The Messenger September 3, 1993

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The Messenger EVANGELICAL MENNONITE CONFERENCE

VOL VOL. 31 NO. 15

SEPT. 3/93

"Blessed ore the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Mottheuj 5:8)

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Nocline seems to be concentroling hord, trying to decide uihich mission field she will choose when she grows up.

School days are here again! May the Lord bless and guide all our students, teachers and staff during the 1993-94 school year.

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Convention Messages

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The Effective Small Church

Working for Growth by Peter Dueck magine yourself boarding a luxury liner for an ocean cruise. The passengers are there, tickets in hand, and the crew is ready to welcome you on board. The ship’s dining hall has been stocked with hors d’oeuvres and caviar. As you look over the ship you make your way down to the diesel room and ask to see the engines that will propel the ship on this cruise. A crew member answers, “I don’t know where the engine is, I just make sure the diesel room is clean and we have a copy of the operator’s manual on hand in case we should need it.” Would you want to be a passenger on that cruise? Sometimes our church growth plans are a little bit like that. We keep a copy of the Bible on hand but we are not too sure where the source of our power is, what makes churches grow. I believe that at our congregational or church board meetings we’re not only planning to keep our churches open, but we are plan­ ning the eternal destiny of our friends and neighbours. My prayer i.s that we will receive a new appreciation of how the Spirit of God can use each one of us as individuals to work for the growth of the church. It is God’s work through us individually and collectively as churches that determines whether we will have church growth. When I refer to church growth I mean kingdom growth, not only an in­ crease in church attendance. If we are interested mainly in increasing our attendance, any num­ ber of gimmicks will achieve that. Get some momentum and hype going and the people will come — mostly from other churches! That is not church growth. Church growth is new peo­ ple coming to Christ, and Christians becoming mature disciples.

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as I knew how, what it means to be at peace with God. Through­ out the visit he kept interrupting, “I never knew it was this simple, this is exactly what I’ve been looking for.” I was very conscious of the fact that this man had been prepared by the Spirit of God, and I just needed to give him the details. I attribute that to God answering the prayers of the men in our Wed­ nesday morning prayer time. The Spirit is always present in the life of the Christian, but His power becomes evident when we pray. I think the quote, outside of Scripture, that has had the greatest impact in my ministry is one by S. D. Gordon, “Prayer is striking the winning blow; ministry is gathering the result.” So often we get this turned around, think­ ing that ministry is more important than prayer. Obviously I am not saying, don’t run big programs, don’t look at successful churches, or don’t be busy. In the right sequence those things are helpful and necessary, but church growth begins in prayer. In my own experience as a church planter I have found that when I have knelt down and cried out to God, then there has been im­ pact. Recently I cried to God one morning, confessing my luke­ warmness, and confiding in God that I was tired of going through the motions of ministry, not knowing if lives were being changed. Within minutes a young husband and father dropped in at the office and said he needed to get back on track with God. It was almost as if God was saying, “Peter, when you get seriou.s about doing the work My way, I will be there.” Working for growth requires prayer. When we pray we give God the opportunity to demonstrate His mighty power. It is prayer that makes the difference, whether our activities bring results or fall flat.

Working for growth requires prayer Before Jesus’ crucifixion, prayer didn’t seem that important to the disciples. They slept through the most intense prayer meeting this world has seen. In the Garden of Gethsemane they failed to support Jesus in prayer. Then suddenly things changed, this new movement — which we call the church — was born in prayer. In the book of Acts you read statements like: • They devoted themselves to prayer. • They were daily in the temple praying. • They raised their voices to God in prayer. Whereas before the disciples had slept through a prayer meet­ ing, now they realized that prayer was the key to significant minis­ try, and the church grew rapidly. A few months ago a group of men in our church in Grande Prairie began praying for the salvation of a man I will call Clint. God gave us an assurance that He had heard our prayers. Though I had never met Clint, I had recently led his girl friend to the Lord. They lived together in a common-law relationship. That very afternoon Clint’s girl friend called me and said he would like to talk to me. 1 was excited, but on the way to their apart­ ment I began to wonder if he might want to beat me up, because I had told his girl friend it would be all right for her to move out. My fears were eased when Clint greeted me with a wide, tooth­ less grin. He genuinely wanted to know how to become a Chris­ tian. Because he had no church background, 1 explained, as simply

Working for growth requires vision When we understand who God is and who we are in Christ, it gives us a new zeal, it makes us venturesome. If we only under­ stood the almighty power of God, and His cry for our communi­ ties, perhaps we would dare to take more risks for Him. When we no longer have God’s vision for our community, we begin to con­ centrate on simply maintaining what we have. A visionary church is a forward-facing church, it has direction, it knows where it is going. Instead of dreaming only of the glory days in its history, the church moves along, confident that there is more glory ahead. When we lose our vision we mostly talk about how things used to be, but visionary churches see more territory to be claimed. Caleb in the Old Testament is a good example of a visionary lead­ er. He had caught a glimpse of the promised land and he had an understanding of the power of God. Those two things gave him the confidence to move ahead and claim the land. His vision made him willing to take the risk. So vision, I believe, is a combination of two things: seeing the potential and believing in the provision of God. Walter Boldt tells the story of a town in the United State.s that was in an area designated to be flooded. The government had an­ nounced that eventually the town would be moved and flooding would begin. Three months after the announcement a television crew went into this town to take pictures. They found a dilapidated town: long

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THE MESSENGER

“When we understand who God is and who we are in Christ, it gives us new zeal, it makes us venturesome.” grass, broken windows and streets full of potholes. As the crew entered the filling station they asked the attendant how a town could allow its spirit to be so totally broken in such a short while. And the attendant answered in classic wisdom, “Where there is no vision for the future, there is no power for the present.” I think the church in Seminole, Texas, is one example of vision and church growth. While American newspapers were crying out against “wet-backs” and illegal immigrants, and Mennonites were accusing each other of making land deals that didn’t stand up in court, some people saw potential. In a short time they began a school, sent teachers and began to erect a church building. When I saw the picture of the Seminole church in the April 30 Messenger, I could hardly believe it. That is evidence of church growth. And then I began to wonder, “What makes a small congrega­ tion in Manitoba’s Interlake district believe that, besides operat­ ing its own church and Christian school, there would be enough resources left to send teachers, operate a school and build a church building way down in Seminole?” And the answer is, vision — being able to see the potential where others can’t, and trusting in the power of God. I am beginning to understand that when a church catche,s a vi­ sion, hardly anything will stop it; on the other hand, when there is little vision, hardly anything will motivate us. In Grande Prairie we set aside one day each year for “Prayer and Goal-setting.” We believe a church needs to frequently evalu­ ate the direction it is going. So we ask, why are we doing what we are doing? Is it simply because every church does them? Do we have Sunday school just because it wouldn’t be church without it, or do our teachers walk into the class each Sunday morning with an objective in mind? In May we had our annual elections, and I challenged the new committee members not to attend one meeting in the coming year without first reviewing the purpose of that particular committee. When we lose the primary purpose for the church’s existence, we begin to pick on each other’s flaws: — instead of extending helping hands, we point accusing fingers, — instead of being fishers of the lost, we become critics of the saved, — rather than helping the hurting, we hurt the helping. The result? Unattractive churches. The poor go unfed, the confused go uncounselled, and the lost go unreached. More than we realize, we need a vision that is forward focused, as demonstrated in the early church. When the authorities told the disciples to stop preaching, they didn’t give up and complain to God, they simply prayed, “Now Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness” (Acts 4:28). They were invincible because they saw the potential and believed in the power of God. That is what vision does. I believe it is safe to say that when it comes to church growth, the Holy Spirit is never satisfied to maintain the status quo. He wants to give us a vision for the future. Growth requires vision. The power of God becomes evident when we pray and when we capture His vision. Every Christian could possess these qualities. It has nothing to do with how much education we have, how much we earn, or what profession we may be in. Whether we milk cows, drive a truck, or teach in a school, each of us can be useful in build­ ing the church. It is really only a question of priorities. So we can take heart. The kingdom of God grows when the Spirit is able to work through His people. This places church growth within the reach . of every church and every individual Christian. Homemakers, farm­ ers, secretaries and CEOs can all have the anointing of the Spirit on their life. SEPTEMBER 3, 1993

