The Messenger May 2020

The Messenger The Path of Hope a publication of the

Evangelical Mennonite Conference

Volume 58  No. 4 May 2020

page 11

2020 Annual Report Inside!

ALSO INSIDE: Food Banks and COVID page 9 Paraguay: Christ is at Work! page 21

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Kickball and Peacemaking page 24

pages 13-20

Editorial

God is on the Side of Healing

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e know too well that we live in tough times.

Ancient times provide us with instructions about self-isolation, physical signs of warning and verbal calls of “Unclean! Unclean!” to warn the general public not to come near those who are ill, and of covering the mouth (Lev. 13:4-5, 45-46). The high priest would go to an isolated person before examining their physical condition (Lev. 14:3). People with leprosy called to Jesus from “far off ” (Luke 17:12). May God protect our health care workers.

We pray for our health care workers because we believe God is on the side of healing. To heal others expresses God’s good will and reflects His Kingdom. God is on the side of healing, whether by divine intervention (shown in the healing miracles in Scripture) or by human hands such as those of the good Samaritan “who took care” of an injured man (Luke 10:34-35).

As Tim Dyck often reminds national office staff, Jesus wants more labourers in his harvest (Luke 10:2). Yes, indeed.

Jesus sent the 12 apostles with instructions to proclaim the Kingdom and to heal the sick (Luke 9:1-2) and instructed the 70 before they went on a mission to “cure the sick who are there, and say, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’” (Luke 10:9).

When John the Baptist struggled in the lonely physical isolation of his prison cell, his disciples asked on his behalf: “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the dead are raised, and good news is preached to the poor” (Luke 7:18-22).

Does this mean it’s easy to believe in a tough time?

Jesus’ response to John the Baptist provides a clue. If it were easy to believe, Jesus would not have said to John the Baptist: “Blessed is the person who does not fall away on account of me” (Luke 7:23). When John’s prison cell door opened, he did not experience a miracle. He died in the mystery of God’s sovereignty (Mark 6:27).

The Kingdom of God is partly realm (space). “The earth is the Lord’s” (Psalm 24:1) and Jesus made the universe (Heb. 1:2). God cares about our physical planet, ultimately rules it, and will one day transform it (Rom. 8:18-25). The Kingdom of God is also partly reign (His rule in our lives).

We, like John the Baptist, must choose to be ruled (Matt.

11:12), to continue to follow the Lord.

Today in our physical isolation, we together await, pray for, and work toward a great day: “The Kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and He will reign forever and ever” (Rev. 11:15).

We look forward to life together with Christ in a renewed earth and heaven (2 Pet. 3:13) and we anticipate some foretastes of this yet within Canada at this time in history.

We are people of hope. Meanwhile, please stay home or keep your distance.

Published online on April 9.

– Terry M. Smith

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Note on Discussion Within The Messenger Every community will have a diversity of views and opinions, which provides opportunities for us to learn from each other, being quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (James 1:19). Our discussions are inevitably impacted by our own experiences, and the experiences of people in our lives. These discussions should also reflect the reality that some groups and individuals have not always felt welcome in Christian communities. We welcome your responses to articles and topics discussed in The Messenger.

– Board of Church Ministries 2 The Messenger • May 2020

Glory

Join us in

Celebrating

100 Years

Prairie Rose EMC

100th Anniversary

DE th th June 13

&

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1920-2020

Table of Contents Features

Columns

6

The Path of Hope

5

9

Food Banks and COVID: Generosity in a Time of 32 Archives’ Alcove Concern Century-old Lessons Echo for

– Pastor Andy Woodworth

– David Guenther

13 Annual Report 2020 21 Paraguay: Old News? Not When Christ is at Work in New Ways!

– Ken Zacharias and Brad Brandt

24 Kickball and Peacemaking – Bruce Hamsher

Departments 2 4 27 30 33

Editorial Letters and Notices Missions With Our Churches Shoulder Tapping

A Reader’s Viewpoint We Need the Whole Story – Glen Koop

page

14

Retired Scientist – John Longhurst

34 Focus On

Children’s Ministry: Why Bother?

– Ruth Block

35 Stewardship Today Generosity in a Time of Social Distancing – Barbara Chambers

36 Kids’ Corner

page

22

What is Green?

– Loreena Thiessen

page page

30

28

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 3

The Messenger Volume 58 No. 3 May 2020

EDITOR TERRY M. SMITH tsmith@emconference.ca

Letters and Notices Tribal Central Americans and EMC Expertise

ASSISTANT EDITOR ANDREW WALKER awalker@emconference.ca

Submissions to The Messenger should be sent to messenger@emconference.ca.

The Messenger is the publication of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference. 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.

It is published 12 times per year, six in print (also online at www.issuu.com/emcmessenger) and six in a website format at www.emcmessenger.ca. To get the most out of The Messenger, viewing both versions is encouraged.

Letters, articles, photos and poems are welcomed.

Unpublished material is not returned except by request.

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.

The Messenger is published by the EMC Board of Church Ministries, 440 Main St, Steinbach, Man., and is a member of Meetinghouse and Canadian Church Press.

Subscription rates (under review) 1 year print subscription $20 ($26 U.S.) Manitoba residents add 8% PST. Single print copy price: $2 Subscriptions are voluntary and optional to people within or outside of the EMC. Subscriptions are purchased by the Conference for members and adherents.

The Messenger is available for free to all online at: www.emcmessenger.ca If you wish to sign up for our email newsletter. Pleaase contact Andrew at: awalker@emconference.ca. Digital copies are free.

Change of address and subscriptions Undelivered copies, change of address and new subscriptions should be addressed to: 440 Main St, Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5 Phone: 204-326-6401 Fax: 204-326-1613 E-mail: messenger@emconference.ca www.emconference.ca/messenger Second-class postage paid at Steinbach, Manitoba.

ISSN: 0701-3299 Publications Mail Agreement Number: 40017362 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 should be sent to messenger@emconference.ca.

4 The Messenger • May 2020

I can’t believe how well-situated the EMC is to be the biggest differencemaker among the Central American First-Nations in over two centuries.

Surely we’re soon more than ready to get a few boots on the ground once more; and commence actual outreach ministry in partnership with our dozens of Nicaraguan churches; and begin doing more in Central America than wiring annual project money.

A Surprising Lack

In his recent article in The Messenger entitled What it Means to Read the Bible like the Apostles [Jan.], Layton Friesen does us a service by alerting us to the richness of some of the work and writings of the early church fathers, including in this instance Irenaeus’s work. Similarly, at the EMC convention in Picture Butte, Layton’s use of the Apostles’ Creed gave us this same benefit of learning these ancient faith statements.

What I found surprising is that, both in his preaching and in this article, no mention was made of why we in our churches and Anabaptists historically have been reserved in promoting the use of these creeds in our worship services. The issue is not so much of what is included; rather what is excluded has been the focus of our concern, namely the entire life and teaching of the incarnate Jesus.

It must be pointed out that the gap between “born of a virgin Mary” and “suffered under Pontius Pilate” is a leap too big for a true Anabaptist mind to ignore.

Our Spanish staff apparently finds me a bit peculiar, having never before met a Gringo with a big heart for First Nations. The Holy Spirit has similarly burdened some of them too.

To see Spanish hearts beginning to ache for their isolated out-of-sight, out-of-mind countrymen is deeply heartwarming.

– Arlyn van Enns, Colorado Springs, CO

Everything Jesus said and did between his birth and death is overlooked and ignored entirely.

Discipleship, the following of Jesus’ example and teaching, is central to our faith commitment even though the other tenets of the creeds are useful as well. Our reading of the Bible is also directly involved in taking Jesus’ words seriously and interpreting all of Scripture accordingly. Richard Rohr, a Catholic theologian, in his recent book, The Universal Christ, recognizes this weakness in the creeds as well and wonders whether the omission of such a central aspect of Jesus’ message is the cause for ”Christianity’s dismal record of imitating Jesus’ actual life and teachings” (p. 104).

Irenaeus’s insights, as well as the Apostles’ and Nicene creeds, are useful summaries of doctrine that the medieval church brought to us. Anabaptists insist, however, that these could be vastly improved by giving more attention to Jesus’ thirty years on earth.

– Ron Penner Winnipeg, Man.

Note: If print publication is affected, more articles will be posted online at www.emcmessenger.ca

Column • A Reader’s Viewpoint

We Need the Whole Story

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answers to life. Scientists, it is your task to keep on studying, testing, and retesting, throwing out theories and adding others.

I believe we need faith in God who has given us the Scriptures; faith in God’s servants who recorded the Scriptures; faith in God’s servants who translated the Scriptures; and faith in God’s servants who model, share and present the Scriptures. And we need faith in God’s servants who are involved in saving humankind for this life and for eternal life.

With God’s building of His Kingdom there is more to come; so, let God use all in completion of His-story.

by Glen Koop

And we need faith in God’s servants who are Now retired, Glen Koop long served as a pastor (in Canada, the U.S., and in Lesotho) and as involved in saving a Bible college professor. He and his wife Betty live in Steinbach and are part of Steinbach humankind for EFC. Glen Koop is a graduate of SBC, the U. of W., and Eastern Mennonite Seminary. this life and for eternal life.

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raise the Lord that we have Gospels written by Matthew for the Jews, as some people think; Mark, possible dictated by the apostle Peter and to whom everything seems to happen “immediately”; Dr. Luke, the physician; and John, a close friend of Jesus.

God did not limit Jesus’ story to one of the gospel writers for then it would not tell the whole story. John concludes his writing with these words: “Jesus did many other things … If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (John 21:25 NIV).

I believe God created the universe, which is much beyond the earth that we occupy. Jesus was, is and will continue to be the Saviour of the world. And I believe the Spirit of God the Father and Jesus the Son is working in the lives of all people, because He loves and desires the salvation of all. God even turns evil into good; Paul speaks to this in Romans 5 and 6.

I also believe that I have personally experienced a new lease on life because God has given men and women the desire to know and understand more of the human body and the illnesses that attack our human bodies, rather than merely having us remain with the knowledge Dr. Luke had in the first or second century.

(Sorry, Dr. Luke, but the same will be said of your colleagues of the 21st century someday, too!)

Please, do not take away from God our creator what He has imparted to and still continues to reveal to the scientists of today and tomorrow.

