TheChurches 8-14

Support group for
transitional pastors

Twelve or more MC Eastern Canada pastors meet each month in a Transitional Pastors’ Support Group. “Transitional pastors” is used for interim pastors who have contracted to work with congregations on certain issues in the time between longer-term pastors. (This is sometimes called Intentional Interim Ministry.)

Transitional pastors assist congregations in a variety of ways. They help congregations to say a “good goodbye” to a long-term pastor so that they are prepared to receive a new one. Often the “ghosts” of past leaders linger, making it difficult for new pastors to find their place in the lives of people and to minister in their own way.

This is especially true if the pastor-people relationship has been good. It has other difficult dynamics if the relationship was not healthy. In either case, intentional interim ministry can be useful.

In this “time between,” transitional pastors help the congregation discover a new identity by coming to terms with its past. This is a time when the congregation can rethink its mission and purpose. Transitional pastors also manage shifts in leadership. However, they do not usually get involved in the search for the new pastor.

Transitional pastors can also help congregations work through difficulties. There may be a longstanding, unresolved conflict in the congregation. Perhaps there was conflict between the previous pastor and a segment of the congregation. Transition pastors help the incoming pastor to avoid stepping on “land mines” of unresolved issues.

This work is different from that of an interim supply pastor, who is often part time, and whose main roles are to conduct worship, help maintain programs, and provide pastoral care as the congregation awaits the new pastor. The monthly meetings of MCEC transitional pastors are a kind of “on-job training.” The pastors are resources to each other, sharing ideas and strategies, cases studies and readings.

They are clear that it is not their role to “fix” things for congregations. Rather, they help them identify things to work at and changes which might increase the health of the congregation as they say hello to a new pastor.

The most common issues which these transition pastors work at include crisis endings of previous pastoral leadership, or relationships of congregations to former pastors. As the transition pastors conclude their short-term assignments, they conduct exit interviews and write reports of their work which are filed with the congregation and MCEC, and are shared with the incoming pastors.

How do congregations decide that they need a transition pastor? The Leadership Commission is increasingly recommending transition ministry after a long-term pastorate has ended. Some congregations see this as a gift, and are prepared to do reflective work in this interim period.

Others resist it, and are impatient to get on with the search for a new pastor lest “the good ones” get snapped up! There is value in taking time to be adequately prepared.

Most of the transition pastors’ group have training for this work. A workshop was offered in MCEC in 2002. Some attended a workshop in South Dakota this spring. There is also an interdenominational Interim Ministry Network in North America which offers more extensive training.

The current Transition Pastors’ Support Group includes Nancy Brubaker Bauman, Muriel Bechtel (Minister of Pastoral Services), Rudy Dirks, Gerald Good, Maurice Martin, Marianne Mellinger, Carol Penner, Harold Peters-Franzen, Jim Loepp Thiessen, J. Laurence Martin, Renee Sauder and Glenn Zehr.

Leaders interested in transitional ministry should contact Muriel Bechtel at MCEC.

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Refreshing retreat
for seniors

The 55 Plus Retreat held at Camp Koinonia from June 7-9 was attended by 48 campers. Excellent leadership was given by organizers Jake and Anne Harms and Jake and Anne Neufeld, with competent backup from camp staff.

Matt and Heather Heide and Kevin Stoesz created an atmosphere of openess and camaraderie. Our cooks, Jack and Marg Heide, provided tasty food, both indoors and outside.

The Rollkuchen (fritters) we watched frying in an outdoor cauldron, served with sausage and watermelon, offered a feast for both the eyes and the palate.

We were challenged by mental exercises and by sharing our experiences and views on life as seniors. Barge rides on beautiful Max Lake, hiking to the beaver dam, riding the zip line and playing table games were interspersed with singing, stimulating and thought-provoking meditations, delicious food and getting to know each other.—Elsa Neufeld

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Envisioning process
set in motion

The General Council of MC Saskatchewan met on June 5 with the Envisioning Team. The council and the six-member team broke into groups to discuss several themes.

“We worked to brainstorm over feedback from the Vibrant Rural Churches workshop,” noted conference minister Ken Bechtel.

In addition, four general themes were considered by the group: the purpose of MC Saskatchewan; structures of the conference, and fostering connections within the family of MC Saskatchewan churches.

Bechtel referred to the meeting as a “very informative process” that will help to “sharpen the team’s next action.”

