APRIL 2022 MBHERALD.COM
Digest
More than sixty years of sharing the life & story of the Mennonite Brethren in Canada
Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry Why is listening so important? VO LU M E 61 , N O. 4
R E A DY FO R R E S U R R EC T I O N F I V E WAY S T O M A N A G E S T R E S S GOOD NEWS PEOPLE IN BAD NEWS TIMES
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 A PR I L 202 2 | VO LU M E 61 , N O. 4 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
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DON’T GIVE UP DOING GOOD Andrew Dyck
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BE QUICK TO LISTEN, SLOW TO SPEAK, AND SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY Ken Esau
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READY FOR RESURRECTION Laura Kalmar
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GOOD NEWS PEOPLE IN A BAD NEWS WORLD Rev. Philip A. Gunther
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FIVE WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS Bonita Eby
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Sharing the life and story of Mennonite Brethren in Canada
ON THE COVER Hecla, Manitoba by Tony Schellenberg.
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From the editor BEWARE THE FALSE AND THE FARCICAL s I prepare to write my editorial, I do a final review of the magazine’s contents, scanning for wisdom or inspiration missed in earlier readings. I am always pleased with what I read—I’m proud of every issue we publish—but boy, is this issue ever speaking to me today! Easter is bittersweet in our home. We love the Easter story, and we find hope in the resurrection. Still, our minds travel back to the Good Friday my father-in-law was moved to the hospital room where he would spend his final few days. My wife and I remember two death anniversaries at this time of year; our fathers. I admit it is with a seasoning of grief that I write the following. The world feels wrong. Like it’s been turned upsidedown and shuffled like a deck of cards. Celebrities are tussling on live TV over bad jokes while families flee their homes to the sounds of machine guns. Seriously, what is happening to us? I begin to doubt that anything good can come of this life on Earth. I feel tempted to throw up my hands and give up in frustration, diving headfirst into the false and the farcical. And then I remember why Christ died: it was for you and me. Can you imagine the doubt and bewilderment of the disciples as Mary Magdalene came running to them with the news, “I have seen the Lord!”
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“Sure you have, Mary.” In grief and sadness, unbelief abounds, and kindness and compassion are in short supply. When I feel on the verge of losing my patience with others, I think of James 1:19, eloquently expanded upon in Ken Esau’s article on page 10. “If we consider listening and agreement as synonymous terms, we will unquestionably create even more frustration and more hurt in our community.” wites Esau. “At some point listening must become ‘mutual listening’ for any honest and healthy relationship.” One page over from this one, Andrew Dyck compels us to continue doing good in the world even if it feels unnecessary. Andrew’s article is a fine companion to Phil Gunther’s ‘Good news people in bad news times” (page 14). Because the world needs good news people, doing good works and sharing the gospel of Christ. Friends, I can vouch for the discerning voices presented in the following pages as further teaching on how we can live out our faith in troubling times. I can also pray for you: pray that you do not fall for the false and farcical but instead find substance in the senselessness and beauty in brokenness. The disciples overcame their doubts, and so can we. Christ is risen. He lives and breaths today and forevermore. With joy,
Carson
CARSON SAMSON
Communications director
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DON’T GIVE UP DOING GOOD
ne of the questions I’ve often pondered is, “Why should Christians be good?” And, related to that: “Why keep trying when I keep on failing—when I can never be perfect?” On top of that: if God forgave all our sins when we were still sinners (Colossians 2:13), if we are saved by God’s undeserved grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), if we cannot earn God’s favour by doing good (Ephesians 2:9), if all our good actions are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), if our religious credentials are like garbage compared to knowing Jesus (Philippians 3:4-8), if we are in the process of being saved by God in this life (2 Corinthians 2:15) but will not be perfected until we are completely saved at Jesus’ return (1 Peter 1:5)—then what is the point and purpose of trying to do good deeds now? In short: if we only live imperfectly, and if God forgives us as a gift, then why be good? Among the answers I’ve found to this question, one of the most beautiful is tied up with Easter. In the last verse of 1 Corinthians 15, Paul tells a group of especially imperfect believers, “Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not vain.” Once again, Christians are told to do good, to do good work. The reason for this instruction is that the time and effort we expend behaving excellently will not be wasted. The reason this effort is not wasted lies in Paul’s word ‘therefore.’ The preceding 57 verses are all about the resurrection. God raised the Messiah (that is, Christ) from the dead as the first fruit of a harvest. At the end
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of time, God will raise everyone else with Christ. Death will be defeated. Our physical bodies will be raised and transformed by the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus’ body was. And just as our physical bodies will be in continuity with our Holy Spirit-ed bodies after the resurrection from the dead, so too the good work we’ve done “in the Lord” will last after the resurrection from the dead. That’s what the ‘therefore’ is there for—don’t give up doing the good things Jesus showed and taught, because it will all matter after the resurrection. What’s your good work this week? Is it making dinner for your family? Is it writing a report for your boss? Is it planting seeds? Doing your homework? Speaking honestly? Listening to a lonely neighbour? Praying for an enemy? Caring for a beloved who’s sick? Reusing and recycling? Keeping the Sabbath? Correcting your child’s behaviour? Keeping your marriage vows? Building a sidewalk? The options are endless; and our work is never perfect. But don’t let that discourage you. Doing good work matters not because of us how good or successful our work is, but because Jesus is risen. Because of the resurrection, your efforts ‘in the Lord’ are not wasted. Doing good today matters! It matters in eternity. So, let’s keep on doing good work—with joy! For more inspiration on this theme, I highly recommend N.T. Wright’s book Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church (New York: HarperCollins, 2008), and his 2015 article ”Jesus is coming—plant a tree!”