Neither take the view that the scientists of today or tomorrow will have all the

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The Path of Hope

by Pastor Andy Woodworth

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here is a short Old Testament phrase that I have found intriguing during these past weeks of this global pandemic. It is used by people like Joshua, Gideon, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel when they simply reached the place where they perceived things had become hopeless. Tired, frustrated, and out of ideas as to how to resolve their respective crisis situations, they threw up their arms and exclaimed, “Alas, Sovereign Lord!”

This word alas is less of a word and more of a sound or cry of exasperation. I would call it the sound of despair. The sound of hopelessness.

Times of great uncertainty, such as a global pandemic, generate high levels of anxiety because of the unpredictability of the outcome.

During the murkiness of uncertainty, we either lose our way because of despair, crying alas, or we push forward driven by a greater sense of purpose—something beyond ourselves. Needed during times of crisis and turmoil is a sense of hope or at the very least hopefulness.

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Hope

Hope is one of those nebulous terms like the word love. It becomes part of our everyday conversations with its true meaning being diminished by the saturation that comes as a result of overuse. Nevertheless, hope, like love, is an anchor point in Scripture that connects us to the very heart of God. Hope empowers the believer to an extent that far exceed anything gained by mere wishful thinking.

Russia and Change

In 1871, life was good for Mennonites living in Russia. They had enjoyed years of peace and had been given the opportunity to flourish. But change was being thrust upon them as a political shift was imminent. Comfort, stability, security, and prosperity were being challenged by the pressures of Russian nationalism. In the face of a rising crisis some were trusting that life could eventually return to normal after they wait out the storm; while others foresaw the need to take more significant steps.

Following an exploratory trip by delegates to Manitoba in 1873, the decision was made by the Kleine Gemeinde to emigrate from Russia to Canada. Now, when a choice in made in haste it is considered reckless; so the process took time and involved much prayer and deliberation.

And when a call for action is necessary, but it is avoided, then it is considered derelict, so plans were pursued with purposefulness.

The choice to risk it all and migrate halfway around the world proved to be the right decision at the right time for this group of Mennonites. Looking back, we see that the fuel that sustained those early pioneers was hope—hope that their God and their faith would enable them to persevere through whatever may lie ahead for them.

COVID-19 and Fear

Throughout the COVID-19 crisis we have been inundated with messages of fear and uncertainty.

Modern media thrives on promoting a culture of fear. Yet we know from the stories of the Church that during times of great crisis the Lord will do even greater things through those who place their trust in Him. It has been this way from the very beginning of the Church Age and has continued through to this very day.

During times of worldly despair those who place their faith in Christ arise with hope and reveal the pathway to peace. This is our day to shine forth the light of Christ once again with the hope of the Gospel. It’s a time to shake off the paralysis of fear and worry and rise up with confidence in God’s Word with faith, hope and charity. What lies before us are new possibilities in Christ which we will only pursue if we are guided by hope.

In the aftermath of the chaos of the crucifixion, the disciples of Christ hid away in a locked room because of their overwhelming fear of what might take place next. Even with reports of Jesus’ resurrections, these followers of Christ were crippled by the uncertainties of the times.

They had lost focus and needed to be guided back. Then Jesus appeared (John 20:19-22).

In their place of isolation, Jesus speaks of what they will be and not to what they are in the moment. They were meant to be the sent ones, but instead they were afraid go outside, overwhelmed with despair.

As those disciples accepted Jesus’ words as truth, it effectively bumped their debilitating thoughts out of the forefront and allowed the Holy Spirit, Who is the antithesis of fear and worry and the essence of hope, to be their guiding light.

For most people, fear and worry are not the stimulus for good decision-making and decisive actions.

The Battle with Fear and Worry

As those first families prepared to make the move to Canada it was not because of overwhelming evidence that guarantee of a positive outcome. There was something greater in them that guided their decision-making. For most people, fear and worry are not the stimulus for good decision-making and decisive actions.

Excessive fear and anxiety will propel us towards the comforts of the known—what has been considered safe or familiar in the past. Hope is needed if we are to move beyond the familiar and into the realm of new possibilities in Christ.

The Path of Hope

Jesus went to great lengths to not only comfort His

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disciples during the time of crisis, but to also equip and guide them as to how to approach any future troubles. Jesus warned His followers early on in His ministry to expect that there would be times of persecution, struggle, and trials. Then He prepared them to endure.

He taught them the way to hope.

Hope is not just wishful thinking.

It is the result of two things: faith and practice. Faith is the assurance or sureness that what Jesus says and what His Word says is true and trustworthy. Those early Mennonite immigrants trusted in something beyond their own understanding, but faith alone was not the objective. Faith was the staging point that enabled them to take action.

The disciples locked in their place of isolation needed to trust in the words of the Messiah more than in their perception of reality if they were to pursue their calling. They needed to see beyond themselves and their present circumstances to have an awareness of the possibilities that lay ahead with Christ as their guide. This is hope and it empowers us to act in the midst of a storm and not just take shelter from it.

A Call to Faith

The Apostle Paul explains this process in Romans 5:1-5. Faith is what justifies the believer, what brings them to the place where they need to be in order to do what they are called to do.

He talks about this being the place of peace— where we rest in the grace and love of God. We then establish two focal points. First, we focus on the hope of eternity, what we believe is in store for those who accept Christ as Saviour.

Then, we focus on “what’s next?” What do we do in the now?

In spite of all that may be swirling around us, what are we being led to do by the Spirit of the Lord? Then, as we act upon His Word, we see a strengthening occur of perseverance and character. The sum result is these things is what we call hope.

This hope goes deep and sustains us even in the most challenging of times. Hope empowers

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us to live as we are called to live even when we may feel overwhelmed by the things that are before our very eyes. Hope takes us to places that we may have never imagined and enables us to do what we may have never thought possible.

There is cause for excitement in what lies ahead because these are the type of days when God moves in extraordinary ways. Hope!

Andy Woodworth is the lead pastor of Heartland Community Church. Andy and Stephanie have been in ministry since 1989, serving with the Wesleyan (Methodist) Church and with the BIC Church (Anabaptist). They have served in Landmark, Man., since March 2015.

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Food Banks and COVID: Generosity in a Time of Concern

by David Guenther

S

ince I started my job working for Many Rooms Church Community in October 2019, one of my regular tasks has been to help an elderly woman named Terry access the food bank. Terry is unable to walk long distances and often needs to be close to the bathroom. So, even though the food bank is only a few blocks away, I go for her. Every other Tuesday morning I walk over to her Manitoba Housing apartment building and take the elevator to her sixteenth-floor suite.

The view of the urban landscape overlooking Central Park from her suite is amazing, but the journey from the lobby to her suite is full of obstacles. Sometimes there is blood or vomit on the floor. Often I will ride the elevator up with someone who is high on something (maybe just weed, but probably something stronger). Apparently, cockroaches have been

spotted climbing up the wall in the elevator.

Anyway, you get the picture.

But today, over and above my usual vigilance, I also have COVID-19 on the mind. An elevator with sick people, and it seems that many of the people in this building are often sick, is not a good place to be during a global respiratory pandemic.

Terry

Fortunately for me I am the only one in the elevator on the way up. Terry hands me her signed letter which allows me to pick up her food and I also grab a few of her reusable grocery bags. We both know this part of the routine and it only takes a few minutes. The way down is a bit more crowded. Only three of us are in the elevator and, thankfully, no one is coughing.

It takes me only five minutes to walk quickly

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 9

across Central Park to Calvary Temple. I had thought about phoning ahead this morning to see what the new COVID protocols would be, but I didn’t. From the middle of the park I can already see people lining up outside the building. This is a good sign, since we usually gather packed into a waiting room with maybe 50 to 100 people. Today things are obviously different.

Mr. Cheerful

As I wait in line our usual greeter starts pacing up and down the line and explaining the situation to people. He is a cheerful little fellow with a testimony of life on the streets. He’s seen rough times but has cleaned up now and appears to live a middle-class life. I don’t know his name since I’ve never introduced myself.

I’m reluctant to tell people working there who I am because I don’t want to be treated differently. One of the other leaders in our church has told me stories of being whisked to the front of the line once people knew she was from a church and getting food for someone else.

Despite his new life, Mr. Cheerful still has a great rapport with the people he serves. There is the usual funny banter, but today he is also delivering some bad news. Winnipeg Harvest donations are down. Regular middle-class people are stockpiling canned goods. Nobody wants to leave their homes to donate. They are

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concerned about their own wellbeing. Grocery stores also have less food to donate as their sales are skyrocketing.

Ashley and Tyler

I haven’t been waiting for long before I see some familiar faces. Ashley and Tyler, a young couple from our church, are there. I wave and they look a bit surprised to see me in the line. “This the line for the foodbank?” Ashley asks. I reply and want to ask how they’re doing, but they hurry off to the back of the line. They don’t want to be rude, but the line is growing fast. Tyler was recently laid off from his job. That was a couple of weeks before COVID started, but I’m sure it’s even harder to find a job now.

As we wait in line the early-birds start to trickle past us with their food bank items packed into their folding pull-behind carts. As usual everyone is grateful, but there is obviously some tension in the air. One man pulls Mr. Cheerful aside “privately,” but everyone standing in my section of the line can hear: “This wouldn’t last me even two weeks, never mind a month!” Another woman is smiling as she passes by and laughs to the man walking beside her, “Only one potato!”

As I wait I try to keep a safe distance from the others in the line. No one seems to be following the two-meter social distancing guidelines. Maybe they don’t know? Maybe they have bigger things to worry about and don’t care? The wait continues and I realize that I’m starting to feel chilled. My nose begins to drip and I avoid the urge to touch my face, feeling self-conscious even though no one in the line would care.

As the line rounds the corner of the building the wind also picks up. At least I’m almost at the door.

They’re letting us in one by one, opening and closing the doors for us, making sure no one has to touch the door handles.

A Month

Once I’m finally in, the first surprise is that the next food bank won’t be for another month—April 21. I’m also told to pick a time slot to arrive. Next they pack the food into my bags. I had brought four or five, but it all fits into one. There is less than half the usual amount of food available to each person. There are also no choices, since that would mean having us handle the food. Altogether I’m in and out in less than five minutes.

On the walk back to Terry’s place I’m already thinking of how disappointing this will be for her. Half the amount of food that would usually last two weeks is now supposed to last her a full month. That’s essentially one quarter of the amount of food she usually lives off of. All because of COVID-19. I’m thinking about this as I take the elevator back up to her suite.