In the works for the fall is developing what Bechtel called Regional Focus Groups. The hand-picked groups of individuals from five or six different regions will hold meetings with people from each area to garner more feedback for the Envisioning Team to use. Meetings will hopefully commence in October or November.

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Interim pastors
called by Foothills

Foothills Mennonite Church of Calgary entered its new year last September with the Associate Pastor position vacant. As an interm solution, the members asked Shami and Deanna Willms to serve our youth and families in a pastoral assistant function.

Since then, the congregation has seen the gifts and capabilities demonstrated by the couple. The church leadership recommended to the congregation that they be called to serve in the Associate Pastor position.

At the membership meeting on June 1, the congregation supported Shami and Deanna with unanimous consent. An installation service is being planned for August 29.—Doug Klassen

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Neufeld has nourished
campers for many years

After more than nine years of service, Food Services Manager Eileen Neufeld is saying goodbye to Camp Squeah. At the recent MC British Columbia annual sessions, camp director Rudy Kehler pointed out that no one else at Squeah is evaluated three times a day, by over 180 people!

“No one else nourishes us so intentionally,” he said, adding that her ongoing gift will be her friendship.

Eileen’s experience at Squeah began in 1962 as a camper—the same year Squeah was founded. She thinks of herself as a product of the ministry of Squeah, and the opportunity to work at the camp was a chance to give back in part what was given to her.

“I should be thanking you for the privilege of serving at camp,” she said, and added that her 10 summers at Squeah will be fondly remembered by her and her family.

Although she is not sure what the future holds, she knows that she wants to concentrate on being a grandma. But she’ll still be at Squeah for one more summer, so there is still opportunity to enjoy her gifts and offer thanks for her years of faithful service.

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.

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Over this past year, Mennonite Church B.C. has engaged in a significant discussion that will influence what MC B.C. and MC Canada look like in the years to come. I thank MC Canada leaders for their desire to listen and explore ways to respond to the concerns. Thank you as well to people from area conferences across Canada for their encouraging words and prayers.

It is easy to say the issue at the centre of this discussion is homosexuality or, more specifically, the perceived growing acceptance of homosexual practice within our wider church body. A deeper look, however, reveals questions around such things as our understanding and use of scripture, the confession of faith and church statements, and church polity, accountability and leadership. Perhaps most important is how we live out these understandings in daily life.

I share many of the concerns identified during the MC B.C. process. At the same time, I have heard many other voices. I have been amazed and at times uncomfortable with the diversity of understandings within our larger church family.

Those expressing concerns within MC B.C. have called for the church to “draw a line in the sand,” to take a clear stand. Some have countered that “lines in the sand” are neither Christian nor Mennonite, that Jesus’ love compels us to welcome everyone and not to judge. It is implied that Christian maturity learns to live with diversity.

It has often been suggested that B.C. should focus on the things we can agree on and not worry so much about those things where we disagree. To follow that advice will lead to a growing diversity, always moving toward the lowest common denominator of agreement. Where do we stop? Where will we draw the line?

Jesus always showed love and then drew lines. He continues to call people from darkness to light, from what you were to what you can be. Jesus calls his followers to be salt and light, and to hold each other accountable. Our Anabaptist ancestors died because following Jesus in daily life meant there were lines they would not cross. The lowest common denominator is not an option.

We all have “lines in the sand” but they are used in many different ways. A line can be an ending point or a starting point. It can be something that keeps you from danger or something that keeps you in a dangerous place. It can be something that forces you to act or keeps you from acting.

There is no doubt that we as Mennonites have in our past used lines inappropriately. We have hypocritically used lines to hurt and to manipulate. We have been very willing to use lines to judge in one area but not in another. We have used lines to misuse authority and leadership.

However, the pain of past misuse or even the hurt resulting from proper use should not negate the use of lines today. Drawing a line on the homosexual issue or any other issue will result in hurt and frustration, but that does not make it wrong. We need to use lines properly and in love, but God still calls us to use them.

Our 1986 Saskatoon and 1998 Stratford statements on human sexuality state clearly that homosexual practice is sin. That is a line in the sand that we need to uphold. That line needs to influence how we minister to and talk with those who disagree.

That is a line that needs to continue to guide churches, area conferences and our national church as we make decisions.

Doug Epp, moderator of Mennonite Church British Columbia

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Mennonite Church Eastern Canada