The Messenger Vol. 53 No. 4 April 2015

The Messenger a publication of the Evangelical

Mennonite Conference

Volume 53 No. 4 April 2015

Journeying Together

INSIDE: Because We Want to be Faithful to Jesus Christ, Our Saviour and Lord! page 6 EMC Young Adults Retreat: Where Similarities Draw Us Together page 10

ISTOCK

My Journey From Fear to Freedom page 14 $2.00

Editorials

Local and wider ties

L

ocal EMC churches sometimes feel more connected to churches nearby, of varied types, than they do to the wider EMC. For EMCers particularly, why should this surprise anyone?

As the first part of our name says, the EMC is part of Evangelicalism, a crossdenominational movement that focuses on Scripture, the person and work of Christ, and the need for evangelism and missions. Evangelicalism says that if we have Christ and his mission in common, what churches agree on is more important than what they do not. As a result, local church cooperation is both proper and expected of Christians.

Some Canadians don’t see this. They too often see differences among churches rather than the inner unity. Historically, the fragmentation of Protestantism is sad, and this makes cooperation among Evangelicals all the more

significant and important. And, because the Christian Church is much wider than Evangelicalism, a discerning cooperation is to be shown even in wider circles.

Beyond local settings, though, most local churches are formally connected with congregations elsewhere. EMC churches rarely start spontaneously. To go through their histories is to become aware of people, prayers, efforts, finances, and connections of the wider conference.

EMC churches do well to maintain their conference ties—to offer guidance, prayer, finances, and people for service. There’s wisdom in the saying, “Leave the dance with the one who brought you.”

Local churches, value your local and EMC ties. To choose only one is a false choice. Strengthen both. Love both. Show this. And do this because of Jesus.

– Terry M. Smith

Local churches, value your local and EMC ties. To choose only one is a false choice. Strengthen both.

••

Progressive churches and ancient practices

S

ome evangelical Christians want to be progressive, but compared to what? To what was previously, it seems. Yet how far back do they look?

It’s questionable how some Christians define progress and on what they base it. Some evangelicals mishandle Scripture or minimize the need to learn from church history. When that happens, they can overlook or ignore ancient counsel and seem prepared to repeat ancient actions and recommit ancient sins.

The Early Church, such as in Corinth, did not live in physical isolation or in a social, moral, and ethical vacuum. It had no church buildings and no rest day on which to gather for worship. Corinth was a cosmopolitan city.

Christians worshipped in the shadows of pagan temples amid a dizzying array of religious beliefs, often imported (David E. Garland).

2 The Messenger • April 2015

To the Church in the midst of Corinth, the Apostle Paul said, “Do not be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11 NIV).

Yes, Paul wanted the Church to be progressive—to move away from improper relational practices in sex, faith, and business. He was delighted when this happened. For Christians now to redefine these sins or to recommit them would be regressive, not progressive.

– Terry M. Smith

Yes, Paul wanted the Church to be progressive—to move away from improper relational practices in sex, faith, and business. He was delighted when this happened.

Table of Contents Features

Columns

6

5

Because We Want to be Faithful to Jesus Christ, Our Saviour and Lord!

– Darryl G. Klassen

Window on Missions

Getting Dusty: Ascend Internship Program – Gerald D. Reimer

10 EMC Young Adults Retreat: 17 An Education App Where Similarities Draw Us Colin Morris: 'Little black men with Together shrunken bellies call the Church's – Diana Peters

14 My Journey From Fear to Freedom – Brigitte (Bouvier) Toews

Departments 2

Editorials

3

Pontius’ Puddle

4

Letters

18 With Our Missionaries 21 With Our Churches 25 News 33 Shoulder Tapping

page

15

bluff' – Terry M. Smith

30 Focus On

An assumption about you – Tim Dyck and Terry M. Smith

31 Poetry

And I love you too – Anicka Loewen

32 Poetry

page

23

Alone – Barbara Plett

34 Further in and Higher Up

The Church at war with itself – Layton Friesen

35 Stewardship Today

A helping hand – Harold Penner

36 Kids’ Corner

God's Plan – Loreena Thiessen

page

24

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 3

The Messenger Volume 53 No. 4 April 2015

EDITOR TERRY M. SMITH

ASSISTANT EDITOR ANDREW WALKER

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

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

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

Letters, articles, photos and poems are welcomed.

Unpublished material is not returned except by request.

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

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. 07 July 2015 issue (copy due May 08)

4 The Messenger • April 2015

Letters and Notices Perplexed by 'The Password'

Layton, I have read numerous of your columns and appreciated them. Of course there is no need to respond when things are okay, right! In this one [The password to the promised land, March], however, you leave me a bit perplexed. How exactly do you fit Jesus into the very specific laws from the former writings? Seems, for instance, that the former stipulations

give guidance as to how or when to retaliate, but Jesus’ law, from the cross, is love your enemies. That would appear to me to be at least an expansion, if not a reversal, of the finger for finger part of the former law, so that the former is now to be seen through the new. You and I and all of us agree on that. How to speak of it is the question.

John Schlamp Winnipeg, Man.

Columns • Writings Shared A Pie Plate Pilgrimage, William Loewen (Okotoks, AB: Worldly Lion, 2014), 226 pp. $19.99 (plus mailing). ISBN 9780993695704. Reviewed by Wannetta Fast (Kleefeld).

T

his is a book about a woman who doesn’t seem to be a Christian and works for a non-Christian book publishing company. They want to publish a Christian self-help book, and she is asked to head up the development team that will select the author and walk alongside in the book’s writing, editing, and arranging.

You walk the journey with her as she interviews potential authors and teams up with an old high school friend, who is a Christian, to help her understand the Christian language. En route she interviews an Anglican priest on church and state, a hippie from the 1960s-'70s on peace theology, the head of a prayer retreat centre on prayer, and the operator of a women’s shelter on feminism and men.

I am not going to comment on the

Births PLETT: to Michael and Heather, a son, Tyler Bennett, on Dec. 3, 2014.

KLASSEN: to Abe and Mary, a daughter, Grace Elliana, on Jan. 6, 2015.

theology expressed on these different topics in the book as I read it for fiction purposes.

This is not a typical fiction read; it contains a lot of theology.

If you want a light-hearted novel to end off the day, this is not it. This book requires thought and takes time to read.

One distraction in the book is the PowerPoint slides between a few chapters. These slides are technical in nature, describing the publishing company and its image, vision, and use of a development team. These slides were not necessary in the book and disrupted its flow.

Weddings FEHR-BANMAN: Henry and Susie were married on Oct. 18, 2014. The couple resides in Coaldale, Alta.

BUECKERT-DYCK: Frank and Eveline were married on Jan. 3, 2015. The couple resides in Lethbridge, Alta.

Columns • Window on Missions

Getting Dusty: Ascend Internship Program

W

BOM

ant to get covered in dust for the Lord?

Several years ago some teaching materials referred to “being covered with the dust of their feet.”

In the time of Jesus it was understood that a relationship between a rabbi and his student was so close, the disciple would be covered with the dust kicked up as the rabbi walked on the road.

Of course, this is describing how the disciples humbly learned, in proximity, from their teacher. The principle for us is that we too need to humbly follow in Christ’s footsteps, staying close behind him and drinking in His words.

There is an increasing focus in our churches today regarding discipleship, mentoring, and small group ministries. One purpose is to find ways to journey with others towards a maturing faith. Another may be to model exactly what we see described above: that of one person humbly learning, in proximity, from their teacher whom God has placed in their life.

After much prayer and discussion, EMC Missions decided a few years ago that this type of model could be implemented on our mission fields. Out of that came the Ascend Internship Program with a purpose “to give those who sense the call of God to serve in full-time missions a comprehensive understanding of EMC missions work, to prepare for future service, to work alongside career missionaries, and to give them a context in which to develop their gifts in outreach, leadership, intercession and discipleship.”

Amanda Froese

In the fall of 2011 we sent our first intern, Omar Villanueva (Iglesia Emanuel), to Guadalajara, Mexico. He spent 10 months learning and serving with our missionary staff. We continue to see young adults gravitate towards the Ascend program, and currently have two internships taking place.

Jessica Dyck (Riverton Gospel Chapel) is completing a three-month internship in April with EMC missionaries in Asia. Amanda Froese (Mt. Salem EMC) is halfway through a three-month internship with EMC missionaries in Bolivia, serving Low-German speaking communities.

God is at work in people’s lives all around our conference, and as we seek to mobilize more missionaries to expand our missionary workforce, perhaps the Ascend Internship Program is a necessary step in that journey for you.

However, let’s be clear that not everyone who is called into cross-cultural missions needs to do an internship. For many people, taking the step of faith to go directly to the mission field is the more realistic option.

But for those who perhaps have less experience, or are not quite convinced that missions is for them, the internship will be a valuable opportunity. Both shorter (3-6 months) and longer (6-9 months) opportunities are available.

