The Messenger a publication of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference
Volume 62 No. 1 January/February 2024
MARKETPLACE— MINISTRY p. 6
MINISTERIAL MEETING: “WHO IS IN?” P. 10
DELEGATES FOCUS DISCUSSION ON ‘FOUR WHITE PILLS’ OF MINISTRY P. 13
PASSING THE BATON: HOW FAITH GETS PASSED TO THE NEXT GENERATION... OR NOT. www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 1 P. 17
Editorial
If 71 percent of us are introverts, how do we fulfill our mission to love others? One hundred little things. Loneliness—that might be the great evangelistic opportunity of our time, the great wound in the world that needs healing. – Dr. Meghan Larissa Good (The Armchair Anabaptist EMC podcast, season 2, episode 1). ON THE ONE hand, there is this great need—so many heartbreaking situations and so many lonely people. On the other hand, according to a 2019 Angus Reid poll, (A Portrait of Social Isolation and Loneliness in Canada today, Angus Reid Institute), 71 percent of Canadians are introverts, meaning most of us find it difficult to reach out to other people. That’s a tall hurdle, but let’s break it down a bit. According to the poll, most people wanted to see the people they were already attached to— their family and friends—more often. The poll also talks about the kind of loneliness where people have enough interaction with others but have nobody close enough for meaningful conversations or who would provide a sense of safety. There is a third kind of loneliness too, that is not reflected in the poll, but one that those of us who acknowledge God can identify readily enough— loneliness for God. (But that’s for another time.) The good news is that responding to loneliness, other than the initial introduction phase, which is intimidating, is practically designed for that 71 percent of introverts. Whether of the first type (deepening an existing relationship with a family member or friend) or the second type (becoming friends with someone who has nobody close to them), both are almost entirely ministries of many little things, most of which are too normal to attract anyone’s attention. The things that have a deep impact in another person’s life are rarely the big things, whether a
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great sermon, seminar or book, or even emergency care during a crisis. In fact, as important as crisis care is, there’s a real risk that people who provide this could be what a friend of mine dubbed “foul-weather friends.” They’re ready to sacrifice time heroically when a terrible thing happens but have no time for coffee, sloweddown conversation or just being in the same space in an unhurried way. And it is these things that bring steady warmth that pushes loneliness away and creates a sense of safety. One hundred little things: a cheerful greeting, looking in a person’s eyes when they talk (or not, if the topic is too intense), sitting with them in church, laughing at their jokes, sharing your dumb jokes, praying for them and asking for prayer, talking about projects and weather and what Jesus showed us today, remembering their birthday, anniversary, times of loss, having coffee or tea together (or water if they’re healthy like that), remembering their allergies, and if they take cream in their coffee, noticing when they get a haircut or new glasses or shaved off their beard (yes, you can miss that!), being curious about the thing they’re building, baking, fixing, or knitting, and sharing your own dreams and ideas. That wasn’t quite 100 but you get the idea—it’s about being real, being there and being interested. It’s about being like Jesus who walked everywhere and never seems to have been in much of a hurry. God bless you as you love the people around you and are loved in return. – Erica Fehr, Managing Editor
CONTENTS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024
FEATURES
COLUMNS
6
light to my path 34 His The rules of the game
10 13 17
Marketplace ministry
By Terry Kaufman The Bible calls us all to be obedient, multiplying followers of Jesus.
EMC Ministerial discusses ‘Who is IN?’ By Erica Fehr EMC Ministerial members look at barriers to making disciples.
Delegates focus discussion on ‘four white pills’ of ministry
By Rebecca Roman What’s going well and where are the needs in kids ministry, men’s ministry, biblical integrity and genuine experiences.
Passing the baton: how faith gets passed to the next generation ... or not By Dr. Joel Thiessen SBC Leadership Conference March 15–16, 2024, to explore passing on the faith.
By Karla Hein
in and higher up 35 Further The ancient global treasure of EMC faith
By Layton Friesen
corner 36 Kids The three Rs
By Loreena Thiessen
DEPARTMENTS
2 Editorial 4 Letters and Notices 19 With Our Missionaries 22 With Our Churches 28 News 30 In Memory 32 Shoulder Tapping
www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 3
The Messenger
Letters and Notices
Volume 62 No. 1 January/February 2024
Evangelical Mennonite Conference
Year to Date Financial Report January–December 2023
MANAGING EDITOR ERICA FEHR
EDITOR REBECCA ROMAN
evangelical m e n n o n i t e c o n f e r e n c e
COVER AND FEATURES DESIGN BETTY RAMONES
PUBLICATION AND PURPOSE The Messenger is the publication of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference, 440 Main Street, Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5. Its purpose is to inform concerning events and activities in the denomination, instruct in godliness and victorious living, inspire to earnestly contend for the faith. Phone: 204-326-6401 messenger@emconference.ca www.emcmessenger.ca ISSN: 0701-3299 Publications Mail Agreement: 40017362 Second-class postage paid at Steinbach, MB
COPYRIGHT The articles printed in The Messenger are owned by The Messenger or by the author and may not be reprinted without permission. Unless noted, Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. TM
SUBMISSIONS Views and opinions of writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the position of the Conference or the editors. Advertising and inserts should not be considered to carry editorial endorsement. Letters, articles, photos and poems are welcome. Submissions should be sent to messenger@emconference.ca.
ADVERTISING The Messenger does not sell advertising, but provides free space (classified and display) to enhance our Conference, its churches, boards and ministries; inter-Mennonite agencies and educational institutions; and the wider church. Ads and inquiries can be sent to messenger@emconference.ca.
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Income* Expenses Excess/Shortfall
General Fund 2023 1,844,544 1,660,751 183,793
General Fund 2022 1,683,373 1,632,868 50,505
We give thanks to God for the continued strong support of EMC ministries, and we acknowledge the contributions of EMC churches and individuals who give so generously. – The Board of Trustees *Income includes donations and transfers from other funds (e.g., estate funds).
EMC Missionary Fellowship ‘like a family gathering’ [Nov/Dec 2023 issue] We read with interest the description by Nancy Friesen of the state of affairs in Bolivia, especially the lack of biblical literacy. One organization that is producing free materials in heart languages, including Low German, is Bible for Children (bibleforchildren. org) which is based in Winnipeg. They have produced Bible events/stories in each of 467 languages which, to date, have been downloaded over 60 million times. Each event comes in several formats including an online book that can be read on a computer screen or mobile device and a black and white booklet that can be printed and coloured. Audiobooks in the form of video that can be listened to while being read are being added. My wife and I also have a burden for the Low German-speaking children of Latin and South America who may not have access to the gospel in their heart language and so have begun to volunteer with Bible for Children by
producing the video versions of their Low German Bible events. A few have been posted with more on the way. – Randy and Sieglinde Hiebert East Selkirk, Man.
Guidelines for letters Letters (250 words or less) are generally to comment on issues raised in The Messenger. The magazine reserves the right to edit letters for length, style, legality, and taste. It can refuse publication. Letters by mail must contain a handwritten signature with the writer’s first and last names and a mailing address. For letters by e-mail, the writer’s name and e-mail address are deemed to be an electronic signature. The writer’s mailing address is to be included in e-mail correspondence. The writer’s name and general address are to be published. In sensitive matters, names may be withheld.
Letters and Notices From the web
EMC appoints Director of Global Outreach
www.emcmessenger.ca
“Intellectual moms and dads” p. 35, Nov/Dec 2023 issue Thanks for this, Layton. I really appreciate the insight from this hard learned lesson. – Paul Walker I very much appreciate your perspective and would echo an amen from my own observations of people who have become intellectuals over time. I gravitate toward intellectuals who have not lost their “first love” or the emotional thrill at having been saved in the first place. – Barry Plett
Gerald Reimer
The Armchair Anabaptist launches second season on ‘community’ THE ARMCHAIR ANABAPTIST is a podcast that explores theological issues from an Anabaptist perspective with the goal of positively changing the way we live. Hosts Jesse Penner (pastor, Pleasant Valley EMC) and Andrew Dyck (pastor, Stony Brook Fellowship) look forward to investigating some of the pillars of Anabaptist theology and practice in a way that can enrich our relationship with God and our relationships with one another. For the second season of the podcast, they are looking at the importance of community in the church.
Penner and Dyck interviewed guests— Shane Claiborne, Wesley Hill, and many more—to dig deeper into this design of community and its impact. This podcast seeks to explore how we live out Christlike community together, seeking after God’s design in a way that gives him glory and allows us to thrive. Find the podcast on your favourite app. The first episode dropped January 23, 2024; new episodes come out every other week. – EMC
ON BEHALF OF the Personnel Committee, I am happy to announce the appointment of Gerald Reimer to the post of Director of Global Outreach. Reimer has worked in the EMC office for 24 years in different portfolios. He first began as Conference Youth Minister, then served as Director of Youth and Discipleship. Most recently, he served as Director of Canadian Church Planting. He brings a passion for missions and for developing that passion in others. His knowledge of our mission fields and his relationships with our missionaries will give him a great starting point as he supports them in their work. I look forward to working with Gerald in his new post. – Emery Plett Executive Director
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MARKETPLACE istry “Work by design”—and more of the story
Genesis 2:15 records work as it was meant to be— getting into the soil, dirt under the fingernails, and tending to the animals, all with satisfaction and joy. God, as part of his good and perfect plan for his creation, tasked Adam to “cultivate and tend” the Garden of Eden. Eve was given as a companion and partner in this calling. How glorious! But then comes Genesis 3—the fall—with its resultant “weeds and thistles” and “hard labour.” Work perfectly designed had become work pretty disfigured. Now it seems that creation itself militates against us in our calling to “tend.” And yet, the calling and blessing of work has not changed.
WORK IS PART OF GOD’S CALLING There are several key truths in that story worth noting. The first is that work, including physical work with dirt under our fingernails, is part of God’s calling on our lives. Unfortunately, in our day and age, work sometimes (maybe usually) gets a bad rap. Monday morning is considered lamentable as it marks the start of the workweek and Friday evening is great as it ends the same. Our jobs are often considered second-rate compared to our leisure, little more than a
Min
by Terry Kaufman
necessary evil. And yet, interestingly enough, work is given to humanity as a part of God’s perfect design and creation before the fall. Work is not an evil result of brokenness to be endured, it is a part of God’s design for us to be embraced and celebrated. God gave humanity the privilege of nurturing his creation, helping it to flourish!
