EVANGELICAL
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THIS ISSUE: 3h Renewal (VI) Christian Service Workers leave MCC (Canada) Receive Charter
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A STUDY OF OUR WORLD IN MINIATURE Henry Smith Leiper Field Secretary oi the American Bible Society If in our imagination we might compress the total population of the world, now more than two-and-ahalf billion persons, into a community of one thousand persons living in a single town, the following is a picture of the contrasts we would then vividly see: Sixty persons would represent the present U.S. pop ulation; the rest of the world would be represented by 940 persons. The 60 Americans would be receiv ing half of the total income of the entire community; the 940 other persons would share the remaining half.
Of the Americans in the town, 36 would be members of Christian churches and 24 would not. In the town as a whole about 330 people would be classified as Christians and 670 would not be so classified. Less than 100 in the whole community would be Protestant Christians, and more than 230 would be Roman Ca tholics. At least 80 people in the town would be believ ing Communists, and 370 others would be imder Com munist domination. Classified as to skin color 303 people would be white, and 697 would be classified as "non-white*’. The 60 Americans would have an average life ex pectancy of 70 years; all the other 940 would overage under 40 years.
The 60 Americans would have 15 times as many possessions per person as all the rest of the people. On an average, they would produce 16 percent of the towns total, food supply, but would consume all but 1.5 percent of what they produce and keep most of it for their own future use in expensive storage equip ment. Since most of the 940 non-Americans in the community would always be hungry and would never quite know when they would get enough to eat, the situation created by this disparity in food supply and the exsistance of vast food reserves becomes readily apparent, particularly in view of the fact that Amer icans already eat 72 percent above the maximum food requirements. Because of the cost of storing their sur
plus food, they could actually save money by’ giving away any excess food; but many would regard that as the dangerous "giveaway" program of soft-head ed "do-gooders".
Of the community's total supply of electrical power, the 60 Americans would have 12 times as much as all the rest; 22 times as much coal; 21 times as much oil and gasoline; 50 times as much in general equip ment of all kinds. Of the 60 Americans the lowest in come group would be better off than the overage in much of the rest of the town. With the exception of perhaps 200 persons represent ing Western Europe and a few favored classes in other areas, such as South America, South Africa, and Australia and a few wealthy Japanese literally most of the non-American people in this imaginary compres sed community would be ignorant, poor, hungry and sick. Half of them would be unable to read or write. Moreover, half of the people in this community would never have heard of Jesus Christ, or what He taught, and for what He lived and died. On the other hand more than half would be hearing about Karl Marx, Nicolai Lenin, Joseph Stalin Nikita Khrushchev, and other Communist leaders.
In view of these facts, it is interesting to contem plate that the average Christian American family would Be indirectly (through taxes) spending at least $850 each year for military defence and less than four dollars a year to share their Christian faith with the rest of the people in the commimity.
Out of his average income of $2,500 per year, the gift of each American person for all purposes other than private and personal gifts would average less than $55 per year. This might raise a question as to how seriously he regards the Christian faith or the meaning of Christmas with its emphasis on peace on earth and good will among men. From MCC Report submitted by Archie Penner Friedel the Baker Boy, page 4, Used by permission, Scripture Press Foundation, Inc. « •
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REPORTERS THIS ISSUE: PeJIy: Vivian Anfinsan; Kola: Mrs, Herb. Penner; Portage; Mrs. Leanne Penner; Ridgewood: Elsie Plett; Morris Chapel: Mrs Henry Kroeker.
IHE Messenger is the publication oi the Evangelical Mennonile Conlerence. Ils purpose is to inform, instruct and inspire. Iniorm as Io what is going cn in the Conlerence. Instruct in Godliness and victorious living. Inspire Io earnestly contend lor the laith. All correspondence should be addressed to the Editor, D. K. Schellenberg. The Messenger, Box 1268, Steinbach, Man. Changes ol address should be sent Io the circulation manager. Abe Klassen, Box 1447, Steinbach, Manitoba. Subscription; Members pay through their church. Non-members $1.00 per year. Authorized as second class, mail by the Post Ollice Department, Ottawa, and lor payment oi postage in cash. Printed by Deluxe Printing, Steinbach, Manitoba, Canada.
