Canadian Mennonite
Abbotsford Assembly Special Report
July 4-7, 2007
Assembly opens with international flavour—and ice cream
Worshiping together, youths and adults prayed and sang in more than one language as they gathered in the Mennonite Educational Institute gym for the opening of the Abbotsford 2007 Mennonite Church Canada Assembly on the evening of July 3.
Flavours from around the world permeated the evening—from learning a new four-part South African song, “Ameni,” and singing “King of Kings” in French, to a dramatic Taiko drum performance accompanying a paraphrased rendition of Genesis 1. An interpretive dance group performed the chorus “Glory, Glory, Alleluia, He Reigns,” while a choir from Peace Mennonite Church in Richmond, B.C., presented two international songs.
Those assembled also learned sign language for the three-word theme of the evening: “Built on Christ.” A large Inukshuk—an Inuit stone pile in the shape of a figure that serves as a beacon for travellers—symbol of this assembly, dominated the front of room and reminded everyone of the overarching theme of “Built to Last” based on I Corinthians 3:11: “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.”
A roll call of participants from the six different regions of MC Canada brought pep rally-style cheers, seeing who could be the loudest. With the enthusiasm of the youths present, things never got dull.
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Halfway through the worship time, adults moved to a different gym to hear a message by Jorge Hoajaca, pastor of First United Mennonite Church in Vancouver. “Jesus was an expert in Scriptures and in life,” he said. “We must hear [the Word], and do what we hear.”
The evening concluded with an outdoor ice cream social on the MEI grounds.