The Messenger April 21, 1999 by The Messenger

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EVANGELICAL MENNONITE CONFERENCE VOLUME 37 NUMBERS APRIL 21, 1999

Notice the Common Ground?

Also: Ron Sider looks at Evangelicalism and the Mennonite Tradition — a two-part series ( p. 3)

Messenger EDITOR Terry M. Smith

Notice the Common Ground? IN THIS ISSUE, and in May, no letters (apart from corrections) will be printed about gen der and ministry. This is my decision. It is a compromise, respecting various responses to the discussion within these pages. Not every EMCer is a ministerial member or a Conference Council delegate. The magazine gives the grassroots an opportunity to discuss matters, providing feedback to national boards and stmctures. This is Important. However, it is also important how we talk to one another. Some of the tone concerns me. As editor, 1 have to assume all contributors are equally devoted to Christ, concerned about proper interpretation of His Word, and com mitted to applying it carefully in today’s world — until it is proven otherwise. There needs to be fair-mindedness and charity, whatever po sition is taken. There is much common ground. Three mat ters might be highlighted. First, there is a com mitment to euangelism. In the EMC we carry an impressive missionary roster and budget. Evangelism is not an argument owned by peo ple of one view; it is a common concern. Phrtly, we are in this discussion because of our com mitment to evangelism. Women proclaim the Word, by preaching and teaching of men, in both Canada and on the mission field. Second, this is an inter-Christian discussion. Christ is the prime mover behind it. Christ is to be served; we grapple with what that involves.

“The world” has, at times, been given the credit. Without definition and focus, though, this is more a catchphrase than a help. What ever our position, false beliefs and values — “the world” — can influence us; some non Christians support a “headship” view, while other unbelievers support a “mutuality” view. Third, EMCers are concerned about the ‘‘slip pery slope. ” Whatever the decision, what will happen next? We don’t know. Will it be inevita bly bad? No. EMCers are committed to the Conference’s well-being. Don’t let fear become a self-fulfilling prophecy! The EMC has gone through many changes in past decades: seating in worship services, head covering, cut hair, clothing styles, musi cal instmments, Sunday school, missions, education, paid ministers, and more. Yet we returned to a rich view of Christ’s finished work and the assurance of salvation. We are com mitted to proclaiming the Word, while discuss ing what it says on this issue. Churches, however, need more information about the process ahead. What specific ques tion is to be decided: A licensing request to perform weddings? Ordination of women? Will it affect both Canada and foreign fields? By what procedure will it be decided? What are churches asked to do now? An unclear process has not helped us! Terry M. Smith

Kosovo and Khristos WHAT SHOULD Christians do about Kosovo? There are many lessons in this conflict. An cient cultural and religious hatreds add to the cycle of violence. To consider Kosovo “the Ser bian Holy Land” is a repeated distortion of Chris tianity which led to the Crusades; the EMC is a witness that since Christ’s coming, our Chris tian Faith does not depend on controlling a par ticular piece of land. The state is to restrict evil and protect its citi zens; when it turns on its citizens, what horror results! Yet the NATO bombing campaign is another sanitized war with selective informa tion and political posturing. Where are the voices of Serbian Eastern Or thodox leaders protesting ethnic cleansing as unChristian and unOrthodox? The Conference of Mennonites in Canada and MCC display courage in expressing concerns about the NATO bombing to the Canadian government, yet the concern over ethnic cleansing seems muffled in contrast. Where is the official EMC PAGE 2

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Martha Kroeker THE MESSENGER is the publication of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference. It is available to the general public. Its purpose is to inform, instruct and inspire: inform concerning events and activities in the denomination; instruct in god liness and victorious 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 Con ference, 440 Main Street, Steinbach, Manitoba. Subscriptions: $12.00 per year (Manitoba residents add 7% PST, total: $12.84). Sub scriptions are voluntary and op tional to people within or outside of the EMC. Members and ad herents pay through their church. THE MESSENGER is a member of Meetinghouse and Canadian Church Press. Second-class postage paid at Steinbach, Manitoba. Registration Number: 0591 Mailing information: All correspondence, including undelivered copies, change of address and new subscriptions, should be addressed to: The Messenger RO. Box 1268 Steinbach, Manitoba ROA 2A0

voice in the midst of the cleansing and the bombing? Like Elisha’s encounter with the army ofAram (2 Kings 6:8-23) or our Lord’s encounter with guards in the garden (John 18:6,11), we wish the situation would be resolved by divine inter vention with soldiers spared and civilians unin jured! Barring that, the history of nations in Scripture reminds us that God has at times used other Phone: 204-326-6401 states to punish nations — yet those used to Fax: 204-326-1613 punish others are not beyond His judgement. E-mail: emconf@mts.net An MCC worker once asked. If the Good Sa maritan had ridden a faster donkey and came Cover: March 19 discussion upon the robbers hurting the traveller, what groups focused on the matter would he have done? 1 don’t know. 1 doubt, gender and rninistry. (photo by editor) however, he would have attacked the robbers’ supply stations while the beating continued. The MESSENGER SCHEDULE ethnic cleansing must be stopped; 1 cannot, No. 10 - May 19 however, endorse NATO’s bombing campaign, (copy'due May"?) Terry M. Smith No. 11 - June 9 (copy due May 28)

THE MESSENGER

PART ONE OF TWO

Evangelicalism and the Mennonite Tradition Dr. Ronald J. Sider

I WANT TO work with two theses. First, if Evangelicals were consistent, they would be Anabaptists and Anabaptists would be Evangelicals. 1 will simply assert this statement without arguing at length. Second, Mennonites need Evangelicals and Evangelicals need Mennonites. 1 will attempt to develop this thesis at greater length. If they were consistent, Evangelicals would be Anabaptists and Anabaptists would be Evangelicals. Anabaptists have historically affirmed the central doctrines of the historic Christian creeds about which Evangelicals care a great deal, such as the Trinity, the full humanity and full Deity of Jesus Christ, the atonement, and the bodily resurrection. Further, Anabaptists have historically had a central con cern for evangelism. The Anabaptist missioners of the If they were consistent, Evangelicals would be Anabaptists and Anabaptists would be Evangelicals.

sixteenth century, who spread Anabaptist ideas all over Europe, may be considered to be some of the earliest modern missionaries. Finally, Anabaptists are committed to the full authority of the Scriptures as the norm for faith and practice. It was precisely their commitment to Scripture that led the early Anabaptists to challenge Zwingli and Luther. And it was the Scriptures which provided the foundation for that challenge. Conversely, Evangelicals, if they were consistent with their own commitment to biblical authority, would affirm emphases frequently associated with Anabaptism — an emphasis on costly discipleship, on living the Christian life, on the church as a new society living the ethics of the kingdom (and therefore living a set of values radically dif ferent from the world), on the way of the cross as the Christian approach to violence. We Anabaptists have always insisted that we affirm these emphases because they are biblical. If they are biblical, then Evangelicals with their central concern for biblical authority ought to become “Anabaptist” at these points. If we really think, as 1 do, that our concern for costly disci pleship, the new community, and nonviolence are bibli cal, then we ought persistently to ask Evangelicals how they can maintain their concern for sola scriptura without becoming “Anabaptist” at these points. We should not, of course, be so insensitive that we for mulate it in precisely those terms and demand that Evangelicals adopt the term Anabaptist! But we should insist that a strong emphasis on costly discipleship, the church, and nonviolence is not a special calling for Mennonites, but rather a necessity for anyone who wants a fully biblical theology. My second thesis is that Mennonites need Evangelicals and Evangelicals need Mennonites. I want to argue that in several ways. APRIL 21, 1999

