Mennonite Brethren Herald - July 2013

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8 SHIFTS IN WORLD MISSION STICKING TO CHURCH? An unfinished miracle Volume 52, no. 7 Publications mail registration number: 09648; Agreement number: 40009297

The Parable of the Mustard Seed (MATTHEW 13:31-32; MARK 4:30-32; LUKE 13:18-19)

J a m E S PaT E r S O N

Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed begins with the whimsical and poetic statement, “The kingdom of heaven is like...” (Matthew 13:31).

I imagine Jesus stroking his chin and looking at the sky above the crowds and wondering, “How am I going to explain to them where I came from, God’s dwelling place, heaven?”

Then he comes up with an image of something small that becomes big, something that provides shelter and a resting place for many. I’ve tried to apply this same sense of whimsy and poetry to my painting by showing birds of many shapes, sizes, and colours, inhabiting a safe and pleasant place together.

Canadian artist James Paterson works in different mediums and styles using visual language in its many forms and subtleties to communicate ideas. His aim is that all of his art would be redemptive – an allegory on ordinary life that reveals the reality of God in the world. “The Parable of the Mustard Seed” is from a series of Bible prints in Jim’s Grandiose Big Bible Picture Book and on www.jdpaterson.com.

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FEATURES 10 faithfulness in an unfinished miracle –Scott Cressman

14 peeling back the truth about youth and the church Hemorrhaging Faith report is a gift of data and story –Barrie McMaster

16 from the West to the Global south and back again 8 shifts in world mission –Randy Friesen

COLUMNS 4 editorial In defence of ordinary –Laura Kalmar CONFERENCE NEWS

8 Retiring administrator paid it forward

9 outfront What do you need?

–Willy Reimer

20 Viewpoint I’m sticking to church –Paul Esau

21 text message Isaiah 55:8–9 meandering lives –Bruce Enns

22 essay “Let the little children come to me”: On reproduction, abortion, and the miracle of life –Pierre Gilbert

39 intersection of faith and life This is the way love is –Phil Wagler

DEPARTMENTS 5

Letters

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Homepage

24 News in brief 25 News in story

CONNECT WITH US ONLINE FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/MBHerald TWITTER twitter.com/MB_Herald WEBSITE mbherald.com JOBS jobs.mbherald.com PDF SUBSCRIPTION Email kbraun@mbconf.ca to subscribe via email

30 Baptisms 31 Transitions, births, weddings 32 Finish lines [Obituaries] 36 Crosscurrents

Cover photo: a 2011 summer aCTION team participant in Dr Congo. young adults on the 6-week cross-cultural mB mission program work alongside local churches and ministries. www.mbmission.org/go#action mENNONITE BrETHrEN HEraLD

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Editorial In defence of ordinary L aur a K almar

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used to long for an extraordinary life. Once, I drove across Canada with a team of young adults on a short-term mission trip, vowing to live the rest of my days “sold out and radical” for Jesus. I wanted to stand out. I wanted to rise above the mediocre masses.

Back then, I would have resonated with the “Not Normal” MINI car commercial I saw recently.

Energetic, inspiring music plays as advertisers pitch a unique lifestyle characterized by an oversized duck strapped to the roof of a car

accomplish that. I’m not sure I have to be extraordinary to be happy or faithful in God’s eyes.

Rising to the top Extraordinary, by definition, means remarkable or unusually great. It’s marked by drive and ambition. To be extraordinary means you’ve trod over others – clambered and climbed and scraped and scratched – to get to the top.

Not everyone can be extraordinary. When someone achieves

Is the Christian life all about striving to be extraordinary, trying to surpass everyone else? and young people passionately kissing in an elevator.

“Normal is regular, average, medium,” says the voice-over.

“Normal is safe, familiar, warm, and comfortable. But normal isn’t great. Normal isn’t fantastic.

Normal can never be amazing.”

Who wouldn’t want to be amazing, fantastic, extraordinary?

A different story But I’m not convinced there’s anything wrong with normal.

It’s not that I don’t want to make an impact in this world. On my children’s lives. In my community. Among my family. For the sake of Christ.

I’m just not sure I have to do something extraordinary to 4

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the status of being extraordinary, others are left behind. Olympic gold winners are extraordinary, while hundreds of other athletes are just ordinary, even though their race times differ by mere fractions of a second.

When one church is extraordinary, other churches down the road are just ordinary, and may even be considered boring.

“Excellence is a top priority for many ministries,” writes Michael Binder in Leadership Journal.

“We’re all too familiar with what’s at stake. Do things with excellence (i.e., musical worship, preaching, children’s ministry, building space, and small groups) and your church will grow. Don’t do things with excellence and people will move

to the church down the street with better programs and more polish.”

Is this God’s intention? Is the Christian life all about striving to be extraordinary, trying to surpass everyone else? This perspective puts the emphasis on me, rather than on God. How easily we buy into the North American notion that life is a competition – against others and even against ourselves. Frankly, it’s exhausting.

And it wreaks destruction on the very community we’re called to build.

The deep, Christian life consists of finding fulfillment and grace in everyday, regular moments.

Getting back to ordinary As I watch people negotiate life’s bumps, hills, and valleys (such as teenager Lydia Herrle, featured on pages 10–13, of this month’s Herald, who’s recovering from a traumatic accident), I see many who long for ordinary.

People who are battling cancer long to feel normal again. People who are forced to negotiate difficult relationships – with a spouse, child, or co-worker – yearn for normal. People who are grieving over the death of a loved one ache to return to plain, old ordinary.

So today, I’ll take my cue from Paul in Romans 12:1: “Here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, goingto-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him” (The Message, emphasis mine).

That seems like a pretty extraordinary task to me.

Letters Catholics need to hear gospel Re “Pope Francis: What this new leader means for evangelicals” (Viewpoint, May). As a former Roman Catholic, I am deeply disturbed by Harold Jantz’s Viewpoint. In spite of Pope Francis’s PR abilities, he is the infallible head of the Catholic (universal) church, a role for which there is no biblical basis. Jesus Christ is the only head of the body. Roman Catholic dogma states that salvation is merit-based, dependent on personal works.

The good news of the gospel – salvation by faith, a free gift because of Christ’s once-and-for-all sacrifice – is not part of that dogma.

The Roman Catholic priesthood remains another serious issue. According to the book of Hebrews, our only priest is the Lord Jesus Christ.

To him, we confess our sins, and he forgives us. His death was once and for all, and is not to be repeated over and over as is pretended in the celebration of the mass.

The emptiness of Roman Catholic ritual has left a spiritual void in Quebec and a spiritual backlash that produced a widespread and hardened atheism. Roman Catholics are in dire need of hearing the gospel, and knowing the Christ of Scripture.

For all the changes made in their vocabulary, they have not made the corresponding changes in their dogma or in the meaning of their rituals. I plead with you to not lose sight of this reality. rÉGINaLD FauTEux STE-THÉrÈSE, QuE.

Don’t judge by appearance Re “When prodigal children don’t return home” (Features, May). A photo of a young man with a facial piercing and a red bandana accompanied the article to illustrate the concept of a prodigal child.

In that picture, I saw one of my worship leaders, one of my youth leaders, and a number of my youth – all who passionately love and serve the Lord. It hurt me to think we still make assumptions about who has fallen away from the faith, based purely on appearance.

Knowing the editorial staff of the Herald, I understand this wasn’t the intention, but the fact that this picture made sense to illustrate the article is an unfortunate sign of how we can easily still look at things.

When God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the new king of Israel, Samuel naturally chose the one who looked most like a king. However, God quickly rejected Eliab with these words from 1 Samuel 16:7: “The Lord doesn’t

see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (NLT).

I offer this as a caution, but I guess this starts with me, because I too make assumptions based on what I see. God, I pray for the wisdom to look at the heart first and foremost.

BEN HaraPIaK WINNIPEG

No question about Adam and Eve Re “Were Adam and Eve real?” (Letters, May). Gary Wiebe is disappointed the board of faith and life (BFL) statement on creation (March 2013) “implied Adam and Eve were historical persons”; I would have been disappointed in any other stance from the BFL. The BFL is in excellent company. The writer of 1 Chronicles gives the genealogy of Abraham, Jacob, and David – ancestors of Jesus – starting with Adam and his son Seth. The prophet Hosea mentions Adam by name as a transgressor. Luke’s genealogy of Messiah (Luke 3) traces all the way back to Adam. The apostle Paul refers to Adam many times. Jude says Enoch was the seventh from Adam, a distinctly “historical” way of describing him.

As Mennonite Brethren, we confess: “We believe that the entire Bible was inspired by God…. We accept the Bible as the infallible Word of God.” LOrNE WELWOOD aBBOTSFOrD, B.C.

“Did God really say…?”

Re “Were Adam and Eve real?” (Letters, May). Gary Wiebe indicates surprise that the BFL, in its statement on creation, implied Adam and Eve were historical persons.

It seems to me that disbelieving the reality of Adam and Eve is just the tip of the iceberg for some.

It brings up the question first asked in the garden of Eden: “Did God really say…?” (Note: I am not saying there were six 24-hour creation days, nor that the earth is only 6,000 years old.)

Jesus said he regarded the whole of the Old Testament Scripture to be valid, right down to the smallest letter or punctuation mark (Matthew 5:17–18).

Paul clearly believes that Adam and Eve were the first humans. And when they attempted to become as wise as (or wiser than) God, they polluted the whole human race with sin (1 Corinthians 15:22).

Let’s keep our minds and hearts open to truth from God. And let’s keep on praying for one another and dialoguing in love.

WaLT FrIESEN aBBOTSFOrD, B.C.

JuLy 2013 Mennonite Brethren Herald is published monthly 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. advertising and inserts should not be considered to carry editorial endorsement.

Winner of Canadian Church Press and Evangelical Press association awards for Writing, Design, and Illustration: 1996–2013.

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Display and classified advertisement copy must be received at least three weeks prior to publication. advertisements are priced at a rate for insertion in one issue or at a discounted rate for insertions in three or more issues (not necessarily consecutive). Classifieds are priced per line, with a minimum charge of six lines. staff Laura Kalmar editor Karla Braun associate editor audrey Plew designer Helga Kasdorf circulation + advertising angeline Schellenberg copy editor Barrie mcmaster B.C. regional correspondent CANADIAN CONFERStacey Weeks Ontario regional correspondent Advisory Council: Helen rose Pauls, B.C. Brad Sumner, B.C. Gil Dueck, Sask.

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Letters to the editor Mennonite Brethren Herald welcomes your letters of 150–200 words on issues relevant to the Mennonite Brethren church, especially in response to material published in the Herald. Please include name, address and phone number, and keep your letters courteous and about one subject only. We will edit letters for length and clarity. We will not publish letters sent anonymously, although we may withhold names from publication at the request of the letter writer and at our discretion. Publication is subject to space limitations. Letters also appear online. Because the Letters column is a free forum for discussion, it should be understood that letters represent the position of the letter writer, not necessarily the position of the Herald or the Mennonite Brethren church. Send letters to: Letters, MB Herald, 1310 Taylor Avenue, Winnipeg, Man. R3M 3Z6, or by email to mbherald@mbconf.ca.

THE mENNONITE BrETHrEN HEraLD IS a PuBLICaTION OF

mENNONITE BrETHrEN HEraLD

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homepage

FOR

goodness’ SAKE!

Leaders of MB conferences around the world pray for Etala David Solomon, representative of the Indian MB conference.

The body of Christ as the hands of God

Jesus bakes cookies: the peacemaking neighbour

“Ding dong!” answering the door, I saw only a pile of garbage and the quickly retreating backs of several 10-year-old girls. Not content to let this behaviour occur in my neighbourhood, I marched after them.

Giggles masked the girls’ nervousness as I confronted them. Giving them my name and address, I urged them to tell their parents about their misbehaviour – or else I would! But belligerence transformed into relief and surprise as I continued: “Next time you knock on my door, come inside for a visit instead, and we can bake cookies with my daughter.”—Submitted by a Winnipeg MB church member

PHOTO: HEINrICH KLaSSEN

Global family listens to God together

The ICOmB (International Community of mennonite Brethren) annual summit took place near Trujillo, Peru, may 21–27 under the theme Listening to God. all 20 global mennonite Brethren member conferences were represented. all delegates contributed to a study of Ephesians, establishing a community hermeneutic to discern the authority of ICOmB and putting forward the proposition that “global elders” be mobilized to resource and guide members.

Further, the u.S. mB conference sought feedback from the global community on a draft revision of article 13 of the Confession of Faith.

“God spoke to us in many ways,” says David Wiebe, ICOmB director, “and we tried to listen.”—ICOMB release

We want to hear your stories! Send your 50–200 word account of being or experiencing “the hands of God” to mbherald@mbconf.ca or 1310 Taylor ave., Winnipeg.

rorisang moliko grafts apple trees on a sunny day at Willow View Farms in abbotsford, B.C. From Lesotho, rori is in Canada with mCC’s International Volunteer Exchange Program, learning new skills that he’ll take home with him. Hosts murray and Cheryl Siemens have done small-scale farming, agritourism, and direct farm sales at Willow View since 1991. South abbotsford mB Church member murray has a degree in geography, loves farming, and loves sharing his knowledge: when the opportunity came to take on an IVEPer, he was very excited.—Angelika Dawson, MCC BC communications writer

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PHOTO: CHEryL SIEmENS

IVEP grows new skills

coming events Conference events:

Sept. 24–26: C2C Assessment Centre, Église Chrétienne Évangélique De Saint-Eustache, Que. Oct. 6–8: SKMB pastoral retreat, Dallas Valley Ranch Camp, Sask.

Oct. 6–8: ABMB pastor & spouse retreat, Best Western Pocaterra Inn, Canmore, Alta.

Oct. 16–18: BFL study conference, River West Christian Church, Edmonton.

Oct. 22–24: C2C Assessment Centre, Vancouver.

April 2014: PCO, ETEM, Montreal.

June 2014: PCO, MBBS Canada, Langley, B.C.

SHOPPING for GOOD The apr. 24 garment factory collapse that killed more than a thousand workers in Bangladesh brought attention to wealthy Westerners’ responsibility for our consumer choices. Fair Trade organization Ten Thousand Villages offers this advice for mindful shopping:

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Ask questions. If you’re unsure where a garment is made, ask the retailer. What kind of assurances can they give you that the piece of clothing was not made in a sweatshop?

Partner events: July 8–26: Bethany sports camps, Hepburn, Sask.

July 26–Aug. 4: SOAR Vancouver.

Aug. 4: 50th anniversary celebration, Pines Bible Camp, Grand Forks, B.C. Sept. 6–7: MCC Festival for World Relief, Abbotsford, B.C. Sept. 28: Mennonite Fall Fair, Prince George, B.C. Oct. 5: ETEM-IBVIE graduation, Montreal.

July 21–26, 2015: Assembly 16 Mennonite World Conference, Harrisburg, Penn.

View more events from churches, schools, and agencies at www.mbherald.com/coming-events.

GDon’t assume that because the item costs more, it was produced in an ethical way. In many cases, that’s true, but higher prices can also simply cover high marketing, branding, and supply chain costs.

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Demand good governance in the region. Boycotting Bangladeshi garments is not necessarily the answer. although tragedies make headlines, there are ethically run, safe, and respectful garment manufacturers in the country who employ thousands of men and women.

