The Messenger a publication of the Evangelical
Mennonite Conference
Volume 53 No. 6 June 2015
Never Under-Estimate the Power of the Gospel!
page 6
INSIDE:
Mutuality: A Journey as People of Faith page 10
Humpty Dumpty Meets Salt and Light page 13
ANDREW WALKER
Abundant Springs 2015: in Pursuit Because of Christ page 26
The Color in action at Abundant Springs 2015
$2.00
Editorials
Pentecost, CPC, and EMC
T
hough its Sunday is past (May 24), Pentecost continues because the gift of the Holy Spirit is essential within the Christian Church (Luke 11:13). Look at what Romans 8 says: the Holy Spirit adopts us (v. 15), indwells believers (v. 9), assists our desires (vv. 5-9), intercedes when words fail (vv. 2627), assures that we are believers and heirs (vv. 16-17), and will raise our bodies (v. 11). Do any of these gifts of the Spirit interest you? The Bible college most influential in my pastoral training is Central Pentecostal College (now Horizon College and Seminary) in Saskatoon. I spent two years there, twice as long as at SBC or MBBC. Three themes during my time at CPC from 1977 to 1979 were Scripture, Spirit, and church planting. In their commitment to Scripture, professors there set a fine
standard. CPC provided rich teaching about the Spirit and likely had a moderating influence on some congregations. The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, its overseeing denomination, was highly concerned about church planting and missions. Did you know that the Pentecostal World Fellowship has a membership of 600 million? May it double in size! Mennonite World Conference has less than two million—much more than doubling is needed. All Christians are charismatics even if we do not view the doctrine of “initial physical evidence” or the “baptism of the Spirit” in the same way. Since all of the spiritual gifts at Corinth are available till our Lord returns (1 Cor. 1:7), how well do our EMC churches use these gifts? That’s a question not only for Corinth. – Terry M. Smith
All Christians are charismatics, but how well do our local EMC churches use all of the Spirit’s gifts? That’s a question not only for Corinth.
••
Is a new Western Gospel Mission era possible?
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sn’t it wonderful to hear of new churches being planted? Some are by the EMC; others are by other parts of the Church. The churches in Canada have many needs: some established churches require a fresh vision, some need rejuvenating and growth, others require a turn-around strategy, and many need to plant other churches. Parts of the Christian Church in Canada require revival and wider Canadian society can do with an awakening. Viewed objectively, the EMC needs to increase its church planting. While its gains might seem considerable to some of us, they are modest compared with histories of some other evangelical denominations in Canada. We must choose to be discontent with the scope of our EMC church planting! Will the EMC recapture the vision and passion of the Western Gospel Mission era (1946-1961)? Rev. Dave K.
2 The Messenger • June 2015
Schellenberg, the field man for the WGM and the founding editor of this magazine, wondered that in my presence. I think he wanted it to happen. The WGM era was a time when workers and churches responded to the need for more congregations in Western and Central Canada outside of the EMC’s traditional cultural circles. It was a time of commitment, sacrifice, and church growth. Consider the irony of the context: a pacifist German conference began to reach out to non-Germans in 1946 shortly after World War Two ended! Yet in an inconvenient time the gospel advanced. Consider the wealth of most EMCers now compared to the 1940s, the wider acceptance of education and training, the size of some congregations, our numerical growth, the Church Planting Task Force, our increased cultural diversity, and more. Could a Western Gospel Mission era happen again? – Terry M. Smith
Table of Contents Features
Columns
6
5
Never Under-Estimate the Power of the Gospel! – Elaine Bevan
A Readers Viewpoint Fight for joy! – Dr. David Johson
10 Mutuality: a Journey as People of Faith
16 Further in and Higher Up
13 Humpty Dumpty Meets Salt and Light
25 An Education App
– Irma Janzen
– Ray Hill
Departments 2
Editorials
3
Pontius’ Puddle
4
Letters and Notices
17 With Our Missionaries 22 With Our Churches 26 National News 30 News 31 In Memory
Weeping Willows and Sighing Birch – Layton Friesen The paradoxes of teaching – Terry M. Smith
32 At The Movies
page
17
– Dr. Al Hiebert
34 Here and Far Away
Because of Who He is – Jocelyn R. Plett
35 Stewardship Today
A severe case of "generosi-phobia' – Arnie Friesen
page
24
36 Kids’ Corner
Reading feeds your brain – Loreena Thiessen
32 Shoulder Tapping
page page
34
28
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 3
The Messenger Volume 53 No. 6 June 2015
Letters and Notices
EMC Video Resource Library to close by summer Use has dwindled, EMC materials retained
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. 09 September 2015 issue (copy due July 08)
4 The Messenger • June 2015
STEINBACH, Man.—Times change. Resources are found on the Internet. It’s cheaper to buy a DVD than to rent one and pay for shipping both ways. There is little demand. Office space is used and administrative efforts take time. For these reasons, the Board of Church Ministries (BCM) decided on May 28 to close the national office EMC Video Resource Library, with materials to be dispersed this summer. For many years the BCM has provided a resource library to assist churches in various ways. Throughout changes in the EMC and in technology, it responded to needs. But now the library’s use has dwindled to perhaps once a month from outside of Region Eight and only slightly more within it. The library’s resource materials have been paid for by the donations of EMCers through the national/ international budget or, in some cases,
Births MUEHLING — to Tim and Arlene, of Winnipeg, a son, Oliver James, born April 26, 2015.
Guidelines for letters
Letters published are generally to comment on issues raised in The Messenger. The magazine reserves the right to edit letters for length, style, legality, and taste. It can refuse publication. Letters by regular mail and by fax must contain a handwritten signature with at least the writer’s first and last names and an address.
by direct donations of DVD materials. In light of this, the materials will be dispersed free to interested churches. Each church can take up to, say, five items. The BCM is grateful for the giving of EMCers that allowed the library to develop over the years to assist us together, and now it is grateful for understanding as a decision was made. The BCM, through the national office, will continue to store and provide some materials of Evangelical Anabaptist concern, particularly EMC-specific resources. –Terry M. Smith Executive Secretary Board of Church Ministries
For letters by e-mail, the writer’s name and e-mail address are deemed to be an electronic signature. The writer’s regular postal address is to be included in e-mail correspondence. The writer’s name and general address are to be published. In sensitive matters, names may be withheld. Letters to the editor are to be 250 words or less.
Column • A Reader's Viewpoint
Fight for joy!
PTS
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by Dr. David Johnson
DESIGNPICS
ecently I read Psalm 4 in my personal time of daily prayer. One line in particular struck me. Verse 6 says, “Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord.” It reminds me of a song by Craig and Dean Philips that I often sing on the way to campus. I sing (to the Lord, only when I am alone!): “Lord, let your light, light of your face, shine on us. That we may be saved. That we may have life. To find our way in the darkest night. Let your light shine on us.” Light is a common metaphor in the Bible. In Psalm 4:6 I think it has two meanings. First, the prayer is for guidance—guidance in the darkest night and toward salvation. The salvation here is from that which troubles us most deeply. Often what troubles us is our sense of the unknown, or of lost direction. Sometimes it is relational troubles or spiritual troubles. Sometimes our trouble is physical or emotional. So when I pray for God’s light for Providence I am praying for our salvation from what troubles us most. The second meaning of light in this passage is joy (see verse 7). This is also my prayer for Providence just about every day. I pray that we would experience joy in our work and in our lives. There are lots of things that work against our joy, things like illness, uncertainty, minimal
resources, less than amicable relationships or pressure to “produce.” We sometimes think that joy should come to us naturally because we are Christians. But because of the things that work against joy it becomes necessary for us to fight for joy. Fighting for joy is a matter of recognizing the enemies of joy and renouncing them—we refuse to let our lack of resources, or health, or certainty, or positive relationships get us down. God is bigger than all these enemies and He will prepare a table for us before them and anoint our heads with the oil of gladness (Psalm 23). Fighting for joy is also a matter of “working out” spiritually—reading and memorizing Holy Scripture, singing, worshipping with God’s people, praying and contemplating our Creator and Saviour. So I encourage you, don’t give in to despair. Fight for joy! It does not come easily. Joy is part of the light we bear in the world. Christian joy is one of the weapons in God’s arsenal for expanding the kingdom in a world desperately in need of more than happiness. A world in need of lasting joy.
So I encourage you, don’t give in to despair. Fight for joy! It does not come easily.
This article first appeared on Providence's website.
Dr. David Johnson is the president of Providence University College and Theological Seminary in Otterburne, Man. He is an ordained Evangelical Free Church minister.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 5
Never Under-Estimate the Power of the Gospel!
