The Messenger November 19, 1993

The Messenger FvlVOL. 31 NO. 20 V^NOV. 19/93

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m, left to right: 1. Nicaraguan pastors Arnulfo and Bayardo with translator - Speaker Jake IqVp Remole. • 4. Remple.

Lester Olfert; 2. Fellowship at the supper

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he disciples were at it again. There they were on the eve of Christ’s crucifixion, arguing about who would be the greatest in the next round of public attention! They were expecting Jesus the Messiah to inaugurate a new kingdom. Naturally they wanted to have key positions. But Jesus must have shattered their dreams and silenced their quarrels with these incisive words: “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that!” (Luke 22:25,26).

What do we mean by leadership? Sometimes it seems as though there are almost as many definitions of leadership as there are people willing to lead. Harry Truman, a former president of the United States, once said, “A leader is a person who has the ability to get others to do what they don’t want to do, and like it.” Others have made statements like: “Sticking to one’s gun come what may —

What do we look for in a leader? While the qualities of leader­ ship are many and varied, no one leader is endowed with them all. Since the primary focus of this article is on pastoral leadership, and since time and space are limited, the list will of necessity have to be selective and only briefly developed. One of the foremost qualities that comes to mind is a caring at­ titude, like that of a shepherd. How can Christian leaders develop shepherd-like qualities? The shepherd knows and calls each sheep by name. Jesus knew that sheep are not all alike. Leaders have no excuse for saying, “I am hopeless at remembering names.” If we are really concerned about people, the least we can do is remember their names. Busi­ ness corporations and commercial enterprises do all they can to inject a personal touch into their relationships with clients. Second, the shepherd is always with his sheep. He is available when they need him. Spiritual leaders should always be approach-

The Making of a Servant Leader by Johnny Loewen this is the essence of leadership.” “Reason and calm judgement are the qualities of leadership.” “A leader is a dealer in hope.” An ancient Chinese philosopher said, “A leader is best when people barely know he exists.” The Bible also has much to say about leadership. Paul affirmed its value when he told Timothy, “To aspire to leadership is an honourable ambition” (1 Timothy 3:1). In fact, he gave Timothy and Titus the very job of appointing elders in the churches. The Bible i.s full of leaders. We see planners like Joseph and Nehemiah who guided men and women in huge public work projects extending over many years. We see military strategists like Joshua and David who helped form ancient Israel into a nation. We see courageous women like Deborah and Esther who saved their peo­ ple with acts of high heroism. We see parents like Hannah and Moses’ mother who gave up their sons to God under very differ­ ent circumstances but whose influence was exerted, nonetheless, on their sons to become mighty men of Israel. Perhaps it all boils down to this working definition: Christian leadership is any influence any person has on an individual or group to meet its needs or goals for the glory of God. And when we fo­ cus on servant leaders, let us not think on position, but rather on function — serving, planning, initiating, motivating, teaching, and the like. Too many individuals want the position but not the func­ tion} Christ would have us to be as the ones who serve, as He demonstrated. There is a striking contrast between worldly leadership and spiritual leadership. Christ reminded His followers that political rulers wield immense power. Their subjects have to submit to their authority. As leaders they can throw their weight around, but at the same time they crave popularity. They play the role of benefac­ tors, liberally handing out privileges. Jesus said that we are not to be like that. In God’s kingdom there is a radically new pattern of leadership: those who are first, serve. Leadership is servanthood. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Spiritual leaders are called to serve God and His people. This is nonnegotiable. The Apostle Paul is universally recognized by Chris­ tians as an outstanding leader in Christ’s church. But in his life and ministry he repeatedly described himself as a bond-slave of Jesus Christ.

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able. They must get alongside their people if they are to know and serve them well. Third, the shepherd leads the flock and so does a spiritual lead­ er. We must direct God’s people to God’s Word and feed them by our teaching, and also teach them how to feed themselves. By walk­ ing ahead we will be the first to sense danger so we can warn be­ lievers to beware of approaching wild beasts (a metaphor for false teachers and heretics). Fourth, the shepherd displays a deep concern for those who are lost. Leaders today should always be in the busines.s of searching for the lost sheep; that is, those who are alienated from God and need to be reconciled to Him. We are also to restore those who have lost their bearings and have been sidetracked into the paths of sin. Fifth, the shepherd protects his sheep. Sheep attract different kinds of predators — wild beasts, birds of prey, thieves and rob­ bers. We must warn God’s people against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11), and teach them to put on the whole armour of God. We must expose sin in all its forms and warn of the awful consequences of its indulgence. Sixth, the shepherd is prepared to die for the sheep. This is a rather sobering test for a leader. In times of persecution, we hear moving accounts of loyal pastors and Christian leaders who are prepared to go to prison and sometimes even to die in order to pro­ tect their members. A leader must be trustworthy. Synonyms for trustworthiness are integrity and confidentiality. Trust can never be demanded — it must be earned. If a leader is found guilty of phoniness, if his teach­ ings and his actions do not square with each other, he will fail. If he cannot keep personal matters confidential, people will not readily come to him and share their struggles and hurts. Practise being a good listener. Sometimes that’s all the therapy some folks need — someone who takes time to listen without watch­ ing the clock. Give the one you counsel your undivided attention. Several other outstanding qualities of leadership are the ability to handle criticism, being tactful, having the complementary role of a supportive family, living by example, setting goals, being openminded and yet having an opinion, and the list could go on! How can we create a climate for leadership? The world and the church had their leaders yesterday. The world and the church

THE MESSENGER

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have their leaders today. Will the world and the church have their leaders tomorrow? The Evangelical Mennonite Conference and its local churches will need leaders tomorrow. How then can we en­ sure leadership for tomorrow? We can’t produce instant leaders the way we make instant coffee and instant noodles! We must be prepared to invest time and resources in the people we seek to train. It is foolish to assume that gifted personalities will turn up and volunteer their services im­ mediately at the time of need. That is not the way Jesus did it. He assumed the role of teacher and the Twelve were His students. While the challenge for creating a leadership climate must be accepted by the Christian community at large, the primary train­ ing is done in the individual homes. There are factors in home life that will either help or hinder the chances for leaders to be de­ veloped. As someone has said, “The crucial period has to be the first six years of a child’s life. A lazy two-year-old will probably become a lazy 30-year-old!” Children need to learn lo take responsibility and not be allowed to opt out at will. Furthermore, as parents, we need to encourage excellence. My teacher in grade school used to say, “Nothing is good enough but the best. If this is your best, then it’s good enough!” Excellence is just as valid a concept for a mentally retarded child as it is for a brilliant one. If everyone is challenged to do his best (whatever that may be for the specific individual), you can be certain that from that climate will come some who will be leaders, making an impact in the world to the glory of God. “Just getting by,” is the world’s mold, not the Christian’s. A lady who did a great deal of speaking to Christian groups on college campuses, expressed frustration with many Christian stu­ dents. They could have been real leaders in many different dis­ ciplines, but they chose to hang back because they seemed embarrassed about being better than others. As Christians we need to set high standards. Our standard will prove to be contagious. To be better is not bad if you excel for the glory of God. Let’s encourage excellence in the home, in the school, in the church! If there are no expectations, there will be little high performance. Expecting too little can be just as damaging as ex­ pecting too much. Be careful how you talk about existing leaders. Do we speak favourably of leaders in the presence of our children or do we come on strong with a critical spirit? The Bible in no uncertain terms exhorts us to pray for our leaders, be they in government positions or in church positions.

sometimes cry, feel homesick, have a surge of anger, speak out of turn, sense keen disappointments, cope with misunderstandings, face temptations. If you pray for leaders in the presence of your children, you are creating a climate for aspiration to leadership. When you take the leader’s children out for an ice cream, a con­ cert or a fishing trip, you are helping to create a climate for leadership. But, lest you think that leaders are a sorry lot, may it be hastily pointed out that being in leadership has tremendous blessings. And one day all faithful leaders will hear the Lord’s gracious “Well done!” and enter into the joy of the Lord! This writing is simply an attempt to make us all more aware of the importance of Chris­ tian leadership.

Conclusion. The urgent need of the hour is to consider ourselves bond-slaves of Jesus Christ, fellow-workers in the kingdom of God. What our attitude should be is aptly illustrated with the following true story: Dr. William Clarke was a medical missionary in the Belgian Con­ go, as present-day Zaire was then called. One day he and a party of hospital attendants went hunting in the jungle. They entered a clearing just in time to see a lion attacking and mauling an Afri­ can. Dr. Clarke immediately took aim and shot the lion. He and his men carried the wounded African back to the mission hospital where he received urgent medical attention and surgery. After a few weeks of recuperation he returned to his village on the other side of the mountains. Several weeks later. Dr. Clarke was sitting on the verandah of his bungalow when he heard a great commotion. Then he saw the princely figure of an African leading a long procession of poultry, animals, young children, and men and women carrying their pos­ sessions on their heads. Dr. Clarke recognized the African as the one he had saved from the lion. The man ran towards the doctor and prostrated himself at his feet. Then he spoke, “According to the law of our tribe, a man who has been rescued from the jaws of a wild beast no longer belongs to himself; he belongs to his rescuer.” He stood up and went on, “All that I have is yours. My ducks and hens, sheep and goats, my servants, my children, my wives and myself — all are yours. You are bwana (the chief) and I am your slave.” The statement, “a man rescued from the jaws of a wild beast no longer belongs to himself; he belongs to his rescuer,” has a familiar ring. It echoes the words of the Apostle: “You are not your own; you were bought with a price. Therefore honour God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19,20).

