The Messenger January 15, 1997

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Morris Fellowship Chapel Morris, Manitoba A Church Profile - Page 7

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Siii The leadership team at Morris Fellowship Chapel: deacon couple, Ernie and Betty Siemens, and Janine and Pastor Ward Parkinson.

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EVANGELICAL MENNONITE CONFERENCE VOLUME 35 NUMBER 1 JANUARY 15, 1997

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Editorial

EDITOR Menno Hamm

Family Gatherings SOME OF MY earliest memories involve happy times when uncles, aunts and cousins would gather at our grandparents' home on the farm for special occasions, such as Christmas and Easter. The hearty dinner was eaten in shifts (children last) accompanied by much good-natured conversation and laughter. Then each group retired to its place — the men visited in the living room, the women conveniently occupied the kitchen-dining room, while upstairs the older male cousins socialized in our uncle's room and the young ladies chitchatted in our aunt's room. And we younger cousins? Probably we were underfoot in every place sometime during the afternoon, but 1 also distinctly remember playing on the L-shaped stairway. Without fail, it was time to go home long before we were finished playing. In later years the pattern was repeated in our parents' homes. Holidays were special, and we looked forward to the good times with Mother and Dad and other family members. As the families grew and became intertwined with others, it became more difficult to find a day when everyone could be present. So now and then some members were absent, attending the gathering on the “other side” of their family. Our parents wisely left the decision to their children, and never made demands on them. Some of us moved farther away, so our attendance at family gatherings, especially for Christmas, became less frequent. Because the times we could all be together were more rare, they were all the more precious. When parents pass away, and the parental home we loved to gather in passes into other hands, the gatherings tend to decrease even more. A major reason for coming “home” is gone. Now we are the grandparents, looking forward to the return of children and grandchildren for Christmas and other special occasions. Now it is our family that is scattered over three provinces, and the times we can all be together are very rare. Now we feel what our parents must have felt many times. This past Christmas, for example, only Gerald and Esther and their three children were present. We had a great time, but we missed the others. Their phone calls helped

to bridge the gap and brighten our day. Christmas 1995 was different — we were ALL together. The adults enjoyed each other's company, and the grandchildren had a great time in hours of uninterrupted play. As parents and grandparents, our hearts swelled with joy and thankfulness to the Lord in the midst of the celebration. Naturally, such an occasion must be recorded for posterity, and the photographer was pleased to oblige our request. The result is displayed below.

WE ALL GREATLY ENJOY our occasional family gatherings, which dimly foreshadow the greatest family gathering of all. Some day God will call all His children home for that everlasting celebration. Will this be the year His trumpet blast will ring out across the earth? While we long for that event to come, we are also concerned about those who will be left behind when it does. Let us pray and work “while it is day" to help many more become true children of God, so they too may share in the joys of His family gathering. — Menno Hamm

THE MESSENGER is the publi­ cation of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference. Its purpose is to inform, instruct and inspire: in­ form concerning events and ac­ tivities in the denomination; instruct in godliness and victori­ ous living; inspire to earnestly contend for the faith.

Letters, articles, photos and poems are welcomed. Unpub­ lished material is not returned except by request. The views and opinions expressed by the writers are their own, and do not necessarily represent the posi­ tion of the Conference. THE MESSENGER is pub­ lished twice a month (once a month in July and August) by the Board of Church Ministries of the Evangelical Mennonite Confer­ ence, 440 Main Street, Steinbach, Manitoba, Subscriptions: $7.00 per year (Manitoba residents add 7% PST, total: $7.49). Members and adherents pay through their church. THE MESSENGER is a mem­ ber of Meetinghouse and Cana­ dian Church Press.

Second class postage paid at Steinbach, Manitoba. Registration Number: 0591 Mailing information: All cor­ unrespondence, including delivered copies, change of address and new subscriptions, should be addressed to: The Messenger

P.O. Box 1268 Steinbach, Manitoba ROA 2A0 Phone: 204-326-6401 Fax: 204-326-1613 E-mail: emconl@mls.nel

Elvina and I are surrounded by our family: Gerald and Esther, at the left, with Kelly, Amber-Lee and Jacquelyn (Winnipeg, Man.); Dwight, at back centre (Jenner, Alta.); Barry and Colleen Fisher, at back right (Barrhead, Alta.); and Carol Peters, at front right, with Jadene and Cheyanne (Chilliwack, B.C.).

“We...will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. ” 1 Thessalonians 4:17 PAGE 2

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Martha Kroeker

COVER: The silhouette of Todd Olfert and his dog, Kayla, was taken at Hecla Is­ land by his father, Lyndon. Morris photos by the editor. MESSENGER SCHEDULE: No. 2, Jan. 29 (material due Jan. 20) No. 3, Feb. 12 (material due Feb. 3).

THE MESSENGER

A Message From the Moderator

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WHA I 'S IN by THE BOX? Ralph Unger

ave you noticed how meticulously people wrap their Christmas presents only to have them unceremoniously ripped open at the family gathering? Why do we spend so much time and money on the outside when the value of the gift clearly lies inside the box? I’ve thought that we could draw a parallel here with our emphasis on loyalty to our local church or even to our Conference. Have we tried to make our people pay homage to the box instead of honouring the contents? Let’s consider the institution as the box and the Gospel as the contents of the box. During the last few years an Assessment Committee has been studying our Conference. In the General m Survey there were statements that respondents were asked to consider. One of them read, “Youth in our churches should increase emphasis on Conf^^g loyalty and on informing youth about educationala^B Christian service opportunities in our Confc^^^^B^r of 248 responses, 108 strongly agreed i gPIgfeed ^interesting somewhat. Only 6 strongly |)disagreed. ) that the older the age grou|, the more! ^ngly they agreed with this statement.lComments j i suggested ^her than on that emphasis should be or^informatioi loyalty. Something clicked ^Jtne whei ead that, Why are baby boomers and baby bu posing interest in denominational activities^ iL o secret that today’s young adult tends not to be as lo^l tp his denomination as his parents were. Especially in brban settings some will choose one church for its dynamic’’* preaching, another for its powerful worship experience and, if there are children involved, a third church for its attractive club program. Some will say that secular humanism has replaced the “we” with an “I.” No longer is it so important that I consider the values of my grandparents. Rather, what suits me is the question. If that means that 1 listen to the preacher on TV and give some money to the humanitarian work that has the best appeal, then so be it. Who needs the denomination? But before 1 become too defensive, perhaps there is another angle to the situation. Are there clues right in the problem that can lead us to a solution? Those of us who get warm fuzzy feelings about institutions may have something to learn from the more free-wheeling believer. If we can allow ourselves to ask, “Why should I support the institution?” we may be forced to think past the normal defenses to more creative responses. Back to the “box” analogy, I wonder if we have spent too much time drawing attention to the wrapping and not enough to the contents. Today’s young adults are

JANUARY 15, 1997

not likely to get warmed up by the institutions that their grandparents founded. “What does Grandpa know about cyberspace?” they may well ask. On the other hand, if we appeal directly to the Gospel, we may find something that cuts through the apparent generation gap. If we explore what prompted our parents, who lived through the Dirty Thirties, to begin a new emphasis in our Conference after the Second World War, we may be on to something. If we can figure out what made the early Anabaptists willing to die for their faith, we may be getting closer to the answer. Examining the effect that the Holy Spirit ^tete^e life of the apostles Peter and John, may help to 4faive at a solution to this present dilemma, ^^mple, the religious leaders of Jerusalem ^ht after Jesus’ ascension. When they landed Peter and Johi not to speak in the name of fthbacpstlcs replied, Judge for yourselves whetreM^ [ht in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. F< i^e cannot h ;lp speaking about what we have seen ai leard” (Act: 4:19-20). Though they were threatened, I r were unst ippable. " On Januar \ 1527, Ff ! Manz was about to be executed by^ is crime was that he “had ^ebaptism) and such doctrines which taught Anafc lead to insiii Ron and sedition against the govern! T” His mother was there when he was rowed he Limmat River in Zurich. She knew that outj ^^gftain death awaited her son, but she also understood that there was yet time for Felix to recant and to save his life. Against her strong maternal instinct she cried out to him, “Be steadfast, Felix, remain true to Christ; they cannot hurt your eternal soul” [Know These People, p.26). J

— ust two short generations ago some of the leaders in our Conference also felt an urge to obey God in a ‘new way. For too long, they felt, the increase in our churches had been limited largely to biological growth. The mentality that “the only real mission work is done with a milking stool and pitchfork,” and that “we have enough to do at home,” was challenged by people like Rev. Henry R. Reimer. He countered this attitude with, “But is that apostolic?” He was convicted by the passage in Matthew 28:19-20. He noted that the apostles saw a large field of labour before them. His vision and that of many others began a radical shift in the thinking of our Conference (Ever-Widening Circles, p.l9). Since that time we have seen many of our best workers leave the comforts of family and home to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching (continued on page 4)

