MB Herald Digest | February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022 MBHERALD.COM

Digest

VOLUME 62 , NO. 2

B I L L C - 4 A N D VA C C I N E M A N D AT E S W H AT I S T H E S P I R I T S AY I N G ?

R U N N I N G A N D FA I T H

More than sixty years of sharing the life & story of the Mennonite Brethren in Canada

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.

José de Jesús Guzmán and María Fernanda Hernández are students at Instituto Biblico Asunción (IBA) in Asuncion, Paraguay. “We know that God’s will is good, pleasing and perfect. We have great sorrow for the churches in our country, and we have a willing heart to go, prepare ourselves and return to work in the churches of our conference.” Learn more about IBA here.

Digest FEB R UA RY 202 2 | VO LU M E 61 , N O. 2 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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SAYING GOODBYE TO KAREN HUME

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HUMILITY: A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE Rod Schellenberg

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WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN? Elton DaSilva

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A POLARIZING YET ENGAGING WITNESS Harold Jantz

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TOWN HALL REPORT: BILL C-4 AND VACCINE MANDATES

Connect

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MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

FEBRUARY 2022

From the editor write this editorial amid a blustery blizzard. I just stepped inside from the cold, and my fingers are still numb against the laptop keyboard. Outside my window, I hear the wind howling.

I recently met a friend who told me about his love of snowshoeing on the lake in the dead of winter. “When you’re out there in the middle of nowhere, you experience sensory deprivation. It’s almost like you hear nothing and everything at once.” He says.

“That’s terrifying,” I thought.

Then I thought of a podcast I heard about the world’s quietest room. Built

by Microsoft in 2015 in Redmond, Washington, the Orfield Anechoic Chamber is a concrete bunker engineered to be so silent that within minutes of being inside the chamber, a person begins to hear their blood flowing and even their bones grinding.

How quiet do you think you’d have to be to hear your bones? Not very quiet if you ask me: my bones creak every time I sit down or stand up. How still do you think you have to be to hear God’s voice? I don’t have the answer to that one; perhaps it’s different for each of us. We know that God speaks in many ways: God answered Job in the whirlwind (Job 38:1), he revealed himself to Moses in fire (Exodus 3:4) and an earthquake (Exodus 19.18), to Elijah, it was but a whisper in which God spoke (1 Kings 19:12).

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I struggle to hear God’s voice sometimes, do you? Perhaps it’s because I don’t slow down long enough, or I am distracted by other things, or maybe I am hearing it but choose not to acknowledge it. My prayer for you, my friend, is that you find yourself in God’s presence. I pray that you hear the father’s voice as clearly as I hear the wind on this February afternoon. And when you hear God speak, I pray that you respond with humility and grace. Perhaps he is asking you to reconcile a broken relationship or be more tolerant of a differing opinion. Lord knows we could use more tolerance and understanding in today’s volatile climate. Whatever God is saying to you, hold his words close to your heart and carry them with you as you make a positive impact in your church, workplace and communities.

I hope you enjoy this issue of MB Herald Digest.

Inside you’ll find a collaboration between Phil Gunther and Rod Schellenberg on the importance of being like Christ in a culture focused on entitlement and being right. Elton DaSilva explores what the Spirit may be saying to the Church today, and CCMBC reports on the recent town hall meeting focused on Bill C-4 and vaccine mandates.

There are lots more; I encourage you to read on and explore for yourself.

Peace,

Carson

CARSON SAMSON

Communications director

Letters to the editor JANUARY 2022 MBHERALD.COM

Digest

More than sixty years of sharing the life & story of the Mennonite Brethren in Canada

Week of Prayer for Church Unity

I am glad to see CCMBC put forth its Week of Prayer material. I hope it offers people in our MB churches an avenue to slow down, contemplate the readings, and manifest Christ’s body in a manner that enriches our souls and those around us. However, I ask why does CCMBC not recognize the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. For over 100 years, during the third week of January, this observance represents one of the most opportune and important moments to provide a collective witness to the world. I have received only basic organizational responses in the past from CCMBC, which have not addressed why we would not choose to be part of this larger initiative. We are rightly focused on a Collaborative Model within CCMBC; however, this posture implies maintaining that practice as we move beyond our MB churches to the wider Christian community. Whether lay or VO LU M E 61 , N O. 1 2 0 2 2 W E E K O F P R AY E R

Letters to the editor MB Herald Digest welcomes your letter on issues relevant to the Mennonite Brethren church, especially in response to material published in the magazine. Please include name, address and phone number, and keep your letters concise, courteous, and about one subject only. We may edit letters for length and clarity. We will not

clergy, we are not isolated unto our own.

If or when we choose to neglect this broader community, it can certainly speak an unintended message; others may interpret this as a form of elitism or holier-than-thou-ism. Again, it may not be the intent, but nonetheless, both parties suffer when unity is not sought.

And maybe most tragically, the magnitude of our witness to the secular world around us is significantly diminished.

Or stated in a positive manner, there is a unique blessing and richness that comes when we humbly share and learn across denominations!

I am writing as one who has experienced this week recognized and celebrated in its intended form through time spent in Latin America with MCC. I also work currently with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and work daily with people across communities in SK that are committed to the way of Christ. The genuine seeking of unity is of heightened importance and relevance during the Week of Prayer, especially in these times of disruption, polarization, etc.

Our churches (collectively, MB’s joining the many others) need to be light in the world and recognize and pray for our wholeness as the body of Christ.

I ask that CCMBC consider participating in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in 2023 and beyond. www.weekofprayer.ca/ week-prayer-christian-unity.

publish letters sent anonymously, although we may withhold names from publication at the letter writer’s request and at our discretion.

Letters may also appear online or be published in the Digest from an online source, such as comments on articles posted to mbherald. com or on our social media platforms. In these circumstances, letter

RICK BLOCK ,

Saskatoon, SK

writers will be contacted by the editor to obtain permission. Because the letters column is a free forum for discussion, it should be understood that letters represent the position of the letter writer, not necessarily the position of the MB Herald or the Mennonite Brethren church.

Send letters to MB Herald, 1310 Taylor Avenue, Winnipeg, Man. R3M 3Z6, or by email: mbherald@mbchurches.ca.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

FEBRUARY 2022

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# E D U C AT I O N HOMEPAGE

S K M B M A K I N G H O R I ZO N CO L L EG E CO U RS E ACC E S S I B L E TO S K C H U RC H L E A D ERS Leadership and Conflict, offered both on-campus and via live-stream, May 9-13, 2022, is instructed by Rick Schellenberg, STM, M.Div. This course gives students a framework through which to view and engage conflict, a biblical foundation for understanding conflict, and a skill set to respond effectively to situations involving conflict. This course aims to develop leadership capacity in situations of conflict from an Anabaptist framework, grounded in the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus’s counter-cultural expression of God’s values and priorities.

The Saskatchewan Conference of MB Churches (SKMB) will sponsor ten SKMB credentialed leaders (including church and camp moderators/lead team chairs) who wish to audit the course. If interested, contact SKMB by April 11, 2022, at phil@skmb.ca.

