The Messenger October 12, 1990

The Messenger EVANGELICAL MENNONITE CONFERENCE

VOL 28 NO. 19

OCT. 12/90

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CHANGE COMES SLOWLY Rebuilding broken relationships takes time time to walk with our brothers and sisters time to hear each other’s questions and answers. Often we are impatient for change eager to end conflict, ease tensions, heal wounds. But we need to remember that change comes slowly like a whisper in the wind or the first shoots of grass in the springtime, unheard, unseen, unless our eyes and ears are open to the budding of new life.

We wait on God, depend on his grace and take our first steps forward . . . hesitatingly,

humbly . . . trusting in his promise that the springs of living water are there . . . deep within us . . . ready to well up in the deserts of our souls. Paraphrase of “Listening & Learning.” a poem on an MCC poster Leona Penner, Winnipeg, Man.

"Recruiting God's People For God's Work in God's Way" Reflections on Volunteers and the Local Church's Mandate (A paper originally prepared for the October 14, 1989 EMC Ministerial Meeting on behalf of the Board of Missions)

by Jon Bonk (Part 1 of 2) uke 9:57-62 provides for us a sobering account of three men who either volunteered or were called to follow Jesus. None of them found it convenient to do so. Each was able to respond to Jesus’ call with a perfectly legitimate, practical objection. It was clear to each of them that while it was important — indeed, one might say, absolutely necessary — to follow Christ, there were other obligations which, at the moment, took precedence. For one, the security of material comforts seems to have been the precondition to obedience; for another, responsibilities to an aging father; for the third, family obligations. Of particular interest are Christ’s words to the second man: ‘‘Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God” (v.6O). Kingdom work is the work of specialists who have been equipped for that particular work by the Holy Spirit. It is not work that anyone can do. On the other hand, anyone can “bury the dead,” that is, take care of the family business . . . which includes the disposal of the body and the estate of a deceased family member. But one who has not been redeemed cannot possibly “proclaim the kingdom of God.” Only the church has been called and is equipped to do this. Com­ missioned by her Lord, directed by its Head, and empowered and equipped for greater works than those of its Saviour, the church of Jesus CHRIST is commissioned to preach the Gospel to every creature, to disciple all nations.

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Kingdom work is the work of specialists who have been equipped for that particular work by the Holy Spirit. It is not work that anyone can do. The church has been given gifts; that is, the Body of Christ is made up of many members, each with a function to serve its Head. No member had anything to do with its peculiar capabilities. All the other members of the body recognize its function within the body, so that there is no competition. Rather, there is a beautiful cooperation between members of the body as together they carry out the directions of their common Head. How this works out in practical terms in the calling and com­ missioning of missionaries is described for us in the book of Acts. A missionary is simply “one sent” — an “apostle.” Who sends the apostle? The Head of the church, of course. But how does the Head communicate his wishes to the apostolic member? Through other members. It is absurd to think that other body members should not recognize the gifts and special commission of another member. Can you imagine your foot not understanding what the hand can and should do . . . and trying to hold a fork, write a letter, handle a bale, spank a child, steer a car, stir a pot on the stove, carve a chicken, etc.? Of course not. When there is a letter to be written, the hand does it. The head

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does not call for volunteers. It appoints! Imagine a situation like the following: Head: ‘‘We need to have a letter written. Which ofyou members will volunteer?” Liver: ‘‘I will. ” Yet this is precisely how we have tended to carry out the most important work of the church — the work of proclaiming the Kingdom. A general appeal is issued for volunteers, and then we wonder why the job either doesn’t get done at all, or it gets done poorly. HOW THE VOLUNTEER SYSTEM WORKS There are over 750 different interdenominational and denomina­ tional missionary sending agencies in North America. Each one of these must recruit persons to fulfill “missionary” tasks rang­ ing from evangelism and church planting to fixing Toyotas and typ­ ing letters. Someone has estimated that North American mission agencies — representing a combined “missionary” force of ap­ proximately 68,000 — could place an additional 50,000 persons immediately. How do Christian mission agencies — including our own — go about the task of recruiting personnel? We rely almost entirely on volunteers. David Hesselgrave is not exaggerating when he declares that “Protestant missions would die on the vine apart from a vast program of volunteerism.” Typically, mission recruiters visit Bible colleges and local churches where they set up display tables, get involved in mission conferences, distribute literature outlining op­ portunities for service, and sometimes preach sermons in which they issue general appeals to the student body or congregation to volunteer as missionaries. Of course, very few do so. It is rather like a hunter who keeps firing his shotgun at the sky, in hopes that a goose will fly into the line of fire sometime. It is a wasteful, inefficient, and highly dubious way to recruit. And there is no Biblical precedent for it. In the words of Michael Griffiths, “A tradition has grown up of missionary meetings which end with an appeal to those present to offer themselves for service overseas ... in some cases, unfortunately, an emotional appeal with sentimental overtones is thrown at a group of young peo­ ple eager to do the right thing, and ... the more emotional members of the audience respond . . . Experience shows . . . that availability bears little relation to suitability, for among such ‘volunteers’ may be some who are a museum of pathological conditions, and others who are . . . quite unsuited for service in isolated parts of the world. Many of those who were too phlegmatic, or too self-deprecating, to respond to such an appeal, remain in their seats.” It takes very little imagination to conjure up some of the effects such a system of operation would have upon a company specializ­ ing in the construction of houses or high-rises or bridges if com­ pany employees were recruited for specific tasks on the same basis. Let us suppose, for example, that an international construction company based in Blumenort has been commissioned to build an apartment block in Mexico. It is a complex task, requiring many skills. The company has already built several large apartment com­ plexes in Canada, however, and so has hundreds of highly skilled employees with the proper qualifications and experience to do the job well. THE MESSENGER

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When seeking persons for vital positions, one selects the best available. A government does not select ambassadors by calling for volunteers at random. Why should the church be any less selective in seeking ambassadors for the King of kings? But the chief officers of the company decide not to approach specific people for specific tasks. You see, they are Christians, and such an approach, they believe, would intrude on the free will of their employees. Instead, the President gives a series of speeches in which he appeals for volunteers. Copies of these speeches are posted on company bulletin boards across the country. It is the sincere conviction of the officers of the company that God will direct people with the necessary qualifications and experience — architects, draftsmen, surveyors, excavators, concrete specialists, framers, plumbers, electricians, drywallers, painters, roofers, land­ scapers, etc. — to them, so that construction of the apartment can proceed on schedule.

