The Messenger May 1, 1992

The Messenger

EVANGELICAL MENNONITE CONFERENCE

VOL. 30 NO. 9

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Pastors’ Series: 1

The Church and the Newspaper Split by Marvin Thiessen n the town of Sleepy Rock stood a fine old church building. It was the home of a congregation who called themselves “The Church of the Way.” The Church of the Way had existed for many years, reaching out to its community and adding many of the people of the town, to the kingdom of God. The Church of the Way grew to the point where they decided they needed to have two full-time pastors, so they hired a young pastor to handle areas relating to youth and children, complementing their long-time, much-loved senior pastor. The church had not known as much as they should have about their new pastor when they hired him. But it didn’t take long for them to find out that their new pastor felt they were much too worldly. There was something going on in the church that bothered the new pastor a great deal. Many of the church members sub­ scribed to the daily newspaper and actually read it. He considered this to be sinful behavior since God wanted his people to be sepa-

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""Those in agreement with the young pastor insist­ ed that everyone should give up their newspaper subscriptions, while the others refused ...” rated from the world. He confronted the senior pastor about the problem and demanded that he preach a sermon on the issue and warn people about the sinfulness of reading the newspaper. The senior pastor refused, arguing that newspaper reading was neces­ sary for people to relate to the world around them. They would have no hope of continuing to reach the non-Christians in their town if they stopped any contact with the world around them. Well, the young pastor wouldn’t leave the situation at that. The next time he had a chance to preach in the church, he let the con­ gregation know that newspaper reading was a sin, that they must forsake the habit and devote themselves to God alone. It might surprise you but there were a number of people in the church who agreed with him. At the next members’ meeting a heated argument erupted over newspaper reading. Those in agreement with the young pastor insisted that everyone should give up their newspaper subscriptions, while the others refused, calling their opponents legalists and Pharisees.

he issue didn’t die and the argument continued to range over the next few months. Over on Lilac Street, two church members lived next door to each other. Henry sided with the anti-newspaper faction and Bill continued to subscribe to the newspaper. It bothered Henry incredibly that his neighbour, his old friend and fellow Christian, could be so callous and hard to his sin. Finally, he could stand the sight of Bill reading his newspaper on the front porch no longer. He grabbed his BIC light­ er, marched over to Bill’s place, tore the offending newspaper out of Bill’s hands and, before flinging it down on the front lawn, set it on fire. Bill sat dumbfounded while Henry continued his tirade.

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Henry entered the house and found the magazine rack where a week’s worth of newspaper was stored. He carried them out to the front yard and burned them there. Satisfied that the offend­ ing materials were destroyed, he returned home, never having ut­ tered a word to Bill. Their neighbour, James, who lived across the street from them, watched the event, hardly believing what he saw. He had always admired how Bill and Henry got along and shared their posses­ sions. He couldn’t imagine what could have caused this weird sit­ uation. The first chance he had, he asked Bill about it. As Bill described the problem honestly, James shook his head in disbelief. If that was how Christians could treat each other, he didn’t want to have anything to do with the church. eanwhile, back at the church, the problem continued to boil. Finally, the anti-newspaper faction tired of wor­ shipping with their falleir counterparts and split from the church. They took the young pastor with them and rented space in town for their services. Attempting to make their old church look bad, they named themselves “The Church of the Right Way.” People in town couldn’t figure out why newspaper-reading could cause a group of Christians to have such a terrible fight. One young man had a bright idea and under the cover of darkness one night neatly covered the words “Right Way” on the new church’s sign with the words “Newspaper Split.” From then on, the townspeople laughingly called the new church “The Church of the Newspaper Split.” The church, which had once had a credible witness in the town, ceased to have any impact on the people. No non-Christians had any desire to attend the churches which had shown unbeliev­ able disunity over the newspaper issue. Nor were any of them likely to listen to their Christian acquaintances and neighbours talk about their relationship with Jesus Christ. The point of the story lies not in the issue that this fictitious

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""The church, which had once had a credible wit­ ness in the town, ceased to have any impact on the people. ” church struggled about. Rather, it is about how the townspeople viewed the church and its members when they could not exist together in peace, harmony and unity. When churches exhibit dis­ unity, they lose their witness in their communities. No matter how many other good things they do in their communities and how eagerly they share the wonderful news of the gospel of Jesus Christ, they lose their witness.

n the last year, our Conference has been stressing the need for us as followers of Jesus to share what our relationship with Jesus means to us. Our youth attended Abundant Springs in May of 1991, where they received great encouragement to talk about their relationship with Jesus to those who choose not to fol­

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THE MESSENGER

""The light of our unity is not shown so much by identical views as it is by the love and care we have for each other. ” low Christ. Our Conference’s annual convention focused on tell­ ing the story of Jesus and the messages presented there have been published in the Messenger, our Conference publication. In the light of that, we should pay attention to unity and disunity within the church. They have a great bearing on the effectiveness of our witness. Jesus, in John 17:20-26, demonstrated a great con­ cern that his followers would not lose their witness because of disunity. These verses almost seem like Jesus’ last words to all the be­ lievers who will ever live on earth. They contain several important points which, without question, apply to us since we are among those who have come to faith as a result of the witness of the apos­ tles (v. 20). Jesus desires unity among believers. The same kind of unity that he and God experience is what he wants for all his followers (v. 21). Although humans on earth saw Jesus and God as somewhat different people doing different things, Jesus and God worked for the same base. So we as Christians are different people but we work from the same base. The base is that we are all in Christ. That means He lives within us and we experience new life with Him. As a result, we are unified. Jesus wants us to express this union outwardly. t sounds a little strange to say this, but Jesus says He has given us the glory that God gave him (v.21). What is this glory? I suggest it is the glory that is seen when a human being expresses self-sacrificial love for his fellow human being; that is, when a human being is willing to serve. It is the glory that is seen when a body of believers works together in harmony and unity. Jesus says He wants us to be united and to show his glory so that the world will know that God sent Him to the earth (vv. 21, 23). When we as Christians live together in love, harmony and uni­ ty, the observing people around us can see that Jesus must be real. He seems very unreal when we quarrel and fight, when we criti­ cize and denigrate each other. The final result of our being witnesses through being united is that we will be united with Jesus in glory (vv. 24-26). Because of

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Wayside Nuggets

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One Good Friend “Lord, please give me one good friend in Osoyoos - one with whom I can share ..was my prayer as the bus bounced end­ lessly through the valleys, chugging the upward climb around the majestic mountains, to our final destination in B.C., where Dan and I again planned to spend the coldest two months of Manitoba’s winter. Severing ties with family and friends for two whole months always gives me a bit of a struggle. However, knowing that Dan’s health is much improved in a dry, warm climate, makes it easier to accept. Sitting in the jammed bus, my thoughts involuntarily centered around friends, beautiful people whom God placed in my path through the years, like gorgeous, scented flowers to enhance my life. First of all, I recalled the lady with an effervescent aroma, who befriended me when I became a Christian in my early teens. Even though Rose was somewhat older than I was, we became very close friends. She was always there to encourage and support me in all my plans and endeavours. She started a Sunday school in our old school building in a non-Christian district and asked me to assist

MAY 1, 1992

our witness, it is possible for the world around us to come to know God. We know God and our unity helps them to believe in Jesus and thus to come to know God too, resulting in eternal life.

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nity does not mean that each of us should think and say the same things. In fact, being united should provide security for the persons who have a different viewpoint from what most people have. These persons should know that they will be listened to and respected and will not be rejected because they have a different viewpoint. Because of our unity, we should feel free to express ourselves. And then, also because of our unity, in­ dividuals should be able to accept the fact that their opinion is not necessarily the one that will be adopted. The light of our unity is not shown so much by identical views as it is by the love and care we have for each other. We need to express our appreciation of other people within the church. We must affirm them for their positive qualities and attitudes and en­ courage them to continue being people with a positive impact for Jesus. Divisions and barriers are pulled down when we express our love and care in those ways. There is an old saying that sums up quite well what I have been trying to communicate. “In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity.” When we exemplify that, when we look and act like a group that has love and unity, we will have an impact on how people think of Jesus. That’s an incredi­ bly important thing to remember as we go about telling the story of Jesus. ■

Marvin Thiessen is the youth pastor of the Prairie Rose E.M. C. Church in Landmark, Man.

her. She was also the one (together with my parents) who en­ couraged me to become a teacher. We always stayed in touch. I’ll remember her as a great encourager! How could I ever forget Violet, who lived across the street from me! When our children (and foster children) were small, she was always there when I needed an adult to talk to. Her infectious chuck­ le was always an encouragement, and she was never shocked at what I confided in her. Another loyal friend who has enhanced my path is Blossom. Her genuine friendship and humility have frequently inspired me. We share battles and victories, always ending with praying together. There are countless more who have enriched my life, Lily, living next door in the same dorm with me during high school; Iris, a dorm friend in Bible school; Glad and her husband, with whom Dan and I feel comfortable, visiting back and forth and praying together. What a blessing! Flowers that God put across my path! (Of course there is Dan, who is always my best friend, confidant and en­ couragement!) Yes, God did answer my prayer for a friend in B.C. A few days after we arrived, I was asked by Ivy to assist her in a Bible study at the Senior Center. After that we had coffee together at Smitty’s every Friday morning to share blessings. Praise God for many more faithful friends! I, too, want to be one to others. Anne Klassen Portage la Prairie, Man.