# M B S E M I N A RY

OUT OF TH E SHADOWS Have you ever wondered how the Old Testament and New Testament fit together? Did Jesus abolish everything in the OT and is the OT even relevant today (as one Christian leader proposed a few years back)? All these questions come together and find their answers in the book of Hebrews.

Please join us on February 15 for an online conversation with Dr. Daniel Block, Professor Emeritus of Old Testament. >L earn more and register at mbseminary.ca/navigateshadows

Christian worldview formation PLUS vocational training for careers within and beyond the church.

Christian education is more than it used to be.

BA/BTh Media Ministry, BA/BTh Youth Ministry, BA/BTh Children’s Ministry, BA Christian Studies & Support Services, BA/BTh Mental Health & Addictions Ministry ... and much more!

www.horizon.edu/plus

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HOMEPAGE

Left: Karen and Ed Hume. Right: Karen Hume and Teresa Friesen.

PHOTO BY TONY SCHELLENBERG

S AY I N G H E L L O T O TERESA FRIESEN

Saying goodbye to Karen Hume For almost 22 years, Karen Hume’s smiling face was the first thing most saw upon entering the MB Ministry Centre in Winnipeg. Karen has diligently served CCMBC and Legacy as the receptionist and facilities coordinator. What began as a maternity-leave term in March 2000 blossomed into two decades of warm welcomes, hospitality, property upkeep, and skillful juggling of busy phone lines. Karen now joins her husband, Ed, in retirement. She hopes to have more time for her favourite things: scrapbooking, crossword puzzles, grandchildren and cottage life.

On January 12, 2022, staff gathered to celebrate Karen and bid her a fond farewell.

CCMBC and Legacy are pleased to announce the hiring of Teresa Friesen as Receptionist/Facilities Coordinator. Teresa comes to us with years of experience as an Administrative Assistant in the Manitoba school system.

Teresa began in the role on January 4, 2022.

Follow God’s Call On Your Life Train for ministry and build a solid Biblical foundation in Christ-centred community.

SBCollege.ca

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

FEBRUARY 2022

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What will happen to the people of Afghanistan? ike me, when you saw the images of panic and desperation in Afghanistan last August, you may have fallen to your knees in prayer. “Lord, this is terrible! What will happen to the people of Afghanistan?”

Many of us remember our own history when revolution and war caused many of our relatives to flee persecution, hunger and death, seeking refuge.

Since the crisis began, hundreds of thousands of people have fled the country. Now, more than 2.6 million Afghan refugees are scattered across the globe—with another 3 million displaced within Afghanistan’s borders. These people have faced hunger, persecution, job loss and even death.

The Canadian government has announced readiness to take in 40,000 persons at risk which includes privately sponsored refugees.

Among the various acceptable groups is one that is of particular interest to us as Mennonites. The Afghan Christians who, because of their faith, are recognized as belonging to a vulnerable group which makes them eligible to be sponsored to come to Canada.

This group is mainly a result of missionary and Christian teaching activities. In Afghanistan it is a criminal offense to convert to Christianity, punishable by death. Despite the killing of Christians, their numbers, grew especially in the more recent past. Many Christians who were persecuted or targeted left even before the August events.

After the change of Government in Afghanis many others fled, but some of the Islamic neighboring countries are not safe for Christians. The situation for these Afghan Christians is particularly critical.

Paul reminds us in Galatians 6 to take every opportunity to do good, especially to those who are fellow believers. The Afghan situation is calling us to focus anew on the displaced Afghan Christians.

The Afghan situation gives us an opportunity to focus anew on the crisis of displacement. The body of Christ must respond.

L

As part of the Anabaptist community in Canada, along with other Mennonite Conferences, we ask our MB churches to consider sponsoring an Afghan Christian family.

Colleagues who have worked with Afghans for many years are aware of many Afghans outside the country who are in particularly vulnerable situations. Our goal is to find 100 homes for them in Canada. Through faith, we believe it is possible. As a community, we have tremendous resources. We can work together to provide a safe home for some of the millions of refugees who have lost their homes.

As part of the Anabaptist community in Canada, we have a long history of supporting refugees. We believe it is a holy calling to offer hospitality to these “strangers” (Genesis 18:1–15; Matthew 25:35; Hebrews 13:2), providing homes for the homeless, hope in time of need and a tangible witness of the presence of God.

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More than

Another

2.6 million

Afghan refugees are scattered across the globe.

3 million

displaced within Afghanistan’s borders.

We’re grateful for our partnership with Mennonite Central Committee, who have agreed to be a Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH), providing the required guarantee given to the Canadian Government. MCC has been helping churches sponsor refugees in Canada since 1979. MCC agreed to create a special program to assist the sponsoring of the targeted Afghan refugees.—we don’t have to figure it out alone.

Sponsoring a refugee is a big commitment. So, I encourage you to do several things.

First, study the situation. One helpful resource is a worship package created by MCC called “A Refugee People: How the Church Can Choose Welcome in the Face of Global Displacement.”

Second, I encourage you to learn about the process. If you want to know more, go to MCC’s website at mcccanada.ca/refugees. You’ll find a short video that explains the basics of the process, including the time, financial and relational commitments.

Third, I encourage you to pray about it. What is God calling you and your congregation to at this moment?

Finally, connect directly with our office. We’d love to hear more about your calling and how it might be an important piece of the bigger picture. We also want to keep track of our MB congregations who are willing to commit to refugee sponsorship. Along with other Canadian Council of Anabaptist Leaders (CCAL) participating conferences we hope to sponsor these very vulnerable refugees as soon as possible. The matter is urgent.

While the process will take some time, an early indication of intent, followed by a firm commitment will be a great help in developing this new program.

Email us at communications@mbchurches.ca. Those who express interest by March 4, 2022 will be invited to a future town hall meeting where MCC representatives will be on hand to share information and answer questions.

Or contact your local MCC office by emailing afghanrefugees@mcccanada.ca or calling 1-888-622-6337.

I reflect on the magi, the foreigners in the nativity scene. The coming of Jesus brought together people from vastly different cultures. I also think about what happened afterwards; how Joseph, after being warned in a dream, took his new family to another country to save their lives. That same story has been carried out countless times since then. God’s people often have had to flee their homes.

God’s people have also welcomed those who fled. Will you be part of that welcome?

E LT O N D A S I LVA

on behalf of the steering committee of the Canadian Council of Anabaptist Leaders.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

FEBRUARY 2022

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JANUARY 20, 2022 TOWN HALL SUMMARY

Churches talk Bill C-4 One of our new national communication and connecting tools is the National Town Hall which happens twice a year. These meetings are open to any member of an MB church with the primary purpose of inviting our churches’ opinions and questions on important matters within our denomination.

In early January 2022, Bill C-4 was made effective, bringing significant changes to Canadian Criminal Law. In response to this new piece of legislation, CCMBC hosted a Town Hall event on January 20, 2022, to provide an opportunity for our churches to receive information and ask pertinent questions.

One of the ways we wanted to resource our churches was to allow space for our legal counsel, Kevin Boonstra, to unpack the possible implications of Bill C-4 for the church. Kevin provided a one-page guideline to those in attendance and responded to questions asked by attendees.