A general appeal is issued for volunteers, and then we wonder why the job either doesn’t get done at all, or it gets done poorly. To their great surprise, in response to their stirring general ap­ peal, only eight people — two young Bible college graduates, five members of a church youth group, and a practical nurse — volunteer. Of the eight, five are women. None has ever seen a blueprint. Two have several summers of experience cleaning up around a housing construction site in Kleefeld. The group lacks entirely those qualifications and experiences normally considered a prerequisite to any successful apartment construction. But since these are the only volunteers, and since the construction is to be done overseas, they will have to do. How long do you suppose it will take this construction company to complete the job it agreed to do? How seriously does the com­ pany take its mandate? I think you would agree that the apart­ ment will not likely ever be completed or, if completed, will cer­ tainly not be of a very satisfactory standard. Surely public skep­ ticism or even cynicism about the real intentions of that company would be both understandable and entirely appropriate. At the risk of being misunderstood, I would suggest that the pat­ tern of missionary recruitment characteristic of our churches is just as absurd as that employed by the hypothetical construction company. According to Michael Griffiths, the volunteer system is suspect on both Biblical and practical grounds. The volunteer system upon which we now rely simply cannot be justified from the New Testa­ ment. The best we can scrape together from the Old Testament is Isaiah’s call (Isaiah 6:8). Other Old Testament heroes had a call which was quite the opposite of volunteering: Moses did his best to wiggle out of the inescapable sovereign call of God. The calls of Nehemiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah are all different again. But the call of an OT prophet is hardly normative for a New Testa­ ment missionary: the prophet was sent to the people of God, while the missionary is sent by the people of God. Michael Griffiths and David Hesselgrave outline seven serious inadequacies inherent in our present volunteer system: •When seeking persons for vital positions, one selects the best available. A government does not select ambassadors by calling for volunteers at random. Why should the church be any less selec­ tive in seeking ambassadors for the King of kings? •If an emotional appeal is made at the end of an emotional meeting, the more emotional people are likely to respond, even though there may be less emotional people present who would make better missionaries. •Unsuitable people who volunteer have to be weeded out by can­ didates’ committees. This often creates problems with a young per­ son’s understanding of guidance; “I feel called, but the mission won’t accept me.”

OCTOBER 12, 1990

•The volunteer system does not produce results. There simply are not enough recruits, and the ones there are are often not the specific ones needed for the specific task that needs to be done. They are often accepted anyway since mission budgets are to a large extent a factor of the missionary roster; more missionaries = more money = institutional survival and growth. •The volunteer system does not produce the kind of missionaries that are required in the proportion in which they are required. As Hesselgrave notes. The general call is quite naturally directed in the main to those who have not made a specific vocational commit­ ment . , . Biblical priorities may be pushed aside. For example, (a young person sometimes asks the question), ‘Can I be a mis­ sionary without being a preacher?’ The answer: ‘Of course you can. Whatever your interest may be, the Lord can use you on the mission field.’ Perhaps yes, perhaps no. But there is a . . . confusion of Biblical priorities in that answer that could be disastrous. Many missions have serious personnel deficien­ cies in one category: fully qualified specialists to pioneer or aid the younger churches in evangelism, church extension and theological training — precisely that kind of missionary work that engaged Paul and his team. Current methods of recruit­ ment may never care for that deficiency. In other words, today a reasonably goodly number of people volunteer as accountants, secretaries, computer specialists, or nurses, but there is a serious shortage of men and women who are soul winners, church planters, teachers and pastors — gifted at beginning, organizing and developing new congregations. •Volunteerism tends to encourage the commissioning of those who are inexperienced. The primary challenge is directed to those who are still in training and have had little or no experience in the very tasks that they will be expected to perform capably in another culture. There is a serious shortage of men and women who are soul winners, church planters, teachers and pastors — gifted at beginning, organizing and developing new congregations.

•The volunteer system has tended to encourage the appointment of some candidates who would not otherwise have been selected. While one must exercise caution in making such an assertion, the fact of the matter is that when a volunteer in response to a general appeal has demonstrated his sincerity and willingness, the onus falls on the mission agency to show why this person should not be sent out. Even though the volunteer may not possess the qualifications the mission may have been looking for, he did volunteer, he is sincere, and he can likely make some contribution on the mission field. And so he is sent out because he is a good Christian fellow and can raise his support. But it costs just as much to support the unqualified person on the mission field as it takes to support the fully qualified person. In the next issue I would like to explore the way in which mis­ sionaries were chosen and commissioned in the Book of Acts, and then conclude with some practical implications and suggestions for our EMC churches.

(to be continued) References: Michael Griffiths, Who Realty Sends the Missionary? (Chicago: Moody Press, 1974) and You and God’s Work Overseas (IVP). David J. Hesselgrave, “What’s Wrong with Taking Volunteers?” Evangelical Missions Quarterly, Vol. 10, No. 3 (July 1974). PAGE 3

Letters Paper is Informative I was pleased to read The Messenger and find out that you have embarked on a second career. I find the paper very informative and it is helping me obtain background informa­ tion for my work. I retired a year ago and now am accepting a rather challenging position as ExecutiveDirector of MCC Alberta. I have been work­ ing for one month and have enjoyed meeting people involved in voluntary service and working with MCC in other capacities. 1 feel humbled to be entrusted with such a great responsibility and have often said that if 1 had to rely on my own strength, 1 would not have

COMING EVENTS October 28 — Region 3 Annual Con­ ference, Hudson Bay, Sask. November 3-4 — Region 2 Conference, Swift Current, Sask. November 3 — Region 8 Ladies’ Day, Blumenort, Man. CONTRIBUTORS: Jon Bonk, a minister in the Kleefeld E.M. Church, is Professor of Mission Studies at Winnipeg Bible College and Theological Seminary. He is the chairman of the EMC Board of Missions. Dora Friesen (Rosenort) is involv­ ed in visitation and church planting in Mexico. Jake and Bertha Kroeker (Rosenort) are serving as church planters in Juarez, Mexico.

COVER: Sometime ago my atten­ tion was drawn to an interesting clump of mushrooms growing on the stump of a large tree. Growing from a microscopic spore or seed, the mushroom finds life-giving nourish­ ment in the place of death, the stump. God often provides nourish­ ment for our spiritual growth from the most unexpected sources. The photo seemed an appropriate complement to Leona Penner’s poem, “Change Comes Slowly.” Leona is a member of the Aberdeen EMC Church in Winnipeg.

WANTED: Seasonal poems and short articles for Christmas, New Year’s, Easter, etc. Send them well ahead of time to Box 1268, Stein­ bach, Man. ROA 2A0.

accepted. Back to your paper. 1 appreciate all the little newsy articles of what is going on in the various congregations in your Conference. Pictures add another helpful dimension because I met some of the people at the MCCe meeting in New Hamburg, Ontario, and it helps me place them into the Canadian scene. Thanks again and may God continue to use and bless you as you serve Him as editor. Bill Janzen Calgary, Alta.

PROVINCIAL MCC ANNUAL MEETING OATES MCC B.C. - November 2-3 Cedar Valley Menn. Church, Mission, B.C. MCC Saskatchewan — Nov. 9-10 Swift Current, Sask. Bible Institute MCC Ontario — Nov. 16-17 Leamington, Ont. United Menn. Church MCC Manitoba — Nov. 23-24 Steinbach, Man. Mennonite Church MCC Alberta — Nov. 23-24 Coaldale, Alta. Menn. Brethren Church

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MCC SERVICE

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Donelda Friesen of Winnipeg, Man., is beginning a three-year MCC assign­ ment in Dhaka, Bangladesh, where she will be working as an administrative assistant in the MCC office. Donelda previously served with MCC in Winnipeg. She received a diploma in Bible from Steinbach (Man.) Bible College. Donelda is a member of Rosenort (Man.) Evangelical Mennonite Church and is associated with Bethel Men­ nonite Church in Winnipeg. Her parents are Gertrude and Peter Friesen of Rosenort.

