The Messenger
50 years of serving the EMC!
Volume 50 No. 8 August 2012
rowing
in him
SEE CONVENTION 2012 COVERAGE ON PAGES 6–8, 12–20
$2.00
Editorials
A rich time of togetherness
O
ur Bicentennial convention went
well: useful meetings, helpful inspirational sessions, and a rich time of
togetherness.
The workshops were beneficial, food was
plentiful, and convention giving was generous.
The Lord blessed us!
Region Six volunteers and national office
members (not meaning me!) worked hard. The
music team served well. The many Region Six
volunteers were active. Thank you, Region Six!
The EMC timeline effectively displayed
our Conference’s shift from being fearful and
exclusive to turning outward and becoming
more inclusive. With the theme Rooted in Christ,
Growing in Him, it was a nice touch to give away
white spruce seedlings.
Were there glitches? Yes, there were a few
technical difficulties; and some people said the
stairs and lack of a major elevator made the
event less accessible.
What about suggestions for future years? The
messages need to be translated into languages
The EMC timeline effectively displayed
our Conference’s shift from being fearful
and exclusive to turning outward.
typically used in worship services within the
host region. Translation was appropriate in 2011
and unneeded in 2012.
During the main sessions, we could sing in
various languages. (Please provide PowerPoint
translations of songs not in English.)
Will there be glitches in 2013? Probably.
However, the host region will work hard and the
Lord will bless our time together.
As Christians we have inherited the wonder
of Christ in community within a holistic ministry, a gift to be shared broadly as we enter our
201st year.
Lord willing, see you in La Crete, Alberta, in
2013!
– Terry M. Smith
••
When harmony will be heard
O
n July 6 the EMC ministerial celebrated footwashing and communion.
David Kruse led in singing, including
two German songs Großer Gott, wir loben Dich!
(Almighty God, We Love You!) and O Mein Jesu,
Du bist’s wert (O My Jesus, You Are Worthy).
Kruse was unsure of what would happen.
From the start, however, a rich harmony filled
the room.
I’ve observed this before. Some seniors and
middle-aged people hesitantly sing modern
choruses designed to attract or keep young
people. Then someone tries a German hymn
and the room fills with a rich sound. (How
many song leaders ignore this strength of their
congregations?)
On July 7, during the Board of Church Ministries’ report at conference council, I mentioned
the fine singing in German that had occurred
2 The Messenger • August 2012
the previous day. Some people chuckled. After
all, why would this mostly British fellow appreciate singing in German?
Actually, for years I have thought we should
include a German song at convention. Few
people take me seriously, though I am. As a multilingual conference, we need to display greater
skill in using languages to include people.
In KG history, sadly, languages were often
used as walls to sharply define who was in and to
keep others out. Today the EMC acts best when
it uses languages as bridges to welcome more
people. This is why I support an inclusive use of
many languages.
As the EMC seeks to grow, when will more
harmony be heard? It will happen as attitudes,
not languages, shift.
– Terry M. Smith
Table of Contents
Features
Departments
6
2
Editorials
3
Pontius’ Puddle
8
Let’s Celebrate the EMC!
John’s Gospel presents us with a case
for celebrating
– Arden Thiessen
In the beginning: two beliefs
in conflict
A literal view is the most reasonable
approach to creation
– Rick Bettig
11 Confessions of a pastor’s wife
A glimpse of “life on the other side”
– Jennifer Kramer
page
14
4Letters
22 With Our Missionaries
24 With Our Churches
24Births
25Weddings
28 News
32 In Memory
32 Calendar
33 Shoulder Tapping
Columns
5
Writings Shared
A Public Faith: How Followers of
Christ Should Serve the Public Good
21 Archives Alcove
Looking at a legacy
– Terry M. Smith
27 Focus On
Let’s keep the Word of God
central!