Critical pieces of information we received from Kevin include: is a low risk of criminal prosecution for ˚ There pastors and leaders preaching a sermon on a Sunday morning about a biblical view of sexuality. cannot formally counsel anyone to ˚ Pastors reduce their non-heterosexual sexual behaviour. cannot advertise or promote any for˚ Churches mal programs or study groups that are designed to help those attending repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or behaviour.

Present at the meeting was Ted Falk, Member of Parliament for Provencher, who shared how this law came into effect.

The National Faith & Life Team will be engaging in conversation to provide churches with guidelines on how to proceed in light of the implications of Bill C-4.

CCMBC is also in conversation with the Canadian Council for Christian Charities (CCCC) and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) to further understand the constitutional challenges with this law.

It is important to note that the Canadian MB Church opposes any coercive or forcible forms of conversion therapies. We do not engage in programming that restricts people’s personal choices. ­­— E L T O N D A S I L V A , N A T I O N A L D I R E C T O R

RESOU RCES , BILL C-4 AN D TH E CH U RCH

Bill C-4: A Summary A review of Bill C-4 by the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities, Christian Legal Fellowship and Evangelical Fellowship of Canada

The Canadian MB Church opposes any coercive or forcible forms of conversion therapies. We do not engage in programming that restricts people’s personal choices.

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Vaccination and living well for Jesus The second hour of the CCMBC Town Hall meeting was devoted to a discussion of the NFLT’s recent document entitled “Vaccination & Living Well for Jesus” (Discussion Version Draft 2.3). As the title implies, the NFLT believes that issues like vaccination, mandates, and religious freedom are opportunities for discipleship and evangelism if, and only if, believers reflect Jesus well to the watching world. However, deep divisions about how to respond has led in some communities to hostility and polarization both inside and outside the church.

Even though the NFLT had hoped to provide a resource like this much earlier in the pandemic, they still felt that even in the midst of our present deep divisions and relational fatigue, sitting together to explore our biblical and theological convictions could both inspire us and guide us in this moment. The presupposition for all of our actions is that we want to reflect Jesus well. We are, above all else, disciples of Jesus living out his character and mission. Five theological foundation stones were presented to help us think about what discipleship necessarily involves as we face questions of illness, health, and community responsibility: first foundation stone is that we want to be ˚ The people who together seek and speak truth in our world. second foundation stone is that we value and ˚ The support whatever is in the direction of rich and robust human life (physical, spiritual, relational, etc.) lived in harmony with creation. third foundation stone is that our actions ˚ The must reflect God’s true love of neighbour (Matthew 22:39) and God’s true love of the enemy (Matthew 5:44).

fourth foundation stone is that we are ˚ The answerable to God for the stewardship of our own

bodies (and for those individuals under our care). fifth foundation stone is that we are called to ˚ The live wisely in relation to human governments— both when they pursue good and when they choose to oppose God’s plans in the world.

The conclusion was that we need to pray for more of the Holy Spirit’s presence so we can be better able to listen to each other well, demonstrate care and curiousity, and communicate with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Over twenty virtual break-out groups spent time sharing and reflecting on how we could better image Jesus in our churches and communities at this moment.

Each group recorded their feedback to be shared with the NFLT. Most expressed appreciation that the document encouraged respectful and gracious conversation when this has been so lacking at this time. Others expressed that it was just good to be in conversation with others to lament about how these topics have broken and divided churches, neighbours, and even siblings/families.

And unsurprisingly, some groups got to experience a taste of the conflicts that the discussion document was trying to address. But, if there was a consensus, it was that we are blessed to have Town Hall meetings where we can interact with MBs from all over Canada about issues that really matter. ­­— K E N E S A U , I N T E R I M N AT I O N A L FA I T H A N D L I F E D I R E C T O R

N F LT R E S O U R C E S

Vaccinations & Living Well Discussion Draft 2.3

We value and support whatever is in the direction of rich and robust human life lived in harmony with creation.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

FEBRUARY 2022

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What is the Spirit saying to the Church? n her book The Great Emergence, the late author and theologian Phyllis Tickle identifies a pattern by which Christianity undergoes a massive upheaval every 500 years. Phyllis envisioned an emergent church movement resulting from this new reformation. We now know that is not the case. Still, some of her warnings hold true to what the church is currently experiencing. Phyllis went on to say that with time the church closes into itself, creating a hard shell difficult to penetrate. In other words, the church becomes encrusted. The work of the Spirit is to break through the outer shell to reveal a new beautiful flower blossoming within.

We are a little over 500 years since the last reformation.

Could it be that God is again at work through the power of his Spirit, breaking through our outer shell to reveal a new work to be done? If this is the case, then what is this new work?

In conversations with pastors, theologians and lay leaders, I have sensed a deep concern for the state of the church in North America, aggravated by several factors including (but not limited by): uncertainty and tensions south of the border ˚ pollical increased secularization of Canadian society ˚ Covid-19 ˚ the ambiguous language presented in Bill C-4 ˚ a stagnant mission ˚ a lukewarm approach to faith.

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The Covid-19 outbreak forced churches to move services online. When they could return, limitations on capacity and vaccine mandates caused uncertainty and uneasiness. Data collected by Ed Stetzer would indicate that as much as onethird of attendees will not return to an in-person service. At the same time, another group has moved attendance elsewhere, creating what he calls “the Great Sort.”

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Leaders are also experiencing a spiritual awakening: a sense that God is saying something to his Church that requires our attention. Here are six movements I am observing from my interactions with pastors: 1. We are moving from program to mission. Most churches have well-structured, self-perpetuating programs. This large machinery focuses the church on the effectiveness of programs (primarily evaluated by attendance). What if we considered our programs within the mission of the Church? Is it possible that a mission-effective church is leaner and less preoccupied with filling program vacancies?

2. A church focused on spiritual depth over presentation: If we are honest with ourselves, most of the energy gets funnelled towards the Sunday morning worship service experience. Light, sound, action, repeat—parts of our well choreographed and highly predictable service. Shorter sermons, more secular music and references, a lighter, less challenging biblical overview are now familiar to the Sunday service model. What about transformation? What about spiritual depth? What challenges us to be more like Christ? How are we experiencing God in our Gatherings?

3. A move from large to small: The grand cathedrals of Europe now sit mostly empty. Could that be the reality for North America in the next few decades?

Pastors across many denominations are beginning to explore the microchurch concept. This movement calls the Church to redeploy its energy towards forming home-based churches. The idea isn’t new and is gaining traction. New resources are in place to train churches and leaders looking to move in this direction.

4. A move from compartmentalized to integrated: Many Christians see an individual’s church persona separate from their home or work persona. A more profound emphasis on discipleship would lead us to a more integrated life, where we would be effective witnesses at church, home and play.

5. It’s not what we know but what we must learn. For a good part of a century, the North American Church has initiated global mission. We have been teachers to the world on the behaviours of the Church. This behaviour can lead us to think that we know it all. As mission stagnates in North America, we see growth and revival in the Church in other parts of the world. Should we adopt a new posture of listening and learning? Can we stop teaching and become students of the global Church? This new posture will reignite our passion for God and his mission?

Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

(Revelation 3:22) What are you hearing?

