The Messenger June 5, 1992

The Messenger

EVANGELICAL MENNONITE CONFERENCE

VOL 30 NO. 11

JUNE 5/92

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(Day June 21

Thank You, Father! Thank you for your faith in God, for your Christian example in life. Thank you for your strength when I am weak, for your loving confidence in me. Thank you. Father, for all you are, and for all you do. Your example makes it easy for me to love and trust my Heavenly Father.

Pastors’ Series: 3

“Sinnerphobia” by Gari Brandt

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n Luke 7:36-50 we read the story of Jesus being anointed by a sinful woman while He was dining at a Pharisee’s house. Imagine the headlines the day after this event: CHURCH BANQUET DISRUPTED BY ADORING HARLOT PROSTITUTE KISSES GOD’S SON — HE APPROVES! Or imagine the fun papers like the National Enquirer would have: JESUS HAS AFFAIR WITH HOOKER The rumors that Jesus was a homosexual have been found to be untrue. Yesterday as he was dining at a prominent pastor’s house a notorious prostitute showed up, decked out with expensive perfume and all. She began crying and kissing Jesus passionately. When those present wanted to remove her, Jesus objected and said to let her express her love for him. This is a new and unexpected twist in the life of a man who has proven himself to be both shocking and unpredictable. We will keep you informed . ..

Evangelical periodicals would probably be flooded with letters to the editor: Jesus is openly condoning immoral behavior! How can he claim to be a Christian and defile himself in this way! The Bible says to “flee the evil desires of youth,” “bad company corrupts good character,” “flee all appearances of evil.” He should not have let her barge in like that, showing inappropriate emotion and affection in public. It was disgusting. He should have used the opportunity to clarify his position on purity and holiness. His response only muddies the situation ...

These imaginary attitudes are not really the issue. What is im­ portant is our attitudes toward “obvious sinners” such as the woman in the story. We have experienced and will experience many similar situations in our world today. In Luke’s story we see con­ trasting responses to the woman: the Pharisee rejects and labels, Jesus loves and forgives. The host Pharisee mutters under his breath, “Jesus can’t be a true prophet like he claims, because he lets this woman touch him in public and because he doesn’t see the obvious - that she is a prostitute.” The Pharisee judges her act of adoration as phony

“Self-righteousness and smugness are special dangers for people like us who value correct doctrine and preach high moral standards. ” and disgraceful. Her actions had all sorts of immoral connotations: kissing, perfume, letting her hair down ... it was just too much to take. It was so obvious to him who she was. She looked, dressed,, smelled and acted like an immoral woman and so he prejudges and labels her as such. He was shocked at Jesus’ apparent blindness and ignorance to this. He condemns Jesus for accepting, without discernment or condition, this obvious sinner and for allowing her to express her passion for Him openly.

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he Pharisees were generally critical of Jesus in this area. They criticized Jesus on two serious counts; He was worldly, and He was liberal. He was worldly because He befriended and social­ ized with immoral people such as this woman. But even worse than this, they accused Him of legitimizing these evil people and their evil practices. He condoned sin! Jesus was liberal in His interpre­ tation of the Scripture because He did not obey the commands to PAGE 2

“come out and be separate.” Jesus, instead, went out of His way to accept, love and forgive these people. This compromised the doctrine of holiness, sin' and judgement. It’s easy for us to write off these Pharisees for their hypocrisy. We all love to be “Pharisee bashers”! But these Pharisaical atti­ tudes are alive and well today. “Those who pride themselves on their self-righteous separation from the world and their conservative interpre­ tation of Scripture still level these criticisms against those who truly follow the example of Jesus.” OUCH! “In their false allegations that Jesus was worldly and liberal, the Pharisees reflected a dehumanized and de­ personalized spirituality. They replaced devotion to God with a passionate allegiance to their acquired traditions and religious rituals. Through their asceticism and legalism they twisted the true picture of what it meant to be related to God. They refused to see the life-fulfilling quality of genuine spirituality in Jesus and focused their intensity and passion inward upon themselves instead of outward toward God and others.”

Self-righteousness and smugness are special dangers for people like us who value correct doctrine and preach high moral standards. We are like the Pharisees. It makes us feel less guilty about our own “little” sinful compromises when we vehemently condemn the obvious, gross sins of others. We are more satisfied with our­ selves when we can reject others: prostitutes, people with AIDS, politicians, natives, abortionists, Sikhs, homosexuals, etc. What’s your attitude to these people? Are you throwing stones at them or embracing and forgiving them?

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esus shows us a completely different attitude in the story in Luke 7 and also in other instances such as in John 8 with the woman caught in adultery. Jesus is accepting, loving and for­ giving. “Thankfully, Jesus shared God’s perspective on human need rather than the spiritual egocentrism of the Pharisees. The integrity of His spirituality, with its moral strength and sensitivity to the multifaceted nature of human need, led Jesus to reach out sacrificially to those in need. The Pharisees refused to see in Jesus’ spirituality the quality of openness to those in need, something that is inherent in God’s love.”

Jesus is willing to accept and forgive all people, those who have sinned a little or a lot. Unforunately, only the woman saw her need for God’s forgiveness. We see the drastic contrast between the Pharisee’s and Jesus’ attitude to the woman. The Pharisee was rejecting while Jesus was accepting. The Pharisee was condemning but Jesus was forgiving. The Pharisee was self-righteous, but Jesus explains that righteous­ ness comes through faith. Jesus not only accepts this woman un­ conditionally but forgives her sins and calls her “righteous by faith.” Jesus’ entire life and His death on the cross demonstrates His love for people “while they are yet sinners” (Romans 5:8). We are invited to follow His example. Our summary of this story need not be complicated. The woman was an obvious sinner - prostitute, adulteress, lesbian, whatever - but she came to Jesus with submission, emotion, deep apprecia­ tion and adoration. The Pharisee quickly recognized her sinful­ ness and labelled her for who he thought she was and, in his THE MESSENGER

'"True love does not take delight in pointing out evil, but instead rejoices with what is good in people. ” self-righteousness, condemned and rejected her. Jesus, on the other hand, accepted her and loved her just as she was, forgiving and forgetting her sin and considering her righteous on account of her faith. What’s your attitude? We often reply, without much thought, “love the sinner but hate the sin.” This is not so easy to do. In our delight of condemning “big” sins such as abortion, homosex­ uality, political greed, sexual immorality, etc., we become so repulsed and aggravated that we tend to hate the sinner along with the sin. True love does not take delight in pointing out evil (I Cor. 13:6), but instead rejoices with what is good in people. This is far from saying that we must condone sinful practices by just “wink­ ing” at them. No, instead we as evangelicals need to begin by

repenting of our own sin and then getting on with the sharing of the good news of God’s love in Christ which can bring healing to all people hurting in sin.

Quotations are from Douglas D. Webster, A Passion for Christ (Aca­ demic Books, Grand Rapids, 1987), pp. 98-99.

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Gari Brandt is the Youth Pastor of the Brae­ side E.M.C. Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

BUILDING COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR TEEN The quieter you become, the more you can hear Dr. Robert Laurent Before a teen can receive spiritual truth from his or her parents, communication lines usually need to be restored. Following are some practical ideas on how to do that:

1. Don’t jump to conclusions. If you’re suspicious about a certain situation, make a sincere ef­ fort to gather as much information as possible before drawing any conclusions. Parents have a tendency to oveneact on the basis of insufficient evidence and then to “fill in the gaps” by assuming the worst. 2. Respect your teenagers’ privacy. You have no more right to read their personal letters, listen in on their phone conversations, or search their rooms to satisfy your suspicions than they would have to violate your privacy. Your ra­ tionalizing devices may tell you that it is your responsibility as a parent to know everything you can about your teen, but God never does a right thing the wrong way. Knowledge gained deceitfully will solve nothing and only further alienate your teenagers. 3. Try to retain a sense of proportion. The son who does not sit in the front pew taking notes is not destined to be an atheist. The daughter who has not had daily de­ votions for months will probably not turn out to be a drug addict. There is no need for you to panic or exaggerate the situation. Both God and time are on your side. 4. Avoid asking rhetorical questions. Communication stalls when teens have to deal with a question that, even if taken seriously, can elicit only an impudent reply. If you were a teenager, how would you like to answer, “How many times do I have to tell you to stop that?” or “Why won’t you ever listen?” One question that teens dread the most is, “What do you think you’re doing?” If parents could detect their teenagers’ thoughts when asked such a question, they might hear: What do you mean, “what do I think I’m doing? I know exactly what I’m doing. The problem is “what do you think I’m doing?’’It doesn't matter what I’m actual­ ly doing, I’m in trouble because of what you think I’m doing. 5. Dispense discipline that fits the offense. Teenagers have an inborn sense of justice and are quick to recog­ nize when they don’t receive it. Few things block the lines of com­ munication like parents who are overly severe with punishment. The father who grounds his daughter for six months because she came home an hour late is asking for the silent treatment. 6. Recognize their limited verbal skills. Teens can be intimidated by parents who use their facility with JUNE 5, 1992

words to win verbal confrontations. Wise parents speak on their teenagers’ level (without talking down to them) and understand that most adolescents, particularly boys, have difficulty describing their emotions. One father found that simply asking a question like “How do you feel about. . .?’’ opened up new dimensions in conversation. He tried this technique with his ninth-grade son, asking him about his feelings regarding a situation at school. To the father’s amazement, the son answered on that level—talking about feelings. “It was wonderful!” said the father. “We talked for two hours! That’s never happened before.” 7. Make bedtime a sacrosanct occasion for communication. The parents who decide that there will be communication time­ regular, consistent, and (barring flash floods or nuclear holocaust) guaranteed - must still find an interval in the day for communication. Our family ties up a lot of loose ends at bedtime. It may take more than an hour for my wife and me to go from room to room, almost like psychiatrists getting the day’s rundown from our pa­ tients, preparing each child’s path to sleep. During that time, when our children lie like small patients in the semidarkness, a great deal of what is going on in their minds and hearts, which the busyness of the day has kept suppressed, gets released. Each child knows that we are his or her to talk to, without competition from siblings. It is important to us to know what is on their minds—it helps us to know what should be on ours. Perched on each other’s beds, we discuss the issues for which we never seem to find the right time or atmosphere during the day. 8. Keep listening. One of a parent’s hardest tasks is to sit and listen to outrageous accusations. “You’re only happy when 1 feel miserable!” “If you and Mom are right, you’re the only parents who are!” Your instincts tell you to get defensive and engage the emoting teen in battle— but discretion keeps you from blurting out words that later you would wish you could retrieve. The onus is not on you to agree with the accuser, just to listen.