– Tim Dyck
34 Pictures of God
Pictures of God: a reflection
– Joanna Enns
Convention Coverage
12 Panel, Klaas Reimer speak at ministerial
14 Conference Council deals with current tasks
and the future
16 Saturday afternoon workshops
17 42 people visit their roots in Ukraine
18 EMC youth spit, serve, and worship
19 EMC Rat River Run attracts 33
20 Mennonite Landing Site evokes strong images
20 Worship service goes back 200 years
page
19
35 Stewardship Today
Inheritance
– Mike Strathdee
36 Kids’ Corner
As busy as a bee
– Loreena Thiessen
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 3
The Messenger
Volume 50 No. 8 August 2012
EDITOR
TERRY M. SMITH
ASSISTANT EDITOR
REBECCA ROMAN
Submissions to The Messenger should be sent to
[email protected].
The Messenger is the monthly publication of the Evangelical
Mennonite Conference. It is available to the general public.
Its purpose is to inform concerning events and activities in
the denomination, instruct in godliness and victorious living, inspire to earnestly contend for the faith.
Letters, articles, photos and poems are welcomed.
Unpublished material is not returned except by request.
Views and opinions of writers are their own
and do not necessarily represent the position of
the Conference or the editors. Advertising and
inserts should not be considered to carry editorial
endorsement.
The Messenger is published by the EMC Board of
Church Ministries, 440 Main St, Steinbach, Man., and is a
member of Meetinghouse and Canadian Church Press.
Subscription rates
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Manitoba residents add 7% PST.
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Single copy price: $2
Subscriptions are voluntary and optional to people within
or outside of the EMC. Subscriptions are purchased by the
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Change of address and subscriptions
Undelivered copies, change of address and new subscriptions should be addressed to:
440 Main St, Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5
Phone: 204-326-6401
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www.emconference.ca/messenger
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We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the
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Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage for our publishing activities.
Advertising
The Messenger does not sell advertising, but provides free
space (classified and display) to enhance our Conference, its
churches, boards, and ministries; inter-Mennonite agencies
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inquiries should be sent to [email protected].
THE Messenger schedule:
No. 9– September 2012 issue
(copy due August 17)
4 The Messenger • August 2012
Letters
Sources, specifics are given
Ray Hill’s review of my book What’s
Wrong with Our Schools (July) was
puzzling. He acknowledges the key
ideas (teacher-centred learning,
standardized curriculum, discipline,
homework and material challenging
to students) are “what most parents
and teachers connect to” and “should
be standard fare in schools.” Yet he
still wrote a negative review and the
reasons he gives don’t make a lot of
sense.
For example, he says the book
lacks footnotes and claims this makes
it hard to check out whether its statements are accurate. However, while
the book does not use footnotes, it
certainly does cite sources.
Each chapter has its own self-contained bibliography and the American
Psychological Association (APA) style
of referencing is used throughout.
APA is the standard referencing style
in virtually every educational journal.
Hill dismisses the scenarios at the
beginning of each chapter as “caricatures.” Apparently his experience in
the public school system is substantially different from the many teachers
and parents who carefully reviewed
our book prior to publication and affirmed that these scenarios were often
strikingly similar to their experiences.
I can assure Hill that many of the
scenarios are based directly on real
events.
Finally, Hill claims the book lacks
sufficient detail about how teachers
should be evaluated. Ironically, the
very section he cites (pp. 70–71) contains direct references (using APA referencing style, of course) to research
studies that give more information
about the concerns he raises.
I encourage readers to get a
copy of the book and evaluate it for
themselves.
– Michael Zwaagstra
Steinhbach, Man.
Guidelines for letters
Letters published are generally to
comment on issues raised in The
Messenger. The magazine reserves
the right to edit letters for length,
style, legality, and taste. Letters
to the editor should be 250 words
or less.
Missions dessert night and
book launch
Light the World:
The Ben and Helen Eidse Story
as told to Faith Eidse
Saturday, August 11 | Rosenort EMC
Sunday, August 12 | Steinbach EMC
at 7:00 p.m.
Purchase your autographed copy
and meet the authors!
Copies are also available at
www.friesenpress.com/bookstore
Columns • writings shared
A Public Faith: How Followers of Christ Should Serve the Public Good by Miroslav Volf
(Brazos Press, 2011). 192 pp. $.21.99. ISBN 9781587432989. Reviewed by Wes Kroeker (EFC
Steinbach), minister, Sunday School teacher, and Board of Church Ministries chair.
