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More than sixty years of sharing the life & story of the Mennonite Brethren in Canada

A pastor’s goodbye Gareth Goossen on faith, ministry, and the beauty of being called home VOLU M E 65, NO. 05

RETIRED WITH A MISSION GOD IS BIGGEST R EC O N N EC T I N G TO T H E G O S P E L

A heart that hears, a heart that speaks, a heart on mission. Keep the heart pumping: read, write, listen, share, give.

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Mennonite Brethren Herald is published bimonthly by the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, primarily for the use of its members, to build a Canadian MB community of faith. We seek to 1) share the life and story of the church by nurturing relationships among members and engaging in dialogue and reflection; 2) teach and equip for ministry by reflecting MB theology, values, and heritage, and by sharing the good news; 3) enable communication by serving conference ministries and informing our members about the church and the world. However, the opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the church as a whole. Leaders from across Canada gathered near Hope, BC to pray and process possible revisions to Articles 12 and 13 of the Confession of Faith. For more, see page 9.

Digest FA L L 2 026 | VO LU M E 6 5 , N O. 0 5 EDITORIAL OFFICE 1310 Taylor Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3M 3Z6 Phone: 204-669-6575 Toll-free in Canada: 888-669-6575

RETIRED WITH A MISSION Leanne Janzen

RECONNECTING TO THE GOSPEL Brian Loewen

GOD IS BIGGEST Nikki White

PRAYING FOR PEACE IN SINGLENESS Joy Penner

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The Mennonite Brethren Herald is a publication of

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CONFÉRENCE CANADIENNE DES ÉGLISES DES FRÈRES MENNONITES

Sharing the life and story of Mennonite Brethren in Canada

COVER STORY

A PASTOR’S GOODBYE Leanne Janzen

PRAYING FOR PEACE WITH OURSELVES Kristal Toews

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FROM THE EDITOR

Carson Samson, Editor of the MB Herald and Communications Director, has stepped down from his position with CCMBC for personal reasons. We are grateful for Carson’s years of service and contribution to the ministry and wish him God’s blessing in the future.

I A M L I K E LY O U T N U M B E R E D , B U T I really enjoy fall clean-up. Not only is it a delight to bring in the last of the tomatoes (so many tomatoes!), but I relish the process of clearing out summer. The crunch of the leaves beneath my feet, the satisfying snip of my clippers as I watch the dried-out perennials topple, rescuing the ladybugs from my compost pile, seeing the dirt again at last — I love it all. As I remove my withered garden, I remember the joy I had in planting it in the spring, watching every day for a sprout of growth. And then I think about my children’s excitement when they spotted the first of the raspberries, and as summer hit, savouring the cool taste of cucumbers at every meal. As I load up my wheelbarrow, I remember what our garden gave us. It’s a thankful goodbye. Stories of gratitude are woven throughout this issue. Stories like Gareth Goossen’s joyful anticipation of seeing Jesus face-to-face in “A Pastor’s Goodbye” (page 12). Gareth had a profound eternal perspective on living and dying: “The beauty of what God is calling me to — it’s just so real and so precious and so indescribable.” We also share Ed and Carol Boschman’s story and hear their thankfulness for their present stage of life (page 6). Leaning into their spiritual gifts of hospitality and friendship, they share how they are living missionally in their retirement.

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Brian Loewen has an ardent gratitude for Jesus in “Reconnecting to the Gospel” (page 16) and we read about a Lithuanian pastor’s deep sense of thankfulness for the power and strength of God (page 10). As I continue with my garden clean up, I have Phil Gunther’s “A Prayer Of Giving Thanks” (page 5) in my heart:

“My great and good God, receive my prayer of thanks. For harvest and home, help and hope, for family and friends, freedom and faith, for daily bread and daily blessings, new beginnings and honourable endings, for sunrises and sunsets, sacred spaces and peaceful places, for old ways and new days, thank you.”

With thanks,

Leanne LEANNE JANZEN

Interim Editor

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

We regularly publish website-exclusive stories on mbherald.com. Here are a few articles we’ve posted online in the last few months.

Improved nutrition helps Indonesian children dealing with stunting To reduce stunting among children in two villages in Indonesia, MCC’s partner SOPAN builds a fishpond, encourages vegetable gardening and provides health education that addresses health myths that impact nutrition. Exitus “It was impossible to ignore the Lord’s leading! Every encounter, every trip, every decision — they were like invitations from the Lord to leave behind everything that could represent security for us, and to place all our trust in him alone.” Hear the story of how God called a Colombian family to serve in Central Asia. Ethiopia’s Cure Multiply is partnering with courageous believers to bring the transforming power of Jesus Christ to Ethiopia. In the midst of a hostile spiritual environment, this courageous team of indigenous missionaries has joined God in his passionate desire to set captives free. Congolese award winner works for peace amid violence On Sept. 21, the International Day of Peace, MCC announced that Programme de Paix et Reconciliation, a partner organization in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the winner of the 2026 Michael J. Sharp Global Peacemaker Award.

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A Prayer of Giving Thanks My great and good God, receive my prayer of thanks. For the sun, the stars, and the universe beyond, for the world, the earth, and heavens above, thank you. For mountains, valleys and prairies, for forests, fields and fauna, thank you. For seas, lakes and roaring rivers, for animals, fish and soaring birds, thank you. My great and good God, receive my prayer of thanks. For harvest and home, help and hope, for family and friends, freedom and faith, for daily bread and daily blessings, new beginnings and honourable endings, for sunrises and sunsets, sacred spaces and peaceful places, for old ways and new days, thank you. My great and good God, receive my prayer of thanks. For the gospel – good news for all people, for Jesus – King of Kings, Prince of Peace, thank you. For the cross and empty tomb, for forgiveness and new creation, thank you. For the Holy Spirit, Holy Bible and holy standing, for the Church – the Body of Christ, thank you. My great and good God, receive my prayer of thanks. For the joy of your salvation, for your peace beyond understanding, thank you. For wisdom and discernment, for courage and conviction, thank you. For your boundless grace and love, for your compassions, new every morning, thank you. My great and good God, receive my prayer of thanks. Amen.

PHILIP A. GUNTHER

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

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Retired with a mission An interview with Ed and Carol Boschman

BY LEANNE JANZEN

d and Carol Boschman have lived their adult lives serving the church, inviting others into their home, and contributing to their community. Ed was a pastor in various Mennonite Brethren churches for more than 20 years in both Canada and the United States, including Willow Park Church in Kelowna, BC. He was the Executive Director of Mission USA for six years and then served as the Executive Director of USMB from 2007 to 2014. Up until three years ago, he represented USMB to ICOMB and has just recently retired from leading USMB’s coaching ministry. Carol has enjoyed serving alongside Ed in his various roles, providing support and assistance in ministry. I had the privilege to sit down with them and talk about what life looks like now they are retired — how they view this phase of life, how they love their neighbours, and what advice they have for other retired folks. W H AT I S G O D I S C A L L I N G YO U T O D O R I G H T N O W I N Y O U R N E I G H B O U R H O O D ?

