Canadian Mennonite
Volume 10, No. 16
August 21, 2006
Jump to:
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
Prayer requests
In the midst of summer relaxation, remember to pray for those who suffer or are experiencing political unrest in our world, including the entire Middle East, Cuba and Congo:
• Mike and Ginny Hostetler, Witness partners at Nazareth Village, Israel, currently on home leave in Ontario, report that their friends in Nazareth and the Galilee region are being affected by the hostilities in the Middle East. They write, “The most urgent thing you can do is to pray for the people in the entire Middle East region, as many are suffering because of the actions of those who are fighting.” Pray also for Witness worker Glenn Witmer and his bridge-building and teaching ministry in Jerusalem.
• The people of the Democratic Republic of Congo have experienced social and political unrest, war and destruction since their independence from Belgium in 1960. In July, they took part in the first free presidential and parliamentary elections since independence. Pray that God will witness to peace, love and restoration through the Mennonite church planted in Bukavu and its emerging congregations. Also remember the African Inter-Mennonite Mission, the Evangelical Mennonite Church of Congo, the Mennonite Church of Congo, and the Inter-Mennonite National Committee, who all partner to support ministries in Congo.
• Pastor Andres Olivares, president of the Evangelical Missionary Church of Cuba, has invited Mennonite Church Canada, as a ministry partner, to pray for the leader of their country, Fidel Castro Ruz, during his time of hospitalization, medical treatment and recovery. As MC Canada seeks to become a global church, Olivares reminds Christians of the biblical injunction in I Timothy 2:1-4 to prayer “for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity.”
Mennonite Church British Columbia
Pastoral change at Japanese church
Kim Jong Sun has been called as pastor of North Surrey Japanese Church as of October. Sun and his wife Aeri are Korean, but speak fluent Japanese and have served in Tokyo for 10 years.
Currently, Takahiko Yokiyushi pastors both North Surrey and Surrey Japanese Mennonite Fellowship. When the time comes, Yoshiyuki plans to concentrate more fully on pastoring the Surrey congregation, and serving at North Surrey as co-pastor.
Chinese pastor authors books
Joseph Huen, pastor of Richmond Peace Chinese Mennonite Church, is the author of two Chinese books on the spiritual world of Narnia, and the controversial Gospel of Judas. Besides serving in the church, Huen has devoted himself to the writing and publication of a number of books, which it is hoped will benefit many Chinese Christians and churches the world over.
Food bank anniversary at Sherbrooke
For 10 years, members of Sherbrooke Mennonite Church, in cooperation with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), have been giving a helping hand to new immigrants to Vancouver through its church-operated food bank. Now the church will mark the milestone and recognize volunteers with a dessert and celebration program, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.
The food bank program helps refugee claimants by distributing food and food vouchers every Thursday morning. Clients are referred to the church through the MCC refugee office in Vancouver.
Mennonite Church Alberta
Congregations prepare for new pastors
The vote was overwhelmingly positive to call Terry Lesser as pastor of Springridge Mennonite Church in Pincher Creek. The decision was reached at a congregational meeting on Aug. 7, after Lesser, accompanied by his wife Melissa, had completed the candidacy process.
Congregational chair Abe Janzen is pleased with the results. “We feel this is good for us and them.”
Harold Preston-Schilk of Lethbridge is with the congregation on a part-time interim basis and will complete his assignment when the Lessers move to Pincher Creek in late August or early September. The Lessers are working at Camp Valaqua for the summer, where Terry is the nature leader and Melissa is assisting with first aid and office work. The camping season ends on Aug. 25.
Calgary Chinese Mennonite Church has invited Hugo and Doreen Neufeld to serve as part-time interim ministers beginning in September. The initial term will be six months, after which a review will occur. Albert Trang, congregational chair, noted that the Neufelds will begin on Sept. 1, with an installation service to follow on Sept. 10.
Plans for an autumn pastors retreat are in progress. “We are still working on plans for the pastor’s retreat. It will likely be the last week in October, at Camp Valaqua”, said conference minister Jim Shantz. “The main item on the agenda will be reconnecting, and perhaps also talking about missions.”
Mennonite Church Saskatchewan
Congregation considers future
Magdalena Widjaja, pastor of Chinese Ministries at Grace Mennonite Church in Regina, has resigned from her position due in part to the declining membership of the Mandarin-speaking Chinese fellowship.
The church will be having a congregational meeting in October to decide the future of the small fellowship, which has dwindled down to three families.
“Right now, the families are attending a Mandarin-speaking church,” explained Karen Martens-Zimmerly, co-pastor of Grace Mennonite.
