MB Herald Digest | July 2021

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Digest

Sixty years of sharing the life & story of the Mennonite Brethren in Canada

I will not waste my pain Embracing the cleansing power of lament

VOLUME 60, NO. 7

TO C H A N G E O R N OT TO C H A N G E F I R S T N AT I O N A L A S S E M B LY O F T H E C O L L A B O R AT I V E M O D E L E R A LOOK FOR THE HELPERS

Q: How do you speak well about marriage with your neighbours, knowing that marriage can be difficult?

A: Check out the Faith and Life online pamphlets about marriage and family. www.mennonitebrethren.ca/ nflt-resources

Mennonite Brethren Herald Digest is digitally published monthly by the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, primarily for the use of its members, to build a Canadian MB community of faith. We seek to 1) share the life and story of the church by nurturing relationships among members and engaging in dialogue and reflection; 2) teach and equip for ministry by reflecting MB theology, values, and heritage, and by sharing the good news; 3) enable communication by serving conference ministries and informing our members about the church and the world. However, the opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the church as a whole.

Digest J U LY 2 0 2 1 | V O L U M E 6 0 , N O . 7 EDITORIAL OFFICE 1310 Taylor Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3M 3Z6 Phone: 204-669-6575 Toll-free in Canada: 888-669-6575 MBHERALD@MBCHURCHES.CA W W W. M B H ER ALD.CO M

ISSN: 0025-9349 The Mennonite Brethren Herald is a publication of

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THE FRUIT OF UNFAILING LOVE

Eric Geddes

AN IMPACTFUL INVESTMENT

Sixty years

of sharing the life and story of Mennonite Brethren in Canada

FACEBOOK.COM/MBHERALD TWITTER.COM/MB_HERALD SOUNDCLOUD.COM/MBHERALD MBHERALD.COM

Kimberly McIntyre

BIBLE COLLEGE’S HISTORY REFLECTS MB LIFE IN CANADA

John Longhurst

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I WILL NOT WASTE MY PAIN

Shauna Caldwell

CCMBC employees Bomba Ng’andu and Kara Friesen provide behindthe-scenes tech support at National Assembly. Read the fully National Assembly summary on page 14.

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From the editor FIRE, RAIN AND CATHEDRAL STAIRCASES ames Taylor’s 1970 lament, Fire and Rain, has to be the saddest song I’ve heard. I give it a spin anytime I’m feeling melancholy. If I happen to listen to it while in a good mood, then consider that day ruined.

I kid. A song written in three parts, the narrative speaks to the loss of Taylor’s friend Suzanne, whose suicide occurred a few years prior: “Just yesterday mornin’, they let me know you were gone. Suzanne, the plans they made put an end to you.”

The song then details Taylor’s battle with drug addiction and depression. Parts of the song were written during a stint in rehab. The third part is Taylor coming to grips with fame and fortune and reflecting on the failure of his original band, Flying Machines, “Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground.”

It’s a common mistake to think that the successful, the “lucky” ones don’t feel the hurt and pain of loss and disappointment. In I will not waste my pain (page 16), Shauna Caldwell presents lament through the eyes of King David, whose rise to power and tumultuous rule of Isreal is well documented and expressed throughout the Psalms. Oversimplifying David’s journey, imagine a sign at the top of the stairs of the observation dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral: To reach the top, you must descend to the bottom. “Lament is cathartic, perhaps even cleansing.” says Caldwell, “My crying, until tears lose their stinging saltiness, leads me to a place where I offer my limp and

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surrendered self into the arms of God. There I am safe. In my lament, by feeling deeply, I am restored. I rest, then I rise.”

As a nod to Caldwell’s previous article, we thought it fitting to include a Fred Rogers-focused essay, Look for the helpers (page 9) by Canadian Mennonite University student Chloe Friesen. On page 11, regular columnist Phil Gunther guides the church through discernment and reflection when contemplating change. We received Convention and Assembly summaries from some of our provincial partners—you’ll find them scattered through the pages ahead. As always, my thanks to our many contributors and advertisers; we couldn’t tell the story of Canada’s Mennonite Brethren without you.

As you go about your summer activities, whether they be of leisure or work, I wish you happiness and joy in the Lord. I leave you with a line of hopeful lament: “Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus?

You’ve got to help me make a stand You’ve just got to see me through another day.”

With much respect,

Carson

CARSON SAMSON

Communications director

# E V E RY B O DY LOV E S S U RV E YS

We need your valuable input We invite your input on several important topics. To ensure the integrity of the survey, we are working with Insights West, an independent research company that is conducting this online survey of our MB family members.

Please be assured that all survey responses will be anonymous, confidential, and analyzed only in aggregate with all other survey responses.

The survey should take approximately 12 minutes to complete. >> Please click here to begin Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback on these important topics.

The survey closes July 15, 2021.

Sumner and (R) Dr. Rich Janzen

HOMEPAGE

(L) Rev. Brad

H IS TO RIC AL CO M M IS S IO N FU N DS S T U DY O N C O N F E S S I O N O F FA I T H .

The Mennonite Brethren Historical Commission has awarded an MB Studies Project Grant of CAD 3,000 to Rev. Brad Sumner and Dr. Rich Janzen. Sumner and Janzen’s community-based research project proposal, Exploring Congregational Use of the MB Confession of Faith: Past, Present, Future, aims to interview a broad sampling of Canadian MB pastors to ascertain how they think, act on, and in other ways relate to the MB Confession of Faith, both currently and in the past. Historical Commission executive secretary Jon Isaak says, “The project is significant. Especially the implications that could find practical relevance for ongoing congregational engagement with the Confession of Faith.” >> For details about all the Commission’s funding initiatives and application procedures — and the news releases announcing past recipients — see the Commission’s website.

Follow Jesus. Serve the church.

Engage the world.

Dig deep into God’s Word and build a strong Biblical foundation in Christ-centred community.

Biblical Studies Pre-University Ministry Leadership Marketplace Christian Leadership (Online) Pursuit

SBCollege.ca

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

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#ONMBCONVENTION

# M U L T I P LY N O R T H A M E R I C A

BUILDING COMMUNITY

F E B R UA RY 19 -20, 202 1

Ontario conference celebrates 90 years I’m grateful for how our 90th ONMB Convention came together. Thanks again to all who engaged with us over the Friday and Saturday events. We had more participation in each of our offerings than ever before. Fortunately, the tech side of this undertaking worked seamlessly, which was a further benefit. If you missed the Friday night event or would like to view the celebration again, you can access it below. The virtual community choir was very well received as well. It is also available for you to revisit or use in one of your church services. >> View the Friday service >> Virtual choir, King of Kings

THE FRUIT OF UNFAILING LOVE here are two words that hang in a frame on the wall in the Baerg’s kitchen in northern Mongolia: Unfailing Love. During the past year, throughout a prolonged separation due to COVID, Robert and Marlene have held on to those words like a lifeline.