E LT O N D A S I LVA

is the national director of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. Elton and Ana live in Winnipeg and have three children.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

FEBRUARY 2022

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DEVELOPING LEADERS

Resilient Leadership

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3. Disconnect from tech.

Cell phones, smartwatches, tablets and computers are meant to be tools that help us stay connected, up to date, and productive. But, unfortunately, they have become an addiction for many ministry leaders.

Do you feel a constant pull to check your social media, glancing at your phone every spare minute? Do notifications interrupt you day and night? These habits may feel necessary and even beneficial on the surface, but over time create a harmful dependence.

Turn notifications to silent and schedule times to check email, texts and Messenger.

When engaging with social media, set a 15-minute timer and stop scrolling when the buzzer sounds.

If you feel energized and engaged, give yourself a few extra minutes. But if you feel stressed or negative, stop. Be aware of your emotions and how media affects your state of mind. Avoiding interruptions will boost your effectiveness and ability to enter a state of flow.

4. Embrace apps as helpers.

Consistently, pastors share their frustrations with falling behind on their work and having too many repetitive tasks. As a result, much time is spent on duties and meetings that look productive but are ineffectual.

There are thousands of cost-effective apps to handle repetitive tasks and free up your time. If you›re not sure what would help, talk to a business owner in your congregation for recommendations.

5. Take time off.

It can feel impossible or even selfish to wind down and relax when pressures abound. Yet, regular rhythms of rest are necessary to maintain physical and mental health.

Schedule times of rest daily, weekly, monthly and annually. You›ll be kinder, hopeful, and more creative when refreshed.

These are challenging times, but with the right supports, leaders can thrive.

STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING BURNOUT

I’ve had the opportunity to connect with hundreds of pastors across Canada and globally through coaching, mentoring and presenting workshops. Overall, leaders are experiencing stress and burnout at levels not seen before.

WHAT DOES BURNOUT LOOK LIKE? While burnout can exhibit differently in various people, common characteristics are present according to a vast body of research. stress and exhaustion. ˚ Overwhelming Isolation and withdrawal. ˚ Relationship conflicts and tensions. ˚ Negativity and decreased effectiveness. ˚ Mental, physical and emotional health ˚ challenges.

Shame and guilt.

˚

WHAT CAN LEADERS DO TO AVOID BURNOUT? 1. Daily communion with God. Spend focussed time with God in Scripture, prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit. If possible, start your day with God, letting him set the goals and pace. Invite His leadership. At the end of the day, the Church is his, and you are his deeply beloved.

2. Take care of yourself.

Most pastors and ministry leaders are passionate about their mission. While this is a good thing, in the presence of persistent pressures and a never-ending to-do list, care for oneself often falls to the wayside.

You have the same human limitations as everyone else. Make eating well, exercising and connecting with those you love a priority.

B O N I TA E B Y

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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race in Backcountry Rise, along the Cascade Mountains in Washington.

DEVELOPING LEADERS

Mark Wessner competes in a 32km trail

RUNNING AND FAITH id you know that runners who wear red clothing are more likely to win during competitions? Or that running in colder weather is safer than running on a hot day? Or that women are more likely to achieve negative splits than men?

If you are a runner, you may have known the trivia above, but did you also know that running is described in both the Old and New Testaments? Running is connected with: either good news or ˚ Bringing bad news (2 Samuel 18:25-27) someone’s life (2 Kings 4:29) ˚ Saving The crucifixion of Jesus (Matthew 27:48) ˚ The resurrection of Jesus (Matthew 28:8) ˚ A demon-possessed man (Mark 5:6) ˚ A compassionate father (Luke 15:20) ˚ Training to win a race (1 Corinthians 9:24-25) ˚ That is interesting information, but so what?

What is the point of talking about both running and faith? How might an outdoor endurance activity overlap with the discipleship journey of a follower of Jesus?

As a runner, I have discovered that running is a remarkable metaphor for living a meaningful life of faith. I have learned that when either following the trail or following Jesus: journey is as important as the ˚ The destination. Do not prioritize one over the other.

D

best experiences require discipline and ˚ The dedication. The hard work is worth it.

experiences are improved with a ˚ Both support crew. If possible, travel together not alone. nourishment is critical, especially ˚ Ongoing over long distances and times. Have and follow a strategy. will be times of adrenaline-pumping ˚ There excitement and extended desolation and suffering. Embrace both. will be times of friendship and ˚ There isolation. Accept the value of each season. you have tasted the high, you will ˚ Once want to stay there forever. Soak in it when it happens.

Faith has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. By comparison, I have been running for only ten or so years. I have experienced God and been profoundly shaped by both, and each provides insight into the other in some amazing ways.

What about you? If you are a runner, what connections have you experienced between running and discipleship? If you are not a runner, what activities have you seen shape your life of faith?

MARK WESSNER,PHD

is President and Associate Professor of Biblical Studies for Leadership at MB Seminary.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

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“A N Y S P I R I T U A L I T Y T H AT D O E S N O T L E A D F R O M A S E L F - C E N T E R E D TO A N OT H E R - C E N T E R E D M O D E O F E X I S T E N C E I S B A N K R U P T.” B R E N N A N M A N N I N G , A U T H O R O F T H E S I G N AT U R E O F J E S U S “ T H E WAY O F J E S U S I S A B O U T L O V I N G A N D S E R V I N G G O D A N D L O V I N G A N D S E R V I N G O T H E R S . I T I S N O T A B O U T S E R V I N G S E L F. I F YO U A N D I WA N T TO F O L L O W J E S U S , W E M AY N E E D TO O V E R T U R N S O M E O F O U R B E L I E F S , AT T I T U D E S A N D A C T I O N S I N T H E S A M E WAY T H AT J E S U S O V E R T U R N E D T H E TA B L E S 2 , 0 0 0 Y E A R S A G O . ” D R . M A R K W E S S N E R , P R E S I D E N T, M B S E M I N A RY “ IT’ S TIME TO LIVE AS PEOPLE SHAPED B Y A G O S P E L- C E N T E R E D W O R L D V I E W . ” D R . E D S T E T Z E R , A U T H O R , S O C I A L C O M M E N TAT O R

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Navigating The Challenge

Three times a year I connect in regional clusters with Saskatchewan ministry leaders. It is a space where we share about ministry and pray for each other. It is both cathartic and inspiring. Recently, ministry leaders testified to a huge uptick in Christian infighting as our pandemic rages on. These inhouse skirmishes have greatly intensified their frustrations and fears. There is usually one sentiment that captures my attention at these leadership gatherings. Most recently it was: “My greatest challenge is to like the people I love.” The pastor who shared this sentiment is a genuine servant of God, a wise and devoted follower of Jesus. His thought moved me to reflect upon what would help pastors in these troubled times navigate this challenge.

The ‘Salvation’ We Need?

We are living in time when the church in Canada is experiencing colossal upheaval. It is being wrenched and re-shaped as it seeks to placate hostile external forces and appease internal discontents. The external volleys of negativity are expected and, for the most part, par for the course. However, the collateral damage around keeping-the-peace among the church’s disgruntled has been notable, some leaders walking away from vocational ministry altogether. Regarding such a reality Scottish theologian Andrew Murray speaks to the present from the past: “There have been many a church, assembly of the saints, mission or convention, society or committee, even a mission away in heathendom, where the

Humility is the “The chief and highest grace.”