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Letters Constitutions — National and Denominational Having in times past been a student of both historical creedalism and constitutional law, I have found it fascinating to watch the con­ current activity in these related areas in both our nation and our denomination. Perhaps there is a bit of light that each process can shed on the other. Yale’s famous historian. Dr. Bainton, often stated that there were three major gifts Anabaptism gave to human civilization, one of which was egality and, hence, democracy. Sections of Canadian society have increasingly been losing sight of that fundamental tenet of democracy, the equal protection and respon­ sibility before the law of every citizen regard­ less of background. Jim Elliot (every bit as good a scholar as a martyr!) stated it as well as any in his summation of Exodus 23: “Justice to perfection is the law of God for man concerning his fellow. The multitude is not to influence [decisions] about what is right or wrong . . . The majority is not always [morally] right. Favour is out of the question. The rich man’s bribe and the poor man’s misery are not to be factors in judgment.” Exodus provides us with the world’s first libertarian (shockingly so by its contemporary standards) national constitution, from which we continue to use many of its pioneer legal ideas, such as murder/manslaughter distinc­ tions, for example. Parts of Exodus make for amazing reading and would be helpful to con­ stitutional types, both secular and Christian. Obviously Mr. Elliot saw the Biblical distinc-

tion between the state’s main purpose (tem­ poral justice) and the church’s main purpose (eternal redemption) a lot clearer than many of our modern Christians, who, in their minds, have somehow gotten the two roles muddled, and even sometimes turned right around. Something those with the far-reaching responsibilities of constitutional development need bear in mind is that they are working largely with universal and permanent philosophical and/or theological principles. (Isn’t it almost unbelievable to still be wrang­ ling over these things centuries later?) There would be something amiss if among either democracies or among Christian denomina­ tions the majority of their respective fun­ damentals were not held in common. Constitutions are, after all, to clarify primary tenets. Secondary national or denomination­ al distinctions tend to rise or fall in importance over time. Therefore a lot of caution needs to be exer­ cised before placing current opinion on “op­ tional” culturally conditioned or non-static subjects in stone. Examples of these would include economic policies or special interests on one hand, and minute church practices or detailed eschatology, which shifts every cou­ ple of centuries, on the other. An inestimable amount of bitter division and theological im­ balance in the church since the Reformation is directly due to the eagerness of people to enshrine their particular “distinctions” so es­ sential to their group ego and identity. Over and over again this has led to larger-than-life baniers between groups, and worse, a dimi­ nution within groups of their core beliefs and mission. I have been following our EMC deliberations about as well as I can from my outpost here.

POSITION AVAILABLE The Evangelical Mennonite Confer­ ence is asking for applications of in­ terested persons for the position of Conference Secretary. It is the job formerly held by Edwin Friesen. For more information contact the Confer­ ence office. Send resume to

COMING EVENTS

E.M. Conference

Financial Update April 30, 1992

Budget Requirements (January - April) Receipts till April 30 Shortfall

but have heard almost no references made to doctrinal statements and creeds of other groups or times. Reinventing the wheel is very difficult! Our constitution clearly needed rewrit­ ing for clarity, balance, and even syntax and grammar, but if little attention is given to the work of others in millenia past, would that not be a bit anogant? In particular, I wonder if seri­ ous consideration has been given to the very exceptional joint American Mennonite state­ ment of faith of 1960. Not only is it timeless and simple, it is a beautiful, scholarly, thoroughly evangelical-Anabaptist gem. As some of even our Baptist brethren agree, it has perhaps never been surprassed by anyone (quite an accomplishment for a “non-creedal” denomination!). I think it very, very wise that we at least take a long close look at it. Our prayers continue for those in our Con­ ference and country with these tough jobs. Arlyn Enns Fort Chipewyan, Alta.

$482,233 $290,200 $192,033

The reserve operating fund we had at the beginning of the year has made it possible to make the disburse­ ments so far. This fund is now depleted. Each Conference board is giving serious consideration to cutting by 5% the 1992 budget approved by the Con­ ference Council. This will mean cutting services and delaying expansion. The mandate of Christ still stands. People in the world are suffering spiritually and physically. As a Conference we want to be faithful servants of the Kingdom. We encourage you to pray about this financial situation. Board of Trustees

May 10 Mother’s Day May 15 - 17 EMC Leadership Retreat Brandon, Man. Phone: (204) 326-6401 May 17 25th Anniversary Crestview Fellowship Winnipeg, Man. Phone: (204) 837-9490

Moderator Box 1268 Steinbach, Manitoba ROA 2A0

Deadline June 15, 1992 June 11 ■ 13 Faith Today Christian Writers’ Conference Ancaster, Ont. Phone: (416) 479-5885 June 13-14 Mount Salem Reunion and Autonomy Service Aylmer, Ont. Phone: (519) 773-8569 July 4 - 5 EMC Annual Convention Speaker: David Mains Morris/Rosenort, Man. Phone: (204) 326-6401

CONTRIBUTORS: Doris Penner, a Carillon (Steinbach) staff writer, is a member of the Prairie Rose EMC. Julia Funk (Landmark) and Joanne Martens (Kola) are dorm as­ sistants at the Black Forest Academy in Germany. Mary Brandt (Mennville) serves as a secretary at a Bible school in Germany. Haruey Plett (Blumenort) is involved in a Bible correspondence ministry and maintenance at the Win­ dermere High School in the Bahamas. Danny and Sherri Plett (Steinbach) arrived in Germany recently, where they are involved in a music ministry with Janz Team Ministries. Ernie Koop (Steinbach EEC) is serving with the EMC Board of Missions.

COVER; One-month-old Jacqueline rests securely in her mother’s arms, Esther Hamm, of Winnipeg, Man. God bless mothers euerywhere.

THE MESSENGER is published twice a month (monthly in July and August) by The Evangelical Mennonite Conference Board of Church Ministries, Box 1268, Steinbach, 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. Editor: Menno Hamm.

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THE MESSENGER

3E

This I believe by Doris Penner I BELIEVE in the rising of the sun each day to its throne in the sky and its sinking each evening beyond the horizon to allow the world to rest, being confident it obeys a law higher than its own. I BELIEVE in life stored within the buds of tree and shrub, swelling in the spring until they can contain themselves no longer and so burst forth one day with incredible beauty; this demonstrates to me there are great possibilities stored even within tiny seemingly inanimate objects. 1 BELIEVE that birds — the hundreds of species, whether they are an indistinct brown or gray or flashy with color — that leave each fall on perilous journeys to the south and return again to their nests of yesteryear, are guided by an instinct instilled by their Creator, giving me the assurance that the same Creator loves to guide His crea­ tion, be it man or beast.

I BELIEVE in the secret stirrings within the soil that grow more animated as the rays of the sun gently warm it, realizing a cradle is being prepared for the seeds which will find root and shoot up boldly to form stem, leaf and flower; this tells me unless a kernel of wheat falls into the earth and dies it cannot bear fruit. I BELIEVE in the miracle of the resurrection which is apparent everywhere in nature, for it assures me that life is ultimately triumphant and that death for the Chris­ tian means passing into another more beautiful phase of being.

Statement Opposes Violence Against Women WINNIPEG, Man. — Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Canada has joined ten other Canadian church groups in speaking out against violence against women. In a statement prepared for the Canadian Panel on Violence Against Women, the 11 church groups agree that such violence “is pro­ foundly wrong.” The statement, called “And No One Shall Make Them Afraid,” takes its title from Micah 4:4. It says that “we see violence against women as a result of the sin and brokenness which permeates human life, shattering the in­ tended mutuality and equality between men and women and distorting personal relation­ ships. We believe that life is a gift from God, and that women and men are created equally in God’s image with inherent worth and dig­ nity and entitled to the same respect.” The statement calls on governments to do more to respond to the abused, to challenge those who are doing the abusing, and to “transform the beliefs, attitudes and structures that condone or contribute to violence against women.

The statement specifically recommends that governments "undertake education programs similar to the campaigns against smoking and' drinking and driving “so that the abuse of women is no longer socially tolerated be­ haviour”; "promote policies and programs to ensure justice for women in the areas of qual­ ity child care, pensions for homemakers and pay equity; "support agencies which provide shelters for abused women and children, as well as for parenting and counselling pro­ grams; "enact legislation prohibiting the production, distribution and exhibition of por­ nography; "support educational efforts to pro-

MAY 1, 1992

mote non-violent methods for resolving disputes. The statement also calls on churches to regularly speak out against violence against women; encourage theological schools to inelude material about violence against women in their curricula; provide appropriate training for church workers; promote marriage preparation courses which include components on the equality of men and women; and include more women in church leadership and decision-making roles. The statement was drafted by a threeperson committee which included William.

Janzen, Director of MCC Canada’s Ottawa Office. Joining MCC Canada in signing the state­ ment were the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Salvation Army, Anglican Church of Canada, United Church of Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Pres­ byterian Church in Canada, Council of Christian Reformed Churches in Canada, Women’s ~ ~ Inter-Church Council of Canada and the Church Council on Justice and Corrections, The statement was presented to the federal panel on violence against women in Ottawa on March 27. (An MCC report)

Calvin Miller, Gloria Chisholm headline writers' conference Accomplished authors Calvin Miller and Gloria Chisholm are the headline speakers at the eighth annual GOD USES INK Christian Writers’ Conference, June 11-13, at Redeemer College in Ancaster, Ont. (near Hamilton). Miller has written 26 fiction and non-fiction books, including The Singer trilogy and When the Aardvark Parked on the Ark. He teaches communications at Southwestern Baptist The­ ological Seminary, where he is writer-inresidence. His is a broad view of Christian writing: it is not just material containing the name of Christ or the plan of salvation; rather, it fur­ thers the idea there is a higher authority to whom humans are ultimately accountable. Chisholm worked as acquisitions editor at Aglow Publications and now writes a column on single parenting for Christian Parenting To­ day. She has written five books, including Huddle Up, and more than 500 articles and short stories. Chisholm is also an instructor

with the Writer’s Digest School’s short story course. The mainstream workshop topics range from marketing your manuscript, writing plays for local churches, and news and devotional writing, to the importance of “politically cor­ rect” language, time management, and using computers effectively. More in-depth continu­ ing sessions address poetry, newsletter production, and non-fiction and fiction writing. The cost is $135 ($20 extra for the profes­ sional track). Student, group and early regis­ tration discounts are available, as are accommodation packages.