PHOTOS: ELAINE BEVAN
With cousins at Christmas 1959, shortly before Creighton and NFC: (centre) Connie, Elaine, (bottom) Rodney, Charles
6 The Messenger • June 2015
by Elaine Bevan
I
happened to see some information about Northern Fellowship Chapel on the Internet and read it with great interest. As soon as I hear “Northern Fellowship Chapel,” childhood memories come flooding back and I am reminded once again of the goodness and mercy of God. My family had moved to Creighton, Sask., just before missionaries from “down South” came to start a church plant. They were going door to door Elaine and Connie with Elaine's daughters Ruthie and Lili-Kayy looking for children to come to Sunday School. My sister and I were Bible to memorize until I was told that I could two of those first children. go to Bible camp free of charge as a prize. We almost didn’t get to go because our Dad Bible camp was a highlight in my life. I was was afraid we would become “fanatics,” but our ten years old when the missionaries came in Mom put her foot down. “It 1960. It was not a happy year would be good for our girls,” for me. We had just moved she said, “to learn about to the big town of Creighton God.” Our two younger and began attending a big brothers didn’t have to go if school. I had loved living in they didn’t want to, but both the bush and had a hard time later shared that there were to adjust. I would just put my times that they did go. head down on my desk and Ours was not always a cry and the teacher didn’t happy home. Our parents know what to do with me. had a difficult marriage and My sister, on the other hand, it left scars on us as children, especially when, was excited and had friends right away. later in B.C., they split up and we were left on our own. My sister and I were teens when we Workers and Friends left home and our younger brothers fended for When I heard that God loved me, it was good themselves. Our Mom was never the same. But news. I remember hearing Pastor Arnold Wiebe that’s not what I really meant to tell you about. preaching about Jesus, and how good it felt. And I remember his care and his love for us. We A Silver Lining knew he loved us. There was a silver lining: the Word of God was And I found a new friend, Valerie Rempel, taught to us by missionaries who were set on whose parents attended Northern Fellowship fire and they taught us well. The Word of God Chapel. She and I were best friends, insepawent down deep in my heart and mind and it rable until my family moved to B.C. in 1965. never left me. We liked the same things—hiking in the bush, I remember being puzzled at how I could so art, and music. easily learn the Scriptures as compared to my I later learned that Valerie’s mother was schoolwork. I was given whole chapters of the worried that I would be a bad influence on her,
When I heard that God loved me, it was good news. I remember hearing Pastor Arnold Wiebe preaching about Jesus, and how good it felt.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 7
miraculous ways. Even when I made some big mistakes, God never left me. He would pick me up and tell me how much He loved me. When I was unmarried, I had a daughter whom I kept. God led me to a Christian husband, who had a son from a previous relationship. We had a daughter together. In the churches we attended, we led worship together, and together led Bible Elaine teaches in Swaziland. studies, did marriage as she was supposed to be learning to be a lady, counselling, taught Sunday School, and somenot tramping in the bush. But Valerie’s Dad times teaching and preaching. liked me, and so I was often at their house. Sometimes Valerie, my sister and I would Children’s Work sing a “special” together. We also had a friend Children’s work was always on my heart and named Robin Smith. And we all adored Milton still is. Last year I was a children’s leader in BSF Reimer, who drove a big car and maybe speedInternational, have been a tutor, and work as ed a bit. We were always picked up by missiona face painter with my daughter, a children’s aries and dropped off at home, and our parents entertainer. never worried when we were with them. They Both of our daughters married Christian took us to Sunday School, church, VBS, Young men and are raising Christian families. Our oldPeople’s, Bible camp, and on outings at the lake er daughter met her husband in Bible College where we sang around the campfire. and they married as soon as they graduated. He is a full-time youth pastor and they have two A God Who Remembers daughters. After our family fell apart, there was sadness in Our younger daughter married the son of our lives, but God never forgot us. Before she a born again Anglican minister who lost his died, I was assured that I would see my Mom church building and their home over his stand again in Heaven. Years later my Dad, while against homosexuality. He is, however, a man dying, called me to his bedside, asking me to full of joy, and he and wife Janice are enjoying pray for and with him. I stayed by his side until their grandson and awaiting a granddaughter. angels came to carry him into God’s presence. My husband’s son has his struggles, but he has God intervened in both of my brother’s lives in made a commitment to Christ. The story could go on. My husband was led to Christ through Mennonite people in B.C., and God has touched the lives of his mother and his sisters.
Even when I made some big mistakes, God never left me. He would pick me up and tell me how much He loved me.
8 The Messenger • June 2015
People With Influence
I realized that I hadn’t mentioned Mel and Mary Koop, or Dan and Norma Koop, who were the
So many memories come flooding back and not all at the same time. I can honestly say that they are the happiest memories of my childhood. pastors after Arnold Wiebe. So many memories come flooding back and not all at the same time. I can honestly say that they are the happiest memories of my childhood. I remembered how my parents had told me, after we moved to B.C., that Valerie’s parents had come to them, asking if they could keep me as part of their family. When Valerie Rempel’s father, Henry, died, I wrote to her and told her that the first thing that came to my memory was of her Dad playing his guitar at home and singing songs like, “I’ve Got a Mansion Over the Hilltop.” As a child, what impressed me was how much he loved Jesus, and now he is with Him. What impressed me about Mel and Mary Koop was their marriage, as much as I could see of it as a child, and Mel’s enthusiasm, hard work, fiery preaching, and zeal. He did everything with all his heart, nothing halfway, and his wife Mary was sweet and gentle. With her beautiful long dark hair, I think I had envisioned how the Mary who was Jesus’ mother would have been.
Jason, Lili-Kayy, Ruthie, John and Elaine
When Dan and Norma Koop came to pastor, I remember how they seemed to fight back tears at our parting when we moved to B.C. They had a special service to say good-bye to us and I still remember the message that was given. It was about the rivers that run through the mountains being like the river of God in our lives, flowing from us and bringing life wherever it goes.
Never Under-Estimate the Gospel!
Years later, I worked in Sunday Schools for many years, always teaching the same true, living, lifechanging Bible stories and the same songs and choruses that had been taught to me, knowing that there was some child there whose life was being changed, even though I couldn’t see it, and that many, many lives would also be changed because of it. We are thankful to those missionaries who cared enough to tell us the Good News of the Gospel of Christ. Never underestimate the power of the Gospel, the Word of God, in the life of a child. God will do the rest, no matter what comes into the life of that child; and many more people’s lives will be touched and changed because of it. I hope this will be an encouragement to EMC missionaries who often don’t see the ongoing fruits of their labours.
Elaine Bevan was part of Northern Fellowship Chapel, in Creighton, Sask., from 1960 to 1965. She lives with her husband John in Surrey, B.C.
Elaine and John Bevan
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 9
Mutuality: a Journey as People of Faith
UN PHOTO/ESKINDER DEBEBE.
by Irma Janzen, associate pastor someone who does not belong to, is accepted in, or feel part of a particular group or society. Around the same time I talked to a woman who said that sometimes she felt like an alien when her family mostly talked about things she knew nothing about. That reminded me of another woman who had lived in Canada for about 25 years but was unfamiliar with words like bib, jolly jumper and rattle. When she talked with young parents she felt left out. Chief Ovide Mercredi of the Assembly of First Nations speaking at a ceremony How long does it take held in General Assembly Hall marking the start of the International Year of the World's Indigenous People on Dec. 10, 1992. an immigrant to feel truly at home in Canada? They hen he first began studies at the perhaps have been here so long, have a job and a University of Manitoba in 1970, nice house, and are part of our church, but there Ovide Mercredi says he felt like may be times when they feel as if they don’t an alien. Since then we have heard of him as a belong. National Chief for the Assembly of First Nations I had also been reading in Deuteronomy, and as a spokesperson for aboriginal peoples. Joshua, and Judges and noted how often the Today he is a well-known and well-respected writers used the word alien. Canadian. In 2013 he received the Distinguished We know the story of Caleb, one of the spies Alumni Award at the university—where he was Moses sent to check out the land of Canaan. quoted in On Manitoba, its journal. He was a man of faith and a leader. When most Why would this man have of the spies were afraid, he said felt like an alien when he got to Israel could conquer Canaan. He university? was also a foreigner, a Kenizzite. Mercredi grew up in Grand There was something going on Rapids, Man., which was inachere—a foreigner accepted and a cessible by road when he was a spiritual leader. child. Now he was in a big university so foreign from what he had experienced Mutuality and he felt as if he was an alien. This led me to thinking about mutuality. There was something here that was reciprocal. Aliens I thought of Rahab, whom we know as a I was intrigued by the word alien in the article. prostitute. She helped the spies escape and later, We often associate alien with someone from when Jericho was destroyed, she and her family outer space, but the dictionary also says it is were saved. Reciprocal, mutual.
W
How long does it take an immigrant to feel truly at home in Canada?
10 The Messenger • June 2015
FORT GARRY EMC
Fort Garry EMC has many international neighbours. Len Harms serves as a chaplain at the University of Manitoba.
And I wondered what exactly is mutuality? For a start it is not us and them, you and me. It is us and we. Then I began to look for references to mutuality in Scripture. I found six: “For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Rom. 1:9-13). “Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual edification” (Rom. 14:19). “Have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22). “And godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love” (2 Peter 1:5-7). “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” (Heb. 13:1-2). “Love one another with mutual affection… extend hospitality to strangers” (Rom. 12:9-13). All these verses pertain to being encouraged, to loving, to affection, and to upbuilding one another in love. It is also interesting that they these last two passages both speak of hospitality to stranger. Where does this take us at the practical level? When we think of mutual friendships, mutual relationships at work, school or play what do we think? We think something that goes both ways.
Where does this take us at the practical level? When we think of mutual friendships, mutual relationships at work, school or play what do we think?
