Mennonite Brethren Herald Sept 2014 by Mennonite Brethren Publications

summer camp

PHOTO GALLERY

10 COMMANDMENTS FOR PASTORS

youth:

USMBs approve

COF revision

HOW TO HELP THEM STAY ON TRACK WITH GOD

WAYS

to PRAY WHILE YOU RUN (or walk)

THOUGHTS ON

IRAQ Volume 53, No. 9

Publications mail registration number: 09648; Agreement number: 40009297

S E P T E M B E R 2 014 W W W. M B H E R A L D.CO M

DIANE TUCKER

The starfish on our arms that live and move on land; flippers sliced to form fingers: human hands. Hands fly in front of us like shields at threat or hurt; heraldic signs, splayed: warning hands. “My hands are tied,” we say when all avenues are shut, the head and heart no use without the hands. After birth they’re counting the fish-roe fingers that curl around everything close – a baby’s hands. No glove can warm, no hearthfire heat the soul, like the silent, unsought grasp of a child’s hand. The wedding rings turned and turned on her shrunken white bones, my grandmother’s nighttime hands. When the heart is desolate and despairs of receiving the loved one, she can live on the sight of his hands. Palm to palm is like a nakedness, heel to head. Is the whole body recapitulated in the hands? When we think of Christ, it’s not the scourge or crown that make us cringe – it’s nails through the hands. Divestiture: that’s what the upturned palm is for. It says: “Take what’s there. Leave me two empty hands.”

Diane Tucker is a poet from Vancouver, B.C. This piece, taken from Diane’s latest collection Bonsai Love (2014), was reprinted by permission from Harbour Publishing.

September 2014 www.mbherald.com

FEATURES 5 Ten commandments for pastors –Raymond O. Bystrom

8 A celebration of camp in pictures 12 Seven ways to pray while you run (or walk) –Nelson Boschman

14 “Remain in me” What the Hemorrhaging Faith research project means for the Canadian Mennonite Brethren church –James Penner

19 Pull up a chair The joy of borrowing (and conversing) across denominations –Angeline Schellenberg

DEPARTMENTS 6 Homepage

COLUMNS

21 News in story

4 Editorial

24 Births, weddings, anniversaries

Prayers for Iraq

25 Church anniversary

–Laura Kalmar

30 Finish lines [Obituaries]

10 Executive director Compelled to be an ambassador

32 Crosscurrents

–Willy Reimer

11 Text message MARK 1:40–45 The cost of mercy –Kathy McCamis

27 CCMBC Prayer Calendar 34 Intersection of faith and life One of those weeks –Phil Wagler

CONNECT WITH US ONLINE DIGITAL EDITION issuu.com FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/MBHerald TWITTER twitter.com/MB_Herald WEBSITE mbherald.com

COVER PHOTO: Jay Siemens, SOAR Heartland 2014 (See page 5 for more information.)

CORRECTION: Re Henry Hamm Harms’ obituary (August), Mr. Harms was baptized in the Burwalde church that became part of Steinbach (Man.) MB Church.

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MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

Editorial Prayers for Iraq L AUR A K ALMAR

n August 17, Canadian conference executive director Willy Reimer invited churches, in solidarity with thousands of other Christians around the world, to pray for the people of Iraq.

people and reaches out in mercy. Even so, the horror of the situation can be almost too terrible to comprehend.

Over the summer, the church watched in horror as a militant group called Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS) lashed out in violence against Christians and other religious minorities, demanding people convert to Islam or be killed. Many chose to flee as refugees, leaving their homes and lives behind.

I’ve spent much of this afternoon trying to write a sermon about 2 Corinthians 5:14–20 and the love of God while keeping abreast of news reports about the unspeakable atrocities currently taking place in Iraq.

On August 13, the UN sounded the alarm, declaring its highest level of emergency in Iraq and estimating that 1.2 million citizens had been internally displaced. Sadly, many Christians could not escape persecution. “Over the past three weeks, there have been various reports detailing the gruesome violence that IS is carrying out toward those who did not escape in time, including mass executions, beheadings and crucifixions. Many local Christian leaders are calling it the Holocaust of the 21st century,” reported the organizers of a Facebook page called “Pray for Iraq – 1 Million Strong.” “We condemn the awful evil being committed against minority communities in general and Christians in particular by militant Islamists in IS,” said Geoff Tunnicliffe, secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance. “There can never be any justification whatsoever for this indiscriminate persecution of a community which has lived in the region since long before the arrival of Islam, and which has consistently contributed to the welfare of its neighbours, whatever their religious convictions.”

AP PHOTO/KHALID MOHAMMED

Crying out to God

Naturally, our first response is to pray. Our trust is in the God who hears the cries of his September 2014 www.mbherald.com

Pastor and blogger Ryan Dueck (ryandueck.com) put it this way in a post entitled “The World Remains Divided”:

The absurdity of this task has, however, proven to be unbearable, and I’ve simply given up. How can one speak of the love of God after reading about human beings starving and dying on a mountain, fleeing the awful choice of conversion or death? How can one write about beauty and goodness after reading about – Christ have mercy! – children being beheaded or thrown from mountaintops. How can one craft a sermon about the “new creation where the old has passed away” and “everything has become new” after seeing images of such gruesome violence that words well and truly fail? The incongruity of the task is too much Groping for words to hold on to, I finally latched on to the closing paragraphs of David Bentley Hart’s little book on the problem of evil, The Doors of the Sea: Until that final glory, however, the world remains divided between two kingdoms, where light and darkness, life and death grow up together and await the harvest. In such a world, our portion is charity, and our sustenance is faith, and so it will be until the end of days. As for comfort, when we seek it, I can imagine none greater than the happy knowledge that when I see the death of a child, I do not see the face of God but the face of his enemy…. Now we are able to rejoice that we are saved not through the immanent mechanisms of history and nature, but by grace; that God will not unite all of history’s many strands into one great synthesis, but will judge much of history false and damnable; that he will not simply reveal the sublime logic of fallen nature, but will strike off the fetters in which creation languishes; and that, rather than showing us how the tears of a small girl suffering in the dark were necessary for the building of the Kingdom, he will instead raise her up and wipe away all tears from her eyes – and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor any more pain, for the former things will have passed away, and he that sits upon the throne will say, “Behold, I make all things new.” And in that hope, we pray.

featured contributor September’s cover photographer Jay Siemens is a selftaught, professional photographer and videographer from Altona, Man. Usually armed with a fishing rod in one hand and a camera in the other, Jay’s love for photography was born on lakes, on ponds and wherever his 200+ master anglers could be pictured in between. He has served as a volunteer photographer for MB Mission’s SOAR and ACTION programs since 2007. You can find more of his work at www.jaysiemensmedia.com.

SEPTEMBER 2014

Ten Commandments * for Pastors

RAYMOND O. BYSTROM

You shall not separate what you do from who you are. Woe to the pastor whose work seems to put him at odds with living as a Christian. Blessed is the pastor whose work does not get in the way of living Christianly. You shall not be tempted to act like a god before the admiring credulity of the people. Woe to the pastor who flees the shining face of God for a slithery world of religion that gives her license to manipulate people and acquire godlike attributes to herself. Blessed is the pastor who delights in the presence of the Lord, for that is the one place where she is sure to be exposed if she is pretending to be godlike. You shall not glamorize the congregation, for there are no wonderful congregations and all congregations are congregations of sinners. Woe to the pastor who thinks his vocation is a glamorous vocation, for he will experience much discontentment. Blessed is the pastor who recognizes that pastoral work is like farm work; it is similar to cleaning out the barn, mucking out the stalls, spreading manure, pulling weeds. You shall take a vow of stability and stay put, for the congregation is not a job site to be abandoned when a better offer comes along. Woe to the pastor who abandons her congregation for another out of boredom, anger or restlessness, for such behaviour vitiates the pastoral vocation. Blessed is the pastor who stays put for the pastoral vocation has to do with living out the implications of the Word of God in community, not sailing off into exotic seas of religion in search of fame and fortune. You shall not indulge in ecclesiastical pornography by glamorizing or despising the congregation. Woe to the pastor who tries to avoid the conditions of his workplace by repudiating it. Blessed is the pastor who accepts the conditions of his workplace, for ordinary congregations are God’s choice for the form the church takes in the world. continued on page 24

Mennonite Brethren Herald is published monthly by the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, primarily for the use of its members, to build a Canadian MB community of faith. We seek to 1) share the life and story of the church by nurturing relationships among members and engaging in dialogue and reflection; 2) teach and equip for ministry by reflecting MB theology, values and heritage, and by sharing the good news; 3) enable communication by serving conference ministries and informing our members about the church and the world. However, the opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the church as a whole. 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: 1996–2013. 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 http://www.mbherald.com PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NUMBER: 4000929 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: CIRCULATION DEPT., MB HERALD 1310 TAYLOR AVENUE WINNIPEG MB R3M 3Z6 CMCA

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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. Subscription rates 1 year $24 ($30 U.S. & foreign) 2 years $44 ($60 U.S. & foreign) 3 years $64 ($90 U.S. & foreign) Please add tax to domestic subscriptions. See www.mbherald.com or phone 204-654-5766 for rate. Contact karla.braun@mbchurches.ca for electronic options. Change of address + subscriptions Notice of change of address should be sent to circulation office, and should include both old and new addresses. Allow 4 weeks for changes to become effective. Email circulation office at subscribe@mbchurches.ca or phone 204-654-5766. Advertising Advertising inquiries should be sent to helga.kasdorf@mbchurches.ca. Display and classified advertisement copy must be received at least three weeks prior to publication. Advertisements are priced at a rate for insertion in one issue or at a discounted rate for insertions in three or more issues (not necessarily consecutive). Classifieds are priced per line, with a minimum charge of six lines. Staff Laura Kalmar editor Karla Braun associate editor Audrey Plew designer Helga Kasdorf circulation + advertising Angeline Schellenberg copy editor CANADIAN CONFERBarrie McMaster B.C. regional correspondent Advisory Council: Helen Rose Pauls, B.C. Brad Sumner, B.C. Gil Dueck, Sask. Sabrina Wiens, Ont. Volume 53, Number 9 • Copy run: 14,500 THE MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD IS A PUBLICATION OF

With thanks to Eugene Peterson from whose book, Under the Unpredictable *Plant (Eerdmans, 1992), these statements were drawn and reshaped.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

homepage

9 WAYS

to fight human trafficking

1. Change your language: Instead of “prostitute” (or a derogatory synonym), say “prostituted women” or “victims of prostitution.” Most prostituted women entered the sex trade by 12; some, as early as 8. The main factor is poverty; if girls had another choice, they would take it.

6. Teach a young man in your life to honour women as equals: According to Defend Dignity, 1 in 9 men in Canada buys sex. If every boy grew up internalizing the truth that women are not pleasure objects but people made in God’s image, there would be no market for illicit sex.

2. Educate yourself: www.evangelical fellowship.ca, aMillionActsofSustainability. com, PrayerforFreedom.com, JoySmith.ca, DefendDignity.ca.

7. Mentor a young woman: Show an interest in her music or sports. Some 80–90 percent of girls in the sex trade industry have a history of sexual abuse. Girls who feel safe and valued, who develop a healthy sense of self-worth, are more likely to seek help and less likely to be manipulated into a relationship with a pimp.