''There is a striking contrast between worldly leadership and spiritual leadership. Christ reminded His followers that political rulers wield immense power ... In God's kingdom there is a radically new pattern of leadership: those who are first, serve. Leadership is servanthood. All leaders have their share of crises. Crises are, in fact, part and parcel of leadership. If the congregation is there to encourage and uplift, the leader won’t have to go down under a crisis situation; it can even become a learning experience. As you share with your children, especially teenagers, some of the potential pitfalls or crises in leadership, they will come to appreciate their leaders and be moti­ vated to pray for them. Following are situations you might want to look out for: un­ reasonably high expectations by the congregation (leaders are not superstars); undue criticism, which is, in fact, saying “I can do it better than he can”; discouragement (1 tried so hard and failed); loneliness (a leader can be very lonely, even in a crowd); self-pity; fatigue; statements/opinions of his used to discredit or undermine his ministry; lack of sufficient time to spend with his wife and fa­ mily, etc. How can we help meet the needs of our leaders? That’s an excellent question! Why don’t you go and find out for yourself? In case you hadn’t known, you will discover that leaders stand in need of God’s grace and strength just like everyone else does. They

NOVEMBER 19, 1993

When we appreciate Christ as our Redeemer-Rescuer and His great love in dying for us, we nail our rights to the cross. With grati­ tude we hand our lives and our gifts to Him and commit ourselves unreservedly to His service. Leadership begins at the foot of the cross. Every leader has his strong points and his weak points. If we concentrate on his strong points, we will learn to live with his weak points. If we concentrate on his weak points, we will fail to ap­ preciate his strong points. “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honour; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord...” (Romans 12:10,11). One day each one of us shall give an account of himself to God! Resource material used: So You Want to be a Leader, Kenneth O. Gangel; The Making of a Leader, Chua Wee Hian; Leadership in Crisis, Donald Gerig; and interviews with a few current leaders. Johnny Loewen is the pastor of the Evangelical Mennonite Church in Lowe Farm, Manitoba. He and his wife, Sarah, are the parents of two grown children. PAGE 3

Letters Church Renewal Desired 1 am deeply grateful for Christian leaders like Stan Plett, who wrote a most courageous and provocative article, “The Church of the Future’ (The Messenger, Oct. 22). Stan raised a good many concerns regarding the secularization of the church, not least of which includes the dangers of bringing state practices into the church and endorsing these as Christian. How dangerous indeed it is to sanction war as “Christian.” America wages war and the church has much to gain in prestige and power by aligning herself with the world’s number one power, the U.S.A.! Such forthright question­ ing would qualify Plett to lose election votes in several of a variety of EMC positions. Furthermore, the article identified a most central characteristic of true Christian witness; namely, that of being willing to suffer. Hence, the reference to “the tested church, the faith­ ful remnant that will emerge from the fires of testing.” Putting aside the MIGHT IS RIGHT or the MAJORITY WINS state ethic, the rem­ nant group of believers will choose to pursue TRUTH, MERCY and JUSTICE. How refreshing! But it is also scary because many are in the church today seeking comforts and benefits; a few remain to speak up clearly, un­ ashamedly for what is true. The cost is too high. What will become of the suffering ser­ vant? Jesus and the early disciples paid a price for faithfulness — little success in the worldly sense. Plett’s reference to Stanley Hauerwas gave me cause to rejoice. Hauerwas also wrote:

“...we, like the early Christians, must learn that understanding Jesus’ life is inseparable from learning how to live our own” (A Community of Character, p. 52). This statement takes a deeper, truer cut than merely assigning to Christ a substitutional role in humankind’s redemption. Christ is also our example. Jesus spoke up for truth and justice far too often to win Him the popular vote amongst the reli­ gious leaders of His time. The cross was ex­ cruciatingly painful, but God accepted His obedient Son and raised Him up to new life. This is the hope of all Christ’s faithful obedient followers. Each school day 1 face mostly “unchurched” high school students whom God loves dear­ ly. It is an opportunity not to be taken lightly. It is a demanding task to be “salt” and “light.” 1 often witness the powers of evil at work in this setting. In the world one expects opposition. Recent­ ly, 1 have come to realize that nonviolent love practised in the church leads to suffering and rejection from those within the secularized church. This poses an awkward problem, a dilemma not easily overcome. 1 yearn to fel­ lowship in a church that has discovered “its true identity and its true mission” as Stan puts it. As 1 count the cost, 1 long to be part of a group that meets for encouragement to remain committed during the purification process. Perhaps Plett is right: “God will use an increas­ ingly pagan state to help bring the church to its senses.” 1 too join the ranks of those who are no longer at ease with the present worldly state of affairs in our churches. 1 wish to pro­ pose an additional aspect of the purifying fires: the church may experience the pain of reform from within — through pursuers of truth who risk to follow Christ. The powers of the secula-

RESOURCE PERSON CAMP ARNES has a term position for a resource person to work with rental and school groups. The po­ sition is open from January to June, 1994.

A camping or teaching back­ ground is preferred.

Call Lily at (204) 338-4647 for fur­ ther information.

COMING EVENTS November 26-27 Annual Meeting MCC Manitoba Evangelical Mennonite Church Blumenort, Man. Phone: (204) 261-6381 December 4 Conference Council Meeting Prairie Rose EMC Landmark, Man. Phone: (204) 326-6401 December 4 Annual Meeting Mennonite Historical Society of Canada Concord College

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Reflection on Violence The Women's Concerns Program of MCC Canada is encouraging congregations across Canada to designate one Sunday during the month of February 1994 as a time to reflect on the tragedy of family violence in our midst. Women’s (Concerns is producing a worship and Christian education resource packet for use on that Sunday. The packet will be avail­ able from provincial MCC offices in early January.

Winnipeg, Man. Phone: (204) 888-6781 December 12 Christmas Concert Steinbach Bible Collge Steinbach, Manitoba Phone: (204) 326-6451 December 27-31 Urbana ’93 IVCF Mission Convention University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign, IL Phone: 1-800-668-9766

1994 January 3-7 SBC Intersession Steinbach Bible College

Steinbach, Man. Phone: (204) 326-6451 January 9 Day of Prayer EMC Missions Material to be mailed to all churches Phone: (204) 326-6401 January 23-30 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Canadian Council of Christian Churches Phone: (416) 921-7759

rized society have become the powers of the secularized church where Machiavellian prin­ ciples have been substituted for nonresistant love. The forces at work in the state and in the church are quite similar far too much of the time. Too often the church forgets that the truth of the Kingdom is the truth of the cross. The suffering servant is mocked not only from without, but also from within the church. In­ deed, the pain from within is felt more acute­ ly. There is a need for encouragers. Your article was an encouragement, Stan, and 1 thank you for it. Furthermore, 1 sincere­ ly hope that you are also a prophet. Erwin Kroeker Winnipeg, Man.

Relief Sales Raise $1.2 Million Winnipeg, Man. — $1.2 million was raised for the overseas relief and development work of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) at 13 relief sales in Canada this past year. This is up from the $1.15 million raised in 1992. $460,900 was raised at sales in Ontario, in­ cluding the New Hamburg sale where $266,eXX) came in. $125,600 was raised at two sales in Manitoba, $141,500 at two sales in Saskatchewan. $141,600 at one sale in Coaldale, Alta., and $362,671 at four sales in B.C., including the Central Fraser Valley sale in B.C., where $292,752 came in. Two new sales are planned for next year in Didsbury, Alta., and Winnipeg, Man.

CONTRIBUTORS: Lucille Reimer (Landmark) serves as a dorm assistant at the Black Forest Academy in Germany. Tim and Laurel Schroder (Pelly) are mission­ aries in Papua New Guinea with New Tribes Mission. Gerald Reimer (Pleasant Valley) recently be­ gan his ministry in Chihuahua City, Mexico, where he is mainly involved in youth work. John and Erna Dyck (Steinbach EFC) are serving as church planters in Munich, Germany. Helen Kroeker is the Messenger reporter for the Christian Fellowship Church (EMC) in Birch River, Man. Leui Dueck (Rosenort EMC reporter) and Florence Loewen (Pleasant Valley reporter) collaborated on the report of the Region 6 Mi­ sion Conference (photos by Florence Loewen).

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 and Canadian Church Press. Editor: Menno Hamm Phone: (204) 326-6401; Fax (204) 326-1613

THE MESSENGER

4 ADVENT

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Definition of Advent The word Advent simply means “Coming.”

Explanation of the Advent IFreath The Advent wreath is exactly what the word implies, a wreath of evergreens made in various sizes. Fastened to the wreath are four candles standing upright, at equal distances. These candles represent the four weeks of Advent, which are the four Sundays before Christmas Day. Origin While the celebration of the Advent season was one which originated in one of the earliest centuries, and the use of lights much later, the Advent wreath itself originated a few hundred years ago in Germany. This practice quickly spread in Europe at that time, but only in more recent years did it find its way to America, and has since become a cherished custom in many homes and churches.

Significance The name Advent has come to be interpreted as representing a threefold Advent of Christ: His past coming, in Bethlehem; His future coming, the resurrection; and His present coming, through grace in the individual hearts of mankind. Symbolic Since Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, the simple candle portrays the object of light and thus the symbol of Christ. The first candle is lit as an introduction on the first Sunday. The second candle is lit along with the first on the second Sunday, which portrays a stronger light as the Advent of Christ comes nearer. This is followed with three candles on the third Sunday and all four candles the last Sunday before Christmas. With all candles burning, the light is strong for all to see, even as Christ is the strong Light of the world for everyone who will accept Him.

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Reflections v Various themes and Scriptures are used for the ceremony of lighting the candles, of which the following is one example: We light the first candle on the Christmas wreath to remember the faithful of the Old Testament who prepared the way of the Lord. "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined" (Isaiah 9:2). We light the second candle to remember Jesus, the Daystar born to bring hope of a new day. “/ shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth” (Numbers 24:17). We light the third candle to remember Jesus Christ, who is the door to the Kingdom of God. "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). We light the fourth candle to remember Jesus born to be king of the world. "...Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:17,18). Submilted by Peter Janzen La Crete, Alta.