A N D R E W DYC K ,
Assistant Professor of Christian Spirituality and Pastoral Ministry at Canadian Mennonite University, teaches primarily in CMU’s seminary programs. He and Martha belong to Westwood Community Church and the Winnipeg Imago Dei group.
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HOMEPAGE
The King is Coming
Hearing the message of the Book of Ruth How does God accomplish his purposes in times of uncertainty and upheaval? Hear Dr. Daniel Block, Old Testament scholar at Wheaton College, reveal the gospel story in the book of Ruth during MB Seminary’s Navigate Bible Conference on May 13-14. > Learn more and register.
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ONMB Convention February 25-26
MBCM Assembly March 4-5
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ABMB Convention April 23
AEFMQ Convention April 23
BCMB Convention April 29-30
HOMEPAGE
M DS RE S PO N DI N G TO WI LDFI RE S I N B .C . VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR MONTE L AKE FROM SPRING THROUGH FALL
With all the attention on the severe flooding that hit B.C. in November 2021, it’s easy to forget about those who lost their homes to last summer’s wildfires in that province. But Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) Canada hasn’t forgotten. In May the organization will begin rebuilding homes in Monte Lake, located about 50 kilometres from Kamloops in the B.C. interior. “While we are responding to help people affected by the floods in Princeton and the Fraser Valley, we also want to help those impacted by the fires,” said Ross Penner, Director of Canadian Operations. “They also need help to recover from their losses.” At Monte Lake, 28 structures were destroyed by the White Rock fire, which displaced thousands of people in the area. MDS Canada, working in partnership with its B.C. Unit, will build up to five new homes in the community over the summer and into the fall. “These people lost everything,” said Penner, noting one family of four has been living in a small camper since losing their home last August. “I could see the strain on the faces of the parent after spending a winter inside that small space,” he said. Insurance can be hard to get in remote areas like Monte Lake, or is prohibitively expensive, leaving some people uninsured or under-insured. “The people we are helping fall into those categories,” Penner said. The 2021 wildfire season in B.C. was the third worst on record, with more than 1,600 fires burning nearly 8,700 square kilometres of land. Volunteers are needed for Monte Lake; people who want to volunteer can contact MDS Canada on its website at www.mds.org, by e-mailing cflores@mds.org or by calling 1-866-261-1274.
Are you a pastor of a small church in Canada with less than 150 weekly attendees? We invite you to fill out a survey through the Canadian Evangelical Fellowship of Canada to help gain understanding on the needs of small churches and how people can support them. The survey will take about 20 minutes of your time and as a thanks you will be entered to win one of three $250 Amazon gift cards. Please fill out the survey here before April 15th and have your voice heard!
“My heart is so full. I want God to bless every single person who touched this house. We just love and appreciate everything that God has done. We love you all so much.” — HERMAN SHIMPOCK
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You can be the hands and feet of Jesus for disaster survivors by volunteering or donating to MDS! www.mds.org | 800-241-8111
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Ready for resurrection BY LAURA K ALMAR
very Easter, I carefully place a bowl of pysanky (Ukrainian Easter eggs) on my table as a colourful and meaningful centrepiece. The eggs are hand-decorated treasures of times spent with my aunt. During Lent, we sat at her dining room table, melting beeswax over candles, careful not to burn ourselves. We meticulously drew designs on the smooth white surfaces and spoke quietly of family and faith. This year, those eggs – traditional Ukrainian Easter decorations – will take on new significance, as the people of Ukraine are embroiled in devastating military conflict with Russia. Our thoughts and prayers are with them, especially since the ancestors of many in our denomination lived there for generations.
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The eggs also signify something much greater and more enduring. They are compact reminders of Christian hope. With their hollow shells and vivid exteriors, pysanky are symbols of the empty tomb on Easter morning. Christ is risen! With the resurrection comes the incredible promise of new life. We cry out for new life in Ukraine. We cry out for new life in Canada. We cry out for new life for us all. The resurrection is central to all we believe. In 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17, Paul says, “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith…. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” Theologian N.T. Wright explains that Jesus’ resurrection caused early Christians “to reorder their lives, their narratives, their symbols and their praxis accordingly.” It changed who they were, what they did and how they lived. Jesus’ death and resurrection are beyond doubt the most important events in Christian tradition. Why is the resurrection so significant? The resurrection signals God’s approval of Christ’s sacrificial self-offering for others at the crucifixion (Acts 2); it marks the launch of the new humanity (Romans 5); it indicates deliverance from sin’s bondage (Romans 8), incorporation within the body of Christ (Colossians 3) and empowerment for a life of discipleship (Romans 6, 12; 2 Corinthians 5; Ephesians 2). Our hope in the Lord as Saviour, Redeemer, Reconciler, Victor and Healer hangs on the truth of the resurrection. The resurrection also tells us that Jesus is the great Renovator. (Don’t we all love a good renovation project, when a room takes on completely new character after being outfitted with new tiles, hardware and paint?) The fact that Jesus can take death and turn it on its head – renovating something once dark and dismal – and turn it into life is beyond comprehension for most of us. But it is the very hope we confess every Easter. And it’s the same hope that fuels our belief in personal transformation. If Jesus can prove victorious over our ultimate enemy – death – he can certainly be victorious over the sin in our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:57).