My basketball team accepts me as a member and I accept them. My teacher accepts me as a student and I accept the teacher in return. My partner accepts me as a partner and I do the same. My friend accepts me as a friend and I do likewise.
Sharing
In those kinds of relationships there is a level of mutuality. However, there is another level of mutuality that may or may not happen in the above examples. It happens when a person shares experiences, thoughts, and feelings with another. When a person shares those, the listener feels trusted and honoured. When they share with that person, that person feels honoured and trusted and there is a mutual gift at a deeper level. This is different from one person only hearing another’s story or telling only their story. Humankind longs for deep mutual relationships. Humankind was not created to live in isolation. We were created for community, for mutual relationships. Our faith community in Fort Garry EMC has thousands of international people within a one kilometer-radius of our church. There are students, scholars, post-doctoral students, and immigrants with us and around us. Many may be feeling as Mercredi did at university. Many might still be feeling like foreigners years later— maybe Canada will never really feel like home. Other communities have different demographics, but there are probably people who feel like foreigners and are looking for people who want to develop long term, deep relationships. As a church we not only have the opportunity
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 11
DESIGNPICS
Could it be that all journey together with others in our neighbourhood in ways that help us grow as people and people of faith?
to welcome people and be friends, but to share our faith in Jesus Christ. We need to recognize what people give to us. For me, that would include delicious dumplings, spring rolls, green tea, and beautiful scarves, but there is much more. Here are comments from people when they have developed friendships with people from other countries: • “I gain new insights from the Bible because people for whom the Bible is new see things we have never seen before.” • “ Sometimes it is easier to talk about faith issues with international friends because they are eager to learn about God and about the Christian faith.” • “When people trust me and tell me about significant personal, relational or faith issues and ask me to pray for them I feel honoured.” • “Getting to know other cultures and has broadened my world view. Sometimes I see where our culture does not have it all together and that perhaps other cultures have a better way then we have.”
How They Develop
This leads me to ask how do we develop mutual friendships? Think of people who are close to us.
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Why are they close? We have gotten to know each other, asked questions, been asked questions, spent time together, done things together, listened to each other, laughed together, cried together, built history, shared experiences. That’s how it happens within our own culture, and cross-culturally. Have there been times we were disappointed? Yes. We had spent time developing what we thought would be a lasting mutual friendship to have it crash and we were hurt. Was even that worthwhile? We sometimes say we learned from it. Sometimes we are not sure. Could it be that all journey together with others in our neighbourhood in ways that help us grow as people and people of faith? Could these friendships could help to keep our faith alive and exciting? Could this bring glory to God? The answer is a wholehearted Yes! Irma Janzen is an associate pastor at Fort Garry EMC, located near the U. of M. campus. The article is adapted from a sermon she presented.
Humpty Dumpty Meets Salt and Light by Ray Hill, assistant pastor
Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
ISTOCK
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xfam recently reported that 1% of the wealthiest people in the world own 48% of its wealth and that their wealth is steadily increasing. By 2016, that 1% will own more than half of the world’s wealth. There is something seriously wrong with the world we live in and all the king’s horses and all the king’s men can’t put it back together again. We live in what we naively call a free economy. Yet only those with political or economic clout benefit. How is it freeing to the rest? We are poisoning our own planet through our greed. Someone said that it is a good system as long as you leave people out of it! The Kingdom of God is built on justice, right living and mercy, standing in opposition to all the oppressive systems of this age. The Bible calls those old unquestioned political and economic certainties what they are, shifting sand (Matt. 7:24-27).
We are prone to treat the Word of God like a software license, scrolling to the bottom to click “I agree.” God will not be mocked. His Word is alive, powerful, and sharp as a razor (Heb. 4:12-13) and will separate what is righteous from the unrighteous. The division is not based on our mouthed theologies, but our regard for the poor and marginalized and disenfranchised as stated by Jesus: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me’” (Matt. 25:34-36). The rest of the story in the Gospels is a matter of record. Jesus criticized the political and religious leaders of his day on economic grounds: they neglected justice (Matt. 23:23), devoured widow’s houses (Mark 12:40), took advantage of the poor, used scripture to justify their lack of care for parents (Matt. 7:11), and disregarded the Jubilee (Luke 4:17-19). We need to uphold our basic Christian beliefs, doing so in the very act of hearing how the words of Jesus relate to how we treat our neighbour. The challenge to the Church is about issues of justice, mercy, and right living (Micah 6:8). If our neighbours do not see those beliefs being lived, then our witness is feeble indeed. www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 13
What’s the Holdup?
Last summer was the 70th anniversary of D-Day—June 6, 1944. The Allies invaded the beaches of Normandy with terrible carnage on both sides. It took almost a year before the Nazis were finally defeated. But once the beachhead was established the outcome was certain. Two thousand years ago, Jesus of Nazareth defeated the enemy and ushered in the Kingdom of God. So where is it? What’s the holdup?
In the first 300 years after Christ, the Church went from persecuted to accepted. What caused the radical turn around?
God is Patient and Thorough
Let’s look back to the time of Moses and the Ten Plagues. Pharaoh’s magicians were able duplicate the first three miraculous signs so Pharaoh hardened his heart. After the fourth plague the magicians said, “We can’t do this. It is surely from God.” This time, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so he would not let the people go. Why? God simply would not let him off the hook. He said, “Your gods are frauds—powerless and false. I will display it to you.” One after the other God patiently checked them off the list from the bloody defeat of the Nile god to the outranking of Osiris, the god of death. The Lord said, “I alone am God! Do not go after emptiness.” The last that Israel saw of Egypt was the bodies of its once mighty army being washed up on the shore—an indelible memory of God’s saving power and sovereignty. We live in tension between grief for what is and longing for what will be. In the meantime, our goal is to subvert and convert the enemy into allies. But God’s long-term plan is to destroy every idol, everything that we look to for our own security.
Salt and Light
In the first 300 years after Christ, the Church went from persecuted to accepted. What caused the radical turn around? The answer is that during plagues terrified families often threw their sick loved ones out on the street. Their compassionate Christian neighbours, whom they persecuted, cared for them and gave them food and water, often becoming sick themselves. The Church did not hide itself from the world, nor did it flee persecution. The
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Christians were salt and they were light for their time. They changed the world. As the Church we need to determine where salt and light are needed today and what form that salt and light will take. I am going to briefly look at two needs, but I am not going to give the complete answers. As a Church, we need to get together, talk about it seriously, decide, and then do it.
Two Needs of Many in Society
Anxiety is a badge of our generation. We are the society of abundance, but there is never enough: security or income or purity or our kind of people. We have all felt it. What sort of salt and light is needed? Let’s explore two rock solid biblical ways to address the problem: First, the Sabbath is not about religious observance—don’t do this; you must do that— it is about our personal health and the health of our community. The Sabbath as practiced 50 years ago doesn’t seem to work today. We need to use our imagination to find ways to take time off from our lives of driven acquisition and consumption. Second, trust. “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all” (see Matt. 6: 31-32). Sabbath is about taking our focus off
How can the church be salt and light and model God’s Word in community?
they are coming from), kindness (treat them well), humility (consider others equal to or better than you), meekness (don’t push your own way), and patience (let God work in them), bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Col. 3:12-14, my additions). These instructions were not optional. They were necessary. If the Church was to stay together, and they did, they had to follow these rules.
A Challenge
consumption; Matthew 6 is about a shift in focus not on what we need, but onto our Father who gives us what we need. Alienation is a second great badge of our culture. The culture that has instant access to others through electronic communication and social media is scarred by loneliness and rejection. How can the church be salt and light and model God’s Word in community?
Outsiders Became Insiders
“Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all” (Col. 3: 11, emphasis added). The “Jew” considered others (uncircumcised) unclean and the “Greek” did not have time for other inferior cultures. “Barbarians” were crude and “Scythians” were nomadic enemies rumoured to eat their children. Yet all these people met in intimate small groups and accepted each other as equals. You might come to an evening meal and be sitting beside one of “those people.” How did they do it? “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion (consider where
I have a simple commission to the Church: Go and be salt and light to your neighbours, working together as a body and individually in the community, transforming the Church and the community around us one step at a time with imagination. Ray Hill is the assistant pastor at MacGregor EMC.
Go and be salt and light to your neighbours, working together as a body and individually in the community, transforming the Church and the community around us one step at a time with imagination.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 15
Column • Further in and Higher Up
Weeping Willows and Sighing Birch
by Layton Friesen
Why does creation moan so? Because in creating, God gave it hope, but no rest until sin was dealt with.