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THE MESSENGER
CHURCH RENEWAL SERIES CVO
ttCNEWAL THROUGH COMMITTMENT By HaiYey Plett
In the Bible we read that it is im possible to expect a dirty well to produce clean water. This truth may also be applied to the Christian. In order for the church to be renewed, we need to live its vital dynamic faith, we must come to the realiza tion that in order to be church mem bers we must be converted. One rejoices that there is a strong emphasis in our preaching on the truth that every member is to be a witness. We are also being con fronted with the truth that we are to go into the world to preach Christ. How well do we know the Christ we are to preach? We live in a cul ture which presupposes and af firms the self-sufficiency of man, the goodness of man, that there is only one life—this life. The Gospel has a strong "No" to each of these as sumptions. This makes the Gospel unpopular even in the church. How many of us are guilty of living with these same presuppositions? It is relatively easy to be hard on others and easy on self. The question we then face is, "Do I know God or do I only know about God?" One writer has said, "It is rea-
September 30, 1966
sonably certain that vast numbers of church members could not wit ness to their faith if they wanted to because they have no genuine faith.” This is a strong statement. Are you and I able to speak about a faith we have experienced? How genuine is our faith? For church renewal to take place, I believe we will have to re-exam ine our committment, first of all in terms of salvation and then in terms of discipleship. But we must pursue this matter of discipleship a bit more. We live in a materialistic world where the desire for things in gen eral and money in particular is king. One cannot help but note the inroads it has and is making into the Christian church. This puts us to a real test. It forces us to decide whose disciple we really are. In order for the church to be renewed we will have to take more seriously the words of Christ, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God ...” and Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests but the son of man has nowhere to lay His head.” "Deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow me.” "No man having put his hand to the plow, and look-
ing back, is fit for the kingdom of God." Is it not time that we realize more fully the great commission when it says, "go into the world"? How ser ious do we take this? Should more of us seek employment, establish farms and businesses in more worldly communities? To go into the world surely includes the idea of moving out to meet the lost where they are. There is always the dan ger of compromise but this danger is minimal if we move out positive ly in living and proclaiming the Gospel. Church renewal, is it possible m our time? I believe it is . As you and I become more fully aware of our salvaion we will see how dif ferent we are from the world. As we begin to understand the radical demands of discipleship that the Gospel places upon us we will live more dynamically in the world. Re newal will require a conscious and purposehil commitment to Jesus Christ and His Word. This committ ment also will have to be demonsrated in "shoe leather". It is as we move forward for the Gospel that we are renewed and strengthened.
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MISSI A CHRISTIAN SERVICE WORKER
WRITES HOME Greetings to all of you in the name of the One "whom God has made unto us wisdom, and right eousness, and sanctification, and redemption." When I last wrote to you, I was going into the final term of the school year. Like all schools, the closing term means examinations and report of their year's progress. The last week of school we devoted half of each day to V.B.S. This way we got all of the pupils in on it. It was a rather heavy schedule for the children but they enjoyed it, and we felt the Lord's blessing on it. We had quite a crowd out for the closing program which gave us the opportunity to present the way of salvation to some who never at tend the chapel services.
On July 15, the school door closed for a six-week vacation. It has been a wonderful change which is as good as a rest I will give you a brief run-down of my vacation acti vities. During the first week I paid a visit to Spanish Lookout to see some of my relatives. Travelling by truck, I spent as much time on the road as visiting. I enjoyed the two days of fellowship there. The following week I was slated to teach V.B.S. at the Pineridge school. (This is where Mary Anne teaches). We had an enrollment of 92 divided into three classes. The other teachers and helpers were all local Christians. Not even half of these children are attending a Christian day school so it was a real challenge to us teachers. This was followed by a week of Girls' Camp. Much prayer must have preceded this for it turned out to be a great success. Many more came than were expected so more bunks had to be made to accommo date the 42 girls plus staff. The at titude to spiritual things was very encouraging and several made per
sonal decisions for the Lord. We en joyed every bit of it, even the hard cots and the daily diet of rice and beans. Immediately after dismissal of camp, we (Mary Anne, Eliodi, our Spanish-speaking friend, and I) set out on our trip to Merida. This is a tourist city some 300 miles into Yu catan, Mexico. We travelled on the night bus which is a non-stop trip and is supposed to be more restful, but due to all the bumps and holes we were quite shaken up by the time we got there. We spent five days here. We visited 4th century Maya temples and ruins, toured the city, and shopped in the Market Place. It took all of two mornings to go through the Market. The bus and hotel reservations and getting through customs all worked out very smoothly. We felt the Lord was with us in a special way and that friends were praying for us. We thanked the Lord for safe tra vel and protection.
Helen Komelsen Box 290, Belize British Honduras
tile Another True Happening From Germany It was drizzling rain when Friedel brought his bike to a stop at 34 Stetten Street in Frankfurt. Soon the Peters, his only friends, would be moving to an other German city. Then who would take an interest in him, an orphaned bakery boy? Friedel lived alone in a cold attic room above the bakery where he worked before and after school. He had been terribly lonely ever since his mother died. He had no relatives to care whether he lived or not. But three years ago, when he started to deliver bread to the Peters, he found someone who cared for him. The whole family was kind and friendly to him. He often visited Mrs. Peters in her big warm kitchen. As she worked she told him about the Lord Jesus, God’s Son, who loved Friedel enough to die for him. Sometimes he was invited to go with the family on short trips and picnics.
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Once they even surprised him with a new suit of clothes. But now they were mov ing miles away! And Friedel, who had come to feel they were his own family, was to be left behind. That afternoon the Peters could see Friedel was unusually sad and restless. His shoulders slumped, and he nervously twisted his cap in his hands. Finally he burst out, “I wish I knew what’s going to become of me. Now that you’re going. I’ll be all alone again, with ho one to care about me.” Gladly Mr. and Mrs. Peters told him again about the Lord Jesus, who had not only died, but had risen again to be the Saviour and constant Friend of boys and girls everywhere who would believe in Him. They told Friedel again how the Saviour was longing to come into his life, to take away his loneliness, and to be with him every day. They read him Christ’s promise, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5b).