'No Peace Without Justice' Snags Moderators' Debate CALGARY, Alta. — One little phrase, “there is no peace without justice,” snagged the dis­ cussion of a peace statement at the Canadi­ an Council of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ Moderators consultation held here Oc­ tober 27-28. The 35-member council, representing seven out of the eleven Mennonite Conferences, could not endorse the peace brochure outright but did eventually recommend it, “for study and discussion to our churches ...” The statement, “A Commitment to Christ’s Way of Peace,” drafted by the Mennonite Cen­ tral Committee Peace Committee, was en­ dorsed by the MCC annual meeting in February. As the new peace brochure was discussed in a panel, in small groups and then in an open forum, it was praised for its organization, com­ prehensiveness, and vision — except for the one little phrase that kept popping up. One member, pointing to examples in the Bible, said it is possible to have peace without justice. Giving an illustration from his own work in MCC Native Concerns, Menno Wiebe argued that to offer peace without any reso­ lution of the problems is an empty peace.

NOVEMBER 19, 1993

by Wilma Derksen Another said that the statement should be enlarged to reflect the complexity of the rela­ tionship of peace and justice. When John Lapp, executive director of MCC, was asked if changes could be made, he said that he presumed they could do what they wanted with the statement. However, he explained, the statement “did go through an extended process already. It was reviewed and passed by the MCC membership and the ex­ ecutive.” Council members at the table continued to hesitate. “If this was a working paper I would have no difficulty with it,” one member com­ mented. Another member said, “The wording of this could get us into trouble.” All representing Conferences eventually signed the brochure, endorsing it for “further discussion” in congregations. The council, which meets as a consulting body for the MCC Canada annual meetings, also approved a proposal to create a coor­ dinating committee for domestic violence and

sexual abuse issues. This committee will serve as an information clearinghouse for all Con­ ferences and a “forum for theologizing” about the “lack of peace in our homes, churches and communities.” The council agreed to encourage the forma­ tion of regional inter-Conference committees. After hearing a report from Arie G. Van Eek, executive director of the Council of Chris­ tian Reformed Churches in Canada, the moderators’ council decided to continue the dialogue with the Reformed church. “We have a lot of bad history in the past that needs to be put under the grace of God," said chair Hel­ mut Harder. The council, which began 20 years ago, also dealt with a constitutional revision to create a steering committee composed of a represen­ tative from each Conference to direct the Council in the future. All decisions are made by consensus. For this year, Helmut Harder remains as chair. Dale Shaw was elected as the new vice­ chair and John Koop as secretary treasurer. — A Meetinghouse report Wilma Derksen, of Winnipeg, is the western regional editor for Mennonite Reporter.

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Missions GERMANY

Excerpts... ...from the Life of a Ftesidence Assistant BREAKFAST DUTY It’s 6:20 a.m. Let’s see, what do I need to do this morning? Well, I’d better start the dish­ washer so the water has a chance to heat be­ fore the girls have to do their dishes. Then I need to put out all the lunch food so the girls can come down and make their lunches...6:30 — Time to make the wake-up call...Now for breakfast preparations. It’s toast and cereal to­ day so that shouldn’t be too hard. I’ll start the coffee machine, heat some water for tea and then make toast. Oh, it’s 6:45. That went by fast with all the girls in here making their lunches. I’d better make the five-minute call so they know it’s time to get down to the din­ ing room. Then I’ll clean up the lunch table and my toast mess.

MORNING STAFF MEETING “Whom did we pray for at breakfast today? Any concerns for the day?” “I think we need to pray for Janice. She seems really overwhelmed with her homework these days. I know her mother is coming next week and she said she fears that all she’ll be doing while her mother is here is homework. She really wants some good time to spend with her mother.” “Heidi’s parents left yesterday. I think she’s feeling kind of homesick today.” “Joanne needs to go to the doctor. Who is available to take her at 3:00 this afternoon?” “Karen’s parents arc coming on Monday. We need to get the guest room ready for them. Also, we’ll need to pick them up from the air­ port.” MORNING WORK TIME Well, what do I need to do today? Bake cookies for lunches tomorrow and make a snack for after school. We’ve having fries for supper, so I should fill the deep fryer. There’s

The girls on Lucille’s floor. Left to right: Laurie Lewis, Annie Lewis, Mary Job, Stephanie Meissner, Jamie Robertson, Sara Phillips, Nicole Wagenhoffer.

bread to slice for lunches tomorrow and tuna to mix for sandwiches. These dishes are real­ ly stacking up. I think I’ll do them now and save our supper dish crew some work. Oh, and 1 can’t forget to mail the girls’ letters and charge their accounts. I need to check their jobs and make sure everyone did their work this morning. And there’s a stack of van and phone sheets that I need to tally so charges can be made to the right people or accounts.

EVENINGS Organizing Transportation — “Lu, all the choir people have to go early tomorrow morning, so we can’t take the regular bus. Could we catch the vans when the band people go?” “Lu, not all the band people need to go early tomor­ row, only the woodwinds”...! think I’ll just ask everyone at supper time and see who needs to ride the vans tomorrow...Okay, I’ve got 18 people. That’s two vans and two extra peo­ ple. I wonder if the dorm across the street has any room in one of their vans. I’d hate to take a third van for two people. Disciplining — “Sheri, did you just start sweep­ ing the floor now? It’s 7:55 and you are sup­ posed to be almost done so you can be in your room for study hour by 8:00”...“I’m sorry, Lu, I lost track of time”...“Sheri, we talked about this on Saturday. This is becoming a regular

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

We Now “Senou” Other Way When Are You Coming? Month after month for more than seven years the people of Senou have been making a two-day hike to the New Tribes Mission sta­ tion at Siawi. The reason? To ask the mission­ aries there to send a missionary to their village. The people brought letters stating the reasons why they should have a missionary come to live with them. The answer they received was always the same — There was no one to send. They would then make the two-day hike back to their village and wait for next time to repeat the same trip all over again. Neighbouring vilPAGE 6

lages had told them to settle down, to quit tak­ ing off into the bush. What chance did they have to get a missionary? But they persisted, writing letters and making the long trek over to Siawi. Wapia, the Senou man who wrote most of the letters, had learned to read and write Pidg­ in English from a missionary many years be­ fore, when he was a boy. He told us that the missionary had never given him God’s talk, however. One time he brought his father along on the journey to Siawi. He told Matthew

occurence and I reminded you then that you need to be more punctual. Because this has happened again. I’m going to ground you from going outside after supper for the rest of the week.” Tutoring — “Lu, I’m just not catching on to my algebra. Could you help me with it tonight?”...“Sure, why don’t you meet in my room at 8:(X) when study hours start.” Just being there —- “Lu, can I have a back rub?”...“Lu, may I borrow some toothpaste again? I’ve wanted to buy some for two weeks and I haven’t gotten to the store”...“Lu, do you have a blue skirt I can borrow? We have to wear white and blue for our concert and I don’t have one”...“Lu, I put my sweater in the wash and look what happened. Is there any way we can get these white stripes white again?”

BEDTIME It’s 10:15 and all the girls should be in their rooms getting ready for bed. I think I’ll go and give each of my girls a goodnight hug and then head to my own room. I should check lights at 10:30. Debbie asked for an extra half hour to finish her homework but everyone else should have their lights out by then. Boy, it will feel great to be in bed myself! Lucille Reimer Note: All student names have been changed. Cuthbert, one of the missionaries to Siawi, that his father was old and that he and others would soon die without hearing God’s talk. That was just before Matthew and his family went on furlough. Upon their return, Matthew asked Wapia how his father was. His answer saddened Matthew — his father had died while they were away. Back in 1989, New Tribes sent a delega­ tion of four men into Senou to check out the situation there. The people were overjoyed. They had asked for only one missionary and here were four. When the missionaries ex­ plained to them that one of them was a pilot, two were already working in other villages and the other was working at May River station and that they were not able to move into THE MESSENGER

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Lining the shore of the Sepik to welcome us to Senou.

Senou boys.

Senou, the people were devastated. Later it was learned that the people were so distraught and shamed that they burned down their own village. Laurel and I first became aware of the peo­ ple of Senou’s request in November 1992, through one of their letters, while we were on deputation in Canada. We were at a missions conference where Dun Gordy, a New Tribes representative, was speaking. He gave us a copy of the letter. It was translated into En­ glish and the gist of it was that death and sick­ ness does not wait, and they pleaded for someone to come quickly. It was a challenge to our hearts and to those people with whom we shared it. When we came to Papua New Guinea in January 1993, the Lord continued to bring the people of Senou before us. Our bush orienta­ tion was spent in Siawi. While there, the peo­ ple of Senou came and wanted to talk to us; they had heard that a new missionary family was here. At that time we were planning to go into another tribal work. We told them we knew of their request and that they must not

lose hope; someone would come. The Lord was also working in the hearts of our partners, Wade and Deanne Ebersole. Wade was one of the men who made the first survey back in 1989. At the time he was work­ ing at May River station. While on furlough in 1991, he married Deanne and they came to Papua New Guinea with the desire to be involved in church planting. Through a series of events, the Lord changed our direction and really brought Senou to the front of our thinking. We made a trip into Senou in August 1993, with the in­ tention of telling them we would like to move in with them. We sent them a message through the people of Siawi so they knew we were coming. It was a thrill to see almost the whole village lining the banks of the Sepik as we came to their village. We could sense that the people were nervous, not wanting to make any mistakes. We wanted to find out if the people were of one mind in their request for a missionary. They all told us that they want­ ed a missionary. We then called a meeting of the whole village. When we told them that we