For information, contact your pastor or talk to Diana Peters or Gerald Reimer at the EMC office at 204-326-6401 or dpeters@emconf.ca.

by Gerald D. Reimer Conference Youth Minister/ Missions Mobilizer

Want to get dusty?

Perhaps the Ascend Internship Program is a necessary step in that journey for you.

Jessica Dyck

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 5

Because We Want to be Faithful to Jesus Christ, Our Saviour and Lord!

ANDREW WALKER

by Darryl G. Klassen

6 The Messenger • April 2015

W

hy are we as a conference reviewing our Statement of Faith?

We want to be faithful to Jesus Christ, our foundation (1 Cor. 3:11). We want to be able to share what we believe—the core values of our faith. We want to be certain that our faith rests on the sure foundation of the Word of God as a conference. If we don’t review what we believe, or say it in language we understand, we may find that we slipped off of the foundation of our faith without knowing it.

So what are we reviewing? The thirteen articles are the Bible, God, the creation, the dignity of the human race, the fall of the human race, Satan, salvation, discipleship and non-conformity, the life of peace, the Church, ordinances, the resurrection, and the return and final triumph of Christ.

THE

CONSTITUTION EVANGELICAL MENNONITE CONFERENCE

How Often to Review?

How often we engage in a review remains a question. The Statement of Faith, after a lengthy and prayerful process, was last revised in 1994.

It has been reviewed several times since part of the Kleine Gemeinde became the Evangelical Mennonite Church (1952) and Evangelical Mennonite Conference (1959).

For now, the process is underway. Many of your churches have undertaken to study the thirteen articles of our Statement of Faith through Bible studies, Sunday School classes, and sermon series. As members, churches, and as conference, we benefit from studying our articles of faith on a regular basis.

If we did not take the time to understand the intention of the articles, we would be hard pressed to explain what we believe as a conference and as individuals. So this is a good exercise for all of us.

In Fall 2015 the committee will gather together again to compile the feedback and study the trends.

So What’s the Plan?

In January of this year the Statement of Faith Review Committee sent out a complete set of study lessons for the thirteen articles to every church.

Previously, we had only sent out a partial package with a study template and guide to help with feedback.

Our hope is that your leaders will respond to the Board of Leadership and Outreach, through the EM Conference national office, with your thoughts, comments, suggestions, and revisions

by June 2015 or summer at the latest.

Then in Fall 2015 the committee will gather together again to compile the feedback and study the trends. Listening to the churches, we will look for common threads of thought in regards to our core values and identify concerns where you have identified changes or improvements are needed.

For instance, some churches have already indicated that more Scripture is be used to support some articles of faith. Frankly, I find that part exciting personally. All that we do as conference locally, nationally, and around the world must rest on the Bible, God’s written Word and our final authority in faith and practice. So when you, as churches, say we need more Scripture, that’s encouraging. ➢

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 7

The Process

What is the process? Our EM Conference is strongly congregational; it is bottom up, not top down. It believes that every member needs to be heard and regarded as important to this process. Your thoughts and counsel as churches matter.

Following the compilation of all of the thoughts of our respondents, the committee will consider whether any changes are indicated to the current Statement of Faith. If churches say so, then a Statement of Faith with revisions (if any) will be presented to the national ministerial body July 2016.

Together, pastors, deacons, ministers, and elders (some churches have elders) will discern whether the new statement agrees with the testimony of Scripture. They, in turn, will present the Statement of Faith to the Conference Council, the body of delegates from churches, for consideration in December 2016.

The ministerial is subject to the conference council. The council, being made up of church delegates and national board members (elected by the churches), is subject to you, the churches.

As a committee, we encourage you to send your delegates and leaders to ministerial and conference council meetings so that your voices may be heard and our collective counsel all the wiser.

Darryl Klassen

8 The Messenger • April 2015

A Democratic Process?

Is this a democratic process? If we mean by “democratic” that everyone is involved, yes. If it means that a decision to change our Statement of Faith will be made by a simple majority, no.

The Statement of Faith is part of the EMC Constitution, and the Constitution requires a higher standard. Beyond the Constitution’s requirement, discerning the truth of Scripture and how to express it requires us to go by a far higher standard than popular opinion.

For instance, even within the same article of faith our conference members and churches can reflect different understandings. The serious manner in which Creation has been discussed in past forums is a case in point—we have differing interpretations on this and other matters. The practice of footwashing varies in our churches; the support for pacifism does as well. How do we respond to such realities?

If you feel that the Statement of Faith is fine the way it is, we want to hear that. The Review Committee’s mandate is to hear from the churches on whether revisions are needed, not to presume that they are. We want to be sure to preserve and express our Christian faith in such a manner that honours God’s intention.

A final draft will be presented, if the Lord wills it, at the 2016 EMC Convention in Steinbach. Where further teaching on the articles needs to occur, special sessions will be held to

Wherever you fit into this spectrum of high interest to low interest, I encourage you to give the Statement of Faith a glance.

Through your church, add your voice to the conversation. And I hope that you will encourage your church, your ministers, and delegates to represent your congregation well in this process—and, together in dependence upon the Holy Spirit, help guide the EMC as a whole.

Will you lend your voice to the collective voice of the conference to declare our faith in Jesus Christ?

EMC CHURCHES IN CANADA 2014

1 4

3

2 4

5 7 6

8

62 churches, nine regions

9

discuss theological matters that arise out of the articles. There will be no rushing through the process.

Boring, Unimportant?

Pastor Darryl G. Klassen (Kleefeld) is chairperson of the Statement of Faith Review Committee, which serves by authority of the General Board and the Board of Leadership and Outreach.

Is this work important? I think so. To illustrate, consider one of our favourite hymns, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. The first line of the second verse begins, “Here I raise mine Ebenezer….”

Scrooge? No, but we don’t use words like that in our dayListand age. you want to know what an the names you are If entering.

Signing up in foursomes will Platinum Sponsors 2014 – $2000+ maximum enjoyment. The fee for each person listed Ebenezer ensure is, check out 1 Samuel 7:12. The point should accompany this form. is, we need to use words that we all understand.

1. Name ____________________________________ What is Address involved here is how we express our __________________________________ Phone ___________________________________ faith. That takes it far beyond discussions over E-mail ___________________________________ commas and details, or grammar problems and 2. Name ____________________________________ word puzzles.

This is about our hope in Christ, Address __________________________________ ___________________________________ the faith wePhone uphold, by which we live and die.

E-mail ___________________________________ Our work in reviewing the Statement of Faith 3. Name ____________________________________ is a worthwhile endeavour and it is a work best Address __________________________________ Phone ___________________________________ done together.

E-mail ___________________________________

The purpose of the EMC Golf Classic is to:

I hope that you will encourage your church, your ministers, and delegates to represent your congregation well in this process—and, together in dependence upon the Holy Spirit, help guide the EMC as a whole.

4.

Name ____________________________________ Address __________________________________ Phone ___________________________________ E-mail ___________________________________

*Enclosed is a cheque for:

1) ______ golfers at $150 each ($75 is receiptable).

2) A fully receiptable donation of $ __________________

Make cheques out to EMC Project Builders and send with registration by May 18, 2015 to: Ruth Penner 48 Newcombe Cres, Winnipeg, MB R2J 3T6 rrpenner@shaw.ca

◆ Raise funds for various Christian ministries through the EMC Project Builders (see this year’s projects on inside of this brochure). ◆ Promote fellowship among members of the EM Conference and their friends.

The 21st Annual EMC

PROJECT BUILDERS

Golf Classic June 18, 2015

For details: www.emconference. ca/new/events/ upcoming-events/

◆ Enjoy God’s natural beauty through the game of golf.

For information contact one of the EMC Golf Classic committee members:

Ron Penner ........................................... 204-255-8062 Ron Friesen .......................................... 204-746-5301 Paul Friesen ..........................................204-246-3016 Murray Doerksen................................... 204-793-1211 Ruth Penner .......................................... 204-255-8062 Burt Loewen..........................................204-371-5209 Gary Reimer..........................................204-326-7000 Len Barkman ........................................ 204-899-7241

Steinbach Fly-In Golf Course

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 9

WARD PARKINSON

The retreat was held at camp Cederwood, Lac du Bonnet, Man.

EMC Young Adults Retreat: Where Similarities Draw Us Together

by Diana Peters

N

inety-four young adults plus leaders once again gathered for a retreat at Camp Cedarwood in Lac du Bonnet, Man. This weekend, held this time on March 13-15, 2015, is more than just another event. It is a time where similarities draw us together.

We are all in a similar stage in life, a time when we are trying to figure things out—our lives, career, school, living, faith, and often it can seem as if we do this alone. And all of a sudden, surrounded by 93 other young adults, you realize that maybe you are not so alone in the wondering and wandering. This is one thing that connects us.