In late February 2020, Marlene traveled to Canada, expecting Robert to join her a couple of weeks later.

“In that short window,” she said, “the world changed.”

Due to the global pandemic, Robert was stuck at home in Mongolia, unable to leave, while Marlene was stuck in Canada, unable to return home. Initially, the couple thought their separation might be extended by a few weeks due to the travel restrictions. But weeks quickly turned into months.

Robert was not only without his wife in Mongolia, but he was without his two closest co-workers, Saikhnaa, the Baerg’s adopted daughter, and her husband, Travis. They were on a visit to the US, and also dealing with restrictions.

Marlene was with their other children and grandchildren in Canada. According to her, it was a “huge gift” to be with them. Yet she also missed her husband.

However, both Robert and Marlene took the time apart to draw nearer to God. For Marlene, it meant slowing down in her daily life and listening more closely to Jesus. “There were so many small ways,” she said, “that God deepened my knowledge of his love.”

For Robert, 2020 had begun with the death of his mother. His time alone allowed him to reflect on the

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One of the personal stories we highlighted at Convention was the testimony of Philip Serez. This fall, he was diagnosed with ALS and has begun a new journey of faith, hope and love with his wife Robyn and their family. On Sunday, March 7, 2021, Philip shared his story in more detail for the WMB church community.

You can view it here.

Click here to watch Waterloo MB’s March 10, 2021, Facebook Live event, In the Midst of Suffering: Philip and Robyn’s Story.

ED WILLMS,

ONMB executive director

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MARCH 6, 2021

depth of his mother’s relationship with Jesus. “My Mom made a habit of always coming to Jesus in all situations,” Robert recalled.

Through this period of reflection, Robert was himself drawn into a deeper friendship with God. He also had more time to invest in the Trees of Life Center, the agricultural and community development project that the Baergs oversee. Realizing that he couldn’t possibly do all of the work himself, Robert focused on training two new workers on the tree farm. Although he was unsure about entrusting into their hands some of the more intricate work of grafting trees, Robert was amazed at how well the workers responded to the new responsibility, and how it elevated their engagement with the work. It was another clear sign of positive change in the midst of a difficult year.

Of the lengthy unplanned separation, Robert said, “I see now how God was breaking into our routines and inviting us to slow down, to get more in tune with him.”

In December 2020, Robert and Marlene were reunited after almost ten months of being apart.

After all restrictions were navigated and quarantines were observed, the couple was finally together again.

Despite the time apart, the couple felt like they had more common ground in God than they ever had before.

“I see God everywhere in this past year,” said Robert. “He was with us, and around us, and I see him calling us forward into the wonder of this new world before us.”

“I am truly thankful for the unfailing love of God in our marriage,” said Marlene. “That covenant of love sustained us through this long year of separation.”

“For I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness” (Psalm 26:3).

Robert and Marlene Baerg live and serve in northern Mongolia where they oversee the Trees of Life Center. This ministry provides both discipleship and vocational training in permaculture for people in their area. The Baergs seek to build holistic, Gospel-centered communities through agricultural development and the practice of radical hospitality.

Steady in the face of change Manitoba’s 2021 Assembly was our first Assembly gathering on zoom. We started on Friday afternoon with three online workshops geared towards care and concern for each other and our congregations, followed later in the evening with an online worship service. Our theme of Steady, based on 1 Corinthians 15:58 emphasized that the presence of Jesus creates steadiness in the face of unwanted change and reminds us that as we are called to make disciples.

We do this with a promise that Jesus is always with us (Matthew 28:20). We were blessed to have David Wiebe speak to us using this theme as a guide.

Saturday’s AGM was a full morning of reports. We reviewed our 2020 financial year, highlighting our gratefulness to be able to come under budget as well as cover our expenses. We updated the assembly on establishing a new 3-year affiliation with the MB Seminary, CCMBC & CMU to continue offering a Manitoba Mennonite Brethren pathway in graduate theological education.

The Provincial Faith & Life Team reviewed three main items: Pastor Credentialing, the Confession of Faith’s revision of Article 8 - Christian Baptism, and a review of our ongoing dialogue on the topic of LGBTQ+ care and inclusion. Both pastor credentialing and the LGBTQ+ conversations have experienced setbacks due to the pandemic. We are looking forward to the September 29-30, 2021, when we will participate in the PostureShift Seminar as a province.

BUILDING COMMUNITY

# M B C M A S S E M B LY

>> Watch March 5 worship service >> Register for PostureShift

ERIC GEDDES

Multiply Mongolia team The fruit of unfailing love first appeared in The Witness magazine.

AMANDA LEIGHTON

MBCM

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INVESTMENTS THAT MATTER FOR ETERNITY BENEFITTING YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE

This enables churches and pastors to have

AND THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

a presence in the communities they serve.

Your financial investment in the MB Conference continues to facilitate ministry growth in practical and profound ways.

Your investment helps provide mortgages to MB churches and pastors that may otherwise be unavailable.

EARN A RETURN WHILE INVESTING IN MINISTRY You can now earn 1.40%* annually on your investment while helping God’s Kingdom to grow

Income generated by CCMBC Investments is directed to ministry to help grow God’s Kingdom by supporting activities such as church planting, pastor leadership training and other church-led ministry efforts.

1-888-669-6575 legacy@mbchurches.ca ccmbclegacyfund.com

by providing churches and pastors with mortgages. *Rates are adjusted semi-annually on January 1 and July 1 each year.

Contact CCMBC Investments or Capstone Asset Management to learn more or to make an investment in a cash account, RRSP or TFSA.

1-855-437-7103 ccmbc@capstoneassets.ca

A N D G O D W I L L G E N E R O U S L Y P R O V I D E A L L Y O U N E E D . T H E N Y O U W I L L A L WA Y S H A V E E V E R Y T H I N G

An impactful investment

s Canada continues to grow and urbanize, the need for local churches is becoming more apparent. The cost of real estate also continues to increase which causes pastors and church planters in the MB tradition to have a split focus between business and ministry. CCMBC Legacy Fund, and subsidiary CCMBC Investments Ltd, help to fill in those gaps so that focus can be returned to sharing the message of Christ, not on wondering if there will be funding for a building or meeting place. To date, CCMBC Investments has provided more than 700 loans to MB churches and pastors so they can make a difference in their communities and spread the gospel throughout Canada.

