The Messenger October 21, 1998 by The Messenger

'-Mi

■'■

V'“ ■

‘ I f

•y:

rWLi . ■

: -r.Wf, S» V

W'-

■. > [

) '

A o

i ihw

/w ' ■ teW' 0

3£i3;j£J3/ EVANGELICAL MENNONITE CONFERENCE VOLUME 36 NUMBER 18 OCTOBER 21,1998

Messenger

Editorial

EDITOR Terry M. Smith

The Reformation's Note of Joy! AS WE NEAR Reformation Sunday, we re member Martin Luther’s central role in the Protestant Reformation, a complicated his torical period. On October 31, 1517, he is sued his Ninety-Fiue Theses. He wrote, “The true treasure of the church is the most holy Gospel of the glory and grace of God.” Another editor in a different publication wrote, perhaps a year ago, of the Reforma tion’s joy in God’s grace in Christ. Though 1 cannot locate the piece, the thought bears repeating. If 1 recall correctly, William Tyndale, an English reformer and Bible translator (14941536) was referred to. He wrote about 1525, “Euagelio (that we cal gospel) is a greke word, and signyfyth good, mery, glad and ioyfull tydings, that maketh a mannes hert glad, and maketh hym synge, daunce and leepe for ioye.” We are indebted to Jan Huss, Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, William Tyndale, Conrad Grebel, Menno Simons, John Knox, and innumerable others. In 1963 Hugh T. Kerr, chairman of the the ology department at Princeton, said in his book called Positiue Protestantism, “The New Testament does not slur over man’s sin. The cross of Christ, one of the points of ap ostolic preaching, implies atonement for sin. But the gospel note is not sin but grace, not depravity but redemption, not misery but joy. “The Apostles’ Creed does not contain a clause, ‘I believe ... the sin of man.’ It is im plied, no doubt, but what it affirms is ‘the forgiveness of sins.’ “...What we need today in our preaching is not less talk about sin, but more assur ance of salvation. Sin is not something that in our day needs to be demonstrated, and unless the preacher can say something more than that man is a sinner, he will have not anything very distinctive to say at all.” Whether or not we accept all Kerr says, his accent on the positive rings true. Are we joy ous as Protestant Christians? Some stories are not flattering. A little girl is said to have left her grandmother during a church service in American frontier times. She walked over to a hitching post where a mule was waiting. As she patted its long face, the girl said, “My, you would make a good Christian! You look just like Grandma!” PAGE 2

Someone once asked, why do ministers look like they were weaned on prune juice? 1 trust the sixteenth-century Anabaptists and other martyrs knew joy among other EDITORIAL feelings. In more recent decades the EMC ASSISTANT has experienced greater joy since its return Martha Kroeker THE MESSENGER is the to evangelical truth regarding the finished publication of the Evangelical work of Christ, the assurance of salvation, Mennonite Conference. It is available to the general public. and missions. Its purpose is to inform, instruct Professor Kerr goes on to say, “Henry van and inspire: inform concerning and activities in the Dyke was once asked what hymns he would events denomination; instruct in god exclude from the hymnal, and he responded, liness and victorious living; ‘All those that speak of hell; hell is nothing to inspire to earnestly contend for faith. sing about!’ And sin is nothing to sing about. theLetters, articles, photos and The New Testament rarely speaks of sin with poems are welcomed. Unpub out also speaking of the forgiveness of sin, lished material is not returned except by request. The views and the hymnbook is there to remind us that and opinions expressed by the down through the ages it has been forgive writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the posi ness that has caused Christians to burst into tion of the Conference. song.” THE MESSENGER is pub Can Christians go through times when we lished twice a month (once a month in July and August) by the are not joyous? Certainly. In 1558, three years Board of Church Ministries of before he died, Menno Simons felt mis the Evangelical Mennonite Con 440 Main Street, treated by other Anabaptist leaders. He ference, Steinbach, Manitoba. longed to talk about this and his concern for Subscriptions: $12.00 per the church with his brother-in-law Rein Edes. year (Manitoba residents add 7% PST, total: $12.84). Sub Menno wrote, “But now 1 must sit here and scriptions are voluntary and op choke it all down. If the omnipotent God had tional to people within or outside the EMC. Members and ad not preserved me last year as well as now, 1 of herents pay through their would already have gone mad” (Complete church. THE MESSENGER is a Writings, p. 1053). member of Meetinghouse and Martin Luther was not beyond struggling Canadian Church Press. with depression. Yet the Gospel, dusted off Second-class postage paid at Manitoba. through the Protestant Reformation, invites Steinbach, Registration Number: 0591 us toward joy. With Tyndale’s words (again,» Mailing information: All if 1 recall correctly) the editor called on us to correspondence, including undelivered copies, change of “synge, daunce, and leepe for ioye.” 1 agree! address and new subscriptions, A Middle English version of the Scriptures should be addressed to: The Messenger is indebted to English reformer John Wycliffe RO. Box 1268 (1329-1384). In the parable of the prodigal Steinbach. Manitoba ROA 2A0 son the father reminds the older brother it is fitting to rejoice in the younger son’s return: Phone: 204-326-6401 “And he seide to hym. Sone, thou art euer Fax: 204-326-1613 E-mail: emconf@mts.net more with me, and alle my thingis been thine. But it bihofte for to make feeste, and Cover: EMC youth leaders pose to haue ioye; for this thi brother was deed, oJtsWe the chapel at Cross’''''” and lyuede agen; he perischede, and is Roads Range, near st. John, founden ” North Dakota. Photo by editor ’. . . . . ■. . after a suggestion by Amos Fehr. To end tn a manner indebted to that previ ous editorial: let us “make feeste” (make

messenger SCHEDULE:

20 - November 18 feast, celebrate), and have “ioye” (joy) in No. (copy due November 6) the grace of Christ! No. 21 - December 02

Terry M. Smith

(copy due November 20)