16 The Messenger • June 2015
DESIGNPICS
M
any sermons on prayer begin by saying that it’s hard. They should also end by saying prayer is hard. Many of us wish we could pay money for a technique that would deliver us from the sweat of praying. Some of us do. I now begin a string of articles that will show why prayer is hard and how it is only by grace that we pray at all. Romans 8 is a skyscraper from where you can see the whole world as it is enfolded in Scripture. Perched up here we hear creation groaning and sighing from the parks and yards of the neighbourhoods below. Scripture is registering the muffled exasperation of geese that fly to and fro every year—they never seem to get anywhere. Of trees that burst into hopeful bloom each April only to shrivel into icy nakedness in October— they never get anywhere. Of skunks that creep from their burrows in spring, but head for cover again in autumn and maybe die in winter. Creation is a weakening woman gasping for breath as labour goes on into futility. Why does creation moan so? Because in creating, God gave it hope, but no rest until sin was dealt with. Creation plods ahead saying, maybe next year. But “not only creation, but we ourselves groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies” (verse 23). We groan the moans of creation. We, God’s image, stand in creation and lift our voices to God. With feet in the soil and hands stretched towards our heavenly Father, we give words, phrases and sentences to creation’s wordless sighs. “Creation waits with eager longer for the revealing of the children of God” in hope that the creation itself will “obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (verses 19-21). Prayer gives voice to creation’s wordless thoughtless desires. But we do not know how to pray as we ought. In fact as Romans 1 says, in our sinfulness we pray to “birds or four-footed animals or reptiles” (verse 23) rather than on their behalf. C.S. Lewis says in A Footnote to all Prayers that all prayer is like a badly shot arrow aimed at the idols of our mind rather than to
the living God. But to not pray is to be unhuman. Adam and Eve were made to be priests who lift creation’s cry to God. This does not mean that we should pray for dolphins and petunias. It does mean, I suggest, that when you pray for grandma’s salvation, you are by that giving voice to the sighs of the birch. Where is the God who created us? Are we remembered? Creation has a stake in grandma’s redemption. When she turns to God and finds her rest in glory, the hope of all creation is stoked again to rise and reach again for its Beloved. Prayer is the human voice of creation’s futility taken up in stammering, distracted, sleepy, praying. Perhaps the amazing thing is not that prayer is hard, but that we can’t seem to stop praying in spite of its frustrations. Humans will pray, however badly—we are by nature the praying ones. “As a deer longs for flowing streams so my soul longs for you, O God” (Ps. 42:1). Columnist’s note: The series will continue with these topics: A Chair Speaking to Love on a Cursed Planet God Talking to Himself God has a Vocabulary of One Word Who Could be Closer to Me than Me? Bleeding the Psalms
With Our Missionaries
A heart’s cry: for more workers in First Nations communities CANADA
VAN ENNS
If Arlyn and Annette van Enns of Fort Chipewyan, Alberta, have a heart’s cry related to their ministry, it is that more evangelical Christians would be willing to serve in Canada’s north in First Nations communities. Arlyn has been involved in ministry with First Nations people for more than 30 years, first in Fort Vermillion, Alta., and then at Fort Chipewyan. Annette became involved about 20 years ago. Through their local work and wider field involvement with Northern Canada Evangelical Mission (NCEM), Arlyn and Annette are aware of many communities in need. In some communities there is perhaps an Anglican or a Roman Catholic presence, but these major denominations are, too, short of workers and services can be sporadic. Beyond that, Arlyn and Annette’s passion is for people to follow Christ in life with a rich understanding of grace as held in Scripture and taught by evangelicals. The EMC has many members who are First Nations people or who are involved in ministry with them. Fred Evans, with his wife Charlotte, serves as an evangelist out of Swan River, Man. Fred and Stella Neff serve with Mid-Way Christian Leadership in Grand Rapids, Man., while Kyla Plett serves as a youth worker in three northern Manitoba communities with Mid-Way. Albert Martens, with Athletes in Action, holds sports camps in northern Manitoba and Ontario. And it isn’t only in the north that ministry occurs. Walter and Helen Hamm hold services at Pine Dock and
Annette van Enns
Arlyn van Enns
Matheson Island. Stan and Norma Millar serve on the Dakota reserve of Sioux Valley, while Portage Evangelical Church has a ministry on Dakota Tipi. Elvira Cote serves in inner city Winnipeg while her daughter Michelle and son-in-law Eric Sinclair serve with Tribal Trails (NCEM) in Prince Albert, Sask. Venus Cote serves with NCEM in reserve ministry in New Brunswick. Inner City Youth Alive, in Winnipeg, Man., has a powerful presence. When it comes to Bible camp or VBS ministry, Region Three churches have a ministry at Steeprock Bay, Man.; Blumenort EMC ministers at White Dog, Ont.; churches in Region One assist Eagle’s Nest near High Level, Alta.; and the list goes on. In 2003 the EMC Social Concerns Committee (SCC) led a panel discussion on First Nations and Church relations at conference council. To guide congregations, in 2012 the SCC produced a booklet Becoming Neighbours: Three Conversations on Bridges Between Aboriginals and EMC Churches (free download from the EMC website). The discussion and the booklet remind EMCers that effective ministry today cannot overlook a painful past. Ministry by EMCers with First Nations peoples began in the 1940s. Since that time both the EMC and First Nations have changed much. Church history and current relationships are complicated and so is the way ahead. Meanwhile, Arlyn and Annette van Enns and other EMCers continue in their ministries—and more communities await needed workers. – Terry M. Smith
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 17
With Our Missionaries
A move back to Lapilo PAPUA NEW GUINEA
BOM
We finished teaching through Romans with the Pukapuki believers on March 10. We are encouraged with how the truths of God’s Word have influenced the lives of His children. There are so many other stories we could tell of this group of believers in Pukapuki. We’ll leave them for another time. We would really appreciate your prayer for the 30 or so that are a part of the Pukapuki Bible Church. There are so many cultural pressures that could defeat them. Pray that they would continue to hold on to the fact they no longer need to be ruled by the old nature and cultural pressures that are contrary to the Word of God. They have a new life, a new name, a new nature, and are forever in God’s family. We very much enjoyed the Sepik conference in Wewak. It was a time to renew old friendships and get to know the new folks that have come. There was great fellowship and teaching to refresh our spirits. On March 30 we moved up to Lapilo, the main base of New Tribes in Papua New Guinea (PNG). It’s where Joanna has been in boarding school for the past couple of years. There are new challenges as we both take up ministries
Laurel, Tim, and Joanna Schroder
that are a big change from the work in Pukapuki. Laurel is enjoying her new role as Elementary librarian. I’m back in the finance office where I was about six years ago. There are some different roles that are taking some time to learn. One of the big challenges is that three of the men I’m currently working with will be leaving PNG in May and June. That will leave a big gap. Lord willing, another person will be coming back in July to help with the different responsibilities. We have a whole different set of challenges before us, but we know the Lord is more than sufficient to see His work accomplished. We are enjoying being together with Joanna again as a family. It’s a big change for her moving out of the dorm into a little quieter home environment. Thanks so much for your prayers, thoughts, and support. We appreciate all of you. “And with all his abundant wealth through Christ Jesus, my God will supply all your needs. To our God and Father be the glory forever and ever! Amen” (Phil. 4:19-20 TEV). God is Good (all the time). – Tim Schroder Tim and Laurel Schroder (Pelly) serve with New Tribes Mission.
18 The Messenger • June 2015
With Our Missionaries
Assisting missionary aviation worldwide WASHINGTON
BOM
Since moving to Spokane, Washington, to work at Moody Aviation last November, we’ve enjoyed the opportunity to catch glimpses of what is happening in mission aviation all over the world. Because Moody Aviation trains many of the mission aviators worldwide and has an advisory board with members from many mission organizations, we have opportunity to interact with people from a broad spectrum of mission aviation backgrounds and to invest in future mission aviators as they train and prepare for life overseas where they will serve in many different ways in different places. One of our passions is to see the Body of Christ working together across natural and cultural barriers, seeing the Kingdom of God grow as the gospel is preached to people all over the world and disciples are made. We see this happening here and it is truly amazing. There are interesting intersections among students who come from a wide variety of backgrounds: a missionary kid from Nepal, farm kids from Iowa, a Swiss-Argentinian student who was raised in Brazil, missionary kids from Papua New Guinea. The list goes on, highlighting the diversity and uniqueness of students who train at Moody Aviation and their common goal: to share the Gospel in a world that needs it acutely. We also see diversity in the places and ways Moody Aviation graduates serve. One family is heading to Alaska
Kevin, Kaleb, Cynthia and Garry Barkman
Alex Ritter works on an airplane.