Communication between peirents and teens is not the piling up of words; it is more of an attitude. When you resolve to do your best to understand who they are and why they act the way they do, when you decide to trade in your critical spirit for restraint and a listening ear, when you learn that nothing they do or say is im­ portant enough to cause you to withdraw your love, then communication that might lead to their salvation has begun. A service of the David C. Cook Publishing Co.

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NEWS BRIEFS..

Letters Pray for Government Leaders

I feel led of the Holy Spirit to encourage all of us to pray for our government leaders, that God will save them and give them wisdom to deal rightly with Canada, as He has com­ manded us in I Timothy 2:1-4. God would have all men saved. About three years ago I wrote a letter to the Rt. Honourable Brian Mulroney, telling him that I was praying for him. 1 also sent along a tract. I received a letter back thanking me for my prayers for him. Lea Giesbrecht Landmark, Man.

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CONVENTION July 4 and 5

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R E N E W AL •Leadership •Church Programs •Our Home Life •Personal Growth COMING EVENTS June 13-14 Mount Salem Reunion and Autonomy Service Aylmer, Ont. Phone: (519) 773-8569 June 21 Father's Day

Siberian Church Sends Aid to Bangladesh Winnipeg, Man. — Although life is difficult in the former Soviet Union, a Mennonite church in Neudachino, Siberia, has decided to help people even worse off than them­ selves by donating to MCC. After preaching in the small Kirchliche Mennonite Church, Eric Rempel, develop­ ment consultant from Niverville, Man., was asked to share about life in Bangladesh, a country he recently visited. The next day the congregation donated 2,000 rubles (one month’s wages) for MCC to use in Ban­ gladesh. “It was humbling — here we were, coming to talk to them about ways we could help them, and they wanted to help others,” Rem­ pel said. “It was a very moving experience.” (From an MCC report)

Affordable Spanish Study Bible Available M/eston, Ont. — The Bible League has just published a unique Study Bible especially designed for new Christians in Latin Ameri­ ca. “There are other Spanish Study Bibles,” explained Rev. Edward Meyer, the League’s coordinator of Latin American Ministries, “but most are too academic and too expen­ sive for the average reader. La Biblia Devocional De Estudio (The Devotional Study Bible) will be much more practical.” The completed product is a 1,622-page hardcover Bible which includes reading plans, the 1960 Reina Valera text and concor­ dance, a subject guide, a topical guide, and other introductory material. Donations have made it possible to sell the Bible in Latin America for less than $5. Other Spanish Study Bibles range in price from $20 to $50. The Bible League has produced Scriptures in more than 500 languages, which are placed through indigenous churches and recognized evangelists in over 60 countries around the world. The League’s “Brazil: New Life for the ’90s” project is the largest Scripture place­ ment ever attempted, having placed over 17 million Portuguese New Testaments in homes, schools, and prisons in Brazil. (From a Bible League report)

June 21, 3:00 p.m. Organization Service Leamington EMC Church Leamington, Ont. Phone: (519) 326-9272 June 28 Graduation Steinbach Christian High School Steinbach Bible College Steinbach, Man. Phone: (204) 326-6451

Theme, Speakers Chosen for MEDA Convention “Leadership: More than Management” has been selected as the theme of this year’s annual convention of Mennonite Economic Development Associates, to be held Oct. 29 - Nov. 1 in Denver, Colorado. Key speakers will be John W. Eby, aca­ demic dean at Goshen College; Carol J. Suter, Ohio attorney; Howard Brenneman, president of Mennonite Mutual Aid; and Mervin Dick, director of Denver’s Mennonite Urban Ministry. A brochure and registration form is avail­ able from MEDA Convention 92, 12 Green­ field Road, Lancaster, PA l'7602-3312. Phone: (717) 399-9440, FAX: (717) 399-9442.____________________________

CONTRIBUTORS: Daue and Laura Sharp (Steinbach) are involved in base maintenance and hospitality for New Tribes Mission in Brazil. Kent Dueck (Fort Garry) works with innercity youth in Winnipeg. Betty and Glen Koop (Steinbach EFC) are in a pastoral ministry in Lesotho, Africa, under AIMM. Elsie Funk and her husband, Ernest (Pelly), are presently on furlough for a few months, after having served a term in Paraguay. Evelyn Plett (Prairie Rose) is involved in Christian Education in Spain. Lydia Loewen is a member of the Fort Garry E.M. Church.

REVISED MESSENGER SCHEDULE: The Board of Church Ministries has decid­ ed to eliminate two issues of The Messenger this year because of a shortfall of donations to the Conference budget. There will be only one Messenger in each of July and August and two per month from September to the end of the year. Printing dates for the remainder of 1992 will be as follows: June 19, July 17, August 14, September 4 and every two weeks after that. Church reporters may cancel one of their summer report dates. Material for a particu­ lar issue should reach our office one week before the printing date. The Editor

July 4 and 5 EMC Annual Convention Theme: Spiritual Renewal Speaker: David Mains Morris/Rosenort, Man. Phone: (204) 326-6401 September 24-26 Conference: Pacifism in American Religious Traditions (other than Historic Peace Churches) Goshen College Goshen, Indiana Phone: (219) 535-7435

October 25 EMC Region 3 Annual Conference Felly, Sask. Phone: (306) 595-2074 October 29 - November 1 MEDA Convention "Leadership: More than Management” Denver, Colorado Phone: (204) 944-1995 or (717) 399-9440

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

A Tribute to a Father by Lydia Loewen 1 was fortunate to have John as my father. He was a compassionate man who under­ stood children. When 1 was a young child he loved unconditionally. 1 trusted him implicitly and he never once betrayed that trust. He was the kind of person who was able to approximate the inner experience of a little child. This evocative empathy was displayed throughout my childhooi the time he bolted to my side when I cut the tip of my finger in a seed drill; the night 1 was afraid of the dark

and he lit a kerosene lamp; the evening he came to my bed, after he thought 1 was asleep, and tucked a blanket around my protruding feet; the morning he carried me to Linden School in a blizzard because 1 wanted to have perfect attendance in grade one; the day he turned my fear of a thunderstorm into amaze­ ment and wonder in the safety of his arms; and the morning he taught me about the real­ ity of death as we viewed the bodies of two little children in white coffins on the lawn of a burned house. Then one day he was called away. 1 knew that the world would never be the same if he did not return. World Wcir 11 was in full swing and the state wanted this young man to fight for his country. Bravely he went to the big city. Alone he stood before the judge. He did not need the power of the religious institution, nor the support of a bishop. His objection to the military came from the heart. When the judge told him he could be promoted to the highest rank in the air force because of his test results, my father stated that his conscience would not allow him to participate. The judge tried again: “If an enemy soldier came into your home to hurt your children.

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What's In A Hymn? In most of our churches we sing several hymns every Sunday morning. Unfortunately, often after a hymn is sung we have difficulty remembering, never mind explaining, what we sang. Usually there is much more to a hymn than we get from one unthinking singing of the song. 1 would like to briefly point out some of these in a hymn some of you might know, Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness, or for those who remember it in the original German, Jesus, dein Blut und Gerechtigkeit. A hymn can be discussed from a musical, poetic standpoint, resulting in a somewhat technical, academic analysis. A few of these should be mentioned. In my hymnbook the poem is set to a tune from William Gardiner’s ^cred Melodies called Germany. The poetry is in what is called long metre; this means that there are four phrases of eight syllables each. This poetry and music could be interchanged with other poetry or music of the same metre. The tessitura of the melody is just under an octave, making it easily singable by everyone. The melody builds in intensity in the second half of the song as a melodic fragment occurs three times, always a step higher, to the high point of the melody. The harmony has some intricasies with passing chromatic tones and secondary dominant chords. (Don’t stop reading now!) But it is the text and its author that I wish to discuss in more detail. This German poem was written by Nicholas L. von Zinzendorf, a wealthy German count. As a pietist he was accused of be­ ing antirational, emotional, and sensuous in his advocacy of a “heart religion.” The pietists were opposed to the atheistic rationalism of the enlightenment and the lifeless Protestantism of the 18th cen­ tury. To us as evangelicals, most of what Zinzendorf stood for is very familiar and understandable.