WORK IS INTEGRAL TO OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD Genesis also reveals that work was intended to be a natural part of the relationship with God and integral to it. As God designed work to be a normative part of our lives it must be, in some sense, spiritual. The flourishing of creation we are called to work for is a wholistic flourishing, embracing both the physical and spiritual realms. We will return to the concept of nurturing spiritual flourishing in more detail momentarily. At this point, suffice to say that God’s calling to work is a universal calling that embraces the physical and the spiritual. It’s a mistake when we create an inappropriate divide between those two.
PHYSICAL WORK IS SPIRITUAL MINISTRY Physical work is no less a reflection of God’s calling than the roles we traditionally consider as “spiritual calling.” Ministry in the marketplace and workplace is no less ministry than work inside the church. In fact, the first person Scripture describes as being full of God’s Spirit was a craftsman, not a prophet or priest (see Exodus 31:2–3). That does not mean that God’s Spirit did not fill others before this, but it is an indication of God’s blessings on the work of our hands.
God’s calling, gifting, and mission are not limited to the “clergy class.” In fact, nothing is further from the truth. The calling to spiritual work embraces all forms of legitimate work—craftspersons, farmers, construction workers, service industry workers, health care providers, educators, businesspeople, I.T. professionals, politicians, preachers, pastors— and most certainly those who make coffee! It is to the shame of the church that we have not done a better job of validating, celebrating, and equipping people to “workplace ministry!” God calls his people to minister in all kinds of workplaces. When Jesus delivered his Great Commission, he said nothing of church buildings, structures, or organizations. He simply called all his followers to make disciples. It was to be a part of life—family, community, and workplace. As we follow Scripture beyond Genesis we discover that work is simply a natural part of God’s design. For example, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes have many words of counsel that fit a workplace environment, and many other Old Testament truths revolve around workplace environments. Much later Paul tells the Christians in Thessalonica to “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody” (1 Thessalonians 4:11–12).
Nowhere is there a separation between the call to be an obedient, multiplying, follower of Jesus, and the call to work in a career outside the church. The “call” to do physical and spiritual work is a good call that comes to us all.
A FALSE HIERARCHY OF WORK Unfortunately, the church has a long history of “stratifying” something God never does. Aristotle effectively said that anyone who does anything for pay is by nature not truly a free person (see Aristotle’s Politics, “Book VIII, part 2”). Some six centuries after Aristotle, Augustine distinguished between the “active life (vita activa)” and the “contemplative life (vita contemplative).” And though he felt both were good, the contemplative life was of a higher order. In between the eras of these two men, Christianity experienced the rise of the clergy class in both presence and value. And while there have been times since then when the church properly valued physical work, recognizing its place in God’s good design of humanity and in the mission of the church, we have nonetheless continued to struggle with properly valuing workplace ministry along with vocational ministry. It ought not to be so.
Of course, there is more to the story than that universal calling. The other key truth from Genesis’ story is that work is stained by the fall and its resultant universal sin. That shows itself not just in the “thistles and weeds” in the ground, but in the challenges we face as we work together with people – and they have to work with us. While the concept of work is divine, the experience of it is not always so.
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LIVING OUT GOD’S CALL IN AN UNFRIENDLY CULTURE There are few better examples offered for us to learn from than that of Daniel, one of many exiled to Babylon in the 6th century BCE (his experience is described in the book of Daniel). Daniel likely did not have a choice as to whether or not to go to Babylon, but it was up to him to choose how to live once there, how to serve, and how to work. Over a period of 60-plus years Daniel experienced being a foreigner, a politician, a hero, a villain, a prisoner, and a prophet. While working in a foreign land, he nevertheless recognized God’s call on his life to help God’s creation flourish. Daniel served God by serving Babylon, working in a context that was unfriendly at best to Daniel and his faith. Yet Daniel served well, worked well, ministered well. He embraced his workplace opportunities, even when his workplace did not seem to embrace him. Daniel lived out the charge given by God through his prophet in Jeremiah 29:
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (vv. 4–7).
In other words, don’t hide from the world around you—get in there, work, serve, and live. In fact, work for the flourishing of the land you are in. Jeremiah’s words challenged God’s people to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city” to which they were carried into exile. Our mandate to fulfill the full calling of God (the spiritual and physical flourishing of creation) does not change because the environment is unfriendly or uncomfortable.
WE ALSO SERVE AS FOREIGN AMBASSADORS Many of us can relate to Daniel and his Babylon experience. As Christians we are called to be ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). That should tell us something. One does not serve as an ambassador in their homeland. We serve as ambassadors when we are foreign territory, and for us that means outside the confines of our Christian alcoves (i.e. the church). I think the call to be ambassadors makes clear the call for us to serve God’s cause by serving in our communities and workplaces, whether or not the environment is aligned with our values and priorities. Daniel understood this. And his story has many lessons for us in navigating the great call of workplace or marketplace ministry, even when our setting feels like a lion’s den. A rereading of Daniel’s story reminds us of how he held the lines that God drew (not lines he drew), with grace and courage (see Daniel 2:14). We have no evidence of malice toward others (see Daniel 2:24). He did not separate himself from people, but only from practices that would defile him. I encourage you to read Daniel again, looking specifically for the ways he worked in that environment. Picture yourself copying Daniel’s approach in the places you work. Ask God to show you how he wants to you make a difference, not just how you can be comfortable. How can you work for the flourishing of those around you?
HONORING GOD IN ALL PLACES, INCLUDING THE WORKPLACE Like Daniel, our culture can be uncomfortable. Our world is marked by individualism, polarization, division, and crises of truth, purpose, 8 The Messenger | January/February 2024
meaning, and identity that together breed confusion and fear. These realities exist in the places where we live, work, play, and learn. Those are the places to which we are called to be ambassadors, ministers, and disciplemakers. Daniel shows us that a challenging environment need not stop us. Genesis sets the foundation for us all in terms of living a life for and with God, calling us to all to be disciple-making followers of Jesus. To reach all God calls people into all kinds of places of work, to serve as ambassadors to people who need the gospel. Peter writes to Christians (not just pastors) about the calling to live lives that honour God in all places, including the workplace: “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us” (1 Peter 2:12).
ARE YOU CALLED... • To work with your hands? • To lead and serve people through governance? • To the service industry? • To teach? To heal? To build? To grow? To drive? To write? To paint? To create? To sing? To clean? To cook? To…? Then work for the flourishing of God’s creation and for his glory. It is God’s calling on all of us, in whatever role he has called us to! And if you are discouraged by the challenge of your workplace context because it feels like a lion’s den from time to time, then revisit Daniel and be encouraged that God will be with you in the call he has given you. It is a great calling, important and ordained. And, finally, encourage one another in the calling each has responded to, and are ministering in. Let us build one another up in love, as each part does
SOME “DARE TO BE DANIEL” DILEMMAS You own a business and have an opportunity to hire an employee. One strong candidate chooses a lifestyle not reflective of Christian values. This person is also well known for their vocal activism and unique appearance choices related to their lifestyle choice. They will be in a “work from home” position with no opportunity to represent the company and have committed to not doing so. A “Daniellike approach” might consider this person on their work merits and potentially hires them regardless of personal discomfort, in recognition of their skills, as an opportunity to help them flourish, and as an opportunity to minister to them in a God-honouring way. You have hired a contractor to do a relatively expensive job (over $20,000). The contractor suggests he will do this job for $750 less if you pay him in cash (to avoid taxes). A “Daniel-like approach” might suggest paying the full amount so that taxes can be paid, as you understand the need for our tax money to fund national programs (whether or not they are efficiently run). You believe that flourishing of our land is good for all. You are undercharged on a supplier’s invoice, and the mistake is very unlikely to be noticed by anyone else. The company who undercharged you is notoriously difficult in pricing and legitimate credits, so others say this simply evens the balance sheet. A “Daniellike approach” might lead you to advise them of this mistake, saying your honesty before God means you would never condone dishonest gain, even if you personally did nothing to gain it (except silence). Your work environment sometimes involves activities that are outside an acceptable realm for Christianity, though they are legal and accepted in that industry. (Think, for example, of things like Medical Assistance in Dying, or some abortion procedures, or facilitating/ aiding a divorce for unbiblical reasons.) A “Daniel-like approach” might include a proactive conversation with your superior, clearly articulating where your line would be and why, and letting them know that should you be challenged to cross that line, you would have to regrettably, but graciously, offer your resignation.
its work (Ephesians 4:16). God has called you to be a part of the physical and spiritual flourishing of his creation. Thank you for responding to that call. After spending a decade in the business world, and several decades in pastoral ministry, Terry Kaufman now gives his time to Ministry Leadership Development and teaching Marketplace Ministry at Steinbach Bible College. To learn more about Marketplace Ministry reach out to Terry at tkaufman@sbcollege.ca.
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W HO IS IN? by Erica Fehr
“WHO’S IN?” WAS THE PROVOCATIVE TITLE OF THE EMC MINISTERIAL MEETING HELD ON NOVEMBER 24, 2023. THE 79 MINISTERIAL MEMBERS ASSEMBLED AT PANSY CHAPEL SPENT THE DAY DISCUSSING FOUR VARIATIONS OF THAT QUESTION.
Dylan Barkman, pastor at Pansy Chapel, set the tone with the verse “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). He pointed out that all people experience gifts of God like creation and children, but there are aspects of the “light” that only people who follow Jesus have. The pasture in this passage, he explained, is the sustenance they experience. We can expect a life lived in ministry to Jesus to be demanding, Barkman said, but also irreplaceably life-giving.
SESSION 1: WHO’S IN? DOORS AND BARRIERS In the first session, Conference Pastor Andy Woodworth related the story of a church he was sent to pastor—a church that was dying. The building was hidden behind boulders and overgrown shrubs on a residential street on the 10 The Messenger | January/February 2024
outskirts of town, he said, while the building itself had solid brown entry doors and clouded windows. Buildings reflect the character of the church, he continued, and as an example shared that a year after his family arrived, they were still considered new. Over time, Woodworth says, another congregation merged with them; they improved the building and landscaping, and they changed the name. But, he said, they did these things only after they had made internal changes. The church chose a theme verse from Zechariah 11:16 about a worthless shepherd and made it their mission to be the opposite. They would make the church a safe space that reached people nobody else was reaching and give them hope. In response, the Lord sent the lost, the young and the injured. This was sometimes challenging but it was their mission.
