Mennonite Church Eastern Canada
Mennonite Church British Columbia
Equipping Canada
now electronic
The November Equipping Canada is the third exclusively electronic distribution of a packet begun by Mennonite Church Canada in June for pastors, congregational leaders, committees, teachers and librarians.
All Equipping material is posted to the Mennonite Church Canada web site at www.mennonitechurch.ca. Follow the link from the home page. Items that are too bulky or have copyright requirements are held for hard-copy distribution. (Four hard-copy editions per year are sent to all congregations.)
Many recipients find web delivery useful. People who have access to the internet can alert their members about using the resources. For those who create bulletins and church newsletters, cutting and pasting text from the web saves time.
Noteworthy items in the November/December issue include a paper on “Where does Mennonite Church Canada stand?” by Henry Krause and Dan Nighswander, and materials for World Fellowship Sunday on January 25.
A review of the electronic distribution indicated that:
• Over 90 percent of MC Canada congregations receive e-Equipping.
• About 3 percent dislike electronic distribution and have requested a return to hard copy.
• Approximately 9 percent of recipients have reported problems.
• Approximately 9 percent of e-mail messages to congregations are returned as “undeliverable.”
In a given week in October, there were nearly 700 hits on the Equipping web page. (In September, there were 266,000 total hits on the MC Canada web site.)
Technical challenges have created some difficulties and problems are being worked at. Congregations wishing to return to hard copy distribution may call 1-866-888-6785 and ask for Karen Peters.
Send your comments and suggestions via e-mail to office@mennonitechurch.ca, or call 1-866-888-6785.—From MC Canada
Helping new church
in Ecuador
Rudy and Helen Baergen, MC Canada Witness workers in Colombia, recently brought stories of Anabaptist history, theology and church practice to a two-year-old congregation in Quito, Ecuador.
Thirty people from The Mennonite Church of Quito gathered August 22-24 at a campground near Ecuador’s capital city to discuss “Radical theology.”
Rudy crafted his stories “masterfully and with a pastor’s heart,” said César Moya, a worker with Mennonite Mission Network (MC USA). Helen led a workshop on music in the church.
“The weekend was filled with joy and fellowship,” said Moya. “It was the first time for this new church to live in community for three days…. We affirmed our Christian commitment and enjoyed nature.”
Baergens, from Ontario, teach at Seminario Bíblico Menonita.—MC Canada release
Prayer request
Bonnie Klassen, MC Canada Witness associate in Bogotá, Colombia, wrote recently about the October 26 elections. “So far 25 candidates have been killed, 47 threatened and 88 have stopped running simply to avoid any future threats....several municipalities have absolutely no candidates,” she wrote. Pray for the people of Colombia, in the wake of these recent elections.—MC Canada
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Church drafts policy
on abuse prevention
On October 23, MC Eastern Canada staff discussed ways to implement an abuse prevention policy for the conference. “A plan to protect” is designed to safeguard children, youth and leaders in programs carried out by the commissions and staff of constituent churches.
Keith Regehr, a lawyer and instructor in mediation at Conrad Grebel University College, facilitated the session.
Galen Peters, administrative assistant of MC Eastern Canada who drafted the policy, said: “It’s one thing to have something on paper; it’s quite another to put it into practice as we plan for the various programs of conference.”
The 10-page document begins with the “Vision: Healing and Hope” statement and includes the following comment: “So that God’s healing and hope flow through us to the world, MCEC staff and/or volunteers must be pro-active in preventing harm to children and youth, as well as protecting ourselves from false and wrongful allegations.”
The policy states the following:
• Child abuse includes physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse.
• All child abuse involves the misuse of power.
• Misuse of power takes place when people take advantage of the authority or power they have over vulnerable people.
• Vulnerable people include adults with physical or mental disabilities, children, and youth under 18 years of age.
The document also addresses the issue of screening staff and volunteers responsible for events that involve children or youth. Criteria include an assessment of levels of responsibility. The document has three appendices: an incident report form, volunteer application and background reference check form.
Robertson/Hall, the insurance broker for the conference, had informed conference leadership that such a policy would probably be required in the next few years. Many congregations are establishing similar policies in fulfillment of requirements pertaining to liability insurance they carry.
Peters said that creating such a policy “is a timely thing to do.” Abuse and crossing of sexual boundaries does take place in the church, even by leaders in whom people have placed their trust.
Correction
The October 6 issue incorrectly identified Tara Gingerich as pastor for youth and children’s ministries at Breslau Mennonite Church. Her correct title is simply “pastor.” Also, she recently married and changed her name to Tara Gingerich Hiebert.
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Camps celebrate with
banquets and retreats
Annual Celebration Banquets, focusing on summer ministry and God’s presence in that ministry, were to take place at Camp Koinonia on November 1, Douglas Mennonite on November 2, and at Winkler Bergthaler Mennonite on November 8.
The banquets include stories and music from the past summer, performed by the “Camps with Meaning Band.” The songs are also available on a recently released Camps with Meaning CD entitled “Peace...Live it!” Offerings go to camp programs.
Many retreats for 2004 are already scheduled. Young adults will retreat to Camp Koinonia January 23-25. Junior youth retreats have grown—four are being offered this year: January 16-18 and March 12-14 at Camp Koinonia, February 13-15 and March 12-14 at Camp Moose Lake.
The senior youth retreat will happen January 9-11 at Camp Koinonia. Families with mentally disabled people will gather on March 5-7 at Camp Assiniboia. Plus 55 retreats are scheduled for June 5-7 at Camp Koinonia and May 31-June 2 at Camp Moose Lake.
Two quilting retreats are taking place in November. More retreats may be planned. A meeting to organize retreat experiences for Christian growth will be held November 12 at the MC Manitoba office.
Elim seeks
new leadership
Now that a successful camping season is over, conference-supported Camp Elim is searching for new leadership. Former camp managers Cam and Marlis Bartsch have moved to Nova Scotia where Cam is beginning a master’s degree in geology.
The camp manager earns a half-time salary and lives rent-free. Director duties add four months of full-time pay to the position, which needs to be filled as soon as possible.
Camp Elim, which accommodated 176 campers this past summer, requires a used pick-up truck. Although the camp would prefer a compact truck, a full-sized one would be considered. Call Ben Dyck at (306) 773-7063 or Grace Funk at (306) 773-9616.
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Camp Valaqua gets
new ski trails
An uncharacteristically warm autumn day set the scene for a successful workday at Camp Valaqua on October 18. Approximately 50 people, a good mix of youth and adults, came from as far away as Pincher Creek and Edmonton to help with end-of-season work.
Machinery was available to dig and level pathways across the entire property. Once snow arrives, cross-country skiers will have easier access to the river and northern sections of the camp.
Other projects included chopping and stacking firewood, cleaning up deadfall around the buildings and removing docks from the river. Ginny Hindman, summer camp cook and resident of Water Valley, provided a nourishing meal to refresh our volunteers.
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Delegate meeting
on November 29
MC British Columbia is holding an extraordinary delegate meeting on November 29 at Bethel Mennonite Church, beginning at noon. Delegates will hear information from area listening meetings and approve a new budget for 2004.
All congregations are encouraged to send delegates. For more information, call the MC British Columbia office at (604) 850 6658 or e-mail: admin@mcbc.ca.
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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.).
Copyright for the contents of this page belongs to the Canadian Mennonite. Please seek permission to reprint from the editor .