The CCMBC Investments loan program truly does make a difference directly to individuals.

One pastor remarked, “We had the opportunity to serve in a community that has historically been very difficult for an established church to thrive. CCMBC worked to help us achieve our goal of moving into [this community]. This has enabled us to get to know people in a deeper way. Our mission in life is to help people see the hope that is in Jesus. One of the best parts of that is the relationships we form and then getting to learn from those we meet, and all grow together. Lord willing, we look forward to many years of BBQ’s, kids’ camps, and other community building events with our new neighbours.”

Churches also benefit from the loan program.

John Biffis said, “Getting a mortgage through CCMBC Investments enabled Glencairn Church to build an addition for the growing needs of our congregation. We have enough room to offer a variety of community-focused programs. Thank you CCMBC for making this and more possible.”

Investors with CCMBC Investments have chosen to share their funds with others to build God’s kingdom. CCMBC Legacy Fund is a registered Canadian charity providing many financial services, and through CCMBC Investments there is opportunity for individuals to pool their resources to support mortgages for churches and pastors, as well as capital projects for the purpose of ministry. After restructuring in 2019 to align with changing securities regulations regarding investments, CCMBC Investments is excited to open up to include funds from investors from all denominations.

CCMBC Investments works with Capstone Asset

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RESOURCING MINISTRY

YO U N E E D A N D PL E N T Y L E F T OV E R TO S H A R E W I T H OT H E R S . 2 C O R I N T H I A N S 9:8

Management out of Langley, BC as the exempt market dealer through which investors purchase securities issued by CCMBC Investments.

With so many investment choices, it is important for Christians to make informed decisions and be good stewards of personal resources. For over 40 years, investors have expected steady predictable returns, competitive interest rates, and most importantly dollars going directly to supporting the ministry. CCMBC Investments provides stewardship of funds through close monitoring, and the oversight of conservative directors who are highly experienced in their field.

Funds invested into CCMBC Investments are first used to provide loans secured by mortgages to Mennonite Brethren churches, pastors, and related entities. Any additional or excess funds that are not used directly for the church and pastor mortgage program are invested to earn a return. Cash accounts, Tax Free Savings Accounts, and RRSP/RRIF accounts are all available as options.

“I started investing with the Canadian Conference about 25 - 30 years ago through the Stewardship Program. I liked the idea that my money was supporting the ministry at the same time it was earning a return for me. In 2013, I let a financial planner manage some of my money. I told him that I would monitor how well he was doing by comparing what my money would have done if I had invested through CCMBC Investments. The market went up and down, but after 8 years didn’t outperform by much. CCMBC Investments is a good program to invest in if you want to support ministry.” - Betty

“To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance.

Matthew 25:29a Investors and beneficiaries alike have seen the difference that investors make in the mission of the church.

Cal and Lia have chosen to invest funds with CCMBC Investments and have been excited by the impact not only for them personally, but also for the eternal benefit.

“It’s not all about how much we can gain on our investment. To know that our money is being used to glorify God means so much more and it will matter for eternity.”

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RESOURCING MINISTRY

Although the investment and lending activities represent the majority of the financial activities, the impact of CCMBC Legacy Fund’s other services is broad and equally important. Most MB churches utilize payroll services, and many utilize accounting services. Legacy ensures MB pastors and staff have access to comprehensive and affordable health insurance and an excellent pension plan. Funding of these services is made possible through the difference between the interest rate charged to borrowers and paid to investors. This “margin for ministry” supplements the administrative cost of providing all these services to MB churches.

The MB faith tradition has a history and culture of good stewardship with finances. Investments with CCMBC Investments benefits both your financial future, and the future of Christ’s Church. Your investment will grow the Kingdom, while also earning a stable and predictable return. With CCMBC Investments, there are no terms, and no fees. Investments are conservatively invested and diversified.

Any mortgage provided through the program is carefully evaluated prior to being granted.

“We invest with CCMBC because we know the folks there will be diligent in looking after our best interests. While we realize this is not insured by CDIC we are confident of who He is who holds our lives in His hands. So why not trust Him with our finances as well?” says investing couple Henry and Carol, “If our investment can be helpful in blessing a church family in some way, then let’s do it.

That is why we use CCMBC to look after our investment.”

You can now earn 1.40%* annually on your investment while helping God’s Kingdom to grow by providing churches and pastors with mortgages.

Make an ongoing difference for Christ and in MB churches through your investment with CCMBC Investments.

Contact CCMBC Investments or Capstone Asset Management to learn more or to make an investment in a cash account, RRSP or TFSA. *Rates are adjusted semi-annually on January 1 and July 1 each year.

CCMBC Investments 1-888-669-6575 | www.ccmbclegacyfund.com Capstone Asset Management 1-855-437-7103 | www.capstoneassets.ca K I M B E R LY M C I N T Y R E

has a Communications and Media degree from Canadian Mennonite University.

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# S K M B A S S E M B LY MARCH 13, 2021

Restoring joy for the mission The Saturday SKMB Assembly was preceded by a Friday evening Town Hall forum. Some 45 delegates engaged the director of ministry and Executive Board on three key documents to be voted on the next day: the 2021 budget, the Common Understandings and Common Covenant (CUCC) and the SKMB – Horizon College & Seminary MOU. Fruitful dialogue took place and clarity was achieved on a number of items pertaining to the documents. The evening also included National Director, Elton DaSilva, re-introducing the Collaborative Unified Strategic Plan.

The March 13, 2021, Assembly was the first for SKMB to be conducted via Zoom. Some 100 people took part including Conference leaders, ministry teams, delegates and guests. CCMBC Winnipeg staff provided capable logistical support.

Willard Hasmatali, SKMB pastor and planter, brought two devotionals on the Assembly theme: Restoring joy for the Mission. Hasmatali’s central claim was that COVID has not fractured the ultimate foundation of our joy – the person and work of Christ and the expectation of his return and our salvation. Using the text 1 Peter 1:3-9, Hasmatali asked listeners a series of questions for discussion in break-out rooms: Do you exemplify a life of great expectation (a living hope)? Did you equip yourself for trials so that your testimony would be one of joy in Christ?