SESSION 2: WHO’S IN? INTENTIONAL DISCIPLESHIP Discipleship was the topic of the second session. Woodworth introduced a graph showing five stages of maturity using an A-B-C-D-E model (Acceptance, Belonging, Community, Discipleship, Emanating). He explained how, as people mature in faith, they move through the stages from A to E, but when people minister to others, the most effective way is to work backward through those letters. The person best placed to bring another person along in the process, he says, is often the one who is just one stage ahead— so ministry flows from E to A. These are not neat linear stages, though, as stages A and B (acceptance and belonging), for example, could describe people who aren’t saved but could also describe a pastor who isn’t accepted. Participants then briefly discussed how their churches facilitated these five stages and then moved on to talk about three progressively more challenging case studies featuring a
hypothetical person or family becoming part of their congregation. The ministerial considered how they would integrate these people into their church and in what areas of ministry they would likely be invited to serve. Woodworth shared the most important question of the day:
“What do we as ministerial do to help churches be more intentional in making disciples?” SESSION 3: WHO’S IN? CHURCH MEMBERSHIP In session three, Executive Director Emery Plett led a conversation with a panel of leaders from three EMC churches (Abbeydale, Blumenort, and Westpointe) on the topic of membership and baptism. The churches represented have very similar baptism and membership structures: all have formal membership they value, membership is linked to baptism, and baptism is upon confession of faith. But all three are also encountering situations that require them to think through their practices. Membership lists in each church included people who were not attending and often hadn’t for years. All the churches represented were addressing this, in part as an administrative matter but also, for Abbeydale and Westpointe as a pastoral opportunity to reconnect with people. It also spurred Westpointe to think through the meaning of membership.
Church practices around baptism are also being challenged. Some are relatively easy to resolve, such as the fear of speaking in public for some candidates. These are handled in a variety of creative ways.
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PHOTOS: UNSPLASHED
The appearance of the building communicates something important to guests and newcomers regarding how welcome they are. Woodworth included as examples things like clarity about which door is the main entry, signs for the washrooms, and how complete announcements are. Woodworth then introduced three common models of church: the fortress—focused on protecting and serving the people already there, the warehouse—focused on bringing people in and caring for them, and the factory model— which is about “producing a final product” or discipling people and helping them apply what they learn. “Is there a hospital model?” was one of the questions he was asked after the presentation. He responded this was where the church he described earlier had started with the broken people who came. He adds that a “staging area” for healing is important, but a church can get stuck there and become the factory model. It’s important that churches get people back on their feet and through recovery. Barriers to making disciples will always develop unintentionally which means we need to continue to evaluate how well we are doing.
At Westpointe the quick growth of the congregation meant that people often didn’t know baptism candidates; now, elders get to know applicants and they provide a recommendation to the church. Some baptism candidates grapple with aspects of the EMC Statement of Faith. In response two churches modified the requirement to agree, in one case asking for enough agreement to work along and another asking for agreement with the abridged version of the EMC Statement of Faith, with the caveat that to be in leadership there needs to be full agreement. The church continues to teach the whole statement of faith. All panellists have encountered questions about rebaptism. In some cases, the question is whether people baptized as infants could become members without rebaptism. Blumenort leadership recognized that their requirements made it harder for people to become members than it was for them to become Christians. They were not comfortable with this and decided to accept as members people who had been baptized as infants provided, they had gone through confirmation. They, however, teach and perform only baptism on confession of faith. Membership tied to baptism has also created some concerns. Jared Schroeder (Westpointe) shared a story of a young man and woman from the church who had been baptized on a mission trip. This was hurtful for the families and home church, but they found a way to celebrate the baptism as a church. However, the young man is now not a member though he has been in the church for his whole life. They have also had people who recognized they weren’t going to be staying at Westpointe and so just wanted to be baptized— the church tries to accommodate these requests. Blumenort and Westpointe have both encountered people who were reluctant to take up membership because of their coercive religious backg rounds. Westpointe accommodates these concerns 12 The Messenger | January/February 2024
and allows baptism without membership. Blumenort and Abbeydale maintain the link between baptism and membership but incorporate people into the church body in one of many ways they can while continuing to encourage people toward membership. Another concern was the desire of some candidates to be baptized at a particular site that is meaningful to them, or to be baptized by a family member. The pastors on the panel have sometimes accommodated these requests but do not prefer that approach, believing that it is important to celebrate baptism as the church body. Questions and comments included caution about changing our practices too easily, questions about how to proceed when someone accepted Christ and wanted to be baptized but was in a common law relationship and whether baptism and membership might be better separated.
SESSION 4: WHO’S IN? THE MINISTERIAL In the final session led by Cameron McKenzie, Board of Leadership and Outreach chair, the questions revolved around the ministerial. After reviewing the recent changes to the Ministerial definition, McKenzie asked, “Who cares?” inviting those present to consider why they are part of the Conference Ministerial and what they expect of each other. He asked them to list five expectations that the EMC should have of EMC ministers beyond exemplary, ethical and Christlike character which is assumed. His final request was for the day’s participants to present one good idea for how the Board of Leadership and Outreach can improve and grow the conference ministerial in its work and expectations. The day closed with those present sharing some of what is happening in their churches and encouraging each other. Erica Fehr is managing editor of The Messenger as well as the Director of Communications and Administration at the Evangelical Mennonite Conference.
DELEGATES FOCUS DISCUSSION ON ‘FOUR WHITE PILLS’ FOR MINISTRY 2024 budget increase of seven percent approved Conference Council delegates gathered on November 25, 2023, in a hybrid meeting. While 22 participated on Zoom from various locations across Canada, 92 met in person at Blumenort Community Church (BCC) in Blumenort, Man. Barry Plett, BCC’s associate pastor of camp and community, opened the meeting by urging delegates to be alert and ready, busy doing the Master’s work, as we await the Lord’s return. Executive Director Emery Plett announced that Gerald Reimer, previously serving EMC as director of church planting in Canada, will transition into a new role as director of global outreach. In order to determine how church planting initiatives will move forward, the General Board (GB) will participate in a six-month strategic planning process with the Canadian Church Planting Task Force (CCPTF) and the Board of Leadership and Outreach (BLO). The GB will also conduct reviews of both EMC gatherings and external connections (outside organizations EMC is affiliated with). Introducing the topic of discussion to happen later in the day, Conference Pastor Andy Woodworth said the church in Canada needs to be “aware of the challenges that we’re up against.” Citing the Cardus study, The Shifting Landscape of Faith in Canada, 19 percent of Canadians describe themselves as non-religious. Of that 19 percent, 46 percent are between the ages of 18 and 40. The largest growing group is spiritually uncertain, or agnostic, about faith (47 percent). The four white pills—“nuggets of possibility” in what seems to be a negative situation—are kids’ ministry, men’s ministry, biblical integrity, and genuine experiences.
by Rebecca Roman
Steinbach Bible College (SBC) president Dave Reimer said that SBC “has a reputation for sending students back to the church to serve there.” Of the youth leaders who attended a recent youth workers conference in Winnipeg, one-third are SBC alumni. While “it’s great,” Reimer said, that 24 percent of the current 109 students are international or Indigenous students, “that’s a higher number than EMC students.” Reimer urged churches to identify potential leaders and “encourage them with prayer and finances to go to college and train.” Board of Trustees vice-chair Andrew Kampen introduced the 2024 proposed budget. While the 2023 budget was not increased from 2022, this year the requested increase is seven percent, for a total over just over $1.9M. However, of the seven percent increase, just over 2.5 percent of the increase will be requested as donations; the remainder is expected to come from interest income and bequest fund transfers. Delegates approved the proposed budget. Board chair Cameron McKenzie introduced the BLO’s report describing how, at a recent board meeting, members “looked at each other and said, ‘Why have we been forgetting the “O” on the end of BLO (the Board of Leadership and Outreach)?’” Through the subcommittee of the Canadian Church Planting Task Force, the BLO is to be involved in outreach. Within the BLO, McKenzie said, there was excitement in the room to think of bringing the gospel in new, innovative ways. Following lunch, delegates participated in a discussion answering questions about the four white pills in relation to their churches. Questions for each “pill” were: What is your church doing www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 13
that is working? What is your greatest need? What can the conference do to help? (See discussion summary.)
On behalf of the Board of Missions, Anthony Reimer led in prayer for Reza and Bahar Azimi, EMC’s newest missionaries. While based in Manitoba, their ministry is primarily online to Afghans around the world. Reporting also were EMC associate missionaries Sandra and Israel Chavez Plett who, with their son Sebastian, serve in Guadalajara with Multiply. Their ministry there is both in training Latin American young people as missionaries and with church planting. However, “their greatest ministry focus” is their son Sebastian, whom they adopted a year and a half ago. “Pray with us, pray for us,” they asked. Travis Sass, CCPTF chair, said the task force is looking for two more members. He shared his testimony of God’s call, first to ministry in South America, then to the Spanish church community in Brandon, Man. From the Board of Church Ministries (BCM), chair Sarah Barkman reported that one of board’s objectives for 2024 is exploring “possibilities for supporting kids ministry in churches.” She asked delegates to “connect your kids ministry people with the conference so we can … continue to network together.” Barkman shared the recent BCM decision to end support to Inter-Mennonite Chaplaincy Association, which funds a chaplain on the campus of University of Manitoba. It is a localized ministry that serves
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few EMC students, she said. Support will be discontinued at the end of the current school year. Barkman encouraged local churches to support their students. The Armchair Anabaptist podcast co-hosts Jesse Penner and Andrew Dyck announced the launch of the podcast’s second season which will take place in January 2024. Penner thanked Kevin Wiebe, previous co-host, and introduced new co-host Andrew Dyck. Dyck said, “We’ve already had a lot of interviews with some amazing people and I’m excited to share … our new topic of community.” With thanks “to all of you that made this part of your day …. all of you that presented,” EMC Moderator Abe Bergen then closed the meeting in prayer. Rebecca Roman is the creative mastermind and editor of The Messenger.
KID’S MINISTRY
MEN’S MINISTRY
Nearly every group mentioned their church conducts Sunday school programming, some for kids only, and some hold classes for all ages. Some, especially smaller churches, favour an intergenerational approach. Mid-week programming (Awana, Pioneer Clubs and Link) drew kids from the community and linked them to other church programming. VBS and camp were both identified as effective, with family ministries (mom’s programming, preschool) functioning both to support families and as community outreach. A few churches have hired staff specifically for kids’ ministry. By far the greatest need among churches is for more leaders and volunteers. There is a need for training. Resources and curriculum were the top suggestions on how EMC could help churches, specifically resources with EMC-compatible theology. This could take the form of creating a curriculum or finding and vetting material.
Almost every group mentioned men’s breakfasts, though frequency varies. Prayer meetings or Bible study/discipleship times in a variety of formats are also common. One church’s men’s event is designed for outreach and features a “TED Talkstyle presentation with a low-pressure invitation to Sunday morning for more biblical content.” The most common “greatest need” mentioned is for men to have time and capacity to participate in men’s events and for them to make involvement a priority. Many of the groups identified needs related to relationships, trust and vulnerability. One group saw a need for resources focused on Christian masculinity rather than the more strident voices for masculinity sometimes heard in church and media. Several responses pointed to the need for men to lead and mentor younger men.