Carol:

I became a volunteer at our local Jansen Art Center, right where we live in Lynden, Washington. That has become a real source of

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letting people know, not first by words, but by action, of our faith in God. We’ve made wonderful friendships as a result and have had many people in our home. We love people in our home — one of our gifts is hospitality. And so having people in our home is not a big thing. Well, it is a big thing, but it’s not a burden. We don’t look at it as a “have to,” more of a “get to.” In our neighbourhood, we have become friends with many of our neighbours.

Ed:

Our view is that friendship gives us an opening to talk with them, and to invite them into what we believe is the absolute best way to live, which is in relationship with Jesus.

Our foundation is: Love the Lord your God, with heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbours as yourself. We take the loving neighbour as yourself very, very seriously. We apply it first in our actual geographical neighbourhood. I think hospitality is incredibly underrated as a ministry opportunity. When people have been at your home, things change. Eating together and just hanging out together — in the process, you let them be who they are. We’re patient. We are not street evangelists. We are not brash or confrontational. We’re guided by the words of 1 Peter. He’s like, “Just live your lives among outsiders, so that they’ll notice you for who you really are. And then they’re going to ask you, ‘What’s the deal? What’s the hope?’ And then you get to say, ‘Well, we are driven by our relationship with the Lord.’” And so, that’s the approach that we use. When you make friends with people, eventually they’ll tell you something about themselves which is hard, or which hurts them. Most often in that situation, if we will say something like, “Can we pray for you? Is that OK?” we’ve never been turned down.

Once you start praying for people, it’s another step in the direction of them understanding what it’s like to have a relationship with Jesus. Whether it’s our neighbourhood, the golf club, or biker buddies, you’re always going to find somebody, if you’re open to it and looking for them, that needs to be loved, accepted, and forgiven, and in the end, to hear their story. And yes, those stories do culminate in people coming to faith and saying, yep, I’m in now. IT S E E M S LI K E YO U B OTH A R E K E E P I N G B U S Y. H O W I S T H E PA C E O F R E T I R E M E N T D I F FE R E NT FRO M YO U R WO R K I N G LI F E ?

Carol:

I don’t use the word busy! I don’t like it. Busy is a negative word to me. I always make time for people — I’ll never be too busy for people.

Ed:

We thought through this idea of being busy and decided that if we were busier after retirement then we had been before retirement, that probably was not smart. We have remained as active, and maybe even more active, in terms of developing

relationships and being on mission. But we are now more focused on being than doing, and that’s a reality that we are enjoying. I am done with setting my alarm clock for 5:30 a.m. I own the clock now… the clock’s not going to own me! We have tried to remain vital, alive, and active. We are trying to honour the gift that God’s given to us in our bodies, even though they’ve got several 100,000 miles on them. We know our earthly tents are in their last chapters, and they’re wearing out. And so we have to take that into account! I still love to preach, but I don’t do it often anymore. It’s just a different rhythm and a different set of expectations. And so we have more freedom to determine our schedules and priorities. Vacations? Yeah, of course. Life feels freer than before, and that’s a good thing. W H AT I S YO U R A DV I C E F O R P E O P L E W H O A R E T H I N K I N G O F R E T I R E M E N T, O R W H O A R E R E C E N T LY R E T I R E D ?

Ed:

Deliberately choose or find something meaningful to do with your time. If we claim to be followers of Jesus, then whatever it is we do should give us an increased opportunity to live on mission. And do the best you can to maintain health and vitality and give yourself permission in being rather than doing. You can control your busyness. If you’re saying you’re busier now that you’re retired, it better be because you love it. If you hate it, you probably shouldn’t be doing it. HOW ABOUT LIVING LIFE TOGETHER? H O W A R E YO U M A K I N G S U R E T H AT YO U R R E L A T I O N S H I P I S S T R O N G ?

Ed:

each other. We try to maintain spiritual bonding. Our current approach is that we do Lectio in the morning together. And so that gives us a chance to focus on some Scripture and a little bit of narrative, and some prayer. The need for spiritual disciplines will never change. We still want to be close to Jesus. We still want to experience the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and doing at least some of that together is essential. For us, the hospitality piece is a huge opportunity to be linked together in something we really enjoy. We also go on dates. Every Friday morning, we’re on a date for breakfast. We like dates! I S TH E R E A N Y TH I N G E L S E YO U WO U LD LI K E TO ADD?

Ed:

Yes, I would like to share my life verse. In John 7:37-39, Jesus gets up at the feast, and he says, “If anybody’s thirsty, I’ve got living water to offer you.” A lot of times, people will stop there and they’ll go, “So beautiful.” But they neglect the next verse, when John says that Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit, who had not yet been shared. That’s how I want to be. I want to be really dependent on the consciousness of my best unseen friend on the planet, the Holy Spirit. It hooks up with my spiritual gift, which is exhortation. I want to be an “along-sider.” And so that’s how I want to live.

Carol:

My gifts are hospitality and showing mercy. Those are complementary. And my verse is: “Love the Lord, your God, with your heart, soul, strength, and mind, and your neighbour as yourself.” Our neighbours are anyone that we choose to have a relationship with, Christian or non-Christian. And so that’s what I live by.

Well, we’ve been practising for decades. I’m not always Carol’s dream guy!

Carol:

Oh yes you are!

Ed:

I think that we have learned to partner with

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Ed and Carol Boschman live in Lynden, Washington.

SUMMIT 2026 NFLT Update Report Twenty-eight individuals from across Canada came together in person in Hope, BC (and one online) to pray, worship Jesus, and determine the Scriptural faithfulness of two revised drafts of Article 12: Society and State and Article 13: Love and Nonresistance. Participants had done preparatory work studying relevant Scripture texts, summaries of Equip 2025 presentations, previous MB Confessions of Faith (1902; 1975) as well as the Confessions of Faith from numerous other Mennonite denominations. In addition, five MB leaders provided written feedback about their recommendations related to Articles 12 and 13. Over their two days together, enthusiastic and robust discussion happened over questions like: What does primary allegiance to Jesus Christ mean for believers in relationship to local, provincial, and national governing authorities? How do our present confessional statements about secret societies and avoiding the swearing of oaths relate to our allegiance to Jesus and Christian integrity? What does our historical connection to Anabaptism impact how we express our biblical convictions? How does peacemaking relate to inviting people to Jesus? How do our 1999 MB

Confession’s statements about “violence” relate to the work of believers who are serving in the roles of policing, border services, and corrections? What do the words and model of Jesus mean for disciples of Jesus when it comes to involvement in war, conscription, and alternative service? The National Faith and Life Team (NFLT) met immediately after the Summit to revise the drafts. Once the NFLT approves the drafts in principle, all the Member Organizations (provincial and agencies) will have opportunity to provide feedback. If the NFLT moves forward with the drafts at the November meeting, the drafts will be circulated to all the provinces and local churches for prayer, study, and feedback. Based on CCMBC’s new bylaws, a Special Member Assembly would need to be called for delegates from local churches and organizations to approve a final version. The NFLT asks for all those in our churches to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide each step of this process so that what comes out would glorify God and help us all to be more faithful witnesses for Jesus!

