Canadian Mennonite
Volume 9, No. 07
April 4, 2005
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Mennonite Church Canada
Mennonite Church British Columbia
Mennonite Church Alberta
Mennonite Church Saskatchewan
Mennonite Church Manitoba
Mennonite Church Eastern Canada
From our leaders
Mennonite Church Canada
April Equipping ready for churches
Highlights in this month’s Equipping package for Mennonite Church Canada congregations include an announcement inviting guests to join a Learning Tour to China in the fall of 2005, an overview of a Charlotte 2005 discussion topic regarding the purpose of the church, and a Resource Update highlighting new and seasonal church resources available from the MC Canada Resource Centre. Stories about mission in Benin and Cuba, and English teaching opportunities at the Korea Anabaptist Centre are also noted. News from the Canadian Mennonite University bookstore, updates from publishers Herald Press and Faith & Life Resources, and a notice about the Jubilee Sunday school curriculum are included in the packet. Ask your church office for the whole package.Mennonite Church British Columbia
Camp Squeah seeking summer staff
Camp Squeah is still looking for summer program staff. Young people 18 years of age and over are encouraged to consider a rewarding and challenging summer of service for God while nurturing kids. Interviews will be held April 21 at Sherbrooke Mennonite Church in Vancouver. For more information, contact Rob Tiessen at 800-380-2267 or visit www.squeah.com.
Mennonite Church Alberta
In Like a Lamb, Out Like a Lion
In typical Alberta spring fashion, thermometers reached 18 degrees in early March in some areas, causing many Albertans to dream of summer and venture out in hope of purchasing seeds for the garden. The snow was gone from Edmonton, and in Calgary tulips were sprouting. The mild temperatures, however, came to a predictable end with Palm Sunday hosannas accompanied by rasping windshield scrapers, rustling parkas and crunching snow shovels. Gardeners got a good dose of Alberta realism, and sunrise services and Easter egg hunts are likely to be indoor events in 2005!
MC Alberta meets at Camp Valaqua
On March 18-19, MC Alberta hosted its annual All Committees Meetings at Camp Valaqua. Committee members from across the province gathered to work and process events of the February delegate sessions in their separate committees and as a large group.
Camp Valaqua decisions were highlighted by the engine failure of its ancient, well-used tractor. The camp is looking into whether it is finally time to purchase a newer model. The group decided to go ahead with a loan to replace the leaking roof of the main lodge building. Fundraising efforts will be announced soon, with the goal of paying off the loan as quickly as possible. Summer staff hiring is well under way, with the camp still actively searching for applications for counsellors (especially female), out trip leaders and an assistant cook. Adult volunteers in the areas of first aid, kitchen help and maintenance are always appreciated.
The Congregational Life Committee is still exploring the possibility of a summer Daily Vacation Bible School troupe, but as of the meeting still only had one applicant. Application deadline for the troupe was March 31.
The Congregational Leadership Committee is looking forward to hosting the annual theological studies week at Camp Valaqua on May 30- June 3. John Neufeld will be coming out from Winnipeg to speak on marriage and family issues in the church.
The MC Alberta executive spent some time discussing the tabled motion that would see Calgary Inter-Mennonite Church removed from membership within MC Alberta. Moderator Marguerite Jack expressed optimism that ongoing discussions will be constructive for all parties.
Mennonite Church Saskatchewan
Urban, rural churches strengthen ties
Before MC Sask began talking about strengthening ties between urban and rural churches, three conference churches had already taken the initiative in their area. An annual exchange involving Grace Mennonite in Prince Albert, Horse Lake Mennonite in Duck Lake and Tiefengrund Mennonite in Laird was rumoured to have begun when one pastor jokingly said to another, “Call me in the coldest month of the year and we’ll get together.”
The most recent exchange, on March 6, was hosted by Horse Lake Mennonite during the morning service. Several choirs, including one combined choir, contributed.
“Because of the amazing acoustics at Horse Lake Mennonite, the men’s group continued singing after the service,” noted Ed Olfert, pastor of Grace Mennonite.
The building is a well-preserved indication of what an early 1900s church looked like.
A history of the churches and the region was also given by Ray Funk from Grace Mennonite, along with a tribute to the life and ministry of Walter Jantzen, who has pastored in Horse Lake for many years.
The exchanges began five years ago when Olfert asked Lorne Epp, pastor of Tiefengrund, what Grace Mennonite could do to support the rural congregation of Tiefengrund during some difficult farming years. A friendship had formed between both men during pastor-peer group meetings and this seemed a natural outflow of the friendship.
As well, a number of other connecting points bring perspective to this relationship-building venture. Historically, two of the congregations worked together to support a missionary couple. Both Grace Mennonite and Tiefengrund Mennonite share in the ministry of Todd and Jeanette Hanson. And the Tiefengrund body helped to start worship services in Prince Albert and Horse Lake.
New study guide now available
Pastors and Sunday school teachers can take a deep breath and relax.
For a month of Sundays, you don’t have to prepare any lessons. It’s all been done for you! Just call the conference office in Saskatoon and ask for a copy of the Vibrant Rural Churches Discussion Guide.