The book of Acts is adamant that powerless Christianity is an oxymoron, a contradiction of terms. The question that each one of us needs to answer is, “Am I committed to the work the Holy Spirit is committed to? Does my life demonstrate that my main ob­ jective is to build the church of Jesus Christ?” The story of the church in Acts illustrates that God will work through ordinary people to build His church. And He will do it when we begin to pray and when we capture a vision of what God wants to do. As a Christian, how far are you willing to go in build­ ing up the church? God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways to build His church. A pastor told me the story of Elaine, who is a homemaker and a member of his church. While Elaine was shopping at the supermarket one afternoon, a name came to her mind. The name, Margi, meant nothing to her, so she dismissed it as a mental impression. A bit later the name came to her mind again, so she said, “Lord, I don’t know any Mar­ gi, but if You are asking me to pray for her, then 1 simply ask that You will work in Margi’s life.” As Elaine unloaded her cart she noticed the name pin on the checkout girl — Margi. Well, Elaine had no idea whether this had any connection to her earlier impression, but she decided to ask the girl how her day was going. Margi broke into tears. Elaine simply said, “I don’t know what’s bothering you but sometimes it helps to talk to a complete stranger. I’ll just take my bags over to the lunch counter and if you want to talk, you can join me there.” Elaine got her coffee, not really expecting Margi to come, but Margi was already there, taking her lunch break early. Margi told her story. She has a degenerative disease that gives her incredible pain, and keeps her awake at night. The doctors can’t find the root of the problem and this whole thing is destroying her family. Elaine just sat and listened with her hand on Margi’s. After a while Elaine asked if Margi would mind if she prayed. Margi asked, “Doi have to bow my head?” “Of course not, God doesn’t want to embarrass you and I’ll make it short.” She prayed for God to bless Margi and her family and to show His love to them. That was it. As she left, Elaine gave Margi her telephone number, never expecting to hear from her again. Several days later Elaine’s phone rang. When she answered, the man at the other end said, “You don’t know me, but you spoke to my wife at the store several days ago. Do you remember Margi?” The man proceeded to tell Elaine that for three or four weeks Margi had not slept more than a few hours each night. In order for Margi to be able to sleep and not wake up from his tossing, he slept on the couch. Three or four times every night Margi came through the living room on her way to the kitchen to get medica­ tion, a drink, or just to walk off the pain. That day when Elaine had prayed with Margi, she came home and went to sleep. By 4:00 a.m. she still hadn’t made her regular trip through the living room so the husband got worried and checked up on her. Margi was sound asleep, and had slept right through every night since then. The husband ended the call by saying that he and his wife would like to know more about this God that Elaine prays to. That is how churches grow, each individual representing Jesus in their everyday life. You know what really strikes me about this story? If Jesus had been in that shopping centre that day, what do you think He would have done? Exactly what Elaine did. That is how churches grow. The foregoing article is considerably condensed from the message given at the Annual Convention in July by Rev. Peter Dueck, pastor of the Swan City Christian Fellowship (EMC} in Grande Prairie, A Ha. The full text may be requested from the Conference Office, or it may be ordered on cassette tape (SJ.OO + postage).

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OUR PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND By Elma Dueck THIS SPRING my long-time dream to visit the Holy Land be­ came a reality. On April 26 my husband and 1 and his brother Ben and his wife, Helena, met our tour group of 42 people in the Toronto Air­ port. Majors Woody and Sharon Hale, Salvation Army officers from St. John’s, Nfld., were our tour leaders. We spent our first week in Greece, including a three-day cruise on the Aegean Sea. In Athens we visited the famous Acropolis, towering 200 feet above the city; and Mars Hill, where Paul preached to the intellectuals of Greece, presenting Jesus Christ as the one they named the Unknown God. Woody and Sharon,

of the ruins of the city has been excavated, and recalled Paul’s ministry here. The three-day cruise on the ship Neptune was a unique and enjoyable experience, except for a brief bout of seasickness the first day for some of us. We docked at the famous tourist island of Myconos for a couple of hours and strolled along its narrow winding, white cobblestone streets. We also explored the pic­ turesque island of Rhodes, which Paul is said to have visited sever­ al times around 57 A.D., and where he recruited the first Christians. From here we sailed to Turkey, docking at Kusadasi and by bus followed along the footsteps of Henry and his friend Derek in Paul and John through Anitola to view the ruins of Ephesus.

Our group at the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus in Turkey. If is quite a large area of excavations — part of the city with the streets and various buildings. The most impressive, largest and in­ teresting ruins we’ve seen.

our hosts, led a devotional on Acts 17 at the foot of Mars Hill. These devotionals at every significant spot, as well as morning devotions on the bus as we started our daily tours, added much to the meaning of our entire tour. We also visited the ancient city of Corinth, where a large area Contributors: Elma Dueck is the Messenger reporter for the Braeside EMC Church in Winnipeg, Man. Dave and Jud^i Schmidt (Rosenort) serve as church planters in Paraguay with the EMC Board of Missions. Ar/ey and Janice Loewen are members of the Blumenort EMC. Joe and Olga Reimer (Blumenort) are involved in church planting and development in Natal, South Africa.

COVER: Nadine is the daughter of Russ and San­ dra Reimer, Gretna, Man. The photo was submit­ ted by Nadine’s grandmother. Myrtle Reimer. MESSENGER SCHEDULE: The next Messenger will be published in three weeks, on September 24. Thereafter the two-week schedule will resume, with two issues per month: October 8 and 22, November 5 and 19, December 3 and 17. Material must be received at least four days before each publishing date.

COMING EVENTS

September 15 "See you at the Pole" Storytelling by Jack Dueck Day of national prayer as part of MCC Relief Sale by high school students 7:30 p.m.: across North America 14 — Steinbach Bible College Phone: (519) 725-2000 15 — Reinland Community September 17-18 Centre MCC B.C. Relief Sale 16 — Richmond Park MB Clearbrook, B.C. Church, Brandon, Man. Phone: (604) 850-6639 17 — MacGregor Mennonite September 18 Church MCC Manitoba Relief Sale 19 — (2:30 p.m.) Morris Morris, Man.

September 14-17, 19

Recreation Centre

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Phone: (204) 261-6381

Jerusalem

They are the largest, most impressive excavations that we have seen, with rows of ancient buildings along the streets, dating back to Paul’s time. Then we travelled to the island of Patmos, where John received the inspiration for the Book of Revelation. On May 4 we flew to Tel Aviv, a beautiful modern city, finally arriving in Israel, the country we had waited so long to see. Israel is not noted for any great spectacular sights like the pyramids in Egypt, nor can their mountains compare to the Swiss Alps or our Canadian Rockies. But in no other country does the Bible become alive like in Israel. We were fascinated! Israel is a small country but so vital and important. When you look at the map you can see it acts as a hinge between Europe and Asia, with Africa hanging by a thread at the foot of the Suez Canal. The armies of history have marched through this land on their way to battle. The distance from Dan in the north to Beersheba in the south is only 150 miles. At its narrowest it is only nine miles wide. Still, its terrain is so incredi­ bly diverse: mountains, deserts, lowlands, plateaus, rivers, lakes, fresh and saltwater seas.

September 18 MCC Ontario Relief Sale Black Creek, Ont. Phone: (519) 745-8458 September 23 and 24 Pastors' and Christian Leaders' Conference Vision for Ministry Steinbach, Man. Phone: (204) 326-9927 September 24 - 26 South-Eastern Manitoba Christian Ed. Convention Steinbach, Man. Phone: (204) 326-9927

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

Editor: Menno Hamm Phone: (204) 326-6401: Fax: (204) 326-1613

THE MESSENGER

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When the State of Israel gained its independence in 1948, there were hardly any trees left due to so many wars and fires. Erosion left a devastated land. Now we were struck by the beauty, the blossoming of Israel, literally fulfilling Bible prophecy that the desert shall once more blossom like a rose (Isaiah 35:1). The Israelis have developed a unique and large irrigation sys­ tem piping the water from the Sea of Galilee. Where there had been only sand dunes before, there were now lush groves, or­ chards and fields of grain; beautiful, modem cities teeming with people and life, green with trees, lawns and flowers, each a living testimony of God’s faithfulness. The words of our guide hit me when he said, “Where there is water there is life.” The words of Jesus came to me: “Whosoever believes in me as the scriptures says, out of his belly shall flow streams of living water.” Jesus is the living water. Am I an open channel through which God’s living water can flow to parched, thirsting souls in the desert? Everywhere we went we saw places of biblical significance: Our busload of people singing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and see­ ing large flocks of sheep grazing under the olive trees; stopping at the lovely sheltered spot on the Jordan River to witness the baptism of six of our group, in­ cluding our special friends, 12-year-old Derek, his mother and 14-year-old sister; sailing on the sparkling Sea of Galilee sur­ rounded by mountains, singing songs about the “Man of Galilee” and meditating on His Word where Jesus stilled the storm; ___________ reciting the Beatitudes on the _______ Our friend Melissa was baptized in lovely Mount of Beatitudes overthe Jordan River. looking the Sea of Galilee; descending to the pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed the man who had been sick and waiting for 38 years; entering Jerusalem where Jesus rode on a donkey on Palm Sunday to the shouts of “Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” The most moving experience for me was the celebration of Communion in the Garden of Gethsemane, shaded by the groves of old, gnarled olive trees, served to us by a Salvation Army officer and a retired United Church minister in our group, both radiant Christians, to our group of many denominations, all united in Christ. I experienced an overwhelming sense of Jesus’ infinite love