But is this story too strange for us to truly embrace? Is the truth of the resurrection simply too incredible to believe? Our brothers and sisters from the Global South seem far more attentive to the resurrection than North Americans. Perhaps it’s due to their socio-economic realities – with poverty, disease and violence part of everyday life – or perhaps it’s because of their familiarity with supernatural intervention. Either way, sisters and brothers from the Global South seem less troubled by the details of Jesus walking away from the tomb on Easter morning eagerly showing the marks of his crucifixion to the disciples (John 20:27). One Colombian pastor who has seen amazing transformation in Venezuelan Mennonite churches, attributes the change directly to the resurrection: “Resurrection power is manifested when it seems all is lost…. God raises the dead to vindicate them in ways that are unexpected and incomprehensible from a human perspective.” We in the West are often too analytical and calculating, with a preference for scientific research, well-ordered thought and rational explanations. We’re also more accustomed to living without want or fear. Globe and Mail columnist Margaret Wente says it this way: “We attenuated Christians prefer our faith bland and anemic. Many parts of our tradition are quite moving (the carols, the baby in the manger, the shepherds who watch their flocks by night), but other parts are too bizarre for our taste (the casting out of devils, the crucifixion and that whole deal with the empty tomb and the resurrection).” This year, are we willing to take a fresh look at the resurrection? Are we willing to face the beautiful and amazing story once again? Are we willing to open our lives to its transformative power? Are we willing to admit that just like beeswax and dye can change an ordinary egg into something exquisite, the resurrection can truly change our lives? LAURA K ALMAR
is director of marketing and communications for MCC Canada and a former MB Herald editor. Ready for resurrection was originally published in the April 2014 issue of MB Herald.
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FIVE WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS As leaders, stress can seem like a constant companion. However, implementing simple stress management techniques into our everyday lives can make a world of difference. 1. CLARIFY PRIORITIES As leaders, we will always have more to do than we can accomplish. It is essential to step back, evaluate priorities, and understand what needs to happen. We often overestimate what is necessary for completing a responsibility effectively. Likewise, scheduling our top priority as the first task of the day allows us to accomplish what matters most. Implement Pareto’s Principle, which says that 20% of what we do accomplishes 80% of our targets. By evaluating the effectiveness of our responsibilities, our stress levels diminish as we strive for effectiveness rather than the quantity of work produced. 2. TAKE REGULAR BREAKS When our plates are full and we feel the pressure of looming deadlines, it can be tempting to push through. However, taking a break can be the most productive decision we make. Our minds need rest every bit as much as our bodies. We return to our tasks with renewed energy and perspective by taking ten-minute breaks throughout the day. Going for a walk or even just stepping outside can be enough to lower our stress levels so we can think more clearly. 3. MAKE SLEEP A PRIORITY We’ve all burned the midnight oil trying to get ahead of the next day. But without
B O N I TA E B Y
quality sleep, our stress levels continue to rise. Our brains are flooded by cerebrospinal fluid during sleep, literally bathing our brains. The fluid cleanses metabolic waste and reinforces neuropathways. Sleeping reduces stress, and without proper sleep, it is impossible to function at our best. 4. RELAX AND UNWIND DAILY Often sleep is elusive when we’re under a lot of pressure. By devoting time every day toward relaxation, we can better unwind and get quality sleep. But, unfortunately, when we go-go-go all day long, it can feel impossible to settle our minds enough to fall asleep. Turning off our electronic devices an hour before bedtime allows our brains to create melatonin, a hormone that supports our circadian rhythms and promotes sleep. After a stressful day, I often perform a brain dump. With a notebook and pen in hand, I quiet my mind, and sure enough, myriad thoughts related to unfinished work pop up. By writing them down, my mind trusts that the tasks have been captured and becomes quiet. As a result, my stress levels subside, and I can sleep. 5. PRAY Renewing our trust in God daily through prayer and reading Scripture reminds us who is in control. As leaders with vast responsibilities, it can feel like we must have everything under control. But, over the years, I’ve concluded that control is an illusion. Spending time in prayer and rehearsing meaningful Scriptures reminds us who God is and who we are in Him. Prayer may be the greatest stress reliever of them all.
attends and is a former pastor at WMB Church in Waterloo, Ontario. She is a burnout prevention strategist, executive coach, and owner of Breakthrough Personal & Professional Development Inc. Connect with Bonita at bonita@break-through.ca.
