Rea challenges students toward social justice

OTTERBURNE, Man.—Kristine Rea grew up in Otterburne,

Man., which is “pretty much a curling rink and a post office.” Now she uses her training in psychotherapy to train people around the world and empower others to fight global injustice. “I was born and raised in Otterburne,” says Rea, a psychotherapist in couples therapy and trauma recovery who volunteers with the International Justice Mission doing fundraising and training nationals to go back to their countries to help with post-trauma recovery. “I didn’t see myself as a global power player, but I think I was deceived,” she said. “I started off in Otterburne, but I had options.” Kristine Rea speaks On Feb. 4, Rea returned to Providence on social justice to College and Seminary for Missio Dei, a twostudents at Providence day event helping over 500 students, staff, College and Seminary. and faculty to become aware of issues of social injustice in the world. Rea—and other event

speakers—also promoted tangible ways the students could make a difference in the lives of others around the world.

“Injustice is the misuse of power,” says Rea. “Most people in the world don’t have a lot of power. I have a lot of power compared to how the women in the rest of the world live.”

Rea encouraged the students to look at the level of education, food intake, accommodation, clothes, healthcare, and transportation available to Canadians. She described the option to have an education as an indication of the power we have.

She also recognized that students at Providence are already making a difference. “What I noticed from the students at Providence was a sense of people saying, yes, I see this. How can I help?”

Missio Dei helped encourage Manitoba students to choose to get an education, choose to buy products not made by slaves, and even choose a profession in fighting injustice.

“There are a lot of students who are doing this already,” said Rea. “I can really see how this generation is growing up with a sense of justice… It’s very encouraging.” Sara Dacombe, Providence College and Seminary

On Remembrance Day 2009 Allan gave his last peaceful breath surrounded by his wife, Bev, children and his pastor, David Funk of Abbeydale Christian Fellowship. This church’s warm and tender fellowship surrounded Allan’s family with unequaled love and service.

His funeral proved to be a most touching testimony of Christ’s love to Allan’s family, here in Calgary and from across Canada. Through tears we were reminded to hold on to Allan’s favourite saying: “We are in Good Hands.”

Allan was born in Ottawa, Ont., where he married Sylvia and where his six children were born. After a long struggle with alcoholism, Allan became a member of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) in 1976. He moved to Calgary with his children and wife Beverly. During these first very difficult years it was through AA and Al-Anon that God provided His steadfast support and the beginnings of spiritual growth.

In 1981, when the time was right, God provided two Christian Al-Anon members to lead to the next step, a loving growing Bible study group in Helen Cameron’s home led by David Thiessen, pastor of what was to become Abbeydale Christian Fellowship.

David became a patient and very close partner in Allan’s journey to Christ. This small group became our church (like in the book of Acts) for nearly a year before Allan and I would venture into the church to join the rest of the flock. God’s people upheld Allan and his family while God worked through the next couple of years’ struggle to clear up the rubble.

In 1983 we were baptized together. In God’s strength, Allan grew in faith and gratitude to become an example of what God can do for anyone, even a Prodigal Son, as Allan always called himself. Allan always remembered “this son of mine was dead and has returned to life.”

In gratitude and grace Allan became a beacon of God’s hope for the downcast who are lost and weary as he had been.

Allan will be remembered for his spontaneity—starting a trip to “somewhere.” He demonstrated his creativity by decorating wedding cakes, one of many skills he perfected by “just trying them out.” He bought wrecked cars and restored them to their shiny, original state.

His apple pies were acclaimed as the best at our church suppers. His wife Bev sadly misses Allan and the oneness in both their marriage and in their shared relationship with God.

Allan is survived by his wife Bev; six children, Shawn (Lauran), Jeffrey, Kevin (Jaqueline), Kerry, Erin (Keith), and Tara (Ryan); two stepchildren, Jeffrey and Lorie. He delighted in his six grandchildren, Angel, Amanda, Brandon, Devin, Lindsay, Tyler and Courtney, treating them to “Special Surprise Events.” Allan was also blessed with two great-grandchildren, Alex and Quaid. Bev Kavanagh and Family

With family at her side, Helen Ronald, aged 78, entered into the presence of her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ on January 25, 2010, while in the Portage District General Hospital.