Ten Thousand Villages, a non-profit program of Mennonite Central Committee Canada, is the oldest and largest Fair Trade organization in North America and works with artisans who would otherwise be unemployed or underemployed.

“The Journey”

MB Herald recognized for good work The MB Herald took three honours at the annual Canadian Church Press convention in Toronto, may 16–17.

“We’re blessed to be part of such an esteemed group of publishers, editors, and writers,” says editor Laura Kalmar.

“Our involvement with the CCP encourages us in our work, and sharpens our skills as we continuously seek to find new ways to share the life and story of Canadian mennonite Brethren.”

Faye Hall

ORIGINAL ARTWORK CATEGORY 2nd place

“The journey,” from “Creativity begets creativity,” august 2012 Artist: Faye Hall Judge’s comments: “I’m drawn to the subject’s eyes. Every whisker and hair contributes to this piece’s hyper-realistic quality. Strong work.”

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE CATEGORY 3rd place

“mother loved coffee,” may 2012 Author: Dorothy Siebert Judge’s comments: “a strange but heartwarming story of how we cope with grief.”

EDITORIAL CATEGORY Honourable mention “Have you got a light?” December 2012 Author: Karla Braun Judge’s comments: “a wonderful call to see how inclusion starts with an attitude of openness.” mENNONITE BrETHrEN HEraLD

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Conference news Retiring administrator paid it forward AbbotsfoRd, b.C.

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t is not uncommon for Christians to see God’s hand in their lives through hindsight: seemingly unlikely occurrences make sense only later. marilyn Hiebert is someone who has marvelled at opportunities that seemed to come “out of the blue” – opportunities that formed a path for her Christian service.

The help she received along that path also gave her a passion to pay it forward, educating others, sharing advice, and helping colleagues gain more knowledge and confidence as they served the Lord.

June 30, Hiebert retired as Canada’s first mB provincial conference administrator.

She completed 12 years of service in B.C., innovating, caring for conference business, and mentoring local churches. She has now passed the torch to successor Betty-ann Dykshoorn.

Hiebert leaves a legacy. Before retirement, she worked hard to freshen and revise her exhaustive manual of church administration, Doing the Right Thing. She started an annual in-service training day, ChurchWorks, for church leaders of all stripes, adding to the offerings and making improvements each year. She chaired the non-denominational National association of Church Business administration (Canada/uS Pacific Border chapter), building in training days and encouragement for members at regular intervals. always available at the end of a phone line or by email, Hiebert was free with her advice to church leaders and office administrators calling for help on a variety of problems. She is grateful that the expertise she attained in banking could help local churches acquire land or buildings for ministry.

Hiebert also administered conference affairs, helping with provincial business, Stewardship Ministries conference boards, and special projects as she oversaw BCmB financial operations.

Hiebert joined the B.C. conference staff 12 years ago, after being personally recruited by then-conference minister Ike Bergen.

He had been impressed by her work in the

Canadian conference and other venues.

Bergen says he was struck by three qualities: her godliness, obvious love for church and conference, and amazing business acumen and administrative skill.

Hiebert is not unaware of how God prepared her for the position. She’s rooted three generations deep in the mB family in Canada – a heritage she values. after three terms’ attendance at Columbia Bible Institute (now Columbia Bible College), she was approached to work for East Chilliwack Co-op Credit union (now Envision). ultimately becoming an account manager, she learned how to read financial statements and assess mortgage loan applications – invaluable preparation for her later conference work.

There were interruptions in her career path, but even some of those elements became useful in Hiebert’s BCmB role. after one time out from finances, she was persuaded to keep the books for abbotsford’s Central Heights Church. Then one day, administration and missions pastor Henry Wiebe, her mentor (and boss) at CHC, told her of a newly created administrator position at nearby Bakerview Church, and suggested she apply. She doubted she would qualify, but applied and got the job – and kept on learning. (“I read a lot in those days!”) Then, one day, came the call from the B.C. conference. more reading! as she settled into the routines and needs of BCmB’s operations, Hiebert found herself with an additional role as educator. She was being asked more and more questions, which developed into a ministry to local churches. She says her lengthy explanatory emails became notorious.

That service to churches was a great gift, according to Ken Braun, lead pastor of Port Coquitlam’s Hyde Creek Church. He said her counsel and expertise constituted a critical piece in Hyde Creek’s eventual building acquisition (see “Hyde Creek is finally home,” November 2012). Working with Hiebert, he says, “you caught that sense that serving

PHOTO: Laura KaLmar

of time, talent, and treasure.

Encouraging Christ-centred stewardship Marilyn Hiebert

the Lord and his church was always number one with marilyn.”

Bev amendt, administrator at North Peace mB, Fort St. John, says Hiebert was her “go-to person” for years. She says Hiebert had great patience, broad knowledge, and a keen ability to clarify issues. amendt singles out Doing the Right Thing as an invaluable resource on risk management.

One of Hiebert’s hopes as she retires is to see BCmB and church plants work more closely together “so that planters and their volunteer groups are already integrated administratively” before the plants become full churches. She believes the conference needs to work “more intentionally” with these new congregations.

Former conference minister Steve Berg paid tribute to Hiebert’s work at the BCmB convention in may. He spoke of her integrity, competence, and good judgment, adding, “It was a job incredibly well done.” and now, in July 2013, she is enjoying what she looked forward to doing: spending time with her children, their spouses, and three grandchildren. Later, perhaps next year, marilyn and her husband rudy will do some travelling, offered by the conference as a retirement gift.

She knows without doubt what she will miss most as she leaves the office on South Fraser Way, abbotsford. “I’ll miss the people.”—Barrie McMaster, B.C. correspondent

(Psalm 24:1 NIV)

in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

“The earth is the Lord’s and everything

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Outfront

What do you need?

W I L Ly r E I m E r

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s I sat around the table at the International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) gathering in Trujillo, Peru, discussing our shared ministry, I began to reflect on the nuances and challenges of partnership.

The biblical mandate for Christians to minister in partnership is indisputable. But we can easily make some false assumptions when partnering across socioeconomic and geopolitical lines:

partnering unless both parties are giving and receiving from each other.”

Mutua l need and benef it are foundational to healthy partnerships.

Unfortunately, the Western church often operates as if we don’t need others. Individuals who attain financial independence tend to be quick to give and slow to receive. Churches that have grown beyond several hundred often adopt a corporate expression of the same self-sufficient mindset.

If we see ourselves – personally or corporately – as having no need, we misapply the gospel. Scripture assumes we will always have need. Therefore, Paul

A slave often passes on what’s been given to him: abuse, violence, marginalization, and dehumanization. When someone like that rises to the throne, the fallout can be terrible.

On the other hand, someone raised to be an honourable king serves the greater good of the people. He recognizes that his authority isn’t for his own gratification but for the benefit of his citizens.

A good king is generous, fair, and just.

He protects the poor and shares liberally with others.

Jesus said, “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return” (Luke 12:48, NLT). Indeed, the

Encouraging Christ-centred stewardship of time, talent, and treasure.

1. If we have wealth, we don’t have need.

2. If we’re poor, we having nothing to offer.

3. If we’re educated, we have nothing to learn.

(Psalm 24:1 NIV)

4. If we’re uneducated, we have nothing to teach.

5. If we’re a large church or denomination, we’re successful.

Mutual need and benefit are foundational to healthy partnerships.

“The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

A number of years ago, I attended a conference in England and had the privilege of sharing a dinner table with missionary Jackie Pullinger. As we discussed the impoverished community in Hong Kong where she ministers, Jackie reminded us – who mostly came from affluent parts of the globe – that we’re all poor in some way. We all have need, whether we realize it or not.

I recently heard two statements from Christian leaders that stopped me in my mental tracks.

The first was tongue-in-cheek: “We don’t share anything we don’t control.”

There’s probably more truth to that statement than we want to admit. Christians are often slow to trust, quick to assume ulterior motives, and even less motivated to share if it means loss of control. No wonder Jesus prayed for unity!

The second statement was equally humbling: “Partnering is not actually

outlines the way we must rely on one another: “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27, NLT).

When we share our resources but not our need, we dehumanize ourselves and others. When we share our need, we level the playing field of relationship.

Proverbs 30:21–22 is a somewhat obscure passage, but masterfully lays out the same principle: “There are three things that make the earth tremble – no, four it cannot endure: a slave who becomes a king, an overbearing fool who prospers” (NLT).

The earth shudders when someone with the mindset and disposition of a slave acquires the power and authority of a king. We may think it’s wonderful for a slave to rise to the level of king – very Joseph-like! But often, the heart of a slave is focused on survival, clawing at whatever can be acquired and trying to advance within oppressive power structures.

Western church has been given much. But the greatest application of that gift can only be discovered when we see our need in the same light as we see our resources.

For the church in Canada to truly thrive, we must share our gifts and our needs. To share is to relinquish control and follow the Holy Spirit’s leading. To share is to humble ourselves and build intimacy in relationship. To share is to give voice to the reality that we are not self-contained creatures or organizations.

To share is to recognize that others have something to give us that we cannot give ourselves. To share is to open the door for God to release the fruit of the Spirit into our lives and communities.

So, what do we need?

Stewardship Ministries

6. If we’re small, we’re unsuccessful.

Willy Reimer is CCMBC executive director and lives in Calgary with his family. mENNONITE BrETHrEN HEraLD

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faithfulness

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“You’re constantly asking God for what you want. But trusting God is surrender,” Michelle says.

“There are some days when we sing, and some days when we cry.”

James and Michelle take each day as it arrives. Seeking God’s presence each day and giving thanks in uncontrollable circumstance has been hard. Their faith has sheltered the family through each challenging stage, and God provides Joyful in hope strength.

Life changed on May 17, 2012. A “Our story has been one of hope, truck driver, distractedly reaching for a right from the start,” James says. “For cigarette, hit Lydia Herrle as she got off us as Christians, there’s also the hope a school bus near her family’s Waterloo beyond recovery.” region farm. The impact sent the 13-yearThe family tries together to remain old flying and inflicted serious brain faithful to the biblical command to be damage that left her in a coma. After joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and weeks in a Toronto children’s hospital, faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12). she slowly emerged from the darkness.

“It’s an altering of our hearts,” Michelle says. “By praying, we realized Now Lydia lives at home, where ongoing we can’t do this, and put it in God’s therapy has helped her relearn how to hands.” walk and speak again.

The words of Psalm 27:13–14 have Facing a long and uncertain recovery, the Herrles are learning how God’s provi- also come alive over the past year, she adds: “I remain confident of this: I will sion unfolds over the long haul when life takes an abrupt and permanent turn see the goodness of the Lord in the land toward challenge and heartache. of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong “It’s been a long journey, and the end is and take heart and wait for the Lord.” not really in sight,” Michelle says. “When I Waiting is a necessary part of healing look back on the year, we have really been for Lydia’s brain. Every day, the now supported in some incredible ways.”

14-year-old is making progress and In the moments and months since relearning old skills. She works hard to the accident, the Herrles have learned perfect brushing her teeth and regain to release control. Brain injuries are too her piano-playing technique. Her walk unpredictable to make a timeline for has steadied enough that she can move Lydia’s full recovery – if it ever comes. without assistance, but she still needs That means loosening their grip on hopes constant supervision through the day. that Lydia will become the same girl she And what she really wants now is was before the accident. to run.

miracle SCOT T CrESSmaN

PHOTO: SCOTT CrESSmaN

very night before bed, James and Michelle Herrle pray with their sons Sam and Ben that their daughter and sister Lydia will be healed. It’s the same prayer they’ve offered for more than a year.

The Herrle family continues to be shaped in unexpected ways after an accident forced them to hold tight to hope and God’s faithfulness.

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endless hospital visits, the excitement and frustration of recovery, and hope and peace found through Scripture and resting in God’s faithfulness. The blog has nearly 1.6 million views, a testament to how Faithful in prayer Lydia’s story has gripped people across Canada.

The Herrles’ challenges have opened the door Through the past year, the family has remained to caring conversations with countless strangers, faithful in prayer, and the community has followed James says. People seem more comfortable opening suit. Since the day of Lydia’s accident, prayers have up to share their own stories and struggles. The bloomed around the family and spread through the family can share how their faith has sustained them, community. Support quickly expanded far beyond and they have also tried to model forgiveness toward the Herrles’ church family at Waterloo Mennonite the driver who caused the accident.

Brethren. Ribbons in Lydia’s favourite shade of green Boxes filled with hundreds of cards and letters were tied to hundreds of trees, lampposts, and car from well-wishers are stored in the Herrle house. antennas as reminders of the prayers sweeping across Many are from people who never met Lydia but the community.

“People say to me, ‘I’m not a praying person, but I’m have been touched by her journey. And Waterloo praying for your daughter,’” Michelle says. “It’s a really MB Church has been unified in support through the early crisis moments and the ongoing humbling thing to have people you don’t really know say they are investing in your family with prayer.” challenges.

“It really was overwhelming how much connecThe family has openly shared their journey tion people felt. For a period of time, we felt like through the media and a blog Michelle uses to Lydia was our community’s daughter,” James says. chronicle their story in writing. Her entries describe

PHOTO: COurTESy HErrLE FamILy

As much as her parents wanted a dramatic “rise and walk” moment for their daughter, healing has come one step at a time.

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Patient in affliction But Lydia’s brain and body are not the same, and she continues to work with therapists to improve her speech, movements, and memory. She wants to rejoin her peers in school, but her cognitive ability and concentration are not yet ready. Progress comes in small steps.

“As much as she’s recovered extraordinarily, she’s not the same girl,” James says.

“It’s a lot like we’ve been given a new daughter,” Michelle says.

But a matching shift has occurred in her parents and brothers, who also aren’t the same. James says walking this road with Lydia has revealed a new type of beauty in his daughter, a beauty different from what the world considers valuable. “We’re being constantly transformed.”

“We’ll never be the same again, in good ways and hard ways,” Michelle agrees.

Some days, seeing the blessings within their family’s journey is a struggle. Other times, the Herrle’s recovering daughter is a revelation. In the

earlier stages of her injury, Lydia had a serenity and child-like faith that amazed her parents. “Do you know Jesus?” she would ask anyone without reservation. Her simple, loving prayers, spoken alone in her room, sounded like a personal conversation with God. “There were moments when both of us felt we were on holy ground,” James says. “It drew us in more than we could have imagined.”

Lydia’s improvement can be a slow, day-by-day process. But the therapists who have watched her progress since last summer say her recovery has moved faster than any they’ve ever seen.

“We feel so blessed because we’ve had a frontrow seat to a miracle,” James says. “I’m keenly aware that we’ve been given a second chance with Lydia.”

For now, Lydia continues exercising and working toward a day when she can run smoothly again. Her family has released their future into God’s hands. And green ribbons still wave around the region, reminders of a community united by prayer.

Scott Cressman is a journalist and a member of Glencairn MB Church in Kitchener.

PHOTO: SCOTT CrESSmaN

There are some days when we sing, and some days when we cry.