next year to serve on a remote island that is only accessible by airplane for part of the year. South America Mission is the organization of choice for another family. Another couple is heading to New Tribes training in Missouri and planning to serve overseas, serving those who minister in remote areas. Another couple is hoping to join a relatively new initiative, training general aviation students in a politically inaccessible country as a means to share the Gospel. In all of these places, students will have opportunity to live faith and truth while providing quality technical expertise that is vital to the spread of the Gospel. I am thankful for how God has given us, as EMCers from Manitoba, unique experiences in the mission aviation world to learn and grow, experiences that are valuable as we seek to invest in the next generation of missionary pilots and mechanics. I believe God loves diversity and is pleased to see us working together to share His good news and grow together in knowing, loving, and serving Him. Thanks for being part of this journey with us as we share and experience the diversity of gifts and needs in the mission aviation community. – Cynthia Barkman Cynthia and Gary Barkman (Blumenort) serve with Moody Aviation in Spokane, Washington.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 19
With Our Missionaries
Like the Scouts: always “be prepared” MEXICO
BOM
One of the families in our cell group here in the city of Guadalajara gives leadership in the Scouts program. Over the past few years we have been invited to participate in some of their events and camp-outs, which we have seen as a wonderful way to work with and encourage this family to be a witness for Christ in this area of their lives. At the beginning of each year the Scouts do a kick-off ceremony where they invite someone to do a “spiritual talk” with the Scouts members (ages seven to 20) and their families. Because Scouts do not follow a specific faith or religion, they decided to invite a Christian pastor this year. So Dallas was invited to share a spiritual reflection with the kids and their parents. The event was held in the provincial forest, so we were surrounded by nature. The sun was going down as Dallas began to speak. He shared about how God created the nature around us, how God created us, and longs to be in relationship with us. If we will only look for God, we will find Him. Dallas encouraged and challenged those that were there to look for God this year and to open their hearts completely to Him. As he was sharing, it became dark, and one father walked across the circle to give Dallas his headlamp so he could see his Bible. There was a sense that those that were listening found the topic intriguing and wanted
RESPONDING REBUILDING RESTORING
To find out how you can help bring people home: call
1-866 866--261 261--1274 or go online
mds.mennonite.net
20 The Messenger • June 2015
Dallas and Tara with their sons Logan, Brady, Carter
to hear more. The rest of the event carried on as we sat around the campfire, listening to this group of kids and teens sing and laugh together. The spiritual reflection at the campout has led to interesting conversations with scouts and adults during the event and since. Questions have come, further contact has been made, and some people have expressed interest in studying the Bible. In each situation we want God to be a priority in people’s lives, for them to find the purpose in life only God provides. We want those who seek to find. We pray for this to happen. We believe that events afterward, where we “happen” to see people from the event, are more than mere coincidences. Pray for Dallas and I as we reach out to families and have further connection with the Scouts families through our cell group family. Scouts are taught to always “be prepared.” We, likewise, want always to “be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). Our prayer is to always do this with gentleness and respect in a way that will continue to open doors for the gospel to be shared. – Tara Wiebe Tara and Dallas Wiebe (Kleefeld) serve as part of the church planting team in the city of Guadalajara, state of Jalisco, Mexico.
With Our Missionaries
EMCers invited to advance Guadalajara ministry through Prayer Team 2015 Come pray for strongholds to be broken! GUADALAJARA, Mexico—EMC Missions invites you to come and discover the power of prayer and worship in a cross-cultural setting Nov. 6-16, 2015. Pray with our EMC missionaries and local believers as together we seek “Christ’s Kingdom coming to Guadalajara, Mexico, as God envisions it.”
BOM
“We feel strongly about the importance of prayer and of having people join us annually to pray for the church plant and Mexico. There is a sense that our Canadian constituency takes on a sense of identity and teamwork with us in this endeavour. We would like to encourage annual prayer teams to continue to come and join us in praying for Christ’s Kingdom coming to Guadalajara, Mexico, as God envisions it.” – Connie and John Reimer, EMC Missionaries in Guadalajara, Mexico
If your heart is beating for intercession and you are ready to explore new places and ways of praying, this is definitely something for you. Experience is not as important as a heart to learn and serve. And, yes, a healthy heart and good health is required as prayer walks at 5000 ft. elevation can be a bit tiring. You will spend time praying one-on-one for missionaries, national believers, and non-believers. Picture yourself entering into the presence of the Lord in prayer walks among strategic parts of the city, enjoying worship and fellowship together with your Mexican brothers and sisters. You will pray for strongholds to be broken and the gates of heaven to open, flooding the light and love of Christ into the hearts of the beautiful people of Mexico, all while enjoying the rich culture and beauty of God’s creation. Through worship, fellowship, and intercession, the prayer team will seek to soften the soil for the Gospel to go forward as God envisions. Join the prayer team on November 6-16, 2015. – Gerald D. Reimer EMC Missions Mobilizer
Guadalajara Prayer Team 2015
Advancing Ministry Through Prayer
Apply By: Friday, Oct. 2, 2015
November 6-16, 2015
Cost: $1400 (approx.)
Ministry Project: $100 of your trip fee goes towards a ministry project that will help further the efforts of the missionaries’ work. Accommodations: Billeting in missionary homes.
ISTOCK
Food: In missionary homes and local cuisine. Contact: Call the EMC office at 204-326-6401 or email Diana (dpeters@emconf.ca) or Gerald (greimer@emconf.ca) to request an application form.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 21
With Our Churches Northern Fellowship Chapel
Grateful for each other at NFC
JANICE IMRIE
CREIGHTON, Sask.—It is May 8 today and we have been watching the snow come down all day. Outside it is “winter wonderland” and only by looking at the calendar can we believe that it’s May. Oh well, unpredictable weather keeps us guessing, but it doesn’t do much for our moods. We continue to meet weekly at Northern Fellowship Chapel where Pastor Randall Krahn shares his practical and insightful sermons. Our old piano sits there all week, but it comes alive when Faith Krahn shows up. She is an amazing musician. Our community just put on the musical “Les Miserables” to three sold out performances. It is a story of injustice, love, and forgiveness. Faith Krahn, Jerry Hamm, Kristen Imrie, and Kevin Imrie participated in the production.
Know Your EMCer!
The leader in the sunglasses is Dwight Munn, senior pastor at Westpointe Community Church (Grande Prairie, Alta.). If you want to know about logging or fiddleheads, contact him. He and his wife Sherry have four grown children and many grandchildren. The “better looking one” than Dwight (his phrase) is Marci, his Russian/Polish/Arabian mare. David Kruse (MacGregor) knew the name of the pastor. – The Messenger
22 The Messenger • June 2015
Greeters Evelyn Mitchell and Mary Cone
Marg Cone now has a “helper” as she greets each and everyone who comes. Evelyn Mitchell loves to share her smile and “good morning” with Marg and others. Our puppets, Susie and Froggie (Kristen and Kevin), often visit on Sunday morning where they banter with each other and even sometimes try to guess what Randall might be speaking about. Our Kids Club wound up in March with a total of 39 on our roster. We had over 40 adults and children come to our closing program and hotdog supper. We have enjoyed guest speakers: Lorne Moorhead, Darrell Janzen (Simonhouse Bible Camp), and Freedom Outreach (Denare Beach). We are collecting non-perishable items for our local food bank and Freedom Outreach. We hosted the EMC Region Three ministerial in March. Our church congregation has so many helpers in its midst. There are muffin makers, snow shovelers, pew repairers, cleaners, window washers, prayer supporters, musicians, storytellers, writers, and the list goes on. We are thankful for our church and for each other. We are grateful to the EMC for support: general secretary Tim Dyck. conference pastor Ward Parkinson, and executive secretary Terry Smith. – Janice Imrie
With Our Churches Westpointe Community Church
14 go on mission to Mexico
WESTOPOINTE
GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alberta—A multigenerational group of 14 people from Westpointe Community Church set off on their way to Progreso, Mexico, on April 3 and arrived back on April 15. Pastor Jared Schroeder led the group, which partnered with an organization called C-Quest. As with all missions trips, the team members serving longed to make an impact and show Christ to whomever they came in contact with. As they reflected on their experiences they realized the big impact it was doing in their own hearts and lives as well. Some of the serving opportunities that they had there were camp ministry, picking tomatoes, picking rocks, serving food outside a hospital, helping at a seniors home, and helping in the conThe team that went to Mexico: Abigail Munn, Brennan Schlamp, Keisha Schlamp, Larissa struction of water wells. The two projects Fehr, Shane Wiebe, Jared Schroeder, Owen Brandt, Abe Lowen, Wyatt Wiley, Kiefer Lowen, that affected the team the most were the Richard Wiley, Susan Wiley, Rich Oostra and (not pictured) Bobby Wheeler. water wells and the seniors home. Not only did it affect them there, it pushed them to further action when they got home. One team member, Susan Wiley, has started raising money towards the purchase of food for the seniors home. Another member, Rich Oostra, saw the need for more water wells and is interested in building more in that area (richard.oostra@gmail.com). The team came in contact with so many people, they may never know how many lives they touched with Christ›s love. The food and water that will be supplied shortly after funds come in surely will be such a blessing to the people in Progreso. – Sarah Baker
Join with Christ in shaping our
WORLD
Evangelical Mennonite Conference Board of Missions 204-326-6401 info@emconf.ca www.emconference.ca
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 23
With Our Churches Prairie Rose EMC
Questions for a new ICYA worker Editor’s note: Amanda Reimer, part of Prairie Rose, serves at Inner City Youth Alive in Winnipeg’s North End. Here, slightly edited, are a few questions and her answers. How long have you been at ICYA? I actually just started with ICYA. My first day was at the beginning of April this year. What does your role consist of day-to-day?
What educational/experience background do you bring and how does it assist in your work? My past background at Salvation Army and CHVN Radio gave me the tools to better understand the non-profit world and ministry work. Working in the North End was a huge change for me though. I am a small town girl. It’s a new world that I am falling more in love with every day. Why were you interested in working at ICYA? When I worked for Salvation Army I would challenge myself to answer hard questions, and one of them was if I could create my own non-profit what would it be like. In a nutshell, Inner City Youth Alive is almost exactly what I would have wanted. Their passion for bringing Christ to the community and providing a safe place for youth and young adults is exactly the kind of place I want to spend my nine to five.
Free for Sunday School! Contact info@emconf. ca or 204-3266401.
24 The Messenger • June 2015
ICYA
I am the new Marketing and Events Coordinator and I look after the media, fundraising, and publication needs as well as our annual Fundraising Gala event in October. Basically I am a “creative chaos coordinator” and I love it.