JUNE 5, 1992

would you not strike him to protect your child?” This cut to the heart and the response did not come easily. “Your Honour, 1 don’t know what 1 would do in that moment, but 1 do know that 1 could never forget the sight of children, maimed and orphaned, as a result of my actions in wcir.” The judge dismissed my father and said he did not want to see him in court again. My father’s aspiration to share with the weak and the powerless was more than a general kindness. His source was the divine compassion of a God who gives a new identi­ ty, an identity which depends not on what we can achieve and teach others, but on what we are willing to learn from others. Because he believed in the value of equality, he did some­ thing about the injustice and oppression in his world, whether it was delivering food hampers in southeastern Manitoba, listening to an aboriginal friend, or publicly questioning a Constitution that excluded women from cer­ tain positions within the Conference. He un­ derstood that a healing community reflects the image of a righteous and just God. Thank you for everything. Dad. Without you 1 would not be me.

In addition to believing in a personal relationship with Christ, he felt very strongly about evangelism. During his lifetime he organized the Moravian community of believers in Herrnhut and headed a mission outreach from that centre to the Netherlands, the Baltic, the West Indies, England, and North America. Because of his zeal in preaching his convictions about Christianity and missions he was for some years banished from his German state, Saxony. It was on one of his travels to England that he met John Wes­ ley, the Methodist evangelist, and over the years developed a strong friendship. Both had a driving zeal for evangelism and recognized the importance of hymns in the growth of new Christians. John’s brother Charles wrote many hymns for their crusades; Zinzendorf and his wife wrote them for the Moravian believers. It was, in fact, John Wesley who translated our hymn from German to English. With this background on the author, the content of the hymn becomes even more meaningful. In reading the poetry of this hymn we recognize that some of the thoughts are somewhat obscure. At the risk of diluting the poetic power of the 18th-century transla­ tion, I have written the stanzas in present-day prose. The poetry must, after all, have meaning for us today if it is to minister. Jesus, your blood and righteousness are my beauty, my glori­ ous garment. Clothed in these, even in the flaming trials of this world, I will lift my head with joy. Boldly I will stand in the judgement day, for who can lay any charge against me? Through Jesus’ blood and righteousness I am completely delivered from sin, fear, guilt and shame. Lord, I believe in your precious blood that forever pleads for sinners at God’s mercy seat. It was shed for me, for my soul. Lord, I believe that even if sinners numbered more than the sands on the ocean shore, you would have paid the ransom and made full atonement for everyone. The biblical truths expressed in the hymn are rich with references to the power of Jesus’ blood in facing trials, judgement and temp­ tation. It ends with an allusion to missions by describing the ex­ tent of Christ’s redemption. When you next sing the song pay close attention to the words. If your church never sings it, encourage your song leaders to teach it to your congregation. Dr. Thiessen, a minister in the Ridgewood EMC Church, is teaching at ECWA Theological Seminary at Igbaja. Kwara State, Nigeria.

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VISION =

CANADA Striking a Responsive Chord “What evidence do you have that God is at work in the city of Winnipeg?” was the question Don Moore, Executive Director of ViSion 2000 Canada, asked of a group of pastors over breakfast during a recent ministry trip to that city. “I frankly didn’t know what to expect when I posed that question,” Moore admitted, “but I was thrilled to hear what God is doing by calling His people to their knees in prayer!•I”” It started with five, it’s grown to 51. Six months ago they boldly began praying for a year that would see 50 new conversions to Christianity in their youth group. So far the tally on the request stands at just over 20, four times the number of previous years. They are teenage prayer warriors at Kil-Cona Park Alliance, who bend their knees every Friday morning between seven and eight o’clock. Occasionally they break into two’s and walk through the church, stopping to pray in front of the pastor’s door, the nursery room, a Sunday school class. “It’s certainly been the strongest year we’ve had in our youth ministry; it’s a real encouragement to the church,” youth pastor Todd Petkau said. At a different Winnipeg church, the attendance of 200 was unusually high for a weeknight series on prayer, thought Rev. John Epp. This pastor of the 500-strong North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church saw the prayer event spawn an emphasis on prayer in fel-

BORENEWS BRIEES • • • Paraguay Board Reviews Ministries (MWC) — ASCIM, a board of Indians and Mennonites for assisting in social, medical, cultural and economic ministries, had their 1992 meeting on March 5 in Menno, Paraguay. Leaders of each department report­ ed to the 59-member group. The official lan­ guage is Spanish, with simultaneous translations into Lengua and Chulupi. In January and February refresher courses are given to the teachers, many of them In­ dians, for kindergarten and other schools. The Paraguayan minister of education, Dr. Perone, visited Valve Sanga and was present at the close of one of the teachers’ courses. He handed the diplomas to some 58 teachers. (Frieda Siemens Kaethler, MWC reporter)

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Networking Children’s Ministries Toronto Ont. — On March 9, Vision 2000 hosted a one-day seminar in Toronto to con­ sider a networking of children's ministries in Canada. The 32 people who attended represented 20 ministries and 10 denomina­ tions. In her opening presentation, Dr. Arlette Lefevbre discussed media influence on the values of children. The opportunity to interact among the var­ ious children’s ministries was met with great enthusiasm. In a follow-up meeting on May 8, an association of leaders in children’s ministries will be initiated. (From a report by Vision 2000 Canada)

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lowship groups and individual homes. “You can’t program prayer, but in terms of spiritual concern and involvement in prayer I’ve seen a noticeable increase,” Rev. Epp said. “Were going through expansionist thinking and there’s a new spirit for people to become involved.” Taking the name “the mighty prayer warriors,” 25 individuals at Vic­ torious Faith Centre have pledged themselves to pray 25 minutes a day for their pastor. “We’ve had a lot of praise reports for specific things we’ve undertaken,” Tim Thiessen said. At Salvation Army, Winnipeg Citadel, the sign in the foyer reminds people that the sanctuary is a house of prayer Sunday mornings at 10 o’clock. “If we have a praying church well have an effective church; just programs don’t make a church grow,” Captain Wilson Perrin said, “Personally speaking, I think it is affecting our worship services, peopie are responding to altar calls and the Spirit of God is moving in people’s lives.” Seldom a Sunday morning passes without a handful of Elim Chapel’s downtown congregation of 300 heading off to a lounge for after service prayer. They are led to God’s throne for comfort and healing by men and women trained for a prayer ministry. “We’ll soon have our second prayer seminar to seek to raise up teams who’ll pray for others. We’re training the laity to be prayer warriors,” Rev. Mike Walker said. As Moore summarized his meeting with pastors, he observed, “What is happening in these Winnipeg churches reflects the growing commitment of countless leaders and laity from across Canada who are finding themselves humbled to their knees to seek God’s face in light of the needs of our nation and our communities.” A Vision 2000 report.

Volunteers to Start 1000 Churches in Nigeria Toronto, Ont. — The World Home Bible League has initiated a plan to start 1000 new churches over the next five years in un­ reached, predominantly Muslim villages throughout Nigeria. Over 195 full-time Nigeri­ an church planters are involved in the Church Planters Institute. CPI training enables students of the pro­ gram to present the Gospel to their unbeliev­ ing friends, lead them to Christ, and organize

this group of new converts into a new church. Participants in the program are highly en­ thusiastic in spite of the threat of vigorous persecution. Bible League-supported CPIs have been in­ itiated successfully in Mexico, Ghana, Philip­ pines and India. New institutes are scheduled to begin soon in Ukraine, Thailand and Laos. (From a World Home Bible League report)

New Editor for The Mennonite

New Bible Societies Rise to the Challenge

Newton, Kan. — Gordon Houser has been appointed editor of The Mennonite, the bi­ weekly magazine of the General Conference Church. He Will succeed Muriel Thiessen Stackley, who will complete six years as edi­ tor in September. Houser first came in contact with Mennonites after a tornado hit his hometown of Emporia, Kan., in 1974. He was further int­ rigued through a reading of The Politics of Jesus, which steered him "toward pacifism, community and other Mennonite distinc­ tions," he said. “Being Mennonite is choosing to live out a Christian life and to follow a certain set of principles like non-violence and community. It has nothing to do with food, dress or lan­ guage,” he says. Houser began working for The Mennonite in 1978, and has been assistant editor since 1984. After a long line of editors with names like Wiebe and Shelly and Becker and Ens, Houser calls it “a watershed for the General Conference to have someone who didn’t grow up Mennonite as editor of The Men­ nonite.'' (From a GCMC report)

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Toronto, Ont. — In order to reach people in Eastern Europe with the wisdom and guidance of God’s Word, new Bible Society offices are being opened in many republics of the former Soviet Union. Originally founded in 1812, the recently re-established Estonian Bible Society had been closed since 1940 when Estonia was an­ nexed by the Soviet Union. During the open­ ing ceremonies, Ms. Andra Veidemann, from the Ministry of Culture, expressed the hope that the Bible Society would profoundly in­ fluence the people of her nation. In January a constitutional assembly, representing all churches, was held to deter­ mine the by-laws of the new Lithuanian Bible Society. These Societies and others being estab­ lished in Eastern nations will immediately take responsibility for supplying Scriptures to churches and people within their territo­ ries. Scripture distribution in the former Soviet Union has accelerated rapidly. Annu­ al distribution grew to over 2.5 million copies in 1991. (From a Canadian Bible Society release)

THE MESSENGER

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Sharing and discussion in one of the lounges.