In the first place, we need each other to avoid distor tions of our common affirmation that the centre of Chris tian faith is a personal living relationship with Jesus Christ. Mennonites and Evangelicals agree that in spite of the importance of creeds, liturgies, sacraments, and Chris tian community, the essence of Christian faith does not lie in careful affirmation of historic creeds, solemn participa tion in liturgies, sacraments, nor intense involvement in church structures (not even radical Anabaptist counter communities). The essence of the Christian faith, as Menno, Zinzendorff, Wesley, and the great revival preachers all knew, is a per sonal, living relationship with the risen Lord Jesus; an in dividual 1-Thou encounter with the One we together in community confess in the creeds and participate in the sacraments. Evangelicals and Mennonites need each other to cor rect distortions of this central affirmation. Evangelicals fre quently appropriate this insight in the individualistic way that separates the personal relationship with the risen Je sus from the reality of the church as community. Evangelicals today need Mennonites to remind them that a living personal relationship with the risen Christ must include becoming a part of Christ’s visible body, the new community; where all relationships are being redeemed; where all sinful divisions between races, classes, and sexes are being overcome; and where all the sisters and broth ers together disciple and nurture each other until all grow up into mature personhood in Christ. Evangelicals, on the other hand, need to caution Mennonites that they dare not substitute anything else, whether an ethnic community identity or a concern to imitate Jesus’ nonviolent way, for a living personal rela-

We need each other to avoid distortions of our com mon affirmation that the centre of Christian faith is a personal living relationship with Jesus Christ.

tionship with the Lord Jesus. In the second place. Evangelicals and Mennonites need each other to maintain a balanced evangelistic concern. Evangelicals, quite rightly, stress the importance of the evangelistic mandate to spread the gospel to the more than two billion in our world who have never heard of Christ. The evangelistic task underlined so forcefully by the Ber lin Congress on Evangelism and the Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization ought to be a more passionately urgent concern for more Mennonites. Too many Volun tary Service workers care a lot more about working for development and justice than they do about spreading the good news of forgiveness through the cross. Too many Mennonites hesitate to engage in verbal evan gelistic proclamation and then hide behind the important truth that one significant way to announce the gospel is PAGE 3

just to live the new community of Jesus’ redeemed peo ple. Mennonites need to be challenged by the vigorous evangelical concern for evangelism. But Evangelicals also need Mennonites in order to de velop a more holistic biblical gospel. The gospel an nounced by many Evangelicals is unbiblical in its individu alism and heretical in its separation from a call to costly discipleship. According to the New Testament, the con tent of the gospel is not just individual forgiveness and Evangelicals need Mennonites to help them rediscover the biblical teaching that our evangelism must empha size the church and costly discipleship, and Mennonites need Evangelicals to help them recover their original passion for chattering the good news to everyone who will listen.

regeneration; it is also a fact of the church and the lord ship of Christ. One important part of the good news we announce is that it is now possible to join Jesus’ new society where all relationships (including economic relationships) are al ready being redeemed. The existence of this new peoplehood is part of the good news. Accepting the gospel is not just a vertical encounter with a justifying, regenerating God; it also involves new hori zontal relationships because it involves entry into a new community where one studies the Word and works out the meaning of discipleship today in a body of brothers and sisters. Mennonites need to help Evangelicals correct the individualism of their evangelism. In a similar fashion, Mennonites can help Evangelicals see how they have omitted costly discipleship from their evangelistic proclamation. The lordship of Christ is an essential part of the gospel we proclaim. And this Lord calls all His followers to costly discipleship. It is impossible to accept Jesus as Saviour and persist ently reject Him as Lord. Unfortunately evangelical evan gelistic programs often place the emphasis so exclusively on forgiveness that they fall into a cheap grace that omits the costly demands of the gospel. My second point, then, is that Evangelicals need Mennonites to help them rediscover the biblical teaching that our evangelism must emphasize the church and costly discipleship, and Mennonites need Evangelicals to help them recover their original passion for chattering the good news to everyone who will listen. Third, Evangelicals need Mennonites to help them re member that from the biblical perspective orthopraxis (right living) is just as important as orthodoxy (right doc trine) and Mennonites need Evangelicals lest they forget that the converse is equally true. One need not argue that in the last decades, at least. Evangelicals have, both in practice and sometimes in prin ciple, made doctrine more important than ethics. Mennonites regularly make this charge against them, and they are right. But since this is addressed to Mennonites, 1 want to con centrate on the other half of this point. There seems to be a tendency, at least among a few Mennonites, to make orthopraxis more important than orthodoxy. This em phasis is probably not true for the typical Mennonite con gregation where the balance may still be one-sided in the

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same way that it is among Evangelicals generally. But there are signs here and there that a one-sidedness in the oppo site direction could develop. There are some Mennonites who have demonstrated in their lives a very costly commitment to following the ethi cal teachings of Jesus and to living out the reality of the new society of Jesus’ followers in intimate community who, nonetheless, seem to think that the historic Chris tian emphasis on the full deity of Jesus Christ and His bod ily resurrection from the dead are dispensable doctrines. The essence of Christian faith is really the ethical life of following Jesus’ teachings, and the Sermon on the Mount is the canon within the canon. Now neither of these distortions will do! We need the balanced stance of 1 John, which says bluntly that any claim to know and love God which is divorced from active love for the hungry neighbour is a hypocritical lie. Mennonites need to remind Evangelicals just as vigorously as possible of this message of 1 John. But Mennonites must not forget that the converse is equally true. It is precisely the same 1 John which insists just as pointedly that anyone who does not confess that Evangelicals need Mennonites to help them remember j that from the biblical perspective orthopraxis (right liv ing) is just as important as orthodoxy (right doctrine) and Mennonites need Evangelicals lest they forget that the converse is equally true.

Jesus the Messiah is the incarnate Son of God is the antiChrist. If the early Christians had merely claimed that Je sus was a great prophet and moral teacher who preached a challenging Sermon on the Mount, they would never have broken with Judaism. According to 1 John, to deny that Jesus of Nazareth is the unique, incarnate Son of God is just as serious as failing to demonstrate our love for God by ignoring our needy neigh bours. Orthodoxy and orthopraxis are equally important. I want to develop this argument that we should be equally concerned with orthodoxy and orthopraxis by looking in more detail at two issues, the atonement and the resur rection. Evangelicals frequently fail to appropriate the full bibli cal doctrine of the atonement because they fail to teach that Christians are to imitate Christ’s way of dealing with His enemies in their own relationships with their enemies. On the other hand, Mennonites sometimes become so preoccupied with pacifism and nonviolence that they deemphasize the vertical aspects of the atonement. As John Yoder has recently pointed out so vigorously, the New Testament repeatedly calls on Christians to imi tate the way of suffering love revealed in the cross: There is thus but one realm in which the concept of imitation [of Jesus] holds — but there it holds in every strand of the New Testament literature...this is at the point of the concrete social meaning of the cross in its relation to enmity and power. Servanthood re places dominion, forgiveness absorbs hostility.

In 1 Peter 2, Christian slaves facing unjust masters are urged to imitate the way of the cross: “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.... THE MESSENGER

When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten” (w. 21-23). “Be imitators of God,” Ephesians 5 says, “and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sac rifice to God” (w. 1,2). One could continue to cite illustrations (Luke 14:27-33; Mark 10:43-45; 1 John 3:11-18; 4:7-12). But the point is clear: The New Testament explicitly and repeatedly com mands Christians to love their enemies in the nonviolent, self-sacrificing fashion of the cmcified Jesus. If we Evangelicals really believe, as we claim, that Jesus is Lord and that canonical Scripture is fully binding, then surely there is only one possibility. If Scripture calls us to love our enemies the way Jesus loved His enemies at the cross, we must either accept the way of nonviolence or abandon our proudly proclaimed principle of scriptural authority. Because the way Jesus atoned for our sins was to carry love for the enemy to the ultimate degree, a refusal to obey His command to follow His example at this point not only involves a denial of scriptural authority; it also consti tutes a heretical doctrine of the atonement. God chose to reconcile His enemies and accomplish the atonement by nonviolent, suffering love. If we reject the biblical imperative to follow Jesus at precisely this point, we, in effect, express disbelief about the validity of effec tiveness of God’s way of reconciling enemies. But to do that is to express disbelief about the atonement itself which Jesus accomplished by loving His enemies. On the other hand, there is another equally serious her esy of the atonement that relates to our topic of nonvio lence. Some pacifists seem inclined to reduce the doc trine of the atonement to a revelation of God’s method of dealing with evil. According to one Anglican writer in a collection of es says edited by the Quaker pacifist Rufus H. Jones, the cross is “Christ’s witness to the weakness and folly of the sword.... Jesus is acknowledged as the Saviour precisely because He challenged and overthrew man’s reliance upon military power.” We need not believe that St. Anselm’s Cur Deus Homo is verbally inerrant in the original autographs, that the penal substitutionary view of the atonement is correct at all