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WHAT^S IN THE BOX? (continued) those who decide to follow our Lord. The main “glue” of our expanding Conference has been our mission program. In a sense we have become a mission society. In the past the Kleinegemeinde was a community of faith. People lived in villages and knew one another. They sold their milk to the same cheese factory. Their children attended the same school. That school was governed by a board of trustees elected by the ratepayers of the community. Some of the wealthier members of the community bought up real estate around them so that they could control who their neighbours would be and in that way keep the community “pure.” Conference loyalty was not taught, it was caught. ■« J- ow we are scattered over five provinces in a large iV industrialized nation. We have opened ourselves to society in ways that would have been thought deplorable a few generations ago. Not only have many of our children moved into cities, but even the communities that were once mainly Low German in ethnic flavour have become multi-cultural. We find ourselves living among people of various ethnic groups and faiths. So what does it mean to be loyal to one’s church now? How should our young adults think about Conference in the late nineties? My answer is that all of us should think of our Conference as a box. It’s a nice box. Frankly, 1 love it! But the essence of the box is its contents. We have been given a gift. It is the message that Jesus came, lived among us, died for our sins, was buried and rose again. Right now He is in heaven preparing a place for us. Does that sound like something Paul might have said? For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures... (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). That is the contents of the box. That is the Gospel.

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from the past by Da\fe Schellenberg What we take for granted today, was not al­ ways so in our churches. For one thing, there was not the proliferation of children’s and youth activities. Youth pastors were unheard of. The beginning of youth programs had to wait over 100 years after the church’s found­ ing in 1812 in Russia.

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How we package it may change from generation to generation. But the message itself is constant. We need to declare ourselves ready to die for the Gospel, but I would suggest we should be ready to re-think in each generation how to package that Gospel. What is negotiable and what is non-negotiable? What exactly is worth dying for? When should we be ready to compromise, and when do we hold to our belief and refuse to negotiate? We don’t want to “drain the baby with the bath water.” Some of our young adults seem disillusioned with the Christianity they have seen in institutions. Perhaps that’s good! Maybe we have become too box-oriented, and it’s time we spend more time looking into the box. What’s in the box is constant. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). And it was Christ who said, “On this rock I will build my church.” The church, then, is Christ’s idea. Our Conference is simply a group of churches working together. Perhaps the problem is that we have taken our eyes off the One who is to set direction and have begun congratulating ourselves for how well we have followed Him. “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...” (Hebrews 12:2). Personally, I look at 1997 and ask, “How will I fix my eyes on Jesus? What difference will that make in our home? Will my friends in our men’s group sense that I have been with Jesus? Will my colleagues sense that Jesus’ love is incarnated in me?” I challenge all of you to look not so much at the institution and its trappings, but to Jesus who is the author of it all. As we fix our eyes on Him, we will see His beauty, and His beauty will permeate us. Then even the box will be beautiful because its content is shining through the box. Ralph Unger, Conference moderator, is the pastor of the Ridgewood EMC Church. He and his wife, Mary Lynn, live in Steinbach, Man. They have four children, two married and two at home.

The First Jugendverein (Christian Endeavour) in the EMC I’m sure the demise of the private school around 1920 had something to do with it, when the church fathers lost control of the school. This probably led to the starting of the Sunday school movement in our churches (1926 in Steinbach) to partly make up what the private school had done previously. 1 suppose special efforts in the young peo­ ple’s area logically came next where churches made a conscious effort to involve youth in specially designed programs for young people. In Prairie Rose a young school teacher, Peter J. B. Reimer, started with a choir prac­ tice in the local church. Some youth meet­ ings were also held. However, it was felt there should be more regular programs.

This activity began seventy years ago this past November, when on November 20, 1926, a meeting was called to organize a Christian Jugendverein for the community. This became the forerunner of what was later known as Christian Endeavour. It was a popu­ lar movement for many years. (1 wonder if any of our churches still have one). The rationale, at the Prairie Rose organiza­ tional meeting, was to help build the king­ dom of God, especially with youth. A constitution was drawn up and unani­ mously accepted. It might be of interest to summarize it briefly. Maybe we could even learn something from it: 1. The name. Prairie Rose Jugendverein. 2. The purpose is to support Kingdom of God work....Therefore, this Verein shall THE MESSENGER

not work for only one particular church, but for all Christian churches... 3. Membership: One has to be 14 or older and lead a moral life....Each member has one vote. 4. Chairman: Is to be named for each session. 5. Committees: Program Committee, Recruiting Committee and Reception Committee, with three members each, one of whom is to be a woman. 6. Sessions: The Verein determines the fre­ quency. 7. Additions to the constitution must have at least a two-thirds majority vote. An offering is to be taken at each meeting to pay expenses and for other purposes. The secretary is also the treasurer. Committee members elected were as fol­ lows: Program Committee: Peter J. B. Reim­ er, Peter Wohlgemut and Mary D. Reimer; Recruiting Committee: Mrs. Peter Wohlge­ mut, Jacob Fast and Cornelius K. Plett; Recep­ tion Committee: Peter D. Reimer, John D. Reimer and Mrs. Jacob Fast. The first meeting was announced for De­ cember 19, 1926, and the second for Janu­ ary 9, 1927. Subsequent meetings were held every three weeks on Sunday evening. In a short while sixty-four members had registered. Quite a number were from the Holdeman church as well as the Chortitzer church. There were also two young girls from a nearby Ukrainian family. Older readers will remember many of the first members: Mr. and Mrs. C. K. Plett, Mr. and Mrs. P. Wohlgemut, Mary D. Reimer, Mr. and Mrs. Peter J. B. Reimer, John D. Reim­ er, Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Wiebe, Mr. and Mrs. P. M. Penner, Mr. and Mrs. David F. Penner, A. F. Penner, Alfred Friesen, H. S. Reimer, Abe Friesen, Neil P. Dueck, Mr. and Mrs. Jac. T. Reimer, P. P. Giesbrecht, Tina Penner, Tina Giesbrecht, Esther Giesbrecht, Marie P.

Giesbrecht, Susie Friesen, Mr. and Mrs. P. D. Reimer, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Fast, Mr. and Mrs. Jacob F. Reimer, Maggie P. Plett, An­ nie L. Giesbrecht, Sophie Bauick, Agnes Bauick, Carolyn Penner, Agnes G. Toews, Annie B. Koop, Lena B. Koop, Augustie Goertzen, Marie S. Reimer, Martha G. Toews, Martin G. Penner, Walter F. Penner, Mr. and Mrs. H. D. Reimer, Catherine G. Giesbrecht,

Elsie E. Toews, Neta F. Reimer, Bernard D. Reimer, Frank D. Reimer, David P. Reimer, Frank P. Plett, Bennie L. Giesbrecht, Mrs. Abram D. Reimer, Pete Reimer, Heinrich Kroeker, Susan Plett, Justina Goertzen, Maria E. Toews, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Plett. Adapted from “Allerhand in der deutschen Ecke" by Peter J. B. Reimer, Scratching River Post, June 21 and 28, 1982.

Letters

Applications must be in by March 15. More information may be obtained from GMU or Clair Longuevan (phone: 303-243-5949). Curt Plett Steinbach, Man. (Phone: 204-326-3027)

Keep the Reports Coming Thank you for a very informative and en­ couraging publication. My wife and 1 look for­ ward to each issue. A big pat on the back to Dr. Harvey Plett and to the Conference for our story! During the Christmas season, we’ve reflectedVn home. Alexis and I moved to Stettler, Alberta, 1 ‘A years ago. We would really like to encourage the reporters from Prairie Rose and Prairie Grove to share the important events that we know are happening. I’m sure other people around the globe are as interested as we are. This is likely also true for other churches in the Conference. We love and miss you! Wally and Alexis Plett Stettler, Alta.

Thank You For Your Prayers

This spring 1 will be joining a team of volunteers going to Bolivia for three weeks, from April 19 to May 11. The purpose is to help Gospel Missionary Union (GMU) workers build a church. About ten more people are needed to complete the team. The cost of the return trip from Miami to Bolivia is $2000. Team members must arrange their own transportation to and from Miami.