Then they both prayed for him. Suddenly Friedel buried his head in his hands and began to cry. He told the Lord how lonely and empty he felt, and asked Christ to come into his life, to for give his sins, and be with him always. With tears in his eyes, but a smile on his face, Friedel almost shouted, “I feel much better already!” A few days later, the house at 34 Stetten Street was empty. As Friedel rode his bike by, he would look at it, and remember his good friends. How he missed them! At times he felt he needed them desperately. Then he would re member Christ’s promise, “I will never leave thee.” True, the Peters were gone, but they had introduced him to the one Friend who would never leave his believing child. And the more Friedel counted on the Lord to be his Friend, and the more he loved the Lord, the more the Lord became real to him. THE MESSENGER
TWO CHRISTIAN SERVICE WORKERS LEAVE
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Christian Service workers, Lena Brandt QtefO and Nettie Brandt QrighO iust prior to their departure tor Germany. Taken at Winnipeg International Airport.
Loved ones and triends wave tram the Observation deck just before the big bird is airborne.
Months of preparation and days of anxious wait ing came to an end on Monday Sept. 12 as Lena and Nettie Brandt, Morris boarded a DC9 jet at the Winnipeg International Airport for the first leg of a. trip that would end at Bad Gandersheim Germany. Once there, there will be ample work at the Child ren's Home of the Freeis Evangelisches Missionswerk (Supervisor, Levi Reimer) where they will be working. L: was a comparitively small group that gathered for the final farewells; parents, sisters, friends. We
sensed a spirit of warmth and optomism even in the face of a parting that could stretch into many months. As a final gesture one of the group led in prayer commending those two to the task the Lord had cal led them to; a task which will not always be easy but will certainly be rich in rewards. Reservations call for an air trip to New York and from there they will be taking the S.S. Bremen which will dock in Bremerhaven on Sept. 20 from where they will be picked up and taken to Bad Gandersheim.
WonU Cony mi OK Sponsored by Christianity Today A World Congress on Ehrangelism will be held in the 1,264 seat Berlin Kongresshalle October 26—Nov ember 4. Chairman of the Congress is Dr. Carl F.H. Henry, editor of Christianity Today. Approximately three hundred different papers and messages will be given during the ten days. The Congress will be distinctive in many ways. When asked if there had ever been a similar evan gelistic conference, Dr. Henry replied, "Well there was the Jerusalem conference in 50 A.D.I" "At stake in the escalating conflict of this age," said Mr. Henry, "is the destiny of every last man, wo man and child of every single race and nation." Clyde W. Taylor, chairman of the Planning Com mittee writes, "Our current methods and deficien cies in evangelism will be honestly—perhaps even
September 30, 1966
ruthlessly—examined. The vitality of the historic, Christ-centered faith will be asserted in both spoken word and Congress action." The theme of the Congress is One Race, One Gospel, One Task. Participants have been invited from 92 countries. Covering a number of Mennonite papers will be John Drescher editor of Gospel Herald (O.M.) This was the result of an irivitation given by Christianity Today to the MCC to see .if someone could come as a news media representative. Earnest prayer is coveted for this event. We believe it behooves Christians everywhere to bear up the Con gress before the Lord. May it result in new life for the church of Jesus Christ and a new awareness of the D. S. task that faces us. 5
* NEWS I KOLA Early this summer the Gordon Thiessen family from Heron district, Sask, moved to Virden. They are now helping the Frank Eiauns with Sunday School at the Indian Reserve near Griswold. Mrs. Thiessen teach es a class and Mr. Thiessen is secretary. Mr, and Mrs. Leo Thiessen and family of Cromer also moved to Virden this sum mer. They continue to help with Sunday School and Bible class teaching at the Re serve. Another family living in Virden now are the Rudolph Reimers. They were in Winni peg for the past year where Mr. Reimer at tended the University. We are glad to re port that he is on the teaching staff at Vir den Collegiate now. Nine of our young poeple are attending Hiah School in Virden this year. Leaving for Bible School at Caronport, Sask., are: Eunice Reddekopp, 1st year; Phillip Reddekop, 2nd. year, and Dayton Reimer, 1st year.
RIDGEWOOD
August 25th the Senior Sewing Circle to gether with Mary Martha Sewing Circle in vited Mrs. John Peters out for an evening of fellowship. Mrs. Peters showed slides and gave an interesting report of their work in Switzerland. A lunch was served to close oft the evening.
Teaching The teachers have again taken up their positions for another year. The Bill Penners have gone out to God's River, the Donald Thiessens to God's Narrows, and Irma Jan zen to Lynn Lake. Melvin Friesen will be teaching at the Steinbach Bible Institute this winter, Ben Thiessen at Barkfield, Rev. Gerry Doerksen at Blumenort High School, and Mrs. Mildred Toews at Elmdale School in Steinbach.