What activities in your church prepared you to produce joy? What personal activities prepared you to produce joy? >> Read the full story on mbherald.com PHILLIP GUNTHER

SKMB director of ministry

O s a Communications and Media major, I spend a lot of time looking very carefully at the news. I listen to the radio, read the newspaper, and probably spend too much time on social media.

It’s what I love to do, and oftentimes it’s my homework. But if you, like me, spend too much time reading the headlines, you know the accompanying feeling of hopelessness that can come along with it.

Racism, violence, and borders.

Death, disease, and destruction. It’s enough to make one want to throw their TV out the window, lock the doors, and draw the blinds.

But there’s a quote by the one and only Mr. Fred Rogers, of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, that I like to remember when I feel this way, and it goes like this: “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping’.”

It was during a stroll around campus after class when I came to realization that Canadian Mennonite University is a school that is equipping its students to become helpers.

My friends in the science faculty will be the helpers fighting

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climate change and sickness.

Our English majors will one day write the books and poems that inspire us to go on and look for beauty in this world.

I cross paths with the counsellors and music therapists of the future, and play volleyball with the business leaders of tomorrow who are learning how to run a business that creates profit and employment while respecting people and the planet.

I hear the beautiful music throughout the halls that comes from my friends that have chosen to live their lives making a joyful noise, and I rub shoulders in the cafeteria with people who will one day become the pastors that welcome one and all into our churches.

I meet students who create their very own interdisciplinary degrees, who will do some job that doesn’t even exist yet, but it’s a job that’ll need to be done.

Our professors and faculty, who read the same headlines that I do, see us as helpers as well, whether they’ve watched Mister Rogers Neighborhood or not.

They’re not scared. They have hope.

If they didn’t have hope for a brighter future ahead and better headlines in the news, they wouldn’t be here, sharing their

knowledge and experiences with their students. They wouldn’t share their testimonies in chapel, invite students into their offices for meaningful conversations, or care so much about their jobs.

And they care so much.

And me? I’ve decided that I’ll be the one writing the headlines you’ll read in the future. Holding that camera. Doing that interview. Telling you the stories of the helpers here at CMU and far beyond. Sharing that hope that I feel every-day that I’m at this school. Becoming a helper in the ways I am capable of.

Looking at the world around us, it can sometimes be hard to see the helpers.

But if you take a look at CMU, you’ll see them everywhere. And that gives me hope. *This essay was originally written and delivered as a speech to donors attending Spring@CMU in April of 2019.

CHLOE FRIESEN

is a 5th Year Communications and Media student at Canadian Mennonite University, and a member of Westside Community Church in Morden, MB. When she’s not in class or at volleyball practice, she’s co-hosting Wittenberg Radio and occasionally pressing buttons at CBC as a radio-show tech.

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# A R T S A N D C U LT U R E >> B O O K S

Bible college’s history reflects Mennonite Brethren life in Canada Abe Dueck taught at the MBBC for 23 years and was dean for 15 years.

As a student at Mennonite Brethren Bible College in the late 1970s, the school was everything I hoped it might be.

For a young person beginning to find his way in life, it was the perfect environment to explore new ideas, challenge assumptions, become independent and grow in faith—all under the guidance of thoughtful and caring faculty.

It might have been a great place for students, but behind the scenes controversy and conflict was swirling about the vision, role and very existence of the College in the life of the Canadian Mennonite Brethren Conference.

Uncovering that hidden story is a goal of Mennonite Brethren Bible College: A History of Competing Visions

by Abe Dueck.

The new book, made possibly by support from the Mennonite Brethren Historical Commission, was launched online on June 17.

“The title sums up the MBBC story as one of push and pull, about what the College should be and what it

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should look like,” said Jon Isaak, director of the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies, in opening the event.

At the same time, he said, the idea of competing visions “is also the story of Mennonite Brethren in Canada, combining evangelical and Anabaptist impulses. Sometimes the two didn’t work well together.”

Dueck, who taught at the College for 23 years and was dean for 15 years, added that the book “is not just a history of MBBC,” but reflects the “broader life of the Mennonite Brethren conference in Canada.”

During its 48-year existence, from 1944-92, the College was at the centre of a debate about the role of education for Canadian Mennonite Brethren, he said.

This included tensions over the College’s role in promoting liberal arts in Christian education.

“The term “liberal” sometimes had negative connotations” for some people, said Dueck of how some viewed it with suspicion. The inclusion of liberal arts in the College’s curriculum was “an issue of dispute” for some in Canada—unlike for Mennonite Brethren in the U.S. who sent their youth to Tabor College.

Another issue facing the College was regionalism, both nationally as the demographic centre of the conference shifted from Manitoba to B.C., and provincially within Manitoba

between people in rural areas who supporter Winkler Bible School and those who were more urban who promoted MBBC. “There weren’t always the most positive of feelings” between those two groups, he said.

There was also competition over fundamentalism, evangelicalism and Anabaptism, he said, noting these were areas of dispute, conflict and tension and, sometimes, of “animosity.”

Another source of tension was the College’s music program, which was a source of pride for some as it rose in prominence in classical and choral circles in Manitoba and across Canada in the 1970s and 1980s. But it was also a sore point for others who saw it as being out of step with the rise of contemporary worship music in MB churches at that time.

In response to Dueck’s presentation, Cheryl Pauls, president of Canadian Mennonite University, and a former MBBC student, noted the story of the College is one of “tribute and lament”—tribute for what it achieved, including its impact through students and for how it persevered through challenges of many kinds.

Despite being gone, it is a “perennial flower” that keeps blooming at CMU, and its legacy “is engrained” at the university, she said.

For Dueck, writing the book was both immensely enjoyable as he relived the energy and excitement of his time at MBBC, but also difficult as he recalled the periods of tension and the “painful dissolution” of the school.

While the history of the College was one of “competing visions,” it also had a deep influence on Mennonite Brethren life in Canada, he said, and mirrored the tensions and competitions the Conference itself faced during its lifetime.

Tensions and competitions that I, as a student, thankfully missed.

JOHN LONGHURST

is a religion reporter and columnist for the Winnipeg Free Press.

He graduated from MBBC in 1979.

To change or not to change? “ W A I T P AT I E N T LY F O R T H E L O R D .

B E B R AV E A N D C O U R AG EO U S .