THE MESSENGER

YOUTH LEADERS RETREAT

Ministering in the New Millennium “WELCOME TO ABUNDANT SPRINGS!” said Hans Rahn, event host, who corrected himself as forty-nine leaders met at the national EMC Youth Leaders Retreat held near St. John, North Dakota, October 2 to 4. The retreat is held in alternating years with the national youth gathering. Abundant Springs. Hans is chairman of the national Youth Committee, which is in charge of both events. The retreat began on Friday evening and ended after Sunday lunch. It was held for the second time at Cross Roads Range, an inter-denominational Christian camp and retreat centre located seven miles west of St. John. Shawn Kennedy The church is the last organization ready for the new millennium, yet it needs to be actively involved in the ministry of renewal and Teconciliation, said speaker Shawn Kennedy of Youth Ministry Builders. Kennedy, a former youth pastor and now a resource person living in Oakbank, Manitoba, spoke on Ministering in the Millen nium. On Friday night Kennedy said that within Jewish soci ety, at age twelve, Jesus was on the verge of manhood (Luke 2:41-52). Like most parents, his folks were sur prised by the inevitable transfer of authority. Kennedy said that youth will transfer the authority from parents to self or God; the youth worker’s task is to make the trans fer of authority to God as smooth as possible. On Saturday morning, with the title This is...who we are (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8), Kennedy focused on four sig nificant generations in North America. The “builders” (born in 1910-1945) are the “most affluent generation in history.” The “boomers” (1946-1964) are “the most selfindulgent,” while the “busters” (1965-76) are “Genera tion X” and viewed as “slackers.” The “bridgers” (197794), whom youth workers deal with, are “the generation that will change the world.” He said there are 77 million bridgers in the U.S. While the builders are hardworking, another genera tion has grown up drinking milk from cartons with pic-

' I

u' V’

III..

• * ** J

Shawn Kennedy of Youth Ministry Builders says the bridger generation wants absolute truth, yet the church might miss the opportunity to give the answer we have in Christ.

"J:

.A.'.

Cross Roads Range is an inter-denominational camp and retreat centre located on a near 200-acre site In the Turtle Mountains. It began around 1973 by Clarence Stanley, a United Methodist minister, according to a staff member.

OCTOBER 21, 1998

L / -.f

The fall beauty of North Dakota is enhanced by the log cabins on site at Cross Roads Range.

PAGE 3

-■-X

.a:*

Js,

u Making beautiful music requires togetherness and athletic ability.

Inside a ticking orb, a water balloon is being squeezed. A quick answer moves the orb over the next person. The balloon burst over Trevor Brandt. (Photos by Editor)

PAGE 4

lures of missing kids on it, he said. Kennedy said a youth group is often an add-on, like a “one-eared Mickey” (Mouse), rather than an integral part of the church. Because most people come to Christ be fore age eighteen, he said churches should have a fulltime youth worker and a part-time pastor, because after that it’s “maintenance.” In an afternoon seminar, Kennedy said youth workers need a right-hand person in their ministry. This person often likes to be asked rather than to volunteer. He coun selled youth workers to grow their own helpers by de veloping a ministry team; such a team is not the same as a youth executive, which is often a popularity contest. He said to treat volunteers well — perhaps take them for pizza and present the church with the bill. In the min istry team he wants “FATTER” kids — those who are faith ful, Available, Teachable, fithing, Energetic, fespectful of authority. Kennedy counselled youth workers to expect turnover; Jesus had turnover among his disciples. Replacements also can be expected, he said. On Saturday evening, in / Wish I Were a Messenger and All the News Was Good, he said the bridger generation is serious about money. While this generation is thought to dislike being judged or absolutes, it has a strong need for truth — it is aware of social disarray. They want the gospel given with “both barrels,” not watered down, he said. Kennedy referred to positive articles about faith in the Winnipeg Free Press and the popular television series The X-FHes, with its opening statement. The truth is out there. The church has the opportunity to give the answer of absolute truth as Jesus Christ, without apology. Only 15 percent of youth are involved in juvenile delin quency, and a bridger is much more likely than a senior citizen to be mugged, yet that is not public perception, he said. People are on the verge of asking the church for answers, yet Kennedy is afraid that the church will say, “Huh?” and the opportunity will pass by. Seeker-sensitive services, while good, have a problem: they don’t take people to the next level — they leave peo ple as seekers. While the church has a problem with how it “hammered” people in the past, there are various ways of presenting truth. Jesus went to the woman at the well (John 4:1-16) and spoke directly about her needs with out putting her down, he said. On Sunday morning Kennedy spoke on Welcome to the Future. If he went by “legalistic” church standards, he wouldn’t want anyone in the Bible on his ministry team — except Daniel — let alone today’s youth. The church has been more concerned to “remove” than to “restore,” he said. When kids hear the words “new creation” from 2 Corinthians 5:17, they think they have to change. They need the message that the way God has made them is just fine, yet He is going to take the “good” and make it “the best.” Restoring increases value, he said. We need a “ministry of restoration” and a “ministry of reconcilia tion.” Youth leaders are to restore the world to God, not the church to God. We are not to hold their sins against them. We’ve erred in making “attendance” more important than “holiness,” and “appearance” more important than “a THE MESSENGER

good heart,” he said. Seminar leaders Three EMC people provided seminars. Mark Herron, Braeside EMC youth pastor and Youth Committee mem ber, spoke on time management. In an introduction prior to the seminar, he said as a voluntary youth worker he had wished he was serving full-time so he would have more time. Now he is conscious of the time crunch in ministry. Trevor Esau, a Youth Committee member, spoke on active learning, which comes from real or simulated ex periences, such as games or activities designed with a purpose, according to his notes shared later with the editor. To demonstrate a “faith fall,” Gaylene Dueck stood on a bench, then fell backwards into the arms of partici pants. In discussion, youth leaders grappled with how to help teens wait until marriage before having sex. Hans Rahn, youth pastor at Steinbach EMC, spoke on What to Say When, dealing with teen crises. He looked briefly at suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, eating disor ders, depression, sexual and physical abuse, pregnancy, and sexual identity. Rahn counselled leaders to work with other community professionals, rather than as “a lone ranger.”

Worship times The worship team consisted of Layton and Glenda Friesen, Wendy Schlamp, Gaylene and Jason Dueck, Mark Herron, and Ingrid Skjaerlund. They guided wor ship services on Friday evening, Saturday morning and evening, and Sunday morning. The worship style varied from open praise to silence, with choruses, and various instruments used. On Sunday morning Layton Friesen guided the congre gation through a communion service. In candlelight, members went forward in two lines, broke a piece of bread from a loaf, dipped it in a cup, gave thanks, lit a candle and took it back to their pew. After reading from John 6, Friesen said the candle service symbolized how in communion we receive light from the Trinity. We “should never lose our sense of awe in the Triune God,” he said. The benediction was from Jude 24-25. The chapel is used each Sunday by a congregation in North Dakota. It was given up for retreat use on this par ticular morning. For this kindness, thanks was later ex pressed to camp director Rod Rindahi. Fun events On Friday evening leaders gathered to share, and some times demonstrate, games for youth work — with names like Muduille; Zip and Bong; Bing, Bang, Boom; Tell Henry; Electricity; Manitoba Mosquito. Some of the materials needed? Toilet paper, pantyhose, paper bags, and nap kins. The leaders were so energetic, it was noticed by Cross Roads staff.

