The Messenger September 2020

The Messenger a publication of the

Evangelical Mennonite Conference

Volume 58  No. 5 September 2020

The Sneaky Snare of Shame

page 6

ALSO INSIDE: Following Christ With Children in the Church page 10 A Christian Does Christian Things page 13

ISTOCK

Examining My Privilege page 16

Guest Editorial

Flight, Fight, or Freeze I knew about the book The Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King long before it ended up in my house through no initiative on my part, and when it did show up, it sat there on the coffee table even longer before I had the courage to read it. I dreaded finding out about the things I and my people-group had done to cause harm. I was sure I would be defensive. I was sure it would be an angry book. But I also knew it was the right thing for me to do because some of the people I love most are First Nations. It turns out the book was much gentler than I had feared, I was able to submit my guilt to Jesus, and what I learned was very valuable.

That was neither the first nor last time I struggled. I do not want to be nagged about my environmental responsibilities. I don’t want to have to sort through whether palm oil and quinoa are ethically produced, though I’m fine with avoiding quinoa. I’m also perfectly cheerful about planting trees and hugging them if I need to, though that’s just weird. I have my own moments to bash others and will death-glare people for littering and for saying racist things (and no, those are in no way equal on the offensiveness scale). I confess that back in March I thought the reaction to COVID was overblown and I don’t like wearing my mask—but I do—with a smile even—not that anyone can see it.

What puzzles me is why these things are so hard, when they are all fundamentally in line with my values. Two

possibilities come to mind. One of those I learned from Janet Schmidt in the mediation seminars she held for EMC a year and a half ago. She said that hearing I am not the good person I think I am is an intolerable idea, and that my brain reacts with the same flight, fight or freeze response it does when I’m facing actual danger. That seems very odd, but I can’t deny that describes my own feelings at points, and also some of the reactions I see around me.

The other reason is one Paul explores in Romans when he describes why the law, instead of making me a better person, makes me want to do exactly the opposite.

In this issue of The Messenger, not for the first time, we will be talking about things that aren’t entirely comfortable: from wearing masks to church rituals to what privilege actually means. It will also address shame itself in an article by Kevin Wiebe.

We’re not living in a particularly fun time, but we’re not rookies either. We’ve faced difficulty before. We’ve wrestled with sin and shame. We are forgiven and we are loved.

I’m convinced we have what it takes to get through all of this and come out stronger and more faithful.

And we will because Jesus is faithful and He is with us.

– Erica Fehr

We’ve faced difficulty before.

We’ve wrestled with sin and shame. We are forgiven and we are loved.

2 The Messenger • September 2020

Table of Contents Features 6

Columns

The Sneaky Snare of Shame 19 Further In and Higher Up The Limits of Bible Background – Layton Friesen

– Kevin Aron Wiebe

10 Following Christ With Children in the Church

26 A Path to Peace

13 A Christian Does Christian Things

34 His Light to My Path

29

How Dare You Break My Mug! – Kevin Wiebe

– Kimberly Muehling

A Forgetter Remembers – Karla Hein

– Layton Friesen

16 Examining My Privilege

35 Stewardship Today

– Heidi Plett

Preparing Your Harvest of Generosity – Harold Penner

Departments 2 4 5 20 25 27 31 33

page

Guest Editorial Letters and Notices Op-Ed With our Missionaries With our Churches News In Memory Shoulder Tapping

page

25

36 Kids’ Corner

A Riddle and Hard Work – Loreena Thiessen

page

page

24

22

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 3

The Messenger

Letters and Notices

Volume 58 No. 5 September 2020

Condolences

EDITOR TERRY M. SMITH tsmith@emconference.ca

ASSISTANT EDITOR ANDREW WALKER awalker@emconference.ca Submissions to The Messenger should be sent to messenger@ emconference.ca.

GUEST EDITOR ERICA FEHR efehr@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 7% 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. Please 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 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 • September 2020

EMC Associate Missionaries Ernie and Suzy have been serving with Greater Europe Mission head office in Colorado Springs, CO. Previously, they served as church planters for many years overseas. Along the way, they adopted two special needs children – Joni and Besiana. They returned to the USA just a few years

ago, and in the past year, Suzy was diagnosed with cancer. Despite the best efforts of the medical profession, the cancer returned aggressively. She passed away September 16, 2020 leaving Ernie and their two children to grieve. We extend our love and care to the family at this time.

– EMC. Missions

Evangelical Mennonite Conference

Year to Date Financial Report January – August 2020

Income* Expenses Excess/Shortfall

General Fund 2020 1,132,507 1,064,191 68,316

General Fund 2019 1,078,368 1,216,131 -137,763

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).

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

Guidelines for letters

For letters by e-mail, the writer’s name and e-mail address are deemed to be an electronic signature. The writer’s regular postal address is to be included in e-mail correspondence.

The writer’s name and general address are to be published. In sensitive matters, names may be withheld. Letters to the editor are to be 250 words or less.

Letters published are generally to comment on issues raised in The Messenger. The magazine reserves the right to edit letters for length, style, legality, and taste. It can refuse publication.

Letters by regular mail and by fax must contain a handwritten signature with at least the writer’s first and last names and an address.

Op-Ed

Masks Required

“M

ASKS REQUIRED TO ENTER THIS STORE,” read the sign taped to the window of a mall shop. This was not surprising to either my wife or myself. We put on our masks and walked in to look around.

What was mildly surprising was how inconsistently the rule was applied. Some stores required masks while others suggested it would be best to wear one. On a national scope, a major chain has announced that no shoppers will enter unless they wear a mask. Others may yet follow suit.

At a grocery store I recently went to, a worker was rearranging products on a shelf. She wore a mask. And yet the workers in the bakery and the deli did not. She was handling canned goods while the latter were breathing directly over foodstuffs.

Churches are grappling with how to interpret health requirements too. Some require masks as did a church in Atlanta, Georgia, that I tuned into on the internet. Others do not allow you to sing along with the worship team, lest you sing “moistly.” Many of our sisters and brothers are defiant and decry the use of masks in worship or in public.

The rising use of masks in businesses and churches is fraught with controversy. For some they are protection against the virus. A few, like myself, wear one for the sake of others in certain contexts. Masks are worn out of fear for the most part. A segment of the population believes that if they wear a mask they can walk through fire. Masks should come with a list of liabilities.

What does your church do with the question of masks?

As the popular worship song declares, “I’m no longer a slave to fear…” If you are afraid of getting sick, if you are afraid of getting others sick, if you are afraid of dying from the virus, or if you are simply afraid…sisters and brothers we have a problem.

The refrain continues: “…I am a child of God.” In this context, the song does not advocate for the removal of masks because “hey, I’m not afraid of anything.” In fact, we are not afraid, but we are mindful of our obligations to our neighbors. As a child of God transformed into the image of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, I have a responsibility to be a witness of love and compassion to my neighbor.

Does this mean that we should wear masks? Maybe.

Paul wrote, “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the masked I became a mask-wearer, in order to win the masked…” (1 Cor. 9:19-20a). Would he have said that?

Do we gain anything by mocking or deriding the fears of our neighbors who feel they must wear a mask to protect themselves? Or is there a greater motivation in humbling ourselves to wear a questionable piece of fabric? Love your neighbor as yourself.

– Darryl G. Klassen

Do we gain anything by mocking or deriding the fears of our neighbors who feel they must wear a mask to protect themselves?

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The Sneaky Snare of Shame

ISTOCK

By Kevin Aron Wiebe

6 The Messenger • September 2020

I

t is dangerous to discover who you are.

Despite all the modern cultural notions we hear about people going on a quest to, “find themselves,” seeing the reflection of one’s identity is a difficult and dangerous prospect that’s fraught with pain. Ask any parent who has a tiny version of themselves walking around saying the same sassy things as Mom and Dad, revealing and amplifying the very traits their parents are ashamed of. Yet discovering a clear and sober minded picture of who we are—and who we ought to be—is important for Christians who wish to grow in faith.

The book of James talks about the word of God being like a mirror, something that shows us who we are (James 1:23). When we look into the word of God, we begin to see a vision of who we truly are, and we see the ways in which we do not align with God’s version of who we should be. In response to this, many of us feel shame and push those truths away. When we ignore those pieces of ourself we are ashamed of, however, we can repeat the same mistakes that we find so repulsive.

reading through the Gospels. The night that Jesus was arrested, he predicted that Peter would deny him. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Peter— this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.”

Peter was quick to deny this. He retorted, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!”

(Matthew 26:34-35). In Luke’s Gospel, it records the story of Peter’s three denials and then says, “And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter.

Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind…And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly” (Luke 22:60-62).

When Jesus revealed to Peter what he was about to do, Peter vehemently denied that he was capable of doing such a thing. He assured Jesus that he would stand with him even if it meant death. Jesus saw the weaknesses in Peter’s heart, but Peter was too ashamed to look at himself in that light. Jesus’ perspective, however, proves to be the much clearer estimation of Peter’s character and the sins that would result.

I wish I could have been there to witness the moment when Jesus locked eyes with Peter as the rooster crowed. I wish I could have known

I wish I could have been there to witness the moment when Jesus locked eyes with Peter as the rooster crowed.

Jesus Saw Peter Clearly

I was reminded by this truth recently as I was

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what was going through Jesus mind, and I wish I could hear the unspoken prayers of grief that were only expressed through Peter’s bitter tears.