Y E S , W A I T PAT I E N T LY F O R T H E L O R D . ” PSALM 24:17

“ O N E D AY O R D AY O N E , YO U D EC I D E .”

–ANONYMOUS

n Shakespeare’s Hamlet soliloquy we read, “To be or not to be, that is the question.” The playwright’s protagonist mused whether it was better to live in the sea of daily troubles or, via suicide in this case, journey to the “undiscover’d country from whose bourne no traveler returns.” Shakespeare’s question moved his listeners to a point of decision; would they continue struggling through life or choose death.

Either way, something would change.

This article is not about Shakespearian literature; it is about change. When the pandemic began, the church’s change of praxis was swift. As the pandemic evolved and stretched on, change was again the response, albeit with less urgency. Today, with the light at the end of the COVID tunnel growing brighter by the day, the church is again thinking about change. There is no shortage of prophetic voices calling for the church to make bigger and bolder changes to meet the coming ‘new world.’ The repeated refrain is similar to the old maxim “Old ways won’t open new doors.” Prominent Christian leaders argue that the church’s impact will dwindle unless it changes. The reality is that some change happens whether or not we want it, but is change, like the notion of fate, completely out of our hands?

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Every decision for or against a particular change affects real people and must be weighed with wisdom, and in a manner that is unhurried and measured in degree.

A time for everything John F. Kennedy once said, “Change is the law of life.” Long before President Kennedy the biblical Preacher counsels readers: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens...a time to keep and a time to throw away (change)” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,6b). I am convinced that the church must change to meet the post-pandemic Canadian culture and its profound challenges.

Every religious organization is looking to adapt. The purpose of this article is to have the church discern wisely the reasons and urgency for their specific changes. Sometimes change is needed and beneficial; sometimes what is better is to stay the course. Every decision for or against a particular change affects real people and must be weighed with wisdom. It seems prudent that changes should be considered in a manner that is unhurried, honours the past, and are measured in their degree. Every church writes its legacy by the decisions it makes for or against change and the process it employs. Churches want to make good decisions for their fellowship and ministry; decisions that are not burdened with regrets.

To help avoid such regrets, I propose ten must ask questions when contemplating SIGNIFICANT changes to ministry praxis.

Ten must ask questions 1. What is the “Why”? Any significant change to your church’s praxis must start with articulating the reason it is being proposed. Is the contemplated change for purposes of church survival or moving the church from maintaining to thriving, or to moving from good to great? If this contemplated change was postponed or not adopted, what would the ramification be? There is a Senegalese proverb which states “Haste and hurry can only bear children with many regrets along the way.” In his devotional, A Minute of Margin, Dr. Richard Swenson writes, “Seldom is wisdom a product of a speedy deliberation.” In the end the congregation and staff need leadership that take time to clearly and fully layout the “why” for the change otherwise mistrust and doubt can seep into the process.

2. What is the environment of the church? Does the contemplated change come from a place of strength and health? What is the emotional health and capacity of leadership and the faith community? Is this a reactive or proactive endeavour? Is this proposed change arising from a toxic or healthy space? Knowing the catalyst for a proposed change helps leadership gain perspective, a solid footing and helps to inform process. Beware making significant changes in the thick of conflict or fatigue.

3. What has the Holy Spirit revealed about the contemplated change? Have you bathed the proposed change in prayer with fasting? Has someone spoken prophetically into this endeavour and has such a word been affirmed by others? The Holy Spirit

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4.

5.

6.

7.

is the church’s Counselor, guiding it into truth and toward Jesus (Acts 14:26; 16:12). In light of the proposed change, can you testify that “It [seems] good to the Holy Spirit and to us...” Acts 15:28)?

Does the contemplated change harmonize with the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20)? Will it foster care and love for one another in the faith community (“Love one another deeply, from the heart” 1 Peter 1:22b)? Will it advance the Gospel? Will the change help you foster discipleship and disciple-making?

Has the contemplated change been tested in another setting? If another church implemented a similar change, what has been the impact and outcome? What counsel can they give you? Can they offer you resources, saving you from reinventing the wheel, so-to-speak?

Have we carefully listened to the faith community about the contemplated change? Sometimes leadership is convinced that they have a great idea for change, but soon discover that they are the only ones with such a belief. For a change to take root and have a positive impact, the faith community must own it and feel that their concerns have been heard and addressed. The proposed change may not have originated amongst the grassroots, but it most certainly must be accepted by them.

Are there trusted third-party voices that could be invited to speak into this contemplated change? I have routinely benefited from the counsel of individuals not directly connected to our faith

community nor the proposed change. They can speak without the bias a church member/adherent holds. Often such folks bring a fresh perspective. There is truth in the statement found in Proverbs 15:22, “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.”

8. Will this contemplated change genuinely fit with your vision and mission? Is your proposed change in harmony with the direction and mandate of your faith community? Beware of change for change’s sake; such an approach can be more damaging to your church than no change at all. The change should actually enhance your mission and ministry.

9. Who will lead the contemplated change? There is wisdom in putting a face to any proposed change, preferably a capable and trusted one. If people have questions or concerns as the change is implemented, it is important that they know with whom they can connect with. In addition, if the “face” is one that inspires confidence and loyalty, there is a greater chance that the change will be successful.

10. When and how will we assess the effectiveness of the contemplated change? It is simply good organizational practice to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of a proposed change.

This allows for any course corrections and builds confidence in leadership. The church will know that their leadership is superintending the change and that the details of it as well as its effectiveness will be reported back to the congregation.

“Seldom is wisdom a product of a speedy deliberation.”

–Dr. Richard Swenson Sometimes change is good American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan wrote the 1964 song “For the times they are a-changin’.” It is a fitting theme some fifty-seven years later, especially for the life and ministry of the church.

Before the pandemic, Tod Bolsinger wrote the book Canoeing The Mountains, and penned: “The world in front of you is nothing like the world behind you...We are called to adapt to a changing world because we are called to reach that changing world...We are to lead the people of God into the mission of God...” I wonder if Bolsinger’s counsel doesn’t carry even more weight today.

Some current prophetic voices echo similar guidance, but their statements seem to be oracles on steroids. For example, speaking about the church, Carey Nieuwhof posted on one of his blogs,

“If you can’t make a decision within 24 hours, your process is too slow...To reach a changing culture, the church needs to change. Rapidly.” Really? Again, heed the wisdom of Swenson, “Very little of lasting spiritual value happens in the presence of speed.” Consider also the Swahili proverb, “Haste has no blessings.” Rapid change is risky, maybe even reckless.