Lifelong faith begins with childhood decisions
Challenging young men to live honourably
www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 15
Some ways the EMC can help: provide resources and training (perhaps through connecting churches to organizations that do men’s ministry well); connect people across EMC churches (like at this Conference Council round table) so they could learn from each other; organize and run regular conference men’s events, including retreats, father/son retreats, sports leagues and/or service projects.
BIBLICAL INTEGRATION The Bible says … let’s live it together
Participants expressed confidence about what their churches were doing. Some variation of “solid biblical teaching” was the overwhelming response. Churches are preaching the Bible from the pulpit and in Sunday school classes. Churches are also choosing songs with good theology and studying apologetics and series on trusting the Bible. Several participants also noted that this included a life of integrity where the church acts on what it believes, seen in things like how they care for the poor. The greatest need was less clear-cut, but education, both formal (Bible college or academic training) and informal (seminars) were mentioned several times. Many responses focused on biblical application; wisdom is needed to apply or balance biblical values with love for people. Training and resources were named most often as things the conference could do to help churches. Of these, subsidizing and promoting education, specifically at Steinbach Bible C ol leg e w a s mentioned most often. Several groups identified helpful EMC resources and requested that something similar be done again (Come and See sermon series, Darren and Barry’s video, Desire conference).
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GENUINE EXPERIENCES
Felt experiences through encounters with God Testimonies, sharing and prayer stood out to most groups as times when genuine spiritual experience took place, whether these were planned occasions (baptism, sharing time during the service), or less structured occasions (camps, retreats, small group meetings). Many responses noted that the act of caring for each other or just being together as the family of God was richly experiential in their churches (shaking hands and greeting people by name, eating together, praying for one another, or asking how God is at work in a person’s life). The importance of missions experiences, camps, and youth events (Abundant Springs) was noted. Needs were identified for re-enchantment (combating cynicism toward spiritual realities), not quenching the Holy Spirit, finding ways to identify and name supernatural encounters or moments with God and undoing skepticism due to manipulative or inauthentic experiences. There is also a need to integrate younger members into the life of the church. What can the conference do? Existing EMC gatherings (meetings, festivals, ministerial retreats, Abundant Springs, and more) are seen as helpful. There is a need for EMC to tell stories of people’s experiences of God and his work. EMC needs to continue praying for churches and encourage prayer meetings among churches.
PASSING THE BATON
HOW FAITH GETS PASSED TO THE NEXT GENERATION... OR NOT by Dr. Joel Thiessen I GREW UP in Winnipeg until I was sixteen years old. I begin with two brief stories of this formative period that are illustrative of the themes we will explore at the 2024 Leadership Conference to be held at Steinbach Bible College on March 15–16. STORY #1 - One of my earliest memories— before I was ten years old—was going door to door following a typical prairie blizzard, offering to shovel people’s sidewalks in exchange for $1 (this was the late ’80s!). My father, a pastor at the time, taught me that the first ten cents would go into the offering plate, the next ten cents would go into savings, and I could spend the remaining eighty cents as I wished. My parents instructed me that everything I have is from God, and thus I must return the first and best of what I receive to God. This lesson has never left me, along with many other Christian beliefs and practices that were important in our home. STORY #2 - As a teenager, several young adults in our church took me under their wings
and mentored me. They led some of our youth group Bible studies and social events, modelling Christian discipleship and formation. They nurtured my growing interest as a drummer in our local church. They took me to Blue Bombers and Jets games. And they provided a venue to gather with other teens as we navigated our evolving sense of self, others, and God. In these places, I was also given opportunities to lead Bible study discussions with my peers, receiving constructive feedback as a young person on my leadership and Christian (mis)understanding along the way. I begin with these stories because they reveal some of the underlying conditions that research suggests are the most fertile for effectively passing the faith on from one generation to the next: (a) parents who model, instruct, and dialogue about matters of faith with their children, and (b) supportive peer and adult influences within one’s faith tradition. These are necessary but not www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 17
sufficient causes of successful faith transmission. Passing the baton rarely, if ever, happens by accident. Faith transmission requires intentionality by parents and congregations, ideally. Fast-forward over a quarter of a century. I’m now in my 16th year on faculty at Ambrose University in Calgary as a sociologist of religion, with a deep love for and interest in the local church. I write and speak widely about a range of topics related to religious life in Canada. I genuinely believe that many church leaders and parents are well-intentioned when it comes to passing on the faith to younger generations. But one thing I’ve learned as a sociologist is that sometimes good intentions result in a range of attitudes and behaviours that may not yield desired results. In part, this is because people’s perceptions and actions may not align with reality. As a sociologist my role is fundamentally to provide people with empirical data that helps us better describe and understand reality as it is rather than as we wish. In turn, I seek to help others grapple practically and theologically with the implications of those realities. At the 2024 Leadership Conference, we’ll draw on sociological research to ground an exploration into four themes connected to faith transmission from one generation to the next. First, we’ll explore a topic that is garnering more attention than most subjects these days among sociologists of religion, along with many church leaders and parents: those who say they have no religion. This is the fastest growing “religious group” in Canada and the modern Western world. As of 2021, more than one-third of Canadians say they have no religion, including nearly 40 percent in Manitoba. Who are they? Why are they growing? How do they view the world? And what difference does this make to local congregations? Second, we’ll examine how younger generations in Canada view and experience the world. What are their values, concerns, and hopes? How are their attitudes and behaviours similar or dissimilar to their parents and grandparents? How does the social environment for young people today compare to prior generations? And how do younger people approach religion and spirituality? The research findings may surprise 18 The Messenger | January/February 2024
you. Unlike popular perceptions, in many ways young people are more alike than unalike those who are older than them. Still, some differences exist, as we’ll learn together. Third, what social conditions positively contribute to Christian belief and practice transferring from one generation to the next? Sociological research is clear that parents are the single greatest influence over a person’s faith development over their lifetime. When parents “believe, behave, and belong,” their children are far more likely to do so (though not guaranteed). My deep Christian commitments today are largely attributable to what I learned as a child and teen in Winnipeg. But what does faith transmission look like with the growth of those who say they have no religion alongside some of the distinctive realities that young people (and older adults) confront in contemporary Canadian society? Finally, while parents play the most influential role, they need a strong supporting cast. This is where congregations can play an integral part, as was true for me in my teen years. Churches have an opportunity to come alongside parents and equip and empower them as the primary faith development leaders for their children. Yet, congregations can also offer spaces and places for spiritual formation and discipleship, mentorship, friendship, and leadership among younger generations. Research shows that flourishing congregations tend to be younger, innovative, hospitable toward younger members, and supportive of leadership development. I look forward to returning to my Christian roots in Manitoba in March 2024—a personal and professional sojourn. While we’re together, my hope is that we’ll have a good combination of learning new ideas, interacting with one another’s questions and experiences, and collectively considering tangible next steps informed by the sociological research on these four topics. Raised in Winnipeg as an avid Blue Bombers fan, Dr. Joel Thiessen is Professor of Sociology and Social Sciences Department Chair at Ambrose University. He is also Director of the Flourishing Congregations Institute.
With Our Missionaries
A passion for filmmaking builds God’s kingdom
I’VE ALWAYS LOVED filmmaking and made tons of little movies as a kid. As I left Bible college, I tried to shake that hobby and focus on ministry, working in the church and camps and with missions. But I’ve spent the last year seeing if I can combine my two passions. I left last May for Northern Ireland to join Soul Catalyst, a short-filmmaking team with Greater Europe Mission. Their goals are to prompt thought in the audience, and to connect with the local community of unbelieving actors/ crew through our shared passion (film) and introduce them to our other passion (Jesus). I had an amazing time there and, in September, I journeyed to Lesotho. The primary goal of the Operation Mobilization team here in Lesotho is starting and leading discipleship groups. Lesotho has a large population of people who identify as Christian, but haven’t put their faith in Jesus, don’t know they can pray, and are still dependent on witch doctors. Training in discipleship groups takes someone’s faith from a stamp on a certificate to an active, personal relationship with God. I’ve begun to lead more of these groups as time has gone on, and they’re likely the single most fulfilling part of life here. I always walk back from these meetings with Sekelemane, my host and fellow team member, and we’re both buzzing with excitement from watching God work and people grow. While we’re asking the question “how will this make disciples?” about
IMAGES FROM OM IN LESOTHO VIDEO SCREENSHOTS
By Andrew Reimer Operation Mobilization, Lesotho
Andrew Reimer assists Sekelemane Khoananyana (inset, holding the discipleship manual) with leading discipleship groups in Lesotho.
everything we do, some answers are more obvious than others. I live in a very agrarian, mountainous village, so simply living (getting food and water, cleaning) takes more time. One of our team members is building a new house, so we spent a week just roofing a while back (this was odd for me; I used to do construction framing and it kind of felt like I’d somehow been transported back to my old job). This place also gets crazy rainstorms, leading to us doing disaster relief. We went to a local school the other week that had its roof peeled off from the wind. We’ve done visitation, training conferences, kid’s ministry, sustainability projects, and much more. But it all comes back to discipleship. To tie it back to the beginning, my personal work is as the team’s videographer. I’ve been making a bunch of little
three- to five-minute videos that show what life and ministry is like here. You can find the videos by searching “OM in Lesotho” at YouTube.com. It’s quite exciting to not only be a part of cutting-edge mission work, but to try my best to capture it in compelling images and create something out of them that can encourage others. It’s either uneventful, exhausting or exhilarating on any given day, and I’m grateful for the chance to use my passions for the kingdom. Andrew Reimer is currently serving as a short-term missionary with Operation Mobilization in Lesotho through the EMC Ascend internship program. To find out more about Ascend, a program to help people develop their gifts in missions through short-term ministry opportunities, contact the EMC office.
www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 19
With Our Missionaries
😶
Why are some missionaries silent? By Erica Fehr and Ruth Block EMC staff LET’S TALK ABOUT missionaries who rarely report in The Messenger or through any of our other publications. If you read any EMC missions publications, you will see occasional blank spots—maybe just an initial, no photo, no mission agency listed, no home church. And no details of the work they are doing, only general information about what to pray for. What’s going on? What’s the risk? THE ANSWER VARIES. In some cases, the cross-cultural worker (a better term than missionary in these settings) would personally be at risk. They work in a country that isn’t safe for local Christians or anyone from a western NGO, particularly if they are seen to be proselytizing. In these cases, although EMC workers share their faith with people who want to know—that is why they are there—there is a need for caution. EMC mission staff and these workers communicate less freely and phrase things carefully to avoid direct references to Christianity and/or missions. Churches are discouraged from emailing workers in these situations—other than home churches who know the worker and are familiar with the necessary protocols. EMC rarely publishes what such a worker writes, and certainly not if the worker could be identified—particularly because most of what we publish goes online. IN OTHER CASES, while the cross-cultural worker risks deportation from
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If you read any EMC missions publications, you will see occasional blank spots—maybe just an initial, no photo, no mission agency listed, no home church. And no details of the work they are doing.
their country of ministry, the greater risk is for the citizens of the country they serve. Citizens could face economic penalties, jail time, or worse, if they are associated with a foreign mission agency. FOR SOME WORKERS, the risk is that they will be expelled or denied visas at their next entry if they are considered to be proselytizing. They are welcome to serve in careers for the benefit of citizens, and they do this in the name of Christ, but cannot be associated with a mission.