MEXICO

hospitality of Peter and Louise Hiebert, with whom I lived for the first month, and the fellowship I ‘^1 .””-1 have enjoyed with Cathy Thies­ sen and Peter and Kathy Fries­ en, I have quickly felt much more at home here than I thought I ’■■■J would. Although the field staff is not that large here, I have sensed a much-needed family at­ mosphere. Praise the Lord! The other reason that I do feel My house in the Los Pinos neighbourhood, about one mile somewhat settled is that I was from the church. able to find a house to rent. On October 13 I finally spent my first night in it, Spanish. 1 expected that, of course, but I have and I praise God for having answered that a long way to go before I will truly feel com­ prayer. fortable with the language. “So why are you not settled?” you ask. Well, 1 have already seen God working in my life, take the driving for instance. The other day, in the churches and in the lives of the Mexi­ after seeing drivers all around me driving like can people. 1 am excited about being a part “madmen,” I was pulled over by a policeman of this “kingdom” work, but for now, being an and warned to be careful about obeying all the “alien” in a foreign land has enough challenges signs. No, I am not a “madman” when I drive, of its own. but it has taken a bit of getting used to the Thank you for your prayers and may God “semi-controlled confusion” on the streets. The bless you! “Do not merely listen to the other unsettled feeling is the continued reali­ word...Do what it says” (James 1:22). zation that all communication done here is in Gerald Reimer

Culture Shock Survival An Alien in a Foreign Land? As beautiful as the city of Chihuahua looked with all of its lights, nestled in the Sierra Mountains, that evening when I first arrived, 1 still had some unsettled feelings in my heart. I had had a little trouble getting over the border with my vehicle loaded down with all my be­ longings, and as 1 travelled down the highway from El Paso, Texas, to Chihuahua City, with a certain uneasiness, I sensed God’s leading and His hand upon my life, despite the incredi­ ble changes that faced me in the next months and years. That, of course, took place many weeks ago, on September 10. And because of the prayers of many of you in the churches, I have been able to survive the initial culture shock in this new “home” of mine. Now you say, “It has already been close to two months that you have been living in Chi­ huahua. You must be all settled down by now! Right?” Well, the answer is both yes and no. Let me explain. Thanks to the wonderful NOVEMBER 19, 1993

would like to move into their village, it was an experience I will never forget. It seemed to us that the people didn’t really know how to react after so many years of waiting. All the men shook our hands and all the women and chil­ dren lined up like a receiving line. We went down and shook everyone’s hands. After that the whole village clapped their hands. We have since made another trip in with our families. It was a joy to see their reactions and just to assure them that we really are coming. Senou village is located on a small mountain right on the Sepik River. It really doesn’t seem that small as we climb up the steep path. We know there are many other mountains to climb as we look forward to sharing the Gospel with these people. One man told me that since the last trip in 1989, eleven people have died in their village. There is an urgency to reach these people and so many other people around the world. Won’t you continue to pray that the Lord would send more labourers into His harvest? Tim Schroder

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GERMANY

His Ways are Higher than Ours Our Job is Not Yet Done It was the winter of 1983-84 that we wres­ tled with God’s call on our lives. After months of prayer and soul-searching, God gave us a deep peace in our hearts about going to Ger­ many. We knew this was God’s will for us at the time. We knew God had a job for us to do out there and we knew that He would go with us and use us there to help build His church. We had a burden on our hearts for Munich even before we arrived in Germany, but God led us instead to Dachau at the time, because He knew we were not yet ready to do the pi­ oneer work He was calling us to do. Then, af­ ter three years, the time was ripe to begin a work in Munich. God has confirmed this many times over. We are happy to be here, but we know there will come a time when our work here in Munich will come to an end. That time has not yet come and, although there have been a number of trials during the past six

years of ministry in Munich, we have always been driven on by the peace in our hearts that God has called us here and that the job is not yet done. When Erna became ill in Steinbach this summer, to the point of her being hospitalized and us having to postpone our flight back to Germany, we once again had to wrestle with God’s purposes and seek His will. At one point it looked as if we would not be able to return to Germany, and there was so much at stake. We knew we had to make some very difficult decisions, and make them quickly. God reminded us of our calling to Germa­ ny. He showed us once again the ministry He has given us to do, and we saw clearly that our work was not yet done. With this knowledge and God’s promises, we regained confidence to step out in faith and return to Germany to continue the work there until He leads us back home. And God has provided marvelously for us.

Looking back now, we see God’s hand in it all. We are amazed at His ways with us. He was testing us at the time, to prune our hearts, to make us more dependent on Him, and Erna and I have learned all over again how to pray. Our times are in His hands. We are grate­ ful to God for His gentle ways with us and His desire to use us for His glory. We are also grateful to God for the many people who have so faithfully stood by us during this time and over the years. To God be the glory! John and Erna Dyck

Day of Prayer January 9, 1994, has been desig­ nated as the annual Day of Prayer for EMC Missions. Information and prayer requests will be sent to the pastor of each church. The Board of Missions en­ courages congregations, families and individuals to participate in this united prayer ministry.

Messenger News MUSIC CONCERT A BLESSING

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Mount Salem, Ont.: Greetings to all read­ ers on this beautiful sunny afternoon! After the busy summer months, the regular activities of the church are in full swing. Wednesday even­ . i *. ing we have family night, which includes a lot of singing, a children’s story and a prayer time I". ■ -a"/ for adults. Ladies’ Fellowship takes place ev­ ery other Thursday evening. Sunday morning at 9:00 we have choir practice. A group of eight people from our church at The Ridgewood Singers at the Mount Salem church. Left to right: Connie and Ken Plett, Briattended the Christian Education Convention in •" •"<* Thiessen, Luella Hiebert, Ruth and Wally Doerksen, Tony Hiebert, Curtis Loewen. Steinbach, Man., in September: Frank Reim- try in song and music. We really appreciated possible. It was truly a Kodak moment! er (Sunday school superintendent), Randy and it; thank you very much. Our September social was a Car Rally. It Gloria Fehr (youth leaders), Helen Loewen, On October 29-30, Ben and Helena Fries- consisted of a page of clues given to several Lisa Fehr, Maria Friesen and Helena Friesen en, Nick and Helen Loewen and Arnold and participants in each car. The object of the (Sunday school teachers). I went as well, and Katharina Loewen attended a Christian Edu- game was to find answers to all the clues in I think we all really enjoyed it and bencfitted cation Convention in Detroit. They also real- the shortest amount of time possible. It re­ from it. It was hard to choose from the many ly enjoyed it. quired very sharp vision! workshops. We all came home with a differLet’s be in prayer for the newborn son of The last youth social consisted of a hay ride. ent report. Jake and Agatha Neufeld, who has undergone The weather was chilly and rainy but it didn’t On the evening of October 10 we watched heart surgery in Toronto. Also pray for Veron- stop people from showing up. It was a very the film “Where Jesus Walked,” a multi-media ica, George and Sara Dyck’s baby girl, who scenic and rough ride and most of us ended presentation on three giant screens. It was is recovering from eye surgery. Ben Friesen’s up with straw in our clothes. produced by Don Van Polen and sponsored father, Abe Friesen, had a heart attack on OcOn October 31 we put on an evening serv­ by the Bible League. It was a great film and tober 30. Pray for the family at this time. ice for our parents. The theme was “Serving the church was full. An offering was taken for The following report on youth activities was the Lord,” and the program included lots of Bibles for China. written by Tami Krahn: singing, a skit, a dramatized reading, a devo­ We all enjoyed a soup and pie supper, folOur youth have been busy in the last few tional and a puppet show. We enjoyed lowed by a program of voluntary items and months. We have had a number of interest­ presenting it and we hope our parents received sharing expressing thankfulness. The offering ing socials, which required a lot of organizing a blessing from it as well. went for the Leamington church property. but were successful. Just recently we split our BIG youth group On the weekend of October 15-17 we were In August we had our annual Gurken (cu- into two groups. One group, ages 13-15, blessed with a music concert by a group of cumber) Fest. Although the cucumbers were meets on Wednesday nights, while ages 16 singers from the Ridgewood EMC in Manito- all done, Randy had a very large supply of old, and up meet Friday nights. Please pray for ba. They also ministered in the Leamington soft ones on hand. We played a variety of both groups as we adjust to this new method. church on Saturday and on Sunday evening games “with a gurk.” The Chubby Bunny con- Also pray for our youth leaders, Randy and in the Missionary Church in Vineland. May the test was the most exciting! Contestants stuffed Gloria Fehr, as they guide and direct our youth Lord reward all of you for your beautiful minis- as many cucumber slices in their mouths as groups. Kathy Klassen

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PAGE 8

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THE MESSENGER

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Glen and Betty Koop (left) visited the Creighton church in Sep­ tember.

Our Summer Service team joined our ball team.

