The Messenger October 2016

The Messenger a publication of the

Evangelical Mennonite Conference

Volume 54  No. 09 October 2016

Forgiveness INSIDE: I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins page 6 Teaching the Christ-Centred Gospel page 10

ISTOCK

You are a Pacifist and You Called the Police? page 13

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Editorials

Loyalty Today

S

ome church leaders say that denominational loyalties aren’t what they used to be; we can no longer assume support for our programs because a person was raised in a particular church. Does this concern me?

No and yes.

In Canada there is a confusing display of evangelical and Mennonite churches. Many of these divisions can’t be defended today even while knowing the historical reasons for them. More mergers are welcomed.

Still, look deeper: theological and church loyalties continue. The research of Dr. Reginald Bibby, from the University of Lethbridge, says that in Canada when evangelicals and mainline Christians change churches, they stay within their broader theologies. In other words, when a Mennonite and a Nazarene swap churches, they continue a larger loyalty—and, I say, they enrich others and are enriched.

Paradoxically, even independent churches show some loyalty; their beliefs and internal workings identify within

a stream of thought. Agencies such as the Northern Canada Evangelical Mission and Village Missions Canada often seem to function as denominations.

Should the EMC be concerned about loyalty? Certainly, we are to be loyal to Christ and his Church. That said, loyalty to the EMC is better earned than expected. How can the EMC improve at this?

The EMC certainly has purposes worthy of any part of the wider Church: “The purpose of the Conference is to glorify God by building his Kingdom” through sharing the gospel at home and abroad, planting churches, building community, coordinating resources, and forming wider affiliations (Constitution, 20). We have a rich theology. We can, indeed, accomplish more together than each church can alone.

While church loyalty isn’t as local as it used to be, to worship and work together makes sense and honours Christ.

– Terry M. Smith

Loyalty to the EMC is better earned than expected. How can the EMC improve at this?

••

Self-determination, Framework

“I

ndividual congregations retain full privileges of self-determination within the framework of the Conference Constitution. However, membership in the Conference implies the responsible support of resolutions and programs developed together” (The Constitution, 20). “Self-determination within the framework”—here is the dance between local autonomy and national direction.

Listening to some people talk about self-determination (autonomy), I get confused. Who decides on what it means in practice?

Churches choose their pastors. To be nationally recognized and to vote at national ministerial meetings, though, pastors are to go through the BLO’s examination process. Some churches and pastoral search committees seem unconcerned about the examination process—despite its being designed, in part, for their protection.

Other matters are footwashing, war and peace, women in ministry, baptism and membership, and fundraising.

Some will be clarified through the Statement of Faith review.

The General Board will guide processes where needed.

Local decisions have an impact. During a joint ministerial meeting in 1941, Prairie Rose announced that only its brethren would vote to select its ministers (Harvey Plett, Seeking to be Faithful, 149). Prairie Rose chose self-autonomy.

Dr. Plett speaks of how this “led to greater autonomy in the local church.”

What isn’t mentioned is the precedent’s implication: a local church can move in a direction not yet recognized by the wider body. Other EMC congregations have since followed Prairie Rose’s example, deciding internally about various matters.

The General Board plans to look at conference structures. Perhaps this will clarify the meaning of “selfdetermination within the framework.”

– Terry M. Smith

Other EMC congregations have since followed Prairie Rose’s example, deciding internally about various matters.

2 The Messenger • October 2016

Table of Contents Features

Columns

6

4

"I Believe in...the Forgiveness of Sins."

– Dr. Harvey Plett

10 Teaching the ChristCentred Gospel – Dr. Darryl G. Klassen

page

20

A Reader's Viewpoint

An Ill-Advised Resolution Against Israel – Don Plett

16 An Education App

The Task Arminius Never Finished – Terry M. Smith

13 You Are a Pacifist and you 24 Further In and Higher Up Called the Police? Who's Afraid of Liberals?

– Layton Friesen

Departments 2 Editorials 3 Pontius’ Puddle 5 Letters 17 With Our Missionaries 25 With Our Churches 32 In Memory

– Layton Friesen

page

34 Here and Far Away

Incomprehensible – Jocelyn R. Plett

25

35 Stewardship Today

A Big Change – Darren Pries-Klassen

36 Kids’ Corner

Ten Things for Which to be Thankful – Loreena Thiessen

page

33 Shoulder Tapping

30

page

17

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 3

The Messenger Volume 54 No. 09 October 2016

EDITOR TERRY M. SMITH

ASSISTANT EDITOR ANDREW WALKER

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

The Messenger is the publication, published nine times per year, of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference. It is available to the general public. Its purpose is to inform concerning events and activities in the denomination, instruct in godliness and victorious living, inspire to earnestly contend for the faith.

Letters, articles, photos and poems are welcomed.

Unpublished material is not returned except by request.

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

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THE MESSENGER schedule: No. 01 - Jan. 2017 issue (copy due Oct. 08)

4 The Messenger • October 2016

Column • A Reader's Viewpoint

An Ill-Advised Resolution Against Israel

A

t its recent Assembly, the Mennonite Church Canada passed a resolution calling for

by Don Plett, boycott-divestmember, Prairie ment-sanctions Rose EMC (BDS) measures against Israelis.

Specifically, the resolution called on Church bodies and members “to avoid investing in or supporting companies that do business with Israeli settlements and the Israel Defense Forces, and companies that are profiting from the occupation of the Palestinian territories,” and called on the Government of Canada “to support measures that put pressure on Israel (including through economic sanctions).”

As a Mennonite, I am extremely discouraged to see any Mennonite conference in Canada take this stance.

Ever since scripture was translated into common language, over 500 years ago, it has been explicitly clear that the nation of Israel was given a land known as Canaan and that the gift came directly from God himself.

As Christians, we know that biblical text is the written word of God. The message of God when it comes to support for Israel and the Jewish people is abundantly clear, and is illustrated in several examples of scripture.

In Genesis 12:3 (NIV), God is speaking to Abraham as he says: “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Many Christians believe that history has shown that those nations who have blessed the Jewish people have received the blessing of God; while the nations who have cursed the

Jewish people have experienced the curse of God. Likewise, scripture tell us that Christians are indebted to Jews, as their contributions gave birth to the Christian faith. The Apostle Paul recorded in Romans 15:27 (NIV), “They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.”

And, of course, the Bible confirms that the Lord Jesus Christ was a practicing Orthodox Jew. However, most Christians’ support for Israel goes well beyond scripture.

The historical legitimacy of Israel, in all of its territory, as a nation is indisputable. And, as it stands today, Israel is a nation of democratic choice, individual freedom and modern thought standing alone in the middle of backwards, regressive dictatorships.

It goes without saying that there will be times when we, as Christians and as individuals, will have ideological differences with the political leaders of Israel, as we will with any nation’s government. However, Mennonite Church Canada has taken an extreme position against Israel, which I maintain is in direct contradiction to the written word of God. We need to remember that, with the exception of Israel, all nations were created by mankind. Israel was created by an act of God. This is something that needs to remain sacred, and on our support for Israel, Christians need to remain consistent.

As a Mennonite and as a Christian, I would like to make it explicitly clear that, despite the name of the conference, Mennonite Church Canada does not speak for all Mennonites in adopting this ill-advised resolution.

Letters Seeking Peace in Israel-Palestine

Thank you to Senator Don Plett for raising his concerns about justice in Israel and Palestine [An Ill-Advised Resolution Against Israel]. It is important to discuss these matters if—and perhaps especially when—our views do not agree.

It is important for readers to know some background to the resolution that was affirmed by delegates. Mennonite Church Canada has been engaged in understanding the Middle East conflict for decades. We were asked by Christian Palestinians to advocate on their behalf in their plight.

In this regard, it is important to know that we are not conflating all Palestinians into one category.

Certainly there is Palestinian violence against Israel that we do not support, but these acts do not represent the Palestinian Christians we know. We would challenge leaders of other Mennonite conferences and churches to also consider how they would respond to such a request from fellow Christians in light of the Bible’s over-arching call to the faithful for justice and mercy.

We are not seeking to deny Israel or its people the right to exist. Rather, we seek to make Israel the best country it can possibly be. Our own Canadian government and the United Nations have called for human rights for

Do We Love the Whole Church?

••

Layton Friesen’s article “Is Your Congregation the Real Church?”(July-Aug.) encouraged us to accept para-church partners under the umbrella of “The Church,” thus broadening our idea and practice of Church. I would like to extend his idea a little.

Christ left no blueprint for the Church save His “walk” and command to “love one another.” Difin the ferences in and visions of the Body of Christ of this has splintered the Church into Syriac, African, Roman, Eastern Orthodox, Mennonite Central Committee’s and a myriad of Christmas Giving Catalogue

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Palestinians. Canada’s own policy statement in regards to Israel states, “Canada does not recognize permanent Israeli control over territories occupied in 1967” (http://tinyurl. com/ygtd6p2).

It is important to not conflate all Israelis, their government, and the Jewish people into one homogenous group acting in unity. There are numerous groups of Israelis and Jewish people who support justice for Palestinians, including Rabbis for Human Rights, Jewish Voice for Peace, and others.

These are undoubtedly complex issues. Readers wishing to learn more about the issue in general and the Mennonite Church Canada resolution specifically (http://tinyurl. com/zrotfxq) have vast resources available to them, such as the Kairos document by Palestinian Christians at http:// tinyurl.com/jxz9d7h. Mennonite Church Canada encourages Mennonites belonging to any conference to become deeply acquainted with the subject matter, and to listen with openness.

– Dan Dyck, Director, Church Engagement-Communications Mennonite Church Canada

Protestant denominations—all who consider themselves the “true” Church.

Even the earliest Church was split into two camps. The early Jewish believers waited in Jerusalem for the imminent return of the Lord. Ready acceptance of the gospel caused the Hellenistic Jews to be received as equals. Philip who loved the Samaritans also reached out to an Ethiopian eunuch. Jewish purity was being eroded!

Saul, the Great Persecutor, was commissioned to preach to the Gentiles of all things—fodder for early schism. Indeed, Paul had to visit Jerusalem 12 years later to counter the Judaisers and address the growing rift. He later returned to fulfill an oath to the Temple knowing that it would lead to his death.

He literally willingly sacrificed his life for the love and unity of the Church. Not just the Gentile Church that he loved, but the whole Church, the True Church.

Do we love the whole Church? How would that affect our prayers, words, and actions? What are we willing to sacrifice for its unity?

– Ray Hill MacGregor, Man.

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www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 5

The Apostles’ Creed Through 2016

“I believe in . . . the forgiveness of sins.”