She was predeceased by her loving husband William, stepson Hugh, stepgrandson Glenn Ronald, and parents William George and Anna (nee Sawatzky) Fuller.

Helen leaves behind her daughter Carla (Larry) Schmidt of Elm Creek and son Kelly (Cheryl) Ronald of Portage la Prairie; stepchildren Neil, Joah, Keith, and Garth; nieces, nephews, and their families; grandchildren Bethany (Aaron) Beauchamp, Jacly, Jennifer and Brian Schmidt, and Nicolea and Mark Ronald; sister Betty Fuller of British Columbia, brother Bill (Hilary) Fuller of Portage la Prairie, and sister Lois (Tom) Warkentin of Whiterock, B.C.

Mom was born on April 21, 1931, in Portage la Prairie, Man., the first child born to William and Anna Fuller. She and her family attended the Portage Gospel Hall, where she accepted Christ as her Saviour as a young teenager. She attended Central School, Portage

Neil was born in Aberdeen, Sask., on November 6 1941, to Jacob and Anna Friesen, the tenth of thirteen children. After school Neil worked at various farm jobs before going into construction.

He met his wife Helen Harder in 1963 and they were married in 1964 in Martinsville, Sask. In 1969 Neil and Helen moved to Calgary, which then became their home.

Neil gave his heart to the Lord in 1973 in Mayland Heights Baptist Church.

In 1974 Neil and Helen met Dave Dueck , an EMC church planter. Under his teaching, Neil grew in his walk with the Lord. Shortly after, he became a member of the EMC church (now Abbeydale Christian Fellowship).

Neil faithfully served in the church in numerous ways, some of which were Sunday School teacher and superintendent, Bible study leader, usher, as well as treasurer.

Neil loved to play guitar and sing, praising his Lord. He often sang with his wife and brothers at family gatherings. Evenings were spent singing with Helen, his son Calvin, his daughter Jennifer and later with his grandchildren.

On May 6, 2008, Neil was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblast Leukemia, and was given three months to live. He had such peace about dying, but worried about his family, what would happen to them when he was gone.

Neil went to be with his Lord on Nov. 27, 2008. Neil is greatly missed by Helen, his wife; his two children, Calvin and Jennifer; daughter-in-law June; three grandsons, Keegan, Kade, and Austin; as well as three granddaughters, Connie, Sammie, and Jessie. His Family Collegiate, and business school.

She was no stranger to hard work. She worked in the family business of Fuller’s Bakery and in the Manitoba Telephone office. In summer 1958 she married our Dad, a widower with five children. Together they moved to a farm east of Portage, where she lived till her passing. Carla was born in 1961 and Kelly in 1962.

Everything she did centred around her faith in Christ, raising her family, and serving alongside her husband. Bill, her husband of 40 years, passed away in 1998.

Mom’s days were filled with serving others. She was known as “Grandma Helen” because of her warmth and care. Whether hosting people for meals, taking them for lunch, or good conversation over tea, Mom made people feel special.

She ministered to women at the Portage Correctional Institute for over 30 years, and nothing brought her more joy than sharing about the Lord. She filled many roles in church, being on hospitality teams, ushering and greeting, teaching Sunday School, and helping in the nursery. Recently she fell in love with the people of Cuba, making eight trips there to visit churches over the past six years.

Her passion drove her to overcome fears of flying. Flying alone and being tracked by the Cuban military were only the beginning of her adventures. The clothes in her bag were often replaced by children’s toys, earning her the name of “the doll lady.” We wondered if she would return with anything besides the clothes on her back.

Following her trip to Cuba in March 2009, Mom had health struggles. Despite this, she made time for what was important to her: sharing Christ with others and making harvest meals. When presented with her health prognosis, Mom’s calm reply was, “I choose to go.” When asked where, her quick reply was, “Heaven, of course,” with a peaceful smile.