SUMMER SERVICE TEAM A BLESSING Creighton, Sask.: In June our north coun­ try welcomes the summer heat, so we gathered in Mary Ann and Terry’s back yard on the 20th for an outdoor morning service. Sunday school prizes and awards were received, followed by a barbecue. A lively ball­ game followed in the park across the street. Watermelon and water fights were a cool relief after playing ball in the hot sun! Our sympathy to Urcell (Babe) Rutley on the death of her husband, Ralph. He had been hospitalized for many months. Terry led the funeral service on June 28. Babe decided to move to Preeceville; we miss her here. During the trout festival, the Mary Martha Mission ladies sold SelfHelp crafts. MMM is active in child sponsorship, also through MCC. Terry and Mary Ann travelled to Blumenort for the EMC annual convention. Terry spoke on the strengths of a small church. His presence there encouraged our small congre­ gation. From July 24-28 we were blessed with the presence of the Summer Service team. Tamara Friesen, Layton Friesen, Maury Fries­ en, Maria Doerksen, Wendy Schlamp and Kevin Dickhaut kept US busy . . . even though we were to keep THEM occupied! However, we loved their fellowship! Our church got painted, leaflets were distributed and general maintenance got done. The team also partic­ ipated in our Sunday service, as well as at the Personal Care Home, Northern Lights Manor and Heritage Manor. All enjoyed their skits, music and drama. A service at Jan Lake was

followed by a wiener roast and some fun at the lake. Tom and Terry Fehr treated us to boat rides and waterskiing. Jodi enjoyed the team’s company. Terry’s soaring ride on the sea biscuit was fun to watch! Our DVBS opened with “Susie-Wants-aLot" (played by Kristen Imrie) crawling through the “time tunnel’’ to visit characters from Bi­ ble times. Aaron Munro (a scribe) and Terry Smith {“Murray-in-a-Hurry”) had visits from Bi­ ble time characters, Adam and Eve, Abraham, Joseph and Moses, played by Lisa and Shan­ non Hillier and Rebecca Munro. We had an average attendance of 55. Crafts, stories, games, skits and singing filled our mornings. We are thankful for the children who came and to our helpers who made it all possible. Our local “craft expert,’’ Jan Borchardt, and her helpers spent hours preparing. (SI.

Terry and Mary Ann celebrated their anniver­ sary during DVBS with an anniversary cake.

Our thanks to Dave Milton and Guy Warry of the First Baptist Church, who delivered ser­ mons on Sundays when Terry and Mary Ann were away. On September 5, Glen and Betty Koop visit­ ed our congregation. Glen is an EMC minister and professor at Steinbach Bible College. Bet­ ty and Glen have been missionaries in Lesotho, Africa. Betty told the children an en­ tertaining story about a little boy in Lesotho who thought security came from holding his own belt instead of the belt around the hay wagon he was riding. On September 19, Mary Ann Smith accom­ panied five teenagers to Simon House Bible Camp for a youth retreat. They enjoyed the discussions, activities and guest speaker Don Boddy. Helen Tkach passed away on September 17. She was a friend of many in our congre­ gation. In October we enjoyed a sermon series on Philippians: “Partnership in the Gospel.” Our maintenance man, Phil Odegaard, has done a terrific job of repairing and maintain­ ing, always something to do. Our Sunday school project is to build a house for Tim, Laurel and Rylan in Papua New Guinea. We have already “built” one third of our part in it. We had a special offering for MCC for the victims of the earthquake in India. We collect­ ed $225 on October 17. We also held our Thanksgiving potluck meal. In Bible study the women have viewed a practical video on parenting, followed by a Bib­ lical discussion, led by Mary Ann. Janice Imrie

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Creighton children wont on an “Amazing Journey Through the Bible Times” during DVBS.

NOVEMBER 19, 1993

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Bob Hillier brought Lacey, the goat (an animal of Bible times), to visit the children during DVBS.

PAGE 9

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Left to right: 1. Birch River pastor, Ferlin Abrahamson, chaired the conference; 2. Special music by Laura Thiessen, Alicia Friesen and Elizabeth Abrahamson; 3. Vivian Loewen plans to serve in the Philippines; 4. Enjoying a snack before heading for home.

Region 3 Conference

Alive Together by Helen Kroeker Sunday, October 23, dawned bright and clear in Birch River. The Lord had answered our prayers in regard to a beautiful day for our Region 3 conference. Since it always means travelling for a number of people from the churches of this region (Creighton, Hudson Bay, Endeavour, Pelly, Kamsack and Swan River), it is nice to have good road conditions. I’m not sure how they made out going home since at places it was raining or sleeting by evening. About 150-160 peo­ ple showed up for the services. The children and youth had separate activities for the afternoon session. Each service started with hearty congregational singing, the first two led by Bernie Thiessen and the third one by Ferlin Abrahamson, who was also the chairperson for the day. The morning special num­ bers, “Jesus, Come and Fill Your Lamps” and “Channels Only,” were sung by Laura Thiessen, Alicia Friesen and Elizabeth Abrahamson. Vivian Loewen, from the Swan River church, who served as a teacher at the Christian school there, reported on her assignment as teacher-consultant under New Tribes Mission in the Philippines. It will involve a lot of travelling because the seven missionary cou­ ples, with a total of 35 school-age children in all grades, are spread over a large area. These parents are home-schooling their children. She will be the resource teacher, as well as teach sports, music and group games when the children come to the city with their parents. We wish and pray the Lord’s guidance, wisdom and strength for you, Viv.

The turkey hunting story told as a childrens feature by Terry Smith of Creighton was both hilarious and thought- provoking. The lesson was that we often think we have been successful on our own when actually the biggest part was the Lord’s doing. Our conference theme, “Alive Together,” was well chosen, and we learned many valuable lessons as our speaker, Jake Remple of Prince Albert, Sask., expounded three main scripture passages in three ses­ sions. The first topic, “Crumbling Foundations,” was based on Psalm 11, especially verse 3. “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” is a question that most of us are asking our­ selves. When families break up through divorce, when immorality and abortion clinics are rampant, and when violence increases, what can we do or say? Daily we are faced with corrosion that causes so much hurt and pain. When the sense of sin disappears, the sense of God disappears as well. When Sunday school teachers in evangelical churches teach that unbelievers are not lost, that Christ was not divine at birth, can­ celling out His Virgin birth; when there are no absolutes, the church, as well as the nation, is in grave danger. Can we and should we do anything? Yes, he said, we should get actively involved. When some­ thing new comes up in the community, be there to have a voice in the matter and in a loving, caring way speak up for what is right. Move out toward the pain and the hurting people around you. Be a witness where you are, not just keeping the activities of the church going, by tradition, but helping others to find “new life” — conver­ sion growth. The second session tied in well with the first, “Lord, keep us from drifting, let us move on from complacency.” Our country is no longer called a “Christian” country. We have become a pagan nation, not

TRIALS, TRIBULATIONS AND VICTORY Fort Frances, Ont.: It is with great sad ness that I am writing to you and I hope you will forgive me for not writing about our church activities this time. 1 would like to share with you some of my feelings and thoughts on the death of my mother on October 17, 1993. 1 hope in some small way 1 can help others who know what my family and 1 are going through. “My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). When 1 read this scrip­ ture verse, 1 thought it was written for my mother. She had a severe heart attack on Oc­ tober 9 and was rushed from the Fort Frances Hospital to the St. Boniface Hospital in Win­ nipeg for tests on October 10. They told us she would need an operation right away since she had a hole in her heart from the heart at­ tack. My sisters and I rushed to Winnipeg, and when we got there we were told that her oper­ ation would not take place for two to four weeks. Mother was in a very positive mood and even joked with us. Since we all had to return to our jobs, we said goodbye, but my father stayed by her side for almost a week. Little did we know that that would be the last

PAGE 10

time we would speak to our mother. Almost one week later we got a call from my father in Winnipeg saying that Mother had taken a turn for the worse and the doctors were going to operate immediately. Again my sisters and I and other family members rushed to Winnipeg. She was in surgery when we got there. Her operation took eight hours. The doctor told us after it was over that she was in critical condition. She never regained con­ sciousness and died 22 hours later. My sister and I stayed with her until the end; we did not want her to be alone when she died. It was very hard! “But God will redeem my soul from the pow­ er of the grave: for he shall receive me” (Psalm 49:15). That week was the most stressful week 1 have ever experienced. Even my bat­ tle with cancer was not like that. I cried many tears, but the Lord gave me the strength to carry on. Many people were praying for me and my family at this time and 1 know that these prayers were answered. 1 felt God was carrying all of us in the palm of His hand. My father, who is 75 years old, held up very well through it all. Thanks be to God! 1 would like to tell you about all the good

that came out of this sad time in our lives. God continues to work in adversity. My mother was a Christian and so the prayers of all the peo­ ple were answered in that she has been “healed” and is in no more pain as she walks in heaven with Jesus. Psalm 23 was recited to her just before she went to be with the Lord and she actually opened her eyes and seemed to recognize my father just before she died. Second, my father confessed he had accept­ ed Jesus as his Lord and Saviour only three months earlier. Praise God! Third, our family was drawn closer together as we felt so much love and support around us — flowers, donations and assistance of all kinds. Even though it was a stressful week, 1 am glad it worked out that way. We were not ready for this and it gave my sisters and me time to adjust and say goodbye. As a family we have this huge void in our lives now, but we know God will fill it with His abundant love, to ease the pain. Someday we will be together again in heaven. Remember, the victory is ours. “For this God is our God forever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death” (Psalm 48:14). Eue/yn Hicks