What is noteworthy in these examples is that cross-cultural workers in these risky settings, despite the restrictions and dangers they experience, are committed to speaking of their host country with respect, whether they are in-country or on home assignment. One such cross-cultural worker spoke of being like Daniel, who treated the kings of Babylon with regard despite their ruthless ways of ruling. FINALLY, FOR SOME workers, silence is a choice they make because their association with a mission agency, if discovered (perhaps through social media), would make their local friends wary. The missionary would be seen as someone with an agenda rather than a true friend. While the concern about an “agenda” isn’t entirely false, it’s also not quite true. These workers are genuine friends who have something truly worthwhile to offer, in the person of Jesus Christ. Each cross-cultural worker who fits into one of these categories is committed to, and passionate about bringing the good news of salvation through Jesus in their country of ministry. Though we often cannot share their stories, we encourage you to pray for the cross-cultural workers serving in these contexts, just as you do for the ones who can speak freely, and know that God is at work! EMC Day of Prayer is coming on February 18, 2024. Consider setting aside some time that day or week to pray for missionaries in these types of challenging contexts.
With Our Missionaries
Zambia project completed!
THIS PAST MARCH, we were able to finally complete a project in Livingstone, Zambia, that had been planned since before the pandemic. In just four days, with the help of a five-person team from a church in Virginia, USA (two men and three women), and some local people, we managed to build two shelters and complete three double toilet structures at several of the Open Schools Worldwide project locations there. The local government had threatened to shut down the Open Schools projects due to lack of sanitary facilities for the hundreds of children being served. In addition, the lack of roof structures severely compromised the ability to instruct students because of the lack of protection from rain and sun.
PHOTOS SUPPLIED
By Phil Peters Open Schools Worldwide/TeachBeyond
Students learn while exposed to the hot sun. Now, with the construction of two shelters, they will have protection from both rain and sun. The build week was a huge blessing in multiple ways. It not only served hundreds of children who were learning in the dirt under the hot sun, the local helpers were also clearly impressed with the testimony of foreign strangers sacrificially helping their community. As well, the
During four days of building, local people worked with a five-person team from Virginia to construct two shelters and three double toilet structures for Open Schools Worldwide in Zambia. They are pictured in front of one of the toilet structures; Phil Peters is at front right.
American volunteers gained a totally new attitude and appreciation through what they experienced of poverty and the local standard of living. A local church was also greatly helped, as they will be able to share the use of one of these shelters (now with toilet facilities) as their meeting place. One of our local tutors, who has been instructing the children at that Open Schools project for seven years, told us, “This is the best day of my life!” All in all, it was an amazing week that God enabled and blessed and will support the building of his kingdom for many years to come! Phil Peters and his wife Tammy serve in South Africa, where Phil works as director of strategic development for Open Schools Worldwide and Tammy is African regional VP for TeachBeyond. The classroom project was funded by EMC Project Builders. Find out more at www.emconference.ca/project-builders.
www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 21
With Our Churches
Celebrating God’s faithfulness over 50 years! La Crete Christian Fellowship Church La Crete, Alberta
PHOTOS SUPPLIED
FALL 2023 MARKED the 50th anniversary of La Crete Christian Fellowship. To mark this occasion, a planning committee organized a celebration weekend. October 14–15, 2023, we opened the doors to visitors and regular attendees to give all glory, honour and praise to our faithful Almighty God! The weekend began with a time of fellowship over coffee and cookies. It was beautiful to see old friends and acquaintances reuniting and reminiscing together, sharing stories of bygone years while looking through pages of old photo directories. Of many memories shared, one stood out. The night before we had our first service in our new building, Menno Hamm realized there was no pulpit for his brother, Elmer, to preach from. So, Menno went home and built one out of leftover building materials, with a cross on the front. He wasn’t overly impressed by his project, but it would have to do. He told the small congregation they’d use that pulpit “for now” and a better one would be built someday. Fifty years later, the pulpit stands unchanged, still used by a new
Photo directories provided fodder for conversation.
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congregation in that building. Pastor Elmer’s son, Stan Hamm, got to stand behind the pulpit his uncle built, and his father stood behind, to share the Word of God. What a special moment! At the Saturday evening service, we learned of our humble beginnings: having the first congregational meeting in the basement of someone’s home, experiencing resistance and opposition, and slowly getting started with regular services. Again and again, we heard expressions of thanksgiving for the faithfulness of God, his unchanging character, and his bountiful blessings. Stan Hamm then shared from the book of Nehemiah about God’s call to rebuild the wall. Nehemiah faced opposition and resistance; yet many people from all walks of life came together to do the work of the Lord. While the people were rebuilding the wall, God was rebuilding his people. On Sunday morning, we enjoyed a service of music, a slide show of photos from over the years, and messages from three speakers: Stan Hamm (son of our first pastor Elmer Hamm), Peter Fehr (former youth pastor), and Russell Peters (current senior pastor). Each spoke of a different aspect of church life. Stan reminisced about the very beginning. EMC contacted his father Elmer to come start an English-speaking church in La Crete, Alberta. So, he moved to a tiny little place that wasn’t marked on any map yet! Peter Fehr shared about the growth of the church. As a youth pastor, it was in the ordinary, day-to-day happenings that he could see God at work:
Stan Hamm stands behind the same pulpit his father Elmer Hamm used 50 years ago. The pulpit was built by his uncle Menno Hamm. coffee visits, one-on-one conversations, lunches in different homes after Sunday service. Russell Peters concluded by looking to the future. We know where we came from, we know how we’ve grown, so now what? Decades ago, a seed was planted. Many willing workers watered and cared for that planted seed. Only God could make it grow. We need to carry on in faith. Our celebration weekend came to a close with a fellowship lunch, where more life stories were shared around tables and over many cups of coffee. – Eva Friesen
With Our Churches
‘The Lord has done great things’ at The ConneXion
“THE LORD HAS done great things for us, and we are filled with joy” (Psalm 126:3). With great joy and gratitude we share the great works of the Lord in our lives. On October 1, 2023, we began a new journey in our church. We are currently around 45 members, many starting their journey of faith, mostly new Canadians: refugees from Syria and Ukraine, immigrants from Brazil, India and Kenya, as well as, of course, longer-established Canadians. Our community welcomed new pastor Dani Caldeira from Brazil. Together with her husband Isabeh and son Matheus they brought a little music and a different way of leading the Lord’s flock through love, adding to our diverse and blessed grouping of peoples and cultures. On October 22, we officially held the installation service for our new pastor and family, with EMC representative Gerald Reimer. Gerald brought us an inspiring message about the cross and our calling. We then celebrated, together with our members, the beginning of Dani’s journey with us. Dani and Isabeh have been pastors in Brazil since 2010, and music and theater teachers since 1998. They are responsible for an evangelistic ministry through art in Brazil, where they performed professional musical theatre pieces bearing the name of Jesus to spectators. Our services are now full of worship through music, and sermons supported by images and videos help
PHOTOS SUPPLIED
The ConneXion Church Arborg, Manitoba
Gerald Reimer, Mary Friesen, Peter and Rosanna Loewen, Glauberio Pereira, Trudy and Peter Dueck pray over Isabeh and Pastor Dani Caldeira (centre). everyone understand, as some of our members are still in the process of acquiring English, including our pastor. On November 12, we began an evangelistic interdenominational choir that aims to bring music and peace to the people of our town, especially in homes for the elderly and people with disabilities. The members are of different ages and nationalities, which brings us a colourful diversity of talents and expressiveness. Our first performance was on December 17.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16). We rely on these words of Jesus, and that is exactly what we seek: through art we make the light of Christ shine like a beacon over our town, our province, our country, our world. – Dani Caldeira
An interdenominational choir includes a diversity of ages and nationalities at their first rehearsal.
www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 23
With Our Churches
A sorrowful goodbye to pastoral couple
GREETINGS FROM PELLY Fellowship Chapel. It is with great sadness we said farewell to the Kim family early in 2023. Pastor Frankie Hyounglin Kim has taken a position at the Yorkton Alliance Church. Both Frankie and his wife Minju submitted something to put into The Messenger. Here’s Pastor Frankie (Minju’s will appear in a later issue): “It has been seven years and a month in Pelly. I could not help praising God because of his guidance and love for me and for my family through Pelly Fellowship Chapel. I did not know where Pelly was when I was in Toronto. Also, most of my friends and colleagues tried to prevent me from moving to Pelly. Now, they say to me they can see how God has worked through my family and Pelly Fellowship Chapel. Even though Pelly Fellowship is a senior’s church (most congregants are 80 and older), they showed how to serve the church and love. “The Evangelical Mennonite Conference welcomed my family for seven years since I joined Pelly Fellowship Chapel. EMC tried to support my ministry in Pelly. When I tried to approach the First Nations reserve nearby, they gave me their ears and supported me with prayer and finance. I learned how to serve the church and help others. “EMC Region 3 churches helped and prayed for my ministry at Pelly. The Pelly and Norquay communities welcomed my family. I led a service at the Norquay Lodge and served Pelly Housing Authority as the chairperson. If the 24 The Messenger | January/February 2024
“Even though Pelly Fellowship is a senior’s church (most congregants are 80 and older), they showed how to serve the church and love.”