I also wonder if the look that Jesus gave to Peter is the same look he has for us when we come to God in our “Sunday best,” pretending that we are far more faithful than we are. Peter’s denial came as no surprise to Jesus.

So Peter did what comes so naturally to many of us: he ran away. He left the courtyard after coming face to face with his own sinful denial of Jesus. Now he saw what Jesus saw. Now he saw himself as he really was.

He could no longer deny that he was capable of an act that cowardly.

Jesus, the living Word, revealed to Peter an accurate reflection of who he was, something that Peter initially declared was simply inaccurate and dismissed without another thought. Within hours, however, Peter would realize that Jesus was correct, and that he wasn’t nearly as brave and virtuous as he imagined.

We often like to look at our successes and better moments and construct a story about

who we are based on all those good deeds, just like Peter did when Jesus prophesied what was to come. Have you, like Peter, experienced the shattering of your blissful illusion of yourself?

How did you feel in that moment? I would suspect shame would be a very common emotion.

Shame and Chocolate Therapy

On a personal level, I have struggled with my weight for most of my life. I was always pudgier than my classmates growing up, and heard no shortage of fat jokes.

I liked to think of myself as strong, which was accurate enough, but the truth was also that I was medically obese. I was ashamed of this, and my first few appointments with dieticians were so filled with shame that I came home feeling defeated and dove into a tub of Ben & Jerry’s.

I felt emotionally wounded, and so bought my favourite flavour of ice cream, aptly named “Chocolate Therapy”. While I chuckle now as I write these words, at the time it was incredibly difficult. In those moments, my shame about my own gluttony led me to indulge that sin even

Only after coming to grips with the reality about myself—without wallowing in shame—was I able to start making better food choices.

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A Better Vision

more. While shame is potentially a helpful indicator that something was wrong, it was a terrible motivator as it led to more of the same negative behaviour.

I, like Peter, would have done well to acknowledge that there were, in fact sinful inclinations lurking within myself. Denying that fact led to even more negative behaviour. Only after coming to grips with the reality about myself— without wallowing in shame—was I able to start making better food choices. So how did this happen? I not only had to acknowledge my faults, but I had to have a vision for something better and a belief that it was possible. At this point I’ve lost more than 60 pounds in a slow, healthy, and sustainable way.

Jesus also gave Peter a vision for what was to come after his denial. Before Jesus revealed to Peter his impending cowardice, he said this: “I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:32, emphasis added). Jesus saw that Peter was about to abandon and deny him. Jesus also saw, however, that Peter still had a purpose. Peter was not worthless. Just as Peter’s denial was no surprise to Jesus, neither is the fact that God can use people even though they fail.

Just as Jesus wasn’t surprised at the imperfections within Peter’s soul, neither is he surprised at ours. God has a plan and a purpose for each of us. When we remain in the realm of shame, we are far more likely to become more of what we despise. When we push past the shame and come to think of ourselves with sober judgment (Romans 12:3), we can repent and humbly begin to do the work that Jesus has for us. We discover grace, and we receive purpose.

As followers of Jesus, when we look into the Word and see our own reflection, let us not give way to the snares of shame and denial. Like the story of Peter, Jesus sees our flaws more clearly than we see them ourselves, and the Good Lord loves us even still. Instead of shame and denial, let’s take one more step into the Word to discover God’s beautiful vision for our lives. When we let Jesus take our shame, and in return, accept God’s perspective of us, we come to truly find ourselves—and so much more, because, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Kevin Wiebe, BA, is the pastor of New Life Christian Fellowship (Stevenson/Tilbury, Ont.) and has held various administrative and educational roles in the EMC.

by Kevin Wiebe

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ISTOCK

Following Christ With Children in the Church

by Kimberly Muehling

M

any churches struggle with what to do with their children when they are in church, and yet mourn the exodus of youth and young adults. How do we both have and keep children in church?

Is it better to send them off to a children’s service and find some peace and quiet, hoping that volunteers will train children in the way of church and deliver adults, fully formed and mannered?

Or do you grit your teeth and bear the fussing infant or the rustling of paper in the hand of the desperately bored pre-teen aching to be set free, in hopes of building intergenerational community and somehow, some way, raise the leaders of tomorrow?

Both approaches have their pros and cons, but leaving the debate there misses the point.

We miss Jesus; the God who so humbled himself that he met us in the flesh. We should not just bear with children, but join in fellowship with them as fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It’s not about tactics, it’s about posture.

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The Example of Christ

Paul urges the church in Philippi to model the example of Christ who, though God, “did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:5-7).

This pattern of self-emptying is helpful both in developing our understanding of God’s character, and also in our lives as followers of Christ. We are to be generous with one another, eagerly willing to lay down any thought of pride or station.

It is difficult enough to think about how this humility should work in the church amongst adults. How much more uncomfortable it is to think about it in the relationship between adults and children!

Yet Christ called children to him and declared to his disciples “unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever then

Yet Christ called children to him and declared to his disciples “unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.

humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me” (Matthew 18:3-5).

But what could this self-emptying look like?

How can adults follow Christ’s example and create an environment of practiced humility with the children in our churches?

Meeting Children Where They Are At

God is like the grandparent who, despite the inherent obstacles of age and station, gets down on the floor to play with their grandchild, ready to engage in wide-ranging imaginative play and responding with love and encouragement.

That is love in action.

God IS love in action, and God loves to get down on the metaphorical floor with his children. God saw our need for salvation and arrived in the promise to Abraham and Sarah, in the leading of the Israelites with the cloud and the fire, and in the immeasurable discomfort of a body in both birth and death.

God enters into our time and space, and speaks to us in language and action that we

understand. We must do the same with children.

Taking the time to learn how children think and feel and then creating church services and community that can speak to people of all ages is key. While specialized children’s services may connect with children intellectually, they often shortchange children’s ability to form intergenerational community and learn the ways of faith from their elders. Jesus called the children to himself, not to a program on the side.

It is important that the church worship and serve together, in ways that work to edify the whole body of Christ. The church must stop only ministering to children and move to minister with children. It is a balance to find those specialized times for children’s ministry while also doing the work of community together.

God enters into our time and space, and speaks to us in language and action that we understand.

So Now What?

It is understandably difficult to rethink how we have always done things. Change can be difficult and messy. However, the need for change can be seen as an opportunity, and we are in such a time with children in the church.

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Societal norms around church have changed and it is no longer seen as necessary to attend church regularly, and we expect to enjoy church.

This is a complex change, but not entirely problematic. Enjoying a time of worship and learning is a good thing.

Cheryl Sanders, in her book Ministry at the Margins, is blunt about how the usual church service is torment to children (and let’s be honest, their parents too.) If a child does not feel welcomed and valued at church at age five, or fifteen, they are not likely to want to walk through those doors with their own children.

Structuring services and community with children in mind is not only about children’s features or singing a kid’s song here and there.

These may be needed steps as a church works to build community, but they are not at the heart of the matter.

Meeting children at their level is kingdom work. It is recognizing the movement of God in children’s lives and creating church where everyone can thrive.

God Challenges the Adults

The parents were hovering, hoping that the Lord would see them, and grant them just a moment to heal or bless their child. Jesus responded “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child

12 The Messenger • September 2020

will never enter it” (Mark 10:14-15).

The Gospel of Mark places the story of Jesus welcoming the children directly before the story of the rich man who cannot sell all that he has in order to enter the kingdom. “Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!’” (Mark 10:23-24) Not only does Christ lift up the faith of the child before the crowd, he then rebukes a grown man. Icing on the cake, Jesus then calls his disciples children. How very disorienting for them!

Samuel is called to his life of prophesy when only a small boy. “The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel!

Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening’” (1 Sam 3:10). The only requirement was that Samuel was willing to listen. Where adults had failed, a child was listening. What humility was required of Eli to recognize this!

A Surprising Gift

Walking alongside children in a posture of Christ’s self-emptying is a gift. It is one of those wonderful paradoxes of life, where what seems first to be a burden is instead an incredible joy and you find yourself wanting to selfishly selfempty! Children have so much to teach adults with their creativity, imagination, and easy hold of hope. There is divine mystery in the joyful exaltations of a child at play. May the church have the humility to see.

Kimberly Muehling has served in teaching and developing children’s ministry for many years. She is pursuing a MA through CMU and loves serving her local community as a school librarian. Kim and her family worship with Fort Garry EMC.

Aby Layton Christian Does Christian Things Friesen

A

ISTOCK

n old bit of Christian wisdom that is being sorely tested in this pandemic says, you become what you make a habit of. If you want to become a compassionate person, for example, get into the habit of doing compassionate things, and as that habit takes deeper and deeper hold of you, you will become a compassionate person. To become a compassionate person, body, soul and spirit, you need to develop a long pattern of compassionate actions.

The same goes for becoming a worshipful person. To become someone who worships God wholeheartedly and truthfully as second nature, develop regular habits of worshipping. Becoming more deeply Christian as the years go by takes practicing.

We can see how this works in other areas. A good pianist puts so much practice into a piece that the music becomes an instinct, almost a natural impulse. Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto no. 2 is so fast and furious there is no way a pianist can think about what note to play next. After years of practice the music enters her muscle memory and the notes spill out of her fingers.

That’s also how we become more deeply Christian in our daily life.

But it’s exactly the practice of our faith that to, some extent, has been restricted by COVID. Some things that we did we can no longer do and we worry about this: If we don’t “go to church”, or sing, or eat at potlucks, or invite one and all to our worship, will we remain Christian for long? Will our children become Christian?