It’s 10 a.m. when I arrive back at Terry’s.

The whole ordeal took only one hour. Terry is more awake than 8:45 a.m. Terry was. She also has her trusty cockatiel Ralphie perched on one shoulder when she opens the door. We get to unloading the food and I start explaining the situation to her. There’s less food, more people using the foodbanks, and the next foodbank isn’t for a month.

My Provider

She’s disappointed, but also understanding.

She knows about the virus and the havoc it’s causing. But she also knows something more important that I’m still learning. As I’m trying to reassure her about the ways our church could help if the foodbanks shut down she casually looks at me and says, “It’s okay, Dave. I know who my Provider is.”

And that’s when it hits me.

The people stockpiling canned goods and toilet paper don’t know, or have forgotten, who is their Provider. Their actions are driven by fear and I’m not sure if they realize the effect of their actions on the urban poor. I didn’t until today.

Maybe I am one of “those” people. That makes

me ask the question: Does my own life show that I know who my Provider is? Do my actions in these stressful times back this up?

Years of being unable to provide for herself have taught Terry what it means to truly rely on God. I hope I can learn to be like her one day. I also hope that we will take the time to learn how our consumption affects the poorest members in our society. For people who want to act, food banks need donations and volunteers now more than ever.

Many of their loyal volunteers are seniors who are now, understandably, staying home due to the risks of COVID-19. But, young people are being encouraged to fill in for them in this time of need. Let’s show through our generosity in this time of fear that we are also learning who is our Provider.

For information on how you can help, check out your local foodbank online.

David Guenther, BA, serves as a resource pastor at Many Rooms Church Community (EMC).

He and his wife Hannah live in Winnipeg’s Spence Neighbourhood and live in community with friends and family members. This article was submitted on March 24, 2020. David says, “You will notice that I have named a few of our church members who access the foodbank in this story. I want you to know that they’ve preread my draft and have generously given their consent for me to share their first names.”

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Column • Further In and Higher Up

This Wonderful Christian Canada

A These days I can basically become like Jesus by drinking Canadian craft beer.

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by Layton Friesen Conference Pastor

llow me a little sarcasm.* Isn’t it wonderful that we live in Canada that’s so in love with Jesus! It makes it so much easier to be a Christ-follower. These days I can basically become like Jesus by drinking Canadian craft beer.

It was not always this good. Back sixty years ago, just to stay faithful to Jesus, Christians attended a poorly produced Sunday morning worship, Sunday School, Sunday night Christian Endeavour service, Wednesday night Bible Study, and Saturday morning prayer meeting. Just being a basic Christian took up gobs of time.

It takes so much less nowadays, and thank goodness because I have so much less time. In a society so deeply Christian as ours all I need is a quick drive-by at my favourite megachurch and that’s “discipleship.” At my super-church, there is a whole army of pastors, IT workers, and other technicians packaging my worship experience down to the second.

In other countries where its actually hard to be a Christian, church has to go small, with hard to find, disciplined house groups led more often than not by housewives. Thankfully, Canada is a Christian country.

In fact, our culture is so excited about the Kingdom of God that to only get to Sunday worship once or twice a month seems more than adequate. Whenever my kids have hockey, dance, or we had a busy Saturday, we can skip church because society itself naturally leads my children to follow Jesus anyway. I hear hockey locker rooms are practically a Sunday School these days.

Because our public schools so eagerly teach my children about being Christ-like, I don’t worry at all that my children will spend 16,000 hours in a public school and only about 360 hours in Sunday School. That’s a perfectly common sense arrangement because I know that public school affirms the church’s teachings on nonviolence, sexuality, abortion, and suicide.

And why now expect people to study the church’s theology? Let’s make church about

experiencing the embrace of Jesus. Church should be about helping people accept themselves. All this teaching about atonement, judgement, and sanctification seems to assume that Christianity is some sort of narrow gate, some high, lofty path only a few will find. And teach history? Ethics? Philosophy? Get serious.

And because Canada is now so supportive of Christian faith I can give a mere token of my money to the church. Isn’t it sad that in some countries Christians actually have to forego Caribbean cruises because their churches get so little help from their government? If they want Christian camps, schools, colleges and mission organizations they have to give heaps of money to the church. We have a government that so eagerly gives summer job grants and tax exemptions to churches.

Or remember how we used to memorize Scripture? A Christian college professor complains to me that evangelical students now arrive on campus innocent of any meaningful Bible knowledge. How quaint! Someone tell Professor Fuddy-Duddy that in a society steeped in the Bible like ours, you show kids that Jesus thinks they’re super-special and they will end up disciples.

All sarcasm aside now. We don’t live in that kind of Canada and have not for a long time.

Let’s get serious about being transformed into a band of trained, disciplined, spiritually intoxicated soldiers of Christ. *An improvisation on a rant by Dr. John G. Stackhouse, Jr., several years ago at Providence University College and Seminary.

Annual Report 2020 Moderator’s Message

evangelical mennonite conference

From ideas to vaccines, marriage relationships to building construction—everything goes through different forms of testing.

Scripture speaks of the quality or genuineness of our faith as being proven by the test of fire, by shaking or by the impartial judgement of God himself.

The events of the past few months are proving to be a much more severe test to our faith, to our version of church and our belief in a sovereign God, than we had anticipated.

Even the role and value of our conference is being tested. How important is this association of churches?

How much time and money are we willing to dedicate to the work of the conference and its various ministries? What benefits are there in being connected or in sharing our resources to accomplish things we can’t do on our own?

What were the things that called for this association originally, and do we still share the values and priorities of those who pulled us together in the first place?

These are all worthwhile questions to ask in this time of testing forced upon us by life’s circumstances.

Though some pain is often associated with this kind of testing and evaluation, new life, relevance and passion for the cause can also be outcomes in the process. I’d like to urge the EMC family to link arms and embrace the testing to our faith, to our way of doing church and the look of our conference, believing that good things we could not see before will come from this season of our lives.

Barry Plett

Nominations M od e rator (1)

B oa rd of Trus te e s (2)

• Barry Plett, Blumenort

B oa rd of C hurc h M inis trie s (3) • vacancy • vacancy • vacancy

B oa rd of L e ad e rs hip a nd O u tre ac h (2)

• Ruth Penner, Aberdeen • vacancy

Nom inating C om m itte e (4)

• Alvira Friesen, REMC • Dave Kroeker, SbEMC • vacancy • vacancy

• Ed Peters, Island Gospel • vacancy

B oa rd of M is s ions (2) • Phil Hamm, Leamington • vacancy

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 13

Choosing to Discuss Meetings. Zoom conversations. Emails. Formal dialogues. Question and response. Human beings seem to be the only creatures who accomplish difficult tasks by the to and fro of debate, challenge, criticism, rebuttal, and exchange of insight. We keep each other honest. We give each other a new way to see. We poke holes in each other’s pet illusions. By it all we become more like Jesus: humble, piercing in our insight, and assured in our work.

Discussion and Discernment

The BCM has sought to help churches with difficult conversations by providing materials in The Messenger and in other ways. This project started in 2019 and continues through 2020.

As part of this, Pastor Kevin Wiebe is writing a special column series on conflict management called A Path to Peace.

DARREN AND BARRY PLETT

What topics or trends need to be addressed?

The following question was posed to delegates at the November Conference Council: What are the topics or trends that are affecting us; but as churches we have been unwilling or reluctant to address?” Several themes emerged.

Church and Culture: Delegates said we are living in postChristendom and culture looks different than it once did.

How does the church respond to this shift? How do we live counter-culturally? How do we respond to gender confusion, sexual sin, euthanasia (MAID), and mental health?

Roles in Leadership: Work is being done within the conference on what women in leadership looks like. Delegates asked how can we communicate this better and what does the role of men in leadership mean?

The Next Generation: It was reported by delegates that young people are disengaging from the church. How do we encourage them to be committed? How do we address biblical illiteracy? How do we listen to their heart and not just the surface questions?

Women as Pastors

Locally and wider, the EMC is talking about whether women should serve as pastors. We must discern what we understand the Bible to teach about how men and women relate in our homes, communities and churches. This must then be lived and proclaimed as good news. At convention brothers Darren and Barry Plett demonstrated how to fight in a healthy way. See their video on the EMC website.

Playing it safe?

Our summer ministerial day in Taber encouraged EMC churches to be places for tough questions and doubts. Churches need apologetics, philosophy and theology in their walk with Jesus. Our speaker, Paul Buller from Calgary, said men, though not only men, are disillusioned with churches who only play it safe intellectually.

14 The Messenger • May 2020

What’s on the table going forward

Two other topics that rose to the surface in 2019 are on the agenda for EMC: spiritual renewal and questions on salvation, heaven, hell and judgement.

PAUL BULLER

Addressing Challenge and Loss A cartoon in the New Yorker some years ago showed Adam and Eve walking sadly out of the Garden of Eden. Adam said, “Eve, we are living in an age of transition." And so it has been said ever since. God is unchanging, and eternal; we creatures change. We are born, grow old and pass away, leaving the fruit of our work for those who follow us. Along the way we take this path, and then that, seeking the best and wisest way to serve our Creator. Ministry in the EMC has changed in the past year. Change often feels like a loss at first, but we pray it opens the door to new opportunity. May God find us faithful with the days given to us.

Challenges Come in Sets

Charlie Koop, Director of Canadian Church Planting, retired officially at the end of 2019. His enthusiasm and love for Jesus and people was effective and he will be missed. Charlie experienced a heart attack in July, recovered well, but did not return to work.

CHARLIE AND LORAINE KOOP

Church and Church Plant Closures

Grace Community Church, an established church in Aylmer, Ont., closed. Grace has worked boldly and successfully to create a church climate that is welcoming for people who find it difficult to fit into “normal” churches. In recent years a decline in numbers and the loss of some key leaders made continuing difficult. On March 8, 2020, the Region 9 ministerial got together to bless pastor Randy and Gloria Fehr, pray with them, and help bring closure to this chapter. Other GCC leaders also shared.

After four years the Living Faith Fellowship church plant in Two Hills, Alta., closed. This Low German-speaking church family saw good potential in this community but lacked a long-term pastor to lead them. The volunteer leadership put in tremendous effort. Our thanks to them for their faithful service.