The church needs to do extensive environmental assessments as it emerges from the pandemic. And, change is a likely outcome. I simply repeat my counsel to the church: ask good questions, be measured and discerning. Don’t rush the process on SIGNIFICANT change. Remember the anonymous maxim: SOMETIMES change is good.

Top ten reasons why church changes fail Rev. Philip Gunther

10. The change is a move to keep up with the church down the street.

9. The change has vague outcomes and lacks a sound roadmap that directs the change.

8. There is insufficient and unclear communication about the change.

7. The change is superficial or cosmetic; it doesn’t fit the mission.

6. There is a flawed or poorly executed plan to process the change.

5. The change is rushed, coupled with a lack of patience for those not on-side.

4. There is anemic buy-in by leaders and/or congregants.

3. There is a failure to sincerely listen to all parties and external counsel.

2. There is a lack of clarity around the “why.”

1. The change is outside of God’s purposes; origin is humanistic.

R E V. P H I L I P A . G U N T H E R

is director of ministry for the Saskatchewan Conference of MB Churches

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BUILDING COMMUNITY

Conference holds first National Assembly of the Collaborative Model era anadian Conference of Mennonite format, CCMBC Executive Board moderator Brethren Churches held its annual Ron Penner said, “I know there is a hunger for AGM on June 10-12, 2021, under its in-person meetings, and no doubt we will have new name, the National Assembly. The entirely some. However, I also believe that we will convirtual NA spanned three days. The first day tinue to have the virtual option for our key provided delegates with an opportunity to meetings in the future. It’s good stewardship gather information and pose questions related and makes it possible for more people to attend.” to the four major decision-points up for The business section allowed for a time approval at the Saturday business meeting: of reporting and decision-making. The day 1. The CUSP saw the approval of the four major decision 2. Updated bylaws points and budgets for 2021 and 2022. CCMBC 3. Confession of Faith, Article 8 presented a healthier financial perspective, 4. Finances with an overall surplus of $220,000 in 2020.

The Friday night was a celebration service The gathering was the first actual test of that began with a welcome from Multiply’s the Collaborative Model, which was approved Ambassador to First Peoples in Canada, John in the previous year’s Assembly. “While we Johnstone. The evening’s theme was “And hope had earlier committed to working together in does not disappoint.” (Romans principle, this was our first 5). Next, members of the MB Assembly under this model. Our extended family International members have now adopted the Community of Mennonite key elements of the collabora“ T H ER E WA S A C L E A R Brethren, Mennonite World tive model, including a new DESIRE TO WORK Conference, Mennonite Central two-year budgeting approach.

TOGETHER AND TO Committee, and Mennonite We see this is a good start!” says M A K E S T R AT E G Y A N D Disaster Service shared their Ron Penner.

P LANS CLEAR. THERE hope stories. Finally, national Comments received from WA S A N O PEN N E S S director Elton DaSilva gave a participants in the event evaluTO QUESTIONS AND mediation on understanding ation were positive and A N AWA R EN E S S Biblical hope. See David Giesaffirming. Says one attendee: TO RESPOND IN brecht’s summary on the next “This was my first time taking P R A C T I C A L WAY S .” page for more on the Friday part in a CCMBC Assembly. I was worship service. very impressed by the thoughtTwo hundred and twenty fulness and faithfulness of the delegates and 36 guests regisleadership and community as a tered for the Saturday annual whole. I was encouraged to be a general meeting. Sixty-seven of the 235 MB part of it.” Another said, “There was a clear churches (roughly one-third of our MB famdesire to work together and to make strategy ily across Canada) were represented by and plans clear. There was an openness to delegates. CCMBC will work with churches to questions and an awareness to respond in better orient them to the change in the regispractical ways.” tration, which saw churches register delegate A hybrid virtual and in-person 2022 groups, to improve that representation for National Assembly is scheduled for June 9-11, the next Assembly.

2022. Visit na.mennonitebrethren.ca for more When asked about the virtual meeting information.

C

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BUILDING COMMUNITY

hortly after the birth of the MB Conference, believers began organizing for mission outreach by creating the Committee for Gentile Missions in 1885. Similarly, when the Canadian MB Conference was organized in 1910, “mission work was the most important activity of the conference in its early years.” And God has blessed those investments so that Mennonite Brethren now number some 500,000 believers in 20 countries.

Missions was also the focus of the worship evening of the 2021 Canadian MB Conference, reflecting a diverse people-hood with a lively commitment to public witness. Thus for instance, the Friday evening session was opened by John Johnstone, a Canadian Aboriginal believer. John and his wife Jen are members of the North Langley MB Church John serves as Multiply’s Ambassador to First Peoples in Western Canada. In this role, John and his wife Jenn seek to bring reconciliation between First Peoples and the Church through education, prayer and the facilitation of bridge-building encounter. On Friday evening John addressed conference attenders in both his tribal language and English, welcoming respectful contact and ongoing dialogue.

The evening programme made abundantly evident that how MBs “do conference” has changed dramatically. The once very formal assembly culture, with resonant choirs and passionate preachers setting national agendas, has given way to a much more informal settings, portraying local believers involved in a community-based witness.

For this celebration, members of the Westside Community Church in Morden Manitoba were portrayed doing their Monday morning shopping at local food outlets, picking up best-before items which then quickly morphed into delicious soups and stews for distribution as needed in the area. The vision of this church: “Engaging all generations to be rooted in scripture and empowered by the Holy Spirit to respond to our world with grace and love.”

Also consistent with the earliest conviction about the central place of mission for MBs, was the deeply moving testimony of Robyn Serez, who with her

S

husband Philip are based in Kitchener, Ontario. Over the past 25 years they have held many roles with Multiply. Currently they are regional mission mobilizers in Eastern Canada. Powerfully as Robyn’s recounted, while Philip is struggling with a debilitating medical condition, she courageously continues to serve as a mission consultant and ministry trainer.

For those with lingering memories of earlier national conferences, a most innovative item in the evening program was the performance of musician Bomba Ng’andu, who works at the Canadian Conference office in Winnipeg and is part of the Manitoba conference staff team. The lyrics, written by his father, celebrate Romans 5:1, including these lines: Therefore since we have been right in God’s sight by faith, We have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ Our Lord, Has done for us….

I must fall and die so I can rise to new life ….

Tears for the sacrifice, tears for the Sower’s loss Tears from heaven’s eyes, tears from the Sower’s cross….