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peeling back the truth

about youth and the church

Hemorrhaging Faith report is a gift of data and story

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anada’s churches have been given a gift, and its authors have been travelling the country to help unwrap it. The gift is the first major contemporary study of Canadian young people who were “raised Christian,” or as MBs often say, “grew up in a Christian home.” Only one in three of these people, aged 18–34, is still in church.

The other two are gone, and the question is “why?” Why do they leave, stay, or return to church?

Hemorrhaging Faith, a study under sociologist James Penner and project director Rick Hiemstra, was commissioned by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and additionally underwritten by other Christian organizations.

What’s the problem?

Penner, lead author, wants the real contribution of this project to be fact-based discoveries that are useful to the kingdom of God. His team provides hard data churches can use to address the attrition of their young people. As he leads workshops across the country, he is happy that the study is a conversation-starter.

Penner says the gatherings draw “change agents – in a good way.” He finds an optimism in workshop attenders who seem confident that “we can make a difference and we want to.”

Hemorrhaging Faith “is not just an academic project,” says Penner. “It is a practical tool that shows that faithfulness to Jesus can be nurtured in the 21st-century, and when it’s shared with churches, it becomes a conversation piece.

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“We get to come in and just give this encouraging message.”

Some of the study’s findings are new to church leaders; others are reminders or confirmation of what leaders already know.

3The greatest church-leaving age is not after high school graduation, but in or after middle school.

3Times of transition put young people at highest risk of dropping out of church.

3Parenting and the home environment that model faith as a way of life are the most important spiritual influences on children.

3Teen and young adult cultures emphasize experience to define what is true; today’s young generation does not respond to theoretical education alone.

3A church community that’s active, supportive, and intergenerational is a major influence on keeping young people in the faith.

3Churches open to “going deep” with teens and young adults address questions youth may be wrestling with (issues of identity, Lordship of Christ, living in faith, ethics, Canadian cultural norms). These types of conversations also give young people a sense of being included in the church family.

Methodology

The study involved a hybrid research design, drawing upon the strengths of two approaches.

First, detailed individual interviews were

Penner’s “gift unwrapping” started with an invitation to present the study results in Moncton, N.B., last September. Since that time, he has visited Canadian cities from the Maritimes to B.C. This spring, he was invited to Abbotsford to do a series of workshops, and since then has been to Winnipeg, Calgary, Kitchener, and Victoria. And so it may continue for the Albertabased professor who teaches sociology of youth at the University of Lethbridge, where his mentor and colleague Reginald Bibby does his renowned sociology of religion work.

Penner’s workshops normally consist of a series of meetings involving denominational church leaders, parents, students, and others who are interested in young adults and their spiritual welfare. The study report sprinkles questions throughout its 100-plus pages, and these normally form the basis of table discussions and plenary sessions. Because the study covers the full sweep of Canada’s trinitarian denominations, the workshops also draw widely from a variety of church organizations.

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36%

Minority are church service attenders; somewhat positive about church’s contribution; many have conflicting lifestyle choices; find it hypocritical to attend church; most don’t read the Bible but still pray; wish churches were “something more.”

26%

ILLuSTraTIONS: auDrEy PLEW

“UNWrappINg” WorKshops

Regular church service attenders; more likely female or have immigrant parent; report experiencing God’s love and prayers answered; given opportunity to lead in church; likely experienced Christian camps, mission trips; likely had parents with consistent faith.

Almost never attend; think church has positive societal role, just not for them; almost never pray or read the Bible; some hold to religious identities for families, others write off organized religion.

15%

Almost never darken the door of church; half are now atheist; almost all have no connections with organized religion; more likely male; report no experience of God’s love or answers to prayer; cynical of the motivations of Christians; find churches judgmental and hypocritical; reject Christian moral teachings; very few had opportunities to lead in church; almost none had consistent faith modelling by parents. mENNONITE BrETHrEN HEraLD

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Text adapted from rick Hiemstra in Faith Today. used by permission. www.faithtoday.ca

conducted with 72 people, aged 18–34, who were “raised Christian.” Those interviews (collected, transcribed, and analyzed by young adult researchers Rachael Harder and Erika Anderson, and francophone sociologist Bruno Désorcy) produced many insights for the research team and provided the basis for the second phase, survey questionnaires (administered by the Angus Reid Group), answered by 2,049 people in the same age group. The sample of young adults ranged geographically across Canada and denominationally from Roman Catholic to evangelical.

Additional sponsors who joined the EFC initiative (begun with a budget of $67,000 March 2010) enabled the research team to be thorough and comprehensive as costs rose to three times higher than the original budget. The project was finished and results were announced in September 2012. The full report is downloadable (for $15) at www.hemorrhagingfaith.com.

23%

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West Global South

& BAC K AGAIN

E I G H T S H I F T S I N WO R L D M I S S I O N r aNDy Fr IESEN

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n March, a unique group of leaders met together in North Thailand.

In the mix were 20 North American church planters and mission leaders, along with 20 church planters from the growing K*mu Mission Conference. We gathered at MB Mission’s Changed Life Center for a DNA exchange summit, hoping to learn from each other and discover what God was teaching us about faith, hope, and love.

One of the most compelling stories was that of the K*mu conference. Over the last 15 years, the conference has grown from several hundred believers to more than 40,000! The MB Mission team leader for the region is PK, who serves an apostolic role by providing encouragement, counselling, and mentoring to others. It’s not unusual to hear PK tell of whole clans and villages responding to the gospel.

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An MB Mission team is supporting PK with leadership training, discipleship, and resources. We continue to ask what we can learn from our K*mu and Thai brothers and sisters and their mission story.

As our DNA exchange summit convened in North Thailand, I thought back to another – and somewhat different – missionary story of pioneer Frank Wiens, who sailed for East Asia in 1912, settling in a city in Ch*na.

Frank planted churches and began a pastor training school, clinic, and numerous other community development projects.

While most of the buildings and institutions Frank established haven’t survived the challenges of the past 60 years, the disciples he invested in and principles he lived out not only survived – they thrived.

Although today’s mission focus remains the same – to make disciples of all nations – pioneer cross-cultural ministry looks different today than it did 100 years ago. The following are eight key shifts in the way MB Mission does its work around the globe.

1

From addition to multiplication.

While some of our work still involves Western Christians living in least-reached communities and planting churches one disciple at a time, we’re increasingly focused on discipling indigenous missional leaders who in turn disciple others (2 Timothy 2:2) within larger church planting movements.

For these movements, discipleship through multiplication is the key to church planting. For example, MB Mission trained 1,237 leaders in 2012

PHOTOS: COurTESy mB mISSION

through ministries like our Changed Life Center in Thailand.

Multiplying healthy disciples and missional leaders is the central aspect of our work, as we embrace the vision God has given us of “holistic church planting that transforms communities among the least reached.”

2

simple act symbolized our common humanity, and recalled Christ’s model of servant leadership.

When we consider Jesus’ example, we realize power is best expressed as sacrificial love. When sacrificial love is the foundation of our partnerships, we’ll use our power to serve rather than control.

Mennonite Brethren have a unique opportunity to express this kind of love thanks to the International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB), which provides a context for equal partnerships among MB churches around the world, including new opportunities to serve together in mission.

From being in charge to developing equal partnerships.

During a recent visit to Ind*a, my team and I had the privilege of serving at a number of pastor-focused Bible conferences. We explored the themes of faith, hope, and love and their practical expression in our lives.

During our discussion about love in the way of Jesus, we washed each other’s From ownership to “we own feet according to John 13. It was a nothing and count nothing as profound moment. A number of pastors ours.”

This open-handed approach to commented it was the first time they vision, projects, and people releases us had experienced foot washing. This

3

to explore new partnerships, opportunities, and methods without considering who gets the credit or the bill. Vision (rather than structure or position) leads the way.

For example, the Abundant Life Home HIV orphanage project in Thailand is bringing together business people, medical professionals, construction trades, mission workers, and generous donors to reach at-risk children with the gospel.

MB Mission works with strategic partners around the world every day to live and proclaim the gospel in culturally relevant ways.

4

From global mission to local, national, and global mission DNA reproduction. For the past 25 years, we’ve been training youth and young adults in mission discipleship here in North America alongside local

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church plants, believing that both local and global mission share a common DNA. When Jesus commanded us to go, his strategy included “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth.”

Sharing and living the good news must first be experienced in our own neighbourhoods if we’re to have an impact on the ends of the earth. Similarly, God’s activity at the ends of the earth can strengthen our missional DNA at home.

Regional and national MB church planting strategies now link with our global mission strategies in a much more synergistic manner. North American church plants are offering global mission-worker internships. And church planters from around the globe – from places such as Southeast Asia and North Africa – are training North American church planters.

The world has become our classroom.

5

From Western mission workers to global mission workers. While mission used to be “from the West to the rest,” it’s now from everywhere to everywhere. Last year, half the participants in our long-term mission training program were from conferences outside North America. Workers from Latin America, Europe, and Asia are joining North Americans in blended teams to plant churches and equip local leaders in least-reached people groups.

Our international partners have blessed our teams with their spiritual gifts of prayer, contextual sensitivity, and perseverance. Of course, there are significant challenges when we bring diverse cultures together onto ministry teams. However, if we embrace them, these encounters can shape and transform us into God’s holy people.

6

From competition to cooperation. While I occasionally hear leaders using competition language

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within various MB ministries, this grabmy-pieceof-the-pie approach to funding and resources is being replaced by a new appreciation of the synergies possible when we work together. The local and global dimensions of mission serve one another if we focus on our common DNA before individual strategies.

Today’s formal (degree-based), non-formal (seminars, intensives), and informal (mentoring, coaching) expressions of education and training are all valuable, especially when they’re coordinated and interwoven. Studying, mentoring, coaching, discipling, and serving are all essential in preparing and developing missional leaders.

Similarly, within the global mission arena, we’re growing and benefitting from partnerships with other ministries that specialize in particular areas. We desire to serve with open hands, sharing what God has given us and learning from others.

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8

From an emphasis on brand to Christ’s bride. How does MB Mission serve with integrity in our consumer-driven culture of marketing and brand? Jesus calls us to embrace our true identity as disciples living together on mission.

We are his church, his bride, living for his glory – this metanarrative trumps our individual stories of mission and institutional distinctiveness. With every Witness magazine or story we publish, we ask, “Does this piece give glory to God or are we focusing on the wrong thing?”

We want to set our eyes on Christ’s bride and her call, rather than our brand. We don’t negate the importance of clarifying vision, mission, values, and strategy as an MB Mission family. But knowing who we are and what God has called us to makes us better partners who celebrate God’s larger mission story and all the pieces that contribute to it.

MB Mission has deep roots that provide strength in an era of rapid change.

But with change come new opportunities. We have a chance to reflect on our values, outcomes, and God’s invitation to us all as sisters and brothers – whether from Canada, Thailand, China, or the ends of the earth.

From agency-based mission to church/agency synergy. As local churches express increased interest and engagement in global mission, we’re redefining the relationship between mission agency and church. Some larger churches are hiring mission pastors who have significant budgets at their discretion. This increased ownership in mission vision and strategy on the part of some churches requires mission agencies to function more like consultants Randy Friesen is the than promoters. The challenge lies in director of MB Mission. avoiding only short-term strategies and outcomes, while still encouraging strong This piece originally appeared in the June/July 2013 Christian local church mission involvement and Leader. ownership.

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hoW do yoU taKe yoUr ChUrCh?

Many attendees at the Hemorrhaging Faith sessions have commented on the usefulness of four basic categories used by the researchers to define young adults. Penner’s team named the four: Engagers (“Church is good” – 23 percent of respondents), Fence Sitters (“Could I have church on other terms?” – 36 percent), Wanderers (“Church is not for me” – 26 percent), and Rejecters (“Church is bad” – 15 percent). Penner says these typologies have provided a language for the church to talk about the clusters of thoughts and behaviours that shape young adults’ ways of viewing Christ, Christian lifestyles, and church life.

The clusters are well described by Rick Hiemstra in Faith Today, who announced the research findings in the magazine’s autumn 2012 issue. (See sidebar pg. 15) Penner identifies four “present drivers of faith and church,” noting that young adults who were “raised Christian” encountered: 3spiritually consistent parents, 3personal experience of God, 3vibrant intergenerational church, 3powerful biblical teaching.

The survey shows that emerging adults strongly believe “what I do is synonymous with who I am.” That means that a personal criticism from the church about behaviour, according to prevailing belief within the age group, is understood as criticism not of “what I do” but “who I am.” In this framework, it can follow that “there is no room for me in this church.”

Sex in an age of delayed marriage is one such issue. Penner tells of one interviewee who lamented that people used to hit puberty at 13 or 14 and get married at 17 – which was three years of being “horny” – but now many are not marrying till their 30s. The church’s present discourse is not helping young people navigate this terrain, says Penner. Biblical teaching must help young people engage their experiences and lifestyle issues.

Penner says conversations at deeper levels help.

“Are we engaging people through pat answers or thoughtful theological and pastoral analysis?”

pareNts are paramoUNt

Hemorrhaging Faith confirms the view that parenting is the most crucial part of a child’s development.

“So, how can we help parents?” Penner asks. The study shows that, by watching their lives, children learn from parents and other close adults who allow themselves to be broken and in pursuit of healing. Being honest and transparent with others “because Christ defines me” is a strong example to maturing young people, he says. “One of the key elements in that position is, ‘I am not defined by my sin.’”

The study showed a strong correlation between parents’ overt practice of their faith (at-home prayer and devotional time, Bible reading, willingness to talk about how faith applies to life) and their children’s own adoption of Christ as their Lord.

To help others encounter and trust God, says Penner, “we need to model a posture of radical trust ourselves, believing without hesitation – like Jesus did – in God as our loving and forgiving Father.”

Church also plays a significant role, the study shows. Not only is the church’s importance to parents a determining factor in young adult attitudes to church, but being accepted and valued, having a chance to try their gifting, forms a profound influence on who stays and who leaves.

prophetIC Words “How do we value young people?” Penner asks. “How do we make our churches become places of healing?” He observes, “In community: this generation wants to lead, to be valued, to contribute. We have young people waiting to serve.” He says Canadian churches are blessed with “a beautiful opportunity to work intergenerationally together.”

The gift of the study’s findings is passed on through Penner’s local workshops, as insights from those first young interviewees are discussed and shared among Christians who want to act, to see the church-leaving pattern end. The interviews guided the broad survey, and now they guide the talk around workshop tables. Penner hopes the process will bring forth changes that benefit a new group of young people, youths like the interview subjects.

“There is a degree to which there was a prophetic piece in there,” Penner says. “How the millennial generation talked was powerful.

There was a call to the church to live at a new level of authenticity.” And that, as Penner sees it, is a gift.—Barrie McMaster, B.C. correspondent mENNONITE BrETHrEN HEraLD

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Viewpoint I’m sticking to church Pau l E s au

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or a long time, I just couldn’t believe it.

I was 20 years old, an aspiring English major with few goals and fewer skills, living in my parent’s basement and unemployed, recovering from a bicep tear.

In other words, my market value was at an all-time low.

He was a spiritual leader in the church and a former missionary. A husband, father of two, and head of a multi-million dollar organization, he seemed to know everyone, and everyone wanted to be around him.

So when he called me, I didn’t even know why.