The Kim family left Pelly Fellowship Chapel early in 2023 to serve in Yorkton, Sask.
communities had not welcomed me, I would not have experienced these amazing works in the communities. In addition, The Key First Nation and Cote First Nation welcomed my family. Ketchen Lake, Madge Lake Bible Camp, and Living Word Bible College gave me wonderful opportunities to be a part of the camps and a teacher. I could meet youth and students to share God’s Word and love. “Through all I experienced, God taught me everything is possible when I follow his way. God let me know he does not work with my strength but my weakness. “Now, we haved moved to Yorkton to start a ministry
as of February 1, 2023. It was a hard decision for my family to leave Pelly and EMC circle, but when we prayed, we realized God wants me to do his work in Saskatchewan more. EMC and the church in Yorkton are part of God’s family and a part of the body of Jesus Christ. Even though I am moving to Yorkton, it is not leaving, but extending my ministry. Just as God taught me his way for the ministry in Pelly, God will lead me and my family with the new church. “God is good all the time. And God is always on my side. That is why I love him, and I can praise his name!” Look for Minju’s perspective in a future issue. – Rhonda Brodeur
PHOTO SUPPLIED
Pelly Fellowship Chapel Pelly, Saskatchewan
With Our Churches
PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Baptism at Abbeydale a ‘hands-in’ experience
Pastor Chris Hughes gives “hands in” experience to children about baptism. Abbeydale Christian Fellowship Calgary, Alberta WHAT DO A host of curious children, over 100 adults (comprised of more visiting family members and friends than usual), two excited pastors and Sunday, November 26, 2023, all have in common? They all w itnessed a muchanticipated event: the baptism and
membership acceptance of several equally excited candidates. Before any adult toes rippled the water, children were invited up to the stage at the front of the sanctuary to see the “big bathtub.” Pastor Chris explained baptism’s purpose and significance in an age-appropriate manner as children were invited to make a tangible connection to the lesson by dipping their fingers in the water.
During the service, at least one youngster, having kept track on his fingers, was disappointed when only three of the eleven adults taking up membership were baptized. He had quite enjoyed listening to the testimonies and watching the process of baptism and the various emotional responses before and after immersion. Eight candidates had previously been baptized upon confession of their faith. The testimonies of all eleven served to encourage those who heard them, strengthen those who presented them and intrigue those who are not Christ-followers, yet. May that intrigue become a desire and then a decision. The service was followed by a taco (contest) potluck sponsored by the youth group. Yes, a dessert taco is a real thing and a really creative entry, making a great voter’s choice among other creative entries. The light-hearted atmosphere was a fun way to celebrate the addition of new family members. The testimonies of faith presented by the membership candidates can be heard on the Abbeydale Christian Fellowship YouTube channel by tuning in to the November 26 streamed worship service. – Ivy Plett
Baptism and membership candidates Maria and Marco Leal, Pablo Leal, Rebekah and Harold Coville, Tim Dueck (in inset), Kent Peters, Ambi Lopez, Nathan Neustader, Annie Corder, Kol Peters are flanked by Pastor Davies Mpinga (far left) and Pastor Chris Hughes (far right).
www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 25
With Our Churches
The Advent of new birth and peace Heartland Community Church Landmark, Manitoba
PHOTO SUPPLIED
Ellen Toews records as Macey Plett displays gifts at the shower held to celebrate the arrival of Macey and Travis Plett’s son, Zane.
Seniors share a meal Evangelical Fellowship Church Fort Frances, Ontario THE SENIORS OF the church gather regularly, usually the third
Wednesday of the month, for a time of music, singing, listening to a guest speaker, and eating together. The event is opened and closed by Pastor Alain Reimer. – Mark Gerber
PHOTO BY RAY FRIESEN
IN NOVEMBER 2023, a special shower was held in honour of Macey Plett, wife of our Young Life Pastor Travis, celebrating the arrival of their first born, a son, whom they named Zane. The name in Hebrew means: “God is Gracious!” A special acknowledgement to those who helped plan this event: Marj Toews, Bev Braun, Ellen Toews, Marcia Hill and Kaya Toews. And what a beautiful day it was to bless this family! With the advent of their newborn son, life will change for the new parents, and we will uphold them all in prayer and support in practical ways as God leads. On December 3, 2023, the first Sunday of Advent, we celebrate with joy the four people who were baptized on this day. How fitting they should rise from the waters, professing their faith in Jesus, as new creations in Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:17). And with their new spiritual birth comes the peace of God, who has promised them this free gift of grace (Ephesians 2:1–10). At our December 12 service, our worship planning teams helped us focus our minds on the Advent theme of Peace. Pastor Matt preached on Isaiah 9, a prophecy of comfort for the Israelites’ during their times of troubles and the future fulfillment of “Immanuel” (God with Us), the True Prince of Peace, whose second advent we await. Come, Lord Jesus! – Brigitte Toews
Seniors at EFC in Fort Frances gather to share a meal on November 15, 2023.
26 The Messenger | January/February 2024
With Our Churches
Celebrating beginnings, acknowledging transitions
A RECENT AND important event at Kleefeld EMC is the installation of a new lead pastor. Greg Klassen and his wife Daniella, along with their three children, have been worshipping with us for the past year while Greg was attending Providence Theological Seminary. Greg was officially commissioned on September 17, 2023, and we are anticipating new blessings under his leadership. Our church family paid tribute to Pastor Pete and Irene Ascough in September. Pastor Pete served as lead pastor since March 2018, and as associate pastor for 12 years before that. Pete and Irene were presented with several
Greg and Dani Klassen are Kleefeld EMC’s new lead pastoral couple.
Baptism and membership reception was held on August 13, 2023, for Sam Bartel and Carter and Logan Wiebe. They are shown here with Pastor Pete Ascough and Associate Pastor Lyndol Fast. PHOTOS SUPPLIED
Kleefeld Evangelical Mennonite Church Kleefeld, Manitoba
special gifts by the church family in appreciation of their valued leadership. We are grateful that the Ascough family will continue to worship with us; we wish him well in his new counselling vocation. Congratulations to Erica Fehr for completing the EMC credentialing program. In recognition of this achievement, our church presented Erica with a basket of flowers. Erica serves as Director of Communications and Administration at the EMC office. In January 2023, an ordination was held for Cal (last name withheld for security). We have been very privileged to enjoy the fellowship, preaching, and teaching of Cal and his wife Gabi and family during their furlough spent in Kleefeld. On July 30 they were special guests at a BBQ farewell at the home of Sheldon and Kerri Schroeder. They have moved to the U.S. to continue in ministry with Life Action Ministries. – Dennis and Louella Friesen
Erica Fehr (right), shown here with husband Dave, completed the EMC credentialing program in 2023.
www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 27
News
Refugees focus of Project Builders event Additional projects require additional support EMC PROJECT BUILDERS (PB) has been around for over 50 years but in 2024, for the first time, the PB held a dessert fundraiser rather than the usual annual general meeting. On Sunday, January 14, 83 people met at Heartland Community Church in Landmark. Ken Zacharias chaired the event, introducing the committee and highlighting some of the projects before we sang together and enjoyed
Project Builders supporter Sid Reimer looks over the brochure at the dessert event.
This year, over 30 project applications were received, more than ever before. Because of the increase in demand, there were projects PB was not able to fund. dessert—delightful trifles and cream puffs along with coffee. One of the projects supported by PB was highlighted during the short program—a discipleship program for Afghan refugees in Canada. Seven guests of the evening were Afghans who had been sponsored by EMC churches. They joined Arley Loewen on stage to be interviewed. They introduced themselves and shared how and why they became followers of Jesus, why they left Afghanistan and the good things and challenges of life in Canada. The refugees also talked about a retreat sponsored by Project Builders they had attended in the summer and how it had been a blessing to them.
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The retreat is part of the program spearheaded by Arley and Janice Loewen and includes several informal get-togethers over the course of the year, as well as the weekend retreat. This past year the retreat was at Steinbach Bible College for all the Afghan refugees sponsored by Manitoba churches. It was a time of worship and fellowship that was deeply appreciated by all who participated. They hope to plan a similar retreat in Alberta for families sponsored by Alberta and B.C. churches. The event served as a reminder that discipleship happens all around the world and that our conference has become a cross-cultural community of believers.
Project Builders funds many more projects. This year, over 30 project applications were received, more than ever before. Because of the increase in demand, there were projects PB was not able to fund. The hope with this fundraiser is to raise awareness of Project Builders and the projects we support and to expand the PB support base. We are grateful for all the interest and support from those that came. If you are interested in supporting Project Builders or want to know more about it contact the conference office or check it out at www.emconference. ca/project-builders. – Janine Parkinson
News
Kindness in every twist of thread SERHIY* HAS HAD to move three times in the last two years. Living in Nikopol, Ukraine, means facing constant bombardment by Russian military forces. The fear and danger of war make even the act of moving challenging for anyone, but Serhiy has additional barriers to navigate—he and his 12-year-old son* are both blind. They couldn’t go far from Nikopol even if he wanted to, let alone carry all the necessary items to make the journey. He can’t work to make more money, but his wife*, who also has a v isual impairment, is elsewhere in Ukraine working, leaving Serhiy and his son on their own with what support she can send them. This time of year is especially tough for their family because the winter winds have kicked up, and staying warm at home has once again become a matter of life and death. Serhiy says that under the conditions of the conflict right now, having power and heat available is not always a guarantee. “ Today, w inter has already arrived, and the heating has just been turned on in the apartment that we
are renting with my son, but it is not working properly, so it is cool in the apartment,” he says. But t ha n k s to t he committed support of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) donors, Serhiy has a way to help himself and his son stay warm this winter — brand-new MCC comforters. “We thank God. He probably knows our thoughts and sent us good people with blankets from you. They are very pleasant to the touch… they are also warm and, most importantly, they arrived [in time for winter]” he says. Yana* also lives in Nikopol and had to move her family to a temporary home because their house was partially destroyed by Russian military attacks and it’s no longer safe to live in. She says they keep the heating off as long as possible to save on the expenses, and that her daughter* especially loves the MCC comforter they received. “She really liked them because of their interesting color patterns. The comforters help to improve our living conditions at least a little during the cold season.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF AMBCU
MCC comforters warm up winter in Ukraine
Recipients* display the MCC comforters they received when MCC partner Association of Mennonite Brethren Churches of Ukraine (AMBCU) distributed relief items to vulnerable people in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine in October 2023. Yana also had a message for the dedicated MCC volunteers who make it possible for comforters to be sent all over the world to people who need them. “We were very pleased to hear that somewhere far away in the United States or in Canada, someone is thinking about us poor Ukrainians. I am sure that with every blanket, you give a piece of your heart and with every twist of thread, you share your kindness. We felt it. We thank you.” You can help provide comforters to people affected by disaster and conflict around the world during MCC’s The Great Winter Warm-up in 2024.