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as I visualized Him in His agony, the sweat drops of blood on His brow, accepting the bitter cup of my sins. ”How can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for meT’ Walking along the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) was a differ­ ent experience than I had anticipated. It leads right through the Old Market in Jerusalem, a narrow street lined with open Arab shops selling goods of every description and smell, crowded with tourists and people of every kind; vendors shouting and tugging at us to buy their stuff; trying to keep sight of our own people in the pushing, pulsing crowd amid the deafening noise. Just as I began to feel a bit claustropho­ bic and to fret, I realized that this was how it was for Jesus, for­ saken by his friends, when He walked this way, only infinitely worse as the crowds shouted, “Crucify Him,” and cursed Him and spat on Him. It gave me a Sailing on the Sea of Galilee. Woo­ new understanding of His suffer­ dy is reading the story of Jesus still­ ing on His way to Calvary. ing the storm. It was quite windy and In the peaceful atmosphere of Woody had to sit while reading. the garden tomb, we took turns entering the tomb of Jesus, exulting in the fact that He is not here but alive and present with us! Later, on our last Sunday morning in Jerusalem, we returned again to this lovely garden to join in a service of praise and worship with hundreds of fellow pilgrims from all over the world. Jerusalem is a city like no other city. The Bible refers to it as the city of God and the mountain of Jehovah. It is sacred to the Jews, Muslims and Christians — to the Jews, because of Solo­ mon’s Temple, all the glories of its past and hope for the future; to the Muslims because they believe their prophet Mohammed ascended to heaven here; and to us Christians because of our Lord’s death, burial and resurrection here. On our last evening in Jerusalem our group, like a large family, had a farewell supper. Opportunity was given to share one or two highlights of our pilgrimage. Our host. Woody, made a special presentation to the tour member who had been the greatest en­ couragement and inspiration to him. Would you believe it, my dear unassuming husband received it! I am so thankful that we could make this pilgrimage; it was much more than a pleasure trip! Shalom!

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

CAMP ARNES POSITIONS

Camp Arnes, Western Canada’s largest Christian camp, requires an executive director commencing in Fall, 1993. The executive director is responsible for all aspects of the camp’s year-round ministry and operations. The successful candidate will have: • A proven record of leadership, preferably in Christian camping and related areas • A strong commitment to the Christian faith and the desire to nurture this faith in others • Demonstrated personnel management and people skills to deal effectively at staff, camper and board levels • Experience in promotion and fund-raising activities for a charitable organization • Good administration skills.

Please send written resume, including references, to: CAMP ARNES Attention: Reg Kliewer, Vice-chairman c/o 55 Vulcan Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2G 1B9 Telephone: (204) 988-5614 Fax: (204) 663-5267 September 30 - October 2 1993 Prophecy Conference Elim Chapel Winnipeg, Man. Phone: (204) 254-7843

SEPTEMBER 3, 1993

September 30 - October 3 Annual conference Canadian Revival Fellowship Three Hills, Alta. Phone: (306) 522-3685

October 2 Ministerial Meeting Morweena EMC Arborg, Man. Phone: (204) 326-6401

Camp Arnes has the following posi­ tions available immediately: RegistrarfReceptionist in Winnipeg office — Wordperfect 5.0 or 5.1 re­ quired. Position suited to wellorganized person with ability to work under pressure. Call 338-4647 for fur­ ther information.

The following positions are located at Camp Arnes. Call Lowell Enns at 642-7618 for further information:

Wrangler — Experience with riding horses and heavy horses is required. Job includes heavy work. Cook — Experience required. Lifeguard Camp Arnes 1151 Henderson Highway Winnipeg, MB R2G 1L5

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Missions 1------------I

PARAGUAY

Bind Us Together, Lord! Why Are We Here? “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart” (I Peter 1:22). Why are we here? There are many places in the world, and even in Paraguay, where the gospel message has never been heard. Dur­ ing the 1 14 years that we have been in Pastoreo, we have become increasingly aware of various evangelical groups that at one time preached the gospel and established the church, or are still doing so. A closer look re­ veals that each group is also preaching their own “gospel” and establishing their own “church.” Our presence is seen as another ef­ fort to establish one more group, which will only be another threat to them. Why are we here? Certainly we want to preach the gospel and plant the church. Does that have to conflict with others who are in­ volved in the same work? The Bible teaches that when a certain condition is met, “puri­ fied...by obeying the truth,” we are to “love one

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another deeply, from the heart.” Why are we here? To preach boldly the message of reconciliation with God; to estab­ lish the church with those who obey the truth; to draw together believers in the bond of love. We have been encouraged by many be­ lievers who are seeing the need for more uni-

AFGHANISTAN

The Cry of Afghanistan! Where is the Christ? At a recent Afghan recital of Persian and Pashto poetry one man cried out, “We don’t belong to a political party, ours is the party of sorrows!" The cry that is on the lips of thousands of Afghans today is ably put into verse by a well-known Afghan writer who died a few years ago. Spring is coming this year, but with a message of blood All is blood, the soil, the sky, the stars, mountains and deserts All are soaked in blood. When one reads modern Afghan literature, there is only sadness, grief and hopelessness. For 15 years this country has reeled in cease­ less, bloody war, first with the Soviet invasion and now with the senseless, yet bitter, in fighting between rival Muslim factions. Another Afghan writer recently wrote, “The communists tried to wipe out Is­ lam for 14 years and were unsuccessful, the Muslim freedom fight­ ers have done it successfully in 1 year!” The tales of horror that drift out of this forgotten land just seem like further statistics to an al­ ready fatigued Western world, inundated with endless stories of bloodshed and violence from Somalia, South Africa and Bosnia, but for the Afghan civilians, this unabated bloodshed is a deathblow to any ray of hope they had after the Soviets left their country. How can we respond? What is our voice to the cries of bloodshed and oaths of further revenge? Can we say anything? Are the words of Jesus at all relevant to such a despairing people? In a recent Af­ ghan publication, one of the modern poets of Afghanistan (he is by no means a Christian) wrote these longing words: Tell me where is the Christ of Today Who by His Spirit can quicken my breath and soul. Could it be that the hardened Afghans, who equate being Afghan with being Muslim, would actually long for the Breath of Christ? Perhaps the most famous of all Persian poets, known equally well both in Afghanistan and in Iran, Sheikh Hafiz Shirazi, wrote these PAGE 6

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ty among those who confess Jesus as Lord. We are planning to have joint fellowship meet­ ings, as well as evangelistic campaigns, wher­ ever the doors are open. 1 am including a small map, mentioning places where Christians are living. Pray for them and for the unity of be­ lievers. Dave and Judy Schmidt

lines over 500 years ago. Rejoice oh heart, because the breath of Christ is coming And from the Breath of Breaths is coming the fragrance of Hope. All the above writers were Muslims. Does it mean that they are all ready and eager to hear the message of Christ? It is not quite as simple as that. There are still many rock-like obstacles to clear away, and much dry, hardened ground to plow through. There is still much work to do, work which could perhaps be called pre­ evangelism, work to prepare the hearts of despairing Afghans for the life-giving seed of God. Such work is what has captured our vision over the last 12 years. God has called us to serve in His Kingdom work among the peoples of Afghanistan, both in Asia and here in the West, with a vision of one day seeing a visible Afghan church giving witness of the life of Christ. Over the years this has taken many different approaches of ministry, all the way from traditional hospitality, hours and hours of tea drinking, teaching English, Persian academic studies and the odd Bible study/discipleship sessions and even baptisms. Recently we have somewhat redirected our focus. Using the years of Persian academic studies, we are working on developing cultural­ ly sensitive media publications for the spiritually needy peoples of Afghanistan. This has led to exciting new opportunities of seeing good reading materials enter the homes of hundreds and hopefully thousands of Afghans around the world. Afghans are not waiting at church doors eager to come in, but they are hungry for a new Breath. We believe that Breath is Jesus. Too often the fragrance of Christ is accompanied by the “stench” of Western culture, at least in the minds of the Afghans. Though we have much to learn, it has been most fulfilling to see secular and Muslim Afghans respond positively to the publication we produce. Arley and Janice Loewen Note: Arley and Janice Loewen have been working with Opera­ tion Mobilization for over ten years. Their focus of ministry is both the Persian-speaking people of Iran and Afghanistan. Besides producing media materials lor Afghans, Arley is also co-pastoring a small Iranian congregation in Toronto.