For a brochure and registration form con­ tact GOD USES INK, c/o Faith Today, Box 8800, Sta. B., Willowdale, Ont., M2K 2R6. Faith Today is published by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, an association of 28 denominations, 70 Christian agencies and several thousand individual members.

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By Don Thiessen

MusicsHv^^ ^Siisakins We Need Hymnwriters As a young fellow Isaac Watts was dissatisfied with the psalm­ singing in his father’s church. When he complained, his father challenged him to write something better. So he did. The next Sun­ day he provided the poetry for a new hymn to close the morning service. It was well received by the congregation and he continued writing hymns until he died, leaving us with gems like O God, Our Help in Ages Past; I Sing the Mighty Power of God; Joy to the World; Alas, And Did My Saviour Bleed? When I Survey the Won­ drous Cross; Come, We That Love the Lord; Am I a Soldier of the Cross? and Jesus Shall Reign. The Wesleys launched a major revival as they travelled the world preaching and singing. Charles was the hymnwriter, providing a continuous supply of new hymns for their evangelistic campaigns. In his lifetime he wrote 6,500 hymns, many of which are still favorites today. Some examples are A Charge to Keep I Have, Christ the Lord is Risen Today, Hark, the Herald Angels Sing, and O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing. Fanny Crosby, a blind poet, was a prolific writer, contributing thousands of works in the gospel song genre. Her blindness, which some would have considered an encumbrance, focused her crea­ tive energy on the art of words and sound. We still love singing To God be the Glory; Praise Him! Praise Him! Tell Me the Story

o/ Jesus; Jesus is Tenderly Calling Thee Home; Blessed Assur­ ance; I Am Thine, O Lord; and Hear the Cross. The Mennonites have become known as a singing people but somehow we have done this by singing the music of others. It seems to me it is time some of us begin exercising some creative talent to write at least some of our own hymns. Very often hymnwriters write poetry with the specific intention that someone else will write the music for it. We have poets. We have those who majored in English in their studies. I would like to see some original poetry, suitable for setting to music, that will reflect our theology, our distinctions, and our contemporary con­ cerns, written in current idioms and imagery. I think it would be a good idea to read original poetry in our services as introits, ser­ mon introductions, congregational responses or benedictions. This will also require composers who will be able to write singa­ ble melodies and harmony. In most cases hymns have been writ­ ten by a team. Over the last few decades many have done formal studies in music. I hope some will attempt composing. There is a factor in all of this that is a reality and needs to be recognized by anyone who aspires to write for the public. Not every­ thing will be accepted. Some of what is written might fail misera­ bly. It takes some humility to be willing to subject oneself to that possibility. But then, the best way not to fail, is not to do anything. All of this has been impressed on me more as I have experienced the very dynamic hymnody of Nigeria. New songs are constantly appearing. Some are forgotten. Some remain. Many are never even written down. The hymnody is always current, except for that im­ ported from the U.K. and North America. I do hope some of you will consider this a challenge and send our congregations some new hymns to learn. Why not publish them in the Conference periodical? Dr. Thiessen, a minister in the Ridgewood EMC Church, is teaching at ECWA Theological Seminary at Igbaja, Kwara State, Nigeria.

Mennonite Family Urged To Celebrate World Fellowship Day

Henry and Lorna Harms

Short-term MCC Workers Henry and Lorna Harms of Blumenort, Man., are beginning four-month MCC assign­ ments in Akron, Pa. Henry will work as a restocking clerk and Lorna as a marketing as­ sistant for SELFHELP Crafts. Henry was last employed as a cabinet in­ staller in Steinbach, Man. Loma last worked as a secretary in Steinbach. Harmses are members of Blumenort Evan­ gelical Mennonite Church. Their children are Kristie and Lindsay. Government Reverses Decision to take Ethiopian Mennonite Church Building (MWC). The Meserete Kristos Church in Nazareth (Ethiopia) received a local government order January 23,1992, that their church building was needed for use by the city’s high court. But authorities notified Nazareth church leaders two weeks later that the church could keep the building.

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Strasbourg, France — World Fellowship Sunday falls on the first Sunday in June in 1992. Encouraged by Mennonite World Con­ ference, the day of Pentecost each year be­ comes an opportunity to remember that the church local is only half a church. Larry Miller, MWC secretary, stresses that the New Testament church wears two faces. “Christ's body is a local gathering. Christ’s body is a world family. Both are essential for the church to be the church.” Congregations are urged to make Pente­ cost worship a time for considering the im­ plications of belonging to an interdependent world family. An international litany of praise, confession and commitment, based on the faith statement used at Assembly 12 may be requested from MWC, Box 88836, Carol Stream, IL 60188-0836. Offerings are welcome on behalf of Men-

Pastor Needed The Roseisle E.M. Church needs a pastor immediately. Anyone interested, phone Peter L. Dyck (435-2068) or Rick Enns (828-3424) or write Roseisle EMC Box 29 Roseisle, Man. ROG IVO

nonite World Conference, connector of mem­ ber churches around the world. (From an MWC release)

Food Assistance to Eastern Bloc Winnipeg, Man. — In response to increas­ ing reports of hunger in the former Soviet Un­ ion and other Eastern Bloc countries, Canadian Foodgrains Bank will begin to play a coordinating and facilitating role for chan­ nelling food assistance to these countries. Church partners in the CFGB have ob­ served growing interest on the part of its con­ stituents in food responses to Eastern European countries. Until recently, however, the agency has been reluctant to get involved in food aid to Russia and other Eastern Bloc countries for fear that doing so would divert urgently needed food assistance from larg­ er needs in the developing world, particular­ ly Africa. In a presentation made to the executive committee, Winnipeg businessman Art DeFehr observed that in contrast to the abil­ ity of subsistence economies (as in Africa) to retreat to the land for survival, the highly industrialized Eastern Bloc countries had lost such capacities. The needs of both Africa and Eastern Europe should be addressed. The executive approved for immediate shipment 869 mt of flour, cooking oil, lentils, beans, milk powder and egg powder, valued at $600,000, to Croatia, Rumania, Russia and Byelorussia. A coordinating committee will immediately move to organize additional responses. (From a CFGB report)

THE MESSENGER

Missions GERMANY

Being There A Waste of Time? “Can you give me a back rub?” “Would you have time to give me a haircut after supper?” “May I look at my account, please?” Sometimes people ask me what I do as a Resident Assistant. When I am asked that question my first response is that one of my jobs is doing laundry. Doing laundry is one of my assigned jobs. But the assigned jobs only make up a portion of what a Resident Assistant actually does. The above questions give you some idea of what else is involved. One of the hardest things for me to get used to, because I am a work-oriented person, was just being there - being there when the girls come home from school, being there when somebody wants to talk, being there when help is needed with this or that. At first I felt that ‘being there’ was such a waste of time. Now I feel that that may be the most important aspect of being a Resi­ dent Assistant. My first term at Black Forest Academy is drawing to a close. The EMC Board of Missions has accepted me as a Janz Team associate missionary for another term. So, unless the Lord leads differently, I will be back here again in fall, serving and learning for another two years. Julia Funk

The girls and the staff at the Sonnenhof Residence. Julia Funk is standing at the extreme right.

GERMANY

Spreading Love “We are limited by time and by areas of ta­ lent and ability. Nevertheless, we have been created in His image, so we can be, and are made to be, creative,” Edith Shaeffer writes in her book Hidden Art.

New Foreign Secretary Lester Olfert was appointed For­ eign Secretary by the Board of Mis­ sions in late 1991. He commenced his duties on April 1, 1992. As Foreign Secretary, Lester will be responsible to administer the BOM work in Mexico, Nicaragua and Paraguay. He will also be responsible to represent the foreign work of EMC in the constituency. Lester and Darlene Olfert have served 13 years in Nicaragua as mis­ sionaries and more recently pastored the Swift Current EMC Church. They have one son, Lyndon. He and his wife, Bailey, and their son, Todd, live in Winnipeg. Elisa is completing her grade 11. We commend Lester and Darlene to you for prayer.

MAY 1, 1992

The most precious gifts of iife Are things we cannot see, They span the awesome bridge of life Leaving time with eternity. For who can see the gift of love... Still, yet, we know tis there. Whenever Christ is honoured By those who give and share. The timely gift of kindness Oft hidden from our view. Is vital in the Christian's life To lift a weary heart anew. Who could place a price tag On helpfulness and cheer? They simply are invaluable To those we love so dear. Yes, many of life's precious gifts we surely cannot see... A silver tear ... a handclasp, or loving arms embracing me. /?uth H. Underhill The words of this poem may not seem very deep and profound but life indeed is made up of little things. Giving that glass of cold water to a tired and thirsty person and washing his weary feet are the thoughtful little deeds that count before God. Or do we, like the Levite, have more important things to tend to? “No­ body stands as straight as when he stoops to

help someone!” Or are we perhaps trapped in a fixed time schedule unable to respond to the needs around us? A limited amount of time has been entrust­ ed to each one of us. “It really goes - like that!” Edith Schaeffer writes, and continues, “It does not take long to disappear. And so, what can we get done in those few hours and days and weeks and years?” (Our church helped a refugee family a few years ago. However, after this family moved, the church lost track of them. Therefore, their recent thank you letter came as a real surprise. The love and help the church gave this family when they first came to Germany made them want to attend a similar church in the area they had moved to, and as a result they all accept­ ed Christ.) Let’s be creative! Let’s spread love! Mary Brandt Crestview Fellowship Winnipeg, Manitoba

25th Anniversary May 17, 1992

Praise Service 10:30 a.m. Program (including greetings from former pastors) 2:30 p.m. “Memory Lane” Slide Show 6:30 p.m.