EMC Leadership Retreat

Not Losing Heart The 1992 EMC Leadership Retreat convened in a new location on the May 15 to 17 weekend, the Agricultural Extension Centre in Brandon, Manitoba. Registered were 100 ministers, deacons, missionaries and spouses, representing just over half of the 51 churches. The facility was well suited for the retreat, offering accommoda­ tions in the two residences; tasty, generous meals in the cafeteria; relaxation in the lounges and a recreational area, as well as gener­ ous meeting space in the “upper” room. In the cool weather it was a treat to be able to move from one area to another without hav­ ing to go outside. Not everything was perfect. The most common complaint was about the number of stairs to be climbed to get to the meeting room on the upper floor, 36 steps up from ground level. Otherwise peo­ ple seemed well pleased with the location. There were four general sessions in which the guest speaker. Dr. Chuck Nichols from Providence Theological Seminary, developed the theme “Not Losing Heart.” The sessions were opened with a time of worship and praise led by Tom and Connie Peachey of Swift Current, Sask. In addition to many time-honoured choruses, Tom introduced many new ones as well. The theme was based on 2 Cor. 4:1, “. . . Since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart." Chuck Nichols’ four messages all had their basis in 2 Corinthians, which was primarily written to refute the slander and charges against Paul laid by false teachers in Corinth. •Inadequate, But Not Unable (2:14-3:6), Who is adequate? •Buffeted, But Balanced (5:20-6:10), Why me. Lord? •Stressed, But Not Stressed Out (10:1-6), How much more? •Servant, But Leader (4:1-6), What is a servant? Small group sessions focused on dealing with pressures in minis-

Pure en/oyment

“Serving, But Leading" in practice.

try. Time was divided between sharing, discussion and prayer. Mel Koop led a general business, sharing and prayer session on Satur­ day morning. Reports from a number of churches included stories of victory, growth, challenge and struggle. To close the Saturday activities. Moderator Harvey Plett led a meaningful communion and footwashing service. The atmosphere of unity and fellowship was touching. The planning committee, consisting of Glenn and Norma Plett (Morweena), John and Connie Reimer (Morris) and Menno and Elvina Hamm (Steinbach), had purposely scheduled what was to be an unhurried retreat. There were late breakfasts (8:30), spare time before and after meals, and several free hours Saturday after­ noon. The format seemed to please most of the guests. The following are a few of the comments heard from people at the retreat: •/ enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere. •There should be more time for sharing. •The communion service was a moving experience. • The theme was uery appropriate. •It was good to see the increased emphasis on prayer, especial­ ly for personal needs of churches and ministers. •The messages were uery applicable to all ministers and mis­ sionaries, married and single. •The recreation was a little sparse; we need team sports. • The speaker was enthusiastic, easy to listen to. •It was a good retreat. We met and got acquainted with many wonderful people. To answer the question, “How can we get more people to at­ tend?” some people suggested: •Incite them personally by telephone. •Bring a couple with you. •We all need to be excited and advertise it. •Send letters to church boards/councils to invite them to send their pastor/ministerial couples. •Make it clear that it is for deacons too.

Chuck Nichpls

Free time activity

JUNE 5. 1992

PAGE 7

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Missions

Some of that energy I wrote about!

WINNIPEG, MAN.

Summer - a Time of High Stress Challenge of Inner City Work The challenge of inner city work continues. Every day is a learn­ ing experience for the volunteers and me. It’s amazing to see how God provides the words and the way through these challenges. 1 can feel the excitement building as we look forward to the summer plans that have been made. There is a group of 13 year-olds who are particularly excited. For them this will be the first summer they get to go on an out-trip with Inner City Youth Alive (ICYA). (One of them had his backpack picked out a year ago!) These youth are eager to learn and have an abun­ dance of energy. There will be a total of ten trips going out between June 15 and September 15. Summer is a high impact time for ICYA so it is also

An evening of fun at Crowduck Lake, Ontario.

a high stress time. Please pray for the staff and volunteers of ICYA. It is our prayer that we will live the person of Christ daily and that we will treat the youth with loving respect. We will need wisdom to know when to listen and accept and when to challenge. By the time you read this, Darnell Plett will be officially on board as assistant director and the man in charge of our work education program. His challenge will be great. He will be in charge of the on­ going development of the program. Darnell will be spending the first few months getting to know the youth and getting a feel for what the program is about. It is my hope that those of you who know Darnell and Emily will pray for and support them in this assignment. 1 thank all of you who have showed your support of the work and ask that you continue to stand with us. Also, 1 would like to publicly acknowledge all il'ie volunteers who have been working with ICYA. Without you we would be lost! MEGWEECH! Kent Dueck

AFRICA

No Room! No Problem In Heaven! Each Sunday about 120 eager children show up at the Maseru United Church, an in­ terdenominational, inter racial church in the city of Maseru, Lesotho, where my husband and I have served for almost two years. But there is no room for these children in the church building. Even though we have ad­ ded an extension recently, there still isn’t enough room to accommodate the children. Therefore they have their Sunday school and Junior Worship in the church hall and edu­ cation building during the time that the adults have a service in the main sanctuary. But still there is a ‘no room' problem! Our facilities can­ not handle all the children in Sunday school at the same time. This was solved by having half the children in classrooms, while the other half have worship in the hall. Halfway through the hour they switch places. Perhaps you’d like to accompany me as 1 fill in as a substitute teacher in the age 11 and up class. We’re assigned to the classroom which normally accommodates the three- to four-year-olds, so the tables and benches are just right if you like to sit with your knees touching your chin. In addition, there are 26 young people attending this morning, so the small room is just too crowded. Fortunately, it’s a lovely, sunny day, so we go to the park PAGE 8

1 Pastor Gien Koop presenting Bibles to a Sunday school class at Maseru United Church in Lesotho.

across the street and sit on the steps for our class. Occasionally those on the steps have to make room for people going through the park, but the Bible lesson seems to be readily absorbed as we worship in ‘God’s Cathedral.’ We even have a bit of an audience as we dramatize the lesson. Another ‘no room’ problem solved! But there is a very special Sunday during the year when at least one class of children can come into the church. That is when they

are promoted to Class 3 and are presented with Bibles during the morning service. As you can see in the accompanying picture, there isn’t much room at the front of the church either, but they manage to squeeze in around the pastor. How wonderful to know that there will not be a ‘no room’ problem in eternity! May each of us be faithful in our witness here so that our Lord’s “house may be filled” (Luke 14:23). Betty Koop THE MESSENGER

BRAZIL

Tears of Wonder Ten Dollars - for the Mayoruna

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Have you ever shed tears of amazement, wonder, gratitude, or intense blessing? I find myself wiping just such tears after visiting with Valdemar and Angelica. Valdemar and his wife enjoyed happy, carefree lives as other normal children reared in the Amazon jungles, until they contracted the dreaded disease of leprosy; then they be­ came outcasts. Facing their neighbours’ fear and discrimination became unbearable, so they came to the leper colony near Manaus in hope of finding a cure. The years came and went, during which the couple met, married and had children. They were not allowed the privilege of raising their babies, though. The colony’s policy was “to keep” the children from catching leprosy by taking newborn babies from the parents and giving them to an unknown couple. In spite of persecution against Christians in the colony, the couple accepted Christ as their Saviour and grew spiritually. Valdemar be­ came pastor of the local Baptist church, where he served for many years, but eventually he could no longer continue as pastor. Rather than become depressed, however, he and his

SPAIN

wife have continued ministering at home through prayer, praise and witnessing. The Lord has used them to bring all their relatives to Christ, including three sons who were raised by others, as well as many of their neighbours. Angelica said sometimes she wonders if the Lord allowed them to contract leprosy so they might be better witnesses for Him. “If so, it’s been well worth it,” she added. Although nearly destitute of this world’s physical or material goods, Valdemar and An­ gelica are so full of praise that it spills over to others. 1 always find visiting them to be a refreshing experience. Valdemar always asks that we spend time in prayer, reading a por­ tion of God’s Word, and singing. He sings with gusto, from memory, since he can no longer read the words. Each visit they ask for an update of the works they learn about through the New Tribes Mission field paper, as they pray daily for our missionaries. Last Sunday while I ex­ plained the spiritual hunger the missionaries were finding among the Mayoruna Indians, Valdemar excused himself, scooted into their bedroom, and returned with a wrinkled little wad of money, which he pressed into my hand. For some time they had been putting aside what they could for the missionaries to the Mayoruna, he explained. Would 1 send it