Her funeral service took place at Portage Evangelical Church on Jan. 29, 2010, at 2:30, led by Pastor Glenn Loewen. Her Family

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our dear husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather Frank Doerksen. At the age of 93, on December 22, 2009, after a short battle with cancer, he went home to be with his Lord and Saviour at the Arborg (Man.) Hospital with his family by his side.

Frank was born in Olgafeld, south Ukraine, on July 13, 1916. In 1925 his family immigrated to Canada to a farm near Eyebrow, Sask. He was the oldest of eight children and learned the meaning of hard work at an early age. When he was older he worked for a neighbour and also on a threshing gang in the harvest seasons.

Later on he was able to attend Bible School at Rosemary, Alta. This is where he found his assurance of salvation and God became very precious to him.

After Bible school, Frank started working for a neighbour on a large grain farm. In 1940 he met Mary Heinrichs and

BARKMAN – to Trevor and Val Barkman of Winnipeg, Man., a son, Emmett Alexander, on Nov. 29, 2010. BOURGEOIS – to Paul and Lyndsey Bourgeois of Roseisle, Man., a son, Zander Paul, on Feb. 9, 2010. CORNELSE N – to Curtis and Jennifer Cornelsen of Rosenort, Man., a daughter, Elizabeth Pamela Moreta, on Sept. 28, 2009. EIDSE – to Keith and Stacey Eidse of Winnipeg, Man., a daughter, Ava Lynn, on Mar. 11, 2010. KOOP – to Dwayne and Pam Koop of Anola, Man., a daughter, Kailee Moriah, on Mar. 29, 2009. PLETT – to Ryan and Heather Plett of Rosenort, Man., a daughter, Rayya Katherine Faith, on Sept. 7, 2009. SCHELLENBERG – to Scott and Kristel Schellenberg of Anola, Man., a son, Eric Riley, on Mar. 29, 2010. in 1943 they were married. He continued to work there for a total of 20 years.

In 1956 they, with their six children, moved to a mixed farm in Geysir, Man., near Riverton, where another child was born two years later. It was not easy at first and Dad and Mom worked very hard farming and raising their family.

Dad loved farming and had many stories to tell of his experiences from working with horses, then with steam engines, and then with the modern machinery of today. He never retired and was fairly active right to the last.

Church was very important, and the family attended the Riverton Gospel Chapel regularly right from its beginning. Dad prayed every morning for his whole family and faithfully listened to Back to the Bible and Thru the Bible Radio, following along in his Bible.

Dad did a lot of reading and kept up to date on world events. He loved visiting and gave people his undivided attention. He had a genuine interest in others, which was appreciated by many people from all walks of life, young and old.

Left to cherish his memory are Mary, his loving wife of almost 67 years; sons Albert (Norma) and Leonard (Elizabeth); daughters Marianne (Patrick) and Betty; daughter-in-law Linda (Jake); 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his sons Alfred, Edward, and David.

A funeral service was held on December 28, 2009, at Riverton Gospel Chapel, followed by interment at the Geysir Cemetery.

We miss you so much, Dad, but we know that we will see you again. We love you. His Family

RAINFORTH – PE NNER: Andy, son of Bill and Sheila Rainforth of Lacornbe, Alta., and Shannon Penner of Red Deer, Alta., daughter of Mary and the late Menno Penner of Arborg, Man., were married on Jan. 24, 2009, at Crossroads Church with David Thiessen of Winnipeg, Man., officiating. REGULA – WIEBE: Coleman, son of Dennis and Donna Regula of Anola, Man., and Heidi, daughter of Don and Ev Wiebe of Anola, were married on Oct. 3, 2009, at the Forks Market Amphitheatre, with Pastors Dan Cosens and Jack Cosens officiating.

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April 11: SBC Fundraising Faspa at Steinbach Bible College, Steinbach, 4 p.m. Call 204-326-6451 for complimentary tickets.

April 18: Eden Foundation Four on the Floor Concert featuring the Winkler Men’s Community Choir at Winkler Bergthaler Church, Winkler, 7 p.m.