Studying A number from our midst will be students this winter. Those attending university are Peter Thiessens, Abe Penner, Donald Toews. Stan Plett, Gilbert Unger, Arnold Thiessen, and Ruth Toews. Those in R.N. training are
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Mary Penner, 2nd year and Edna Penner, 'st year. Both of them are training at the Grace Hospital in Winnipeg. Bert Penner will be taking Grade XII at Steinbach Bible Institute. Mr. and Mrs. Erwin Plett and family have left Ridgewood and moved to Wawanesa where they bought land and are now erect ing a new home. Marriages this summer were Raymond Reimer and Lillian Reimer on July 24th, Kenneth Toews and Mildred Penner, August 19th, Ben Thiessen and Betty Barkman, Aug ust 20th, and Murray Barkman and Margar et Janzen on August 26th. FELLY Vacation school was held late in Aug. in Pelly. Five classes were held with Mr. and Mrs. Abe Giesbrecht, Mrs. Diana Smith, Mrs. Vivian Anfinson and Miss Trudy Abraham son as teachers. The attendance was low but the interest was good, a number of boys and girls expressed the wish that school could be held for another week. A number of parents attended the closing program on Friday evening. Plans are not finalized yet as to the year's program. There will be a weekly meeting for the young people and possibly also for a younger group under 12 years. The child ren's choir will begin practices again short ly. The ladies also had a recess during the summer months and are looking forward to getting back to their regular tract distribution and other activities.
MORRIS CHAPEL Abe L. Friesen was hospitalized for about a month but at last report he was ready to be discharged. He will have to take it easy for a while. Mrs. Dueck, Sara's mother, was with them for a while to keep her com pany. Bro. and Sis. Pete Wiebe were officially transferred from the Steinbach E.M.C. to our congregation on Sept. Sth. May you feel at home as we work together for the exten sion of God's Kingdom! The same meeting also brought Elmer Warkentin in as Sunday School Superinten dent for another term. Two brethren Pete Wiebe and Art Friesen were elected to form a S.S. executive with Bro. Elmer. Our attendance record was again broken recently and totalled 114. We were priveleged to get some of our new Christian teachers and their families to worship with us. They are the Abe Wiebes, who teach in Rosenhoff, ihe Bernie Klassens high school, and the Kauenhofens, who is principle of our ele mentary school in town. (Gr. 3-8).
We were happy to have the John Peters with us at our last mission night. They pre sented us with reports, slides and a chalk drawing. Some of us went to the Rosenort Collegiate for Mrs. Peter's slides and re ports. It is stirring to see the Holy Spirit working so mightily in Europe! Mrs Peters here concluded with the words "Only when self is completely obliterated can revival begin!" Rev. P.J.B. Reimer presented our last Sun. morning's message when our pastor went to MacGregor. He spoke on "take up thy cress and follow me." It was a challenging message and we thank them for coming to us! We are looking forward to our"Youth Baity" when Bernie Klassen will present his slides from Jordon on our next mission night. It was felt that we might reach more young folk if the program was presented in the collegiate auditorium, seeing Mr. Klassen teaches there. Lena Brandt spoke a few words of fare well to us at our S.S. opening last Sunday. She and Nettie left for Bad Gandersheim, Germany last Monday morning to work with the Levi Reimers. Nettie and Lena fellowship ped with us and we shall remember them often. Rev. and Mrs. Menno Kroeker who lived in town, are leaving us for Waterloo Ont. to pursue further studies. The barometer is still going up on the "building fund" chart and we are antici pating a large new basement, possibly this fall yet. This is a very encouraging sign, and as the attendance increases, we rea lize it is very important and necessary. We want to extend sincere sympathy to Mrs. Elsie Siemens and family in the loss ot their husband and father. We pray that Mrs. Siemens strength may be restored and that God will supply also the spiritual strength at this time. The Ladies Fellowship Group met on Sept. 6th. and prepared some 60 envelopes with tracts. It was decided that we will begii. sewing at the next meeting, as we fellow ship. Till now it was thought to fellowship was sufficient. Now as an organized church group we want to be "doers" also; although we have been doing library and tract work.
TWO PENNIES A DAY Financial statements covering the first six months of MCC (Canada) activity this year indicate that cash contributions total $227.500, plus another $110 500 in material aidin-kind. This compares with $14!.400 and $106,800 in cash and material aid-in-kind lost year. By provinces, cash contributigns are
THE MESSENGER
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broken down as follows: 1965 1966 $20,500.00 $20,800.00 British Columbia 9,500.00 Alberta 13,500.00 12,800.00 Saskatchewan 21,600.00 81„700.00 47,500.00 Manitoba 69,700.00 35,800.00 Ontario 15,300.00 Other 20,200.00 $141,400.00 $227,500.00 Also encouraging, has been the generous response to the drive for Christmas bundles. In 1965, 7,862 bundles were prepared in Canada whereas in 1966 the total reached 9,633, an increase of 22%. Canadian bundles accounted for approximately one-fifth of the total for North America. During the six-month period $214,900 in cash has been sent to MCC, Akron.. An other 17,700 were used to process and pack the material aid-in-kind in the Yarrow and Kitchener Material Aid Centers and to trans port the supplies to the seaports. Although these figures are impressive and the increase over last year is a cause to rejoice, it should be remembered that for a constituency of over 60,000 members cash giving amounts to approximately 60 cenis per person per month, or 2 cents a day.
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE Teacher Elections A Sunday School workers’ meeting was held on Thursday, Sept. 8, 1966. A slate ol teachers was drawn up and approved. A good turnout indicated that many are in terested in the work being done. The elec tions for secretary and superintendent will take place during January, 1967 when the church elections are held. Rev. John Dyck gave a short message of exhortation with scripture from 1 Cor. 3:9-15. 80% of children leave S.S. without being converted. The teachers, goal should be to win each and everyone to Christ and then help them to grow spiritually and be missionaries to the lost around them.