With thought and prayer, the Personnel Committee decided to remove one full-time EMC staff position upon Charlie’s retirement, in part because of finances. They agreed that the gifts and passion required were available among existing staff and Gerald Reimer took on the role.

Reshuffling roles, with a reduction in staff hours for church planting, missions, and youth was felt most keenly by the Youth Committee.

In December, Executive Director Tim Dyck underwent heart surgery and was on medical leave until mid-February 2020. During that time Layton Friesen served as interim executive director.

Diana Peters ended her service with EMC in the summer. Her skills and love for EMCers made her service of exceptional quality and she is missed.

In Airdrie, Alta., the Iglesia Emanuel leadership decided to put that church plant ministry on hold. Some living in Airdrie have reconnected with the Emanuel church community.

Finally, the outreach in Dauphin, Man., initiated in 2013 by the Brandon and Portage churches, closed. Most involved in the ministry were seasonal workers and it never gained momentum. Our thanks to those in Airdrie and Dauphin.

As the EMC we need to plant churches boldly, help churches thrive, but also be willing to let go when a congregation has run their course. Individual congregations are not immortal, but the Church is and Christ will build his Church.

What’s on the table going forward

How EMC works together has been a point of discussion for a number of years and changes have been made in response to what has been said. However, the COVID-19 crisis beginning early in 2020 may change the landscape beyond what any of us could have guessed. We are learning, and there is a lot yet to learn in our immediate and our more distant future.

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 15

Acting on Opportunity Moderns think important people initiate, invent, and are proactive. But a disciple is more like a sheep.

Sheep react and live lives at the beck and call of the shepherd. We don’t know what the world will be like two breaths from now. Ministry is about being alert to new opportunities, noting a subtle shift in the wind, a gentle move of the Spirit in a slightly different direction. Wise people across our churches have sensed that our congregations now need spiritual renewal.

Kids and Students

Based on church reports, many find that kids programming, and student ministries are their most significant and effective efforts at outreach into the community. In some cases, kids and youth come almost exclusively from the community and unchurched families. Churches are actively engaging kids and youth in their communities.

New Books

When a seminary course he was to teach was cancelled, Darryl Klassen, DMin., turned his research into a book The Anabaptist Evangelical Puzzel: Discovering How the Pieces Fit (self-published in 2019). $20. It has assisted conversations on Anabaptism and Evangelicalism.

A footnote in Layton Friesen’s doctoral thesis alerted Terry Smith to Layton’s Master of Theology thesis. The book was published in 2019 as ’Seditions, Confusing, and Tumult’: Why Reformation Europe Thought Anabaptism Would Destroy Society. It fills in more of the Anabaptist story. $10.

Both books are available from the EMC national office and Amazon.ca.

Muslim and First Nations Initiatives

In 2019 the Board of Missions discussed and prayed about where to expand our mission base.

Four options for expansion were presented to the delegates in July: a Muslim migrant population in Spain, urban church planting in Spain, placing teachers on First Nations reserves in Northern Canada, and ministry to Muslims in partnership with an EMC associate mission.

Delegates chose by a high majority ministry to First Nations and then, secondly, to a Muslim migrant population in Spain. Committees are now assisting the BOM as we explore these opportunities. Conversations are taking place with an associate mission agency about an opportunity in Spain.

We are recruiting missionaries to work in these areas. Who is being called to serve cross-culturally? For more information about these two ministry opportunities, please ask.

16 The Messenger • May 2020

What’s on the table going forward

A church planter among Arabic-speaking people in Winnipeg, Man., was introduced to the EMC Church Planting Task Force late in 2019. His theology and way of doing church and church-planting seem to be a good fit for EMC. The Task Force is working with him to see where the Lord leads us.

Adjusting our Course G.K. Chesterton said, “If you leave a white post alone it will soon be a black post. If you particularly want it to be white you must be always painting it again; that is, you must be always having a revolution.”

To be faithful to Jesus with the age-old obedience of Christians means constantly redoing, renewing, repenting, going back again and doing it better with the wisdom now of hindsight. To stay faithful to Jesus calls for this kind of perpetual revolution. It takes a lot of creativity and courage to stay the course.

Planting Lessons We Are Learning

They sometimes insist they are coming across as loving when, in fact, they are not read that way.

She also gave practical instruction on how to lead people in apologies. When do leaders need to apologize for mistakes made? More mediation tools will be shared in the future.

The Church Planting Task Force recently sent out a survey to our church planters to assess how they experienced our ministry partnership in 2019.

We learned that a growing number were involved in or interested in bivocational ministry. We noted that accountability is important to them and us, which includes three formal reports each year. We learned that supporting a salaried pastor is a challenge that, in some situations, has led to congregational disunity, pastoral burnout, financial mismanagement, and perhaps even stifled growth.

For new immigrants, the idea of full-time, salaried pastors can be a new and offensive concept. New immigrants are often employed in minimum-wage jobs while living in a more expensive society and sending funds to support their extended family. The Church Task Force is looking at options such as bivocational ministry, pastoral coaches, tent-making partners, foster churches, and adjusting the subsidy program. This need has been identified for church planters in general. We invite your prayerful, Spirit-led wisdom.

Mediation: This past year Janet Schmidt, a trainer in conflict mediation, presented a twopart seminar on how to deploy mediation teams to help congregations trapped in conflict.

She emphasized leaders need to be aware and responsible for how they are coming across in conflict.

Church attendance does not mean what it did 10 years ago—people connect differently. Therefore, an average weekly attendance doesn’t fairly reflect a church’s actual family size. In 2019 we asked churches to provide both their family size and average service attendance. Both totals are shown in the chart.

Interpreting the data is not straightforward.

Average Attendance and Church Family Size 12000

11,001

10000 8000

7562

7623

7433

7525

7458

7607

7589

7537

7608

7828

6000 4000 2000 0

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Worship Attendance

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

Church Family

What’s on the table going forward

The National Youth Committee is in a visioning process brought on by reduced EMC staff time given to youth, extensive travel that prevented attendance at TRU (EMC youth leader training), and COVID-19. An apology was given to, and accepted by, the NYC for not being consulted on shifting staff positions. The NYC is evaluating and rethinking how to support EMC youth work in 2020 together with our national boards.

They are revising their youth leader training strategy and have cancelled TRU this year, while encouraging leaders to attend local Canadian Youth Workers Community gatherings.

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 17

Celebrate To celebrate our achievement is to sheepishly admit that what has been achieved before our eyes is surplus, gratuitous, more abundant, interesting and delightful than our work for it warranted.

Our efforts should not have amounted to this and yet there it is! God has taken our fumbling level one attempt at painting and unfurled a masterpiece by the work of our hands. The only adequate response is festivity, gratitude and rest. God has been good to us. Praise his glorious Name!

We celebrate as the church because people turn and return to Christ, relationships are rebuilt and hope replaces despair.

Each year 10 to 12 churches welcome new pastors, and this can be exciting. Dan Cormie, for instance, became Braeside’s pastor in June 2019, and when he accepted Braeside’s call, the church he had planted decided to move also—a huge gift to the EMC. To the folks of Dakota Community Church, welcome!

THE FORGE, ST. THOMAS

Jesus used the mustard seed to say that in Kingdom work something tiny can have a huge impact. The EMC loves our smaller churches who witness heroically in rural and urban communities. Aberdeen, Arborg, Birch River, Creighton, Endeavour, Hillside, Hudson Bay, Oak Bluff, Pelly, Sioux Valley, St. Thomas, and elsewhere are outposts of the Kingdom.

Pastoral couples love getting together to be encouraged and taught. We had great fun and camaraderie in November when Jacob and Arlene Friesen shared about developing a rich life of prayer in Jesus’ presence.

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Doris Penner’s Circling the Globe: The Story of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference traces how our church first moved for religious freedom and is now sending members around the globe in Christian service. The book was assigned by the EMC, yet her assessment and opinions come through. Available from the EMC: $15 plus $5.24 mailing.

Ruth Block joined the EMC staff in fall of 2019.

She is skilled, energetic, and fits very well into the EMC team. She is a pleasure to work with.

In Southeast Alberta several church plants in Low German communities have developed into flourishing churches of committed followers with young families, local leaders, and a vision to serve locally and beyond. These churches, with the rest of Region 2, hosted the 2019 convention. They worked hard and well and were gracious hosts.

Thank you!

Celebrate EMC Missionaries sent out in 2019

ALEX REIMER

Alex Reimer began serving in Germany as an EMC Associate Missionary under Greater Europe Mission. He serves as a filmmaker and is member of Prairie Grove Fellowship Chapel.

BENNY AND ESTER FEHR Benny and Ester Fehr and their four children, from Mount Salem, were sent to serve in Bolivia among Low German-speaking Mennonites. They are supported well from MSCC and other EMC churches in southern Ontario. They direct the Low German radio ministry in San Jose, seeking to reach individuals and families with the hope and grace found in Jesus Christ.

EMC Ministers and church planters (with spouses) examined and approved in 2019

Ron and Gudrun Babel (Steinbach, Man.) Francisco and Margenis Herrera (Brandon, Man.) Jae Woong Park and Eun Kim (Arborg, Man.) Hyoun Jin Yoon and Jinhee Yang (Pelly, Sask.)

Yemiru Tilahun and Zway (Ethiopia) Matt and Tanya Plett (Landmark, Man.) James and Janice Crawford (Taber, Alta.)

Scott and Debbie Dick (Ste. Agathe, Man.) Bill and Beth Janzen (St. Thomas, Ont.) Joe and Jessica Penner (Leamington, Ont.) Lyndol and Coralie Fast (Kleefeld, Man.) Ivan and Yesenia Garcia (Winnipeg, Man.) Ben and Maria Dyck (Picture Butte, Alta.)

Convention 2019 highlights ANDREW KAMPEN

• Juggling, really bad jokes, and really good singing from unexpected people were highlights of the talent show.

• Diverse, challenging topics were taught and discussed at meetings and workshops to make us a better church.

Abundant Springs, held in May with the theme of “Everywhere,” saw 541 people attend from 24 EMC churches. Hundreds of students came forward as speaker Kent Martens asked them to commit to live their faith within specific relationships.

153 COTE CHURCH

Church buildings are just buildings, yet we need them and praise God for them. The 153 Cote Church, in Saskatchewan, has a building provided by the local band. It is being renovated.