points, or that by itself it captures the fullness of the bibli cal view of the cross. As Leon Morris noted recently in Christianity Today, “No theory is adequate.... We need the contributions of quite a few theories to express something of what the Cross meant to the men [sic] of the New Testament.” Certainly the moral view of the atonement does express one impor tant part of the New Testament teaching on the cross. But to reduce the meaning of the cross either to a revelation of the validity of pacifism or, with Abelard, to a powerful disclosure that God is love, is simply unbiblical. The New Testament asserts not only that sinful persons are hostile to God, but also, and with equal clarity, that the just Creator hates sin. Paul reminded the Romans that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all un godliness and wickedness” (Romans 1:18). For those who know the law, failure to obey it results in a curse. But Christ redeemed us from that curse by becom ing a curse for us (Galatians 3:10-14). Jesus’ blood is an expiation (Romans 3:25; 1 John 4:10) and the result is unmerited acquittal (Romans 5:18) for sinners precisely because the One who knew no sin was made sin for us on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:21). A pacifism which belittles or ignores this aspect of the cross will not find a welcome hearing among evangelical Christians. And it should not, because it is not biblical. 1 sense a vastly less serious but related problem in John Yoder’s discussion of justification in The Politics of Jesus. Yoder explicitly says that in developing the social dimen sions of the concept of dikaisune (righteousness) he is not denying the personal side. But then he proceeds to develop his argument and interpret the passages in a way that belittles the central role of forensic justification in Pauline thought. This is a mistake both exegetically and strategically. (Continued next issue) Dr. Ronald J. Sider is the professor of theology and culture at Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (Philadelphia), the president of Euangelicals for Social Action, and an ordained minister in both the Brethren in Christ Church and in the Mennonite Church.

SEette/tg AUGUSTINE’S HERMENEUTIC Thank you for the opportunity to express my concerns in a letter to the editor (.Feb. 24, 1999). However, 1 noticed an error which almost has Augustine saying the opposite of what he really said. It appears that it was simply a standard transcription error of omitting the text between two occurrences of the word “Scripture.” 1 have italicized the text below: “My second point arises out of a study of Augustine’s hermeneutic. He employed a holistic approach by which he sought to internalize the tmth of Scripture in a way that changed him as a person. His project was not to bring his problems into the light of Scripture in a piecemeal fashion as much as to bring himself to the Scriptures

APRIL 21, 1999

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in order to have the enigma of himself illuminated by Scripture, effecting a per sonal transformation,” Henry Friesen Brantford, Ont.

PROTESTS AGAINST BOMBING We have sent the following letter to pro test against the bombing of Kosovo. If you haven’t sent your own copy, feel free to adapt and use our copy.

Honourable Lloyd Axworthy Minister of Foreign Affairs Lester B. Pearson Bldg, Tower A 10th Floor, 125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON KIA 0G2

Dear Mr. Axworthy: We are very distressed about Canada’s eager involvement in the NATO bombing of Kosovo and urge you to do everything in your power to end this conflict in a more creative and more humane way. Canada’s present actions seem to run counter to our nation’s growing role as a peacekeeper and promoter and this truly disturbs us, especially since, during the many years we worked with a Christian humanitarian agency in various trouble spots within Central and South Africa, we often prided ourselves on this Canadian peacekeeping role. We wonder, also, why the United Nations has not been more actively involved in helping to shape responses to this highly PAGES

volatile and complex situation which has very long roots in European history — roots which, presumably, might affect the judg ment of NATO’s European members. We entreat you, therefore, as a somewhat more “objective” Canadian NATO repre sentative without a political national agenda, to use your personal peacemaking skills and gifts (which you used so coura geously in helping to birth the land mine treaty), to search out nonviolent ways of defusing this conflict, rather than continu ing (or worse still, escalating) the present response of fighting violence with violence. We all know this is an “old/worn-out” re sponse to conflict which has shown itself to perpetuate and deepen wounds instead of ending or healing them, and so, it’s long past the time to leave it behind. To conclude, we rely on your good sense and your commitment to peace to do your best to end this dreadfully destructive war as quickly as possible and to stop the hu man shedding of blood in Kosovo — blood which cannot be seen merely as “collateral damage,” or viewed from a distance. As members of NATO and active participants in the bombings, it very directly stains our Canadian hands. Grace and peace to you in your very weighty role as Minister of Foreign Affairs during this difficult time. May God grant you wisdom in all your deliberations. Leona and Peter Penner Winnipeg, Man.

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One of the highlights of Abundant Springs is the Praise and Worship Time. Jason Dueck (Prairie Grove) is leading the band for Abundant Springs '99. The group includes Joel Dueck, Patricia Bartsch, Lauonne Kroeker and Stephanie Kroeker. Please pray that these people will be able to lead us in true music worship of our God. Pray that the songs they choose will minister to the hearts of our young people, not only at A.S.’99 but for a long time after. For more information call Deidre Plett at 204-326-4855 or Gordon Kroeker at 204-669-0465.

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k_ For information on Mennonites visit

Third Way Cafe www.thirdway.com

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MCC ASKS CHURCHES TO EXPRESS CONCERNS, PRAY Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Canada has expressed its distress over Canada’s participation in the bombing of Serbia and Kosovo. “We urge Canada to use its influence within NATO to bring an immediate end to the military action in the former Yugo slavia and to redouble our diplomatic and peace-building efforts to bring resolution to the conflict in Kosovo,” MCC Canada Executive Director Marv Frey wrote in a recent letter to Prime Minister Jean Chretien. “Civilians in Kosovo have been the main victims of the civil war and, inevitably, they will now be the victims of missiles and bombs in Serbia and Kosovo,” he wrote. Frey acknowledges that the problems in the former Yugoslavia are deep and complex and MCC doesn’t presume to have a simple answer. Yet MCC remains gravely troubled that once again violence is being used to respond to violence. “Our deepest values are being chal lenged by the militarism of Canadian ac tions,” said Tom Snowdon, MCC Canada peace ministries coordinator. “We believe there are other options to respond to this crisis that don’t add to the violence. There has got to be a better way.” MCC has ongoing relief, development and peacemaking efforts in the region. It is also exploring ways to help the mass numbers of refugees this conflict has pro duced. During this time, when violence is tear ing apart the Balkan region, Mennonite people, as members of a peace church, can provide a voice and action to demon strate their belief in peace, said Snow don. MCC is encouraging Mennonites to ex press their concerns to the federal gov ernment over Canada’s role in NATO’s vio lent actions. “We encourage people to write, e-mail, fax and call local members of parliament. Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy and Prime Minister Jean Chretien,” said Snowdon. “This Canadian involvement in the NATO action is a very disturbing departure from the recent positive direction in foreign af fairs and seems to be completely coun ter-productive. “I would encourage people to ask sim ply that Canada stop its involvement in the bombing and begin to take leader ship in finding a peaceful solution. This has been a Canadian strength and the source of some very encouraging move ment towards peace in recent years.” MCC is also asking congregations to pray

for peace. Congregations could devote a Sunday to pray for the troubled region, exploring the theology of peace in the process. MCC Canada would be available to help find ap propriate resources. Churches could set up a quiet place where people could stop in through the week for prayer and reflection. “We are a people of faith. We believe that God can intervene and make a difference,” said Snowdon. MCC Canada

RELIEF FOR KOSOVO REGION Refugees from war-torn Kosovo are re ceiving canned turkey and refugee kits from an MCC shipment, valued at $ 126,000, that arrived in Serbia in January. The ship ment also included health and sewing kits. In March, 30,240 kilograms of canned beef arrived in Albania. Catholic Relief Services will distribute the food to refu gees from Kosovo and Serbia. In late March, MCC sent $154,000 of ma terial aid to Holland, to be trucked to refu gee sites in Europe. The shipment includes comforters, sheets, winter clothing, soap, towels, canned turkey and chicken, and 500 refugee kits. MCC is also planning with Canadian Foodgrains Bank for a shipment of wheat, lentils, oil and sugar for Kosovo refugees in Montenegro. MCC’s supply of refugee kits is now de pleted and MCC is requesting more for a shipment planned for later this year. A refugee kit for a family of four: 4 bars soap — family size 1 plastic bottle shampoo, min. 350 grams 1 box laundry soap, min. 1 kg 2 rolls toilet paper 1 large family-size tube toothpaste 4 toothbrushes, adult-size preferred 1 bath towel hair brush, comb and nail clipper (one each) 1 multivitamins with iron, min. 100 tab lets 1 box 10 cm X 10 cm or 7.5 cm x 10 cm sterile gauze pads, min. 10 to 15 1 roll 1.25 cm adhesive tape, 9 metres or more 1 bottle antacid tablets, 100 tablets or more 1 package sanitary napkins — Maxi pads, 1 pkg. of 24 $4 Canadian (MCC staff will purchase 1 bottle Acetaminophen) Place items in a grocery box and phone the nearest MCC office for a collection sta tion. The value of each kit is about $60 Canadian. The contents of the kit were suggested by a Bosnian woman based on her own experience as a refugee. THE MESSENGER