This death releases me from earthly doubts and fears, To be as I was meant to be and wipe the Sower’s tears.

Now imagine Bomba’s beautiful voice crooning this touching meditation in the syncopated style of contemporary rap music. Better still, for those with access to a computer, listen to this performance here.

The evening was concluded with a meditation from Elton DaSilva, the National Director for Canadian MB Conference.

For earlier generations of MB conference attenders, the celebrative public evening of the 2021 conference would have been unrecognizable. What has not changed is the joy-filled worship of Jesus Christ and the commitment to mission work as a global priority.

DAV I D G I E S B R EC H T

Clearbrook MB Church Written by Mr. Giesbrecht for Clearbrook MB Church and republished here with his permission.

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I will not waste my pain Embracing the cleansing power of lament

The final instalment in a series on grief by Shauna Caldwell and G. Neil Parker. In this series, we have examined self-care, fear, and anger. In conclusion, we look at the often-overlooked topic of lament: an activity that God endorses! For more of Shauna’s writing, please register your email address at www.evanjordan.ca.

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hen I read many of the Psalms, I feel like I’m eavesdropping on some very private and intensely emotional conversations between King David and God. Simultaneously, I feel my ears burning because David is talking about my feelings! How does he know?

Listen to my words, Lord, consider my lament.

Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.

Psalms 5:1-2

King David provides a template for us to know how to lament in Psalm 13. Lament is not whining—instead, it is the expression of my deep questioning which results from the distress in my life. Over one-third of the Psalms are ones of lament. This leads me to believe that lament is a healthy part of spiritual life. Psalm 13 is short enough to capture the imagination of our wounded self and then gently move it toward hope and resilience.

God, this hurts How long, Lord?

Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

Psalms 13: 1 King David felt abandoned and alone. He was experiencing “a slough of despond,” as described by John Bunyan in A Pilgrim’s Progress. We can relate—our prayers seem to hit the ceiling and we feel that we are standing still, waiting for any sign of a promised land.

Moses got it wrong when he told the children of Israel to stand still and God will take care of them. They had to demonstrate their faith by getting their feet wet before the Red Sea parted. Yet, complaint soon replaced their trust, and they wished themselves back into

slavery. Again, we can relate!

Tinkering with trust is also evident in Jacob. Like him, we can plot and scheme, generating Plan B in case God doesn’t come through. We can risk this when we say, “God, this hurts.” We can complain to complain.

We waste our pain rather than embracing it to become resilient.

King David’s honest perseverance with God has the quality of a lingering longing as he pushes through his hurts to discover a deposit of hope that is hidden. He transitions from his hurts to hope in God. Malcolm Guite, the British author and lecturer, has rendered the Psalms in poetry form. Psalm 13 is called A Song of Sudden Hope: Come down to free us, come as our true friend, How long, how long? Oh do not hide your face Or let me sleep in death, but light my end, Till it becomes a bright beginning, Place Your wounded hands in mine and raise me up That even grief itself may turn to grace.

Then I will sing a song of sudden hope, Then I will praise my saviour, the divine Companion who drank the bitter cup

God, this is why I hurt How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?

Psalms 13:1-2 King David is gut-honest. To get at the root of his free-floating feelings, David interrogates his pain.

Lament is the way we learn about our pain. We have to ask questions. How long? Why do I feel so lost? Who is going to help me? What is stirring up these feelings?

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When will I be able to breathe again? Where are you, God? In God’s sovereign grace, we who are created in his image are given room to stretch our spiritual, emotional and physical muscles to grow closer to the image bearer, our Saviour.

To lament, we need three things: still time, significant people and a safe place. Each one has our own burdens to bear and our own discoveries of His goodness alive and at work in us. Lament permits us to communicate deeply with God. That is if we dare to be so very intimate, calling him Saviour, lover of my soul.

Still time: Busyness buries our deepest pain and short-changes us of a richer life. We need still time: no noise, no activity, no distraction, just God. Significant people: Superficial relationships crater growth. We need intimacy with God and significant people to become whole. The only place we will be free of loving without risks is in the isolation of a casket.

There is no life there.

A safe place: Safe places begin with me creating safety for others and maturing in my relationships with vulnerability. God is our safe place, the person with whom we can be brutally honest, openly fragile and vulnerable to rejection. Why are we so frightened to risk being honest with God, who is for us, loves us, accepts and forgives us? This is how lament plumbs the depths of our distress and births our wholeness evident in resilience in living.

Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

Psalms 13:3-4 When a person feels alive, you can see the light in their eyes. David is low and asks God to give light to his eyes. Like King David and Moses, people in leadership

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constantly deal with people who hurt and voice their hurt by complaining. Consequently, leaders’ burden increases because they are in a lonely place with no one to whom to confide. It is discouraging to be continually criticized and under scrutiny. Like King David, we may exclaim, “God, I can’t handle this! God, I feel utterly broken. I can’t look eye to eye with anyone without fearing rejection. God help me.”

God, I trust you But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

Psalms 13: 5 Our pain robs us of truth. This is the critical difference between our unhelpful complaining versus our sacred task of lament. In the Psalm, we see David pivot: he repents; he changes direction. Despite the way events have played out, David turns from his circumstances and turns to God. He gets his feet wet by walking through his pain, and he gains traction as he walks toward the lover of his soul. The result is rising hope within him.

God knows all about you and me, but in lament, you know that he knows! That is when the pivot takes place: when you discover that God is on your side. God wants good for you. He is your cheerleader. He wants to part the sea of barriers you see ahead of you so that you can walk into the promised land.

God, I turn my worry into worship I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.

Psalms 13:6

When David makes this shift, he sees God with fresh eyes. God has extreme value or “worth-ship.” Why? Because David is so grateful that he is in partnership with God because he isn’t doing life alone. The result is that David is re-oriented. His focus is on God in worship and away from the crippling effect of his worry and distress. He gets there through lament.

In Mark Vroegop’s book, Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, he speaks of lament as “the honest cry of a hurting heart, wrestling with the paradox of pain and the promise of God’s goodness.” That rings true for me as I’ve found my emotional pain regularly collides with the hope and peace of God. Even while I am emotionally restless, my soul often is settled by God’s promises.

We’d rather not experience pain and instead go straight to relief; however, we would not learn how our grief turns to grace.

Here is how Charles Dickens describes lament in Great Expectations: “Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried than before—more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle.”