Film Shown Mr. Winters was in our midst, Wednes day evening, Sept. 14. He showed a very informative film on the human heart, how it functions, the great strides gained in the repairing of it and also the lifeline of life, the blood, what it does and how it carries on in the body. The film called The River a! Life will be shown in various high schools, colleges and universities during
September. It has a spiritual climax point ing each one to Christ, the life line to sal vation.
Rev. Harry Flumbaum, Jewish Evangelis.m, VZpg. was guest speaker Sunday evening, Sept. 18. He gave a report on the work be ing done in Winnipeg and exhorted us to be more faithful in our praying and giving to wards Jewish missions. He referred to the apostle Paul as going to the Jew first and also to the Gentile. Remember a Jew with out Christ is as lost as anyone else. He also showed a short film by the Zion So ciety urging us to speak to Jews in our neighborhood and invite them to church. S. S. Canvass Brings New Pupils
A Sunday School canvass was held Sept. 15 resulting in several new pupils. Almost all the north-end section of Portage was covered. Another evening will be sei aside to finish the canvass. A hearty welcome is extended to those vzho have moved into our midst to teach school or work. Miss Ellen Brell, Wymark, Sask., Mr. and Mrs. Jake Peters, Winnipeg, Man., and Mr. and Mrs. Abe Harder, Mac Gregor, Man.
COMING EVENTS Oct. 5. 2:30 p.m. Ordination of the Menno Hamms and the John Toewses at MacGregor.
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Oct. 7-9. EMC Annual Mission ary Conference. John Peters is the main speaker. Oct. 15. Steinbach and area United Ministers and Dea cons Conference at the Stein bach Mennonite Church. (10 a.m. and 2 p.m.)
Oct. 26 - Nov. 4: World Con gress on Evangelism, Berlin. Oct. 24-30. Missionary Confer ence, Portage EMC. July 23-30, '67. Mennonite World Conference, Amster dam, The Netherlands.
Oct. 30 - Nov. 6. Missionary Conference, Steinbach EMC. John Peters, main speaker.
September 30, 1966
MCC (Canada) is now incorporated. An act of incorporation passed by Parliament received royal assent July 11, 1966, making MCC (Canada) c; legally constituted corporation. Seen in picture is D.P. Neufeld showing the MCC (Canada) charter to the Executive Committee. Left to righ’ the members are Newton Gingrich, vice-chairman; C.J. Rempel, secretary; D.P. Neufeld chairman; Ted Friesen, treasurer; Harvey Plett; and J.M. Klassen, executive secretary. (Missing are C.W. Loewen and E.J. Swaim). MCC (Canada Photo
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So You’re Going to the World Conference INFORMATION FOR PERSONS PLANNING TO ATTEND THE WORLD CONFERENCE
Akron, Pa. (MCC)—We are all locking forward to the eighth Mennonite World Conference in the Netherlands next summer. Some of us will participate in the discussions and listen to the challenging mes sages, others will read the reports with interest. For some people, how ever, the World Conference will in volve a great deal of planning and work. Approximately 100,000 meals will be required, for example, for the thousands of people who are ex pected to attend the Conference. And 35,000 nights of lodging will have to be provided. You will need to write to three offices to secure the information about your physical needs. These are for your rooms during Confer ence, your charter flight across the Atlantic, and finally for your tours in Europe and the Holy Land. A large number of people are involved in providing the necessary services. There is first of all the very effect ive World Conference Executive Committee. Here the Dutch Mennonites are heavily involved. They provide all of the lodging facilities and comfortable places for the con ference sessions. They also request that people indicate whether or not they will be interested in a tour of Holland. This work load is centered in the office of the World Conference at 3003 Benham Avenue, Elkhart, In diana. To take part in the confer ence it is necessary for you to regiser through this office. Ask your pastor or your conference head quarters for the registration sheet to be used for this purpose. Fill out your registration and mail it, to8
gether with your check to the Elk hart address. The next task to be performed is that of arranging for the flight ac ross the Atlantic. There are of course the regular airlines and tours which may be utilized. The Menno Travel Service offices have com plete information about these. How ever, for those who qualify there are charter flights. The purpose of the charter flight is simply to pro vide the round trip flight from North America to Amsterdam. The Mennonite Central Committee has been asked by its constituent groups to secure charter flights that would be available for all Men nonite and Brethren in Christ Church authorized by the Civil Aeronautics Board to serve as the chartering or ganization. This is true both in Can ada and in the United States. The Airline Conference will not allow Menno Travel Service to become in volved in of to promote charter flights in any way. Therefore, if you desire information about charter flights you must write to either your conference promoter or, if there is no one acting in this capacity, to the World Conference Charter, MCC, 21 South 12th Street, Akron, Pennsylvania, 17501 for the United States. In Canada write to Menno nite Central Commitee, 607 Paris Building, 259 Portage Avenue Win nipeg 2, Manitoba. Many of you, however, will want to do some special traveling while you are in Europe. Menno Travel Service in consultation with the World Conference officials has arranged for a number of tours. In formation about these is available