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The British Columbia Conference of MB Churches looking for a skilled and passionate person to join our team. The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic to contribute and support the work of resourcing our BCMB churches. As a non-profit organization, BCMB is looking for a bookkeeper who is experienced with non-profit bookkeeping and accounting principles. >> See the full employment listing here
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PHOTO BY TONY SCHELLENBERG
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Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry
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BY KEN ESAU
ometimes when reading the Bible, there are verses that land so personally that they seem to have been written directly with me in mind. Even though the ancient writers were writing to ancient listeners in ancient contexts and not directly at me, some biblical texts seem like they should have my name at the beginning of the line. Some verses comfort me in suffering, instruct me when I need wisdom, or even hit me on the side of the head when I’m being foolish. James 1:19 is one of those texts for me: “[Ken, you] should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (NIV). I’ve always been a verbal processor so talking is my “spiritual gift”—it is a spiritual gift, right? So, when I hear James 1:19, I immediately wish that I could go for coffee with James and explain some of the issues I have with the way he has worded the sentence— but then I realize that I am doing the opposite of the verse. I have to laugh but it’s an uncomfortable laugh. A colleague recently mentioned in jest (with no doubt truth in the jest) that during our lunch conversation no one else “could get a word in edgewise.” Ouch! I realized again that I needed that verse more than ever. So, what is listening and why is being slow to speak and become angry so critical—especially today in our high volume, multi-media world where voices are blaring in a cacophony of
sound? Stuart Murray argues that our Anabaptist forbears gave the church of today a bunch of gifts to help us reflect the amazing ethos of the early church. One of these gifts is a commitment to be “multivoiced” rather than “mono-voiced” congregations (The Naked Anabaptist 106). Anything to do with “voices” is irrelevant unless we are people who listen to those voices. It is critical that we become people who listen well to the “multivoices” in our congregations—the quieter ones, the louder ones, the educated and less educated—the bitter, the hurt, and the joyous. There are some key questions that we need to ask about listening itself in order to be MBs who “listen well.”
Why is listening so important?
While it is possible to express ourselves in many ways, speaking is a critical means of communication. God spoke ten times in Genesis 1 and the earth was created. In Exodus 20, God spoke ten times to produce what Jewish tradition called the “Ten Words,” better known to us as the Ten Commandments. Jesus comes to us as the Word (John 1:1ff.). Speaking matters because it reveals our inner character and being. Speaking matters because it can bring about change. But for us, speaking is just air and noise without listening. Listening matters because it empowers the speaker and expresses a deep valuing of the person who speaks. Listening matters because it is the path to understanding. We value and understand God as we listen. We value and understand people as we listen. We give our time and attention to listen to the voices in our midst because we are people of love—and love listens. Certainly, we must see listening as part of the Fruit of the Spirit, because true listening reflects and requires “love… peace, patience, kindness…faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23).
What does it look like “to listen”?
There are practitioners and scholars calling today for something branded as “transformative listening.” There are courses and experts teaching this so-called new method. But it seems a simple renaming of the first stage of any meaningful real human relationship; truly hearing the other person. Real listening, whatever we want to call it, must begin with an honest willingness to empathically hear what the other person wants to communicate without interruption and without expressing judgment and critique. We must put down our phones, slow down, turn our eyes, hearts, and minds toward the other person, and express care. We need to ask open questions because we want to understand rather than
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jump to conclusions. We listen carefully to the words, but we also listen to what is below the words—the joy, the pain, the suffering, the hurt, the hope, and the dreams. I went through training at one point to be a facilitator for what was then called “Victim Offender Reconciliation Program” (VORP), and encouraging transformative listening was central to that program. The offender had to truly listen to the victim hearing the hurt and the suffering. For this to happen, the facilitator made sure there was an opportunity for the victim to speak without fear or critique. Then the victim was asked to listen to the offender who could also speak without fear or critique. Only after this mutual listening was there a time of exploring if there could be movement toward a healing solution.
Does listening well mean that we agree with the person?
This is probably one of the most critical pieces. True listening must involve taking the other person seriously— weighing carefully what they are saying. Even the expression “weighing carefully” implies that words have different amounts of “weight.” The Hebrew word for “glory” is about weight. When we glorify God, we make God heavy. This is a metaphor for recognizing something as important or significant. The opposite is to “make light of.” To listen to God is take his words/instruction and make them heavy or important in our lives. To listen well to others is to give their words the appropriate weight. However, listening well to anyone other than God, does not mean that we will necessarily agree or take steps to meet the requests of the other. We can listen well with our ears, eyes, heart, and minds, but in the end we may or may not agree with the wants expressed by the speaker.
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True listening must involve taking the other person seriously— weighing carefully what they are saying.