can see some of the different needs that brought these women here: “How can I dis­ The Ups and Downs of Life cover the gift that the Lord has given me?” “When your desire to serve the Lord is great­ Lessons from the Life of Elijah er than that of your husband, how can you On May 8 the Bethel Bible Center grounds motivate him?” “How can I help my husband became a lively place as some 60 women accept himself after his confession and repengathered here for a weekend of five confer- tance of adultery?” “When I am depressed and ences, with guest speaker Winnifred Green discouraged and feel bad, how can I be effifrom the USA. The ladies, both young and cient and be a useful vessel in the responsiold, came from many places in Spain - Huelva, bilitics I have?” “I have recently come to know Madrid, Talavera, Cuellar, Segovia, etc. A the Lord and wish you would tell me what to number of them came with grave problems, do when my husband makes fun of me bebeing drawn by the theme of the series of con- cause of the decision I have made.” “What should I do when my past carnal life not only ferences. Winnifred Green, who is now dedicating all her time to working with and teaching wom­ PARAGUAY en, has been a missionary nurse in Africa in An Update on Florencia years past, then in mission work in England for a few years. She now lives in the USA, but Prayers Were Answered travels world-wide to minister to hundreds of Florencia and her husband, Ambrosio, were needy women. She was with us here in Spain busy in their chacra (garden) when Florencia some eight years ago. felt a sudden, severe pang of pain in her abAs she shared with us in five sessions on domen. Lowering her bundle of mandioca the life of Elijah, we saw that this great man from its perch on her head, she knew she had of God was subject to like passions as we are to get back to the house. The pain was not and how he faced them. From mighty faith totally foreign to her, but, as usual, she was and mountain top experiences, he plunged into convinced it would subside in a couple of depression and despair. We saw how he react- hours. ed when he was cut off and cut back at On January 1,1992, Florencia shared in the Cherith, when he was sky high on Mt. Car- Sunday morning worship service how she mel, when the bottom dropped out, when he desired to overcome her lack of ambition in was depressed and when he came to the end her service for the Lord and hoped and prayed of life’s journey. These messages encouraged that in 1992 the Lord would grant her desire, the ladies and helped them understand them- Little did she realize that in two weeks she selves and exhorted them. Prayer and com- would begin a three-month “stint” of suffering, plete trust in God is the spiritual secret. which would give her the opportunity to reThere was also a time when the ladies could evaluate her desire. On January 15 Florencia ask questions. As I shcire a few of them, you was admitted to the hospital after a severe

JUNE 5, 1992

Dave Sharp with Valdemar and Angelica, a leper couple.

to them? 1 just looked at the money, not able to say anything right away; something seemed to be caught in my throat. It was about ten dollars - not much for us, but a small fortune for them. Excuse me . . . it’s those tears again . . . David Sharp

keeps coming to my mind, bringing mental tor­ ment, but provokes desire as I remember?” “What is the difference between God disciplin­ ing and God punishing?” Seeing these ladies leave Bethel on Sunday afternoon, encouraged and enthused to go on in their Christian lives, in spite of the “ups and downs in life,” was rich reward for all the ef­ fort it took to do the translating of all the mes­ sages, the private counselling sessions, and coordination involved in making such a ladies’ retreat possible. Please pray for those who came with big marital or personal problems. Euel^n Plett

a

Florencia and Ambrosio in the hospital pain attack. A week later, upon admission to the second hospital, the doctor was alarmed to find that her kidneys were not functioning at all. With an annual income of approximately $1500, and no medical insurance, there was no way (more on page 10)

PAGE 9

(Florencia, continued)

he could begin a series of kidney dialysis. However, when the believers were challenged to pray, and the doctor followed the advice of the urologist (a very large dose of highpriced antibiotic was used to deblock), the kid­ neys started up again. Less than a week later, Florencia underwent gall bladder surgery, only to be complicated by an enormous infection in the intestines. Very costly antibiotics were again administered to fight the infection and a resection of parts of the intestines was done. Two weeks later she was back at home, recovering slowly. In just a matter of days, Florencia was showing symptoms of infection again. Once more she was admitted to the Baptist Hospital in Asuncion for two more sur­ geries to remove the infection. For two months she was unable to keep down any food and was sustained solely by intravenous fluids. Many times Florencia and Ambrosio prayed for divine healing. The heavens seemed to shut her out, and the Lord seemed far away. When nothing changed, Florencia became angry with the Lord. Her husband, who stayed with her throughout the whole ordeal, counselled her, saying that as long as she was angry, the Lord would not heal her. Florencia then begged the Lord to let her die; she was too weak to think or care about their children (ages 8-14) at home. But she was unable to die - just suffer. Their home church in Yhovy was holding daily prayer meetings on her behalf. They continued

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Florencia and Ambrosio with their family

to pray, and prayed for three months without a break. Very slowly Florencia began to respond to one particular kind of antibiotic, and gradual­ ly she was able to resign herself to her lot. Many times Ambrosio and Florencia searched their hearts. Were they serving the Lord as faithfully as they should? Both of them resolved to be available in whatever the Lord would require of them. By April 15, Florencia and Ambrosio were back with their family in Yhovy. They left the hospital in good spirits, although very much aware of a hospital bill of $7(XX), which they had incurred. They were also very much aware of the many pleasant surprises during their

hospital stay - unexpected visits from the be­ lievers in Yhovy, the ice cream party on Am­ brosio’s birthday, encouragement from believers who were strangers up to that point, the gifts of money from believers in Canada. Their hearts were filled with gratitude and joy. On behalf of Florencia and Ambrosio, I would like to thank each of you who has responded to the plea for help. A large part of the hospital bill has been paid. To date there is still $25CX) owing. If any of you readers are interested in donating towards their bill, please send your donations to EMC Board of Mis­ sions, Box 1268, Steinbach, Man. ROA 2A0, earmarked “Florencia’s medical bill.” Elsie Funk

Messenger Mews

I

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1

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1-. - I Bill Sigurdson (left) was baptized at the Birch River church on December 8, 1991. Pastor Ferlin Abrahamson is on the right.

CHURCH EXCHANGE PROGRAM Birch River, Man.: For many years now the Northern Churches of Region 3 have ar­ ranged an exchange program. On March 15, Pastor Ferlin Abrahamson and eight of our young people, with Allan Friesen as chauffeur, travelled to Creighton to present a program. On that same weekend they also brought the program in two native villages. Cormorant and Big Eddy (The Pas) respectively. At a later date they presented it in the same church on a Sunday evening. Several weeks later, on April 26, the Sun­ day school classes of the Creighton church

PAGE 10

Birch River young people's group. Front (left to right): Coral and Crystal Friesen, Mark Davy, Lynden Friesen, Steve Thiessen. Center: Sheldon Stevenson, Tammy and Jayme Bass, Le Friesen. Back: Angela Thiessen, Charles Thiessen, Chris Hamilton, Dennis Sigurdson, Chad Thiessen, Shane Parker, Shane Stevenson.

brought an Easter program, “More Than a Miracle,” in our Sunday morning worship serv­ ice. It was very well done, bringing to mind the events happening during Jesus’ crucifix­ ion and resurrection. We enjoyed having these children, their teachers, chaperones and drivers in our homes overnight. Thank you and come again. Our young people’s group, with some help from Elaine Sigurdson and youth leaders, Bernie and Irma Thiessen, prepared and served a delicious Sunday noon meal. The proceeds for this went for World Vision. The Gospel Troubadours; namely, Rick and Carol Plett with son Shawn of Linden, Alta.,

visited our church on May 4, making the Word of God come alive with singing and music, as well as preaching both morning and evening. The Community Bible Fellowship Church of Swan River cancelled their evening service and were in attendance here, so the church was packed. It was very good and we highly com­ mend them for others to invite. Our final wind-up for Discovery Club for kids in this community came on May 8. Most of the 30-plus children enrolled attended a fun time in the school gym for games and a lunch. Now they are waiting for camp and Vacation Bible School. Helen Kroeker THE MESSENGER

2

4

Love that breeze! The weekend of March 20-22, the youth groups of Region 2, Calgary, Swift Current and Wymark, met at Crowsnest Lake Bible Camp for Snow Camp '92. On Fri­ day night after registration we played some games to get to know each other and each other's names. Then we had our first session. Everyone contributed to really good singing. Our speaker was Dave Miller of Longview, Alta. Later, during free time, we enjoyed playing ping-pong, sitting by the campfire and just talking. On Saturday we got up early and headed out to the slopes of Fernie. The weather was all sun. There were lots of thrills and spills. Help! I've fallen and can't get up. Dead Ants! After skiing everyone was a little red-faced, and some of us looked like raccoons. When we got back to camp, we were treated to a banquet-style meal. The meals all weekend were really great, thanks to our cooks. After supper each youth

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Banquet at Snow Camp Saturday night after skiing.

group gave a presentation to introduce their group or to show off their talents. On Sunday we cleaned up our "junk " and the camp. Then we had our last session with Dave. He asked us to write down something that we were struggling with. Then we all nailed our papers to a cross. Dave ripped all the papers and threw them in the fire. This showed us how our sins were nailed to the cross with Christ if we ask Christ to take them away. They are gone as if burned to ashes. After the session we had some free time, during which we crossed a rope bridge, played ping-pong, hiked to a cave, or just relaxed after a tiring weekend. Then we ate lunch and after that it was time to say goodbye to our new friends. To sum it all up, it was an awesome weekend!

Carlita Plett

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pVJymarK vs. Calgary vs. Snitt Current??

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Hey, you there ahead of me, are you okay? JUNE 5, 1992

Yes, Ron, that is one way of waking up each morning, but...