Amanda Reimer with her husband Keith
What impresses you about the ministry you see happening at ICYA? This place has the innate ability to reach out to the people. It’s not an abrasive ministry. The community seems to embrace ICYA and it’s programs like Drop-In, Meals for Kids, and Gem Lake Wilderness Camp. In all honesty it’s incredible how they are doing and how far they have come in the nearly 30 years they have been around. What is a key ministry verse that helps you in your work with perspective or strength? “Fear not for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God” (Isaiah 41:10). – Amanda Reimer and Terry M. Smith
Column • An Education App
The paradoxes of teaching
T
by Terry M. Smith Executive Secretary
DESIGNPICS
o evaluate the teaching ministry of our congregations, there is a paradox: we need to step back to take a closer look. It is easy to overlook the many ways teaching that occurs, partly because we take them for granted or under-rate their cumulative effect. A local Christian congregation teaches its faith in many ways: parental example, family devotions, worship services (whether people come weekly, monthly, or yearly), Sunday School, Bible drills, catechism and Christian life classes, Alpha groups, Awana, youth group, hymn sings, Bible studies at home or at church, prayer meetings, men’s group, women’s group, weddings, funerals, baptism, communion, footwashing, Vacation Bible School, community barbeque, prayer breakfast, community clean-up, members at work, church camp, services in seniors’ lodges, short-term missions trips, missionaries, quilting bees. What else can you think of? The list will get longer. The official ways we teach matter. Equally so do the unofficial ways we teach. Parents of long ago were reminded to instruct their children by conversation and symbolic actions (Deut. 6:4-9). To dismiss these physical acts as legalism is to misunderstand what lies at their heart. How is to have a symbol on a hand or a forehead any different than for a teenager to wear a T-shirt with a slogan about Jesus? In the Middle Ages, how was the Christian faith taught? It came by worship services (the Mass), priestly instruction and catechism, sacraments, creeds, icons and statues, architecture (spires), bells, pilgrimages, morality plays, and much more. If in retrospect we have concerns about some of the teaching content, the Apostles’ Creed still mattered then and the Holy Spirit remained on duty. Educator John H. Westerhoff reminds us to examine the unofficial ways we teach that can undercut or conflict with what we say officially.
For instance, teens approached their church board about a justice issue, but their concerns were dismissed. At that moment, he says, church leaders taught more than they realized (Will Our Children Have Faith? Seabury, 1976). He says such unofficial, undercutting ways of teaching must be addressed. In my view, the two central methods of education within a local church are its intergenerational weekly worship service and the lifestyle of members (including parents). Because of that, a local church needs to periodically review its order of service. On what basis was the order decided upon? What orders of service were compared? What is used or discarded and why? How is Scripture used, how much, and why? How are the Lord’s Prayer and the Apostles’ Creed included? How does music complement or overshadow the human voice? What senses are used? What happens after the sermon? How are young people, children, and adults (young, middle-aged, seniors) involved? Consider also the lifestyle of members. If residents in your rural area, town, city, or suburb were asked to describe your congregation, what would they say? Their responses reveal that education is happening. It might be good or bad, informed or incomplete, intended or unintended. But that’s another paradox of teaching: we are teaching even when we think we aren’t.
The two central methods of education within a local church are an intergenerational weekly worship service and the lifestyle of the members (including parents).
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 25
ANDREW WALKER
National News
The Color kicks off a session with a short worship service.
Abundant Springs 2015: in Pursuit Because of Christ
A
by Andrew Walker bundant Springs had arrived once again. I had the opportunity this year to travel to the Caronport, Sask., with the group from Evangelical Fellowship Church in Steinbach, Man. As we groggily pulled ourselves onto the bus, I knew that this year’s event, held on May 15-18, would be an interesting one.
Sessions
The main speaker for the weekend was Gord Penner, professor of Old Testament at Steinbach Bible College. In keeping with the theme of Philippians 3:12-14 and pursuit, Gord focused his examples on running. There were four main sessions over the weekend: Identity, God’s Plan, Staying in Spiritual Shape, and The Finish Line.
The group from Steinbach EFC takes a lunch break on their journey.
26 The Messenger • June 2015
The first session was focused on knowing who we are in Christ. Penner used the story of David in 1 Sam. 16 as well as stories about his children. He emphasized knowing our strengths and reminding ourselves that we Gord Penner are children of God. The second session focused on God’s Plan. Gord reminded the crowd that Jer. 29:11 is proceeded by verse 10, reminding the Israelites that they have some hard times ahead. Not everything goes the way we want it to in life, but God has an overarching plan. In the third session Gord spoke about his preparations for running in the Manitoba Marathon, and he compared it to staying in shape spiritually. Penner went though the story of Elijah, the “fastest biblical runner.” Gord spoke about athletes performing mental imagery training where they focus their mind on the plays they will practice. He told us to do the same using the heroes of faith as examples for our own spiritual mental imagery training.
National News The second set workshops followed directly. I went to the Youth Leaders Only session: Talking to Youth About Same Sex Attraction, led by Raena Peters, the director of Journey Canada, previously known as Living Waters. Her ministry offers discipleship programs that deal with relationships and sexuality as well as helping those in crisis situations and people dealing with unwanted same sex attraction. Journey Canada also hosts Dallas Kornelson led a workshop on healthy sexuality. The fourth session was about finishing the seminars for pastors and youth on these topics. marathon. Gord spoke of losing a teammate a A resource used by Journey Canada is Homofew years ago when a fellow church member sexuality and the Christian: A Guide for Pastors, died before finishing the Manitoba Marathon. Parents, and Friends by Dr. Mark Yarhouse The race of life is not meant to be travelled (Bethany, 2010). alone; we must find people to take part together.
Workshops
During the time slot for workshops, I was sneaking in and out of classrooms while taking photos. Sadly this meant I did not catch all of Dr. Patrick Friesen’s session: Why Bother With Church? Dropping into my seat in the back like a student late for class, I caught the end of Friesen’s sharing on 1 Cor. 12:12, where he explained how the rite of communion “re-members” the church by bringing its varying peoples back together through this act. Patrick went on to highlight some of the heroes of the church. Many people listed were horribly flawed individuals, but we all fit into God’s vision for the church. We then met in small groups to share our dreams for the church.
Spectators watch a volleyball match.
An intense game of Take Five
One emphasis of the session was to view identity differently from that of the secular world. The secular view is that if a teen experiences same sex attraction, they are experiencing something at the core of their being; in order for them to self-actualize they must embrace and act on those attractions. Many then feel trapped and ashamed and abandon the faith. Raena then laid out a spectrum based on Yarhouse’s work. This spectrum allows for same sex attraction to be part of a person’s experience, but not their identity. This allows people to focus their identities not on their sexuality, but on their life in Christ should they choose it. Raena closed with examples of people who had oriented to live within a biblical identity. A question and answer period followed.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 27
National News Recreation and Entertainment
Each of the main sessions began with a short comedic video by The Sidetrack Bandits. This followed the misadventures of the Mystery Meadows, a folk band attempting to get to a gig at a fishing lodge in Saskatchewan. Though finding them funny at times, I failed to see how these videos connected with the weekend’s theme and they served more as a distraction than anything else. Worship was led by a group called The Color. They took part in each of the main sessions and
Soccer spectators
The final group of workshops took place on the following day. I was lured into the Healthy Questions about Healthy Sexuality by the promise of candy. Dallas Kornelson, who works for the Winnipeg Crisis Pregnancy Centre, attempted to combat the lies about sex that teens are told hundreds of times a day with the truths told in the Bible. He dealt with sexual identity briefly and a plethora of questions asked by the group. This is but a fraction of the nine workshops held over the weekend that covered various areas from ministry to freedom from addiction. Representatives were there from SBC, Teen Challenge, EMC churches, and EMC Missions.
The Color
had an hour-long concert on Saturday. They were well received by the youth. The other band involved was Bold as Lions. They performed a concert on Friday night and were around for a portion of the weekend. Though less people attended their concert, a near constant stream of individuals stopped by their booth while they were around. Riley Armstrong, a workshop presenter, was given some stage time before two sessions. He is a musical comedian who worked in the music industry in Nashville before moving into touring comedy. His performances included songs about how Superman could make his costume changes without phone booths and an intern with no talent
Youth enjoy one of the rental tricycles available at the event.
28 The Messenger • June 2015
National News apart from talking like a robot. Though Armstrong’s music seemed to be targeted at a younger audience, he did a great job of connecting with the youth. As in previous years there were two major recreational events. Saturday hosted a variety of team activities and on Sunday the wide game took place. Team activates included, but were not limited to, dodge ball, street hockey, and soccer. I cannot forget to mention the ever rug-burn inducing Giant Dutch Blitz. The theme for this year’s big game was Minute to Menno It. The youth were divided into teams of four and dispersed to different stations. Each station played upon jokes
The first act in the talent show Matthew Wiebe (Cerebral Malfunction)
Looking Forward
This was but a limited outline of what took place over the weekend. I hope that the pictures and writing I have given here will encourage you to join us for the next Abundant Springs in 2017. Andrew Walker, a graduate of Providence University College, works as the Assistant Editor for The Messenger. Minute to Menno It
around Dutch-German Mennonite stereotypes. Though several of the gags flew over the heads of some of the non-Dutch-Germans in the crowd, the overall event proved to be entertaining. The games included racing to put on a outfit including rubber boots, suspenders, and a straw hat; consuming as much cookies as possible while singing a song; and racing on adult-sized tricycles tethered together. Of course, this is but a small selection of the games that took place on the day. Later in the evening the talent show took place where the youth performed for their friends. Music, displays of flexibility, and dramatically read stories were just some of the performances put on.