Lunch and faspa will be served. Welcome is extended to all past and present members to attend a day of thanksgiving and praise to our Lord. PAGE 7

am

Harvey Piett delivering the mail BAHAMAS

Life at Windermere Adjustments - Part of Daily Life Yes, we are still on the map, even though we could not teach grade nine this year be­ cause of a lack of teachers. Since then we have wondered whether we were too hasty. The turnover of staff requires a lot of ad­ justing for the new teachers, as well as those of us who have been around for a while. The students probably face the biggest adjustment and are affected most by it. Other than that,

GERMANY

Satan’s Black List Victories Won For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Eph. 6:12). No matter where you are, whether in the jungles of Africa, the slums of North Ameri­ ca or in the beautiful Black Forest of Germa­ ny, Satan is there to try and destroy the work that the Holy Spirit is seeking to do in the lives of God’s people. At the beginning of the school year we at Black Forest Academy had a spiritual empha­ sis week with Mr. Brian Buhler of Vancouver, B.C. Many students responded to the voice of the Holy Spirit to recommit their lives to the Lord. A number of others made first-time decisions to follow Jesus Christ. The 3’/2-hour sharing time on Friday night was definitely a highlight of this year. TTie students who shared spoke about “planting their flag" for Christ and wanting to be on “Satan’s black list.” Well, it seems BFA certainly has been on Satan’s black list this year. We have experienced more negative and rebellious behaviour than often before, but we have also seen much spiritual growth in many of the young people. PAGE 8

Harvey interacting with students

I believe Windermere High School is a lot like any other high school. We have daily devo­ tions, “Christian Life Emphasis” meetings, fair days, sports, etc. We have a staff of around 20, with a student enrollment of about 100, of which about half are dorm students and the other half, day students. The Christian life meetings held March 22 and 23 resulted in a couple of first-time deci­ sions and a number of rededications by stu­ dents. Please pray for these students. It’s hard for them to remain true to their commitment since a large percentage come from a sad home situation. My job remains the same - maintenance.

Numerous students have had to be sus­ pended or even expelled for various reasons such as attempted suicide, writing a libelous newspaper against staff, drinking alcohol, major disrespect to the teachers in the class­ room and continuous disobedience and stir­ ring up dissension. On the other hand, we have seen Bible study groups and prayer groups spring up from the spiritual emphasis week that have continued throughout the yeeir. More students have been involved in outreach such as Awana, teaching Sunday school to Romanian refugees living close to the school, handing out tracts on the streets of Basel and going on mission trips to Bulgaria and Romania. Yes, Satan is at work trying to destroy lives, but the Holy Spirit is also at work in us and it is through Him that we have the victory. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buck­ led round your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fit­ ted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can ex­ tinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God. And pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints (Eph. 6:14-18). Joanne Martens

With the salty water running through the fau­ cets and maybe some of it in the air; with ter­ mites eating out the inside of doors and window frames; and with all the groceries coming in by boat and having to be picked up at the harbour, there never seems to be a shortage of work or the possibility of catch­ ing up. 1 do enjoy an added job this year bookkeeping for the school. 1 try to interact with the students as much as possible. I take an early lunch break and play table games with them over the lunch hour. Mrs. Helen Reimer for Harvey Piett

Butter tarts and buns, You bake for your sons. An encouraging word When my vision is blurred.

A gentle touch, I need so much! A sweater you knit Yes, Mom it fits. (I'll wear it to school. The kids think it's cool!) YOU hem my pants, 'Cause you know i can’t. An example of love. Which points to Cod above. A pledge to pray, Mom, what can I say? Hey, Mom, it's true. From my heart -1 love you! This poem was written by Jonathan Toews for his mother about seven or eight yecirs ago for Mother’s Day. At the time of writ­ ing, Jonathan lived in Vanderhoof and worked as a monitor at the Vanderview Christian School while his parents lived in Swift Current. Tina Toetus Burns Lake, B.C. THE MESSENGER

Danny, Sherri and Lindsey Piett GERMANY

Looking to the Future Messengers of the Good Nevys On a clear Saturday morning on February 8 our Swiss Air jet touched down at the Basel airport. The sun reflected off the silver, multi­ riveted wings through the small porthole win­ dows and into our eyes. It blinded us if we looked directly into the glare. Our future was like that. Looking ahead we saw many poten­ tial golden opportunities and challenges which shone brightly, yet, because the details of the future were unknown, we were in a way blind­ ed. Silent questions rose up in our minds; How will we like living here? Will we adjust fairly easily? Will it be difficult to learn the language? Will our ministry be accepted? At the same time we had the assurance that this was the place we felt confident the Lord had called us to. How does one know the calling of the Lord? Sherri and I asked ourselves that many times. But when every indication and every blessing points in our direction, you go there till the road turns or the door closes. This is what we had done 272 years in regard to our ministry in Germany with the Janz Team. And here we were on the tarmac of our des­ tination; the only remaining door for us to go through was the door of the airplane. Disappointment That day was a short two months ago and so much has taken place since then. The sec­ ond day here we were taken to what was to be our new apartment. Disappointment is what faced us. The agreement for the apart­ ment we were at first expecting to get fell through a week or so before we left Canada. But, like missionaries, we wanted to be resilient, flexible, and of the bounce-back var­ iety. So we put a good face forward and went to see this other apartment. What greeted us was, like I said before, disappointing. It wasn’t so much the physical layout of the apartment as its condition. We were told that the previous renters had had pets. What we found out later was that they had had PETS - two dogs, three cats, rabbits, birds and, 1 be­ lieve, guinea pigs! (The elephant and giraffe

MAY 1, 1992

were kept out on the balcony!) The place, needless to say, didn’t smell very fresh since the carpets were saturated with animal smell and hair. We almost cried, but instead we bit our lips, rolled up our sleeves, armed ourselves with lots of soap and water, paint and paint­ brushes, went to work, and pulled off with, I must say, fairly successful results - the role of the resilient missionciry. We were also fortunate to get new carpets. Lindsey could now roam about the apartment without us fearing her dying mysteriously, only to find out later that her death was caused by a massive hairball. We love our apartment now. It is about a two-minute walk from the Janz Team office, centrally located for grocery shopping (we still don’t have a car so we have to do a lot of walking), and it has a beautiful view. We praise the Lord for having the fore­ sight to bless us with it. We have just recently begun language train­ ing. Our hope and prayer is to become fluent in German so as to better communicate with the people here and to better relate the gospel message. Since being here our German has improved and we feel we are making headway. Friends We have been befriended by a wonderful German couple. Armin and Simone have a wonderful story to tell of their conversion. One night, approximately five years ago, Simone had an alarming dream. She dreamt she opened a window and a massive cross with Jesus hanging on it exploded out of the ground in front of her. She kept on hearing the words “lifted high” over and over again. Not know­ ing what the dream meant, she was haunted by it. The next day, quite out of the blue, she contacted an old school friend, whom she hadn’t seen for a number of years. This friend, who had just recently accepted Jesus into his heart, spoke to her about this Jesus who had changed his life so radically. He spoke of Je­ sus having been “lifted high” for all the world. That night, alone, she prayed to accept Jesus. Four years later her husband came to the faith as well. Sherri and I were so encouraged by their sto­ ry. It once again reaffirmed our resolve to be messengers of the good news of Jesus Christ in this world. We desire to be faithful, respon­ sible children of God. We desire to reach out to the pain, loneliness and emptiness of those we meet and to speak the truth of Jesus to them so that they too can join the ranks of those like Simone and Armin. Music Music is such a powerful vehicle of commu­ nication. It has been seen over and over that the gospel presentation through music is very effective. Our ministry is and will be in the area of music. Through concerts and recordings we spread the truth of Jesus to those who have ears to hear. Our message is one of encourage­ ment and exhortation, but also one of judge­ ment. God is longsuffering but there will come a day when His longsuffering will come to an end and that is as much a part of the Good News as the good news is. If you remember us from time to time in

Danny Piett in concert prayer, please pray that our burden for those who need the Lord would increase. Pray also for all those whom we will come in contact with in the future that even now God would begin to prepare their hearts for the Good News of His Son Jesus. As we look into the future, which is a bit of a glare, we thank God that He uses us in spite of our humanness. It’s not our valiant ef­ forts and our loud bombastic strategies but rather our weakness through which His strength is made perfect. We pray that you at home will also be faith­ ful to be the person God wants you to be, that you would show your “coat of many colours” and not be afraid to stand up and defend Je­ sus when given the chance. God bless you as you serve Him! We would love to hear from you from time to time. If you would like to write to us, this is our address: Danny and Sherri Piett, Ham­ merstr. 10, 7850 Loerrach, Germany. Danny and Sherri Piett

CEftank. ybu, iMotfier Thanks, Tdom, for ad your

wondetfid gifts. The sweet invisible kind, Like the gende

reassuring words That ease a trouBCecf mind,

And the vote of confidence you give Tn the face of doubts

and fears;

The way you have of turning thoughts Th laughter instead of tears.