The new four-session study guide created by Eric Olfert and Naomi Unger has been issued for MC Sask churches. Working from their findings in the Vibrant Rural Churches Project, the authors have developed a series of questions to make people think about their church’s potential in their community.
It also takes urban Sunday school or Bible study groups a step closer to understanding their rural neighbours. Topics like “Becoming intergenerational” and “Working interdenominationally” help group members get a grasp of rural church reality.
Both Olfert and Unger are available as resource people to kick-start the series aimed at adults. Options for groups to add singing to the sessions are included and background material for session leaders is also provided in each lesson.
Olfert can be reached at eric@mcsask.ca and Unger at dnunger@sasktel.net.
Mennonite Church Manitoba
Women’s Enrichment Day set for May 7
On May 7, Manitoba Women in Mission is inviting all women to the Altona Bergthaler Mennonite Church for a day of worship and enrichment. “Secure in God’s house,” this year’s theme for Women in Mission groups, will be the focus for this day. Worship will include inspirational singing led by Marilyn Houser Hamm. A memorial service led by Ruth Falk will give time for reflection and remembering.
Laura Unger, keynote speaker in the morning, will share from her experiences in Africa. From 1980-1983, she and her husband Eric worked with Mennonite Central Committee in Nigeria. From 1990-2004, they lived in Kenya, where Unger began a Bible Study Fellowship group with expatriate women. The group grew quickly and in more recent years Kenyan women were the predominant participants. Unger also worked in a Mother Theresa Home in Nairobi, where she cared for infants and children with disabilities. “Kenya has been a big part of our lives and each of our children would like to go back,” says Unger of their three young adult children.
After a brown bag lunch, stories of providing security and shelter within the context of God’s love will be told by Bev Dyck from Eden Health Care Services, Brenda Stoesz from Pregnancy Crisis Centre, and a representative from the Genesis House women’s shelter.
Registration for the day begins at 8:30 a.m. with the opening session at 9:30. All are welcome. No pre-registration is necessary. Participants should bring their own brown bag lunch and join in the fellowship and worship.
Mennonite Church Eastern Canada
Spring conference at Rockway
The 18th annual spring conference will be held April 22-23 at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, Kitchener. The Friday evening session will begin at 7 p.m., an hour later than in previous years, and will include the presentation of the proposed framework for a re-structured conference. If the delegates approve in principle the proposed organization and staff structure, implementation will begin in the fall of 2005.
David Brubacher, Minister to Conference, has announced his resignation, effective October 2005. A search committee is working to find a team leader to develop the new conference structure. Two other conference staff will be moving to pastoral ministry this summer. Mark Diller Harder, half-time minister of Student and Young Adult Ministries, will begin at St. Jacobs Mennonite Church in August, while Matthew Bailey-Dick, part-time minister of Peace and Justice Evangelism, has accepted a call from Erb Street Mennonite Church, Waterloo.
Bible quizzing correction
Because fewer teams are participating in quizzing this year, all matches will be held on April 9. No quiz finals will be held April 23.
From Our Leaders
The Company of 1000
As we pay attention to the pastoral scene in Mennonite Church Canada, it is clear that in the next 10 years a significant number of our pastors will be retiring. Will the supply of pastors keep up with the demand?
Calling young people and older people to pastoral leadership ministry is a high priority in every congregation. Many young people are feeling the stir of interest in the ministry call. For some years now Mennonite Church Canada has been encouraging these emerging pastoral leaders through a study reserve fund called the Company of 1000.
Melissa Miller of Charleswood Mennonite church in Winnipeg and a student at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary is a Company of 1000 beneficiary. In a recent letter she states:
“I am writing to say thank you to the donors of ‘The Company of 1000.’ I have been a recipient of your generosity this year as I study at AMBS. I came to explore a call to congregational ministry. By studying at AMBS, I have been able to engage with Biblical and theological material, well-grounded in Anabaptism. I feel like I am at a feast, being fed bountiful riches offered by competent, thoughtful professors and stimulating conversations with other students.”
The Company of 1000 is a voluntary network of special people who have committed themselves to the support and encouragement of men and women preparing themselves for pastoral and church-related ministries.
Through the Company of 1000, loans are granted on the basis of financial need and are made in consultation with area conference ministers. Loans are forgiven on the basis of service to the church, following the completion of studies. The Company’s reserve fund distributed $44,000 to a total of 38 students in 2004.
The Company of 1000 provides of wonderful opportunity to give your support to students who are preparing for pastoral and leadership ministry in Mennonite Church Canada.
Do you know someone who is interested in pursuing a pastoral ministry vocation? Or perhaps you, or someone you know, is interested in supporting students through the Company of 1000. In either case, I encourage you give someone a shoulder tap of encouragement.
God is at work in the world. Let’s celebrate it!
Information and an application form are available on the Mennonite Church Canada web-site: www.mennonitechurch.ca/programs/leadership/leaves/.
Unless otherwise credited, the articles in TheChurches pages were written by Canadian Mennonite’s regional correspondents.