M B S TA F F R E P O R T

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

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God is biggest BY NIKKI WHITE

ry as he might, the conversation stayed stuck on the best way to kill Russians. Valdas Vaitkevicius looked around at the 70 other Lithuanians attending the training camp. Men, women, young, old — their faces set in hard lines as they listened to the instructors. “Not like that!” barked a young officer, grabbing the rifle from his hands and repositioning it roughly. You are the same age as my daughter, Valdas thought. Is this how you speak to your elders? But the officer was not interested in being polite. He was preparing civilians for war. It was an impossible situation. Valdas had tried explaining that he was the pastor of an MB church in Šiauliu, Lithuania. Since 2022, his church had been housing Ukrainian refugee families, many of whom were now leaving Lithuania because of the very real threat of

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When Valdas offered his services as a chaplain, the trainers had scoffed. “We have here electricians, mechanics, bakers, doctors,” they said. “Now we have a pastor. So what? You will all learn to shoot.”

a Russian invasion. When Valdas offered his services as a chaplain, the trainers had scoffed. “We have here electricians, mechanics, bakers, doctors,” they said. “Now we have a pastor. So what? You will all learn to shoot.” What am I doing here? It had come as a surprise to him when he had recently been told that his church was designated as a muster building for their neighbourhood. In case of an invasion, it would serve not only as a place of refuge, but as an outpost for tactical defense. As the pastor of the church, he had to be prepared, they told him. He must swear his allegiance to his country. Ironically, Valdas was reminded of the oath he had been forced to swear to the Soviet Union army in 1986. Back then, even at the rank of lieutenant of artillery, he never had to shoot anyone — the Soviet military deployed him twice, and twice sent him back home. Valdas was eager to publicly renounce that oath, and to affirm his loyalty to Lithuania. He wanted to be useful to his country, hoping that he would be allowed to do so as a spiritual advisor. And so, he had volunteered to attend this 10-day boot camp. A wave of sadness swept over him. Why call it a camp? His church had just finished running their own camps — two summer camps, each attended by over 100 children and youth. One camp was for children and teens from socially disadvantaged and wounded families, including children who did not even know their parents or whose mothers had abandoned them. That camp had been difficult for Valdas but, in the end, he rejoiced that one of those teens accepted Jesus, and celebrated the 17 children and four teenagers in the other camp who became believers. The 20 camp leaders — former campers themselves — had worked tirelessly to facilitate children’s activities that were fun as well as meaningful. They wanted the camp to be a safe place to play, a time for kids to let down their defenses, a chance to learn about God. Camp should not be about learning the most efficient way to kill. During meals and in the barracks, Valdas did his best to share his faith and to encourage others to turn to Jesus. Some listened, others shrugged. “Why?” they asked. “What happens, happens. Everything is in the hands of God.” Everything, except that gun. That, my friend, is in your hands. Valdas looked down at his own hands. Would he do it? Could he shoot a Russian soldier, even in defense of others? The sound of fighter jets made him look up. It was not

a new noise; having a NATO base nearby meant that there was daily air traffic, as jets from Germany and France and England flew overhead. Reminders of war were inescapable; every TV and radio station was regularly interrupted to broadcast news from Ukraine. Every day, every hour, in the morning, in the evening — they were constantly being forced to think the unthinkable. In church, people begged him not to mention the war. Please, please, talk about something else. Valdas would prepare himself each week to put aside his own fears, and minister to the fears of his congregants. It was exhausting. Thinking about war, or forcing himself to not think about war — both were equally exhausting. The burden of the 40-kilo pack he was now carrying was nothing, compared to that. Another jet. Valdas and the other trainees looked up. “NATO is big,” one said confidently. Another shot back, blackly, “Russia is bigger.” Valdas closed his eyes in silent prayer. God is biggest.

P R AY

The people of Lithuania are at risk from the decades long war between Russia and Ukraine. Pray for their safety, provision, and for the gospel to give them hope. And pray for Valdas and the churches in Lithuania as they seek to demonstrate God’s love and share the good news of Christ. Originally published in the Summer 2026 issue of Witness, Multiply’s quarterly magazine. Republished with permission. As the mission agency of the Mennonite Brethren of North America, Multiply is passionately focused on participating in God’s mission by helping disciples multiply, sending out missionaries, and partnering with nationals.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

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A pastor’s goodbye Gareth Goossen on faith, ministry, and the beauty of being called home BY LEANNE JANZEN

“S

omething strange has been happening,” Gareth Goossen remembered saying to his good friend and colleague Greg Reed last fall. “It seems like every time I do something that I’ve been wanting to do, I have this thought afterwards that it’s the last time I’ll be able to enjoy it.” When his friend Greg asked Gareth what he thought it meant, Gareth remembered saying, “I’m just wondering whether God’s preparing me for something.’” For the past 10 years, Gareth, 71, had been Pastor of Seniors Ministry at WMB Church in Waterloo and Kitchener, Ontario. He sat, prayed, comforted, and wept with countless people in their final stages of life on earth, as well as friends and family members as they processed and said goodbye. But a few months ago, Gareth learned that he would be helping his own friends and family say goodbye — this time, to him. A few weeks after his conversation with Greg, Gareth learned that he needed to have prostate surgery on December 1. After this procedure, he was informed that he had group two prostate cancer, which is easily treated by radiation therapy. But Gareth said his medical team wanted to give his body a chance to heal from the surgery, so the plan was to start radiation therapy in May. A few weeks before the treatment was set to begin, Gareth said he started to feel “clenchings” in his gut — a mix between feeling hungry, nauseous, and overstuffed. After a CT scan, it was discovered that he had a 2.5 cm gallstone. Gareth said he thought, “no big deal,” as members of his family have had gallstones before. However, even though he dramatically changed his diet — no fats, dairy, or spice — nothing eased his pain. Gareth said that his health challenges caused him to reflect on his father, who passed away from

“I just had this sense of God calling me home,” said Gareth. “I’d go for walks — I used to do lots of walks, not so much these days — where I’d spend time talking to the Lord, or listening to the Bible, or, you know, just in silence. All I kept hearing God say is, ‘I’ve got you. I’ve got you.’”

pancreatic and liver cancer at 77, and his brother Ted, who died of cancer at 70. “I just had this sense of God calling me home,” said Gareth. “I’d go for walks — I used to do lots of walks, not so much these days — where I’d spend time talking to the Lord, or listening to the Bible, or, you know, just in silence. All I kept hearing God say is, ‘I’ve got you. I’ve got you.’” Then, Gareth said, he was informed that he had a dark spot on his pancreas. On June 11, he had an endoscopic ultrasound to take some biopsies of the spots on his liver as well as on his pancreas. It was confirmed: his cancer was metastatic, rapidly growing and spreading. “I just had this overwhelming sense of peace, that I was in God’s hands,” said Gareth. His doctors told him that treatment was available, and at best, his life could be extended by six to nine months; however, they said, there were significant risks associated with treatment, including stroke, heart disease, perforated small intestines, and stomach cancers.

