MB Herald Fall 2018

Article 13: Love and nonresistance

Health

Gathering 2018

Volume 57, No. 4 Publications mail registration number: 09648; Agreement number: 40009297 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circ. Dept., MB Herald, 1310 Taylor Avenue, Winnipeg, Man. R3M 3Z6

Get to know Elton DaSilva

Fall 2018

MBHERALD.COM

Advent Turning There is something about a rooster that senses a turning before colour smudges the bleak horizon.

There is something about a rooster that shrieks a turning before my snug body budges from bed.

There is something about a rooster, astride a manger, that nudges our turning toward the pain before a woman shrieks and God’s tiny head crowns into the world.

There is something about a rooster that pleads our turning now long before the Lord trudges condemned across the courtyard.

There is something about Advent that awakens the possibility of re-turning His gaze unashamed.

[ Mary Anne Isaak has pastored River East Church in

Winnipeg since 2011. She and her husband Jon have two adult children and one son-in-law.

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[CONTENTS

Fall 2018 OCTOBER / NOVEMBER / DECEMBER

8 10 11 14 16 4 12 13 22 35

FEATURES Nursing the body of Christ

DEPARTMENTS

Parish nurses in Mennonite Brethren churches

5 Letters

[ Angeline Schellenberg

6 Homepage

Our bodies are a gift

24 News

[ Katie Harder

26 Transitions

Pastors on Health

32 Finish lines [Obituaries]

Denominations, discarded wood, and discernment

[ an interview with Elton DaSilva

A winding path to ICOMB leadership

27 Births, Wedding & Anniversaries 27 & 34 Books

CONNECT WITH US ONLINE DIGITAL EDITION issuu.com

[ an interview with Rudi Plett

FACEBOOK facebook.com/MBHerald

COLUMNS

TWITTER twitter.com/MB_Herald

Editorial No disembodied limbs in the body of Christ

[ Karla Braun While we witness Confession of Faith Article 13: Love and Nonresistance

[ David Miller MB Seminary Healthy body, healthy spirit

[ Randy Wollf Viewpoint #ChurchToo: Becoming a safe space

WEBSITE mbherald.com JOBS jobs.mbherald.com PDF SUBSCRIPTION Contact karla.braun@mbchurches.ca to subscribe via email DONATE mennonitebrethren.ca/donations SUBMIT OBITUARY obituaries@mbchurches.ca

[ Carol Penner Intersection of faith and life Worship that fills

COVER: Colton Floris

[ Michael Krause

CONFERENCE NEWS

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Gathering 2018

Mennonite Brethren Herald  | Fall 2018

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[EDITORIAL

No disembodied limbs in the body of Christ Healthy living.

Its reputation has been somewhat sullied by association with difficulty. The choices that are good for us seem hard or unpleasant. Yet we know it’s for our benefit in the end.

Whether for health or for principle, making habits that contribute to our well-being is not always easy.

Delicious food seems to correlate disproportionately with high calories, and relaxing on the couch (beneficial as it may be to read a good book or enjoy a thoughtful film in good company) does not burn many of those calories.

For those in ministry, making healthy choices can feel like an obstacle to getting things done. There are multitudes of personal visits, often over food; church potlucks where you’re obligated to try each dear member’s dish; hours of sitting poring over sermon research or being a present listener; interrupted sleep schedules; perhaps travel obligations for even more meetings.

Yet the resources God has entrusted to us for our good use include not only our finances, our hearts, God’s creation, and our time, but also our health.

As in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30), not all receive the same portion when it comes to health; nevertheless, we each have gifts that can be managed or mismanaged.

“Responsible living includes a full acknowledgement that life, time, abilities, opportunities, and material goods are from God” (Confession of Faith, Article 15: stewardship).

Our bodies as the dwelling place for the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), but that temple itself requires care. In this life, our body is inseparable from our mind and has an effect on its well-being. The features in this issue explore some aspects of this responsibility.

Inseparable The body is also a metaphor for the church (Ephesians 4:4).

What does healthy living look like for the church body? What makes a healthy diet for the body of Christ? Reading Scripture, praying, speaking words of affirmation, offering confession to those we have wronged and to God.

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What does exercise look like for the church body? Gathering to worship together, supporting each other through difficult times, looking beyond the needs of our church to those in the wider community and in our fellowships around the world.

Why do we need fellowship with each other to worship God? we wonder. Why participate in an association of churches when we are strong on our own? we ask.

It would be unthinkable to sever one part of the physical body from another; why do we imagine the church can exist as the body of Christ in the world without a connection?

The apostle Paul explored this familiar analogy in 1 Corinthians 12: “If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”

Our physical bodies contain so much diversity; why would the body of Christ be any different? It shouldn’t surprise us that unity in the body of Christ doesn’t look like sameness or agreement on everything, but like many different parts, all working together.

In 2018, the MB churches in Canada have chosen a different model of governance that loosens our structural ties to one another. The choice to be unified won’t always be easy. As we seek to be the body of Christ in our neighbourhoods, how will we maintain those connections to each other across the country?

The hands of Christ who offer a cup of cold water and the feet who bring good news cannot operate without being attached to the whole body. The ears attuned to the voice of God and the cries of the hurting, the stomach that digests and draws nourishment from theological study – these cannot operate on their own. Each must inform the other, connected in a bond of unity through the Spirit and maintained in relationship.

In this new day, how will the Mennonite Brethren of Canada make healthy choices for a unified body of Christ?

[ Karla Braun

[Reader response 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 Herald or the Mennonite Brethren church.

The importance of assisting

Re “What do you want me to do with you?”

(Intersection of faith and life, Spring 2018) I wish to commend the writer of the article for touching on a vital mindset. It is a necessary approach to building community. It is a question or approach, also to interpersonal relations, that emphasizes the importance of assisting another on the turf, or in the context, of one who has suffered deep personal loss, asking: “What can I do with you?” Such ministry is not common.

Bill Thiessen Abbotsford, B.C.

So much to offer I thought the article titled “The Holy Spirit Living in Us” (Features, January 2017) was amazing because it explained who the Holy Spirit is and what his relationship is with each of us.

A relationship with the Holy Spirit isn’t one that Christians talk about much. We seem to forget that the Holy Spirit is part of the Trinity and has so much to offer us. We forget the Spirit’s importance in our lives – especially because Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit after he had ascended to heaven. The disciples did not step outside until the Holy Spirit had come to their lives and had strengthen them.

[From the web On “One beautiful mess” (Summer 2018) Good comments on a very insightful address about unity not dependent on sameness. It is aimed at individuals but should it also apply to religious or denominational institutions? Could they also find inclusive and recognized unity within God’s kingdom? It would alleviate much strife.

Jake Janzen mbherald.com/beautiful-mess On “Article 12: Society and state” (online only) Well said, Ben! We are in grave danger these days (as many others before us) to think that somehow political systems and ideologies will bring about the Kingdom of God. I often ask this, “What is more noble, spiritually speaking, for a Christian to die in service of country, or to be martyred in another land (or this one) for the sake of the King of kings?” What we are willing to die for denotes our true spiritual commitment. Thanks, Ben, for this good articulation.

PJ:L mbherald.com/article-12 On “Why stick with a denomination anyway?”

(Conference news, Summer 2018) I’ve grown and grown in my appreciation for our denomination, both provincially and nationally. I would emphasize that the primary way I interact with and think about denomination is personal.

Meaning that when I think about denomination, I think about people. These are the people who invest in me, the church I serve, along with leaders and churches across the country. These are the people who listen and advocate when really crappy stuff happens. These are the people who will search for answers when I can’t find them. Without the gravity of a denomination, the chance that these people find common orbits is low, in my opinion. I value being in that orbit; it’s a good place to be!

It may seem that Christianity is just series of lists on what to do and not to do, but the author shows it’s just not dictating choices but offering an unforgettable journey with the Holy Spirit and living within God’s will.

Another denominational dynamic I value more and more is confessional. Our common confession is a tremendous collection of conviction that draws us together. As years of biblical study continue to stack up in my own life, my appreciation for our confession continues to grow.

Sefora Habtemarium Winnipeg

Jason Dyck mbherald.com/why-denomination

We want to hear from you! Responses to MB Herald articles can be submitted via email to mbherald@mbchurches.ca, by mail to MB Herald, 1310 Taylor Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3M 3Z6, or directly into the comments field on articles at mbherald.com.

The purpose of CCMBC websites is to encourage, edify, and equip users. We seek to build and foster community among the Mennonite Brethren in Canada through the exchange of stories, perspectives, and conference information. Please keep comments courteous and respectful.

Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

Fall 2018 October/November/December Mennonite Brethren Herald is published quarterly 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. Advertising and inserts should not be considered to carry editorial endorsement.

Winner of Canadian Church Press and Evangelical Press Association awards for Writing, Design, and Illustration: 1996–2017.

Editorial office 1310 Taylor Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3M 3Z6 Phone: 204-669-6575 Fax: 204-654-1865 Toll-free in Canada: 888-669-6575 Email: mbherald@mbchurches.ca www.mbherald.com PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NUMBER: 4000929 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: CIRCULATION DEPT., MB HERALD 1310 TAYLOR AVENUE WINNIPEG MB R3M 3Z6

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Copyright

The articles printed in the Herald are owned by the Herald or by the author and may not be reprinted without permission. Unless noted, Scriptural quotations are from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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THE MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD IS A PUBLICATION OF

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

HOMEPAGE Stories from the harvest fields C2C Network update

I heard your cry Every month, we take a team to prayer walk through the red light district of Pattaya, an hour from our home in Chonburi, Thailand.

Last month, we walked and prayed through the darkest part of Pattaya, “Walking Street.” As I have many times over the last five years, I saw a young girl with a small green plastic basket of candies to sell.

Her nails were long and dirty, and she looked like she needed a shower and a heaping plate of fried rice.

Her big eyes always locked with mine, and my heart broke every time I walked past her.

“God, you know I am leading this team tonight. If you want me to help her be safe, I can’t just grab her and run,” I prayed.

“Please just give her to me. Amen.”

A month later, I got a call from the emergency shelter in Pattaya.

The social worker asked me if Abundant Life Home would take in an 11-year-old girl they rescued out of Walking Street.

Her name was Day.* Every night, her dad took her there to sell candies. He beat her when she did not make enough money.

He did not feed her and had never allowed her to go to school.

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Could this be the same girl I was so drawn to all these years?

When the social worker brought her into my office, I could not believe my eyes: it was her.

You asked me to save her, I heard God say. Why are you surprised that I heard your cry?

We offered her a week to decide whether to stay. Instead, she moved in that day with just the clothes on her back!

We took her to school that afternoon, bought her a uniform and books, and she started the next day. At 11 years old, she is not embarrassed at all to start in Grade 1; in fact, she squeals with joy that she is in school for the first time.

Day is now in our Zion MB church family and worshipping God every evening at ALH. God plucked her off the streets out of a nightmare and gave her hope. Her smile and the sparkle in her eyes gives me encouragement to keep on going with this crazy ministry call God has placed on my life.

[ Karen Huebert Sanchez has been an MB Mission/Multiply

worker in Thailand for two decades. She is a church planter and founder and executive director of Abundant Life Home, a home for children orphaned due to HIV infection or other social factors.

*Name changed to protect privacy.

[HOMEPAGE

All gone to pot?

[coming events

Your input requested

“I have the right to do anything,” you say – but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything” – but I will not be mastered by anything (1 Corinthians 6:12).

As marijuana becomes legal in Canada, the national Board of Faith and Life wants to help our churches respond to the moral and ethical implications from an Anabaptist evangelical perspective.

What questions would you like answered?

2018

Oct. 5–7: 100th anniversary, Waldheim (Sask.) MB Church.

Oct. 7: 70th anniversary, Gospel Chapel, Grand Forks, B.C.

Oct 14–16: ABMB pastors and spouses retreat, Canmore, Alta.

Send your questions, impressions, and stories to Andrew Dyck at bflconsultation@mbchurches.ca.

Oct 16–17: J.J. Thiessen Lectures with John D. Witvliet, CMU, Winnipeg.

Oct 19–21: Men's Network Retreat,

Memory from MAID MBBC students

Camp Crossroads, Torrance, Ont.

Oct 27: The Gospel Changes Everything annual Columbia Bible College fundraising dinner, Columbia Place, Abbotsford, B.C.