St. Paul’s Cathedral in London has a central viewing dome perched high in its ceiling. When you ascend the stairs and are nearly at the top, there is a sign: “In order to go up, you must go down.” So it is with lament.

We need not be afraid of stepping there. The Saviour waits. By feeling deeply, we rise!

Lament is cathartic, perhaps even cleansing. My crying, until tears lose their stinging saltiness, leads me to a place where I offer my limp and surrendered self into the arms of God. There I am safe. In my lament, by feeling deeply, I am restored. I rest, then I rise.

In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Psalms 4:8

Practicing lament Listen to Carolyn Arend’s To Cry for You (click here) (Used with permission). Canadian Christian singer and songwriter Carolyn Arends recently released this song.

As you listen, notice how powerful lament is in loss and its role in the healing process.

I don’t want to waste my pain. I’m not an accidental creation, but a purpose-filled one. I am loved, accepted and forgiven. God uniquely designs me for a specific purpose that only I can fulfill. Consequently, I will embrace lament because it enables me to move past inertia and hope again.

The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words.

I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss.

Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends!

His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning.

I say to myself, “The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him! Lamentations 3:19-24 NLT SHAUNA CALDWELL

lives in Calgary with Jason, her husband of 26 years.

In one calendar year, they were gifted with three children – Katie, Jordan and Evan. Parenting “Irish triplets” provided opportunity to learn to cling to Christ for needed daily strength. Katie is now a medical school student. Shauna’s twins graduated to heaven in 2016, after a dreadfully public accident.

Shauna is grateful to her Uncle, G. Neil Parker, for his significant editorial assistance with her writing.

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ICOMB holds global summit online On June 23-25, 2021, MB leaders worldwide, staff, and special guests gathered for fellowship and made decisions at the International Community of Mennonite Brethren’s (ICOMB) online summit. Participants shared how God works in the global ICOMB family as reports from Conferences and emerging church groups, Multiply, MWC, and other work areas were presented. “We expanded the ICOMB structure, confirmed leaders for next season, and ended our time together with the Lord’s Supper.” says ICOMB’s executive director, Rudi Plett. “We are thankful we could do this online, and hope to meet in person next year.”

NEW LOGO UNVEILED ICOMB also announced a new logo during their global summit. “Our prayer is that this new image inspires and represents us together as a Global Family,” says Plett.

“We are a community of people from different countries, nations, cultures, and continents. We are united through the salvation work of Christ, led by Him. God’s written Word is the base of our understanding of his will for his church and humankind. Can you see this in the logo?”

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#ABMBCONVENTION A P R I L 1 7, 2 02 1

Albertans called to work together ABMB Convention opened with a biblical challenge by Matt Dyck, the story of the Philippian jailer (Acts 16). When the prison doors broke open, and the chains fell off, Paul and Silas sang praises to God. “After this season of restrictions, what will be our response?” Matt challenged us. “Will we be found in waiting in praise to God, or will we bolt out of prison and forget God?” He encouraged Albertan MBs and the nation as a family to uplift and support each other as churches and communities where we live. (Isaiah 41:10). “Our legacy should be to give up our rights and freedoms for one another.”

The AGM began with reports from the moderator Tim Doerksen and provincial director Paul Loewen. Delegates were encouraged by positive news from the churches at Vauxhall and Pincher Creek, where significant turnarounds are happening. Especially notable are other churches partnering and offering their assistance. Covid-19 has been a challenging season for many churches, who find themselves pivoting often and trusting God with finances and ministry health. Special thanks to Ruthie Kamphuis (ABMB Ministry Director), who ended her position as of January; she is greatly missed.

Moving forward, ABMB’s focus areas are: Growing relationship between churches ˚ Seizing opportunities to build unity ˚ Focusing on collaboration, together for emerging leader˚ ship development With gratitude to the churches for their faithful support, ABMB ended their year in the black, a good start for the upcoming year. Every Albertan church is expected to support ABMB with 5% of its operational revenue, with CCMBC receiving 30% of that amount. The Faith Team will continue to focus their work on credentialing pastors and assisting churches with theological understandings. The Life Team supports pastors and churches with encouragement and ministry coaching.

Convention attendees heard encouraging updates from MB Seminary, Multiply, and Camp Evergreen. (https://www. camp-evergreen.com) ABMB welcomes new board members, Donna-Lynn Ratzlaff (Linden), Fred Weiss (Mission Hill), and Deryle Penner (LaGlace). Appointments to the Board, Randi Martens (2nd term), Paul Loewen (non-voting). Existing Board: Tim Doerksen, Dele Ajele, Chris Guenther, Dave Hooge.

While there are plenty of unknowns, there is also much to be encouraged by in this upcoming season. God is calling Alberta to greater things as they work together. Special thanks to Paul Loewen for his faithfulness in leading the conference.

DIANE OLSON

ABMB

#AÉFMQCONVENTION APRIL 24, 2021

Quebec MBs see growth amidst pandemic challenges Despite lower than usual attendance, the member churches and ministries met and enjoyed an encouraging time of fellowship and productive discussion. Notable highlights include: 1. Adopting a code of ethics for pastors and leaders.

2. Active participation of attendees in the discussion of our new direction as an association. Through this project, we want to dig into our Anabaptist roots and bring our Quebec churches closer.

3. Updates from local partners. MCC, Camp Péniel and ETEQ. All experienced a year of growth and providence.

AEFMQ thanks outgoing moderator Zachary Leclair for his faithful years of service and welcomes Nathan Whatley into the position.

Even with this difficult year, God has been faithful. Quebec churches faced significant challenges while the Covid-19 pandemic raged. Despite the trials, Quebec churches remain strong. They have continued to adapt to their new reality. Communities have seen surges of mutual support and solidarity.

For more information, please visit their website ANNE L ALONDE

AÉFMQ

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The Confession of Faith Commentary and Family Matters are valuable pieces of learning about what it means to be Mennonite Brethren.

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A moment in time

ABBOTSFORD, BRITISH COLUMBIA , 1975

Jake Martens, John Enns, Jake Klassen burn the Bakerview MB Church mortgage, while John Neufeld, Peter Falk, and John Ratzlaff look on.

Courtesy of the Mennonite Archival Information Database Learn more about the history of Bakerview MB Church at Global Anabaptist Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO)

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S U B S C R I B E T O M B H E R A L D D I G E S T W W W. M B H E R A L D . C O M / S U B S C R I B E -V I A - E M A I L