“I’m good with not fighting this,” Gareth said. “Because to me, it’s not a fight. It’s not a battle to be won. It’s a victory that already has been won and God has just invited me to the other side of it.”

“I’ve sat with seniors who have received end of life diagnoses,” said Gareth. “I’ve never heard one of them say, ‘I’m so glad I took chemotherapy and lengthened my life by three months.’ Each one said, ‘I wish I’d just let God take me and enjoy the time that I had with my family,’” said Gareth. “The beauty of what God is calling me to — it’s just so real and so precious and so indescribable,” said Gareth. “‘It is well with my soul.’ That sinks deeper than a lyric, that digs deep into the very marrow of your bones. And helps you understand who you really are,” Gareth said. He laughed, “I didn’t mean to wax poetic there!” “It’s hard to then look and say, yeah, two more months are worth all this other stuff I’ll go through.” When reflecting and talking about his ministry and how he has seen God at work in people’s lives, Gareth was moved to tears. He said there’s nothing that gives his heart more joy than to see “his seniors” live out their faith in real, tangible ways.

Gareth and Gayle Goossen were married for 48 years, parenting three children, and then being grandparents for five grandchildren. (Photo provided by Gareth Goossen.)

Gareth Goossen was the Pastor of Seniors Ministry at WMB Church in Waterloo and Kitchener, Ontario for 10 years. (Photo provided by WMB.)

As Pastor of Seniors, Gareth said he has also been blessed to be part of countless funerals. “I’m a crier,” said Gareth. “It’s rare that I don’t break up during a funeral. Doing a funeral for someone that you know is a lot easier than for someone you don’t know. But it’s also a whole lot harder because you now know them, and they are not just a parishioner, they are a friend.” At the time of our interview, he was on medical leave from WMB, and his pastoral heart continued to beat. As Gareth met with family, friends, and those from his congregation, he said he tried to graciously explain his decision to not pursue further treatment, understanding that their medical opinions and prayers for healing were rooted in their love and care for him. “One of the biggest things that I’ve been learning is that I need to let people grieve and weep,” said Gareth. “I need to let them grieve the loss, and to embrace their grief with them.” He continued, “There’s something that’s communicated in an embrace. Tears that are wept into someone’s shoulders can communicate more than anything that you might say or any Scripture you might recite. I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong about Scripture, but pain is something that is felt. Grief is something that is felt. Emotions need to be expressed for us to actually go through the true understanding of what it means to suffer.”

When asked about how people could pray for him, he requested prayer for his three adult children — that God would become more real to them, and that they would find God to be a strong support in their suffering. “That’s my deepest desire,” says Gareth. “There’s something beautiful about being involved in someone’s death. That maybe sounds a bit morbid, but I’ve been at several bedsides where people have died while I’ve been there or shortly after I was there,” Gareth said. “There are those poignant moments where there’s a sense of godly awe that enters the room. It is inexpressible, it’s that je ne sais quoi. God is present, the Spirit is here.” “I’m good with not fighting this,” Gareth said. “Because to me, it’s not a fight. It’s not a battle to be won. It’s a victory that already has been won and God has just invited me to the other side of it.”

GARETH GOOSSEN

was welcomed to the “other side of victory” on September 1, 2026. Our hearts grieve alongside his family, friends, and the community at WMB, and also celebrate that he is united with and worshipping King Jesus. To learn more about Gareth’s life and impact, click here.

MENNONITE BRETHREN HERALD

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Reconnecting to the Gospel BY BRIAN LOEWEN

atthew 4:23 and 25 tell us that “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. … Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him.” Wouldn’t it have been extraordinary to witness this firsthand? To be in-person as Jesus preached his good news and healed people’s diseases? To follow him around with the crowds? We can’t go back in time to hear Jesus, but fortunately, Matthew 5-7 gives us the message that Jesus preached. We call it “The Sermon on the Mount,” but Matthew presents this message as “the good news of the kingdom” or simply as “the gospel.” It is my belief that the church in Canada is suffering because we have a weak connection to this gospel. If we want to revitalize our faith and impact Canada for Jesus, we need to strengthen this connection and build on Jesus and his gospel as our foundation. The good news Jesus preached is that the reign of God (the Kingdom of Heaven) is breaking into the world, with a renewed covenant people who truly reflect God’s image. These people commit to regular training in Jesus’ way of radical righteousness — going beyond the Old Testament commands not to murder, commit adultery, or not to murder, commit adultery, or do no work on a Saturday. Jesus formed a people who would go the extra mile, turn the other cheek in the face of violence, and love their enemies. Jesus frames these practices as the fulfillment of the law’s deepest intent. Jesus, and those who follow him in this

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way, are salt and light of the world, seasoning it and enlightening it. After Jesus presented his gospel in plain language in Matthew 5-7, he remained focused on it through the rest of the book of Matthew. For example, he explained his gospel through many parables, saying the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, or yeast worked into dough, or a treasure buried in a field. At the climax of the gospel story Jesus dies on the cross, living out exactly what he preached in his gospel message: he absorbed evil without retaliation and loved his enemies to the end. It was a creative act of radical love that led to his resurrection, the coming of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church. Pretty awesome stuff! Just before Jesus ascended, he gave his followers the “Great Commission”: to go and make disciples of all nations, teaching them to obey everything he commanded them. Jesus fulfills the Old Testament by creating a renewed chosen people under a new covenant, who have God’s law written on their hearts and him as their King. These people, filled with his Spirit, fulfill the Abrahamic promise to be a blessing to all nations. This is Jesus’ gospel message that he preached to his followers in Galilee, 2,000 years ago. But how do we know if this gospel is true? Where can we see the evidence of this new chosen people with God’s law written on their hearts who are a blessing to all nations? We can see it and hear it in the community of believers in Jesus. Something real is happening. Lives are being transformed. Behaviour can be observed that is not easily explainable in terms of trying to get ahead or survival of the fittest. And we can see how talking about and celebrating Jesus and the Kingdom of Heaven he proclaimed reinforces it and causes it to grow. This lines up with Jesus’ promise, that wherever two or three are gathered in his name, he would be there. If I am sharing Jesus with someone, all I need to say is, come and see for yourself! Just like Phillip said to Nathaniel, when Nathaniel was skeptical. My starting point isn’t convincing non-believers about theological doctrines — I just need them to come and meet Jesus. Because it is real, the emerging Kingdom of Heaven could even be studied academically. Metrics measuring the new behaviours could be

produced. Although Jesus told us the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, small and easy to overlook — so the academic metrics may not be that helpful after all. Many of the decisions we make in life are without final proof. For example, many of us choose to get married even though we don’t have proof that our potential spouse loves us or that the marriage will end well. This is the nature of life — we need to make many of our most important decisions in faith, trusting that we have judged