3.Shop: Buy goods made by women learning to support themselves as they recover from the sex trade, such as Sacred Mark soaps from Ten Thousand Villages or Global Wonders jewelry from SA Foundation. 4. Donate: Support a rescue mission like SA Foundation. The average number of times it takes a woman to get out of prostitution is 7. Once they leave, it takes years to unlearn unhealthy habits and develop new life and employment skills. This is expensive, one-life-at-a-time work. 5. Write your MP: Since the Supreme Court overthrew Canada’s current prostitution laws in December 2013, the government has been forced to rewrite legislation. Bill C–36, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act, introduced June 4, is a positive step. This is an opportunity for Christians to speak. Find a sample letter here: defenddignity. ca/mp-letter/

8. Volunteer: There are organizations in every province helping girls seeking to leave the sex trade. shehasaname.net/ resource-list-of-organizations-combattingtrafficking/ 9. The most important thing to do is pray: That girls and their families would recognize the lies of traffickers; that we would do our part to address the poverty that leads many to sell themselves or their children; that God would transform the hearts of traffickers, pimps and their customers; that the 300 million women and children sexually exploited and trafficked worldwide would be freed physically, mentally and spiritually. “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear” (Isaiah 59:1).—Compiled by Angeline Schellenberg

Staff appointment On June 1, the C2C Network appointed Scott Thomas as its second associate national director, based in Toronto. Scott has been working with C2C since last December on a contract basis, running Gospel Coach training workshops. Scott previously served as a pastor in the local church for 32 years and as director of a church planting network in the U.S. Scott co-authored Gospel Coach: Shepherding Leaders to Glorify God, created the Gospel Coach Training and Certification system and authored the Gospel Coach Workbook. Scott and Jeannie have been married for 33 years and have two grown sons, a daughter-inlaw and new granddaughter. Scott Thomas

C2C Network is an MB-based, interdenominational ministry that exists to catalyze church planting throughout Canada.

September 2014 www.mbherald.com

Mennonite World Conference (MWC) invites congregations in the global Anabaptist communion to observe Peace Sunday Sept. 21, 2014, the United Nations’ International Day of Peace. This year’s worship resources were prepared by the Brethren in Christ Church in Nepal, reflecting many years of persecution and the images that sustained them. The chain symbolizes both humanity’s bondage to sin and the church’s global bond through prayer. Available in English, Spanish, German and French at mwc-cmm.org, resources include Scripture reflections, sermon notes and intergenerational activities. Churches are invited to send their Peace Sunday experiences to the MWC Peace Commission, so MWC can share them with the global community.

coming events Conference events:

Sept. 23–25: C2C assessment centre, Calgary. Sept. 26–28: AWAKE KW, Waterloo (Ont.) MB Church. Oct. 3: C2C Network Ontario celebration banquet. Oct. 5–7: ABMB pastor and spouse’s retreat, Canmore, Alta. Oct. 5–7: SKMB pastor and spouse’s retreat, Dallas Valley Ranch Camp, Sask. Oct. 7: C2C Network B.C. celebration banquet. Oct. 17: C2C Network Alberta celebration banquet.

USMB delegates approve revision of Article 13, continue church planting U.S. Mennonite Brethren Conference (USMB) delegates voted 103 to 10 to approve the recommended revision to “Article 13: Love, Peacemaking and Reconciliation” of the Confession of Faith at the closing business session of the 30th national convention, Conection, July 25–26 at the Santa Clara (Cal.) Marriott. This is the first time the USMB Confession of Faith has been changed since 2000 when it became a national (rather than a binational North American) statement. The revision states commitments more strongly: “We actively pursue peace and reconciliation,” and “As peacemakers we alleviate suffering, reduce strife, promote justice and work to end violence and war.” Where the binational confession (and current Canadian confession) called members to “give alternative service where possible,” the new wording is honest about the diversity of the denomination’s beliefs. It also claims Peace Church identification and provides a basis for discernment and choices: “As in other Peace Churches, many of us choose alternative service rather than military participation. Because Jesus is Lord, his example and teaching take priority over nationalism and the demands of human authority.” Delegates also unanimously passed a motion introduced from the floor that mandates the board of faith and life to “foster communication within our congregations to encourage the study of, commitment to and growth in biblical love, peacemaking and reconciliation, guided by the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith Article 13 and to report the response to this initiative at the 2016 convention.” Keynote speaker Ed Stetzer encouraged USMBs to continue church planting among the least reached, or what he called, “going into the divots of the waffle.” Planters reported on their work among Filipino people in Las Vegas, Nev.; Russian and African immigrants in Spokane, Wash.; and Mormons in Utah and South Texas. The convention also honoured Ed Boschman, USMB executive director since 2007, for 40 years of service as a pastor and conference leader with a footwashing and standing ovation.— based on reports by Connie Faber

Oct. 17–19: AWAKE Winnipeg. Oct. 29: C2C Network Manitoba celebration banquet, Winnipeg. Oct. 30: C2C Network Manitoba celebration banquet, Winkler. Nov. 2: 50th anniversary celebration, Forest Grove Community Church, Saskatoon. Nov. 17–20: C2C church planter retreat, Victoria. Nov. 21–23: 50th anniversary celebration, South Langley (B.C.) Church. Dec. 2–4: C2C assessment centre, Toronto, Ont. *date changed Partner events:

Sept. 12–13: Festival for World Relief (MCC), Abbotsford, B.C. Sept. 27: Mennonite Fall Fair (MCC), Prince George, B.C. Nov. 15: MCC Manitoba 50th anniversary gala. July 17–19, 2015: Mennonite World Conference Global Youth Summit, Messiah College, Mechanicsburg, Pa. July 21–26, 2015: Mennonite World Conference Assembly 16, Harrisburg, Pa. View more events from churches, schools and agencies at mbherald. com/calendar.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

Praise God for the hundreds of children and youth who made a commitment to Jesus at camp this summer. Pray that they would get connected with a church, youth group or Bible study group to grow in their faith and receive encouragement and coaching from peers and mentors.

A CE LE BR AT ION of

Pray for the young adults who served as staff at camps this summer. For many, camp provides the first opportunity to take risks in leadership, to work as a team and to learn to trust God for wisdom and provision as camp workers. Pray that the faith that has grown in the staff over the summer will continue to be nurtured and fed as they return home to work or studies.

September 2014â&#x20AC;&#x192; www.mbherald.com

S U M M E R 2 014

Praise God for the senior citizens who have supported camps for decades â&#x20AC;&#x201C; as the pioneers and builders, the first volunteer staff members, as prayer warriors and financial supporters and as an example of Christian discipleship all along the road.

Pray for ingenuity as camps plan new programs and activities and recruit staff and campers for the next season. Pray that campers who were touched by the gospel for the first time would return for more discipleship and bring their friends.

Pray for the retreats and rental groups our camps host during the off-season. Pray for opportunities for all-season staff to share the hope of the gospel in these circumstances as well. Pray that the camp locations would be permeated by the peaceful presence of the Spirit.

Praise God for safety of staff and camps. Praise God that Camp Likely was able to find alternative activities during the wateruse ban on Quesnel Lake. Pray that camp personnel – and governments and industry – would wisely manage natural resources in the wilderness areas where summer camps are located.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Compelled to be an ambassador The connection between passionate faith and mission / Willy Reimer

esus saved me.

I know some people roll their eyes at such a statement because it sounds too evangelical, too simple, too pithy...but it’s true. I was hopelessly and helplessly lost. Not that my life was in shambles - I wasn’t on drugs, addicted to alcohol or involved in gang life. I was religiously aware. After all, I was raised in church, attended services, was involved in youth groups and attended a Christian high school. But I was spiritually dead. Culturally, I knew how to behave. However, anyone with a spiritual radar would have quickly discerned my lack of spiritual vitality. The problem with being religious yet spiritually dead is that you possess spiritual information without application or implication, which can result in a deep feeling of hopelessness. Mere spiritual information isn’t a means of transformation, but of condemnation. I remember having the “hell scared out of me” by movies like Thief in the Night, the precursor to Left Behind. My childhood faith was motivated by fear and created fear-based behaviour. I never understood what it meant to live a Spirit-filled life. When Jesus saved me, it wasn’t from being a bad person. He saved me from being a dead person. I came alive through his Spirit. Jesus overwhelmed me with his love and goodness, and my life changed from the inside out. Faith moved from obligation to intimacy, from fear to joy. His love washed over me. His acceptance amazed me. His healing freed me.

God’s unmerited transforming grace in my life. I realize I would be helplessly and hopelessly lost without Christ’s sacrifice on my behalf. So, what’s the connection between passionate faith and mission? Missiologist Ed Stetzer was recently asked which denominations were growing. He said Pentecostal/charismatic groups were growing the most thanks to their belief in the power of the Holy Spirit and the urgency of their message.

appreciate our “foundness” in Christ. “You grow when you think that what you have is so important everyone else needs it – even if there are already other churches,” said Stetzer. “Hence, charismatics see the need for more Spirit-filled churches and are driven by that.” Paul reminded the Corinthian church that “Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:14–15).

A passion to share The more I understand God’s heart for me, the greater my passion for communicating God’s love and truth to others. My passion is fuelled by my awareness of my sin and

If we minimize our sin, we minimize the importance and power of the cross, resulting in anemic faith and a weak witness. We lose our heart for Jesus and his work in

September 2014 www.mbherald.com

A number of years ago, I attended a prayer and fasting retreat with the Alberta conference. During one of our worship times, the Holy Spirit permitted me to feel what God feels for those who don’t know him. I began to weep uncontrollably and experience a pain in my chest that seemed unbearable. It lasted only briefly, but the Spirit’s gift to me in those moments has fuelled my passion to reach those who live apart from Christ.

If we don’t understand our “lostness,” we won’t

Christ’s love compels us – or, as the New Living Translation says, “Christ’s love controls us.” If we don’t understand our “lostness,” we won’t appreciate our “foundness” in Christ. Sharing Christ will turn into an act of obligation, rather than a response to God’s love and goodness.

our lives and the lives of others.

Some people have asked why we’re focusing so much on reaching people with the good news of Jesus Christ instead of other aspects of the gospel such as justice, humanitarian aid, peace and so on. All mission (evangelism, justice, peace, aid, etc.) is rooted in the cross and Christ’s saving work on behalf of humanity. We cannot elevate the ethics of Christ without first understanding our need for the cross of Christ. Jesus didn’t come to improve society – he came to transform humanity through life in him. By dealing with sin and being filled with the Spirit, God’s people discover their true identity in Christ. We are then capable of being agents of Christ in all spheres of our world. Are we compelled to be ambassadors for Christ in every kind of ministry endeavour because we’re convinced that Jesus “died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again”?

TEXT MESSAGE The cost of mercy

/ Kathy McCamis

MARK 1:40–45

want to be more like Jesus.

But as I encounter Jesus through Scripture, I’m often convicted that I have a very long way to go. It happened again as I read Mark 1:40– 45. It is early in Jesus’ ministry, and he’s travelling throughout Galilee, preaching, healing and driving out demons. Suddenly, a man with leprosy falls on his knees at Jesus’ feet, begging, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” In those days, leprosy was a catch-all term that included a variety of skin diseases. In many cases, people with leprosy suffered less from their skin condition than from the social isolation that came from the “unclean” label assigned to them as a result. Leviticus 13:45–46 captures a sense of the isolation experienced by people with leprosy: “Anyone with such a defiling disease must wear torn clothes, let their hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of their face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as they have the disease they remain unclean. They must live alone; they must live outside the camp.”

The power of a touch from Jesus So the man’s plea to Jesus is not only to be healed, but to be made clean – to be restored to full participation in worship and in the life of the community, to be allowed to freely experience human

touch and to have the stigma of sin removed from him. He has no doubt that Jesus is able to accomplish this. The question is whether Jesus will be willing to do so. Jesus demonstrates his willingness in a gesture that speaks more loudly than words ever could. Without hesitating, he touches the man, who for the duration of his illness has had to carefully avoid even accidental contact with others lest they too become unclean. Jesus touches this man, whose loneliness has at times been overwhelming, who has wondered if he would ever be able to shake a hand or receive a hug or embrace his family again without first carefully weighing the consequences. Jesus reaches out, and his touch speaks volumes. “I am willing. Be clean!”

