on a recent music jamboree and of the first church service held on Nov. 16. Charles Koop spoke passionately about the need for church planting in Canada (see his lead article). Ward Parkinson spoke of the New Leaders’ Orientation held on Nov. 27-28,
Delegates listen to Pastor David Kruse.
2014, in Morris, Man. The Statement of Faith review committee wants to get more written guides out in early 2015. Parkinson thanked the churches for being engaged and encouraged them to re-engage as more input is needed. In his work with the Ministerial Examination Committee, he is impressed by the quality of people who seek to serve within the conference. Young people, lay ministers, and those unfamiliar with the Anabaptist story were encouraged to sign up for “Radical Reformation: History, Thought, and Practice” course to be held on May 18-22, 2015, at Providence Theological Seminary. Layton Friesen, an EMCer, is the instructor. Parkinson said he loves Morris Fellowship Chapel, the national office, and the privilege of travelling to EMC churches. Many churches are seeking pastors. A young adults’ retreat is being held on March 13-15, 2014, at Camp Cedarwood, near Lac Du Bonnet, Man., and he encouraged other regional gatherings to engage young adults.
Question Period
Michael Zwaagstra (EFC Steinbach) said the day needs restructuring for more time for delegate input. His contact with young people suggests a need for more apologetics and education within our churches, and he advised not to wait till young people begin post-secondary studies. John Schlamp (Aberdeen) was concerned that churches be allowed to see how the conference will speak in their name to MCC Manitoba about its 50th anniversary event. (Discussion is on-going, no stated position has been arrived at, and conversation with Tim Dyck was encouraged.) – Terry M. Smith
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 31
In Memory
Henrietta Margarite Friesen (nee Hamm) 1922-2014
Henrietta Margarite Friesen (nee Hamm), 92, of Steinbach, Man., passed away peacefully on Dec 1, 2014, with her family at her side. Mom was born in Altona, Man., on Sept. 18, 1922 to Isaac and Maria Hamm. Due to health issues, Mom only attended school until grade six. She was baptized on May 6, 1945. She married Bernard Friesen on Oct. 22, 1950. Mom and Dad served in ministry, which brought them to churches in Pelly, Wynyard, Swift Current, and Winnipeg. They also served at Steinbach Bible College and the EM Conference. In this, Mom was a great support to Dad and her family. Mom enjoyed many hobbies, including needlework, sewing, baking and cooking. She read and collected writings of meaning and importance. She had a huge interest in the Royal Family. She especially loved children. She was dedicated to providing the best Sunday School experience for her students. Her grandchildren were her life and joy. She loved playing games with them and creating memorable cakes for their birthdays.
32 The Messenger • January 2015
Her memory will be cherished by the medical team of Dr. Curtis Krahn, her children Mervin and wife Eunice, Eunice Friesen, Dr. Gordon Dyck, grandsons Brendan, Christopher and Bethesda Hospital nurses, doctors, Patrick; Lyndon and wife Bonnie, and home care staff for their compasgrandsons Carter and Jackson; Marlsion and excellent care. ylles and husband Gordon, grandsons – Her Family Nathan, Andrew, Michael (Samantha) and Jeremy (Sarah); Sheri and husband Christopher, granddaughters Aidyn, Ella, and Madlyn. She is survived by her brother Otto (Margaret) Hamm, brother Menno (Elvina) Hamm, sister Elvira Manitoba Hamm, sister-in-law Lena Hamm, sister-in-law Mary Unger, sister-inFebruary 1-2 law Carolyn Friesen, and sister-in-law SBC Discovery Days Helen Roller. Steinbach Bible College Henrietta Friesen was pre-dewww.sbcollege.ca ceased by her husband Ben on July 23, March 20-21 2007; parents Isaac and Maria Hamm; SBC Leadership Conference parents-in-law Henry and Helen with author Mark Buchanan Friesen; brother Elmer Hamm; sister Steinbach Bible College Orlanda Rempel; brother-in-law Ben www.sbcollege.ca Rempel; brother-in-law Jake Unger; sister-in-law Anne Smith; brother-inlaw Jack Smith; brother-in-law Harry Friesen; and brother-in-law Irwin Roller. The funeral was held on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014, at Steinbach EMC at 11 a.m. CMU Middle East Study Tour Viewing took place prior to April 29 to May 18, 2015 the service. Birchwood Funeral Chapel was in charge of A CMU study tour to Israel, led by arrangements. In lieu of flowDr. Gerald Gerbrandt and Dr. Sheila ers, donations can be made to Klassen-Wiebe, focuses on the Holy either EMC Missions or the Land as the ancient land of the Bible Heart and Stroke Foundation. and of contemporary conflict. As a family, we would like Visit cmu.ca/met2015 for details. to extend our gratitude to