THE MESSENGER

SOUTH AFRICA

DEPARTURES

Prayer Makes the Difference Vision Returning About six months ago in our quarterly cir­ cular we requested prayer for one of our pas­ tors who was held accountable by his former employer for a large amount of money that went missing in his employ. He has now been vindicated, and I like to think that the prayers of many did make a difference. Rev. Peter Myeni has for a number of years been the manager of a small country general store which is owned by a businessman who also owns a larger store in our community. In addition, Peter is the pastor of our church here at Mangwazana. He was not able to do justice to his responsibilities. To make matters worse, Peter’s store was robbed several times late last year, and one time he lived through a horren­ dous shoot-out. Finally, in early January, he handed in his resignation to his employer. A new manager could not quickly be found so Peter’s employer sent his wife as manageress in the interim. He worked with her for two weeks prior to his departure. It was during that time that the store was again robbed one day, this time at closing time while they were count­ ing money. Peter saw thieves entering the store and so threw the money into the safe and ran. The new manageress was very un­ suspecting and consequently lived through a hellish ordeal. Again a number of shots were fired, although no one was hurt. The thieves made off with a record haul. After this last theft, a major argument en­ sued. Peter was charged for not protecting the new manageress and he was also suspected of being in with the thieves in the theft. Then, when the audit was done, a very large amount of money was unaccounted for. It was found that money or stock had started to disappear as early as three years before. Every year the inventory was taken but the owner had never taken the time to check the balances; he had full confidence in Peter. This dear pastor was so troubled that his vision for the church all but disappeared. Everyone in the church knew his dilemma as he shared freely. He had always enjoyed the full confidence of his people. He knew that he was in the right but there were those who be­ gan to waver. 1 always counselled him by say­ ing, “Don’t worry, Peter. God knows the truth

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Peter and Kathy Friesen

Thelma and Peter Myeni

and He will vindicate everyone who stands for the truth in this matter.” Meanwhile, Peter’s relationship with his former employer was one of complete avoidance. He was not formally charged with anything because nothing could be sufficient­ ly proven. One day Peter said that he wished that he was charged, even if by some mistake he would be found guilty, so that he could take the penalty and be a free man again. The Lord had something far better in store for him. One day when he was passing the store his former employer stopped him and apologized to him. His wife did the same. The stock in the store had continued to disappear after Peter’s resignation and it was found that the stock disappeared between the small store and the large store from where the stock was replenished. Peter had, in fact, requested many times that a bill of lading be sent with the deliv­ ery to his store but the owner never felt that to be necessary. Another employee has now been formally charged with the theft. Peter’s dilemma is not entirely over. Although he is no longer implicated in the dis­ appearance of stock, his relationship with his former employer is still strained, due mostly to suspicions. Pray that God would continue to heal memories of the hold-up in which Peter and his manager’s wife could easily have been Financial Update killed. Pray also that E.M. Conference August 31, 1993 relationships could be healed. 1991 1992 1993 The best news is $906,667 $916,244 $956,377 Budget Required that Peter’s vision for 621,754 634,316 680,534 Receipts his church and other responsibilities is $284,913 $281,928 $275,843 Shortfall returning. He is also on 29% 31% 32% board again in active evangelistic outreach in Your continued prayer and giving is much appreciat­ the area churches. ed. Together we can eliminate the shortfall in the com­ ing four months.

SEPTEMBER 3. 1993

Joe and Olga Reimer

BACKGROUND: Both grew up in Manitoba — Peter in the Morris/Rosenort area and Kathy in Carman. They both attended SBC, Kathy for two years and Peter for four years. MINISTRY EXPERIENCE: Camp work at Creighton/Flin Flon; pastoring at Fisher Branch, and the last seven years in Saskatoon. FAMILY: Jennifer is married to Mark Funk. They live in Vita, Man., where they work on the family farm. Jennifer and Mark have one daughter, Amy, three months old. Jonathan is pursu­ ing an Education degree at the Univer­ sity of Saskatoon. ASSIGNMENT: To give pastoral leader­ ship to the group of German-speaking Mennonite Christians at Camp 67 in Mexico and to train leaders for the church and evangelism. They will be studying Spanish in Chihuahua City for two months before they begin work with the Low German people.

Returning to Mexico

Dora Friesen BACKGROUND: Grew up in the Morris/Rosenort area. First went to Mexi­ co in 1958. Has worked on the West Coast of Mexico and at Rio Grande Bi­ ble Institute. Since 1981 she has lived in Oscar Soto Maynez, Chihuahua. MINISTRY EXPERIENCE: Began minis­ try in Mexico as a nurse in rural clin­ ics. Served as dean of girls at RGBI. Leadership training, especially in Christian Education. Recently involved in church-planting ministries, visita­ tion, Bible studies and team leadership in the church. PRESENT ASSIGNMENT: Dora is on a post-retirement assignment to estab­ lish and strengthen the Oscar Soto Maynez church; to work with the emerging leaders in evangelism and disciples hip._____________________ Please pray for these missionaries.

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Messenger News PRAYER — THEME FOR CAMP-OUT Winnipeg, Man. (Crestview): It’s hard to believe that several seasons have slipped by since my last report. Lots of exciting events have taken place in the last few months. April started with our annual Good Friday Communion service. It was the fifth year in a row that we have had a joint service with our neighbouring Free Methodist Church. It is always a highlight to share this day with them. Elmer and Tina Barkman, with New Tribes Mission, were our guests during our missions weekend in April. During the weekend they shared from their experiences in Venezuela and Elmer spoke to us on Sunday morning on the topic “Why Didn’t You Come Sooner?” On Mother’s Day several of our couples dedicated their children to the Lord. We as a congregation also pledged to support them in their efforts to raise their children in a Chris­ tian manner. Camp-out happened on the last weekend in May. Thanks to Ernie and Kathy Hil­ debrand for all their hard work in making the weekend a success. The weather cooperated and allowed everyone to enjoy their free time outside at our camp in Gimli. Henry Unruh (Union Gospel Mission) was our guest speak­ er. The theme this year was “Prayer.” Satur­ day morning after breakfast everyone broke into groups for discussion on prayer. Henry

continued his theme on Saturday evening dur­ ing the service that was hosted by our college and career group. On Sunday Henry conclud­ ed his series during the morning service. In the afternoon everyone enjoyed our annual camp­ out baseball game. Lyle Thiessen has returned from serving with MDS in Louisiana for three months. He gave an interesting report on his work and talked about the attitudes and lifestyles of some of our southern neighbours. Our church family grew by three people on

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Parent/child dedication at the Crestview church. Left to right: Karen and Doug McLarty with Kevin, Pastor Raiph Unger, Shannon and Lome Esau with Hayden.

SUMMER MISSIONS TEAM APPRECIATED

Birch River, Man.; The months of July and August have come and gone. Much time and effort was put into Bible camp at Steeprock Bay again. It came to a close on August 6. The first week scheduled for camp had to be cancelled because of several major washouts on Highway #10 due to heavy rains. With some apprehension and many prayers for safety, we started on the second week. We praise the Lord for adequate help, strength, and protection, and for the many campers who heard once more about the wonderful sal­ vation He has provided. They were challenged

August 8. Corrina Turzak was baptized and accepted into membership, while Isaac and Kay Letkeman were accepted by transfer. The summer was closed off by our VBS program. We started off the previous week with a barbecue kick-off before delivering 3000 invitations to the homes around the church. There was a fair attendance during the week cind the children enjoyed the activities that had been prepared. Many thanks to Shelly Letke­ man and her hardworking staff for a job well done. The Lord will reward. John Rempel

to have Jesus as their number one Hero. Our church was privileged to have the Con­ ference Mission Team of six young people, with Ernie Koop as leader, in our midst for a week. They took the Sunday morning worship service on July 11, with singing, skits, testimo­ nies and a message. For the evening an out­ door service was planned in a nearby park, where they presented a program. The even­ ing was shared with Fred Evans and his group, who also ministered in song, testimony and message. The young men of the mission team and their leader were willing to do some clean-

up on Monday where the flood had done its damage. On Thursday they all went to camp to take the evening service, and some stayed to help as counsellors. At our membership meeting parents commented that this group had been a blessing and an encouragement to our youth. So keep it up, and God bless. Bernie and Irma Thiessen terminated their leadership for our youth, after about eight years of faithful service. Kelsey and Alicia Friesen, with the help of Bill Sigurdson, are willing to take on this responsibility for the coming year. During our pastor’s involvement as director of the camp, we have had different speakers

I 19. Parent/chiid dedication at the Birch River church on May 2. Left to right: Ben Kroekerfled the service), Gary and Lisa Bresky with Ryan and Nicole, Elizabeth and Ferlin Abra­ hamson with Jeffrey, Sylvia and Clifton Abrahamson (Clifton led in the dedication prayer for his grandson Jeffrey).

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Each mother present received a carnation at the Mother’s Day service at the Birch River church on May 9. Pastor Ferlin asked the Lord to bless and guide each one.

THE MESSENGER

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for the Sunday morning worship services. Ben Kroeker and Harold Thiessen each took one service. The latter spoke on discipleship. Are we as His children willing to take the risk of following all He wants to teach us? Ben Andres of Ethelbert challenged us with the matter of leaving vengeance up to the Lord, even though we may sometimes feel short­ changed in this life. On August 8 our Confer­ ence Pastor, Don Thiessen, encouraged us with Ephesians 6:10-20. Satan’s power is limited and God provides us with the neces­ sary weapons to fight him. We need only to avail ourselves of His armour. God is on the winning side; we need not succumb to the ene­ my of our souls. We request prayer on behalf of two of our baptismal candidates, Gary and Lisa Bresky. Lisa lost her father, Alex Watts, through a tragic death on August 10. Helen Kroeker

PURPOSE STATEMENT DEVELOPED MacGregor, Man.: Our church developed a purpose statement to show direction in the activities of our congregation. It reads, “The purpose of the MacGregor EMC is to worship and glorify God, to disciple the saints and to reach out to the needy and lost in the name of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Each committee must consider how well it fol­ lows the general purpose of the church. Ray and Dorothy Hill used the hands-on ap­ proach in fulfilling our purpose. From August 2-6 they herded a group of 39 students through DVBS here in MacGregor. Helping along were Linda Giesbrecht, Elvira Hamm, Jaynee Giesbrecht and Jennifer Hill (teachers); Lori Friesen, Melody Rodgers, Alicia Plett and Nicole Bueckert (assistants); Helen Klassen, Elaine Giesbrecht, Heather Giesbrecht, Amy Giesbrecht and Debbie Rempel (crafts);

A baptismal service took place at the MacGregor church on June 6. Left to right: Pastor Jerry Plett, Jennifer Taylor, Jaynee Giesbrecht, Assistant Pastor Ray Hill.