Trading spaces Jesus is more than willing to make the man kneeling at his feet clean again. But this willingness doesn’t come without cost. At the beginning of the text, the man with leprosy finds himself on the outskirts of society, confined to the lonely places. But after his encounter with the man, it’s Jesus who now finds himself in the man’s shoes. It is Jesus who can no longer enter a town openly. It is Jesus who finds himself in lonely places. Talk about trading spaces!

MARK 1:40–45 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

The cost of mercy It’s not that I don’t want to help others. I do. Most of us would readily agree that we want to serve others when we can. With Jesus, though, I find his seeming lack of concern over the consequences of his actions unsettling. His disregard over the fact that touching this man will make Jesus unclean too. His absence of thought as to whether this skin disease might be contagious. His willingness to make this man clean despite any personal cost. The isolation, the inability to enter towns openly and the restrictions as to where he could travel don’t seem to deter Jesus from reaching out in love and compassion to a man in need of mercy. “Love your neighbour as yourself,” Jesus said. I’d like to say I do. But the reality is that when I encounter a neighbour who has bedbugs in his apartment, I’m more willing to offer my prayers than my presence, words of condolence than willing hands to help. If I take a hard look at it, what I want done for me and what I’m willing to do for my neighbour are two different things. I’ll help, but only after I’ve carefully examined the potential personal cost. Jesus loved and served first. I’m not even sure he got around to counting the cost. As I reread this text, I wonder if it’s not actually the man with leprosy who is most in need of cleansing. Seeing the darkness within my own heart, I find myself in his place, kneeling before Jesus, praying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Kathy McCamis is a student at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary Canada on the Canadian Mennonite University campus in Winnipeg, and a member of Fort Garry MB Church.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

’m training for my first half marathon. I love being out on Vancouver’s seawall and am grateful to be living in a part of Canada that isn’t buried in snow half the year. And I’m finding that I have a growing desire to be attentive to God as I run. To pray for our city is to invite God to shape our seeing, our heart and our attitude. It is to begin to take a posture that says, “Whatever happens in the places where I live and work matters to me because it matters to the God who is making everything new.” For a long time, my default running route took me along the seawall. It’s convenient, beautiful and there are no traffic lights to break my stride. One day, I headed in the opposite direction. No particular reason, I just wanted a change of scenery. As I passed the homes of some people in our community, I felt compelled to pray for one person in particular. Later that day, I found out he was going through a rough time. I took the Spirit’s prompting as a sign that God was thinking of him.

September 2014 www.mbherald.com

I decided to take that route once a week and dedicate that time to prayer for the neighbourhood. That little change in direction on the seawall is becoming a metaphor for a new course, a new direction. I’m working on the following ways to pray with my eyes open while I run.

CHOOSE A CENTRING OR ANCHORING PRAYER. Select a short, memorable phrase to come back to when you’re becoming distracted – which, by the way, is normal and inevitable. You could also try a simple phrase from the Psalms, like “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever” (Psalm 136:1). Or “Taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). Or a phrase from the Lord’s Prayer. I often use the Kyrie: “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy.” When you notice your mind wandering as you pray, come back to the “true north” with your chosen phrase.

PRAY SCRIPTURE. Something that has stuck with you from your weekly church gathering,

WAYS TO PRAY while you run (or walk)

NELSON BOSCHMAN

small group or your own personal reading can be spoken as a blessing or plea for the neighbourhood. This morning, I prayed, “This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of all my delight” (2 Peter 1:17, The Message). What the Father spoke over the Son, he also speaks over us: you, I and our neighbourhoods are deeply loved.

PRAY YOUR MUSIC. I use a custom running playlist of songs that move me in body, mind, heart and imagination. When a tune by Shad comes up, I pray into the issues of justice, race relations and culture renewal he often addresses in his songs. One morning, as Peter Gabriel’s “Big Time” began to play, I prayed the irony and the scandal of the good news: true winning comes through losing, not by achievement or success.

PRAY YOUR GEOGRAPHY. Your route may take you past parks, schools, residential neighbourhoods,

coffee shops, entertainment venues and pubs. Pray “Your kingdom come” over the places you pass. When you run by favourite restaurants, pray for their chefs, owners and servers; as you pass schools, pray for the students, teachers and administrators.

PRAY FOR PEOPLE. As you pass by and notice others, smile, say good morning, offer a high-five. Pray for the person’s well-being, relationships, family, workplace and hopes and dreams. Pray for commuters in cars and on transit.

PRAY FOR YOURSELF. As you run, name your anxieties, fears, worries, longings, your unfinished-ness, for situations where you’re looking for resolution or renewal. Offer yourself as you are and ask God to let his light shine in and through your life.

EXPRESS GRATITUDE. Thank God for the beauty of your city and neighbourhood. People ask how my running is going. Right now, it’s better than ever: I want to run more – further and faster. And that discipline spills over into other areas of life: the more I pray, the more I want to pray. What about you? How do you practise being attentive to God as you walk or run? Nelson Boschman, pastor of Artisan Church, Vancouver, wrote this piece for his church community. In process of discerning a vision for a new neighbourhood parish in East Vancouver, members participated in a season of focused prayer – one hour a week – individually or in groups for the existing and new church expressions.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

What the Hemorrhaging Faith research project means for the Canadian Mennonite Brethren church James Penner

September 2014â&#x20AC;&#x192; www.mbherald.com

“

What you have to realize about my generation is that we are lost,”

22-year-old Jessi blurted out. The recent college grad continued: “There is so much out there – it’s confusing. We feel alone, and we look for guidance. That’s where we begin to stray.” Over coffee, Jessi and I were talking about her leaving the student role that has defined her since kindergarten, and the stress of finding a job. Her last line – “we begin to stray” – puzzled me, but then I realized what Jessi was getting at. With the pressure to create a future on your own among a massive number of options with few stable adults on hand to guide, yes, you stray all over the place. This was demonstrated in the Hemorrhaging Faith project: research on the spiritual trajectories of Canadian young adults who attended Roman Catholic, mainline Protestant and Evangelical Christian churches as children.* [see sidebar] Two out of three Canadian young adults who attended church weekly as a child or youth in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s no longer do so today.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

Further, despite being raised in a Trinitarian confessing church, one in two of these young adults now would selfidentify as “spiritual but not religious,” “no religion,” “atheist” or “agnostic.” Although defections from evangelical churches such as the Mennonite Brethren are less pronounced than those from the Catholic or mainline Protestant tradition, a significant number stray from our congregations too. This raises important questions. &What do we have to do to reverse a trend of dwindling connection to Christian community? &What does it take for a young adult raised in a Mennonite Brethren flock to catch a vibrant faith that lasts a lifetime? I have spent the last four years fixated on these questions. As we studied 72 young adult interviews and pored over

the survey data from more than 2,000 young adults, some key insights for the church emerged.

We can’t give what we didn’t first receive As Jesus states in John 15, if we remain in him, we have God’s supernatural life flowing through our veins. Without this personal reality, we are spiritually dead. If we are not the real thing, our youth will not be impressed. The most important move we need to make to help others stay rooted in Jesus is to experience the extravagance of God ourselves. The very life of triune God lives within us – by consent, not effort. Being a follower of Jesus is not just about sin management or doing our very best. It is letting go of our need for security, approval and control, and saying “yes!” to God.

The report Out of their love for the Canadian church, in 2011, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s Youth and Young Adult Ministry Roundtable commissioned ground-breaking research on the spiritual trajectories of young adults who attended Roman Catholic, mainline Protestant and Evangelical Christian churches as children. My research firm, James Penner and Associates, conducted this project alongside EFC researcher Rick Hiemstra and a team of veteran youth workers, sociologists and church gurus, with the help of Angus Reid, strategic funders and a cadre of on-the-ground contributors from coast to coast to coast. Our efforts culminated in an unprecedented report Hemorrhaging Faith: Why and When Canadian Young Adults are Leaving, Staying and Returning to Church. David Guretzki of Briercrest Seminary consulted throughout the project and subsequently hosted ENGAGE conferences on this very topic. Check out ENGAGE 2014 via the Briercrest website (www.briercrest.ca/engage) for insights on curbing hemorrhaging faith. Consider how your church might participate in the Mar. 13–14 ENGAGE 2015 event. —JP

September 2014 www.mbherald.com

Think back to the garden in Genesis and humankind’s first temptation. It was to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But here is the greatest news of all. We were not put on the planet primarily to discern right from wrong, but rather to eat from the tree of life, which is Christ himself, and to digest his life into us. The character, the nature and the glory of triune God is thus expressed through human beings. The life in us does the work. And if our youth see this in us personally and in us corporately, they will come. The person of Christ inside us and our communities will intrigue the younger generation when they see and experience God through us. Unless we have accepted as a gift the uncreated, holy and divine life of God living inside of us, we have little to offer.

They can’t be what they can’t see We must be visible to our youth. The discipleship modelled by Jesus was apprenticeship. It was organic and longterm, not programmatic with starts and stops that lose people at transitions. Jesus took an apprentice with him everywhere he went. Try that: take a millennial (born in the 1980s or 90s) along wherever you go. The primary thing Jesus did in his postresurrection days on earth was track down his engagers like Mary, his fence sitters like Thomas and his wanderers like Peter. And if rejecter Judas were still alive, Jesus’ character suggests he would have tracked him down too – just as he would later visit murderous Saul who became the apostle Paul! What are present day implications for us? Church must go beyond Sunday.

This means not just sharing the gospel, but giving our very lives because our people are so dear to us (1 Thessalonians 2:8, 19–20). This is imitation, not just information and inspiration. It is always about being with – the ministry of presence. “Don’t just be there; be audaciously present,” writes Bill Beausay. Being there requires artistry and stealth, he suggests. It means being present in “powerful, colourful and in-your-face ways.” It means we live such authentic lives that we can urge our young, as Paul urged his flock (1 Corinthians 4:16), to imitate us as we imitate Christ. It also means the church family views everyone (not only next of kin) as “blood relatives.” It means being visible and vulnerable in all seasons, including the “dark nights of the soul.” And it means letting our youth access our elderly – the most beautiful souls in our midst – who despite life losses are finishing their faith journey well.

We can’t influence if we don’t stay To do all this well, we have to slow down. “One of the most harmful ideals to grip [our minds] over the past two decades is that of ‘quality time,’” writes George Barna. Youth need quantity time. We need to be present in the same way Jesus was present to his disciples and Paul was to his converts, as he admonishes in Philippians 2:5–8. To empty oneself means to give without expecting our efforts to be reciprocated or acknowledged. Giving our very lives means being with our youth and young adults indefinitely. It means we are not meeting in another room or at another time. Not in our own age-comfortable groupings. Not gone

for the winter. It means life-long mentoring, not segmented mentoring. It means long-term pastorates. Youth are uncertain. They have deep and difficult questions. The acceptance of uncertainty in our conversations is crucial and will allow for a truly honest, invitational and participatory experience. Youth live in a world without borders. They have never known a time when virtual and face-to-face connection were not blurred. Through their smart phones, they literally carry answers in their pockets. Yet there is so much information to wade through that this generation, perhaps like none before, craves and responds to wisdom from an authentic loving and thinking soul who comes alongside. We can give guidance. And we need to be there, not when it is convenient for us, but all the time, in self-emptying ways. We cannot give what we have not got. They cannot be what they cannot see. We cannot influence if we do not stay. To stop hemorrhaging faith is that simple...and that hard! Which brings me back to Jessi. As we sipped decaf coffee and chai tea, I told her she was not the only one with stress in the transition to adulthood. No matter how healthy a little fish is, if you put it into a toxic river, it will not make it. Sadly, our present individualistic, materialistic, secular society is exactly that – toxic. It expects our young people for the most part to fend for themselves – and the church has drunk the Kool-Aid. No wonder our young people are stressed.