DESIGNPICS

by Dr. Harvey Plett

6 The Messenger • October 2016

T

he Apostolic or Apostles’ Creed is a profound summary of the essence of the Christian faith. It is brief, concise but does not elaborate the meaning of the various statements.

This statement, “I believe in the forgiveness of sins,” is, in the estimate of the writer, the essential essence of the Christian faith. Without forgiveness, there is no gospel, no redemption, but only condemnation. Without forgiveness we would not be able to have a relationship with God. The only way to bring humankind back into relationship with God is forgiveness. Similarly, in order for me to have a relationship with a fellow human who has hurt me I need to forgive that hurt whether that person repents or not though our relationship will not be restored unless the wrongdoer acknowledges his wrong and seeks forgiveness (Mk. 11:25).

forgiveness of sins.” Jesus’ death on the cross was a voluntary death. He did it because that is the only way forgiveness was possible. All of us were dead in our trespasses and sins. So by His death Jesus wiped out death and brought forgiveness.

Let’s apply it to our life. If you forgive someone who has ruined your reputation, what happens? You accept the ruined reputation and let the one who has done it go free; you do not hold it against him nor do you seek justice. That briefly is what forgiveness is. It is substitutional; the one sinned against absorbs the hurt and pain of the evil done and does not hold it against the guilty party. This is what Jesus did.

The Bible says the soul that sins will die. He has brought forgiveness, but it doesn’t become yours until you accept it. To accept it means you acknowledge you have done wrong, are sorry for it and ask for forgiveness. And then Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. We are then free and in relationship with our Saviour.

The only way to bring humankind back into relationship with God is forgiveness.

What is Forgiveness?

Forgiveness is taking the wrongs done to you, absorbing the consequences, letting them go and not holding them against the perpetrator whether the person repents or not and thus removing my side of the barrier that hinders our relationship.

Jesus came to redeem us. The only way He could do that was by forgiving us. And to forgive us He had to take the consequences of our sins against Him, absorb them, and then let us go free. His death on the cross was His way of forgiving us. He had to experience the separation from God. On the cross He cried out, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” Those were the consequences of our sin against God and the cost of forgiveness.

In Ephesians 1:7 we read, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us.” And in Colossians 1:13-14 we read, “He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

Much more could be said but here we have a concise definition of redemption: “the

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 7

What About Repentance?

That is very essential, but not for the forgiver. If the guilty one wishes to experience forgiveness than she or he will have to confess and repent of the wrong done and seek forgiveness. The hurt party forgives whether the guilty party repents or not.

But if the one who is guilty wants to experience forgiveness in his or her life, that person must repent. So the person repents, apologizes and asks forgiveness. The forgiver does what a friend of mine did to a repentant person. He said, “I have forgiven you a long time ago.” But you go on to say, “Yes I forgive you gladly. I forgave you already but I am happy you are seeking the forgiveness for yourself.”

At that point the final step in forgiveness can happen—reconciliation. The forgiver has already forgiven, but full reconciliation can only happen if the guilty party repents and seeks forgiveness.

What about Restoration?

For example, what happens to what was stolen?

The forgiver forgives and does not demand repayment. If the guilty party offers restitution, the forgiver receives it not so much for himself but to help the guilty party find peace and freedom.

8 The Messenger • October 2016

Forgiveness and Spiritual Healing

The hurt party forgives, for this is necessary to be healed. If one does not forgive, one will struggle with bitterness, anger, and avoid the wrongdoer. So forgiveness in this sense is therapeutic. It brings healing to your soul and will help one to love the wrongdoer.

The wrongdoer must repent and seek forgiveness to become free and move toward healed relationships. We will not forget some of the serious hurts we forgive, but when the memory comes we decide to not indulge in those memories but set them aside because we have forgiven them.

In forgiveness the wrongdoer and the forgiver each has or her his part. Each can only do his or her part. The forgiver forgives whether that is accepted or not. The sinner repents to experience that forgiveness. Forgiveness is complete when this happens. This is what is modeled

by Christ forgiving the repentant sinner. Christ has died for all. Forgiveness is available for all but only those who respond to the offer of forgiveness experience that forgiveness.

So forgiveness in this sense is therapeutic.

Forgiveness is a Decision

You have to decide to forgive just as Jesus decided to forgive our sins and then took the consequences—death. But forgiveness becomes ours only as we acknowledge the wrong we have done, repent, and ask for forgiveness.

Forgiveness is my decision to absorb evil done to me and not hold it against the doer. This gives me peace in my soul. For the wrongdoer to experience that forgiveness, the wrongdoer must repent, confess and acknowledge the wrong and ask for forgiveness.

This forgiveness now makes it possible for reconciliation between the two. It may take time to move forward for the forgiver as well as it may take time for reconciliation to come to completion. But forgiveness makes that possible as one commits oneself to walk in forgiveness.

This is the will of God. Rejoice in the forgiveness of Jesus and, with the resurrection power that is yours because you have Jesus (Rom. 6; 2 Pet. 1:3), walk in continual forgiveness towards those who do you wrong.

Forgiveness is my decision to absorb evil done to me and not hold it against the doer.

Concluding Observations

Here are some key biblical references that speak to forgiveness: Matt. 5:23-24; 6:12, 14-15; Mk. 11:25; Eph. 4:31-32; Col. 3:12-13. Why not study them personally or in a group.

We are to follow Jesus’ example. He forgave our sins through His death before we repented and we experience that forgiveness only if we repent and accept it. You and I are too always forgive the person who does wrong to us whether the other person repents or not. That is loving the other. The one who did the wrong needs to repent if he or she wants to experience forgiveness. When that happens, reconciliation and a renewed relationship become possible and should emerge.

Dr. Harvey Plett has served as president of Steinbach Bible College and as EMC moderator; he is a longserving minister at Prairie Rose EMC. He continues to do some teaching, preaching, counseling and writing. He and his wife Pearl live in Mitchell, Man., and celebrated 58 years of blessed marriage on August 22, 2016.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 9

JESSICA WICHERS

EMC Convention 2016

Teaching the Christ-Centred Gospel

by Dr. Darryl G. Klassen

F

or the past half-century or more the North American Church has promoted a gospel that emphasizes getting saved.

While salvation is certainly important, the focus on getting a ticket to heaven has left many wondering what value the gospel has for this present life. Do we give the impression that believing in Jesus is only about eternal life?

Somewhere in the history of our church-culture a shift has taken place that convinced us that we need to get people to make decisions for Jesus.

But did Jesus say we should go and make converts—or make disciples?

The new Vision Statement for the EMC says in part, “We envision teaching the gospel with a Christ-centred approach to Scripture, affirming Anabaptist convictions.” If we are to take this vision to heart, we need to consider how we truly define “gospel.”

follow the Apostolic Pattern handed down to us.

In Paul’s second letter to Timothy we read about Paul’s intense concern that Timothy hold on to the gospel.

Paul knew that Timothy was struggling to preach the gospel of Christ according to the apostles’ teaching. Certain parties wanted to add to the gospel and to make it more relevant. Timothy felt this pressure and grew ashamed of the gospel.

It is no wonder then that Paul was quite blunt with Timothy and his timidity about the gospel. If the gospel appeared weak because Paul was in prison, Paul responded, “I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day” (2 Tim. 1:12).

So Paul writes to encourage Timothy, to bolster what is in danger of growing weak. He reminds him of the source of the gospel: “Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:13).

So Paul writes to encourage Timothy, to bolster what is in danger of growing weak.

An Apostolic Pattern

To teach the Christ-centred Gospel we must

10 The Messenger • October 2016

What the Gospel is Not

We struggle with similar temptations, and you would think that we would all agree on how we define the gospel. But I have come to discover that there is quite a broad spectrum when people speak of the gospel. We do not all agree.

What are some wrong conceptions of the gospel?

First, most of us have grown up with the conception that the gospel is about personal salvation. Second, our predominant understanding of the gospel comes from Paul’s letters where he presented the essence of the gospel as “justification by faith.”Third, if the gospel means justification by faith, why didn’t Jesus preach in those terms?

The end result is that the word “gospel” has been hijacked to mean “personal salvation.”

This is why we focus on making a decision, why conversion experiences trump the process of discipleship, and why gospel as we know it is different than what it meant to Jesus and the apostles.

What is the Gospel?

If you want a nutshell of the gospel, Paul told Timothy, “Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel” (2 Tim. 2:8). The gospel Paul refers to can be found more fully represented in 1 Cor. 15:1-5. These are perhaps the oldest known lines of the gospel. Before there was a New Testament, this was the gospel. For Paul, the gospel

did not begin at Matthew 1:1, but in Genesis.

It was in this manner that Paul preached the gospel of Jesus. Every sermon in Acts and every New Testament writer saw this gospel as part of a larger narrative. What was that gospel?

The Story of Israel

The Story of Israel, or the Story of the Bible, begins this odyssey that is the Gospel. We know the essential parts of this story: Adam and Eve sinning, the calling of Abraham and the choosing of a people, Israel’s failure to be a missional people and testify to God’s purposes. The important thing is to note how this not only sets up the gospel, but is, in reality, “the good news of God” in that He kept speaking into our world despite the failure of humankind to obey His commandments.

The Story of Jesus

The story of Jesus is the story of God sending His Son to establish His Messiah or Christ, and to finally establish His kingdom. Now, we cannot understand this part of the story without understanding the Story of Israel. The Story of Jesus is first and foremost a resolution of Israel’s story, and because the Story of Jesus completes the Story of Israel, it saves.

The Plan of Salvation

Then we can talk about the Plan of Salvation for it flows out of the Story of Israel as completed in the Story of Jesus. The Plan of

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Salvation is not the gospel. The Gospel cannot be reduced to four spiritual laws or five points. If we do, we will find that men and women will get “saved,” but they won’t have a clue about discipleship, or justice, or obedience.

Anabaptists believe that Christ is the centre of Scripture. If you believe that, then you will read Scripture with Christ as your lens. You will see that all Scripture speaks to the centrality of Jesus Christ and His Gospel.

Guard the Content

To teach the Christ-centred Gospel we must guard the content of this teaching. “By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you” (2 Tim. 1:14).

How do we guard the gospel?

Entrust The Gospel

Entrust the gospel to faithful people who will carefully handle its truths. Paul tells Timothy, “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2).

You are Christ’s representatives when you live your life with Jesus as Lord. In short, the Story of the Gospel continues with you.

Endure the Suffering

Endure the suffering that will surely come from holding to this gospel. The time that Paul predicted when people will not put up with sound doctrine seems constant in every generation. Sound doctrine, the true Gospel, does not

12 The Messenger • October 2016

resonate with those who have a different agenda.