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Mi*****”** Henry Klassen Executive Secretary

BOARD OF MISSIONS REVIEWS AND PLANS ON MARCH 5,1999, the Board of Missions (BOM) met for seven hours, reviewing the past, considering the present reality and planning for the future. All nine board members and three staff partici pated. Henry Klassen, executive secretary, made a presentation entitled “Historical Perspective of Mission Issues.” This pre sentation focused on some of the issues that face the BOM, giving a brief histori cal perspective with some present reali ties. Issues that came into focus included the following: Organization/Administration Changes in the structure and role of the BOM have taken place since the Board was first organized in 1953. It changed from a local church-representative board to a Conference Council-elected board. Executive staff, first hired by the Board I in 1968, has changed in responsibilities and the number of persons involved. With the hiring of a Conference Youth Minister, the BOM staff will increase to the equivalency of almost three full-time persons. At the March meeting, the BOM chair man, Stan Plett, made a presentation on the role of the Board and staff in the ad ministration of the mission programs. He presented a governance model that calls for some changes to the present struc ture and responsibilities. With anticipated staff changes, this will be helpful in es tablishing future direction in organization/ administration.

early 1970s. Since then it has been reviewed/revised periodically. The pri mary goal has been and still is evangelism/church planting. At the March meet ing the Board reaffirmed this statement.

Missions/Indigenous Church Relation ships To clarify the working relationship be tween indigenous churches and the BOM, a policy statement was developed over a two-year period (1989-91). This process involved Board staff, missionar ies and indigenous churches in Paraguay, Mexico and Nicaragua. The BOM reaf firmed this statement. BOM/Associate Missions Policy In consultation with the then-Advisory Council and Conference Council, the BOM developed this policy during the 1970s. This policy forms the basis of the agreement the Board has with fourteen other mission organizations. At the March meeting the Board decided to do an overall review of this policy and agree ments during the coming year. Promotion and Recruitment Over the years the BOM has promoted missions and recmited personnel using various tools and strategies; twenty-two of these were identified. In the early years, the Conference mission program was basically promoted by the local churches. As the Conference grew, there arose a greater need for a more formal type of promotion and recruitment. The Board is committed to continue devel oping promotion and recruitment strat egy.

Missionary Orientation/Re-entry The BOM has always recognized the need to provide good orientation to mis sionaries and a good re-entry when mis sionaries come on furlough. There is a call to provide more professional re sources to do this better.

aries. A question raised was whether the Board should consider asking missionar ies on EMC-administered fields to raise a portion of their support. A number of other denominations have made this change. For a copy of the full policy statements referred to, contact the BOM office. In his presentation, the executive sec retary suggested that the BOM review the present Policy Handbook over the next year and revise as deemed neces sary. He also recommended the appoint ment of a committee to plan for the fifti eth anniversary year of EMC Missions in 2003. The document, “Goals and Projects for EMC Missions, 1996-2000,” which was approved in 1996, was reviewed. Due to lack of missionary personnel, some of the goals have not been realized. Each of the three staff persons pre sented long-term goals/projections for 1999-2004. These were discussed and affirmed by the Board. These projec tions include:

1. Expanding evangelism/church-planting efforts in Mexico and Paraguay by re cruiting new missionaries. 2. Strengthening the church-leadership training programs in our Latin American fields. 3. Planting of ten new churches in Canada in partnership with regions and local churches. 4. Recruiting six new missionaries to serve with Africa Inter-Mennonite Mis sion in Africa. 5. Evaluating the agreements the BOM has with the Associate Missions. 6. Partnering with CMC and EMMC in a new mission venture.

Mission Statement of Strategy This statement was formulated in the

Finances The basic issue discussed was the fi nancial support structure of the mission-

Though few concrete decisions were made during this day, there was a con sensus that the sessions had been valu able. It was also recognized that the processing of issues raised and of plans affirmed would continue in the coming months. The BOM plans to spend time at each of its meetings in the coming year to work with this.

NICARAGUA WE WENT CHURCH BUILDING! On February 5 a group ranging in age from 21 to 67 met in Managua to help con struct a church building: three young men from Alberta, a group of ten from Mani toba, and two arrived from Sebring, Florida. Bill Martens, Ron Wiebe and Peter

Teichroeb came from Grande Prairie, Al berta; Phil and Carol Doerksen, their daughter Jodi and son Carey, and Henry Doerksen (group leader and interpreter) came from Winnipeg. (Henry’s family trav elled with us but stayed in Managua with relatives.) George and Lilly Bartel and Benny and Annie Friesen came from Sebring and met us in Miami.

In Managua many of us were strangers, but not for long; we bonded well as broth ers and sisters in the Lord. At the airport in Managua a delegation of the EMC Fraternity met us, including Patricio and Gloria, the pastor couple we were to help, and Bayardo, who recently visited a number of our EMC churches in Canada.

APRIL 21. 1999

PAGE?

On the way by bus to Diriamba, we stopped at Masaya National Volcano Park to look at an erupted volcano. By supper we arrived at our destination, where a welcome party awaited us. Immediately, we faced a great challenge to cope with for two weeks — language! The two in terpreters — Henry Doerksen and Claudia, a young local girl — were in high demand. We were assigned sleeping quarters. Henry Doerksen commuted to his in-laws in Managua. The rest of us stayed in Diriamba, a city of 65,000 people, mostly in private homes. Benny and Annie, George and Lilly and Frank and Nettie stayed in a hotel. Our meals came from a private home. On Sunday, February 7, we went to loca tions where the church had Sunday school classes. The main assembly of the church came in the afternoon. We were given details about the building project, and were introduced to the leading men of the project, including Carlos, the boss; and Marcos, the chief mason. On Monday morning we went to the building site. Before we got into the ac tual work, there was a one-hour dedica tion ceremony with leaders present from some other EMC churches. The first step was to carry softer stone building blocks, 15 inches by 15 inches by 6'/2 inches, down a steep slope to where the pastor’s house would be built. Needing a level area for the pastor’s home, we were informed we would spend about a week removing dirt from a slope by pick axe, shovel and wheelbarrow. This was a disappointment; we had come to build a church, not to spend much of our time digging. However, we were told this was necessary and became resigned to humbly do what we were asked to. We got the job done in three days. There were, of course, local people involved.

Our group of fifteen, aged 21 to 67, bonded very quickly in Nicaragua,

including a 62-year-old grandmother.

Then we proceeded to the building site. The two main challenges on the job were language and a new method of building. Our progress fell short of what we had envisioned, but Carlos, our boss, seemed pleased by Friday. The building was 25 feet by 65 feet. When we left on Friday, two walls were about five feet high, the front wall was about three feet high, and the fourth wall just above the ground. For most of the people gathered there, it was an emotional farewell. Christian love quite easily transcends language barriers. We had formed a bond because we served the same Jesus! Our meals were planned and prepared by Sylvio and Arlina, our very gracious and capable host couple. Their helpers were Chipita, Lilly Bartel and Nettie Friesen. The saying goes, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating”; the fact that nobody in our group got sick is proof that the food was

good! Our daily commute among sleep ing quarters, eating place, and job site, was done by a small ISVZV pick-up truck. The second weekend, February 13-14, we hired a bus and toured, travelling about one hour north of Managua on the Pan Am Highway to view some of Hurricane Mitch’s destruction. Virtually every high way bridge was washed out; by-passes had been constructed, allowing for almost nor mal traffic. The main purpose of the trip was to ex amine an awesome mud and rock slide, about five miles east of the highway. Farm villages had been swept away in minutes. Five thousand people perished when a crater lake burst and rushed down the mountainside. Except for a few partly re maining structures, every sign of a once happy farming community was erased. It was eerie to stand in this deathly quiet place and to imagine that this had been a thriving community. The scene is etched

The building project was at this stage when the group left on February 18. (photo by Benny Friesen)

Patricio is the pastor of the congregation whose church building we worked on. With him are his wife, Gloria, and their two children.