When I was a child, Sunday had a rhythm that set it apart from the other six days. We all had a bath the night before. In the morning I put on my Sunday pants. (Try going to Walmart today and asking for Sunday pants). My mother put on a

beautiful Sunday dress she had sewn herself. The rest of the week it was porridge for breakfast, on Sunday it was Cornflakes. My dad would come to breakfast and not eat anything, since he would often fast on the Sundays he preached.

When we got to church the rhythm continued.

When the singing started all us boys with wet hair and Sunday pants marched up in a line to one pew on the boy’s side of the church. We took out the hymnal and stood to sing—always three hymns to start. One boy held one side of the book and the other held the other side and we sang. We put the hymnal away as the last refrain started because we knew the routine. We sat down and listened (sort of) to a sermon. The practices of Sunday continued with Sunday dinner, visiting, naps, Sunday supper or faspa, shortened chores and so on.

Looking back now I can see how this was all training me to think in certain ways about God, the church, the Bible, and my Christian life.

Marking the time each week by wearing Sunday pants convinced me, unconsciously, that God must be great. Eating Sunday dinner with church people each week showed me, unconsciously, not only what Christian fellowship meant intellectually, but also how fellowship feels, and tastes.

Memorizing a verse every week proved to me, unconsciously, what the Bible was worth.

There is no need to be nostalgic about this.

Our practices can also teach us the wrong

When I was a child, Sunday had a rhythm that set it apart from the other six days.

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things about God. The church needs to be constantly evaluating its practices to ensure that they really do embody what we believe to be true about God. This time of interruption is a good time to do that.

But the old wisdom remains: truths are taught, caught and passed on when they are translated into our calendars, bank accounts, reading diets, and even into customs that tell us when to wear this and when to eat that.

Another way of saying this is to say, if you want to know what I really believe, look at my daily, weekly, monthly and yearly habits.

And its not just worship that involves habitual practices. Becoming compassionate Christians involves practicing annual MCC relief sales or monthly food banks. Becoming evangelistic Christians involve practices of regular hospitality and conversation. Becoming biblical Christians involves daily practices of reading and study.

During this time of pandemic restrictions,

our practices of attending worship services, eating together, singing, listening to sermons, attending Sunday School classes and taking the Lord’s Supper have been disrupted. This is a huge challenge for those concerned about being Christian and passing our faith to our children.

There are several wrong responses to this interruption. One is to say that the true Christian life was never supposed to be about practices anyway—faith is an interior thing of the soul, not an exterior habit of doing things.

Biblical prophets denounced hollow or corrupted practices, but Christianity can never be a purely interior thing.

The opposite response might say, those old practices were sacred and cannot be changed.

We must ignore restrictions and do things exactly how we always did them and denounce the government for trying to tell the church what to do.

This too cannot be a Christian response.

Christianity must be practiced, but the shape of those practices has shifted and changed over

During this time of pandemic restrictions, our practices of attending worship services, eating together, singing, listening to sermons, attending Sunday School classes and taking the Lord’s Supper have been disrupted.

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time. Even within the Bible we see different practices. For example, in Acts 2 we are told that it was the practice of the church in Jerusalem to hold all things in common. But we don’t have evidence that the church in Rome or Colossae carried out exactly that practice.

My challenge to the church today in this time of restriction is to find new ways to practice the Christian life. We still need routines, rhythms and habits that mark out this time and this place as set aside for worship. New practices might have to happen in a home, in a small house group, or in sanctuaries with small groups present. But we still need holy routines that over time train our bodies and minds about God. Christians need habits of gathering, singing, study, dress, and marking the time. If the old practices don’t work now, lets revise or find new ones.

Around us we can see other pretend “churches” clamouring for the allegiance of their followers and quickly developing new pandemic practices. Shopping malls are scrambling to create new practices that will continue forming us as “shoppers”. Pro sports leagues are scrambling to find new ways for fans to practice their loyalty to their teams. You still become a “Raptors fan” by wearing certain clothing,

attending certain events, and going through certain rituals. Someone will say, “I put on a jersey and I barbeque ribs before every Vikings game”. These alternate “churches” realize what the Church has always known intuitively. Allegiance is formed by habit and ritual.

What weekly habits can we choose that will practice reverence for God? What daily ritual might remind us over time that God accepts us just as we are? What annual tradition will show that God cares for the poor? Could I dress in a certain way when I worship Jesus (even in my living room) that will teach my children that worship is the most important thing a person does?

Is there an offering ritual that I could do with my money every week that will train me and my children that my life belongs to the Lord?

We can be Christians, soul-deep Christians, even in a pandemic, by developing new habits that show the world, and train our bodies in the way being a Christian.

Layton Friesen, PhD, is the EMC’s conference pastor. He has served as a youth pastor at Crestview Fellowship and as senior pastor at Fort Garry EMC.

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Examining My Privilege

by Heidi Plett

M

ISTOCK

any adults will remember what they were most excited to do when they reached the age of majority.

Whether voting, signing legal documents, or buying alcohol or spray paint, age matters.

Age can open up opportunities or impose restrictions. These opportunities are not given based on merit, rather they are bestowed solely based on legal age.

Discussions around race and privilege have been occurring around the world with the Black Lives Matter movement and the deaths of people including George Floyd and Breonna Taylor in the United States. Canada too is reckoning with the deaths of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour in altercations with police.

Christians are wise to ask ourselves the clichéd phrased “What Would Jesus Do?” How do we love our neighbours—all our neighbours—in a way that elevates their dignity as image-bearers of God? How do we give up our rights to further the gospel of Christ, which is good news for all people (1 Corinthians 9:18)?

Age is but one aspect of our identity.

Humans are complex, and have multiple cultural influences that impact our lives. Dr. Pamela Hays, a clinical psychologist, outlines many of these influences in her book Addressing Cultural Complexities in Practice with the acronym ADDRESSING. Her model was created to help psychotherapists and counsellors better understand the challenges their clients are facing. While the model can be used in any culture, the examples are specific to Canada and the United States.

Hays describes that within these different influences there is a dominant and a minority

16 The Messenger • September 2020

group. Those in the dominant group have advantages given to them by their culture. While not their fault they have such advantages, they are responsible to act in just ways towards people who are disadvantaged. Oppression occurs when those in power use that power to maintain benefits for themselves at the expense of those in the minority group.

Age

The first cultural characteristic in Hay’s model is age. Adults are the dominant group, as illustrated by my earlier example, and children, youth and elders are in the minority group. This category also includes roles related to age, such as being the eldest son or being a grandparent.

Developmental or other Disability

Disabilities can occur at any point during the lifespan. Developmental disabilities occur starting at birth or in childhood, such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Other disabilities can occur at any time, such as a spinal cord injury or Alzheimer’s disease. Individuals who are able-bodied have privilege, and those with a disability are in the minority group. Individuals with disabilities face many daily challenges that able-bodied people do not. For example, many buildings and homes are still not accessible to people who use a wheelchair.

Religion

In Canada and the United States Christians are the dominant group, with other religions and spiritual practices being the minority. In Canada, Christians have the freedom to worship in safety, and stories from the Bible are commonplace in secular literature. People who practice other religions may struggle to observe their holy days without time off from work. Safe places to observe religious rituals may be a challenge to practicing their faith (such as a room to pray), with people even facing threats or acts of violence.

Ethnic and Racial Identity

White (or Caucasian) people have privilege over people of colour, who form the minority group.

Canada has a long history of official government policies that privileged white Europeans at the expense of others groups. Our language still reflects racial stereotypes of groups of people.

For example, common phrases such as “peanut gallery” have racist origins. In 2018, Black Canadians were most likely of any racial group to be victims of a hate crime.

Socioeconomic Status

Individuals who own property or investments, have access to higher education, or are considered to be “Middle Class” are the dominant group, with people lacking access to those resources being in the minority. Those living in poverty, or experiencing homelessness, experience particular vulnerabilities and challenges.

It is difficult to get a job when you don’t have a mailing address and phone number to put on a resume, or the money to buy clothing and equipment required for that job.

Sexual Orientation

In this seventh category in Hay’s model, heterosexuals are the dominant group, having privilege in a world that assumes that everyone is sexually attracted to the opposite gender. Gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals are in the minority, facing discrimination and challenges that heterosexuals do not face.

Indigenous Heritage

Related to ethnic and racial identity, individuals who are non-Indigenous have privilege, whereas Indigenous people are in the minority. Canada has a long and painful history of oppressing Indigenous peoples using power and violence, which has created generational trauma. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015) has documented many stories of the painful experiences of Indigenous people in Canada.

National Origin

There is privilege given to people who were born in Canada, as opposed to those came to Canada as immigrants or refugees. There are additional challenges for people who come to Canada, which may include learning English or French, navigating our health and social services systems, and learning the nuances of Canadian culture. Anyone want to go for a double double at Timmies?

SUBSPLASH

Gender

The last cultural characteristic in Hay’s model is gender identity. In this category men are the dominant group, with women, transgender and intersex people in the

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 17

minority. Male-gendered nouns have long been considered to be generic (mankind, policeman, etc). Women also face gender-based violence. In Canada women make up almost 80% of victims of violence and homicides by an intimate partner, and almost 90% of sexual assault victims.