Abundant Springs On Saturday evening for twenty minutes, the national youth gathering was highlighted, Rahn said later. Abun dant Springs is at Caronport, Saskatchewan, on May 2124, 1999. The theme is I Belieue! Mark Vincent, a

OCTOBER 21, 1998

Youth leaders experienced a rich sense of togetherness. Actually, in this photo teams are lined up for a game called Mudville. When the signal was given, some — or all — of the people ran.

Ask Lisa and Carl Loewen of Pleasant Valley EMC about a game called Zip or Bong. Their toothless smiles are part of the game.

Some youth leaders sank their teeth into a napkin race. How fast can you eat a napkin, not using your hands?

c s

Irma and Bernie Thiessen, Glenda Friesen, and Wendy Schlamp smile for the camera. Glenda wanted it on the cover. PAGES

Mennonite minister from Indiana, is the speaker. Youth leaders were informed about the event’s structure, semi nars (not finalized), and cost. They were encouraged to have people attend.

really neat to get to know who’s working with youth in different churches.” One fellow was reluctant to be quoted but assured me this did not mean his words were unprintable.

Evaluation “I have enjoyed my weekend,” Hans Rahn said, as he led a written evaluation time on Sunday morning. He asked leaders to “Spread the word for next time.” The youth committee will go over the written evaluations. Alan Brydges, youth sponsor at Prairie Grove, told The Messenger, “It has been a very encouraging weekend.” Wendy Schlamp, youth leader at Aberdeen, told the magazine, “It has been a very good weekend. It has been

The site The North Dakota site, 3'/; hours from Steinbach, was chosen to make the event more accessible for youth lead ers in western provinces outside Manitoba. Those in at tendance came from Manitoba. There were no repre sentatives from Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Colum bia, and Ontario. Terry M. Smith

i i

There was free time on Saturday afternoon. Some leaders played volleyball or frisbee golf or went on a trail ride. There were trails for walking, time for visiting, and a chance to take a nap.

Margaret Bergen, Steinbach EMC junior youth sponsor, says, ‘Jesus Christ — He’s the real King!”

When The Messenger went fishing for quotes, Trevor Brandt, college and career leader at Steinbach EMC, quipped, “A day without light is like the night.”

• 3

\ A')

■■ ’-A; iS'. During the weekend there were four worship services, including a candlelight communion service.

PAGE 6

Kennedy sought to assist youth leaders as the church faces the challenge of ministering in the new millennium.

THE MESSENGER

Letters

y:‘

THANK YOU Thank you for the interesting and thought provoking editorials. 1 also enjoy “The Per sonal Touch”; 1 especially enjoyed the arti cle “Seeing God” by Dennis Plett. 1 would also like to commend Henry Hiebert on his very informative letter. 1 think the Bible is quite clear on the du ties of men and women in the church. In 1 Corinthians 14:37, Paul dares to say that “...these are the commandments of the Lord.” Why does the church allow itself to be influenced by the world, instead of the world being influenced by the church?

Letters to the Editor Letters for publication, commenting on issues raised in The Messenger, are welcomed. Their tone should be charitable, dealing with subjects rather than individuals. To be published they must include the writer’s signature, address and phone number. Names and general location will appear, except for extraordinary circumstances, on letters published. The magazine reserves the right to edit letters for length, style, and charity. It can refuse publication when the material does not conform to the editorial policy approved by the Board of Church Ministries (November, 1997).

Margaret Friesen Steinbach, Man.

“AND”? A previous letter to the editor said, “Galatians 3:28 is typically used by evan gelical feminists and pro-homosexuals in support of their agendas.” Does the use of the word “and” lump together the con cerns of evangelical (to me, Christian) feminists (those who strive for equal rights of the sexes) with those who are pro-ho mosexual? 1 prefer that the issues be separated. It is proper to be concerned about how women are treated within the church and in society. Mary Ann Smith Mitchell, Manitoba

WORKTEAMS The EMC Board of Missions is looking for volunteers to work on projects in Nicaragua and Guate mala. There will be opportunity to visit missionaries and churches and for sightseeing.

Board of Missions Appointment Angela Friesen (Rosenort Fellowship) was accepted as an associate EMC mis sionary in July. She returned to Ethiopia in September to serve with SIM at a refu gee camp. She had previously served there for twenty-one months. Early in life, Angela accepted Jesus as Saviour and Lord. As a teenager she rededicated her life to Christ, was bap tized and joined the Rosenort Fellowship Chapel (EMC). She grew in her Christian faith as she was involved in AWANA, Sun day school, Inter-School Christian Fellow ship and Red Rock Bible Camp. After two years at Providence College, Angela took on a short-term assignment in Ethiopia. In 1997 she returned to Provi dence to finish her degree program and graduated with a BA in Intercultural Stud ies in the spring of 1998. This past summer Angela attended the SIM candidate orientation in North Caro-

Angela Friesen

lina and in Ontario. She was appointed as a special-assignment member of SIM for a ministry in teaching, training young teachers and literacy among women. Angela would appreciate your prayer support as she carries out her assignment among the Uduk refugees from Sudan in Gambella, Ethiopia. Angela’s field address is Box 98, Gambella, Ethiopia.

i'Oii s

r-I'l

-s

?•

*7& Departure for Pakistan Janice and Arley Loewen(Blumenort) and their daughters, Rachel and Rebecca, left for Pakistan on September 4 to continue with the Project Pamir ministry. Arley will also continue to do research for his Ph.D. dissertation. They would appreciate your prayers for themselves and their ministries. For the past nine years they lived in Toronto and carried out their ministry.

OCTOBER 21, 1998

NICARAGUA Project: 8 to 10 people to help con struct a church building in Diriamba Skills: Carpentry, masonry, electri cal, general labour Time: February 5-20, 1999 Cost: Approximately $1340*, in cludes airfare, food and lodging, and project funds. Tax-deductible receipts are given for this portion. Tourist activities will be included; related expenses are the individu al’s responsibility. Team leader: Henry Doerksen

GUATEMALA Project: Construction of a new cen tre for SEMILLA (Latin American Ex tension Seminary program) Skills: Construction experience not necessary, though welcomed Team: 8 to 10 people Time: 2-week segments, during October to December, 1998; Febru ary to April, 1999. Volunteers for two or three months are welcome. Cost: Approximately $1440* Project coordinator: Menno Loewen, Belize For information contact Lester Olfert Phone: 204-326-6401 Fax; 204-326-1613 E-mail: lolfert@mts.net ★some details to be finalized

PAGE?