• Messages with depth came from conference pastor and theologian Layton Friesen.

• Mission reports shared the fear and uncertainty that can accompany work on the front lines.

• A communion service was held with more than 550 people on Sunday morning.

• As always, great music, great meals and wonderful hosts.

• A self-guided tour of the lovely and sometimes pungent southern Alberta—home to some of Region 2.

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 19

Thanksgiving The writer of Hebrews reminds us to “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have” (13:5), stressing that the Lord’s presence is much more valuable than mere money.

Every year, people in EMC churches prove this truth by giving generously to their local church. In turn, the churches contribute to the shared ministries of EMC. Thank you for this generosity, which contributes to the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom.

Yet contentment is not just for the individual—it can also apply to organizations. We, too, as EMC need to be content with the funds that our EMC churches contribute. The past few years we have witnessed a decline in giving to EMC ministries, and our boards and staff are making the necessary adjustments. In 2019, EMC had a $108,000 deficit in

the General Fund. The financial shake-up in the spring of 2020 will likely present even more significant challenges and course corrections.

The chart above shows the expenses in 2019. The dark blue shows the General Fund’s expenses, while the light colour shows all other funds’ expenses.

The pie chart to the left shows where the General Fund revenue comes from to support these ministries: directly from EMC churches (65%), individuals (23%), estate funds (10%), and other income (2%).

Several EMC churches were able to receive assistance in paying down their mortgages through the Church Building Grant Fund. In total, eight churches received over $33,000 from this fund.

Due to the provincial order to close businesses in April 2020, we were delayed in our ability to conduct the audit of finances. However, we anticipate that the audited financial statements will be ready for approval by the date of Conference Council. The audit is being conducted by OnBusiness and the statements will be available upon request. Delegates will find a more complete financial report on the Conference Council website.

– Board of Trustees

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BOM

Paraguay: Old News? Not When Christ is at Work in New Ways!

By Ken Zacharias and Brad Brandt

P

araguay is not a strong tourist destination.

It is often overshadowed by surrounding, bigger, and more noteworthy countries when describing beauty, progress and peoples.

It is a landlocked country with just over seven million people and where 90 percent of the population speak Guarani as well as Spanish.

Paraguay has prospered and progressed in recent years. There is an improved road infrastructure; the main road from Asunción to the Ciudad del Este is being twinned and many secondary roads are being paved. Many large businesses and industries are flourishing. Agriculture, the main economic activity, is strong and those who own land can harvest two soybean crops plus one additional crop of corn every thirteen months.

Religious Freedom

Yet for more than a half-century, the EMC has been involved in Paraguay for reasons that have nothing to do with tourism. We’ve been there because of the message of Jesus Christ.

Spiritually, Paraguay has religious freedom and its evangelical churches are slowly growing. The Evangelical Mennonite Conference’s

For more than a half-century, the EMC has been involved in Paraguay for reasons that have nothing to do with tourism.

We’ve been there because of the message of Jesus Christ. mandate is to see local churches begin and grow in the countries where its missionaries are serving. This is done through various ministries, one being to see missionaries enter communities to visit and share Christ’s love and redemption with people living there. In East Paraguay, this visitation ministry began in the mid 1960s in a time when the Paraguayan lifestyle was very different than now.

Honorio’s Answer

Let us tell you about one of these ministries. In 1974, when missionaries first entered Yhovy, a

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 21

rural community located about twenty minutes north of Campo 9, farming was simple and life was difficult. The roads were poor and when it rained, it was a challenge to travel on the slick muddy roads, if at all.

Honorio was one of the people in Yhovy the missionaries visited and in time he accepted the Lord under their teaching. He also became one of the church leaders in this new congregation and served on the Conferencia Evangélica Menonita de Paraguay (CEMP) leadership council for many years.

He is now older in age and, in our visit together, he reflected on the first missionary he met, Peter Friesen. Honorio spoke in detail of how it was common for the missionary to walk a long distance to their community when it was wet and muddy. This was done on multiple occasions. The dedication of the missionary that he referred to spoke volumes to this now retired leader. I asked Honorio what impacted him more: Was it the message that the missionary brought to his community or was it the untiring dedication of the missionary to visit his community in times when it was very difficult to do so?

He hummed and hawed, reluctant to say because he suspected the answer sought “should” be “the message.” The answer, in reality, is both. This church leader obviously accepted the message, which was salvation given to him

by Jesus’ death and resurrection, but would he have listened to the message so intently if it were not for the missionary’s dedication over a long period of time? Longevity and service speaks volumes to those listening.

Yhovy Today

Today Yhovy is a prosperous community with close to 80 percent of its families owning and operating small dairy farms; they sell their milk to processing plants in Campo 9. In 2020, a paved highway replaced the dirt road through this area.

The Yhovy church has not had a missionary serve in their community now for many years.

Today, the church has a plural leadership structure with four leaders and are a congregation of about 70 people. One of the four church leaders is the son of the retired leader. Many of us know how much work and time it takes to operate a dairy farm, yet this congregation has witnessed and understood dedication and sacrifice and now has four church outreaches. They have a vision to see growth take place in both their own churches and in nearby communities. They are an example to their own people in Paraguay and a Good News story that encourages us.

A Conference Developed

Today, there are thirteen churches in East Paraguay that have chosen to work together under one conference (CEMP) that is autonomous from the EMC. I am encouraged to see that several conference leaders and pastors are now second-generation Christians whose parents became Christ followers through the work of EMC missionaries. The conference directs its own ministries, including plans to run their own private elementary school.

The legacy and examples of the early EMC missionaries dedicated to planting churches is good to remember and it encourages us today. The work has not always been easy, yet it has been and is rewarding to see each one of the churches now being led by believers from the local community.

Church Planting Continues

Recently the EMC Board of Missions recommitted itself to continued ministry in Paraguay, with a special interest in Minga Guazú, another municipality in Paraguay where at

22 The Messenger • May 2020

this time there are few evangelical churches.

The urban centre of Minga Guazú, located 16 kms west of the Brazilian border, is a fastgrowing community where numerous new “subdivisions” are being developed. People in these suburbs generally have few financial resources and they have limited ability to travel beyond walking distance. Many people live day to day and do not have a strong support network of friends and family for when there is no work or someone gets sick.

Travis and Rosey Zacharias and Chris and Revita Kroeker are EMC missionaries working to establish a stable church in this community.

Currently, there is a core group with about ten family units and several others who attend services or home Bible studies on occasion.

There are tremendous opportunities and occasions to share the love of Jesus Christ and the saving message of Jesus Christ to those living in this area. Young people are being affected— young men and women, teens, and children.

About 100 students already have attended the church’s DVBS program.

While ministering to families, the need was seen for marriage and family counselling for couples who do not have stability and love in their marriages and homes. Adults who do not deal with their past in a biblical manner cannot have healthy relationships with their spouses or other believers; neither can they effectively teach their children. Chris and Revita were led to prepare themselves to teach and provide counselling to stengthen both families, and as a result, churches. They are teaching this course in churches and communities in the area, including in Minga Guazú.

Para-Church Ministries

Paraguay is blessed to have many strong parachurch ministries involved in ministry through radio, food programs, medical services, economic development, counselling, and many others that are needed to effectively build God’s kingdom. What ties all these ministries together

and gives them long term effectiveness is the planting of churches.

The Past and the Future

EMC has chosen the mandate to be involved in church planting. God has used past and present missionaries to bring the good news of salvation to Paraguay. Missionaries and the ministries they were involved in may not be remembered by a future generation, yet the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts, the never-changing message of salvation, and God’s faithfulness, will continue to bear fruit. Our methods and strategies will vary, but the message of God’s love and salvation will not.

We look at the people and opportunities in Paraguay, and we continue to joyfully and faithfully build up the local church bringing the gospel of salvation, discipling, and developing leadership in youth and adults who will be there long after we are gone. We continue this ministry because it brings glory to God, salvation to a lost world, and joy to the church in Paraguay and here in Canada.

Yes, the EMC has been involved in missions in Paraguay for more than a half-century. Does this mean our work there is old news? Not when Christ is at work in new ways.

Ken Zacharias is the Director of Global Outreach. Brad Brandt is the chair of the Board of Missions. Both of them recently returned from Paraguay—and went into 14 days of self-isolation.

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 23

ISTOCK

Discussion and Discernment

Kickball and Peacemaking

by Bruce Hamsher

I

still remember today what recess felt like when I was in the third grade. That year the game was kickball.

More pointedly, I remember the awesome red ball we used. It was the kind of ball which was somewhat solid, yet spongy enough that when it hit that sweet spot on your foot, it seemed to soar in the air for a mile. I also vividly remember the classmate who never thought he was out. (You probably remember this guy too.

Every class had one.)

The play didn’t even have to be close, but, regardless, he would dispute the call if he was out.

After weeks of this behavior, another classmate and I decided that it was time for us to become the teachers, so we made up our own lesson plan to teach this guy a lesson. Thus, the push technique was applied. The push technique was done very quickly, succinctly and successfully.

I engaged the whiner in a conversation while my buddy slowly walked behind him and proceeded to get down on all fours. Once he was in place, I gave a quick push and watched as he tumbled backward over my accomplice’s back and onto the ground. We had a good laugh—until he

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started writhing around on the ground in pain.

His cries and groans caught the attention of the teacher on duty and our laughs quickly turned to concern and to that “Oh, no” feeling deep in the pit of one’s stomach. As we weren’t able to go out to recess for a while after this, we realized very quickly that our reactive, aggressive behavior certainly didn’t solve the problem. A peaceful solution wasn’t tried and things only got worse.

We grieve the reality that in the past Christians have killed each other in war in the name of Civil Religion.

A Peace Church

The Mennonite church is a historic peace church. One of our doctrines states that we do not go to war. We believe that the way of Jesus is the way of peace. In our past, when a military draft has been enacted, many have chosen to give of their time and service in what we would consider to be possible “life giving” ways, rather than possible “life taking” ways.

We grieve the reality that in the past Christians have killed each other in war in the name of Civil Religion. We would see the entire world as the potential “Kingdom of God,” one that can’t be divided by national, human-made boundaries.

Discussion and Discernment ‘What Would You Do?’