On November 23, 1994, an article apPeared in The Messenger entitled “A couple’s battle with infertility.” 1 wrote that article and would like to briefly take you back to that story. James and Lind- |B|||n|||||||pM||||M^ sey (not their real names) had been told by their doctor that they would’’ never have a child of their own, not without a miracle anyway. James and Lindsey ap­ plied for adoption, and Devon James I ended the article by asking you, the readers, to pray that God would place a child into their home. God answered those prayers in a big way! Just six months later, Lindsey discovered that she was pregnant, and on January 26, 1996, she gave birth to a gorgeous blue-eyed boy, Devon James (that is his real name). James and Lindsey thank you for all your prayers, Linda Wiebe Blumenort, Man.

tries in which MCC serves. Currently about 900 MCC workers serve in assignments such AKRON, Pa. — Thirty workers participated as community development, education, food in orientation at Mennonite Central Commit­ production and administration. Many work tee (MCC) headquarters, in Akron, Pa., directly with local churches or community November 5 to 15, 1996. Seven are begin­ groups. ning overseas assignments, twenty-one North The latest group included the following American assignments, two short-term as­ EMC members: signments with Ten Thousand Villages. Brendan and Jewel Reimer of Steinbach, Each year about 475 people enter MCC as­ Manitoba, are beginning five-year MCC assignments in any of the more than fifty coun- signments in Steinbach as program co­ directors at El’dad Ranch. Brendan attended Providence College in Otterburne, Manitoba. Jewel received a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Universi­ ty of Manitoba in Winnipeg. Brendan, the son of Walter and Margaret Reimer of Killarney, Man., was last employed I, as an owner and manager of a sporting goods , store in Steinbach. Jewel, the daughter of B: Betty and Garnet Reimer of Blumenort, Man., last worked as a nurse in Steinbach. Il They are members of the Blumenort Evangelical Mennonite Church in Blumenort. They have one daughter, Ellen Marie. MCC photos by Bruce Hildebrand

Wendolyn Schlamp of Winnipeg, Man., is beginning a one-year MCC assignment in Winnipeg, where she will work as a child­ care worker at Young Parents Community Centre. Wendolyn received a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from Steinbach (Man.) Bible College, and was last employed as a cashier in Winnipeg. She is a member of Aberdeen Evangelical Mennonite Church in Winnipeg. Her parents are John and Kathy Schlamp of Winnipeg.

Church Building in Bolivia

MCC Appointments

JANUARY 15, 1997

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Delegates hear Board goals at the Conference Council meeting at MacGregor. Conference Council

Goals and Budget Highlight Agenda About 130 delegates convened at the MacGregor EMC Church on December 7 for their fall meeting. Pastor Jerry Plett based his open­ ing devotional on Psalm 40, urging the audience not to focus so much on trials and challenges, but on God. That will bring peace and tranquillity, he said. There was wide representation from Conference churches at the meeting, although fourteen churches had no delegates present. John Reimer, Vice-moderator, chaired the morning session, during which the various boards presented their goals for 1997. The Board of Ministers and Deacons will be continuing the Con­ ference Pastor’s ministry to the churches. Several delegates felt the position should be increased to full-time. Attention will also be given to completing the Professional Ethics Manual, revising the Minister’s Manual, and responding to current social concerns: Sanctity of Life and Homosexuality. In the coming year, the General Board, responsible for the general administration of the Conference, plans to work with Conference boards in developing strategies to implement changes recommend­ ed in the Conference Assessment Report. Other objectives include an assessment of the Sister Church Program and continuing pro­ motion of inter-conference cooperation.

At the lunch table: Helen Froese (Riverton, Man.), Leona Kornelsen (Ed­ monton, Alta.), Mary Bueckert (St. Vital, Winnipeg) and John Wall (Straffordville, Ont.)

Groups met after lunch for the “Round-table” discussions.

The Board of Church Ministries is proceeding in its search for an editor/executive secretary. The primary activities in 1997 will be the ongoing publication of The Messenger and the biennial youth conference. Abundant Springs '97. An active Youth Sub-committee is in charge of the latter event. The Board would like to improve services to Conference congregations in the diverse areas of edu­ cation, publication, archives, youth and music. Next year the Board of Missions plans to initiate two new church starts in Canada. In addition to maintaining current mission en­ deavours, the Board and staff will be recruiting and processing new workers for several fields. A new policy of financial assistance to the churches in Nicaragua will be worked out that meets the ap­ proval of Revenue Canada. The Board of Trustees will continue its role of managing all Con­ ference money and the Conference office facilities and staff. The half-time position of Stewardship Consultant will be continued through 1997. The presentation of the budget for 1997, with an increase of about 6 percent, generated little discussion among delegates. The approval lor the $1,459,600 budget was almost unanimous. The financial resources will be divided as follows: Board of Ministers and Dea­ cons, $35,000; General Board, $30,350; Board of Church Ministries, $113,250 (the increase is due to needed overlap of the editor/executive position); Board of Missions, $1,166,000; Board of Trustees, $115,000. Right after lunch, Moderator Ralph Unger led the delegates in a round-table discussion of questions presented by three boards. Other business included a report from Ed Reimer regarding the findings of the Conference Assessment Committee. Arden Thies­ sen reported another increase in MCC's income, but said that MCC Canada will be downsizing its operation to allow a higher ratio for international and provincial programs. Harvey Plett reported for Steinbach Bible College. The day concluded with a number of encouraging church reports and prayer lor the requests mentioned, as well as for the Prairie Grove and Swan River congregations, grieving the sudden deaths of their pastors, John Unger and Darryl Peters, respectively. Throughout the day, teams of MacGregor ladies provided food lor the delegates in refreshment breaks, lunch and faspa. Their ministry was much appreciated. — Menno Hamm

For The Coming Year “Let us give our work, our thoughts, our plans, our­ selves, our lives, our loved ones, our influence, our all, into His hand, and then, when we have given all over to Him, there will be nothing left for us to be troubled about, or to make trouble about." -/. Hudson Taylor

A NEW YEAR IS NOT REALLY NEW IF WE LIVE THE SAME OLD LIFE! Ed Reimer discussed the Conference Assessment Report.

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THE MESSENGER

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Church Profile

MORRIS FELLOWSHIP CHAPEL Morris, Manitoba

Where even the rivers meet... The town of Morris, Manitoba, about forty miles south of Winni­ peg, has grown from a small village located where the Morris River (originally known as Scratching River) meets the Red River. The surrounding fertile plain attracted settlers in the 1870s, including a group of Kleinegemeinde Mennonites, who chose homesteads along the Scratching River northwest of Morris. The meeting of the rivers has not always been a blessing. Sud­ den spring thaws producing heavy run-offs from the south and west have occasionally caused severe flooding in the area. Major floods occurred in 1950, 1966, 1979 and 1996, at times creating a vast lake seventy miles long and eight miles wide at Morris. Following the 1966 flood, permanent ring dykes were built around Morris and other towns and villages in the region. These have ef­ fectively protected these communities during high-water periods, when from the air they appear as small islands in a vast sea. Morris is also at the junction of Highways 75 (north/south) and 23 (east/west). Consequently, it forms a hub for much local and international travel to and from the U.S.A. Morris Fellowship Chapel is situated at St. Mary’s and Toronto East, one block east and one block north of the junction of High­ ways 75 and 23 East. The spiritual home of about 130 members and their families, it has reached the age of 37 years. Sunday Morning December 1, 1996, was a special Sunday at Morris Fellowship Chapel — six young people were being baptized. The occasion at­ tracted many visitors, considerably swelling the usual Sunday morn­ ing attendance. As usual, the Sunday activities began with Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. It being the first Sunday of the month, Superintendent Ron Edwards led the common opening in the sanctuary. Other Sundays, the children meet separately in the basement. Janine Parkinson helped the children with songs they were learning for the Christ­ mas program. The Sunday school has a strong Bible memory pro­ gram, and four young students were recognized for their achievements. Following the opening, classes dispersed to their lo­ cations in various parts of the building. At 10:45 the morning worship service got under way with a prelude of choruses led by Lome Loewen and Sherri Siemens. Cliff Reimer, serving as chairman for the morning, then welcomed the guests. Several hymns followed, accompanied by Janine Parkin­ son at the piano. Henry Kroeker, a long-time member at Morris, lit the first Ad­ vent candle and read about its significance from Isaiah 9:2-7. Then the six baptismal candidates were called forward and affirmed their commitment to Christ and the church. One by one, the candidates gave a testimony of their faith pilgrimage, were baptized and wel­ comed into the fellowship of the church by Pastor Ward Parkinson. Ministry in music by Esther Siemens preceded the pastor’s mes­ sage, “Worth Following." Everyone follows something or someone, he said, whether the crowd, a cause, personal comforts, or another leader. Using the text from Philippians 2:6-11, Pastor Parkinson showed that Christ is worth following because of the path He took. The cross of Christ stands at the centre of human history, he stat­ ed. Christ is also worth following because of His exaltation. The pastor then used Philippians 3:7-9 to show what it means to follow Top to bottom, left to right: 1. Morris, Manitoba is the home of the Manitoba Stampede; 2. Friends meet at the church door; 3. Pastor Ward Parkinson in his office; 4. Morris Fellowship Chapel, at the corner of St. Mary’s and Toronto East; 5. Sunday school superintendent, Ron Edwards, substitutes for Bonnie Loewen in the grade 3 class; 6. Cliff Reimer chairs the morning worship service; 7. One corner of the Moms and Babes class; 8. Singing in the Sunday school opening.