Their cai- wa.s snowed in. so what do they do They pul on their snow suits and went by skidoo

Yes, dedicated, hardworking Elmer Hamm Upheld bis convictions, a man meek as a lamb The many teachers, the ushers, the men w'bo moved snow All had an important part Io make this church glow' Choirs that rehearsed, often late in the night It has blessed many bearls, in a harvest so white

Pastor Reimer didn't stand for kids sloucbed on their bum He threatened to come down and collect all their gtim

A volunteer choir, led by Marv Hildebrand, provided special music at the 40th anniversary of the Wymark EMC.

CHURCH CELEBRATES 40 YEARS \^ymark, Sask.: On July 25-26 our church made history by celebrating its fortieth anniversary. It was exciting to see so many of the past senior and associate pastors and their wives present. We praise God for keeping us for forty years! Following is a poem written by Jacob M. Fehr to commemorate the exciting event. Thank you. Jake, for composing and reading the poem. Jake says, “1 felt honoured when 1 was asked if I could come up with a poem to briefly cover forty years of church history. 1 was also asked if 1 would mention some of the people who had an important part in working in this church. 1 thought this would be easy, but it is difficult when you have a barrelful of apples and there isn’t even one rotten one!”

Rekindle our Spirits Today we arc grateful, for forty lilessed years In rejoicing, in sadness, in laugher, in tears

We had six seis of twins, three girls and nine hoys That drew much attention and made lots of noise

It was Henry Toews and Cornie Pict I Who came out Io help, soon the stage was set

We bad Clarence and Clinton. Bill and Bid) Those twins loved spaghetti and corn on the cob

Abram Leiding. Dave Kroese. worked 'round the clock And also Peler Schlamp, in attending the flock

There was Leon and Lori and Kevin and Ken They loved sports, they could chatter, to beat the band

.A.s.seiubled in a qnousel. in uiindeeu fifty eight All who w'ere present, shall not forget this date

Murray and tiene-o. just like mother, like father Come what may, they must stick up for each other

There was pouring rain, w'e w'ere muddy and w'et It didn't bother Mrs. Knelsen. with her wide-brimmed hat

And Sbyla and Taylor, such sweet little girls Their smiles, their laughter, worth far morelban pearls

People turningto.lesus. both young and old ■A new life for Ibem. would suddenly unfold Making things right, things that were wrong Now they were singing, a joyous new song

A message of repentance and turning from sin A message of hope and a new life begin There was silent prayer, then we sang with ;i glow Praising Hod from whom all blessings flow There was Archie Penner, with all his credenlials And Reverend Abe Leiding. preaching the essentiiil.s

Reverend Ben 1). Keimer. who would give us a wad Expoundingtbe Scripture, as be spoke about Cod

PAGES

The loss of a loved one. we slill often yearn There wa.s Dave, there was Ken, and then there was Vern Arnold East was so friendly, this pastor Cod sent He worked bard, he made friends, wbei'cvei- be went Most winters the Wymark road w'ould solidly block And Ann would shovel, when Arnold got stuck Bill Remple would take a packed car full of teens For an outing Io Steinbach, where they were fed bean.s

Bringing children loebureb, through mud and snow Abe and Susan Neufeld hung In there. God'.s love to show

Mrs. Reinier'.s personality, why. it was so neat In a chatter competition, she could surely compete

Peter Dyck preached that giving wa.s belter than to re ceive He could plan, he could build, like you wouldn't believe •lobn Kornelseu spoke fast, as be preached, be could chide And Leona, kind and helpful, always by bis side .She was sensitive to others, like the drop of a pin •lobn was an expert at Kjiiips-Desch. be sure liked to win

Pastor Froese would preach until tw'elve o'clock sharp His message so clear, there wii.s no need to harp The first thing Reverend Peter Schlamp would say Boys and girls, have you broughi your Bible.s today

Pastor Con makes such an effort to work with the youth His faith, yes, bis caring, to bring out the truth

In reverence to (lod in all your activities and fun Always addres.s your leader and call him Pastor Con Pastor Leu ha.s a message that is so true to life A message of hope, and yet sharp a.s a knife Slill. it's to no avail if w'e do not mind these things It's like a gong in a meadow, when a lone cow bell ring.s

We encourage our people to he vigilant, to pniy To be Ibaiikful for tbi.s church, for this special day May your spirits be rekindled, your torch held up high Ever looking to meet Jesus, perhaps in the sky Today we praise Hod. it's a joy to be here A.s we glorify' Hi.s name. He is sure to be near

Forty years Cod ha,s blessed us. proclaiming Hi.s name May living for Jesus be our everyday aim ■liieoh M. H‘hr lieportiT Brenda Sdilamp

To a Steinbach convention Elmer and Lena musi go The wind it was bowling, and my did it snow

THE MESSENGER

PART-TIME PASTOR INSTALLED Steinbach, Man.: Back in April, at a membership meeting, the decision was made to engage John and Joyce Dyck to fill a half-time pastoral position. They were installed on Sunday, September 13, during the morning service. Their work will include counselling, working with the deacons, officiating at weddings and funerals, teaching and Bi ble studies. John and Joyce have worked with Janz Team for many years and will continue doing so on a part-time basis. From a pastorate at the Portage la Prai rie EMC, they went to Germany in 1970, under Janz Team. When Leo Janz retired as director in 1983, John was chosen as international director, a position he held till 1996. In the last while they have also been involved in producing Low German programs for airing in Paraguay. The Dycks have four children (all mar ried), Bernice and Gary Hildbrand, Laurie and Mark Wiebe, Jonathan and Naomi Dyck and Jewel and Chris Dorsay, and twelve grandchildren. Dave Schellenberg

John and Joyce Dyck were installed as a pastoral couple at the Steinbach EMC on September 13.

A STRANGER IN OUR MIDST Rosenort, Man.: Sunday, September 20, our church had a unique experience. Our pastor had just gotten up to speak, and suddenly a loud voice bellowed from the back, “Hey, Pastor, will you give me a hug?” A scruffy, trench-coated, poor-look ing fellow walked jauntily up the aisle to ward the pulpit. A distinct silence fell over the congre gation as we wondered what our minis ter would do. He stammered slightly and embraced the stranger. The fellow asked to say a few words, and our pastor stepped aside to let him. He introduced himself as an unemployed Montana farmhand, and what followed was a tremendous sermon on looking out for the needs of others and reaching out to those who are destitute. Telling this man was a gifted speaker was easy, but many of us strained our eyes and our minds to detect who he was, by his outward appearance. A well-dis guised minister from another EMC church or perhaps a relative of our pastor? Who knew? He noted the fact that a certain couple had welcomed him and made an extra trip home before the service to bring him a bag lunch. Most of us still do not know this stranger’s identity (although our pastor did), and though he was not who he ap peared to be, he taught us a powerful les son on poverty and left our church family spiritually richer. We have a few specific praise items to share with our fellow EMCers: • Our church family responded exceed ingly quickly to a call for Sunday school teachers, and all the positions, except for one substitute, are filled. • We offer thanks to Joel Dueck for tak ing charge of some youth summer activi ties. Amos and Wendy Fehr (our youth pastor couple) have had a difficult sum mer, suffering with Amos’s father as can-

PASTOR INSTALLED Steinbach, Man. (EFC):

Dick and Tina Unrau were installed as the pastoral couple for our church on September 27. Ralph Unger, pastor of the Ridgewood EMC, conducted the installation service and challenged the congregation with a sermon on forgiveness.