Consumer societies, suggests sociologist Zygmunt Bauman, have turned identity formation into a sentence of life-long hard labour. Youth are expected to turn themselves into their own brand and prostitute themselves. According to Bauman, they are “simultaneously the promoter of commodities and the commodities they promote.” So, Jessi’s feelings of lostness should be expected. But then we talked about good news. We talked about how one’s twentysomething years are a developmental sweet spot, a strategic time to gain identity capital instead of having an identity crisis. And I told Jesse the greatest news of all: she is not alone. I will be there for her as she dreams about becoming a researcher who tackles post-traumatic stress disorder in our military’s soldiers. And we talked about the best news of all: God has her back as she plans for the future. She can take her deepest and best dreams about her future seriously. She can know that God had planted them there. (The devil is simply not that creative.) The three most prominent images of God in the Bible are good Father (and Mother!), good Shepherd and good King. God is there for us as his children, lambs and citizens. And Jessi, this beloved daughter of God, can count on the entire Mennonite Brethren church in Canada to be in her corner too! The faith of the next generation is our collective sacred trust. Imagine with me, Paul’s language of a “more than all we ask or imagine” church (Ephesians 3:20–21) that brings glory to God down all the generations. We as Canadian MBs are invited into that glorious future: inclusive,

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

intergenerational, countercultural, missional churches and church plants from sea to sea, connected to Jesus and utilizing everyone’s gifts from childhood through the senior years...with not just young adults like Jessi, but all of us joyful and confident because we have rediscovered connection to Trinity and the shelter of each other.

What the church can do The hemorrhaging of young adults from Christian faith is a multi-generational health problem. This is so sobering an issue it cannot be delegated to a segment of the church such as the youth or young adult program. This dilemma must be taken seriously by all senior leadership and all adults in every congregation. Churches can take action by viewing the report and asking probing questions (see below). What might a church do? Download the report from www.hemorrhagingfaith.com. Marinate yourself in its findings and start a discussion with the adults in your congregation. Then take a count of all those aged 14–34 presently in your church or who have ever attended your church. Track them down wherever they are and ask each one to give you their personal honest response to the four statements below. Ask them to rate the statements strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree.

1. I find God personally loving and tangibly answering my prayers. 2. My parents and/or the significant adults in my life have a faith worth following. 3. The attenders of my local church are inclusive and authentically following Jesus. 4. The biblical teaching I receive is empowering and not restrictive.

September 2014 www.mbherald.com

This will begin to give you a window into the key issues your specific church needs to address. It will give you a picture of how serious the hemorrhaging faith issue is in your faith community. What needs to stay the same, and what needs changing, so vibrant faith flourishes? Explore the issues this analysis raises with key adults of all ages and a diversity of children, youth and young adults. As you discern best courses of action, expect God to bless you with insight and give you more than you could ask or imagine so God’s glory touches all generations (Ephesians 3:20–21). James Penner is an adjunct University of Lethbridge professor and a youth and church consultant with James Penner and Associates (www.pennerandassociates.com). James and his wife Claire are long-time members of College Drive Community (MB) Church, Lethbridge, Alta., and proud parents of two young adult children Elya, married to Matt Bergen, and Erick, married to Jelisa Riediger.

further resources Transfusing Life: Practical Responses to the Hemorrhaging Faith Report transfusinglife.wordpress.com an ideas booklet to assist church leadership, including youth and children’s workers, by David Overholt and members of the EFC Youth and Young Adult Roundtable

Before You Say Goodbye www.davidsawler.com a web interactive book for youth and young adults by David Sawler, author of the Goodbye Generation book series

ART INSTALLATION, OLGA LAH (“COMPLINE,” 2011)

a pullupchair

The joy of borrowing (and conversing) across denominations /

oes my MB church follow a high church liturgy or worship to electric guitar? Do we reach the community through relief kits or revival meetings? What about sharing circles or children leading worship? How do we view the work of the Holy Spirit? Mennonite Brethren have a history of gleaning from other church traditions, but deciding what to glean hasn’t been easy or unanimous.

Sharing gifts MB Biblical Seminary professor Andrew Dyck believes that answering “What can we use from another tradition?” requires getting around a table with its followers. “Are we what’s in our confession of faith, our publications, the failings

Angeline Schellenberg

in our history?” asks Dyck, “or are we what’s happening in our churches right now?” Each church has its own blind spots and flaws, and each brings its own gifts, says Dyck. “There’s a danger of narrowing down our [denominational] definitions so tightly that we lose sight of our failings and the gifts others bring. What’s lost is humility. We do well to remember ‘how unsearchable are the ways of God’” (Romans 11:33). Dyck offers the example of the Reformed movement: its gift is an emphasis on God’s grace and the reminder that God’s reign touches every part of life. Similarly, he says, Anabaptism reminds the global church of our responsibility to live

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

out that grace: “Anabaptists are unashamed about discussing what it looks like to ‘work out salvation in fear and trembling’” (Philippians 2:12).

Considering churches in context In Dyck’s Congregational Mission and Evangelism class, students interviewed the leaders of 12 diverse Christian ministries, six of them MB: the C2C Network, The Meeting Place, Philadelphia Eritrean Church, House Blend Ministries, LaSalle (Man.) Community Fellowship and Eastview Community Church. The other six were from other denominations: Calvary Temple (Pentecostal), Spirit Path United, Springfield Heights Mennonite (MC Canada), Winnipeg Centre Vineyard, Indigenous Family Centre (Christian Reformed) and Trinity Presbyterian. “When I sat with these leaders, it confirmed that God intended each church to be a rich flavour, a buffet of choices,” says student Arisnel Mésidor, pastor of Église

them to ask, “Would an Aboriginal person walk in and say, ‘There’s something so different here, this is not aboriginal spirituality, this is Jesus?’” After seeing how each church’s practices grew from their own contexts, as a chaplain, Klassen is more determined to encourage college students to critique, rather than blindly accept or discard, the culture they’ve inherited. “Each practice has flaws, but some of them are necessary correctives,” says Dyck, referencing the way churches like Eastview Community borrowed two decades ago from the seeker-sensitive movement to become more welcoming to non-believers; now the pendulum is swinging back toward greater focus on discipling believers. Dyck says, “We need to keep living in humility.” Even churches with similar practices had different underlying theologies: Klassen notes that art at the Vineyard, an inner-city church that doubles as an emergency

“The mistake would be to let something we don’t agree on prevent us from working together in areas where we do.” Communautaire de la Rivière Rouge (MB), Winnipeg. “More than ever, I’m optimistic about [denominations]: differences are good.” Mésidor, and classmates Freda Friesen, a Red River College chaplain, and Jason Klassen, a youth leader at The Meeting Place, observed how each church’s context shaped its ministry. With its population of recent immigrants, Philadelphia Eritrean Church saw a need to help their children hold onto Jesus as they transition between cultures; out of that need grew the practice of involving their children in leading worship. As a volunteer at a mission in Winnipeg’s core, Klassen was touched by the EthiopianEritrean gathering’s testimony: in Africa, they’re enemies; in Winnipeg, they’re the body of Christ. Indigenous Family Centre raised questions about how far a church can go in adapting to its context. For some students, IFC’s practice of incorporating Aboriginal spiritual symbols into Christian worship was new and uncomfortable. Dyck encouraged 20

September 2014 www.mbherald.com

shelter, is a shared activity that fosters belonging. At The Meeting Place’s middleclass gathering, Friesen says, art is more professionalized: it’s an opportunity for musicians and painters to lead worship with excellence. “I’ve done away with the idea that I can read a book, go to church, apply it and have it work,” says Friesen. At each venue, the pastors reflected heartache and humility over the ways their results differed from what they set out to accomplish. “When you’re leading people,” says Friesen, “you can’t predict what they – and the Holy Spirit – are going to do.”

really good about our MB distinctives?” “I began to see it wasn’t just about thinking ‘This could apply to my ministry,’” says Klassen, but about asking “How can I join with what God is doing at each of these 12 ministries?” The course also encouraged Mésidor to keep his eyes open for opportunities for his small church to partner with others. “Not one church or denomination should be doing everything” was a liberating realization. “It’s okay if we only have resources to do two or three things; the whole body together – the church in all its locations – can do everything.” “The whole life of the church is about participating with God on mission,” says Dyck.

Growing from our roots “I look at what makes people stop and listen to the gospel of Jesus Christ,” says Mésidor, not at which denomination is practising it. “If the Salvation Army or Catholic Church has the best strategy, I’ll use it.” We’ll always be different, he says, but “the mistake would be to let something we don’t agree on prevent us from working together in areas where we do.” If what another group emphasizes rings true with our shared “roots” of Scripture, then its emphasis is ours too, says Dyck. As co-heirs with Christ, “we can claim any Christian spirituality that is faithful to the biblical witness and centrality of Christ as our inheritance” writes Erwin Klassen in Direction Journal. “All our roots come from Jesus,” says Dyck. “Mennonite, Lutheran, Baptist, Catholic – we’re always growing from our roots.” We study our church’s journey, not to reclaim some golden era, but to move forward. “Our roots are living,” says Dyck.

Partnering on mission

About the artist: Olga Lah is a second generation Korean-American who lives in Long Beach, Cal. She holds a B.A. from the University of California at Riverside, and an M.A. in theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. Her interest in the relationship between theology and art led her to an art practice exploring these themes in sitespecific installations and sculpture.

“I’m not as fearful if something isn’t Mennonite Brethren,” says Friesen. Observing that some churches hold structures loosely, he wonders, “[Is] there more we can borrow from other traditions than what we think, [without] losing what’s

“Compline” is the hour of prayer before sleep in the tradition of Praying the Hours. “I wanted to create a dream-scape that reflected this hour that prepares one to enter into the unknown,” says Lah. “The chairs on the beach represent a relationship between the real and metaphysical, an incongruous situation that points to transcendence.”

Mésidor agrees: mission is not about our strategies, he says, but paying attention to how the Spirit is at work in our context.

NE WS in stor y WINNIPEG

Memories of faith-filled father kept evergreen

ince Eric Schmidt’s death to kidney cancer, Jan. 31, 2009, his family has wanted to plant a tree in his memory. “Every vacation, we’d have to stop to see big trees, strange trees, take pictures of Eric beside trees,” says wife Anne. “In his funeral slideshow, there was a whole section about trees.” Schmidt was one of 12 Jubilee Mennonite Church attenders memorialized in a tree planting ceremony, May 24, 2014. Eric and Anne Schmidt began attending Jubilee’s predecessor, Valley Gardens (MB) Community Church, in their Winnipeg neighbourhood in 1986 for their children. At first, Eric found leaving his childhood congregation of Portage Avenue (MB) Church difficult, but the new church soon became family. Valley Garden

merged with another church in 1995 to form Jubilee, which Anne continues to call home. Eric served both congregations as treasurer. “He was a laid back guy who could drive you crazy because ‘everything was going to be okay,’” says Anne. When the church had big ideas, he’d say, “We can do it and figure out how to get money later. Ministry is important.” Eric also actively demonstrated his faith at Living Bible Explorers, an inner-city youth mission, from its beginnings in the early 1970s until his death at age 57: running camps, serving on the board, leading boys’ clubs, driving bus. “He had a gift for enjoying the noisy chaos and not letting it get to him,” says Anne. Jubilee’s Edd Funk applied for a Manitoba Hydro grant to

purchase the trees. “It was an opportunity to remember people who’ve passed on, to meet their families and to reconnect with past members,” says Edd’s wife Mary, who helped organize the event. Pastor Dan Nighswander prayed a dedication prayer, and the families shared memories. Mary says, “The atmosphere was both solemn and joyful.” The Schmidt family chose a spruce, which holds happy

holiday memories with their husband and father. “We always had a real Christmas tree, usually a spruce the neighbour cut from his ditch,” says Anne. Trees were also planted in memory of Abe Rempel, Anne Dyck, Erna Mar tin, Henr y Loewen, Jim Bage, John Isaac, John Wiebe, Kathryn Poseluzney, Kristin Braun, Marlene Peters and Trudy Driedger.—Angeline Schellenberg

New position connects Chinese churches In August, the B.C. conference (BCMB) executive board appointed David Leung to the new volunteer position of Assistant to the Conference Minister for Chinese Churches, effective Sept. 1, 2014. For nearly a decade, Leung served as stewardship representative with the Canadian conference, supporting and connecting the B.C. conference with its Chinese churches. That role came to an end at the end of August.