April 23: SBC Spring Concert at Steinbach Bible College, Steinbach, 7:30 p.m.

April 25: SBC Graduation at Steinbach EM Church, Steinbach, 3:00 p.m.

June 24: Eden Foundation IronMan Golf Tournament at Winkler Centennial Golf Course, Winkler

June 28–July 2: Thriving in a Firestorm: Congregational Peacebuilding at Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg; instructor: Dr. Lois Edmund www.cmu.ca/csop

May 1: A Friend’s Hand: Healing in Community Recovering from Abuse Workshop at the Bethany Community Church, St. Catherines eileenh@mennonitecc.on.ca or 800-313-6226

July 2–4: The Triumph of the Lamb, EMC Annual Convention at United Mennonite Educational Institute, Leamington; 204-326- 6401 or www.emconf.ca

Fort Garry Evangelical Mennonite Church (fortgarryemc.ca) is searching for a university/ young adult pastor whom God has chosen to help us reach University of Manitoba students and young adults with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are a congregation of 250 located a block from the U. of M. Fort Garry campus.

Supported by a committed discernment group, this person will get to know the Fort Garry campus and establish relationships with present campus ministries. By creating relationships with individuals, the pastor will support the development of their faith by connecting them to people at FGEMC. A second phase may include program development.

Applicants must be able to embrace and sign the FGEMC Statement of Faith. Qualifications include a love for people, enthusiasm and determination, creativity and an ability to work independently. A graduate degree and ministry experience on campus are assets. Anticipated start date is August 1, 2010. Inquiries and resumes may be sent to Mark Plett, Search Committee chair, Fort Garry EMC, 602 Pasadena Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2S9 or e-mailed msplett5@shaw.ca.

Braeside Evangelical Mennonite Church in Winnipeg, Man., is looking for an associate pastor. Responsibilities will include youth ministry as well as worship ministry (including worship technology). Ideally this position would be filled by one person, but we are open to other arrangements. Please send resumes to: braeside@ braesidechurch.ca, Attention: Search Committee, www.braesidechurch.ca.

MacGregor EMC, a small community church of 120 people located in MacGregor, Man., is prayerfully seeking a full-time lead pastor. Previous pastoral experience and leadership abilities are assets. For job description and information go to www.macgregoremc.com and follow the link or contact Sheldon Giesbrecht at 204-685-2685.

Graysville Mennonite Church, “a community striving to learn and live the teachings of Jesus Christ,” is a country church located 10 miles west of Carman, Man. We seek a lead pastor able to start spring 2010. Time commitment is negotiable between .5 and .75 FTE.

We await the leading of the Holy Spirit as we seek a pastor committed to the Christian faith as exemplified in Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective.

We are a mature church of nearly 50 members emerging into a congregation of all ages. We seek a pastor able to serve all ages, willing to tackle the challenges of a truly rural church and recognition of the value of cooperation with other Christian churches of all faiths.

Inquiries and resumes may be sent to: Cam Stockford, council chair, Graysville Mennonite Church, Box 31, Graysville, MB R0G 0T0. E-mail stockfor@cici.mb.ca or visit our website at www.graysvillemc.org.

Morrow Gospel Church in Winnipeg, Man., seeks a full-time associate pastor to work with the senior pastor as a pastoral team. MGC is a multigenerational EMMC congregation with an average Sunday morning attendance of about 150.

We seek a self-motivated pastor gifted with good communication and motivational skills, a passion for outreach and evangelism, for building practical and meaningful relationships, and for investing time and energy training and mentoring young people and young families to grow in their faith and spiritual lives.

The pastor should have preaching and teaching skills and be willing to work as a member of a team and with a board of elders. The pastor must be a born-again Christian and agree with the MGC statement of faith.

Experience working in outreach/evangelism and experience as a pastor to young people and young families is desired. Relevant post-secondary education is required (a Bible college degree is preferred).