JANUARY 15, 1997

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Christ. He urged not only the newly baptized members but every­ one to be active followers of Christ. A closing song and benedic­ tion concluded the Sunday morning service.

History and Development Morris Fellowship Chapel began as an outreach of the Rosenort EMC Church. During the 19.50s a growing number of EMC families finding employment in Morris became involved in neighbourhood Bible studies. In 1959 a small church building near the hospital that came up for sale was purchased. Melvin Dueck, a minister from Rosenort, accepted the challenge of leading the group. By 1964 the congregation had grown to the point where it need­ ed more intensive pastoral care. Cornie (C. B.) and Tina Loewen, former missionaries to Mexico, were called. Cornie wrote, "In July of 1964, Tina and 1 made a decision that would change the direc­ tion of our lives. We accepted the call of God to take up pastoral duties for a group of believers that met for Bible studies and wor­ ship in Morris. We had been somewhat involved with this group since we had arrived home from the Mexican field. “On December 28, 1965, we had an organizational meeting and, together with thirty-five other men and women formed the Morris Fellowship Chapel.... The cooperation of this group was remarka­ ble, considering that the active participants in our fellowship came from eight different denominational backgrounds" (/ Remember, p. 189).' In 1966 the Morris church was officially accepted into the Evan­ gelical Mennonite Conference with forty-two members. By the fol­ lowing year the small building could no longer meet the needs of the growing church, so a new building was begun. The 1967 EMC Yearbook lists Henry B. Remple as deacon, Elmer Warkentin as Sunday school superintendent, and Alvin Rempel as youth leader. The congregation maintained a fairly steady rate of growth, even though various members moved to others areas from time to time. Facilities were again becoming so crowded that in 1980, the sod was turned for a major addition — a 62 x62’ sanctuary, seating about 325. It was joyfully dedicated ten months later. It was a sad day lor the church when Cornie Loewen announced hi.s resignation a,s pastor, a.s of the end of 1984. But the Lord un­ dertook, and John and Connie Reimer, former missionaries in Nicaragua, accepted the pastoral call. John ably led the congrega­ tion through eight years of ministry. At the beginning of 1988, following the departure of Assistant Pastor Larry Friesen, Ward Parkinson accepted the call to serve as youth pastor. A native of Montreal, Ward had graduated from Providence College, where he met and married Janine Krahn from Brandon. They were part of the Fort Garry EMC Church in Winni­ peg at the time. After four years in this position he was appointed the pastor of Morris Fellowship Chapel. The church passed through a painful period in the early nineties when differences of opinion could not be resolved. A number of families left the church in 1992 to form a separate group. Accord­ ing to Pastor Ward Parkinson. Morris Fellowship became a differ­ ent church, one that is more sensitive to relational difficulties. It is also a younger congregation; in the last three years, twenty-three babies have been involved in parent/child dedication services. Members of the younger generation have had to step into positions of leadership. A variety of spiritual gifts is being developed as the church continues its ministry and outreach.

Leadership Spiritual leadership at Morris Fellowship Chapel is provided by the pastor couple. Ward and Janine Parkinson, and the deacon couTop to bottom, left to right: 1. Highway 75 passes through Morris’s Main Street; 2. Janine Parkinson practices Christmas music with the children; 3, The Grade 1 class with their teacher, Eva Stoesz; 4. Pas­ tor Ward and Janine Parkinson with their family: Kyle, Amanda, Rachel and James; 5. Three students in the Junior High class; 6. At the wor­ ship service on Sunday morning: 7, Lome Loewen has been a song and choir leader at Morris for many years; 8, Connie and John Reimer — John was the pastor from 1985 to 1992.

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THE MESSENGER

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pie, Ernie and Betty Siemens. They meet bi-monthly to discuss de­ velopments and identify needs among members of the congre­ gation. The Church Council, consisting of the pastor, deacon, and four members elected by the congregation, is responsible for the over­ all operation of the church. Elections are held in November each year, followed by a subsequent annual meeting in January. The chain of pastoral leadership included: Melvin Dueck (1959-64), C. B. Loewen (1965-1984), Larry Friesen (Asst, pastor, 1983-1986), John Reimer (1985-1992), Ward Parkinson (youth pastor, 1988-1992, and pastor, 1992-present).

Programs From its beginning the group at Morris has been active in activi­ ties of fellowship and community outreach. C. B. Loewen record­ ed the following summary of 1966, “Some highlights of our first full year as an organized church body were the monthly mission­ ary nights, our own church choir, the Wednesday night Bible studies and the Thursday visitation nights.... Another outreach we partici­ pated in, together with the Lowe Farm Bergthaler Church, was the distribution of over 10,000 tracts during the Morris Stampede and Exhibition” (Z Remember, p. 189). Similar reports could be given of programs and activities through the years. Bible studies have remained prominent. Currently four or five groups meet weekly in homes, with an additional one at the church on Wednesday evenings, led by Ernie and Betty Sie­ mens. A men’s group meets for prayer at the church at 7 a.m. on Tuesday mornings, and ladies meet on Wednesday mornings at 9 a.m. An active Ladies Fellowship meets on the first Thursday of each month. Lacking a youth pastor since 1992, the Church Council prepares a schedule of bi-weekly youth activities which volunteer couples take turns hosting. The Morris Fellowship conducts a one-week VBS program each summer that reaches many children beyond those in the church. Attendance records were broken again in 1996, with over 100 registered, considerably more than had been expected. Another summer event is the participation with other EMC churches in Region 6 in Living Fountain Bible Camp. Two one-week camps are held at the Beaver Creek facilities north of Riverton. Morris Fellowship also participates in the Region 6 biennial Mis­ sions Conference, as well as other regional events. At other times Mission Sundays in the church feature missionary speakers. A highlight is the week-end family camp every two years. From 80 to 100 people attended the 1996 event held at Winkler Bible Camp at the end of May, at which Doug Reader from Hilbre was the speaker. At the end of November eleven couples from the church travelled to Nutimik Camp in the Whiteshell Provincial Park. They received helpful insights at the Marriage Enrichment Semi­ nar conducted by Steve and Jackie Masterson. Conclusion It was a pleasure to visit Morris Fellowship Chapel, especially at the celebration of baptism. The pastor and congregation admira­ bly demonstrated their goal, as printed in the bulletin, “To live and proclaim new life in Christ, through fellowship, friendship and family.” The foregoing report is, of necessity, a mere glimpse into the life of one of our Conference churches. We commend Morris Fellow­ ship Chapel to your continued interest and prayers. Menno Hamm Top to bottom, left to right: 1. Lynford Bartel (right) with three Junior High students in the spacious youth room upstairs; 2. Pastor Parkin­ son baptizes Frank Harder. The other candidates are Shaun Edwards, Scott Siemens, Carey Klassen, Laurel Klassen and Justin Edwards; 3. Ruth Bartel with a group of Nursery children; 4. A larger-than-usual adult class; 5. Henry Kroeker reads the Scripture relating to the first Advent candle; 6. Happy Kindergarten students with their teacher, Natalie Siemens; 7. The original home of the congregation at Morris; 8. Tina and Cornie Loewen (back right) with some of the baptismal can­ didates in 1975. Cornie was the pastor at Morris for 20 years.

JANUARY 15, 1997

PAGE 9

With, ovr missionaries ALBERTA

Insights for Intercession by Arlyn Van Enns

Northern Conversations Today I’d like to share with you quotes from folks in our part of the world, in order to: • Allow you to hear and feel a bit of local “atmosphere," • Represent some of our more recent ex­ periences, and • Illustrate our prayer needs.