Nov 2: MBCM regional meetings.

Nov 3: MBCM regional meetings, Winnipeg.

Nov 9–11: Gal’s Getaway, Camp Crossroads, Torrance, Ont. At winter camp (1988–89), Mennonite Brethren Bible College students play sports in the snow.

Nov 13–14: ONMB regional meetings.

2019

Do you know the people in this photo? Please help CMBS identify them by emailing names to archives@mbchurches.ca.

Feb. 6–7: Multiply 2019, Vancouver.

This photo from the Centre for MB Studies (NP175-5-10) is available to the public in collaboration with MAID: the Mennonite Archival Image Database. Research or purchase images from Mennonite churches and organizations at archives.mhsc.ca.

for Ministry – Death, Funerals, and the Christian Hope, CMU, Winnipeg.

Feb. 12–13: ReNew: Resourcing Pastors

Feb. 22: ONMB Pastors & Leaders Day Feb. 22–23: ONMB Convention 2019,

We’ve got more to share than room to spare.

Visit our website to discover additional online stories, updates from agency partners and churches – and more.

“I need to go to school”

Inter-Mennonite partners respond to DRC crisis

mbherald.com/intermennonite-relief-DRC

Suspended?

Andrew Wall’s documentary film Suspended and the art of forgiveness introduces artist Cliff Derksen.

mbherald.com/suspended

Transforming Tabor, transforming lives

MB church members and Columbia Bible College interns volunteer at Tabor Village: “a special place that truly offers ‘care from the heart,’” say Jessica Toews and Kristin Heuer, echoing Tabor’s tagline.

https://mbherald.com/transforming-tabor

Glencairn MB Church, Kitchener, Ont.

Mar. 1–2: MBCM Assembly.

Mar. 8–9: SKMB Assembly, Regina.

Apr. 12–13: ABMB convention, SunWest Christian Fellowship, Calgary.

Apr. 26–27: BCMB convention, Kelowna, B.C.

Apr. 28–30: BCMB pastors and spouses retreat, Kelowna, B.C.

May. 14–15: Multiply Conference 2019, Halifax, N.S.

View more events from churches and agencies at mbherald.com/calendar.

Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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fter graduating with her bachelor of nursing in 2011 and working a few years in palliative care, Janelda Cornfield of Sunrise Community Church, Edmonton, felt God leading her to work in a setting where she could be open about her faith. She approached pastor Dennis Wiens about starting a parish nursing ministry.

“A parish nurse addresses the needs of the community, inside and outside the church, in a holistic way,” Cornfield says, “physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally – through the lens of faith.”

Parish nurses don’t perform direct nursing care (e.g., changing dressings or administering injections), but offer support, education, and connection to medical resources and the church – “not only to the person who is ill, but the whole family unit,” she says.

Each parish nurse’s portfolio is different, depending on their gifts and the community’s needs. “I really enjoy working in end-of-life care and grief support,” says Cornfield, who holds Blue Christmas services for individuals struggling over the holidays and runs grief support groups that draw people from the surrounding community.

She also offers blood pressure clinics, seminars on stress management, and a weekly walking group. She has invited a lawyer to teach the importance of will preparation. People approach her after church with health questions.

With today’s smaller nuclear families, as people age, they may not have a loved one to support them, says Cornfield.

“A parish nurse can attend doctor’s appointments to help them understand what the doctor is saying and advocate with them.”

Bridging the gap “Parish nursing provides a bridge to the church community,” says Margaret Fast, whose ministry at Grantham MB Church, St. Catharines, Ont., focuses on the churches’ 50-some seniors.

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PHOTOS BY MICHELLE BOTH & BARB SHINDELKA

[FEATURE For those who can’t get to church, Marg delivers bulletins every Sunday at the Mennonite-run care home, Tabor Manor, and updates them on the life of the congregation.

“The retired accountant always asked about the church finances,” says Fast, and many respond to the bulletin’s member news and upcoming events with “How can I pray?”

“They are an active and appreciated part of our prayer ministry,” she says.

“No Grantham senior shall be in the ER alone.”

—Margaret Fast

These same members are also included in each month’s communion service: they are mentioned from the table during the service, with Marg and pastor Michael VandenEnden bringing the elements later that afternoon.

When Fast retired from years of nursing education and administration in both Canada and Lithuania, a Grantham leader approached her to consider parish nursing training.

Fast appreciated the interdenominational aspect of her twoyear course at St. Peter’s College: learning from established parish nurses in Catholic, United, Presbyterian, and Pentecostal traditions about practices such as footwashing and structured prayer.

A long-time member of the deaconate, she became Grantham’s parish nurse in 2010. Recently, she let her College of Nursing registration go, but continues in a volunteer caregiver role as head of the congregational care committee.

Fast’s goal: “No Grantham senior shall be in the ER alone.”

She’s the first to the hospital to wait with them until the family arrives or they are admitted. “It’s comfortable – because we already have a relationship. That’s what I enjoy most: developing positive relationships with shut-ins.”

The work requires someone who’s “interested in hearing faith stories – and sharing their own – and comfortable praying with people,” says Fast.

Cornfield has had the privilege of walking with families from the community who’ve lost children to suicide or overdose. “I’ve been able to sit with them over the period of two years, to give them that opportunity to talk about their loved ones, when the rest of society has forgotten and carried on with life,” she says. “It’s so important to keep that memory alive and give them that space to talk, to meet their need and then bring it before God.”

The Canadian Association for Parish Nursing Ministry defines a parish nurse as “a registered nurse with specialized knowledge who is called to ministry and affirmed by a faith community to promote health, healing, and wholeness.”

“A parish nurse can come alongside and enlighten the pastor about what’s going on for individuals and families.”

—Janelda Cornfield

“Pastors can address the spiritual,” says Cornfield, “but they may not understand how the physical ties into the spiritual.

A parish nurse can come alongside and enlighten the pastor about what’s going on for individuals and families. And alleviate their burden for visitation.”

“A parish nurse conveys understanding and care on behalf of the faith community,” says VandenEnden. “I have seen ill church members visibly put at ease when I say that Marg Fast has thoroughly explained their illness to me (with their permission) – it saves them from having to explain it, and their sense of isolation is decreased.”

He stresses that parish nursing is not a service to individuals, but a ministry to the whole congregation: “Parish nursing addresses the barriers that can develop between healthy and ill members; it builds up the body of Christ into unity.”

“I wish every church had a parish nurse,” says Cornfield, someone to help them find health answers and support in times of pain, confusion, loneliness, and loss – “all from the perspective of bringing people to God.” “We’re called by the Holy Spirit to be the body of Christ to others,” says Fast. “That’s what we’re doing through our prayers and caregiving.”

[ Angeline Schellenberg

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OUR BODIES ARE A GIFT The amount of thought I give to my health is usually proportional to how good or poor that health is. It’s amazing how my attention becomes suddenly refocused when I’m just fighting a cold! But on any normal day, I hardly think about my health at all. This is an amazing gift of mercy from God. I’m not the kind of person who gives much daily thought to what I eat. I don’t shy away from preservatives or count calories. I’m not apprehensive of the food that’s available to me, and there’s a reason why: In Matthew 6:25–27, Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

As I write, I find myself in great health – and great comfort.

I can afford to have peace. I don’t have to think about what I eat, which is an amazing gift. Even with my mind on other things, God sustains me day-to-day.

I used to think about my health a lot – in the wrong way. I constantly worried about whether my food would make me ill. I didn’t eat enough or get enough physical exercise. I was anxious about my diet and I was failing to worship God with my body! I fell short of the biblical standard of self-care in every way and my health suffered for it.

I’m learning to find a wholesome balance between obsession and neglect. I am still the caretaker of my body.

I can’t live on instant noodles and expect God to shrug off my irresponsibility to keep me in the peak of health (although I’d be tempted to try). My body is a gift and I must take care of it.

In fact, it’s more than a gift – it’s a worship offering to God. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship” (Romans 12:1).

Wouldn’t you want to see your gift to someone be wellloved and maintained? I imagine God takes more joy in our good health than we give him credit for.

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For this reason, I look at people who exercise and eat healthily with respect. I have friends who know exactly what’s in their food and how it affects them. They set aside time to work out. Their motivation is not self-image, but bodily care. They plan ahead to use their gift from God to his glory and worship. I have a lot to learn from them!

Though I still struggle with those impulses toward anxiety from time to time, God continues to heal and sustain me – even in my mind. He gives me the peace to believe Matthew 6:25–27 and empowers me to obey Romans 12:1. His grace is paramount to my health.

It’s amazing where I find God’s mercy when I go looking, and this story is no exception. I’m filled with immense gratitude. Whether I’m fighting a cold or just going to bed at a decent hour, I try to honour and thank God with my body every day.

[ Kate Harder is a graduate of the Thrive discipleship program at Bethany College.

PASTORS ON HEALTH Invitations to coffee and cake…

Late-night hospital visits…

A schedule filled with meetings…

…and always on call.

Pastors have many excuses to set aside their physical health. Yet discipleship calls us to tend not only to our spiritual health but physical health as well – as whole people, embodied and inspirited.

We asked pastors for their thoughts on managing their health:

[FEATURE Jesus invites our whole human selves to become his disciples. We as leaders need to model this.

That said, we live in a culture that has an ambiguous perspective toward the body: on one hand, we idolize the fit and beautiful bodies of those our culture defines as fit and beautiful; on the other hand, we spend much of our time in a disembodied state, interacting apart from our bodies.

We need to bear witness to Jesus’ affirmation of the goodness of the human body without succumbing to our current obsession with (a particular image of) the body.

So, I go running. And try to get to sleep on time. And so on.

As I’ve been learning about being a pastor, I’ve found a simple comparison that helps keep me on track.

A tradesperson makes a living using a set of tools. From hairstylist to plumber, tradespeople know they simply can’t do their job if their tools aren’t maintained well.

As a pastor, my tool is merely me. I bring myself to everything I do, from coffees to hospital visits to board meetings to sermons. I bring my presence, and somehow, Christ works through that. If my tool is not sharp and running smoothly, I’m useless – simple as that.

[ Rod Schellenberg Hepburn (Sask.) MB Church I love adventure, I love team sports, I love being active.

But my body started to deteriorate due to early onset osteoarthritis, and I had to give up these activities that kept me healthy.

A few years ago, I could barely walk without pain. And I moved into a lead pastor position where supervising youth activities no longer kept me moving.

When I wasn’t able to be active in the ways I knew, I had to get intentional and ask for help.

Specialists directed me to off-loading braces that allow me to move again – skiing, hiking, and even strapping on my hockey skates to coach my son’s team. (I’m thankful the MB conference’s medical plan covers braces.)

I’ve also taken up cycling. When I’ve got a day at work with a meeting in the evening and the weather is good, I’ll take off for a bike ride in the afternoon, no apologies. It serves me, my family, and my congregation better when I take care of my health.

I’m learning, as a person with bad knees, that you can’t separate soul care and body care – it’s both/and. We’ve disembodied ourselves – a terrible thing to do. It’s good to be in tune with what my body is saying. It’s linked to my emotions, who I am.

God made our bodies first, then he breathed into us (Genesis 2). There’s a holiness to the bodies God has given us.

We have to take care of them because he called them very good.

[ Kevin Snyder Coast Hills Community Church, Surrey, B.C.

Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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[CONFESSION OF FAITH

While we witness AR TICLE

T

Board of Faith and Life | Read all the articles at mbherald.com/bfl

HI

RTEEN

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What does Mennonite Brethren theology have in common with that of other Christian denominations?

And what are the distinctive emphases of Mennonite Brethren theology? Informed by Scripture, our Confession of Faith names the perspectives through which we read God’s Word in order to live as Christ’s followers. This series by the Board of Faith and Life explores the 18 articles of this formative document.

Love and Nonresistance

Could it be that in a world filled with conflict and with relational breakdown, our response to Jesus’ call to live as reconciled peacemakers may be one of the most powerful demonstrations of the power and truth of the good news of Jesus Christ?

To discover just how demanding is Jesus’ call to live as agents of reconciliation, we simply need to take his invitation seriously.

Once we begin praying together and trying to take steps in this direction, it becomes clear that peacemaking is all about activity and change. Any thought that living by love is passive falls away. We find ourselves engaged in a dimension of following Jesus that, both individually and as a community, touches our words, attitudes, and actions.