THE MESSENGER

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Left to right: 1. The children enjoyed games and crafts in the afternoon; 2. Bernie Thiessen led the singing in the morning and afternoon; 3. The young people played several games in the school gym. V

because we have bowed our knees to idols, but by default, by being silent. We let sinful ways and things go on in public places, when we could probably curb that trend and stop it by speaking up in a kind and caring way. (An example: When the Remples were still liv­ ing in Nipawin, they noticed at the hotel where they had loved to take friends for a meal, held meetings, etc., a long table had been put up containing pornographic literature. They had found it embar­ rassing to take friends there as they had done before. So Mr. Remple went to the manager and told him how he and many others in the community felt about it. Soon that whole table of literature had been removed.) We are admonished in Hebrews 2:1-4, the main scripture passage, to “pay more careful attention so that we do not drift away” and “how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” We might not reject Him and His Word, but we can drift by neglecting, letting our relationship with Him cool off and gradually letting small indiscretions creep in. Satan is always the instigator of these decep­ tive ways. Rather, let us eagerly put our anchor in God’s Word. Paul never got over the awe and wonder of salvation. That is why he had such a compassion for lost souls. Whatever becomes our focus determines the direction of our lives (Colossians 3:2). When we drift away we always drift toward something else. So let us pay close attention to God’s Word and to Christ Jesus, applying His truths and living by them (James 1:22,23). Another prevention for drifting is accountability, baring our soul to a close friend who can sense our drift before it is too late. Third, establish the habit of praying for discernment. From where do we get our ideas? Secular psychology can be a great danger, so let’s stay close to God’s Word. The last session emphasized “Life in the Spirit,” based on Galati­ ans 16:26. In order for the Christian church to be a witness in the

community we need to display the fruit of the Holy Spirit. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). Jesus said, “If you have seen me you have seen the Father.” In the same way, people around us will get to know Chris­ tianity by the way we act, according to the fruit of the Spirit, when we become Christlike (little “Christs”). We are to present our bodies to the sovereign control of God, our Maker (Romans 12:1,2). The result will be a unified body of Christ, happy marriages, understanding the healing ministry of the Holy Spirit by confession and forgiveness. He works only in a cleansed vessel. Our values will be different from those of the world, as our minds are being transformed. In all this we are aware that we need a new touch from God, a revival. There are indications of a thirst and a longing for the Holy Spirit to once again sweep through our land (and world) for a renewal. The speaker encouraged us to go from here and let the Holy Spirit use us, just by being “yourself,” glorifying the Lord through the unique person He has made “you.” The introduction to our Nicaraguan brethren, Bayardo and Arnulfo, in the October 8 issue of the Messenger helped us to better un­ derstand their report on Sunday afternoon. Lester Olfert was the interpreter. Bayardo expressed appreciation to the Conference for sending the Olferts to their country as missionaries. The church there is on their own now, without a foreign missionary. Seeing them reach out to eleven different localities is an encouragement and a challenge. The special number, “Nearer, Still Nearer,” was sung by Margaret Moorhead of Endeavour, accompanied by Elizabeth Abrahamson on the piano A delicious supper was served by the ladies of the hosting church, Birch River.

GUEST SPEAKERS APPRECIATED Rosenort, Man.; Alanna Bartel has taken on a missions assignment at Black Forest Academy’s girls’ dorm in Kandern, Germany. She is adjusting well, but is still somewhat homesick. Alvira Friesen, Dora Friesen and Luella Loewen have all returned to their field of service. Johnny Loewen spoke to us a while back on “The Making of a Servant Leader.” What do we look for? A caring, trustworthy person, who is prepared to die for his sheep and his Master. John Koop, our Conference moderator, served us on October 10 in the worship serv­ ice. His theme was “Our Klcingemeinde Heritage.” We have noble beginnings. May we appreciate it and continue building on Christ. Two men from Janz Team’s “Quebec for Jesus” team, Jacques Marcoux and soloist Richard Toupin, brought a report and message on October 10. Their theme, “Grace Abound­ ing in Adversity,” revealed some of their deep financial and spiritual needs. Pray for Quebec! Our prayers for Brent and Denise Unrau and family have been answered! They have been granted resident status in Italy!

NOVEMBER 19, 1993

Our church family Thanksgiving supper was held on October 8 with a program of singing, testimonies and beautiful slides by Bryan Loewen. Greg and Brenda Reimer have moved to Steinbach, where they are houseparents to two handicapped teenagers. Tim and Elaine Klassen and family have moved to Altona, where they are building a new house. We will miss these dear people, but wish them well in their new place of service. Recently received into our membership were Gary and Karen Hildebrandt and Lynette Kroeker. Welcome, and may God bless you and make you a blessing! Cornie B. Dueck celebrated his 75th birth­ day with an open house at his home on Au­ gust 29. Mrs. John H. Reimer is our second centenarian and her birthday was celebrated on November 7 at the Eventide Home. Well­ wishes were received from the Queen, the Prime Minister and many other dignitaries. When an anglicized grandson told her in Low German that she looked good, she respond­ ed with typical humour: “What’s wrong with your eyes?” (also in Low German).

Mr. Peter K. Kroeker is still hospitalized at the time of this writing. Mr. Frank C. L. Friesen suffered a stroke that paralyzed his right arm and also affected his walking and speech. He is at the Health Sciences Rehabilitation Center and in fairly good spirits. Mrs. Anna Eidse is home again and gets two visits a week from her sisters in the church, plus some home care. Rose Komelsen, Bev Friesen and Ralph Dueck have all had surgery recently. For Bev, it was her fourth operation in the last year, and she is hoping it will be her last one in a long, long while. Dennis and Amanda Anderson are en­ couraged in their work at The Pas. A wom­ en’s breakfast and a young men’s group have been begun. Fifty-six of our young people enjoyed a good snow camp at Camp Arnes, November 5-7. Amos Fehr was the director and Cornie and Tina Loewen were the speakers. Rob and Diane Eidse and Muriel Brandt were instrumental in compiling our new pic­ torial church directory. Rob is a professional photographer with his own business. Sil­ houette Photo. Leui Dueck PAGE 11

Left to right: 1. The Region 6 missions conference was held at the Rosenort East School; 2. Don Pickel led the workshop “The Challenge of Russia”; 3. The young people had special video sessions.

Region 6 Mission Conference nation? What are the opportunities around us? Our keynote speaker, Brian Stiller, director of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, spoke to us five times, challenging us. Thursday night: “Daniel as an Old Testa­ ment Model” — Idols today include the me­ dia, government, compromise and sectarianism. Faith has fled the public square Only the good news transforms people’s lives. Friday night: “Jonah — Unsettling the Sta­ tus Quo” — Jonah’s problems were sent to en­ large his vision. Docs our heart and our world need expanding? Saturday morning: “We have a window through which we see things. As the world around us changes, we need to enlarge our vi­ sion. Ananias first saw Paul through the win-

dow of fear. Faith in God changed that and he became a big help to him. Peter was look­ ing at the Gentiles through a legalistic window; God helped him to a window of love. Stiller himself was helped to love a man dying of AIDS. Sunday morning: “Rendering to Caesar” — Christ calls us to rule and to reign His way. We can only influence others when given authority to do so. Sunday night: “Living out the Kingdom” — The story of the prodigal son urged us to turn our steps homeward and come home to the Father. The music throughout the conference was superb. The worship team was led by Arlin Scharfenberg. Special music was presented by Hilda Martens, Sue Zacharias, Kim Kroeker, Earl Braun, Janine Parkinson, Mike Friesen, Lowe Farm musicians and a mass choir, un­

BEING BUILT UP SPIRITUALLY Burns Lake, B.C.; On Sunday, September sen had the dedication prayer. The message 26, we had a parent/child dedication service. was brought by Geoff Thiessen, a visiting Tamara Janzen sang a special song, “Word­ speaker. We all enjoyed a delicious Thanksgiving less One,” by Michael Card, and John Knelsupper of turkey and all that goes with it. We were very thankful for the large turnout for the evening; the basement of the church was full. After the good supper we enjoyed some singing, fol­ lowed by a video from MCC. A Thanksgiving display was set up, where quite a large amount of groceries was brought together and donated to a young couple who have just moved to Burns Lake. They also need our pray­ ers that they will come back to the Lord. Our ladies’ meeting took place on Oc­ tober 21 at the home of Verna i. Hopper. Eleven women were ■ij present and we all enjoyed the evening of fel­ lowship and planning. One of Parent/Child dedication. Front (left to right): Debbie our projects for Tamara Janzen Minger with Kyle and James (Shane is missing), Na­ this winter is to singing at the Pardine and Gerald Genrais with Joel, Sheldon and Elaine help buy some ent/Child dedication Wiebe and Julia, Ruth Anne and Ed Peters with Aman­ service at the Burns mattresses for da, Johnny and Tamara Janzen with Jaden. John KnelLake church. sen (back, center) had the dedication prayer. the cabins at

Ootsa Lake Bible Camp. Our Family Camp at Ootsa Lake was a time to build up our spiritual lives. Just being together from Friday night till Sunday after­ noon is such an enriching experience, leaving all other responsibilities at home and enjoy­ ing the services, the games for young and old and the ladies’ crafts on Saturday afternoon. This year was extra special because we had a baptismal service. Brenda Jack and Norm Levick were baptized and accepted into the membership of our church. Sheldon Wiebe was also accepted as a member. We praise God for these added pillars in our group and we want to remember them daily in prayer. This was the first time that Pastor Ed and Ruth Anne were with us for family camp; we trust there will be many more. Young adults night takes place every Wed­ nesday and it’s wonderful to see some new people coming out to this Bible study and gym night. Pastor Ed and Ruth Anne, together with the deacons and their wives, went to Stclaco Lodge for a weekend of fellowship and plan­ ning for the future of our church. We are very excited about the goals that are being worked on and are looking for the Lord’s direction. It was wonderful to see so many people in church again after the summer months and also to see new faces. Welcome, everyone! June 30 was a very special day — the wed­ ding of Norm Levick and Brenda Jack. They

by Levi Dueck and Florence Loewen

The EMC Region 6, which includes churches from Rosenort, Morris, Pleasant Val­ ley, Roseisle and Lowe Farm, held their fourth biennial joint missions conference on October 28-31 at the Rosenort East School. The ses­ sions were well attended, with a record crowd of 580 on Sunday morning. The theme for this year’s conference was “Christ’s Kingdom and Caesar: A Challenge to the Church.” The focus was on missions in Canada, with an in-depth look at how we can influence our country in a bigger way. What is the role of the church in Canada’s political life? What can we as individuals do to preserve our opportunity to reach Canadians of all ori­ gins with the good news of the gospel? Can we really affect and change the direction of our

I. 1

PAGE 12

THE MESSENGER

♦

Left to right: 1. Lydia Loewen’s workshop was on “Being a Good Samaritan’’; 2. Arlin Scharfenberg led the worship team; 3. Arnulfo and Bayardo, the Nicaraguan delegates, with C.B. Loewen.