Digging Deeper

Being white, I experience privilege every day without noticing. I can go shopping without being followed or questioned by store employees. I have no problem finding children’s books with illustrations of people that look like me. I have never been asked to speak on behalf of all white people. If a police officer pulls me over while I’m driving, I don’t wonder if it is because of my skin colour or fear for my life.

However, as a woman I am in the minority.

I read male-gendered nouns and am told that it includes women too, even though the language does not reflect that. I have sat in church meetings as the only woman and not had any of the men make eye contact with me. I have listened to sermons with sexist jokes that are seen as funny. I have been cat-called while walking down the street.

I am privileged in many other ways too. Privilege does not mean that my life is never hard, but it means that my skin colour, socioeconomic status, religion and other factors do not make my life even harder.

18 The Messenger • September 2020

Privilege and Jesus

Reading the Bible through the lens of privilege and power highlights how Jesus treated all people with dignity. Jesus healed a woman with a bleeding disorder (Mark 5:25-34), asked men of low socioeconomic status to follow and learn from him (Matthew 4:18-22), and said that our neighbour is not defined or limited by ethnicity (Luke 10:25-37).

As followers of Jesus, we are called to love our neighbours. Part of this love is to listen to their experiences without discounting or dismissing their stories because we don’t experience the same discrimination. We are called to stand against injustice while elevating marginalized voices above our own privileged voices (Amos 5).

We have the incredible opportunity to stand with marginalized groups of people, declaring God’s love for all people and the need to end oppression. In the words of the hymn O Holy Night: “Truly he taught us to love one another; His law is love and his gospel is peace; Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother; And in his name all oppression shall cease.”

Heidi Dirks, B.A., B.Ed., M.A. (Counselling) has experience in the area of youth mental health. She serves as the secretary of the Board of Church Ministries and attends Aberdeen EMC.

Column • Further In and Higher Up

The Limits of Bible Background

A

by Layton Friesen Conference Pastor

ISTOCK

Bible study leader will often say “in order to understand this verse I need to tell you about the background to this passage.” The leader then describes pagan religion in Ephesus, or farming practices in Palestine, or shame and honour in the Roman empire, and everyone comes to a better understanding of the passage. This is important. If I am reading the apostle John as if he were some white guy sitting in a cubicle in Saskatoon, I am going to seriously misunderstand his gospel.

But there are limits to what Bible background can tell you.

Here’s an analogy. Say you need to predict what Layton is going to do tomorrow at 3 p.m.

What would help you make the best possible guess? You would find out about my context.

If you discovered that I was a male adult; that tomorrow the rest of my family was leaving for the afternoon; that my dad, as well as my grandparents always had a nap on Sunday afternoons; that tomorrow is, in fact, Sunday; and that rain is forecasted, you might predict: Layton will have a nap tomorrow at 3 p.m. My context suggests that would be a good guess.

But you immediately see the limitation of context, don’t you? No amount of knowledge about context determines that I will actually have a nap.

Given my context, there are an almost infinite number of things I could do tomorrow afternoon.

I just might go to the gym instead.

Now, when tomorrow at 5 p.m. comes and you see Layton shuffling down the stairs from his nap, you could set about to understand why he did such a thing and you could again dig into his context. All the relevant factors about his upbringing, the weather, and so on could help you understand why he had a nap. But, again, you see the limits. No amount of context explains why, in fact, he did choose to succumb to a nap. He may have napped only because he got the flu at 2:30.

This is all relevant for understanding the Bible. Even if we had an infinite knowledge of Paul’s context, we would still not know why he chose to say what he did. Given his context, there are an almost infinite number of things he could have said. Finally, the only way to understand what he said is to look at what he said and what he said about what he said. Another way of saying this is that two people can have exactly the same context and do completely different things with it.

This may help explain why we moderns, who have far, far more information about biblical context than readers did several centuries ago, nevertheless, are no better at agreeing on what the Bible means.

But who would be best situated to predict what Layton will do tomorrow at 3 p.m.? His wife.

She knows him in a way that is far deeper and more mysterious than mere contextual information would allow. Personal knowing includes but goes far beyond contextual knowing.

This is the kind of knowing we need to cultivate as readers of the Bible. As we get to know Paul in this way, through our common bond in the Holy Spirit, we will get a pretty good guess about what he means when he speaks.

But I am a free person. Even my wife could be surprised when tomorrow there’s no nap happening.

No amount of knowledge about context determines that I will actually have a nap.

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 19

With Our Missionaries

Kings and The King WEST ASIA

ISTOCK

Kings are not loved by the Mountain people. Until the early 1970s, they lived under a monarchy. The kings were not kind. They taxed the people heavily and forced them into labour building roads, canals, and terraced fields. In one village, an elder reported to me that each year he had to pay the king seven or eight goats, bushels of wheat and potatoes, and large quantities of butter. Whatever the people produced, that was taken, so that they were only left with what they could hide in secret holes and caves in the mountains. When the monarchy was dissolved and the area was folded into the rest of the country, the people rejoiced. “All of that is finished now,” he told me. “Now things are easier, praise God!” Recently, I translated a famous local folk tale about a different king. The gruesome story tells of an evil king who had acquired a taste for children. But he had one major weakness: he was terrified of fire. He tried to keep it a secret, but eventually the people found out. One cold November night, his subjects lit huge bonfires all around his palace. When the king saw the fires, he flew into the distant mountains and hid under a glacier, waiting to return when the flames died down. And so, each year on this night, people still light huge fires near their homes,

20 The Messenger • September 2020

ensuring the king stays away another year. They spend the night awake, banging on pots, loudly singing and dancing. The next day, to celebrate another year of freedom, the people slaughter animals, eating some, drying the rest, and sharing it with their neighbours to ensure no one goes hungry over the long winter. The story of the king is just a fun story; our acquaintances do not think there is an evil fairy king hiding under a glacier waiting for his chance to devour children, but they do enjoy the holiday.

It’s hard to hear about these bad kings, whether real or mythical, and not contrast them with our own King. We serve, but out of love, not fear, just as Jesus loved us. He will return, but to make everything right, not to reign with terror. In the Kingdom Jesus announced, instead of acting as tyrants, leaders should serve: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45 NLT). Rather than celebrating the dissolution of a monarchy, we are taught to pray for His Kingdom to come, His will to be done. Likewise, we eagerly await His swift return, not His continued absence.

Our desire is that God’s Kingdom will be established in the Mountain people and they will know the true, good King. Right now, it’s difficult to hear about Him, because few are telling them. They cannot read about Him, because they have no Scripture in their language. Will you pray with us for these people?

With Our Missionaries

Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the Ends of the World Are you interested in cross cultural missions? EMC Missions is currently recruiting for the following fields:

Minga Guazú, Paraguay

ISTOCK

Many of the national Paraguayans in the neighbourhoods of Minga Guazú are unreached by the Gospel and do not have an active church. Often the communities have a few believers who are open to and desire a Bible study in their homes. This has proven to be an effective way to reach the community.

Church Planting Partners: We are looking for a missionary individual, couple or family to work as part of the Minga Guazú church planting team. They would not take a lot of responsibilities in the existing church plant, but focus on a new community church plant alongside the current EMC church planting team and local believers.

Children and Youth Worker: We are looking for an individual, couple or family to focus on ministry to children and youth alongside the Minga Guazú church planting team.

Children and young people are generally quicker to respond to the gospel and ministry to these groups have developed trust in the community that we serve in.

Guadalajara, Mexico

Guadalajara, Mexico is a wealthy city full of cathedrals and few churches. The ministry in Guadalajara is strategically located in an affluent area of this progressive Mexican city of seven million people. Connections are easy to make, but spiritual conversations are more difficult.

Church Planting Partners: Our missionary team in Guadalajara invites more workers to expand their efforts into surrounding neighbourhoods. Ministry involvements

among the professional demographic include sports and recreation, marriage and finance workshops, grade-school employment, evangelism and discipleship, prayer ministry and much more.

School Teacher: Lincoln School is a Christian school attended by the church planting team’s children and is a key avenue of outreach into the community. This school is open to having EMC missionaries as teachers. A teaching degree is required.

Bolivia

In Bolivia, EMC works alongside the EMMC and EBMC conferences as a part of Misión Evangélica Menonita, or MEM, reaching out to Old Colony Mennonites and Bolivians.

School Teacher: MEM runs a school for local children and the children of those who cannot attend the Colony schools. Qualified teachers are invited to apply to teach alongside MEM missionaries and local teachers in the school at Villa Nueva or Hacienda Verde.

Expansion Initiatives

The Board of Missions is having conversations and making decisions as we explore how we can be involved in both Muslim and First Nation ministry. Watch for opportunities for Muslim ministry in 2021!

For more information on any of these opportunities, please contact Ken Zacharias at kzacharias@emconference.ca or call the office at 204-326-6401.

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 21

With Our Missionaries

Barbeque Celebration for Missionaries

RUTH BLOCK

BLUMENORT, MAN.

We took affordable air travel for granted.

Each year for decades, the number of passengers traveling by air has increased significantly. Many of us in Canada have benefited from this affordable and available travel for work or vacation. But the applecart has been upset by the arrival of the coronavirus.

Our EMC missionaries depend on air travel, as their work generally requires them to travel globally. Many have been adversely affected by this sudden downturn. Some plans have been upset because air travel is no longer advisable or because borders have been closed to non-citizens.

One couple remain in Edmonton until Missionaries currently in the region gather around a meal. they can get the green light to travel to Southeast Asia.