Without the reconciliation that God brings to our lives through the cross of Christ, we hold to our own particular views of what peace should look like. In other words, on our own, we all say that we want peace. The problem is that we are looking for peace on our own terms according to our own perspectives.

These perspectives become walls that keep us from turning to God whose faithful love in Christ and transforming work of the Spirit bring us to peace with God and with others.

Claiming to be peacemakers, we falter in our efforts to move ahead without the Spirit’s guidance.

Instead, we must allow the truth of God’s good and hopegenerating word in Christ to draw us to “let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts” (Colossians 3:15). Here, we yield control and recognize that our solutions, ideas, and plans are not enough to build peace if Christ is not at the centre of our lives.

Looking to Christ, we present ourselves – our act of faith renewed daily – believing that he will teach us to grow as agents of reconciliation.

In our churches throughout the MB family across Canada, we are constantly responding to God’s call to persevere in love, to forgive one another and to learn to speak the truth in love.

Our challenges and even conflicts are moments when, in the midst of our difficulties, we can discover in new ways the 12

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Spirit’s work in helping us to let Christ’s peace be at the centre of our lives. Experiencing this strengthens our faith, builds our hope, and renews our capacity to proclaim the message of reconciliation in Christ with power.

On the national level, commitment to peacemaking means listening to one another across regional divides, learning from one another in our contexts and stirring up one another to grow in love and faithfulness as we strive to do our part in the Spirit’s work throughout Canada.

Article 13 of our Confession of Faith carries the heading “Love and Nonresistance.” As we think about following Jesus in a world so profoundly marked by violence, we see that it is our vocation to love our enemies and to do good to those who reject and persecute us. Loving, doing good, alleviating suffering, reducing strife, and promoting justice are all actions.

On every level, including matters of societal, national, and international injustice, we are called to renounce the use of violence.

Reading the Bible carefully in a desire to follow Jesus faithfully as peacemakers in the world has led us to say “No” to violence and “Yes” to our commitment to do alternate service in times of war. We do not resist evil in the same way as the world does.

The words of Article 13 challenge us to act as peacemakers, responding to the call of Jesus as individuals, as churches, and as a conference sent to show the truth and power of Christ in our world.

[ David Miller was Quebec representative to the BFL from 2015 to February 2018. He gives pastoral leadership to Intersection, an MB congregation in Terrebonne, Que., that includes a collaborative relationship with Be in Christ Church of Canada. David also teaches systematic and pastoral theology at ETEQ. David and Patricia are thankful to walk together and to serve together in Quebec.

[MB SEMINARY

MB Seminary Lifelong Learning for Lifelong Mission

Healthy body, healthy spirit I ate too much unhealthy food and didn’t exercise enough. I wasn’t grossly overweight, but the spare tire above my belt was slowly inflating.

I hadn’t seen Dave for about a year. When we met for a coffee, I couldn’t believe how healthy he looked.

I asked him what had happened.

Dave shared that he had started tracking his eating and exercising with MyFitnessPal. He set a weight goal. Then he began to enter his eating and exercise habits into the program to track his patterns.

Based on my understanding of Scripture and what I gleaned from Gary Thomas’ book, Every Body Matters: Strengthening Your Body to Strengthen Your Soul, I would suggest three ways that physical health connects with spiritual health:

I was intrigued and decided to try it.

All of life is a spiritual discipline

My initial goal was to lose one pound per week.

I still remember my surprise the first time I entered a piece of chocolate cake. To my utter amazement, I learned that I had just eaten one-quarter of my calories for the entire day!

I carefully entered the information for a month until I intuitively knew what I needed to do to stay on track with my eating and fitness goals.

Within six months, I was at my goal. More importantly, I had established healthier eating and exercise patterns that I have maintained (for the most part) for the past three years.

I still hop on the weigh scale each night – to make sure that I’m on track – and make adjustments as necessary.

The Mayo Clinic staff outline seven benefits of regular physical activity (http://mayocl.in/2zIYAUp): 1. Exercise controls weight 2. Exercise combats health conditions and diseases 3. Exercise improves mood 4. Exercise boosts energy 5. Exercise promotes better sleep 6. Exercise puts the spark back in your sex life 7. Exercise can be fun…and social A balanced diet can contribute to some of the same benefits particularly related to our overall physical and emotional health – and our spiritual health.

We sometimes relegate spiritual discipline to a list of practices such as prayer and studying the Bible. What I’m learning is that all of life is a spiritual discipline. Honouring God with our bodies is an act of worship.

A healthy body allows us to do more for God A healthy lifestyle does not guarantee long-term physical health, but it can certainly help. Obviously, some disabilities and diseases occur regardless of lifestyle choices. However, as stewards of our physical bodies, we need to do our part to keep our bodies in the best shape possible within our current limitations.

Physical health contributes to emotional health and energy levels I have access to a fitness centre about a two-minute walk from my office. Whenever possible, I go for a workout over my lunch break. I find that it recharges me emotionally and energizes me physically. My afternoons are often much more productive and enjoyable as a result, which I believe helps me to serve God more effectively.

As we take good care of our bodies as an act of worship to God, we will be in a better place to attend to and live out God’s call.

[ Randy Wollf is associate professor of

leadership studies and practical theology and director of ACTS World Campus at MB Seminary at ACTS, Langley, B.C. Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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What jobs have you had?

I’ve had an eclectic career, but most of my adult work was in management and business. I also spent five years as a financial advisor.

After planting and pastoring Christian Family Centre, an MB church in the Elmwood neighbourhood of Winnipeg, for 10 years, I became executive director of Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba in 2010.

My first job in Canada only lasted two days: making beef jerky. The repetitive nature of that work caused me to quit after my second full shift.

Tell us about your family.

AN INTERVIEW WITH ELTON DASILVA

I am married to Ana, and we just celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary. We are blessed by three children, Jessica (23), now married to Craig Venderbos; Jasmine (18); and Elisha (14). We are surrounded by a large extended family on both my side and Ana’s side, all living within 15 minutes from us.

Name a habit that gives us a glimpse into your personality.

I love to build furniture out of recycled wood. Pieces of discarded wood, often viewed as garbage, can be repurposed to become beautiful and functional pieces.

What motto do you live by?

“Do not throw your pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6).

I need to be careful how I utilize the things that I find precious; others may not share in what I view as precious.

This also means that I must understand the context in which I use my words and my actions.

The MB Herald asked incoming national director Elton DaSilva to tell us a bit about himself, the new Collaborative Model, and his hopes for the future.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Belem, in the state of Para in northern Brazil. I lived in that city on and off until I was 17, when my parents were sent as missionaries to a Portuguese-speaking church in Edmonton. I moved to Winnipeg in 1995.

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What is one lesson that has remained with you from a “failure” in ministry?

The church I planted in the year 2000 closed five years after I left. I realize now that creating leadership continuity is essential. And planning transitions need to be done both strategically and with a great amount of prayer.

[FEATURE How will the new conference structure better prepare Mennonite Brethren for the challenges of today and the future?

has entrusted her. To that end, a denomination needs to think carefully about the kinds of resources it produces, since its existence is in support of the local church.

Our hope is that the new collaborative model will create greater opportunities for more voices to be involved in shaping the future of our denomination. This new structure calls not only for collaboration, but also a collective vision.

The hope is that the Holy Spirit will work through us as we meet to pray and to discern. The Spirit will guide us to fulfill God’s perfect will for us.

To be part of a denomination means a covenant has taken place between a group of churches. The responsibility of those in the denomination is to remain faithful to the covenant they have made, be it financial, missional, or theological.

The collaborative model talks about working more closely with our partners to avoid duplication. How do we define who is in the tent, and what is our responsibility to them?

My hope is that we will develop a stronger hunger for God. That we will be known as people who pray and who respond in obedience to what God is calling us to do. I also envision a denomination that invests in raising leaders for tomorrow who will engage in mission, both locally and abroad.

Speaking pragmatically, our first level of partnership is with the organizations we built and have a certain level of ownership over. It is also true that we must partner beyond those that we immediately identify as MB organizations.

Depending on the need at hand, we may choose to partner with like-minded Christian organizations and agencies that are already involved in that area of ministry.

Why is there still a need for denomination? Why is it worth the cost and hassle of associating with each other?

Throughout the history of Christianity, churches of a certain region have tended to associate with each other. Their goal in doing so was to share resources, build up one another, and best achieve an evangelistic drive. The early church understood that the call to be one body meant more than just individuals meeting together: it meant churches connecting with other churches.

Today, even churches that consider themselves to be independent look for networks, which in my mind are pseudodenominations. Human being create associations because we need one another.

What do you hope the Canadian conference looks like 10 years in the future?

One of those days My times are in your hands.—Psalm 31:15 There are moments that remind us God is taking care of us. Sept. 11, 2018, was one of those days for the DaSilva family.

Shortly after arriving at the office, Elton got the call from his wife, Ana: “You need to come home!”

A car had lost control and crashed into their gazebo and garage.

It was Ana’s birthday; this was not the surprise she had been hoping for. But the narrowly averted disaster turned what she’d expected to be a day of dread (facing unemployment at 50) into a day of thankfulness.

Ana watched out the window as her son and a neighbour headed to school before she went to the gazebo with a morning cup of tea. Before the boys left her sight, two cars collided in front of them and one vehicle accelerated through her backyard.

The boys were safe. The drivers were unharmed.

The chair Ana sits in every morning was crushed.

What is the denomination’s responsibility toward its constituents? What is their responsibility toward it?

“The previous Sunday, our pastor had said, ‘Don’t discount God’s miracles for simple coincidences,’ says Elton. “We are glad that on Sept. 11, 2018, what our family experienced was a miracle from God.”

The key role of a denomination is to help resource the local church toward accomplishing the mission with which God

Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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As a Paraguayan of German heritage, you have a culturally diverse background.

Sometimes people ask me if I’m a Latino or more Caucasian. I tell them neither – I’m culturally mestizo [mixed].

Ruth

Rudi

GET TO KNOW RUDI PLETT

To live in different cultures is normal for me. I grew up in a Spanish neighbourhood, went to German-speaking school, and my parents were church planters planting Spanishspeaking churches. There were Korean shops around us. And we met a lot of Indigenous people when we went to visit my uncles on their farms in the Chaco.

I had to learn later what it means to live in one cultural setting.

How did you come to follow Christ?

I came to Christ after a time in drugs and occultism in my youth. I had come to despise my Mennonite people because of injustice I saw. But, at age 18, I was sick, depressed, suicidal.

That’s when I met God. On Nov. 14, some friends and I were doing magic mushrooms [a hallucinogenic drug] and asking for the filling of the Holy Spirit. The Enemy showed himself very strongly. I screamed to God with all my heart and his presence brought peace.

The experience pushed us all forward to decide if we would be with God or stay vulnerable to the Enemy.

Where did God lead you from there?

Rudi Plett of Asuncion, Paraguay, was installed in June as the new executive director of the International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB). In an interview with freelance writer and MB member Kathy Heinrichs Wiest, Plett shares the story of his wayward youth and how God has led and equipped him for leadership in the global Mennonite Brethren family.

Where does the ICOMB executive director work from now?

I had a lot of damage in my soul and needed guidance in moving toward a healthier way to think and feel and live. But instead of a rehabilitation centre, God sent me for a year with [the mission agency] Operation Mobilization. The first four months I was on the ship Doulos with 350 people representing 35–40 countries. Then I was eight months with an evangelism team in Austria. When I went back to Paraguay, my journey in the multicultural setting was quite strong.

Did you consider becoming a long-term missionary?

I could do this role from anywhere, but we are remaining in Asuncion where we can stay at the same church and go on with our normal family life. We have five children ages 9 to 22.

After my conversion, God clearly called me to preach his name. I told God: “You can send me wherever you want to, but please don’t send me to the Mennonites.” I would read Bible texts where God says, “Go to your people,” and they would feel like they were for me, but I would say, “No, no, no!”

Our preliminary solution has been for me to set up at home in my wife Ruth’s office. She is a psychologist volunteering in leadership in the Haggai Institute in Paraguay.

