Mennonite Church Eastern Canada
Northwest Mennonite Conference
Mennonite Church
British Columbia
Agenda for 'land'
consultation
The agenda for the July 2-3
consultation on "Making peace with the land" includes:
·July 2: Gather at Wanuskewin National Heritage Park to
walk the land traversed by the aboriginal community for 6,000
years; aboriginal elders will offer their perspectives.
·Gather at Osler Mennonite Church for opening address by
Chris Lind, followed by a response from Laura Rance. The remainder
of the day will be spent in "community dialogue" on
Canada's food system.
·July 3: Ministers and deacons join the consultation. Nettie
Wiebe will focus worship under the title, "An alto in the
community's song." Cam Harder will speak about how faith
creates a framework for seeing the world. Church leaders will
join in the dialogue to seek common ground, health and wholeness.
·A report on the recent World Food Summit in Switzerland
will be followed by interest groups. The entire group will reconvene
for final discernment and recommendations for the MC Canada delegates.
Planners hope
to achieve:
·Larger ownership of the questions around Canada's food
system.
·Meaningful dialogue between producers and consumers.
·Agenda and action for Mennonite Church Canada on food,
sustainability and health.
·Growth as a community of faith by forming new and unexpected
relationships.
·Encourage exchange and mutual benefit from closer ties
between rural and urban congregations.
-MC Canada
Openings for service workers
Young people looking for an
adventure with potential for personal growth need look no further
than the service opportunities with MC Canada's Christian Service
Ministries. While helping others is a good reason for doing voluntary
service, it's the personal and spiritual growth aspect that is
most often highlighted by participants.
Both Mennonite Voluntary Service Canada (MVS Canada) and Service
Adventure Canada, along with their partners in the U.S., are looking
for individuals who want to do an "astonishing thing...to
give a slice of their lives to sacrificial service," says
MVS Canada director Brad Reimer.
He adds, "It seems people are making decisions later and
later. It's difficult for local sites to make arrangements when
they don't know if they will have people or how many."
Service Adventure Canada provides service options for post-high
school individuals. With the elimination of grade 13 in Ontario,
there will be twice as many graduates in Ontario next year. Service
Adventure Canada is preparing options to meet these demands.
"We're currently looking for four people for the Lethbridge,
Alberta, unit starting the end of August," said Reimer.
"There are four churches considering new MVS units. Another
is considering a Service Adventure unit. But will we have volunteers?
Are Canadians ready to take up the invitation to engage in God's
work in the Canadian context?"
MVS Canada currently has openings in existing units in Edmonton,
Winnipeg, Hamilton and Montreal.
-MC Canada release
VBS Troupe prepares
for summer
Mennonite Church Eastern Canada's
2002 Vacation Bible School Troupe met for three days in early
May to begin preparations. The members of the troup are eager
to lead children in nine vacation Bible schools this summer in
music and worship, intriguing stories of Paul, drama, artistic
responses, and "Olympic Games."
Churches hosting the troupe this summer are Shantz, Wanner, Danforth,
Hillcrest, Hanover, Brussels, Avon, Nairn and Valleyview Mennonite.
-MCEC release
Taiwanese church
closes its doors
After several years of struggle
as a group, the Toronto Taiwanese Revival Mennonite Church decided
at the end of April to close its doors. The MCEC Mission and Service
Commission has partnered with the Taiwanese group since 1995;
the congregation was received into "emerging church"
status within MCEC in 1996.
Frank Liao, with his wife Heather, served as pastor of this congregation
for five years, then returned to Taiwan for ongoing ministry.
Since Liao's departure, this ever smaller congregation has struggled
with a variety of lay and pastoral leadership issues, resulting
in an unexpected, quick decision to end its life together as a
church. The Mission and Service Commission trusts that, in spite
of difficulties, seeds of Christ's peace and hope have been sown
within the Toronto Taiwanese community and in the world.