Leung will now work in close partnership with the B.C. conference minister to give oversight and support to Chinese pastors, churches and ministries in fulfillment of BCMB’s mission and vision statements and in accordance with its guiding documents. An official installation will happen during the B.C. conference’s spring 2015 convention.—BCMB release

PHOTOS: ANGELINE SCHELLENBERG

“We’ve come to know and trust David as a dear brother in Christ and faithful servant, particularly among our 18 Chinese churches in B.C. and across Canada,” says B.C. conference minister Rob Thiessen. “And we recognize the importance of having a person function in relationship with our Chinese-speaking congregations who understands their distinct cultural and social milieu.”

Anne with children (from left) Amanda, Alex and Jessica (missing: Matthew) MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

NE WS in stor y VA N CO U V E R

MB CFL newbie knows his family is behind him

PHOTO: BARRIE MCMASTER

single family occupied a whole section at BC Place stadium in Vancouver this summer. Some 75 family and extended family members, plus many of their friends, turned out to cheer on rookie player Matthias Goossen, a member of Willingdon Church, Burnaby, B.C. Son of Rick and Brenda Goossen and a four-year player (and ultimate captain) on the Simon Fraser University (SFU) Clansmen, Matthias is now a member of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers football team. The offensive lineman joined the team as second pick in the 2014 CFL Canadian draft. The family celebration on July 25 marked the first of only two occasions this season when the BC Lions are at home to the Bombers. The Goossen family filled up Section 206 at BC Place, many of them wearing blue #61 Goossen football jerseys. Friends spilled across the aisles to nearby seating. Goossen says he knew “something was up with my family, but it was

so cool to see them support me like that.” Goossen is used to big family gatherings. Both sets of grandparents frequently invited up to 20 family members for Sunday dinner. And his paternal grandmother would invite up to 80 extended family at Christmas and summer each year. However, for Goossen, it was a bigger crowd at BC Place. “Some of my friends from high school even came to the game,” he says. Vancouver College, his high school, claims to have more alumni playing in the CFL than any high school in Canada, according to his coach, Doug Pauls. Goossen says his father looked into VC for him because it is a renowned football powerhouse, and adds, “I am still involved with VC and attribute much of my success to my time there.” Goossen remembers thinking it was unrealistic to want a career in football. Now, he can hardly

Goossen smiles for family and friends during his first CFL game in his hometown. September 2014 www.mbherald.com

believe it has come to pass. “Really, it’s always been what I wanted to do,” he says. “I’m now a pro CFL football player – and that’s a pretty sweet thing to be able to say.” Being a professional also means hard work. The Bombers get the day off after a game or after travel, but this is a full-time job, with compulsory team training from 9:00–1:30 each day, followed by further work “on your own stuff” for another 2–3 hours. Being a professional is much harder than college football, he says. “But it’s still fun. I love it.” Goossen misses his church as he settles into Winnipeg life. He has been part of Willingdon since “the start of my living memory.” He has visited two Winnipeg churches so far, but says, “The

team is rarely home on Sundays, so it has been a challenging time.” Goossen’s faith and church life are important to him, and he is grateful for Blue Bombers (and Jets hockey) chaplain Lorne Korol. He adds, “Our team chapel is like my church.” Goossen was also active at SFU in the evangelical organization Athletes in Action. It was there that he met Kia Van Laare, an SFU basketball player. They were engaged in April and plan to marry next January. Their first home together will be Vancouver until the start of the 2015 football season. Then they’ll move to Winnipeg. There may be more than one or two relatives on hand to see them off.—Barrie McMaster, B.C. correspondent

A note of hope from Ukraine

kraine has a long history of unrest. Countless men and women have fled west, seeking refuge from brutal abuse and bloodshed. In 1919, it was young Marichen, who was covered in deep cuts over her whole body. She and 16-yearold neighbour Henry Regehr watched anarchists massacre their families. They fled hand in hand through the snow, the only two to escape from Münsterberg, Ukraine. In 2014, it was Maria. She and her family fled Donetsk, Ukraine, a region under armed Russian and pro-Russian terrorist command, where Malaysia 777 was shot down July 17. Held captive for six days, Maria was tortured, her flesh cut deeply. Her family’s crime? They stood in the city centre with other believers and prayed for peace. Now, in Kyiv, Maria and her family are receiving care through Music Mission Kiev. Wes Ja nzen – g ra ndson of Henry Regehr – thought of Marichen when saw the ghastly wounds on Maria’s neck, back, arms and hands. Janzen is president of Music Mission Kiev and conductor of MMK’s musical arm, the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (KSOC). In Ukraine for most of 2014, he has witnessed

a rapidly growing refugee crisis, similar to the one his grandfather experienced 95 years ago. Held in high regard in Kyiv, having served effectively for 22 years, MMK is positioned to respond rapidly with food, clothing and Bibles. MMK offers English lessons, children’s music lessons and a weekly worship service with 170 refugees from Crimea, Sloviansk and Donetsk. “We’ve even planted a church in their midst,” says Janzen. Janzen’s wife Kim teaches Bible lessons to hundreds of widows each week, and many are coming to Christ. “There have been snipers on rooftops,” says Janzen, but “we are seeing the blessing of God in the midst of the storm.” When the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus tours Canada, Sept. 7–Oct. 12, 2014, Janzen says, “I am especially looking forward to bringing these 42 Ukrainian musicians to Steinbach MB Church (Oct. 3, 2014), where my grandfather Regehr pastored. Many times in Ukraine, I’ve told the story of how he chose the way of Jesus – the way of forgiveness.”—MMK release

“The best sacred concert I’ve ever heard, anywhere.”

–Franz Mohr, Steinway

Experience the Glory! 34 singers and 8 instrumentalists from

Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Wes and Kim Janzen Slavic a cappella Sung and spoken prayers Hymns and spirituals, sacred classics Timeless instrumental chamber music Stories and testimonies of God’s grace Rich Ukrainian voices, hearty Ukrainian folk music

SEPTEMBER 2014 9 – Chilliwack Alliance, 7 pm 10 – Bakerview MB, Abbotsford, 2 and 7 pm 11 – University Chapel, UBC, 7 pm 12 – Garden Park Tower, Abbotsford, 11:30 am 12 – Clearbrook MB, Abbotsford, 7 pm 13 – Bakerview MB, Abbotsford, 7 pm 14 – Willingdon Church, Burnaby, 7 pm 15 – North Langley Community Church, 7 pm 16 – Bethany Baptist, Richmond, 7 pm 18 – Calvary Community Church, Kamloops, 7 pm 19 – Evangel Church, Kelowna, 7 pm 21 – First Baptist Church, Calgary, 7 pm 22 – First Alliance Church, Calgary, 7 pm 23 – Lendrum MB, Edmonton, 7 pm 24 – McDougal United Church, Edmonton, 7 pm 25 – Third Avenue United, Saskatoon, 7 pm 26 – Orr Centre, Regina, 7 pm 27 – Knox Metropolitan, Regina, 7 pm 28 – Calvary Temple, Winnipeg, 6 pm (with KVI) 30 – Westminster United, Winnipeg, 7 pm

OCTOBER 2014 1 – Trinity Baptist, Winnipeg, 7 pm 2 – Winkler Centennial Concert Hall, 7 pm 3 – Steinbach MB Church, 7 pm 4 – Hope Church, Thunder Bay, 7:30 pm 7 – Christ Church Cathedral, Ottawa 7 pm, 8 – Yorkminister Park Baptist, Toronto, 7 pm 9 – Waterloo MB Church, 7 pm 10 – Scott Street MB, St. Catharines, 2 pm 10 – Glenridge Bible Church, St. Catharines, 7 pm 11 – Leamington United MB, 2 and 7 pm The Kyiv Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (KSOC) is the evangelistic arm of Music Mission Kiev (MMK). KSOC shares the gospel through great sacred classics, which were once forbidden in the former USSR. MMK provides spiritual and humanitarian assistance to over 375 widows and pensioners and cares for a growing number of refugees in Ukraine. A free-will offering will be taken to support the evangelistic and humanitarian ministries of Music Mission Kiev. MMK is an agent of Multination Missions Foundation. MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

FAMILY news BIRTHS BANDSMER – to Mike & Rena (Schellenberg) of Victoria, a daughter, Sierra Brielle, Mar. 31, 2014. BUSHMAN – to Daniel & Kim of Watrous, Sask., a son, Carter Daniel, May 9, 2014. DUECK – to Charles & Daniele (Pankratz) of Abbotsford, B.C., a daughter, Zoey Rebecca, May 9, 2014. DUECK – to Dennis & Simone (Kroeger) of Abbotsford, B.C., a son, Noah Alexander, July 1, 2014. FRIESEN – to Joseph & Danae of White City, Sask., a son, Jacob Tobias, May 2, 2014. JUSZKU – to Wes & Stephanie (Ens) of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., a daughter, Kinley Lynn, June 8, 2014. PLETT – to Kevin & Megan of Portage la Prairie, Man., a daughter, Keira Raeline, June 24, 2014.

WARKENTIN – to Randy & Becky (Warkentim) of Abbotsford, B.C., a son, Jonah Evald, July 9, 2014.

WEDDINGS J oel HAMM & Andrea PELLETIER, both of Winnipeg, July 19, 2014. aniel LOEWEN & D Andrea NELSON, both of Winnipeg, June 30, 2014.

ANNIVERSARIES

rt & Rita KLASSEN A of Portage la Prairie, Man., celebrated their 60th anniversary with family and friends June 28, 2014. They were married July 16, 1954, at Newton (Man.) MB Church (now Community Fellowship Church). John & Mary KLASSEN of Abbotsford, B.C., celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with family in August 2013 in Borken, Germany. They were married Oct. 18, 1953, in Vancouver MB Church.

got news? Contact karla.braun@mbchurches.ca with pastoral transition and church anniversary information.