Another connecting point is that most of us are from EMC churches, with twelve churches represented from five different regions. Yes, we may not know the person sitting beside us at the dining table, but often there is a familiar face, perhaps seen at another EMC event. At any rate, in short order names are exchanged, small chat ensues and more meaningful connections are established.

Our Faith

But perhaps the thing that gives us the greatest connection is our faith. We may all be on different portions of the faith journey, but we all came because of a faith relationship. No matter where our spiritual journeys are, we all have a relationship with Christ or with believers. And with that comes the willingness to spend this weekend here, building on old relationships and forming new ones, growing together as a group and learning.

We are learning to navigate life, discovering what it means to be adults and at the same time learning what it means to be a Christ Follower. With that being said, the weekend’s session theme comes into focus: Making Up Your Mind in 3D.

We may all be on different portions of the faith journey, but we all came because of a faith relationship.

10 The Messenger • April 2015

Making Up Your Mind in 3D #alltheway

The sessions were a highlight for many. Mo Friesen had put together a team from Steinbach EFC and Kleefeld EMC, and opened each session with worship through music. The theme song for the weekend was “Trust In You” by

WARD PARKINSON

Asking questions is one important way to do that. Faith involves questions. Then Garry referred to the Pharisees in Matthew 12. Jesus was greater than Solomon, but they did not ask questions like the Queen of Sheba because they thought that they had their answers. In Matthew 7:7-11 Jesus says, “Ask, Seek, Knock.” Truth is revealed when we ask questions. “Doubt does not have to tear down belief ” (Finding God in the Questions, Dr. Timothy Johnson).

Garry challenged us to not be afraid to ask questions in seeking truth. We are at the stage where we need to make up our mind about what we believe, and we need to be equipped in our decision-making.

Winter activites kept people busy.

GORD PENNER

Lauren Daigle, which speaks of trusting in God even when the way isn’t easy, when expectations are not met or when there is uncertainty.

Our guest speaker was Pastor Garry Koop (Steinbach EMC). He started off by encouraging us to use our cell phones to text him questions that came up throughout the sessions or weekend. He also gave us the #alltheway to use on Twitter when communicating about the weekend. This hashtag coincided nicely with the session theme.

Session Two: Listen

In the second session Garry asked the question, “Does God speak…literally?” We studied Abraham’s story in Genesis 12, where God speaks to Abraham, also looking at other passages where He speaks. And then we looked at John 10, the passage about Jesus being the Good Shepherd.

Garry stressed that there are many voices in life, many things that are trying to grab our attention and Jesus is saying “Listen to Me!” Hearing requires listening. God has chosen to reveal Himself to us. Does God speak to us today?

A better question is are we going to listen?

Then we discussed the different ways that God speaks to us. When we hear His voice, we should respond. And always listen with discernment, to discern Jesus’ voice from all others. ➢

Alayna Reimer, Amber Reimer, Jessica Penner, Laura Penner, and Sarah Barkman

How do I get the truth? The main story in this session was of the Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon (1 Kings 9-10). She was so keen to know if the reports of Solomon and His God were true that she travelled a great distance to learn it for herself.

She was seeking truth, as we also should pursue truth. Garry challenged us to not be afraid to ask questions in seeking truth. We are at the stage where we need to make up our mind about what we believe, and we need to be equipped in our decision-making.

WARD PARKINSON

Session One: Ask

Lucia Bartsch and others play a game.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 11

And then we also heard testimonies from two of our peers. Melissa Unger from Steinbach EFC shared about how she was learning to trust God in the normalcy of life. Eric Thiessen from Mount Salem EMC shared his story of the ongoing process of God working in his own life.

WARD PARKINSON

Workshops

On Saturday morning a number of workshop options were given for attendees. These included: Dealing with Doubt (Keeping the Faith)

Terry Hiebert, SBC Self-Care: Finding Balance in Life

Peter and Irene Ascough, Kleefeld EMC Where Do I Fit into my Church?

Ward Parkinson, Conference Pastor Faith, Sports and Your Competitive Nature

Nathan Plett, Prairie Rose EMC Dating and Courtship

Barry and Noreen Plett, Blumenort EMC Are Short-Term Mission Trips Effective?

Gord Penner, SBC/Ridgewood Church Communication and Intimacy in Marriage

Garry Koop, Steinbach EMC Each retreater was able to attend two workshops, forcing a difficult decision to make with so many good options. The workshops gave us the opportunity to learn on a more intimate level and with more interaction. Many positive comments were made in response to the workshops.

Waiting for a bite.

Session Three: Look

How can I keep my life in focus? In session three, Garry went through Passion Week, from Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, to His trial and crucifixion, to His resurrection, and then primarily focusing on the story of Jesus walking with the two men on the road to Emmaus.

Garry noted that they were leaving town, and that they did not understand what was going on until Jesus (a stranger) explained it to them.

When we do not understand we sometimes feel like “leaving town.” How do we navigate in these times? Use the Bible.

How do we interpret and apply the Bible to life? In this story Jesus was talking about …

Jesus. He was interpreting the Bible for them, His own biography.

Jesus is central. How are we supposed to keep our life in focus? By using the right lens— Jesus. Look for Jesus while reading Scripture.

Look at life through the lens of Jesus. We ended this session by sharing communion together.

Fellowship and Free Time

Saturday afternoon was free time. Many people took this opportunity to enjoy the beautiful weather. Some participated in an intense game

Q and A, Testimonies

Jesus is central. How are we supposed to keep our life in focus? By using the right lens—Jesus.

12 The Messenger • April 2015

GORD PENNER

At the end of every session we had a time of Questions and Answers, where any question could be put forth vocally or via text for discussion. This was another way of encouraging us to ask questions.

Lyndol Fast, Colin Friesen, Diana Peters, and Mo Friesen lead worship at the retreat.

were the beautiful weather and the amazing praise and worship music. I am so glad I was able to go and I hope we continue to meet every year. – Amber Reimer (Ridgewood EMC)

WARD PARKINSON

Great fellowship, amazing worship, delicious food, wonderful opportunity to Grow in Christ. – Neil Reimer (Picture Butte Mennonite Church)

Others went for walks, went tubing, enjoyed the hot tub, or just sat in the sunshine with a book.

Those who stayed inside enjoyed board games, took naps, and conversed.

The weekend also had other moments to converse or play games. The dining room was often a great wall of sound, with active conversations around tables. It was encouraged that only four people per church would sit at a table so that the interaction would be more diverse.

Quotes

Here are some comments from the weekend:

Braden Friesen (right) congratulates Ian Isaac, winner of a free SBC course.

Overall, it was another successful retreat, and there is much anticipation for next year!

Diana Peters (EFC Steinbach) is the administrative secretary to the Board of Missions and the Board of Trustees.

WARD PARKINSON

Since going last year I was sure I was going to enjoy the young adults retreat this year and I was right. It was a great weekend to meet with God and learn more about him and my relationship with him. I also enjoyed meeting other young adults from my conference and spending time with friends from my church. Two of my highlights

Sermons were great! Workshops were great! Food was great!

Outside activities were fantastic!

Bonfire was cool!

– Leo Goncharov (Steinbach EMC)

GORD PENNER

I enjoyed the way Saturday was setup with sessions in the morning and free time in the Peter and Irene Acough (Kleefeld EMC) ice fish. afternoon. of broomball on the frozen lake; others tried – Lisa Plett (Mortheir hand at ice fishing (with some success). weena EMC)

Braden Friesen (SBC) competes.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 13

My Journey From Fear to Freedom

by Brigitte (Bouvier) Toews

T

he first time my Dad took me up in a floatplane, in 1975, it had mechanical problems, which forced us to land in a creek only 20 minutes from home. After two hours and some repairs, we were airborne again and flew at a higher altitude in case it stalled.

The flight home seemed like an eternity for me. with my head between my knees, praying to God that we wouldn’t crash.

Dad, a retired businessman, is a private pilot who has flown a single-engine Cessna 180 floatplane for 40 years. Though flying doesn’t ultimately excite me, I did get excited to go on another fly-in fishing trip with my family, at my Dad’s sharedcabin, on the Bloodvein River. So we planned our annual trip in the summer of 2004.

On that morning, Dad phoned me and asked if we could take-off earlier because of a storm system heading toward us from the west. After we’re in the air, he said he could assess the weather situation before proceeding to the cabin. When we arrived, we quickly loaded the plane, and buckled in. As we accelerated for take-off, I recalled one of my earlier trips to the cabin.

It was during the summer of 1995, a few months after I had been baptized. Since my spiritual awakening the year before, anxiety about my future and fear of my imminent death had disappeared because of my faith in Jesus.

Before I would realize it, though, I was about to experience the difference between faith in God and trust.