—Andrew Murray

harmony has been disturbed, and the work of God hindered. This hinderance is so because men who are counted as saints have proven in touchiness and haste and impatience, in self-defense and self-assertion, in sharp judgments and unkind words, that they did not each reckon others better than themselves, and that their holiness has but little in it of the meekness necessary to unite.”

Murray writes further: “What is the cause of all the division, and strife, and envying, that is often found even among God’s saints?

Why is it that often in a family there is bitterness – it may be only for half an hour, or half a day; but what is the cause of hard judgments and hasty words? What is the cause of estrangement between friends? What is the cause of evil speaking? What is the cause of selfishness and indifference to the feelings of others? Simply this: the pride of man. He lifts himself up, and he claims the right to have his opinions and judgments as he pleases. The salvation we need is indeed humility....”

20th century theologian and philosopher Francis Schaeffer wrote in his book No Little People that, “The central problem of our age... is always in the midst of the people of God, not in the circumstances surrounding them.” What is this “central problem” among the people of God? Schaeffer claimed it was a lack of humility.

Humility Matters?

How significant is the place and function of humility in the life of a disciple? I offer the following claims from influential Christian thinkers and writers: Humility is the “The chief and highest grace.” ˚ Andrew Murray “The character trait of humility is the second- most ˚ frequently taught trait in the New Testament, second only to love.” Jerry Bridges “We must view humility as one of the most essen˚ tial things that characterizes true Christianity.”

Jonathan Edwards Humility is the “The highest virtue for the child of ˚ God.” R. Kent Hughes “Humility, that low, sweet root, from which all heav˚ enly virtues shoot.” Thomas Moore is no holiness without humility.” ˚ “There Oswald Chambers

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‘Heal Our Land’ I L L U S T R AT E D B Y J O E L H A R N E T T

Still wondering about the significance of humility in the life of a disciple? Ask yourself, which of the following can be achieved without humility? imitation of God, Christlikeness ˚ The Walking with the Holy Spirit ˚ Unity for the mission ˚ Interpreting Scripture using a community ˚ hermeneutic posture of being quick to listen, slow to speak ˚ ASeeking the best interests of others ˚ An attractive Gospel witness to our world ˚ Avoidance of pride ˚ Confession & repentance

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Humility in the living and written WORD

The Gospel story is a powerful narrative of tangible humility. Jesus, God incarnate, was born to poor peasant parents in an animal feeding trough, then, as an adult declared himself a servant, demonstrated servanthood, called others to do the same, sacrificed himself for the sake of others and was buried in a borrowed tomb. In the best summation of this reality, the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, Jesus “made himself nothing” (Philippians 4:7). Now, as disciples of Jesus, we are commanded to do the same; to “live as Jesus did” (1 John 2:6b). Again, Paul instructs us succinctly: “Be completely humble and gentle” (Ephesians 4:2a).

There is no one righteousness, not even one

I wonder if God would judge our culture as being any better or worse than the one of Jesus’ time? I wonder if Paul would determine the church of his time to be better or worse than the church of 2022? I wonder if the plan God revealed in Christ Jesus 2000 some years ago – a gospel narrative couched in humility – has any less impact and transformative power today?

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Humility is a core Christian value, a requisite noble Christian characteristic, an indispensable godly trait.

Without it the church is a fragile gathering of self-centered, divisive actors who are at best unappealing, and at worst, repulsive to the unchurched. Without humility, the Great Commandment and the Great Commission are like impotent aspirations embroidered on homemade fabric banners in the church lobby.

My approach to the perceived volcanic rise of outrage, threats, and walls of division in our faith communities begins with living like Jesus did and seeking to obey his counsel: “The greatest among you must be a servant” (Matthew 23:11 NLT). Let, me be clear, there remain situations where strong admonishment, confrontation, discipline and necessary endings must occur to maintain a healthy unified community, but we should begin by aspiring to something greater. I am moved in my spirit by John the Baptist’s sentiment when speaking of Jesus: “He must become greater; I must become less.”

(John 3:30). Why? Because Jesus is the hope – the cure – for a world wallowing in a spirit of entitlement and being right. Jesus transforms any individual heart, any gathered community and any culture where he is imitated, especially when we mirror his self-emptying (kenotic) humility.

T H E P AT H T O H U M I L I T Y A REFRESHER 1.

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Deepen your understanding of God, his redemptive work, and your own human nature Abide with, and imitate, Jesus Surrender yourself to the work of the Holy Spirit Submit your agenda to the purposes of God Heed the counsel of Scripture on humility and pride Make the needs of others a priority Abandon expectations of being treated differently than Jesus was

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

HUMILITY: A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE

K N O W L E D G E P U F F S U P, B U T L O V E B U I L D S U P. (1 CORINTHIANS 8:1)

F O R N O W W E S E E I N A M I R R O R , D I M LY, B U T T H E N W E W I L L S E E FA C E T O FA C E . N O W I K N O W O N LY I N PA R T; T H E N I W I L L K N O W F U L LY, E V E N A S I H AV E B E E N F U L LY K N O W N .

(1 CORINTHIANS 13:12)

fter enjoying a movie together as a family, it’s not uncommon when the credits roll for someone to pipe up, “I know I’ve seen her before. What else is she in?” After a couple of stabs at this pop trivia question, one of us inevitably has a device open and is reading aloud the actor-in-question’s bio (courtesy imdb.com).

We live in a time of unprecedented access to information. We carry around in our pockets the sum total of thousands of years of human learning. If I should happen to have an itch to know the wavelength of the colour green, the nutritional value of a kumquat (“what’s a kumquat?!”), or how to change the starter on my 2002 Honda CR-V, the answer lies in my

A

hand. Very little in our lives needs to be held as mystery.

If the Apostle Paul is right when he warns that “knowledge puffs up…” (1 Cor. 8:1), to what might we compare our 21st century selves? Puffer fish? Balloons blown up to the point of bursting? Phil Gunther offers a timely reminder of the central place of humility for those of us who claim to follow Jesus. What does the hard path of humility look like when we’re talking about our knowledge?

A MATTER OF TRUST It’s true that a portion of my knowledge comes from direct experience.

I spent many summers treeplanting in Northern BC. I know, for example, what it feels like to lift bags

loaded with spruce seedlings onto aching shoulders. But a much larger part of what I claim to “know” comes from others, through what I’ve read or heard. Whether it’s a Hebrew scholar explaining the grammatical usage of an ancient word, or my kids retelling who scored the goals in their recess soccer match, these “facts” enter my possession second-hand. This means much of our knowledge is a matter of trust. Do I trust this person in what they’re saying?

We tend to imagine “knowledge” as something “out there”—“objective,” neutral, impersonal. But if trust is at the root of our knowing, then it’s not impersonal at all, but a highly interpersonal venture. What I

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Puffer fish, when threatened, inflate their bodies exposing poisonous spines. When someone challenges what I know, I tend to do the same.

know depends upon who I know.