OCTOBER 21, 1998

Dick and Tina have previously served In Riverton, Man., and Creighton, Sask. Dick is adjusting to his new office.

cer took his life. We are grateful for Amos and Wendy’s many years of shaping our youth and feel with them in their loss. • We are pleased that a former mem ber of our congregation, Jason Dueck, fol lowed the Lord in ordination at the Prai rie Grove Fellowship. We wish him and his wife the Lord’s blessings in the minis try. He served our church enthusiastically during his youth in music, drama and camp work. The following camp report was submit ted by Jeremy Loewen, who was a camp counsellor: Another year of camp has come and gone! The first week (August 9-14) was for ages twelve to fifteen and the second (August 16-22) for eight- to eleven-yearolds. During the first week. Pastor Ward Parkinson (Morris Fellowship Chapel) spoke about the parables of Jesus. He put them into a modern-day setting and showed how Jesus used nature and real life when he spoke. Pastor Darren Plett (Pleasant Valley EMC) spoke during the second week about dayto-day lifestyles of a Christian, dealing with being helpful, obedient, honest, prayerful and kind. In the evenings he spoke in depth on John 3:16, explaining God’s plan of salvation. Cam Rempel (youth pastor at Rosenort Fellowship Chapel) served as camp direc tor for both weeks and did a wonderful job. Everyone had a great time at camp despite the hot, muggy weather during the first week. Some activities that the kids got involved in were sports, crafts and camp skills. No serious injuries occurred. A number of kids dedicated their lives to Christ, for which we praise God. It is an encouragement to see how the Lord works in people’s lives. Thank you to all who volunteered their time to make it a success. Lorilee Scharfenberg

CHURCH FAMILY ENJOYS CAMP Birch River, Man.: Overnight camping is usually a good experience for our church family, giving us time to visit at a more leisurely pace and catch up on what con cerns and interests us in our daily lives. Almost all of our Sunday morning wor shippers (plus some visitors) were present on August 15-16 at Wellman Lake, where we had rented the Baptist church camp. Saturday evening we had the privilege of having Doris Friesen report on mission work in Paraguay; a highlight there is the granting of a licence to set up another ra dio station so that a larger area can be reached with the gospel. We rejoice with them. This was followed by some lively sing ing at the inside fireplace and real firePAGE 9

works outside on the lake front, enhanced by God’s fireworks in the background — lightning. Exclamations meaning “Ah, this is great!” (in English, German and Span ish) made it even more fun. Different groups were responsible for the three Sunday meals. After breakfast we gathered for a worship time. Doris Friesen and Irma Thiessen, together with the children, portrayed seeding and har vest time (Paraguayan style), relating this to the opportunities Doris has in teaching God’s Word in schools in Paraguay. Next came an interesting report on a mission closer to home, namely, camp in July at Steep Rock Bay Bible Camp. Charles Thiessen and Angela Thiessen had taken on the responsibility as direc tors. At least a dozen of our youth went as counsellors, both senior and junior. Most of them gave their testimonies of how the Lord had enabled them to grow in their Christian faith and how they learned to love the campers, even in dif ficult situations. A baptismal service was an important event in our worship service. Three young men, Lyndon Friesen, Kenton Thiessen and Ewald Toews, gave their testimonies and expressed their desire to be baptized. Following are the abbreviated testimo nies: Ewald Toews: My parents took me to church regularly, but 1 drifted away dur ing my teen years, when friends were more important than God. After 1 met Lowell Friesen and became friends with him, I realized 1 wanted what he had — Christianity. 1 started attending church and accepted Christ as my Saviour, and my life was changed. 1 quit drinking and started study ing the Bible, putting it to work in my everyday life. 1 have the assurance that Christ has forgiven me and accepted me as His child. 1 have a desire to bring many

TOUCHED BY GOD’S LOVE Mount Salem, Ont.: Summer has come and gone. As 1 look back on memories we made as a youth group, 1 think of all the hardworking young people who, af ter working a long day in the harvest, still devote their time to the youth group. In spite of work, there was a bit of spare time for some fun in the warm weather God gave us. He has also given us able bodies to enjoy beach volleyball, rock climbing, a great baseball season and just taking in the beauty of creation. All of these things made our summer memorable, but the highlight was our trip to Algonquin Provincial Park in July. Sixty young people and twelve adults boarded the bus for the six-hour drive. We were all relieved to see our youth pastor, Randy Fehr, pull up in a yellow school bus. It certainly looked much more reliable than our old green bus, nicknamed gurk (cuPAGE 10

Ewald Toews, Kenton Thiessen and Lyndon Friesen followed the Lord in baptism on August 16. Pastor Ferlin Abrahamson stands with them.

people to Christ. Lyndon Friesen: 1 received Christ as my Saviour at an early age. During my teen years 1 found that living the Christian faith became much harder, even while attend ing a Christian school. 1 caught on to some bad habits and quit reading my Bible. Af ter 1 came home to work, 1 rededicated my life to the Lord. 1 believe the Lord has forgiven me, ac cording to 1 John 1:9. I’m reading the Bible again, and 1 desire to be baptized and hope to influence young teens to do the same. Kenton Thiessen: I accepted Jesus into my heart when 1 was five years old and kept on following the Lord, with my par ents and brothers answering questions 1 had about the Christian faith. John 3:16 helped me understand my need of a Sav iour, and it is comforting to know 1 have eternal life in Him. 1 am getting baptized

to show my commitment to the Lord and want to follow God’s leading, using the gifts the Holy Spirit gives to help spread the Word. Pastor Ferlin challenged and encouraged us with three short phrases: 1) Expect trouble. 2) Go forward. 3) Press on. We had prayed for the rain to stop, and when it was time to go to the water, it had quit. When they came up out of the wa ter, the sun came out from behind the clouds. The noon meal was followed by relay games for old and young alike, organized by Randy Nepinak and Wayne Reimer. There was also a wheelbarrow race and bike races. It was hilarious to see adults competing with small children, all on kids-size bikes. Don’t you wish you had been there to enjoy the weekend with us? Helen Kroeker

cumber).