Tficse gifts are more priceless than pure gold,

Qod bless you for them

a thousandfold! AA-<

PAGE 9

Messenger News YOUNG PEOPLE INVOLVED IN SWEAT PROGRAM Blumenort, Man.: The Blumenort youth group spent their spring break doing missions work in Wichita, Kansas. They left on Satur­ day, morning, March 28, and returned Sun­ day afternoon, April 5. To prepare for this trip, they had discipleship meetings once a month, starting in October, memorized verses, went through questions and had Bible studies and prayer. They also participated in fundraisers, such as serving at banquets, catching chick­ ens and serving a spaghetti supper. In Wichita they worked for Mennonite Housing Rehabilitation Services, Inc., in the SWEAT program, which stands for Serving Wichita: Experiencing Action Together. Dur­ ing their week of service they did such jobs as jack-hammering, digging, cementing side­ walks, building a porch, removing old shingles and reroofing, painting and scraping old paint, removing old siding and replacing it with new siding, and replacing storm windows. The young people told me that this ex­ perience brought them “closer to God,” “made us realize how gracious God has been to us,” “made me trust God more,” “taught me to trust God for safety,” and “helped me to see how awesome God is.” They also shared the fol­ lowing comments: “This trip was a unifying ex­ perience.” “We had to learn to live with each other and we started to really get to know each other. “The trip taught us self-control.” “It was beneficial to have to live with each other in such tight spaces.” Highlights Some of the highlights of this week: “Going to a Black church meeting, a highlight because of the enthusiasm there”; meeting the poor and helping them”; “they had next to nothing, yet they were the most positive, happy people I have ever met”; “meeting the ladies whose house we shingled” and “an Hispanic gentle­ man who asked questions about what we be­ lieve.” “There was a 58-year-old man who had been paralyzed at age 18. This man was a really strong Christian, excited to be alive. He has memorized almost half the Bible.” One highlight that was mentioned many times was “the bus ride home; we sang and shared.” These experiences more than made up for the few challenges, such as “having to deal with non-Christian SWEAT workers”; “stay­ ing in an cirea with a lot of racial tension”; “fear of gangs”; “living in close quarters” and “stay­ ing positive, because we didn’t get much sleep and worked hard all day.” Impressions I say a big thank you to the young people who shared their impressions with me. To the questions, “Was this a good way to spend spring break?” and “Would you encourage other youth groups to do the same thing?” this is what they replied: “Definitely. It is amazing how much you can

PAGE 10

learn and how much fun you have.” - Rob Reimer “This was the most exciting spring break Fve ever had and I would encourage all youths to participate in some form of missions.” - Rob Haslam “This is a great way to spend a spring break. I would encourage other groups to go on trips like this. You learn so much.” - Mandy Reimer “This was a wonderful spring break! I en­ joyed nearly everything we did. I’d encourage all the youth to do the same thing.” - Sonya Kretchmer “This is a very good way to spend your spring break ... I would definitely tell other groups to go.” - Sheldon Penner “I loved this spring break and I would en-

courage every youth group to do the same. It was great!” - Ken Reimer “This was the best way a youth group could spend their spring break ... we grew closer to God.” Jenn Klassen “Yes!! It was a good way to spend spring break. Yes!! I would like to encourage other youth groups to do the same thing.” - Curt Plett The rest of this energetic group were Darcia Barkman, Tanya Bergman, Allan Brydges, Darcy Friesen, Ken Haslam, Jenn Koop, Tim Koop, Cora Peters, Cam Plett, Charissa Plett, Corey Plett, Russ Plett, Ang Reimer, Darcy Reimer, Leighton Reimer, Karen Thiessen, Jaymie Toews, Heidi Waldner, Crystal Wiebe, Terri Wiebe, Trish Wiebe, Terry and Delores Penner, Earl and Audrey Plett and Barry and Norine Plett (youth pastor). Elma Koop

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BilllilSI / Blumenort Young People on site in Wichita, Kansas

OUR SENIOR SAINTS Rosenort, Man.: Birthday celebrations have recently been held for Mrs. Abram F. Friesen (84), Mrs. John D. Harms of Stein­ bach (87), Mrs. Jacob J. Dueck (80), Mrs. P.L. Loewen (82), Mr. P.L. Friesen (80), Miss Mary K. Loewen (85), Miss Margaret K. Loewen (88) and Mrs. Jacob K. Dueck (90). God grant you all serenity and joy in your sunset years! Mr. Peter A. Loewen of Meade, Kansas, a long-time resident of our area, passed away on March 19 at 89 years of age. Lome Loewens drove to Meade for the funeral. Recently hospitalized have been Mr. Jacob K. Loewen, Mrs. Abe C. Loewen, Mervin Dueck, Mrs. P.K. Dueck, Mrs. P.J.K. Loewen and Mrs. Peter K. Kroeker. The last three named are still in hospital at the time of this writing. They need us to bear them up before God. Jeff and Tammy Siemens and daughter Jillian have moved back into our community, having built a large new house a short distance north of our church. Welcome! Janz Team’s Larry Janz, Harding Braaten and Wolfgang Luedecke challenged us on

.....

March 6 to take part in the new opportunities for gospel ministries in Eastern Europe. It is truly an “open door.” On March 8, Ken Quiring gave us a fresh look at the Ten Commandments and what they should mean to us today. A week later we heard Ben Eidse speak on “Relationships” according to I Corinthians 12:12-26. The SBC drama group “New Creation” also served and Mr. Jake Ginter promoted the college in his short talk. On March 22, Johnny Loewen spoke to us on “Following the Non-violent Cross,” according to Matthew 5:38-48. A local high school teacher, Mr. Bob Fisher, gave his testimony. Thank you all, and come again! On April 5, Amos Fehr asked us the search­ ing question, “How is the Rosenort EMC Body of Christ?” He showed us from Psalm 139 and the book Fearfully and Wonderfully Made how complex and yet workable God made our physical bodies. Then he turned to I Corin­ thians 12:12-18, 27 and Ephesians 4:16 to show how we as a body of believers, the body of Christ, should be functioning. Each of us has unique gifts from Him to use for Him and to build each other up. Let’s do it! Levi Dueck THE MESSENGER

♦

MISSIONS WEEKEND

Crestview (Winnipeg, Man.): On April 10-12, Jeff and Laural Ann Plett of Landmark were our guests for our Missions Emphasis weekend. It was designed so that many of our group could get to know one of our Confer­ ence missionaries better. Jeff and Laural Ann started out the weekend by meeting with the Junior Varsity group on Friday evening. They had a Bible study with the JVs and showed them some slides of their work in Seesen, Germany. Saturday morning they were guests at a pan­ cake breakfast hosted by the John Warkentin care group. Jeff spoke on the difficult choices faced by the ^esen church as the work by the EMC came to an end there. Satur­ day evening Jeff and Laural met with the Col­ SPRING MEETINGS CONDUCTED

Pelly, Sask.: For our spring meetings in mid-March we had Johnny MacKnee, a former teacher at Millar Memorial Bible Institute in Pambrun. Mr. MacKnee continues to live in Pambrun and is involved in a travelling minis­ try and pulpit duties where needed. When you sit under his ministry you realize that he is a teacher at heart. With the aid of ein overhead, his teaching was brought alive on a screen. We appreciated having him and his wife, Caro­ lyn, in our midst and in our homes for those few days. Some of the things our young people have been involved in are helping to raise money for the world’s less fortunate by taking part

lege and Career group. Jeff spoke on the sweet fragrance of Christ, the idea of being a wit­ ness to our non-Christian friends. On Sunday morning Jeff was the speaker during our Palm Sunday service. He contrasted the concern that we as parents would show for a lost child as compared to the concerns we may have for the lost souls of our non-Christian friends. Good Friday marked the fifth annual joint Good Friday service with our neighbouring Free Methodist congregation. The joint service featured singing, special numbers from both churches, and concluded with a Communion service. All ex-Crestview members are reminded that May 17 is the celebration of our 25th an­ niversary. The committee has been working hard to make this all-day affair a success. See you there! John Rempel in a 30-hour famine sponsored by World Vi­ sion and attending spring youth retreats “Probe” at NBI and “Youth Quake” at Brier­ crest. Of late, they have united with Kamsack youth for a few meetings and activities, which seems to be working out well. Mr. Nick Andrusiak passed away on April 4. The funeral service was conducted from our church on April 8. Our prayers and sympa­ thies are with the family. Our pastor and his wife had her mother and grandmother spend some time here with them. We enjoyed getting to know them. Both make their home in southern Ontario, so getting to visit their children and grandchildren involves quite a trip. Viuian Anfinson

COLLEGE AND CAREER RETREAT ENJOYED

«

St. Vital (Winnipeg, Man.): The beauty of creation awed us! Luther Village in Ontario was the site of our College and Career retreat in February. As we spent time together we grew to know each other in a deeper and more meaningful way. We squeezed more waking hours into our day in order to ski at midnight, swan dive off the lifeguard chair into the snow on the lake, play “push the car up the hill” . . .! Our main sport seemed to be eating — I think in planning we got confused with feeding the 5000! Among all the fun we made sure we set aside time to refresh our spirits, as well as our bodies. We spent time viewing a videotape series by Dean Sherman on the topic “Spiritual Warfare.” We were encouraged to recognize our enemy and his traits, but to realize that he is defeated in a final sense and in the present tense. The value of prayer and posi­ tive speech was brought home to us forceful­ ly. We found encouragement, challenge, strengthening, healing and worship in our time together. Thank you. Lord! Alan Davison Sunday, March 29, would probably rank as the most eclectic worship service of 1992 at St. Vital. Like the fruitiest and nuttiest of Christmas cakes, the morning was packed full of diverse elements that spilled over the usual MAY 1, 1992

time boundaries of the worship service. The first unusual portion of the morning was a special farewell to Brent and Wendy Schlamp, who moved to Pansy the following weekend. They have been with this church since its formal beginning, and have been in­ volved in most aspects of church life, includ­ ing the MIT program. The farewell came in three parts: Bailey Olfert sang “I’ll remember you to the Father,” Pastor Al Friesen spoke a special prayer of blessing, and Wendy’s Sun­ day school class, together with co-teacher Ian MacBeath, shared their artistic conception of the things they would remember about Wendy. The next element of our service was a dedi­ cation for the two newest members of our church family and their parents. Jillia Ashley, daughter of Connie Dyck, and Brook Davis Adam, son of Roy and Judy Friesen, were dedicated to the Lord, while their parents ex­ pressed their commitment to their children. As a congregation, we pledged to support them in this task. At this point, it was time for the younger children to go for Sunday school, even though the service was only half over! This reporter ended up in Sunday school as well, so I can only say, as was told to me, that two mem­ bers of the Gideons spoke for some time about