Another couple have had to cancel travel plans to visit had to reschedule her flights, but is hoping to be able to Afghan refugees. Katrina, an intern planning to go to Par- return to Southeast Asia in September. Sandra and Isra aguay this fall, has had to cancel these plans entirely. Even were able to return to Canada from Mexico for a home within our office, Ken is eagerly awaiting the time when assignment. Mary Beth and Allen were able to find an he can safely travel to visit missionaries and ministries in emergency flight from Peru to Arizona, so that she could other countries. receive much needed medical treatment. They are hoping Yet some have been able to travel despite these restricto travel to Manitoba in September. tions. Heidi managed to find a flight to Chad so she can Yet for many, the only option remains to ‘shelter in continue to serve as a teacher in that country. Amber has place’ – to remain rooted where they were when the pandemic began, and to wait until a new normal begins to emerge. For some, this means enduring the hardships of isolation and sickness (including COVID) away from family and friends.

During this time of waiting, EMC Missions decided to host a barbeque event for all those who were currently in Manitoba. On a beautiful Thursday evening in August, we gathered at Blumenort’s community park for a time of fellowship and prayer. Two of our board members brought their barbeques and the sausages and burgers were prepared. Kids found an abundance of activities available to them in the park. Old acquaintances were renewed and new friendships were established. The highlight of the evening was when groups gathered together to pray for each other.

Despite restrictions for gathering and travel, we were still able to encourage one another at this event.

– Tim Dyck Brad Brandt and Carl Loewen, BOM members, grilling for the barbeque.

22 The Messenger • September 2020

With Our Missionaries

Missionary Fellowship and Recognition Banquet BLUMENORT, MAN.

How do you celebrate a lifetime of service in cross-cultural ministry? What is an appropriate response to those who have sacrificed so much in service to the mission of the Church? This September, EMC Missions attempted to do just this, as we recognized Paul and Lois Thiessen for their ministry of Church Planting through Bible Translation for the Siamou people in Burkina Faso.

Each year, EMC Missions plans a Missionary Fellowship and Recognition Banquet and for the past 13 years, there has been at least one retired missionary or couple that has been honoured. A particular challenge this year was keeping the banquet within public health guidelines due to the pandemic. This meant inviting a maximum of 50 people (including the guests of honoured missionaries) and maintaining physical distancing and other hygiene practices.

The evening began with a meal served by staff and volunteers – wearing masks and gloves of course! To keep numbers below 50, only retired missionaries were invited to attend the banquet. Current missionaries who were in the area were instead invited to a BBQ event held two weeks earlier (see that story elsewhere).

A program highlighted the ministry of Paul and Lois Thiessen over the past 35 years. There was beautiful special

Paul and Lois Thiessen address guests.

music presented by Myka and Norine Plett. Anthony Reimer, associate pastor of the Blumenort Community Church, provided a devotional about Gideon, who was a normal person called upon to be used of God in astounding ways. He reminded us that we are all like Gideon – including Paul and Lois – and that God uses ordinary people to accomplish His purposes.

Tim Dyck gave a tribute to Paul and Lois describing how they had engaged their minds (through the challenges of language work); their Cultural Intelligence (understanding how best to engage the culture with the gospel); and their hearts (in loving the Siamou people). Siaka Traore, a leader in the Church in Burkina Faso, has known Paul and Lois for many years, and sent a moving tribute that was read at the banquet.

Paul and Lois responded by thanking the various people who had encouraged and supported them throughout their years of ministry. A plaque was presented to them with the words “Well done, good and faithful servant” in three languages – English, French and Siamou.

The evening was capped off with a time of prayer for EMC missionaries – both retired and current – and giving praise to God for His faithfulness.

Thank you, Paul and Lois, for the sacrifices you have made to bring the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ to the Siamou people of Burkina Faso.

Anthony Reimer, Blumenort Community Church shares a devotional.

–Tim Dyck

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 23

With Our Missionaries

Words of Gratitude to Paul and Lois Thiessen

24 The Messenger • September 2020

RUTH BLOCK

W

e want to begin these words of gratitude by giving thanks to God, who chose us humans to participate with Him in His magnificent work, when He gave us the mandate to go and make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ among all ethnic groups.

Paul and Lois obeyed this invitation from God, and the Evangelical Mennonite Conference of Canada accompanied them in the accomplishment of this mission.

I met Paul and Lois and their children for the first time in August 1984, in France at Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, when they were learning French. At that time, we were all young and full of energy for the work of God. After learning French for a year, Paul and Lois arrived in Burkina Faso with their two children, Ruth and Josiah.

After a year in Orodara they settled in Tin, a Siamou village twelve kilometers from Orodara, to bring the Gospel to this people through the translation of the Bible into their language.

In order to integrate well, the Thiessen family, lived with a Siamou family until they built their own house.

Thus Paul received from their hosts the name Kin, and Lois received the name Tombélé. The adaptation to the culture and the learning of the Siamou language quickly began for the Thiessens.

The Thiessens have integrated well into Siamou society. Paul did not make a decision without consulting the village elders.

Paul and Lois had a good collaboration with the mission team during their time in the field.

Relations with the Church have been good. Just like with the village elders, when Paul had questions of a cultural, anthropological, or theological nature, he came to seek the advice of the Church.

Personally, several times I have had a visit from Paul to my home to share with me his joys and sorrows, often with tears. He was a person who recognized his weaknesses but also the grace of God in his life.

Translating the Bible for the Siamou people was the primary goal of the Thiessens; the reason why they obeyed God's call. To do this, they gave thirty-five years of their life; more than half of their present life.

This job has not been easy. From learning the language to the principles of translation, it was not an easy journey.

The greatest difficulty was in finding a qualified team for the translation work, which is why the translation so far could not be completed. But the greatest desire, wish and challenge of the Thiessen family is to one day see the New

The plaque presented to Paul and Lois Thiessen.

Testament translated into the Siamou language. For Paul and Lois, their hearts were not only on the translation of the Bible in Siamou, but they had at heart the salvation of the Siamou people. I remember the sessions to review portions of the translation of the Gospel according to Luke that I participated in with the village elders in Tin. They expressed great interest in their language and also in the stories of the Bible. At this level already, there was a kind of communion between Paul Thiessen and the villagers.

One day, Paul told us that during a review of the Gospel according to John, after reading chapter three, one of the participants asked him: "Can you show me a person who has been born again? What does that mean?" Paul and Lois took this opportunity to witness to them what God had done in their lives. What beautiful questions!

Their departure for us is an “au revoir” (see you again) because the task is not over. We know that even being in Canada, their hearts are still in Burkina Faso, because they continue to contribute to the translation of the Bible from a distance. A team is continuing this work, and very soon the Thiessens and some of you will join us in celebrating what God has done through the lives of Paul and Lois in Burkina Faso.

Today's ceremony in Canada to say thank you to the Thiessens is the start of a bigger one that will take place soon: The dedication of the New Testament in Siamou, if God wills it.

Today we wish Paul and Lois, their children and grandchildren a great celebration. Thank you for your contribution to building the Kingdom of God in Burkina Faso.

May you, the Evangelical Mennonite Conference, have a great celebration. Shalom!

– Siaka Traore, Evangelical Mennonite Church of Burkina Faso Translated by Paul Thiessen

With Our Churches Riverton Gospel Chapel

Milestone Month at Riverton Gospel Chapel

RGC

For Riverton Gospel Chapel, COVID-19 has had its full effect on the congregation. But before we even had thought about the virus, we had the privilege of celebrating major milestones in the lives of two of our families. On Thursday, March 5, Mrs. Mary Doerksen, turned one hundred years old, and the church had the opportunity to celebrate that with her. The senior’s group met on Tuesday, March 3, at the regular seniors meeting time, to celebrate her birthday. About forty people were in attendance including some family who travelled in.

Later in the week, on Sunday, March 8, we witnessed a Parent—Child dedication in honour of Thomas and Larissa Terry and their daughter, Amelia Faith. That was also Amelia’s birthday, so a potluck and party was had following the service to celebrate.

Shortly after this full, but wonderful week, our church shut down completely. For the first two weeks we did a self-guided prayer\worship time for anyone who could come. As we got resources sorted out, we were able to have services online, with a small group of people there to do music and message. We did that for a number of weeks, and then we were able to allow some of the seniors that had no internet to come and be a part of the service at the

Music team from RGC leading worship online.

church building. After several weeks of online services, we started to open slowly, offering an online option for those who wanted, it while still allowing up to 25 people into the building at a time. We are now thankful that being a small church, we have been able to open up to around 70 people.

This means we can have almost the whole congregation present. We praise the Lord for His goodness and His faithfulness during this time.

– Olivia Knutson

Location: Blumenort Community Church or Online 15 lessons, meeting every Sunday evening. Starting Oct. 18, 2020 and ending Feb 14, 2021.

Perspectives is a dynamic 15-week discipleship course designed to help students explore some of the big questions of life. What is your spiritual identity in Christ? What purpose, what work, what mission does God have for you? How can you be a part of what God is doing, locally or globally?

Check out https://bit.ly/3jq9v9C to sign up. www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 25

Columns • A Path to Peace

How Dare You Break My Mug!

O

ISTOCK

by Kevin Wiebe

ften in life the things that we focus on are not the most helpful things. In the midst of conflict this happens frequently and is extremely difficult to avoid.

There are three notable things that are helpful to differentiate when we are seeking to make peace with someone. The first is the words or actions that are the source of the conflict. The second are the motives behind those words or actions, and the third is the impact of those words/actions.