The Color puts on a good show.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 29
News
PROV
Providence University College graduates
Nicola Plett Fort Garry EMC BA, Sociology
Crystal Harms Fort Garry EMC BA, Communications and Media
Cynthia Russell Kleefeld EMC BA, Social Science
Eric Plett Morweena EMC BA, Business Administration
••
S. S. materials connect military veterans and peace churches Free online course available to churches
30 The Messenger • June 2015
Welcome to the Returning Veterans, Together There Sunday-schoolare a lot community there is one orReturning two,Hope: if Seeking notPeace more. curriculum! more in the Christ in Pennsylvania.” TheseBrethren lessons are designed in to help congregationschurch think both theologically and practically about healing from the trauma of war, and learning the meaning of Jesus’ way of peace. The Curriculum see theveterans materials as byawalking relatively lessons assumecreators that peace churches and military could benefit greatly this path together. For some churches, this kind of shared dialogue across what is often new field experienced for North Mennonites – addressing how as a social American barrier is new territory that may feel strange, even frightening. For other churches, this has already been a challenging and deeply rewarding journey. Christian We pacifists can embrace returning warriors. live in an era of seemingly endless war. Since the Gulf War in 1991, the United States has many places around the globe, including Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, “Thereconducted are military a lotactions ofinpotentially Serbia, Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and now Syria. As of 2012, there were an estimated 21 million military veterans in the United States, of good things that veterans can offer which 2.5 million were from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. While many of us continue our as normal midst these wars, this is not the case with veterans, their families, and the many churches,”lives said Knappenberger. who must live with the trauma of bombs and terrorist attacks in their own countries. many veterans among us still of carry the emotional trauma and moral pain of war “There areIndeed, good qualities soldiers within. Their pain is a living reminder of our shared failure to prevent war and create a culture of peace. And while many members of peace churches have responded with compassion to the and veterans. Gandhi was a veteran; victims and survivors of war overseas, few have reached out to military veterans here at home. Tolstoy was a veteran. The people This curriculum is an opportunity to explore these concerns in the context of our faith. What can help shape our response to war and the trauma it visits on soldiers and who teachbiblical usresources nonviolence, many civilians alike? What can veterans and peace churches learn from one another? We have created six lessons as a way to beginsee this journey, or to continue a journey already of them wore a uniform.” To begun. Please find the Teacher’s Notes at the end of each lesson.There are opening exercises and additional resources/lesson extenders for each lesson. You will know what kind of the free Sunday school curriculum “Returning Veterans. Returning hope,” go to MCC.org/media/ resources/1719. – MWC Co-author and veteran
Evan Knappenberger
MWC
Dear Teacher/Facilitator,
AKRON, Pennsylvania—Several North American agencies have collaborated to produce a new Sunday School curriculum focused on building bridges between peace churches and military veterans. “Returning Veterans, Returning Hope: Seeking Peace Together” was created by Mennonite Central Committee, the Peace and Justice Support Network of Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Mission Network. Released in late 2014 on a U.S. holiday that honours military veterans, the free six-week online course focuses on biblical reflections and insights about trauma with significant input from a third source. Evan Knappenberger, an Iraq War veteran studying at Eastern Mennonite University (Harrisonburg, Virginia) spent part of 2014 researching and writing as part of a nontraditional Ministry Inquiry Program placement. “I did a lot of coordinating with veterans in the Mennonite world,” he said. “In almost every little Mennonite
In Memory
Annie Plett (nee Brandt) 1925-2015
Annie Plett (nee Brandt) went to be with the Lord on Monday, May 11, 2015, at the age of 90, at Bethesda Place, Steinbach, Man. Annie was born on March 1, 1925 in Landmark, Man., to John and Katherine Brandt. She was baptized on July 26, 1942. Annie married Aaron Plett on Nov. 11, 1989. She is survived by two stepdaughters, three stepsons and their families, one brother, three sisters, one sisterin-law and their families. Annie was predeceased by her husband Aaron, one sister, one brother, two brothersin-law and one step-grandson.
As far back as we can remember, Annie was an accomplished seamstress and would sew for family members and herself. She was willing to help out her sisters when they had babies. At family gatherings she was very organized and did much of the work of planning and serving for the family. If family news needed to be shared it was Annie who would call everybody. All of us nephews and nieces benefitted from her sincere spiritual concern for us. She spent many years cooking at various Bible camps and also at Rest Haven. She was always in touch with many missionaries, loved to hear their stories, financially supporting them, and faithfully praying for them. When Blumenort did a door to door blitz, she was the prayer warrior. When her father needed care, she came home to take care of him. Shortly after Dad passed away, Mom had a stroke, and she then took care of Mom for almost 10 years until Mom moved to Rest Haven.
At 64, she was thrilled to marry Aaron Plett and they enjoyed a happy marriage for 13 years. As a mother she was very organized with making and preparing meals, putting extras in the freezer for the unexpected guests. She was faithful with sending Christmas and Birthday cards, including a cheque and a “praying for you note.” She lovingly cared for Aaron before his passing. In October 2013 when she moved to Bethesda Place, she found it hard to give up her independence. Lately she was “waiting to go home!” We will remember her as living a humble life of service. The funeral service for Annie Plett was held on Saturday, May 16, 2015, at 10:30 a.m. at Blumenort EMC, Blumenort, Man., with viewing at the church prior to the service. Burial followed at the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Annie may be made to Mennonite Central Committee. – Her Family
Calendar Manitoba July 3-5
EMC Convention
July 3
EMC Ministerial Ebenezer Christian Church Brandon, Man.
July 4
EMC Conference Council Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium Brandon, Man.
July 5-6
MCC Alberta's Charity Auction and Sale Didsbury Memorial Complex mccreliefsale.com.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 31
Column • At The Movies Not a Fan: A Follower's Story (City on a Hill, ca. 2010). $11.99 USD. Reviewed by Dr. Al Hiebert, EMC minister and former seminary and college professor.
T
his 80-minute movie tells a jarring very human story of an average evangelical, Eric Nelson, whose life is turned right-side-up by a near-death encounter with the question: am I just a “fan” of Jesus, enthusiastically cheering His cause from the sidelines (compare with local sporting contests) or do I actually heed Jesus’ call to “take up your cross daily and follow him” (Luke 9:23) wherever He leads and whatever the costs? Eric’s choice to become a “follower” cost him his lucrative job, an affluent house, and severely stresses his family. But it puts him into a ministry to show the love of Jesus to some marginalized people in their community, which transforms him, them, and most of his family. At his funeral the tributes of many his ministry had
transformed in his final five years stand in strong contrast to his earlier “fan” lifestyle. This movie adapts Pastor Kyle Idleman’s more detailed six-part video Bible study and book. All three demonstrate radical discipleship in compelling contemporary ways. All three urge and illustrate true “followers” and expose “fans.” Some viewers are troubled by the movie’s frequent time jumps back and forth. Some are troubled by depictions of raw hedonism of professed evangelicals, including family members. But the fundamental question needs to be faced by every Christian teen and adult: are you just a “fan” or actually a “follower” of Jesus? This movie has been used effectively with whole congregations and small groups from teens to seniors.
•• Shoulder Tapping Inner City Youth Alive, in Winnipeg, Man., is looking for a full-time administrative assistant. This role includes: reception services, providing administrative and accounting support. Essential Skills: good communication, problem solver, organized, open to continuous learning, Microsoft Office and Quickbooks. For more details visit www.icya.ca or e-mail Dory Richards at dory@icya.ca to apply. Inner City Youth Alive, in Winnipeg, Man., is looking for mature Christian leaders to join our Gem Lake Wilderness Camp team for part of this summer. We are currently looking for counselors, assistant program coordinator, liaison, cook/host family (paid positions). Contact Gord or Matt at Inner City Youth Alive at camp@icya.ca or 204-582-8779. Steeprock Bay Bible Camp is looking for committed Christian people to minister to our First Nation youth this summer. The camp is located about an hour north of Swan River, Man. Cabin leaders, speakers and life guards are needed. For more information go to www.steeprockministries.com or call director Pat Reader at 204-281-7202 or personnel manager Ang Thiessen at 204-628-3037.
32 The Messenger • June 2015
Have you ever considered taking your business and managerial skills and translating them to grow Christian leaders? Mid-Way Christian Leadership, based in Thompson Man., is looking for a general director. This is a support/fund-raised missionary position with some of the compensation subsidized from our general funds. We are looking for someone who is willing to take this step of faith. We are building a team of committed individuals who are passionate about following God by discipling people into mature Christians and ultimately replacing our leadership positions from those we work with. Please email generaldirector.mcl@gmail.com for a job description or inquiries. 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.