To suit their own desires they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn away from the truth and hold on to myths (2 Tim. 4:34). This is happening even within the Church.

The Gospel Story, that Jesus Christ is Lord, the fulfillment of all that God purposed for our lives, will be rejected by those who think it is too judgmental, too exclusive, too simplistic or too theological. Are you ready to suffer as Paul did for the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Proclaim the Gospel

Faithfully proclaim the gospel story. Guarding the gospel is not achieved by burying it or keeping quiet about it. Proclaiming the Gospel preserves it as well as declares it. This is critical; in the face of a hostile world that cannot grasp its own lostness and a God who has entrusted us with this incredible message, we cannot be quiet.

Into every facet of life, the messy and rough situations of marital breakdown, and personally self-destructive tendencies, speak Jesus as Lord into those places. “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word!” (2 Tim. 4:1-2).

Dr. Darryl G. Klassen is the senior pastor of Kleefeld EMC. This article is based on his message of Saturday, July 2, at the EMC’s 2016 national convention.

ISTOCK

You Are a Pacifist and You Called the Police?

“I

by Layton Friesen

f someone broke into your house, wouldn’t you call the police?” This question is often used as a handy trump card to dispense with pacifism, but it actually presents little problem to Mennonite pacifism.

Our broad Anabaptist tradition—with the notable exception of Balthasar Hubmaier—has had the moxie to claim that while the good of society may sometimes need the use of force, and while we may even depend on military or police defense for our own well-being as pacifists, we ourselves will not swing the sword. Others will.

The Anabaptist pacifist tradition, until recently, has not been absolutely anti-war or anti-police. Read the Schleitheim Confession of 1527. It says the sword is “ordained of God”

and “punishes and puts to death the wicked, and guards and protects the good.” So far, that’s basic just war thinking.

We cannot appeal to the tradition here to denounce every military or police action. Mennonites have generally assumed that a certain amount of killing is necessary to keep evildoers from ruining the world.

The Anabaptist pacifist tradition, until recently, An Elite Special-Task Force has not been absolutely But while Mennonites have not called for the abolishing of armies, anti-war or anti-police. they have also seen that you cannot announce God’s good news while killing people. Mennonites have thus seen the Church as an elite, heroic, special taskforce unit within God’s wider providence sent on a limited mission. We do not claim to be the

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Short- And Long-Term Solutions for Evil

totality of everything God is doing in the world, and we do not claim to know exactly how God is using our special mission within his Kingdom, but Christ has told us to exempt ourselves from killing in order to evangelize the world.

Our pacifism does not claim to be the solution to all the world’s immediate problems. It is a gesture towards the Kingdom of God that is in lock step with Jesus now redeeming the world— that’s all. In order to carry out this special task within the larger providential care of God for the world, we give up the right to kill people even for reasons of social order.

Try this analogy. Many countries recognize that doctors, politicians, clergy or others need to be exempt from combat in order to maintain the long-term viability of society. If all doctors are sent to combat, the nation will be crippled by disease; thus they can be exempt from fighting.

A similar claim is made by Mennonites. God has a destiny of reconciliation in store for the world that someone needs to proclaim and live towards. Those on this mission have no weapons but love and forgiveness. It does not even occur to us that you could do what Christ leads us to do by killing people.

14 The Messenger • October 2016

God has both short-term and long-term solutions for evil. War is apparently a necessary short-term solution to keep a lid on chaos. To simply abolish killing is naïve, for now. But killing will never redeem the world—it’s a bloody mess that only breeds more hatred. It’s only a stop-gap measure given by God to create a measure of time and space for the Church to proclaim the Gospel.

But the Church has a specific vocation within God’s long-term plan of ridding the world of evil for good. In order to be faithful to this longterm project, we have to free ourselves from some parts of the short-term plan. By preaching the gospel, by creating church communities of vulnerability and forgiveness, by working to restore justice in a zillion ways, and by refusing to kill, we put on a drama, quite the theatre, of the Kingdom of God, overcoming the world and its war—eventually.

We are the shape, the figure of Christ in the world, Gethsemane-bent in suffering love. That is our elite mission, our heroic task in the providence of God: watching, waiting, worshipping, praying, loving, evangelizing and suffering in union with the Saviour.

Our Mission is Not God’s Sum Total

And our mission is not the sum total of what God is doing in the world. God’s hands move within the world in hidden, dark places, outside the Church. In his mysterious wisdom states, kings, and armies end up doing God’s will. Their own hell-bent idolatry and savagery and God’s calm use of them seem to coexist in God’s providence. Wars can be a servant of God’s will, though again, it is foolish to draw too clear a line from the war to the will of God.

The NT Basis for Missional Pacifism

The New Testament basis for this missional pacifism is simple. First, the sum total of our existence as humans is now to preach the Kingdom of God (Matt. 6:31-33). Second, Christ bids us to follow him in the total abandonment of killing even for the benefit of society—that’s what the Kingdom looks like right now in its hidden fruitfulness within the world (Luke 6:2731; John 16:20-22). Third, the New Testament

never condemns the state’s use of the sword.

In fact, the sword in the hands of the state is praised and appealed to by Christians themselves as an instrument of God to bring justice to the world (Acts 23:16-24; Rom. 13:1-4).

Implications

This does not mean that Christians cannot be involved in government, though some Mennonites have drawn this conclusion. The New Testament forbids Christians to kill; it does not forbid them to take leadership in their communities where this can serve the Church’s mission.

Our modern welfare state provides many good ways to serve the world without being directly involved in killing.

This does not mean we cannot actively oppose unjust wars, military actions, or police brutality. God has not given governments a blank cheque to kill whomever they will. It may be that as the human community develops better methods of justice and conflict resolution, war will become like slavery, useless and stupid.

We should use whatever wits we have to find more peaceful, humane and effective ways of resolving conflict. For example, “restorative justice” is in many cases a vastly better form of justice than brute punishment. Capital punishment is an antiquated, ineffective, brutal way of solving crime. Romans 13 does not require us to keep it on the books. There’s no reason we can’t point that out in public.

When we do oppose a military action though, we should not simply say, “Christians do

not kill; therefore neither should the military.”

We should know the situation in, say, Syria, and point out exactly how a military action there will be useless or unjust. We have to provide factual knowledge of a specific action, not just general condemnations about armies and swords.

There will always be grey areas, murky places where discernment is hard and we are not sure how the Church’s vocation and the world’s sword relate. That in itself is not a weakness—any true Kingdom ethic will sync with society in fits and starts. I would rather be inconsistent than wrong.

This pacifism makes no sense if the Church is not proclaiming Christ to the world. It is not merely an “ethic” or a “moral,” though it is that.

Pacifism is one of the necessary conditions of the Church carrying out the Great Commission.

There are other pacifisms, but this older Anabaptist version seems to me to deal with both the place of the sword in the state and the rejection of killing that Christ bids his followers to do. I invite all to join me in discerning this vocation of the Church. Can this be sharpened, pointed and fueled more fruitfully?

Layton Friesen, ThD (candidate), is an EMC minister who has served as copastor of Crestview Fellowship and as senior pastor at Fort Garry EMC. He is a columnist within this magazine and is our conference’s representative to the Mennonite World Conference. He lives in Winnipeg.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 15

Column • An Education App

J Terry M. Smith Executive Secretary

While too few EMCers and other evangelicals realize how the term Arminian relates to their beliefs, many reject double predestination and hold to an unlimited atonement and resistible grace.

ames Arminius (ca. 1559-1609), a Reformed pastor, was given a task: to refute the teachings of Anabaptists who were then seeking refuge in Holland.

“This was an assignment which he never finished,” says Donald M. Lake, a professor of theology at Wheaton College, most likely “because he may have found some of their views more scriptural than their opponents” (Grace Unlimited, Clark H. Pinnock, ed., Bethany Fellowship, 227).

This did not mean that Arminius, a Reformed pastor and then professor of theology, agreed with all of the views held by Anabaptists: “…while he advocated toleration for the Anabaptists, he had no sympathy for their views of political isolationism” (229).

There was, though, one view which Arminius held that he, Anabaptists, and the wider early Church had in common: a rejection of double predestination.

God does not arbitrarily choose some people to eternal life and some to eternal death quite apart from how they would freely respond to him in the future, he said. He taught that Christ died for all of humankind and actively seeks our salvation.

Arminius wrote, “There is . . . no point of doctrine which the Papists, Anabaptists and Lutherans oppose with greater vehemence than this” (double predestination). He considered it a view that brought the Church into disrepute (Arminius Speaks: Essential Writings on Predestination, Free Will, and the Nature of God, John D. Wagner, ed., Wipf & Stock, 2011, 56).

He held to the total depravity of humankind; we are lost in our sins and dependent upon God’s grace through his Spirit to enable us to respond to Him. He was undecided on whether a true believer could fall from grace to the point of being eternally lost. (His death from tuberculosis at about age 50 prevented further earthly study.)

The Dutch scholar rejected unconditional election, limited atonement, and irresistible grace.

He taught that despite Christ’s universal call and atonement, we, having a freed will restored by the Holy Spirit, can resist God’s desire to our ultimate

16 The Messenger • October 2016

harm (Acts 7:51; 2 Cor. 6:1).

He wasn’t alone in seeing this in Scripture. “Anabaptists would argue with good cause that it was a [viewpoint that] Balthasar Hubmaier and other Anabaptist thinkers had begun developing almost a century earlier” (Roger Olson, The Story of Christian Theology, 471-72). Olson calls Hubmaier an “Arminian before Arminius.”

Dr. Harold Bender, an Anabaptist historian and theologian, says, “Mennonites have been historically Arminian in their theology whether they distinctly espoused the Arminian viewpoint or not.” The same, I suggest, describes many evangelicals today.

While too few EMCers and other evangelicals realize how the term Arminian relates to their beliefs, many reject double predestination and hold to an unlimited atonement and resistible grace. This places us within the Arminian stream of theology. There is much common ground between Arminian and Reformed Christians, but not on these particular points.

Does it matter what we call ourselves? Maybe not, but it matters what we believe and teach.

“Christ Jesus…gave himself as a ransom for all” (1 Tim. 2:6). “For Christ died for sins, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:28). “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

JOHN D. WAGNER

The Task Arminius Never Finished

Resources: “Arminians Attempt to Reform Reformed Theology,” in Roger E. Olson, The Story of Christian Theology (IVP, 1999, 454-472); Roger E. Olson, Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities (IVP, 2006); Roger E. Olson, Against Calvinism (Zondervan, 2011); Robert Shank, Elect in the Son (Bethany, 1970); Robert Shank, Life in the Son (Bethany, 1960); Arminius Speaks (details above).