PAGES

THE MESSENGER

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on our memories! On our way back we stopped at another mark of Mitch. On the outskirts of Managua, there is a large refugee camp of mostly former residents from around Lake Managua. During the hurricane, the lake rose to where these people had to leave their homes. Their current homes consist

of poles stuck in the ground and closed in by black plastic, cardboard and tin sheets. Home to more than 10,000 people, this area looked impossible to us. The govern ment seemed to have no solution for their plight. This saddened us; we could leave but they could not. We would have liked to accomplish

more, but we did what we could. For us it was worth the trip. Our prayer was that we would be an encouragement to local believers, building up not only the Lord’s house but also the Lord’s church. Frank K. Friesen Rosenort, Man.

WINNIPEG. MAN. WHAT COLOUR IS MY COLLEAGUE’S FACE? 1 just returned from a consultation where international ministries in Central Asia shared, prayed and strategized together for ministry in 1999. Besides coordinating the consultation for People X (the group I’ve worked with since 1989), 1 chaired the international mobilization working group. The group’s purpose is to recruit Christian workers for Central Asia from non-Westem countries. In the group 1 met a young Indonesian who works with a Central Asian people group. When he discovered that I’m a Dutch-German Mennonite, he spoke to me in Low German! What a shock! He said he owes his conversion to Mennonite missionaries who came to Indonesia. To day he is married to a Low German-speak ing Mennonite woman from Central Asia. To fit into his wife’s family he learned Low German — talk about adaptability! His heartbeat is to see more Indonesians in Central Asia as missionaries. That’s not the first time I’ve heard non Westerners express their readiness to do cross-cultural outreach. In November 1 met with a group of Singaporean church and agency leaders ready to send missionaries to Central Asia. My daily e-mail contacts reveal further Spirit-movings in other countries. An Argentinean couple writes, “For seven years my wife and 1 have had a burden to minister in Central Asia. Our problem is we lack financial support.” Another e-mail says, “Recently the churches in South Af rica that have adopted People X, gathered to see how, as a network, we can better support our workers among People X.” Wait a minute! What are Indonesians, Singaporeans, Argentineans and South Af ricans doing in foreign missions? Aren’t the real missionaries those who come from North America or possibly Europe? Praise God, countries that used to be re ceiving countries are becoming sending countries! Korea and Brazil are fast be coming the world’s biggest missionary sending countries. Is it time, then, for North American mis sionaries to come home and stay home? That is a popular theme in some circles today! After all, being sometimes rather culturally insensitive. Westerners have made many mistakes. Besides, Canada has so many needs! Shouldn’t we first take

care of our own needs? Canada does have 82 unreached people groups. These include people within the 2.5 million immigrants to Canada in the past twelve years and from among native groups. An unreached group is “a people for whom there is no viable indigenous church movement with sufficient strength to sustain and ensure the continuous mul tiplication..., [specifically] any group of more than 5000 people around the world, whose make-up reflects less than two percent evangelical” (Transforming Our Nation). If Canada has eighty-two such groups, why look for work in other coun tries? Scott Wesley Brown puts forth a radical missiology when he sings, Jesus com mands us to go. It should be the exception if we stay. Was the “Go Ye” of Matthew 28 intended only for Jesus’ immediate twelve disciples, or only for the affluent Western church? Was it restrictive in its mandate? Whose job is it to reach those in the “ut termost parts of the earth”? The answer is multi-coloured. God asks all of us to share of Himself with those who have never heard, that is, all of us from many countries, working together. In the People X “partnership,” besides Russian and ethnic believers, there are forty expatriate workers of seven differ ent nationalities, along with church net works who have adopted People X in the U.S., Sweden and South Africa.

It is unity in the midst of diversity that exudes the fragrance of Christ. Our wit ness of Jesus as Saviour is based on unity (John 17:23). The diversity of skin and hair colour, cheekbones, body build, food preferences, and cultural practices, when united in Jesus, reflect His glory like a many-faceted prism. In our People X partnership, our non Western workers shine in adaptability, sim ple lifestyle and relationships. The West erners are known for their generosity in financial contributions, and also shine in strategy planning and implementing. Cul tural diversity, instead of instigating wars, when surrendered to Jesus, becomes the avenue for bold witness of the glorious unity of the multi-coloured Body of Christ. Ho Friesen

APRIL 21, 1999

Flo Friesen (St. Vital) works with Frontiers Canada, focusing on unreached people groups in Central Asia.

MEXICO BIRTH OF A NEW CHURCH The Lord laid it on our hearts to explore the possibility of planting a church in Oa sis, Mexico, an hour’s drive south of the Ojinaga, Mexico/Presidio, Texas border and then west fifteen kilometres by dirt road. We departed from our home in Vernon, B.C., with our truck and fifth-wheel trailer on October 21,1998, and arrived at Oasis a week later. Shortly after our arrival we realized that our job description did not coincide with the job God had for us at our new home. A group of twelve Mennonite families was meeting for Bible studies and fellow ship. They were patiently waiting for an answer to their prayers for someone to lead them and help them. My difficulty with ministering in the German language was very much overlooked and forgiven by this loving and caring group of people. On Sunday, November 1, 1 delivered a message endtied Follow Jesus, to approxi mately sixty people (children included); 1 continued on that theme during our stay. We had not envisioned or anticipated how powerfully God would work in our midst. The evidence of His work gave us strength to look beyond the fatigue from yesterday to the task before us the next day. God provided for us in every way, especially with new friendships that quickly developed. The promise “My grace is sufficient is for you...” certainly has a deeper meaning for us today. On February 3 my wife, Betty, and 1 served as overseers of the elections, which

PAGE 9

saw this new group become formally organized under a chairman and committee system. To give more stability to the group,

we felt it was important for them to become members of this new work, so on March 14, twelve couples and two single

WL-.LHS^n " ’ 'IIF

Fourteen people transferred their membership to the Oasis EMC on March 14: Isaak and Anita Peters, Johnny and Nelly Peters, Isaak and Susan Dyck, John and Mary Rempel, Hans and Annita Enns, Ruben and Greta Giesbrecht, Jacob and Maria Peters, Cornelius and Emma Peters, Ben and Tina Peters, Abe and Eleanor Elias, Jake (face hidden) and Neta Peters, Annie Peters, Cornie Peters, George and Betty Remple (pastoral couple). (Cornie and Anna Froese are not pictured.)

adults transferred their membership to this new church. The group unanimously em braces the EMC as the Conference of choice to work with and be guided by. On March 21, four young adults, who had completed the Christian Life class, chose to be baptized and were also received into the membership of the Oasis EMC Church, making it a total of thirty members. We praise God for the way He has blessed so many people and for the op portunity He gave us to be a part of that blessing. May we all support these people with our prayers, that they will continue to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. George Remple

George and Betty Remple (La Crete, Alta.) served as pastoral couple in Oasis, Mexico, for several months. Currently they live in Vernon, B.C.

Lester Olfert, Foreign Secretary, took this photo of Betty and George Remple and Board of Missions member Glen Koop outside the new church’s meetingplace in Oasis, Mexico.

1 Elvira Hamm (MacGregor) teaches mis sionary children in Burkina Faso. PAGE 10

II1 n ) t

Albert Peters, Frank Peters, Justina Peters and Margaret Peters were baptized on March 21 and received as members. The pastoral couple, George and Betty Remple, stands with them.