example. We came to learn something and left touched in many ways through God’s love. One of the best memories of the week end is our canoe trip. God showed us who He is through His almighty work of creation. He also blessed us with strength and protection. The nightly campfires were spent re flecting on our lives with Christ as the foundation — sharing testimonies and prayer requests, singing and praising God. We experienced God and the peace that comes with forgiveness. Many walls were broken down during the sharing time. 1 think 1 speak for each one when 1 say that we were strengthened personally and as a group. We are thankful to all who made this retreat possible. Guest Reporter: Rose Krahn

The ride proved to be a great time to get to know each other and unite us as a youth group. We sang, chatted, played games, read, listened to music, and even played volleyball with our limited space (no wonder Randy almost went crazy!). When we finally arrived, everyone scram bled out to stretch and unpack. In no time at all, the tents were up and our awesome cooks had supper ready. The time we spent together as a group was definitely a spiritual-life builder. We were challenged both physically and spir itually by the activities and sessions. Everyone participated in the volleyball, swimming, hiking, biking, planning for the talent show, or just taking a walk in God’s awesome creation. Our speaker, Dave Overholt of Hamilton, Ont., was amazing! God definitely spoke through his humour and strong Christian

THE MESSENGER

NO COMPROMISE Rosenort, Man. (Rosenort Fellowship): Pastor John has been challenging us lately with a look at the life of Jonah. Can we relate to this prophet — running from God? praying to God? running with God? running ahead of God? Do we want only what we think is easiest and best in our life, or are we willing to live for Jesus whatever lies ahead and whatever the outcome is, for His glory? We can only benefit when we live as He purposed us to live. Our love for Him and our desire to honour Him for His great ness, kindness and mercy to all mankind should motivate us to live for Him. An exciting event on Father’s Day was the baptism of nine young people. Pastor John set Daniel as an example to us — a young man with no compromise. He co operated with the king’s court and al lowed them to change his name, but he would not change his diet, which he chose for the honour of God. By taking this stand, he positively af fected the service of many in the king dom. We too can be much more effec tive for Christ by the no compromise ap proach. Several passages encouraged these young people: 1 Corinthians 10:13, Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 5:3-5. God will not disappoint you as you seek to do His will. God bless you and make you a blessing! After months of planning and working towards this project, a few of our youth spent a week, July 12-19, of service in Calgary with The Mustard Seed. I asked Michael Kroeker to mention some of the highlights of the week for him: “Two highlights were listening to street people telling their life stories and walking for two or three hours in down town Calgary with someone who had once been on the streets. They led us around the streets, showing us where a homeless person might sleep for the night. They also took us to different areas where prostitutes would work. “Another good experience, while work ing at The Mustard Seed, was one night when the youth were able to converse with the homeless while serving them supper.” These opportunities of service never leave a person’s memory and are guar anteed to make a difference to the one able to experience them. I pray that this has brought a new vision to serve the Lord by extending able hands to others less for tunate around us. The summer is behind us, and school is again in session. Some of our young adults are leaving the community either for Bible school or for university. God go with you and bless your every endeavour! Let us remember to pray for these stu dents, as well as the teachers who influ ence them. Angela Friesen is ready to return to EthioOCTOBER 21, 1998

, J

;_X-

I A baptismal service took place on Father’s Day at the Rosenort Fellowship Chapel. Back: Klerra Friesen, Lyndsay Siemens, Debbie Friesen, Jill Zacharias, Sandra Friesen (transfer). Front: Curtis Cornelsen, Kyle Friesen, Jay Klassen, Mike Kroeker, David Giesbrecht, Pastor John Klassen.

Brides were honoured at the Ladies’ Fellowship bridal shower at the Rosenort Fellowship Chapel: Pat Siemens (bride-elect of Steve Harder), Tracey Plett (Myron Dueck), Sarah Wiebe (Kurt Braden), Lisa Klassen (Paul Kehler), Bonnie Northey (Jeremy Plett), Amy Brandt (Maarten Verstoep), Michelle McCullough (Jon Kroeker).

H -X 'j

■•V*

The RFC 1998 high school grads, with the youth pastor couple: Katie Heinrichs, Tim Kroeker, Debbie Friesen, Cam Rempel (youth pastor), VonnI Thiessen, Mark Friesen, Gwen Cornelsen, Jennifer Rempel (youth pastor), Kim Dueck. Missing are Carrisa Brandt, David Dueck, Anallsa Heinrichs, Doug Loewen and Janet Thiessen.

pia on September 24, providing her prayer and financial support is in place by then. She will again be working in the Bonga Refugee Camp and possibly be trans ferred to Sher’kole, a two-day drive from Bonga, which has recently opened and is receiving 18,000 new refugees from Su dan. There is a great need for an educa-

tional program to be implemented in the school and Sudanese church. Angela is now an associate missionary of the EMC with SIM. It has been exciting to see God’s work in and through her, and we know that He has many great things in store for her. We pray for God’s contin ued blessings and power in your life, Ang! PAGE 11

With summer behind us, so is the sum mer church schedule. It’s back to Sunday school and worship service, as well as weekly Bible study groups. We look ahead with anticipation to the good and unusual things that God will do in and through us. Judy Schellenberg

The Rosenort Fellowship Chapel enjoyed a church family picnic at the Riverside Park on May 31.

PART OF THE PUZZLE Kleefeld, Man.: In our summer series we learned about the many different spiritual gifts that are a part of our church. We are all a part of the puzzle. This was nicely displayed with large scattered puzzle pieces on the front wall of the church, with each piece representing a spiritual gift. At the close of our series, four volun teers put the pieces together. Once it was together the puzzle symbolized the importance that each of us has in our church family. The last Sunday’s theme was about love. We need the “glue” (love) to keep the puzzle to gether. Lucy Dueck

Michael Kroeker, Tim Kroeker, Debbie Friesen and Vonni Thiessen, with youth leaders Jennifer and Camden Rempel served in Calgary July 12-19 with The Mustard Seed, a street ministry.

On June 28 the Kleefeld church celebrated Cradle Roll graduation. Shown are the seven graduates with their parents: Tasiya McKellar Barkman (daughter of Russel and Jenn), Courtney Dawn Friesen (daughter of Dale and Kim), Litesha May Penner (daughter of Myron and Darlene), Jason Bohren (son of Roger and Rachel), Brayton Cordell Dyck (son of Peter and Erica), Mason Quinn Schultz (son of Randy and Carlana), Loralie Deanne Friesen (daughter of Ed and Kathy).

BAPTISM AND CAMP Prairie Grove, Man.:

! I- -V.

'tel ••7

A...