H
“
ow do I get involved in my community in a meaningful way?” Usually
the question is not what to do, but
how to be involved and a follower of Christ at
the same time. This book is a meaningful guide
without being specific.
Volf calls us to look at how faith in the past
and present has malfunctioned as a contributor
of good to our communities, and then explores
how human flourishing is more than experiencing satisfaction. “Life goes well for us when our
basic needs are met and when we experience
that we are loved by God and by our neighbors—when we are loved as who we are, with
our own specific character and history, notwithstanding our fragility and failures”(72).
He then calls believers to engage the world
with their whole being and to address all dimensions of culture. Permeable boundaries are
encouraged so that faith can be carried to the
world and true good things be received.
from the past...
into the future
Volf calls believers to engage
the world with their whole
being and to address all
dimensions of culture.
He has wishful hope for (not
belief in) universal salvation and proposes a form of pluralism. His idea is
to navigate differences with mutual respect— productive
arguing “as friends rather destructively as enemies”(137).
Volf is honest, but his wish and proposal are filled with
opportunities to delude ourselves.
Volf paints an eloquent picture of faith in action:
“That, I think is today’s most fundamental challenge for
theologians, priests and ministers, and Christian laypeople: to really mean that the presence and activity of
the God of love, who can make us love our neighbors as
ourselves, is our hope and the hope of the world—
that this God is the secret of our flourishing as
persons, cultures, and interdependent inhabitants
of a single globe”(74).
Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission
Centennial Celebration Banquet
Friday, September 28, 2012 | 6 p.m.
Heartland Community Church
Landmark, Manitoba
Complimentary tickets
available at the
Evangelical Mennonite
Conference office
440 Main Street
Steinbach, MB
204-326-6401
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 5
Convention 2012
Message one of four
Let’s Celebrate the EMC!
by Arden Thiessen
T
he practice of remembering significant
events is as old as humankind. Societies
that think they have something important confirm that and pass it on by celebrating.
Anthropologists speak of “rites of intensification.” The idea is that a good thing can be
improved and strengthened by celebrating it.
Sociologists who have studied the role of
celebrations in different world cultures say they
“produce social cohesion, reduce ambivalence,
increase conformity, and exert controls on
unacceptable beliefs and behaviors” (Celebrating
Passages in the Church, p. xiii).
Further, they notice that in religious communities they give meaning to the past and provide
hope for the future. Celebrations have to do with
the past and the future.
The celebration is a way of remembering; it’s
a way of affirming the past—whether delightful
or horrible. Apparently it’s a healthy thing to be
able to say, yes, it happened.
This weekend we gather to celebrate our
denominational past. We are announcing and
proclaiming, “Hey, we are still here!” We will do
it with joy and praise, honouring the one—our
Lord Jesus Christ—who has made it possible.
Klaas Reimer
We will start with the vision of Klaas Reimer and
what became of it. There is probably little evidence he had a long-range plan. He just wanted
a more wholesome life of discipleship than he
saw in his church.
He was not influenced by the Orthodox
Church of the host country Russia, nor by the Lutheran Pietists in neighbouring colonies, nor by
the German Baptist revivalists who came by with
their exuberant enthusiasm. His inspiration came
out of reading the older Anabaptist writings.
The Bible
In a sense, it was back to the past. And back
to the past meant back to the Bible. If he had a
vision it was this: that his church should respect
the Scriptures as the guide for the Christian life.
If we want to fix on one traditional quality that
we have inherited, I suggest we focus on this.
This is what has made us what we are. This
has allowed believers from many other backgrounds to join us and identify with us. This is
why we support SBC.
This is how we became an aggressive
missions-oriented community sixty years ago.
This is why we discuss and disagree about the
role of women in the church.
This is why we write letters to The Messenger
about how best to understand God’s work of
creation. We take the Bible seriously.
John’s Gospel
I spent a good bit of time with John’s Gospel
during the past six months. At one point it
dawned on me that the entire Gospel presents
us with a case for celebrating.
In the first place, it is a uniquely happy
Gospel. While the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew,
Mark, and Luke) have the call to self-denial,
following, bearing the cross or else, John has a
gracious, friendly, giving God.
God so loved the world that he gave (3:16).