Calendar
Shoulder Tapping *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* 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. The Church of Living Water in Tillsonburg, Ont., is seeking a full-time senior pastor. We are a young church with attendance ranging from 70-100. We have a growing children and youth ministry. CLW is seeking a pastoral couple who will live among us to guide and direct the church to deeper and greater ministry in our community. We believe the senior pastor role to be that of a shepherd who guides his congregation, needs to be a strong encourager and a pastor who has passion for God and his people. This is best accomplished by studying and teaching, praying and preaching, and visiting and visioning, all based on God’s Word. Previous pastoral experience is preferred, and candidate must be in agreement with our EMC Constitution and Statement of Faith. Applications or resumes should be sent to the CLW Board of Elders: Abe Neufeld (chair) abeneufeld@bell.net and David Dyck (vice chair) daviddyck@hotmail.com. Mennville EMC, a rural congregation with an attendance about 90, located in Manitoba's Interlake region, seeks a full- or part-time pastor. The pastor will work within a ministerial team as the church seeks to renew and grow. College or seminary training and pastoral experience are definite assets. Starting date is flexible and salary will reflect EMC guidelines. A candidate should be a collaborative leader (team player), comfortable in the pulpit and in pastoral care, familiar with the EMC Statement of Faith, and respectful of various cultures and rural living. Contact minister Terry Dueck at frontier104@ hotmail.com. Heartland Community Church is seeking a full-time lead pastor for our congregation of 150-plus in Landmark, Man. In addition to meeting the pastoral and preaching needs of our congregation, we are looking
Rio Grande Bible Institute Tour Feb. 19 to March 2, 2015
Enjoy some winter sun and participate in the ministry of RGBI. Experience the history of San Antonio and the south Texas culture, and meet students and staff at RGBI. Contact Frieda Johnson at 204-254-3639 or fjohnson@riogrande.edu for details.
for a pastor with an outward focus and a passion for relational community involvement. For information and a full job description, visit our website at www.heartlandcommunitychurch.ca. Please send resumes to pastoralsearchcommittee@heartlandcommunitychurch.ca. Abbeydale Christian Fellowship (Calgary, Alberta) is seeking a full-time pastor to work alongside our current pastor and our congregational leadership team. We would expect the successful candidate to have the following characteristics: previous pastoral experience, very relational, a good communicator and preacher, and comfortable working with all age groups. This person would have post-secondary education, would be able to work in a team setting, and be able to mentor others. This pastor's focus of ministry would be on the discipleship of the congregation through preaching, teaching, the encouragement of small groups, and prayer. This pastor will also lead in caring for the congregation. We are an urban congregation of 100 attendees with an informal atmosphere. ACF is Anabaptist in its theological roots, congregational in its governance, and committed to love through service to one another and to our community. Email your resume to: Pastoralcommittee@abbeydale.org High Level Christian Fellowship (HLCF) is looking for an interim pastor effective January of 2015. HLCF is a diverse but well-established EMC congregation, in northern Alberta, serving in a community where oil and gas, farming and forestry are the driving industries. HLCF has an average attendance of 130 members and adherents. The successful candidate would be able to relate and work well with people working together towards building an active community of believers. If God is directing you in this mission please forward your resume to either Jake Neufeld at j.neufeld@peacecountrypetroleum.com or Greg Derkson at mariederkson@gmail.com or by phone Jake (780-821-9432) or Greg (780-926-9553).