Images of multiplied blessings are common in the Bible. The parable of the talents speaks of tenfold increases. One hundredfold growth is recognized in the parable of the sower. The generosity of one young boy resulted in the feeding of the 5000.

The Canadian Foodgrains Bank is seeking 15,000 MT in donated foodgrains for 1990/91. These grain donations, plus cash donations and the contribu­ tion of CIDA, will allow Foodgrains Bank partners to respond to urgent food needs in Angola, Sudan, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Haiti and other food deficit countries.

"He who provides seed for sowing . . . will multiply it and swell the harvest of your benevolence, and you will always be rich enough to be generous" (II Cor. 9:10 NEB).

Designate your contribution to the account of

MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE CANADA

[Canadian ^Fbodgrains Bank k A Christian Response to Hunger

For more information about how to make a grain or other donation, or to be involved in a grain drive, please phone or write:

CANADIAN FOODGRAINS BANK Box 767 Winnipeg, MB R3C 2L4

Toll Free Number: 1-800-665-0377 Local: (204) 944-1993 FAX: (204) 943-2597

THE MESSENGER is the publication of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference. Its purpose is to inform, instruct, and inspire. Inform as to what is going on in the Conference; instruct in Godliness and victorious living; inspire to earnestly contend for the faith. All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor Menno Hamm, Box 1268, Steinbach, Manitoba, ROA 2A0. Letters, articles, art and poetry are welcomed. Views expressed in Letters to the Editor are not necessarily those of the editor nor of the paper. Unpublished articles are not returned except by request. Subscription Members pay through their church. Non-members pay $6.00 per year. Send subscription money to The Messenger, Box 1268, Steinbach, Manitoba, R0A2A0. THE MESSENGER is published every other week by The Evangelical Mennonite Conference Board of Education and Publication, Box 1268, Stein­ bach, Manitoba, ROA 2A0. Second Class Mail; Registration Number 0591. Undelivered copies, change of address and new subscriptions should be mailed to the above address. The Messenger Is a member of Meetinghouse.

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THE MESSENGER

Region 1 Island Gospel Fellowship Burns Lake, B.C. High Level Christian Fellowship High Level, Alta. La Crete Christian Fellowship La Crete, Alta. Vanderhoof Christian Fellowship Vanderhool, B.C.

Region 2 Abbeydale Christian Fellowship Calgary, Alta. Saskatoon E.M.C. Saskatoon, Sask. Swift Current E.M.C. Swift Current, Sask. Wymark E.M.C. Wymark, Sask. Region 3 Christian Fellowship Church Birch River, Man. Northern Fellowship Chapel Creighton, Sask. Endeavour Fellowship Chapel Endeavour, Sask. Pineridge Fellowship Chapel Hudson Bay, Sask. Badgerville Evangelical Fellowshi Kamsack, Sask. Pelly Fellowship Chapel Pelly, Sask. Community Bible Fellowship Swan River, Man.

Region 4 Community Bible Church Arden, Man. Brandon E.M.C. Brandon, Man. Heron E.M.C. Heron, Sask. Kola E.M.C. Kola, Man. MacGregor E.M.C. MacGregor, Man.

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—J. Portage Evangelical Church Portage ia Prairie, Man. Treesbank E.M.C. Treesbank, Man. Region 5 Fisher Branch E.M.C. Fisher Branch, Man. Mennville E.M.C. Riverton, Man. Morweena E.M.C. Arborg, Man. Riverton Gospel Chapel Riverton, Man.

Region 6 Lowe Farm E.M.C. Lowe Farm, Man. Morris Fellowship Chapel Morris, Man. Pleasant Valley E.M.C. Rosenort, Man. Roseisle E.M.C. Roseisie, Man. Rosenort E.M.C. Morris, Man. Rosenort Fellowship Chapel Rosenort, Man.

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Region 7 Aberdeen E.M.C. Winnipeg, Man. Braeside E.M.C. Winnipeg, Man. Crestview Fellowship Winnipeg, Man. Fort Garry E.M.C. Winnipeg, Man. St. Vital E.M.C. Winnipeg, Man.

Region 8 Anola Fellowship Chapel Anoia, Man. Mount Salem E.M.C. Ayimer, Ont. Blumenort E.M.C. Biumenort, Man. Evangelical Fellowship Church Fort Frances, Ont. Kleefeld E.M.C. Kieefeid, Man. Niagara E.M.C. Virgil, Ont. Pansy Chapel Pansy, Man.

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Prairie Grove Fellowship Chapel Lorette, Man. Prairie Rose E.M.C. Landmark, Man. Ridgewood E.M.C. Steinbach, Man. Evangelical Fellowship Church Steinbach, Man. Steinbach E.M.C. Steinbach, Man. Mennonite Christian Fellowship

Stratton, Ont. Unorganized congregations Region 1 Grande Prairie, Aita. Peace River, Aita. Region 8 Leamington, Ont.

E.M.C. — Fifty Churches in Eight Regions Early in 1979, Dave Schellenberg, John Koop and Ben Friesen were asked to draw up a plan for a regional structure of the EMC in Canada. Following a discussion of their proposal at the 1979 an­ nual convention, a new committee was formed: Dave Schellenberg and Ben Friesen from the original committee, and Henry Kornelsen and Edwin Plett from the EMC Executive. Their task was to refine the proposal and to prepare a plan of action. After several stages of development, the revised administrative structure was accepted at the December 1980 meeting of the Con­ ference Council. The minutes state: “ . . . The Conference churches have been divided into eight regions. Each region is to elect or appoint one or more members to the General Board. The General Board will replace the (seven-member) executive. It will hold its first organizational meeting at the time of our annual convention in 1981. The new structure should reflect a greater regional representation on the Board.” There was to be one representative for each 250 members or por­ tion thereof in regions 1-5, and one for each 500 members or por­ tion thereof in regions 6-8. The new structure ensured that each region would be represented on the General Board of the Conference. In 1982, after one year of adjusting to the change, the General Board reported: “ ... It is great to have the input of all regions of the Conference in this board. The Board is still trying to feel its way through the adOCTOBER 12, 1990

ministrative changes from the previous Conference Executive to the General Board format.” The purpose of regionlization went further than to select represen­ tatives to serve on the General Board. The 1982 report went on to say: “Our Conference has been divided into eight regions to en­ courage regional Conference identify, fellowship and service. Dur­ ing the past year regions have sponsored youth retreats, camps, con­ ferences, etc. Because our Conference is geographically spread out, regions help to foster Christian fellowship and encouragement. Hopefully, regions will soon take initiative in church planting in their respective ares. To varying degrees the regions have attempted to meet these goals. Several combined efforts in church planting come to mind: Brandon in region 4, Lowe Farm in region 6, St. Vital in region 7, Fort Frances in region 8. Perhaps there are others also. Several such projects are underway at this time: Peace River and Grande Prairie in region 1, and Leamington in region 8. It has been a bless­ ing to hear of the moral, prayer and financial support given by sister churches in the region. Now that the regional system has operated for nine years, perhaps the time has come to do a review or evaluation. Are all the goals being met? Should some goals be revised, or new ones added? How can we better share what is happening at the regional level? PAGE 5

Missions

Young people singing at the campaign in Juarez, Mr. and Mrs. Ortega and two married daughters, Mexico. a family who responded to the call to follow Christ at the revival meetings in Km. 5 church.