Our families had previously visited together, watching The Lord of the Rings, or playing Dutch Blitz. He and I had talked, but never seriously. He was adult from a

co-author Rachael Harder put it) to produce “a life-giving way of doing church.” I think we largely know the answers to those questions, as they’ve been asked within the church for centuries. What I want to know is why are we not implementing the answers?

Report author James Penner told me, “The closest thing to a silver bullet we have” – capable of destroying the problem – is intergenerational connections within the church. In a parallel study done by Fuller Theological Seminary (“Sticky Faith”), the authors drew a similar correlation: participation in all-congregational worship is strongly linked to young adults “developing a mature faith” that keeps them participating in church.

An adult mentor invited me into the church and helped me “stick.” very different stage of life; I was barely out of my teens.

“Let’s go for a walk across that new bridge in Golden Ears,” he said. “I want to get to know you.”

I didn’t know it then, but that phone call was the start of one of the most important friendships of my life. As we have talked, prayed, snowshoed, and even travelled together, I have shared my ambitions and my vulnerabilities, and I’ve discovered the kind of leader I want to be. In return, he has helped me see Jesus’ work in my life, and even shared some of his own struggles and triumphs.

In short, he became my mentor.

We have the answers Perhaps because of my experience, I find the most convicting part of Hemorrhaging Faith to be the call for Christian mentorship of church youth. For me, the key question of the report is not how to engage young adults during the transitional years, or how (as 20

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Why is all-congregational worship so important? I doubt it’s something magical about the preaching or music in that specific context. As far as I could tell from Penner’s work, it’s that youth who understand “church” to be more than specialized programs populated exclusively by their peers are youth who develop greater connection and loyalty to the community.

The more we try to cater to youth with specific programs and activities that isolate them from the larger church, it seems, the more we lose the individuals we’re trying to nurture. This was my experience growing up, and it requires a paradigm shift to fix.

Penner argues that the “hemorrhage” occurs primarily in two key transition zones: those between child and adolescent, and between adolescent and adult.

Why are these points, rather than any others, the times of greatest attrition for churched youth? From my experience, the answer is that these transitions stress the only truly meaningful bonds to the church

that many youth have: those with their peers and youth pastor/leaders.

A community of mentors and students My churches have generally been good at creating lateral bonds between groups of youth engaged in the same level of programming. These youth move through the ranks together, and they experience the transition zones at roughly the same times. The bonds they form are important, yet they only pull youth forward if the peer group that created them still exists. What Penner and the rest of us are searching for is something to guide youth into the next stage of life, to connect them to a church community that transcends their own age, interests, and friendship group.

In my case, it was the appearance of an adult mentor who invited me into the church and helped me “stick.” He created what’s called a vertical bond, a connection between different generations, professions, social circles, and levels of church leadership.

Vertical bonds weave with horizontal bonds to form the fabric of faith communities, yet they do more than simply link the (crudely named) leaders and followers within a church.

My mentor tells me that every person should have both a mentor to learn from and be encouraged by and a student to teach and be an encouragement to. Otherwise we as mentors begin to assume that we’re almost infallible, and we as students have trouble transitioning into leadership. Adopting both roles creates a community that’s vibrant and dynamic, instead of one that’s segregated hierarchically into static groups.

My mentor took me from spectator to participant within the church, and kept me from “hemorrhaging” into non-attendance.

He taught me how church is crucially important, and how integral it was that I pass that message along to those who looked to me for leadership.

In other words, he taught me to stick.

Paul Esau is a communications intern with CCMBC and the MB Herald.

Text message Meandering lives Isaiah 55:8–9 B r u ce E nns

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learned a concept back in 1984 during a first-year geography class at the University of Saskatchewan that has fascinated me ever since: f luvial geomorphology. Try saying that five times fast! Although fluvial geomorphology isn’t a theological term, it can help us understand some things about how God works in our lives.

The concept isn’t difficult.

“Fluvial” has to do with water and its effects. “Geo” is a prefix that comes from a Greek word used to refer to the earth or land forms.

“Morph” is about change or transformation. And lastly, “ology” is a suffix that identifies a field of study.

When you put it all together, you get a term that simply means the study of the meandering of rivers.

If you visit any riverbank in your area, you’ll immediately see the effects of fluvial geomorphology. It’s happening all the time and is especially impressive when you’re examining the river’s winding pathway from an airplane at 10,000 feet. The water that flows on the outside of the bend flows fastest, continually carving away the riverbank and depositing silt on the slower, inside part of the curve. Rivers constantly change their course, but casual observers seldom notice the impact.

The twists and turns of our lives This is where the geological term has spiritual application. Humans like to design systems, construct plans, and perceive our lives in linear fashion. But we know from experience that life is never linear.

We meander. Constantly.

The beauty and wonder of our God is that he can take our meandering lives and give them greater purpose and impact than we may ever notice or understand. Transformation occurs at the intersection of the human and the divine. We live our lives, make choices, mistakes, decisions, and plans – and God is able to use it all for his bigger purposes.

Two passages of Scripture speak to this interplay. The writer of Proverbs says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps” (16:9, NLT). And the prophet’s words in Isaiah 55:8–9 (below) are well-known, reminding us that God has bigger purposes for our lives than we can ever fully see or understand.

God has given us the freedom and ability to make choices and choose our path. Yet God is still sovereign and in control. These are two seemingly competing truths. But within the tension is a biblical truth that gives me great comfort.

God will use us in more ways than we can see or understand, as we allow his Holy Spirit to do his

Isaiah 55:8–9, NLT “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

work, slowly carving and reshaping our lives and circumstances. We have an unmistakable part to play, yet the Lord will weave our life experiences together into his bigger kingdom purposes.

Dramatic curves T here’s a not her spi r it ua l application that can be made from studying fluvial geomorphology.

Eventually, some parts of the river will curve so dramatically that an entire section will be cut off and bypassed altogether. What’s formed is called an oxbow lake. It’s still part of the landscape, but no longer part of the river.

Similarly, God can bring about such radical transformation in us that past circumstances – such as bad decisions, mistakes, pain – are no longer part of the flow of our lives. They may still be a feature of the landscape, but they no longer define us. By God’s grace and through his Holy Spirit, we are made completely new.

So as we sit by the river this summer, watching the water zigzag along, let’s be encouraged – God is at work in our meandering lives!

Bruce Enns is lead pastor of Forest Grove Community Church, Saskatoon.

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Essay “Let the little children come to me” On reproduction, abortion, and the miracle of life P ie r r e G ilbe r t

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“

e fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28, NRSV).

When God spoke these words, men and women were cringing before deities they believed took pleasure in visiting pain and suffering upon them. In contrast, the God of Israel offered what many now view as a bizarre command: “Have kids!

And lots of them!”

We aren’t potatoes. Human reproduction requires a high degree of initiative and is superbly titillating.

Evidently, God intended for men and women to have lots of fun obeying this first of all the divine injunctions.

The Judeo-Christian God is a God of life. Unlike the vampiric Mesopotamian deities with an irresistible lust for human blood, Yahweh called men and women to embrace life, and to reproduce it enthusiastically, freely, and joyfully.

Death breaks in The first couple obviously chose a different direction, for when the opportunity came to embrace the living God, they effected a sharp U-turn and, in the process, released a moral toxin that spread to them first and then to all of creation (Genesis 3:8–22; Romans 5:12; 8:20–22). The rest is history. Violence and death broke in on this now-cursed planet like a tidal wave.

In The Problem of Pain, C.S. Lewis alludes to the fall as “the emergence of a new kind of man,” a mutated species that “sinned itself into existence” and has been snarling against God ever since (Colossians 1:21). If life is at the very heart of who God is, we, on the other hand, forever plunge toward an irresistible core of self-destruction.

Human life was to be treated as the most precious of all creation. But 22

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it became as cheap as snow in a neverending Canadian winter.

Defining the problem Lucky for us, not all is lost. According to some of the finest intellects of our time, we have all the tools needed to eradicate evil from our midst. Following the writing of 18th century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, many hold to the conviction that our present sorry state is simply the result of an unfortunate historical process waiting for the right government program to reverse it. They believe our tendency to give way to a death impulse isn’t really us – because just beneath the thin layer of mud that covers us, lies the eternal beauty of the human soul.

Christ has a radically different view of what’s wrong with humanity: “For out of the heart come evil intentions” says Matthew 15:19. It is there, in the darkest crevices of the human soul, pulsating and writhing, that evil dwells.

In Miracles, Lewis notes “that pantheism is in fact the permanent natural bent of the human mind.” What he means is that human beings have a natural proclivity to cut themselves off from the transcendent. This impulse is intrinsic to who we are and surreptitiously infects all human ideologies (Romans 1:18–32).

Only Christianity, he adds, can effectively oppose the ever-demanding call to be one with nature.

What about the children?

But now that Christianity has almost entirely been eradicated from the public sphere, there’s precious little left to resist the gravitational force of death that holds us in its grip. The signs of the emerging culture of death are all around us.

Nihilism is omnipresent. As the French historian Pierre Chaunu observed a few decades ago, the Christian discourse on death and eternity has virtually vanished from our collective memory.

We’ve lost all sense of the past and the future. The present is absolute.

One of the most glaring signs of this tragic truth is the legacy of ever-increasing government debt that will radically impoverish our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

And speaking of children, surely you’ve noticed there are fewer and fewer of them. The global birth rate is shrinking; most countries are either at population replacement levels or quickly falling well below. In places like Japan, Italy, Greece, and Russia, to name just a few, there’s already an abyss. The developed world is rapidly turning into a geriatric ward. Even China will not escape. As the ever-prophetic Canadian journalist Mark Steyn observes, China will become old before it becomes rich.

The cold, hard facts of abortion If you’re not yet thoroughly convinced that we’re teetering on the edge of an existential black hole, consider Kermit Gosnell. Gosnell is an abortion provider recently convicted of murdering three babies born alive in an abortion clinic.

In the National Review, Steyn writes, “Medical assistant Adrienne Moton admitted Tuesday that she had cut the necks of at least 10 babies after they were delivered, as Gosnell had instructed her. Gosnell and another employee regularly snipped the spines to ensure fetal demise, she said.

Moton sobbed as she recalled taking a cellphone photograph of one baby because he was bigger than any she had

seen aborted before. She measured the fetus at nearly 30 weeks, and thought he could have survived, given his size and pinkish color. Gosnell later joked that the baby was so big he could have walked to the bus stop, she said.”

I can’t begin to do justice to the gruesome conditions that prevailed in Gosnell’s clinic. But here is what’s really odd about this case. Unless you’re an avid news junkie, you’ve probably never heard of the doctor. It wasn’t until Fox News political analyst Kirsten Powers virulently denounced the mainstream media for ignoring this case that journalists began to show some interest in the trial of the accused mass murderer. As Steyn notes, “This is a remarkable moment in American life: A man is killing actual living, gurgling, bouncing babies on an industrial scale – and it barely makes the papers.”

But surely Gosnell is an exception, an expression of a kind of evil that exists only in the darkest shadows of our great civilization. Sadly, no. This trial is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. While Gosnell’s actions and methods might be viewed by some as reprehensible on account of the in-your-face morbidity of it all, the reality is that our global village extends virtually no protection to unborn babies.

Around the world, abortions are performed on a scale that defies imagination. In the United States, there are approximately one million terminations a year. Since Roe V. Wade, a total of about 50 million unborn babies have been discarded. In Russia, the number of abortions now surpasses live births (about 1.3 million a year). In China, official data put the number of abortions at around 330 million since the one-child

policy was enacted in 1978 (the majority of them girls). In 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada removed all restrictions on abortion. Since then, two million infants have been terminated. That works out to about 100,000 abortions a year; the equivalent of a city the size of Guelph, Ontario.

Can we imagine a greater act of injustice and brutality than the dismembering of a child simply because he or she had the misfortune to have been conceived in less than ideal circumstances? It is, in a sense, the ultimate act of violence: a death sentence imposed on a perfectly innocent human being.

And yet this blinding equation has virtually no traction in our society. And I think I know why. The deeper we sink into the death vortex that’s sucking us downward, the harder it becomes to see or feel real evil for what it really is. After a while, the unthinkable becomes the new norm. Even Christians can become ideologically colonized and co-opted by those I like to call “social engineers” (Lewis calls them “conditioners” in The Abolition of Man).

A Christian response Can the church do anything to stem the tide of darkness rolling in? Yes! First, the basics. No need to roll over and die. The resurrection of Christ is the proclamation that death will be vanquished in a surge of life (1 Corinthians 15). It’s not a question of if, but when. In this, we take hope and pray.

Second, the road to cultural redemption always starts with the individual. In this respect, the greatest contribution the church can make is to offer forgiveness in Christ to our generation. The kind of change we need to alter our society’s course can only come from a radical transformation of individual hearts and minds (Isaiah 6).

Can the church do anything to stem the tide of darkness rolling in? Yes! Third, Christians must seek to reoccupy the public sphere. We need to learn from such people as Baptist missionary William Carey, member of Parliament William Wilberforce, and Martin Luther King, Jr., who addressed the seminal issues of their time (respectively, the rite of sati, slavery, and racism) with clarity, courage, and passion.

“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” This is far more than an invitation to have enough children to pay for our retirement programs. These words represent a joyful call to value what God esteems most in the universe: human life.

Pierre Gilbert is associate professor of Old Testament and theology at Canadian Mennonite University, associate dean with MBBS Canada at CMU, and author of Demons, Lies & Shadows (2008).

Mennonite Brethren Herald July 2013

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n e w s in brief Give us this day our healthy bread Canadian Foodgrains Bank reports one third of child deaths are attributed to malnutrition, but only 0.4 percent of overseas development assistance in 2011 was allocated to basic nutrition. The June 8 London summit Nutrition for Growth: Beating Hunger through Business and Science, hosted by the UK and Brazil governments and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, sought to galvanize commitment to prevent undernutrition.

Canada is the world’s largest donor to nutrition programs.—foodgrainsbank.ca

Canada’s human rights checkup

This year, the United Nations’ special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples James Anaya, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights will evaluate Canada’s treatment of aboriginal people.

The humans rights groups will assess clean water, housing, and education in First Nations communities, and probe whether government and law enforcement are doing enough to resolve the cases of the estimated 600 murdered and missing aboriginal women.—cbc.ca

Children on fridges go farther

A study in the Journal of Political Economy found that Compassion Internationalsponsored children were 4–7.7 percent more likely to finish primary school, 33 percent more likely to complete high school, and 50–80 percent more likely to graduate university than their unsponsored peers.

Church leadership increased from 8.7 percent among unsponsored children to 16.1 percent of those with sponsors. “Compassion places a heavy emphasis on developing Christian leaders,” says study leader Bruce Wydick. More than 10,000 children in Uganda, Kenya, Bolivia, Guatemala, India, and the Philippines participated in the study.—ChristianWeek

MEDA: thanks a million

A $1.1 million bequest from the estate of Willard and Elsie Penner will support Mennonite Economic Develop Associates’ GROW (Greater Rural Opportunities for Women), a 6-year project in Ghana that will increase access to nutritious food for

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20,000 women. The gift will also fund 4 MEDA student internships, and create The Willard and Elsie Penner Family Legacy Fund, a long-term investment in support of MEDA’s Sarona Risk Capital Fund that provides early-stage capital for promising companies in developing countries.—MEDA release

Joseph and his iPhone of many colours?