The good news Jesus preached is that the reign of God (the Kingdom of Heaven) is breaking into the world, with a renewed covenant people who truly reflect God’s image. the evidence we see in front of us correctly. But we don’t make these decisions without evidence. It is the same with Jesus and his gospel. We can see the results in people’s lives. This is the reason we can feel some confidence in Jesus — because we can see the evidence for it in the real world. Ultimately, this is what it means for something to be true — that the words spoken or written correspond to reality. Unfortunately, Jesus and his gospel are mostly seen as irrelevant in Canada today. Commitment to Jesus and church attendance continue to decline. Where we do see church growth it is usually from immigration. This unfortunate situation is not because the gospel has lost its relevance. Rather, it is because of Christians’ weak connection to it. Like the communities of faith we read about in the Bible, we often lapse into idolatry. Idolatry refers to the practice of creating a god out of a piece of wood, a rock or perhaps fashioning it out of precious metals, like the golden calf the Israelites briefly worshipped at Mount Sinai. Idolatrous religion makes two fundamental claims: first there is a claim about who God is: “this piece of wood I carved is God.” And secondly there is the claim that everyone who worships the idol has

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God’s favour, while those who don’t are on the outside, enemies of God. Idolatry creates clean lines between who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. We don’t carve gods out of wood or stone today, but this same group mindset is at play whenever we put something ahead of the inner transformation in the way of love that Jesus describes in his gospel message. Maybe our idolatry is, for example, a particular theological tenant. “Everyone who believes X is saved, while everyone else is not.” Or perhaps it is a certain ritual like communion or baptism. This was an important part of what was driving the hostility towards the Anabaptists in the 16th century. The idolatry of the day put infant baptism as a key boundary line separating the good people from the bad people. So when Anabaptists

My starting point isn’t convincing non-believers about theological doctrines — I just need them to come and meet Jesus. started re-baptising people, it was threatening to the established order. It is a shame the church couldn’t remain focused on Jesus and his gospel in the 16th century. But the truth is, this is not an easy thing to do. Idolatry remains a great temptation because it makes the world black-and-white. The simplicity and clarity are attractive to us today just like they were in the 16th century and in Bible times. This group mindset is fundamental to creating a tribe. To make a tribe work, you need to have a tribal god. Idolatry simplifies faith into tribal boundary markers — who’s in and who’s out — rather than real-life inner transformation. We need to recognize the truth: practicing a particular religious ritual or believing the right theology or being a part of the right group, doesn’t make you righteous on its own. It is only faithful dedication to discipleship in Jesus’ way that results in you becoming part of the new chosen people, with God’s law written on your heart. At this point Christians often get lost in discussions of favourite Bible verses, doctrines, or arguments about whether salvation is through faith or works. It is fine to discuss theology, but

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it is unfortunate if the discussion leads us away from the real-life gospel message that Jesus preached. Each of us needs to use the eyes and ears that God gave us and recognize its reality. The Kingdom of Heaven is truly here. The new version of humanity that looks like Jesus is emerging. And the ones who are on the inside of this movement are the ones that are going through the inner-transformation Jesus described. Getting baptised, asking Jesus into our hearts, reading the Bible and going to church are very good things if they lead to the real-life inner transformation that Jesus described and demonstrated. But if they don’t, what value do they have? Idolatry is so tempting! Humans love the comfort of being in a tribe! But it is because we have given into this temptation so often that our neighbours in Canada find us irrelevant. Our neighbours can sense when our faith is self-protective rather than self-giving. Our neighbours can sense when we put up arbitrary boundaries to make ourselves feel good, versus when we are conduits of God’s love and grace into the world. It is such a shame because we are sitting on the gospel-truth that the world sorely needs. Tomorrow is Sunday, and I know what I am going to do. I am going to church. I am going because this is where the new humanity is emerging. I believe nothing in the history of the world compares to the significance of what I will participate in tomorrow. Jesus will be there and he will be making everything new! I am not going miss it. Of course, the significance of what I am participating in tomorrow won’t be obvious. We are flawed people. C.S. Lewis had it right in the Screwtape Letters when he described how people can be turned off by all the ordinary-looking people with ordinary problems that they encounter in church. But it is in this ordinariness that Jesus is doing his creative work, despite any imperfections we have. This is the good news Jesus proclaimed in Galilee 2,000 years ago. We will be blessed and fruitful if we embrace him as Lord and disciple ourselves in his way. BRIAN LOEWEN

attends Gateway South Osborne Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Previously he was a member of Fort Garry MB Church, River East MB Church and Newton Community Fellowship Church.

Q&R CORNER Q&R corner provides responses to questions that readers may have about CCMBC and its work collaborating with provincial MB conferences in areas of spiritual health and theology, leadership development, mission, and organizational health in order to achieve the overall mission: “To cultivate a community and culture of healthy disciplemaking churches and ministries, faithfully joining Jesus in his mission.” If you would like to contribute a question, please send it to questions@mbchurches.ca. Please note that we will not be using your name in the MB Herald Digest in order to respect those who prefer anonymity. There may not be space to respond to every question—and sometimes we might not really have the ability or authority to respond to some questions (for example, those that relate more directly to one of our provincial MB conferences or to a local church leadership). We apologize in advance if we are unable to publish a response to your specific question.