How often have we been in a disagreement about something and most of our energy is spent arguing about what words or actions mean.

Maybe we said something while trying to be helpful that was drastically misunderstood. Or maybe we said something out of anger that was understood just fine, but we don’t want to admit that we said such a thing so we come up with an alternate meaning for those words. Whatever the case, we can argue back and forth about this, which often leads into the second piece: motives.

At some point in a conflict we want to make sense of what has happened. We tend to think in terms of story, and our culture and world make it easy to frame everything in terms of good guys and bad guys, victims and oppressors.

Surely there are many times where such a way of looking at things is quite accurate. Yet when someone offends us, it is far too easy for us to fall into a way of thinking that demonizes them and makes them out to be the villain of our story. Yet what if it is simply a personality clash, or we really did misunderstand things? What if we just don’t know the whole story?

While we like to spend a lot of time assuming the motives of others, it is the least helpful place to spend our time. Better to assume that their

At some point in a conflict we want to make sense of what has happened.

26 The Messenger • September 2020

motives are generally good, while perhaps having a dose of self-preservation and desire for saving face thrown in. Either way, it is better to spend the most time in the place where we generally spend the least.

In conflict it can be the most helpful to talk about impact. When we give one another the benefit of the doubt in terms of motives, understanding that we may interpret words or actions differently, we can come to see that regardless of motives we sometimes still hurt one another.

What if I came to your house and you honoured me with a cup of coffee in your favourite colour-changing Star Trek mug. You left the room to get some snacks and came back to see the mug shattered on the floor. Regardless of the circumstances, your favourite mug is broken—be it through an accident, negligence, or malice.

At this point, part of me making it right would include doing something to repair the damage.

While this may not be possible in the case of collectors’ items or items with sentimental value, repentance and reconciliation demands that I be humbly willing to try. Even if I can successfully defend my motives, the cup is still broken, and unless we spend time recognizing that, our relationships will often remain so as well.

News

COVID-19 Global Response Fund Helps Churches “The church’s response is unique in that we provide accompaniment rather than just distribute rations. This means walking together to feed not only the body but also the soul in these desperate times in which many have lost sight of the meaning of life,” says Yanett Palacios, president of Iglesia Evangélica Menonita de Guatemala.

About MWC’s COVID-19 response fund

HENK STENVERS

Mennonite World Conference formed a COVID-19 inter-agency taskforce with the support of more than 10 global Anabaptist agencies. Under the leadership of the MWC Deacons Commission and delegates from around the world, the team determines criteria of accountability and coordinates responses to project proposals. They have approved 21 relief proposals including: • Food, psycho-social support and prayer for people still recovering from a 2018 volcanic eruption in Guatemala.

• Hygiene and household items and conflict management and small business workshops for Venezuelan refugees in Colombia.

• Food rations, infection-prevention education and psycho-social support for vulnerable families in the Dominican Republic.

• Protective materials and food rations for women-, elderly- or child-headed households in Malawi.

• Food rations for 300 of the most vulnerable families in the three MWC member churches in Nicaragua.

• Emergency food response for families who have lost work in 5 MWC national member churches in Mexico.

• Food for 1 500 rural widows and elderly people off-grid in Guatemala who don’t receive government help.

“In most cases, church members have established relationships with their most vulnerable neighbours.

Giving out food and supplies builds on those connections and underscores the message of the love of Jesus through help in time of need and scarcity,” says Deacons Commission secretary Henk Stenvers.

EMC Missions has partnered with other Anabaptist Mission and Service agencies and Mennonite World Conference to bring relief to the many situations around the world that are suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. In Canada, we all benefit from a health care system and economic supports to assist us in this time of pandemic. Other nations are not as fortunate, and so we have the opportunity to assist them to deal with the crisis. Together, we are coordinating our financial response to the COVID-19 hardships experienced by under-resourced member churches around the world.

For more information and to support this fund, please go to www.mwc-cmm.org.

- MWC and EMC

••

MWC Assembly Cancelled The necessity to change the date of the MWC Assembly is now here. The Executive Committee has decided to move the Assembly by one year to 5–10 July 2022. Indonesia will still be the host country; the Holy Stadium church in Semarang, Central Java, the place for the meeting.

All related meetings (General Council, Commissions, Networks and GYS) will also move by one year. They will take place around Salatiga, Central Java.

Reasons for the decision can be summarized in the uncertainty regarding the pandemic conditions by next year. Will there be a vaccine or medication for treatment?

How will people be affected economically? Will it be possible to obtain visas to visit Indonesia? Will international visitors risk spreading the virus to areas of Indonesia?

Although the postponement generates extra work, it also creates space for creative new ways of coming together. We are looking forward to seeing you online and face-to-face!

– MWC

For more information go to https://mwc-cmm.org/

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 27

News

Pressing for the Peace of Jesus

CENTRE FOR MENNONITE BRETHREN STUDIES

One hundred years ago, 1920. MCC began in response to drought, hunger and violence. Canadians were quick to answer the pleas of global neighbours, although they themselves were recovering from a deadly flu pandemic.

Now we are marking our centennial at a time when the globe is on the brink of a food shortage, induced by COVID-19, and facing another pandemic.

I say “marking” because to say celebrate would ring rather hollow in a year where “postponed due to COVID19” is a more common refrain in the MCC lexicon than “centennial party.” Who could have known that our centenary celebrations would be squelched by quarantine and cancellations brought about by the world’s worst pandemic since the one at MCC’s founding?

As we examine the similarities between these two centuries, I’m struck by the fact that the world continues to be haunted by grotesque disparity. Certain groups are more vulnerable to disease and hunger than others. And yet, thanks be to God, there are generous, compassionate Canadians who care. MCC’s vital, Jesus-following ministry continues into another century.

1920: Anna Janzen Funk was the director of the first MCC relief kitchen in southern Russia.

28 The Messenger • September 2020

MCC PHOTO/AMANDA TALSTRA

Chapter 3: Mennonite Central Committee in the next century

Issa Ebombolo unloads cooking oil in the village of Tomali as part of MCC’s Cyclone Idai flood relief project in Malawi in 2019.

Sharing God’s love and compassion for all in the name of Christ.

When the COVID-19 shutdown began in Canada, we were within days of approving a multi-year strategic plan.

At first there were chuckles and smiles at the sheer audacity of believing we could see so far and around so many corners as to plan five years into the unknown future.

As the weeks passed and we dug deeper into our plan, we found it stood up rather well even under the test of COVID-19. Our daring plan calls for us to: • deepen our spiritual grounding as Jesus-following communities, sharing our maker’s love with the world; • strengthen the capacity of partners, especially Anabaptist church partners, with emphasis on those working with displaced and uprooted people; • improve communication with churches and constituents; • respond to the impact of climate change on vulnerable people.

• Address our own operations and the ways we contribute to the harming of a good creation.

Then there is peace. Our plans call us to do more peacebuilding, and we will integrate peace into more and more of our work. It has not always been so clear, but in recent decades we have learned how core biblical peace is to MCC’s work.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be

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MCC PHOTO/DAVE KLASSEN

MCC PHOTO/PAUL SHETLER FAST

troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27, NIV) Following Jesus leads on paths of peace. There is no need to choose between faith-grounded peace, on one hand, and rigorous standards of professional peacebuilding on the other. We can embrace both. In the many forms it takes, we know peacebuilding will be the foundation of what we do. For MCC, peace isn’t just a wish for a better future. It’s our work.

This is the MCC I see moving into our next century.

• Deepening our gospel roots.

• Strengthening Anabaptist communities.

• Communicating with supporters with excellence and transparency.

Louie Vivra, Melise Michaline and Karin Florvil plant a breadfruit tree in a demonstration • Helping the uprooted. garden in Wopisa, Haiti in 2016.

• Combatting climate change.

• Pressing for the peace of Jesus multiple platforms as we embrace new ways of truly being Christ. with partners and supporters – even when we need to do it Would this MCC be recognizable to its founders, such from a distance. as Anna Janzen Funk, director of the first MCC relief She probably wouldn’t recognize many of the names kitchen in southern Russia (present-day Ukraine), who or faces of MCC. There are Reimers and Martens, to be was forced to cook gophers and bake with thistles before sure. However, there are increasing numbers of Ciptadis MCC’s help arrived? and Ebombolos and Mayasandras who provide leadership In some ways, the MCC of the next century may and vision. look unfamiliar to her. MCC will be found online and on Yet I believe Anna would still recognize the heart of the MCC she knew. She would recognize us as a person-centered ministry, a thin membrane through which supporters can touch and be touched by the needs in the world. Anna would recognize an MCC rooted in the ever-changing, radical Anabaptist Christian community, even with arms wide and welcoming to other compassionate Canadians who share the values of MCC. I know she would recognize you.

Heirs of the faithful, generous Jesus followers a century ago who said “yes” when asked to share with their cousins and aunts and uncles starving in Ukraine.

We are grateful for your generous support over the past century! And we hope you will feel invited into a second century of MCC ministry, rooted in the peace Jesus gave us.

– Rick Cober Bauman 1994: bean seeds helped Burundians displaced by ethnic conflict toward a more hopeful future.

Rick Cober Bauman is executive director of MCC Canada. www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 29

an-

Helping Canadian Anabaptist-Mennonite congregations respond to COVID-19 The MDS Canada Spirit of MDS Fund is issuing a second call for applications from churches in Canada responding to COVID-19 needs in their communities.