' BURKINA FASO FROM OUR CHILDREN Mciy we tell you about ourselves and our life at our school, Orodara Kalariso? It is a school for missionary children in Orodara, Burkina Faso, Africa. The stu dents are Aisha Entz, John-Mark Bergen, Derek and Jeff Moore, Gabrielle and Hannah Bergen, Jonathan Thiessen and Maria Bergen. Aisha’s parent.s work with teaching Scripture to Sainogho people in their own language in Saraba and Samogohiri. John-Mark and Maria’s parents are helping to teach the Nanerge people at N’dorola and Silorola. In these places the people have only heard about Jesu.s for the first time this past year. It take.s

our parents many years to learn the lan guage, put it into writing and translate part.s of the Bible to teach them about God’s love. Derek and Jeff’s parent,s look after us who stay in the hostel during school ses sions. Hannah and Gabrielle’s dad teaches in the school, along with Mr. Bananzaro and Miss Hamm. It is not easy to be away from our par ents to go to school. This year we spend every other weekend with them and have two-, three-, and four-week breaks between the four sessions of school. It is not easy to have other people parent us. Please pray for us as we finish the school year on May 22. Elvira Hamm

(See photos on next page}

J THE MESSENGER

r" ft*, a k We work hard at academic courses much of the time to complete the forty-week Manitoba curriculum in thirty-two weeks. We have grades 1, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 this year. These Junior High students are in a science class.

Orodara Kalanso is a school for missionary children in Orodara, Burkina Faso.

We celebrate birthdays and anniversaries.

Field trips, like the fonio harvesting, help us learn more about African life. Fonio is smaller than sesame and is used to make porridge, which the people eat with a savoury sauce, a change from rice or corn. o

STUDENT or THjr VEEff

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The girls are proud of their Social Studies community project.

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For Student of the Week we write what we appreciate about each other.

APRIL 21, 1999

We sing in church twice a session.

PAGE 11

SYLVIA’S IN ETHIOPIA Kola, Man.: Sylvia Fehr, who graduated last spring with a Bachelor of Education degree, and has already taught in the Black Forest Academy in Germany and in Maryfield, Sask., has decided to broaden her horizon even farther. On January 29, Sylvia flew to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where she is now teach ing Grade 5 students at Bingham Acad emy. This is a small missionary school with about half of the students coming from the business community. Thanks to email, communication with Sylvia can be kept fairly up to date. A prayer and fasting weekend took place at the Albert Knight Centre for Evange lism in Elkhorn. Gladwin and Jean Plett came from Winnipeg to be the guest speakers at this special event. That same weekend the young people celebrated the completion of exams with a trip to Brandon for glow-bowling. The annual church winter outing was held at the Maryfield arena on February 21. Curling, skating, hockey, broomball and bike races on the ice kept almost every one busy for the afternoon and evening. For those who wanted a more relaxing pace, there were table games and just sit ting and visiting while watching the activi ties from “behind the glass.” Pizza, delivered by Pizza Hut in Brandon, was an absolute hit for supper! Florence Penner

CELEBRATING NINETY YEARS Steinbach, Man.: Family and friends gath ered at the Steinbach EMC on Sunday, March 28, to celebrate the ninetieth birthday of Helen Bueckert of Woodhaven Manor in Steinbach. Guests had come from as far away as B.C. and Saskatchewan. It was a joyous occasion as family mem bers, as well as others, participated in a program of celebration for Mrs. Bueckert. Son Ernie and family sang several songs, and Ernie shared selected portions of Scripture. The other son, Gordon, con tributed by reminiscing about the past. The local EMC Mission Sisters sang two songs. Ben Friesen, a long-time friend, had the devotional, highlighting a passage of Scrip ture from Philippians 3: leaving what is behind and forging on to the future. A number of people took advantage of the open mike to share in song and word. The afternoon closed off with birthday cake and other refreshments. Dave Schellenberg

FIRST DEACONS COMMISSIONED Straffordville, Man.: The Lord has blessed us with two new deacon couples. Peter and Susan Rempel and Jake and Katharine Reddekopp were elected in November, and on January 24 we had our first deacon commissioning. Most of the people from the church, including the young people, came to show their sup port. It was a very encouraging evening. We had the privilege of having John and Clara Koop with us for this service. John had the message and encouraged the two couples and the rest of us to help along in the church. “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12).

Mrs. Helen Bueckert celebrated her 90th birthday on March 28.

No matter what talents or gifts we have, whether we are deacons or encourage one another, we need each other to function as the body of Christ. May we do it cheer fully for the Lord. On Valentine’s Day married couples en joyed an evening together, eating pizza and visiting; they played games to see how well the couples knew each other. It’s been a blessing to plan activities and

to not worry about renting a building. We take a lot of things for granted until we don’t have them anymore. Let’s not for get the first year and a half when we wor shipped in a school gym. It’s wonderful to worship God in our own building. God has richly blessed us! Lisa Enns

&». j4 >

Sylvia Fehr left for Ethiopia in January, where she is teaching at Bingham Acad emy. PAGE 12

On January 24 two deacon couples — Peter and Susan Rempel and Jake and Katharine Reddekopp — were commissioned at the Straffordville church. With them are Ike and Maria Froese and Pastor John and Lorna Wall.

THE MESSENGER

VBS IN NELSON HOUSE Winnipeg, Man. (St. Vital): On the bright Friday morning of August 17, four young people and three youth leaders stood be side a borrowed van and bowed their heads in prayer. After an eight-hour trek, they arrived at Thompson’s Midway Bible Camp, which served as home base for our “Floor 17” youth. Every evening they headed to Nelson House and recruited VBS students by driv ing the van around the reserve and invit ing the children to come to a Bible study. Attendance ranged from thirty to sixty. Though it was crowded in the living room of the house where they met, children managed to hear and remember things, and a few accepted Christ into their lives! On August 24, Floor 17 headed for home in a rented van, having gained Bible-teach ing experience, grown in unity, and been spared serious injuries when their bor rowed van was totalled while leaving the camp one day. Our annual Church Family Camp was held September 18 to 20 at Gimli Bible Camp,

o/ f Betty Koop La Crete, Alberta

MYRNA I SAT DOWN in a favourite recliner for my quiet time. As 1 picked up my note book to jot down prayer reminders, the spiral-bound book fell open at the back cover. There was a card which read, “A Blessing For You As You Move,” cind in side a blessing from Psalm 129:8. Under neath was written, “1 shall miss you” (signed Myrna). My eyes misted over as 1 whispered, “And we miss you, too, Myrna.” So many memories came to mind. About eight months after we had that farewell visit with her, we received a call from Steinbach, Man., informing us of Myrna’s home-going. We were thankful that she had been released from the con stant pain of her cancer, but we felt a deep sense of loss, the loss of a very true friend. 1 remembered how privileged we had felt when she invited us to a celebration service after being cancer-free for ten years. Myrna was not an exuberant, bub bly person by nature, but she came very close to “bubbling over” at that service. It was such a wonderful time of heartfelt praise and thanksgiving to God for His wonderful works to this daughter of His! Myrna was a colleague of my husband, Glen, at Steinbach Bible College. He APRIL 21, 1999

with Mel Koop teaching on “Growing a Healthy Church.” Session topics focused on having a healthy self-image, whether we really care, and how we defeat dis couragement. Cheryl Giesbrecht shared her testimony and was baptized by Pastor Al upon her confession of faith. In her testimony Cheryl

shared that she has learned “...to let God give you what you ask for! When you ask God for peace, joy or strength, if you don’t get it, you’re not letting Him give it to you for one reason or another....you have to...receive it.” Natalie Dueck

Jason Dueck leads a devotion for those preparing to leave with him for Midway Bible Camp: Matthew Hiebert, Tracy Goertzen, Margaret Borkowska, Cheryl Giesbrecht, and Kendra and Donavan Friesen.

enjoyed watching her gradual metamor phosis from a rather hesitant, very quiet person to a confident, serene woman who was not afraid to ask the difficult questions when necessary. Her work as librarian was meticulous, thorough. She was always helpful in pointing out how one could find information for oneself — a good teacher! 1 chuckled as I remembered a student staff retreat at Red Rock Bible Camp. The college year was only a month old, and one game tested our ability to rec ognize new acquaintances. Various per sons tried to impersonate one of the staff or students while the others guessed who it might be. One student, after a quick look at the name she had drawn, simply walked around the circle with her finger to her lips, bending over periodi cally and saying, “Shh! Shh!” Myrna was quickly identified! Maybe that was one of the less rewarding aspects of her li brarian position, but one that the students noticed. 1 remembered when Glen came home from school, misery written on his face. He shared with me Myrna’s anguish at the diagnosis of the return of her cancer after being well for more than ten years. We both wept at our feeling of helpless ness. Yet Myrna did not sit back helplessly. She went through another series of ag gressive chemotherapy treatments, which left her feeling weak and miser able. She requested special prayer for healing from the church family. 1 remem bered how we and a few other close friends surrounded her as she knelt, se rene in her faith in God. An elder anointed her with oil. We prayed.