from your nearest Menno Travel Service branch office. They will provide you with information about the tours that leave from this cormtry and return. They also have in formaion about tours that leave from Amsterdam and return to that city. In addition they can make all travel resewations for individuals and groups to any desired country. We are sorry that you must write to three offices in order to get the information that you desire but this is the organizational pattern need ed to secure the specialist neces sary for each efficient service. Let us review briefly the neces sary addresses to secure informa tion for all of your conference needs. 1. World Conference registration and tours in Holland. Write to: Mennonite World Conference 3003 Benham Avenue Elkhart, Indiana 2. For charter flight information Canadians should write to: Mennonite Central Committee 607 Paris Building 259 Portage Avenue Winnipeg 2, Manitoba
3. For all individual and group flight information and for tour bro chures, write to the nearest Menno Travel Service branch. Menno Travel Service, Box 505, Newton, Kansas 67114 Menno Travel Service, 111 Mari lyn Ave., Goshen Indiana 46526 Menno Travel Service, 377 Hen derson Hwy, Winnipeg 15, Man. Menno Travel Service, Box 367, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501
THE MESSENGER
TWELFTH ANNUAL MISSIONS CONVENTION OF THE E.M.C. October 7, 8 and 9, at Rosenort Chairman Milton Fast Song Leader John Koop Recording ... Board of Education and Publication
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7 - 7:30 P. M. 7:30 Song Service 7:40 Welcoming & Opening .... 7:50 Song 7:55 Paraguay Report 8:30 Offering for Paraguay 8:30 Song ................ 8:35 Message 9:05 Closing
... P. L. Friesen Ridgewood
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9 - 2:30 P. M. 2:30 Song Service 2:40 Opening Jac. Kroeker 2:45 Financial Report P. L. Friesen 2:55 Song Pleasant Valley 3:00 General Report - Presenting of Missionaries Milton Fast 3:20 Mexico Report & Offering 3:55 Song during offering 3:55 Message John Peters 4:20 Closing
. Ridgewood John Peters PRAYER MEETING - 6:00 - 6:30
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8 - 7:30 P. M. 7:30 Song Service ..... Harvey Barkman 7:40 Opening ........... .......... Winnipeg 7:45 Song .... Stan Houghtons 7:50 Report Mr. & Mrs. Henry Koop 8:00 Testimony 8:10 Testimony ......... .... Mrs. John Peters Ben Friesen 8:15 Offering for S.B.I. . .......... Winnipeg Song ....... John Peters 8:25 Message 9:55 Closing
Corny Loewen
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9 — 7:00 P. M. 7:00 Song Service 7:10 Opening Alvin Doerksen 7:15 Song Steinbach Group 7:20 Christian Service Committee 7:30 Extention Committee Report And Offering Song during offering Steinbach Group 8:05 Open for opportunities 8:15 Message John Peters 8:45 Closing . Abe Unger
" Ye are Witnesses."
Luke 24:48
ADDRESSES
MISSIONARY
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1. Harvey Barkraans - Landmark, Han. - leave of absence 2. Frank Brauns - Box 30, Griswold, Man. 3. Alvin Doerksens - Gouldtown, Sask. 4. H. P. Dyck - MacGregor, Man. Box 133 5. Ben F. Eidse - Kamayala, Kahemba, Prov. of Leopoldville, Rep. De Congo, Africa 6. Agatha Fast - 7 Stuttgart W, Lenan Str. 4, West Germany 7. Edmar Fasts - 4409 Memphis Ave., El Paso, Texas 8. Alfred Friesens - Col. Oscar Soto Maynez, Narlnquipa, Chih., Mexico 9. Betty Friesen - R.R.l, Morris, Man. 10. Dora Friesen - Box 840, Edinburg, Texas 78539 11. Edward Friesens - R.R.l, Morris, Man. - Home on Furlough 12. Harry Friesen - Riverton, Man. - Leave of Absence 13. Ernest Funks - c.d.c. 984, Asuncion, Paraguay 14. Abe Giesbrechts - Pelly, Box 452, Sask. 15. Stanley Houghtons, Steinbach, Man. 16. Henry Klassens - Box 290, Belize, British Honduras 17. Dan Koops - Box 35, Creighton, Sask. 18. Elizabeth Koop - Calxa 35, Guajara Nirim, Terr. Fed. de Rondonia, Brazil 19. Henry Koops - 142 Walnut St., Wpg. 10, Man. 20. John Koops - Box 1587, Kamsack, Sask. 21. Mary Koop - 410 Shlmofujisawa, Musashl-machl, Iruma-gun, Saltama-Ken, Japan
September 30, 1966
22. Mary Koop - Col. Oscar Sota Maynez, Namiquipa, Chih. Mexico 23. Melvin Koops - 179 Riverton Ave., Wpg. 5, Man. 24. Elda Kroeker - 118 Grove Street, Winnipeg, 4, Man. 25. F. P. Kroekers - c.d.c. 166, Asuncion, Paraguay, S. A. 26. Jake Kroekers - R. R. 1, Morris, Man. - leave of absence 27. Corney B. Loewens - R. R. 1, Morris, Man. - leave of avsence 28. Pete Martens - c.d.c. 166, Asuncion, Paraguay, S. A. 29. Margaret Neufeld - Christliche Radio Mission Loerrach Baden, Germany 30. John Peters - Steinbach, Man. 31. Betty Plett - Box 66, Gouldtown, Sask. 32. Gladwin Pletts - Box 216, Sonfrlere, St. Lucia, West Indies 33. Clifford Reimer - Chame, Republic de Panama 34. Elizabeth Reimer - Steinbach, Man. Box 344, Leave of Absence 35. Dave Schellenbergs - Steinbach, Man. 36. Arden Thiessens - Bums Lake, B. C. 37. Henry Toewses - 791E-57tli Ave. Vancouver 15, B. C. 38. Margaret Unger - Box 417, Winkler, Man. - Home on Furlough 39. Edwin Wrights - Riverton, Man. 40. Lester Olferts - Weekes, Sask. 41. Peter K. Friesen - Endeavour, Sask. 42. Doris Thiessen - Col. Oscar Sota Maynez, Namiquipa, Chih, Mexico 43. Sara Loeppky - c.d.c. 984, Asuncion, Paraguay