How should churches in Alberta respond to deep divisions related to separatism within their own membership and within their communities? —D. Thank you, D., for your very timely question. Although this is a question specific to Alberta, the principles have relevance across our national family. In terms of the specific question, Albertans will be asked to respond to this referendum question on October 19: “Should Alberta remain a province of Canada, or should the government of Alberta commence the legal process required under the Canadian Constitution to hold a binding provincial referendum on whether or not Alberta should separate from Canada?” Neither the biblical writers nor the MB Confession of Faith speaks directly to believers about how specifically to respond to this question. While there may be significant positive outcomes for Alberta (and possibly for the rest of Canada) if Alberta remains a province

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of Canada, there may also be significant positive outcomes if they decide to separate. This is a wisdom discernment question and not a biblical community hermeneutics question. In other words, this political question is about the application of practical wisdom rather than the application of biblical truth. Believers in our Alberta churches will undoubtedly come to different decisions here about what is wise or foolish, but they should refrain from claiming that God or the biblical writers stands with them against those on the other side. Staying together with Canada may be a wiser decision, or separation may be a wiser decision, but how to answer the question itself should not become a sermon topic during church worship gatherings or in Bible study groups. While the biblical writers do not answer the separation question, they provide plenty of guidance for individual believers who are passionate about supporting one side of this question or the other. What does primary allegiance to Jesus mean for believers when their and their neighbours’ lawns are filled with either blue (pro-separation) or red (pro-Canadian unity) signs? First, while political parties and movements can do some good, God’s kingdom does not depend on the political party of our

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Having one’s citizenship in “heaven” does not mean that believers should disconnect from the world, be unconcerned about political, economic, or environmental realities, and just wait to fly away to our heavenly home.

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dreams gaining an election victory or a referendum swinging in our direction. Article 12: Society and State provides a summary of relevant biblical truths here: Christian Allegiance in Society. The primary allegiance of all Christians is to Christ’s kingdom, not the state or society. Because their citizenship is in heaven, Christians are called to resist the idolatrous temptation to give to the state the devotion that is owed to God (1999 MB Confession). Our Confession is saying is that the “primary allegiance” of all Christians should be to Christ’s kingdom above anything else. This does not mean that we cannot have allegiances to other good things (e.g., a political party, a sports team, a club or organization) but NONE of these good allegiances should be allowed to hinder or threaten one’s primary allegiance. I can passionately express allegiance to something I consider “good” or “wise” but if my primary allegiance is to Christ’s kingdom, then I will subordinate every other allegiance as secondary to the health and wellbeing of God’s kingdom. This is a particularly relevant conviction in our 2026 secular context where, for many, the temptation is to place a high level of faith in politics which makes our differences more polarizing and our relationships more challenging. Having one’s citizenship in “heaven” does not mean that believers should disconnect from the world, be unconcerned about political, economic, or environmental realities, and just wait to fly away to our heavenly home. Instead, the declaration that our citizenship is in heaven means that our citizenship is in God’s kingdom. This is the kingdom that we are willing to die for. This is the kingdom that we are willing to give our lives for. This eternal kingdom is the only source of sacrificial love, joy, peace, beauty, goodness, justice, forgiveness, and truth. Second, while God’s kingdom is at work outside the church, the church is God’s primary instrument for the expansion of God’s kingdom in the world. Article 7: Mission of the Church provides this summary of the role of the church: The church as a body witnesses to God’s reign in the world. By its life as a redeemed and separated community, the church reveals God’s saving purposes to the world.

Because of the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, the church is politically aligned only with King Jesus and God’s multi-ethnic, international kingdom. It is the church (and no human political leader or party) that is promised that “the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matt 16:18). The church matters because God’s kingdom matters! It matters more than my happiness, my preferences, and my agendas. It matters more than any human political party or political movement. As a result, the church is to live out the values and truths of God’s kingdom, while at the same time inviting all people to become part of it because of the cross. Third, secondary allegiances that believers hold must never be allowed to destroy the shared bond and shared allegiance to Jesus and God’s kingdom that exists between believers, or the church’s witness will be destroyed in the eyes of the watching world. Article 13: Love and Nonresistance speaks to this: God’s Community of Peace. Believers believe that God in Christ reconciles people to Himself and to one another, making peace through the cross. The church is a fellowship of redeemed people living by love. Our bond with other believers of Jesus transcends all racial, social, and national barriers. If my bond with a political party or an economic agenda or anything else is of greater importance to me than my bond with other believers in my church community who are standing together worshipping King Jesus, praying to King Jesus, and sharing the bread and the cup, then I have lost the plot of the gospel. Fourth, the way to keep the main thing the main thing is to constantly remind ourselves of the big truths of the gospel. We gather regularly so the plot of the gospel can be elevated in our hearts and minds in a world that considers the gospel foolishness and irrelevant to the real powers behind our political, economic, and cultural realities. So we must continue to declare together that King Jesus has “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matt 28:18) and that he, and he alone, is King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev 17:14; 19:16) bringing his kingdom to earth as it is in heaven (Matt 6:10). We are kingdom citizens who are wearing a team jersey that declares we follow and worship King Jesus.

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We want to support, encourage, and celebrate everything that is good and lifegiving in our world, but seeking first God’s kingdom and his righteousness (Matt 6:33) should keep us from putting any other jersey over our King Jesus jersey.

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We want to support, encourage, and celebrate everything that is good and life-giving in our world, but seeking first God’s kingdom and his righteousness (Matt 6:33) should keep us from putting any other jersey over our King Jesus jersey. We must not give any other cause or any other individual the devotion that is owed to God. To conclude, let us pray that our brothers and sisters in Alberta would have wisdom as they respond to this referendum question on October 19. But even more than that, let us pray that in this moment they would shine forth as salt and light for King Jesus demonstrating that their bond of love with other believers transcends the forces of hostility and division that political allegiances often produce. It is for just such moments as this that the church by the power of the Spirit can shine forth as a community that is unlike all other human communities. It is a community where believers with very different signs on their front lawns can come together, bow before the cross, partake in the bread and the cup, and declare that King Jesus is our hope for life and peace. May that be our witness!

KEN ESAU

National Faith and Life Director

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Our CCMBC theme for 2026 continues to be Pray First! Pray Always! 1 Thessalonians 5:17 is the foundation verse telling us to “pray continually.” For 2026 we want to deliberately and intentionally pray for the “peace of Christ” to rule in our hearts (Col 3:15). When the peace of Christ rules in our hearts, we will have a peace with God that overflows into peace with others, peace with ourselves, and peace with creation. Each month, we will focus on a certain element of the peace of Christ so that we can more fully appreciate the depth and beauty of this peace and live it out in all our relationships. These prayers should lead us to greater worship of the Triune God who has brought peace through Jesus Christ (Acts 10:36). We are praying that the “peace of God, which transcends all understanding” will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:7). We are also praying that through our prayers we will become more faithful peacemakers who can rightly be called “children of God” (Matt 5:9) and “reap a harvest of righteousness” (Jas 3:18). Finally, we are praying for the peace of Christ to become real for family, friends, neighbours, and enemies who do not yet know this peace. May there be peace on earth! We are excited again this year to welcome a variety of writers from our MB family across Canada as they share their own insights and guide us to pray more faithfully. May 2026 be a year of transformation so that we would embrace and live out the peace of Christ faithfully in a world of hostility, vengeance, and violence! “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all” (2 Thess 3:16).

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PRAYING FOR PEACE IN SINGLENESS Note: The August 2026 Prayer Guide was about praying for “Peace in Marriage.” Now we have the opportunity also to pray for “Peace in Singleness.” We hope that we are praying regularly for all those in our churches--both singles and marrieds--so the peace of Christ is increasingly evident.”