But knowing another person (as you may have experienced with a friend or spouse) is never simple. Humans change. They grow.

They’re inconsistent. And their knowing—however trustworthy they may be—is, like mine, subject to the limits of human sin, bias and finiteness. Leaving it all like a web: beautiful, delicate and tenuous.

ANCHOR POINT The Apostle Paul lived and wrote with a deep confidence. But he doesn’t point to his vast Biblical and theological learning as his anchor. He’s confident because “I know the one in whom I have put my trust…” (2 Tim. 1:12). And his greatest desire? To possess yet more of the treasures of human knowledge? No: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection…” (Phil. 3:10) Who he knows matters far more than what he knows. Jesus himself lived from this grounded place of interpersonal knowing: “…just as the Father knows me and I know the Father” (John 10:15).

The fact is that in this life we inevitably “know only in part.” But proper humility is not the same as surrendering to despair and cynicism, for it remembers that, in love, “I have been fully known” (1

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Cor. 13:12). From this secure place, I can in joy and freedom enter into the lifetime quest of coming to know—beginning with my Heavenly Father, Creator of all things.

DE-PUFFING Puffer fish, when threatened, inflate their bodies exposing poisonous spines. When someone challenges what I know, I tend to do the same. This is because we tend to connect what we know with who we are. Disagreement feels like a threat to my identity. That’s why conflicting claims to know can get so ugly.

But what if we realized that the difference between what I know and what they know comes down to trust? I’m trusting one person or group, and they’re trusting another.

Instead of pounding out my opinion one more time, can I instead get curious? Why am I trusting my source? Who are they, in turn, trusting? What about my opponent—why am I not willing to trust them? What would it mean to grow in my knowing of other people instead of trying to build for myself a fortress of facts? Ask more questions, perhaps?

Humility’s goal is always the good of others. When I attempt to “fix” another or to “put them in their place” with my knowledge,

how does that benefit them? Is it not an attempt to protect my own fragile identity? The next time my knowledge is challenged, what strategies for “de-puffing” might I employ? As Paul’s full statement goes, “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Cor. 8:1).

A PLACE FOR MYSTERY Jesus’ path of humility asks us to lay down our very lives. In our knowledge-saturated times, that includes laying down any identity I’ve constructed based on what I know. I suspect that, in turn, requires clearing some space for mystery in our lives. What if, at least once a day, I said—aloud, to another person—”I don’t know”?

What if I practiced resisting that compulsive twitch to google everything? What if I focused more on being present and getting to know the person I’m with? For right here in front of me is a most wonderful and endless mystery—a human being, created to be the image of the Infinite. Certainly someone worth getting to know.

ROD SCHELLENBERG

serves as lead pastor of Hepburn MB Church in Hepburn, Saskatchewan.

A polarizing yet engaging witness Stumbling Heavenward. One Philosopher’s Journey,

by Elmer John Thiessen, 361 pages.

Published by Mill Lake Books, Chilliwack, BC, 2021.

Review by Harold Jantz

Here is a book you will find hard to put down.

It is rich reading. It provides many insights and a good deal of highly engag ing personal reflection. Former Medicine Hat College philosophy professor Elmer John Thiessen’s autobiography/memoir took me back to something I read years ago.

At a 1943 conference in southern Saskatchewan, Elmer’s grandfather Jacob Thiessen got up to express an urgent concern. The elder Thiessen was by this time in Vancouver, providing care to a home for Mennonite girls working as domestics and giving leadership to a small city Mennonite Brethren fellowship.

His words to the Northern (Canadian) conference of churches was simple: keep your young people on the farm and out of the cities. This would be the best way to keep them safe in their faith.

A half century later one of his grandsons, Elmer, had already given the better part of his working career to teaching philosophy in a secular college, and another, Gordon Thiessen, had become the governor of the Bank of Canada. How could these gifted grandsons have travelled so far from the life their conservative grandfather might have envisioned? Stumbling Heavenward provides some answers.

Few memoirs or biographies by writers in our circles give you the insight into a person’s life that this one does. And while Elmer’s life-path could hardly have been imagined by his devout and greatly admired grandfather, it turns out that the influence of the ancestor remained strong for Elmer throughout his career. To bring a Christian mind to any of the roles he had to fill, or to challenge them, always remained a core part of his identity.

Several circumstances defined Elmer’s life. He was born with a harelip and cleft palate that took operations

into his twenties to correct. The psychological impacts were deep. During his high school years his teacher father, also a devout believer in the grandfather’s mode, died. Elmer says he missed him “terribly,” perhaps the more so because for most of his years in school till then, he had known his father more as teacher than as parent. He says now he lacked maturity for his age. And when he entered university, an initial start in science shifted to philosophy. This came after three years at the MB Bible College in Winnipeg, where he gained a foundation that aided him lifelong and, more importantly, where he met the woman who would become his wife and partner, Maggie (Magdalene) Friesen.

Elmer made the choice of philosophy as study and career direction with a sense that it would take him on a “dangerous” path. Indeed, it brought much conflict into his life and in some respects even led to losses, but it also enabled him to make an outstanding contribution as a Christian academic.

Furthermore, throughout his life from the time of his baptism, he participated actively in the life of the church. He was a churchman at heart, though there too conflict seldom lay far away. A life of the mind seldom passes comfortably if one “believes in Truth with a capital T,” Elmer writes. That is also a reason why his memoir is fascinating reading.

Because of the early success in his studies, Elmer was a given a Germany Exchange Scholarship the year of his wedding to Maggie, which allowed them to enjoy a “year-long honeymoon.” He even had money to buy a deluxe Volkswagen Beetle in Germany, enabling them to do a good deal of travelling in Europe alongside studies at the Goethe Institute and the University of Erlangen.

He also wrote an M.A. thesis on Kant’s Notion of God during that year.

After coming back, he was given a chance to teach as a sessional lecturer at Waterloo Lutheran University in someone else’s absence (at the invitation of Dr. Frank C. Peters, who was dean there at the time). He then began PhD studies at the University of Waterloo, and in 1971 landed a permanent position at Medicine Hat College in Alberta, where he remained for the rest of his fulltime career before retiring in 2003. In between he could take a number of sabbaticals. The Thiessens became parents to a daughter and two sons, and Maggie who taught in public schools at various times, often led in music and education in the church and clearly was a strong steadying influence for Elmer.

The story Elmer writes is a vivid reminder of how challenging it can be to be an outspoken Christian academic in a secular setting. Essentially it had to do with the desire to integrate his Christian faith with his academic work. Throughout his years in the classroom he embraced the challenge of facing students in classes such as history of western philosophy, political

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philosophy, logic, ethics, and at times ethics for specific groups like nurses or community workers. Sabbaticals, of which he had four, gave him opportunity to enrich his academic pursuits as well as teach elsewhere.

When he taught at Lithuania Christian College in 1993, Elmer writes that the time in Klaipeda was probably the most “invigorating teaching experience of [his] entire career.” It was for Maggie too who taught ESL to executives at the Klaipeda State Oil Terminal. The students they met there at that time were just emerging from the shadow of Soviet domination and both questioned and absorbed with great eagerness what they were being taught. It gave him a fresh appreciation for the meaning of indoctrination and assisted him in one of his major writing projects, a book he entitled The Ethics of Evangelism, A Philosophical Defense of of Proselytizing and Persuasion [published by IVP Academic in 2011].