9
maoiKs By Esther L. Vogt I SCRATCHED my mop of thick brown hair and sighed. Write a paper on Thanksgiving for our Sunday’s Junior Christian Fellowship meeting? Well, give me something easy, like shinnying up the city water tower, or taking an orbital ride through space with John Glenn! At least, these things wouldn’t require as much brain power on my part. “Just write a page or two on what we should be thankful for, Ernie,” Mr. Lodge, our Junior C. F. sponsor, told me. Well, now, I guess I could write about being thankful for our home and food and clothes, and church, school, and a free land—except that God already knows we appreciate those things! All that ordinary stuff— I would think God would get tired of hearing about them. So you see how hard it was for me to think of something special. Of course. Junior C. F. wouldn’t meet until the Sunday following Thanksgiving, so I had all of Thanks giving vacation to think about my paper. Especially when Aunt Ma tilda and Uncle Bill, who’s a preacher, invited us down to their house for a Thanksgiving Day pheasant dinner, ’way off at Cedardale, about sixty
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miles from here. “Good!” I thought, after Mom told us about the invitation. “I’ll ask Uncle Will what to write about. He’s got a whole gob of sermon helps. He ought to think of lots of special things for which to be thankful.” But on Thanksgiving Day morning, my big brother Ike had to play his trumpet in church. “Why don’t you boys come later?” Mom suggested. “You could drive over in Ike’s car when you’re through. Dad and I can go on ahead and attend Uncle Will’s church. We’ll stall off the big meal until you get there.” Which is exactly what we did. That is, Ike and I started out in his rattly old car—just what make it is. I’m not sure—part of it is Ford, part comes from a Chevy, and even parts from an old Plymouth. But we rattled down the highway after Ike had played his “Thanks Be to God” solo—and it was real swell—smack ing our lips for Aunt Matilda’s baked pheasant. And my talk with Uncle Will. The road to Cedardale climbed up and down some lonely little hills that looked bright and burnished with autumn-colored scrub oak and furrybrown brush. We chugged up the hill and slowed down to speed limit in a drab little mining town. So far, no trouble. If all went well, we’d be at Cedardale in another 45 minutes. Just as we’d almost chuggered through the village, a thin, wishywashy woman ran out of her tar paper shack and waved to us. “Boys! Boys!” she cried, and she sounded as though she was in trouble. Ike stopped. “We need help desperate! My Bob by’s hurt bad and I’ve got to get him to the nearest doc real quick!” Ike and I looked at each other. This would set us back quite awhile from our dinner. Finally Ike said, “Isn’t there any one else around here that you can call on?” The woman’s thin face puckered into tears. “Listen! Them mines don’t shut down for no holidays! Every body’s using their cars. And we ain’t got no doc here. . .” I looked at the bleak tar-paper shack where the family lived, and up and down the few narrow, dingy streets, and shuddered. “Okay,” Ike said cheerfully. “Let’s bring Bobby to the car. I’ll drive him back to Hump ter to the doctor. You
two can use the back seat.” But the woman wouldn’t budge. “I gotta stay home with my other kids,” she said tearfully. “You go ahead with Bobby and find a doc some place.” Five minutes later, with Bobby stashed safely on the back seat—it looked like he had a broken ankle or something—Ike turned the car around and we turned back to Humpter. Bobby lay white and still on the seat and moaned. We’d taken off our own jackets and covered him up, because it seems he didn’t have a coat of any kind. “What grade are you in school?” I asked Bobby, trying to keep him from getting too lonely. “We—we don’t got no school now,” Bobby muttered, “Our — teacher up and left us last week.” “But you do have a church, huh?” Bobby shook his head wistfully. “Nope. No church.” I glanced at the dashboard clock— I think it came from the Chevy—and it said one-thirty. We should’ve been close to Cedarvale right now. In stead, we were rolling into Humpter with a pretty sick little kid in the back of our car. After we had brought him to a small, pleasant hospital, Ike and I stood around in the waiting room, wondering what we should do. The doctor, a kindly gray-haired man, told us, “Maybe you’d better stick around until the X-rays are completed. I’ll need to report to someone. And then you can take the report back to the boy’s mother as you go back.” We didn’t want to miss the doctor, so we sat down on the cerise chairs, our stomachs getting emptier and emptier. A greasy-haired little man and his dowdy wife were also waiting. They were arguing, too. “I tell you, the kid comes home with me!” the woman screamed. The greasy little man squeaked in a tight voice, “Nuts to you! She was staying with me when she got that infection, so she goes back with me!” “Ask any court in the land,” the woman bellowed harshly. “A child belongs with its mother! If she hadn’t been with you in the first place, she would never have got that infection!” I shut my ears tightly. How could parents argue over their kids like that, when they should be loving each other?