The Great Winter Warmup challenges people to sew and donate 7,000 comforters before Feb. 29. Sew in the comfort of your home or create a group to sew with. If sewing isn’t in your skill set, consider donating toward the cost of sending a comforter to someone in need. Comforters are also welcome any time of year. No matter how you contribute or when you do, your donation will help people in need feel the warmth of God’s love. Learn more here: mcc.org/ the-great-winter-warm-up – Jason Dueck, MCC. *Names shortened or withheld for security purposes.
www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 29
In Memory
MARY WIEBE 1936–2023 Mary Wiebe, the seventh of 12 children, was born on May 3, 1936, in Aberdeen, Sask., and grew up on the family’s homestead in Cheslatta, B.C. Mary was married to Dan Wiebe in 1957 and together they raised a family of seven children, making several moves during this time—including Burns Lake, Vanderhoof and Fort St. John, B.C. It was during their second time in Burns Lake that both Mary and Dan came to know Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour through the influence of Christian relatives and the witness of people in the local church. Pastor Arden Thiessen was used by God in their lives. In 1977, Dan and Mary learned of Bill and Anne Buhler, who were working to start a church in High Level, Alta., and they felt God call them to go and help. They moved their family there and Dan found employment at the local sawmill. A church was started that continues to this day. While they lived there, Dan and Mary became foster parents and many different children from difficult situations passed through their home, experiencing love, family, good food and routine. In 1981, the first of Dan and Mary’s seven children got married and, two years later, Dan and Mary became
grandparents. In the years that followed all their children got married, more grandchildren were born, and 21 years later Mary was proud to say she had 24 of those precious people in her life. In 1984, Mom and Dad made another move to Wetaskiwin, Alta., where they took on the role of house parents at Bethany Homes for children. They served there for several years. During their time there their third daughter, Eva, the mother of their only grandchild at the time, died of congestive heart failure. In 2008, Mary and Dan became great-grandparents. Mary had 20 great-grandchildren. Mary was usually found serving in quiet ways, whether cooking for work crews or camps, or making quilts for her grandchildren or the homeless. She also loved travelling and camping. There were a few more moves, including Holden and Two Hills,
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where Dan and Mary enjoyed becoming friends with many Low German speaking Mennonite people from Mexico. Their final move was to Three Hills, Alta., in 2012. After living in Robertson Manor for only eight months, Dan passed away. Mary’s children were thankful that she was living close to a few of her daughters. In 2006 Mary was diagnosed with a blood disorder that required regular blood transfusions to sustain life. For the past two years, Mary was being lovingly cared for in her daughter Barb’s home. Mary died peacefully on September 16, 2023, at the age of 87. She will be deeply missed by her children, Sara (Bill) Brisbin, Barb (Danny) Hicks, Bill (Karen) Wiebe, Ruth (Alfred) Henkel, Mark (Norah) Wiebe, Julia (Steve) McRae, son-in-law, Henry (Anne) Wiebe; her 24 wonderful grandchildren and their spouses; 20 great grandchildren; 2 sisters, and many other relatives and friends. – The Family
In Memory
DONALD K. WARKENTIN 1939–2023 Donald Warkentin, age 84, of Spruce Grove, Alberta, born October 20, 1939, at McTavish, Manitoba, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 14, 2023, at Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton. Don was a loving husband to Adeline for 61 years. He will be dearly missed by her and their beloved children: Darrell (Odette), Lenora (Wes), Donald (Jennifer), Scott (Kristen), his grandchildren he loved so much: Meagan, Eric (Sara), Scott, Chris, Kyra (Josh), Colin (Sabrina), Brandon, Bryce, Jessica, Alex, Keria, Ciara, Matthew, Nathan, his adorable great-grandchildren: Willow, Brooke, Loch, Landon, Adeline, Evelyn. Four siblings are cherishing memories of Don and life with him: Elmer (Elvira), Wilbert (Lynn), Lena, Larry (Kathy); Adeline’s siblings fondly remember their brother-in-law: Mary (Stan), Elvira (Elmer), Barry (Barb), Alvin (Arlene), Jeannette (Elmer); many nieces and nephews. Don was pre-deceased by his parents Peter and Helena and an infant brother, Peter; parents-in-law Cornelius and Annie Dueck. Growing up on a mixed farm in Rosenort, Manitoba, Don learned to work hard. He was Dad’s right hand
and very responsible. After high school Don attended Manitoba Teachers College, Winnipeg, and embarked on a teaching career. Former students refer to him as an excellent teacher. Don interrupted his teaching career with two years of studies at Steinbach Bible College. Never too late, during his teaching years Don gradually earned his Bachelor of Arts, majoring in math. At a point in his career, Don found teaching becoming too stressful. Ever resourceful, he went back to his roots and returned to farming. He and Adeline purchased a farm in Swan River, Manitoba, and spent the rest of their active life, 38 years, on the farm. Times were challenging but they worked extremely hard and succeeded. In 2017 they retired and moved to Spruce Grove, Alta., into a beautiful home built for them by their children. Don loved his family; they were his pride and joy. He loved playing games, camping, fishing, walking and all his pets and farm animals. It’s about Life!
Above all, Don loved and worshipped God. He enjoyed studying and teaching the Bible and lived by its teaching—a life of love, generosity, honesty, and integrity. He was an active member of the Gideons, now ShareWord Global, for many years and distributed the Scriptures in many schools and communities. Wherever Don and Adeline lived they were an integral part of the local church. During their time in Swan River, Man., they were active members of Community Bible Fellowship. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). We miss you, Don. A memorial service was held at River of Hope Baptist Church in Devon, Alta., on Friday, November 24, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to ShareWord Global (Gideons) at www.sharewordglobal.com – The Family
Share warmth this winter by making blankets for people in need around the world. mcc.org/gww
www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 31
Shoulder Tapping Please send all position ads (150 words or less), including pastoral search ads, to messenger@emconference.ca. Ads may be edited. Please advise us when it is no longer needed.
Additional EMC Openings Often there are more churches looking for staff than are identified on this page. For information on additional openings, contact Conference Pastor Andy Woodworth (awoodworth@emconference.ca or phone 204-326-6401).
EMC Positions Pastor: Hillside Christian Fellowship (near La Crete, Alta.) Hillside Christian Fellowship is seeking a pastor. HCF is an EMC affiliated congregation located in a beautiful farming/logging community near La Crete, Alberta. We are a small rural multi-generational church with average Sunday attendance of 50; about 15 of this number are young children. The pastor would be working with a lay minister and a small ministerial. He would have appropriate Bible college education. Some pastoral experience would be an asset. He would agree with the EMC Statement of Faith and Church Practices. Besides preaching, teaching, and administrative duties, he would be expected to do visitation. For more information or an expression of interest please contact Henry Driedger (Board Chair) at 780-502-3272, Peter Janzen 780-841-9762 (ptjanzen@ yahoo.com) or Peter Doerksen (EMC Western Ambassador) at 250-570-2969 or pdoerksen@emconference.ca. Pastor: Anola (Man.) Fellowship Chapel Anola Fellowship Chapel is in the RM of Springfield at 58006 Monominto Road, 5 miles southeast of the community of Anola
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and 35 minutes east of Winnipeg. Our mission is to love God, love our neighbours, and make disciples. We have a full Sunday program and both children and youth programs. We are active in various community events. We are actively seeking a full-time pastor. We are looking for a spiritually mature man with a deep personal walk with Jesus, an engaging, enthusiastic individual who demonstrates sound biblical teaching and in-depth preaching as well as vision. Contact Landon Elhard at afcpastorsearch@ gmail.com for more information and/or full job description. Check out our website at anolachapel.com. Senior Pastor: Taber (Alta.) Evangelical Church Taber Evangelical Church is actively searching for the senior pastor whom God has chosen to lead us into the future. Taber EMC is a unique, growing, family-oriented church. Our regular Sunday attendance is about 250. If you feel the Lord leading you in this direction please email taberemcpsc2@ gmail.com or contact Bram Klassen at 403-331-9563.
Senior Pastor: Prairie Grove Fellowship Chapel (Lorette, Man.) Prairie Grove Fellowship Chapel, serving Lorette, Manitoba and the surrounding area, is seeking a full-time senior pastor for a congregation of approximately 60. We are a friendly, welcoming church with a heart for our community. Our mission is “To Love God and To Love People”. Our desires for a pastor: • Loves God, his Word and has a close relationship with him. • Loves people and is eager to serve and invest in them. • Is able to teach. • Is a team player and team builder.
•
Is aware of his personal weaknesses, his freedom in Christ and addresses his weaknesses with intentional accountability. • Has pastoral gifts that are recognized by those around him. • Cares for his family, being faithful to his wife and nurturing his family We understand no one person can do all these perfectly but these are the traits we are specifically looking for. For an information packet please contact: pgfcpastorsearch@gmail.com. Pastor: Morris (Man.) Fellowship Chapel Morris Fellowship Chapel is a Christfollowing, Bible-believing, family-friendly church of around 130 people in the small rural town of Morris, Manitoba. People of all ages are a part of Morris Fellowship, including children, young adults, adults and seniors. We are looking for a pastor to help with preaching, teaching, and building community in our church. This would include preaching on Sundays, teaching midweek Bible studies, personal visits and church community events. Contact Cliff Reimer, Pastoral Search Committee Chairman: cliff0955@gmail.com. Senior Pastor: New Life Christian Fellowship (Coatsworth, Ont.) New Life Christian Fellowship is a small country church with approximately 65–85 that gather every Sunday. New Life is mostly young families with lots of little ones around to keep you on your toes. Many of our families have a Plautdietsch (Low German) background which is often heard during times of fellowship. We are looking for a full time senior pastor who has a passion to preach and teach from the Scriptures (background in ministry would be an asset), and has a heart for ministry and people in and outside the church. Our vision for the church is Reach Up, Reach
Shoulder Tapping Over & Reach Out. We would require that you agree with the EMC Statement of Faith. For more information, please contact board@nlcfchurch.org. Associate Pastor: Rosenor t (M an.) Fellowship Chapel Rosenort Fellowship Chapel (RFC) is seeking an associate pastor whose primary task will be youth ministry. Our vision is to build a junior youth ministry (grades 7–9) while assisting in community senior youth programs. The applicant will love Jesus Christ and aspire to help others know Christ. This person wants to make an impact among youth with his/her own dedication to Christ and to lead, influence and prepare our youth for life. The applicant will have some Bible college and skills in communicating biblical truths. This person will work with the leadership team. RFC is a multigenerational congregation of 100 persons. We are Anabaptists who long to Radically follow Jesus, Further the gospel, and Care for the community. Email applications to Cam Cornelsen at cam.rfcleadership@gmail.com. Discipleship Pastor: Leamington (Ont.) Evangelical Mennonite Church Leamington Evangelical Mennonite Church is a growing church located in Southern Ontario in the town of Leamington. The makeup of our congregation is a mix of young families, singles, middle age and some older couples, with the majority of the congregation being relatively young. LEMC is seeking a discipleship pastor. The job description will consist of organizing and giving leadership to small group ministries in the church with a focus on family discipleship, spiritual formation, and he will also give leadership to a volunteer team of thriving and growing young adult and youth leaders. Applicants must be in
agreement with the EMC Statement of Faith and Anabaptist theology. For more information contact: info@lemchurch.ca.