Pastor Jerry Plett speaking at the Sunday school picnic

Karen Sawatzky (music): Jerry Plett and Agatha Friesen (puppets); and Deanna Hill (babysitter). The closing program proved to be a highlight for the students as they demon­ strated what they had learned during the week. In July, Jerry and Phyllis took their daugh­ ters to Long Beach, Vancouver Island, for two weeks of relaxation. The girls say the fireworks at Butchart Gardens were the most fascinat­ ing part of their holidays. On June 13 our congregation gathered at the MacGregor Elementary School for an out­ door service and the Sunday school picnic. The photos tell that story. Jennifer Taylor and Jaynee Giesbrecht were welcomed into our fellowship on June 6. Question: Who is a religious fanatic? An­ swer: Anyone who loves Jesus more than I do. Ted Reimer

Jamie Friesen with a children’s story

MacGregor Sunday school picnic

TEACHER NEEDED for a Private Christian School for Leamington, Ontario

(German an asset, but not necessary) Available Immediately

Candace Giesbrecht entertaining Joshua Reimer

SEPTEMBER 3, 1993

Sheldon Giesbrecht expounding at the out­ door service

Apply to: Willie Dueck Box 700 Arborg, MB ROC OAO Phone: (204) 364-2335

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Dressed up in “insane” costumes for the banquet at the Treesbank youth retreat. Left to right; Stephen Friesen, Jeff Friesen, Jonathan Friesen, Barry Plett (speaker), Danny Friesen, Chris Friesen.

YOUTH RETREAT ENJOYED Treesbank, Man.: This year our church day camp took a different turn. Day camp was held in the evenings this year for the first time to allow more working church members to take part in our great “Adventures to Bible Times.” Just before 6 o’clock every night, a bus with kids from Wawanesa arrived and, although the turnout was slightly lower than it has been previous years, the kids still had a great time watching the entertaining skits, learning new songs, and making unique Bible time crafts such as candles, sandals and pot­ tery. The week ended with a barbecue and a short program for the parents and kids to enjoy.

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Performing a skit at one of the sessions at the youth retreat. Left to right; Chris Friesen, Heather Plett, Sara Willms, Julie Friesen, Jeff Friesen.

After a busy week of day camp, the young people were ready to escape to their annual youth retreat, which was held at Camp Jubilee from August 13-15. We (the youth group) were encouraged by Barry Plett, our speaker, to be healthy Chris­ tians in a sick society. He ended Friday night’s opening sessions with an appropriate song called “Great Big Stupid World” by Randy Stonehill. We woke up to the sound of rain on Satur­ day morning but, rain or shine, mosquitoes or not, we continued with our activities as planned, which happened to start out with a teeth-chattering polar bear swim in Lake Manitoba. The evening got off to a humorous start

when we made our appearance in the dining hall looking insane for the banquet theme “Temporary Insanity.” Though most people were operating on few hours of sleep on Sunday morning, we still had a hilarious time playing Streaking Mennonites (otherwise known as Flying Dutchman). The final session with Barry Plett ended with a touching time of sacrificing our deepest desires to God. Even though the weather wasn’t exactly what we had hoped for, we still went home with memories that will last for a long time. Above all, we were encouraged to be healthy Christians in a sick society. Heather Plett

ANNIVERSARIES CELEBRATED Pleasant Valley, Man.; The church family spent a Saturday in June at the Winkler Bible Camp. Horserides, baseball, swimming, mini­ golf, ropes, table games, eating and visiting kept everyone happy and occupied. To end the full day of activities, a fireside with sing­ ing and sharing was appreciated. Nick and Mary Eidse celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Sunday, July 18, with about 200 people coming to wish them well. All eight children with their families were able to be present, with only three granddaughters of the 45-member family missing the celebra­ tions. The family presented a program of mu­ sic of old-time favourites and reminiscing, with Frank Eidse sharing a devotional. The Nick Eidses farmed in Pleasant Valley for most of their married lives and are now re­ tired, living in a lovely home in Rosenort. They served as the deacon couple of our church since 1962. They enjoy fairly good health, do­ ing a lot of visitation and being involved in the Golden Age group of the community. They also enjoy helping with the cooking at the Gim­ li summer camps whenever possible. On August 1, Mary Ann and Ernie Loewen celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary at the church. A full church of friends and rela­ tives enjoyed the program of reminiscing via a slide presentation, speeches and music by their daughters and friends. A lovely dessert was served after the program.

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The Nick Eidse family. Back (left to right): Laverna Reimer, Karen Kornelson, Marlene Dueck, Jim Eidse, Larry Eidse, Elmer Eidse, Florence Loewen, Mary Ann Loewen. Front: Mary and Nick Eidse.

Ernie and Mary Ann have five daughters. Faith, Jennifer, Hannah, Monique and Angel­ ica, and two foster daughters, Samantha and Tammy. They worked as missionaries for 5 '/r years in Paraguay, managing the ZP-30 radio station in the Chaco. Now they have been the pastor couple at our church for four years and they farm in the area. Vacation Bible School at Sanford was a great time this year, with Mike and Vickey Friesen coordinating it. The theme was “The Amazing Journey.” Sixteen workers taught about 60 students all week and ended off with a well-prepared closing program with more than 50 parents and friends hearing the Word of God through song, skits and a devotional.

Carl Loewen came home from the Philip­ pines in early July after working with street children in Manila for ten months under Ac­ tion International Ministries. He found the work very challenging. To him it was over­ whelming to look at the problem on the whole, but concentrating on individuals, sharing the love of Christ and showing that he cared and loved them, made the difference. Carl found the Filipinos to be open, caring and suppor­ tive, great people to be with. Relationships and developing friendships made the whole ex­ perience very worthwhile. Carl is looking for­ ward to attending Providence College this fall to finish his senior year and further his studies in missions. THE MESSENGER

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Christa Loewen returned home after spend­ ing two months in Greece, serving under GMU. She worked alongside Shawn and Becky Sullivan, missionaries in Thessaloniki, Greece. Christa did statistics on moral and re­ ligious beliefs of the people. They found this to be a non-threatening way to contact peo­ ple in the city square and to present the gospel on a one-to-one basis. They were an en­ couragement to the Sullivans and made some good contacts for the work there. Christa was studying at SBC last year and plans to fur­ ther her studies this year. Gerald Reimer was home for a few weeks after he finished a year of language studies at RGBl. He is looking forward to working in Chi­ huahua City, Mexico, in church planting and youth work. Florence Loewen

Mary Ann and Ernie Loewen at their 2Sth an­ niversary.

Pat and Kim Siemens acting as Adam and Eve in a skit at the Sanford VBS.

SUMMER ACTIVITIES Swift Current, Sask.: It’s been an unusual summer in southwest Saskatchewan. A cool, wet spring meant a slow start for some crops and gardens. Although we’ve had a shortage of hot, sunny days, all signs indicate a “bumper” crop — if the frost holds off. Record rainfalls produced lush green pastures filled with plump, contented livestock. Regina has received over 13 inches of rain from June 1 to August 15 — the highest amount of rainfall ever recorded during this period! Although it’s been a less than ideal summer for campers and travellers, most reports indicate enjoyable vacations, nonetheless. A rest from the workplace is always a welcome treat, even if the weather doesn’t cooperate! Sunday school classes were reorganized for the summer to accommodate lower attendance and give regular teachers a bit of a break. The regular Sunday school year ended May 30 and our annual Children’s Rally was held June 6 to celebrate and present awards. This year a Memory Verse Contest was held in addition to the Sunday school class memory verse work. Participants memorized verses of their choice and worked at their own speed. Winners were determined by the number of words memorized. Linda Fehr and Justina Fehr were the deserving winners of a meal for two at the local Modern Restaurant, Congratulations, ladies! Indeed, all the students who received awards for perfect atten-

dance, honourable mention (missing only one Sunday from September to May) and awards for memorization of weekly Sunday school verses, are to be commended. Well done! The rewards will be well worth your diligence! The Moms and Tots Sunday School Class welcomed Vanessa Lavon, daughter of Bill and Connie Schlamp, on June 13. Marion Engel. Director of Early Childhood Ministries, presented Connie with a baby quilt for Vanessa and a book and flower for Connie as gifts from the congregation. Rain postponed the Sunday school picnic from June 13 to June 20. However, it was worth the wait. A delicious traditional dinner of barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs, fol­ lowed by a tempting anay of tasty desserts, was served to a hungry crowd after the moming worship service, which was broadcast over the local radio station that Sunday. As usual, an afternoon of races, games and activities was enjoyed by everyone. Another successful Family Camp was held at Camp Elim, about 20 miles south of Swift Cunent on June 16-18. The relaxed atmosphere lends itself to lots of mingling and visiting. Excellent messages from Scripture and fellowship help provide spiritual nourishment for our parched souls. Enjoying delicious meals together, campfires, spending time on the golf course and the beach, horseshoe pits. etc., give us enjoyable memories which will last a lifetime.