As Dad performed his pre-flight checks and taxied the floatplane along the marsh, I felt uneasy. Unaware of my sudden angst, Dad and my husband Gary, who sat in the pilot seats, chatted to each other through their headsets.

The intensity of my anxiety took me off guard. I cried out to God: What is going on with me!

14 The Messenger • April 2015

BRIGITTE TOEWS

Summer of 2004

Brigitte’s father, Roger Bouvier

A couple of years earlier, at the same location, a plane had crashed just after take-off, tragically claiming the lives of three local men.

They were heading to the same fishing cabin on the Bloodvein River.

Sometime afterward, Dad told me he remembered his pilot friend’s last instruction to him, just a day before his departure from this world.

He told my Dad where to find the extra fuel once they got to the cabin. It was “at the cross,” he said, referring to a deadfall tree that had incidentally formed that image in a nearby bush.

As we continued our flight over Lake Winnipeg, I remained somewhat calm. flying over water, the plane’s having pontoons gave me a sense of security. But flying over the Boreal forest, east of the lake, was where I struggled to breathe.

Brigitte (Bouvier) Toews, the Cessna 180, and pilot Roger Bouvier are safely on the ground.

The intensity of my anxiety took me off guard.

I cried out to God: What is going on with me!

Then I bent over and, with my head in my hands, begged Him to remove this irrational fear.

At that moment, I heard my Dad yelling out my name above the engine noise. When I lifted my head, he was smiling and pointing to a rainbow directly ahead of us on the horizon.

I scanned the colourful bow with the wonder of a child, then began to search for its end. To my astonishment, there was no end. The rainbow was a complete circle from our higher vantage point.

Immediately, I felt a supernatural peace was over me. Then unspeakable joy flooded my heart as we flew through the centre of it!

As we rose above the treeline, we could see storm clouds forming in the far western sky, yet everything else appeared fine from our vantage point.

The rainbow disappeared as we passed through it. I inquisitively looked around and could see no clouds nearby or evidence that it had even rained. Maybe the clouds had already dissipated, leaving only an invisible barrier of moistened air to catch the sun’s rays in this moment of glory. I don’t know. But at three thousand feet above the ground, I was both spiritually and emotionally at a place of complete peace.

Storm Clouds

As we rose above the treeline, we could see storm clouds forming in the far western sky, yet everything else appeared fine from our vantage point. Dad gave an affirming nod, and, with the tailwind, in less than an hour we’d be enjoying a good barbecue at the cabin.

Halfway through our flight, however, the storm quickly grew and began to corral us in from the North. We experienced strong turbulence and could see the effects of the wind on the lake below us. Veering away from the storm, Dad tried to climb higher, reorient, and look for ➢ a pathway around the system. But it was no use,

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 15

DESIGNPICS

the turbulence impeded our speed and altitude, and soon the rain began pelting the windshield.

Dad appeared calm as he assessed the options. I was scared, but with eyes wide open began to pray that God would give my Dad wisdom and find us a place to land.

During the turbulence, I grabbed hold of the handle beside my window, but it broke off in my hand. As I turned around, I noticed that my husband and son were smiling at my dilemma. I was not amused.

Moments later, Dad banked the plane right, We only see half from our earthly perspective. then headed south in search of a place to land.

He spotted two secluded lakes in the distance. I I am reminded of the rainbow, in that we only wasn’t looking forward to spending a cold damp see half from our earthly perspective. And if I night cramped in a little plane with three men trust God with the rest of the picture from His and no blankets. But as we flew in for a closer vantage point, He gives me the peace that passes look, one lake had two cabins on it. Dad chose all understanding (Phil. 4:6-7). Then I can live in the smaller cabin; it had a small beach with trees the freedom of knowing that no matter what the to tie down the plane. outcome, He will guide me safely home.

We landed before the storm hit. I bent down in the sand, kissed the ground, and thanked Brigitte (Bouvier) Toews (Heartland) is a memGod profusely. Moments later Jordan found the ber of the Board of Church Ministries and has keys to the cabin. We were so happy to discover served on the EMC National Youth Committee that our haven was equipped with propane and for many years. bedding.

Donning his makeshift raincoat, ABUNDANT SPRINGS 2015 Dad retrieved food from the plane as the storm hit. Gary lit the propane lights, then Dad noticed something unusual about the cabin. Both entrances Philippians 3:12-14 were made of old solid oak church doors that had a large wooden cross running through the centre of each. We THE RUNNERS | THE ROUTE | THE RACE | THE REWARD smiled at each other.

After the storm had passed and May 15-18, 2015 Caronport, Sask. the morning dawned, everything was Philippians 3:12-14 refreshed. As it turned out, Dad’s cabin “…I press on toward the goal was only ten minutes due north. When to win the prize for which God we landed, I had this heightened sense has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” of joy and gratitude to God. The rest of the trip was absolutely The Good News includes the incredible truth that God is in spectacular. The sun was brighter, the pursuit of me. Am I in pursuit of Him? Through this journey skies were bluer, and the river was so of life, who are the runners? What is the route? What stratcalm. The river’s undisturbed mirrored egy do we use in the race? And please tell us more about the shorelines looked like arrows pointing reward. us onward on the journey.

Please pray for open hearts to embrace the beauty of this pursuit.

I have found that whether I am experiencing a storm in my life or have come through one on the other side,

16 The Messenger • April 2015

Column • An Education App

Colin Morris: ‘Little black men with shrunken bellies call the Church’s bluff’

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uppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (see James 2:14-17).

In 1968 Colin Morris was a Methodist of British background who was serving in Zambia (former Rhodesia).

He was there 15 years.

Around that time the Methodists and Anglicans, both with their roots in England, were talking about unity of some sort.

When a final report on their unity was postponed, Morris says people were upset.

Colin Morris himself had enjoyed the vigorous discussion about unity. He says that people were concerned about re-ordination, how the Methodists will vote, what to do with the bread and wine after a communion service.

Then he learned that a Zambian man had died of hunger less than 100 yards from his doorstep. The man’s stomach contained only a few leaves and what appeared to be a ball of grass. The man owned a pair of shorts, a ragged shirt, and an empty pen.

And Colin Morris decided then, in his words, that “little black men with shrunken bellies call the Church’s bluff.”

In his frustration, he wrote a blunt, contrite, repetitive little book called Include Me Out! Confessions of an Ecclesiastical Coward (Epworth Press, London, 1968). In it, he says that the Church needs to be less concerned about its organizational survival than it is about caring

for the needs of those around it. The Church, by dying to itself, needs to trust that God will resurrect it.

Morris says more, which I won’t go into. I don’t agree with all that he says (when do we of anyone?), but part of his message is relevant. That part, for me, is summarized in the words of James read earlier: Faith without works is dead.

Structures do not exist for themselves. Yes, we serve within a denomination that can get concerned about structure and finances, but we do not want to simply spin our wheels and waste time together. We want to see the Gospel proclaimed and lived out in Canada and wider; and our board is to assist churches, leaders, and members in seeing this happen.

Throughout my years here in the national office, I’ve often had news of “little” men, women, and children with shrunken bellies come across my desk or my computer screen: hunger in various places, war in various places—often overlapping. As a national staff person, I’m also aware of discussions about strategy, vision and values, and structures. There are so many needs; the challenges are many. How to respond isn’t always clear. Easy answers can elude us.

But that is partly why you are here. If choices were easy, boards would be unnecessary. But this board is not irrelevant—at least, not if it keeps “little” men, women, and children with shrunken bellies and souls in mind and if it wants to assist the Church to respond with more than platitudes.

by Terry M. Smith Executive Secretary

We want to see the Gospel proclaimed and lived out in Canada and wider.

The Board of Church Ministries is to assist churches, leaders, and members in seeing this happen.

This devotional was presented to the Board of Church Ministries on Nov. 6, 2014.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 17

With Our Missionaries

Pray that girls not be exchanged to pay for debts

2015 Spring and Summer intensives.

Enrol today!

Psalms God Through the Centuries The Justice of God: Questions of Justice in the Bible and the World

A Graduate School of the Church rooted in the love of God, the grace of Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit.

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AFRICA

Thank you to those who pray for our safety and health, for daily wisdom, for cheerful perseverance through the heat of these days and nights.

Today, though, I ask that you pray for others, those who are dear to us. Today the local culture has filled my heart with pain. And I remember that God’s heart too is filled with pain when he sees sin on the earth. “The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth and his heart was filled with pain” (Gen. 6:6).

Many of you have praised the Lord with us as local people have created worship songs. But how do you sing when you are horrified? How do you sing when you are devastated or filled with despair?

In the culture within which we work a father can decide to exchange his daughters to pay off his debts. A mother I know is filled with anger and then despair. She has no voice.

A local girl has the value equal to 10 cows when marriage is involved. But girls are regularly used as payment for debts when one does not own cows or goats. At this time, a girl’s value drops significantly.