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. Pine Ridge Bible Camp, near Beauval, Sask., seeks volunteer cabin leaders (ages 16 to 18-plus). See http://www.ncem.ca/ministries/bible-cam/26. PRBC is connected with Northern Canada Evangelical Mission. pineridgebiblecamp@gmail.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 seeking a full-time pastor. HLCF is a diverse but well established congregation 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. Pelly Fellowship Chapel is seeking a three-quartertime pastor. Pelly is a small community located in a farming area, surrounded by lots of fishing and hunting opportunities. PFC is a small church with a predominately older congregation. We do have an active children's ministry with bridges to young community families. PFC is looking for someone who has strong preaching and teaching gifts along with a heart for reaching the lost. PFC has a nice manse with a large yard and garden area. Interested applicants can contact Gordon Bellows at 306-548-4361 or email a resume to gbellows@sasktel.net.
Other Positions Morweena Christian School is looking for classroom teachers for the Grade 5-6 class and the Grade 7-8 class to begin teaching in Sept. 2015. MCS is a K-12 rural school 90 minutes north of Winnipeg, Man., serving about 135 students. The two-grade split classes range in size from 15-20 students. MCS was founded in 1966 by families of the Morweena EMC. Candidates need to be certifiable in the Province of Manitoba, embrace the EMC Statement of Faith, and be active in congregational life. For information contact principal Tim Reimer, timr@morweenaschool.org or 1-204-364-2466. Steeprock Bay Bible Camp is looking for committed Christian people to minister to First Nation youth this summer. The camp is located about an hour north of Swan River, Man. Cabin leaders, speakers and life guards are needed. For more information go to www.steeprockministries.com or call director Pat Reader at 204-281-7202 or personnel manager Ang Thiessen at 204-628-3037.
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 • Here and Far Away
Because of Who He is
“I
DESIGNPICS
by Jocelyn R. Plett www.writewhatyousee. wordpress.com
n the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). In that beginning, before God ever did anything for anyone, He was worthy of all praise. God is worthy of my worship for who He is before I praise Him for what He does. He is—and was—always Holy, Good, Awesome! Certainly, we cannot know who God is apart from what He has done for us. Not only has He created us and the world we live in, but He has made Himself known through Christ and His creation. Yet, He has done all these things because of who He is. Apart from the gifts God blesses us with— life, salvation, sunshine, family, food, shelter, work—He is the Almighty God, Everlasting Father, Ancient of Days, Prince of Peace. The list goes on. Even if God did nothing for us He would still be worthy of adoration because of His holiness and magnificence. We have been given good gifts, been invited to become children of God, been purchased at an amazing price, received imputed righteousness all because of who God is—He is good, gracious, merciful, loving. Because of His goodness, who He is, He has done good things for us. To worship God only for what He has done lets me believe that I first judge whether His actions are worth praising Him for. This puts me into a position of judge over God. Horrors! Reading the book of Job is a lesson in knowing that God is to be worshiped even despite our limited perspective and understanding of His actions. When I am still and know that I AM is God I move towards exalting Him (Psalm 46:10).
God is worthy of my worship for who He is before I praise Him for what He does.
34 The Messenger • June 2015
I exalt Him for the gloriousness of who He is. Then I come to see that what God has done is beyond comprehension. When I ponder who He is—all-powerful, allknowing, Creator of heaven and earth, Author of Salvation—I am astounded at His presence within me. It is too wonderful for words. Worshiping who He is before I am thankful for what He does makes His gifts that much more worthy of thanksgiving. It makes receiving His gifts an experience of undeserved honour. This revelation—to praise God for who He is, first, before what He has done—has changed the way I worship. It was, and continues to be, revolutionary for my maturing relationship with Christ. No matter what I perceive God has done, He is Good! And Holy, Awesome, Magnificent. No matter what! It is the foundation upon which a firmer faith is built. While we were still sinners Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). He did this because of who He is. It is a privilege indeed, a gift, to approach the throne of the Almighty God with confidence (Heb. 4:16), co-heirs with Christ who is the Son of God (Rom. 8:17). Wow! Let us do so with reverence.
Column • stewardship today
A severe case of ‘generosi-phobia’
DESIGNPICS
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n a sunny lunch break while I attended high school, a classmate drove up in his shiny two-door coupe and offered a ride. Because he had already offered rides to other students, I soon found myself in the back seat beneath a pile of humanity. I was overcome with claustrophobia. I still remember my relief when the car came to a halt and I escaped to freedom. I was not in any real danger. But in that moment my mind disconnected from what I knew to be true. Many of us experience the same detachment from reality when it comes to practicing generosity. We know we are invited to give proportionately of what God has entrusted to us, but we are paralyzed by fear. We have a severe case of “generosi-phobia.” Authors Christian Smith and Hillary Davidson, in The Paradox of Generosity (Oxford, 2014), conclude: “Living with a perspective of scarcity rather than abundance—that is, from a place of fear—is stressful and inevitably diminishes people’s well-being.” • What fears keep us from being generous with our money? Let’s label them. • We are afraid to give sacrificially thinking we will run short for our own needs • We have set the bar high for our life-style and generosity does not support this notion • We are afraid that what we do give will be misused and therefore no gift is better • We are led to believe that we never have enough for retirement • We may lose our job tomorrow and be left in hopeless poverty • We cannot part with our hard-earned money because it gives us a sense of security • We won’t be able to keep up with the lifestyle expectations of our friends and neighbours • We must provide for our children even well into their adulthood • When given the option to part with our money we think we will lose our source of happiness • We are afraid that God is not really trustworthy, that we have to help God out by storing more
Are our fears realistic? Perhaps not. According to recent UN research, if we have $500,000 in assets we are in the top one percentile of wealthy adults in the world. Maybe we need a reality check. We believe the Apostle Paul’s admonition that “my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19 NIV), but our response often contradicts this belief. We worry, which leads us to save and stash away. Jesus mentions “worry” six times when he talks about God feeding the birds and clothing the flowers (Matt. 6:25-43). He anticipates our struggle to really trust God with the most basic needs of life. Giving is an expression of our fearlessness. By being generous, we are acknowledging that God is the provider. If we cannot rely on God to look after our needs, the idea of giving is completely irrational. As a result, our mind conjures up the worst-case scenarios so we continue in our tight-fisted ways. What we should really fear is our inability to trust God. “By giving we receive and by grasping we lose,” says Smith and Davidson. Begin by thinking about how much you possess, rather than how much you don’t have. Start small and see how good it feels to give. Let us help you discover that generosity doesn’t have to be scary.
by Arnie Friesen
Giving is an expression of our fearlessness. By being generous, we are acknowledging that God is the provider.
Arnie Friesen is a stewardship consultant at Mennonite Foundation of Canada serving generous people in British Columbia. For more information on generosity, stewardship education, and estate and charitable gift planning, contact your nearest MFC office.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 35
Column • kids’ corner
Reading feeds your brain
by Loreena Thiessen
Read about King Josiah in 2 Kings 22:1, 2, 8, 13, and 23:3.
Does reading make you smarter? Yes. If you read something difficult your brain works harder. Reading about other countries and the people who live there helps you understand them better. You learn that people are different; reading helps you see how they are different and why. What else can you do to help your brain? Do you like blueberries, tomatoes, avocado and sunflower seeds? These foods help your brain function better. King Josiah was only eight years old when he became the king of God’s people. As the King he decided to repair and clean up God’s house, the temple. While they were cleaning they found the Book of Laws. It had not been read for a long time and the people had not followed God’s laws. They read the laws and learned what God wanted them to do. They tore down their idols and turned again to worship God. Read about King Josiah in 2 Kings 22:1, 2, 8, 13, and 23:3. DESIGNPICS
H
as anyone ever said to you, “You need exercise”? So what do you do? You run, swim a few laps, and ride your bike. Maybe you do several push ups, or sit ups. What about reading? How is reading exercise? Reading is a workout for your brain. When you read, more blood flows to your brain. This is a good thing. Your blood carries oxygen and nutrients to all the parts of your body including your brain. Reading feeds your brain. What else happens when you read? As you read you discover new words. What do they mean? You look them up. Now you understand more of what you read. Learning new words makes your brain work. Reading helps you communicate better. You have more information and new and better ways of talking about what you read. Reading helps you use words more correctly. Reading helps you see patterns. A pattern is something that repeats. In English the verb, action word, follows the noun. An example is, the dog barked. It’s a pattern in the English language. As you read you see more patterns. Reading helps your memory. When you read you train your brain to hold the ideas and words. You remember them better. When you read you must pay attention to get the story. This helps you focus on what you are doing. It helps you concentrate.
Activity: Who was it?
Read the verses to find the answers. Who was the beautiful Jewish girl who saved her people and was chosen to be Queen? Esther 2:17 Who was protected from harm in the lions’ den? Daniel 6:22 Answers to May quiz: Who parted the Red Sea? Exodus 14:21 Princess Whose family was saved from the flood? Genesis 7:1 Slaves Who became the ruler of Egypt? Genesis 41:41 His mother Who led God’s people through the desert? Exodus 15:22 Palace Who first saw Jesus on Easter Sunday morning? Aaron John 20:14-16 He said, “Yes” Who shared his lunch with 5,000 others? John 6:9 Dry land Who first heard the Good News that Jesus was born? Luke 2:15 Ten Commandments Who walked on water? Matthew 14:29 Canaan Jesus
36 The Messenger • June 2015
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