MEXICO

Revival in Answer to Prayer Open Air Meetings Held Two months of daily prayer meetings at the Km. 5 church in Cd. Juarez gloriously blossomed to fruition with the weekend revival meetings. Manuel Barragan, our Conference Pastor, was the main speaker. The open air meetings on the dusty church

DEPARTURES Back to Ecuador

Stan and Marian Houghton have return­ ed to serve in Quito, Ecuador, at the HCJB radio station.

To Mexico

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Emily Petkau left for Mexico on October 5 Io teach at the Camp 67 school. She is a member of the Steinbach Evangelical Fellowship Church (EMC).

Please pray for these missionaries. PAGE 6

yard were well attended. Some sat in their cars and others remained further away so as not to be identified with the group. The pro­ gram included a half hour of singing led by Felipe Cruz with his guitar, some testimonies, and a message from God’s word by Manuel. For the final night we had an Hispanic musical group from El Paso, Texas. With their power­ ful PA system the whole area was saturated

Oscar Banda, church guitarist

with the festive spirit.

Eight people made professions of faith in Christ. PTL! The church is rejoicing with the new believers and getting more involved in our discipleship program. A baptismal service is planned for the last Sunday of October. Pray with us for this revival to continue as more people find Christ as their Saviour. Jake and Bertha Kroeker

MEXICO

Reflecting on our Trip to Canada We Need More Help The Lord granted us, Humberto, Horten­ cia and Sonia Bojorquez, the opportunity to visit Canada in July 1990. God has used Canadians to bring many Mexicans to Christ, for which we are thankful. We attended the annual EMC convention in Blumenort, Man. The theme was “Stewardship,” which was developed with much clarity, and we understood it well. Also we enjoyed the fellowship with the believers, some of whom we already knew and others whom we learned to know. They all treated us with great kindness and so we understood more of the work of Christ in our lives, because the Holy Spirit and the blood of Christ produces this kindness in the believer. We enjoyed the Mennonite World Con­ ference and, although not everything was perfect, we received a blessing. We had the privilege of attending a business session with the Board of Missions and mis­ sionaries serving in different countries. We all shared as to how our congregations are pro­ gressing in the power of God and how God is using us in His service. Now we know from “closer up” the importance of communicating with our brethren on the Board of Missions. Let us pray for them in their decision mak­ ing. We are asking for more help, especially for more missionaries. I have much more on my heart to share with you, maybe in the future. We love you in Jesus Christ. Humberto Bojorquez

Greetings from Hortencia! I want to share with hou how 1 enjoyed your fellowship and how encouraged 1 was in Canada. The ladies’ session at the EMC convention was very special, and I encourage you to con­ tinue. We have also started with ladies’ con­ ferences. 1 am thankful to God, to Alvira, to Dorita and to our speakers. We are planning our fourth conference. I trust we will prepare with even greater enthusiasm. My desire is to do my part that the conference will be so in­ teresting that none of the ladies will want to miss it. Here in Oscar Soto Maynez there are many who need to know that there is salvation in Christ and that there is power for victory over sin. It may seem impossible to them but Christ says, “With me all things are possible.” My daughters, Sara, Orfa and Edna, and Dorita Friesen had DVBS here for a week. Twenty-five children came; that’s not many, but they came regularly. Let’s continue to pray for the teachers that they will not lose their vision to work with children. As a church in Oscar Soto Maynez, we have great needs. On Saturday nights we have prayer meetings and a worship service and children’s class on Sunday mornings. I am grateful to God that He put it into the heart of the local president of OSM to give us a lot to build a church. Pray for the funds to build. We thank God for Humberto. His gifts are giving and keeping necessary correspondence THE MESSENGER

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Hortencia and Humberto Bojorquez

up to date. (He dictates and the girls type.) Manuel Banagan is our Conference presi­ dent. He preaches here on Sundays but can­ not function as a local pastor because he has many other responsibilities. Besides that, he lives in El Terrero, thirteen miles from OSM. We are asking God for a pastoral couple who has a vision for youth as well, a couple who

The Bojorquez family. Left to right: Sara, Sonia, Orfa, Hortencia, Humberto, Dinora, Edna.

feels the call and will answer, “Here am I. Send me” (Isaiah 6:9). It is so important to work with youth; they are the future church. From what I have said you will understand that we need a leader. Pray! When I am tired or when discouraging thoughts come to my mind and 1 wonder, “Who responds to God’s call?” then I have

to remember verses like Joshua 1:9a, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous,” and I John 5:14, “This is the assurance we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” Hortencia Bojorquez (Translated by Dora Friesen)

Messenger News

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Mary and Harry Friesen giving their response at their installation.

the Steinbach EFC on September 9. They are seen with Pastor Harry and Mary Friesen.

NEW PASTOR INSTALLED

Steinbach, Man. (EEC): Summer 1990 is already history, but we must highlight several events of the last few months at the EFC. Weddings in our church family this year were more of the anniversary kind. Both Abe and Anna Plett and Willie and Erna Dueck celebrated their 40th anniversaries. Ed and Lil Friesen and Norm and Emily Rempel mark­ ed 25 years of marriage. Bertha Nickel and Cornie Voth were mar­ ried September 15. Just a week before, on September 9, Bertha transferred her member­ ship to our church and Cornie was baptized. Many family members and friends joined them for that occasion and we want to con­ tinue to support them with our prayers and friendship as they establish a new home. August 1 was a big day for our church. That marked the day the pastor’s office again had an occupant. Harry and Mary Friesen and their three daughters moved here from HudOCTOBER 12, 1990

son Bay, Sask., and are adjusting to Stein­ bach life. The official installation of our new pastor couple took place September 16. The evening celebration included several songs by the Freedom Quartet, and a straightforward practical message by Arden Thiessen. Especially insightful for us parishioners were Mr. Thiessen’s fifteen points on how to treat our new pastor. Harry and Mary then each gave a brief response to the congregation and then we moved to the basement for coffee. We certainly want to support our pastor and his family in every way and trust God for con­ tinued growth in our lives as we live and work together. We also experienced some farewells in our church family. Glen and Betty Koop left for Lesotho, Africa on August 29, and we had a church farewell for them on August 26. Jon Bonk encouraged the Koops by reminding them that they have been chosen, that they have been chosen by God, and that they have been chosen by God to be foreigners. The double trio, in which Betty has sung soprano

Glen and Betty Koop at their farewell on August 26.

for many years, sang two songs, and many members of the congregation gave public words of thanks and encouragement to Glen and Betty. We wish them well in their new assignment in a new culture. Also coming and going during the summer were Ernie and Diane Koop from Nicaragua and John and Erna Dyck and boys from Ger­ many. Both couples took in the EMC conven­ tion in Blumenort, as well as the Mennonite World Conference and, of course, renewed ties with family and friends. It was great to have them join our church family for at least a few weeks. The fall program at our church is in gear. Young People’s, Pro-teens and a new Col­ lege and Career group are moving ahead. The Ladies’ Fellowship has had its first meeting and the home Bible study groups are forming. We look forward to a year of growth in Christlikeness, and covet that for our wider EMC family as well. Fran Harms PAGE 7

1 A parent/child dedication took place at the Roseisle church on July 15. Left to right: Dave Schmidt (pastor), Elaine and Brian Friesen with Joshua, Dianne Peters with Jennifer, Darrell and Eleanor Friesen with Tyler.