Dave and Sharon Siemens and their children

ASSOCIATE PASTOR LEAVING

La Crete, Alta.: Our church is pastor hunt­ ing again. Associate Pastor David Siemens has resigned his position in order to complete his studies. Dave and his wife, Sharon, have been ministering in La Crete since September 1987 and, although they speak evasively about any plans to return to La Crete, we are certain the waters of the “Peace” will bring them back again. We all wish them the Lord’s best. Pat Heglund

MEN’S BREAKFAST ENJOYED

Prairie Grove, Man.: Our men’s prayer breakfast is a time for men of our church to get together, fellowship and share prayer con­ cerns. We have an average attendance of 15 to 20 men. It’s good to see so many young men come out for prayer. We hold our meetings every second Satur­ day of the month. Until last February we met at the Dakota Hotel in Winnipeg. The Dawson Motor Inn is our new location. This change was made so more of the local men would be able to come and we also felt it was a more appropriate outreach to the community. We get together for breakfast and enjoy a good chat about all kinds of things that have happened recently. It’s a good time to talk to people we haven’t visited with for awhile. Often we have someone from our church or a guest give a short devotional. Sharing and prayer concerns, followed by a time of pray­ er, winds up our men’s breakfast. Thanks to Ben Klassen for doing such a good job of leading our prayer breakfasts. Ken Penner

the work of that organization, and that Wes Kroeker preached a very good sermon on di­ vine guidance. That brought the extended service to an end, but the fellowship continued all over the church as we shared a potluck meal. Since our basement is too small to ac­ commodate everyone, people ate upstairs, outside, and in the kitchen, as well as in the main area. All things, even extended morning worship services, must come to an end so, after the clean-up, we went our separate ways, a little richer for all that we had experienced together. Janet Hamm PAGE 11

STUDYING THE LIFE OF CHRIST Endeavour, Sask.: February 9 was a spe­ cial day in the life of our church when five couples presented themselves and their chil­ dren to the Lord in a Parent/Child Dedication. Pastor Moorhead reminded them and the rest of the congregation of the great test of parent­ hood, using as his text the birth of Isaac to Abraham and Sarah. Following the dedication, the five mothers ministered to us with a spe­ cial number. Our prayer is that God will guide these young couples as they seek to raise their children in the knowledge and love of the Lord. Our children’s club continues to minister to the children of our church family and others from the surrounding area. This year we have about 36 attending, from kindergarten to grade seven. We start our Friday evening meetings with some rousing games. Follow­ ing that, we have a time of singing before we break up into small groups for scripture memory time. The leaders take turns present­ ing the Bible lessons to the entire group using flannelgraph figures to illustrate the lesson. This year we are studying the later life of Christ. We have completed seven lessons on “What did Jesus teach His disciples?” and now we are in a series of seven lessons on “Why did Jesus come?” About once a month we have a change of pace - a fun event. Since Christmas we have had two skating parties and a sliding party followed by the first wien­ er roast of the year. The children enjoy these special events but also wholeheartedly parti­ cipate in the regular meetings. On Easter Sunday the Worship Committee presented a special service to our church fam­ ily. Through pantomime, special music and readings they portrayed the events of Holy

MESSAGES ON PROVERBS Steinbach, Man.: One Sunday night recently, Mr. John Peters clued us in on some news from Seminole, Texas, as well as southern Ontario, where he had ministered. In Seminole the task was to train Sunday school workers, among mostly Low German­ speaking people. “We had a good time,” he said. “They came night after night.” Some 350-400 people attend this church in Semi­ nole. They have a Sunday school, as well as a choir and a Christian school. The church has a large task there. A Janz Team crusade took place in Port Rowan, Ontario, where Mr. Peters had already trained counsellors last fall. Christian unity was evident in these services. In Aylmer, Ont., there was also a good response. The meetings there were sponsored by the EMMC and EMC, with Marvin Thies­ sen as the evangelist. Some 180 people came for counselling. More than 800 reportedly attended the final meeting. That same Sunday night our pastor con­ tinued his series on “The Atonement.” The topic that evening was “Did Christ Die for Our PAGE 12

Parent/child dedication at the Endeavour Fellowship Chapel. Left to right: Gary and Debbie Sawatzky with Logan, Brad and Carol Steppan with Jenna Joy, Duane and Carol Karcha with Benjamin Quinn, Brent and Cheryl Greba with Lindsay Michelle, Bob and Debbie Buhler with Nevin.

.

fl -

Leroy Scharfenberg, one of the children’s club leaders, with some of the children en­ joying a wiener roast after sliding.

Week from the Triumphal Entry into Jerusa­ lem to Christ’s Resurrection. The children of our Sunday school participated, as did sever­ al of the adults who brought special numbers. Pastor Moorhead had a brief meditation and the service ended with the choir singing

“Hallelujah, What a Saviour,” wzith the congre­ gation joining in on the last verse. The entire service focussed on the reality that “Christ is risen - Christ is risen indeed!” Margaret Moorhead

Sicknesses?” or, in other words, is there heal­ ing in the atonement? He started out by saying that he is not sur­ prised that people are attracted to this topic because people have an aversion to death and ill health. Some seem to think that saved peo­ ple should not be sick, yet faith healers them­ selves know that someday they’ll have to die too. He added, though, that he was not speak­ ing in favour of ill health. Yes, Christ did die for our sicknesses, but this will only ultimately be fulfilled. “There will be a final banishment of sickness.” He pointed to that key verse on this ques­ tion, Isaiah 53:5, but he noted that what the chapter speaks to is not physical, but spiritual, healing. Logic requires that we take the spiritual angle here. He feels that in the case of Christ, the healings were part of His mes­ sage. By healing people, Jesus demonstrated the power of God. Sunday morning messages in our church for the last while have centered on the book of Proverbs. Following are some of the topics: “The Beauty of a Good Word” (Proverbs 25:11), “Good Parents and Wise Children” and “The Hazards of Pride.” Last Sunday, April 12, Pastor Thiessen spoke on “The Bite

of the Serpent,” the final message in this series. This topic, on the abuse of alcohol, was taken directly from the passage in Proverbs 23:32. The preceding verses are a vivid description of the drinker. The sermon dealt with the abuse of drinking. Since our pastor could not speak from experience, as he could on parent­ ing, etc., he asked for a testimony from some­ one who could. This person advised the listeners never to take the first drink: “1 warn you, don’t take the first one.” He spoke of what alcohol has done for him. “Drinkers need our help and prayers,” he said. “If someone asks for help, give a listening ear and pray.” Although Proverbs uses some scripture on the other side, “we’re focussing on the ugly side today,” our pastor stated. “Abstaining makes good sense,” he said. This creates no danger for yourself. There is no danger of leading others astray; it is a way of objecting to one of the greatest evils in the world. Liquor takes away food from people and the cost of abuse is horrendous. He also mentioned that when people have a spiritual renewal, they quit drinking. Only Spirit-filled Christians can be temperate. Daue Schellenberg

THE MESSENGER

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WALTER FRIESEN PENNER 1909-1992

Let not gour heart be troubled; ge believe in God, believe also in me. In mg Father’s house are mang mansions. If it were not so I would have told gou. I go to prepare a place for gou and if Igo and prepare a place for gou I will come again and receive gou unto mgself that where I am there ge mag be also. Walter Penner passed away Tuesday, April 7,1992, at the age of 83. He entered Bethes­ da Hospital in Steinbach on November 3 of last year because of a stroke and remained a patient there until his death. On April 4 he suffered a second stroke and never regained consciousness. The Lord has taken him home to live in the mansion prepared especially for him. Although we will miss his ready humor and lively stories, and the obvious love and concern he had for his family, we are grateful for the many memories we have of him which will be treasured forever. Dad was born March 23,1909, to Peter M. and Mary Penner of Prairie Rose. As a young man in his mid-twenties, he acquired his own farm. In the fall of 1938 he manied Katherine Reimer, daughter of Rev. Henry R. and Hele­ na Reimer of Prairie Rose, and together they established a Christian home. Five daughters were born to this union, and while he some­ times lamented that he had no sons he could talk to “man to man,” and playfully gave the name “Isaac” to each daughter by turn, there was never any doubt he loved them and was proud of their achievements. Because his farm work occupied him mainly from seed to harvest time. Dad built up a lum­ ber business with his brothers Abe and Nor­ man, which took care of the winters. This necessitated a move to northern Manitoba to such places as Mafeking and Loon Straits - every winter, usually taking his whole family with him. During the 30 years as a lumber­ man, he developed a genuine love for “bush life” and a good knowledge of tree species, and thereafter he could never pass a tree without wondering how many board feet he could saw out of it. The loss of his brothers, Dave in 1984, Nor­ man in 1986 and Abe in 1991, was a real blow to him. Dad did not openly talk much about his faith but his pattern of living said it all. Prayer was important to him and during his illness noth­ ing touched him more than when visitors prayed with him. Dad received Christ as his Saviour and joined the Prairie Rose Evangeli­ cal Mennonite Church in the summer of 1938. MAY 1, 1992