Before meeting you, I’d already heard how encouraging it is in this town to be around you and your wife. And it's true: Somehow you two seem to always speak optimistical—

DEPARTURE To Paraguay

Joanne Martens Background; Born in Winnipeg, to Abe and Norma Martens. Education and Experience; Elementary school — Kola, Man. High school — Vir­ den, Man. One year at Brandon Univer­ sity, two-year diploma from SBC, RN training at Winnipeg Health Sciences. Two-year nursing ministry in La Esperan­ za, Paraguay. Eleven years as dorm as­ sistant at Black Forest Academy in Germany, with Janz Team. Spiritual Highlights; Accepted Jesus as Saviour at six years of age during church revival meetings. Experiencing God's presence in the everyday walk of life. Member of the Kola EMC. Hobbies and Personal Interests; Hiking and walking, reading, sewing, cooking, gardening, photography. Assignment; Bible classes in public schools, church ministries, nutrition classes. Status; Career missionary

Please pray for Joanne PAGE 10

ty! Even in negative situations you can still be positive. This surprising little outburst from an un­ saved retired civil servant one morning at 3 a.m. gave us extra cause to celebrate the availability of supernatural joy (e.g., 1 John 1:2-4). Although 1 am for the most part a realist, Ann and 1 have both learned to spend very little time thinking or speaking about what we miss on the field. Just between you and us, yes, we do deeply miss what we once took for granted back in our home churches and fellowships. Indeed there once was a time when love was commonplace, as were beau­ tiful music, entire families who followed Christ, folks who are both successful and humble, people who keep their word and commitments. These memories sometimes seem of a far-off and distant time — even as if from a different life, almost. Academics make much of cross-cultural challenges. These are, of course, real but they in themselves are not what exhaust mission­ aries, because cultural adjusting is more or less temporary. One can, after all, learn to function‘reasonably effectively and comfortably in a new culture in less than a decade. The long-term cross-spiritual experiences are the most rigorous challenge. For instance, at one time in our lives we hobnobbed mainly with folk who lived lives of integrity. Now we are in an environment where integrity is at times hardly even an ideal. (This, I might quickly add, is a local condition of relatively recent origin.) While the gains of even long-term cross-

cultural experience probably outweigh the losses, we have found that we still have to have a sound spiritual basis for our activities, in order to remain happy where so few have ever seen what humans can become. This is one unavoidable reality, but the other side of reality is knowing that Jesus has plans of saving and “revolutionizing” lives in our community as we develop in our faith­ fulness to Him who is unwaveringly faithful to His children. This is the eternal reality, the one we strive to spend our time and energy focusing upon. We are not unaware of the deceit and death and systemic injustice all about us, but as believers we can remain posi­ tive because (in tragic contrast to our neigh­ bours, as yet) we know that real solutions exist after all; and, indeed, we even know what some of them are! “Now thanks be unto God who always causes us to triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the savour of His knowledge..." (2 Corinthians 2:14a). That's our culture — survival; not all those things they [governments] bringing down here from South now. When we're young fit was] alt we can do sometimes to Just make living for ourselves. We don't have hme to bother all kinds of silly things. Every day it's just hunting, hunting — long as we kilt something everybody’s hapPZ There's no, what you call it, boring or depressions like that in our days. People are hardly even sick that time. Now everything's too easy. And people N . ' always jealous of each others. Not in our days, us. J guess our way of life was mostly what you call “survival. ’’

This is a compilation of a bit of what we were told, quite passionately, just after our

Henry Klassen Executive Secretary

Interpersonal Relationships Recently 1 read the book CoafJict or Connectioa, with the sub-title “Interper­ sonal Relationships in Cross-cultural Set­ tings," by Levi Keidel. The author, with his spouse, spent thirty years with Afri­ ca Inter-Mennonite Mission in Zaire, was a college instructor for eight years and has written six books and numerous ar­ ticles appearing in some sixty periodi­ cals. Keidel is well qualified to write on this very important subject of interpersonal relationships. He is humble enough to share illustrations from his own ex­ periences. This makes the book more un-

derstandable and human. It helps the reader to identify with the issues dis­ cussed and to deal with them effectively. Research and experience tell us that poor interpersonal relationships are a principal cause of missionary ineffective­ ness and failure. This book provides sound and practical advice on how to deal with this issue in its various con­ texts. Every missionary and every per­ son considering missions should read this book. Application of the principles for good interpersonal relationships will do wonders. This is not only a good book for mis­ sionaries but I believe every person would benefit from reading it. It will help the reader to deal with interpersonal rela­ tionship issues and to better understand some of the issues that the missionary has to deal with. I conclude with how leaders in world missions have evaluated this book: "Challenging and refreshing. Real. Rele­ vant. Readable. Constructive."

THE MESSENGER

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friend had related a story of surviving for weeks without even guns or traps — just on what could be killed with ropes, and stealthy hands. What he was doing here was mourning to­ day’s terrible trivialisation of his real culture. He is decrying, as so many elders do, the replacing of a valid way of life by one that promises much more, and actually delivers much less. The enterprise and selfdetermination so true of our local folk until the ’70s is now largely unrewarded, in favour of dependency and sloth. A responsible culture born of respect and hard work is being replaced by an artificial conglomerate of victimhood, “bells and whistles.” When my step-grandma was still living, it used to bother me that 1 could communicate less with her than with some unilingual na­ tive seniors. Now I am saddened when we see some of our older neighbours getting less of a hearing from their own youth than from us outsiders. The importation of superficial “culture” cannot be said to be entirely the govern­ ments’ faults. The more sensitive band lead­ ers feel uncomfortable with the shallowness or lack of relational values in their day-to-

day work which removes them so thoroughly from their roots. Some then look for some­ thing relatively easy, and very visual to add to (and hopefully, improve) an otherwise un­ changed life. Others are, more simply, astute politicians and financial lobbyists who are very much aware of the popularity of cultivating a NewAge image today. Our friend is right. There is no way of knowing or appreciating his culture without having experienced the Bush with its resources, demanding uncommon alertness and memory; and its harshness, demanding resilience. It is awfully difficult for our people here to stand against the many and powerful forces arrayed against the best in their cultures. It is no accident that the most traditionally native couple in our whole town is also the strongest Christian couple, and (according to them) especially so since they first heard of and followed (Christ. Not everyone can lead their kind of (bush) lifestyle any more, but would you please pray that some will decide to accept their godly values, and their Saviour?

I want to love the God!

This is what a very old man suddenly told me a week ago when we were doing the Cree Jesus video distribution. He’s never heeird the Gospel before, but please pray that he’ll un­ derstand it now! We were deeply en­ couraged by the great help we had for this project from the believers. For all your prayers and helps on behalf of us and our neighbours, Annette and I thank you indeed! Arlyn and Ann van Enns (La Crete) are church planters at Fort Chipewyan, Alberta. WANTED A host couple (or individual) to lead the Project Macedonia — Mexico '97 group of ten participants during the whole month of May 1997.

Responsibilities: To lead the group on the trip; to develop a program for ministry (songs, skits, pantomimes, etc.); to be spiritual mentors to the group members. For more information, call the EMC Conference Office Missions depart­ ment at 204-326-6401.

With our congregations MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

Hudson Bay, Sask.: A potluck is a meal at church where we heave a chance to try many varied and delicious casseroles, salads and desserts. It usually results in a feeling of having overeaten a bit. Our church family has had quite a few of these potlucks in the last while. I’ll share about a few. We had our annual Thanksgiving potluck where we celebrated the blessing of another bountiful harvest. Many of the farmers had to wait till well into November this year be­ fore they completed their harvest. In that case they celebrated Thanksgiving in antici­ pation. We hosted the Region 3 fall conference on October 27. It was good to fellowship with those who travelled from the different churches. Ron Klassen shared with us on the rural church and its effectiveness. Congratulations to Terry Meyers and Tere­ sa Cameron, who were married on October 26. May God bless you as you make your home in Hudson Bay. Our children’s club is held in a different for­ mat this year. We are having several rallies throughout the year. Our first one was well attended when we had a hayride and fireside. Dale and Angela Seale put on a puppet show on being close to God. Everyone present en­ joyed the fresh air and refreshments of hot chocolate and popcorn balls. Our annual missionary conference was held on the weekend of November 8-10. Paul Thiessen helped us understand the impor­ tance of learning a culture and language in JANUARY 15, 1997

Burkina Faso. Saturday morning we enjoyed a brunch with missionaries Doris Thiessen and Erna Plett. They reported via word and slides on their work in Mexico and Paraguay. On Sunday morning, Henry Goertzen enlight­ ened us about his work as a teacher in Venezuela. May we be encouraged to pray for the missionaries abroad, as well as be mis­

sionaries in our own surroundings. Our youth, under the leadership of Henry and Margaret Braun, spent several Fridays working on a nativity scene, which they put up in front of our church building — a reminder of why we celebrate Christmas. Je­ sus is the reason for the season! Irene Buhler

Baptism at the Steinbach EMC on December 15. Front (left to right): Doreen and Maurice Krasniuk. Back: Angela Nickel, Debbie Friesen, Frank Plett, James Riediger.