The goal of the Spirit of MDS Fund is to provide financial support to Canadian Anabaptist-Mennonite congregations that are assisting people in their communities affected by the pandemic. A total of $100,000 has been made available; to date 46 congregations and other ministries have received support from the Fund. With funding still available, a second call for applications has been issued for fall.

How it Works

Timeline. This second call for funding is in operation from August 24 to October 31.

Eligibility. Preference will be given to congregations that are part of an Anabaptist-Mennonite denomination (part of the MDS Canada support network). Applications from other churches will be considered.

Grants. Grants will be a maximum $1,000, although there can be some flexibility on a case-by-case basis. Projects that can be funded include replenishing a deacon’s fund, restocking a food pantry, assisting with a family’s emergency financial needs, purchasing technology to help churches serve their members through online services or to help seniors or shut-ins connect with family and friends, assisting with rent for a refugee or other AND family, etc. Salaries will not be funded.

Applications. Go to https://mds.mennonite.net/wp-content/ uploads/2020/04/ Spirit-of-MDS-Fundapplication_online_ Why Reformation Europe Thought Anabaptism rev2_2020.pdf to fill Would Destroy Society out a downloadable $10 plus form. It can be sent to shipping somds@mds.mennoLAYTON BOYD FRIESEN nite.net or mailed to Foreword by John D. Roth MDS Canada, 200-600

‘SEDITIONS, CONFUSION TUMULT’

30 The Messenger • September 2020

MDS

About the Fund

‘SEDITIONS, CONFUSION AND TUMULT’

e of the ous naers nity nce ton and This om

Spirit of MDS Fund Issues Second Call for Applications

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News

Bob Ratelle washing dishes in the kitchen of the Scott St. Mennonite Brethren Church in St. Catharines, Ont., one of 46 churches to receive support from the MDS Canada Spirit of MDS Fund.

Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB R3P 2J1. Congregations should expect to hear back in 5-7 days if their application is approved.

Reporting. Congregations that receive funding must report back to MDS Canada how they used the funds.

These reports will be used to create stories that show how the church was in action responding to this crisis.

The Spirit of MDS

Through the Fund, we want to help local congregations respond in the spirit of MDS. That spirit is based in: Faith in Action. We believe in and practice a life of service and proclamation founded on the Bible and modeled after the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

Caring Relationships. Through our service we want to build relationships of mutual respect, humility and accountability.

Service. We believe all Christians are called to serve others, and we welcome all who share our values to join us in volunteering, praying and giving.

Compassion. Our service is offered freely to all.

Integrity. We work in an ethical, honest, moral and legal manner.

Sustainability. As God’s stewards, we strive to use resources entrusted to us wisely and carefully.

– MDS

In Memory

Rose Cornelsen (nee Warkentin) Feb 11, 1938 - Sep 5, 2019

Rose was the daughter to Aganetha and John Warkentin; born in 1938.

She was the middle child of 11. They lived in Morris and Rosenort.

Rose married Art Cornelsen May 1, 1960. She assisted Art on the farm and was a stay-at-home mom of Cameron, Lynette and Arlene. She enjoyed baking, gardening and volunteering in the community and the Rosenort Fellowship Chapel where she was a lifelong member. She kept busy with her creative talents including crocheting, painting and writing. She also

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published two books. Rose was a gentle, loving, person with witty humour and the gift of hospitality. She loved and cared for people.

Rose had a few challenging years.

From 1982-1985 she had breast cancer.

Her daughter Lynette and daughter-inlaw Janet both passed away in 1985. In 2002 she got breast cancer again and after treatment was cancer free.

Art and Rose were married 59 years. Rose was Art’s “sweetheart” and they loved spending time together.

Faith and spending time with family was important to them. They liked to travel, golf and play table games.

Art and Rose spent their winters in Sebring, Florida during their retirement and loved volunteering with friends at SIM mission. She was happy to care for Art when he developed Parkinson’s health issues. When Rose was diagnosed with an aggressive lung cancer in March 2019, the family was deeply saddened. Rose was looking forward to her final move to heaven and reuniting with loved ones. We were blessed to have Rose in palliative care for five months, where many meaningful conversations took place and goodbyes could be said.

Roseline Plett Warkentin Cornelsen died at age 81 on Sep. 5, 2019 peacefully at Bethesda Regional

Health Centre, Steinbach MB. We are grateful to family and friends for the dedicated support and are grateful to the hospital staff for the wonderful care that was provided.

Not a day goes by where she is not thought of and missed. She will live on in our hearts forever. She is greatly missed by her husband, Art Cornelsen and their two children, Cameron (Pamela), Arlene (Nelson) and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Rose was predeceased by her parents John and Aganetha Warkentin, a daughter Lynette, daughter-in-law Janet, and several in-laws.

– Her Family

Life with Mom, our Beautiful Rose

Gardens, flowers, and country roads; Fields of wheat, with row after row.

Enjoying sunny days and going for a walk; Tossing stones in the river and having a talk.

Trips to Grand Forks, Florida, and BC; Weddings and grandkids added to the memory.

Can’t forget laughing until we cry; And fresh baked buns and apple pie.

You’re a baker, a painter, a reader, and writer; You are caring, an overcomer and a cancer fighter.

Like a river flowing, life has its twists and turns; Living in God’s Kingdom: a practical study guide on the Order But gratefully through Christian life is an introduction to the yours today! your strength we continue Christian faith, suitable for baptism/ LIVING IN to learn. membership and other classes.

GOD’S We have been so OM KING[aonD Lessons include: God and revelation, practical study guide ] blessed but now it’s time the Christian life Jesus Christ and salvation, Holy Spirit for you to rest. and discipleship, the kingdom and the Our hearts flow with future, church and mission, and Anabaplove, we’ll see you later in tist history. A leader’s guide is available. heaven above. by daughter Arlene Klassen To order, contact the conference office. ite Conference Christian Mennon , MB R5G 0J1 478 Henry St, Steinbach e.ca www.cmconferenc

ite Conference Evangelical Mennon , MB R5G 1Z5 440 Main St, Steinbach e.ca www.emconferenc

ce/Go Mission! ite Mission Conferen Evangelical Mennon , MB R2N 4G6 757 St Anne’s Rd, Winnipeg www.gomission.ca

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 31

In Memory

Mildred Harms (nee Reimer) 1945-2020

On June 30, 2020 at the age of 74, our dear wife, mom, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away peacefully at the Gimli Hospital, and entered her eternal home in heaven.

Mildred was the firstborn of Henry and Tina Reimer. She was born in the Steinbach Hospital on August 30, 1945 and spent her early childhood years in Blumenort. In the early 1950’s her family moved to Mexico to start farming in a Mennonite colony.

After a few years in Mexico, the family moved back to Blumenort. Then in 1959, the family moved to Mennville to join the newly founded farming community. At the age of 14 she was baptized in the Mennville EMC Church upon putting her trust in Jesus Christ for her life here and the life to come.

Her interest in nursing led her to move to Gimli at the age of 19 to work in the hospital as a nurses’ aid. She very much enjoyed her job there and often talked about those days even until a few weeks ago–wishing she could be in the hospital working as a nurse instead of as a patient.

On May 6, 1967, after two years of dating, she and Paul Harms were married. They started their married

life in Mennville but Paul’s work in construction and logging took them to a variety of communities across Manitoba and Saskatchewan during their first years of marriage. Mom was responsible for providing meals for the crews, often working in primitive conditions such as the absence of running water and electricity.

After longing to start their own family, they finally got the call in March 1972 that Kim could be adopted into their family. In 1975, they got another call that they could adopt Kendon. Although they had a house in Mennville, they continued to travel around to job sites until Kim was old enough to start school. At this time they took over the Harms’ family farm and started a construction business with Paul’s brother Ed. In 1982, Karyn joined the family as the last of their three children.

Mildred enjoyed the country life; raising chickens, cattle, gardening, and working in the fields. Throughout their years in Mennville, she was very active in volunteering with the Church–teaching Sunday school, helping with Daily Vacation Bible School during the summers, and cooking at Beaver Creek Bible Camp.

In her later years she was an active member in the Church’s Sewing Circle making blankets to sell in the Riverton Thrift Store. The money raised was donated to the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). Additionally, Mildred contributed to many MCC initiatives which saw hundreds of blankets shipped to refugee camps around the world.

Mildred also spent many thousands of hours volunteering with the Thrift Store; sorting, stocking shelves, clerking, bookkeeping and working on the board. She loved the opportunity to repurpose the items that were donated as well as

interacting with the other volunteers and customers.

Mildred will be remembered for her servant heart, her unwavering trust in God’s plan and care for her family. She was always ready to welcome people into her home and cook a good hearty, meal for them regardless if they were strangers, family or friends. Her deep faith in God and incredible strength and optimism during the past 15 months, since her cancer diagnosis, have spoken loudly to all she came in contact with.

Left to mourn her loss are her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her parents Henry and Tina Reimer, her parents-in-law Pete and Neta Harms, her sisters Doris and Leona, her brother Harold, her brother-in-law Leonard, and her sisters-in-law Esther, Elma and Doris.

We would like to thank our friends and church community for the support and encouragement they have shown us, as a family, during this journey. We would also like to thank the homecare staff, and staff at the Gimli Hospital for providing excellent care for our mother. Thank you to Friends Funeral Service for making the funeral arrangements.