Pray for my dear friend. Pray for her daughter who is to be exchanged to pay a debt equal to a cow. Pray that they would not lose hope and that God would provide another way. Pray for other girls to be spared being exchanged for debts.

Pray that girls' true value would be seen.

My heart breaks for local girls and women. They carry a heavy workload, have no rights, and have less value than most animals.

Most of all, pray that God will provide for a mother and her family—that he will hear her cry for mercy. She has faithfully followed the Lord though none in her village have. She has faithfully taught her children in the ways of the Lord. She is helpless.

“When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matt. 10:36).

Come, Lord Jesus, come. Save your children, your daughters.

“He has showed you, Oh man, what is good. And what does The Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). Pray that the community elders would act justly in God’s sight.

May your hearts be burdened to pray for women and girls today. May you be one of many who stand in the gap for those who have no voice.

Pray that as this tribe comes to faith, they would understand and embrace the true value of their daughters, sisters, mothers, and wives. Pray that one day this culture would be transformed and girls would no longer fear being exchanged for debts, but instead would be honoured and loved.

– A Follower of Jesus

cmu.ca/gstm GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY

18 The Messenger • April 2015

Late word: the one daughter to be exhanged has been spared.

With Our Missionaries

SALT groups who gather for more than ‘fun’ NORTHERN MANITOBA

On the contrary, they are eager to read the Bible and see what it has to say. We do play games, but that is not the main part of the evening. We have been reading through the book of Matthew and discovering who Jesus actually is—that he is real and big enough to work in our day to day Kyla Plett lives.

At one point, I gave the youth the challenge of memorizing a Bible verse for the next week. There was even going to be a prize. However, in order to get it, it was important that they all memorize it because at the next event I was going to pick one of the youth at random. If they could recite the verse, everyone got the prize; if not, nobody did.

I wasn’t sure how it would go over, but the next week at least half of the youth had it from memory. They were even asking me about the next week’s verse when I was a day late in posting it to our Facebook page.

I am refreshed and excited in seeing their passion for meeting God. I hope that, as I continue Evangelical Mennonite Conference working, trust will be built, they will grow in their faith, and that God will Quarterly Financial Report 2015 raise up more solid Christian leaders to Jan–Mar Jan–Mar further his kingdom.

2015 2014 – Kyla Plett Receipts and Transfers 293,490 282,458 Disbursements 482,238 515,814 Kyla Plett (Prairie Grove) is a Youth Life Coach with Mid-Way Christian LeaderExcess/Shortfall -188,748 -233,356 ship. She works in Thompson, Nelson The Board of Trustees is grateful for the faithful giving of Churches and inHouse, and Split Lake, all in northern dividuals to the Conference budget. Thank you for giving generously to the Manitoba. work we are doing together. Here are the results for the first quarter of 2015.

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God is working! This is true all over the world, but the place I see it the most is where I am in northern Manitoba.

I’m Kyla Plett, and I’m the newest missionary with MidWay Christian Leadership in Thompson, Man. My role is that of a youth life coach and I spend time with teens in the city of Thompson and the communities of Nelson House and Split Lake.

One of the ways I do this is through Serving And Leadership Training (SALT) youth groups. Groups meet in each of these communities once a week; and they are a time for youth that know God or want to learn more about him to learn, be stretched in their faith and have support for their walk with Christ.

The need for a group was seen a few years ago when youth, after becoming Christians at Mid-Way Bible Camp, would go home and go back to the way they had been living before. Many said. “We want to follow God. We just don’t know how.”

Responding to that need, MCL started the first group in Thompson, followed a few years later by one in Nelson House. The one I am most excited about, however, is the one in Split Lake. That is the one that I have had the opportunity to start with the help of volunteers since moving here in January. There is a regular group of six to eight teens that come every week and are hungry to learn more about the Bible.

Youth is run differently here than it would be farther south. The youth have never got the idea that the events are supposed to be “fun.”

Tim Dyck General Secretary

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 19

With Our Missionaries

Greetings people amid the culture clash

BOM

MEXICO

Recently at the gym one of my coaches and I were talking about greetings. I mentioned to her that my sons were about “kissed” out after three weeks here. I then told her that I had the reverse effect when I moved back to Canada, after five years in Chihuahua. I felt like no one touched me.

She then asked me how we greet in Canada. I said that mostly we didn’t. This is where the culture crash came in. It sounded so wrong as I was explaining it.

Now I know this is a huge generalization to say for a country, but in comparison to Mexico it would be more than accurate. I never go through a day here without being kissed (husband aside), touched, hugged, or receive some such sort of affection. I don’t think I could say that about living in Steinbach, Man. My family is not one that greets with a kiss (although I have heard that there are families that do that even in Steinbach). When one goes to work, one does not greet their co-workers with a kiss on the cheek. When one attends a gathering, a “hi” into the crowd would suffice. At a more formal event, one might shake hands.

In Mexico that would never pass. In fact, you don’t just greet everyone upon arrival; when you leave, you cannot just say a general good-bye to the group and leave. Nope, you go around the room saying goodbye to every individual (despidiéndote de todos).

Diane and Ernie Koop

I would add a note here: it’s not like you are kissing total strangers all the time. By the way, the kiss is on the cheek.

It would be acceptable to shake hands with a person you don’t know, but to whom you were being introduced.

However, when a friend introduces their mother to you, you would probably kiss that person due to the relationship you have with your friend, although the mother is a stranger. What is clear is that you would always greet everyone.

Another aspect that this whole thing involves is the level of importance this holds to the whole relationship.

This culture is a warm culture, a people culture, a relationship culture. Everything one does is proportionate to the building of the relationship.

I do not want to offend, and therefore the greeting at the coming and going is huge. The better friends the men are, the louder the slap on the back seems to be. Just for clarification, men don’t kiss.

My reason for bringing it up was due to the culture crash thing. How many things does one’s own culture do that we think is normal, but when you try to explain it to another culture it seems weird to them? And at what point does is almost seem weird to you?

No, I don’t think we should all start kissing each other, but I think we most certainly can learn to be more relational. We can be more concerned about relationships, and not be so egocentric. We can be more worried about the “community” than the “I.” – Diane Koop Diane and Ernie Koop (EFC Steinbach) serve as part of a church-planting team in the city of Guadalajara, the state of Jalisco, Mexico.

20 The Messenger • April 2015

With Our Churches Mennville EMC

Short-term workers return to Haiti MENNVILLE, Man.—Four years ago our church sent a group of 15 people to Haiti. Reports have it that they all left a piece of their heart there.

Stan Brandt and Chris Monkman were more than ready to go back when the opportunity came. Joined by Wes Barkman, they left their families and headed to Haiti on Feb. 9. They returned on Feb. 25. Here is Stan’s report of their time.

MEMC

Stan Wiebe shows a co-worker how to weld.

The Canadian and Haitian team

Chris Monkman, Wes Barkman, and I arrived in Haiti on Feb. 10 and were greeted in a rather interesting way.

After leaving the airport in Port-a-Prince, we met up with demonstrations and roadblocks and had to reroute our journey to Mission Possible headquarters via detours and off road through a creek and along the beach.

We got to our destination four hours later than scheduled. Although the start of our time was a bit rough, we all enjoyed our time there a lot.

We worked mostly on building teacher and student desks. Chris did a lot of painting the first week and the second week did some concrete work, which is his specialty.

He did a floor at St. Marc Church and also built some concrete steps.

Wes worked mostly on the wood part of the desks. I did the steel part of the desk, which was mostly welding. It was neat to be able to train others for doing this. We made

about 42 teacher desks and close to 200 student desks during our two weeks there.

We also had the opportunity to go with medical teams to various communities and help, which was a nice change from desk making.

We were encouraged that Mission Possible is teaching Haitians different trades—such as woodworking and welding—and not working for them so much, but with them.

– Luella Brandt

Wes Barkman worked on the wooden part of the desks.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 21

With Our Churches Rosenort Fellowship Chapel

ROSENORT, Man.—Rosenort Fellowship Chapel entered the New Year with keen anticipation. After our previous Pastor John Driedger resigned at the end of June, 2014, a search committee was formed; and after much prayer the Lord led the congregation to meet Brian and Lisa McGuffin from Forest, Ont. It seemed to be an instant mutual acceptance by both the congregation and the McGuffins. Brian was hired as the new senior pastor, beginning duties in January 2015. This meant they had to sell their house quickly in Ontario and move their family with seven children in the coldest month of the year. The Lord graciously provided a house in Rosenort and the transition was made.

The installation service for the pastor couple took place on March 22 with conference pastor Ward Parkinson officiating.