Moving Visions Entertainment has begun pre-production on full-length motion picture Dreamer, a modern retelling of the story of Joseph. The targeted theatrical release is September 2014. Moving Visions’ retelling of the prodigal son, A Long Way Off starring Robert Davi, Edie McClurg, and John Diehl, releases this September.— Dreamer2014.com

Education for Egyptians with disabilities In Beni Suef, one of the poorest rural areas of Egypt, parents are less likely to spend money on school supplies for girls or children with disabilities to continue beyond the required Grade 6 level. MCC’s Global Family Program partners with Ekhlas Coptic Organization for Development at St. Mary church, El Fashen, to help students with disabilities integrate into the school system and succeed in their education, so they can grow up to support their families.

St. Mary student Bola Melad Ragheb, who contracted polio at 3 and believed he “wasn’t good at anything,” is now studying commerce and paying for his sister’s education.—MCC release

MDS on the ground in Oklahoma Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) volunteers continue cleanup work in Oklahoma communities struck by tornadoes in May, while MDS Oklahoma unit chair Jay Blough investigates the areas damaged in June and sends day volunteers where needed.

As of May 31, more than 175 volunteers had worked to clean up 30 properties in Shawnee and Carney.—mds.mennonite.net

Prostitute (verb): to use wrongly Citing studies indicating that 90 percent of those prostituted do so unwillingly, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is calling on the government to amend the

Criminal Code based on the Nordic Model of Law on Prostitution. The Nordic Model focuses punitive powers on johns, pimps, and traffickers, and ensures resources and supports are available to those wishing to exit the sex trade.—evangelicalfellowship.ca

Minding other people’s business

Canadian Mennonite University’s Redekop School of Business (RSB) took its first study tour to Latin America Apr. 29–May 13, to explore how Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) and HOPE International are using microfinance to fight poverty in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. Tour leader Jeff Huebner, RSB associate professor of international business, said it was exciting for the 6 students to “experience first-hand how their business skills can be used overseas in non-traditional ways.” RSB’s study tours are open to CMU students, alumni, and supporters. The May 2014 tour will explore business in the European Union.—media.cmu.ca, meda.org

Tanzanian tensions

Tanzania, once celebrated as a role model for peace in Africa, is now home to interfaith violence between Christians (60 percent of the population) and Muslims (36 percent). In May, a newly built church in the tourist destination of Arusha was bombed during its first service, leaving 2 dead and more than 60 injured. In February, arsonists burned a church in Zanzibar, and in April, 200 Christian rioters tried to set fire to a mosque.—World Watch Monitor

Reduce, reuse, be careful

In Dhaka, Bangladesh, an estimated 400,000 people mine landfills for recyclable material to sell. Most wear improper footwear and no gloves. Some have already been diagnosed with HIV. Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is partnering with the Committee for the Village Development of Bangladesh to train workers to collect safely, paying attention to sharp objects and staying away from heavy equipment. MCC has provided workers with mosquito nets, blankets, and their children with school kits and student uniforms. There’s talk of forming a marketing cooperative, so workers can negotiate higher prices.—mcc.org

Abbotsfo r d, B.C .

CBC volleyball: Women of excellence, women of prayer

T

he 2012–2013 season was incredibly successful for the Columbia Bible College (CBC) Bearcats women’s volleyball team. Not only did they achieve an all-time best regular season finish (third), the team also made its first ever Nationals appearance, finishing eighth in the CCAA. Yet, now that the semester is over and the last awards have been handed out, it’s the players’ work after the games that continues to earn admiration and spark discussion across the Lower Mainland and the larger volleyball community.

Athletic excellence was not the only area in which this year’s Bearcats set a precedent: they are also the only CBC team in memory to invite their opponents to pray with them after each home game. Following the final set – win or lose – the team would gather arm-in-arm with the athletes from the opposite side of the net, and pray for them.

Only one team refused the Bearcats’ invitation during the course of the season, including the provincial and national tournaments. The encouragement Bearcats players and coaches have received from members, parents, and coaches of the opposing teams testifies to how many have appreciated the gesture.

Sadie Ball, an MEI graduate and third-year Bearcat, explains that an American college gave them the idea during a pre-season tournament in the U.S., after that team invited the Bearcats into prayer following a game. Ball says the Bearcats latched onto the idea as a perfect expression of their witness. “People know that we’re a Christian college and we read the Bible,”

she says. “We want to represent God in the best way possible, and praying with [opposing teams] was the simplest way we could do that.”

Surrounded by her team and coaches, Ball shared their experience at the BCMB convention May 4–5 at Eagle Ridge Bible Fellowship, Coquitlam, B.C. She told of an important moment during the national tournament in Lloydminster, Alta., when a bilingual teammate, Kiana Stearns, had the opportunity to pray in French with a team from Quebec. That prayer formed a special bond between the two squads, despite the pressure of national competition.

“There was an immediate connection between the two teams,” CBC head coach Duncan Harrison says. “For the remainder of the tournament, they showed up and cheered us on for our games, and we made a point of showing up and cheering for them at their games. We ended up sitting together with their players and coaches at the big finale, the gold medal match, and the awards ceremony.… It’s allowed some of our girls to share a little bit about our faith, and what we believe, and about the gospel.”

Near the end of the tournament, several players traded warm-up shirts as mementos of their budding friendship.

According to Harrison, the two teams are discussing the possibility of training together or travelling together in the future.

The effects of the Bearcats’ prayers are still spreading. In mid-May, a U-16 girls’ volleyball gold medal final ended in prayer as well, before what Harrison describes as a “pretty shocked”

crowd. One of the players in that game was the younger sister of a woman attending CBC, and had persuaded both her team and the opposing side to engage in prayer.

For her part, Ball says her team’s commitment to prayer was an eyeopening way to communicate God’s love in the midst of athletics. “That one prayer can change CBC Bearcats women pray with opposing team after game. everything and can open up people’s hearts,” she actually be tested and to live out your faith. It’s an opportunity to explained. “We did feel that we experience huge joys, low defeats, became closer with the [other] and learn to process those in a teams just from praying, and it way that reflects and represents was easier to talk to them after Christ and your faith well.” the game.”

He and Harrison both Under the leadership of athletic director Matt Kaminski, speak of the importance of athletic excellence as well, since CBC Athletics is actively lookthe mutual respect formed by ing for ways, like the prayer initiative, to increase its emphasis competition often creates the opportunities for ministry. upon Christian ministry within The women of the CBC competition. volleyball team will be back “Here, athletics is almost in action next year for a new now taking a secondary posiseason, and, according to tion to character and spiritual Harrison and Ball, are already development,” says Kaminski. planning to expand their prayer “The coaches we have now are focus and find new ways to reach very passionate about character, their opponents. Their perspecspiritual development, and then tive is perhaps best expressed athletics. But that being said, we in the words (translated from want to do both very well. We French) of the Quebec coach who want to be producing character witnessed the unique nature of and quality individuals, and also the Bearcats first-hand at the be competitive at the same time.” national tournament: Kaminski says the program “You can’t play against this slogan “Sport is an Opportunity” team,” he posted on Facebook. in his previous experience with “You play with them, even though they are on the other side an Athletes in Action initiative of the net.”—Paul Esau is a comdeeply connected with him. “I munications intern with CCMBC think athletics is such a huge opportunity to have a platform to and the MB Herald.

Mennonite Brethren Herald July 2013

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Photo: brin Dyer, lakeland college

News in s to ry

News in s to ry L a n gl e y, B . C .

A

ccording to Statistics Canada, the number of single parent homes in Canada has risen by eight percent since 2006, with the number of single fathers rising by 16 percent in the same period. With increasing economic uncertainty, these parents are raising children without a partner to share the load.

The apostle James wrote that true religion is “to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). Inspired by this challenge, North Langley Community Church hosted its third annual Super Single Parents’ Day on Saturday of the Mother’s Day weekend. The church welcomed 120 single mothers and 6 single fathers for a day of encouragement and assistance.

More than 250 volunteers provided car washes, detailing, oil changes, lifestyle workshops, legal advice, children’s haircuts,

a free clothing boutique, a meal for the freezer, and activities for children and teens. A few local organizations provided additional resources. A volunteer team covered the event with prayer, praying for each pre-registered participant by name in advance, and offering personal prayer ministry during the day.

The special day included a luncheon for mothers hosted by the women of NLCC featuring a single mother who shared her own story of God’s faithfulness in the midst of challenge. In a followup email evaluation, one guest responded, “I was moved deeply by the speaker…. I left feeling emotionally fortified and a little less alone in my own journey as a single mother.”

Meanwhile, the single dads received a lesson in gourmet grilling before savouring the steak for themselves.

One mother wrote on the evaluation, “While so many

r e d b e rr y la k e , Sa s k .

Redberry opens new chapter with gathering of supporters

A

rainy Saturday put a damper on attendance at the annual workday May 25, but the next day, some 130 people from six supporting churches gathered at Redberry Bible Camp to worship, fellowship, and commission the new director, David Seeley.

Redberry Bible Camp Association is supported by 14 churches of the Saskatchewan MB conference.

Each year, local congregations Riverbend Fellowship (Borden), Glenbush, Hepburn, Hafford, Blaine Lake, and Dalmeny spend a weekend at the camp to prepare 26

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the site for the upcoming season, and to worship and play together.

The offering was designated toward the $100,000 capital project to build a new lagoon – “it isn’t one of the most glamorous projects, but it’s critical nonetheless,” says board chair Dave Pauls.

“The [churches’] dedication to the camp’s ministry is a huge blessing,” says Seeley.

The Dalmeny congregation affirmed associate pastor Cody Johnson to work at Redberry Bible Camp during the summer, directing the 4-week Leaders In

Photo: courtesy North langley community church

Hundreds of volunteers serve single parents: super!

Volunteers provided full spa treatment on Super Single Parents’ Day.

people I encounter say, ‘Wow, single parents, I don’t know how you do it,’ the message I have received from your church is ‘Wow, single parents, let us lift you up and ease your burdens, and show you that God loves you.’”

Another wrote, “Today was one of the most generous, loving, and best experiences I’ve had in a very long time.”

The day had an impact on volunteers as well. One volunteer who was put to work in the spa was squeamish about touching feet. She’d planned to wear gloves, but felt a nudge to remove them. “The Holy Spirit filled me

with his lavish love,” she posted on Facebook afterward. “I got to perform an act of love for this woman by holding her bare feet in my bare hands and quenching her thirst for physical closeness.

I am so humbled.”

Through events like SSPD, NLCC endeavours to find ways to meet the challenging and ongoing needs of its neighbours throughout the year, and to develop enduring relationships that will provide an environment to share the love of Christ with others.

Training program, and spending several days a week at camp for the rest of the summer. By working at camp, Johnson supports Dalmeny youth who are campers and staff, and also “gives them a connection point back home. At the end of summer, you can challenge them, because you know exactly what they learned, and you can try to find ways to apply it to school, etc.

It works well together; I love it,” says Johnson.

“The churches not only financially support the camp, they provide prayer, campers, and support staff,” says Pauls.

“Prayer support is amazing from a group like this,” says Seeley.

“A covering of prayer is a consistent need for our camp’s ministry, and local church engagement equals a dedicated prayer team.”

In an age of busy lives and increasing technological advancement, the rustic, outdoor experience still has relevance because “the power of camp is in relationship,” says Seeley. “There are so many voices clamouring for the attention of youth today…. We create an environment that cuts through the noise, and allows God to be the focus for a dedicated uninterrupted time.”

Seeley is one of few directors to come from outside the denomination in the camp’s 70-year history. Redberry was started as Sand Beach Camp, Mistawasis Lake, Sask., by the MB Western Children’s Mission in 1943, and officially opened as Redberry at the new location under provincial conference leadership in 1953.— Karla Braun

Tim McCarthy is pastor of discipleship and community life at North Langley Community Church.

G ra n d F o r k s , B . C .

Grace after the storm

T

he 2013 Pines camping season is underway, perhaps amazingly. Thanks to B.C. MB church families, other local churches, community supporters, and staff, Pines Bible Camp, Grand Forks, B.C., has risen from the devastation of the freak windstorm that truncated the 2012 season last July 20.

People prayed, contributed dollars, and came to labour – from all over B.C. Camp executive director Gene Krahn says the prayers for the camp and for the family of 11-yearold Richard Fehr, who died in the storm, were overwhelming.

Krahn says wind made the camp look like a forest clearcut.

“The landmarks are all gone.”

It has been a year of emotional struggle for many, especially those in nearby Grand Forks whose lives or childhood were rooted in the

Pines experience. It’s especially true for members of Gospel Chapel who started the camp 50 years ago and made it their main outreach for many decades.

The storm toppled tall evergreens like matchsticks. Workers had to clear the wreckage in the 8-acre campsite, falling any tree that looked unsafe.

There wasn’t a building without a tree on it. Nine new cabins had to be built to replace those that were ruined. Five buildings, situated among trees no longer there, were moved because the new landscape made no sense. The campsite was redesigned.

Krahn says Mennonite Disaster Service helped with cleanup after the storm. Gospel Chapel and River Valley (Pentecostal) Church in Grand Forks provided

Photo: Travis Hildebrandt

Pines Bible Camp perseveres

A sign of hope greets visitors as the Pines camping season nears. It doesn’t look like it did before the windstorm, but director Gene Krahn says after all the redesign work, “it really is beautiful.”

a lmost consta nt help f rom t he moment t he storm hit.

Boundary Community Church, Midway, B.C., sent help, and more than half a dozen MB churches from the Fraser Valley sent work crews. They built cabins, drywalled, built bunk beds, and repaired damage.

“We are a family and this is just an indication of that fact,” says Krahn.

On Aug. 4, the Pines will observe its 50th anniversary. In the meantime, “Please keep sending help. We still need it,” says Krahn. “We’re exhausted!”

He knows it will be an emotional summer for many, but the Pines is open. “We haven’t stopped.”

“And please keep praying.”

—Barrie McMaster, B.C. correspondent

Mennonite Brethren Herald July 2013

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“Some of those

ladies in that back row…pray for me every single day.… The two old ladies that ran the church library… just loved me like a grandson.”

—Barry, a young adult interviewee in James Penner’s EFC-commissioned report, Hemorrhaging Faith: Why & When Canadian Young Adults are Leaving, Staying & Returning to the Church

Twentysomethings aren’t looking to be pampered….

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Dead to sin, alive with C hrist We celebrate with MB churches who welcomed the following new members by baptism:

RiChmond pARk, Brandon, man., apr. 29, 2012: Shelley Stanley; July 22, 2012: Enni abrams; aug. 5, 2012: Lara Klippenstein, alexander Klippenstein; Dec. 30, 2012: madeline Buchanan; Feb. 10, 2013: Caleb Northam, marshall Northam; mar. 10, 2013: Beau Teichroew, Deanne Teichroew. sCott stReet, St. Catharines, Ont., June 10, 2012: maureen Wieler, alex Zuenko. poRt RoWAn (Ont.), Feb. 17, 2013: megan Wilcox, Noah Beyer. st. Ann’s (Ont.), Feb. 24, 2013: Tyler Klassen, Leanna Smith, Chris mote. south AbbotsfoRd (B.C.), mar. 10, 2013: Joe Pagulayan.