God had to go to a very dramatic way to convince me: A friend in church told me, “I know a guy who had a dream of you; he described you and I knew it was you.” The guy came

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PHOTO: MB MISSION, THAILAND PRAYER AND MISSION CONSULTATION

[FEATURE to the butcher shop where I was working and recognized me from his dream. He told me that God wanted me to go back to my people. Even though I was being discipled and was about to be baptized in the Spanish church, after that I was baptized in the German church.* Later, after theological school in Germany, we were looking into going as missionaries to Romania, but God again clearly called me back to Paraguay where we served the Germanspeaking Concordia Mennonite Brethren Church for 16 years.

What do these experiences bring to your role with ICOMB? God is a reality, and he works today, often beyond our human understanding. There have been months and years when, if someone had seen what I was thinking, they would doubt that I was a Christian. We were mixing drugs and yoga with Christian faith. But I know that even if you start from a bad place you can walk toward Christ. It’s easier for me to see that a person can be following Christ even if some parts of his life still need big change.

It helps me to have a realistic view of the church. I have seen injustice and churches fighting with each other. Like other teachers and leaders, I have made mistakes that had serious consequences. And sometimes relationships will not be the same. But it is still Jesus’ body and he will go on leading it. I hope I can encourage others to trust that God is at work, even if we see sin, pain, injustice, disbelief, and no easy way out of it.

We are creating opportunities for conferences from the same region to meet and build partnerships. In Latin America, we have already seen amazing change in just one year.

What other signs of success will you be looking for?

Each church in its culture will have some differences, but we need to draw a clear picture of what a healthy conference looks like, no matter what its cultural context. Sometimes you can have a good healthy missional church because one leader has been leading well, but we want to see whole conferences that are healthy and having an impact on all their churches. This can happen as conferences are connected and accountable to each other. Through ICOMB, we will help make those connections that lead to a healthy global family.

This article is jointly published by MB Herald and Christian Leader. *Editor’s note: The Mennonite church in Paraguay has two separate

conferences, one formed primarily from the German-speaking Mennonites who arrived via Ukraine after the world wars, and one formed primarily from subsequent missionary efforts among local people in the country. The two conferences work together now, partnering together in Instituto Bíblico Asunción (a Bible college) and Radio Obedeira (an evangelistic radio station).

Pray for ICOMB Thailand, Laos

How did you get your start with ICOMB? In 2008, our conference leader could not to go to the ICOMB meeting. I wasn’t in an official position to do this, but the leaders thought I should go and represent the conference.

This coming together of people excited me – conferences sharing what they have with others who have a need. Like when a lady from Paraguay wanted to teach English in Japan.

At an ICOMB meeting, the Paraguay leader learned that the church in Japan was looking for English teachers. This story has shown me there is great potential that I am still exploring.

Khmu Mission: The conference’s goal is to reach Khmu people in Vietnam and Myanmar. Pray also for their goal to expand into new regions and to train 1,000 leaders by 2020.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Communauté des Églises des Frères Mennonites au Congo (CEFMC): Pray for a country in turmoil, affected by armed conflict, corruption, and resource exploitation.

Church leaders and members are drained from responding to crisis after crisis. Pray for energy and strength, for encouragement and hope, for peace in DR Congo.

Read more: mbherald.com/inter-mennonite-relief-drc

Paraguay

How can ICOMB better facilitate this sharing?

ICOMB has historically called together the presidents and leaders of national conferences, but this only brings the perspective of one person from each country. In order to create a stronger exchange, we need to bring more leaders together.

Asociación Hermanos Menonitas (AHM): Pray for young leaders to receive the mentoring, training, and opportunities needed for growth. Pray for the four new church plants started. Praise God for new connections made to other conferences in Latin America and new opportunities.

Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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“We’ve had consistent disobedience over generations. It doesn’t matter if we have directly been part of it.”

To end the final delegate convention before changing to a new structure, the Executive Board knelt at the front, inviting delegates to come forward or pray together.

The tension of a call to oneness Gathering 2018

|

July 11–14, 2018

Forest Grove Community Church, Saskatoon

“How did we treat each other?” That, not the result of the vote, was the top concern of the late Walter Unger in the aftermath of a contentious decision time at the national MB convention in 2006. (Unger had chaired the Board of Faith and Life during the process but suffered a health crisis and was unable to be present.)

Applying Unger’s question to the latest – and last – national MB convention (with a major restructuring proposal on the table), the answer for Gathering 2018 is “with gentleness.”

Many delegates declared Gathering 2018 on the theme “One” the best convention in years. The national churchdelegate convention of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches drew more than 236 registered delegates to Forest Grove Community Church, Saskatoon, July 11–14, 2018.

At the closing session, the board made a public repentance, reading a list of 29 statements of confession for prideful, unfair, and dishonest dealings.

“We confess we’ve been infected with fault-finding and believed the worst.”

“We have stayed uninvolved and hidden because we’re fearful.

We repent of fear.”

“We confess we have alienated women in our churches.

We repent of our sin of undervaluing and not giving room for them.”

“We have sinned,” interim executive director Steve Berg said.

The One Mission Partnership Task Force “felt the Spirit calling us to repent,” and the board continued to process that call.

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Board of Faith and Life member-at-large Paul Lam read from 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

He noted the correspondence of the day’s date, 7/14, to the reference as he called Mennonite Brethren to consider those words from Scripture.

Collaborative Model Over the course of the convention’s breakout and business sessions, delegates made suggestions on the Collaborative Model proposal and the board responded.

At information and processing sessions, delegates affirmed collaboration as a driving value for conference work and relationships. “Collaboration is already happening, whether the model goes through or not,” one delegate observed. In one demonstration, the presidents of four schools – CBC, CMU, ETEQ, and MB Seminary – participated on a panel on shared challenges and opportunities.

However, delegates also expressed concerns about the ambiguity of the process. “There are trust problems and engagement problems between the conference and the churches,” one delegate observed; yet “this is a governance solution.”

Delegates asked whether the theological implications/ underpinnings of the restructure had been sufficiently examined. “What does it say about our convictions as evangelical Anabaptists if we don’t gather to discuss things in person?” one delegate asked.

Under the Collaborative Model, the six provincial directors, CCMBC’s national director, and a leader from the MB Seminary, MB Mission and C2C will form a new national ministry team who will meet regularly. CCMBC is also discerning the appointment of a full-time national faith and life director in 2019.

Budget votes and other national decisions will be processed at provincial conventions under the current voting model.

(See infographic model regarding delegate representation at provincial conventions). Churches will contribute a single stream of conference support to their provincial conferences which will then fund CCMBC for its national efforts in building community, multiplying churches, developing leaders, and resourcing ministry.

After vigorous discussion and even revisions, the final vote passed with 97 percent approval after an amendment

[GATHERING 2018 REPORT on the floor changed the motion to “develop” rather than “implement” the new structure “in partnership with the provincial conferences and MB ministry partners.”

Sarah Whyte, pastor of home groups at WMB in Waterloo, Ont., called delegates to think like children whose instinct is to knock down dividing walls rather than build them. We make our plans, she said, then, “God scoops us up like a dad and says: Watch what we can do if I’m in charge.”

“The future of what happens depends so much on the posture of those in the room,” one delegate said. “If we live

by Ephesians 4 and make every effort to maintain unity – love, humility, patience – we will walk as one, no matter what the model.” He urged delegates present to mobilize others to participate.

MB Seminary president Mark Wessner drew on sports to illustrate about oneness. “When I look at the conference, do I need to stop playing alone – or against other members of my own team?... We’re on the cusp of beautiful things. Let’s work together for the sake of Christ our leader.”

“One”

“Prayer is key!” Emerson Cardoso, president of COBIM spoke in Portuguese, translated by incoming CCMBC national director Elton DaSilva. Cardoso shared stories of remarkable growth and expansive vision in his conference that followed investment in dedicated prayer and leaders who took a posture of humility.

Ephesians 4:1–6 provided the conference theme “One,” unpacked in four plenary sessions. A dramatic monologue of the entire book delivered from memory by MB Seminary professor Andrew Dyck oriented delegates to the theme.

“To live out our calling is to manage the tension that it creates,” said CCMBC moderator and host church pastor Bruce Enns in his opening remarks, acknowledging that there is tension within the MB family that is not mutually exclusive with unity.

“Christian humility is a disposition to think humbly of yourself and highly of Christ,” said Steve Berg, in his closing message on unity. It requires patience and bearing with one another. He called delegates to “live into the reality of unity with those postures in our heart.”

Guest speaker Paul Dück of the MB conference in Brazil (COBIM) told his story of surrender to the call of God to “go deeper” personally and as a conference leader.

AEFMQ

See also mbherald.com/gathering-recaps-2018

Church delegates at provincial conventions 2016 -2018

BCMB OUT OF

101

CHURCHES

72

SKMB* OUT OF

33 CHURCHES

34 29

26

MBCM OUT OF

40 CHURCHES 36 27

ABMB NO DATA AVAILABLE

ONMB OUT OF

32

CHURCHES

28

6

OUT OF

13

CHURCHES

17 7

AEFMQ 13 10

4

Churches that registered delegate(s) at annual provincial convention…

at least once in the period

all three years

not during this period

*SKMB numbers represent only 2018 Totals represent member churches active for the entire period

Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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One hope, one Lord, one faith photos from gathering 2018

TREK graduate Robyn Froese (left) of Hope Fellowship Church, Saskatoon, led the worship singing with Claire Friesen, Tysyn Cardinal, Jamieson Muir, Stephen Moorgen, and (not pictured) Josh Epp.

Former CCMBC executive director David Wiebe offered a prayer of blessing for new CCMBC national director Elton DaSilva.

Each morning began with communion.

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Plenary speaker Paul DĂźck gave his testimony on his knees and challenged hearers to be submitted to the Spirit.

PHOTOS TONY SCHELLENBERG

[GATHERING 2018 ALBUM

Retired pastor Ted Goossen (right) participated on a team of Forest Grove volunteers who cheerfully helped the event run smoothly.

Emcees, West Portal pastor Jeff Siemens and Forest Grove staff Maureen Brown shepherded guests through the event.

Churches are represented by delegates of all ages at the national convention.

Randy Friesen explained the “Multiply” vision of the new MB Mission/C2C Network merged entity.

See more bit.ly/mbGathering2018

Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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#ChurchToo: Becoming a safe space Anne* goes to Pastor John* for counselling after the death of her husband, and he initiates sexual contact with her. At first she thinks she may be falling in love with Pastor John, but then she is confused. It is some years before she realizes that she has been abused.

Sexual contact between a pastor or church leader and a congregant is never “just an affair.” It can never be consensual because of the power imbalance. God equips certain people for leadership, congregations discern that call and give leaders power and authority.

Leaders are to use that power for the good of others, not for selfish reasons.

People who are hurting sometimes have poor boundaries.

But even if the hurting person initiates sexual contact, it is the pastor’s responsibility to exercise judgment about appropriate contact.

Pastoral abuse is sometimes hard to address because it is often a case of “he said, she said.” We trust and respect our pastors.

When a pastor has helped us, we have a hard time believing they could be abusive.

But that is the nature of sin: people who have power are tempted to abuse it. Even charismatic, strong, spiritual leaders can commit abuse.

The impact of a church leader crossing sexual boundaries with a congregant is huge. The person may feel used and violated, they may no longer feel safe in church; even their belief in God can be threatened. Many survivors of abuse leave the church and faith because a leader betrayed them.

Stop victim blaming Too often, I’ve seen victims of pastoral abuse blamed for what happened.

People worry about Pastor John’s ministry being ruined. He says he is sorry and shows remorse, so he is quickly forgiven and allowed to return to ministry.

“He has done so much good!” we say to each other.

We overlook an instance of abuse as a one-time lapse in judgment.

In the meantime, people believe Anne was exaggerating what happened, or they don’t recognize the reality of her pain.

They ask why she didn’t just walk away, or they see her as a temptress. She may be accused of “making a big deal out of nothing” or rumours surface about her mental health.

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Survivors like Anne often leave the church because of the way they are treated. No one comes after them because all attention is on Pastor John and his important ministry.

When a church blames the victim and supports the abusing leader, this is also a betrayal of trust. Anne thought she was loved by the congregation, but instead she is blamed and shamed.

“One person hurt and betrayed me,” people who have been abused say, “but when I tried to talk about the pain, my community turned on me, and cast me out.” Survivors of abuse tell us that the church’s actions can be more traumatizing than the initial abuse.