This year’s summer Sunday school theme for the children aged 5-12 was “Kindness.” It’s been a challenging and rewarding assignment, which has been well received. Many thanks to Brenda Neufeld (Sunday school superinten­ dent) for her efforts in organizing another year of refreshing change for summer Sunday school. About 50 children attended VBS, under the willing and capable direction of Cam Rempel. Thanks to Cam and the many teachers and helpers who made this year’s \^S another en­ joyable and memorable experience. Let’s pray that the seed which was planted in the hearts of the children will one day bear fruit. Cindy Penner

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Watching the water activities at the Swift Current family camp

SEPTEMBER 3, 1993

Sunday faspa at family camp

RECORD ATTENDANCE AT CAMP AND VBS

Rosenort, Man.: Living Fountain Bible Camp was held at Woodlands from July 4-16 (two separate weeks for the two age groups). Record attendance and enthusiastic staff helped to make it one of the best efforts ever, and there was a real sense of God’s presence. Amos Fehr was the camp director for both weeks and Ward Parkinson served one week as “pastor." Don Dueck, Lyle Koop, Bert Kornelsen, Harry Koop and Ernie Loewen also served as speakers. Vacation Bible School in Woodlands also brought out a record crowd of children, and the parents showed appreciation by attend­ ing the closing program. Pastor and Mrs. Menno Kroeker recently received a 100% vote of confidence to take on another term of service. In early July they travelled to Carlsbad, New Mexico, for a mis­ sions retreat with the Mexico missionary staff members. Myrna Friesen accompanied them and her sister Alvira gave her a ride back home

as she returned to Canada for furlough. Frank and Marge Kroeker returned from Paraguay in June. They have served us on a few occasions with messages, testimony and a slide presentation. The latter was in conjunc­ tion with their children, Greg and Lynette Kroeker, who had also spent valuable time in Paraguay, “learning the ropes” of missionary work. Peter Friesen of Saskatoon brought us an inspiring message on July 4. It was much ap­ preciated, and we’ll be praying for you as you go to Mexico as missionaries! His sister and senior Mexico missionary, Dora Friesen, served as speaker for the Ladies’ Fellowship on August 10, while she was home on a short furlough. Luella Loewen of Paraguay and Mrs. Ber­ tha Kroeker and Jeremy of El Paso came home for mini-furloughs, especially to be with their mothers for a while. Welcome home to Donelda Friesen, who

served with MCC in Bangladesh for three years. She has seen much suffering due to floods and poverty. Her parents, the P. L. Friesens, celebrated their 45th wedding an­ niversary on August 15. Greg Pearson, a dynamic young speaker from Meadow Lake, Sask., served us on Au­ gust 8 with a message on hurting and caring. Thank you very much! Brent and Denise Unrau, with Worldteam in Italy, hope that through our prayers they will be able to stay on and serve the Lord in church planting there, although they have ex­ perienced considerable legal difficulties lately. In our Sunday school hour we have been watching the Moody Discovery and Moody Science Classics video series (involving grade 5 to adult classes). These videos allow us some insight into the greatness of God in His marvellous creation. Each concludes with a spiritual application. Leui Dueck

I Winnipeg, Man. (Fort Garry): Membersnip transter at the Fort Garry church. Left to right: Rod Doerksen, Kurt Friesen, Mario and Marcia Fonseca.

GRADS RECOGNIZED Kleefeld, Man.: This spring and summer have certainly been busy seasons for our church family. Let us fill you in on what’s been happening in Kleefeld On April 18 we were happy to welcome Garnet and Elma Isaac and Dave and Lorena Reimer as they transferred their membership

A baptismal service took place at the Fort Garry EMC on June 13. Left to right: Rebecca Brandt, Tammy Friesen, Michelle Friesen, Gareth Thiessen, Nalia Barkman, Kelly Plett.

to our church. Also on April 18, Ivan and Diane Naylor dedicated themselves to raising their son Philip James for the Lord. Ivan and Diane are origi­ nally from England and felt that they wanted to continue the tradition of having godparents for their child. Their extended family continues to live in England so they don’t have the fa­ mily support that so many of us take for grant-

ed. Therefore, they asked Jon and Jean Bonk and Art and Alma Kornelson to be godpar­ ents for their son Philip. Our church embarked on a 50-Day Adven­ ture this spring, working through a program together that included study guides for adults, youth and children. We learned eight survival skills for living purposefully as a Christian in the ’90s: Down-scaling, Off-loading Stress,

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New members at the Kleefeld church. Left to right: Garnet and Elma Isaac, Lorena and Dave Reimer.

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A parent/child dedication service took place at the Kleefeld church on April 18. Shown (front row) are Diane and Ivan Naylor with their son Philip, Pastor John Koop, and godparents to Philip, Jon and Jean Bonk and Alma and Art Kornelson (back row).

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Carson and Brenda Isaac were ordained as deacons in the Kleefeld church on June 20.

Cradle Roll graduation at the Kleefeld EMC on June 27. Left to right: Bob and Iris Bartel with Katryn, John and Glenda Dyck with Eleya, Glen and Deb Kuhl with Amanda, Don and Dorothy Penner with Kayla, Jake and Esther Froese with Mark, Wayne and Julie Anketell with Melissa, Gwen Dueck with Jazmyn, Gerald and Karen Friesen with Riley.

Combining Resources, Relating Empathetically, Guarding Self-respect, Learning Our Limits, Appreciating What Suffering Teaches, and En­ dorsing the Right Leader. It was a down-toearth, practical way to learn new habits — good ones! On June 13, with the blessing of pleasant weather, we joined with the Kleefeld Christian Community Church for our annual church pic­ nic. It’s always a pleasure to join together in worship with this church, and to get to know each other better. Is there anything quite as special as an outdoor church service? Sing­ ing is heartier, worship more fervent, and the trees and birds join in, I’m sure!

Earlier this year our church felt the need for another couple to join our ministerial team as deacons. After prayer and thought, Carson and Brenda Isaac were chosen for the posi­ tion. After a touching testimony, they were or­ dained as deacons on June 20, during the morning service. A Grad Recognition Sunday took place on June 27. High school, seminary, university and college graduates were recognized for their achievements. It was also a special day for nine little ones who graduated from Cradle Roll. Congratulations to all! Change and transition are normal for an ac­ tive church, but they often take us by surprise

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anyway. When our youth pastor and his wife, Abe and Kathy Bergen, resigned from their po­ sition earlier this spring, we were surprised, but supported their decision. They do, however, remain in the community and ministerial as lay ministers. We’re grateful for their work with the youth and are glad that they’ll continue to worship with us. This sum­ mer our Youth Pastor Search Committee recommended that we hire Scott Ferguson as our new youth pastor. Scott and his wife, Rhonda (nee Letkeman), are already members of our church and we look forward to them serving in this position. Iris Bartel

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The two’s and three’s class enjoying the lollipop race.

SUNDAY SCHOOL PICNIC HELD

High Level, Alta.: Karina Klassen submit­ ted the following report on Abundant Springs: Our youth group got a late start on fundrais­ ing, but we managed to raise enough money through a soup and pie lunch at church, yard clean-ups and root picking to pay everyone’s way to Abundant Springs. We had eight young people who went. Our patient youth leaders, Lany and Anne Knut­ son, each drove a mini-van. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the weekend. We got to know each other better and we grew closer to God. * • • •

SEPTEMBER 3, 1993

Henry and Luella Enns cutting their fareweli cake.