Linden (alta.), mar. 24, 2013: Nicole Sikorsky, Joshua Sikorsky, Brandi Schriver, martin Schriver, Judy molloy, Tim Brown, Jennifer Bothamley, Julie Klassen. eAstVieW, Winnipeg, mar. 31, 2013: Carmel antonishin, Kaelin antonishin, David Hintsa. eLm CReek, man., mar. 31, 2013: Haeli martens, Sean Enns, Nic Thielmann.

GLenCAiRn, Kitchener, Ont., apr. 28, 2013: Kirsten Burkard.

CRossRoAds, Winnipeg, apr. 28, 2013: Zayne Lagassé, Ben Kidd.

Westside GAtheRinG, montreal, may 5, 2013: Jewry ramos, Elaine Dix-Holbrough.

CoALdALe (alta.), may 12, 2013: Diana Dyck, ana Ham. noRthside, mission, B.C., may 26, 2013: Susie Constantine, melanie Vishloff, michelle Wiebe, Shawn Wiebe.

Photo by Sean Fast. Taken during an 8-month TREK assignment in Thailand with MB missionaries Dave and Louise Sinclair-Peters.

Transitions The board of Camp Crossroads welcomes ed heinrichs as executive director, beginning Sept. 1. Senior pastor at Cornerstone mB, Virgil, Ont, 2005–2010, he comes to Camp Crossroads from the spiritual life department at Eden High School, St. Catharines, Ont., where he also served 1996–2005. Ed and Cheryl have 2 children.

He graduated from aCTS Seminaries with a master of theological studies and is currently pursuing a PhD at the university of manchester (through the Nazarene Theological College). Dave previously served on staff at aCTS Seminaries, and was assistant pastor at river Valley Wesleyan Church, Grand Bay, Westfield, N.B.

mark klausen began as marketing and communications coordinator at Columbia Bible College, abbotsford, B.C., June 1. mark is a Columbia alumnus, and has served in the admissions department for the past 3 years.

Rebecca hiebert began long-term ministry in church planting with mB mission in Thailand in June. She studied intercultural studies and TESOL at Providence university College, Otterburne, man., and participated in the Outtatown program at Canadian mennonite university. rebecca interned with mB mission in Peru, and served in the English

dave Lunn began as youth and young adults pastor at river East mB, Winnipeg, may 6.

C h u R C h S Ta FF Lead pastor Waterloo mb Church is a church in mission: a people sent by God to live incarnationally for Jesus, to be intentional in disciplemaking and transformation, and to impact our broader community with the gospel of Jesus Christ and his kingdom. Located in Waterloo, Ont., we are looking for a lead pastor to lead our multi-staffed congregation who is a strategic and forward thinker, a developer and multiplier of leaders, and an effective communicator. reporting to the leadership board, the lead pastor will provide overall leadership to the church and will oversee all areas of WmB’s ministry. To learn more about Waterloo mB Church and this opportunity, please visit www.waterloomb.org/employment.

BUSHMAN – to ryan & angela of Lanigan, Sask., a daughter, annabelle ruby, may 14, 2013.

DOERKSEN – to Eric & rebekah (miller) of Winnipeg, a daughter, Elena aída mae, may 3, 2013.

FALK – to mike & Paula (Fenton) of Steinbach, man., a son, Lincoln Theodore, apr. 23, 2013.

FROESE – to Dan & rachel of abbotsford, B.C., a son, Hayden Daniel, may 17, 2013.

HOLLETT – to rodney & Carmen (Fast) of abbotsford, B.C., a son, Jack Edward, Feb. 22, 2013.

ministry department at South Vancouver Pacific Grace mB Church march through July 2012.

Justin majeau, pastor at Lendrum mB, Edmonton, since July 2011, concluded his term June 30. He will be pursuing studies at Canadian mennonite university, Winnipeg.

The uSmB leadership board has announced t h e r e t i r e m e nt o f executive director ed boschman from fulltime ministry, effective at the conclusion of Conection 2014, the next uSmB delegate convention, to be held in July 2014. Boschman has served uSmB as executive director since October 2007. During his tenure, existing uSmB ministries such as church planting have been enhanced and new efforts such as social media have been initiated.

PENNER – to Chad & Gillian of Killarney, man., a daughter, Brooklyn Jane, apr. 22, 2013.

PENNER – to Kyle & Crystal of moosomin, Sask., a son, Ethan Douglas, Jan. 24, 2013.

SCHMIDT – to Jonathan & Sheralyn of Winnipeg, a daughter, Kaeyn Elyse, may 8, 2013.

STORK – to michael & Brittany (Peters) of Waterloo, Ont., a son, Cohen michael Peters, apr.

24, 2013.

VAN GALEN – to Patrick & Sueanne (Hawton) of Kitchener, Ont., a son, Calvin Elijah, mar.

2, 2013.

KLASSEN – to Jeff & Erin of Watrous, Sask., a son, riley Konrad, apr. 10, 2013.

WIEBE – to Dan & renita (Dueckman) of St. Catharines, Ont., a daughter, Braelyn macy, mar. 13, 2013.

MCCULLOCH – to Owen & Heather (Pauls) of Calgary, a son, Finn James, may 4, 2013.

WIENS – to Eric & Heidi (Peters) of Kelowna, B.C., a son, Luke William, Feb. 22, 2013.

Edward GoodmAnn of Dubuque, Iowa, & Kristin JAnZen of abbotsford, B.C., may 4, 2013.

David JAnZen of Black Creek, B.C., & Danielle steineR of Balgonie, Sask., may 11, 2013.

Donovan neufeLt of Coaldale, alta., & Natalie boisVeRt of Burnaby, B.C., July 7, 2012.

Ben peteRs of Coaldale, alta., & amanda tomA of Brooks, alta., Oct. 6, 2012.

Benjamin steeLe of Gloucester, England, & Kinshasa fALk of Black Creek, B.C., apr. 13, 2013. mike stoesZ & Christelle piChÉ, both of Winnipeg, may 4, 2013. albert VALkenbuRG & Cheryl sWARtZ, both of Kitchener, Ont., may 4, 2013.

mENNONITE BrETHrEN HEraLD

July 2013

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I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.—2 Timothy 4:7

Abram Froese apr. 1, 1919–Dec. 24, 2012

biRthpLACe: Orenburg, russia pARents: abram & Katharina (Janzen) Froese mARRiAGe: Hertha Dyck, 1943 [deceased 2010] ChuRCh: Scott Street mB, Fairview mB, St. Catharines, Ont. fAmiLy: children Ben, rick, madeline, Don [deceased], Esther, Elizabeth, Ted; 13 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; 4 siblings

abe’s family immigrated to Canada when he was 7, settling in Tofield, alta., where times were tough. abe left home at 14 to find work. He attended Coaldale (alta.) Bible School and Winkler (man.) Bible Institute. In the 1940s, abe moved to Ontario, where he met Hertha, and built houses in St. Catharines and Sudbury. In 1966, he turned to commercial construction in St. Catharines; Tabor manor, Pleasant manor, and Scott Street mB Church are among his work. In the 1960s, abe began 31 years of volunteering with mennonite Disaster Service, beginning with the bombed houses in mississippi. a stroke in 1992 ended his mDS service, but not his golfing. On retiring, abe made trivets, benches, and games, most of which he gave away. after moving to Tabor apartments in 2007, he switched his focus to caring for Hertha and cheering on his grandchildren’s activities. He was dedicated to his church community.

Elizabeth (Betty) Unruh apr. 11, 1911–Jan. 5, 2013

biRthpLACe: Orenburg, ukraine pARents: Henry J. & Elizabeth (Esau) Janzen mARRiAGe: John unruh, 1942 [deceased July 26, 2007] bAptism: aug. 29, 1928 ChuRCh: East aldergrove mB (now ross road), Clearbrook mB, abbotsford, B.C. fAmiLy: children Harry (marlene), ruth (Elvin) Warkentin, Frieda (ron) Kruchak; 4 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren

Betty’s family immigrated to Canada in 1914, settling in Winkler, man. Betty taught herself to sing and play guitar, and later formed a quartet with her siblings, singing at churches and seniors’ homes. She accepted Christ as Saviour at a young age. after a year of Bible school, Betty worked as a housekeeper in Winnipeg, an experience she hated. after Betty corresponded a year with her sister’s husband’s friend John in Ste. rose du Lac, man., who was seeking a wife, they met.

Two weeks later, they married. In 1946, Betty and John moved to B.C., and farmed for several years. at East aldergrove mB Church, abbotsford, B.C., Betty led the ladies’ group, sang in the senior choir, helped the food committee, and invited company for roast beef dinner. In her 80s, memory loss increased. Betty had a great sense of humour, loved her children unconditionally, and put God first.

Anna (Pauls) Pries Jan. 27, 1920–Dec. 31, 2012

biRthpLACe: Chinook, mont. pARents: Heinrich & anna (Hiebert) Pauls mARRiAGe: John Pries, Sept. 27, 1952 [deceased may 19, 1993] bAptism: age 16 ChuRCh: Elmwood mB, Winnipeg fAmiLy: children Henrietta, Carol (Doug), Ted (Jacki), Len (Judy), Lynda (Larry); 12 grandchildren; 6 great-grandchildren; 1 brother

anna attended Winkler (man.) Bible Institute in the 1940s and graduated from psychiatric nursing in 1950. as anna and John moved to alexander, man.; Brandon, man.; Lanigan, Sask.; and Winnipeg, she found friends new and old. an avid reader and historian, anna wrote her family history. She lived her commitment to Jesus by loving her family, encouraging others, and helping those in need.

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Helene Hildebrandt apr. 4, 1914–Jan. 5, 2013

biRthpLACe: Steinfeld, ukraine pARents: Peter & Helene (Pankratz) Heinrichs mARRiAGe: Heinrich Hildebrandt, 1935 [deceased 1945] bAptism: June 1932 ChuRCh: St. ann’s (Ont.) fAmiLy: children Helena Schellenberg, maria [deceased in infancy]; 8 grandchildren; 20 greatgrandchildren

Helene was 6 when her dad was killed by bandits in the russian revolution. at 12, she began working as a nanny, staying with the Neufeld family in Chortitza, ukraine, where she met Heinrich. He died in a concentration camp in russia. Helene and daughter Helena became refugees. To escape deportation to russia, they immigrated to Paraguay with the help of mCC. In 1952, Helene’s sister sponsored them to immigrate to Canada. Helene will be remembered for her work ethic, delicious baking, creative crafts, and storytelling. She had a remarkable memory, recalling hymns and Bible passages when she could no longer see to read them. She died as her daughter sang one of her favourite prayers, “Muede bin ich, geh’ zur ruh” (“I am tired, I’m going to rest”).

Evelyn Martens Sept. 29, 1933–Jan. 6, 2013

Mathilde (Tilly) Helena Adrian may 9, 1934–Jan. 5, 2013 biRthpLACe: Herschel, Sask. pARents: Jacob & maria Wichert mARRiAGe: Con adrian, Oct. 2, 1954 [deceased] ChuRCh: Linden (alta.) mB fAmiLy: children Laura Knight-rose (Brian), Shirley Crites (Jim), marlene, Bill (Terry), richard (rhonda); foster son Johnny [deceased]; son-in-law Tom [deceased]; 12 grandchildren; 5 siblings

Tilly grew up on a farm in Fiske, Sask. She and Con moved to rosetown, Sask., then to Calgary.

Tilly cared for 15 foster children. Tilly and Con served Camp Chestermere (alta.) for several years. after retiring, they moved to Linden, alta., where they were involved in Care and Share Society, and Tilly made quilts for mCC and toques for The mustard Seed.

biRthpLACe: Waldheim, Sask. pARents: Charles B. & Katherina (Warkentin) Dirks mARRiAGe: John martens, may 19, 1956 [deceased 1989] ChuRCh: Gospel mission, Nipawin, Sask.; morden (man.) alliance; manitou (man.) alliance; manitou mB fAmiLy: children Darryl (Bev [deceased]), Warren, Glenda (Doug Dyck), Dwight [deceased]; 2 grandsons; 3 siblings

Evelyn grew up in Nipawin, Sask., where her father was a teacher and pastor. She started working as a nurse’s aide at Nipawin Hospital at 17. Evelyn met John while visiting a friend in morden, man. While raising her family in manitou, man., she did bookkeeping for martens’ Electric. In 1967, Evelyn and John helped start the alliance Church in manitou, man. Evelyn served as Sunday school secretary/treasurer, soloist, choir member, and pianist. She resumed her

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career as nurse’s aide until 1996. Evelyn spent summers in her garden, and made memories for her children on camping trips to visit her family. She loved knitting and crocheting for grandchildren, and watching them play trucks in her lane and swim in the pool across from her home. Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Evelyn moved into Pembina Manitou Health Centre in 2003.

Arthur Reimer Sept. 23, 1925–Jan. 6, 2013

Birthplace: Kuban, Russia Parents: Jacob & Anna Reimer Marriage: Helen Toews, Dec. 18, 1949 Church: Willow Park, Kelowna, B.C. family: Helen; daughters Shirley (Marvin Barg), Carol (Dan Enns), Pearl (Wilf Pauls), Janice (Don Bartell), Cheryl (Ken Marr); 14 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; 1 brother

In 1926, Arthur’s family immigrated to Canada, settling in Eastend, Sask., and later moving to Vauxhall, Alta. When Arthur was a young adult in CO camp, his family moved to Chilliwack, B.C. He attended Bible school in Chilliwack and Yarrow, B.C. While decorating the car at his brother’s wedding, Arthur met Helen. They married a couple years later during a snowstorm. Music was a big part of life: they sang in care homes with their daughters, and later, with the senoirs’ choir. Arthur was encouraged by God’s promises.

His quiet kindness, prayers, and the twinkle in his eye testified to the love of his Redeemer.

Ernest Klos Kroeker Aug. 2, 1923–Jan. 7, 2013

Birthplace: Pambrun, Sask.

Parents: Klos & Elizabeth Kroeker Marriage: Lucille Argue, Oct. 30, 1954 Church: Bridgeway, Swift Current, Sask. family: Lucille; daughters Nancy (Al) Dyck, Karen (Elwood) Enns, Margo Dyck; 8 grandchildren; 2 sisters

Ernie opened Prairie Gas with Dave Fleming in 1957. After selling the business, he held various positions, eventually working 21 years as an urban assessor with Saskatchewan Assessment Authority. Ernie always put the welfare of Lucille and their children first. A quiet man, Ernie lived out his faith in remarkable ways.

Anne Wall

Otto Biech

July 16, 1921–Jan. 7, 2013

Nov. 9, 1918–Jan. 15, 2013

Birthplace: Danilovka, Ukraine Parents: Gerhard & Maria Wall church: Dalhousie, Calgary family: 3 siblings; nieces & nephews

Annie’s family fled to Kiel, Germany, in 1929 and immigrated to Crowfoot, Alta., in 1930.

After two successive crop failures, they moved to Coaldale, Alta., in 1931. Annie left school after Grade 7 to help on the farm. She committed herself to Jesus at 14, a decision that guided her life. Annie moved to Calgary in 1958 to train as a nurse’s aide, and worked as a licensed practical nurse at Calgary General Hospital 1959–1984. After retiring, Annie experienced health issues and spent her last 8 years in assisted living.