Jen Funk and Alan Fehr, shown here with Pastor Darnell and Emily Plett, were baptized on June 7. We’re glad to have you as part of the family, Jen and Alan.

PAGE 12

One highlight of our family camp at St. Malo in July was the outdoor Sunday morning service. Here Carol From hands Seth Penner (son of Wes and Shawna) his cradle roll graduation diploma.

Dustin Braun had too much of a good thing! The rest of us, though, were awake and concluded our weekend with a potluck faspa (light supper).

Jolyn Braun

THE MESSENGER

SONSHINE/SUNSHINE ENJOYED MacGregor, Man.:

Helena Heppner turned eighty this year — a SUNnyface.

A shower was held for Melody Rodgers on June 22. She and Mark Mueller were married on September 5 in Brandon, Manitoba. Her parents, George and Evelyn, have a new SONin-law.

The congregation enjoys the enthusiasm of Pastor Jerry Plett, whether he plays baseball, or speaks of God’s SON from the pulpit.

On SUNday, May 24, Betty Quiring (seen here with her husband, Isaac) was received into membership. Nolan Giesbrecht was baptized and received as a member. Pastor Jerry Plett smiles on the right.

BUILDING PROJECT EXCITES! Roseisle, Man.: Psalm 118:23 says, “The Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes.” These words describe how we feel! In The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, this same passage is para phrased as follows: “This is God’s work. We rub our eyes — we can hardly believe it!”

What an exciting, eventful summer we have had! About three months ago we began the enormous task of putting up a new church building. Loads of lumber OCTOBER 21, 1998

At the SUNday school picnic on June 7 these people made music in honour of the SON: Aaron Hill, Candace Giesbrecht, Alicia Plett, Amanda Giesbrecht, Amy Plett, and Candace Neustater.

were hauled in, and when 1 look at what has been accomplished, I sometimes feel the need to “rub my eyes” because 1 can hardly believe it. Since our sod-turning ceremony on June 28 we have seen many prayers answered. We praise and thank God for beautiful weather in which we could spend hours and hours working. God also answered our prayer for safety — no major falls or injuries. We thank Him for the fellowship and unity we have experienced in the days spent together at work.

God has given the children an attitude of excitement and cooperation as they spent their summer holidays at the con struction site. They played, sang, built, helped, and begged to go back again. It has been great to see the youth become involved as well, helping where they could. We are grateful to those who faithfully worked to bring the project this far. Thank you to those who donated equipment or brought food — and to several men from the Pleasant Valley and Rosenort EMC PAGE 13

churches who came to help on “rafter day” and the September long “tin” week end. Folks from our community stopped by to help or just out of curiosity. Our prayer is that this project will be a testimony to the community and that we can better meet its needs through a more functional facility. It would take pages to say all we have experienced through this project. Even the rougher waters have taught us lessons and made us more unified and sensitive to others. Our hearts are full of gratitude and praise to God for His blessings. We feel confi dent that we are in His will. In our strength we could not have accomplished this, and we feel strongly that “the Lord has done

this.”

We do not want a heavy debt, so con struction will continue as funds come in. Phase one — to have the building closed in for winter — is nearly completed. We held our first service in our new building on September 6. It had some what of an “open air” atmosphere as we were minus the doors and some win dows. It was a natural follow-through of our excitement and work of the past months. It allowed us to visualize what we look forward to. Thank you for your prayers and the in terest many have expressed; they mean a lot to us. We look forward to what God has in store. Eleanor Friesen

The building committee at the sod-turning ceremony on June 28: Dennis Hoeppner, Wes Klassen, Peter Dyck, Pastor Randall Krahn, Darrell Friesen, Brian Friesen and Harold Harms.

The project’s appearance at the end of July.

Preparing to put up the forms for the foundation and floor (July 1 -4).

DEDICATED TO CHRIST Leamington, Ont.:

r . :i ■!

«>

s't

On June 7, Frank and Anne Wolfe and Mary and John Fast acknowledged their babies as gifts from God and publicly committed themselves to train them for Him. PAGE 14

Five people identified with Christ and the church through water baptism on June 14: Aggie Friesen, Frank Unger, Eva Wiebe, Jake Dick and Helen Sawatzky. THE MESSENGER

Edwin Friesen Stewardship Consultant

WILL INCENTIVE MANY OF US procrastinate when plan ning for our estate. It reminds us that our stay in this world is temporary and that sooner or later we will leave behind all our carefully accumulated possessions for others to manage and enjoy. Will planning involves decisions about who will take charge of the estate, who will be the guardian for our minor chil dren, and who gets what in the distribu tion of the estate. These are all decisions that can easily be turned into excuses for not completing a will. As well, there are the legal costs asso ciated with drawing up a proper will. Though the cost is reasonable (similar to four friends going out for dinner and

Births

great care during our lifetime to man age our income. Surely we should take equal diligence to give direction to our accumulated possessions. Here is how it works: You meet pri vately with the stewardship consultant, who will explain the process of making a will and help you understand the im plications of your decisions and direc tions. Based on the details discussed, the consultant will forward instructions to a lawyer, who will draft the legal docu ment. Once the wills are done, submit a copy of the paid legal bill to receive your reimbursement. To take advantage of this offer, call your stewardship consultant today. Edwin Friesen is a stewardship consult ant serving, in part, the EMC and SBC constituency. He is available to meet with groups or individuals to discuss wilUestate planning, family finances, and charitable gifting. He can be con tacted at 204-488-1985.

KUBANEK - to Mark and Rhonda Kubanek of Landmark, Man., a daughter, Jenna Lee Inge, on August 13, 1998. REIMER - to Brendan and Jewel Reimer of Blumenort, Mem., a daughter, Abigetil May, on July 20, 1998. FRIESEN - to Harold and Karis Friesen of Blumenort, Man., a son, Colton Dane, on July 23, 1998. PENNER - to Nathan and Lord Penner of Kola, Man., a daughter, Alyssa Nicole, on July 25,1998.