On June 13 we enjoyed our annual Sunday school picnic. Many people came out and en­ joyed the day of good fellowship and fun. We started the day with lunch — barbecued burg­ ers, hotdogs and a salad potluck. Then we burned some calories with a variety of fun games for all ages, some delicious waterme­ lon for a snack, a baseball game and then a wiener roast and s’mores for supper. But, as has happened before, we had to tie a farewell into the evening devotional. Henry and Luel­ la Enns are leaving us to enjoy a more relaxed lifestyle in Luella’s home town in Saskatche­ wan. (Incidentally, that is why you are no longer reading her creativity in this column!) Thank you both so much for enriching our church family with your willing service and

good examples; we’ll miss you. On June 26 the men of our church held their third annual Father’s Day golf tournament. About twenty men came out to enjoy the af­ ternoon golf game and delicious steak supper. For dessert they had cheesecake, and Dean Buhler of La Crete fed their souls with a challenge from God’s Word. That same weekend was extra special. Abe and Kathy Janzen, Ryan and Adrienne, came for a visit. After church on Sunday we had a potluck downstairs and later Abe and Kathy presented us with a report of their work in Bolivia for MCC. It was great to see you again, and may God bless you as you serve Him for one more year in Bolivia. Gert Knelsen

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JACOB SIEMENS KOOP 1911-1993

“Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours: and their works do follow them" (Rev. 14:13). It has pleased the Lord to call Jacob Sie­ mens Koop home to glory at 11:30 p.m. on July 9, 1993. He was born in the Steinbach area to Johann N. and Aganetha (Siemens) Koop on November 29, 1911, as their first­ born. He was a happy, healthy child until age two, when he contracted measles and, as a result, lost about 92% of his eyesight. This caused him many trials and hardships, but his battles didn’t dampen his spirit. He coura­ geously fought life’s battles till the Lord called him home to glory. He started to attend the Blumenort School at age eight, together with his brother Peter, but his handicap hindered his studies and therefore he was transferred to the School for the Blind in Brantford, Ontario. He also learned to love the Lord here, through the in­ fluence of Mr. Chase, the director of the school, who insisted on full attendance at Sun­ day school and church. After his brief education, he worked in the Canadian National Institute for the Blind’s broom factory for about ten years. During a visit to the city park, he damaged his right eye with a tree branch that he had not noticed. He was fortunate that it was not his left eye. the one on which he still had 8% vision. In the early ’40s, Jacob came back to Blumenort to live with his parents and later on with his sisters, Helena and Maria. For several years he was a beekeeper, with the help of his siblings. Later he had poultry and turkeys, and also tried his luck with beef cat­ tle for several years. He retired in 1984, when he was diagnosed as having leukemia. Jacob was baptized in 1932 and received into the Kleingemeinde Church (now the Evan­ gelical Mennonite Church) by Bishop Peter P. Reimer, where he remained a faithful and ap­ preciated member until his death. Since 1984 he has been in and out of the hospital numerous times, and about once a month he had to go to the St. Boniface Hospi­ tal for blood tests and renewed medicine prescriptions. He had a cornea transplant on his left eye but it did not give him the improved vision that he had hoped for. On Monday morning, July 5. 1993, he was feverish and rapidly getting weaker. His sis­ ters called the ambulance to take him to the Bethesda Hospital, where he fought his last battles. By Wednesday he was unconscious and passed away on Friday. Jacob was predeceased by his parents; one infant brother; one brother-in-law, George R. Plett; three sisters-in-law: Anna (Mrs. Gerhard Koop), Esther (Mrs. Peter Koop), and PAGE 14

Elizabeth (Mrs. Gerhard Koop). Left to mourn his passing are six brothers: Peter and Elizabeth (Steinbach), Gerhard and Sara (Be­ lize), Hans (Steinbach), Franz and Eleanor (Fairford), Albert and Margaret (Winnipeg), Henry and Shirley (Flin Flon); and three sis­ ters: Mrs. Katherine Plett (Steinbach), Hele­ na and Maria (Blumenort); as well as several nieces and nephews. We thank Dr. Krahn of Steinbach, Dr. Shojania of St. Boniface and the Bethesda Hospital staff for taking care of Jacob during his many years of illness.

The Family

MARIA ENNS 1920 - 1993 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding: in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5,6). This was one of Mother’s favourite verses. She trusted God and put her faith in Him. God honoured her faith and called her home to be with Him on August 11, 1993. Mother was born to Jacob and Margaret Peters on March 26, 1920, in Reinland, Manitoba. At the age of 20 she married Jacob Enns, who predeceased her in February 1980. Mom was most happy when surrounded by family, and had much love and concern for each child, grandchild and great-grandchild. She took much pleasure and satisfaction in making crafts, especially patch quilts for fa­ mily and friends. Mother went through many hard times but learned to wait patiently on the Lord. We were encouraged by her personal tes­ timony which we found in her Bible after she passed away. Although it was written in Ger­ man, this is how it reads: “I’m so thankful to Jesus for accepting me. Lord Jesus, / trust my life into your hands. Thanks to God. Jesus is mine, my comfort. Jesus is my shelter, helper and Saviour. Thanks be to God. He is the Almighty God and I’m so thankful and full of joy.” Mother loved her family dearly 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. Although we will miss Mom. Grandmother and Great-grandmother, we are thankful she could go to her heavenly reward. She leaves to mourn two daughters and seven sons: Margaret and Aaron. Eva. Jake and Mary, Ike and Mary, Abe, Peter and El­ sie, John and Elda, Neil and Grace, Dave and Barb. She will also be missed by 38 grand­ children, 21 great-grandchildren, and two brothers. She was predeceased by two daugh­ ters, Sarah and Helen; one son, Johann; and one great-grandson. Michael. As a family we wish to express our appreci-

ation for the kind and compassionate care given to our mother by the Personal Care Home staff and by the doctors and nurses dur­ ing her hospital stay. The Family

Births ISAAC - to Ross and Robyn Isaac of Kleefeld, Man., a daughter, Anja Leonora, on April 29, 1993. BROWN - to Mark and Dianne Brown of High Level, Alta., a daughter, Naomi Michelle, on June 10, 1993. PERDONIC - to Bill and Theresa Perdonic of Win­ nipeg, Man., a daughter, Michelle Katherine May, on May 30, 1993. ISBISTER - to Brad and Sharon Isbister of Mac­ Gregor, Man., a son, Jesse, on December 5, 1992. VAN DER LINDE - to Gavin and Joan Van Der Linde of Johannesburg, South Africa, a daughter, Gina Ashley, on July 12, 1993. FRIESEN - to Wally and Julie Friesen of Rosenort, Man., a daughter, Alyssa Marie Valencia, on Au­ gust 12, 1993. KLASSEN - to Vern and Cheryl Klassen of Winni­ peg, Man., a son, Eric Jalen, on July 28, 1993. KROEKER - to Chris and Revita Kroeker of Paraguay, a son, Stefan James, on July 5, 1993.

Weddings FUNK - LOEPP: Darren, son of Peter and Anne Funk of Winnipeg, Man., was married on August 21, 1993, to Joanne, daughter of Conn and Rita Loepp of Winnipeg. The wedding took place at the Morrow Gospel Church in Winnipeg, with Wilf Sawatsky of Winnipeg officiating. The couple is residing in Winnipeg. HEINRICHS - MARTENS: Brad, son of Henry and Anne Heinrichs of Kleefeld, Man., and Debbie, daughter of Frank and Lucienne Martens of Kleefeld, were married in Kleefeld on May 22. 1993. John Koop of Kleefeld officiated. The couple is making their home in Niverville, Man. BARTEL - MARTENS: Chris, son of Norman and Rosella Bartel of Kleefeld, Man., and Vicki, daugh­ ter of Frank and Lucienne Martens of Kleefeld. were married at the Kleefeld EMC on June 18, 1993, with John Koop of Kleefeld officiating. The couple is mak­ ing their home in Kleefeld. KORNELSON - JACKSON: Jesse, son of Art and Alma Kornelson of Kleefeld. Man., was married in Calgary, Alta., on July 31. 1993. to Sherry, daughter of Russ and Gail Jackson of Grande Prairie, Alta., with Charles Koop of Calgary officiating. The cou­ ple is residing in Calgary. FUNK - KLASSEN: Brian, son of John and Marie Funk of Kleefeld, Man., and Lara, daughter, of Leonard and Marie Klassen of Kleefeld. were mar­ ried on July 3, 1993. The wedding took place at the Full Gospel Chapel in Steinbach. Man., with Abe Bergen of Kleefeld officiating. The couple is mak­ ing their home in Steinbach. Man. GENEST - LOEWEN: Raymond Genest of Winni­ peg. Man., was married on July 3. 1993, to Elizabeth, daughter of Dave and Tina Loewen of Rosenort, Man. The wedding took place at Christ the King Church in Winnipeg, with Paul Compeau of Winnipeg officiating. The couple is residing in Winnipeg. THE MESSENGER

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By the WAY By Dave Schellenberg SINCE I DON’T let you in on many fa­ mily happenings any more, I thought maybe I would be forgiven if I did so this time. I realize that as children and grand­ children grow older, they get more sen­ sitive. But I’ll try to be careful. Almost a year ago we began inves­ tigating the possibility of a family gathering in 1993. We had had one in 1991 and felt it was time to have another one. I believe when families are separat­ ed by hundreds of miles in some cases, a biennial reunion does a lot to build up and renew relationships. After taking a look at Cypress Hills in western Saskatchewan, we thought this would be a very appropriate place. It was conveniently located between B.C. and Manitoba, and was situated in a beauti­ ful provincial park. However, a lot of other people appar­ ently also know of the amenities of this place. A November booking was ad­ vised! That certainly seemed far­ fetched, but when November 1 rolled around last fall, I was on the phone. I don’t know if anyone was ahead of me, but I was able to reserve the number of cabins required to accommodate our fa­ mily. The confirmation soon arrived.