Henry John Klassen Dec. 27, 1911–Jan. 8, 2013

birthplace: Rush Lake, Sask. parents: John & Mary (Hiebert) Kroeker Klassen MArriage: Martha Rempel, 1934 [deceased]; Matilda Epp, Apr. 30, 1994 [deceased June 20, 2012] baptism: 1930 church: East Aldergrove MB (now Ross Road), Clearbrook MB, Abbotsford, B.C. family: children Helen, Mary, John (Joyce), Larry (Kathy), Wayne [deceased]; grandchildren; greatgrandchildren

As a boy, Henry lost his father, so he worked hard on the farm. Henry accepted Christ as Saviour when he was young. Henry and Martha had few things besides love and hope. After farming in Rush Lake, Sask., they moved to Saskatoon, where polio took their 2-year-old son Wayne’s ability to walk. (His death in a car accident at 33 was another difficult time for the family.) Henry also mourned 2 sons-in-law and a grandson. In B.C., Henry farmed, worked in a lumberyard, and was custodian at Mennonite Educational Institute, Abbotsford, B.C. He modernized the cabins at Stillwood Camp, and served on the church catering committee. In retirement, he managed their condo and read many books.

Two years after Martha died, he married Matilda.

When she died after 17 years together, Henry was ready for heaven too.

Birthplace: Morse, Sask.

Parents: Ewald & Emma Biech Marriage: Frieda Muller, 1942 [deceased] baptism: Kelstern (Sask.) Mennonite, 1946 Church: Herbert (Sask.) MB family: children Howard (Donna), Grace (Marvin) Poettcker, Carol (Alvin) Lautermilch; Judith [deceased] (Darryl Priebe); 8 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; 2 sisters

Otto and Frieda farmed together, and in Herbert, Sask., they operated a dry cleaning business. In retirement, Otto enjoyed watching hockey, curling, baseball, and football. He took up woodworking, designing and constructing projects for family and mini golf courses. He served in various capacities in church and was a member of the Gideons. Otto spent his last 10 years in Herbert Manor and Herbert Integrated Health Care Facility. He faced life’s challenges with courage, optimism, and with steadfast faith in God.

Jacob Peter Froese Sept. 21, 1925–Jan. 16, 2013

Birthplace: Winkler, Man. Parents: Peter & Elizabeth Froese Marriage: Tina Tjart, 1948 church: Niagara (Ont.) Christian (now Cornerstone) family: Tina; children David (Shirley), Paul (Terri), Thomas (Dorothy), James [deceased], Mary Anne, Elizabeth, Rebecca (David) Van Noppen; daughterin-law Monica; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; 1 sister

Jake met Jesus in his mid-20s, altering his life’s trajectory. Jake was a tender fruit farmer in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. After serving on town council, he became lord mayor in 1973, hosting leaders from England, Botswana, India, Luxembourg, Holland, and Yugoslavia, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. In 1979, Jake became a member of Parliament. He also served on farm boards, hockey associations, and leadership at Niagara Christian Fellowship Chapel. A man of steadfast prayer, active love, and loud laughter, Jake never lost the amazement that God would love him. He died suddenly.

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Clara (Hutt) Toews Sept. 26, 1916–Jan. 16, 2013

Birthplace: Overstoneville, Man. Parents: Joseph & Lydia Edinger Marriage: Albert Hutt, Feb. 4, 1935 [deceased 1963], John J. Toews, Nov. 19, 1966 [deceased 1990] Baptism: Overstone Baptist, Stuartburn, Man., June 23, 1931 Church: Steinbach, (Man.) MB family: children Geraldine (Don) Nedohin, Leonard (Ilene), Lloyd (Mary), Esther (Lawrence) Rosner, Eleanor (Otto) Rosner, Glen (Shirley); Don [deceased] (Joan); stepchildren Annie (Jake) Janzen, Helena Enns, Henry (Elizabeth) Toews, Mary Toews [deceased], John H. Toews [deceased], Victor Toews [deceased]; 17 grandchildren [Gloria Shewchuk, Patrick Rosner deceased]; 25 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren; 1 sister

Clara accepted Jesus as Saviour at 14. A friendship and courtship of 3 years led into 28 years of marriage with Albert Hutt. Clara served by teaching Sunday school, vacation Bible school, and feeding the ministry team that came from Steinbach (Man.) MB Church to Overstone. A year after Albert died, Clara moved to Steinbach, where she met John Toews at church. They enjoyed travelling and gardening. After his death, Clara moved to a retirement home, where she started a Bible study. Clara played organ, accordion, harmonica, and omniharp, and was always humming hymns. She prayed for her family by name.

Bernard Henry Wall Oct. 14, 1914–Jan. 17, 2013

Birthplace: Orloff, Ukraine Parents: Heinrich & Elizabeth (Harder) Wall Marriage: Anna Wiebe, Aug. 8, 1943 Church: Willingdon, Burnaby, B.C.; Bakerview MB, Abbotsford, B.C. family: Anna; children Art (Kathleen), Ed (Shirley), Ruth (Dan); 5 grandchildren; 1 great-grandson

Bernard’s father, uncle, and grandpa were murdered by Makhno bandits in 1919. His family remained in Ukraine 7 more years before immigrating to Canada. At 14, Bernard accepted Christ as Saviour. He attended 4 winters at Winkler (Man.) Bible Institute. Shortly after meeting Anna in 1942, Bernard was drafted.

Refusing to take up arms, he worked as dental mechanic. While he was on a 2-week leave in 1943, they married. He was discharged in 1946.

He developed skills as a carpenter in Winnipeg,

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Man., then moved to Greendale, B.C., in 1947.

After trying to make a living on the farm, Bernard and Anna settled in Burnaby, B.C. Bernard was a dental mechanic in Vancouver until retiring at 65. He served Willingdon Church’s Sunday school and seniors’ committee. After moving to Abbotsford, B.C., in 1994, Bernard and Anna participated in Bakerview MB Church’s Bible studies and seniors’ activities. He was diagnosed with a heart condition in 2009.

Katherine Elsie Martens Jan. 27, 1918–Jan.17, 2013

Birthplace: Hochfeld, Ukraine Parents: Bernhard & Mary Giesbrecht Marriage: Jacob W. Martens, 1953 [deceased 1993] Church: Herbert (Sask.) MB family: daughters Jennifer (Brian) Shygera, Florence (Reg) Walde, Connie (Marcel) Redekop; 6 grandchildren; 1 great-grandson

Every evening, Katherine’s family would sing to her father’s guitar. Her grandmother died of typhus that swept through the village with Makhno’s army. During the famine, when the family was finally cleared to immigrate, Katherine’s father, a butcher, died of an infected wound. In 1924, they took a cattle car to Riga, Latvia, where their stepmother was detained for trachoma, and wasn’t heard from again.

Katherine and her sisters immigrated to Herbert, Sask., where they were separated. Katherine was adopted by Peter and Maria Goertzen in Herbert, Sask. She wanted to nurse, but there was no money for training. She and Jacob farmed near Herbert. After he died of cancer, Katherine sold the farm and managed the MCC store for 10 years. In her 80s, she sewed hundreds of blankets for MCC and made sure each grandchild had a blue jean picnic blanket. Although Katherine’s early life weakened her self-confidence, she pushed herself to face new experiences, including performing a rap with her teenaged grandchildren, and at 75, sitting on the fridge to hang wallpaper. A forward thinker, she enjoyed new worship music. Katherine was an avid reader and a great storyteller.

Church: Yarrow (B.C.) MB; Broadway MB, Chilliwack, B.C. family: daughter Viola Dyble; 2 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren

Kay’s family immigrated to Canada in 1923, settling in Gilroy, Sask. She accepted Jesus at 15. After 2 terms at Herbert (Sask.) Bible School, while teaching vacation Bible school, Kay met John. They moved to Yarrow, B.C., where Kay enjoyed teaching Sunday school, singing in the choir, and being president of the Mary Magdalene sewing circle at Yarrow MB Church. She had her own dress shop and later worked for a clothing store. When Kay and John moved to Chilliwack, B.C., and joined Broadway MB Church, Kay sang in the German choir and again led the sewing circle. In 1984, they began managing Cheam Housing Co-op. After 24 years of service there, Kay developed dementia.

Mary (Klassen) Dyck Jan. 1, 1914–Jan. 21, 2013

Birthplace: Horndean, Man. Parents: Abram & Helena (Wiebe) Klassen Marriage: Peter B. Dyck, 1948 [deceased Apr. 12, 2003] Baptism: Grossweide MB, Plum Coulee, Man., age 12 Church: Winkler (Man.) MB family: children Rosalie (Ken) Gascho, Barry (Marty), Elaine (Don) Wiens; 5 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren

At 12, Mary found peace by accepting Jesus’ forgiveness through a sermon on Zaccheus by H.S. Voth. After high school in Winkler, Man., she attended normal school and taught in Edward, Hebert, Winkler, Ridgewood, and Calder, Man. Mary’s wish to be a farmer’s wife was realized when she married Peter. She mourned a stillborn son. Mary taught Sunday school, moms’ program, ladies’ fellowship, and Pioneer Girls; joined Valley Harvest Maids; worked for United Way for 10 years; and served the MCC store and auxiliary.

She read to Salem Home residents weekly for 11 years. Mary loved hosting meals and sharing her plants. In every interaction, she showed grace.

Her greatest joy was knowing her children loved Jesus. Mary’s motto, based on Colossians 3:13–15, was “Live to love and you will love to live.”

Kay Schellenberg

Tobias Jacob Reimer

Mar. 13, 1921–Jan. 20, 2013

Jan. 23, 2013

Birthplace: Ukraine Parents: Jacob P. & Katherina Dyck Marriage: John Schellenberg, Apr. 20, 1941 Baptism: Gilroy, Sask., 1939

Birthplace: Steinbach, Man. Parents: Owen & Stephanie Reimer Church: Steinbach MB family: parents; brother Ethan; grandparents

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Ron & Helen Falk, Heinz & Elsie Reimer; greatgrandparents Abe & Maria Plett, Jessie Falk, David & Emma Reimer

Tobias was stillborn, weighing 2 lbs 5 oz. He was predeceased by infant brothers Kieran Owen in 2009 and Micah James in 2011. At the Jan. 28 service, Tobias’ name hung in 4-foot-high blue letters surrounded by clouds. Following pastor Walter Fast’s meditation and Tobias’ parents’ words, his father carried out the white casket.

Friends gathered around the couple over cake, at tables decorated with balloons, jewels, cars, and flowers. On the memory cards was printed “a twinkle in our eyes and hearts and now in heaven” and Psalm 71:20–21. Tobias means “God is good.”

Mary Louise Corothers Jahnke July 9, 1918–Jan. 26, 2013

Hertha’s family immigrated to Canada in 1926, settling first in Manitoba, then in Munson, Alta.

Hertha accepted Christ in 1936. She attended 2 years at Gem (Alta.) Bible School (where she met Jake) and 1 year at Prairie Bible School, Three Hills, Alta. After Hertha and Jake married, he was sent overseas for 2 years, and Hertha moved back to her parents’ home, where her first son was born. When Jake returned, they bought his family’s farm in Gem. Through the difficult times, Hertha experienced God’s faithfulness. In 1959, the family moved to Chilliwack, B.C., to run a dairy farm. Hertha loved to garden, clean, and bake. She mourned her son Robert and a granddaughter. Hertha and Jake enjoyed travelling.

Her last 15 years were at Menno Home. Hertha never complained, but with gentleness, gave everything she had to her family.

Olga Wiens Oct. 25, 1918–Jan. 30, 2013

Birthplace: Herbert, Sask.

Parents: Leo Monroe & Anna Sophia (Swanson) Corothers Marriage: Elmer Jahnke, Nov. 1, 1941 baptism: Main Centre (Sask.) MB, June 2009 family: Elmer; children Don (Linda), Brian (Joanne), Craig (Patricia), MaryAnne (Doug); daughter-in-law Marilyn; 12 grandchildren; 6 greatgrandchildren

After graduating at 15, Mary taught herself shorthand, and later, typing. She was hired by Wiebe Agency as a steno for $10/month. She worked at International Harvester in Swift Current, Sask., and Winnipeg. Mary and Elmer lived 71 years on a ranch near Morse, Sask. She kept books for Jahnke & Sons, Jahnke Bros., and Jahnke Ranches.

She grew, canned, froze, and pickled enough to feed her family of 7 and 2 hired men for the winter. Mary and Elmer travelled to Australia, Spain, England, the U.S., and the Caribbean.

She mourned son Neil, a grandson, and a greatgrandson. Mary and Elmer attended Main Centre (Sask.) MB Church until Christmas 2011, when the travel became too much for them. She loved to play piano by ear, after listening to Bing Crosby, Pat Boone, Liberace, and big bands. Mary endeared herself to others with her sharp wit.

Hertha Doerksen Apr. 15, 1919–Jan. 29, 2013

Birthplace: Rosenthal, Ukraine Parents: Heinrich & Katharina Klassen Marriage: Jake Doerksen, Aug. 17, 1943 [deceased] Baptism: Namaka, Alta., July 20, 1941 Church: Bakerview MB, Abbotsford, B.C. family: children Dave (Marilyn), Les (Clara), John (Trish), Robert [deceased] (Edith)

Birthplace: Grigoryevka, Ukraine Parents: Cornelius Martin & Marie (Guenther) Friesen Marriage: Heinz (Henry) Wiens, Apr. 4, 1954 [deceased 1995] Baptism: Niverville, Man., age 16 Church: Bakerview MB, Abbotsford, B.C. family: sons Ed (Elfie), Ernie (Carol); 5 grandchildren; 3 siblings

Olga’s family immigrated to Canada in 1924. They borrowed a $100 down payment and bought 80 acres in Heuboden, Man. At 14, Olga earned her way to Bible camp by memorizing 500 Bible verses. There, she accepted Jesus as Saviour and came home happy. At another farm, she earned $5/month, which her parents used to buy 100 laying chickens. In 1934, their home burned down, destroying the clothes Olga’s mother had sewn her to begin working as a servant in Winnipeg. She attended Bible school in Steinbach, Man., and at a teacher’s suggestion, worked a year as a nurse’s aide. With a Grade 7 education and a desire to become an RN, at 25, Olga reentered high school, completing it in 2 years. She graduated from nurse’s training in Vancouver in 1950. In her mid-30s, Olga felt called to missions. After she waited 6 months in Brazil to begin her MCC assignment at a new German-speaking settlement in Gartental, Uruguay, refugee settler Heinz Wiens came to escort her. She delivered babies by kerosene light. Olga married Heinz outside the sod school/co-op building. After their son’s birth, they moved to Vancouver, and Olga returned to nursing. She read the Bible to her sons daily. Olga and Heinz retired to Abbotsford, B.C., in 1982.

Seeing Heinz’s strength fail in the 1980s due to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease was the hardest experience of Olga’s life, but despite her arthritis and dizziness, she visited him daily. She modelled a consistent life of devotion to Jesus.