This is a challenging truth when we are the speaker. I have often gone to my bosses at work with some idea for change that I was passionate about. In those moments, I was the speaker. I am thankful to be able to say that my bosses always took the time to listen well to my strong convictions and weigh them. However, they did not always make the changes I wanted them to make. During those moments, I felt like yelling out, “They’re not listening,” but then I realized again that listening is not the same as agreement. I had to then take the time to listen to them and try to return the gift of listening that they had first given to me. If we consider listening and agreement as synonymous terms, we will unquestionably create even more frustration and more hurt in our community. At some point listening must become “mutual listening” for any honest and healthy relationship. Agreement is one of the possible outcomes of listening well—but it is not the only outcome. If agreement does not happen, the speaker is now invited to become the listener and seek to understand. That is why listening—or better yet “mutual listening”—involves all of us practicing listening together knowing that the process itself, and not simply the outcome, has transformative value. But there may come a time when we recognize that we must agree to disagree. We have given weight to what we have heard, but we are at an impasse. We must think carefully about what love looks like in the impasse.
Should we try to “listen” without any presuppositions?
Some people have suggested that we should try to come into listening situations without presuppositions about what we think is right, good, and/or wise. Good listening must be done without interruption, judgment, or critique. But we as listeners cannot strip ourselves of our convictions as if they are like noise-reducing ear plugs that we must remove in order to hear better. If we have deep convictions about God, Scripture, salvation,
discipleship, love, justice, and the Kingdom, these form our identity and we will necessarily be hearing the speaker through these convictions. But all listeners have deep convictions that shape how they also hear. All of our hearing comes through our convictions about life and truth—and pretending otherwise is foolish. All we can do is recognize our convictions and admit openly to these convictions.
What does “slow to become angry” have to do with listening well?
James 1:19 is not giving us three different unrelated commands in the same verse. It is not like my mother telling me when I went off to college: “Remember to do your laundry, call home on Sundays, and find a church to go to.” James is giving us a deeply interconnected command. Being quick to listen necessarily requires that we are “slow to speak.” But being quick to listen also requires us to be “slow to become angry.” If we are quick to jump up in anger, we will derail and short-circuit listening. It is so easy today to provide fast responses to people through electronic communication. We read something we don’t like, and in anger we shoot off (pun intended) an email or post a comment on social media. I have often heard the advice to never send a difficult email until you have slept on it. This is good advice that I need to hear. Often in the morning, I go back to edit my email—or better yet, ask are my words even necessary? And if my words are necessary, should I try to arrange an in-person meeting where I can listen to the person better and express care in ways that text emojis and emails can never do? If I want to be “quick to listen,” I must be a person who is “slow to become angry.”
What is the final goal of listening well?
As Christians, we listen because we love—but we also hope that we will be part of listening events that are truly “transformative” for all of us. Just like in the Victim Offender Reconciliation Program, we want the listening to lead to change in all the participants toward forgiveness, reconciliation, and ultimately hope. For this to happen, listeners must listen to speakers, but then also speakers, in turn, become listeners. But as participants and facilitators, we recognize that we do not control outcomes. We pray for the Holy Spirit to work. We seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness. We love our neighbour as ourselves. But—then we wait, knowing that all transformation in us and others is the work of God. It does not come by our power, might, or human scheming. There is no more important time than the present for us to listen well to each other and be the multivoiced people of God. But we must also recognize that James 1:19 is not simply for those with power and/or leadership roles. Even though I feel a special weight of that verse on me, it was written for every disciple of Jesus, then and now. So, may we hear it again and commit ourselves to it anew: “Everyone [insert your name here] should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
KEN ESAU
is a member of The Life Centre (Abbotsford), a long-time Faculty member at Columbia Bible College, and presently the interim director of the National Faith & Life Team.
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GOOD NEWS PEOPLE
IN
BAD NEWS TIMES If the church does not proclaim the Easter hope, then who will? By Philip A. Gunther “But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.” Acts 20:24 NIV
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Y