Crestview Fellowship

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Brian McGuffin new pastor at RFC

Pastor Brian McGuffin, Lisa, and family

We have already been richly blessed by a series of messages by Pastor Brian based on Philippians 2 and the theme of “Joy.” It is our prayer that we as a congregation will be a blessing to the McGuffins and that together we will grow in love and joy.

– Rose Cornelsen

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WINNIPEG, Man.—Are you hungry?

Good Friday. As we entered the church we were greeted with the smell of fresh-baked bread. It was our turn to host the traditional combined Good Friday service with our neighbours from the Crestview Park Free Methodist Church.

The theme verses from John 19:28-30 were read in English, Ghanian, High German, Japanese, Mandarin, French, and Low German. What a great reminder that no matter what language we speak, we worship the same God and are all equal in God’s eyes.

The worship band led us through many beautiful songs, and Pastor Kevin Kay from the Free Methodist Church elaborated on the theme “It is finished.” He told the story of a man who attended a communion service, but, being unfamiliar with the protocol, filled his pockets with the bread and satisfied his thirst with the juice.

The pastor of Crestview Park asked the question, “When was the last time you were that hungry for the Word of God?” Following Pastor Kay’s message, Pastor

22 The Messenger • April 2015

DESIGNPICS

Are you hungry for the Word of God?

Darrel Guenther led us in Communion. Thanks to all who participated in this beautiful service.

Two major projects have been undertaken for this year.

We’re excited to announce the launch of our new website.

Please visit us at www.crestviewfellowship.ca. A big thank you to those who spent a lot of time on the design and construction. The second project is the installation of an elevator, which we hope to have complete by fall. This has been a long time coming and will make basement functions easier to attend for those who have physical disabilities.

– Sharron Straub

With Our Churches Heartland Community Church

The true Lenten fast: Isaiah 58

HEARTLAND

LANDMARK, Man.—Many people in our congregation don’t like the spotlight. But their compassionate works “break forth like the dawn!” Their good works are not done to be seen by men, but are done with true compassion.

When I asked if I could report on some of their charitable activities, many have humbly declined. They did not want to be mentioned. Others were truly surprised and humbly accepted my offer for the edification of the body.

Both are admirable.

When Marj Toews and her grades 7 and 8 Sunday School students were inspired to help others a few months ago, she said they “wanted it to be in the community and with whom we had some involvement with. We chose Flatland (YFC Landmark) since a lot of us went there to hang out. We decided that we wanted to raise money, and the students came up with a bake sale idea.

"Most of the kids made their own goodies, and some helped their grandmas and mothers bake. We raised one thousand dollars, which was double our expectation. The kids especially had a blast talking with joyful, generous donors who so eagerly interacted with the young students.”

Gary and Mavis Unger’s burden was for helping Haiti’s

The Mansaray family

Denis and Wilma Keating

earthquake widows and orphans. A few months ago, they had a chance to serve with a group of 15-18 others, all from Texas. The couple ministered at the Children of The House of God Orphanage. They invited Heartlanders to help meet some of the orphans’ needs such as toiletries and baby clothing. While in Haiti, Gary was put to work hooking up a well, and Mavis was involved with the women’s conference.

About 15 years ago, Denis and Wilma Keating met the Mansaray family who were refugees from Sierra Leone.

Wilma said, “We, as a group, have walked beside them and have grown to love them. They are our very good friends.

We have watched them work hard at trying to give their children a better life.

“We watched them move from dilapidated houses to cramped apartments then back again, only to lose hope for the life they dreamed of here. Our group decided to let our church family know what was going on, and that Mr. Mansaray was planning to go back to Sierra Leone without his family. We wanted to keep the family together.”

With the help of many, they raised a down payment for a home. And on Feb. 8 the Mansaray family celebrated with an open house. Thirty people filled that home and prayed a blessing for their new beginning. “The Mansarays always say: ‘Thank you to all friends at HCC!’” Wilma said.

So, what type of fast does the Lord require and what kind of heart does He desire? When we care for the widows and orphans, loose the bonds of injustice, cloth and feed the poor, and give shelter to the destitute, then God hears our prayers and quickens our own healing.

– Brigitte Toews

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 23

With Our Churches Portage Evangelical Church

Baptisms, members received at PEC

Nicola Evans, Freda Oswald, Deanna Stearns, Lucas and Charlotte Plett, Kristen Moman, Julie Giesbrecht, and Gail and Terrence Bueckert.

STAN WIEBE

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man.—Sunday, March 1, 2015, was an exciting worship day as new members joined Portage Evangelical Church. On Nov. 30, 2014, three young people were baptized.

We welcome these new members to PEC. We need wisdom, discernment, and strength to draw healthy boundaries as a church family. It was great to hear each testimony.

Hearing their faith stories, seeing how faithful God is to meet them, and where they are at is so encouraging to the rest of us. May God bless each one! We are grateful for the work of our pastors Glenn Loewen and Les Kroeker.

– Catherine Epp and Stan Wiebe

Amie Brooking

Pastor Glenn Loewen with Freda Oswald, 96.

Preston Doty

Prayer is said for those to be baptized.

Mark Ronald

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News

SBC MissionX 2015 students serve nationally and internationally Four destinations, one common impact STEINBACH, Man.—Shaping cultural awareness, prayer intensity, practical ministry planning, and team unity, Mission Exposure is a chance for Steinbach Bible College students to go on a mission.

This February, first year students participated in para-church service and rescue initiatives in Winnipeg’s core area, while second year students ministered in First Nations communities in Northern Manitoba. Third year students served internationally, with this year’s destination being Guadalajara, Mexico. An exciting alternate destination for our third and fourth year students was Kugluktuk, Nunavut.

Lynette Brandt (second) and Robyn Kauenhofen spend time with new friends at a children’s party in a rural neighbourhood during MX3 in Mexico.

SBC

“It was incredible to witness the power of prayer both for team unity and for his intervention and leading in ministry.” (Northern Manitoba) “Affluence does not mean you have a full life. Material things can often be a distraction. Christ is fullness of life.

We witnessed even in a Mexican prison believers had the joy of the Lord and were eager to praise. It gave me a new perspective on the apostle Paul being in prison.”

(Guadalajara)

Renee Hiebert, Erin Bell, and Kendra Penner serve lunch during the Winter Carnival in Inner City Winnipeg for MX1.

Through MissionX, students experience a deepening of their faith, hope in God, and compassion for people.

“I was impacted in a powerful way…. The experience helped me find out what ministry is all about: that is, love.”

(Winnipeg)

SBC students and Professor Terry Hiebert lead worship during a Sunday morning service in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, during MX Far North.

“I was inspired to be more open and willing to share my struggles. It is important to be real and not wear a mask.

Listen with an open heart share how God has worked in your own struggles as well.” (Kugluktuk) Steinbach Bible College. Your Mission Starts Here.

-SBC SBC students and staff departing to one of the Northern Manitoba communities visited during MX2.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 25

News

North Korea Somalia Iraq Syria Afghanistan Sudan Iran Pakistan Eritrea Nigeria Source: Open Doors

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Top Ten Countries For Persecuting Christians

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SCC rules in favour of religious freedom in Quebec case High school can teach required course from Catholic perspective OTTAWA (March 19)—“Today’s Supreme Court decision in Loyola is a strong affirmation of religious freedom and fair balancing of the interests of the province in setting curriculum outcomes while defending the freedom of religious schools to teach the curriculum from their unique religious perspective,” says Bruce Clemenger, president of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC).

The Quebec Ministry of Education required, beginning in 2008-2009, that all schools teach an Ethics and Religious Culture course from a non-religious perspective. Loyola, a Jesuit high school in Montreal, had sought, but was denied an exemption.

The court ruled that:Requiring Loyola to teach Catholic doctrine and ethical beliefs from a neutral perspective violated the religious freedom of the members of its community.

“Respect, tolerance and understanding are all required … however, ensuring that all viewpoints are regarded as equally credible or worthy of belief would require a degree of disconnect from, and suppression of, Loyola’s own

26 The Messenger • April 2015

religious perspective and that is incompatible with freedom of religion.”

“A secular state respects religious differences, it does not seek to extinguish them.”

Although the majority opinion didn’t directly rule on communal religious rights, the minority wrote: “The individual and collective aspects of freedom of religion are indissolubly intertwined.”

“The communal character of religion means that protecting the religious freedom of individuals requires protecting the religious freedom of religious organizations, including religious educational bodies such as Loyola.”

The EFC, an intervener, had argued that “ . . . an essential ingredient of the vitality of a religious community is the ability of its members to pass on their beliefs to their children, whether through instruction in the home or participation in communal institutions.”

The EMC is a denominational member of the EFC. – EFC

News

MAID service goes live for MHSC Nine thousand images available WINNIPEG, Man.—After two years of design and development, the Mennonite Archival Image Database (MAID) goes live for public use today at http://archives. mhsc.ca. The new tool helps archives manage their photo collections and provides Internet access to the photos.