Establish accountability processes A congregation can make the situation worse by not holding the pastor accountable. Too often, someone who is found to be abusing is allowed to resign from their position without their abuse being made public.

“Pastor John says there were no other victims,” we say. But remember that a leader has everything to lose by disclosing more offences. Also, they have already broken trust and failed to respect boundaries.

If Pastor John’s boundary crossing is kept confidential, he is free to repeat his abusive behaviour. It is better to let the congregation know that abuse has happened and ask whether anyone else has been hurt.

Congregations need outside resource people to deal with pastoral abuse. Everyone in the church loves Pastor John; they are not impartial and are easily fooled. An outside resource person is unbiased and trained to investigate.

Reporting abuse to the police is necessary because churches are not equipped to do forensic investigations.

The volunteers who make up the church’s workforce can be easily deceived by someone who is good at lying and covering up their actions.

But what about forgiveness?

Churches often quickly move to forgiveness when they find out their pastor has crossed a boundary. Perhaps the church board meets with Pastor John who shows remorse and even sheds tears in a meeting. People feels sorry for him, and so they extend forgiveness.

If a church starts talking immediately about forgiveness and return to ministry, they are short-circuiting the accountability process. Remorse is not enough. People who abuse others need intensive counselling, often for years, in order to understand

[VIEWPOINT the problem. They may be more upset about being caught than about what they’ve done.

We should be asking: is our highest priority maintaining access to power for leaders like Pastor John who have betrayed trust? Or do we have a greater responsibility to protect vulnerable people like Anne?

Once we know someone has crossed sexual boundaries, it is not wise to put them into a position where they can be tempted like that again.

In the New Testament, Matthew, the tax collector, was a money expert, but Jesus never put him in charge of the common purse. Was Jesus being careful not to put Matthew in temptation’s way?

Church leadership isn’t a right, it’s a gift. When a person has abused this gift, they must step down and later find other ways to contribute to the church. In the church, there is forgiveness and new beginnings, but there is also wisdom in not placing people in temptation’s way.

Pastoral abuse upsets the whole congregation. When Pastor John is put on a paid leave of absence during an investigation, it causes uncertainty and fear.

When Pastor John is dismissed from his position because of misconduct, the congregation is devastated. Everyone is hurting.

It’s important not to lose sight of the fact that the primary victim is Anne. She did not cause the problem. Pastor John brought this upon himself by abusing Anne.

Healing comes when people look at sin with clear eyes and turn to Jesus for healing. There are many good books about pastoral abuse: learning about best practices can equip us to respond appropriately and effectively.

We want the church to be a safe space, where the gospel of Jesus Christ is lived out in word and action.

[ Carol Penner is assistant professor of

theological studies at Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Ont. She was a presenter at the #ChurchToo conference held at Columbia Bible College May 25–26, 2018. *Names and the situation are fabricated composites

Visit mbherald.com/becoming-safe-space for links to more articles and resources on this topic.

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Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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Songs for who you are and who you are meant to be A church-based multi-collaborator album on identity in Christ is probably not what instructors expected to receive in fulfillment of a final portfolio project at SAE Vancouver (a school of audio engineering). Matthew Heinrichs, audio engineering and music production graduate of SAE Vancouver, turned the production and recording assignment into “The Identity Project,” featuring songwriting, music recordings, art – and even a sermon series – from fellow members at Gracepoint Community Church, Surrey, B.C.

Original music First, Heinrichs approached his musical friends at Gracepoint to see if they would be interested in writing a song.

“I told them that this could be a fun way to collaborate musically, and an opportunity to record in a professional studio.” A half dozen contributors seized the creative opportunity.

Next, he met with Gracepoint worship pastor Gregg Baker. “He excitedly helped me decide what the theme should be, how to approach it, and offered suggestions for involving the church community in the project,” says Heinrichs.

“Gregg and I decided to explore the theme of what it means to have our identity in Christ,” says Heinrichs. “Reflecting on a recent sermon series on mental health, we considered how our view of our identity affects how we perceive ourselves, and how God does not define us by our failures or mistakes. We found this understanding to be comforting. The songwriters agreed that this was a topic they felt called to write on.”

Each song on the stylistically eclectic album is the songwriter’s personal reflection on the question: “What has God told you about your identity in Christ?”

“My hope is that you can resonate with at least one song,” says Heinrichs. ‘I 24

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hope this EP can lead others to discover this incredible gift from God.” The Identity Project didn’t stop there.

Sermon and interviews Lead pastor Rick Bayer suggested a summer sermon series exploring the theme more deeply. Throughout the summer services, he interviewed the songwriters about the song they had written. These interviews are available on Gracepoint’s YouTube channel.

“Rick would often remind me that I have a community supporting me through this and encouraged me to never forget how God’s power can work in a community of believers,” says Heinrichs.

“I’m grateful for Matthew’s heart and leadership in this project,” says Bayer.

“He incorporated a wide breadth of congregants and collaborated with many people. It was a true picture of the body of Christ functioning together.”

“I am so proud of every person who poured their heart, soul and creativity into this project,” says Baker. “The result is a beautiful sacrifice of praise and worship to the Lord and a blessing to the church.”

Launch and fundraiser “Wanting this EP to bless others, we had an open donation during the July 6 launch party,” says Heinrichs. He highlighted two organizations close to his heart: The DuncanAfrica Society, which teaches guitar making in Uganda, and IncarNATION Ministries, which “supports theologians, artists and culture makers doing work that is infused with the beauty, goodness and truth of the Triune God.” The opportunity to record the acoustic guitar tracks with a DuncanAfrica guitar made “the songs that much more special,” says Heinrichs, a guitarist himself.

Covenant lifetime achievement awardwinning music producer Roy Salmond “strongly influenced how I approached this project,” says Heinrichs.

“Through this project, God has shown me that he can do incredible things if you put your trust in him,” Heinrichs says. He hopes listeners to the EP will leave with the message: “Let God fully reveal himself to you, showing you who you are and what you are meant to be.”

Your French School of Theology, ETEQ, now offers Theology courses in English in Montreal

If you have ever dreamed of spending a semester or a year in Quebec, use your High School French and advance your understanding of Kingdom building in another culture, this is your opportunity.

A Minor in Pastoral Studies is available in English. Come join us for up to 30 university credits, fully transferrable to all accredited universities.

Please contact Véronique Beaudin at 1-855-855-1924 or at veronique.beaudin@eteq.ca.

www.eteq.ca

In parternship with

[NEWS

Seminary expands offerings online and overseas More than 20 networks and emerging conferences around the world are seeking to join the ICOMB family.

Many of the pastors and leaders of these churches barely have a grade school education, much less formal Bible training. That’s where a new partnership between MB Seminary and MB Mission/Multiply comes in, one of the several new initiatives as the seminary “moves beyond the founding stage to widened delivery,” says board chair Ron Penner.

MB Seminary will help develop global training modules that can be contextualized to different locations. This training lays a foundation of core ICOMB convictions and focuses on practical training in mission.

MB Seminary is expanding the opportunity to engage in evangelicalAnabaptist theological education to students across the country through new location and online possibilities, says MB Seminary president Mark Wessner.

In 2018, MB Seminary signed a partnership agreement with Horizon College & Seminary, Saskatoon, bringing MB Seminary locations to four, including Tyndale Seminary, Toronto, and Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg.

Courses are also available outside the classroom with two week-long intensives in churches: “Interpreting Scripture from a Mennonite Brethren Perspective” at New Hope Niagara, St. Catharines, Ont., in fall and “Old Testament Leadership and Spiritual Formation” at WMB, Waterloo, Ont., in spring.

Additionally, on behalf of ACTS Seminaries, MB Seminary is developing a borderless education ministry called ACTS World Campus. This new method of providing graduate education (to begin in 2019) will allow students in Canada or anywhere in the world to gain

a seminary degree without the expense of relocating for proximity to a school.

Two new staff members will give leadership to the new programs: T Anderson, who holds an MBA and has experience in public education, is the ACTS World Campus Coordinator and Doug Heidebrecht, who continues to serve in an international setting, is the director of global training.

“Cumulative enrollment at the seminary continues to trend higher,” says president Mark Wessner: from 92 students in 2015/2016 to more than 100 in 2017/2018. MinistryLift workshops reach an additional 1,081 church leaders with targeted training on leadership development-related subjects.

These new initiatives and the seminary’s increased strategic presence in provincial decision making and service on the national ministry team “will greatly aid us in functioning as the national seminary of the MB church in Canada in terms of theological and ministry leadership,” says Wessner.

The hyphen matters In August, Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary (FPBS, part of Fresno Pacific University) announced that visiting lecturers Greg Boyd, Bruxy Cavey, and Brian Zahnd “would no longer [be] connected with the seminary’s Master of Arts in Ministry, Leadership and Culture” and that Terry Brensinger (seminary president since 2013) would “leave his administrative role and become professor of pastoral education in January 2019 after a year-long sabbatical.”

“I highly value and appreciate the Mennonite Brethren Conference covering which the university enjoys and look forward to a strengthened partnership between the church and university and seminary,” says Joseph Jones, Fresno Pacific University president.

Though MB Seminary, the national seminary of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, does not

[CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

ETEQ president resigns The board of École de théologie évangélique du Québec (ETEQ) is sad to announce that Kristen Corrigan has resigned her role as president of ETEQ, effective July 1, 2019. After 10 years serving in Quebec, she and Garry feel called to return to B.C. where she plans to continue in a new albeit smaller role for ETEQ, and spend time with grandchildren and extended family.

Born in Sainte Foy, Que., Kristen grew up in a small village north of Quebec City. She spent most of her adult life in British Columbia where she held several management positions for BC Tel and, eventually, carried out successful practice as a human resources, governance and strategic planning consultant.

From 2002 to 2007, Kristen held the position of executive director – human resources at Trinity Western University. Langley, B.C. In 2008, Kristen accepted a call from the Quebec Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches to come to Montreal to serve both the Quebec conference (AEFMQ) and l’École de Théologie évangélique de Montreal (ETEM) as management, governance and strategic planning professional.

Not long after they arrived, Kristen became president of ETEM. She was an important actor in developing a good collaborative relationship with IBVIE (the Christian and Missionary Alliance theological school in Montreal), that led to the fusion of the two schools and the formation of L’École de théologie évangélique du Québec (ETEQ), of which she became the first president in 2016.

The board of ETEQ is grateful to Kristen for her dedicated work

[CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

[SEMINARY EXPANDS

OFFERINGS ONLINE AND OVERSEAS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 have a formal connection to FPBS, the schools have historically been tied together and share elements of mission and vision.

“In Canada, we (CCMBC, BFL, MB Seminary, etc.) intentionally identify ourselves as “evangelical-Anabaptist”, and the hyphen is very important,” says Wessner. “To be Mennonite Brethren in Canada is to embrace a deep and rich biblical theology and spirituality (summarized in our Confession of Faith) that is neither strictly “evangelical” nor “Anabaptist” alone. We strive to live and lead within both, and when we are at our best, our churches and leaders serve alongside each other.

“This is a challenging time to be a church, conference, or educational leader – please pray that wisdom, grace, and truth will collide in a beautiful way, and that the mission and kingdom of God will grow.”

SQUARE ONE WORLD MEDIA PRESENTS

[ Karla Braun

[ETEQ PRESIDENT RESIGNS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25 for the school. Her relational and managerial skills have helped us considerably during the transition period. The board will look at ways in which Kristen may continue to serve the school and its constituencies.

Finally, the board wants to express gratitude to Garry, Kristen’s husband, for the many services granted during Kristen’s tenure.

A search process is now being launched to fill the position.

[ Jean Raymond Théorêt, board

chair, École de théologie évangélique du Québec

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october 2018

featuring: d JORDAN ST.CYR MICAH'S SUPER VLOG an FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS:

SQUAREONEWORLDMEDIA.COM

BOOKS Reviews go up at mbherald.com Monday mornings. Sample some recent offerings.

Unsettling the Word: Biblical Experiments in Decolonization Steve Heinrichs, editor Mennonite Church Canada Review by David Warkentin

Working from the premise that the Bible has often been associated with the violent and oppressive sides of Christianity’s participation in colonial history, Unsettling the Word creatively seeks an alternative reading of Scripture rooted in exploring “Scripture’s streams of justice.”