“I am come that they may have life abundantly”
(10:10). “I told you these things so that my joy
If Klaas Reimer had a vision it was this: that his church should respect the Scriptures as the guide for the
Christian life. If we want to fix on one traditional quality that we have inherited, I suggest we focus on this.
6 The Messenger • August 2012
Convention 2012
ALL CONVENTION PHOTOS BY REBECCA ROMAN EXCEPT WHERE SPECIFIED
I spent a good bit of
time with John’s Gospel
during the past six
months. At one point it
dawned on me that the
entire Gospel presents
us with a case for
celebrating.
– Arden Thiessen
may be in you and that your joy may be full”
(15:11). “My peace I leave with you” (14:27). Get
the idea?
In the Prologue (1:1–18)—which may have
been a song they sang at their weekly celebrations—Jesus is introduced as the Word, as God,
as the Creator, and as the Light that shines in the
darkness. Then the eternal Words became flesh
and tented here with us.
Those who met him were impressed; he was
full of grace and truth. All this happened to reveal God to us (1:18). After this introduction we
expect great things of this Jesus. But, first, John
summons up the witnesses of that day. John the
Baptizer said, “This is the Son of God,” and then
“Here is the Lamb of God.” Andrew announced,
“We have found the Messiah!”
Philip reported, “We have found the one
about whom Moses and the prophets wrote.”
Nathanael exclaimed “Rabbi, you are the Son
of God. You are the King of Israel.” All this is in
Chapter 1. With that kind of an endorsement we
expect huge exploits.
It looked promising to those early Galilean
neighbours of Jesus. The Jewish scribes, who
had studied the prophecies and reflected deeply
about the glories of their past, expected a Messiah to come, a deliverer who would be anointed
with power for massive military operations. To
the Galileans it looked as if Jesus would fit.
A wedding, a funeral
And then, what do we read? Jesus went to a wedding! With his mother!
And at the wedding he made wine, more
wine, so that their happiness would not be
spoiled. It was good stuff too, surprisingly good.
First class, top of the line wine.
Now, that’s not the whole story of John. Jesus
started by going to a wedding; he concluded his
public ministry by going to a funeral.
There at the gravesite he stood with the
weepers and wept (11:33–35). The six days
of wedding joy in which he participated foreshadow the kingdom. The death and raising of
Lazarus foreshadows how it will all come about.
Those two parallel events, attending a wedding and then a funeral, tell us exactly the same
thing about God. He rejoices with our joys and
he weeps with us in our sorrows.
He is with his people and enters into their
lives and their experiences. Therefore, because
of the feeling I get about God from John’s
Gospel, I assume God is with us at this jubilee
gathering and will be rejoicing with us. 
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 7
 How will we celebrate?
So, how will we celebrate? First of
all, we will give all the glory to God;
each speaker will likely reiterate this.
But let’s not be too nervous about it.
Sometimes our anxiety about paying
proper respects to God spoils our joy.
We are nervously apprehensive
about receiving compliments or
enjoying any successes, because we
remember Herod. Remember Herod?
He gave a fantastic speech, did not
give God the glory, so the worms ate
him and he died. (You can read about
it in Acts 12.) Yes, we will remember
Herod.
But how will we celebrate? We
evangelical Mennonites are somewhat
handicapped when it comes to celebrating. Will we get drunk, will we fire
off our guns, will we have fireworks,
as is common in our world? No, that
would not be the EMC style!
Will we dance for joy (Psalm 149:3)
and anoint each other with oil (Eccl.
9:8; Psalm 133:2), as was common in
biblical times? No, most of us would
feel uneasy with such jubilation.
Will we have elaborate, commemorative liturgies, as would be
common in many other denominations? Apparently not!
However, what we will do does
have biblical associations. We will
talk about the past, we will enjoy each
other’s friendship, and we will eat
together.
And then we will imitate the hills
and the trees. Isaiah has left us with
a vision of a time when the Lord will
deliver his people and give them an
abundant life.
On that day, he says, the hills will
burst into song and all the trees will
clap their hands (55:12). At each of
our sessions let’s do the same: sing for
joy and clap our hands.
Arden Thiessen, BA, MA, DMin, is
a minister and an educator who has
formerly served as EM Conference
moderator. He spoke on Friday evening
at our EMC convention.