ou may not believe this, but there is a secular social media platform dedicated solely to communicating GOOD NEWS. The GoodNewsNetwork.org is promoted as being “an antidote to the barrage of negativity experienced in the mainstream media...it is a daily dose of hope.”1 My favorite stories so far have been: “Stray Cats Saved A Restaurant During The Pandemic” and “Banjo Player Serenades A Fox In Colorado.” I know that right now you are smiling, and maybe even making fun of these headlines, but you’re SMILING and having FUN! Friends, we desperately need and long for things that will brighten our lives, make us smile, laugh, and celebrate. Amen? Amen, indeed. The Canadian Medical Association Journal posted an article stating that people are consuming a rapidly increasing diet of negative news. This practice, the journal claims is contributing to a worsening of mental health. Many people, writes Dr. Cecille Ahrens are stuck in a pattern of frequently monitoring bad news which in turn leads to elevated moodiness and anxiety. This harmful and habitual pattern of behaviour has been dubbed ‘doomscrolling.’2 Doomscrolling is “the act of obsessively reading bad news despite the onset of anxiety.”3 Distress and depression are a common outcome of doomscrolling. Dr. Graham C.L. Davey writes in Psychology Today that the constant consumption of negative, and often sensationalized bad news, continues to cause significant unhealthy mood changes, most notably exacerbating an individual’s own personal worries.4 The prolonged unhealthy intake of large quantities of bad news also fuels the symptoms and impact of serious physical ailments like arthritis, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.5 In sum, an unhealthy diet of bad news is detrimental for mental and physical health. And yet, the world’s consumption of bad and sad news shows no signs of abating. It is no wonder that the emotional and mental well-being of our communities in this country is collapsing at an alarming rate. People ‘bloated’ with dark messaging. They are exhausted from searching, and not finding, a personal peace, joy or hope for a better future. I am reminded of an Old Testament story about
people exactly in the same space. Some 850 years before the birth of Christ: “…Ben-Hadad king of Aram mobilized his entire army and marched up and laid siege to Samaria. There was a great famine in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels [2 lbs.] of silver, and a quarter of a cab [1/2 pint] of seed pods for five shekels [2 ozs.]” (2 Kings 6:24-25 NIV). The starvation in the city was so horrific that cannibalism took place. On the throne of the besieged city was King Jehoram. Jehoram is so distraught about all the bad news he is encountering that he tears his robes in utter despair! In anger, Jehoram pronounces, “This disaster is from the Lord! (2 Kings 6:33 NIV).” Hearing about Jehoram’s lament, God’s prophet Elisha prophecies that the famine would be lifted – a prophecy of good news. The story continues... “Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’-the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.” At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, not a man was there, for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” So they got up and fled in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives. The men who had leprosy reached the edge of the camp and entered one of the tents. They ate and drank, and carried away silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also. Then they said to each other, “We’re not doing right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.” So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the Aramean camp and not a man was there--not a sound of anyone--only tethered
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horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.” The gatekeepers shouted the [good] news, and it was reported within the palace” (2 Kings 7:3-11 NIV). These four lepers were good news people in bad news times. Today, we as disciples of Jesus are to be good news people in bad news times, not with stories of stray cats or Colorado foxes or even a ‘chicken soup’ like feel-good testimony, but with life-transforming news that brings hope, peace and joy to the present and future. And friends, we can bear witness of such a thing: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” Luke 2:8-11 NIV “Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.” 2 Corinthians 15:1-4 NLT “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved....But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” Romans 10:8b-15 NLT
Reality check. We cannot genuinely bring this good news until our heart truly knows it. Both require the ministry of the Holy Spirit. To be good news bearers and bringers, we must first be supernaturally redeemed by Christ – “born again” (John 3:16), made into a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17), possessing minds and eyes fixed on Jesus (Hebrews 3:1; 12:2). From this space, our opportunity in the present bad and sad news culture is boundless and plentiful. This Easter, are you a good news bearer and bringer? In the spirit of Psalm 139:23-24, ask God to search your heart as you make the following personal inquiries: 1. Does my heart reflect a good news posture? 2. Does my thinking reflect a good news perspective? 3. Do my words reflect a good news spirit? 4. Do my actions reflect a good news motivation? May the community in which we live say about us as disciples of Jesus: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” E N D N OT E S 1 https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/more/about-us 2P rotecting the Brain Against Bad News. Canadian Medical Association Journal. Robin Blades. March 22, 2021. 193 (12) E428-E429. https://www.cmaj.ca/ content/193/12/E428 3T he Science Behind Doomscrolling. ABC News. Benjamin Plackett. November 2020. https://abcnews. go.com/Technology/science-doomscrolling/ story?id=74402415 4T he Psychological Impact of Negative News. Psychology Today. Graham C.L. Davey. September 21, 2020. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/why-weworry/202009/the-psychological-impact-negativenews 5Y ou Asked: Is It Bad for You to Read the News Constantly? Time. Markham Heid. May 19, 2020. https://time. com/5125894/is-reading-news-bad-for-you/
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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R E J O I C E : A N E A S T E R D E C L A R AT ION