September 2014 www.mbherald.com

Ten commandments continued from page 5 You shall not collaborate with the enemy by offering a religion that is mostly entertainment with occasional breaks for moral commercials. Woe to the pastor who starts making deals, packaging the God-product so that people will be attracted to it and presenting it in ways that will beat out the competition. Blessed is the pastor who refuses to be a branch manager in a religious warehouse outlet, marketing God to religious consumers. You shall embrace a life of prayer, so that you can experience God’s control when you are out of control in the storm and in the belly of the whale. Woe to the pastor who lets his vocation get in the way of God’s work, for such a vocation is simply a witness to God. Blessed is the pastor who discovers that prayer is the single act that has to do with God; it is the essential action. You shall say, “God,” personally, clearly, distinctly and unapologetically in all proclamations and prayers, for you have no other task but to draw the people’s attention to God. Woe to the pastor who assumes that because every human being has a hunger for God that is deep and insatiable, they also have a desire for God. Blessed is the pastor who pronounces the Name and names the common hunger of humanity for God. You shall pray the Psalms daily for worship, for you need the replenishment of regular feeding on the Psalms. Woe to the pastor whose life is prayerless and who has no bucket with which to draw water from the well of salvation. Blessed is the pastor who uses the Psalms as a “bucket” prayed through monthly, whether he feels like it or not, for it keeps him in shape for a life of spirituality. You shall take off your shoes before the Shekinah of the congregation, for it is topsoil seething with energy and organisms that have incredible capacities for assimilating death and participating in resurrection. Woe to the pastor who sees the congregation as raw material for developing programs, for sooner or later she will be pushing and pulling, cajoling and seducing, persuading and selling. Blessed is the pastor who treats the congregation with the patient devotion of a farmer cultivating a field rather than the impatience and violence of a developer building a shopping mall, for pastors are called to gently cultivate the congregation as a planting from God.

Raymond O. Bystrom is adjunct professor of pastoral ministry at MBBSLangley and former professor of pastoral ministry at MBBS-Fresno. Raymond also pastored two MB congregations in B.C. in the 1980s. Raymond and his wife Elizabeth are currently members of Cedar Park Church, Delta, B.C.

Church Anniversary Gospel Mission Church, Carrot River, Sask., celebrated 75 years, July 20, 2014, with two worship services, a potluck, children’s activities and a free community barbeque. The church was founded in 1939 as Carrot River Gospel Mission under the Canadian Sunday School Mission (now One Hope Canada). It began services in 1944 and formally organized in 1957 as a member of the Saskatchewan Conference of MB Churches, when it became known as Carrot River MB Gospel Mission, with Victor Nickel as founding pastor. Since the church’s first building was damaged in a waterline break in 2003, the church has met in Pioneer Place on Main Street. Known as Gospel Mission Church since 2010, the congregation meets needs in the community with the love of Christ. Current membership is 21, with David Grimes as pastor.

Communications and Media Specialist – B.C. This person will provide creative support to the CCMBC communications team and serve as a liaison between the B.C., Manitoba and Alberta offices. Key responsibilities include developing materials such as promotional pieces, brochures, videos, podcasts and news stories; and helping maintain CCMBC websites by assisting in website design, development and content management.

job posting

The successful applicant will be organized, flexible, self-motivated and detail-oriented, and able to work in a long-distance team environment. A degree or diploma in communications is preferred, with experience in design and media production. This person must be familiar with the Canadian Mennonite Brethren milieu and supportive of CCMBC’s mission and confession of faith. For a complete job description, see jobs.mbherald.com. Please send resume and cover letter to Laura Kalmar, 1310 Taylor Ave., Winnipeg, Man., R3M 3Z6, OR laura.kalmar@mbchurches.ca, OR call toll-free 888-669-6575. Application deadline is September 30, 2014.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

gnihtyreve dna s’droL eht si

The Canadian Conference of MB Churches (B.C. office) is seeking a dynamic, creative individual to join our team as full-time

Google Ads lose the porn Google announced in July it will no longer accept AdWords advertisements containing explicit language or that link to porn sites. While the new policy doesn’t limit Google users from finding and linking to adult websites, it does exclude porn-peddling on AdWords and prevents Google from profiting from porn. Given that 12 percent of websites contain pornography and 25 percent of all search engine requests are pornrelated, the change will significantly lower Google’s AdWords profits, which in 2012 were estimated at $100 million a day.—relevantmagazine.com

MCC on the ground in Iraq After the Islamic State (formerly known as ISIS) took over the city of Mosul June 11, more than 500,000 residents fled to nearby villages and the Kurdish area of Iraq. The United Nations estimates Iraq has 1.2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs). Mennonite Central Committee’s partner Al Amal (The Hope), an ongoing peacebuilding and community development ministry, is providing food and water to IDPs, with support from MCC. MCC hopes to send 12,000 hygiene kits and 3,000 relief kits to Iraqis affected by the conflict.— mcccanada.ca

Savin g a child Throughout Moldova, Ukraine and Romania, more than 70,000 children live in state homes often in poor repair because the governments can’t afford to keep the houses in good and safe condition. Throughout the region, many thousands more children are abandoned or orphaned; alone, unprotected, homeless and walking the streets. Many of these kids are kidnapped and forced into the sex trade. According to one CNN report, 75% of the sex workers in the Netherlands at the moment originate from Eastern European countries such as Romania. These are children we want to save and need your help to do it. These children need our love and support, often for lengthy periods. We ask that you prayerfully consider sponsoring one of these children today. For just $32.00 a month, the equivalent of a coffee a day, you can bring hope, the love of God and light into the life of an abandoned, at-risk child. A gift of sponsorship will help us provide emotional, physical and spiritual help to these deserving children.

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Safe place for Syrian girls Some 30,000 refugees from Syria enter Lebanon each week. As concerns about food prices, water supply and refugee status grow, girls are at risk of being forced to beg, become sex workers or marry young, says Naomi Enns, Mennonite Central Committee representative for Lebanon and Syria and a member of River East MB Church, Winnipeg. MCC’s partner House of Light and Hope in Lebanon is a safe place for 120 refugee girls affected by the Syrian crisis. Since the crisis began in March 2011, MCC has allocated $16 million in emergency food, shelter, household items, trauma healing, education support, and peacebuilding and disaster response training in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.— mcccanada.ca

September 2014 www.mbherald.com

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Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled. You who answer prayer, to you all people will come. When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions. Psalm 65:1–3 Visit mennonitebrethren.ca to sign up to receive the full prayer guide.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

Discover CMU

MB STUDIES 2014 PROJECT GRANT Arts • Science • Business • Music

Exemplary Academics Faith-filled Community

The Historical Commission of the U.S. and Canadian Mennonite Brethren Churches announces a grant of up to $2,000 to promote research and publication on topics of historical and theological interest to Mennonite Brethren around the world. Projects may include, but are not limited to, dissertations, theses, books, articles, lecture series, symposia, and multi-media presentations. To apply, send the following materials by November 17, 2014, to Jon Isaak (jon.isaak@mbchurches.ca), Executive Secretary, Historical Commission, 1310 Taylor Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3M 3Z6: a 500 word summary of the project, stating its significance and contribution to MB studies, a budget of anticipated expenses (e.g., transcription, copy editing, research assistance, travel, income supplement, etc.), a vitae, and one letter of recommendation. Recipients of the award will be announced December 8, 2014. Disbursements will be made December 15, 2014. The Selection Committee may choose not to award the grant, if none of the applications is deemed acceptable.

Application deadline: NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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CAMP DIRECTOR Camp Likely welcomes applicants for the position of camp director. The camp is located 100 km east of the community of Williams Lake, B.C. The camp director will have a variety of roles and administrative responsibilities. At this time, it will be part-time over portions of the year and full-time during the active months of camp (in preparation and during camp). So, another job needs to be available to fulfill these part-time shortfalls. Interested applicants need to send their resumes attention Patrick Hama, 833 Western Avenue, Williams Lake, B.C. V2G 2J5 or email office@camplikely.com.

LOGOS CANADA 25th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Ed Fast (MP)

St. Ann’s (Ont.) Community Church welcomes applicants for the position of lead pastor. Our church is located 3–5 miles east of Smithville, Ont., in the Niagara Peninsula. We are a congregation of 113 active members with an average weekly attendance of 150–160. Our website is www.stannscommunitychurch.ca. Please send resumes to the elders board c/o David Lackey, board chair, email: davidlackey67@gmail.com.

CLASSIFIEDS

September 20, 2014, 6:30 Dessert Evening Garden Park Towers Abbotsford, BC

Cornerstone MB Church, Prince Rupert, B.C., is seeking an experienced pastor to minister to a congregation of approximately 40 people. The successful candidate will provide leadership, vision and pastoral care to the congregation and offer the varied and flexible skills required in a smaller setting. The candidate should carry the call of pastor/teacher with a strong evangelistic leaning and have a love for both the church and unchurched in the community. Although not essential, musical abilities would be a great asset. Applications with a cover letter and resume should be made to mbchurch@citytel.net, attention Mr. B. Buhr or call 250-627-1033.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The Bridge: A Centre of Hope and Healing, a new non-profit community ministry in Moose Jaw, Sask., has an immediate opening

Wally Unger (CBC)

Logos Canada supports church ministries in the former Soviet Union including Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Russia and Siberia. It is also a sponsoring partner of St. Petersburg Christian University. The Logos mission is supported by those who have a heart for ministry in the former Soviet Union. Thank you for your prayers and support. The anniversary speakers shown above both participated in the founding of Logos Canada 25 years ago.

for an executive director. The Bridge seeks to provide services and programs that meet needs across multiple representative groups in our community, while seeing lives transformed by the power of Christ. The duties of the executive director fall within the areas of vision, staff and volunteer development, financial management and fundraising, operational management and communication with stakeholders. Our ideal candidate will possess a diploma or degree in administration, leadership, ministry or business, along with organizational leadership, supervisory and nonprofit experience. A full ministry description is available upon request. Apply with a cover letter and resume to: The Bridge: A Centre of Hope and Healing Box 22022 RPO Downtown Moose Jaw, SK S6H 8A7 p.w.c@sasktel.net

Email: logoscanadaoffice@gmail.com, Logos chair George Baier 604-850-8646

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

Finish lines

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.—2 Timothy 4:7

John Wall Nov. 5, 1923–Mar. 18, 2014

BIRTHPLACE: Alexandertal, Ukraine PARENTS: Aron & Maria (Braun) Wall BAPTISM: Vineland MB, 1945 MARRIAGE: Frieda Baerg, Sept. 25, 1953 [d. 1995] CHURCH: Fort Garry MB, Winnipeg; Kitchener (Ont.) MB FAMILY: children Marlene, Robert (Jenny); 2 granddaughters; 3 siblings

John’s family immigrated to Canada in 1926, settling in Namaka, Alta. In 1938, they moved to Vineland, Ont. John’s conversion in 1945 gave his life direction. After Winkler (Man.) Bible Institute, John graduated from MB Bible College, Winnipeg, and later, from Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kan. He also spent a year at MB Seminary, Fresno, Cal. After a one-day honeymoon in Niagara Falls, Ont., John and Frieda drove to B.C., where John took his first teaching position at Chilliwack Bible School. John was greatly appreciated as a Bible teacher and for his caring and pastoral spirit. John was the first pastor of Fort Garry MB Church, Winnipeg, serving for 10 years. In 1973, he accepted an assignment with the MB Board of Missions in Asunción, Paraguay, where he pastored the German-speaking MB church and taught in the Spanish Bible Institute. In 1977, John began working for the MB Missions and Services office, Hillsboro, Kan., which took him across Canada, U.S.A, Peru, Panama, Pakistan and Afghanistan. His family knew they were sharing him with many people, and John enjoyed his work. In 1985, John and Frieda accepted a call to pastor Kitchener MB Church. With Frieda’s death, he lost his partner in ministry. Two years later, John regained his spirit to create this personal mission statement: be available. Even on the day of his disabling stroke in 2007, he was preparing a sermon. John and Frieda’s headstone declares “There is joy in serving Jesus.”