The experiment results in a collaborative collection of paraphrased biblical passages, personal reflections, poetry, and cultural commentary in which authors offer unique perspectives from their context, wrestling honestly with the troublesome relationship between colonization and biblical interpretation.

WHERE ARE YOU INVESTING? Consider a legacy gift to global mission.

Call us today to discuss estate planning and legacy giving. 1.888.866.6267 This service is provided through Abundance Canada.

Refugee – A Memoir Retold by Helen Rose Pauls Agnes Sawatsky Pauls as told to Helen Rose Pauls Review by Arisnel Mesidor

As the Migration and Resettlement Program Coordinator for MCC, I facilitate refugee sponsorships from all over the world for resettlement in Manitoba. As a result, I am curious about books on refugees. I was particularly interested in this book because it is concerning a former Mennonite refugee who was able to be resettled in Canada through the work of MCC: if the resettlement happened in the last five years, I would have been part of the story. Not only did the book help me understand better the circumstances that sometimes cause people to become refugees and the harshness of the situations they normally go through, but it has also provided me with increased knowledge of who Mennonites are in general.

Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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[FAMILY NEWS

Hellos Kerry Dyck TITLE & CONGREGATION: lead

pastor, Bakerview Church, Abbotsford, B.C. START: Sept 1, 2018 EDUCATION: BEd, University of Saskatoon, MDiv, MBBS (Fresno, Cal.) PREVIOUS MINISTRY: pastor, River West, Edmonton (1997–2018); pastor of worship, Waterloo (Ont.) MB, (1995–1997) FAMILY: Sandy; 3 adult children ON MINISTRY: My favourite thing about being a pastor is getting a front row seat on how God works in and through the lives of people, drawing them to himself for his glory and their growth. Having a part in this through preaching his word fostering fellowship and service is what I love to do.

Jeff Peters TITLE & CONGREGATION: associate pastor, Bakerview Church, Abbotsford, B.C. START: Aug. 1, 2018 EDUCATION: MA in Christian ministry, MBBS, Fresno PREVIOUS MINISTRY: transition pastor, Harrison Gospel Chapel, (2018); director of advancement, MB Seminary (2012–2017) FAMILY: Connie; 2 daughters ON MINISTRY: I aspire to be an unbusy pastor who is attuned to God’s Spirit and available to God’s people while not using time as something to fill.

Aaron Bartlett TITLE & CONGREGATION:

pastor of worship and young adults, King Road Church, Abbotsford, B.C. START: Sept. 1, 2018 EDUCATION: Heritage Bible College, Cambridge, Ont.; Briercrest College, Caronport, Sask.

PREVIOUS MINISTRY: worship pastor, Faith St. Thomas (Ont.) a Fellowship of Evangelical Baptists church

Cam Stuart TITLE & CONGREGATION:

lead pastor, Arnold Community Church, Abbotsford, B.C. START: Sept. 4, 2018 EDUCATION: BA, Briercrest College, Caronport, Sask.; MA, Regent College, Vancouver; DMin, Carey Theological College, Vancouver PREVIOUS MINISTRY: Sardis Community Church, Abbotsford, B.C. (2015–2018) FAMILY: Michelle; 4 children ON MINISTRY: I love being a pastor because I often get a front row seat in watching God do his great work of redeeming, healing, restoring, fixing broken people, and messy situations.

Dave Navarro TITLE & CONGREGATION:

lead pastor, South Langley (B.C.) Church START: Jan. 1, 2018

Norm Poehlke TITLE & CONGREGATION:

lead pastor, Mountain Park Community Church, Abbotsford, B.C. START: Aug. 1, 2018 EDUCATION: MDiv, Regent College, Vancouver PREVIOUS MINISTRY: vice president of international missions for North American Baptist Conference, church planter in Calgary FAMILY: Melissa; 3 children; 3 grandchildren ON MINISTRY: I love to see the church behave in such a way that the community gets a taste of what the Kingdom of God is like.

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MDiv from MBBS-ACTS worship coordinator, associate pastor, co-lead pastor at South Langley FAMILY: Justine; 2 sons, Connor and Liam, and a child on the way ON MINISTRY: I’m passionate about equipping God’s people to be high-impact disciples and devoted lovers of Jesus.

EDUCATION:

PREVIOUS MINISTRY:

Goodbyes Greg Wiens, lead pastor, Waldheim (Sask.) MB Church (2009–2018)

Community News Columbia Bible College welcomed two new instructors in August.

Kimberly Morrison, intercultural studies faculty MA in global leadership, Fuller Theological Seminary (2010); Doctor of intercultural studies, Fuller Theological Seminary (2015); Doctor of inter-cultural education, Biola University (in process) EDUCATION:

PREVIOUS MINISTRY: systems designer & founding team member, Urban Abbey (Sudbury, Ont., 2015-2018); director of education and leadership development, Mission Woman BC (2012-present), director of community life & women, Peace Portal Alliance Church (2009-2012); director of adult ministry, Adventure Christian Church (2005-2008) ON MINISTRY: “Intercultural Studies is all about learning how to bring the culture of heaven close to the cultures of earth.

The everyday church, sited all around the globe, gives material shape to divine realities. When we are joined to Christ, we are joined to each other and to God’s grand social imagination. The more we live into this identity the more invitational our lives become.”

Mike Teeter, director of athletics & recreation EDUCATION:

MA in leadership

PREVIOUS MINISTRY: associate director of wellness – recreation, Trinity Western University

Fairview MB Church, planted in 1964 as an English-language outgrowth of Scott Street MB Church in St.Catharines Ont., held its last service Sept. 30, 2018. After exploring several options, the leadership decided to address the challenges of dwindling and aging membership (105 average weekly attendance) by closing this chapter of the church’s history. A new church will be launched in the Fairview facility later this year under the direction of the Ontario Conference of MB Churches and the C2C Network/Multiply. Pastor/church planter Mike Sherbino has been appointed to lead this new venture.

Mennonite Economic Development Associates announced the appointment of Dorothy Nyambi as chief executive officer and president, beginning with the annual convention in November. She succeeds Allan Sauder, retiring from the role after 16 years. Trained as medical doctor, Dorothy Nyambi has work experience in the field of international development around the world.

New roles at C2C/Multiply

Updates to C2C Network/Multiply staff

B.C. and Yukon regional co-director: Reg Toews (pastor, Greendale MB Church, Chilliwack, B.C., 1996–2016)

The merger of C2C Network and MB Mission into a joint culturally competent church planting entity results in some changes in job titles.

“The deliverables from C2C/Multiply will continue to be the same for people in our MB churches,” says Mark Burch, now North America director. “We continue to assess, coach, train a nd support church planters.”

Yet there are some considerable changes below the surface – which he views positively, he says. MB Mission brings expertise in raising up Indigenous workers in international contexts. Burch sees this as a timely skill for the Canadian church which has the opportunity to empower new Canadian Christians to serve and lead in their own cultural idiom in affinity churches in Canada. It’s also strategic as C2C/Multiply makes church planting among Indigenous people in Canada a priority.

“We’ll still assess Caucasian leaders to reach out on reserves or Indigenous communities, but the end goal is to find Indigenous workers who will reach their own people,” Burch says.

He also sees opportunity from MB Mission’s short-term programs.

Currently, those one-week to oneyear long programs are a conduit for identifying young people with an aptitude and calling for international ministry. C2C/Multiply’s participation can allow them to watch for those who could become church planters in Canada as well.

Finally, the Collaborative Model voted in as a structure for the Canadian Conference of MB Churches at Gathering in July will be guided by a national ministry team, on which Mark Burch will represent C2C/Multiply, giving them continued opportunity to speak into the vision and future of Canadian MB churches.

President: Randy Friesen Executive vice president: Gord Fleming North America director of church planting: Mark Burch Associate Canadian director: Ron Leonard U.S. mobilizer: Scott Thomas (part-time) U.S. mobilizer: Chris Douglas

B.C. and Yukon regional co-director: Kristian Martens (church planter, Reality Vancouver, 2008–2018) Assessment Centre administration: Diane Douglas CCMBC As the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches restructures for the Collaborative Model, a direction affirmed at Gathering 2018, national director Elton DaSilva introduced several staff transitions.

Kara Friesen began as CCMBC executive assistant Aug. 1, 2018, managing administrative tasks for DaSilva, the Executive Board, and the Board of Faith and Life. She served MB Mission as office administrator and short-term mission coordinator since 2011.

Carson Samson became CCBMC operations and communications director Sept. 4, 2018. Carson has served the Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba as director of church relations since January 2014. Carson and Donna Lee have 2 children.

Elenore Doerksen transitioned from CCMBC communications team leader to mortgage and fund accounts manager with CCMBC Legacy Fund Inc., in September 2018.

Helga Kasdorf takes on the responsibilities of events coordinator.

In B.C., Ron van Akker said goodbye to the B.C. Mennonite Brethren conference team to return to pastoral ministry at Central Community Church, Chilliwack, B.C., as executive pastor.

See mbherald.com/transitions-summer-2018.

Transitions in your ministry? Let us know. mbherald@mbchurches.ca.

BIRTHS Ardell – to Michael & Theresa (Shantz) of Vanscoy, Sask., a son, Jorden Michael Lyle, Mar. 7, 2018.

Bushman – to Andy & Karen (Fehr) of Osler, Sask., a son, Evan Howard, June 25, 2018.

Falk – to Tim & Kaylee (Buhler) of Saskatoon, a daughter, Anna Sofia, May 22, 2018.

Fast – to Markus & Tia of Steinbach, Man., a daughter, Julia Simone, June 7, 2018.

Favelle – to Kent & Angelique (Schroeder) of Saskatoon, a son, Caim Xavier, Feb. 17, 2018.

Neufeldt – to Adam & Maleah of Calgary, a son, Asher Jude, Jan. 3, 2018.

Neufeldt – to Donovan & Natalie of Lethbridge, Alta., a son, Noah Jon, Apr. 7, 2018.

Olson – to Josh & Robynn of Saskatoon, a son, Samuel George Bruce, June 29, 2018.

Peters – to Christian & Michelle (Goertzen) Peters of Steinbach, Man., a son, Gideon Israel, May 4, 2018.

Vogt – to Mark & Anna Vogt of Winnipeg, a son, Jacob Alexander, July 12, 2018.

WEDDINGS Caleb Bender of Kitchener, Ont., & Lisa Cressman of New Hamburg, Ont., Aug. 25, 2018.

Morgan Crane & Jessica Fehderau, both of Kitchener, Ont., May 18, 2018.

Matthew Dyck & Autumn Rempel, both of Winnipeg, May 19, 2018.

Ernest Goertzen of Ste. Anne, Man., & Mary Taylor of Winnipeg, June 9, 2018.

Rafael Guenter & Juls Bergmann, both of Steinbach, Man., Aug. 19, 2018.

Alex Koenig & Jocelyn Thiessen, both of Mitchell, Man., May 26, 2018.

Nathan Neufeld of La Broquerie, Man., & Kadri Bergmann of Blumenort, Man., Aug. 17, 2018.

ANNIVERSARIES Abe & Anne (Kroeker) Enns celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary June 27, 2018, in Steinbach, Man. They were married in Elm Creek, Man., June 27, 1953.

Jake & Erica Harder celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary Apr. 24, 2018, with a family lunch. They met in the Justice (Man.) MB Church choir and married at Justice United Church in 1948.

Associate pastor Lakeview Community Church (Killarney, Man.) is seeking applicants for the position of associate pastor with an emphasis in youth and family ministry. Lakeview Community Church is a multi-generational Mennonite Brethren church with a weekly attendance of 140. The successful candidate will work closely with the lead pastor to cover other areas of ministry such as pastoral counselling, pastoral care, missions and evangelism, preaching and administration. Our church is looking for an individual who is passionate about youth and family ministry, willing to build mentoring relationships, and excited about opportunities to engage both within the church and the community as a whole. To apply, please send cover letter, resume and a brief philosophy of ministry to apsearch.lvcc@gmail.com.

Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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Spiritual Disciplines

THE BIBLE UNWRAPPED

•

MEGHAN LARISSA GOOD

of the Week: Spend some moments this week praying for your two closest neighbours.

•

Watch a sunrise and a sunset this week, and then ask yourself, “Who is this God of Creation to me?” from morning til night.

•

Exchange one hour of television this week for a walk in nature to be in wonder about God’s beauty.