THE MESSENGER
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The clock on the waiting room wall slowly ticked away the time. > That baked pheasant would be getting pretty soggy by now, and maybe Uncle Will wouldn’t get much time to help me think up some unusual things for my C. F. paper. Suddenly Ike got up and stretched himself. “You wait here, Ernie. I’m going to get us some hamburgers to eat and make a long distance call to Cedardale. The folks’ll be worried.” Imagine hamburgers for a late Thanksgiving meal, instead of baked pheasant hen! I wondered if I could eat anything at all, to think of what we were missing. Ike returned shortly with our ’burgers, and I could smell the onions and mustard clear to my toes! But before he could say a word, the doc tor came in. “The boy’s ankle is severely injured and he’ll have to remain here for some time,” he said kindly. “Tell his mother he’ll be all right. He’s in the charity ward, of course, but he’ll receive good care.” Then he swung around and walked away. I turned to my brother. “Ike, I guess we’ll really have to step on it, if we want some of that dinner at Uncle Will’s.” Ike shook his blond crewcut. “Sor ry, Ernie. We’ll have to turn around and go home after we’ve gone to tell Bobby’s mother. It hardly pays to ride over to Uncle Will’s at this late hour.” Without a word I followed Ike out of the glass-panelled door of the hos pital. This wasn’t a very exciting Thanksgiving Day for me. And I hadn’t gotten to ask Uncle Will a single question. But then it came to me. ’The or dinary things, like a good home, food, clothes, school and church — after what I’d just seen at the mining town —and the love of Christian parents, after witnessing that fight between the couple in the waiting room—Oh, I guess I appreciated them all a lot right now! And I ought to thank God for them. Ordinary things. I’m sure He was never tired of hearing our thanks for them, even as the pilgrims did so long ago. As we climbed into the ChevyFord-Plymouth mixture, I turned to Ike. “Yeah, I guess we’d better go home. I’ve got to write that paper for Junior C. F., you know.” And with an earth-shattering roar, we rattled on our way! The End September 30, 1966
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by Elma Dueck A legend is told that one time God sent two angels to earth to gather up the prayers of men. One was to fill his basket with their petitions; the other with their thanksgiving. Sometime later they returned to the Father's house. The one had his basket high, running over, with men's requests. The other was sad and dejected. He had almost noth ing to bring to his Father. 'The an gel had searched diligently but could find hardly any prayers of thanksgiving. Which angel would have filled his basket at your house? Are we really thankful'? Or do we celebrate our yearly Thanksgiving Day by empty formality and gorged stom achs and for the rest of the year complain and grumble about every thing, from taxes to toothaches? We live in a land of abundance, yet like spoiled children we are oft en confusing our wants with our needs and ore hard to satisfy. Some times it seems that the poor are often more thankful than we who have so much. The reason must be that they count their blessings more frequently. The man with a thank less heart is poor no matter how rich in material blessings, and the man with a thankful heart is rich, though he may be poor in earthly possessions. How would we feel when we of fered our child a gift, and he would just snatch it out of our hand, say ing, "That's mine. It belongs to me anyways." Do we act that way to our heavenly Father, taking ever-v’blessing as our own right? God says, Be ye thankful. CCol.3:15) Is it not strange that God, who pours out His blessings upon us to remind us and wait for our thanks? God
has to teach us to be thankful, just as we have to teach our children to say "Thank you." Let us practice the art of looking for things to be thankful for—to be gin to count our many blessings— and offer thanks out of a truly grate ful heart, not only on Thanksgiving day, but every day. Let us fill the angels basket— full and overflovzing. For in Christ knowing "that all things work together for good to those that love the Lord," we can give thanks in every situation. "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God contin ually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." (Heb. 33:15).
“Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through, our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor. 15:57).
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise” (Ps. 100:4).
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Contrasts of almost unbelievable magnitude exisit in the world as we approach Thanksgiving 1966. This can be seen in the headlines above. On the one hand there are surpluses, on the other famine. Our tables will be laden with goodies while others die for lack of nourishment. It has been said that we are faced with hunger and starvation on a scale such as the world has never known before. Some half a billion people are suffering from a lack of food. The heart of the child of God should not go unmoved by such facts. A truly thankful heart will not hoard,but share with those less fortunate. Listen to what God's word has to say about it.
"If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them. Depart in peace,be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?" James 2:15,16
Jesus said; "...give ye them to eat..." Mark 6:37 The least we should do is to send as much as we spend on our own table this Thanksgiving to alleviate world famine. True Thanksgiving will manifest Itself in thanksliving and sharing. 12
THE MESSENGER