dcr the direction of Lori Loewen. The beauti­ ful music and lyrics lifted our hearts in praise and worship to God, our heavenly Father. Special features throughout the conference included the Nicaraguan delegation, with Lester Olfert interpreting their report about difficulties experienced by the Nicaraguan church and how the church grew through suffering. Highlights of the Friday Family Night were the hearty singing and scripture recita­ tion of the AWANA club and Kevin Clark, the Manitoba AWANA missionary, giving an en­ thusiastic and challenging report. Connie Reimer told us what life as a missionary fami­ ly was like. Ken Dueck and Chris Eidse report­ ed on work with Inner City Youth Alive and Cornie Loewen spoke on the Good News Ministries. Eight different workshops were available on Sunday morning and evening. Kent Dueck and

Sharon Anderson, with the topic “Meeting of Two Ways,” used a team approach, outlining the work with Inner City Alive and helping us to understand native spirituality. Elmer Warkentin spoke on “Guess Who’s Coming to Din­ ner,” helping us to see how to give the gospel and friendship to immigrants of different cul­ tures. Canada has opened its doors to 250,000 immigrants a year. We have an obli­ gation to befriend them. Lydia Loewen spoke on “How to Respond to a Hurting Neighbour.” Dave Wiebe gave us one church story on how we bring people together to accomplish the purpose of God and why we need to team up. Lynn Friesen spoke on “Fostering — a Unique Missions Opportunity.” Moses was a foster child. Is there a Moses waiting for you? Fostering provides a way to impact our world, one life at a time. Don Pickel shared the CoMission dream in which thousands of

had a small but beautiful wedding, and we wish them the Lord’s riches blessings as they travel this road together. 1 close my report with a few touching words from a missionary letter: “Climb,” the Lord said. “Climb?” was my anguished cry. “Yes, climb, my child, up the mountain steep. 1 will hold you safe.” “But, Lord, the trail is so rugged. Til slip. The cliffs are so high. I’ll fall. I can never reach the top. Don’t you know my skin is fair and the sun is scorching hot?” “Climb, my child,” the Lord repeated. “As thy days so shall thy strength be. I will hold you safe. Can’t you trust my Word?” Let’s remember to pray for one another that we will experience the strength of the Lord daily. Susan Unruh

REJOICING AND SORROW

I Brenda and Norm Levick were married on June 30 in Burns Lake.

NOVEMBER 19, 1993

Roseisle, Man.: Due to ill health of our regular reporter, Susan Dickins, she request­ ed that someone send in a report from here, so I agreed to do so. I will take you back a few months and let you in on some of the events that have taken place in our church fa­ mily. Our heavenly Father saw fit, in His wisdom, to take a dearly loved husband and father to his eternal home. Mr. Comie Friesen passed away on June 1, leaving a very noticeable vacancy in our pews. He was one of the chart­ er members who came to Roseisle to help along in the forming of our church. It was hard for the family to let him go; however, we are thankful that he only suffered two weeks be­ fore he entered his eternal home. We rejoice in our sorrow, knowing he is with the Lord Je­ sus, whom he dearly loved and served. It seems the Lord has called us to share many sorrows in the past months. The death of the mother of one of our church members again gave opportunity for support through prayer and other means. This meant a loss for Wes and Brenda Klassen, but they too are thankful that Brenda’s mother was released from suffering to meet her Lord and Saviour. I would like to share with you our concern for another member of our church family. Su­ san Dickins has been in and out of the hospi­ tal for several months now due to a disease

Christians from almost 80 agencies are co­ operating to help Russia and other former Soviet Republics find Christ through the “Jesus” film, Christian literature and education. Their goal is to send 12,000 lay missionaries over a five-year period for one-year terms of service. Laura Friesen talked on “Palliative Care” How can I walk alongside a person who is dying? How can I help alleviate the feeling of aloneness? A special projects offering was taken at each session, with a goal to raise $23,000 for Good News Ministries and Inner City Youth Alive and for expenses incurred. The goal was sur­ passed, with a total of $25,284 received. The local ministerial did a great job of plan­ ning this conference. This was a meaningful and informative time, with the churches of our region gathering for fellowship and growth.

about which very little is known. It is attack­ ing the main organs of her body, leaving her extremely weak and in need of professional care. We request your prayers on her behalf, as well as for her 11-year-old daughter, Caro­ line, who now lives with other members of our church family. This is a difficult burden for Su­ san to bear and yet her courage and example are speaking in a forceful way to her family and friends. Pray for Susan and Caroline, as well as for us as her church family, that we will be able to lend the support and encourage­ ment they need. Had you walked into our church the week of June 14-18, you might have thought you had taken a wrong turn and ended up in a zool In fact, it was our “Zoorific Ark Park”! That was the theme for VBS this year. Sixty to seventy children came to learn from God’s Word, sing enthusiastically and add to the “zooy” atmosphere every evening. We were thrilled with the turnout and the success of the week. The weekend of August 13-15, our congre­ gation headed down the highway a couple of miles and set up camp at our local provincial park. Our guest speaker was Allan Friesen from Winnipeg, who spoke on family life topics. Our sessions were thought-provoking and challenging and precipitated many lively discussions around picnic tables later. Saturday breakfast was cooked under sever(continued on page 14) PAGE 13

(Roseisle, continued)

al umbrellas until we decided to move to the shelter in the park. The ground got soggy but our spirits weren’t dampened in the least! We enjoyed the rest of the weekend without rub­ ber boots. Weekends like this, I feel, are a must for ev­ ery congregation. We are fortunate to be a small enough congregation so that almost everyone is able to come. We are again seeing a different face behind the pulpit almost every Sunday. Since the resignation of Brian and Linda Johnson at the end of August, we have had several visiting speakers. We are grateful that there are those who are willing to come and minister to us. Some are even willing to come more than once! John and Connie Reimer have fel­ lowshipped with us three times and we very much enjoyed their contributions to our serv-

ices. Others who have come are Frank and Nettie Friesen, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Friesen, Lar­ ry and Sandy Eidse, Dan and Lottie Thiessen and Gladwin and Jean Plett. The speaker who came from the furthest away was Jos Holzhausen from Africa. He and his family were here to visit Henry and Betty Harms. Jos is the director of the YFC camp where Henry and Betty spent their winter. I’m sure his time in Sunday school and his topic on the POW­ ER of God will not soon be forgotten. We enjoyed Thanksgiving supper on Oc­ tober 10, together with our church family and other guests. Following the supper, we moved to the auditorium to see the film “The Wait of the World,’’ an excellent film that again opened our eyes to the spiritual needs of those who are near to us, as well as those who are far away. We celebrated with Debbie Loeppky and

Sheldon Kuhl on October 16 as they ex­ changed marriage vows. Being a small church, it’s not often that there are weddings within our church family. They have each added much to our church and we are glad that they have taken up residence in Roseisle and will continue to fellowship with us. Congratula­ tions, Deb and Sheldon! To conclude, I would again ask for your prayer support. We are again on the pastor search, and any congregation that has had to do this will know that it is not always an easy time for a congregation. We are trusting the Lord to direct us in this major decision and also to guide those whom He has chosen for us. We would appreciate your prayers in this matter and hopefully we can soon report that the position has been filled. Thank you to those who are praying for us. We truly appreci­ ate your concern. Eleanor Friesen

l[V Breakfast at the women’s retreat.

BIBLICAL WOMANHOOD Winnipeg, Man. (Bracside): For the first time the Braeside ladies went away, to Camp Arnes, for their annual retreat on September 24-25. The topic was “Biblical Womanhood,” with Audrey Harder, who is on the teaching team at Providence College. The first session was held on Friday night, with the theme “What does it mean to forgive?” Kathy Loe­ wen, the chairperson, led in scripture reading and prayer. Shiyrah, with their beautiful, appropriate selection of songs, affirmed and enhanced the spoken word in the messages and testimonies. We all enjoyed joining the hearty sing-alongs as well. Joyce Dyck gave a very moving testimony as she shared some of the abuse and trauma of her early childhood and how later she had struggled to forgive the very ones who should have been her protectors but had wronged her SO deeply. Audrey began by saying that to ask for for­ giveness is usually not as difficult as we think it will be, but each of us may experience a time when forgiving is very hard. We should deal with an unforgiving attitude right away or it will seep into our souls like poison. She took Joseph as the best Biblical example, besides Jesus, in forgiveness. After 20 years, 13 of them in prison, he gets to confront his PAGE 14

brothers. He does not overlook or whitewash their wrong to him, but he forgives, and fel­ lowship is restored. As wrongdoers, we must also forgive ourselves as Joseph’s brothers had to. On Saturday morning our theme was “What does it mean to love?” Anne Kehler shared her testimony, with some good humour thrown in. For her, love started at conception and continued on in her life. She recalled the love in her mother’s routine night blessing: “Shlope shoen en gesund” (sleep well and healthy), God’s love covers us and nothing can separate

___ _____ ____ _______________ Ellen Stoesz (right) serving the cake that was presented to her in honour of a “special” birthday at the retreat.

Braeside Cradle Roll 1993 graduation.