•

Skip one meal this week and spend that meal time writing a prayer of gratitude for “having enough”.

Read more at mbherald.com/ cookie-cutter-free-connection

FOR YOUR NEXT MOVE Tedd Epp

306.221.1614 teddepp.com Saskatoon

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MAKING SENSE OF SCRIPTURE TODAY Many people have questions about Scripture they are too afraid to ask. Drawing from the best of contemporary biblical scholarship and the ancient well of Christian tradition, scholar and preacher Meghan Larissa Good helps readers consider why the Bible matters.

Available from Common Word or your favourite bookseller.

1-877-846-1593. CommonWord.ca

Along the Road to Freedom Mennonite women of courage & faith

Featuring the art of Ray Dirks 26 full page story paintings stories of all the women in the paintings full colour/hardcover/12”x9”/132 pages/ $35.00 plus GST and shipping

contact swolfe@cmu.ca or go to https://www.commonword.ca more on the book and the Along the Road to Freedom exhibition and tour: http://gallery.mennonitechurch.ca/AlongTheRoad

| Be part of the difference Arts Dialogue Faith Science Community

New for 2018

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Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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FINISH LINES Norma Charlotte Hayes Aug. 12, 1931–Nov. 2, 2017

PARENTS Joseph & Olive May (Potter) Stockford CHURCH Mountview MB, Stoney Creek, Ont. FAMILY children Joanne Gurman (Robert), Michael (Lillian

Bayne), Christopher (Lisa), Kathy DeWolfe (Stuart); foster son John Fleury (Elenor); 10 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren

Norma was born and raised in Hamilton, Ont., the youngest of Joseph and Olive Stockford’s 4 children. She possessed a heart for children, raising her family, fostering many children, and playing a large role in raising many of her grandchildren. She was a truly gifted mother.

Although Norma believed in God throughout her life, it was during her time at Mountview MB Church in Stoney Creek, Ont., where her faith flourished. As a member there from 1975 until its closing in 2001, she served in many ways, including on leadership and mission committees. It was her pleasure to connect with MB Mission workers all over the world; many came to visit her when passing through southern Ontario on furlough. Norma died after a year-long journey with cancer. She relied on her family, friends, and her strong faith in God to endure the struggles of cancer.

Throughout the journey, she maintained peace by trusting that God would see her through. She spent time thinking about heaven and departed loved ones, singing hymns, and drawing closer to the Lord. She will be remembered as a loving mother, cherished friend, and faithful follower.

Katherine (Reimer) Dueck Oct. 20, 1938–Jan. 6, 2018

BIRTHPLACE Kitchener, Ont. PARENTS Henry & Aganetha Reimer MARRIAGE Abe Dueck, 1965 BAPTISM Kitchener (Ont.) MB, 1955 CHURCH River East, Winnipeg FAMILY Abe; children Jonathan (Kari Welsh), Rachelle (Phil

Buller), Judith (Evan Rodgers); 6 grandchildren; 3 siblings

Kathy grew up in a loving family. Her faith in God never wavered, although in her battle with cancer she often wondered why God did not seem to answer her prayers. Kathy met Abe while attending MB Bible College (MBBC), Winnipeg, 1959–62. They married in 1965, and in 1968, moved to Durham, N.C., for Abe’s studies at Duke University; finances were sparse, but the times were happy. Christmases and summers took them back to Kathy’s beloved Kitchener. The trips through Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York were enjoyable.

The family returned to Winnipeg, where Abe’s

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MBBC colleagues and their spouses became Kathy’s community. Kathy deeply loved her grandchildren, and they returned love in rich measure. Kathy was proud to be a teacher and used her teaching gifts to help her children and grandchildren, often reading to them and singing with them at the piano. She was River East MB Church librarian for years, a task she found difficult to give up. In retirement, Kathy and Abe travelled to Israel Palestine, Ukraine, South America, Australia, and New Zealand, of which she joyfully prepared detailed photo albums. Kathy enjoyed reunions with siblings every fall. Just months after celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary at Riding Mountain National Park in 2015, Kathy noticed her energy lagging. She was diagnosed with a rare leukemia. During that first year, Kathy and Abe continued to travel. Kathy remained as active as possible and refused to give up the will to live.

Martha Wiebe May 11, 1927–Apr. 23, 2018

BIRTHPLACE Winkler, Man. PARENTS Jacob & Elizabeth Dueck MARRIAGE John Wiebe, July 29, 1952 [d. Dec. 8, 2016] BAPTISM Greendale (B.C.) MB, July 25, 1943 CHURCH Broadway, Chilliwack, B.C.; Ross Road, Abbotsford, B.C. FAMILY children Elaine (Earl) Stade, Brenda Evans, Bev (Russ)

Hardy, Gwen (Bill) Converse, John (Cathy), Val (Stan) Thiessen; 31 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren

Martha and John met at Greendale MB Church’s youth group. They started each day with morning devotions together, committing the day to God in prayer. They ended each day by thanking God, often kneeling at the kitchen table. As a mother of 6, Martha was busy cooking, cleaning, and sewing. Summers, she would take the children to the berry patch with her. As the children grew older, she enjoyed singing in the choir and teaching Sunday school. Her faith was important to her. She loved to spend time in her Bible memorizing verses, and she had a vibrant prayer life.

Katherine (Wiens) Tymburski Apr. 27, 1926–May 9, 2018 BIRTHPLACE Stepanovka, Russia PARENTS Franz & Helena (Friesen) Wiens MARRIAGE Peter Tymburski, 2002 [d. 2013] CHURCH Coaldale (Alta.) MB FAMILY Peter’s children Gloria, Diane, William, Calvin; 1 sister

Katherine was the eldest of 8 siblings. Her family immigrated to Canada when she was 6 months.

At Prairie Bible Institute, Three Hills, Alta., she felt the call to missionary work. To be better equipped, she trained as a registered nurse in

Great Falls, Mont. Her life of service included time as a missionary nurse with MB Mission in Congo and Brazil. After returning to Canada, she and her sister Lucille were caregivers for their parents. At 75, after her sister Mary’s death, Katherine married her brother-in-law Peter. They had 11 years of church life and travel together.

Katherine’s love of cooking and gardening was a gift to the family. With her green thumb, she created show pieces for all to enjoy. Peter’s stroke in 2010 necessitated a move to a care facility. After his death, Katherine remained at Blue Sky Lodge, looking forward to when God would call her home. After a brief illness, her wish to be with her Saviour was fulfilled.

Clara Strauss May 24, 1921–May 12, 2018

BIRTHPLACE Hepburn, Sask.

PARENTS Peter & Katherine Voth MARRIAGE Frank Strauss, Sept. 30, 1939 [d. Apr. 7, 1989] BAPTISM Hepburn (Sask.) MB, 1950 CHURCH Forest Grove, Saskatoon FAMILY children Deanna, Gerald [d. 2011]; 5 grandchildren

including Cameron Boldt [d.]; 3 great-grandchildren

Clara and Frank farmed near Hepburn, Sask., before moving into town, where they owned several businesses. After their move to Saskatoon in 1959, Clara worked 10 years in the operating room at Saint Paul’s Hospital. She also spent a few years in real estate. Central Haven Personal Care Facility was where she believed God called her for the last 10 years of her working life. In semiretirement, Clara and Frank purchased Poplar Point Resort on Cowan Lake, Sask. Here, they enjoyed the outdoor life, fishing and visiting with friends, until health issues forced their retirement to Saskatoon. In 2012, Clara entered Sunnyside Care Centre, where she remained until her death.

Jacob Thiessen Feb. 15, 1928–May 16, 2018

BIRTHPLACE Grunthal, Man. PARENTS Dietrich & Helena Thiessen MARRIAGE Mary (Wiens), Mar. 18, 1951 CHURCH East Aldergrove, B.C. (now Ross Road) FAMILY Mary; children Ken (Linda), Bernie (Heidi), Harvey

(Ruth), Ruth Ann; 9 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren

Jacob’s family moved to Yarrow, and later, to Abbotsford, B.C. In his youth, he received training in machinery and truck driving. He met Mary at church choir practice. He served East Aldergrove Church, especially as usher. Jacob enjoyed camping, drawing, and painting. He published his family’s story in Matsuri Sumas Abbotsford Pioneer Stories 1890–1950.

[FINISH LINES

Katie Penner

Carl Klassen

Dec. 4, 1934–May 22, 2018

Jan. 29, 1958–May 29, 2018

BIRTHPLACE Russia PARENTS Peter & Helen Teske MARRIAGE Jakob Penner, Dec. 5, 1959 [d.]

BAPTISM Grimsby, Ont. CHURCH Grantham MB, St. Catharines, Ont. FAMILY children Rita (Don) Wall, Tina (Ignazio) Boccia, Peter

(Cheryl); 13 grandchildren including Arlynne [d.]; 4 greatgrandchildren

On Katie’s third birthday, soldiers took her father. When WWII began, her family fled with 2 horses and a wagon. After months of hunger, they arrived in a refugee camp in Poznan, Poland, staying 2 years in Litzmannstadt. When the Russians came, the family fled on foot. In Lauenburg an der Elbe, Germany, they lived in a barn because no houses remained, until English soldiers brought them to a house with 13 other families. In 1950, they sailed to Halifax, and took a train to Grimsby, Ont. Uncle Janzen rented them a house next to the basket factory where they worked. The first 2 years were lonely.

Katie, her brother, and mother were baptized.

After 3 years, they moved to St. Catharines, Ont., where Katie and her mother worked at the Boese canning factory, earning enough to buy a house. Soon afterward, Katie’s spine collapsed due to malnutrition and hard labour. She endured surgery and 4 months in hospital at 19, promising God many things if he would make her well. She wore a cast for a year. Katie worked in Bethesda’s kitchen with her mother. After attending Columbia Bible School, Abbotsford, B.C., she returned to St. Catharines to work as a nurse’s aide. Katie met Jake at a family picnic in 1959. They dated 6 weeks before becoming engaged. She joined Jake’s church, St. Catharines United Mennonite. Katie had many operations, but God always gave her courage. He taught her to trust him completely (Proverbs 3:5–6).

Margaret Reimer Sept. 1, 1923–May 24, 2018

BIRTHPLACE Herbert, Sask.

PARENTS John & Elizabeth Klassen MARRIAGE Marjorie Pauls, June 6, 1981 CHURCH Glenbush (Sask.) MB FAMILY Marjorie; children Rachel (Ryan) Wiebe, Eric (Melissa),

Jennifer, Hillary (Daniel) Kroeker; 5 grandchildren; 2 sisters

Carl grew up spending time with his sisters, being a wrangler at West Bank Bible Camp, working for local farmers, helping build the Herbert Nursing Home dining hall, and cruising town in his white Pontiac, Bertha.

He accepted Jesus as Saviour as a child, was baptized as a teen, and loved youth group.

Carl attended Bethany Bible Institute, Hepburn, Sask. In Saskatoon, he met and fell in love with Marjorie from Glenbush, Sask.

After a year and a half of marriage, they moved to the Pauls family dairy farm, which they took over in 1990. Their family of 6 worked together with the help of hired hands until the dairy sold in 2001. They turned to raising beef cattle, but after hardship in the beef industry, Carl worked various jobs: at a pig barn, as a camper trailer hauler, on a chicken farm, at a tire shop, and as a truck driver. One of Carl’s favourite things was music, especially southern gospel harmonies.

He loved singing, playing guitar, and going to gospel jamborees. His family was his joy and pride, especially since he became a grandpa.

He loved what his children-in-law added to his growing family. He had many close cousins, near and far. The people at Glenbush MB Church were a special part of his life.

Irene Dick

June 25, 2004 [d. 2006] CHURCH Yarrow (B.C.) MB FAMILY children Evelyn (Art) Janzen, Vic (Ann), Ruth (Tony Hume); 9 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; 2 greatgreat-grandsons; 1 sister

Willie and Margaret spent many years working at Columbia Bible Camp. She lived in Abbotsford at Tabor Court for 11 years.

Linda Rita Penner Feb. 14, 1933–June 26, 2018

BIRTHPLACE Lethbridge, Alta.

PARENTS Dietrich & Anna Matthies MARRIAGE Jacob Penner, July 1, 1959 CHURCH Crestwood MB, Medicine Hat, Alta.