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. —Colossians 3:12-15 (ESV)

I will be honest, I do not really want you to pray for singleness, which is ironic because I volunteered to write this piece. I think there are a number of single people out there who may have seen this month’s topic and cringed. Maybe you are waiting for me to give you platitudes about God’s timing, or tell you to simply be content, since it could be a lot worse. That is not my goal. My goal is to pray for peace, not for singleness, but for those who fit the category of single. I think what we often forget is that singleness is broad. Yes, it’s your 18-year-old college student that’s dreaming about “the one.” It’s also the 30-something, not-quite-a-young-adult anymore

wondering where they fit in their church family. It’s the 40-something young widow who has been thrust back into singleness against her will. It’s the 50-something divorcee who cannot believe life fell apart so fast. It’s the 70-something who never got married, despite everyone saying “the one” was out there. It’s the single parents who have to wrestle through how to raise a kid, and whether they want to invite another person into that parenting role. Or the one who struggles with same-sex attraction and is wondering whether a life of celibacy is in store for them. Singleness encapsulates so many different stories of hope, expectations, and often a certain amount of awkwardness and grief. This is not a one size fits all category. OK then, if singleness is so broad, what do we even pray for? Well, peace. My lovely sister in Christ, Terri-Lee Broesky used Colossians 3:12-15 to pray for marriages, and I really appreciated both her application of the text and her vulnerability. So I thought it would be great to see how this text also applies God’s peace to those who are single. The first few words remind us of where our identity should be fixed: “God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved….” Every person who has come to know Jesus as their Saviour is chosen, holy, and beloved. I have to remind myself of these words when I begin to wonder if there is something wrong with me, if God has forgotten me, or if I am incomplete. This text pushes back on those lies, reminding me that I am chosen by God, beloved by him. In fact, only a

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chapter before, in a long section about all we gain in Christ Jesus, Paul says that we are “complete in him” (Colossians 2:10). We are not completed in marriage, when we find our “better half,” rather we are complete when we receive Christ Jesus. Don’t hear me wrong, marriage is a beautiful covenant that points to our relationship with Christ. But the peace of Christ is that our identity is founded in our relationship with him, as God’s chosen, holy, and beloved. Now, living out of this identity, Paul tells us to put on “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Earlier this year my little sister had her first baby, joining my brother in the parent life. Now I am the proud aunty of two nieces and one nephew. I absolutely love the little kids in my life and my siblings, but I do need to be careful with my heart being the only single person in my family. It’s easy to compare my life to theirs, letting jealousy build and grow. It’s easy to become bitter when most conversations revolve around marriage or kids. And it’s easy to feel the pressure when well-meaning friends or family ask me why I haven’t found someone yet. When I feel my heart taking on these gross feelings, Paul reminds me of how I’m meant to relate to those around me. Not with jealousy, but with kindness, delighting in the different seasons we are in. Not with bitterness, but with patience recognizing the big season others are in, and forgiveness when it does become too much. Not with pressure, but bearing with one another, appreciating the care others have for me. On the good days, I’m able to remind myself of my identity in Christ, and love the people around me well. On the jealous days, I lay my heart back at Jesus’ feet, and ask for forgiveness. Lastly, Paul tells us to “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts….” I know for me, a lot of what singleness entails is grief of missed expectations. That expectation could be as simple as someone to do life with, or help me deal with my car, or pick up groceries on the way home, or to vent about my day. This can also be bigger, like the expectation to have a family, or someone to grow old with. For the

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singles who have never been married, this is the grief of unmet desires. For the singles who have been married, it’s the grief of losing that which you had before. These griefs can be big or small, but each of them are real, and Christ meets us in each of them. Sometimes he uses his church to remind me that, single or not, I am not alone, I have his body with me to do life with. Sometimes he simply meets me with his Spirit, reminding me that he is my refuge and my strength, and that I can lay every grief at his feet. For those who fit the category of single, I hope that the peace of God is able to dwell in your hearts. I pray that you know you belong in his body, the church. And I hope you know you are one of his chosen ones, holy and beloved.

CONSIDER:

for peace in our identity in Christ. ˚ Pray Pray for peace in comparison, that there ˚ would be both confession and forgiveness.

for peace in grief, that the church and ˚ Pray the Spirit would comfort God’s people.

Lord, we pray for those in our churches that find themselves in a single stage of life. You know their stories, and you walk alongside them on the good days and the bad. I ask that you would give them peace in who they are, a beloved child of God. When there is temptation to compare, give them compassionate hearts. When there is grief, surround them with your church and your Spirit, that they may know they are not alone. Thank you that you have not forgotten your people, that you are our refuge and strength all the days of our lives. J OY PEN N ER

is a Pastoral Intern at Northview Community Church, running discipleship programs for the Chilliwack church plant in Chilliwack, British Columbia.

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PRAYING FOR PEACE WITH OURSELVES “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” —Philippians 4:4-9

As noted in the preamble, “When the peace of Christ rules in our hearts, we will have a peace with God that overflows into peace with others, peace with ourselves, and peace with creation.” From January to March we focused on praying for peace in three of these primary spheres (peace with God, with others, and creation), and this month we’ll focus on the fourth: peace with ourselves. Anxiety is a hot topic in our modern culture, but as we stop to read the Bible it quickly becomes evident that this is not a 21st century phenomenon. From Genesis to Revelation, people are

exhorted to “not be afraid” 70 times, to “not worry” or not “be anxious” 10 times, and to “not fear” 15 times. It is evident that people have always struggled to obtain and maintain peace with themselves. Fortunately, our God has a solution! In Philippians 4, the Apostle Paul teaches that to have peace with ourselves we must:

1. Find our joy in Jesus (vv. 4-5).

Paul exhorts the Philippians not simply to “rejoice always,” but rather to “rejoice in the Lord always.” As he wrote this letter, Paul was in prison and also facing opposition from rivals (Philippians 1:1217). The Philippians were experiencing pressure from outside (Philippians 3:2) and from within (Philippians 4:2). Paul doesn’t sugarcoat these realities and command them to put on a happy face. Rather, he redirects their focus from their circumstances to their saviour. To have peace with ourselves, our joy must be found in the person and work of Jesus: his steadfast love and his sovereign power. Finding joy in Jesus allows people to be gentle with others (v 5). We don’t need to stand up for ourselves or fight for recognition when we are confident that the Lord is near. He knows what we are experiencing and is able to come to our assistance. Are you praying for peace with yourself? Find your joy in Jesus!