-MCEC release
Health and dental plan
initiated by MCEC
In response to repeated requests
from both pastors and congregational leaders, Mennonite Church
Canada initiated a health and dental plan for congregational employees
within MCEC on May 1. The plan requires full participation from
all eligible employees within each congregation if the congregation
elects to join the plan.
The plan augments the MC Canada life and long-term disability
and pension plans that are already available to congregational
employees. For more information, contact Ester Neufeldt, (519)
650-3806, e-mail: eneufeldt@mcec.on.ca.
-MCEC release
Media programming
gets new director
Darryl Neustaedter Barg has been appointed director of Media Programming
for Mennonite Church Manitoba, beginning July 1. He replaces Ed
Cornelson, who gave interim leadership to Faith and Life Communications
for the past three years.
Neustaedter Barg previously worked for the conference in youth
and young adult ministry for two years. He continues to give leadership
to the worship band at Canadian Mennonite University. He has a
strong commitment to Anabaptist theology, a love for the church
and connections with many youth and young adults.
He and Krista, who have two children, are members at Fort Garry
Mennonite Fellowship where Darryl is a lay minister.
-MC Manitoba
Youth raise funds for summer assembly
On April 28, the youth of North Star Mennonite Church in Drake held their fifth annual coffee house and pie auction fund raiser. The were helped by youth sponsors Betty Friesen and Chris Dyck, as well as youth pastor Vern Neufeld. Together they entertained the audience with a delightful program of local talent.
Guest Jeff Martens Koop, associate pastor of Mount Royal Mennonite in Saskatoon, displayed rare talent in music and prose. Everyone enjoyed the wide variety of delicious pies. To close the evening, local auctioneer Bob Bergen sold the remaining pies to bring the evening income to approximately $1,000.
This money will be used to sponsor the youth at the Mennonite Church Canada annual assembly in Saskatoon this summer.-Susan Neufeld
Pastoral changes
Trevor Kiriaka is being installed
as pastor at West Zion church in Carstairs, Alberta, on June 23.
Alvin Penner was installed as associate pastor at Duchess on June
2. Phil Wagler has answered a call to pastor the Edson church
this summer.
John Dueck, pastor at Sharon Mennonite, Guernsey, Saskatchewan,
was ordained on June 2. Eduardo Guinez will be installed as pastor
of the Hispanic church plant in Saskatchewan on June 29.
A farewell was held for Lilia Osorio, pastor of Red Deer Hispanic
Church, on May 26. Kristen Epp is leaving her youth pastoral position
at Holyrood Mennonite Church in Edmonton this summer, and Alan
Wedman left his youth pastoral position at Salem Mennonite in
Tofield in May.
New administrator
Mennonite Church B.C. welcomes
Janette Thiessen as new office administrator. Thiessen is a member
of Greendale Mennonite Church and has worked as a secretary for
over 20 years, having volunteered at Eden Mennonite in Chilliwack
and with B.C. Women in Mission. She began on May 21.
Conference for
church leaders
The LEADership Conference (Leaders,
Elders And Deacons) will be held at the Vernon Mennonite Church
on June 7. Registration begins at 2:00 p.m. The topic for the
day is "Embracing each other," with speaker Henry Paetkau,
denominational minister for Mennonite Church Canada.
Registration forms and report books for this event as well as
the annual sessions have been sent to church offices. For more
information, check there or call the MC B.C. office at (604) 850
6658.
Unless otherwise credited, the articles in TheChurches pages were written by: Leona Dueck Penner (Mennonite Church Canada), Maurice Martin (Eastern Canada), Evelyn Rempel Petkau (Manitoba), Karin Fehderau (Saskatchewan), Donita Wiebe-Neufeld (Alberta), Angelika Dawson (B.C.). See page 2 for contact information.
Unless otherwise credited, the articles in TheConferences pages were written by: Daniel Rempel (Mennonite Church Canada), Maurice Martin(Eastern Canada), Evelyn Rempel Petkau (Manitoba), Karin Fehderau (Saskatchewan), Donita Wiebe-Neufeld (Alberta), Angelika Dawson (B.C.). Go here for a list of contact information.
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