Another picture came to mind. It was Sunday and we decided lunch at A & W would be a good idea. We invited Myrna to join us. She had a tossed salad, mind ful that she must do her part in her heal ing by healthy eating. Together we laughed at the inadequate plastic fork which would not cooperate as she tried to spear lettuce and other vegetables. It was so good just to laugh and relax! Then God’s answer came. It seemed that healing of her earthly body was not to be. We last saw Myrna at my fatherin-law’s funeral just before Christmas 1996. Although she was in almost con stant pain from the spreading cancer, she had come to support us and the rest of the family in our grief. She was probably also aware that this might be the last time we would meet on earth. What did 1 learn from the years of our friendship with Myrna? Her example of what it means to be a true friend would be at the top of the list. 1 also admired her elegance, her serenity in the face of great trials, and the twinkle of her sense of humour when she let it show. When 1 read the following words in Mike Mason’s book. The Gospel Accord ing to Job, 1 could almost see her gently nodding in agreement: God’s surest protection can sometimes take the form of apparent obstruction, of darkness and difficulty and pain....If what is happening is by permission of the Lord (and when is it not?}, then no matter what the situation may be, it is the very safest situation in the world.... The safest place is the hollow of his hand — even (and especially) when that hollow takes the form of a bleeding nailprint (pp. 61-62). PAGE 13

EMC GOLFERS TEE OFF JUNE 10 AT FLY-IN The fifth annual EMC Golf Classic will be held on June 10, rain or shine, at the Steinbach (Man.) Fly-in Golf Course. Registration is $75 per golfer (prizes, din ner, green fees, no cart) or $85 with cart. Two projects are sponsored this year: a van for Inner City Youth Alive (Winnipeg), and houses for single mothers currently in refugee camps after Hurricane Mitch (Central America). The mission statement of the EMC Golf Classic is to “enjoy God’s natural beauty through the game of golf; promote fel lowship among members of the Evangeli cal Mennonite Conference and their friends; and to raise funds for various Christian ministries through the EMC Mis sions Auxiliary.”

Registrations should be mailed by June 1 to Ruth Penner, 48 Newcombe Cresc., Winnipeg, Manitoba R2J 3T6. For infor mation, call 204-255-8062.

Editor’s Note: An ad is free. Llnles.s arrange ments are made, it can be removed after two insertions. Please include more than one tel ephone number and contact person, fax number, e-mail (if available), whether the po sition is full- or part-time, when the application deadline ends and duties begin, and a brief description of education and qualities sought.

grounded spiritually and personally. Other employment is available, depending on train ing and experience. Contact: Search Commit tee, Box 35, Creighton, SK SOP OAO. Call board member Deb Odegaard at 306-6882996 or Conference Pastor John Koop at 204326-6401.

Church planter needed for Tillsonburg, in southern Ontario. A core group (with the bless ing of the Mt. Salem EMC) is meeting in this city of 16,000 without a Mennonite church. The worker would be under full-time EMC Board of Missions support and is needed as soon as possible. The ability to speak Low German and an understanding of conservative German speaking Mennonites are assets. Contact Ca nadian Secretary John Koop at 204-326-6401 or other missions staff (Henry Klassen, Lester Olfert) at the same number.

Senior pastor position available at the Rosenort EMC. Duties to begin September 1, 1999. Send resume to: Search Committee, Larry Eidse, Box 218, Rosenort, MB ROG IWO. Phone: 204-746-8422 (home) or 204-746-8355 (work). E-mail: leidse(« hotmail.com. Pansy Chapel (EMC), a rural congregation of around 100 people, invites applications for its position of pastor (leading minister). Please send resumes to the Search Committee, Box 4, Pansy, MB ROA 1 JO, or phone Dennis Friesen at 204-434-6386. Duties are to begin after Sep tember 1.

■Vanderhoof Christian Fellowship (EMC) invites applications for its position of pastor. If inter ested, please contact the search committee: Ron Penner at 250-567-9983 or Lindsay Janzen at 250-567-4905. Northern Fellowship Chapel (EMC) continues to search for a pastor. Part-time salary and housing available currently; position could be come full-time. Applicants should be well-

PAGE 14

SEMINAR WITH DON RICHARDSON A seminar on “The 4000-Year Connec tion,” with Don Richardson, author of The Peace Child and Eternity in their Hearts, will be held at the Prairie Rose EMC (Land mark, Man.) on Saturday, May 1,9 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be an informational session on Friday night at 7:30. The video The Peace Child will be shown, and Mr. Richardson will make some remarks. For advance registration, call Bill Rambo at 204-355-4773 or Edwin Plett at 204-3554654. Late registration is on Saturday, May 1, from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The cost is $15.00.

Morrow Gospel Church (EMMC) invites resumes from persons interested in the posi tion of senior pastor. Duties are to begin the spring/summer of 1999. Send inquries or resumes to Search Committee, 755 Ste. Anne’s Road, Winnipeg, MB R2N 4G6 or call search committee member Henry Thiessen at 204237-0684. EMC ministry opportunities in Mexico. Guest home hosts, a couple to run a guest home in El Paso, Texas, for a one- or two-year volunteer term. Housing and utilities are included. Duties include hosting and occasional pastoral visits to missionaries in Mexico. A youth worker is needed. A single or a couple is needed to work with youth in the Spanish churches. Duties in clude discipling youth and training/mentoring youth leaders. A pastor for a short-term (5 to 6 months) or long-term (2 to 3 years) ministry is needed for a new Low German-speaking church in Oasis, Chihuahua State. Responsi bilities include leadership, preaching, teach ing and visitation. This church recently organ ized with 30 adults who are excited about their church. (Most speak some English.) Contact EMC Foreign Secretary Lester Olfert at 204-326-6401 or other missions staff (Henry Klassen, John Koop) at the same number.

EMC ministry opportunities in Paraguay. Church ministries workers are needed to fol low up contacts, disciple new believers and train for leadership. Church organizational skills are an asset. Involvement would be within rural and urban settings. Contact Lester Olfert at 204-326-6401 or other missions staff (Henry Klassen, John Koop) at the same number.

COMING EVENTS April 30-May 1 Women's Retreat Speaker: PrisWride Roseau River, Man. (CSSM) Phone: 204-377-4251 May 1 The 4,000-Year Connection Seminar with Don Richardson Prairie Rose EMC Landmark, Man. Phone: 204-355-4773

May 21-24 Abundant Springs '99 Caronport, Sask. Phone: 204-326-6401 June 10 EMC Golf Classic Steinbach Fly-In Golf Course Steinbach, Man. Phone: 204-255-8062

The E. M. Conference invites applications for the position of

General Secretary Responsihilities include: Overall administration of Board of Missions program.s Management/coordination of conference office personnel and facilities Administration of conference finances Coordination of conference events A job description is available upon request. Preference will be given to applicants with experience and/or training in missions, administration and accounting. Candidates who apply by May 31, 1999, will be given preference. Duties to commence August 1, 1999 Submit application with resume and cover letter to: EMC Search Committee Box 1268, Steinbach, Man. ROA 2A0 Phone: 204-326-6401 - Fax: 204-326-1613 E-mail: emconfe.mts.net

Missionary Housing Needed A missionary family of six needs a house to rent in Steinbach, from July 1,1999, to July 1,2000. For more information, contact Bruno at 204326-6208.

V____ ____________ . THE MESSENGER

•'t

Dave SvIiellviilM.ri' Steinbach. .MU.

FOLLOWING INVOLVED SACRIFICE! 1999 IS the 125th anniversary of the KG/EMC’s faith journey to North America. Here are a few verses, from a 23-stanza poem, which describes the sacrifice involved. The homeland mas Russio, and moving out could In sorrow deep, and deep in pain, be the collective voice of 7000 Mennonites mho With tear-filled eyes and dismal glance With bowed-down head, and heavy heart, ..................... [eftjn the 1870s,^incbding tmo) hundred Kleine Gemeinde (loter, CMC) families, bound for MoniLeave I my house and home behind. toba. And so live well, O quiet house You homeland — for we’re moving out.