FAMILY Jacob: children Catherine (Walter) Friesen, Lenore

(Carl) Dyke; 9 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; 1 sister

Linda lost a twin brother at birth. After growing up on a farm near Coaldale, Alta., she trained as a teacher in Calgary. She taught in the Lethbridge area before attending MB Bible College, Winnipeg, where she met the love of her life, Jacob. Linda and Jacob began their life together in southern Ontario, where Linda taught school. In Kansas, Jacob studied and served in churches from 1965–68. Linda and Jacob returned to Ontario to teach while raising their family. They moved to Medicine Hat, Alta., in 1978, and to Manitoba in 1982, teaching school and serving in churches. Linda’s flower garden is a testament to her green thumb. She spent her free time keeping her home and yard up to her and Jacob’s standard of excellence. Linda was known for her clever combination of wit and humour.

Jan. 16, 1941–June 1, 2018

Hugo Schmidt BIRTHPLACE Waldheim, Sask.

MARRIAGE Werner Dick, 1961 CHURCH Grantham MB, St. Catharines, Ont. FAMILY children Charles (Shelly), Gordon (Carole), Lisa (Daniel)

Goossen; 9 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild

BIRTHPLACE Kuterlya, Russia PARENTS Herman & Susie Martens MARRIAGE Willie Matties, Mar. 10, 1943 [d. 1992]; Peter Reimer,

and her co-workers, who held a special place in her heart. Irene rarely lost at Skip-Bo, avidly watched sports, and cooked with love.

She devoted her life as a selfless support to her family. She loved all her children and grandchildren equally and unconditionally.

Kind and gentle, she listened attentively and wanted what was best for them. The thought of not being present for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s lives brought her sadness, but she was assured she wouldn’t miss a moment in the presence of Christ, her hope.

Irene grew up in Merritton, Ont., playing baseball and skating with her siblings and fishing with her dad. After completing her schooling, she worked at a department store, then married Werner. While he studied engineering, she continued to work. As a young family, they moved to Corning, N.Y., where Irene enjoyed new friendships and joined a bowling league. They returned to Ontario, where they remained and Irene worked at Tabor Manor for 20 years. She served with kindness toward the residents

Apr. 7, 1933–July 3, 2018

BIRTHPLACE Kamenka, Ukraine PARENTS Heinrich & Anna Schmidt MARRIAGE Malinda Mary Janz, June 22, 1957 [d. Sept. 23, 2011] BAPTISM Central MB, Saskatoon, 1955 CHURCH Northview, Abbotsford, B.C. FAMILY children Betty Lou (Wendell Godard), Roger (Wendy

Harmata), Denise (Randy Erickson); 9 grandchildren

With the help of the MCC and the sponsorship of Willms relatives, Hugo immigrated to Canada in 1948. He graduated from University of Saskatchewan with a degree in electrical engineering in 1956.

In 1967, the family moved to B.C. where Hugo worked for BC Hydro as a design, Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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[FINISH LINES acceptance, and project engineer until his retirement in 1989. Post retirement, Hugo consulted for Kilborn Engineering and took mission trips with YWAM, Haggai Institute, and Disciple Making International. With DMI, he did house evangelism in his birthplace, Ukraine. Hugo had great love for God and was passionate about following and serving him, as evidenced by his concern for people and his participation in ministries including those at Northview Community Church in Abbotsford.

Jake Hooge May 16, 1924–July 27, 2018

BIRTHPLACE Grossweide, Ukraine PARENTS Heinrich & Helena (Loewen) Hooge MARRIAGE Betty Dorothy Froese, Aug. 20, 1948 BAPTISM South Abbotsford (B.C.), Aug. 23, 1942 CHURCH Central Heights, Bakerview, Abbotsford, B.C. FAMILY Betty; children Ron (Janice), Judy (Walter) Martens, Jack (Ellen), Kathi (Charles) Friesen, Larry (Sharon), Lori (Ray) Braun; 18 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; 1 brother

Jake immigrated to Canada in 1926, settling near Regina. During the Depression, it became harder to make a living, so the family moved to Abbotsford, B.C., in 1932. Jake accepted Christ as Saviour at 16. At South Abbotsford Church, he served as an usher, eventually becoming head usher at Central Heights Church – a position he held for 20 years. Greeting and directing people gave him great joy; he continued ushering until his death. Jake first saw Betty at choir practice at South Abbotsford Church. A year before they were married, he started his first business, building a general store, a gas station, and their first home. He worked hard to provide for his family. After 13 years, he sold this business and opened Clearbrook Dry Goods, and eventually, Hooge’s Fashion Fabrics in Abbotsford. He retired in 1990. A generous man, Jake supported missionaries and helped send containers of goods, including newly translated Bibles, to many countries. In retirement, he volunteered 8 years at Fraser Valley Gleaners. Jake prayed faithfully for his family, mentioning each one by name, including his many great-grandchildren.

Jake enjoyed time with family and his many friends: going for coffee, playing games, working in the yard (he loved flowers), writing and memorizing poetry, teasing his grandchildren, and especially travelling with Betty. Together they made many special trips in their motorhome and around the world.

Jake’s family will miss his outgoing nature, sense of humour, kindness, and generosity.

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Fall 2018 | mbherald.com

BOOKS Continued Paul Johann Fast Aug. 21, 1932–Aug. 31, 2018

BIRTHPLACE Newton Siding, Man. PARENTS John & Justina Fast MARRIAGE Elizabeth (Betty) Baerg, Aug. 28, 1959 CHURCH North Langley, B.C. FAMILY Betty; children Bonnie Fast Wiebe, Byron, Barbara Fast

Hamilton; 9 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren

Paul accepted Christ as Saviour at vacation Bible school at age 9. In 1942, his family moved to St. Catharines, Ont., where they purchased a fruit farm. Paul attended Eden Christian College and Eden’s Bible school. After a 6-week course, he taught a one-room schoolhouse in northern Ontario for 2 years. He loved teaching, pursuing formal training at Hamilton Teacher’s College.

After 2 years teaching in St. Catharines, he attended MB Bible College, Winnipeg, where he met Betty. They married and returned to Winnipeg for another study year before accepting a 2-year position at Bethany Bible Institute, Hepburn, Sask. Paul earned a BA from Wilfred Laurier University, Waterloo, Ont. He taught at Lakeport High School, then Eden Christian College. Fairview MB Church asked Paul to become assistant pastor (1969–1975). The Spirit’s call became so strong that Paul left teaching to pastor full-time. He was ordained at Fairview before taking a 2-year MA at MB Biblical Seminary, Fresno, Cal. Paul and Betty ministered at South Langley MB Church (1977–87), then planted North Langley Community Church (1987–94) and Murrayville Community Church (1994–98). They were a strong team. Paul spent 2 years at ACTS Seminary, Langley, B.C., sharing his experiences. After retiring in 1998, Paul held interim positions in Fleetwood, Mission, and Lake Errock, B.C., and at Scott Street MB Church, St. Catharines. Paul was a chaplain at Langley Memorial Hospital, its 3 care homes, and hospice.

He volunteered for the Conservative Party, the Fraser Valley Gleaners, seniors’ homes, and was a greeter at Superstore. Paul loved family gatherings, sharing his humour relentlessly. Despite dementia in his final years, his good-natured kindness, unwavering faith, and love for his family (and a good party) shone through.

For a flat rate of $65 for up to 300 words and a photograph, MB Herald staff will prepare an obituary compliant with our in-house style. We take care to include historical and genealogical information as available and to highlight aspects of the decedent’s faith walk.

Contact obituaries@mbchurches.ca for more information or to submit a life story.

Reviews go up at mbherald.com Monday mornings. Sample some recent offerings.

How to Become a Multicultural Church Douglas J. Brouwer Eerdmans Review by David Wiebe

Many Mennonite Brethren churches and all of our regional conferences are becoming international in their memberships as immigration brings people from around the world into our fellowship. Brouwer’s book is very timely for leaders and members seeking to work alongside one another cross-culturally. It comes from several years of pastoral leadership – and lots of curiosity and observations – in the International Protestant Church in Zurich, Switzerland, where he pastored for four years.

Why People Stop Believing Paul Chamberlain Cascade Books Review by Stefan Klassen

As someone who often finds himself in conversations with all sorts of atheists, many who have considerable knowledge of Christian faith, I found this book particularly insightful.

Chamberlain answers questions that I have not considered, yet are often barriers of faith for others.

Chamberlain avoids easy answers and straw man arguments. He seeks to understand atheistic ideas in their purest form without belittling those who hold the beliefs, and then soundly deconstructs them.

Read more:

mbherald.com/category/ arts-culture/books

[INTERSECTION

Worship that fills Take a moment to recall a recent worship service where you experienced the presence of God and left feeling spiritually “filled.” What created that sense of fullness for you?

Was the music powerful and moving?

Did the sermon resonate with your soul, as though the preacher were speaking directly to you?

Did someone share a testimony that encouraged or challenged you?

Sometimes the Spirit moves in unexpected ways and we leave with the same sense of contentedness as when we push our chairs back from a delicious meal. What creates that experience in worship?

Instinctively, we assume that this has to do with the service itself. It is what happens when talented musicians play songs we love, or when the service speaks directly to our lives, or when the preacher is a gifted communicator and insightful Bible teacher. We evaluate the service as we might a gourmet restaurant, crediting the chef or the wait staff for an unforgettable experience.

But what if the difference is actually something else?

Six commands for worship In the call to worship found in Psalm 100, the psalmist sketches a picture of meaningful worship in strikingly different terms than we often use.

In four short verses, the psalmist issues no fewer than six commands to guide the worship we offer in response to God’s merciful, faithful love: be joyful, gladly serve God, sing in God’s presence, understand who God is, give thanks, pray.

For this psalmist, worship is what we do, not what worship leaders and preachers do. It is what we give to God, not what

we get from God (though there is an invitation to receive as well).

Participation If this is true, then what meaningful worship demands is our physical participation in the service (to the degree that we are able).

It is not enough to just go to church on a Sunday morning and wait for God to move. Worship requires engaging as actively as possible: singing the songs, praying the prayers, following along with the preaching (entering the Bible reading, taking notes, etc.).

To not participate is like going on a date, but refusing to eat dinner and choosing to pay attention to your phone rather than your conversation partner. Worship is not a spectator sport.

Preparation

Discipline This means that meaningful worship is much more of a discipline than an experience.

Like exercise, it is something we commit to, something that demands our disciplined choice to fully exert ourselves, in anticipation of the satisfaction of having had a good workout. Of course, we prefer some exercises over others. Some days it is easy to work hard, and on other days we simply go through the motions (and even then, doing it is still better for us than not doing it!). There are days when we “feel it,” and days we don’t. What matters is the sheer discipline of showing up every Sunday, and giving ourselves as fully as possible to worship the God who has given himself fully to us through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

To return to our initial metaphor, worship is not like fine dining, where we are at the mercy of those who prepare the meal and those who serve it up, hopefully to our satisfaction. Meaningful worship is more like a potluck dinner, where we each do the work to bring something – ourselves.

More than that, our participation is not merely external, which can become empty ritual, but equally internal, what theologian Cipriano Vagaggini calls “an encounter of the soul.” It requires emotional, wholehearted participation, attending to, and meaning, the words we sing and pray. It requires intellectual participation, actively listening not for the preacher’s voice but for the voice of God, who speaks in every church on every Sunday in every part of the service.

In meaningful worship, we give something before we get something.

Of course, just as there can be physical limitations to our participation, there also can be spiritual limitations: distracting circumstances, a tumultuous inner world, and, yes, parts of the service that make it difficult to focus. Even so, meaningful worship requires us to actively offer ourselves to God, opening ourselves to an encounter with him.

May you discover the fullness of potluck worship.

Meaningful worship requires my full participation, inside and out, body and soul.

Meaningful worship is a commitment to try everything, even the “dishes” that are not initially appealing, in community with those we love, with the anticipation of sometimes being surprised by unexpected delights.

Most importantly, it is the place where everyone eats their fill and is satisfied by the unmistakable flavour of the love that permeates each dish.

[ Michael Krause is the teaching pastor at Southridge Community Church, St. Catharines, Ont. He is a PhD candidate at McMaster Divinity College who is researching worship and formation in the evangelical church.

Mennonite Brethren Herald | Fall 2018

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2019 October 23–25, 2019 WMB Church, Waterloo, Ontario