– Her Family

University CANADIAN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY

32 The Messenger • September 2020

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, Church Leadership 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 204326-6401. Speak with Erica Fehr, Church leadership assistant to the BLO, to request a cell number for a particular person.

EMC 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 agreement with 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 email pastoralsearch@ oakbluffbiblechurch.com.

Calendar Manitoba Nov 26-27 EMC Theology Conference Blumenort, Man

Nov 28 Conference Council

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, 403308-5093 or isaact@genicadev.com

Other Positions Niverville Community Fellowship is an EMMC affiliated church body seeking a Pastor of Care and Discipleship to join our ministry team as we seek to act on our mission of “Making Disciples of Jesus as we Worship, Grow, and Serve in Love.” We are seeking a leader with a commitment to Anabaptist faith to work with our staff, board of elders, and ministry teams to provide congregational care support and leadership in spiritual formation. Position responsibilities include heading up the community group ministry and working to equip volunteers to help us serve in love along with equipping the congregation to act on our mission of making disciples. Formal academic training in pastoral studies would be preferred and training in small group ministries and discipleship are assets.

Contact hr@nivcf.ca by Aug. 8, 2020, for more details or to apply (see www.nivcf.ca).

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.

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).

Archives Committee: To help preserve and share the stories of Christ’s grace to us through history, the EMC is seeking volunteers to serve on its Archives Committee and other volunteers to assist in its efforts. The Archives Committee meets about three or four times a year to oversee the EMC Archives, preserve documents, and promote EMC history. Its members get involved in hands-on projects. An appreciation of church history is helpful. The ability to read German is not required, though helpful.

Committee members from outside Manitoba could attend meetings by computer or by phone and could assist in collecting materials from their areas to be donated to the EMC Archives. Volunteers are needed to help organize the archives’ materials in Winnipeg and Steinbach. These include photographs, file descriptions, and filing. Translators (German to English) are very needed. They can be located anywhere. If this fits you or someone you know, please contact the EMC office at 204-326-6401 or by email. Thank you.

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.

Desire

Pastoring, Same Sex Attraction & The Church

An EMC Ministerial Theology Conference Blumenort Community Church Thursday November 26 - Friday November 27, 2020 Faithful, Gracious & Informed in the church & in the world

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 33

Column • His Light to My Path

A Forgetter Remembers

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by Karla Hein

few weeks ago, our family went to several garage sales where we selected items of perceived value to purchase.

Outgrown children’s apparatuses, unopened games, worn-out running shoes, half-finished projects…these all spoke of the changing seasons and fluctuating interests of the families that allowed us to peek into their garages.

What spurs a buyer to rummage through dusty old boxes looking for the next deal? My husband buys and sells antiques, and I’m always amazed by how much a simple toy car or rusty oil tin is valued at.

I’m neither a collector nor a hoarder, but I discovered the weakness that leads to my accumulation of stuff. I’m a forgetter. I stumbled upon this reality while cleaning out my spice cupboard. I began pulling out an alarming reserve of duplicate spices. I was running low of basil recently and began purchasing it every single shopping trip, forgetting that I had already restocked. I apparently kept misplacing my container of ginger too as I found numerous, half-used packages. This forgetfulness isn’t contained to my kitchen unfortunately. The other day, I removed nine pens from various cup holders and consoles in my truck. On one occasion, I had none in my truck so I replenished again…. and again….and once more.

As I put the spices back in their cupboard, I thought about how God knows humans are a forgetful bunch. God frequently warned Israel to “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments” (Deut.

8: 11). In fact, God actually encouraged His people to form collections! Remember Aaron scooping up manna to store in a jar (Ex. 16:32)?

What about the rocks built into a monument after the Jordan River crossing as a reminder of God’s power (Josh. 4:5, 24)?

I’ll admit that the past few months have beat me up. The abrupt change of routine, startling

I’ve wondered how one tiptoes through the fragility of being a vapour yet is bold in declaring the Gospel of peace?

34 The Messenger • September 2020

medical diagnoses, and the sting of death have left me weary. I’ve wondered how one tiptoes through the fragility of being a vapour yet is bold in declaring the Gospel of peace? My conclusion is to remember! Collect examples of His goodness, give testimony to His faithfulness, and prioritize the glory of Heaven. We have this gift in earthen vessels but one day soon we will be transformed into His likeness (2 Cor. 4:7; Phil. 3:21).

My conclusion is to remember! Collect examples of His goodness, give testimony to His faithfulness, and prioritize the glory of Heaven. We have this gift in earthen vessels but one day soon we will be transformed into His likeness (2 Cor. 4:7; Phil. 3:21).

Remember the Tabernacle? A veil separated the Israelites from the Holy of Holies, from the presence of God. Then, at Jesus’ death, the Temple curtain was ripped in two, giving us “confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus” (Ex. 40; Matt. 27:51; Heb. 10:19-20).

I remember the beautiful promise of Heaven, “I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.” (Rev. 21:22-23). I long for the day when I will never be forgetful of the goodness and presence of God again!

Column • Stewardship Today

Preparing Your Harvest of Generosity

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By Harold Penner Abundance Canada Gift Planning Consultant

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essential travel restricted this summer, my wife and I have rediscovered the joy of our own backyard.

This is certainly a change of pace from the usual schedule of visits and activities, but it has given us a chance to relax, reconnect, and appreciate the fruit trees, shrubs and grape vines we’ve planted over the years.

Necessary Pruning

Tending to the trees and shrubs is easy, but the grape vines are another story. Each fall, I aggressively cut them back to the main vine, and each year, from the time they begin leafing out in spring, they keep pushing out new growth. This pruning is needed to maintain balance and to keep the vines from overtaking the yard. Without it, they just keep shooting out new branches in every direction and direct less energy to producing the tasty grapes that make great juice and jelly.

Cutting Back on Busyness

Like those grape vines, many families accustomed to extremely busy schedules are experiencing a much needed pruning lately.

Many of the social and financial commitments that used to fill their calendars have been temporarily suspended. By cutting back these commitments, they are finding they have time and energy to focus on activities such as meals together, going for walks, and helping others.

For some people, this change of pace has also pruned back expenses such as registration fees, entertainment, and the cost of commuting. As a result, they have more money to give to the causes they care about. For example, one family

used the refund they received from a cancelled vacation to support a project overseas, and another donated the money they would have spent sending their kids to summer camp to a local program for children in need. However, this kind of generosity doesn’t have to be a “just during the pandemic” change.

Is Your Generosity Flourishing?

My grapevines need ongoing pruning to produce grapes year after year; in the same way a Generosity Plan™ can ensure your giving continues to flourish. In my work at Abundance Canada, I love helping you think through your charitable goals and then developing a customized plan to help you achieve them. Having a plan that fits into your life now and into the future means you can keep up with your charitable giving even when the busyness of life returns.

How is the grapevine of your life doing lately? Has recent pruning increased the fruitfulness of your generosity? Do you have a plan to keep your giving going?

How is the grapevine of your life doing lately? Has recent pruning increased the fruitfulness of your generosity?

Harold Penner is a Gift Planning Consultant at Abudance Canada. He and his wife Lorena attend St. Vital EMC.

www.emcmessenger.ca • The Messenger 35

Column • Kids’ Corner

A Riddle and Hard Work

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You too have skills, abilities, that help you do the things you are good at.

36 The Messenger • September 2020

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an you solve this riddle?

What has two webbed hind feet, two five fingered front feet, a tail like a platypus, and teeth like a rabbit?

Did you say a beaver? If you did, you are right.

The beaver is best known for being

by Loreena hard working. He is a builder. He Thiessen changes the environment where he chooses to live. And he is built to successfully do his job. His webbed hind feet and his tail help him swim. His fingers on his front feet help him to grasp and hold branches. His teeth help him gnaw, chop, and drag the branches he needs to build his dam and lodge, and for his food.

The beaver’s first job is to build a dam. The purpose of the dam is to stop the water flow in a stream and to create a pond.

All around the stream he cuts down trees and branches and drags them across the stream until the water stops running. The water behind the dam backs up and forms a small lake. It floods the surrounding area; this area is called a wetland. Building a dam takes the beaver one entire month. The beaver doesn’t work alone; he has a mate. They work Activity: Match the following: as a team and stay together all Sly as a ___________________ porcupine of their lives.

Quiet as a _________________ caterpillar The pond is Playful as a _________________ swan a safe place for Gentle as a ________________ snail him to build his Busy as a ________________ fox home, called a Brave as a _______________ ox lodge. The pond Prickly as a _______________ lamb keeps his eneHungry as a _______________ kitten mies, bears and Wise as an ______________ mouse mountain lions, Slow as a _________________ beaver away. The pond Graceful as a ______________ owl is also where he Strong as an ___________ lion stores his food,

branches with leaves and small trees, near his lodge. He sticks them into the soft mud of the dam where they stay fresh all year.

The lodge is built in the middle of the pond. It is an island with water all around. The entrance is under water and a tunnel leads upward into the living space which is cozy and dry. This is where they live all winter, warm and safe, with enough food stored nearby.

The beaver has many skills; first he chooses just the right spot to build his dam and home.

All the necessary supplies for his home and his food are right there. His lodge is designed to keep him safe. And he is built just right to do his job. All of this is God’s creation and plan.

You too have skills, abilities, that help you do the things you are good at. As you grow you will discover more of them. Proverbs 16:3; says: Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:4 says: The Lord has made everything for its purpose.

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