Obvious questions arise when statements like these are made. One I’ve heard often is, “What would you do then if someone was about to harm your wife and children?” To be honest, I’m not sure exactly what I would do in that situation, but I can’t imagine that I would passively sit back and do nothing. Another question I’ve heard is, “Shouldn’t Hitler have been wiped out?” One thing is for certain: he should’ve been intensely prayed for.

The point here is that too often, both nationally and personally, we take matters into our own hands first and then beg and plead with God to bless our efforts. We can go back and forth on these things, but the one thing we can all agree on is that Jesus modeled for us a “ministry of reconciliation” and a “peace-giving lifestyle.”

What About Our Wars?

This then poses another question. If we are a historic peace church, then why are we no different from other denominations when it comes to our internal “warring” and squabbles, our church splits and our inability to, as Paul says, “Live at peace with everyone?” (Rom. 12:18) Why is it easier to agree with this in doctrine than in practice?

I do believe that the way of Jesus is the way of Peace. Jesus tells us it is a blessed thing to be a “peacemaker” (Matt. 5:9). In other words, we

will experience a deep sense of satisfaction and joy if we are peacemakers and we’ll be labeled as “children of God.” I wonder then, when will we live out this lifestyle of peace in all of life, not just in convenient, isolated segments?

Facing a Robber

In his book Just in Time, Lynn Miller tells the story of the time he and his wife were doing Voluntary Service in Chicago. As they were walking toward their church, they were held up at gunpoint with the robber yelling, “Give me your money or I’ll shoot!”

Lynn quickly told him he didn’t have any money and then asked the man if he would want to come to the church with them. He said maybe they could find something there for him. The robber shouted again, “Give me the money!” His wife then told him they needed to visit a woman whose mother had just died. They then turned and started to walk down a narrow alley that led to the back of the church.

Halfway down the alley, Lynn turned around and said, “Come on” and motioned the gunman to follow them. The gunman just stood there, confused. He then turned and ran away. It was later revealed that this couple regularly prays ahead of time for nonviolent responses to potential violent acts committed against them.

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Discussion and Discernment Paul says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). He also states, “Let us make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification” (Rom. 14:19). We must be willing to share the peace we have with Christ with others in loving and creative ways.

An Indonesian Pastor

I listened to an Indonesian pastor tell of the time when his church was unjustly shut down by the local Muslim officials. This would now cause a huge problem as the only water well in that small community was located on the church property. What would be their response?

If they would withhold water from the other villagers, chaos would erupt. It would be tough, but they decided that even though they were unjustly shut down, they would continue to let the local Muslims freely use their water supply.

After eight months the Muslim officials peacefully let them reopen their church.

It’s an Activity

I’m coming to realize more and more that peacemaking is not merely a concept or a doctrine, it’s an activity. It’s not passive; it’s active. It’s not so much something we are; it’s something we do in our homes, in our work and in all of life!

A myth abounds about peacemakers which needs to be clarified. Peacemakers love peace, but they do not passively accept trouble. They are persons who are strong in the Lord and who do not remove themselves from conflict and adversity. Think about this verbally and how it’s so much easier to shoot someone down with your words, than to deal with the situation at hand.

However, if you’re seeking a “peaceful” solution, you will assume the hard work of conflict

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resolution. You will be proactive, will stand strong in the face of the adversity and will not run away from the problem. You will face it and address it in a bold and righteous way.

The Example of Christ

As we look into the purpose of His ministry, we see that Christ sought to bring peace to a hurting and needy world. He saw us trapped in our sin, with no way out. He saw the warring and the pain within our souls. He saw us in our war and in His compassion, He longed to bring us His Peace. These verses from Isaiah 53:5-6 sum it up well: “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His Wounds we are healed.” Hallelujah and amen.

Oh, and the next time your “classmate” is insistent about being safe at first base, let them be safe and keep on playing the game.

And at that moment when they do stumble, remember that helping them up is always better than causing them to fall. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.

Bruce Hamsher, DMin., resides in Sugarcreek, Ohio, with his wife Jocelyn. He is the CEO of Toward the Goal Ministries (www.towardthegoal.net), the Director of Leadership Development at ProVia, and an ordained pastor in the MCUSA.

With Our Missionaries

All That Really Matters is Securely Held WASHINGTON

As we look back upon Good Friday and Easter, in spite of the changes in our world nothing essential is at stake: all that really matters is securely held in heaven for us beyond the reach of decay, devaluation, or theft. And this is true because of the Gospel, the epic story whose climax we remember: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth and died in our place to reconcile us to God and make us ambassadors of the King of Kings, the only true God! As we remember His death in our place and His powerful resurrection, may we be both steadied in the changes and reminded of our calling.

Safety Seminar: Moody’s Aviation’s Safety Seminar and audit contained many answers to prayer. Those days gathering, learning, and evaluating were truly a blessing for us at Moody Aviation. God brought us great presenters for the Safety Seminar, men and women who are invested in our success as well as experts in their respective fields. We had a lot of great interaction during breaks and great questions for the presenters from attenders. Thank God with us. We asked Him for a profitable time, and He answered!

The week after Safety Seminar we at Moody Aviation were audited by another team of experts. The audit team worked hard, digging into all areas of our program. They offered a lot of commendations as well as helpful critique and suggestions; things we as a team are talking through these days. As we work from home, we are taking time to reflect on the findings as well as explore creative solutions.

Moody Aviation and COVID-19: As we reflect on friends around the world we are curious how each of you are doing. Drop us a line and let us know how to pray and praise with you. At Moody Aviation we are doing our best to provide what we can for our students in this time while still adhering to the instructions given by the local, state, and federal government. With a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order in effect, we are able to provide classes online, but our maintenance labs and flights are suspended at least until May 4. We are praying for all our students and asking God for effective strategies moving forward.

Pray that we would model well what we have learned about God’s faithfulness and love as we interact with students and staff. Pray for profs who are forced to learn quickly as they provide online classes to students. Pray specifically for our seniors as they seek God in these unexpected turns at a critical time in their education. Pray for positive connections for students and staff during this

time of social distancing. Pray for all those making decisions regarding the future: for wisdom and faith as we walk through this quarantine time and ask God how to best serve our students once we can resume labs and flights.

Pray that we would be thankful for and take advantage of the good things this time brings us: such as more time to reflect, more time to spend with family.

The people of Venezuela are facing this pandemic with a very shaky infrastructure. Medical resources are almost non-existent and clean water is scarce. Many parts of the country are without electricity much of the time.

Family: Garry, Kaleb, and I are getting a lot of family time these days as we follow the governor’s orders to “Stay Home, Stay Safe.” It’s been good to make some fun memories, share meals, and enjoy longer conversations. We miss Kevin, but are so thankful that he is in Manitoba. One of Kevin's good friends came down with COVID-19 and a few of the kids he was coaching let him know that neighbours had contracted the virus, so we are particularly thankful that he is healthy.

Thank you for standing with us in this challenging time, a time so like and so unlike many times in our past. We are thankful to be sons and daughters of the Most High and to be walking this path with you, our brothers and sisters.

Truly, we are excited to see how God unfolds His plans to spread His Good News and to grow each of us in our knowledge of Him through this time.

Garry and Cynthia Barkman (Blumenort) serve with Ethnos360 and Moody Aviation. Venezuela has a special place in their hearts.

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 27

With Our Missionaries

EMC Prayer Team Sees Need for Ministry BOLIVIA

On Jan. 9, 2020, an EMC prayer team of 10 people from across Canada met in Toronto with the purpose of traveling to Bolivia to meet and pray with each EMC and MEM missionary, listening to their heart for the ministries with which they are involved.

We arrived in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, around 10 p.m. on Friday evening and were met by Bill Kehler, the field director of MEM. As we stepped out of the airport we knew we were no longer in Canada; the variety of sounds and smells and the heat and humidity at that time of day was astonishing.

We loaded our luggage onto a 20-passenger bus that was rented for our entire stay in Bolivia, driven by Solomon. After a night at the Hotel Continental we had a time of orientation and prayer with Bill Kehler.

We learned immediately that flexibility would be key to our time in Bolivia. Rain changed our plans for the day, but we enjoyed lunch at a local restaurant and headed to Villa Nueva and booked in at the Bed and Breakfast for our first part of the week. We quickly came to love and appreciate the missionaries and local church leadership team in Villa Nueva.

Sunday morning was a baptismal service for a young man, and some of us from the prayer team were able to contribute to the service with singing and a children’s story while Ken Zacharias did the sermon in Spanish. While in the area we toured Guia de Paz (a recovery program), as well as La Roca (a children’s camp), and saw where Casa Mariposa (a home for abused women) had been in

operation earlier. “Just as many people are struggling and needing help in Canada as here in Bolivia,” said one missionary, “but we feel the resources are less here in Bolivia so we plan to stay here another two years.”

Nancy Friesen, from Picture Butte Mennonite Church, gave us a tour of the school in Villa Nueva where she is very involved both with administration and teaching. We enjoyed a visit in her home and listening to the many stories of what she has already experienced in Bolivia.

We visited a radio station that has programming in Low German; it was just a small room above their home, yet many people can hear the Word of God in their language; and, although radio ministry can be lonely at times, we know it is a way of planting the seed and someday there will be a harvest.

Tuesday afternoon we left Villa Nueva and headed to San Jose and checked in at the Casa de la Amsted for the rest of our time in Bolivia. Hacienda Verde is a newer community, yet already has around 50 families living there. Benny and Ester Fehr from Mount Salem Community Church have come here, along with their children, to operate the radio station and they have many other opportunities to touch the lives of Low German-speaking people.

We spent some time with Benny and Ester, doing some sightseeing in San Jose as well as visiting homes on the Colony. We heard many stories. Some were heartbreaking, yet God is definitely working with them and through them. In Hacienda Verde the teachers were also gearing up for another school year. Classes are taught in Spanish, Low German and English. On Sunday morning our team was able to bless them with testimonies, children’s story, singing and a devotional.

Our ten days spent in Bolivia were a very rich time, and we thank God for the opportunity we had to meet the missionaries, see how God is providing for them, and to pray together for their ministries.

EMC Missions began ministering in Bolivia in 2013 after joining MEM (Mision Evangelica Menonita), a ministry to Low German Mennonites administrated by the EMMC and the La Crete Bergthaler Conference.