Waldo Fast Nov. 2, 1919–Apr. 10, 2014

BIRTHPLACE: Kalinova, Ukraine PARENTS: Isaac Fast & Elizabeth Milke MARRIAGE: Olga Foth, 1952 [d. 2002] CHURCH: Elmwood MB, Winnipeg

September 2014 www.mbherald.com

FAMILY: children Waldo (Edith), Bernie (Susie), Rick (Joanne), Martha (Pete) Wiebe; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; 3 siblings

When he was 5, Waldo’s family immigrated to Canada, settling first in the Qu’Appelle Valley, Sask., then in Niverville, Man. In 1941, Waldo’s father died. Waldo was baptized on his confession of faith before leaving for alternative service. Upon his return, he took on the responsibility of caring for the young Fast family. Waldo worked hard on the farm, sacrificing his dream of an education so his siblings could continue theirs. At 29, he had the opportunity to complete Grade 12 at MB Collegiate Institute. In Winnipeg, Waldo worked at Swift’s packing plant. Waldo was gifted with numbers. After Swift’s closed, he worked for Revenue Canada until retiring at age 73. Waldo loved his garden, tending it until he was 89. He was an honest, humble man who put others’ needs before his own.

David Frank Thiessen Jan. 11, 1930–Apr. 25, 2014

BIRTHPLACE: Arnaud, Man. PARENTS: Johann & Anna Thiessen MARRIAGE: Elsie Ens, 1956 [d. 2002] BAPTISM: Arnaud MB CHURCH: Grantham MB, St. Catharines, Ont. FAMILY: children Victor, Randy (Suzanne), Cheryl, Sandy Koop; 7 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; 4 siblings

In his early teens, David followed his parents’ and siblings’ example of reliance on God by accepting Jesus as Saviour and being baptized. He studied at Mennonite Collegiate Institute, Gretna, Man. At 16, David lost his father. He earned his teaching certification and, at 18, became a teacher in northern Manitoba. He moved with his family to Niagara, Ont., where he met Elsie. He earned his BA in 1969. David became principal at Richmond Street Public School, Thorold, Ont., in 1960. In 1985, he retired to work with his brother, who was principal of Pan American Christian Academy, São Paulo , Brazil. David was committed to Grantham MB Church: leading music, singing in the choir, serving as Sunday school superintendent, deacon and elder. David and Elsie welcomed newcomers to church into their home and were generous with their children’s friends from all backgrounds. David coached children’s and adults’ softball teams and travelled the province cheering on his grandchildren’s activities. He was passionate about Camp Crossroads. David

and Elsie spent several Januarys maintaining the camp and hosting winter retreats, and David worked summers as kitchen staff, entertaining campers in a wig as half of the rap duo Dave and Dave. David was content throughout his life.

Elda (Thiessen) Falk Nov. 1, 1921–May 6, 2014

BIRTHPLACE: Plum Coulee, Man. PARENTS: Abram & Agatha Toews MARRIAGE: Henry Thiessen, Oct. 19, 1941 [d. Dec. 3, 2003]; Ben Falk, Mar. 25, 2006 [d. Nov. 29, 2012] CHURCH: Steinbach, Man. FAMILY: children Marilyn (Ted) Redekop, Bill, Barbara (Don) Wiebe, David (Wendy); 13 grandchildren including Nikki Redekop [d.]; 15 great-grandchildren; 2 sisters

Elda was an avid gardener, golfer and game player, especially Scrabble. She was an accomplished pianist, playing piano until shortly before her death. Her faith and the church were an integral part of her life.

Edna Isaac May 20, 1928–May 14, 2014

BIRTHPLACE: Newton, Man. PARENTS: Gerhard & Susannah (Reimer) Delesky MARRIAGE: Art Isaac, Oct. 8, 1949 BAPTISM: Frazer River, B.C., 1947 CHURCH: Newton Siding MB; Clearbrook MB, Abbotsford, B.C. FAMILY: Art; children Harold (June), Carolyn (Bill) Rice, Wes (Judy), Naomi (Cliff) Wiebe, Gloria (Ike) Wiebe; 18 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren including Holly Kolkman [d.]

After a Sunday evening service, at 14, Edna sought her parents’ help and surrendered her life to Jesus. “Then the battle really began,” she wrote. She claimed 1 John 1:7, 9. Edna attended Mennonite Collegiate Institute, Gretna, Man., and Yarrow (B.C.) Bible School. She took employment training at Essondale (B.C.) Mental Hospital (now Riverview). After years of spiritual conflict and doubt, at a Brunk Tent Revival in Abbotsford, B.C., Edna followed the Spirit’s prompting to commit herself more fully to following Christ. Over 4 decades, Edna was Art’s faithful partner in ministry. She took their frequent moves in stride. She accompanied him in visitation, bringing her wonderful baking. Edna clung to Hebrews 13:5. She

memorized many verses and could often be found reading Scripture and devotionals in her craft room. Edna will be remembered for her crafts, baking, warm smiles and hugs. As cancer spread, she longed to see her Saviour.

Timothy John Woelk

from a flood in B.C., he returned to Manitoba to marry Anne and settle on a farm in the Bristol district. Nick did road construction all his working years. He helped build the TransCanada highway. Spring and fall, he took time off for seeding and harvest. Nick sold the farm and moved to Steinbach in 1987, and in 2000, moved into a condo.

Hugo Waldemar Reimer Sept. 10, 1957–July 14, 2014

Aug. 29, 1975–May 24, 2014

Sheryl Ann Epp BIRTHPLACE: Winnipeg PARENTS: John & Anna Woelk BAPTISM: North Kildonan MB, Winnipeg, June 6, 1993 FAMILY: his mother; siblings Hedy (John) Falk, David (Jane), Peter (Teresa); nieces & nephews

Tim was a quiet, happy man, loyal to his friends and faithful to Jesus. He loved God and the church. Tim enjoyed being outdoors. As a young adult, he counselled at Simonhouse Bible Camp. In 1979, when Tim’s family bought a cottage, Hillside Beach, Man., became his favourite place, a home away from home for 32 years. Tim loved music, especially Tom Petty, U2 and CCR. He taught himself bass guitar and played on the worship team at North Kildonan MB Church and in his friend Paul’s band, The Highway, at Victoria Beach, Man. Tim worked at Manitoba Public Insurance beginning in 2010. He loved sports, cheering on the Winnipeg Jets, Blue Bombers, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Penguins and the German national soccer team. He also loved Formula One and Indy car racing. Tim read widely and enjoyed movies. An eager student of the Bible and Bible study leader, he was someone friends could talk to about anything. People were important to Tim. He died while hiking with friends through Whiteshell Provincial Park, Man. Tim was an optimist with a sharp wit and contagious laugh.

Nick Thiessen Feb. 2, 1925–May 29, 2014

BIRTHPLACE: Rosenfeld, Man. PARENTS: Nick & Lena (Lammert) Thiessen MARRIAGE: Anne Harms, July 8, 1950 [d. May 5, 1986] BAPTISM: Steinbach (Man.) MB, Mar. 15, 1992 FAMILY: children June (Mike Whitehead [d.]), Phil; 2 granddaughters; special friend Frieda Duerksen; special niece Dorothy (Ed) Laurin

Nick’s family lived in Minnedosa before moving to Berwahl near Steinbach, Man., where he met Anne. After helping his family recover

Sept. 10, 1956–May 29, 2014

PARENTS: Peter & Betty Epp CHURCH: Emmanuel, Pierceland, Sask. FAMILY: sisters Shirley (Alvin) Dyck; Jean (William) Paige [d.]; nieces & nephews

Jacob Gerhard Penner Jan. 16, 1935–May 30, 2014

BIRTHPLACE: Lawson, Sask. PARENTS: Henry & Maria Penner MARRIAGE: Agnes Kroeker, June 9, 1961 BAPTISM: Yarrow (B.C.) MB, age 16 CHURCH: Westwood MB, Prince George, B.C.; North Langley (B.C.) FAMILY: Agnes; children Myrna (Brad Leaney), Doug (Heather); 6 grandchildren; 5 siblings

Jake taught in Kitseguecla and Alert Bay, B.C. After attending MB Bible College, Winnipeg, Jake earned his BA at University of B.C. Right after their wedding, Jake and Agnes left for a 3-year adventure teaching MCC missionary children in Peru. In 1968, Jake took a 2-year teaching assignment in Jamaica with CIDA. Jake and Agnes spent the next 28 years in B.C., where Jake taught math and started a Bible literature class at Prince George Secondary School. He enjoyed his role on the provincial math revision committee. Jake served Westwood MB Church, Prince George, as elder, care group leader and adult Sunday school teacher. He also initiated the MCC Fall Fair and served the Canadian MB board of education. After retiring, the pull of the grandchildren brought Jake and Agnes to Langley, B.C., in 1998. Though health issues slowed him down, Jake taught English in St. Petersburg, Russia, with Trinity Western University. At North Langley Community Church, he and Agnes led a care group and worked with Alpha. His last years were filled with gratitude, family vacations, puzzles and reconnecting with old friends from their adventures serving God together around the world. He died while Agnes sang to him.

BIRTHPLACE: Volendam, Paraguay PARENTS: Waldemar Reimer and Irene Neufeld MARRIAGE: Connie Neufeld, May 10, 1980 CHURCH: Leaf Rapids, Man.; College Community Church – MB, Clovis, Cal.; Nechako Community Church, Vanderhoof, B.C.; Sardis Community Church, Chilliwack, B.C. FAMILY: Connie; children Rinette (Andrew Badker), Jesse (Jen), 3 grandchildren, parents Waldemar and Irene Reimer, 1 brother

Hugo’s family immigrated to Vancouver in 1966. He had plans to buy the cabinet business where he worked, but after recommitting his life to Jesus Christ in 1978, he went to Capernwray Bible School in Colorado instead, where he met Connie. He then pursued undergraduate studies in religious education and history at MBBC and University of Winnipeg. After graduation in 1983, he worked as an intern at the MB church in Cranberry Portage, Man., and at Simonhouse Bible Camp. While serving as pastor at the MB church in Leaf Rapids, Man., 1984–1987, he also drove bus and worked as a guard. During his MDiv studies at MBBS, Fresno, Cal., he served as youth pastor at College Community Church, Clovis, Cal. Strongly convinced he and Connie should stay in one community to raise their family and become part of people’s lives, Hugo pastored Nechako Community Church, Vanderhoof, B.C., 1990–2008. In order to connect with the town’s youth, he also served as a substitute teacher. Following a year of helping family, in 2009, Hugo accepted the pastorate at Sardis Community Church, Chilliwack, B.C., where he served until cancer took his life. Hugo loved God, and joyfully served as pastor. He loved life and had an even greater love for people. He saw the best in everyone he met; he encouraged people with the knowledge that they are deeply valued and worthy of being loved. He was kind and thoughtful, always wanting to do more – no task was too minimal for him, no person unworthy of his attention. Hugo loved downhill skiing, soccer, hockey, hiking and running. He and Connie also enjoyed exploring a tropical location each winter to snorkel and read. Hugo’s motto for life was taken from Man of La Mancha: “to see life not as it is but as it should be.”