During his years of teaching at Medicine Hat College Elmer always kept his doors open for students to talk with him. That led to many meaningful conversations, at times about faith, and some with students who chose to put their faith in Christ because of his influence. Elmer had students who called him their favourite teacher or came to MHC because of him. Others resented his openness in declaring his faith, though he encouraged students to disagree and taught positions with which he disagreed. The book has many stories of the interactions he had with others, with students, some with other academics, many within his own family, some within the church. He often found himself a polarizing figure. He led a campaign to remove his college president. In the Crestwood MB Church he participated in an effort to remove a pastor. He clashed with a College dean who was also a member of his church. Some of the initiatives in which he participated he later came to regret. And he names people with whom he clashed. Yet, wherever he came, he invariably seems to have been given a leading role.

What a refreshing read Stumbling Heavenward is!

Elmer has the humility to write about both his successes and failures. Clearly, throughout his life Elmer remained passionately open to God. He read the Bible for insights and direction for action for the issues he might be facing (though for some unexplained reason he never capitalizes “bible”). The positions he took were seldom simple nor were they easy.

After retirement from Medicine Hat College, the

A life of the mind seldom passes comfortably if one “believes in Truth with a capital T,” Elmer writes.

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Thiessens moved to Waterloo, Ontario, where he they joined North Waterloo Mennonite Church and he could continue sessional teaching in several schools and he and Maggie could be close to most of their family.

Much more might be written about Stumbling Heavenward. It ought probably to have been two books, one about life in the family and the other a memoir about the life of a Christian philosopher. More care ought also have been given to the choice of a puzzling title, since it is the same one used earlier by an Edmonton pastor known to Elmer. Nonetheless, one can only applaud this stimulating and honest book. Since it is likely that the print run was limited, it will probably not be in a bookstore near you. If you wish to order a copy, contact Dr. Thiessen directly at ejthiessen@sympatico.ca.

The Ethics of Evangelism One of the problems with the repeated condemnations of proselytizing in this narrow sense [referring to the attempt to attract Christians from a particular church tradition to another church] is that this pejorative and narrow notion of proselytizing is invariably loaded with other nuances, which then make it easy to condemn proselytizing to sheep-stealing. For example, in a case study of a major ecumenical effort of evangelism in Russia, Nicastro concludes a discussion of definitions of proselytizing with a synthetic definition: “aggressive targeting and winning of converts from their (recognized) church to one’s own, especially through improper means.” In a study document of a Joint Working Group of the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church, the term “proselytism” is applied to “activities of Christians to win adherents from other Christian communities,” based on “unworthy motives” or done by “unjust means that violate the conscience of the human person.”

Definitions such as these simply confuse the matter.

We need to separate the issue of trying to convert someone already belonging to a church, from the issue of unjust or improper means in doing so. Obviously the use of unjust or improper means such as coercion or distortion of other churches’ beliefs or practices is immoral. But is the attempt to convert someone when he or she already belongs to a church—is this immoral?

The question needs to be treated separately. Most Christians, including evangelical Christians who are frequently the target of charges of proselytizing in this narrow sense, acknowledge the wrongness of unjust means of evangelism that violate the conscience of the human person. But is winning persons from other Christian communities in itself immoral?

From the introduction to Elmer Thiessen’s The Ethics of Evangelism, an IVP Academic publication, 2011.

ANNI KLASSEN Anni and her four younger siblings grew up under the Communist regime in Ukraine. Owning a Bible and praying were forbidden, but their mother told them many Christian stories. When the German army arrived, the village was allowed to hold church services. At one prayer service in 1943, during the song “Wir Warten Auf Den Heiland Bis Er Kommt” (We Are Waiting on the Saviour until He Comes), Anni felt she wasn’t ready to meet the Saviour, and so she committed her life to the Lord. In September she was baptized and accepted into the MB congregation. Many in the villages suffered from hunger and, due to their German heritage, increasing unrest among their Russian neighbours. In October 1943, Anni’s family fled to Poland, and in January 1945, to Germany. Anni’s father was taken to the front and never seen again. Still in the Russian zone, they feared they’d be sent back, so Anni’s cousin Bernard Hamm arranged passage to West Germany, to the Mennonite Central Committee centre. While she was there, Anni met Heinrich and they married in Gronau, Germany, in 1947. Anni’s uncle Jacob Hamm was unable to bring Oma Hamm to Canada because of her illness, so Anni’s mother and siblings went to Canada while Anni, Heinrich, and Oma took passage with other Mennonites on The Heinzelman to Paraguay. There the couple welcomed two sons. In time, Oma was accepted into Canada. The family of four immigrated to Canada in 1953, reuniting with Anni’s mother and siblings in Arnold, B.C., praising and thanking the Lord. Anni and Heinrich welcomed a daughter and, after moving to Clearbrook, B.C., a son. In 1966, the family moved to Vancouver where Heinrich was working. Anni loved and participated fully in the life of the church at Arnold MB, Clearbrook MB, Vancouver MB, and Culloden MB, returning to Clearbrook MB for the last 30-plus years. She gave glory to God for his faithfulness. Anni died following a short season of cancer.

She was known for her prayers, hospitality, baking, meals surrounded by family and friends, knitted and crocheted gifts, stories, and unswerving love.

Birth: June 10, 1927 Birthplace: Alexanderfeld, Sagradowka, Ukraine Death: December 11, 2021 Parents: Abram (Arnold) & Anna (Hamm) Fast Married: Heinrich Klassen, August 2, 1947 [d. 1987] Family: children Heinz [d. 2017] (Lois), Arnold (Marilyn), Erna (Larry), Paul (Conny); 6 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren Church: Clearbrook MB, Abbotsford, B.C.

GEORGE BAIER God’s rescuing undergirded George’s faith. When George was one, his father was captured, taken to Siberia, and never seen again. Young George was sickly; the hospital left him to starve. A nurse warned that he would die if he stayed. His mother took him home and God returned him to health. With the Germans’ advance in 1941, George and his mother hid in their mud hut’s basement from Russian police three times.

When the German army retreated in 1943, George and his mother were transported in box cars to Germany. God provided work, safety, and the means to escape to Arnold, B.C., in 1948. Here George received Jesus as Saviour and was baptized. He held onto his mother’s example of trust in the Lord. In Vancouver, he began a 3-year apprenticeship as a meat-cutter at Super-Valu and went on to become department manager. George was a youth and sports leader at Vancouver MB Church. Here he met Mary, whom he asked to be his life partner on the mission field. He attended MB Bible College in Winnipeg, where Darlene was born. He became a music minster in Coaldale, Alta., then completed a BA for a teaching certificate in Hillsboro, Kan. God led George and Mary to serve in DR Congo with MB Mission 1969–73, fulfilling the desire God put on George’s heart as a boy. They continued as missionaries in Germany (1975–1982), Austria (2005–2006, 2007), and Peru. When George “retired,” he became board chair of Logos, supporting missionaries in the former Soviet Union. He pastored, both between missions and after returning to Canada in 1982, including at Winnipeg Central MB, Peachland Baptist, Culloden MB, King Road, Chilliwack Central MB, Bakerview, and Clearbrook MB Church. George opened his Bible each morning, after every meal, and before bed. His spiritual life was mirrored by a life of discipleship, evident in his love. George and Mary partnered in everything: devotions, family, ministry, music. Music was George’s vehicle to share God’s message, to mentor others, to share his joy. George had a passion for conducting and for the Heritage Quartet he helped found in 2007. On George’s last day, he preached 1 John 4:4: “Greater is he who is in us than he who is in the world.”

