Canadian Mennonite
Volume 11, No. 13
June 25, 2007


LocalChurch

Outtatown: Eight months in kairos time

Winnipeg

Chisholm

Was Outtatown chronos time or kairos time? That’s what speaker Colin Chisholm asked 97 students at this year’s Outtatown graduation celebration at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU).

Chisholm, Outtatown’s Guatemala field manager, noted that the Greek word chronos is the passing of time, while kairos is time that is laden with a “sense of meaning and purpose.”

The Outtatown experience wasn’t just about passing time, but about “purposeful time,” he said, adding that “you had awesome adventures and opportunities to serve. You built homes, helped orphans and seniors, saw the faces of people in these countries. It wasn’t time that just happened. It was kairos time.”

But he added that as exciting and important as the time with Outtatown was for each student, “you can’t live in that time. Don’t get trapped here. Don’t get stuck in the last eight months. Come back to the memories and remember the lessons, but then take them back to your home churches.”

Following Chisholm’s address, Outtatown site leader Heidi Peters of Abbotsford, B.C., spoke about how Outtatown had allowed students to experience “the randomness of life but the constancy of God.” Student Danny Fast of St. Catharines, Ont., echoed that idea, noting that during his time in Guatemala he had seen many injustices, but that “in a world that is unjust…God is constant, our rock of ages.”

Outtatown director Paul Kroeker told the grads that “20 years from now you’ll look back at this time as the most amazing year of your life…. The foundations you built here will allow you to move on to even greater things in your life. Keep your relationship with Christ strong, and you will be renewed and move on.”

—John Longhurst

Graduates called to belong to Christ

Elkhart, Ind.

Eight Canadians graduated from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in May. From left to right: Michael van Eerden, Ryan Siemens, Rachel Siemens, Alissa Bender, Juanita Laverty, David Sararus, Kendall Jongejan Harder and Charleen Jongejan Harder.

The 39 graduates of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) were asked to hear God’s call as an ongoing call, bigger than what they might do for a paycheque.

April Yamasaki, pastor of Emmanuel Mennonite Church, Abbotsford, B.C., addressed the graduates at the May 19 commencement. Sharing the experience of her own unexpected call to congregational ministry, Yamasaki told graduates, “God’s call is more than a noun, an event to look back on. God’s call is a verb, a movement, a direction. What sustains me is not that God called me 14 years ago, but that God is continuing to call me even today.”

Then, sharing examples of people she has encountered in her ministry, Yamasaki emphasized that “whatever your paid employment might be, your calling is wider than that. It is to belong to Jesus Christ.”

The 2007 graduates of AMBS came from four countries, including eight from Canada. Two grads are from Kenya and one from Indonesia, as well as 28 from the U.S. AMBS conferred 19 master of divinity degrees, three master of arts degrees in peace studies, eight master of arts degrees in theological studies, seven master of arts in Christian formation degrees, and two certificates in theological studies.

The Canadian grads are:

• Michael van Eerden, a member of Hillside Christian Reformed Church, Abbotsford, B.C.: Master of arts in theological studies degree with a concentration in church history. He will move to Seattle, Wash., and pursue work there.

• Ryan Siemens, a member of Lethbridge Mennonite Church, Alta.: Master of arts degree. He will begin as pastor of Grace Mennonite Church, Prince Albert, Sask., in August.

• Rachel Siemens, a member of First Mennonite Church, Winnipeg: Master of arts degree. She will pursue a pastoral ministry assignment.

• Alissa Bender, a member of Steinmann Mennonite Church, Baden, Ont.: Master of divinity degree. She will be a pastoral intern at Emmanuel Mennonite Church, Abbotsford, B.C., then pursue a pastoral ministry assignment.

• Juanita Laverty, a member of Pioneer Park Christian Fellowship, Kitchener, Ont.: Master of divinity degree. She will begin as pastor of Hanover Mennonite Church, Ont.

• David Sararus, husband of Juanita Laverty and a member of Pioneer Park Christian Fellowship, Kitchener, Ont.: Master of arts in Christian formation degree. He will work part-time and support his family at home.