For a more comprehensive job description and church profile, please check this link https://boards.com/a/hR1RS.Hx4srs.
Other Positions Pastor: Carman Mennonite Church (Carman, Man.) Carman Mennonite Church invites applications for a 0.5FTE pastoral position with the possibility of increase to full-time. We are a congregation of 60–70 active members with regular adult and children’s Sunday school. We are looking for someone who models a sincere Christian faith, exhibits strong relational skills and community mindedness. Duties include preaching, teaching, pastoral care, visitation with those in care homes, connecting with the community and area ministerial, working with the worship committee, fostering a love for and nurturing disciples of Jesus the Christ. This would be done with the support of lay leadership. For more information see carmanmennonite.ca. Forward inquiries and/or resumes with two references to: cmcpastoralsearchcommittee@gmail.com or CMC Search Committee, Box 1077, Carman, MB R0G 0J0.
Associate Pastor – Youth and Young Adults: Fort Garry Mennonite Brethren Church (Winnipeg, Man.) If you have a passion for youth and young adults, we invite you to apply for the position of associate pastor – youth and young adults. Under the leadership of the lead pastor, you will provide spiritual leadership through biblical, theological, cultural, and organizational development in the spiritual formation of youth (Grades 7–12) and young adults. Go to https://fgmb.ca/about/#employment for a full job description. Please send a resume and cover letter to the Personnel Committee c/o info@fgmb.ca.
Lead Pastor: Lakeview Community Church (Killarney, Man.) Lakeview Community Church is looking for a full-time lead pastor. We are a Mennonite Brethren Church located in Killarney, Manitoba. We are seeking an individual with some experience in this field, who subscribes to the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith. We are looking for someone to become a part of our community, who can preach the Word of God as well as teach and guide our congregation to live like Jesus. Please send resumes to lvccpastorsearch@gmail.com.
www.emcmessenger.ca | The Messenger 33
Columns His light to my path • By Karla Hein
The rules of the game “16 MILLION,” MY son places his rent card on the discard pile. Grandpa’s brow furrows. “How did you get that?” My son points to his colorful wild cards. “I’m charging you for this property.” Grandpa shakes his head, “It doesn’t work like that.” I smirk from across the table. As an offspring of my competitive father, I’m amused at my son’s futile attempt to change the game rules. My childhood was filled with games and laughter … mixed with a bit of angst. My son has a slim chance of rule alteration while competing against this seniormost card player. I remembered this incident while reading about the impact of On the Origin of Species. In 1910, philosopher John Dewey noted Darwin’s influence in how we now handle unsolved and perplexing mysteries. “We do not solve them: we get over them. Old questions are solved by disappearing, evaporating, while new questions corresponding to the changed attitude of endeavor and preference take their place” (The Influence of Darwin on Philosophy and Other Essays in Contemporary Thought). Changing goal posts, shifting ideas—try that on Game Night (you won’t get far with my father!). How much less with the Creator of your every breath and the One who knows your words before
Through careful study (and the Holy Spirit’s help), we gain understanding into difficult Scripture while maintaining reverence for our Sovereign Lord. they are formed. It’s fascinating that humans reach for new questions rather than grapple with God’s revealed truth. Aware that God’s answer isn’t what we like, sinful nature exchanges the truth for a lie (Romans 1:25). Consider the account of Achan stealing from the Lord. While Israel was busy storming the fallen city of Jericho, Achan violated God’s direct orders of devoting the precious possessions to himself (Joshua 7). After Achan’s punishment, God tells the Israelites to attack the next city and says, “You may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves” (Joshua 8:2). Wait, God! You burned with anger at Achan’s disobedience, then your instructions for the next city is an allowance to collect treasure! I attempt the role of official rule keeper. No, God, that’s harsh and cruel! Are we to interpret this account as a shifting goalpost, a breech in God’s constancy? We do not understand all that God has decreed, but we also do not have the authority to question what
Karla Hein (Westpointe, Grande Prairie) is the wife of one and mother of two.
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he orchestrates (Isaiah 45:9; Romans 9:20). God has no score card that we dare write upon. We boast no authority to call a foul. For the Israelites’ situation, Matthew Henry offers a reasonable explanation that God took the first fruits of Jericho, then blessed the remaining Israelites (who had denied themselves) with the land’s wealth. Through careful study (and the Holy Spirit’s help), we gain understanding into difficult Scripture while maintaining reverence for our Sovereign Lord. “God is His own interpreter” writes Cowper echoing the psalmist, “Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him” (“God Moves in a Mysterious Way,” 1774; Psalm 115:3). Though cultural pressure demands that we join in the exploration of fanciful hypothesis and shifting definitions, Christians remain rooted on God’s Word. We rest in the sweet promises of our Shepherd, who guards our souls through perplexing doubts and challenges (1 Peter 2:25). The end results? Our good and his glory (Romans 8:28; 1 Peter 5:10)! “Judge not the Lord by feeble sense / But trust him for his grace / Behind a frowning providence / He hides a smiling face” (Cowper).
Columns Further in and higher up • By Layton Friesen
The ancient global treasure of EMC faith WE’RE SITTING ON a gold mine. The world is gasping for it, and we have it, though we don’t always grasp its biblical beauty. It’s called Evangelical Anabaptism. It’s the unique form of Christianity the EMC is known for. This form of faith was conceived in the monasteries of medieval Europe, born in the caves of 16th-century Anabaptists, nurtured in the smallgroup Bible studies of Pietists in the 17th century, unleashed in the field preaching of 18th-century evangelical revival and set on fire by Pentecostalism in the 20th century. It’s catholic in its commitment to historic Christianity, Anabaptist in its mystical union with Christ’s obedience; Pietist in its concern for personal spiritual devotion; evangelical in its entrepreneurial, evangelistic passion; Pentecostal in its reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit. But it’s one thing. Anabaptism by itself has been shown, historically, to be unstable and deficient. Alone it ends up in two related dead ends: on the one hand it produces a dead, moralistic legalism with little inner delight in the Lord. This tendency can be seen in conservative Mennonite groups in South and Central America. On the other hand, on their own, more modern Anabaptists blend in with the current ideology of the world, and thus become moralistic in the latest fashionable ethic. We can see this sometimes with nonevangelical Mennonite groups in North America and Europe. They can have
little to distinguish them from secular left-wing ideology and thus have little resistance to current secular trends in abortion, sexuality, gender and euthanasia. Evangelicalism by itself is just as unstable and deficient. Alone, it has a historic tendency to juvenile gimmicks, sensationalism, emotionalism and cheap sales tactics in evangelism. It’s given to fits and starts, shot to the sky by the latest revival, then mori-
Anabaptist evangelicalism is Christ’s ethics, bathed in the gracious forgiveness of our sins. bund and lethargic. Historically, it has a genetic weakness when it comes to ethics. This stems from an inadequate doctrine of salvation focused on grace merely as divine favour and not also as divine power. All Christians struggle to live like Jesus, but evangelicalism alone struggles to come up with a coherent practice of moral formation to guide Christians on their path to holy living. Evangelicalism alone has also struggled to form a solid theology of the church. But note, I said alone for both Anabaptism and evangelicalism. Both
these traditions have grasped profound and beautiful truths no one else in the church sees with quite such clarity. But neither are broad and stable enough to be their own tradition, alone. Both need the other to be truly catholic, that is fully, broadly, and penetratingly Christian in all respects. This is why I say, A nabaptist evangelicalism is an ancient, global treasure. It’s the beauty that comes from bringing different facets of Christ’s body back together to form a larger jewel. We are a child with two parents and multiple grandparents. We stand where many tributaries stretching back thousands of miles come together to form a single stream. Anabaptist evangelicalism is Christ’s ethics, bathed in the gracious forgiveness of our sins, powered by the anointing of the Spirit, rooted deep in the ancient creeds of the church, and lived out intentionally in congregational life. It’s a beautiful thing! Let’s commission theologians, pastors, artists, and mystics to uncover this treasure. Let’s send out apostolic workers to carry these gems to a waiting world.
Layton Friesen is academic dean at Steinbach Bible College. He lives in Winnipeg, Man.
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Columns Kids corner • By Loreena Thiessen
The three Rs Activity: make a recycled toy from two tin cans Need: two clean tin cans with one end cut open in each; one 20- to 30-foot string; a hammer, and a nail. Do: With the hammer and nail pierce a hole in the bottom of each can. Pull the string through from one to the other. Tie a knot inside each tin, big enough not to let string slide through. Each person takes one tin and both pull the string taut. One person speaks into their tin and the other
or supply, from which you create something new. If you practice the three Rs you will see how things can last longer. You will understand better how not to waste. You learn to be responsible. It will help you see and understand the value or importance of things we all need to live, like clean water and soil, clean air, and plants. And there will be less garbage. So, what can you do?
Loreena Thiessen is a retired educator living in Winnipeg, Man.
36 The Messenger | January/February 2024
ISTOCK
WHAT ARE THE three Rs? In the past, the three Rs were reading, (w)riting, and (a)rithmetic (math). Today the three Rs are reduce, reuse, and recycle. These are familiar words. But what do they mean? Reduce means to use less of something. For example, you can use less toothpaste and turn off the water while brushing your teeth, and still do a good job. Reuse means to use an item repeatedly. Coloured pencils and crayons can be used even as they get shorter. Your favourite backpack can be used a second year if it’s not torn. Recycle means to create new items from used materials. You place plastic water bottles, pop and food cans, cardboard boxes and newspapers in the blue bin. Recycled plastic water bottles, for example, are made into new water bottles, or a house! Two men, Joel and David, of JD Composites, constructed a complete house by melting down 600,000 plastic water bottles. The walls are so strong they can withstand the fiercest hurricane winds. Why are the three Rs important? First, you will use less resources, or supply. A resource is original material,
person holds the tin to their ear and listens. The tighter the string the better the sound will conduct. Take turns speaking and listening. See how quietly you can speak and still hear the words.
You can start by turning off the tap water you aren’t using. Turn lights off when leaving a room. Use washable cups, cutlery, and reusable water bottles. Donate toys you no longer play with. Donate books when you’re finished reading them. Donate clothes you have outgrown if they’re still wearable. Someone else is sure to enjoy all the things you once loved. And it will help the environment. God created our world. He placed Adam and Eve in it to take care of it and to enjoy it. He created the earth and everything in it to remind you of who he is. Read Genesis 1:26–28, Genesis 2:15, and Psalm 19:1–2.
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