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

New Anabaptist curriculum Shines / An interview with Rose Stutzman

he new Sunday school curriculum Shine: Living in God’s Light for fall quarter 2014 is now available from MennoMedia and Brethren Press, the publishing houses of the Church of the Brethren, Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA. The long-time collaborators began almost three years ago to prepare a successor to their previous curriculum, Gather ’Round. Designed for children ages 3 through Grade 8, Shine incorporates the latest understandings of the ways children learn. “We are pleased to offer our congregations a user-friendly, enriching curriculum that grows out of our distinct beliefs as Brethren and Mennonites,” says Wendy McFadden, publisher of Brethren Press. “We dream of raising a generation of children who are inspired to shine God’s light in the world around them,” says Amy Gingerich, editorial director for MennoMedia. Melodie M. Davis, MennoMedia writer and producer, interviewed Shine’s project director Rose Stutzman about Shine’s vision for discipleship that starts young, crosses denominational lines, takes Jesus seriously and goes straight to the heart. How can we as churches begin using Shine? The first quarter of Shine began August 31. We have a special offer on starter kits, so you can see all of the fall quarter and how it all fits together. What does Shine cover? Shine covers much of the Bible in a three-year outline. This outline is available on the Shine website (www.shinecurriculum.com). The Primary and Middler stories of Shine are found in a 320-page story Bible called Shine On. The Bible stories in Shine On move from Genesis to Revelation with a strong overview of the Old Testament and a heavy emphasis on the Gospels. What do the publishers of Shine believe about teaching children about God and Jesus? Like Gather ’Round, Shine is Bible story-based and easy to use, emphasizing thoughtful theology. It is grounded in the belief that children are partners in ministry. Following each Bible story, there are questions to help children and adults reflect on the story together. The creators of Shine believe followers of Jesus are the best and first curriculum. Yet 32

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congregations also need good written curriculum. We want to be your partners in this journey. Shine calls children to experience the transforming power of God’s love and shine God’s light in the world. We seek to nurture trust in God and invite children to follow Jesus. Can you explain that further? Sure. When it comes to faith formation, we should start small. Very young children may not have the ability to verbalize faith concepts, but they are spiritual beings who thrive on experiencing God’s love among followers of Jesus Christ. Even very young children can learn to pray and trust God as we nurture the inner life of the Spirit. Shine is grounded in a prophetic interpretation of Scripture that lifts up Christian discipleship, peace, simplicity, service and community. We use wondering questions and activities to help children reflect on the Scriptures and apply them to their lives in age-appropriate ways. What is a wondering question? Wondering questions have been a feature in our curricula in both Gather ’Round and in Jubilee before that. Wondering questions are open-ended, reflective questions. They help children enter into the story with their hearts, not just their minds. Why did you name the story Bible Shine On? We dream of raising a generation of children who are inspired to shine God’s light in the world around them. All of the products and guides in this curriculum will help children do that. If these materials are designed for three years, what will happen after that? MennoMedia and Brethren Press have every expectation of continuing to produce excellent Christian formation resources for children and youth – curricula for Mennonite and Brethren churches as well as for other churches to whom our style of thoughtful, Anabaptist curriculum appeals. Why is spiritual formation for children important, and why do you call it that now instead of “Sunday school”? Sunday school indicates a school model based on acquiring information. We certainly want

children to become biblically literate, but we hope for something much deeper. Spiritual formation happens in vibrant communities of God’s Spirit. One of the things we try to convey is that children’s natural language of prayer is thanksgiving. They need to experience joy and hope. Children also need to know that God walks with us in difficult times. God’s love transforms our lives, so we can show God’s love and call others to follow the Prince of Peace. Can any denomination or Christian church use it? How is it particularly Anabaptist? I am amazed at the interest Shine has generated in people of many denominations who are hungry for the gospel of peace. I’m not as surprised when it is a Friends church or a Mennonite Brethren church, but Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists and many others are seeking out Shine. When we first saw this interest in the Gather ’Round years, we quit using insider language and examples. Everyone should feel welcome even if they don’t use Hymnal: A Worship Book as the source for songs, cook from More with Less or know the term “Anabaptist.” As an insider to Anabaptist ways of knowing, I sometimes miss what seems fresh and new to others. However, I think the key is taking Jesus seriously. In the Shine curriculum, we believe that God’s mission is peace and reconciliation through the person of Jesus Christ. The life that Jesus showed us, the love Jesus demonstrated, is a love that actively seeks justice, mercy, humility and peace in the midst of community. Because of Jesus, we are called to live in this way too. Shine is for any congregation who affirms the same. For more information, products and purchasing information, go to KindredProductions.com.

Christian artists “bound” together in new volume H E AT H E R PA U L S M U R R AY “Artists are actively creating culture. The commercial world understands this best, investing billions in appealing, creative storytelling (branding and advertising) to capture people’s imaginations, their wallets, and arguably, their souls,” says Steffen Janzen, marketing director of WeMakeStuff. “Meanwhile, much of the evangelical church still regards artists and the arts with suspicion and confusion. Many artists have largely abandoned the church, if not their faith.” WeMakeStuff Volume 01 is much more than a book. It’s an emerging community of Christcentred artists, an introduction to the intersection of faith and arts and a platform for sharing stories with fellow Christians and artists. The aim is “to make [artists] known to the body,” says WeMakeStuff’s originator David Vandas, a film director. The eight-year journey to publication began when Vandas’s wife, musician and visual artist Anna Vandas, had a vision of the words “Holy Sacrifice” pasted in cut-out magazine letters. Interpreting the vision became “an excruciating burden.” Vandas felt called to gather Christ-centred artists together. Others had attempted it before, but mostly through online content. The process of creating a book allowed for a cross-pollination of artistic ideas and friendship. It was a chance to reach out to artists who had felt unsupported in the church. A sense of belonging Now, 16 disparate groups of Christian artists in the Greater Vancouver area are working together to create friendships and a sense of belonging. “They found their community and realized they’re not alone in this tension of creativity and Christianity,” says Janzen. “The one thing they all have in common is a Christ-centred life,” says Vandas. Bev Ellis, a painter, sculptor and jeweller who has enjoyed serving alongside her husband, a pastor in Mennonite Brethren churches for the last 22 years, speaks of finding “her tribe” through WeMakeStuff. The book gave Ellis new opportunities to participate in workshops and art shows. “This contributed to ‘filling up’ a God-created need in me: to see things differently, to feel deeply, to create and connect uniquely with others and my Creator.”

A bridge to understanding But community wasn’t just built among artists – their friends, families and church communities are enriched through the WeMakeStuff project. One artist’s mom phoned him in tears, saying that the book helped her finally understand her son. “That was the hope of the book: to bridge understanding,” says Vandas. “Artists by their nature are not boundarybased people,” says Fiona Moes, a Vancouverbased visual artist. “They question and they’re curious, and sometimes the church can feel like an unsafe place to voice doubts or questions and other perspectives.” The collaborators of WeMakeStuff Volume 01 say artists need space to be who they are in the church context. Janzen encourages churches not to see artists as another “program to be developed,” and to go beyond hanging art in the foyer or showcasing one of their films during a service. A calling to nurture “Artists need to be nurtured in their calling,” says Janzen. “Like teachers, musicians, doctors and tradespeople, we all have an important contribution to make to the world and to the church.” Ellis values when churches take initiative; she’s been asked to paint during worship services and feels affirmed when congregations offer to pay for her supplies or purchase the painting afterwards. “In the same way that a doctor can’t provide free medical care to

all the members of a church, don’t expect artists to always volunteer their professional skills for free,” says Janzen. “They also need to earn a living.” A two-way street of vulnerability “We need to continue to be bold in knowing each other in community. This means the two-way street of vulnerability,” says Ellis. A new friend at church told Vardas, “I don’t understand you at all, but I trust the Jesus within you.” “If we are willing to get to know people outside our group,” says Ellis, “to foster a culture of care, understanding and dialogue, to cultivate affirmation and acceptance in the body, all people will thrive in our relationships and gifts.” WeMakeStuff is “a permanent collection of what God is already doing,” says Moes. “An eye-opening, wonder-filled experience of what God is doing through artists.” For information visit www.wemakestuff.ca. Heather Pauls Murray is a wedding harpist living in Chilliwack, B.C., with her husband and two small children. She attends Sardis Community Church.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

Intersection

of faith & life

One of those weeks PHIL WAG LER

’d had one of those weeks. Most weeks feel like “those” weeks these days. Is that how you feel too? Given my season in life, the week in question included parental issues on both sides. My kids were giving me the mid-summer gears, and my mom was facing health issues I was seeking to address from a distance. We also had some financial stuff to work through and some big decisions to process. It was all more than enough for one week. We were praying lots and not enough. Let’s be honest: we may pray lots about the stuff of “those” weeks, but sometimes we don’t really pray enough, as in stilling ourselves into the space where we know he is God and then engaging from that place of rest. No, we – or maybe it’s just I – tend to throw up lots of prayers like darts at a board, hoping to high heaven that one hits even close to bull’s eye. Such is life in “those” weeks. Sunday morning rolled around, and I stumbled into a conversation with a friend. He was having one of those weeks too. He’d been working way too much, he was exhausted, his wife was exasperated. He was missing his family and needing – desperately – a day of rest. Out of the goodness of his heart, however, he’d offered to help a guy lay some tile when the time was right and, of course, this was the day. His Sunday afternoon was now going to be spent laying tile. He was conflicted and weary. Doing good and doing well are not always the same thing. We chatted it through, and I said, “Let’s pray your friend will cancel.” We joined the church in 34

September 2014 www.mbherald.com

worship, and as I sang, I prayed for my friend and his need for respite. When our communal worship ended, he marched up to me holding his phone. His flooring friend had sent a text: “It’s not going to work today.” We both smiled. Our faith grew. In this very simple thing, God was at work, delighting in us, caring for us. Two exhausted men could smile from our depths during one of “those” weeks.

weeks. The answer to my friend’s simple request was really about building our faith. In that joyous realization that God is real and active, we learned again to trust our Father in heaven. God’s answers build our capacity to trust. Conversely, God’s apparent nonanswers, delayed answers or ambiguous answers are meant to transform my character. After all, it’s the stuff in “those” weeks that reveals where I need the Spirit’s power, where I need

God’s apparent non-answers, delayed answers or ambiguous answers are meant to transform our character. I turned to pondering: why does God seem to routinely answer the small things while leaving the big things to linger – even fester? How is it that I pray for my friend and he gets an afternoon free, while bigger issues like the financial weight of our unsold house and the brokenness of our family’s journey appear untouched and unresolved? If I were God, I’d deal with the big things. But, of course, I am not God. I am human, and male, and just beyond forty, and weary, and prone to wander, and requiring salvation and longing to be faithful. I am stuck in my story and needing a ray of hope and, even more importantly, the transformation of my character and renewal of my soul. This brought me back to God’s answers and non-answers in “those”

to repent and what I need to unlearn or relearn to craft, as Eugene H. Peterson says, “a long obedience in the same direction.” It’s God’s non-answers in “those” weeks that shape our most important development. If God answered too quickly in “those” things, I know what I’d do: I’d relate to him like a child on Santa’s knee. Instead, as I wait, I walk beside him as a child with a loving Father: to bring him the glory he deserves and welcome him to create in me what I really need for all “those” weeks that lie ahead. Phil Wagler perseveres in prayer in Surrey, B.C., where he serves with Gracepoint Community Church.

CELEBRATION Banquets

Save the Date… !

God is moving in Canada!!

We invite you to celebrate with us as we hear what God is doing across our country. Come hear inspiring stories, celebrate in worship and enjoy dinner together. Listed below are the dates and cities of a celebration banquet near you.!

! ! Upcoming Banquets:! !

Oct 3 ! St Catharines, ON! Oct 7 ! Vancouver, BC ! For more info:! ! ! (also, Abbotsford BC; date to be conﬁrmed)! ! Oct 17 !Calgary, AB! 604-746-2238! Oct 29! Winnipeg, MB! info@c2cnetwork.ca! Oct 30! Winkler, MB! c2cnetwork.ca

“May He have dominion from sea to sea…” Psalm 72:8 MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD September 2014

CELEBRATING

FAITHFULNESS,

FACILITATING GENEROSITY

Plan your legacy with MB Mission. Call us today to arrange an appointment with a representative who will assist you in writing your will, planning your estate and leaving a legacy.

1.888.866.6267 mbmission.org

This September service is provided in partnership with the Mennonite Foundation of Canada. 2014â&#x20AC;&#x192; www.mbherald.com