8 The Messenger • August 2012
Part two of two
In the beginning:
two beliefs in conflict
by Rick Bettig
I
t wasn’t very long ago that
biblical creation was the basis
for our society. Christendom
historically believed in a literal
six-day creation, a literal createdfrom-dust Adam, and a time span
between creation and Christ’s birth
far shorter than millions or billions
of years.
What happened? Since the
beginning of the 20th century, much
of the scientific and academic
world has claimed that evolution is
scientific fact. Evolutionary theory
has been and continues to be rigorously promoted and defended by
major science museums, secular
universities, and secular magazines
(Ham and Taylor, 55).
Q. Is evolution fact? Is evolution
even scientific?
The Merriam-Webster online
dictionary provides the following
definition of science: knowledge
or a system of knowledge covering
general truths or the operation of
general laws especially as obtained
and tested through scientific
method.
Dr. Jeremy L. Walter, head of
the Engineering Analysis and Design Department at Pennsylvania
State University, defines science as
the “human enterprise of seeking
the nature and processes of our
universe through observation,
hypothesis and experimental
validation”(in Ashton, 11).
Dr. Stephen Grocott, general manager of Research and
Development at Southern Pacific
Petroleum, states, “if something is
scientific, it is observable and testable—it is able to be repeated”(in
Ashton, 146).
Based on these definitions, creation and evolution (as a theory of
origin) are both outside the realm
of science since neither process is
currently observable, testable or
repeatable.
Q. If evolution is not by definition
“science,” what is it?
Evolution is a religious philosophy—
a belief system about the past based
on the words of men who were not
there, but who are trying to explain
how all the evidence of the present
(fossils, animals, plants) originated
without a Creator (Ham, 32–33).
From a theological perspective
it is important to recognize evolution is a belief system that stands
in opposition to the doctrine of
creation—two beliefs in conflict!
One must carefully consider
the presuppositions at the core
of the evolution/creation debate.
Evolution presupposes a purely
naturalistic origin to the universe,
whereas creation presupposes the
work of God in bringing all things
into existence.
Christians approach the study
of origins with the following
pre-suppositions: the Bible is the
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
From a theological perspective it is important to
recognize evolution is a belief system that stands in
opposition to the doctrine of creation—two beliefs in conflict.
inerrant Word of God (there are no
mistakes); the Bible gives correct
information about the origin of all
things; God created the Heavens and
the Earth and everything that lives;
and, the purpose of God’s creation is
to reveal the character and power of
God Himself and to motivate all of
His creation to worship Him.
Q. Why do some Christians seek to
harmonize evolutionary theory with
the biblical account of creation?
Evolutionary theory has become so
popular and so pervasive that many
Christians assume that it must be
true, or at least mostly so. They can
see no other position to take, so they
go to their Bibles to consider how
Scripture might be re-interpreted
in light of the evolutionary explanations of fossils and strata (Ham and
Taylor, 55). I recall being in just such
a position!
The marriage of evolution with the
Bible has resulted in various models
that are “intermediate”—between the
two. Theistic evolution is one such
accommodation that suggests “God
worked from within the process of
evolution to produce the desired
results” (Erickson, 53). Others include
the Day-Age Theory that interprets
the six days of creation as six great
ages of indeterminate length and the
Gap Theory that presupposes a time
gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.
Any basic study of the biblical
doctrines of theology will ultimately
show all doctrines, directly or indirectly, have their basis in the book of
Genesis. Therefore, any compromise
on the Genesis record will undermine
the Bible as a whole.
Ken Ham rightly states “if one
wants to destroy Christianity, destroy
the foundations established in the
book of Genesis. Is it any wonder that
Satan is attacking Genesis more than
any other book?” (Ham, 59).
Q. How do the recent trends in science
challenge evolutionary theory and
intermediate models?
Scientific study has sufficiently advanced to indicate the Genesis record
implies a young earth (less than
10,000 years old).
Dr. John Kramer, research scientist
with Agriculture Canada, asserts
there are numerous pieces of evidence
that fit a young earth: the historical
records, the population growth, the
helium content in the world, the
missing neutrinos from the sun, the
oscillation of the sun, the decline of
the Earth’s magnetic field, the limited
number of supernovas, radioactive
halos, the mitochondrial DNA pointing to one mother, and the increase in
genetic diseases (in Ashton, 53–54).