Note: Against Calvinism is poorly titled. Olson is not against Reformed theology generally or Calvinists, but opposes the ULI (in the TULIP).

With Our Missionaries

‘Camps’ were a joy and a win NORTHERN CANADA

ALBERT MARTENS

“How happy are those who fear the Lord—all who follow his ways! You will enjoy the fruit of your labour. How happy you will be! How rich your life!”

(Psalm 128:1-2).

Our Athletes in Action Baseball “camps” in the three First Nation communities of Tadoule Lake (July 1-8), Pauingassi (July 29-Aug. 4), both in Man., and Poplar Hill, Ont. (Aug. 1420), were such a joy and “win” for everyone involved.

We did experience some very encouraging, happy and sad moments in our ministry in these communities. We enjoyed several moments of “fruit of your labour.”

A few fantastic highlights were: • To be called upon to do a double baby dedication for a young couple.

• To hear the youth and children call upon us: “When are we playing baseball again?”

• For the children to listen so attentively to Bible lessons and learn new songs from our workers.

• To speak to several men individually at the men’s breakfast.

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The team boards the flight for Poplar Hill.

• To pray with a young mother who had just lost her son in a traffic accident. She looked for us, and asked, “Where is Albert?” She wanted prayer and comfort in a very sad time of sorrow and loss.

• To be able to encourage young runners in the community of Tadoule Lake to train for the upcoming Polar Bear Marathon. To connect Tadoule Lake Dene runners to Churchill using the avenue of the sport of running.

The Tadoule Lake/Dene has experienced a sad history with Churchill. Just this summer an apology came from the Manitoba government in respect to the forced relocation of the community.

• To continue to encourage men and women in these communities, building more personal and deeper relationships each year.

• To be invited into private homes to discuss difficult questions about the gospel, about Christianity, and about the personal faith in Jesus.

• To help out and assist in their community church services.

• To give them some gifts, love and care for them, listen to their questions and try to help.

During the past 12 years of ministry, there have been tremendous changes in lives. More and deeper relationships have developed. Continual communications throughout the year having an impact on the many lives of these communities. As well, volunteer lives have changed and grown in deeper relationships in the Lord Jesus.

– Albert Martens Albert Martens (Steinbach EMC) serves with Athletes in Action.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 17

With Our Missionaries

Mon Cours de Français (My French lessons) CANADA

HEIDI PLETT

News from July: My French studies are going well. I have learned a lot of vocabulary and grammar over the past six months and look forward to internalizing and using these concepts and much more in the months ahead.

I thought a year of language study would be sufficient but I’m realizing that it is really too short a time for absorbing so much information. It is just the beginning, providing a foundation on which to build.

I am very happy to inform you that God has provided me with a host family to live with and learn from during my last term of studies in fall. I am very thankful for this opportunity to not only improve my French skills, but to strengthen my bond of friendship with them. Thank you very much for your prayers regarding finding a suitable host family. Maybe now my stuttering French will become a little more fluent.

Student numbers have dwindled as several couples have completed their language studies and are about to embark on their journeys to new places of work and ministry. It is an exciting time for them but also a stressful time of transition. Three of us, however, are carrying on with our studies until the end of July at which time we will have completed

18 The Messenger • October 2016

the intermediate level.

The school will be closed for August so I look forward to returning to Manitoba for that month to spend time with my family, reconnect with my church and friends, and work at raising my financial support level. Then I will return to Sherbrooke for my final term of study in fall.

– Heidi Plett Heidi Plett (Prairie Rose), formerly of Namibia, is studying French in Quebec prior to serving in Chad with Africa Inland Mission.

With Our Missionaries

Microloans: beneficial to me and my family BURKINA FASO

FABE TRAORE

Souleymane Traore was in great difficulty. He had a wife and three daughters to support, but he was seriously ill, and he was living in the capital city of Ouagadougou, the most expensive place in Burkina Faso.

He decided to return to his home village, Samogohiri, where most of his larger family resides and where he thought his immediate family would be taken care of while he continued to fight his illness.

When they arrived, they joined the local Mennonite church.

The story continues in Souleymane’s words: Because of my illness I couldn’t work and I was obliged to depend on my larger family. My wife and daughters worked with them on the farm. Our sole benefit was that we all received meals from the family.

The worst part was that my wife and my children were often obliged to go to the field with others and not to the church on Sunday, because we depended on this shared work. I have lived painful moments with this dependency, but the Lord in his sovereignty has given me a way out.

While I was still experiencing this difficult situation, the Evangelical Mennonite Church [of Burkina Faso] initiated the system of micro loans in 2013. I was interested, and decided to borrow 150,000 cfa francs ($300). Wondering what to do with the loan, I swung between the grains trade and hardware. The Lord eventually convinced me to try selling hardware.

When I received the loan, I entrusted myself to fellow church member brother Bala Sourabié, from whom

Souleymane Traore

I purchased a few items, including paint. I made a small table to showcase my goods. Given my inexperience and the winter season, I was not able to repay the entire amount that first year, and I explained that to the Loans Monitoring Committee. The following year I took my courage in both hands and God helped me to repay it with double interest.

I’ve learned from this initial failure. With the rest of the items and with the support of Bala, I’ve climbed back up the hill. After beginning with the small table, I ended up building a small house in which I placed shelves. Currently I am considering building another house because the one I have is too small to contain my merchandise. In addition, the 2016 round of microloans gave me additional purchasing power and reinforced my need for more space.

From the larger family compound in which we had been living, I also moved with my family into the courtyard of the church. I have rediscovered my physical, moral, and spiritual health. I found health at all these levels because all the persecution I endured because of my faith is no longer happening.

The microloans program of the Evangelical Mennonite Church was beneficial for me and my family. We are able to meet our needs, including daily bread, schooling for children, clothing, and health. We can give thanks to the Lord, and also say thanks to the initiators and managers of the microloans program, which is a real growth producer for the Evangelical Mennonite Church of Burkina Faso.

-Fabe Traore Note: the EMC’s Project Builders contributed to the microloans project. The testimony has been shortened and edited.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 19

With Our Missionaries

Verna Doerksen, Manfred and Stella Neff honoured at recognition supper Theme: they served by grace despite weakness Blumenort, Man.—An once exuberant child along with a pastor having roots in Germany and his wife were the centres of attention on Sept. 8, 2016, at Blumenort EMC as friends and family, and Board of Missions and national office staff gathered to honour Verna Doerksen and Manfred (Fred) and Stella Neff.

Ken Zacharias, EMC Foreign Secretary, welcomed people and led in prayer. A dinner followed: taco salad with cupcakes. People clapped in appreciation for the work of Diana Peters and others.

After dinner Rob Wiebe, part of Blumenort EMC, led in singing To God Be The Glory; Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing; Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You; and How Great Thou Art. Trish Reimer, from Prairie Grove, accompanied on piano.

Devotional

Anthony Reimer, from Blumenort EMC, based a devotional on Paul’s instructions in 1 Cor. 12.

California Redwoods are tall trees that survive tough times by interlinking their shallow roots.

A four-word summary of Paul in 1 Cor. 12 is, “We need each other.” We are indispensible, interdependent, and interconnected. To reach the world for Christ, we need each other, he said.

Verna Doerksen

Carl Doerksen, Verna’s brother, said that his sister was retiring, yet not retiring. They were raised nearby on a small mixed farm. Verna’s cross-cultural service took her to Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia, and to Redcliff, Alta.

Carl identified some of Verna’s characteristics. First, she has heart for helping others.

When he became a Christian, Verna challenged him to grow spiritually. During her three years at Nipawin Bible Institute, she wrote him letters of encouragement. Later, she encouraged

20 The Messenger • October 2016

TERRY SMITH

by Terry M. Smith

Verna Doerksen

young believers in Bolivia shunned for their faith in Christ.

Second, she was adventurous and energetic.

The exuberance that her Dad wanted reduced led her to the Chaco, Paraguay, in the early '70s.

She enrolled with SIL, studied for three terms, engaged in jungle camp, and served for many years.

When she worked in Peru in literacy, energy was needed. Under threat from revolutionaries, she walked by night to where a plane could evacuate her—the basis for a best-selling book, he said.

Another attribute was her frugality; she manages money so well that the Board of Trustees might want to hire her to assist with its money issues, Carl said.

A highlight for Verna was when her parents visited her in Paraguay and Peru. They were

With Our Missionaries over the years, she did sing of him in many languages.

She was grateful for the EMC’s commitment to kingdom work, not just its agenda, shown by working with other mission agencies.

While she served as a nurse in Paraguay, nursing was not her passion; crosscultural work and literacy training were. She wanted to give her life to something eternal, and delighted to help people read Scripture in their Verna Doerksen is thanked by Tim Dyck, General Secretary. proud of her missionary service. On behalf of language because the Word of the Lord stands the family, he offered their congratulations and forever. wished her well in the future, quoting Phil. 1:6.

Verna had emotional challenges. When vacWycliffe’s Paul Meisner, with his wife Alice cines arrived late and she had to inoculate watching, spoke of the organization’s many children by lantern light, her nerves were frazworkers from Manitoba and how it takes a team zled; she was comforted by a young man who to do Bible translation. He thanked those presplayed hymns on a harmonica. Another time, she ent for their partnership. was encouraged by reading a sign: Via Con Dios He and Alice have appreciated Verna’s will(Go With God). If the work seemed slow, 1 Cor. ingness to go where led to serve in translation, 15:58 helped; her labour was not in vain in Christ. literacy, and discipleship. She accepted the cost Someone said to her, “I could never do what of being separated from family. While Verna you do.” Verna said she could not do it either, but wanted to be near her ill mother, both knew people prayed and God was faithful.

Verna was where she should be.

Tim Dyck, General Secretary, presented Colleagues spoke of her being unpretentious, Verna with a plaque. Diana Peters gave her flowbrave, friendly, one who made light of hardships, ers and a hug. patient with village people; they were privileged to know her. With the words of Numbers 6, Meisner asked for the Lord’s blessing as Verna serves people in Redcliff.

Verna’s Response

Verna replied that her heart was full. She was thankful for supportive co-workers in Paraguay, and could not take much credit because no one works alone.

Her parents and Pastor John P. Loewen of Blumenort EMC encouraged her to enter mission work. She was determined, as the Psalmist wrote, to sing of the Lord among the nations; and,

Flowers and a hug were presented by Diana Peters.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 21

With Our Missionaries It is said that as an owner and a pet grow older, they become more alike. That’s true here “because I think Fred is a German Shepherd,” said Ferlin.

Stella Neff and Malcolm Munroe look on as Fred points to the image of a German Shepherd on the plaque presented by the EMC Board of Missions.