Birth: September 11, 1936 Birthplace: Altenau, Russia Death: November 21, 2021 Parents: Bernhard & Wilhelmina Baier Married: Mary Esau, May 14, 1959 Family: Family: Mary; daughter Darlene (Brad); grandchildren Rocky, David, Dixie; siblings Willi, Ben, Susie Church: Clearbrook MB, Abbotsford, B.C.

FINISH LINES

Finish lines

JAKOB WALL FINISH LINES

Jake was born into a Mennonite community that was religious but didn’t know Jesus’ grace. Self-worth was based on how well one did financially. His family did not have amenities such as electricity or running water. The family of ten immigrated from Paraguay to Canada in 1966 with the help of the Mennonite Central Committee. The transition to a new culture and language was difficult. Jake struggled to fit in and saw others like him fall into bad crowds. A family in his Abbotsford, B.C., neighbourhood reached out to him in love and took him to Sunday school. Seeing Christ in them, Jake accepted Jesus as Saviour and began to know the peace of God. He married Nancy in 1975. Every summer, the family camped at Cultus Lake, B.C. Jake was the kind of dad who got down on the floor to play with his daughters. He acquired carpentry and drywall skills. Though he struggled with degenerative bone issues—and years of working on ceilings with his head tilted back caused the bones in his neck to wear down prematurely—even on disability, he took on projects to help put food on the table. Jake and Nancy started riding motorcycles to spend time together. They joined the Christian Bikers community. When Nancy was diagnosed with a brain tumour, Jake cared for her. They made snow angels together.

As Jake’s faith matured, he found his identity in who he was as the Lord’s child. His life was characterized by restoration: of buildings, hearts, and relationships.

Birth: December 19, 1955 Birthplace: Strausberg, Paraguay Death: December 2, 2021 Parents: Isaac & Anna Wall Married: Nancy Newton, 1975 Family: Nancy; daughters Tracy, Daphne, Rebecca; Nancy’s son Brett; 6 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren; 6 siblings Church: Clearbrook MB, Abbotsford, B.C.

DAISY SELMA (MARTENS) MEGLI Daisy grew up on a farm in McMahon, Sask., the third of 6 children born to Peter and Helena Martens. She trained as a teacher, acquiring a PhD from Simon Fraser University in 1980. She taught school in Linden, Alta., Abbotsford, B.C., and at LCC International University in Lithuania, where she made many friends and found her second home. She also worked as a missionary high school teacher (through the MB Mission Board and Congo Inland Mission) for several years in the Belgian Congo (now DR Congo), for which she became fluent in French, studying in both Quebec and Belgium. In retirement, she loved travelling the world, and when at home, sewing. She was an active participant in a local book club and coffee group. Her mind was sharp to the very end. Daisy had many nieces and nephews who were very special to her. Her dear friend Dr. Sigute Mazonyte was at Daisy’s side during her final illness.

Daisy’s faith was very important to her. Reflecting on her life, she left these words: “I am constantly aware of the abundant grace of God which saved me from a life of total selfishness to one in which I wished to honour him with whatever gifts and abilities he granted me.” Daisy died in Abbotsford, B.C. Birth: January 18, 1930 Birthplace: McMahon, Sask.

Death: December 24, 2021 Parents: Peter & Helena Martens Married: Samuel Megli, August 1982 [December 2004] Family: children Brian (Betty [d. 2014]), Katharina (John Wills), Teresa [d. 1994], Jeffrey [d. 1991], Luci Richard; son-in-law Edward Gallagher (Michelle); grandchildren Laura (Graham) Burden, Leona Megli, Richard Gallagher, Charles Gallagher (Genesee Bohn), Teresa Richard; 2 great-granddaughters; 3 siblings; many nieces & nephews Church: Bakerview MB, Abbotsford B.C.; Linden (Alta.) MB

O B I T UA R I E S H AV E LO N G B E E N A VA LU E D PA R T O F T H E M B H ER A LD. FR O M T H E F U N E R A L B U L L E T I N S , EU LO G I E S , A N D N E WS PA P E R O B IT UA R I E S YO U S EN D, O U R ED ITO RS C R A F T LIFE STORIES OF OUR MEMBERS TO INSPIRE A N D E N C O U R A G E O U R R E A D E R S , C R E AT I N G A MEMORIAL OF MB SAINTS. CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT AN OBITUARY

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FEBRUARY 2022

M B H E R A L D.C O M

ANNA NEUFELD When Anna was an infant, her family moved from Steinfeld, Russia, first to Germany and then to Brazil, hoping for a better life. In Brazil, she met Heinz and they married in 1952.

When Anna was eight months pregnant with their fourth child, the family immigrated to Canada, arriving on Dec. 23, 1960. They lived 15 years in Kitchener, Ont. In 1976, Anna and Heinz moved to Abbotsford, B.C. Anna worked hard all her life – on a dairy farm in Brazil, at a factory in Kitchener, and cooking at a restaurant and Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford. While working outside the home, she was always caring for the needs of her family. Out of a servant heart, she canned, baked, and cooked everyone’s favourite foods, spoiling each in their own way. Anna loved Christmas; no matter their financial situation, she made sure her children’s wishes were fulfilled. She found much joy fishing at Canim Lake, travelling, eating popcorn and pizza, playing dominos, and gardening. Anna’s wealth of knowledge of cooking, canning, and gardening was shared freely with anyone who asked. Anna’s courage and adventurousness led her to learn to drive in her 40s, try cross-country skiing, and join her grandchildren on ATV rides. Anna lived her faith quietly with her Bible constantly in the pile of books she was reading. She showed her gift of hospitality by enjoying having her family and friends over for many meals. Her love for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren was displayed by spending time with them and making their favourite meals.

Birth: September 26, 1929 Birthplace: Steinfeld, Russia Death: January 1, 2022 Parents: Heinrich & Katharina Friesen Married: Heinz Neufeld, Oct. 18, 1952 Family: Heinz; children Hermann (Donna), Heidi (Phil) Giesbrecht, Ingrid (George) Sly, Monica Dowedoff; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; siblings Frida Berg, Ernest Friesen Church:Clearbrook MB, Abbotsford, B.C. Baptism: Brazil

A moment in time

APRIL, 1992

Elmer J. Thiessen speaking at an Alberta MB Conference convention.

Read Harold Jantz’s review of Elmer Thiessen’s autobiography, Stumbling Heavenward. One Philosopher’s Journey on page 19.

Courtesy of the Mennonite Archival Information Database

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

FEBRUARY 2022

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