YOUNG PEOPLE ENJOY RETREAT

Roseisle, Man.: Greetings from Roseisle! Children from our church and their friends from the surrounding areas enjoyed a warm week, July 9-13, of VBS. Our theme was “Island in the Son,” based on I Cor. 13. It was directed by Darrell and Eleanor Friesen. The teachers and students enjoyed lessons, crafts and games. The attendance was steady and there was a good response to the invita­ tion to join VBS. We are grateful for the seed that was planted that week. On July 15 the day was extra special as parents dedicated themselves to train their children for the Lord. Those participating NEW SALT UNIT WELCOMED Winnipeg, Man. (Aberdeen): On September 9 we started our Sunday school program for the fall. A prayer of dedication was offered for the teachers who have com­ mitted themselves to teaching for the coming year. Ivy Guenther challenged us in her ser­ mon with the story of Miriam and how, by her life, she made a big difference in the life of a child, her brother Moses. Sunday school is an opportunity to influence and make a dif­ ference in the lives of the children in our families. May they grow in their understand­ ing of their Creator! The following Sunday, Septembr 16, we welcomed the new SALT unit to Aberdeen. The seven young people who have commit­ ted themselves to a year of Serving and Learning Together (SALT) are Bonnie Steinmann (Wellesley, Ont.), Dionne Bowman (Elmira, Ont.), Keith Froese (Altona, Man.), Lisa Dueck (Rosthern, Sask.), Lorraine Harder (Carlton, Sask), Robert Myers (Eureka, Illinois), and Tanya Roth (Tavistock, Ont.). Leaders are Brad and Carolyn Nance, recently from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. On September 23 a commissioning service was held for John and Ann Friesen, who have begun a term of service with IVCF in Win­ nipeg. John will be working mainly at the University of Manitoba campus as a resource and staff support person to students. Joe Moder, Western Director of IVCF, introduc­ ed us to the work of IVCF and offered words of encouragement to John and Ann as they begin their work. On October 8 we had our annual Thanks­ giving dinner, followed by a time of musical worship. Corinne Friesen

PAGE 8

The Roseisle youth group at their retreat

were Brian and Elaine Friesen with Joshua, Darrell and Eleanor Friesen with Tyler, and Diane Peters with Jennifer. We were remind­ ed that children are God’s gifts to us and that it is our responsibility to train them according to His purpose. Later we had the privilege of sharing our noon meal with our visiting missionaries, Wilbert and Hilda Friesen. After lunch we shared a surprise shower with a bridal cou­ ple, Charlene Enns and Dale Friesen, giving Wilbert and Hilda a chance to share in prenuptial festivities. Our youth group planned an exciting sum­ mer retreat for July 20-22. The chaperones were our youth leaders, Larry and Elenor Penner and Harold and Ruth Harms. Twentythree lively persons attended, including our guest speaker and his wife, John and Audrey Loge. The church bus was driven to a gorgeously furnished hunters’ cabin located in a bush area near Clear Lake. The first hour was spent cutting lawn, unpacking and ad­ miring the surroundings. A delicious supper was served by Eleanor and Audrey, follow­ ed by an exciting game of volleyball. Larry and Elenor organized relays, volleyball, swim­ ming and other sports. Following a game of volleyball, the group was challenged by one of John’s messages. John presented four ex­ cellent messages, choosing “Love” for his

theme. Love is shown to others by thinking of them before ourselves. A four-hour bus ride home concluded our fun-filled holiday. August 5 was a special day for our church family as one of our members was commis­ sioned for missionary service. Karen Penner felt God leading her to the mission field in Paraguay. We are thankful that she answered in a positive way. We received a letter from Karen expressing some of her difficulties in the language but she is trusting God to con­ tinue to lead her. We stand behind Karen in our prayers as she faces many trials. Praying for one another is encouraging. On August 19 we said “bon voyage” to Karen after an energetic game of baseball and a wiener roast. She left for RGBl to begin Spanish studies. God bless you, Karen. Let’s remember her and other missionaries in training and on the field. Our church family once again said “good­ bye and God bless,” this time to Larry and Elenor Penner and their children, Kyle and Chelsea. They are moving to Coaldale, Alta., where Larry has accepted a position with Unifeed. As a result of their move we were in need of a youth leader for our youth group. Our prayers were answered when Darrell and Eleanor Friesen accepted the position. May you have wisdom and joy as you lead the group. Susan Worms

MISSIONARY REPORTS APPRECIATED

Saskatoon, Sask.: September has been a busy and exciting month for us in Saskatoon. Many families travelled long distances for their holidays this summer and we are thankful to the Lord that He brought us all safely back home. It was a blessing to start ser­ vices again with our regular members all back in attendance. Congratulations go out to Mark and Jen­ nifer Funk on their marriage on September 15. Mark and Jennifer will be living in Saska­ toon for now and we’re looking forward to them joining in the work of our church here. They are optimistic and full of enthusiasm; we need more young couples like them. Jonathan Friesen left for Austria at the end of September to attend Bible school out there. Our thoughts and prayers go with you, Jonathan, as the Lord leads you through your studies and experiences in Europe. September was also the month of our mis­ sionary conference. Many thanks go out to Stan and Marian Houghton, Mary Loewen

and Sara Loeppky for coming and sharing their experiences in their individual fields of service. It was a busy weekend, but the at­ mosphere was relaxed and casual, something which the missionaries really seemed to ap­ preciate. We will now be able to pray more knowledgeably for you as the Lord continues to lead and guide you. Thanks again! Please continue to pray for Darcy Dueck (Tim and Judy’s son), who has been in the hospital for some time now. He’s been hav­ ing seizures and the doctors can’t seem to find the cause. Darcy has been losing a lot of weight. Therefore Judy and Darcy will be leaving for Winnipeg and staying there for an indefinite period of time. Pray for the rest of the family as they live without their mother for a while. Also pray for the Bob Halliday family. Bob’s mom is very seriously ill. We praise God together with the family that she accepted the Lord as her Saviour and is now ready to meet Him. Cynthia Kroeker THE MESSENGER

Call unto me and I will answer thee Jeremiah 33 3 WHERE HAS THE SUMMER GONE?