– Trudy Loewen

BOM

Trudy Loewen is from Morweena EMC. The team prayed for Ester and Benny Fehr and many others

28 The Messenger • May 2020

With Our Missionaries

Discipleship and Opportunities for Ministry WINNIPEG

BOM

This winter we built on the momentum from the youth Discipleship Group in fall by doing another eight-week series. This time the theme was “Sharing the Life” and focused on how we can serve others and share our faith.

We talked about it but we also found ways to put it into practice. One week we decided to go for a walk in our neighbourhood with a thermos of hot chocolate and cups offering a warm drink to those we met. The guys really enjoyed serving people in this way and did a great job of being both bold and kind in approaching people; they want to do it again. Please pray both for the youth who have been part of the Discipleship Group and for the families.

For months I have been planning a staff training event led by Bob and Gracie Ekblad who lead a ministry called Tierra Nueva in Washington State and offer ministry training all over the world through The People’s Seminary. They have been working for decades among people who have been rejected and written off: people in addictions, jail inmates, gang members and undocumented immigrants. The Ekblads model humble solidarity combined with a confidence that Jesus makes his presence and power available to marginalized people. They have a unique way of bringing together Word (biblical scholarship and study), Spirit (openness to the work of the Holy Spirit) and Street (focus on social justice and people on the margins). My faith and ministry have been greatly impacted by what I’ve learned from Bob’s books and the training I took at the People’s Seminary a few years back, so I was excited that our team would have this opportunity to spend three days in training with the Ekblads.

From March 10 to 12 around 30 ICYA staff, volunteers and spouses gathered at ICYA to attend this training.

Themes included God’s humble ways of coming near to people submerged in darkness and God’s shepherd heart to seek, find and care for lost and vulnerable sheep. We learned about finding our identity and authority in Christ rather than other allegiances or cultural or social markers.

We learned how to pray for healing and deliverance and how to lead contextual Bible studies for personal and social transformation. There were also times of prayer ministry and receiving from God. We were inspired, equipped and challenged in our faith and ministry. I have observed in our team a growing hunger for God. Please pray that God’s purposes for this training would be accomplished in our staff team and that it would lead to transformation in our lives and in our community.

While the Ekblads were in Winnipeg we also held a couple of events for the wider community. We held a public evening event at CMU with Bob speaking about “The Meth Crisis and the Church: How Should We Respond?”

There was a lot of interest in this event and we had a full house with at least 150 people from all over Winnipeg and Southern Manitoba in attendance. We also hosted a Community Outreach night at ICYA called “Hope and a Future in the North End” where we invited our friends in the neighbourhood to come for an evening of music, stories and a message of hope with Howard and Joel Jolly singing and Bob speaking. It was a great evening where many people were open to receiving prayer.

As I write this, we are one week into the Coronavirus crisis. As a ministry, we have had to put many of our normal programs on hold and are coming up with new and creative ways to connect with youth and families in this time of social distancing. Please pray that we as a ministry would have courage, creativity and awareness of God’s leading. We believe there are opportunities for vital Christian service and witness at this time. Remember all the children and youth we connect with who will be stuck at home and for their parents. Pray for the vulnerable in our community: not only are there many whose bodies are vulnerable to illness, but for many in our community who live on the edge of joblessness, homelessness and hunger, the shutdowns and economic effects will impact them in major ways. I would also appreciate your prayers for me and Amie and our daughters during this time.

We know that all of you are also being affected in huge ways by this crisis and we will be praying for you as well.

Please let us know if there are ways you would like us to pray for you.

Andrew Reimer (Steinbach EMC) serves as a community minister and within leadership development at Inner City Youth Alive in Winnipeg’s north end.

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 29

With Our Churches Evangelical Fellowship Church

EFC

Seven Children Dedicated

Fort Frances, Ont.—On the last Sunday in February 2020, we took some time out in the morning church service to especially dedicate our youngest ones and to bless them

in the name of the Lord. There are seven of them with the parents. On the far right are our pastor Alain Reimer, his wife Emily, and their son Micah.

– Mark Gerber

•• Rosenort EMC

Dedication and Ordination

REMC

ROSENORT, Man.—This past fall included two special services in the life of Rosenort EMC. On October 20, 2019, we celebrated with four couples as they dedicated themselves and their children to the Lord. Families are God’s creation and as a church we stand together to support one another in the raising of our children. Shown are Jared and Jill Dueck with Rylan, Chris and Melanie Siemens with Amelia (and Connor), Alex and Melanie Loewen with Cole (and Thomas), Tim and Rachel Loewen with Emily. Pastor Ward Parkinson officiated.

30 The Messenger • May 2020

And in November we witnessed the formal ordination of Scott Dick into the ministry. Scott and Debbie have been part of our congregation for several years, including serving on staff as youth pastor. Now they are following God’s leading into church planting in the neighbouring community of Ste. Agathe, Man. Conference Pastor Layton Friesen and Director of Church Planting Gerald Reimer were special guests for the ordination service.

– Ward Parkinson

With Our Churches MacGregor EMC

Coping with COVID-19

MACGREGOR

MACGREGOR, Man.— The rapid worldwide spread of the new deadly coronavirus has quickly shaken up civilization as we know it. Drastic measures are being taken to slow its spread, while staff in medical labs are scrambling to develop a vaccine to The team recording on March 29: Scripture readers Diana Wright and Davis Wright; worship group Dan provide immunization Sawatzky, Margaret Thiessen, and David Kruse; and speaker Jeff Thiessen (deacon). Sandra Sawatzky was in against this silent threat. charge of recording.

Meanwhile, the public is warned to practice self-isolation and social distancing. sequence: several songs, a call to worship, Scripture readAt MacGregor EMC the ministerial and church board ing, a sermon, and a closing song and benediction. have initiated measures to comply with the new regAfter the recording session the service is transferred ulations to help stop the spread of COVID-19. As of to the church’s website, ready for people to listen in their mid-March Sunday services have been cancelled, as well as homes. CD copies are made and delivered to people who meetings and events during the week. To compensate for do not have website access. We are blessed as we listen, the lack of interpersonal connections, a weekly audio serand no one notices if anyone should fall asleep. vice has been developed to provide the congregation with a In addition to the recorded service, other means of measure of spiritual nurture and encouragement. interaction are developed, such as a phone care network, Toward each weekend a group of seven to ten people ensuring that everyone receives at least one weekly call. meet in the sanctuary to record a service. Lengthy microAs well, twice a week informative and inspirational blogs phone cords allow for ample interpersonal distancing are posted to the church’s website. In these ways we are between the participants, which include a director, three or inspired to maintain our daily relationship and walk with four members of one of four worship teams, two Scripture our Lord. readers, and a speaker. The service follows a customary – Menno Hamm

Together we’re celebrating 100 years of relief, development and peace in the name of Christ.

Thank you for your support of MCC. Join the centennial celebrations! mcccanada.ca/centennial

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 31

Column • Archives’ Alcove

Century-old Lessons Echo for Retired Scientist

32 The Messenger • May 2020

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cross Manitoba, faith groups are getting serious [March 27] about the need to temporarily shutter religious services to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Instead of gathering in churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, gurdwaras and other places of worship, people are gathering online.

This will go a long way towards flattening the COVID-19 case number curve—and also help

by John Longhurst prevent what happened to Mennonites in southern Manitoba during the 1918-19 Spanish flu John Longhurst pandemic. is a Winnipeg During that terrible time, when as many as journalist of long 50 million people died worldwide and 55,000 standing. He is in Canada, members of Mennonite churches in a graduate of that part of the province died at double the rate MBBC and the U. of the rest of the population, retired Steinbach of W. This article microbiologist Glen Klassen found in his 2008 first appeared in research on the disease’s impact. Klassen’s interthe Winnipeg Free est in the topic was sparked by his involvement Press and is used in the 2007 Faith Community Pandemic Summit with permission. at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, which he helped organize.

The summit—which was sponsored by the International Centre for Infectious Diseases, Mennonite Disaster Service, Salvation Army, Christian Reformed Church and various other groups—was to help faith groups prepare for the next such global health emergency.

According to Klassen, who taught microbiology at the University of Manitoba, it is thought around 60 per cent of Mennonites in the Hanover area (which includes Steinbach) got sick in 1918-19. There were roughly 60 fluDr. Glen Klasrelated deaths in the rural municipality—a sen, the retired higher rate than in other nearby municipalities microbiologist and with smaller non-Mennonite populations. professor interA similar high death rate was found in viewed here, is a other RMs with high numbers of Mennonites, founding memsuch as Stanley (Winkler), Rhineland (Altona) ber of Fort Garry and Morris, Klassen said. "They died at twice EMC and has a the rate of non-Mennonites within the same long history with municipality and between municipalities," he the EMC. This said this week, noting the finding was conarticle is published firmed by later research by Vanessa Quiring of with the approval the University of Winnipeg. of the Archives Committee.

While there is no definite reason for the higher Mennonite numbers, one theory is based on how they maintained regular church-going habits. “There was very little social distancing until it was too late," Klassen said.

Compounding the problem, he noted, was some Mennonite church services moved around from village to village, meaning people went to church in different places and with different groups each time. "They met a different combination of people at each event," said Klassen.

Added to this was the "constant visiting between relatives from many locales," such as Sunday faspa, a late afternoon lunch and visit held after church in various homes. They were "promiscuous in their socializing," Klassen said of how the desire to maintain community contributed to the spread of the flu virus.

Other contributing factors included strained relations between Mennonites and the Manitoba government over registration for military service during the First World War, and over control of schooling—factors that may have made them more suspicious of government warnings about the pandemic.

There was also a tendency among the community to see the sickness as an act of God that couldn’t be avoided, or as a sign of God’s displeasure and judgment. "Some said, ‘The Lord is speaking to us harshly,’" Klassen said.

For Klassen, who attends Grace Mennonite Church in Steinbach, the experience of Mennonites a century ago confirms the importance of social distancing and the need to close religious services during the time of COVID-19. "Until we get a vaccine, we will have to do everything we can to prevent deaths," he said.

000+

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Shoulder Tapping With any applications for EMC church pastoral positions, candidates are expected to also register a Ministry Information Profile with the EMC Board of Leadership and Outreach, which can be obtained through Erica Fehr, BLO Administrative Assistant, at efehr@emconference.ca or 204-326-6401.

Additional EMC Openings Often there are more churches looking for senior, associate, youth, and interim pastors than are identified on this page. For information on additional openings, contact Conference Pastor Layton Friesen (lfriesen@emconference.ca) and Director of Youth and Discipleship Gerald D. Reimer (greimer@emconference.ca). The national office phone number is 204-326-6401. Talk with Erica Fehr, Church leadership assistant to the BLO, to request a cell number for a particular person.