For information or to submit a resume and cover letter, please contact Morrow Gospel Church, Pastoral Search Committee, 755 St. Anne’s Road, Winnipeg, MB R2N 4G6; e-mail: mgcemm@mts.net with subject: pastoral search committee.

Rosenort EMC is a rural church with a regular attendance of 250 people. Our church is a multigenerational church with strong family ties. We are actively searching for a full-time youth pastor who will develop a vision and provide leadership for our junior and senior youth programs. The community of Rosenort is situated in southern Manitoba with agribusiness as the main industry. Send resume or c.v. by April 30, 2010, to Arlin Scharfenberg, ascharfenberg@xplornet.ca, Box 106, RR 1, Morris, MB R0G 1K0, 204-746-6154.

Pelly Fellowship Chapel (EMC) seeks a youth worker or couple to develop a program for youth and junior youth. PFC is a small church in the village of Pelly, located in central Sask., close to the Manitoba border. Submit resume to Pastor John Froese, Box 70, Pelly, SK S0A 2Z0. Phone 306-595-2074. E-mail pastor@pellyfellowship.com.

Vision Valley School in Antananarivo, Madagascar, needs qualified Christian teachers for 2010/2011 academic year. It especially seeks for native English speakers for primary grades 3, 4, 5, 6; within grades 7-12, teachers are needed in art, music, and two in English (with native speakers a high priority). See blog: xanga.com/jocsh; 21 February.

Faith Christian School, grades K-12, in beautiful northeast Texas is seeking teachers dedicated to Christian education in a German Mennonite setting. For more info contact: Neal Thiessen (w) 903-783-9814, (h) 903-737-9663, (cell) 432-528- 4361, pastormec@sbcglobal.net; or Ted Friesen 903-739-8607, tfriesen@wb4me.com. MFC seeks a full-time consultant to work in its St. Catharines, Ont., office. The successful candidate will be responsible to promote biblical stewardship of financial resources and to provide charitable gift and estate planning services.

The successful candidate will support and incorporate MFC’s core values of stewardship in personal life; communicate effectively with individuals and in public presentations; have knowledge of, or ability to learn, charitable gift and estate planning; be creative, organized, and self-motivated in balancing multiple projects; be willing and able to contribute as part of an interdependent staff team.

A start date for the position is negotiable. Processing of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Submit resumes to: Darren Pries-Klassen, executive director, 22-595 Carlton Street, St. Catharines, ON L2M 4Y2; fax: 204-488-1986; dpklassen@mennofoundation. ca; Mennofoundation.ca.

Brightwood Ranch, near Edmonton, Alta., is a year-round facility that runs summer and winter camps for underprivileged kids and year-round programs for men and women with addictions.

We are seeking a full-time, year-round head cook starting April 15, 2010. Salary and accommodations. Assistant instructors (June 22 or Sept. 1) are needed for Horses of Hope, a program which reaches hurting kids through the focus of one child, one horse, one instructor, at no cost.

Summer positions are paid. Four-month positions are: main site program director, tipi village program director, wrangler training program leader, maintenance, secretary, head wrangler, youth development program leaders, horse camp instructor. Two-month positions are: senior male and female counselors, wran

aid attendant.

E-mail resume to bright.wood@hopemission. com; www.brightwoodranchcamps.com; or mail to Brent Ankrom, Ranch Director, Brightwood Ranch, Box 277, Evansburg, AB T0E 0T0.

Wanted: energetic, upbeat principal for Rainbow Christian School. Join our enthusiastic staff and students (K-8) in Vanderhoof, BC. We are a Group 1 Independent school. The candidate must be a BC certified teacher, a strong leader, good communicator, and have a commitment to Christian Education. Administrative experience would be an asset.

For information or job description, contact rcschool@telus.net or 250-567-3127.

The Messenger does not sell advertising, but provides free space (classified and display) to enhance our Conference, its churches, boards and ministries; interMennonite agencies and educational institutions; and the wider church. Ads are not to be for monetary benefit. To place an ad, e-mail messenger@emconf. ca or call 204-326-6401 and ask for Rebecca Roman.