US from His love. Audrey listed five characteristics of love: 1) To love and be loved. Why? Because we find it so difficult to be real. We build walls and put on masks to hide our real self. We are so afraid we won’t be accepted if others see the real me. Love will demand to see beyond the superficial mask. Take time to know each other. 2) Take sincere interest in other peopie, without pretence (Romans 12:9). 3) Sensitive interaction. An open ear is the sign of a loving heart. Speak the truth in love. No betrayal. 4) Sympathetic insight. Love is compassion, unconditional commitment, un­ compromising loyalty, nothing that you can­ not bear. The gentlest of hands sift what you say or do and blow the chaff away. 5) Sharpened integrity. You can con­ front your friend if necessary. “Wounds from a friend can be trusted” (Proverbs 27:5-6). In the last session, “What it means to serve,” Audrey challenged us to serve each other in the coming weeks in using our hands, voice, feet, heart and mind. There was lots of sharing and tears, an openness and warmness that was very en­ couraging and heartwarming. All in all, it was a wonderful weekend — a gorgeous autumn woods setting, great fellowship, and excellent food for body and soul. A big bouquet to all who helped make it so! Elma Dueck

THE MESSENGER

«

Births

»

SCHMITT • to George and Margaret Schmitt of Lowe Farm, Man., a daughter, Gloria, on August 8, 1993. FEHR ■ to John and Lisa Fehr, of Kane, Man., a daughter, Rebecca Lee, on August 27,1993. MARTENS • to Neil and Mary Martens of Al­ bert City, Iowa, a daughter, Rebecca, on Sep­ tember 21, 1993. BARKMAN - to Randall and Wilma Barkman of Riverton, Man., a daughter, Christy Joann, on October 29, 1993. FRIESEN - to Dale and Heather Friesen of Austin, Man., a daughter, Janessa Raeann, on September 25, 1993. WIEBE - to Wayne and Shelley Wiebe of Win­ nipeg, Man., a daughter, Brittani Shelayne, on September 7, 1993.

I

Weddings LEVICK - JACK: Norman Levick and Bren­ da Jack of Burns Lake, B.C., were married on June 30, 1993, at the Island Gospel Fel­ lowship in Burns Lake, B.C. Ed Peters of Burns Lake officiated. The couple is making their home in Burns Lake. SAWATZKY - WALL: Peter, son of Frank and Anna Sawatzky of Aylmer, Ont., and Margaret, daughter of Isaak and Katharina Wall of Aylmer, were married on October 23, 1993. The wedding took place at the Mt. Sal­ em E. M. Church, with Wilbert Friesen of Aylmer officiating. The couple is residing in Cambridge, Ont. SIGURDSON ■ FRIESEN: Larry, son of Al­ vin and Joyce Sigurdson of Winnipeg, Man., was married on October 16, 1993, to Kim, daughter of Hilton and Stephie Friesen of Win­ nipeg. The wedding took place at the First Lutheran Church, with Barry Rasmussen of Winnipeg officiating. The couple is residing in Winnipeg.

Book Review From Anna, by Jean Little, illus. by Joan Sandin, Fitzhenry, 1977, 201 pp. Reviewed by Elizabeth Giesbrecht. This is a story about a family, mostly about Anna, the youngest member. The year was 1933, when rumours of war were rife in Ger­ many. It was no longer safe to speak out against injustices of personal freedoms. The expression Gedanken sind frei (thoughts are free) was no longer true. The five children in the Solden family learned this fact in school. The situation was so serious that Papa con­ sidered moving his family to Canada. The op­ portunity came, and the family left Germany for Toronto. The older children were somewhat prepared for a new culture and school. Not Anna — if she had had difficulty learning in Frankfurt, it would be a hundred times worse in an Englishspeaking situation. She did not know the al­ phabet. She stumbled and fell often. Her sib­ lings dubbed her “Awkward Anna.” A health examination faced them before they could register at school. All passed the test — ex­ cept Anna. Her eyesight was very poor, and she would require special glasses. Finally, her problem had been diagnosed! Miss Williams became her special education teacher. Anna learned to read and to speak English, and be­ came confident in her abilities. The story ends happily with a romance (lowkey) and a gift for the teacher — from Anna. A special note about the author — Jean Lit­ tle based the story on her own life. Born to missionary parents in Taiwan, she shared An­ na’s hurts and griefs. Although completely blind now, Jean writes sensitively for young people, using a computer that ’talks.’ She writes biographically in Little by Little, and Stars Come From Within. All of Jean Little’s books are wholesome and highly recommended for young people, for the home, the church and in schools. They are

Wayside Ncigg(zt§

• • •

Slowed Down By a Broken Ankle We have all heard that God can transform our disappointments into God’s appointments — working out something good in our lives. But to experience adverse circumstances yourself, is quite another matter. Due to a broken ankle, and with a cast up to my knee, some six months ago, 1 was housebound for many long weeks. 1 found myself first in a wheelchair in order to get from point A to point B, then crutches, followed by a walker and finally graduated to a cane. I also learned that, in order to get out, I could slide down the stairs in a sitting position. The whole scenario wasn’t exactly what I would have planned. Someone asked me, “Did it slow you down at all?” A grave NOVEMBER 19, 1993

pits

kiitJl

Don Thiessen Conference Pastor

Did You? My son broke his leg and no one called. My mother died and no one came. My wife is sick and there are no cards. My daughter is on the verge of a nervous breakdown and no one understands. My son is in jail and no one visits him. My father has Alzheimer’s and we’re alone. We’re bankrupt and the fridge is empty. I lost my job and no one says a thing. Our child was bom with Down’s syndrome and no one picked him up. “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.”

available at McNally and Robinson, Mary Scorer and Eaton’s (not at Hull’s or most Christian bookstores). Recommended for Christmas giving. BEG, BORROW or BUY!!!

• understatement. Not only did it slow me down, but it brought all my activities to a screeching halt. BUT God! God’s wonderful Presence seemed to envelop me as I meditated more on Him and His Word. His Spirit strength­ ened and comforted. His precious promises became more real. , Moreover, the many guests coming and going through our door, was phenomenal. Baked goodies, whole meals, flowers and many , smiles were overwhelming. How encouraging it was to hear peo­ ple say, “I am praying for you.” It touched all corners of my heart. I agree with the person who said, “Everything that happens to us, big or small, has been filtered by the fingers of a loving Father!’ ■ Yes, God certainly brought blessings out of a freak accident, ■ Lord, make me more compassionate and caring to those around me who are lonely and need a loving hand. Help me, ultimately, to show them God’s love and compassion. Anne Klassen Portage la Prairie, Man'

PAGE 15

From the Editor Mission, Our Reason For Being MOST, IF NOT ALL, churches in our Conference schedule a mission emphasis sometime during the year. The format varies from church to church, ranging from three or four evenings around a weekend, to each Sunday for a month. One of the common complaints of mission committees in the last few years, is the low attendance at these meetings, especially on week-day evenings. This is only one of several indicators of a declining interest in missions in the Evangelical Mennonite Conference. During the five-year period, from 1983 to 1987, the number of EMC missionaries increased from 116 to 154, while the support rose from $714,000 to $1,055,000 (rounded-off). During the following five-year period, from 1988 to 1992, the average number of missionaries was 148. Support during this period declined from $1,085,000 in 1988 to $1,040,000 in 1992. We have obviously reached a plateau and may, in fact, have begun to slide downward. Is this what we want? Is this what God wants? What is the mandate, the purpose of the church, if not to evangelize at home and abroad? The ultimate goal ought to be the expansion of God’s kingdom, doing whatever it takes through the power of the Holy Spirit to make that happen. It is true that our churches in the last years have been directing a greater portion of their finances to local ministry. This is not all bad, because, without a strong home base, mission efforts abroad will not prosper. Underlying the question of missions is the question about the fate of people who die outside of Jesus Christ. Are the heathen really lost? Is their fate simply an unconscious soul-sleep or are they destined for a conscious, excruciatingly painful existence? A recent survey of some college students indicated that almost half of them thought that God would find some other way to save the heathen in the end. The doctrine of pluralism, that there are many ways to God, is also gaining in popularity. Yet, the Bible is so definite on the centrality of Jesus Christ. There is no other way to God (John 14:6); there is no other Saviour (Acts 4:12). Everyone outside of Jesus Christ is lost and without hope (John 3:36); there is no second chance after death (Hebrews 9:27). Jesus’ final command to His followers was for them to be His witnesses around the world (Acts 1:8). Paul was one who obeyed Christ’s command and argued for the

PAGE 16

necessity of an active mission program (Acts 10:9-15). At the mission conference in our church here in Steinbach a few weeks ago, we listened to the Nicaraguan pastors, Arnulfo Vado and Bayardo Blandon. They expressed their thankfulness that our Conference had sent and supported missionaries to their country. The missionaries not only witnessed and won people to Christ, they also carefully taught and trained the believers so that they are now an indigenous Conference of nine churches. In spite of their extreme poverty, they are reaching out to 11 new areas, and their goal in the next year is for each church to establish an additional outreach. Not only that, God has given them a burden to send missionaries to Cuba. The door is open and contacts have been made. The only obstacle is the lack of finances to move ahead. As I listened, I thought, what an opportunity to work in partnership with our brothers and sisters in Nicaragua in this mission opportunity! They would supply the personnel and we the money, and all of us would bathe the project in prayer. Two other missionaries at our mission conference were Dan and Kathy Petersen, missionaries in Burkina Faso with Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (in which our Conference is a partner). They are members of the Evangelical Mennonite Church in the U.S.A. They work in linguistics and evangelism in one of several unreached tribes. Their aim is to translate the Bible into the tribal language. Dan told us about meeting a man from a neighbouring tribe at the river one day. They conversed in Jula, the trade language. The man wanted to know what Dan was doing there. When Dan told him about “God’s Writing” and their desire to translate it into the tribal language, the man begged him to get missionaries to come and do the same for his tribe. Several months later they met again, and the man asked, “Have you found him yet?” Well, no he hadn’t. Dan and God are still looking. We shrug our shoulders, shake our heads, and mumble about hard times and recession. In comparison to people in most countries we are incredibly wealthy, and we are capable of doing much more in God’s mission program. I hope it is not too late to wake us out of our apathy. Menno Hamm

THE MESSENGER