Of course, for a while it seemed quite remote, a whole winter and almost a RODGERS ■ REIMER: Barry, son of George and Evelyn Rodgers of MacGregor, Man., and Marlys, daughter of John and Sarah Reimer of Greenland, Man., were married at the Ridgewood EMC on June 19, 1993. Jerry Plett of MacGregor officiated. The couple is residing in Steinbach, Man. LOEWEN - FRIESEN: Rick, son of Diedrich and Anna Loewen of Winnipeg, Man., and Corinne, daughter of Albert and Elisabeth Friesen of Kleefeld, Man., were married on June 26, 1993. Norm Voth and Ruth Boehm, both of Winnipeg, officiated. The couple is making their home in Winnipeg. BARKMAN - BARKMAN: Wes, son of Frank and Helen Barkman of Riverton, Man., and Bonnie, daughter of Melvin and Arlene Barkman of River­ ton. were married at the Braeside EMC in Winni­ peg, Man., on May 8, 1993. Terry Dueck of Riverton officiated. The couple is residing in Winnipeg. FRIESEN - FRIESEN: John, son of Martin and Agatha Friesen of Steinbach, Man., was married on July 2,1993, to Marlene, daughter of Jake and Es­ ther Friesen of Steinbach. The wedding took place at the Steinbach E. M. Church, with Arden Thies­ sen of Steinbach officiating.

REMPEL - HAMM: Dave, son of Ben and Justina Rempel of Aylmer, Ont., and Peggy, daughter of Dave and Tina Hamm of Aylmer, were married at the Mount Salem EMC in Aylmer on June 12,1993. Wilbert Friesen of Aylmer officiated. The couple is residing in Aylmer.

SEPTEMBER 3, 1993

summer lay in between. But the time came to pack up and head west for our destination. An occasion like this natur­ ally called for “Mennonite” food. And so our heavily-loaded car included items like pre-cooked borscht, farmer sausage and New Bothwell cheese (plus extra sausage to send along to B.C.). For us here in Manitoba the trip would require a long day, so we got up early, in order to be at Gordon and Diana’s place in Kleefeld by 6:00 a.m. We were going to drive together in one vehicle. We left more or less on time and reached the Manitobah Inn on the Por­ tage by-pass by breakfast time. After an unhurried poolside breakfast we travelled on. All went well and we had a lunch stop at the food court in the mall on the east side of Regina. Approximately four hours later we were at the Maple Creek turnoff which leads to Cypress Hills. We were looking forward to seeing our family, at least the ones who would be there. Unfortunate­ ly, some would be missing. Isn’t that the way it is when children grow up? They cannot always all come. In this case four out of a total of 21 were missing. Eric (son-in-law) had a golf tournament in Kimberley, where they live. Vai (daughter-in-law) was on a shortIVANS • KORNELSEN: Gunar Ivans and Liz Kornelsen, daughter of Cornie and Margaret Komelsen of Morris, Man., were married on August 7, 1993. The wedding took place at the Church of the Way in Winnipeg, Man., with John Botkin of Winnipeg officiating. The couple is making their home in Winnipeg. BAZINET - FRIESEN: Martial Bazinet and Betty Friesen were married on June 19, 1993, with John Stoesz of Winnipeg, Man., officiating. The couple is making their home in Dryden, Ont.

Teachers’ Conference November 19, 1993 Portage la Prairie, Man. Speakers include Al Friesen and Chuck Nichols

Manitoba Association of Christian Schools

For more information call: \Nayne Sawatzky at 857-3726, or Tim Reimer at 364-2466

term missions assignment in Lithuania. Karla (granddaughter) was also in Lithu­ ania and Krista (granddaughter) was working. Since we would be there for the weekend, meal preparation had been divided by families. We arrived around supper time, for which Gary had cooked hot dogs. They were good after the long drive. Danny (Windermere, B.C.) and Ruth (Kimberley, B.C.) had taken the turnoff on the Alberta side and were late, because they had to get back to the proper turnoff farther east on the Saskatchewan side of the border. But we greeted Wayne, Joy, Jodee and Ta­ nia from Hepburn, Sask., as well as Al, Arlene, Lisa and Jamie from Steinbach, Man. A glad reunion. You can imagine it was a joy to see them all and to renew acquaintances. Another joy and gratitude comes when you see children, in-laws and grandchil­ dren enjoying camaraderie with each other. The nine-hole golf course afforded some enjoyment for about ten of us the next day. It was a lot of fun, even though the greens were not what we were used to. I think the lowest score was a 46 by a grandson. There was even a golf cart available for Grandpa, of which Jamie also took advantage! Grandma’s borscht was awaiting us when we returned. What a treat! The homemade brown bread also came from her kitchen and had survived the long trip well. True to tradition, we ate Forma Worscht 'n Kielke for supper, Diana and Arlene’s choice. But too late they thought of the colander to drain the Kielke. Well, there was still recourse — we were able to borrow one from the hotel kitchen. The day was saved. The next day, Sunday, our ranks were already a little depleted. Vai was arriv­ ing home from Europe that day and Gary couldn’t miss that. He left late Saturday night, accompanied by Kevin and David. Sunday lunch was a gourmet feast: ham, scrambled eggs, toast, gebrodne Eachoke, prepared expertly by Ruth and her brother Danny. I’m sure it was en­ joyed by all. Before we ate, since it was Sunday, we had a short devotional — a real blessing. Sunday supper, the final family meal, was the responsibility of the Hil­ debrands: Wayne, Joy, JoDee and Tania. Their chili was tasty. Monday morning was the time for farewells. I’m sure we were all sad that it ended so soon. However, sweet memories remain. I’m glad I made that booking way back last November; it was worth it all. Above all, we give thanks to God for affording us this opportunity to be together. Till next time. PAGE 15

From the Editor Increasing Limitations on Our Freedoms A NEW LAW, passed in British Columbia this year, may have serious implications for Christians. The law makes it illegal to criticize anyone or any group on the basis of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. Even the publishing of much of the Bible may now be illegal in that province. For example, statements of judgement, such as Paul in Galatians calling a curse on all who preach a different Gospel, can be construed to be critical of a particular group. Ted Byfield comments in Western Report, “It is probably the most severe curtailment of free speech ever passed by any Canadian government.” He wonders, though, whether such a law will also curtail the public criticism of Christians. That, it appears, is not the case. The Federal Court of Appeal has ruled that the anti­ discrimination clause in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms is to protect “historically disadvantaged” people. Since Christians have not been “historically disadvantaged,” they have no protection under the charter. This contradicts the concept of equality before the law, the idea that the law must apply equally to everybody. What is becoming evident in our country is the power of particular lobby groups to influence our lawmakers in legislatures and parliament. Laws arc changed or passed that favour such minority groups, often at the expense of others. The effects of such activity are becoming increasingly blatant. In Strathmore, Alberta, for example, a homosexual was invited into a school to explain and promote the gay lifestyle to the students. The request of parents to explain and promote heterosexual marriage and family was denied. The argument for equal opportunities is no longer valid. Manitoba’s Department of Education is stepping up its efforts to squeeze religious activities out of schools. A new directive states that school boards may allow religious instruction only if a voluntary petition is received from a group of parents. Boards are not to influence or encourage the preparation of such petitions. If a petition is received, and the board permits the instruction, it must take place outside of regular school hours. Until now, in the Hanover School Division, parents

PAGE 16

have been asked to indicate on student registration forms whether or not they wish their child to participate in religious activities. Parents’ wishes are respected. Now it will become more difficult to retain the teaching of Christian values and principles in our schools. These are the foundation upon which our nation was built and which has made Canada the envy of many other peoples. What will happen when the foundation crumbles? Christians, I believe, miss their calling if they simply let this devastation continue. We are to be salt and light in our society. Has our salt become bland and our light smoky? It is time to get the impurities out of the salt and to trim the wicks of our lamps. Our first duty is to pray “for all that are in authority” (1 Timothy 2:2). It will have to be more than a “Bless the government” tacked to the end of our prayers. Individually and in groups we need to pray regularly for all aspects of government specifically. Pray also for wisdom to know what further action to take. Arnell Motz, in Christian Week, encourages writing letters to government officials, in which we state our opinions and principles. Properly written, they exert a powerful influence. He gives a number of helpful suggestions, prepared by Jane Evans. It is important to be brief, polite and personal (avoid form letters). You should limit your letter to one issue, including necessary background facts. It is well to use proper etiquette in addressing politicians and include praise or thanks where possible. Ask what they plan to do, making sure you include your name and address. My advice is to take action now, don’t procrastinate and don’t think someone else can do it. The battle for righteousness against the forces of evil requires the wholehearted involvement of every Christian. Peter cautions us to examine our attitudes and motives, “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men...For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men” (1 Peter 2:13-15). We are ambassadors of the most high God, let us be worthy of our calling. Menno Hamm

THE MESSENGER

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