Manfred (Fred) and Stella Neff

Terry Scales of Community Bible Fellowship in Swan River, Man., said Fred and Stella moved to Swan River in the late 1980s. Stella loved hymns at Bible study. Fred did carpentry.

The Neffs later moved to Grand Rapids, Man., to serve a small church connected with Mid-Way Christian Leadership, holding Bible studies. Scales went there yearly, finding Stella to be a terrific hostess. The church sends its blessings; individuals do so especially, he said.

Fred is dealing with a serious health issue; the church and the Lord will stand with him.

Fred will carry on at Grand Rapids, Terry said.

Don Buhler, also of CBF, said he was fortunate to call Fred and Stella “my friends.” Don has a few close friends, those closer than hunting and fishing buddies. He and Fred share this closeness.

Don saw Fred’s service as displaying the humility and gratitude Paul speaks of in Eph. 3. He is privileged to be a servant of God by grace, to preach of inexpressible grace. Paul said for this reason we kneel before God—what a perfect posture, Don said.

Don said that people are praying for Fred and Stella as Fred has chemotherapy for cancer.

Fred has told him that since the diagnosis, people listen more to him and he has a new arena of service. Don echoed Paul’s prayer that God will strengthen his inner being to grasp the love of God that passes understanding, and CFB will be behind you, he said.

Ferlin Abrahamson of Birch River, Man., formerly interim director of Mid-Way Christian Leadership, shared his written thoughts through Malcolm Munroe, Mid-Way’s board chair.

Fred is from Germany and sees Canada through fresh eyes, Ferlin wrote. He’s the only person for whom Employment Canada agreed

Manfred and Stella Neff

22 The Messenger • October 2016

With Our Missionaries A granddaughter asked her who would pray for them if “Opa” [Grandpa in German] didn’t.

She replied she would. The child was surprised and asked, “Do “Kokums” [Grandmas in Cree] pray?” She welcomed prayer for the road ahead.

Ken Zacharias came forward to lead those gathered in prayer for Fred and Stella.

Tim Dyck, General Secretary, presented Fred and Stella with a plaque engraved with the image of a German Shepherd. Diana Peters gave them flowers.

Rob Wiebe led in singing.

to pay for two years of training at Nipawin Bible Institute.

At Grand Rapids, Fred travelled with a pet German Shepherd; it took Ferlin a while to realize the significance of Fred’s choice. It is said that as an owner and a pet grow older, they become more alike. That’s true here “because I think Fred is a German Shepherd,” said Ferlin.

Fred and Stella’s Responses

Prayer Time

Gerald Reimer, BOM Missions Mobilizer, led in a prayer time. Some requests were shared generally: a retired worker is travelling to Paraguay for a church anniversary, health is needed by a worker going on a prayer team to Asia, both a reserve leader and a young man (the latter facing court action) need help, and a retired missionary couple are elderly and their son died recently.

Other requests were shared and prayed for within small groups.

Rob Wiebe led in Drinking at the Springs of Living Water, and then Ken Zacharias wished everyone a good night.

Fred Neff said he was undeserving of this honour because of discouragement in ministry and not feeling as close to God as he does now. After NBI, he went to Grand Rapids and encountered some discouragements.

He knew he had peace with God, but did not have the peace April 4-11, 2017 of God until recently when he EMC Missions began ministry in Nicaragua in 1966. The Nicaragua FIEMN, which conwas diagnosed with cancer. He sists of 33 churches and outreaches, will celebrate this anniversary on April 8, 2017. has peace and a renewed love You are invited to attend this anniversary! for the Lord; his desire is to have many more years of reach- Anniversary Celebration: April 8, 2017 ing out in ministry, he said.

The FIEMN churches and invited guests will meet for a one-day celebration at Camp Stella said she was not pres- Maranatha, the FIEMN church camp. This will be a full day of celebration with at least ent to say she is strong, because two services and additional prayer services through the night. she is not. They have been together 44 years, and Fred is Anniversary Learning Tour: April 4-11, 2017 her strength. They know the Lester and Darlene Olfert will lead this tour visiting FIEMN churches and ministries. future and she requested prayer. You will be introduced to FIEMN conference committee leaders and pastors, and will She had a heart operation last appreciate the strong faith clearly evident in believers’ lives. year and is grateful to be here for Fred. He is alone, she said, Cost: about $1,800, including flights (more exact pricing will follow). since most of his family members were killed during the For information on the Anniversary Celebration and Learning Tour, contact bombing of Dresden in 1945.

Ken Zacharias at the EMC national office: kzacharias@emconf.ca.

NICARAGUA: 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION AND LEARNING TOUR

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 23

Column • Further In and Higher Up

Who’s Afraid of Liberals?

M

by Layton Friesen

And so, if we want to resist liberalism, it does not help to just shout louder about “truth” or “purity” or “sin.”

any people in the EMC are worried about “liberalism” in the Church.

It’s hard to explain exactly what liberalism is, but we all seem to know what we mean. To go “liberal,” we believe, is to drive the “welcome, include, and affirm everyone” instinct so one-sidedly that we compromise the Gospel revealed in Scripture.

Let me try to explain where this “liberal” instinct comes from and why it arose in the first place. After the Reformation in the 1500’s, a huge problem hung over the freshly wounded bodies (!) of Christ. Have the severed “churches” (Protestant, Anabaptist, Catholic) any Gospel-based way for all these new factions to co-exist peacefully within society?

Prior to the Reformation, the Church provided the glue holding society together, sort of. But with the Church now existing in mutual damnation of itself in mutual excommunications, was there still a Gospel-based way for people to love one another across boundaries?

Could Jesus still bring us together in love, overcoming our differences, or would we now need to find secular ways to live out the Bible’s command to love?

Attempts were made. The first swingand-a-miss was the theological killing of the Reformation age resulting in thousands of martyrs from all churches lined up against each other. Another swing-and-a-miss was the Thirty-Years War, a devastating 17th century war between the new “churches” in which a quarter of Europe’s population died. The last swing-and-you’re-out was World War I, when the churches of the west goaded the world to a bloodshed never before seen.

Much went on in the meantime, but the divided churches found no Gospel-based way to love across their differences. The Church never figured out how to come to theological agreement in love. Was it really impossible, using biblical resources, to overcome deep differences regarding baptism, salvation by grace, ordination, and so on? Apparently.

Finally, western society said, “Fine, you’ve had your chance. If that’s what the Gospel

24 The Messenger • October 2016

amounts to, we’ll just have to find another way to get along.” And that is where liberalism in the Church and in the world arose.

In all its different forms, liberalism tempers doctrinal truth, looking for better ways to approximate what was supposed to be the love of the body of Christ. It’s what the world came up with in response to un-resolvable disunity in the church. If the Church doesn’t like it, it has no one to blame but itself. We simply have not shown that genuine Christian truth leads people to costlier love across painful boundaries. All we have shown is that a commitment to Scriptural truth leads to division.

And so, if we want to resist liberalism, it does not help to just shout louder about “truth” or “purity” or “sin.” We have to show the world that the gospel enables us to love our enemies, our theological enemies. We have to show that in the Spirit, guided by Scripture we are able to overcome our differences with Catholics, Lutherans, and other Mennonites.

But I see recent signs that things may be changing and that the Church is getting genuinely tired of its division. Churches are partnering in mission like never before. Martyrdom is exposing our common blood as believers across traditions. Reformation divisions over baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and justification are looking less interesting to the Church today.

When Jesus finally reigns in the Church and his love prevails, liberalism will be shown as the pale impotence it is. “On earth as it is in heaven. . . .”

With Our Churches Redcliff EMC

REDCLIFF, Alta.—The Redcliff Gospel Music Jamboree on July 22 and 23, 2016, was a wonderful success.

The whole process started a bit slowly, but then began to gain momentum. We ended up having eight music groups participating, four from Man., two from Alta., one from Sask., and one from Mexico. Needless to say, it was a very full and busy weekend.

We were blessed in many ways, ranging from great food to wonderful music, from inspiring testimonies to enjoyable fellowship. The gospel was clearly and powerfully presented. God alone knows what all the decisions were in regards to that.

We were blessed with help locally and from abroad.

Island Gospel Fellowship from Burns Lake, B.C., sent out a team of four couples to minister in our midst. This was greatly appreciated since our attendance was quite a bit higher than in the past. We expect that about six or seven hundred people came out for the weekend.

Starting off Friday evening presented a challenge of sorts.

REDCLIFF

2016 Gospel Music Jamboree serves hundreds

We had one of our frequent summer storms, with lightning and rain, pass through. The challenge was met with all kinds of help; people pitched in to keep the rain and wind out of the tent. After a delay of about 15 minutes we were underway, and the rest of the weekend was more peaceful.

We are thankful for all the prayers and help, and for the EMC endorsing the event with your help, including a financial gift via the “Canadian Church Evangelism Fund.”

We praise God and pray that the results of the event will manifest themselves to God’s glory!

– Abe Bueckert

•• Vanderhoof Christian Fellowship

VCF reaches out to community through VBS who need it.

None of this could have happened without all of the hard work and dedication of 49 volunteers, 13 of which were our youth, who had a heart to serve. “Praise God for volunteers and for the opportunity to reach out into the community to churched and non-churched kids,” said Kim Giesbrecht, VBS committee leader.

Kim works hard year after year to bring this to our community and her effort doesn’t go unnoticed. We are very thankful for a leader with such a big heart for serving God. – Krista Giesbrecht and Shannon Hall VANDERHOOF

VANDERHOOF, B.C.—Following Jesus, The LIght of the World, was our theme for this year’s Vacation Bible School held at our church on July 11-15. We were blessed by 100 kids, ages four to 11, who attended.

Cave Quest was the program we used; it was a great deal of fun for kids and adults alike. Throughout the week we learned how God’s love takes us through dark times in our lives. Thanks to a lot of hard work, our church was amazingly decorated with caves all throughout to have a fun experience.

There were different stations to rotate through daily: singing time, Bible quests, cinema, games, imagination station (always a favourite), and, of course, snack time.

Throughout the week lessons taught that Jesus gives us hope, courage, direction, love, and his power.

By the end of the week kids had brought in 500-plus items of non- perishable food items to donate to out local Neighbor Link, which helps those in community

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 25

With Our Churches Crestview Fellowship

WINNIPEG, Man.—There’s been a lot happening around here this summer.

Melvin and Kari Peters, who serve with Mission Aviation Fellowship in Africa, were with us on July 10 to report on the work they are doing in starting up and developing the new sub-base in Marsabit; they bring the love of Christ to those living in isolation in northern Kenya.