During the ensuing years he developed a keen interest in missions. In the 1970s he became involved in supporting a farm project in Paraguay under the EMC missions and, due to the years he spent in the lumber camps, he had a real heart for the Shantyman ministry. As a senior citizen, he enjoyed working with the Golden Age program of the church on the planning committee. Dad was also active in community life. He served as trustee of the Landmark School Dis­ trict in the 1950s and early ’60s, and on the board of directors of the Ste. Anne Co-op for 15 years. In 1971 he became the first manager of the Landmark Credit Union. Our father loved people and he easily made friends wherever he went. He found great joy in holiday family gatherings, picnics to Assiniboine and Whitemouth River Parks and restaurant outings. He had a naturally optimis­ tic spirit that left no room for moping. “Life is too short to be unhappy,” he would say. Although he was a hard worker he would al­ ways find the time to share a story or joke, or take his grandchildren for rides on the tractor. Dad thoroughly enjoyed travelling, be it short trips to Kenora or Clear Lake or longer vacations to the southern States or Europe. One of Dad’s amazing qualities was his in­ genuity; he sincerely believed there was noth­ ing he couldn’t do, whether it was laying a carpet, building a granary, skinning a deer or cooking soup. Although Dad had a very healthy life, about six years before his death he developed arthri­ tis, which became increasingly more painful. It also limited his mobility, which he found difficult to accept. However, his zest for life remained, and with the use of two homemade canes, and a strong will, he managed to get around. Although there is a deep ache in our hearts at his passing, we are thankful Dad is now in a place where there is neither sorrow nor cry­ ing nor pain. And God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes. Walter Penner leaves to cherish his memory his beloved wife, Katherine (Landmark), and his daughters and sons-in-law: Corinne and Sid Reimer (Landmark), Elaine and Art Rem­ pel (Steinbach), Doris (Landmark), Eleanor and Roger Gingerich (Steinbach) and Celia and Grant Plett (Winnipeg); 16 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; one brother, Archie, and wife Elvira (Steinbach) and two sisters. Hazel Statey (Edmonton) and Ruby and husband Archie Plett (Landmark); one brother-in-law, Ben D. Reimer, and wife Mar­ garet (Steinbach); one sister-in-law, Emily McGinnis (Selkirk), and one aunt, Esther Schmidt (Winnipeg). He was predeceased by two sisters, Caroline (Mrs. Henry Reimer) and Tina (Mrs. Ben Reimer), and three brothers, Dave, Abe and Norman Penner. And Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the iife. He that belieueth in me, though he were dead, get shall he live. And whosoever liveth and belieueth in me shall never die. We look forward to seeing Dad in heaven.

KLAAS TOEWS 1906 - 1992 Klaas Toews, beloved husband of Agnes, passed away at the Bethesda Hospital in Steinbach, Man., on March 10, 1992, at the age of 85. He is survived by his daughter Leona and husband Leo Thiessen (Prince Albert, Sask.) and their three children, Brent and wife Leanne (Alberta), Shannon and husband Jeff Schmitz (California) and Craig (Alberta); son Eric and wife Anne (Steinbach) and their four children, Gregory, Sherry, Rhonda and husband Harv Penner (Steinbach) and Tony (Vancouver); as well as three great-grandchildren. Also surviv­ ing are Agnes’ family from her first marriage: Benny and Mary Friesen, Betty and Ed Reim­ er, Rosaline and Wayne Rempel, Wilbert and Carol Friesen, and Harold and Cheryl Fries­ en, as well as seventeen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He is also survived by seven sisters: Elizabeth Unger (Landmark), Marie Kroeker (St. Catharines, Ont.), Margaret (Winnipeg), Annie Kroeker (Steinbach), Katherine Giesbrecht (Winnipeg), Mathilda (Steinbach), Wilma Doerksen (Winnipeg). Three brothers, Henry, Frank and Isaac, and one sister, Linda Goos sen, predeceased him. Dad spent most of his life on the farm in the Blumenhof district north of Steinbach. He was an early riser and could be heard whistling most mornings on his way to performing farm chores. Dad had many interests other than farming, of which the main one was reading. In fact, his house was almost a fire hazard due to the ample collection of books and maga­ zines too valuable to discard. Keeping up with the world news on radio, even at 5 a.m., was part of his day for many decades. He was one of the first ones to own a radio in the district. During retirement Dad became actively in­ volved in the “Steam Club” at the Mennonite Heritage Village. He also spent considerable time driving tractor on his son’s farm. Blessed with prolonged good health, he was able to enjoy coffee times downtown with his friends. As a young man he was baptized and be­ came a member of the Evangelical Mennonite Church, remaining faithful to it till his death. In 1985, Anna, his wife of 56 years, passed away, after which he married Agnes Friesen (nee Klassen), with whom he shared the last five years of his life. We mourn not as those who have no hope, but we have our confidence in the faith Dad had in his Creator and God that he has now entered the eternal home prepared for him. The Familg PAGE 13

ABRAHAM P. REIMER Abe Reimer was born to Abraham and Helena Reimer, in the district of Giroux. Later they moved to the Prairie Rose district, where Abe got his education. During his youth he worked at home on the farm. At the age of 18 he had the misfortune, while sawing fire­ wood, to get his right hand caught in the gears of the engine and badly mangling his hand, keeping only two fingers. But he insisted on learning to live with this disability even dur­ ing the time of healing. Abe accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour and was baptized upon his faith on July 12, 1936, by Bishop Peter P. Reimer. In 1941 he married Mary Klassen and they lived in Prairie Rose, where they farmed for a number of years. From there they moved to Blumenort, where Abe began with an electrical shop, the business for which he became well known. In Blumenort they had the misfortune of losing their house and household goods through a fire. They moved to Winnipeg for a few years to work and then moved to Kleefeld. He again started an electrical shop where he repaired electrical applicances, wired buildings and repaired refrigeration equipment. They lived in Kleefeld for 32 years and were appreciated in the community and for their faithful atten­ dance and support of the church. Because of Abe’s poor eyesight and some driving records, he was refused a driver’s license. They found help for his eyesight in Penticton, B.C., where they went every winter for 15 years. His eyesight improved consider­ ably, so much so that he passed the eye test for the Motor Vehicle Branch. With the help of Gordon Peters, a friend Abe got to know in Penticton, it was discovered that the records against him were not all his, and he again got his driver’s license. He was extremely thank­ ful for the help Mr. Peters gave him. In September 1990, Abe and Mary had an auction sale, sold their house and moved to Linden Place in Steinbach. On July 2, 1991, he suffered a severe stroke, from which he never fully recovered. On December 7, 1991, Abe and Mary celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with brothers, sisters and friends at the Personal Care Home. It was a special day for them. Since then he has had several strokes and each one seemed to incapacitate him more. There were times when he seemed depressed with his condition, but only two weeks before his death he expressed his desire to cling to his faith in Jesus Christ.

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Abe passed away peacefully on April 17, 1992, at the Bethesda Hospital, in the presence of his wife and some family mem­ bers. In spite of a number of misfortunes in life, Abe was a cheerful and optimistic person. He loved to help others wherever he could. He leaves to mourn his dear wife, Mary; four sisters, Helen, Margaret, Gertrude and Mary; three brothers, Dave, John and Jake; the in­ laws from both sides; nephews, nieces and many friends. We do not mourn without hope but trust in the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who said, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. ” ‘Yes, ’ says the Spirit, they will rest from their labour for their deeds do follow them' (Reu. 14:13, 14).

Births FRIESEN - to Kevin and Julie Friesen of Steinbach, Man,, a daughter, Tamera Jade Shore, on April 6, 1992. MEMORY - to Tim and Kendra Memory of Endeavour, Sask., a son, Joshua Darnell, on January 15, 1992. FRIESEN - to Byron and Calle Friesen of Rosenort, Man., a daughter, Jessica Ashley, on March 26, 1992. REIMER - to Colin and Rose Reimer of Rosenort, Man., a son, Nicholas Brock, on March 18, 1992. LOEWEN - to Rey and Cindy Loewen of Rosenort, Man., a daughter, Janessa Jayne, on January 28, 1992. FUNK - to Jack and Tracey Funk of Regina, Sask., a son. Jack Andrew, on December 29, 1991. RESLER - to Greg and Evelyn Resler of Regina, Sask., a daughter, Kelsey Amanda, on January 24, 1992. REMPEL - to Arnie and Frieda Rempel of Swift Cur­ rent, Sask., a son, Joel Aaron Robert, on January 23, 1992.

Weddings DYCK-YANCHUK: Darrdl, son of Dave and Deanne Dyck of Niverville, Man., was married on March 21, 1992, to Corrina Yanchuk, daughter of Abe and Marge Hildebrand and daughter-in-law of Eugene and Ilene Yanchuk, all of Portage la Prairie, Man. The wedding took place at the Morrow Gospel Church in Winnipeg, Man., with Karl Goertzen of Portage la Prairie officiating. The couple is residing in Portage la Prairie.

A Suite for an Unwed Mother The St. Vital E.M.C. Church decided a year ago to open a basement suite in the church house, for unwed mothers or mothers-to-be who need a “sheltered” place to stay. This suite is located at 21 Avalon Road, across St. Mary’s Road from St. Vital Shopping Centre in Winnipeg. If you have a friend, relative, or acquain­ tance who needs such a facility for any length of time, please call Bailey Olfert (257-115).

Book JD Review By Birth or by Choice. Martha Denslinger Stahl. Scottdale; Herald Press, 1987, 142 pp. Reviewed by Dave Schellenberg. Here is a book which should appeal to any of our churches with members of nonMennonite ethnic origins. It should also appeal to people who may be debating whether to join a Mennonite church or not. For both it may be the answer to various questions about the Mennonite faith. Among the things which stand out for me are the many times the matter of love and ac­ ceptance from the church is emphasized in the experiences of those who joined Mennonite churches: “Henry feels accepted at_______ and wishes he had joined years earlier.” “The people accept me as one of them.” “My con­ gregation accepts me.” I think we can lose or become embarrassed about our distinctions too quickly; for exam­ ple, nonresistance and footwashing. It can be an eye opener when we find that others, new­ comers to the Mennonite faith, do not let it stand in their way. Betty had problems with the footwashing ceremony. “Now I enjoy the experience of being that close to someone else,” she says. Another one said, “The beau­ ty and humility exemplified in the footwash­ ing service had a profound influence on me.” Another one has a concern about our nonresistance changing to political pacifism. The author also discusses something else that we may often overlook, yet which I think is very important: “Alphabet Soup.” We have so many Mennonite organizations and, to save us spelling or verbalizing them, we say MCC, EMMC, EMC, etc., and we forget that the uninitiated may need an explanation. It is also a revelation that people have such a very limited perception of what a Mennonite is. One testimony in the book describes a Mennonite as someone who doesn’t drink al­ cohol and comes from Steinbach! Another thing to take note of is what she calls “The Mennonite Game”: Who is related to whom? “Must I reveal my genealogy every time I meet someone . . . ?” one person asked. “I saw the Mennonite church living in obe­ dience to the Bible in work and worship,” said another one. “The ladies to me were beauti­ ful,” one stated, “because they didn’t have wor­ ry lines.” Parts of the book may not directly apply to western Canadians such as the chapter “What about joining the Amish?” I say this because we don’t have Amish people, to my knowledge, in western Canada. I think By Birth or by Choice is worth read­ ing for both the uninitiated and the ethnic Mennonites. The ethnic Mennonites need to be reminded of a few things that need to be ex­ plained, about their faith and culture, when they speak to those who come in “by choice.” THE MESSENGER