NEW MEMBERS ACCEPTED Steinbach, Man.: Six people were baptized in our church on December 15; Doreen and Maurice Krasniuk, Debbie Friesen, Angela Nickel, Frank Plett and James Riediger. The following new members were welcomed into the church by transfer in December and January: Peter and Jackie Buhler, Cornie and

Annie Dueck (transferring from Rosenort Fel­ lowship Chapel), Tom and Sharon Guenther (transferring from South Park M.B. Church in Altona), Cynthia Penner (transferring from Grunthal Bergthaler Mennonite Church) and David and Helen Plett (transferring from Evangelical Fellowship Church in Steinbach). Dave Schellenberg PAGE 11

ROCK night at YFC

YOUTH MINISTRY Portage la Prairie, Man.: Londa and I (Paul Nikkei) started in full-time ministry at our church in February 1996. Our main respon­ sibility is to work with the youth. Our youth have seen a lot of growth this past year, for which we praise God. One of the first things we did was to have the youth come up with a new name for the group; they decided on Rock (Recruiters of Christ's Kingdom). We also decided to divide the group into two groups, a senior group (Grades 10-12) and a junior group (Grades 7-9). This was a very positive decision and encouraged growth in both groups. From February to June, the Juniors met weekly and the Seniors bi-weekly, and we had some great times. One of our struggles was to try both to reach out to non-Christian youth and disciple our Christian youth at the same time.

CHRISTMAS AT PRAIRIE GROVE Prairie Grove, Man.: In Prairie Grove tra­ dition, we again made our way, bundled against the bitter cold, to the Dawson Trail School gym to celebrate Jesus' birth together. With invited neighbours and proud parent,s encouraging us, our Sunday school present­ ed a beautiful program. “A Churchmouse Christmas," dramatized by the Nursery to Junior High classes, was the culmination of two months of hard work. Clad in mice costumes, the children led the evening in the theme of giving. From the rousing song “Decide Never, Never to Steal" to the moving scene where Amy gives Jesus her heart, we were blessed by the children's enthusiasm and sincerity. The Music Team then led us in some carols. What fun to sing praises accompanied by an accomplished group of pianists, guitarists, vocalists and a drummer! “Gilts are For Giv­ ing" was presented next by the Senior class. In a contemporary family setting, the play focused on meeting others’ needs instead of our own. With some humour, the shift in fo­ cus was clearly presented, and the audience felt the joy of giving. In closing, the entire Sunday school depart­ ment filed onto the stage. We sang Ray

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Portage youth camp-out

During the summer we stopped meeting for the school break. This gave me a chance to spend more time with students one-on-one and also to plan lor the fall. We decided to use the Sunday school time at church as part of our youth program and strategy. This would allow us to focus on discipleship with the Christian youth and leave our youth nights to evangelize their non-Christian friends. I came up with a name for it, PETRA (Personal Edification Toward Righteous Ap­ plication), which is Greek for ROCK. Because of our small church we decided to meet at YFC, which is only a couple of blocks from the church. In September we started up youth meet­ ings again with our Sunday school (PETRA) time as part of our program, and with both groups. Juniors and Seniors, meeting week­ ly for youth (ROCK) nights. Having PETRA as part of our program has proven positive;

not only have we seen growth but we find this is a good way to integrate youth into the church. Paul Nikkei Reporter: Catherine Epp

Boltz’s song about heaven, entitled “Thank You." It was an emotional climax to the even­ ing, as we sang primarily in memory of our dear pastor, John Unger, and also in grati­ tude to each person in our church whose faith is an encouragement, who shows us Jesus.

Thank you for giuing to the Lord / am a life that was changed. Thank you for giuing to the Lord I am so glad you gave. Jolyn Braun

PROMOTIONAL SUPPER

Pastor Ferlin and family went to Red Lake, Ont., to spend the Christmas days with Elizabeth’,s family. Her brother James Lescheid has come home from his mission out­ post in the Ukraine, for a month’s furlough. The annual Steeprock Camp promotional supper took place on November .30 in the Community Bible Fellowship in Swan River. Henry Unruh of Winnipeg was the speaker, encouraging all of us to continue camp work with children — relating many conversions to the fact that they had first heard the Good News of salvation at a camp when they were young. The next day Henry spoke in our morning worship service. Pete Reimer was elected to be on the camp board for a threeyear term. Lome Friesens experienced a traumatic time in their lives when their car hit an on­ coming vehicle, which had gone out of con­ trol due to icy roads, and slid sideways right into their path, killing all lour occupants in

Birch River, Man.: A Happy New Year to all the readers of The Messenger far and near! A New Year's party was enjoyed by both groups in our church, with skating and hock­ ey at the rink and table games in the church basement, followed by refreshments. The Sunday school Christmas program is usually a highlight in our church. The little ones do their best with short recitations and hearty singing, which surely make our Redeemer smile. The exuberant voices of the adult choir cause the hearts of the listeners to join with them in praise to the King of kings for the unspeakable gift of salvation. The young people's group presented a skit, where the importance of giving, rather than receiving, was emphasized. In November, May Robinson and Alma Strbac both had surgery and were hospital­ ized. They are recuperating quite well.

Camp-out at Minnedosa Lake

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that Ccir. God miraculously spared Lome and Lena’s lives by the use of airbags. They, and all of us, are thankful for this but sad for those who were affected by the loss of lives. We celebrated Communion at our morn­ ing worship service on November 10, remembering the death of the Lord Jesus on the cross. Our Ladies Fellowship has reorganized, and they hope to do some things together on a monthly basis. Volunteers for the Planning Committee are Michelle Hamilton, Alicia Friesen and Florence Munroe. Tena Reimer and Gladys Friesen are willing to serve again on the Food Committee, and Marj Chabai and Mary Kroeker are the Cheer Committee leaders. Life is so uncertain. We realized this again recently when Florence Munroe, who is a faithful attender in our church fellowship, lost her husband, Teddy, very suddenly. She, as well as their three daughters, who are all em­ ployed in Winnipeg, will greatly miss him. Helen Kroeker ABRAM PENNER 1930-1996 Abram Penner (Shorty) was born on July 30, 1930, to Abram and Helena Penner in Wymark, Sask., the fourth child in a family of nine. Abe attended primary grade school in Wymark, and later worked as a labourer: caretaker of the Wymark rink, and a farm and ranch hand. He was also known for his ability and perseverance in digging wells by hand. Abe then homesteaded twenty mites east of High Level, Alta. To supplement his in­ come, Abe worked on various sawmills and oil rigs in the area. He lived in the Worsley area for approximately the last fifteen years, until his passing of respiratory failure in his home on December 9, 1996. Listening to Christian radio broadcasts filled many of his lonely hours. Abe was predeceased by his parents, four brothers: Peter (in infancy), Frank (1958), his twin brother, Jake (1976), David (1976); and one sister, Helen (1994). He is survived by two brothers, Melvin and John; one sister, Agnes Olfert; one sister-inlaw, Agnes; and many nieces and nephews. Abe’s favourite Bible verse was John 3:16. His favourite song, “Nearer My God, to Thee," was sung at his funeral, held on De­ cember 14 at Cleardale Community School, with Dan Fletcher officiating. Abe will be missed by all who knew him. Submitted by Frank Fehr Grande Prairie, Alta.

If Q church uionts Q better pastor, it can get one by praying for the one it has. JANUARY 15, 1997

GOD’S EVERLASTING LOVE

Riverton, Man.: "Whose birthday are we celebrating?” 1 ask my son Dexter, who is 2 ‘A years old. “Jesus’ birthday,” he answers. What a joy it is as a Christian parent to retell the story of our Saviour’s birth to our children. Last year all that was in our son’s eyes was the glitter and lights of Christmas. This year we had the opportunity to explain to him the wonder of Christmas, and what better way to begin our teaching and instruc­ tion to them, our children, of God’s love! During the Christmas season, we see the yearning our children have in hearing the stories of Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus, their eyes wide to all they see and their hearts open to the wonder and lights of the season. Here is our open door to their will­ ingness and need to learn about God’s Word, which gives them a sense of purpose, hope and a path towards our Lord and Saviour. This is not only a wonderful way of wit­ nessing to our children but it teaches us how to witness to others. This year the Riverton church, like in so many other years of the past, put on their Christmas pageant on December 22. It was the first year we joined the church for this celebration. I struggled to keep our daughter quiet through the singing, puppet shows, plays, poems and music. She was unaware of the excitement surrounding that evening. My husband held Dexter, and 1 could see in his face the absolute wonder of that night. The lights were low, the puppets captivated him, and his participation in singing with the other preschoolers was what struck me about the evening. His willingness to be a part of the evening. His openness to the story of Jesus and God’s Word. His happiness to be a part of a church.

Births KROEKER - to Chris and Revita Kroeker of Paraguay, a daughter, Daniela Jaclyn, on Novem­ ber 3, 1996. HAMILTON - to Chris and Janet Hamilton of Bowsman, Man., a son, Donovan Neil, on December 7, 1996. DOERKSEN - to Garth and Mary-Anna Doerksen of Winkler, Man., a daughter, Emily-Ann Maria, on November 18, 1996. TOWNSON - to Chris and Robin Townson of Por­ tage la Prairie, Man., a daughter, Casandra Faith, on December 17, 1996.