John Koop Conference Pastor

GRANDPARENTS, TELL THEM! The people of Israel were told to kill a lamb, roast and eat it, and then take its blood and paint the sides and top of the outside door so the death angel would “pass over” their house. After the in structions, we read, “And when your children ask you, ‘What does this cer emony mean to you?’ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes’” (Ex. 12.26-27). This summer Clara and 1 took five of OCTOBER 21. 1998

entertainment), many people detest paying legal fees and use this as an ex cuse to put off doing proper wills. Will planning is an opportunity to do good. A proper will can reduce the com plications of settling an estate. It can pro vide for heirs. It is also an opportunity to extend your Christian witness and sup port beyond your life by leaving a be quest to your church, conference or col lege. To encourage people to take action, Mennonite Foundation of Canada will pay $50 to an individual and $75 to a couple who complete their wills with the assistance of a stewardship consult ant. Everyone in the EMC and SBC con stituency is eligible for this rebate. This applies to people who wish to update their wills or write new ones. “What’s the catch?” you ask. None re ally. We believe that every Christian should have a will, and this is our way of eliminating one of the common ex cuses for not having one. Where appro priate, we also encourage people to consider a charitable bequest. We take

EMC MODERATOR APPOINTED Dr. Harvey Plett, of Landmark, Mani toba, has consented to be moderator of the EMC until July, 1999. The Nomi nating Committee will continue to seek candidates for the moderator position beyond that time. The Board of Ministers and Deacons

our grandsons (eleven and twelve years old) for a holiday of four days and nights. We played games, made meals, did some sightseeing and went swimming at a wave pool. The boys’ grandma dared to go down the waterslide more than once. Grandpa and Grandma had to referee the share of work in making meals and cleaning up, and some of the games and rivalries. The camping was a little noisier than one retired neighbour next to us ap preciated; he came to complain just be fore quiet time. The purpose of spending time with our grandsons was to get to know them and for them to discover who we are. A part of this discovery is in our examples of our talk and walk. Do they agree and are they Christlike? Another aspect of how they get to know us — over which we have more control — is by telling them our stories.

We told stories of their parents when they were young and of life in Grandma and Grandpa’s youth. 1 shared with them my Red Rock camping experience, where 1 accepted Jesus as my Saviour, and what that personal relationship with Jesus has meant to me through the years. They also heard the story of my dating the lady who is their grandmother. Isn’t this part of what it means to ex plain the Christian life, by talking about work and play, conflict and courting? This is true for Christian grandparents and all Christian adults who relate to children. It’s a task for all who take seri ously their testimony of life with Jesus and seek to convey these stories to our youth. Children need our testimony of how God our Saviour was faithful in our youth and is still faithful to all who trust Him. “When your children ask you” about life’s ceremonies, “tell them!” PAGE 15

T WAS STILL SPRING when our chil dren offered to go to B.C. with us to visit some family. At the same time .they would go and see their daugh ter, who had a summer job in Canmore, Alberta. We accepted this offer and spent an enjoyable eleven days. Although we miss our children and grandchildren when they move, we are happy for transportation nowadays which makes it possible to visit them. We are also thankful when we sense that they welcome us. This welcome was evident in the preparations that had been made for our visit. The planned activities included fly fishing on the St. Mary’s River, golfing and barbecues. We always enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery of the East Kootenays (Kimberley/Marysville). The recent Air Canada seat sale was too good to miss, so we took advantage of it and flew to Saskatoon for the long weekend in September. Our destination was Hepburn to visit children and grand children. With the airport on the north side of Saskatoon, it is only a short trip to our destination, which facilitates pick up and departure. Here again we ap preciated the welcome. Time marches on! It seems like such a short time ago when our grandchildren were small. You may recall that some of them appeared on the cover of The Mes senger when I was editor. Then that time passed — they were growing up — and I quit that. Three of our grandchildren are married, and our youngest grand child is in the final year of high school. How time flies!

Reward offered! Wanted dead or alive! A pastor. Description: beady or wide eyes; clean-shaven, mustache or beard; con tacts, glasses, or normal vision. Height: four-foot ten to six-foot four. Weighs 125 to 250 pounds. Answers to: various names. Call Northern Fellowship Chapel (EMC) at 306-688-2996, Creighton, SK. (More reward given for a living pastor.)

Steinbach Bible College, Inc., an evangeli cal-anabaptist college and high school.

WHEN IT COMES TO FALL FOLIAGE, Manitoba’s Interlake region looks very impressive this year. It certainly was a beautiful setting for the 1998 Steinbach EMC men’s retreat held on the last weekend of September at Camp Arnes. Any fears about not being accepted, at my age, were dispelled. For this week end young and old were on the same footing — we ate together, bunked in dorm-style rooms, studied and played together. It was a rare bonding, no doubt fostered by the mood and atmosphere created by a group of men who, 1 trust, were all looking to learn something. The opportunity to learn was there as we participated in the hearty singing un der the leadership of Jim Harms and lis tened to our speaker, John Dyck, Steinbach’s EMC’s newest pastor, who spoke on “Mentoring.” What is mentoring? If it seems a rela tively new and strange term to you, it was for me too. The notes received gave this definition: Mentoring is a relational experience in which one person empow ers another by sharing God-giuen re sources. Maybe the best place to find direction for this is in the New Testament in the many references to the term “one an other” (Rom. 14:19; 15:14; Gal. 5:13; Col. 3:16; 1 Thess. 5:11 and others). In a sense, every time you encourage someone you are a mentor. However, I believe Mr. Dyck would say that this is more in the passive or casual stage. He referred to mentoring in three stages: 1) intensive — a spiritual guide; 2) occasional — from time to time, as the need arises; 3) passive — can take

seeks a business manager. Send resume to Stan Plett, president, Boxl420, Steinbach, MB, ROA 2A0. For details phone 204-326-6451.

The Messenger on Cassette! The magazine is available on 90minute cassette for those with a visual impairment. Helen Kroeker is the usual reader. Please send in your name and address. The postage is free. The cas sette arrives later than the print issue.

place by gaining inspiration, motivation and learning from a contemporary or historical model. (Books could fall into this category.) I think what our speaker would like to see is that we would graduate from the passive stage to an intensive stage, where it would become an ongoing oneto-one discipling. While the passive may be going on among us all the time, I believe the intensive is scarce, probably done mostly by our pastors. The instructions we received this weekend have potential for this type of ministry to take hold. After all, there were forty to forty-five men at the retreat, and opportunity was given at the close of the final session to make a commit ment. Much credit for the good weekend must be given to three hardworking men of our congregation; Al Riediger (em cee for the retreat), Dave Warkentin and Mike Kroeker. Thank you, men! COMING EVENTS

November 6-8 EMCup Hockey Tournament Steinbach, Manitoba Phone:204-326-2312

November 11-14 Seeing Then, Seeing Now Prairie Bible College Three Hills, Alberta Phone:1-800-705-7481 November 13-15 Region 4 Marriage Retreat Super 8 Motel Brandon, Manitoba Phone: 204-556-2635

Do you haue a story for The Person at Touch? tt must be a true account (atthouah names may be changed, if necessary) ittusiraling the Christian tife or character. Send your fOO-word story and a photograph of yoursetf or suggestion for a story to the address betow. PAGE 16

THE MESSENGER Evangelical Mennonite Conference Box 1268, 440 Main Street Steinbach, MB ROA 2A0 Subsidy Reminder: Haue you given consent through your church?