Christ Jesus is risen – He is risen indeed! Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Three days from an ending to a beginning three days from mourning to joy three days from weeping to wonder the sign of Jonah, the temple raised up the miracle of all miracles has unfolded true are the claims of the Ancient One the prophecies of times long passed are fulfilled the guarded tomb stone has been rolled away empty is the gloomy space of death’s chamber the pierced and broken body of the Crucified One gone the Resurrection and the Life has shed the grave clothes the angel’s good news proclaimed – “He is not here” the heavenly host’s praises sung – “Worthy is the Lamb” the shrieks of hell’s horde begun the dark god of this age has been crushed rescued from the dominion of darkness are the saints ushered into the kingdom of light are the redeemed the sting of death is healed by faith, life forever is ours no longer objects of wrath is the seed of Abraham the beloved of the King is our identity there is no longer condemnation the curse of Eden’s fall has been lifted receive the peace, the hope, the forgiveness at the Lord Almighty’s right hand is our risen Intercessor in His name we approach the eternal throne soon His return will welcome us home. Hallelujah, Christ was dead and is now alive! Let all that has breath rejoice. — Philip A. Gunther
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Finish lines EDNA THIESSEN Edna attended Bible school in Abbotsford and Yarrow, B.C. After she married Henry Thiessen on May 31, 1952, they studied 4 years at Prairie Bible Institute, Three Hills, Alta., and graduated together on Apr. 12, 1957. While waiting for Indonesian visas, they worked with West Coast Children’s Mission, 1958-59, ministering to First Nation and Japanese communities in Port Edward, B.C. During their 23 years as missionaries in Borneo (Kalimantan Barat), Indonesia, Edna filled the roles of wife, mother, missionary, and teacher. She had great compassion for people’s health needs: she would distribute medicine at cost and often for free. Edna had a counsellor’s heart, sensitive to the emotional and spiritual needs of those around her. When they returned to Canada, in each community Henry pastored, Edna sought opportunities to serve. While being a pastor’s wife at Pemberton Christian Fellowship, 1984–91, Edna wrote for the Squamish newspaper. She took the St. John’s Ambulance Course and guarded at the local jail whenever they had a female inmate. She ran a bed and breakfast and started the Welcome Wagon to ease the transition for new people in town. In Armstrong, B.C., Edna launched North Okanagan Family Ministries, where she counselled women from 1990–93. Henry and Edna spent summers (1991, 1992, and 1993) as speakers and workers at Gardom Lake Bible Camp and Pines Bible Camp. While they were pastoring Sayward (B.C.) Christian Fellowship, May 1994–Apr. 1996, Edna organized and led a 12-Step Program for sexually abused women. After a few years of retirement, Henry and Edna accepted a pastorate at Boundary Community Church, Midway, B.C., 1998–2001. Here, Edna worked in the library to meet people. When they retired the second time, in spite of Edna’s Parkinson’s diagnosis, Henry and Edna returned to Borneo to visit some of the 17 churches they had started together. In 2011, they moved to Bradner Road, Abbotsford, B.C. Edna passed away quietly in her sleep Feb. 9, 2022. Birth: April 3, 1932 Birthplace: Drake, Sask. Death: February 9, 2022 Parents: John & Katharina (Tina) (Schmidt) Toews Married: Henry Thiessen, May 31, 1952 Family: Henry; children Vange (Eric) Thiessen, Dan (Sandy), Rebekah (Peter) Vandervelden; 9 grandchildren; 11 greatgrandchildren Church: Ross Road, Abbotsford, B.C. Baptism: Yarrow (B.C.) MB, July 17, 1949
STELLA REIMER Seeking work, Stella’s family moved often – 13 times in one year – including to Wingard and Carlton, Sask.; Kronsgart, Purvis, and Crystal City, Man. Because churches were far away, families worshipped in neighbouring homes. At one such meeting, with guest speaker Henry Schumacher, 14-year-old Stella received Jesus as Saviour. In 1943, Stella attended a semester at Winkler (Man.) Bible Institute. Despite only having a Grade 5 education, Stella was knowledgeable, an avid reader who kept a journal for 50 years. In 1944, after the family moved to B.C., Stella worked in a fish cannery in Steveston. In Clearbrook, Stella could finally attend church regularly. In 1947, she met Peter Reimer at an evangelistic meeting at Mennonite Educational Institute. They married in 1948 and moved to a Matsqui Prairie dairy farm, living in a transformed granary. That same year, the farm flooded. Peter built them a new house in 1955. Stella loved to sing harmony with her children and was known for baking rhubarb platz and fruit pies for her family. She learned to drive in 1957 and kept busy taking her children to the roller rink and beach. At Matsqui (B.C.) MB Church, Stella taught vacation Bible school. Stella did childcare, housekeeping, and the night shift at the fruit cannery; after her children were in school, she worked at Golden Valley, Eaton’s, and Tru-fit Shoes. She enjoyed participating in a care group and the Jubilee Singers choir at Central Heights MB Church, Abbotsford. Stella and Peter sold the farm in 1978, moved to Clearbrook, bought a camper van, and travelled across North America. In 1993, they transferred their membership to Clearbrook MB Church. When she was unable to care for Peter at home, Stella visited him daily at Sherwood Home. After his death, she had coffee weekly with her cousins Betty, Tina, Anne, and Helen. In 2016, she moved to Tabor Court, where she made many friends over puzzles. At 92, to her great joy, she led a soul to Christ. Her greatest desire was that her family follow Jesus. Stella became ill suddenly and died surrounded by family. Birth: March 8, 1927 Birthplace: Aberdeen, Sask. Death: February 19, 2022 Parents: Peter & Helen Giesbrecht Married: Peter Reimer, Feb. 8, 1948 [d. July 29, 2012] Family: children Sharon Loewen, Luella (Dave) Thiessen, Doug (Glenda), Peter (Marianne), Shirley (Konrad) Golbeck; 22 grandchildren; 77 great-grandchildren; 10 great-greatgrandchildren Baptism: Clearbrook MB, Abbotsford, B.C., 1945
