Canadian Mennonite
Volume 6, number 7
April 11, 2002

---

Gretna, Man.

Photo: Adventure Club participants devour the marathon ice cream mound at Gretna Bergthaler Mennonite Church.

Sometimes God initiates some thing, and then you just have to go along for the ride," said Laurie Schellenberg, coordinator of Adventure Club for grades 3-6 at Gretna Bergthaler Mennonite Church.

The ride is an adventure Schellenberg never anticipated.

"I was sending my two sons to clubs in Altona two years ago when I noticed there were a lot of kids of club age in Gretna who for various reasons couldn't go. I'm not the kind of person interested in running a club program," said Schellenberg.

But God wouldn't let her shake the idea of a local club. She reasoned with God, "Then you have to lay this on others' hearts, too."

Schellenberg mentioned her inward struggle to Rudy Franz, pastor at Gretna Bergthaler, and he replied that two others had mentioned the same thing to him.

The Spirit was at work, said Schellenberg. Elsie Penner, Kathy Franz and Laurie Schellenberg, quite independent of each other, were being stirred to action.

Gretna is a small community of 500, "counting the 158 students at Mennonite Collegiate Institute (MCI)," said Schellenberg. The church has a resident membership of less than 100 and, like many other rural churches, struggles to run church programs without wearing out the same people.

The team of three enlisted the help of Lois Toews who had been involved with a children's club seven years ago. They were told they could expect from 20 to 30 children, but when opening night came, they were bowled over with about 45 children.

As they come to the end of their second year, between 60 and 65 children regularly attend the weekly program. We can barely contain their enthusiasm and energy, said Schellenberg.

The club volunteers meet for prayer 15 minutes before each session.

"It's a quiet time to focus ourselves and hand the evening over to God," said Schellenberg. Meeting nights include singing, skits, Bible lessons, activities, crafts and snack.

"Approximately a third are children of our regular church attenders," said Schellenberg. "One third are from other churches and at least a third are from unchurched families."

"Children have to deal with a lot of stresses in their young lives. We hope this is a place where they can feel loved and accepted."

The church has appreciated the regular assistance of MCI students. "They really help to make this possible," said Schellenberg.

"Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" (Hebrews 12:1) has been the theme for Adventure Club this year. It also reflects the response of Schellenberg, Penner, and Franz to God's leading.

-Evelyn Rempel Petkau

Montreal, Quebec

The Mennonite Fellowship of Montreal has celebrated some milestones and worked through difficult times in the past year. In September, Muriel Bechtel led the installation of the new pastoral team. The Fellowship is blessed with the leadership of Lucille Marr and Jean-Jacques Goulet who left their home in Edmonton to join us in Montreal.

Lucille was employed at the Augustana University College where she taught Canadian history and women's studies. She is also working on a history of Mennonite Central Committee Ontario. Jean-Jacques was the pastor at the Holyrood Mennonite Church in Edmonton. In addition to his pastoral duties at the Fellowship, he is the Director of Outreach and Church Planting for Mennonite Church Canada.

Our church life has also been blessed with the three baby dedications: Milo Balk, son of Pam Reimer and Malcolm Balk; Scott Martin, son of Maureen Hastie and Luc Martin; and Samuel Murciano, son of Annette Murciano and Glenn Thomas. The church also celebrated with Barbara Marudow and Henry Rempel with the occasion of their marriage just after Christmas.

Six membership transfers also took place. Lynette Friesen, Jean-Jacques Goulet, Lucille Marr, Annette Murciano, Pamela Reimer and Grant Snyder joined our congregation.

Saddened by the death of baby Isaac, son of Phillippa Wiens and Pierre Chetelat, the church community grieved with the couple and family.

We continue to be blessed with the involvement of Voluntary Services workers who worship with the Fellowship while working with other organizations. This year an intentional community was formed with the VSers Lauren Clarke, Rosemary Hogue, and Rafael Barahona, and Sarah Bector, a McGill Student.

Although Montreal has a small Mennonite community, the city has much to offer for visitors and we welcome you to join us for Sunday worship.

-Dora Koop

Calgary, Alta.

Photo: Winners of the B championship at the Friar's Briar was a Mennonite team from Ontario. From left: Terrell Wiebe, Bruce Wiebe, David Martin, Maurice Martin.

On March 11-15, clergy from various denominations met in Calgary to curl in the Friar's Briar. A Mennonite team from Ontario won the B championship.

Bruce Wiebe, pastor of the North Leamington United Mennonite Church, is the skip and coach. Other members of the team are: David Martin, pastor of Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church, Kitchener; Maurice Martin, interim pastor at Bloomingdale Mennonite Church, soon to become Mennonite Church Canada staff; and Terrell Wiebe (son of Bruce) who has received accolades as a junior curler in his native Alberta.

The Friar's Briar (spelled with an "a" to legally differentiate it from the Nokia Brier) is in its 24th year. It began ostensibly in response to the west's anger at Trudeau's energy policy. Don Amos, a pastor in Ontario decided that the clergy of Canada could surely rise above regional politics and have good Canada-wide fellowship. Thus was born "The Friar's Briar." It is held each year at the same time as the Brier, preferably in the same city if a local group of clergy can sponsor the parallel event.

This year 24 teams from across Canada were divided into four divisions of six teams who played a round robin series to determine playoff divisions A, B, and C (also whimsically named "Hades"). The Monday night draw pitted east against west for the "Heavenly Host" shield. The west won.

When clergy meet to curl, comments include, "Let the one who is without sin, cast the first stone." Other comments are somewhat less pious!

Gold, silver and bronze medals (including cash prizes) are awarded to winners of the A division. All curlers receive prizes given by various donors. The Wiebe team, winner of the B championship, was placed fifth overall as they went to the prize table.

Thursday evening there is a banquet and business meeting. At this event, The Amazing Grace trophy, donated by Ralph Milton (Woodlake Books) is traditionally given to the person who made the most outstanding (or lucky as the case may be) shot. In recent years it has been given to individuals for various other reasons. Last year at the Briar, held in Kitchener, it was given to a team of octogenarians who placed dead last, but won "because they were having the most fun!" This year the trophy went to Herb, a ninety-one year old curler simply for being there!

-Maurice Martin