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Youth In Touch

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Did you Know . . . ? When surveyed, the youth of our Conference said some very in­ teresting things! Out of 174 responses, from 16 different churches: •150 believed that the Great Commission applied to everyone. •164 indicated that this did not necessarily require going overseas. •103 defined ‘missionary’ as a witness who shares Christ. •138 knew a missionary personally. •82 had either never attended a missions conference or thought that it was boring. •126 had never participated in a summer missions program. •117 suggested that they would consider going. •106 had never visited a mission field. •99 felt they had a responsibility to the Conference missions program (mostly in prayer and finances). •115 were not familiar with our Conference missions program. •89 affirmed that they were interested in the program. When asked what would make our missions program more

attractive, the following suggestions were given: more opportuni­ ties for youth to get involved, teen missions programs, service projects, summer opportunities, greater youth appeal at missions conferences, more information, and getting to know people per­ sonally. There are some important observations that we could make on the basis of this survey. On the one hand, it is apparent that our youth are quite uninformed regarding our Conference missions pro­ gram. It is also clear, however, that many have an interest in it. It seems that there is a real need to improve and expand our sum­ mer and short-term missions approach to be able to provide the opportunities for involvement. Finally, it could be stressed that our reporting, missions conferences, etc., should target and keep in mind the different age groups (i.e., not forget children and youth). The challenge, then, is there for all of us! Those who are involved in ministry need to make sure we avail ourselves of opportunities to keep our children and youth informed and excited about mis­ sions. Our youth should make use of the information and oppor­ tunities that are there, as well as getting involved in giving ideas and feedback when the opportunity arises. Finally, we need to be informed and excited about our missions program and we should pass that excitment on to each succeed­ ing generation. God will bless us as together we offer ourselves to Him. Ernie Koop

Behold! He Doeth All Things Well by Doris Perron In 1979, after years of searching and looking for happiness in all the wrong places, I found the Pearl of Great Price. I had been born and raised in a religious setting where Jesus was not known. As a result, there was much sadness where alcohol, vio­ lence and confusion prevailed. God, through His mercy, made a way in that darkness. At the age of 29 I met the backslidden daughter of an evan­ gelist. Her return to the cross of Christ brought me along the path of salvation. Lying in my bed one night, I remembered all the teachings I had heard from the pastor of the youth group at the Mennonite Brethren Chapel in my home town. I remem­ bered Mr. Jake Goertzen telling us young people that Jesus was the Saviour Who could heal wounded souls. Who would mend broken spirits and Who wanted to love us with an everlasting love. That night, January 22, 1979, without any more resistance to His drawing, 1 committed my life to Christ and made Him the Lord of my heart. Gone was the weariness of years of bearing heavy loads of sin and despair and the pains of my past. The wounds caused by my sins, as well as the sins of others, were healed. And gone was the loneliness that came from not getting the love that 1 had searched for. Love from family, friends and peers can end sud­ denly, but the love that Jesus brought to me that night has never left. He has healed the wounds caused by violent words and ac­ tions. He has healed scars of sexual abuse and has brought resto­ ration to a once self-defeating attitude. He has healed the effects of rejection that comes from being an illegitimate child. He also removed the feeling of insecurity that comes from racial discrimi­ nation. Once He had me in His tender care. He began to do a work and I became a new creation. I met and married my husband, whom Jesus delivered from a life of alcohol, drugs and self-destruction as well. Clem had left home as a very young boy, looking for a better way of life than the poverty he had known as a child. His religious upbring­ ing was the same as mine — lots of laws and restrictions, but no Jesus Who comes to set us free. Alcohol had prevalence in his past as well but, while I was mostly raised by an alcoholic mother, Clem had known a mother who loved and cared for her children. It was his father who had abused alcohol. His was a

MAY 1, 1992

life that had Mother as the com­ forting stabilizer. While Clem was successful in his life as a worker in his career, he was on the road to ruin due to the activities of his personal life. He became involved in the more “colourfuF’life that seems pleasing to the world, but lasts for only a season. His ways as a biker, drug user and alcohol­ ic came to an end one night when he heard Ernie Hollands speak at a revival meeting. He Clem, Doris and Megan Perron yielded his heart and soul that night and has been free from the bonds of those sins ever since. We made right many wrongs, changed our way of life and began a service that we hoped would bring glory to the Name of Jesus. Was it easy? Mostly. But there were those who did not understand our newfound life and questioned it. There were others who wondered if it would last. But, as 1 said. He doeth all things well. He kept us and fed us and we grew in His ways. We found ourselves in His service and liked our life of peace and freedom. As we settled into a new kind of maturity, we longed for that life to be completed with a family. Both Clem and I had grown up in large close-knit families and wanted children of our own. When it was discovered that I required surgery that would eliminate our possibilities, my faith was tested to the limits. I sin­ cerely wondered if God knew my heart and loved me enough to provide us with the deepest desires within. He did. In 1988 we became the proud adoptive parents of our only child, a daugh­ ter. She is our delight and we thank God nightly for His mercy that endures forever. We find ourselves still waking daily to His goodness. Each day finds His mercies new. Each day provides us with another opportunity to tell others of the goodness of Jesus. Each day is another reason to praise His Name. Clem and Doris were accepted as members in the Fisher Branch EMC in February. Doris serves as a song leader. Rose Plett

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From the Editor It Just Happened ... LAST SUNDAY evening my wife, Elvina, and I decided to go to Winnipeg for a Singing Hills concert. We happened to be a bit late and the church was quite full by the time we arrived. Thinking there might still be room on the balcony, we just happened to choose the left stairway. Sure enough, there just happened to be room for two at the aisle in the third row. Imagine our pleasant surprise to find that the couple sitting beside us happened to be Hank and Joyce Pauls, friends whom we had learned to know many years ago in northern Alberta. They had since moved to Winnipeg and also happened to decide to come to the concert. No, it was not the church they normally attended. After the concert they invited us to their home, which happened to be not far away. It also just happened to be along our route home. What followed was a delightful time of reminiscing over a cup of tea and refreshments.

WE JUST HAPPENED to choose the first weekend of April to take a short vacation to visit our daughter Colleen in Edmonton. On Friday morning while Colleen was at work, we happened to accompany our other daughter, Carol, and son-in-law, Jake, to the West Edmonton Mall. We just happened to choose one of over 20 entrances to the huge mall which extends from 170 Street to 178 Street. Less than five minutes after walking in we just happened to meet a good friend, Larry Dueck, and his daughter Melissa, from Three Hills. They formerly lived at Grande Prairie where we had learned to know them. We had barely begun to visit when Carol let out a squeal of joy. She had just noticed a young couple, John and Joanne Letkeman, coming toward us. They were good friends of hers from La Crete who had just happened to come 500 miles to Edmonton that weekend. They also just happened to be at that place in that mall at that time. It made our day, as they say!

MOST LIKELY all of us have expriences like that from time to time. Often I have wondered, are they simply coincidences? Sometimes the odds of such things “just happening” are almost too great to dismiss them as luck or chance. The timing is almost too perfect. So I have come to the conclusion that at least some of these are by God’s design. Perhaps He gets some pleasure from watching our reactions to these “accidental” meetings He sets up for us. Such delightful surprises are refreshing. They lift up our spirits a notch or two They give me reason to praise God. But perhaps, like me, you have also encountered PAGE 16

occasions of split-second timing that were not so pleasant. Take the following event as an example: A little over two years ago we happened to be in Winnipeg on our way to the airport. It was a snowy evening so the streets were somewhat slippery. I had turned down the wrong street and came to a stop at the next intersection. There happened to be a building right on the corner to my left, blocking my view. We had just begun to crawl into the intersection when 1 happened to notice a fast-moving car coming from the left. There was no time for corrective reaction. In a split-second it had sheared the front bumper off my car. The shock was rather devastating at first. If we had only been half a second later, or the other car half a second earlier, there would have been no accident. (At 50 km/hour a car moves about seven metres, 23 feet, in half a second.) On the other hand, what if we had been half a second ealier? The other car would have hit us broadside and there would likely have been some serious injuries. As it was, no one was hurt, we could still drive, and after the paperwork was done we even got to the airport on time. IF WE ACCEPT the pleasant surprises as a form of God’s blessing to us, should we not also accept the notso-pleasant surprises as His blessing? In this particular event we were again given a sense of God’s presence. We even found it possible to offer our praise and thanksgiving to Him who does all things well. Job experienced an unbelievably discouraging series of disasters. In addition he became afflicted with a most severe case of painful sores. When his wife began to complain. Job chided her and asked, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and not accept adversity?” (Job

2:10). Can we see God working behind the scenes in the circumstances of our lives? Shall we praise Him only when things are going well, and not when times are bad? Menno Hamm

Honour Your Mother! YOUR MOTHER is a very special person. She is likely also a very busy person. Each day she has to do many things. Among other things, she is a nurse, dietitian, teacher, domestic, housekeeper, seamstress, counsellor, interior decorator, chauffeur, and referee. She is likely also an accountant, gardener, buyer, correspondent, and coach. It is no wonder she sometimes gets tired and needs a rest. Your mother is God’s special gift to you. And she is your friend. Show her how much you love and appreciate her! M.H THE MESSENGER

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