Darrell Thiessen from Jesus People USA joined us on July 17 to share about his work in the Uptown neighbourhood on the north side of Chicago, Illinois.

A huge praise item: a long-term project has finally been

CRESTVIEW

Ribbon-cutting, VBS held

2016 mennonite studies conference

Mennonites, Land and the Environment a global history conference october 28–29, 2016

FRIESLAND

IOWA

A history of Mennonites’ relationship to the land in seven communities around the world, considering the preindustrial, the modern and the sustainable.

friday, october 28

JAVA

SIBERIA

MANITOBA

ZIMBABWE

8:30 AM — 5:30 PM

1 FRIESLAND AND NORTHERN EUROPE: A Land Tried and Transformed

2 IOWA AND THE U.S. MIDWEST: Land of ‘Destiny’ and Diversity

3 JAVA: A Land of Inter-religiosity

4 SIBERIA AND THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE: A Land of Vision and Bitterness

featured evening 7:30 PM An Anabaptist Theology of the Environment With guest speakers: Elaine Enns, Nathanael Inglis and Gordon Zerbe Reception to follow

saturday, october 29

completed. Our church building has been equipped with an elevator so now those who have been finding the stairs a bit difficult will be able to get to the basement easily and with dignity. Hallalujah! A ribbon-cutting and dedication was held on Sunday, July 24. Thanks to the men who devoted a lot of time to seeing this project through to completion.

Kingdom Rock: Where Kids Stand Strong For God was the theme for VBS week August 7—11. It was an amazing five days with about 20 children attending.

Each evening started with a barbecue supper that was a great way to connect with both the parents and the children. The children learned that prayer, family and friends, God’s love, the Bible and trusting God help us to stand strong.

Youth Pastor Kevin and Lee Pauls welcomed a daughter, Lucy Devona, on Aug. 24, a sister for Desmond. Congratulations!

A potluck breakfast was held on Sunday, Sept. 11, to start the fall season. Sunday School resumes on Sept. 18.

– Sharron Straub

8:30 AM — 4:00 PM

5 MANITOBA AND BEYOND: Lands of Transition

6 ZIMBABWE: A Land of Hope and Struggle

7 BOLIVIA AND ITS NEIGHBOURS: A Land of Environmental Irony

film screening 4:00 — 5:00 PM Seven Points on Earth A film in progress by Paul Plett, Ode Productions

BOLIVIA

Free Admission Register at Conference

eckhardt gramatté hall 3rd floor centennial building university of winnipeg mennonitestudies.uwinnipeg.ca/events

Join with Christ in shaping our

WORLD

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

26 The Messenger • October 2016

With Our Churches Pleasant Valley EMC

Rejoicing for many reasons at PV ROSENORT, Man.—Jacob, son of Deanna and Ben Waldner of Rosenort, and Deanna, daughter of Cesar and Salaman of Bogota, Colombia, got married on Feb. 19, 2011. On June 28, 2016, a celebration was held at Jacob’s parents’ beautiful yard; they praised God for Deanna’s getting her Canadian visa and their being together after two years.

After a process of prayer and listening, three elder couples nominees were identified and called; they consented

and on April 28 we held a vote of affirmation for them: Rick and Karen Friesen, Brenden and Teresa Johnson, Mike and Alyssa Thiessen.

On that same day the church family affirmed our commitment to each other through a symbolic signing of our Community Covenant. It was a worship service filled with gratitude, praise, and anticipation.

– Marilyn Kornelsen and Pastor Darren Plett

•• Mennville EMC

MENNVILLE

Seven baptized in August

Baptized were Keanna Kovacs, Kayley Brandt, Thomas Kehler, Mitch Shumey, Zach Barkman, Brittney Kroeker, and McKenna Barkman.

MENNVILLE, Man.—Seven young people were baptized on the confession of their faith and to publicly show their desire to follow Christ on Aug. 21. The church was packed with supporters as we heard their touching testimonies, witnessed them get baptized, prayed with them as they were surrounded by people whom they chose to pray for them, and later greeted them as brothers and sisters in the Lord. We want to continue to uphold them in prayer as Mitch gets married and the rest of them start Grade 10 this month.

– Luella Brandt

Conference Pastor Sought The EMC is in the process of seeking whom God is calling next to join in ministry with us as our Conference Pastor.

The person we feel God is leading to us will have strengths in: Job Skills, Knowledge and Requirements: mediation/conflict resolution, relationship and relationship building with a variety of people, effective communication both written and oral, strong support of the conference vision, a background in Anabaptist understanding, agreement with the EMC Statement of Faith, credentialed or able to be credentialed with the EMC. Personal: willing to travel to visit pastors and churches; an emotionally balanced disposition, especially in times of conflict; actively and passionately involved in pursuing growth in own personal faith; actively pursues and exhibits Christian leadership attributes as defined in the Scriptures (1 Tim. 3, 2 Tim. 2, Titus 1, Gal. 5, 6).

If you feel that God is leading you to minister with us in this role, please submit your resume and cover letter to: efehr@emconf.ca.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 27

With Our Churches Heartland Community Church

LANDMARK, Man.—In May we had the pleasure of listening to Tim Hague’s amazing story. He was born of a white mother and black father during a time when racial tensions in the USA were at their peak and where interracial children were neither black enough nor white enough to be wanted for adoption.

He was placed in an orphanage with little hope of ever finding a family. After he was shuffled around from church to church in the southern states, a white Christian couple heard the call and took to heart James’ definition of pure religion: “to look after the orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27) and so took action.

Tim’s distress, however, continued while growing up. Once the family adopted him, their own church disowned them. He was then bullied as a child and ultimately rejected by the parents of potential girlfriends. Tim persevered in his trials; and he eventually met and a married a blond, blue-eyed woman named Sheryl and moved to Winnipeg where they raised four children and he became a registered nurse.

In early 2011, Tim was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Instead of accepting the disease as a curse, he said he decided to embrace the next stage of his journey with joy and expectancy. After starting treatment, Tim trained and ran his first triathlon and continued to be open to whatever God planned for the rest of his life.

Through the encouragement of Sheryl, Tim and his son Tim Jr. auditioned for the Amazing Race Canada. Underdogs from the beginning, the pair pulled off a miraculous win on the very first season of the show.

As Tim Hague’s race continues, he shares his story and inspires others to “live their best.” He has become an advocate for Parkinson’s and an ambassador for Compassion Canada, continuing the legacy of his parents.

Early this year Gary and Mavis Unger (Heartland) also heard the call to look after the orphans in their distress.

They went to Haiti on a short-term mission trip four years ago and carried back with them a burden for the orphans at the Maison Orphanage in Port Au Prince.

With much prayer, the couple quit their jobs and left their home and family for a time to pursue what God had planned for them. In the short term, they have taken on the role of working directors for the Orphanage.

HEARTLAND

Two Amazing Stories

Rebecca Bernardin created this cake for the visit by Tim Hague Sr.

Under their guidance, many projects have been planned and funded by their supporters back home. I look forward to their future reports to hear the rest of the story.

In the meantime, we are in this amazing race. Like a winning marathoner we must train and cast off everything that hinders us. And we must fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, enduring patiently so we too will finish well and receive the prize and give God the glory.

– Brigitte Toews

TRU Train • Refresh • Unite

EMC Youth Leaders Retreat October 28–30, 2016 Camp Cedarwood Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba Speaker: Dr. Chris Marchand

28 The Messenger • October 2016

With Our Churches Abbeydale Christian Fellowship

We’re expecting!

CALGARY, Alta.—So what’s so special about that? Babies are born each day. Shouldn’t this be in the birth announcement section of The Messenger? Well, this delivery is special; it is for six people of various ages.

This decision was made by ACF in a congregational meeting in early January. Don’t get the wrong impression; this is a refugee family. The first move was to form a refugee committee. Early February we had a baby shower, also known as a fundraiser. This evening was billed as a talent night. Baking talents, craft making talents, and entertaining talents were all displayed.

After that first evening, other fundraising events were held, and the fundraising goal was quickly reached due to people’s generosity and government assistance. We did have some surprises along the way. At one time we were told the family would arrive in three to five months; later we found they would arrive in mid-May. With some quick work, accommodations were prepared, household goods were gathered. Might there be more surprises before they were settled? Yes. The family is gaining in independence and settling in to life in Canada.

For most of them, they are exited for school this fall.

– Al Zentner

•• Braeside EMC

Fire in Fort McMurray WINNIPEG, Man.—What a loss earlier this year in Alberta with the fire in Fort McMurray that burned many acres of forest and destroyed homes!

Mennonite Disaster Service reported the Fort McMurray fire brought in many donations both to MDS, and also the Red Cross. Loss of many homes, clean up jobs, even vehicles not able to make it out, added to the disaster.

Greg Graham, who works for a roofing company, was one of the first to be allowed in. His brother, who works in the area, was driving a truck on the highway with a wall of fire on both sides of the highway. “Lucky I was the driver, and not a passenger. It was so frightening, but we made it,” he said.

Braeside’s pastor, Kim Stoesz, is back from her threemonth sabbatical, which she combined with a holiday, and we welcomed her back on Aug. 7. She gave a short report on what books she’d read, how many sermons she’d heard, and told about various church services she and her husband Jerry had been able to attend. Special to Kim was the week in Atlanta where she attended a conference geared for pastors.

Volunteer T-shirts arrived in time for Vacation Bible School, scheduled for Aug. 22 to 26, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Sandra and Carlos Ericastilla took on the responsibility of

Cave Quest, the theme of this year’s VBS. “Volunteer” on the shirts helped those attending to ask for help if needed.

Ellen and John Stoesz celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. What a privilege! Another celebration was for graduates of Braeside. Caleb Rodriguez graduated from Grade 12. University and college graduates were Yesenia Garcia, Nathan Wiens, and Estuardo Figueroa.

Congratulations!

This spring, the theme “The Comparison Trap” was offered once a week, for four weeks, afternoon and evening. It was attended by many women at 2016 HavenGroup Braeside. Some quesLegacy Event tions raised were: “Do you compare From Tragedy to Triumph: The Story of Liese yourself unfavourably to others, or compare one child to another, making them feel inadequate?” Many various topics received attention.

Sponsored by: Rest Haven Special Events Team – Caroline Loewen Please join us in the dramatic presentation of Based on the book 'Laina' by Betty Barkman Producer Doris Penner

Her mama died of a broken heart at the age of 31 . . . .and Papa began a series of infamous disappearing acts. What would become of Liese?