Pansy, Man.: As one sits back to enjoy the changing colours and the that’s-the-end-ofmy-garden temperatures, one begins quite in­ voluntarily to evaluate things. Where has the summer gone? And what did it hold? At Pansy Chapel, as usual, it’s been a con­ glomeration of many things. A baptismal ser­ vice for Marcel and Alberta Preteau and Erd­ man Wiens was held in spring. Both it and the following communion service seemed special and meaningful. Our annual all-day picnic held at the end of May at the Friedensfeld Park turned out great, not only in the perfect weather but in the spirit and attendance, enjoying good food, fun and fellowship. The three-day Children’s Rally held at the Chapel in July was attend­ ed enthusiastically by some sixty-five youngsters, thanks to numerous hard workers. PETER D. FRIESEN 1914 - 1990 “In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself: that where I am there ye may be also” (John 14:2,3). Peter D. Friesen was born to Jacob and Anna Friesen at Rosenhof, Manitoba on November 30, 1914. He passed away at his home near Wawanesa on August 1, 1990, reaching the age of 75 years, eight months and one day. Dad lived with his family at Rosenhof, where he attended school and helped on the farm. He was only fourteen when his father died, leaving him with extra responsibilities on the farm and helping his mother with the fami­ ly. He accepted the Lord as his Saviour when he was eighteen years of age and was baptiz­ ed in Rosenhof on November 17, 1933. On April 16, 1939 Dad married Gertrude Penner of Blumenort, and they settled in Blumenort on a quarter section of land pro­ vided by her father. Here Dad built up a suc­ cessful farm with dairy cattle and chickens. It was also here that fifteen children were born into the family; one was stillborn, leaving seven girls and seven boys. As more of his children were growing up, Dad became concerned that the farm was too small to provide opportunities for his family and he became involved in several “coloniza­ tion” movements with others in the Blumenort EMC. He made a number of trips to places such as Morweena, Man., Peace River, Alta., and Wawanesa, Man. In 1967 he purchased a farm near Wawanesa and moved there with his family, as part of a group who formed the Treesbank EMC, in Canada’s centennial year. With the help of his grown children he built up another successful dairy farm, where he remained till poor health forced his early retirement in 1974. He then moved into a

OCTOBER 12, 1990

Baptism at the Pansy Chapel. Left to right: Pastor Leonard Barkman, Erdman Wiens, Alberta and Marcel Preteau, Assistant Pastor Dennis Friesen.

Special guests have been the Gospel Troubadours (and their appreciated services), the Musical Warriors (great singing, guys!), Art Sabot and friends from Hadashville with special sharing, the Wiebe family singers from southern Ontario, the Elmer Barkmans and Glen Koops just prior to leaving for their respective “fields,” CSSM personnel and others. Thank you, all of you, for enriching

our lives. This fall we are anticipating a series of ser­ vices by Fred Evans of Grand Rapids, outreach in the St. Malo area via a Coffee House, and the building of a new foyer at the church. It is our prayer that the Lord will richly bless these endeavours.

newly-constructed retirement home near the farm, next to his oldest daughter’s residence. Although he was a small man. Dad was a hard worker and he toiled many long hours on the farm to provide for his wife and fami­ ly. He was a loyal supporter of the church, was strong in his Christian faith, and believ­ ed that everything should be done “as unto the Lord.” He frequently expressed his con­ cern about the influences of the world and the importance of a simple. God-fearing life. The farm did not allow him much of an apprecia­ tion for recreational activities. However, he did enjoy travels to visit relatives in B.C., Nova Scotia, Mexico and Belize. Dad experienced relatively good health un­ til 1974 when he underwent open heart surgery and received an artificial heart valve. It was discovered at that time that a poten­ tially serious heart murmer had been present for a number of years. The operation gave him a new lease on life for a number of years as he felt that God had a purpose in prolong­ ing his life. In 1983 he experienced some complications, which were largely corrected by a pacemaker. It was also at this time that he was diagnosed as having diabetes and he found it hard to deal with diet restrictions. The unexpected death of his wife, our mother and grandmother, in 1985, was a very difficult time and proved to be a real test of Dad’s faith. He experienced a profound sense of loss and loneliness and frequently suffered depression. He often spoke of his desire to leave this earth, which he felt held little for him anymore. In the last years of his life he was under close doctor’s supervision, constant care of family members and was frequently hospitaliz­ ed for short periods of time in Wawanesa. In spite of all these problems, he was physically able to fight back and often surprised his doc­ tor with his tenacity to carry on. During the last week of his life. Dad ex­ perienced a renewed sense of energy, alert-

ness and appreciation for his family. Even on the day of his death he helped set the table and enjoyed several hearty meals with fami­ ly members. As was customary after the eve­ ning meal, he was helped to a comfortable chair. A few minutes later he passed away due to massive cardiac and respiratory failure. He was released from his bondage and entered into the presence of his Maker. Dad leaves to mourn his children, Rosella and Wilmer Brandt of Wawanesa, Gladys and Allan Friesen of Bowsman, Lena and Lome Friesen of Bowsman, Ron and Martha of Win­ nipeg, Jake of Winnipeg, Del and Shirley of Treesbank, Al and Linda of Brandon, Neil and Anita of Wawanesa, Elsie of Winnipeg, Peter and Helen of St. Adolphe, Julie and Robert Friesen of Wawanesa, Dennis and Margie of Wawanesa, Ruth and Harry Plett of Wawanesa, Sylvia and Leroy Plett of Bran­ don, 37 grandchildren and two great­ grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Evelyn Reimer and his brother John, both of Blumenort, his brother Aaron of Nelson, B.C., and many other relatives and friends. Dad was predecesed by his wife Gertrude in 1985, his parents, six brothers and six sisters, one daughter-in-law and one grandson. “Although in our hearts we sorrow, we are comforted in the knowledge that we will meet again in the presence of the Lord where there will be no more tears, death, sorrow or pain.” The family wishes to thank Dr. Abell, the staff at the Wawanesa and District Memorial Hospital, and Faye Inkster for their concern and the thoughtful care they gave Dad over the years. Thank you also to Pastor Mel Friesen and the people of the Treesbank con­ gregation, as well as members of the com­ munity, for their many acts of love and kind­ ness through the years of Dad’s illness and during this time of bereavement.