Weddings MEYERS - CAMERON: Terry, son of Garnet and Elorence Meyers of Hudson Bay, Sask., was mar­ ried on October 26, 1996, to Teresa Cameron, daughter of Ken and Brenda Guderyan of Hudson Bay. The wedding took place at the Pineridge Fel­ lowship Chapel in Hudson Bay, with Fred Buhler of Hudson Bay officiating. The couple is making their home in Hudson Bay.

We can learn a lot from our children dur­ ing the Christmas season. Our children want to believe what we say to them, they want to belong somewhere, and they need a pur­ pose in life. Are we not like our children in all these ways when it comes to the kingdom of God? God tells us to believe and trust in Him. He assures us that we belong to Him. He gives us a purpose and reason to live because of Him. “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For 1 am persuaded that neither death nor life...shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro­ mans 8:37-39). The greatest gift from God to His people was the birth of our Saviour. God’s Word isn’t as hard as we may think sometimes. Our chil­ dren learn to trust, from us; they can also learn the meaning of Christmas, from us, with the help of a baby named Jesus. Christina Peters

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

William G. Zacharias, loving husband, father, grandfather and brother, who died December 14, 1995. Lovingly remembered by the family. Christmas in Heaven

I've had my first Christmas in heaven A glorious, wonderful day I stood with the saints of all ages Who found Christ, the Truth and the Way. I sang with the heavenly choir, Just think! We went on the stage to sing And oh! What a celestial music we brought to our saviour and King.

We sang the glad songs of redemption How Jesus to Bethlehem came And how they called His name Jesus, That all might be saved through His name. We sang once again with the angels The song that they sang that blest morn; When shepherds first heard the glad story That Jesus, the Saviour, was born.

Oh, how I wish you had been there, No Christmas on earth could compare With all the rapture and glory Witnessed in heaven so fair. You know how I always loved Christmas; It seemed such a wonderful day With all my loved ones around me The children so happy and gay.

Yes, now I can see why I loved it And oh, what a joy it will be. When you and my loved ones are with me To share in the glories I see.

so, dear ones on earth, here's my greeting: Look up till the day dawn appears And oh, what a Christmas awaits us Beyond all our partings and tears.

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DARRYL QUINN PETERS 1969-1996 Darryl was suddenly called to his heaven­ ly home on November 5, through a tragic accident. He had been the pastor of the Com­ munity Bible Fellow­ ship in Swan River, Manitoba, for two years. He was 27 years of age. Darryl’s obituary was printed in the De­ cember 18, 1996, issue of The Messenger. He is sadly missed and lovingly remembered by the congregation of Community Bible Fellow­ ship, many relatives and friends, and espe­ cially his wife, Karen, and their three children, Allison, Michelle and Joel. (Note: Darryl's picture was not received in time to be included with the obituary. Ed.)

MARGARET KORNELSEN 1913-1997 Prayer of St, Francis of Assisi Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, Let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is sadness, joy.

0 Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek To be consoled, as to console. To be understood, as to understand. To be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned. It is in dying to self That we are born to eternal life.

This prayer reflects the life of Margaret Kornelsen, loving wife, mother, grand­ mother, sister and friend. Throughout her life, she sowed the seeds of faith, hope, light and joy, in her garden of rich colour, varied texture and abundant growth. She shared freely the fruits of her labour: consola­ tion, understanding, forgiveness and love. Our mother was born in Rosenort, Man., on April 4, 1913, to Jacob and Maria Klassen, the fourth of seven children. One of the joys of her early years was her love of learning. She often reminisced about her school days, citing in­ cidents of academic rivalry with classmates. Mom was married to Cornelius Kornelsen on May 19, 1940. Mom and Dad farmed and raised their family in Rosenort. As their fa­ mily grew up, they enjoyed travelling to visit their children and other relatives and friends in various locations. Their travels took them PAGE 14

to Belize, Mexico, Europe and South Ameri­ ca. As recently as last year. Mom and Dad travelled to Belize. This trip was a special highlight for them as they were reunited with Mom’s sister and many other relatives and friends. Mom died peacefully on September 10, 1996, at the age of sK and will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her hus­ band, Cornelius, and eleven children and their families: Leo and Marilyn Kornelsen and their children, Dallas, Keith, Darrin and Ta­ nia; Mary and Richard Loeppky and their children, Lynette, James, Cheryl and Coralee and Jeremy Cook; Tina and Karl Wagenaar and their son, Sean; Menno and Hildie Kor­ nelsen and their children, Michelle, Rodney and Denise and Heather; Anne and Alvin Wiens and their children, Josie, Heidi and Tim; Bert and Elma Kornelsen and their chil­ dren, Karla, Teresa and Brenda; Lydia and Carl Wiens and their children, Larisa, Nicole and Erica; Norma and Howard Bettess and their children, Jason and Melissa; Liz Kornel­ sen and Gunar Ivans and his daughters, So­ nia and Kristy; Irma and Norman Nadeau and their children, Chad and Danielle; Tilly and Ken Wiens and their children, Trevor, An­ drea and Jared. Mom is also survived by three sisters and two brothers; Maria and John Barkman (Be­ lize), Jacob Klassen (Steinbach, Man.), Elizabeth Dueck (Rosenort, Man.), Tina and Dave Loewen (Rosenort), Henry and Anne Klassen (Maryfield, Sask.). She was predeceased by one sister, Anna Kroeker, in 1983. Mom was baptized upon the confession of her faith in Jesus Christ at the age of 17 and received into the fellowship of the Rosenort E. M. Church. Her faith was always strong and firm, like a tree planted by the water. In good times she gave God thanks for the gifts she received, and in times of trouble she turned her face upward to the Source of her strength. Even in her illness, her faith was an inspiration and challenge to family and friends. As her body grew weaker, her spirit of godliness seemed to shine ever more brightly from within her. Another quality that remained strong through Mom’s illness was her sense of hu­ mour. It was a constant source of delight to all who had the privilege of spending time with her during the past number of months. Her artistic qualities were evident in the many crafts and quilts she created, most of which were given to children and grandchil­ dren or donated to the MCC or other chari­ ties. Margaret enjoyed the simple pleasures in life. She often expressed delight over a beau­ tiful sunset or a rainbow arched across the sky after a shower, and she especially loved flowers, with their splendour of colour and fragrant aromas. Another pleasure for Mom was playing Scrabble; competing with her was not for the faint of heart. She was a ruthless opponent, never missing an opportunity to place her q’s

or z’s on a triple-word score. Her close bonds with her family and her cultivation of many friendships across the generations, give witness to her love for peo­ ple. As Mom’s heart weakened and her eye­ sight deteriorated, she expressed frustration at no longer being able to do anything. What she didn’t realize was that even though her earthly physical tasks were over, she still had a tremendous impact on her family and friends. The warmth of her smile and the friendship and love she extended to every­ one who came to visit will be remembered and cherished for many years to come.

Apartment Available Appledale Apartments owned by Mennville EMC, Riverton, Man., have one 1-bedroom or one 2-bedroom apartment available for immediate occupancy. Situated across the road from the church. Video hook-up to the church. SAFER as­ sistance and life-lease program available. Call Leonard Dueck at 204-378-2486 or Raymond Dueck at 800-210-0141.

MINISTRY POSITIONS Gospel Mennonite Church (EMMC), Win­ nipeg, Man., invites applications for two half-time positions: • Children’s Ministry Coordinator with primary responsibility for developing a Juniors Ministry program. The applicant must have a real heart for children. • Youth Ministry Coordinator with respon­ sibilities for developing the foundations of the Junior and Senior High ministry pro­ gram. The applicant must have a real heart for youth. Additional responsibilities include enlist­ ing, recommending, and training workers and leaders for these ministries. Required qualifications: 1. Education - minimum of a Bible college degree or attending a Bible college or similar qualifications through study/experience. 2. Work Experience - leadership in a similar ministry setting, - involvement with inner-city ministries or similar experience, - ability to develop ministries. 3. Position The salary will be commensurate with experience and education. There exists a possibility of some limited group benefits. The positions are available im­ mediately. Please submit a cover letter and resume to: Wes Hildebrand Chair Search Committee Gospel Mennonite Church 232 Nassau Street Winnipeg, MB R3L 2H8

Deadline: February 16, 1997 THE MESSENGER

■al

♦

“YOU’RE SUCH AN HONEST MAN” is as close as I can recall her remark to me. What elicited this exclamation, you may wonder. Our hosts had decided to eat out af­ ter church that Sunday, and so, on the way to the city, we stopped at a small town to have our lunch. It was not a big meal; for most of us the main course was borscht, which was very good. Our son-in-law settled for a farmer sausage burger. Helen and I shared a piece of chocolate pie. (Do you ever do that?) Someone else also had pie, and a granddaughter, who was with us as well, had ice cream. Besides that, we had coffee and tea. Since we didn’t get the bill by the time we were ready to leave, the tab was added up at the cash register. I recall asking the cashier, who had also served us, if she had included every­ thing. I paid with Mastercard. Some­ time later I looked at my receipt, and thought the total appeared modest for five people. However, I dismissed the thought. If it was wrong, it was her fault, wasn’t it? But somehow I couldn’t get rid of the feeling that we had been under­ charged. The thought persisted even to the next day. I have been chided in the past about taking things too seri­ ously, that I’m too fussy about minor things — forget it. Well, I didn’t. The next day in pass­ ing the restaurant, I turned in, though not without some trepidation. What if the waitress of yesterday wasn’t there? Maybe I’d make a fool of myself. Maybe the owner would not be happy with a waitress who missed some items the guests had ordered. When I presented my case, it was obvious that the restaurant had been short-changed by quite a substantial amount. That’s when the remark about my honesty came out, and you can be sure that this time I was glad I had taken myself seriously.