Free Will Offering ~ Refreshments

Friday, October 21, 2016 at 7:00 pm SBC Chapel 50 PTH 12 North, Steinbach, MB

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 29

With Our Churches Portage Evangelical Church

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man.—The Portage Community Vacation Bible School has completed its eighth year this summer at Portage Evangelical Church. This year’s theme was “Cave Quest: Following Jesus the Light of the World.”

Our attendance averaged 75 children each night.

During the week children participated in Cave Quest adventures. They discovered God’s life-changing plan as revealed from creation to the present and into the future.

Answers to life’s most important questions were found!

The children discovered that God loves them and that through Jesus they can be members of God’s family. They, too, can personally experience God’s plan for them. These lessons were reinforced through games, crafts, and science experiments, as well as through the valuable truths from God’s Word.

The Bible truths focused on during our Cave Quest adventures were: Jesus gives us hope, gives us courage, gives us direction, gives us love and gives us power. On Day Three we encountered a surprise: an unexpected loss of power because of a storm! The first three truths involving hope, courage and direction became front and centre in the program.

Our week included children involved in a variety of activities. The outside games were action oriented with water games being the favorite. Singing cool songs is always a hit. Our action leaders were so enthusiastic that soon everyone was up, out of their seats, singing and

Living in God’s Kingdom: a practical study guide on the Christian life is an introduction to the Christian faith, suitable for baptism/ LIVING IN membership and other classes.

Lessons include: God and revelation, Jesus Christ and salvation, Holy Spirit and discipleship, the kingdom and the future, church and mission, and Anabaptist history. A leader’s guide is available. te Conference Christian Mennoni , MB R5G 0J1 478 Henry St, Steinbach .ca www.cmconference

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To order, contact the conference office. ce/Go Mission! te Mission Conferen Evangelical Mennoni , MB R2N 4G6 757 St Anne’s Rd, Winnipeg www.gomission.ca

30 The Messenger • October 2016

Order yours today!

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Cave Quest was an amazing week!

sharing in the fun. The kids did some cool crafts and science activities.

Each evening during our closing finale we watched the Spotlight drama. Here we watched children re-enact the Bible story of the day. The kids loved watching the PowerPoint pictures and story. The Bible points were brought close to home watching “Kid Vid” stories, stories of real boys and girls as they struggled with how to follow Jesus in everyday life. At times they needed the courage to face a storm, another day they struggled with getting along with a sibling, and they also difficulties in asking for direction when lost. Kids easily identified with these scenarios.

As usual, we had a mission project. This year we partnered with “Youth For Christ” to send a child to camp. We raised $665.12 that allowed three children to attend Valley View Bible camp. That is awesome.

Our closing finale Friday was the highlight of the week.

This is our opportunity to invite family and friends. They get a sample of our week: the songs, lessons, and a slide show of photographs. During the closing, the boys and girls were given tiny flashlights as reminders to let their light shine brightly for Jesus.

The flashlights were all shining while we sang, “This Little Light of Mine.” The effect was very powerful. This final evening provided pleasant weather for fellowship and great food while the children had one last opportunity to play group games. Cave Quest was an amazing week of adventures.

– Eileen Warthe, VBS director

With Our Churches Steinbach EMC

Sharing Our Faith

SEMC

STEINBACH, Man.—“Share our faith with the world” is one of the points in our Mission Statement. God gives us many opportunities to share our faith right here in our community, but He also calls some of us to do so in other parts of the world in a variety of different ways.

Jim and Candace Ducharme served at a Christian school in Nicaragua for several months. They assisted the start-up and viability of the “Students of all Abilities Reorganized” program. They worked with special-needs students, focusing on behaviour modification, classroom integration and skill building, and also helped out in the elementary grades.

Steinbach EMC youth spent a week in Winnipeg's inner city They found it exciting to see the program develop and flourish and become an invaluable extension It was good to see how missionaries and Filipino Chrisof the school. Jim and Candace say that this mission expetians are reaching street children and youth. The team rience proved again that God can use any of us to further enjoyed staying in local homes, where they connected with His purposes as long as we are willing to go.

Filipino families and learned about the culture.

Maddy Drolet spent six months at a Discipleship A number of volunteers were involved in baseball Training School with YWAM. She was in Newwcastle, camps and other community events at Tadoule Lake, PauAustralia, for three months, learning about God’s character ingassi, and Poplar Hill. They had many opportunities to and His immeasurable love for us. The next three months share their faith and God’s love. she spent was in Australia, India, and Thailand with a team Eleven youth and four leaders spent a week in Winniof twelve others. Maddy’s ministry included spending time peg, where they were exposed to the many needs of people with orphans, praying for people, building a bathroom, and in the inner city. Walking the streets, meeting people, playing with kids in the slums. and sharing lunch with them gave them a glimpse of what Carl and Lisa Loewen, accompanied by their family, led it’s like to live on the street. They learned about human a group of third-year SBC students on a mission trip to the trafficking and spent an evening handing out roses to prosPhilippines. They spent time ministering to the urban poor titutes. The week also included working at Youth for Christ and also served at ACTION’s discipleship ministry campus. and Union Gospel Mission. Through praying for and serving the community in practical ways, the youth learned a great deal and developed a growing heart for the poor.

Here at home, 370 children were registered for an exciting week of DVBS with the theme “Cave Quest: Following Jesus, the Light of the World.” The church was decorated to look like a great cavern, complete with hanging roots, stalagmites, and stalactites. Bible truths were reinforced through drama, sports, singing, and skits. Praise God for the many kids who made first-time decisions to follow Jesus, as well as those who made recommitments!

– Martha Kroeker Steinbach EMC youth pause near Sargent Ave. Mennonite Church.

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 31

In Memory

Annie Brandt (nee Barkman) 1936-2016

God answered Mom’s prayer at 12:35 p.m. on Wed., Aug. 10, 2016, to be released from her suffering and enter her eternal home. The last six months or so had been filled with increasing pain. She was hospitalized and diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer two months before her homegoing. She was just a few weeks away from her 80th birthday.

Our mother, grandmother and great grandmother, “Annie” Anna Reimer Gertrude Barkman, was born on Sept. 5, 1936, to Peter JR and

RATION DETAILS

Gertrude Barkman in Hanover, near Steinbach, Man. She was pre-deceased by her husband, our dad, Abe P. Brandt; her granddaughter Katelyn Friesen, her father Peter JR Barkman, her mother Gertrude; her step-mother Anna; her sisters Mary, Margaret, and Minna; her brothers Peter and Albert; many brothers- and sisters-in-law; and two nephews.

Mom is survived by her children, Larry, Laureen, Stanley, Delbert, Gerald, Anita, Elaine, Julia. Sandra, Robert and Theresa; their spouses and children; her sisters, Helen, Kathy and Trudie; and brothers Frank and Abe. Mom’s early childhood memories were of living on the farm in Blumenort with her parents and siblings.

When Mom wrote her memoires, her first recorded significant life event was the death of her mother (when Mom was at the age of eight years) and the year that followed. She was grateful when her father remarried and she got her new mother. She wrote, “I thank

God for giving us such a good and loving mother.”

In the spring of 1952 she began her journey with God, believing in Jesus for the forgiveness of her sin and for her eternal life. She declared her faith in Jesus through baptism on June 1, 1952, in the Blumenort EM Church. Also, that summer the family moved to north of Riverton to start a new farm. Mom and Dad were married on July 21, 1956, at the Mennville EM Church north of Riverton.

They started their own homestead in the area where they raised their 11 children.

Almost six years ago Mom lost Dad, her loving and faithful husband of 53 years, whom she missed very much. She was quite lonely these last few years, but held to the fact that she was never really alone as God had promised to “never leave or forsake her.” The only real work left for her now was to pray for her children and grandchildren, and pray she did.

– Her Family

Calendar opens September 1, 2016.

includes meals (except nd refreshments during the

tion and payment options CanadianMennoniteHealth om

OMMODATIONS

About the CMHA The CMHA is an annual gathering that offers encouragement, teaching and connection for Mennonite health care organizations across Canada.

This year we invite all who provide healthcare from a Christian faith perspective to join us. Be inspired.

Connect together...and lead!

Physician Assisted Dying?

2016 Conference

Places of Refuge November 2 - 4

CMHA Contact Info Mennonite Heritage Village

75 PTH 12 North einbach, MB R5G 1T3

one: 204-320-9200 Free: 1-877-906-9200

o@daysinnsteinbach.com

Room Rates Available

prior to October 2, 2016. e Days Inn directly and st to be booked in the avenGroup Block

For more information about this conference go to: www.CanadianMennoniteHealthAssembly.com Email: connect@CanadianMennoniteHealth Assembly.com Check the website regularly for updates.

32 The Messenger • October 2016

231 PTH 12N

Steinbach, Manitoba www.canadianmennonitehealthassembly.com

Manitoba October 22 Project Builders/MFC Seminar 9:30 a.m. - noon

Appointments available in the afternoon.

Heartland Church Landmark, MB lfbarkman@gmail.com

Ontario November 12 MCC Fall Conference Elmira, ON 1-800-313-6226

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.

faith in Jesus Christ, ordination, a master’s degree, organizational and personal competence, excellent communication skills, and two years pastoral experience. For a complete job description and details on remuneration, please contact Scott Gobeil at efcfort@gmail.com.

EMC Positions*

Treesbank Community Church is a small rural church in southwest Manitoba that is seeking a pastor to lead our congregation and outreach in our community. This could be on a full- or part-time basis. It could be on a flexible schedule to allow a student to do some practicum while still in college, or to allow someone to transition to retirement on a part-time flexible schedule. If you are interested in church leadership and outreach and feel God calling you to this type of ministry, please contact Leonard Plett at 204-824-2475 or at lplett@mts.net.

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 403223-0588 or 403-331-9563. Send resumes to Taber EMC, Box 4348, Taber, AB T1G 2C7 or taberemc@yahoo.ca.

Mennville EMC, a rural congregation with an attendance of 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.

MacGregor EMC in MacGregor, Man., is seeking a full time lead pastor. Applicants must have a love for God and the Church, a commitment to Anabaptist beliefs centred on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, and be characterized by an attitude of servant leadership and personal integrity in following Jesus. The successful candidate will preach regularly; visit and support individuals in the congregation; advise the ministerial, board and other participants on matters of faith. This position is available starting summer 2016.

We are a church of about 100 attendees in a town of about 1000, located on Hwy 1 halfway between Winnipeg and Brandon. For further information, feel free to browse our church's website www. macgregoremc.com and check out www.northnorfolk.ca on what our town has to offer.

To submit an application, please email a resume with three references to Dan Sawatzky at dsawatzky@gmail.com. To request information, email Dan Sawatzky or call him at 204-685-2252.