PAGE 11

EVENING SERVICES HELD Kola, Man.: John Dyck, International Direc­ tor of Janz Team Ministries, was the speaker for our series of deeper life meetings, April 22-26. His topics were 1) Prayer: the Impera­ tive of Revival (Daniel 9:1-19), 2) Why Doesn’t Revival Last? (Jeremiah 2:1-13), 3) Revival Tested by Adversity (Job 1, 4) Wearing the Full Armour of God (Eph. 6:10-18), 5) How we can have revival on an ongoing basis (Phil. 2:5-11), 6) As the Father has sent Me, so send I you (John 20:19-23). Besides these thought-provoking messages, we were also treated to some slides and an insight into the work that Janz Team Minis­ tries is presently involved in, in Poland and the Soviet Union. Although evening services have not been a regular part of our Sundays for a long time, we have lately been blessed with a variety of programs. On April 5 we had Dr. John and Sandy Yates with us. Starting this summer, they will be serving with International Child Care in Haiti. Through slides and a report, we were given a glimpse of some of the activities they will be involved in. The small attendance may have been a discouragement to them, but the 18 adults who did attend came away with a blessing, after seeing the Yateses’ en­ thusiasm and hearing their special music. A number of young people provided us with an interesting program on May 3. Four grade 12 students presented an English project the way they had done it in their classroom. Their assignment was to take a poem, song or any piece of literature and present it in a creative way. The presentations were definitely unique and very dramatic. We praise the Lord for the strong, positive testimony that Sylvia, Darren, Cory and David are leaving behind. Maybe only eternity will reveal what an impact they have left on their teachers and fellow students. A group of fellows, calling themselves “Lyf Extreem,” entertained us with a number of songs that they had composed and arranged. The young people, under the direction of Frank and Irene Goertzen, have been involved in several fund-raising efforts. A car wash was held on May 2 and a barbecue dinner was provided at the church on May 31. A farewell service was held on May 17 for Keith and Geneva Siemens, who are moving to Rocky Mountain House. Their musical abil­ ities and service in the church, which have been so greatly appreciated, will be sorely missed. We wish them God’s continued guidance and blessing as they serve Him elsewhere. Another farewell, at the home of Bert and Kathy Koop on May 24, was for Ed and Susie Koop. They are planning to move to Mission, B.C. We also wish them much joy and bless­ ing as they settle into a new place. Lincoln and Marilyn Vellacott, who are in­ volved full time with camp work and follow­ up, were in our church on May 17 to explain the ministry of Kenosee Lake Bible Camp. Summer is fast approaching and many of the children are already looking forward to a week of camp at Kenosee Lake, Sask. PAGE 12

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April saw our numbers increase by four as two young people were baptized and loined the membership and one couple transferred in. On the left are April Friesen and Ron Petkau, who were baptized. It was a thrill to hear their testimonies! In the center are Pastor Harry and Mary Friesen and on the right are Peter and Janine Wieler, who transferred to our church from the Fort Garry EMC. We wish these new members God's continued grace and peace as they grow in Christ and work in the church. Reporter: Fran Harms

LADIES RETREAT ’92

Steinbach EEC (Man.): Spring has sprung and off to Moose Lake, Man., go 16 ladies! The first blessing we encounter is SNOW, and lots of it (and this is the end of April)! We had to change our spring mind-set to winter and pretend it was a beautiful weekend in Janu­ ary. And it was beautiful, with big soft flakes continuously falling, and the hoarfrost on the trees was spectacular! The next blessing was being together. It was so good to relax, laugh, play ping-pong, en­ joy skits, songs and games and, best of all, visit and visit. Old friendships were deepened

and new ones started. Dishes were minimal and food preparation was non-existent! ... Is this a dream? The third blessing was Joyce Dyck, our speaker (from Janz Team Ministries). Joyce is a godly woman, excited about 1) what Christ can do with weaknesses and failures, 2) what praising our Lord can do for us, and 3) what God’s Word can do in our lives. Very moving and motivating! Thank you, Joyce, for allowing the Holy Spirit to use you in our lives. As usual, it was too short a time with so much to think about. Please help us not to for­ get what we learned, Lord. Audrey Guenther

TIME OF RENEWAL Mount Salem, Ont.: What a wonderful time of the year it is! The world has suddenly turned green and colourful. The trees are in full bloom and the clusters of flowers on the apple trees are unbelievable. Farmers are start­ ing to set out plants, hoping it won’t freeze as the temperature dips down to almost zero. The crusade with Marvin Thiessen (March 15-22) was mostly in the Low German lan­ guage, reaching out to the many Mennonites who have moved to the Aylmer area from Mexico. The last few evenings were in English. What a great time of renewal, and what a joy to sing in the choir led by Larry Thiessen! Praise God for drawing lost souls to Himself! The meetings were well attended, 600 to 850 persons per evening, with about 180 making commitments to the Lord. The EMMC and EMC youth groups joined together for fun and games on March 22 at the Ontario Police College. After playing a few games of volleyball, floor hockey and badmin­ ton, Marvin Thiessen shared his thoughts about today’s youth and the temptation of pre­ marital sex. The youth group of our church has just completed a three-week project, which con­ sisted of three groups who were assigned to build a church. Each group had to name their church and elect a pastor, a song leader, Sun-

day school teachers, deacons, a choir leader, ushers, a treasurer and a pianist. It was an in­ teresting project and helped build a better un­ derstanding and knowledge of how a church works. A Youth for Hire auction was held on April 11. The money raised at the auction contribut­ ed to help fund the retreat at Camp Shalom on the weekend of May 22-24. On May 14 we ended the Ladies’ Fellow­ ship meetings for the summer with a mother/daughter evening. Grandmothers with their granddaughters also attended. A church auction was held in May to raise money to finish the church addition. Congratulations to Judy Loewen, daughter of John and Elizabeth Loewen, on her gradu­ ation from Providence College in Otterburne, Man., on Saturday, April 25. On May 3 the students who took SEAN classes in the winter were honoured. John Wall taught Book 1, with seventeen students from four different churches. Wilbert Friesen had eleven students taking Book 3 and nine students finishing Books 4 and 5. That even­ ing we enjoyed a program of singing and dra­ ma by the Steinbach Bible College. Let’s be in prayer for the sick; Mrs. Margaret Thiessen, who has bums on her face and arm; and Mr. John Rempel, who has cancer.

A choir is always a joy to listen to and we were not disappointed when the Steinbach Christian High School Chamber Choir ministered to us on May 22. Thank you for coming. A library promotion night was held on May

24. The library committee did a great job of whetting our mental appetites, and before the evening was over, most of the newly pur­ chased 48 books, 15 videos and 3 tapes had been signed out.

Kathy Klassen

Florence Penner THE MESSENGER

ELIZABETH REIMER 1919-1992 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints (Psalm 116:15).

On Sunday, May 24, 1992, at the Bethes­ da Hospital, in Steinbach, Manitoba, after a valiant battle with failing health, Elizabeth Reimer (nee Kornelson) was called home to be with her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Elizabeth was born on July 16, 1919, and very shortly after was chosen to be the daugh­ ter of Peter and Anna Kornelson of Blumenort, Manitoba. She grew up and received her education in the Kleefeld area. She was baptized upon confession of her faith in Blumenort on August 2, 1934, by Peter P. Reimer. On December 20, 1936, she married David Reimer in Kleefeld, Manitoba, with C.R.E. Reimer officiating. Just a little while ago she was privileged to meet her natural sister, Mary McIntyre, and brother, Fergus McIntosh, and his wife, Thelma. Mom grew up on a farm in the Seaton School district (Heuboden), just north of Kleefeld. Even as a young girl she worked hard, in the house and also out on the farm helping her dad. Particularly during the Deprcs-

PETER FUNK 1923-1992 Peter Wiebe Funk, beloved husband of He­ len, passed away suddenly on Wednesday, May 13, at approximately 9:30 a.m. He was operating the tractor during spring seeding, do­ ing what he enjoyed most. Dad’s journey of 69 years and 24 days here on earth began in Winkler, Man., April 19, 1923. He spent his boyhood on his father’s farm in Reinfeld and then later moved to Wil­ low Ridge with his parents. While living at Willow Ridge, Dad soon got to know the Plett boys across the road and a real friendship was bom between Dad, Mar­ tin and Aaron Plett. Dad often spoke about the time he spent working in the bush together with them. Later, however. Dad became more interested in Martin’s twin sister, Helen. This JUNE 5, 1992

Sion years, she assumed heavy responsibili­ ties. For example, at one point, when her dad was ill, she operated a binder pulled by a team of four horses. One of the horses collapsed and died, leaving her to deal with it alone. And, of course, milking was a standard chore. Mom met Dad and at the age of 17 was married to him. For 55’/2 years they shared in a truly loving and caring relationship. They had a large family and this kept Mom very busy with endless cooking, baking, cleaning, patching and doing laundry, all this with often meagre financial resources. Perhaps Mom’s giving so completely to her family also made her such a giving person to people outside of her family. She enjoyed baking, especially chiffon cakes, and taking food to people and showing them love. Even in later years, when she was not well, she took tremendous pleas­ ure and satisfaction from making patch quilts for members of her family and others. Mom enjoyed singing! We have fond memories of times when, as small children, we would go with her to visit our grandmother. As we rode along. Mom would sing at the top of her voice. Dad tells us that of late, when she was so ill and tired, she would lie down at night and sing, “Muede Bin Ich, Geh Zur Ruh” (“I am tired. I’m going to rest”). It would be easy for us to depict Mom larg­ er than life, but she was not without her strug­ gles. She appreciated it when someone prayed with her, especially one of her children. Many times when we lifted our heads after table grace or prayer. Mom would be misty-eyed. She loved her family tremendously and had a burning desire for each one to come to know Jesus Christ and to live in harmony with Him and with each other.