You father-house, you cradle station. You school, and church of God, Where we for prayer would gather So often, is now past. The voice is stifled, the heart is moved. The parting drives us with its force.

School, church, prayer cuere becoming more difficult to malntoin. They desired a land inhere they could live out their Faith cuithout feor. Part ing mas painful, but they mere milling to move 10,000 miles amoy, if they could morship God occording to their beliefs.

Farewell, you fatherland and Kaiser, All your children give you thanks. That you received us orphans poor. Forever God bless you for this. For never a Mennonite forgets The Russian Kaiser-house goodness.

75 years earlier Russia accepted them as Polish immigrants. Mennonites orrived in Polond os early os 1530, leaving Holland cohere they suf fered persecution. Secouse of pressures in Po land, they sought ogain a land cohere they could exercise their beliefs. Rev. Gerhord Schellenberg (1827-1908) proyed, "...Rnd give to the [Kai ser] and oil in outhority peace-loving hearts." UJithin ten yeors Schellenberg and thousonds more bode foreooell to Russio.

Goodbye to Europe, painful woe Surrounds me with the final parting. Waves that are mountain high I see Before me, but 1 am impelled to Board ship, on the large blue sea. Oh, that it soon would over be.

UJith uLihot fear and trepidation these Hussion immigrants embarked on their journey! The vast oceon voyoge could last For eighteen doys. They hod moved before, but olujoys overland — never before hod they hod to cross on oceon.

Land! Land! One hears the cry. As on the deck we clamber quick. Everyone is joyous now, Every finger pointing. Pointing towards America. Praise God, praise God, soon are we there!

Land ot last! "The journey over the big oceon, olthough cue hod no big storm, I believe only fecu enjoyed. The hope thot o perilous oceon voyage cuould soon be at an end produced in the passengers mutual joy. It is eosy to imogine thot spirits cuould be lifted os the cry. Land,’ cuas heard," one traveller uurote later.

0 Jesus, guide our footsteps Upon this world and in this time. Till once in your house. Where we will be in all eternity. Then is our sojourn at an end. When we will enter the Father-house.

Here is solid ossuronce of onother home on high. Casting their core on Him, they excloim, O Jesus, guide our rootsteps. This morld is not their final home; they seek ond anticipate on eternal one. LUe ore to be eternally groteful thot by God's grace, through foith ond obedi ence, our forebeors established for us a homelond mhere today me live in peace.

APRIL 21. 1999

TOEWS - to Alex and Andrea Toews of Rosenort, Man., a daughter, Paige Alexandrea, on February 12, 1999. HOEHNE - to David and Jackie Hoehne of Winnipeg, Man., a daughter, Bronwyn Mae, on January 20, 1999. WALDNER - to Ernie and Cheryl Waldner of Winnipeg, Man., a daughter, Kaelee Breann, on January 1, 1999. McTAVlSH - to Stuart and Nancy McTavish of Winnipeg, Man., a son, Andrew Simon Raine, on November 29, 1998. JANZEN - to John and Mary Janzen of Arnes, Man., a son, Kurtis Lee, on October 8, 1998. KROEKER - to Nathan and Genevieve Kroeker of Winnipeg, Man., a daughter, Mia Katrine, on January 2, 1999. MARTENS - to Michael and Jewel Martens of Columbus, Georgia (formerly of Rosenort, Man.), a son, Ryder Michael, on November 29, 1998. BRANDT - to Del and Lu Brandt of Riverton, Man., a daughter, Lindsey Tiarra, on June 6, 1998. HARMS - to Ken and Dianne Harms of Riverton, Man., a daughter, Katrina Mary, on June 28, 1998. DIALLO - to Souleymane Diallo and Linda Reimer of Winnipeg, Man., a daughter, Sankara Binta, on September 29, 1998. HARMS - to Jamie and Amy Harms of Riverton, Man., a daughter, Shaylynn Laura Helena, on October 16, 1998. PETERS - to Chad and LisaJo Peters of Riverton, Man., a son, Christopher Aaron, on October 15, 1998. BARKMAN - to Barry and Jolene Barkman of Riverton, Man., a daughter, Mackenzie Shae, on October 20, 1998. BARKMAN - to Garry and Pat Barkman of Riverton, Man., a daughter, Chelsea Janae, on November 20, 1998. KROEKER - to Karl and Lori Kroeker of Riverton, Man., a daughter, Ainsley Danielle Marie, on November 22, 1998. IRELAND - to Doug and Nicole Ireland of Riverton, Man., a daughter, Rachael Madonna, on January 22, 1999. STOUFFER - to James and Hydie Stouffer of Brandon, Man., a daughter, Jerika Morgan, on October 27, 1998. SAWATZKY - to Ron and Charlene Sawatzky of MacGregor, Man., a daughter, Naomi Chantelle, on December 3, 1998. FEHR - to Albert and Betty Fehr of Arborg, Mem., a daughter, Alicia Betina, on March 8, 1999. FRIESEN - to Ron and Sharon Friesen of Birds Hill, Man., a daughter, Kaitlyn Mary, on March 26, 1999. GRIFT - to Tony and Kathleen Grift of Anola, Man., a son, Jeremy Ryan, on April 9, 1999. REIMER - to Rod and Diane Reimer of Anola, Man., a son, Ian James, on April 1, 1999.

PAGE 15

DO NOT MVRMVR'

A Pole and a Prayer Gertie Friesen one. Poles were hard to come by and the one we finally got was crooked. We had it installed. When I looked out my kitchen window, that pole was always in front of my eyes. What a shock for me! It didn’t help matters when my husband warned us to be careful when backing out of the garage with the car, not to hit the pole. 1 knew that pole was there to stay! I prayed that the Lord would give me grace not to grumble and murmur. The Lord answered my prayer, and I was able to cope and keep my feelings to myself. About six months later I won a telephone. It was a good addition to our new family room in the base ment. 1 was at our shop in Morris when the people from the telephone com pany came to install it. Later in the day our daughter phoned to inform us that when the men had finished and were leaving, they backed against that hydro pole and it broke even with the ground. south were under water, This picture was taken just after the Friesens’ house was moved onto How 1 praised the Lord and the river was to the east. a® new basement. basement. for His intervention! My This was a traumatic time. Those who have not experi heart rejoiced. How thankful 1 was that 1 had not mur enced a flood can not understand the headaches and mured or complained! The telephone company had to heartaches that come at such a time. No amount of gov replace and install another pole. We made sure it was put ernment allowance can pay for it. in the right — a different — spot! We were away for a month, and then we moved back “Do all things without murmuring or disputing” to Morris, into a rented place. From there we tried to make (Philippians 2:4). 1 realized the Lord doesn’t answer only prayers that have to do with big concerns; He is also con our house liveable. It had two feet of water on the main floor and had to be completely gutted. cerned about the little things in our lives. How often we New flood regulations stipulated that houses in the area murmur, sometimes without even realizing that we are had to be moved higher, high enough to withstand a flood doing so! like the 1979 one. We had three options: sell the house, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto build new, or fix up the old one. We opted for the last one. thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge This meant building a new basement and moving our Him and He will bring it to pass” (Proverbs 3:4-5). house back from the present location. Moving the house back created another problem — we were now too far Gertie Friesen and her husband, Peter L. Friesen, Hue in away from the main hydro pole and had to install another Morris, Manitoba, and attend the Rosenort EMC.

IT IS March 1979! We had been through a long, cold winter, with lots of snow. As we listened to the radio, we again heard the dreaded prediction of a possible major flood. The three big floods of 1950, 1966 and 1974 were still fresh in our minds. Another flood similar to the one in 1950? We could hardly believe it! When April came, with warmer temperatures, we knew we had to prepare. A major clean-up began, and the whole family worked hard. Bringing everything up from the basement and the main floor to the second story was a gigantic task. All the yard equipment had to be brought up higher. Stealthily the waters came up, like a thief in the night. Since we lived close to the river, we were the first ones to be flooded. We sandbagged on a Monday, but it was hopeless. By Tuesday we knew we had to evacuate if we wanted to get out by car. Driving out west was our only option — roads going north and

Do you have a story for The Personal Touch? It must be a true account (although names may be changed, if necessary) illustrating the Christian life or character. Send your 700-word story and a photograph of yourself or suggestion for a story to the address below.

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