The online solution is a project of the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada and includes Mennonite archival partners in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. Costs for the project are shared on a sliding scale.

Currently MAID holds over 80,000 descriptions of photos and over 9,000 images. These numbers will be

expanding, explains Laureen Harder-Gissing of the Mennonite Archives of Ontario. Cooperation will be ongoing as partners will continue to add, develop, manage, and pay for the database. New formats such as textual records or sound recordings would help expand the project.

– Conrad Stoesz CMBS/MHC

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the insanity of obedience

65th Annual Convention

Identifying with the Persecuted Church with Nik Ripkin

July 3–5, 2015

Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium, 205 – 20th Street, Brandon, MB www.emconference.ca

Inspirational Sessions Friday | 7 p.m.

Believers in Persecution Look at the Christmas Story Believers in persecution look at the Christmas story through very different lenses. We shall www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 27 reproduce the story, write ourselves into its narrative, and then draw real life and biblical lessons from the text.

With Our Churches and Missionaries

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With Our Churches and Missionaries

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BOM

1. Baseball Camp at Poplar Hill, Man. (Albert Martens, crew).

2. Mentoring in Heartland (Travis Plett and David Thiessen).

3. Discovering Your Ministry Potential in Southern Ont. 4. Serving food in Mennville, Man. (Terry Dueck, centre).

5. Ministering in Kola (Kathy and Pastor Richard Klassen).

6. Church planting in Redcliff, Alta. (Pastor Abe Bueckert).

7. Flying to serve people in Lesotho (Melvin and Kari Peters).

8. Through Project Builders: funding micro-loans in Africa.

9. Visiting Paraguay (Anthony Reimer, Ken Zacharias).

10. Travelling to help Bible translation in Europe (Lesley Fast).

11. Worshipping at Rosenort Fellowship Chapel.

12. Angela Kruse tending to an injury in Ethiopia.

13. Responding to people in South Sudan (Gordon Skopnik).

14. Minga Guazú, Paraguay (Joanne Martens, Chris Kroeker).

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 29

Column • Focus On

An assumption about you

Y

by Tim Dyck General Secretary

and Terry M. Smith Executive Secretary

You care about persecuted Christians!

ou care deeply about Christians who are being persecuted in other countries—that’s an assumption we make about you.

It’s in the news: Christian young people being killed in Kenya, Coptic men beheaded in Libya, and Christian school girls kidnapped in Nigeria—it bothers us deeply. We are motivated to pray and perhaps to express our concerns to government. It has likely caused us to examine our own faith (2 Cor. 13:5): what if we were confronted with such a desperate situation?

Scripture tell us to stand with those who are persecuted and to stand firm in our faith: “Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised” (Heb. 10:33-36 NIV).

How can we show Christians elsewhere that we care about their suffering? In preparation for each annual convention, the General Board considers carefully the theme for the inspirational sessions and chooses a speaker. This year it wants to show our solidarity with the persecuted Christian Church.

The Insanity of Obedience—that’s the theme for Convention 2015 on July 3-5 in Brandon, Man. Our guest speaker for the weekend is Nik Ripken, a missions veteran of twenty-five years (mostly in North Africa and the Middle East) who has researched the persecuted church and Muslim background believers in about 60 countries. He’s the author of the books The Insanity of God and The Insanity of Obedience, and many articles. Some EMCers have

30 The Messenger • April 2015

been reading his writings in anticipation of convention.

Ever struggled to see Christ at work in a messed up world? The Insanity of God is an introduction to Ripken’s life, work, and spiritual journey. Central to his journey is how his encounter with persecuted Christians restored his faith in Christ after a personal tragedy.

To anticipate what Nik will say, the cover of The Insanity of Obedience says it well: “All Christian disciples have one thing in common; as they carry the gospel across the ocean and across the street, persecution will become the norm for those who choose to follow Jesus. How believers respond in the face of persecution reveals everything about their level of faith and obedience.”

Like his book, his messages at Convention will be “a bold challenge to global discipleship.

Nik Ripken exposes the danger of safe Christianity and calls the church to something greater.

The Insanity of Obedience challenges Christians in the same, provocative way that Jesus did. The book dares you—and prepares you—to cross the street and the oceans with the Good News of Jesus Christ.”

The churches of Region 4 in south-central Manitoba, our hosts for this weekend, are extending a warm welcome to us. They invite us to join them in experiencing The Insanity of Obedience at Convention 2015.

Please make plans to gather together in Brandon for a challenging and inspiring Convention weekend. Register at: www.emconference.ca/ Convention2015

Columns • Poetry

And I Love You Too Where are you?

I need someone to talk to.

Nobody understands You say you are love So why do I feel alone?

I was, before you were.

Before the earth, Before the sky I was.

My love for you has never stopped.

No one can fathom its beginning.

I loved you into existence.

Your life is precious to me.

I know every second of it.

When your tears fall, Mine do too.

I laugh when you do.

You are so loved.

You are beautiful, I made you.

But does your love ever stop?

What if I fall?

What if I ignore your voice?

Can you forgive?

How big is your love?

Greater than my sin?

Oh, God, my sin is too much.

I’m too ashamed.

I can’t even tell you what I’ve done.

My child, I know.

I know.

I will never stop loving you—I can’t.

My love is greater than the mountains, Deeper than the oceans, More vast than the heavens.

Child, no one can comprehend my love.

Even though your sin makes me weep, I can forgive you.

I will.

My heart beats for you.

You are mine.

Can you show me?

Can you show me how much you love me?

I want to see.

I want to believe.

My child, I will show you.

Come, take my hand.

You will know.

by Anicka Loewen

There, can you see it?

Now do you understand?

That cross.

That ugly, scornful cross.

It is my love.

My only son died there.

You can weep I did too.

My heart broke there.

My son, he was beaten and humiliated And I let them—I let my sinful creation kill my son.

Why? Why did you do it?

How could you let him die?

Child, it’s because of you I did it so that you could be clean I love you so much My children, I wanted them to be with me I screamed in agony as my son hung there He needed me I didn’t help him I love you That’s why I allowed it Oh Father, I understand.

Thank you.

I love you.

And I love you too.

Anicka Loewen is part of Portage Evangelical Church.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 31

Columns • Poetry

Alone Quiet hush of a garden at midnight.

No sounds of laughing children now, or soft whispers as lovers pass by arm in arm.

Only stillness as our Lord kneels down to pray alone.

Forsaken by that band of followers.

He died that I might live with Him eternally.

Despised, accused, rejected! He breathed His last alone.

Though sorrowful that day, and deeply dark, Twas but the start of new beginnings.

A mere three days and death would be defeated.

My Lord will rise in victory, the power His alone!

I stand before Him now—the choice is mine.

To live my life without His will, or yield control to One who died for me.

With love and gratitude my heart responds to Him alone.

The road we travel here is rough and steep.

Struggles deep within and fears pursue us.

The battle with temptation daily haunts us, but victory is ours in Jesus, knowing that we never walk alone.

Barbara Plett Barbara Plett is part of Prairie Rose EMC.

DESIGNPICS

No comfort now are they, asleep and unaware of all the agony and pain He’s suffering.

Once brave and boisterous, they leave Him now alone.

Cruel, ugly cross of shame, a symbol of a love I cannot grasp. Amazing grace!

Calendar Manitoba May 15-18

Abundant Springs

July 3-5

EMC Convention

July 3

EMC Ministerial Ebenezer Christian Church Brandon, Man.

July 4

Free for Sunday School!

Contact info@emconf.ca or 204-3266401.

32 The Messenger • April 2015

EMC Conference Council Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium Brandon, Man.

July 5-6

MCC Alberta's Charity Auction and Sale Didsbury Memorial Complex. For more information, visit mccreliefsale. com.

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.

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 immediately. 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).

Blumenort EMC is seeking a full-time community life pastor who will focus on developing Christian community inside our congregation and providing oversight for community outreach ministries. Key responsibilities will include creating vision and enabling our members to be effective in their connections inside the church and in ministry outside of the church. Previous pastoral experience is preferred but all candidates will be considered.

This is a new opportunity which we hope to fill as soon as God provides. The candidate must be in agreement with our EMC Constitution and Statement of Faith. For a full job description or to send in a resume, please contact Anthony Reimer at anthony.reimer@ blumenortemc.ca or 204-326-1644.

Other Positions Mennonite Foundation of Canada has an opening for a full-time administrative assistant in its Calgary office. Expected start date for this position is July 6, 2015.

This person will be responsible for providing administrative support for the Calgary office. Key responsibilities include front desk and telephone reception, processing incoming and outgoing mail, faxes, bank deposits and receipts, preparing letters, reports and presentations, and offering information to clients. Flexible attitude and team spirit, strong organizational skills, exceptional computer skills, superb verbal and written communications skills, and professionalism are essential competencies.