• Kendall Jongejan Harder, a member of Toronto United Mennonite Church: Master of arts degree. He will pursue a pastoral ministry assignment together with Charleen, his wife.

• Charleen Jongejan Harder, a member of Toronto United Mennonite Church: Master of arts degree.

—AMBS release by Mary E. Klassen

Westgate teacher, students changed by Middle East trip

Middle East

The Westgate Mennonite Collegiate tour group poses for a photograph at a rock bridge in the Wadi Rum in southern Jordan during their trip to the Middle East this spring. Top photo: The boys relax with Cokes after their Turkish bath.

For two-and-a-half weeks this spring I was blessed with the opportunity to travel with 10 Westgate Mennonite Collegiate students to the Middle East.

Our journey began and ended in the friendly city of Damascus. After an olive-filled breakfast that first morning, we explored the streets of the old city that snake past shops and homes. Even the so-called Straight Street (from Acts 9) is full of bends and twists. Stops included the Chapel of Ananias—who was instrumental in the conversion of Saul to Paul—and the Umayyad mosque in the heart of Damascus. In the huge open air mosque, our students spent hours soaking up the wonderful communal environment, trying out Arabic phrases and making friends.

From Syria, we headed into the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon. Our bus had to wind around craters in the road and past empty shells of buildings, bleak reminders of last summer’s violence. Our destination was the Schneller Schule, an orphanage in Khirbat Qanafar. Our students plunged into the school, once again making many friends as they made the campus their home.

After our Lebanese experience, we zipped through Syria and made our way to southern Jordan where, in the shadow of Indiana Jones, we trekked and explored the unbelievable ruins of Petra. After seeing these marvels of human construction, we spent two days breathing in the beauty of nature in the Wadi Rum, a desert area with incredible rock formations rising out of the flat desert floor. Hiking over rock bridges and along mountain passes was outdone only by our night in a Beduouin camp. As we sat listening to the oud as the sun went down behind the rose-coloured mountains, I know I was not alone in thinking that there can’t be many better places to be in the world.

After Jordan we went across the border to the holy city of Jerusalem. From the vantage point of our rooftop convent where we stayed, Jerusalem lay before us in all its splendour, with its Dome of the Rock, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and the Mount of Olives. We were able to visit all of these sites and wonder at the nature of religion in this the central city of monotheism.

On the day before Good Friday, we paused to take a glimpse at the ugly political reality in Israel/Palestine. To do this, we headed to Bethlehem. Our first view of this ugliness was the concrete barrier that crossed our path—a barrier snaking through the countryside, gobbling up land, restricting movement and separating Israelis and Palestinians. As we met with Palestinian groups in Bethlehem, we heard stories and laments of the wall and of the occupation.

While we are now back home in Winnipeg, we have been changed by our journey—because we have seen a magical world filled with natural beauty, hospitality and vibrant culture, but also a world filled with oppression. We have truly seen so much.

—James Friesen

The author has taught Christian studies and language arts at Westgate Collegiate, Winnipeg, for 12 years.

139 grads honoured

Abbotsford, B.C.—On April 1, Columbia Bible College graduated 50 students from the one-year faith formation program, 16 from the early childhood education program, 34 with various diplomas and 39 who earned their bachelor of arts degree. The ceremony took place at Central Heights Mennonite Brethren Church in Abbotsford, and was followed by a graduation banquet at Columbia Place.

—CBC release

Three Canadians graduate from EMU

Harrisonburg, Va.—The 2007 graduating class at Eastern Mennonite University included three Mennonite Church Eastern Canada members:

• Denise A. Reesor, Stouffville, Ont., received a bachelor of arts degree in biology with a minor in French, cum laude. She is a member of Community Mennonite Fellowship in Drayton, Ont.

• Felicia D. Wideman, Claremont, Ont., received a bachelor of science degree in social work with a minor in psychology. She is a member of Wideman Mennonite Church, Markham, Ont.

• Susannah J. Wideman, Claremont, Ont., received a bachelor of science degree in art. Like her sister, she is also a member of Wideman Mennonite Church.

The Canadians joined 400 other graduates who received their degrees from EMU president Loren Swartzendruber during the 89th annual commencement ceremonies.

—EMU release


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