In September of 1990, Mom underwent major surgery to amputate a leg due to a diabetes-related infection. This was a very painful, life-changing experience for her. Dad, and the family. She, however, accepted it with tremendous strength and courage. Mom was hospitalized frequently, but on April 6, suffer­ ing from acute congestive heart failure, she was admitted for the last time. She was ex­ periencing a great deal of difficulty breathing and was obviously very sick. In spite of this, she demonstrated a strong spirit and “spunk­ iness.” During these past seven weeks in the hospital she often spoke of death, with a real peace and readiness to meet her Lord. She loved for us to sing and pray with her. On Sun­ day morning, with some family members at her side, she found eternal release. She leaves to mourn, her husband, David, their children: Leonard and Susie, Nellie and Dave Ginter, Milt and Frieda, Gladwin and Johanna, Ed, Dora and Bert Penner, Susie and Ed Barkman, Annie and Lome Penner, Rueben and Janet, Emily and Lauren Fries­ en, Gordon and Marilyn, Jones and Sharon, Munay and Gwen; 34 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren; sisters, Helena Dueck and Mary McIntyre, brother Fergus McIntosh, sister-in-law Anna Kroeker; other relatives and countless friends. She was predeceased by her parents, Peter and Anna Kornelson; an infant daughter, Lillian, Peter Kroeker and Jacob Kroeker. She will always be remembered for her love for her family and her generosity. Dad and the family wish to extend special thanks to Dr. Giesbrecht and to the many nurses at the Bethesda Hospital who cared for Mom so kindly and tenderly.

interest in Helen grew and blossomed into love and commitment, and on September 12, 1948, Dad and Mom (Helen Plett) exchanged vows at the Prairie Rose church. They re­ mained faithful to God and to each other. As blossoms produce seeds, so it was in this marriage. Six times Mom and Dad were blessed with the miracle of birth - three boys and three girls. God’s Word doesn’t promise a bed of roses here on earth, even for believers, and there was no exception in Dad’s life. In 1952 Dad suffered with a bout of rheumatic fever. He spent six months in bed, but never com­ plained. During this time, God provided extra strength for Mom. Mom also had help from Dad’s brother Jake and nephew David Plett. With the extra help. Mom was able to look

Heating. Dad always enjoyed spending time with us and he spent many, many hours reading bed­ time stories to us when we were kids. Dad was always content with his lot in life. He had a good sense of humour and he didn’t complain. Dad had a loving acceptance of peo­ ple, which was particularly evident in the way he accepted his children and their spouses, his grandchildren and great-grandchild. He always made everyone feel welcome. Dad always wanted to do things for his family and give them things. He would have liked to give us everything, and it’s only now that we realize that he did give us everything - he gave us a Christian heritage, which will last forever. There are many things we remember about Dad: He never missed breakfast and he didn’t

after Dad, the family and the farm.

like eating leftovers. He had great confidence

Dad worked hard all his life to support his family and always provided for them before he thought of himself. Until his retirement a couple of years ago. Dad always had the farm. He raised livestock, as well as grain, for many years. He also had to find off-farm employ­ ment to make ends meet. He worked at the Manitoba Sugar Company; did carpentry work with John Friesen, during which time he built his own house; and for many years he was employed by Landmark Plumbing and

in the abilities of others, which in turn built confidence. Dad loved the baseball games at the Sunday school picnics and put his whole body into the game. He enjoyed a slow drive to church on Sunday mornings but, because of his policy, “better early than on time,” he was still generally one of the first ones there. He was very faithful in attending church and taking his family to church with him. Because of this, we used to win special attendance (more on page 14)

Her Family

PAGE 13

(Peter Funk, continued) awards in Sunday school when we were children. Dad was a peacemaker within the family. He had no respect for gossip. If ever the con versation would turn towards gossiping or put­ ting someone down. Dad would refuse to take part. When someone passed away. Dad al­ ways took responsibility for calling and letting us know. Dad had spiritual, as well as finan­ cial, struggles, but through it all his faith was always evident in the way he supported Julia in her mission work and other work of the church. After Dad’s retirement, he and Mom enjoyed travelling - in Mexico and Hawaii, and visit­ ing Julia when she was serving as a mission­ ary in Paraguay and then again when she was serving with the Janz Team in Germany. Dad was looking forward to Julia’s return from Ger­ many, which was scheduled for June 28. Dad still enjoyed working on the farm. It would have been impossible to keep him off the field during seeding and harvest. He was looking forward to spring seeding and had al­ ready planted his tomatoes. Dad had many plans, but the Lord intervened and called him home. Peter Funk leaves to treasure his memory HENRY FEHR 1911-1992 Henry Fehr, beloved husband of Sara of Steinbach, Man., passed away on Thursday, April 9, 1992, at the Bethesda Hospital in Steinbach, at the age of 80 years. The funeral service was held Monday, April 13, 2 p.m., at the Evangelical Mennonite Church in Steinbach with Pastor Arden Thies­ sen and Rev. Dan Warkentin officiating. In­ terment followed in the Heritage Cemetery, Steinbach. Viewing was held at the chapel Sunday, April 12, between 7-8 p.m. Besides his wife, Sara, Mr Fehr leaves to cherish his memory three daughters: Hannah and Henry Koop (North Vancouver, B.C.), Sara and Adolf Koop (Steinbach), Lil and Terry Curie (Brandon); six sons: Ruben and Anne (Winnipeg), Herman and Nancy (White Rock, B.C.), Ike and Martha, Harry and Joan, Ernie and Rae (all of Steinbach), Rudy and Marie (New Westminster, B.C.); 23 grandchil­ dren, 17 great-grandchildren; one brother, Peter and Anne (Bolivia); two sisters: Anne and Abram Bergen (Paraguay), Tina and Ben Toews (Abbotsford, B.C.); two sisters-in-law, Anna Miller and Neta Fehr. He was predeceased by one granddaugh­ ter, Judy Koop, in 1978, two brothers, Ike and Will. Pallbearers for the service were his six sons. Donations in his memory may be made to the E.M.C. Church building fund, Steinbach. Arrangements entrusted to Loewen Funer­ al Chapel, Steinbach. Special thanks to Dr. R. Gingerich, Dr. Gor­ don Dyck and all the nurses at the Bethesda Hospital for the very good care they gave to Mr. and Mrs. Henry B. Fehr and family.

PAGE 14

his beloved wife, Helen; six children, Peter and Linda (Morris, Man.), Rita and Henry Enns (Landmark, Man.), Wilmer and Bonnie (Land­ mark), Phyllis and Philip Reimer (Landmark), Julia (serving with the Janz Team in Germa­ ny), John and Esther (Winnipeg); 15 grand­ children, one great-grandchild; brothers and sisters, Tina and Carl Goertzen (Landmark), Frank and Helen (Winkler), Gertrude and Dick Nikkei (Abbotsford, B.C.), Jake and Lola (Landmark), John and Jean (Courtenay, B.C.), Abe and Nettie (Winnipeg), Henry and Rita (Niverville), Isaac (Port McNeill, B.C.), Helen and Greg Hartley (Winnipeg), as well as many TIMOTHY ANDREW FRIESEN FEBRUARY 1992-APRIL 1992 Timothy Andrew Friesen was born on February 10, 1992, in the Swift Current Un­ ion Hospital. We realized his life would prob­ ably be short, having been diagnosed with Edward’s Syndrome. Timothy was usually a quiet and content baby. It was a unique God­ given opportunity to have our lives touched by this “special child.” In his lifetime of almost two months, Timothy was well cared for, loved and enjoyed by his family and friends. We are thankful that he could remain at home in our care until God took him to his heaven­ ly home. Timothy passed away at home on Thursday. April 9, after a short struggle with pneumonia. He will be missed by his parents, John and Barb Friesen; his brothers, Brian and Jeffrey; grandparents, Jacob and Mary Friesen (Swift Current, Sask.) and Jacob and Betty Giesbrecht (Saskatoon, Sask.), and many other relatives - great-grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. The funeral service was held on Sunday, April 12, from the E.M. Church in Swift Cur­ rent, with Tom Peachey officiating. The or­ ganist was Connie Schlamp. Special music was provided by a trio (Marlene Friesen, Lisa Friesen and Cornie Hildebrand) and a duet (Tom and Connie Peachey). The ushers were Gord Neustaeter, Maurice Schapansky and Sheldon Berg. Interment was held at Mount Pleasant Burial Park. Parkside Memorial Funeral Home was in charge of the ar­ rangements. In memory of Timothy, if friends so desire, donations can be made to Child Evangelism of Saskatchewan. Many thanks to all who have had a part in helping, encouraging and praying for us dur­ ing the last two months. The Friesen Family HEAVEN’S VERY SPECIAL CHILD

A meeting was held quite far from earth, “It’s time again for another birth.” Said the angels to the Lord above, “This special child will need much love. His progress may seem very slow. Accomplishments he may not show. And he’ll require extra care. From the folks he meets, way down there. He may not run or laugh or play. His thoughts may seem quite far away.

nephews, nieces and other extended family members. He was predeceased by his parents, Frank and Gertrude (Steinbach), one grandson, Andrew Funk (Landmark), and one brother, Cornie (San Francisco). Dad will be deeply missed, but we echo the words of King David, when he referred to a departed loved one, “He will not return to us but we will go to him” (11 Samuel 12:23). We will treasure the memories of Dad, until we meet again. The Family In many ways he won’t adapt, And he’ll be known as handicapped. So let’s be careful where he’s sent. We want his life to be content. Please, Lord, find the parents who Will do a special job for you. They will not realize right away, The leading role they’re asked to play. But with this child sent from above. Come stronger faith and richer love. And soon they’ll know the privilege given, Their precious charge so meek and mild, Is heaven’s very special child.”