The Evangelical Fellowship Church in Fort Frances, Ont., seeks a pastor for 32.5 hours per week. As a spiritual overseer, the pastor is the shepherd and guardian of the local fellowship of believers; his work involves studying and teaching, praying and preaching, visiting and counseling on the basis of the Holy Scriptures. The pastor’s life should be of consistent spiritual moral character and lifestyle, characterized by a servant attitude. Required: a clear testimony of

Picture Butte Mennonite Church, a Low German and English-speaking church in southern Alberta with 220 people attending dual Sunday morning services, is seeking an experienced, full-time senior pastor.

The ideal candidate should be characterized by an attitude of servant leadership and personal integrity in a close walk with Jesus. This candidate needs to have an openness and sensitivity to the diverse cultural differences within our Mennonite church.

This position would focus on discipleship training, mentoring, teaching and coaching leaders within the church. This position would also include preaching, teaching and strengthening individual personal commitment to faith in Christ, challenging each one to grow in their personal relationship with Jesus. This candidate needs to be a team player as he will be working alongside the existing leadership team. Contact Willy Neudorf, 403-894-7615, wjneudorf@gmail. com or Isaac Thiessen, 403-308-5093, isaact@genicadev.com.

Garry EMC, it is seeking to reach out to the new Chinese immigrants in southwest Winnipeg. We are diligently praying for a pastor. Bible college or seminary education is required. The applicant must be fluent in Mandarin. For more information or to submit a resume, contact Helen Wang (204-5092628 or wang90@hotmail.com).

Youth for Christ (YFC) Winnipeg, a non-denominational evangelical organization located in Winnipeg, Man., seeks to fill many positions: a youth centre director (Stonewall, Man.), climbing wall/wilderness adventure director; fitness centre director; counselling ministry director; youth centre program coordinator (Arborg, Selkirk, and Carman, Man.); soccer program coordinator; skateboard ministry program coordinator. YFC is dedicated to communicating the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ to young people. For more information about YFC Winnipeg, or these opportunities, please visit us at yfcwinnipeg.ca. Your work will have deep significance. You will be paid a competitive salary and be eligible for YFC’s group insurance program, which includes life insurance, long-term disability, dental, and health insurance, plus later eligibility for YFC’s pension plan. For more information about YFC Winnipeg, or these opportunities, please visit us at yfcwinnipeg.ca.

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.

Other Positions A long-term pastor is sought for the church in Hacienda Verde, Bolivia, a small but vibrant congregation with about 70 to 80 people attending.

Requirements: Speak and write Low German and Spanish, good Bible knowledge, some pastoral experience, and good references from congregation and wider community.

For information, please contact Bill Kehler, Bolivia field director, bill@gomission.ca; Abe Giesbrecht, missions facilitator, abe@gomission.ca; 204.253.7929.

Winnipeg Logos Church is a one-yearold evangelical Chinese church being planted in the Fort Richmond area of Winnipeg. In partnership with the Fort

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 33

Column • Here and Far Away

Incomprehensible

P I have grown to appreciate, even require, these friends of diverse cultures to show me more of who Jesus is.

34 The Messenger • October 2016

JOCELYN R. PLETT

by Jocelyn R. Plett www.writewhatyousee. wordpress.com

raising God in a language I don’t understand helps me remember that God is infinitely bigger than the breath of my vocabulary and scope of comprehension. There is something mysterious and utterly marvelous in understanding the essence of what is being said—apart from the meaning.

When I stand in worship with the Malagasy believers, singing in their own language, the words and syllables trip up my tongue, so I just close my eyes and listen with my heart. I hear the love they sing to our Father.

I sense the submission and the expectation they have for Him to stir up the Spirit within their midst to change and guide them. I perceive the belief that He will provide for them even as He has done just recently with the new land that has been provided at just the right time for His church in Antananarivo.

I used to join the church in Liepaja, Latvia, on weekends to escape the confines of dormitory life in Lithuania. Sitting in the back of the draughty church building, the soothing sounds of Latvian praise and worship settling over me, I would ask with the utter conviction that it could happen for God to bestow upon me the gift of tongues—specifically those of Latvian, Lithuanian, and Russian.

Now I pray for the gift of French fluency and Malagasy comprehension. Yet even as I struggle to learn and absorb the vocabulary of these languages I marvel at how vast God is that He would create so many divergent people with multitudinous ways of perceiving and articulating the world around them.

I have grown to appreciate, even require, these friends of diverse cultures to show me more of who Jesus is, because I cannot comprehend the immensity of God with my own limited

understanding. To quote Timothy Keller: C.S. Lewis argues that it takes a community of people to get to know an individual person. Reflecting on his own friendships, he observed that some aspects of one of his friend’s personality were brought out only through interaction with a second friend.

That meant if he lost the second friend, he lost the part of his first friend that was otherwise invisible. “By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets.” If it takes a community to know an ordinary human being, how much more necessary would it be to get to know Jesus alongside others? By praying [and worshiping] with friends, you will be able to hear and see facets of Jesus that you have not yet perceived (Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy With God, Tim Keller, Dutton, 2014, 119).

We are the church within our local communities, joined to the global church. She is a deep pool of wisdom and understanding of our Lord and Saviour revealed by the Lord Himself to his Bride of many cultures. She is so beautiful. He is making her beautiful for Himself, and it is glorious in my eyes.

Column • stewardship today

A Big Change

M

ennonite Foundation of Canada is about to make a big change. In October, MFC will become Abundance Canada.

This decision did not come easily. Our process was both cautious and comprehensive. Long before we considered rebranding, the Board and Management began strategizing for the future.

Through this process we affirmed a number of core values. Among them is our commitment to serving the Church with biblical stewardship education and the facilitation of charitable giving.

We also challenged ourselves with a bold vision that our stewardship ministry is not only for the churches and adherents of our seven founding conferences but for the wider Christian community in Canada. A broader, more ambitious ministry would allow us to assist more people with charitable giving and also to increase awareness of God’s generosity and the biblical message to share with others.

With a bold vision before us, we began an 18-month process that analyzed the market, evaluated similar service providers, held conversations with clients and potential clients and gathered input from a sample of the Christian population across Canada. With the help of a branding agency with experience in the faithbased, not-for-profit sector, we also learned there is a real desire and a need for our ministry and services which match our vision to work with the wider Christian church.

We also learned, through our research, that serving a wider Christian community would be difficult with a name that reflected a specific denomination. This meant we needed to entertain a rebranding of the organization.

It was imperative that our new name be welcoming and inclusive to the wider Christian community and support our faith-driven approach to our ministry. It also needed to reflect our four principles of biblical stewardship: 1) God is generous, 2) God owns, we manage, 3) God asks for our whole selves, and 4) God invites us to share.

After a rigorous creative process, we chose

Abundance Canada, and we are delighted with it. Abundance Canada inspires thoughts of God’s abundance. It reminds us of the importance of gratitude. It is open and invitational. In short, Abundance Canada helps people share God’s abundance with those in need and more accurately reflects our service, our ministry and our spirit of generosity.

Let me assure you that while we are changing

by Darren our name, the Board and Staff are committed to Pries-Klassen, ensuring our services and level of client service MFC Executive will not change. Our research showed that our Director satisfaction rating among existing clients is more than 90%. Clients cited our financial stability, our knowledgeable and courteous staff, our honesty and integrity, and our values as important factors in their overall satisfaction.

Over the years, we’ve heard from many clients who have said, “We love working with MFC. You make giving so simple and easy.” The same will be true for Abundance Canada. And just as it was with MFC, Abundance Canada will be a donor-advised charitable foundation.

If you have questions, please give us a call. We would love to tell This October, we’re changing our name. you more about our expanding ministry, introduce you to our services is becoming and help you experience the joy of generosity.

Abundance Our new name expands Canada … because our ministry, built on more generosity changes than 40 years of assisting everything. generous Christians with their charitable giving.

For more informaFind out more at tion on impulsive abundance.ca* or call us generosity, stewardat 1.800.772.3257. ship education, and *Our new website launches estate and charitOctober 3rd. able gift planning, contact - - - -

EXCITING NEWS!

www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 35

Column • kids’ corner

Ten Things for Which to be Thankful

Do you have good friends who share your fun, feel your sadness or excitement, spend time with you, are fair and kind?

36 The Messenger • October 2016

DESIGNPICS

I

t’s October and time for Thanksgiving. You regularly give thanks before each meal. It has become a habit. But you have much more to be thankful for.

Like shelter, a house that keeps you dry and warm when it rains or when temperatures drop.

It’s a safe place to eat, sleep, hang up your clothes,

by Loreena and store your collections. It’s peaceful. You’re in Thiessen charge. You can lock the door, or open it.

Millions of people around the world do not have a home, they are homeless because of floods, or war, or because they lost their jobs. Be thankful for your house.

What about clean drinking water? You’re thirsty. You go to the fridge, open a bottle and take a sip. You expect it to be clean and safe.

Millions of people do not have clean water to drink. They collect water from puddles or streams. Dirty water makes them sick.

When you’re hungry you get a snack or a sandwich. At supper you have a good dinner.

You eat as much as you want. Food is fuel for the energy you need each day. Millions of people all over the world do not have enough food to eat. Constant hunger causes pain. They become weak and fall ill.

Are you healthy? To keep healthy you must eat healthy, get enough sleep Activity: Find another word and exercise. Being healthy Look for words above to replace you are able to listen and think the following words: better, you enjoy playing and working. Be thankful for your a safe place health. a meal Do you have good friends no home who share your fun, feel your take a drink sadness or excitement, spend feeling well time with you, are fair and kind? forest And don’t forget your family. hardship They love and support you no daybreak matter what. You can depend on someone you like them. Be thankful for them. a fish At times you meet someone

new who becomes a friend. Now you have another person to share and have fun with.

You learn new things. Be thankful for that new person.

Are you thankful for technology? Do you have a PlayStation, Nintendo, Game Boy, or a phone? These are luxuries you may think of as necessities. You learn skills and have fun. Your phone keeps you connected. Remember to be thankful for these.

There are many ordinary things you enjoy.

Sunrise and sunset give colour and light to your day. The sun warms you and makes things grow.

Trees give you clean air. The ocean cools and provides you with salmon, tuna and lobster. Rivers and streams give you opportunity to go fishing with your Dad or Grandpa. Flowers make parks beautiful. Don’t forget to give thanks for these.

What happens when you face a difficulty?

Overcoming a difficulty you may learn something new or grow stronger. Be thankful. Every morning when you wake up, be thankful for another new day to enjoy all that you have.

Read Psalm 104:1, 10–25. See how God provides for the earth and all its inhabitants.

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