TO SPEND A SUNDAY MORNING AT HOME is very unusual for my wife and me. Many of you too stayed home on Sunday morning, November 17. We were, of course, snowbound by a bliz­ zard of no minor proportions. As one church cancellation after another was read on our local radio JANUARY 15, 1997

station, we listened for the EMC. And in due time the announcement came— yes, our service was also cancelled. This little holiday gave us an oppor­ tunity to switch on the TV and see what was offered on Sunday morning. So what was the fare? Terry Winter with Tony Campolo. Campolo is al­ ways worth listening to. Then there was a program with an interesting ac­ count of a medical missionary couple (from Brazil, I think). We did not always listen to com­ plete services, but parts of what we heard of two different services brought opposing views on the matter of sal­ vation. With one we could not agree; the other had the evangelical new-birth emphasis. And so, it seems that people look­ ing for truth on the TV channels on Sunday morning should be careful which program they tune in to.

ONE MAY WELL DEPLORE the com­ mercialism of the Christmas season. This past year was no exception. However, I think we also all agree there remains something which is new every year. For instance, the memories and nostalgia which Christmas evokes is unlike anything else. As we sit and listen, or join in conversation, memories of yesteryear keep coming back, especially for us older ones whose children have all gone on their own pursuits. As in other years, our local Credit STEWARDSHIP SEMINAR

Planning for Gifting and Retirement

Thursday, January 30 7:30 p.m. (note time change) at the Prairie Rose EMC Church Landmark, Man. Topics: Power of Attorney, Charitable Gift­ ing, Retirement Income (RRSPs, RRIFs and Annuities) Presenters: Edgar Rempel & Edwin Friesen (Mennonite Foundation of Cana­ da), Tony Driedger (EMC Stewardship Consultant)

Please call; 204-326-6401 or 204-661-6367 Sponsored by the EMC Board of Trustees

Union again invited the public to come and celebrate Christmas with them as they presented Christmas choirs, mostly from area schools. Most of these were also broadcast live on ra­ dio, AM 1250, so people could listen to them at home. One morning, with a winter storm whipping up snow, I braved the ele­ ments and went to hear that day’s presentation from 9:15 to 9:30, which featured the Suzuki Strings. I was not sorry I had gone. What memories come back when one hears familiar carols like Silent Night, Ihr Kinderlein Kommet, O Tannenbaum, Away in a Manger'. A fringe benefit, of course, is the free cookies and coffee, which one can enjoy while listening to the music. At Christmas we celebrate God visit­ ing this planet through His Son Jesus Christ. Paul, writing to the Corinthians, puts it this way, which is about as plain as we can make it: “...God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Him­ self...” (2 Corinthians 5:19). In other words, “God became one of us, so that we might become like Him” (J. B. Phillips). Christmas may also be a matter of attitude. If we want to see only the dark side, we will be the losers. However, if we see it as a commemoration of the coming of Christ, we will rejoice. And is there ever a season when goodwill is on a higher level? A perfect stranger makes a comment to you. In Lima, Peru, 225 hostages are released as a “Christmas gesture.” In Winnipeg, a parkade owner opens his lot free to Christmas shoppers. I suppose you could add a few of your own ex­ periences. Yes, Christmas can be meaningful if we have a thankful attitude.

STUDCNTLUNCHCON for EMC post-secondary students and their friends

Thursday, January 30 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (Come and go) Hear current and former university students relate their experiences In dealing uiith Challenges to Pillars of Our Foith

205-207 University Centre (Rrborg and Flin Flon) University of Manitoba ffi€€ LUNCH

Sponsored by EMC Board of Church Ministries Phone: 204-326-6401

PAGE 15

The Personal Touch Blessings in Paraguay by Gladys Fast AFTER A SOMEWHAT bumpy flight, we arrived in Asuncion, Paraguay. Upon leaving the air terminal building, we were hit with a heat wave. Dave Schmidt greeted us warmly! Dave and Judy are doing church planting in Asuncion. Arriving at their home, we drove through a gate, which was always kept closed and locked up for the night. Their garage was a grape bower loaded with fruit. 1 was soon to learn that all properties were fenced in. (Whether it was to keep predators out or their own dogs in 1 could not determine.) Dogs were plentiful; they were supposed to discourage vandalism but most were lean and underfed so they did not seem to pose a threat. Many yards were swept daily. The dirt/soil that drifted into their homes was continuous as windows, and often also the doors, were open in the daytime to allow in any possible breeze. Due to that, keeping a home clean was an ongoing battle. The 2'/2- to 3-hour drive from Asuncion to Caaguazu was scenic — winding and rolling. The traffic was horrific, and defensive driving was imperative! There were no traffic cops, just speed bumps to facilitate slowing down. As a passenger, 1 prayed for protection. Travelling the Trans-Chaco route was not as hazardous due to fewer vehicles using it. The opportunity to visit the Iguazu Falls was neat. Melvin and Regina Friesen from Tres Palmas offered to take us, and what a rich day that was! The panorama of the falls was breathtakingly spectacular, increasing our reverence for God. THE PASTORAL SCENES were interesting. The grazing cattle (often the Brahma type), horses, sheep, oxcarts, and the soya bean and mandioca fields spoke of some eking out a living and others prospering. Luscious tropical growth was everywhere. At places, for miles on either side of the paved highway, huge trees shaded the road. What relief when the weather was hot and humid! Actually we mostly drove in airconditioned vehicles — thankfully! Apparently our visit occurred at the most beautiful time of year — early summer — when many plants and trees were blooming, while others were ready for harvesting. Milton had the privilege of helping Chris Kroeker harvest a bunch of bananas grown in Kroekers’ yard. We ate bananas every day and

enjoyed many other fruits as well — what a treat! Then there were the sounds of Paraguay! They occurred more in the evening — the barking dogs, the hum of the beetles, the frogs, and the noisy whirring of the cicadas that became piercing, depending on the species. In town, aside from the sounds of nature, there was the incessant beat from people’s stereos booming. We had the opportunity to attend an outdoor Spanish church service conducted by Dave Schmidt. Dogs and children roamed around; the children enjoyed the singing and the Sunday school class taught by a committed national lady. We were in a small congregation at a Christian funeral service and witnessed the interment taking place at Caaguazu’s cemetery. One night we joined the Lengua Indian church service. Many children were present, with much commotion, but no sound of crying children. 1 was impressed by the five national pastors we met — committed, outstanding men of God. We attended a prayer meeting in the church, where concerned nationals have been gathering for prayer every night since August 19; that takes commitment!

WE VISITED FIVE Mennonite colonies, two in the Chaco and three in East Paraguay. Milton ministered in the ones in East Paraguay, struggling with the Low German language. People were appreciative, and we sensed the Spirit at work in the lives of individuals. Milton’s last assignment was to speak at the EMC missionary retreat (in English). It went well, and there was a sense of unity and growth, with blessings and encouragement received. I count it a real privilege to have been able to accompany my husband on this trip. Relationships established and enjoyed are an ongoing blessing, and entering many different homes was a unique experience. Our visiting was mostly done outside, where it was usually comfortable. Fellowship took place under the shade roofs, with the ever-present sipping of terere from a common cup with a metal strainer tube. Our EMC missionaries are worthy of our prayers and support. They are committed to building God’s church and all exhibit a servant spirit that we would do well to emulate. It was good to experience in a small way, for a short time, what God is doing through his people in Paraguay. To God be the glory! Gladys and Milton Fast, of Landmark, Man., spent five weeks in ministry in Paraguay late last year. They returned home on December 16.

Do you hare a story for this page? It must be a true account (although names may be changed, If necessary) illustrating the Christian life or character. Send your 800-word story (700 words If a photograph is Included) or suggestion for a story to the address below.

PAGE 16

THE MESSENGER Evangelical Mennonite Conference Box 1268, 440 Main Street Steinbach, MB ROA 2A0