Betti; Barkman

The Family

PAGE 9

11

SI

JAKE DUECK 1913 - 1990 Jake Dueck, our loving father, husband, grandfather, brother and friend, was born to Jacob and Anna Dueck in Gruenfeld, now known as Kleefeld, Manitoba, on March 1, 1913. It was in Kleefeld where he spent 52 years of his life, growing up in a rather large family - a family of ten children. Early in life he learn­ ed how to work and so it was no surprise to anyone that he acquired the position of the head cheese maker in Kleefeld, a job he thoroughly enjoyed. He was proud of the ex­ cellent cheese, which was well known also beyond the borders of Manitoba. (He was very particular about his working clothes; they had to be ironed just the right way.) Jake was a sports enthusiast! He especial­ ly enjoyed playing hockey back in Kleefeld with his brothers. Later in life, watching Hockey Night in Canada became almost a family ritual. He would seldom miss a game. On occasion he and 1 would motor down to the Pacific Coliseum to watch the Canucks play. 1 especially remember the night of his 75th birthday. Together we watched the Canucks do battle with the Jets, and 1 think the Canucks won the game. 1 shall long remember those outings. And, of course, he was a Blue Jay fan, hoping that they would turn around their winless ways. Jake had a deep, solid and personal faith in His Lord. And on that personal faith in Jesus Christ, he was baptized in the Kleefeld EMC Church on August 1, 1937. Early in 1945 he began to notice a lovely young lady by the name of Helen Unrau. After a short engagement period, they were married on September 16, 1945. God in His grace gave them almost 45 years of married life together. This marriage was blessed with three love­ ly daughters, Evelyn of Langley, Linda of Mis­ sion, and Sharlene of Lynden, Washington. Jake was extremely proud of his five grand­ sons: Pat, Andrew, Phillip, Jamie and Tyler. In 1965 Jake and Helen moved to Ab­ botsford, B.C., where Jake was employed as a finish carpenter, which he thoroughly en­ joyed. In 1966 he, along with Helen, joined Grace Church. Jake loved his church and was a solid supporter of the leadership. It pleased the Lord to call him to Glory on August 27, 1990, after a brief illness. He will be greatly missed by his wife, Helen, his daughters, Evelyn, Linda and Sharlene and Randy and

PAGE 10

his grandsons, as well as his brothers and sisters and their spouses: Peter and Ella Dueck (Steinbach), Ben and Helen Dueck (Kleefeld), William and Erna Dueck (Steinbach), Ed and Mary Dueck (Steinbach), Katharine Rempel (Winnipeg), Gertie and Pete Friesen (Morris) and Martha and Jack Hiebert (Abbotsford). Jake was predeceased by his parents and two sisters, Annie Barkman and Nettie Brandt. One of his favorite Scripture passages was Psalm 46:4-7. Passing beyond the shadow into a purer light; Pulling aside the curtain, getting a clearer sight. Passing out of the shadow into eternal day; Why do we call it dying, this sweet going away? ann. “When a Christian dies, he has just begun to live.”

I

GERTRUDA JANZEN 1904 - 1990 You turn men back to dust, saying, “Return to dust, O children of men. ”

Mother was born on July 21, 1904, 86 years ago, in the Ridgewood/Ste. Anne Municipality, the second child and first daughter born to John R. and Sara Penner. Early in her life she sensed a desire for a strengthening and deepening of her relation­ ship with God. In response, she confessed her faith before the church community in baptism in 1923 at the age of 19. She would not marry her betrothed, John F. Janzen, until he too had taken this step of faith in baptism. They were married on July 25, 1926. After their marriage, children began to ar­ rive at regular intervals. When her mother became gravely ill, hospitalized in a sanitorium for TB, she, being the oldest daughter, also assumed the responsibility of being a con­ fidante and friend to numerous brothers and sisters. Since then she has been regarded by them as a mother figure. We remember Mother for her unfailing devotion to the well-being of her family. When we left for work or school she would be at the door, saying goodbye and waving as we drove away. She prayed regularly for her children, grandchildren and great­ grandchildren. It was her fervent desire that all her children might learn to love and follow God with all their heart and intentions. She had so much room in her heart, enough capacity for all the members of her large and diverse family.

Her generosity of spirit, manifested to all as she baked and cooked in the kitchen, will be remembered and cherished. A knock at the door was welcomed by her with en­ thusiasm and her wit sparkled at the prospect of another opportunity for a good visit, to be relished and enjoyed. Uncle Cornelius, a younger brother, who was widowed early, was adopted by Mother. She did his laundry and baked buns for him every week for 38 years. With his weekly visits, he soon became very much a part of our family. Mother and Uncle Knalz had aspecial relationship, sharing life’s joys and sorrows. Mother was also dedicated to the church and community. Church attendance was im­ perative for her, symbolic of her devotion to her God and Saviour. For many years she served as the President of the Ladies’ Sew­ ing Circle. Patchwork quilts were her specialty. Mother gardened largely for reasons of economy and thrift, yet working with plants was also a pleasurable hobby for her. Don­ ning her wide-brimmed straw hat, pulling on our old cast-off Sunday gloves, she would go down the garden path to attend to her domain — long rows of vegetables and flowers. She taught us to appreciate and respect the necessity and the beauty of nature. Mother also found great enjoyment and stimulation in reading. When she was younger she avidly followed the German romance serials in Die Steinbach Post. In later years she preferred to read from the German Bible, the Gesangbuch and Euangeliums Liederbuch, which were always near her favourite chair. Music in the form of singing for worship was very important to her. Of late she spent in­ creasing amounts of time in devotion and prayer, reading from the Bible and singing songs. It was, in fact, the only activity which afforded her any enjoyment. When she en­ countered personal and spiritual struggles, the words from the song Dort ueber jenem Sternenmeer, dort ist ein schoenes Land (Beyond the sea of stars is a lovely land) com­ forted her. Mother mentioned that she did not wish to be remembered in a glorified and false light. She felt deeply her fallibility, her sinfulness, her humanness, and she prayed with some fear and concern that God might indeed forgive her all her sins, and then she thanked Him for doing so. When Dad died in 1971, Mother became preoccupied with thoughts of heaven. She grieved deeply for a number of years, miss­ ing Dad incredibly, and her only wish was to follow him to her heavenly rest. Eventually she gained strength, turned her face towards life once again and enjoyed many contented years thereafter. She has now received fulfill­ ment of that longing - to see Dad again. She has joined him now, Dort ueber jenem Sternenmeer. Mother leaves to mourn nine children: Sara

THE MESSENGER

(Mrs. Aaron Reimer), Tina (Mrs. John Dueck), Thelma (Mrs. Abe G. Penner), Min­ nie, Linda (Mrs. Ernie Penner), Alvin and Bernadette Janzen, Comie and Carol Janzen, Annie (Mrs. Joseph Plett), and Irene; twenty­ seven grandchildren, four brothers and sisters. She was predeceased by Dad, her parents, six brothers, one sister, two grandchildren and one great-grandchild. We miss Mother and love her dearly. But we do have the assurance that she has found eternal peace and has left her frail humanity behind. And now, in the words of Martin Luther King, we can say that she is “free at last, thank God, free at least.” I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that dan: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing (2 Tim. 4:7,8). Funeral services were held on September 10. 3:00 p.m., at the E.M. Church in Blumenort.

Births FUNK — to Jim and Rose Funk of Grunthal, Man. (Pansy Chapel), a daughter, Chantelle Danielle, on August 26, 1990. PETERS — to Herman and Linda Peters of Stein­ bach, Man., a daughter, Maria Catherine, on September 21, 1990.

Weddings FUNK — FRIESEN: Mark, son of Herman and Helena Funk of Vita, Man., was married on September 15. 1990, to Jennifer, daughter of Peter and Kathy Friesen of Saskatoon, Sask. The wed­ ding took place in Saskatoon, with Peter Friesen, father of the bride, officiating. The couple is mak­ ing their home in Saskatoon.