2. Focus our energy on prayer (vv. 6-7)

Next, Paul commands, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation… present your requests to God” (v 6). Redirect the fretful energy you are expending on worrying into fruitful energy spent in prayer! In order for our prayer life to be transformed, Paul adds an important how: with

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thanksgiving. If we simply bombard God with requests, our minds can remain fixated on the places we are not at peace. Learning to begin with thanksgiving teaches us to first remember how God has been faithful in the past and the present. This act of remembrance reshapes our perspectives. Our trust in God’s power grows bigger, and our problems appear smaller. As we redirect our energy away from worry and pray to God with thanksgiving, Paul affirms that God’s peace will guard our hearts and our minds in Jesus. As a Roman sentry would guard a city to keep intruders out, God’s peace will shield us from the enemies of worry and fear.

I find my joy in Jesus, focus my energy on prayer, and fix my mind on good things, I generally drift back off to sleep.

3. Fix our minds on good things (vv. 8-9)

As you pray this month, I invite you to pray for a greater experience of peace with yourself by praying for yourself and others in line with Paul’s teaching in Philippians 4. help me find my joy in Jesus. Show me ˚ Father, (or ) where we are seeking to find joy in our circumstances rather than rejoicing in who Jesus is and what he has done for us. when I (or ) find our˚ Father, selves worrying, help us to re-focus our energy on prayer. We choose to thank you for (in the past and present) as we ask for (in the future). Teach me (or ) to return to you regularly and continually so that your peace can guard our hearts and minds in Jesus. help me (or ) to fix our minds ˚ Father, on good things that bring you glory. Make us sensitive to the prompting of your Spirit so that we make choices with wisdom and discernment.

In the 1st century and the 21st century, people have the ability to decide what they want to allow into their minds. Paul reminds the Philippians that they are not victims of their culture, but can make responsible choices over what they read, watch, listen to and meditate on. There are things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy in the church and in the world. We can choose to fix our mind on these things and, as we do, the God of peace will be with us!

But does this work?

Several years ago, I was working through a number of circumstances that were beyond my control. I began to feel increasingly paralyzed. My stomach was tight, my heart was often pounding, my mind felt scattered, and every effort to achieve peace by completing tasks felt fruitless. As I read Philippians 4:4-8, I realized that I needed to chart a new course. Each time I felt the panic rise, I began to put a timer on for 15 minutes and forced myself to read the Bible and pray with thanksgiving until the time elapsed. At the beginning of this experiment I was setting the timer multiple times each day! But as weeks went by, I gradually began to experience a growing sense of God’s peace. My circumstances didn’t quickly change, but my trust in God’s power grew and his peace began to guard my heart and my mind. I still sometimes struggle to find peace at night when I should be sleeping. When I am awake and fretting, I often grab some earbuds and listen to worship songs or to the Scriptures being read. As

TO CO NS I DER:

Some people experience clinical anxiety which may require medical intervention and professional help, and I am grateful that counselling and medication is available for people in these situations. For those of us who are simply facing the worry and stress that comes from living in a world that we cannot control, Paul’s instructions in Philippians 4 can be a lifeline.

A N I N V I TAT I O N :

May the God of peace be with you!

K R I S TA L T O E W S

is Pastor of Discipleship at Northview Community Church in Abbotsford, British Columbia. She is also a member of CCMBC’s National Faith and Life Team.

In his new book, A Chronological History of Christianity, Wilfried Hein traces the people, events, and developments that have shaped Christian history, beginning with Jesus and continuing through the Renaissance. “This is a book that should be on the shelf of every Christian family as well as that of any student of history.” Keith Hostetler, M.Div.; B.Ed.; B.Sc.; Mathematics teacher The book can be purchased from Amazon, House of James (Abbotsford, BC), Mennonite Heritage Museum (Abbotsford, BC), or from the author directly (contact communications@mbchurches.ca for details). WILFRIED HEIN

is a member of Clearbrook MB Church in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

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A MOMENT IN TIME

H E P B U R N M B C H U R C H , S A S K AT C H E WA N | 1 9 61

The first phase of the Hepburn Mennonite Brethren Church in Hepburn, Saskatchewan opened on October 9, 1910 at a cost of $2,623.60. Most of the 78 charter members had recently immigrated from Nebraska. The tower and the side addition were completed in 1917. In 1927, when Bethany Bible Institute opened, classes were held inside the church for the first year. Note the separate entrances for men and women — both on the street and at the side entrances. The gothic windows and a three-storeyed tower were fine features for an immigrant farming community. The tower did not contain a bell. A new church building was constructed in 1966. Description and photograph by Jake Buhler. The photo was taken by Buhler in 1961 as a high school student, trying out his new 35 mm Anscoset camera. 28

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FINISH LINES

J O HAN (HANS) TO E WS Johan (Hans) Toews was born in Menno Colony, Paraguay, in 1945. He spent the first 22 years of his life in Menno Colony in a large family that prioritized worship and education. Hans grew up happily attending school and helping on the farm and later worked in the Colony Cooperative Store. Hans always talked about the great fortune of meeting the love of his life Mika Goertzen at the Loma Plata high school they both attended. Mika’s family made a decision to move to Canada in 1967. She told Hans she was willing to stay in Paraguay for him, but he knew better. Mika was very close to her family; it was important for her to be with them. After Mika left, he followed to make a fresh start in Manitoba. They married soon afterwards in 1968. Their first son Ron was born in 1969 and two years later a second boy, Ken, was born. The family was living in Winnipeg and Hans was working in a factory. He was dissatisfied with his work and heard from relatives about Vancouver, where winters were easy and opportunities in construction awaited. After a move to B.C., the family expanded with a daughter, Heather, born in 1975 and son Jonathan a year later. In Delta,

Hans started a construction business with his brother David. They found some success in residential construction in a booming economy. Hans started his own business and built many homes in the Lower Mainland. He continued this work, while prioritizing family above all else. The family eventually settled in South Surrey on an acreage, enjoying many years of happiness. Hans and Mika were wonderful grandparents to Hannah, Camryn, Lauren, Anna, Rueben, Sam, Liam, and Emily. Hans thoroughly enjoyed time spent with family and was especially proud of his grandchildren. The later years were challenging as Mika was diagnosed with cancer but endured bravely for 10 years. Hans became the ultimate caretaker, loving and caring for his sweetheart without complaint. Mika died in November 2021. It was difficult, but Hans carried on for his family and remained optimistic even when he was also diagnosed with cancer. His strength, good nature, and faith in God carried him forward but sadly he drew his last breath on September 12, 2026. He had his four children by his bedside expressing their love for this great man and wonderful father and grandfather. Birth: February 14, 1945, Birthplace: Menno Colony, Paraguay, Death: September 12, 2026, Parents: Bernard W. & Anna (Fehr) Toews, Married: Mika Goertzen, 1968, Family: children Ron (Andrea), Ken (Melanie), Heather (Arlon), Jonathan (Erin); 8 grandchildren, Church: Clearbrook MB, Abbotsford, B.C.

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