In the meantime, however, the Laotian group that meets at the same church is growing. Last year, the church hired a part-time lay minister. And on Aug. 5 to 6, the 18 families that make up the fellowship hosted the Lao Mennonite Conference.
Pastor Samvong Chantharyvond works with the group who worships in the Grace Mennonite building. “This is the first Laotian Mennonite conference we’ve had,” he explained.
The tiny conference, representing congregations from Kitchener and St. Catharines, Ont.; Winnipeg; Calgary; British Columbia and Regina welcomed 35 participants at the first conference. The theme for the weekend was “The family’s happiness.” And the hope for attendees was to make this an annual event.
“Maybe next year we will go to Calgary or the States,” said Chantharyvond.
Regina has a Laotian population of about 250 people.
Mennonite Church Manitoba
Service retreat offers change of pace
Service, refreshment and fellowship will be the themes at the first service retreat at Camp Moose Lake from Sept. 19 to 20. This retreat will provide retired people and others with an opportunity to grow in faith through service, fellowship and worship. It will also provide an opportunity to participate in the ministry of Camp Moose Lake.
Several projects will be undertaken under the supervision of co-managers Will and Alvie Martens. There will be something to do for every skill level.
The retreat will also include times for spiritual refreshment, recreation and fellowship. Gary Martens, pastor of Steinbach (Man.) Mennonite Church, will be the resource person. A special treat at will be a concert by a country/gospel music group. Lodging will be provided at the camp. For more information, call the camp office at 204-895-2267.
Mennonite Church Eastern Canada
Regional ministers begin their duties
Three half-time regional ministers officially join the MC Eastern Canada staff on Aug. 22. Their role will be to work alongside the Staff Leadership Team to realize the mission of “Extending the peace of Jesus Christ, making disciples, growing congregations and forming leaders.” This is a much-anticipated new beginning, a major part of the MC Eastern Canada’s restructuring.
This new structure has three geographic regions with a minister assigned to each: Maurice Martin—Western Region, Gord Alton—North Central Region, and Marvin Friesen—Eastern Region. As these are half-time appointments, the ministers are also carrying other employment or service loads.
The regional ministers work to provide resources for congregations and pastors for effective ministry and to connect congregations at a local level. These ministers will be “the face of the regional conference” for congregations and pastors.
“I hope to be a supporting pastoral presence to [pastors, both in helping their churches fulfill the God’s mission, but also in helping each of them personally grow in their Christian spirituality,” Alton says of his new role.
Friesen says, “I sense a genuine desire for open dialogue—to hear each other’s stories, to work collaboratively on living out our mission.”
“I like to reflect with the present generation, including my own children, as to where they believe the church is going,” Martin says. “We have much to learn from inter-generational dialogue.”
The Staff Leadership Team will be meeting in the next weeks with the regional ministers to discern how congregations might be serviced more effectively for ministry. More information will be sent directly to congregations at a later date.
Current staff ask for the prayers of congregations for the three ministers, for God’s leading as the details of this new ministry structure are put in place, and as new working relationships with congregations are formed.
From Our Leaders
Church growth: Just do it
Do you like the slogan, “Just do it”? It was used extensively by Nike. I think it is very powerful. If you want to be a tennis player, cyclist, basketball player or a marathon runner, or whatever is in your blood…well, just do it. Get in the game. Play!
But what in the world has this to do with church development? Simply put, if your interest is in church growth, let’s just do it!
What should we do, then?
As Roman 12:2 says: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
First, I think we have to start renewing our minds. Missions, evangelism and church growth are not departments of the church or the conference. They are the very essence of church, something our churches ought to do and live for.
Second, church growth is not something that will happen by accident. It is directional, purposely achieved.
Let me illustrate this. Some time ago we only had those big blue or brown books that we called hymnals. But later—because of technology’s advances, and for convenience—we started using overhead projectors and transparencies. Lately, we have multi-media projectors, laptop computers and PowerPoint presentations.
For more than a year, I have been totally immersed in church growth trends. From my research, I have envisioned a three-fold plan:
• Phase 1: Church growth team. Assuming our churches want to grow, each of the conference’s congregations will form a church growth team of up to four people. The mandate of each team is to capture its church vision through prayer, regular meetings and discernment.
• Phase 2: Church within a church. When it has been determined the kinds of community a church is serving—poor families, single mothers, young families, rich families, farmers, urban people—a second service or ministries for that specific group can be added.
• Phase 3: Plant a church. Once this “church arm” is big enough, a new church is ready to be planted.
In Act 2:43, Luke said of the early—quickly growing—church, “Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.”
We need to think about why they were all filled with awe? Was it because the apostles “just did it”?
Unless otherwise credited, the articles in TheChurches pages were written by Canadian Mennonite’s regional correspondents.