Where are position ads to be sent? Please send all position ads, including pastoral search ads, to messenger@emconf.ca. All ads are to be 150 words or less. All ads can be edited. Please advise us when it is no longer needed.
Free for Sunday School! Contact info@emconf.ca or 204-3266401.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 33
Column • Here and Far Away
The simple truth: all help comes from Christ
by Jocelyn R. Plett www.writewhatyousee. wordpress.com
To those within a warzone, amidst drought and famine or stuck in a family who struggle to love one another, Christ can bring answers and help that mere humans cannot.
34 The Messenger • January 2015
ISTOCK
T
he gardener passed me a note over the fence, furtively looking over his shoulder back at the house. He has a problem with his employer, the note says, could I please help him to find a different job. It’s not the first time a worker has asked us for help. It’s definitely not the first time I’ve wanted to help them. I can hear the employers screaming at the workers from inside my house. They work long hours with no days off and little pay. In a country with so many poor and desperate people it’s easy for us to take on what’s called a “messiah complex,” thinking that we can “save the world” if only we can give enough money, find the unemployed or poorly employed fairpaying jobs, connect the sick with knowledgeable doctors, and teach wholesome and fulfilling lifestyle choices so they can live what should then be sustainable good lives. It doesn’t work that way. The poor need help, to be sure, and the Word spends an inordinate amount of space discussing a Christian’s responsibility to help those in need. Yet besides the problem of poverty and the lack of access to resources is a problem that is the same across the world no matter the level of prosperity: people don’t understand the simple Truth that all help comes from Christ. Treating the outward problems of poverty and other needs is our responsibility, but it’s like putting a band-aid on an infected wound. Christ alone can cleanse us from the sin that causes pain. Only Christ can give a hope that can withstand anything the world throws at us. He is a well that never goes dry. Something changes in a person when they comprehend that no matter their circumstances Christ will provide what’s necessary. To those within a war-zone, amidst drought and famine or stuck in a family who struggles to love one another, Christ can bring answers and help that mere humans cannot. It is a mystery that needs to be experienced to be comprehended. Christ is sustainable where money, energy and resources are not (John 4:7-15). Christ
enables the poor to have hope, the fatherless to have security and joy (Deut. 10:18; Psalm 10:4, 68:5). He enables us to love. Friends, this is the Good News, that Christ is for all and He has provided the means for a transformation of hearts, a salvation from the sin that causes the problems of the world. His grace enables people to face otherwise hopeless circumstances with a strength and wisdom that is beyond comprehension. I can’t supply these things. No aid or development organization, even with “limitless” resources to help the poor of Madagascar, can do that. Only Christ. It’s what should have people streaming into the churches across the globe: access to more information about this Miracle Solution to the problems of the world! It’s what should have us regularly gulping in the Word of God, which sustains us to live in this difficult world.
Join with Christ in shaping our
WORLD
Evangelical Mennonite Conference Board of Missions 204-326-6401 info@emconf.ca www.emconference.ca
Column • stewardship today
Transformation to generosity
I
by Peter Dryden Stewardship Consultant
DESIGNPICS
didn’t grow up in a home steeped in Christian heritage. Instead, my childhood includes only a handful of memories that involve the church or religion. But in 1980, that all changed. My parents moved from having a distant relationship with God to a profound new life of walking with Christ. This transformation brought many changes to our actions and attitudes—especially our attitudes about faith, finances and generosity. In fact, generosity became a new paradigm that our family grew into. We learned that giving to support the local church and beyond, out of a spirit of love and generosity, carried with it a real joy. My mom was especially changed. As she grew into an abiding trust of God’s promises, she discovered a joy in giving without reservation or expectation that led to an even deeper pursuit of gratitude and generosity. That feeling of joyfulness was also evident in our congregation. We learned firsthand that giving generously of time, talent, and energy for the benefit of others gave us the satisfaction that we had made a difference. We were encouraged and guided by the words of Paul, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or
in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully” (2 Cor. 9:7). Now I have the privilege of working with others to help them learn the joy of generosity. Some have small gifting accounts to make an annual donation to a charity that is important to them. Others give larger amounts. Still others have carefully mapped out a plan to make a significant contribution with a bequest. But each of them is motivated by faithful generosity. Their faces light up when they talk about God’s generosity and an undeniable sense of joy overtakes them as they tell their stories about sharing God’s goodness with others. The amounts and the methods of giving may vary, but the motivation is the same—God is good and we are privileged to share his goodness with others. Where are you in your generosity journey? Have you experienced the deep-down joy of giving and living generously? Call us. We exist to walk with you along your journey of generosity. Peter Dryden is a stewardship consultant in the Calgary, Alta., 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.