REG TOEWS ELECTED MWC TREASURER WINNIPEG, MANITOBA - Reg Toews of Winnipeg has been elected to a six-year term as treasurer of Mennonite World Conference. The advisory position carries ex-officio status on the MWC Executive Committee. Toews is currently employed by the Manitoba government as assistant deputy minister of the Mental Health Division, a posi­ tion which includes responsibilities for budget matters. A member of the Fort Garry Evangelical Mennonite Church, Toews has extensive ex­ perience in financial management and budgeting for church institutions and on the provincial level of Canadian government. Toews also has broad international ex­ perience through his service with Mennonite Central Committee for 15 years. He and his wife Phyllis have two adult daughters.

OCTOBER 12, 1990

T BY the WAY

By Dave Schellenberg

1 THINK AMONG the things I would miss most if we should ever sell our house and move into an apartment would be putter­ ing around the yard and garden, planting, reaping, etc. What joy and satisfaction in seeing a late rose bud opening up at this time of the year (late September). And just recently 1 brought in some late-blooming gladiolus. Now mind you, they were not of exhibition quality, but we had grown them. This adds to the pleasure. Take tulips. I wasn’t sure if we still had any, so last fall I planted a row on the southwest side of our house (1 have to say that due to the fact that the original Stein­ bach is laid out on a diagonal). I planted them on October 12, maybe a bit late in the season. That may be why they seem­ ed to be slow in coming up. This year 1 planted my first batch on September 26 and will see if that will make a difference. They are also in a different location so we’ll see what happens. My next batch I want to do a little later and again on the same side of the house as last year, only closer to the foundation. I’ll see if this will speed things up in spring. Anyone who has done any planting of shrubs, flowers, etc., knows that it can run into quite a bit of money. Fall bulbs are no exception. It also depends on what your tastes and aspirations are. Do you like and enjoy flowers, trees, shrubs, etc? I feel it’s well worthwhile and well worth the ex­ pense. Different people spend money for different things; I spend some on horticulture. However, I fail to get some things to grow. My luck with clematis is no record. Some years ago I planted some behind our house and some of this still presents us with beautiful purple flowers climbing pret­ ty well to the eaves of the house. I thought it would be nice to have some further to the front and planted some by the garage, but without success. I even put up a nice trellis for the plant to climb on. These plants are very frail, and I suppose temperamental, so that they need a lot of

nurturing. Maybe I’ll try again next spring. Our fruit trees consist mainly of apple trees; we have six. One young one, ap­ parently for no reason, has dried up. The crabs bore few apples this year. Only one. a Collette, had a fairly large crop. This is a larger variety of apple, the size of a small Macintosh, and keeps well. It is excellent for apple sauce and pie. For fall beauty we in the Steinbach area do not have far to go. The nearby Sandilands Forest Reserve is only about 30 minutes to the southeast. This fall again I remarked to my wife that we’d have to go there again, and that’s what we did that same afternoon. Of course, we packed a small lunch, which is always nice out there. We were not disappointed; the colors were gorgeous. Since there was a bit of an un­ comfortable wind blowing in the park, we chose to sit on the nature trail itself (we had brought lawn chairs). We sat here in relative quiet, until suddenly an ATV came out of the bush along the trail. However, the interruption was of short duration. For our picnic lunch we were able to find a table in a more sheltered spot. One wonders why not more people avail themselves of this Manitoba beauty spot on these sunny afternoons. Surely the seniors would be free to go, or maybe not all folks love nature the way I do. Maybe my fondness for growing things stems back to Grandfather Kornelsen and my uncles. My grandfather, even after he moved off the farm, was an agent for Patmore Nursery. As I recall, on their farm he also had an orchard of sorts. But who knows, by the time you read this our warm sunny days may be rare. Lower temperatures and gusty winds may be a foreboding of things to come. But then here in Manitoba we are ready for all seasons - a furnace to ward off the cold in winter and air-conditioning to keep us cool in summer (we still use fans). Till next time.

Disability Retreat Draws Many

experienced disability in another culture. The program included a mix of workshops and group sessions. The main speaker, George Strohmeyer, brought a wealth of sensitivity to the topic “Deepening our Spirituality” through story and personal ex­ ample. The audience also heard testimonies and stories from visitors from Nicaragua, Paraguay, the Soviet Union, and Ethiopia.

(Winnipeg, Man.) The First International Mennonite Retreat on Disability (FIMROD), held at the Canadian Mennonite Bible Col­ lege in July, attracted 200 people from 15 countries. Not only was it a retreat on disabili­ ty, it was a time for people involved with dif­ ferent disabilities to share, discover each per­ son’s giftedness, and to find out how others

PAGE 11

E.M.C. REGIONS: LIKE CLUSTERS OF GRAPES

From the Editor

A FEW WEEKS AGO a friend nudged me with the sugges­ tion that The Messenger give more attention to our regions. It seemed a good idea, so here we are with a modest beginning. The map on page 5 defines the general boundaries of each region. Some of these are very compact while a few encompass churches over a thousand miles apart. Sometimes the location of the churches makes it difficult to group them in tidy packages. From the list of churches you will note that the number of churches per region varies from four to thirteen. The variety of names chosen to identify each group is also startling. Lest we become alarmed, let me assure you that, regardless of the name, every church affirms its affiliation with the Evangelical Mennonite Conference. While the regional system was formally introduced in 1981, many of the “regions” had functioned as regions well before that time. Region 3 (see map) formed an executive committee in 1971, and on October 1, 1972 had its first annual regional conference at Hudson Bay, Sask. The nineteenth one, also at Hudson Bay, is planned for October 28 this year. Region 1 had its first conference at Vanderhoof, B.C. in the spring of 1978. The event was considered so significant that a bus was chartered in Manitoba to bring a load of represen­ tatives, including the Liuing Letters quartet from Ridgewood. The development of a regional structure seems to have brought favourable results. Dave Schellenberg wrote in 1987: “Sometimes we do things right. 1 think the division into Regions of the Conference in 1981 was such a thing. We find that in­ dividual regions are more and more sensing the responsibility.

obligation and potential of their particular areas. In other words, they form a mini-Conference, at the same time keeping in mind the over-arching administration of the whole” [Messenger, Oct. 30/87). I suppose we could compare the different levels of the Con­ ference to family relationships. Each congregation is like an im­ mediate family of brothers and sisters with close relationships. At the regional level there is a larger family consisting of cousins, for the most part well acquainted with each other. As a Conference we relate something like second cousins. Our relationship may be more distant, but we appreciate our com­ mon kinship. When 1 began thinking a little more deeply about the regions, 1 wondered about various things, one of which was church growth. The graphs below show the changes from 1980 to 1990. The first graph also pictures the relative size of the regions in terms of members. I won’t try to explain the reasons for the differences in the rate of growth. Now that my interest has been aroused you may expect to find more information about the regions in future Messengers. But first 1 will have to get back to my research. In the mean­ time 1 am looking forward to meeting the folks in region 3 on the 28th, and the folks in region 2 in Swift Current on the first weekend in November. I am sure visitors from other regions would be welcome at these regional conferences. Consider yourself invited. I appreciated the nudge, and welcome more of them. If your group thinks of something that is needed in The Messenger, tell me about it. Menno Hamm

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PAGE 12

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THE MESSENGER