The 26th Annual EMC

PROJECT BUILDERS

Golf Classic For more June 18, 2020 information go to www.emconference. ca/golf-tournament

s

Steinbach Fly-In Golf Course

s:

-7241 -6401 -3316 -1243 -5301 -0106 -7000

Other Positions

Oak Bluff Bible Church is seeking a full-time pastor.

We are a welcoming, family-friendly church that averages 50 people on Sunday morning. We enjoy contemporary and traditional worship music. We understand the importance and value of ministering together to be a light in reaching our growing community and surrounding area of Oak Bluff, Man. (located at McGillvray and the Perimeter Highway of Winnipeg). Applicants must be in acceptance of the OBBC (EMC) Statement of Faith and aligning with the theology, values, and church culture of OBBC. A valid criminal records check and child abuse check are required for this position. Applicants must be legally entitled to work in Canada. Preference will be given to those who are willing to relocate to Oak Bluff or the surrounding community. To apply or for future inquiries, please e-mail pastoralsearch@oakbluffbiblechurch.com.

At Inner City Youth Alive (ICYA) our mission is to bring hope through Christ, and we’re seeking to fill ministry positions serving kids, youth and families in Winnipeg’s inner city neighbourhood. Available positions include ministry and administrative roles. Our diverse team members are both local leaders and from outside our neighbourhood. As a faith-based ministry we hold all staff to our lifestyle and morality commitments, and core values. ICYA and our staff are supported by generous individuals and churches from across Canada. To view full job descriptions, visit: www.icya.ca/careers or message Karen Jolly, director of programs, at karen@icya.ca.

Picture Butte Mennonite Church, a Low Germanand English-speaking church with 200-plus people attending dual Sunday morning services, is seeking an associate pastor. The ideal candidate should be characterized by an attitude of servant leadership and personal integrity in a close walk with Jesus. The candidate needs to have an openness and sensitivity to the diverse cultural differences within our Mennonite church. This position would primarily focus on the English ministry. This candidate needs to be a team player as he will be working alongside the existing leadership team as well as the senior pastor. For information, contact Isaac Thiessen, 403-308-5093 or isaact@genicadev.com

Lindale Mennonite Church, Linville, Virginia, is seeking a full-time lead pastor to serve an active, multigenerational congregation of 300 attendants.

Applicants should demonstrate gifts in preaching, teaching, leadership and teamwork. Seminary degree preferred. Must agree with the Mennonite Confession of Faith (http://mennoniteusa.org/ confession-of-faith/ Competitive salary and benefits package. View church website at www.lindale.org.

Interested persons may send resume and cover letter to Dana Sommers (dana.sommers@comcast.net).

Where are position ads to be sent?

Please send all position ads, including pastoral search ads, to messenger@emconference.ca. All ads are to be 150 words or less. All ads can be edited. Please advise us when it is no longer needed.

Evangelical Mennonite Conference

Year to Date Financial Report January – April 2020

s to:

ure).

EMC Positions*

Diamond Sponsors 2019 – $5,000+

Income* Expenses Excess/Shortfall

General Fund 2019 439,465 541,038 -101,573

General Fund 2020 439,011 615,941 -176,930

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).

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 33

Column • Focus On

Children’s Ministry: Why Bother?

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These formative years are when deep seated beliefs are formed about faith and life.

34 The Messenger • May 2020

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number of years ago a friend of mine was leading a workshop with a group of Children’s Ministry workers when he was asked this question: “Why should we teach the gospel to

By Ruth Block children? They won’t understand it anyways.”

Just typing that now my heart breaks and my blood boils.

Why do we minister to kids? Why do we corral small children once or twice a week and try to get them to sit still and listen to stories even adults have difficulty understanding? Are we simply the babysitters so that the parents can listen to the pastor’s sermon?

If you stand at the front of a room filled with Christians and ask them how many of them became believers before the age of 18, statistics say nearly 80% will raise their hand. Before the age of 12? Half of those hands will stay up!

These formative years are when deep seated beliefs are formed about faith and life. What children hear, and even more so what children observe, will shape who they are, what they believe and even where they might struggle with faith as teenagers and adults.

What an opportunity we have!

Ruth Block, BA, is the MisAs we serve our kids and families, sions and Finance Assistant let’s show them Jesus. We love them, within the EMC national welcome them, get to know them and office. She has a long hisdo our best to create a space where they tory of being involved with feel safe. Think back to your time in children’s ministry, includ- Sunday School – what do you rememing at Emmanuel E. F. ber the clearest? Chances are it is your Church in Steinbach, Man., teacher. Not a lesson, not a cool illuswhere she is involved in tration, not a fun game, but the person the Awana program. She that welcomed you in. attends Blumenort ComThen we teach them the gospel. munity Church.

We remember that they are kids, but

we teach them what Scripture says. We teach them about sin, and how sin messed up this world and our hearts. We teach them about the people that tried to do it their own way, and we teach them that ‘their own way’ didn’t work!

We teach them that bad stuff happens (and they may be kids but they know this already!); and we teach them about the good God who has a plan to fix it all. And all along the way we show them Jesus – what this story teaches us about Him, and what this gospel means to us, how it affects our lives, how it changes how we respond to whatever circumstance life throws at us.

And through this all, we remember that children are the Church too. They are not the Church of tomorrow; they are the Church here and now. They come to worship and learn together in a community of faith, no different than their parents. They can serve. They can pray. They can witness. And they can teach us what it means to do those things, because often they do them so much better!

The source for the statistics is: Ryan Frank, ed.

Give Me Jesus: Gospel-Centered Children’s Ministry That Changes Lives. Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 2013, 34.

Column • Stewardship Today

Generosity in a Time of Social Distancing Closing the Distance: Gratitude, Joy, and Generosity during COVID-19

A

cross the country, churches have stopped meeting, school has been cancelled, and non-essential businesses have implemented modified operating conditions or closed completely. Although everyone wants to do their part to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Canadians are unaccustomed to being confined to our homes (many of which have become simultaneous offices, playgrounds, classrooms, and nurseries).

Fear and loneliness can spiral in these dark and unprecedented times but reaching out with generosity ushers in the light we so desperately need.

Canadians from one side of the country to the other are finding creative ways to generously share their time, money, and talents while adhering to the rules of social distancing. Neighbours are contacting neighbours, especially those who might have difficulty getting groceries or medical supplies and arranging to drop off meals and other essentials. Sidewalk chalk artists of all ages are writing encouraging messages on driveways, sidewalks, and pathways to help those walking by feel connected and encouraged. Others are

making online donations to the local charities that have been deeply affected by the crisis.

If you’re not sure where or how to start giving back, the things you are thankful for (and maybe wrote down in your gratitude journal) can be a fantastic inspiration for how and where you can start giving in your community. For example, are you: Grateful for a safe home to stay in? Donate to your local homeless shelter or investigate opportunities to volunteer.

Grateful for family and friends? Many seniors’ residences are locked down but are continuing their volunteer programs remotely.

Volunteers can offer companionship to seniors through zoom, skype, and other online chat tools or over the phone. You could also donate to community charities which may need extra support right now.

Grateful for your kids’ teachers? While schools are shut, volunteer as an online tutor through your local library, community centre, or other online program. Donate unopened school supplies to charities that collect them throughout the year.

Every time you reach out with compassion to share what you have, you are modelling generosity for others around you and helping to create a more generous community.

Every time you reach out with compassion to share what you have, you are modelling generosity for others around you and helping to create a more generous community.

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For more information check out: https://abundance.ca

by Barbara Chambers, Director of Communications, Abnudance Canada

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 35

Column • Kids’ Corner

What is Green?

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by Loreena Thiessen

reen is the colour of summer. Look around.

You will see green everywhere. Look up into the trees, a canopy, or cover of leaves shades you from the hot sun.

Look down at the green grass soft and cool under your feet. Look at the garden filled with growing green vegetables, and each growing flower that has lush green leaves accompanying it. Plants and flowers need green leaves in order to live.

Green is the colour of life.

For trees, and plants, it is in the leaves that life giving food is manufactured. This feeds the plant. Green leaves are a factory, a food manufacturing process called photosynthesis.

The green leaves absorb, or take in light from the sun, moisture from the earth, and carbon dioxide from the air to create carbohydrates, sugars, as the food they need to grow.

Green is the colour of many foods that give you, life, too. Spinach, Brussels Sprouts, broccoli, collard greens, and kale have vitamins, C and A, and minerals, calcium, potassium, and iron.

These help you grow and keep you strong. Make sure you choose from the balance of all colours, orange as in carrots and yams, blue as in blueberries, and red tomatoes, and strawberries, as well as, green foods.

Green leaves are a factory, a food manufacturing process called photosynthesis.

Activity: Make a chart to show how many colours you ate.

Need: pencil, notepaper, ruler, pencil crayons.

Do: Make the chart with a column for one colour of food—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple. Within each column have spaces for each portion of the food you eat. Then colour in one space for each food you eat.

Which colour of food did you eat more of?

36 The Messenger • May 2020

Green also means young or not yet fully ripe. A green banana, for example, is not as ripe as a yellow one. Tomatoes and peppers start out green and turn orange and red as they ripen.

You can say, “that banana is too green; I’ll have it when it has ripened.”

Green is also used to describe a healthy and clean environment. When you recycle things to be used again, or made into something else that is useful, you are keeping the environment clean, or green. A green environment is one where we use less, re-use more, and keep our environment clean, for example, by not littering.

This includes where people work, and play, the air we breathe, the water we drink. The same is true for animals. Like people do, animals breathe the air, and drink water. For water animals, rivers, lakes, and the sea, is their home.

They, too, need a clean environment to live in.

And only people can work to keep it clean.

In the Bible, too, green means life. In Genesis 1:30 God says every green herb is meant to be food for both people and animals, food for life. In Psalm 23:2 the shepherd leads his sheep to streams of water in green pastures; water and food for the sheep. In Jeremiah 17:8 God says if you trust him you are like a tree growing near water, having green leaves and bearing fruit, a healthy living tree. Trusting God gives you life.

The Messenger Evangelical Mennonite Conference 440 Main St., Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5 Publications Mail Agreement #40017362