Births JANZEN - to Jake and Darlene Janzen of Swift Current, Sask., twin daughters, Bailey Heleen and Kaitlyn Brooke, on April 10, 1992. ADAMS - to George and Lorraine Adams of Calgary, Alta., a daughter, Heather-Mhairi, on December 31, 1991. STEINERT to Tim and Violet (Kroeker) Steinert of Green River, Wyoming, a daughter, Miranda Joy, on May 1. 1992.

Weddings KLASSEN - FRIESEN: Neil, son of Neil and Mar­ garet Klassen of Aylmer. Ont., was married on May 2,1992, to Nancy, daughter of Mrs. Maria Friesen, also of Aylmer. The wedding took place at the Mount Salem E.M. Church, with Wilbert Friesen of Aylmer officiating. The couple is making their home in Aylmer. THIESSEN ■ KLASSEN: Pete, son of John and Margaret Thiessen, and Nancy, daughter of Abe and Justina Klassen, all of Aylmer, Ont., were married on March 28. 1992. The wedding took place at the Mount Salem E.M. Church, with Wilbert Friesen of Aylmer officiating. The couple is residing in Aylmer. NICKEL - DEWALD: George, son of John and Trudi Nickel of Rosenfeld, Man., and Patti, daughter of Rudolph Dewaid of Malonton, Man., were mar­ ried on April 18, 1992, at the Morris Fellowship Chapel in Monis, Man. John Reimer of Morris officiated. The couple is making their home in Monis.

PRINCIPAL/TEACHER NEEDED A principal/teacher is needed to teach grades 7, 9 and 10 at the Mennville School, Riverton, Manitoba, with duties to commence in September 1992.

If interested, contact Ed Harms (378-2810) or Ray Kroeker (378-2984),

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By the WAY By Dave Schellenberg MAPLE SYRUP IN MANITOBA! You must be kidding! Quebec or Ontario maybe, not in Manitoba. Well, I have news for you. Right here in southern Manitoba a maple syrup operation has sprung up, producing a product which I don’t think can be surpassed. Jamie, my grandson, and 1 can testify to this fact because we were there and tasted the product, and I even bought some to take home. So there you have it! St. Pierre Jolys is about a half-hour drive from Steinbach. From the name you have guessed that it is a French commu­ nity. It seems that, according to the IVinnipeg Free Press (Monday, April 6, 1992), the community hopes to turn this “sugar­ ing off” event into a yearly festival. One of the first things we did upon en­ tering the grounds (museum) was to make our way to the area where one could sam­ ple firsthand this delicious product of the Manitoba maple. And we were not dis­ appointed. There were several long narrow troughs filled with packed snow. Narrow strips of maple syrup, about eight or ten inches in length, were poured into these troughs. We already had taken our popsicle sticks upon entering so after the few minutes it took to harden the syrup, we rolled it up into a ball and, presto! we had a ball of syrup clinging to the end of our stick.

ready for sampling. And was it good! (Watch those dentures, though!) Thanks to a very accommodating museum staff, it was a very enjoyable Sunday afternoon. This public event was featured on two successive Sundays.

AND NOW I CAN EVEN FIX A SEWING MACHINE! Well, take that with a grain of salt. However, when I first sat down with the sewing head tilted off the cabinet, I had little faith that I would accomplish anything. Some of the key mechanism had fallen apart and seemed to defy reassembling. In fact, there were three parts (I think maybe the heart of the whole machine) that needed putting together, but how, which way? Well, luck or good fortune or whatever you’d call it, saw it assembled and put into place. How good I felt, until it was evident something was in the wrong way! So, out it came and the little gizmo was turned around and, sure enough, it again clicked into place. And what do you know, the moment of confirmation came when I tried it out on an old rag, and it worked. However, before you start hauling your defunct machine to 385 Fourth Street, I make no promises. In fact, I am not even interested in pushing my luck!

ics could apply. Each of the churches in our Conference is an autonomous local unit, addressing itself specifically to its own lo­ cal needs and situation. At the same time, we are also members together of the larger family, the Conference. What kinds of things are we doing at the Conference level to help strengthen us as a Conference family?

Separate but together . . . ? I have often wondered about the dynamics of local church life as it relates to the different age groups. In many congregations there are a variety of groups like Young Moms, Proteens, Youth, Col­ lege and Career, etc. I understand the variety of needs and interests but I also wonder on occasion about the together part. What kinds of things are we involved in that help us strengthen the body as a whole, as well as the different aspects of the body? One way is to have frequent events in which the entire body par­ ticipates, like Sunday school picnics, Thanksgiving suppers, bap­ tisms, Christmas programs, etc. Another way is to involve one group with another; e.g., college and career members discipling proteens.

Again, I believe that joint activities are very important. Events like annual convention or regional get-togethers are wonderful family builders and we should not miss them! Not only do we strengthen what we are as a family but we are also enriched by the experience. Our missions program is also an expression of our togetherness. After having missed these kinds of together events for some time due to involvement in Nicaragua, I am really enjoying the blessing of being able to participate in Conference activities again. I have noticed, however, that many of our younger leaders are often absent at Conference events like the Leadership Retreat and Conference Council. Where are you?

Yes, there are separate dynamics that we must attend to but there is also much that we have in our togetherness! Let’s keep building together! Ernie Koop

When asking this question at a Conference level similar dynamJUNE 5, 1992

PAGE 15

From the Editor Guest Editorial

How then shall we respond to fire from heaven? by Muriel T. Stackley

AN EX-QUAKER wryly responded to the title question with, “Never once did the first-century fire-touched disciples think about sitting down and having a silent meeting.” A church leader has observed that “whenever Pentecost fire falls it burns off our purse strings.” Another said, “A Pentecost God makes grappling hooks, not bookworms, out of preachers.” Whether in worship or stewardship or ministry, the 2,000-year-old Pentecost event continues to inspire us. It can ignite us with holy fire that just may back-burn the despair that set Los Angeles ablaze following a racist verdict on April 30. Pointing to the future, Pentecost points us to the future. We, like that early bewildered congregation that was changed into missionaries, have work to do. Pentecost can invigorate our congregations to do that work. We care about this because we care about where we live. Racism on this continent and frustra­ tion in the developing world require us to. The Holy Spirit empowers people to transform culture, and North American culture needs changing. But watch out: We are first of all called to a Christ-centered faith; we are not primarily called to change society. Obeying God comes first. Transforma­ tion is the consequence. Pollster George Gallup has garnered the information that only two percent of United States citizens have “an informed and deeply committed faith.” Did Gallup include those who hold to a generic Christianity with no biblical ethics (where, to use Soren Kierkegaard’s picture, fields are so big and fences so low that the goats inside are as wild as the goats outside)? Did Gallup in­ clude those who worship God, but only under a national flag? (A year ago one denomination convened under the banner of a 40- X 60-foot American flag, and on Main Street, U.S.A., the Persian Gulf War was supported with ferocity.) Whether or not generic and nationalistic Christians are in Gallup’s two percent, we should never again speak the lie, “Christian nation,” when referring to the United States. (I will let the Canadians speak for themselves.) So what is our Pentecost work? First of all, in our wanting to restore health to the church and society, let us not as congrega­ tions be divisive. Reforms spawn schisms if they are not saturat­ ed with God’s grace. Unless shaped by the cross of Christ, churches simply tend to split. Partings of ways can, however, be outbreaks of faithfulness. Can we find ways to experience these separations as healthy “swarming,” part of the ongoing spread of the gospel? Second, stagnated Christian denominations need the evangel as much as do unchurched people. And ironically, the Good News has to emphasize suffering. As the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church, just so the comfort of the church sig­ nals its death and need for rebirth. Third, for all our talk about the prophetic, someone has to tend the resulting institution. The founders of the Christian church likely didn’t expect its earthly life to continue this long.

PAGE 16

Organization happens. Bureaucracy happens. But take heart: The Bible has prophets, but also administrators! Someone has to maintain continuity, order and the ordinary which makes life possible. Also take warning: The temptation of church bureaucracy is to form little Christendoms precisely like the one rejected by the Radical Reformation. What then is the good news of Pentecost? It is that in Christ we can all be changed, redeemed, sent. That first-century con­ gregation has authority for us only because it was Spirit-filled. Remembering that invites us to similar experiences with the Holy Spirit. Forgetting that will signal our loss of identity as the church of Jesus Christ. This decade desperately needs a prophetic and united resur­ rection and Pentecost community. But discipleship will never be popular in our culture, barring a major miracle from the Lord. Nevertheless, reclaiming Pentecost enables us to go where we need to go, into the neighborhood, with Good News. Just as the first Pentecost made the church visible, being “enspirited” gives us healing words to say where they are needed. Muriel T. Stackley is the editor of The Mennonite, the publication of the General Conference Men­ nonite Church, Newton, Kansas.

Honour Your Father! A FATHER IS a symbol of strength and security. In his role as a provider he often has to spend long hours at work. Some of that time he would probably much rather be with his wife and children. As the leader of the family, he needs much grace and wis­ dom. Being human, he too sometimes makes mistakes. For those he needs to be forgiven. But for all the blessings and pleasures he provides, for his love, his guidance and his com­ panionship, he needs to be thanked. Thank your father, not just on Father’s Day, but every day. Thank him, not just with words, but with your actions too. He appreciates your love! Menno Hamm

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