MFC offers a competitive salary and benefits package. A complete job description is available at www.MennoFoundation.ca. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Please submit resume to Shelly Wilcoxson, 12-1325 Markham Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 4J6 or swilcoxson@MennoFoundation.ca.

Mennonite Heritage Centre Archive in Winnipeg, Man., is looking for weekly volunteers to help with our program. We are seeking people to help with the following tasks: updating congregational records, German to English translation, database entry for books and periodicals, researching and writing grants, video recording of oral interviews, book or website editors, or digitization work (paper, audio, video). Please contact Korey Dyck at 204-888-6781 or kdyck@mennonitechurch.ca for details.

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.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 33

Column • Further In and Higher Up

The Church at war with itself

DWIGHT LOEWEN

O

by Layton Friesen

Maybe God is ending war by bringing into the Church, just as Christ took sin to himself in his incarnated body.

ne hundred years ago Christians entered a plan to end war by killing each other. First, a group of Serbian Orthodox believers conspired and murdered an Austrian Catholic man in the streets of Sarajevo.

This angered the Catholics in Austria, who convinced the Lutherans in Germany to kill as many of the Catholics in France as possible.

Soon the Anglicans jumped into the fray, as did the Russian Orthodox and believers (including Mennonites) from North America. Most of the dead in Church War I (1914-1918) were Christians killed by Christians.

This “holy war” set the conditions for Ioseb Jughashvili to leave Tiflis Spiritual Seminary and become Joseph Stalin. He offered up six million Ukrainians, mostly Orthodox Christians.

Church War I also left the German believers feeling shamed and oppressed by their brothers and sisters in England, France, and the U.S. They became so embittered that they gave all power to a Catholic, Adolf Hitler. He convinced German Christians that it was the Jews’ fault and that a holocaust (sacrifice) was needed. In righteous wrath they attacked their Catholic neighbours in Poland, drawing the Anglicans and American Baptists back into the slaughter (1939-1945).

This war did not end until one morning an American Catholic chaplain, Father George Zabelka, blessed Catholic air force pilots to drop an atomic bomb on the oldest and largest Catholic community in Japan, utterly destroying in one fiery inferno three orders of nuns.

On Jan. 17, 1991, two deeply Christian men, Baptist evangelist Billy Graham and Episcopalian President George H. W. Bush, met at the White House to pray after Bush had

U.S. Marines practice in 1942.

COURTESY OF THE FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT LIBRARY DIGITAL ARCHIVES.

34 The Messenger • April 2015

declared war on a country with a Christian community of churches that had existed since the age of the apostles. They prayed fervently and watched television as American bombs began to rain on Iraq and Kuwait. Together with the second war on Iraq in 2003, this led to the near annihilation of the Iraq church.

In 1994, in Rwanda, churches of all kinds turned against their own Tutsi church members. Pastors, priests, lay leaders, and deacons attended church and then went out to butcher.

Death squads entered church buildings, paused to pray before the altar, and then slaughtered fellow Christians who had taken shelter there.

One observer noted that many of the 640,000 dead seemed to be killed in and around churches.

We could say all these killers were only “nominal” Christians and not the true Church of Jesus. But that evades both the scandal and the hope. Maybe God is ending war by bringing into the Church, just as Christ took sin to himself in his incarnated body.

As the Church spreads to all nations, the wars of the world become churchly, occurring now between baptized sisters and brothers.

The world’s violence becomes the Church’s sin.

But as the world’s war is exposed as bloody Church disunity, the Church can turn the world from war by repenting and reconciling. To end war then, let us to preach to all nations and reconcile with all churches.

The EMC is pacifist, but if we share the disunity of the Body, we share the violence. We still feel the wounds of division related to the Church of God in Christ (Holdeman), the Large Church (Grosze Gemeinde), the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Jewish synagogue.

These wounds are gashes in the very body of Jesus. But if the Spirit salves these wounds through our repentance, world enemies become Jews and Gentiles reconciled “so that through the Church the wisdom of God . . . might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Eph. 3:19).

Column • stewardship today

A helping hand

A

by Harold Penner Stewardship Consultant

DESIGNPICS

number of people glanced over as they passed the elderly woman working in her front lawn. She had finished planting flowers in the garden and was now struggling to plant a sapling to replace a tree felled by a windstorm the previous summer.

“Can I help you?” offered a young man stopping in front of her house.

She gratefully handed him the spade and he made short work of digging a hole. After dragging the ten-foot sapling into place and replacing the soil, he began tamping it in place while ensuring the tree was properly positioned.

“I live down the street,” he said as he finished the task. “I remember you helping my friend’s families and babysitting some of my friends over the years. If there is anything else I can do to help you, I would be honoured.”

A healthy community is one where people choose to assist their neighbours and benefit from the generous assistance of others in return.

We build community in our neighbourhoods, in our churches and in our schools and universities.

Many Christians also build community at Bible camps. Which Bible camp has been a neighbour to you over the years by giving you, your children or grandchildren spiritual guidance? In return, are you in a position to be a good neighbour by providing volunteer time or funding for the projects the camp is working on to improve its ministry now and into the future?

Many of us may not have a flexible time schedule that would allow us to volunteer during the busy summer camping months. However, we can still provide support by our prayers and financial assistance.

Depending on the camp, financial assistance could take the form of donations to the general ministry fund, to camper sponsorship funds that allow under-privileged children to attend summer camp, or to support summer staff who would be encouraged by some additional finances to help toward their education costs over the winter.

Like the sapling that will provide shade for

years to come, a new building at your local camp or a contribution to a camp Development Fund can reap long-term benefits for the ministry.

These types of projects benefit from gifts that may be larger than a typical annual cash donation. Donors might consider providing a larger gift like an in-kind gift of appreciated stocks or mutual fund shares or a bequest from an estate.

Mennonite Foundation of Canada has over forty years of experience helping individuals support their favourite local and national charitable ministries by the means that make the most sense for their particular financial situation. MFC staff can explain the financial benefits and assist with donating appreciated publicly traded shares or mutual funds. We also assist individuals with charitable estate planning.

Contact an MFC office to find out more.

Harold Penner is a stewardship consultant at Mennonite Foundation of Canada serving generous people in Man. and Sask. For information on impulsive generosity, stewardship education, and estate and charitable gift planning, contact your nearest MFC office or visit MennoFoundation.ca.

Like the sapling that will provide shade for years to come, a new building at your local camp or a contribution to a camp Development Fund can reap long-term benefits for the ministry.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 35

Column • kids’ corner

God’s Plan

M

ISTOCK

by Loreena Thiessen

oses was born in a time of great trouble. The Pharaoh made a new law that all boy babies should be killed.

Pharoah was afraid God’s people would overthrow him, and he would no longer be in control. He wanted to make sure newborn boys would not grow up. And Moses’ life was in danger.

In fact all of God’s people were in danger. They were slaves. The people had to work too hard and were severely beaten for not working hard enough. They were not free to live their own lives.

But God had a plan. For this plan he needed Moses. Pharaoh’s daughter saved Moses and he grew up in the palace with his own mother as his nurse. Moses had the best of everything.

When Moses grew to be a man, God’s plan continued. God chose Moses to lead the people out of Egypt away from the Pharaoh and slavery.

He promised them a new land of their own. This land was Canaan.

With the help of his brother Aaron, Moses told Pharaoh to let his people go. But the Pharaoh said, “No!” He refused to let them go.

Jesus is your Messiah too.

You, too, are a part of God’s plan.

Loreena's first column was in Nov. 17, 1999.

Thanks, Loreena. (No, she isn't quitting.)

God’s plan continued. He sent plagues and disasters to the land to make Pharaoh change his mind. The last plague was the most hurtful of all. The Pharaoh’s first son died. Now he said yes, the people could leave.

But once again Pharaoh changed his mind, he sent his army to stop them. Once again God had a plan. He opened the sea to let his people cross over on dry land. Pharaoh’s army drowned and the people were safe.

On the long journey ahead God helped his people again and again. He sent food when it ran out. He gave them fresh clean water when they were thirsty. He gave them Activity: Fill in the missing words. new laws to follow, the Ten Commandments. And he promised a Moses was found by a ________________________.

Messiah would come to save them In Egypt God’s people were__________________. from their sins. This gave them Moses’ nurse was ____________________________. hope.

Moses grew up in a ________________________.

In Bethlehem, two thousand Who helped Moses? __________________________. years ago, the promised Messiah After the Pharaoh’s son died he said ______________. arrived. His name is Jesus.

God’s people crossed the sea on ________ __________.

Jesus is your Messiah too. You, The new laws were called ___________ ___________________. too, are a part of God’s plan.

The people’s new land was _____________________.

Read Exodus 2:8-10 and The promised Messiah is ___________________.

14:21-24.

36 The Messenger • April 2015

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