In 1980 my parents moved from having a distant relationship with God to a profound new life of walking with Christ. Generosity followed.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 35
Column • kids’ corner
How do your hands communicate?
36 The Messenger • January 2015
DESIGNPICS
W
hat do your hands do? First thing in the morning you push back the covers, find your jeans, T-shirt and socks. You pull them on. In the bathroom you splash water on your face, reach for a towel, and pat it dry. In the kitchen you grab the spoon and dip into the cereal. Your other hand holds a piece of toast. After a bite you put it down and pick up by Loreena your glass of juice and take a sip. You pick up Thiessen your napkin and wipe your mouth. After breakfast you take your toothbrush in one hand and the other one squeezes the toothpaste tube. You stick the brush in your mouth and begin to brush back and forth vigourously. Then you grab your backpack and swing it over your shoulders. Your hand Activity: Check what your hands do. reaches for the doorknob. You Need: give it a twist and Several sheets of coloured craft paper, pencil pull. You get the or felt pens (for tracing your hand), drawing picture. paper, kitchen string or ribbon, scissors, glue These are or tape. things your hands do in the first few Do: minutes of the For a week make a list of what your hands do. day. But do you This will give you a good range of activities. know that your Do you help at suppertime? Set the table? hands also speak? Wash or dry dishes? Load or empty the Your hands dishwasher? communicate Do you clean your room, hang up your your intentions. clothes, sort and fill the laundry basket, This means your vacuum your room, comfort or play with your hands signal what little brother or sister? you want to say. Do you make art or write? A policeman On a piece of paper, trace your hand for can make cars some activities you do. Write on the paper stop or go using hand the activity you did. Cut out the hands, hand signals, attach a string or ribbon to them, and hang raising one hand them where you can see them. to stop cars and Draw pictures of your activities. waving it in front Share with your family or friends. of him to make them go.
Your hands signal what you want too. When you hold out your hand, you are saying “Yes”; when you hold your hand up away from yourself you mean “No!” or “Stop! At the airport you wave to signal you are here when you see your Dad coming toward you. When someone leaves, you wave goodbye. Your hands show approval by clapping after a performance or speech. Your hands show anger if you bunch your fingers up in a fist. But a fist bump says, “Yay, you did it!” Some people talk with their hands by spelling out words using American Sign Language (ASL). Jesus communicated with his hands too. In Matthew 19:13-15 he places his hands on children. He is saying they are welcome and blesses them. His touch heals Peter’s mother (Matthew 8:15). He touches a man with leprosy and he is healed too (Mark 1:41-42). While walking on the water Jesus reaches out his hand to Peter and keeps him from sinking. He takes the boy’s bread and fish and blesses it. The bread multiplies and feeds everyone with more than enough (Matthew 15:36-37). On the mountain Jesus is changed to shine as brilliantly as the sun; the disciples are terrified. Jesus touches them to reassure them not to be afraid. Read the story in Matthew 17:5-8. The Messenger Evangelical Mennonite Conference 440 Main St., Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5 Publications Mail Agreement #40017362