Nelle Lydia McKay Nov. 19, 1934–Feb. 12, 2013

Birthplace: Winnipeg Parents: John & Marie (Sperling) DeJager Marriage: Bill McKay, 1958 baptism: Morden (Man.) MB church: St. Paul’s Presbyterian, Ottawa family: Bill; children Alvin (Charmaine), Heather (Patrick) Brassil, Susan (Guy) Pitre, Sandra (Kevin) Smith; 9 grandchildren; 4 siblings

Nelle accepted Christ as Saviour at a young age and was baptized. Her family moved from Domain to Roseisle, Man., in 1937. She graduated from Winkler Bible Institute in 1955. In 1958, she moved to Ottawa and married Bill. Nelle was a gifted seamstress. She loved nature and music. She was dedicated to her family and never waivered in her beliefs. Nelle mourned a grandson. She loved to serve, expecting nothing in return.

Raymond Hugh Passmore Aug. 2, 1932–Feb. 15, 2013

Birthplace: Lafleche, Sask.

Parents: Hugh & Verna Passmore Marriage: Stella Unruh, 1974 church: Clearbrook MB, Abbotsford, B.C. family: Stella; daughter Janice (Aaron) Grafstrom; 3 grandsons; 1 brother

Ray accepted Christ as Saviour at 16 while listening to Back to the Bible radio program and was later baptized. Ray attended Briercrest Bible Institute, Caronport, Sask., in 1954. He did payroll and clerical work for Woodriver School Division for 33 years. Ray and Stella retired to Abbotsford, B.C. A devoted husband and father, Ray prayed for his family. He bought Stella flowers and his grandchildren goodies. He loved the Lord and rarely missed a church service or Bible study.

Evelyn Brandt Oct. 8, 1938–Feb. 24, 2013

Birthplace: Blumenort, Man. Parents: Abram & Anna Brandt church: Highland MB, Calgary family: 6 siblings; nieces & nephews

Evelyn moved to Calgary in 1966. She was a foster parent and a caregiver for individuals with special needs. She mourned her brother Edward and sister Jessie.

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currents Moviemaker forgoes macabre for missionary memoir

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hat do a horror film about the antichrist and a documentary about a russianmennonite missionary have in common?

Filmmaker mike Klassen. Being in the Way the Lord Led Me, a documentary about Highland (Calgary) member Frank Dyck, Klassen’s tireless missionary grandfather, isn’t discontinuous with his usual fare, he explains because “film is a medium to tell all kinds of stories.”

In film school, Klassen found his niche in horror because the genre offered great scope to learn through experimentation, but he’s never wanted “to be pigeonholed to one kind of story.” raised in the mB church, Klassen says his faith – though “not as cut and dried as in the past” – is part of everything he creates.

The urging of his mother Joy Klassen and her work as producer were instrumental in his creating this 42-minute documentary on grandfather Filmmaker Mike Klassen with producer Joy Klassen Dyck, who served in ukraine for some 20 years.

Being in the Way is both a universal story of struggles preaching), and location stills over 10 days in and around and success, and a unique tale: “it’s one guy’s story,” says Zaporozhye with basic equipment on Dyck’s penultimate Klassen. To MB Herald obituary readers, Frank Dyck’s trip to ukraine in 2011. “I got a crazy-awesome perspecearly life is familiar – teenage conversion and baptism in tive of why we are the way we are,” says the rockway the cradle of church community, arrest and death of his Collegiate-educated twentysomething who saw his father in a ukrainian village, retreat to Germany with the mennonite education come to life in ukraine.

Nazi army and deprivation in camps, and immigration Though he conceived the film as a tribute to his to Canada. grandfather and an heirloom for the family, Klassen “I didn’t want to concentrate on the negative never approached it as “a home video.” The quality of the [experiences of Dyck’s early life], but without context, film reflects his and cinematographer Nick matthews’ going back [to serve in ukraine] doesn’t mean anything,” training and experience. says Klassen.

Klassen cut through to the essence of the story to Dyck wanted to return to minister in his country keep it a manageable length that could fit into a televiof birth after college, but the Iron Curtain had sealed sion hour or a Sunday school class. Seventy percent of shut that possibility. Instead, in retirement, Dyck began the proceeds from sale of the DVDs will be donated to a stream of short-term mission assignments, first in ECm for their work in ukraine.—Karla Braun Germany and Lithuania with mB mission, then in ukraine with European Christian mission (ECm).

Preaching and teaching in russian and Much of the soundtrack was recorded spontaneously in Ukraine. ukrainian, Dyck encouraged local churches, Some songs are the raw singing of congregational worship Klassen caught in a local Ukrainian church. But the opening track and a bonus feature are haunting original Russian supported Zaporozhye Bible College, and was music by professional musician – and longtime translator for Frank Dyck – Olga Rubel, instrumental in the restoration of church buildrecorded moments before Klassen left for the airport. ings and a seniors’ home. “I never had a notion I The musical heritage of the extended Dyck family is also showcased on the soundtrack. had any right to anything,” says the hard-workDyck’s daughter Chris Voth contributed piano numbers, and Klassen wrote and recorded the ing senior on the video. His sacrificial service in original song, “You led me.” this difficult country was simply “being in the As the credits appear, never-before-seen archival footage rolls of Frank and his wife Nettie way, the Lord led me” (Genesis 24:27 KJV). singing and playing “Can you Count the Stars of Evening,” recorded for Lithuanian television Klassen shot Dyck’s narrative, the church during their service there in the 1990s. music soundtrack, bonus features (of Dyck

SOUNDBITES:

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film clips

Film on hot topic questions actions arising from belief Hellbound?

Photo: kevin miller xi productions Inc.

Kevin Miller, writer/director

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evin Miller had no idea hell would become a hot topic when he began to work on Hellbound? – a documentary exploring biblical perspectives on hell.

This subject of his lifelong curiosity exploded in popular interest with the 2011 release of Rob Bell’s Love Wins.

Screenwriter, director, producer, and author Miller takes a refreshing look at the question of eternal punishment through his documentary.

May 31–June 2, Lendrum MB Church, Edmonton, hosted Kevin Miller for a weekend of discussion about Hellbound? (now available on DVD). Miller’s thoughtprovoking work provides a great starting point for discussions and further research into the topic of hell.

He shared with Lendrum about his own journey of creating this movie – a journey that began after he came to faith as a child and began to wonder about the fate of his family members, who were not practising Christians at the time.

By engaging with a wide variety of personalities and perspectives, the film introduces the viewer to two polar Christian views on hell. The film presents interviews of more than two dozen people, introducing the viewer to many who have long been in conversation on this topic.

On the one hand, a “traditional” view understands the Bible to teach that hell is a place of eternal conscious torment for those who have not accepted God’s offer of forgiveness through Jesus. This spectrum of beliefs on hell is represented by groups and individuals such as Mark Driscoll, Kevin DeYoung, John Piper, and the controversial Westboro Baptist Church.

Another view, represented by individuals such as Brian McLaren, Brad Jersak, and Robin Parry, sees the Bible as ultimately pointing to universal reconciliation and restoration. Subscribers to this view live in the hope that all will eventually be saved through the work of Jesus. The voices who affirm this hope urge the viewer to read the Bible with a better understanding of its purpose, especially with regards to passages that seem to be talking about hell. What perspective and intent did the biblical authors have when speaking about hell?

The film seeks to present some of the many Christian perspectives on the issue of hell, creating space for the audience to carefully consider the options

Kevin Miller (right) dialogues on hell.

and their implications for our lives. What fruits do our beliefs bear in our lives? Does our understanding of the Bible’s teaching on hell and eternity empower us to live in hope?

The documentary has been criticized for lumping together all those who hold to the traditional view on hell with extremist groups such as Westboro Baptist Church. However, by including the shocking public demonstrations of Westboro Baptist Church in his film, Miller effectively asks what kind of impact our beliefs can have. How does our perception of hell affect how we understand who God is and how we relate to others?

Is Westboro Baptist an extreme example?

Though I’ve never carried around placards stating my beliefs that many of my friends will go to hell, I have thought this and acted on it. As a former adherent to the “traditional” view, I saw many of my friends as projects to convert, rather than people whom I loved and cared about. As Miller’s documentary portrays the actions of Westboro Baptist Church members, maybe we will pay attention to our own actions and the fruit they bear.

Well worth viewing, Hellbound? offers a fantastic starting point from which to explore this topic. Miller’s movie can help Christians who are grappling with the concept of hell. Along with the documentary, the film’s website (hellboundthemovie.com) offers an abundance of resources on the subject for further study and reflection.

Adrienne Lloyd, whose home church is Lendrum MB Church, is a graduate student in Christian studies at Regent College, Vancouver. She also holds a master of music.

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CUrreNt books Shaping a Digital World: Faith, Culture and Computer Technology DEREK C. SCHUURMAN

Popcultured: Thinking Christianly About Style, Media and Entertainment STEVE TURNER t first glance, prolific writer and poet Steve Turner, and associate professor of computer science Derek Schuurman appear to have little in common.

One is immersed in the cultural life and times of London, England, while the other peers into the intricate

a

layers of nanotechnology circuitry. Where they find themselves on the same page, however, is in their premise for these Intervarsity Press volumes. Both authors are compelled to help us think Christianly about culture – particularly culture that has been made possible by electricity.

Turner investigates the broader expressions of “leisure activity” such as film, fashion, and photography, while Schuurman focuses specifically on computer technology. They similarly reject cultural separatism and then elaborate what it means to consume, create, and critique culture as a biblically rooted experience. Both write in a very accessible style intended to make sense for the “person in the pew” who wants to make everyday choices in a more satisfying and theological way.— way.—David Balzer, instructor of communications and media, CMU

read these full-length reviews online under “Crosscurrents” at www.mbherald.com

Sacred Pauses: Spiritual Practices for Personal Renewal APRIL YAMASAKI hat would it take to feel renewed every day? What if we could take time out to be refreshed by God? If you think this is beyond your reach, if you’re too

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busy to read a book asking these questions, or concerned doing so will add to your sense of guilt, then this book for you. rooting her ideas in Scripture, and her personal experiences as a follower of Christ and as a pastor, april yamasaki invites you to believe another kind of life is possible, where the answer to the question “How are you?” isn’t “Busy,” but “Thriving.”—Rachel Twigg Boyce, House Blend Ministries, Winnipeg

SEX education The board of faith and life recommends the following 5 books as preparatory reading for the conversations at October’s study conference on human sexuality in Edmonton. Book reviews by BFL members, registration information, and more, can be found at studyconference.mennonitebrethren.ca.

Sexuality: God’s Gift ANNE KRABILL HERSHBERGER

The book’s title announces its goal: to promote a positive view of sexuality.

This collection of essays on human sexuality is written by a variety of Christian educators from a Christian, anabaptist, and biblical perspective.

Church in Crisis: The Gay Controversy and the Anglican Community OLIVER O’DONOVAN

This timely book’s importance lies not primarily in its potential ability to resolve all of the attendant issues of the gay controversy, but in helping us understand just how vitally important it is to think about how the church must be faithful in its very pursuit of faithfulness.

Strength in Weakness: Overcoming Sexual and Relational Brokenness ANDREW COMISKEY

This book was written with great personal courage and transparency. andrew Comiskey shares openly about his own weaknesses and struggles.

His story sheds light on the shame and brokenness many have experienced in their lives.

The Vertical Self: How Biblical Faith Can Help Us Discover Who We Are in an Age of Self Obsession MARK SAYERS

Sayers’ insights are at times startlingly accurate and challenging. It is a valuable work for anyone interested in greater self-understanding or greater understanding of the culture in which he or she lives and to which he or she ministers.

The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics ROBERT A. J. GAGNON

at 520 pages, The Bible and Homosexual Practice is no lightweight piece of work. The objective of the book is twofold: first, to demonstrate “that the Bible unequivocally defines same-sex intercourse as sin. Second, there exist no valid hermeneutical arguments…for overriding the Bible’s authority on this matter.”

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Intersection

of faith & life

The way love is P hil W a gle r

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et’s say I had an argument with my wife because of my own obtuseness and insensitivity. And, let’s just say that we therefore enjoyed the sound of silence for the evening, frustrated by one another, feeling slighted and misunderstood. Let’s say – as mere conjecture, of course – that we then crawled into bed. Now, it’s no longer hypothetical that any hopes of playful procreation have been ruled out, but going to bed angry is neither wise nor faithful to Scripture, so we pray together dutifully, and I lean over, give a kiss, and say, “I love you.”

Problem solved? Better fall asleep quick because I’m living in a dream world!

More passion for pizza than partner?

My thinking has been stirred lately by a conversation with someone struggling how to talk about love as more than a word describing a feeling or emotion to friends for whom the word has become white noise.

Culturally, “love” gets thrown around like a ball at a t-ball game – every which way, and only occasionally right. Hence, when many have heard the same word applied to pizza and a partner, it starts to become pretty cheap. We all know our love for pizza and our significant other is not the same thing, yet sometimes we’re more thrilled about seeing the pizza-pie than we are the better half.

Suddenly, or not so suddenly, in the unrelenting drift of culture, words and

concepts that once stirred our depths and mean a lot to the communication of the good news of the kingdom of God become like that lost tennis ball finally discovered under the couch wrapped in dust bunnies and loose strands of hair. My friend finds himself wrestling with how to talk about that love of God that is so full of hope-filled action, but has picked up a bunch of very unhelpful and frankly shallow definitions and demonstrations.

Aspects of love Maybe this is why God revealed himself most fully into a world with multiple words for “love.” The various Greek words – storge (affection), philia (friendship love), eros (passionate attraction), and agape (unconditional love) which the New Testament loves so much – communicate something more full and nuanced than English can or does.

Ultimately, “love” as the Bible describes it surpasses Hallmark sentimentality and, quite frankly, disturbs. In 1 Corinthians 13, there can even appear to be a contradiction at work: “If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (vs. 3).

If I give all I have to the poor or willingly suffer (isn’t this love in action?), but have not love, I gain nothing. It seems that love is not even present in acts of love if the will is bent on self to any degree.

Pride nullifies the most charitable act.

Motive (the unseen inner stirring) seems to come into this – and that makes God’s love all the more, well, love!

God’s motive is not primarily return for his activity, but self-giving for the other

because of covenant love. God is motivated to keep his word. God is full of it (love, that is) and is not threatened by our propensity to spurn the Lover.

C.S. Lewis says, “In God, there is no hunger that needs to be filled, only plenteousness that desires to give.”

Maybe this is why heaven erupts in celebration whenever a sinner “gets it”?

An overflowing well Now, this gets messy and disturbingly deep for we who throw “love” around, doesn’t it? Somehow love is a redefined act overflowing from a reborn will. Maybe that’s what Jesus meant by a spring of living water welling up from within?

And, maybe that means even the “I love you” uttered not carelessly, but as a means to ensuring a good night’s sleep is meaningless if it’s only for one’s own peace of mind?

What would love that is more than a word, even more than action, but the overflow of a transformed will look like?

Would it not be an immense surprise?

Would it not be a covert operation of another world in this one? Would it not defy definition on the one hand and doubt on the other? Would it not awaken joy, laughter, awe, and surrender, especially among those for whom “love” has become cheap or a profound disappointment?

Phil Wagler is lead pastor of Gracepoint Community (MB) Church, Surrey, B.C., and author of Kingdom Culture.

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