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HAROLD LOEWEN
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GEORGE WICHERT
Being the eldest of 5 brought early responsibilities – five-year-old Harold gathered kindling, collected eggs, and rounded up calves. Later, he ploughed fields, picked cotton and peanuts, herded cattle, and milked cows. God’s hand was over Harold from the beginning, through sickness, accidents, and close calls with farm animals and wildlife. He was an avid reader, gifted student, and exceptional athlete in gymnastics, acrobatics, and track and field, but Harold’s true passion was always the mechanical world. Dirt bikes were his great joy; from there developed his skills for fixing all machines. Harold was known for his hard work, ingenuity, resourcefulness, practicality, and ability to fix almost anything. He was a gifted and heavily-relied-upon problem-solver in his
The year before his birth, George’s parents and 3 older siblings had emigrated from Russia; he was the first of 5 born in Canada. In 1935, the family bought land in Niagara-onthe-Lake, where George developed his love of farming. With his 2 older brothers doing alternative service during WWII, George had to support the family. After the war, he finished high school at Eden Christian College (now Eden High School), then in Niagara-on-the-Lake. He attended Waterloo College of Arts (now Wilfred Laurier University), followed by a year of teacher’s college in Toronto, then started his career. In 1954, George married Bertha Dick, whom he’d met in the Virgil Church youth group. After a year of teaching in Ingersoll, Ont., he was invited to return to Virgil and teach at Eden, thus beginning his 32-year career
workplaces, both in Paraguay and Canada. At 17, he left home and school to work at a mechanic shop, taking two additional jobs to pay room and board near Anna Wiens. Here he met her granddaughter, Veronika. Roni admired this strong, quiet man, and he doted on her. Their relationship impacted Harold’s faith – he dedicated his life to the Lord and was baptized at 20. Roni and Harold were engaged in 1986, their wedding plans spurred on by the Loewens’ impending move to Canada. They married May 23, 1987, in Filadelfia, Paraguay. The Loewens immigrated to Winnipeg that August, and after a job offer in Ontario, Harold and Roni moved to St. Catharines. Lee joined the family in November 1988. After Sheila’s birth, the family bought a house in Virgil, where they remained. Shannon came 7 years later. Harold loved dirt biking, hiking, and backcountry canoe trips. His creativity showed through the trike, go-kart, and other toys he built. Harold shared his talents with his community – he led Boys’ Club, did church maintenance, and was a sound technician. He revelled in spending time with friends and family at the cabin he designed and built. In 2016, Harold was diagnosed with Merkel cell carcinoma – and began 6 years of surgeries, radiation, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. Harold confounded healthcare workers with his resilience, giving his family new hope several times over. His character shone through – courageous, peaceful, humble, reliant on God, with unending care for his family before himself. Birth: May 9, 1964 Birthplace: Valencia, Fernheim Colony, Chaco, Paraguay Death: February 14, 2022 Parents: Werner & Adelheid (Neufeld) Loewen Married: Veronika (Roni) Esau, May 23, 1987 Family: Veronika; children Lee (Becky), Sheila (Matthew), Shannon; grandson Max; mother Adelheid; siblings Frieder, Juergen, Ellen, Wesley Church: Cornerstone, Virgil, Ont.
at the school, including 12 as principal. In December, David was born: George spent his Christmas holiday installing a furnace, so Bertha and Dave would have heat when they came home. The family welcomed 4 more children: Nancy, Timothy, Geoffrey, and Suzanne. In 1970, they moved across Virgil to farm 5 acres inherited from Bertha’s father. The cherry and peach orchards became a defining feature of the family, blending the rhythm of pruning, tending, and harvesting with the cycles of the school year. Each summer, weeks at Elim Lodge, Kawartha Lakes, offered reprieve. In 1978, Dave died in a motorcycle accident while travelling Nova Scotia with Tim. George had been ordained in 1964; after retiring in 1987, he and Bertha pastored Mennonite churches in Germany and Virgil. They toured Europe, India, and Africa. Bertha died of cancer in 1997, after nearly 43 years together. The following year, George married Linda Willms, with whom he spent his remaining 24. They ministered with seniors at Cornerstone Community Church, Virgil, 2000–2009. George and Linda travelled Europe, Israel, Alaska, the Mediterranean, and Caribbean. Pennsylvania, Myrtle Beach, and Florida were favourite U.S. destinations; in Canada, they visited family in Winnipeg and Kelowna, B.C., and took Ontario canal cruises. George’s 90th birthday was celebrated with a Caribbean cruise with all 4 children and their partners. Birth: April 9, 1927 Birthplace: Kitchener, Ont. Death: February 13, 2022 Parents: Henry & Elisabeth (Funk) Wichert Married: Bertha Dick, 1954 [d. 1997]; Linda Willms, 1998 Family: Linda; children Dave [d.], Nancy (Tye) Gamey, Tim Wichert (Debra Simpson), Geoff (Audrey) Wichert, Suzanne (Andre) Gardzella; 13 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren; siblings Walt, Marian Church: Cornerstone, Virgil, Ont.
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A moment in time
1 9 8 3 , A L B E R TA Rudy Wiebe (first editor of MB Herald) with a banner attached to his back reading “HAPPY
ARE THOSE WHO MAKE PEACE -- Jesus” at a peace rally in Edmonton. Image courtesy Mennonite Archival Information Database
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