Intermediate constructs which 
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 9
 presume a long age for the earth are
susceptible to the same problem naturalistic evolution faces—too much
time!
Dr. Ariel Roth states neither nature
nor the Bible indicates intermediate
views between creation and evolution
are the way God did it. One can find
peripheral information to support
many models, but one would like
some more direct authentication
before accepting speculative suggestions. One should not give up on a
more authenticated model—a literal
six-day creation—for a more speculative one (in Ashton, 96).
As one examines the theological
conclusions for old earth positions,
one begins to obtain a portrait of
some kind of god, but he is not the
kind of good God as described in the
Bible (in Ashton, 98). The following is
one of many examples.
Q. Did suffering and death exist prior
to the fall?
The Bible clearly teaches that death,
particularly the physical and spiritual
death of man, entered the world only
after the first man, Adam, sinned
(Romans 5:12). What about the animals? Was death a part of the created
animal world?
Intermediate constructs would
have us believe that prior to man, animals lived and died. They fought and
struggled; they killed and were killed.
The history of the world was a history
of violent death.
Those who believe in evolution or
one of the old earth constructs must
accept that death has always existed
since death becomes the vehicle by
which ”complexity” of life is advanced.
A survey of the Scriptures provides a number of reasons as to why
there was no death of any kind before
the fall. Since God made His creation
“very good” (Genesis 1:31) and both
humans and animals were originally
vegetarian (Genesis 1:29–30), death
could not be a part of God’s creation.
10 The Messenger • August 2012
Resources Used:
Millard J. Erickson, Concise Dictionary of Christian Theology (Grand Rapids,
Michigan: Baker, 1986).
Stephen Grocott, “Inorganic Chemistry,” in John F. Ashton, ed. In Six Days,
8th edition (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2011).
Ken Ham, The Lie: Evolution (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2005).
Ken Ham and Paul Taylor, The Genesis Solution, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker,
1991).
John K.G. Kramer, “Biochemistry,” in John F. Ashton, ed. In Six Days, 8th edition (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2011).
Ariel A. Roth, “Biology,” in John F. Ashton, ed. In Six Days, 8th edition (Green
Forest, AR: Master Books, 2011).
James Stambaugh, “Death before Sin?” Institute for Creation Research
(www.icr.org/article/295).
Simon Turpin, Answers Research Journal 5 (2012): 89–97 (www.answersingenesis.org/articles/arj/v5/n1/review-John-Lennox).
Jeremy L. Walter, “Mechanical Engineering,” in John F. Ashton, ed. In Six
Days, 8th edition (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 2011).
Isaiah 11:6–9 and 65:17–25 suggest there was no carnivorous activity
before the fall. The Bible also states
that God cares for animals (Exodus
23:12, Proverbs 12:10), and yet if animals were suffering in this creation,
this does not reflect well on God’s
character (Turpin, 89–97).
Today, creation is a groaning
creation. There is suffering and death,
but it is not the fault of creation. It
is the result of Adam’s sin (Romans
8:20–22).
Revelation 21–22 shows that after
sin is vanquished, death, pain, and
sorrow will also be vanquished. If this
is the restoration of the creation, we
are left with a plaguing question about
death if we believe in evolution or its
intermediate models: why is death
being done away with?
If God originally intended death
to be an integral part of His creation,
then God should allow death to
continue into eternity. We are left
with the conclusion that death is an
aberration, caused by man, in God’s
plan (Stambaugh).
I respect my brothers and sisters
in Christ who hold to an old earth
position and am glad we follow the
same Lord. However, I remain convinced a literal understanding of the
Genesis account is the most reasonable approach to creation.
Rick Bettig, BA,
MDiv, is the associate pastor at
Steinbach EMC and
serves on the EMC
Board of Church
Ministries.
Websites on Creation
For further study, here are some
websites of varying positions.
Young Earth
www.answersingenesis.com
creation.com
Old Earth
biologos.org
www.oldearth.org
– Editors
by Jennifer Kramer
“I never want to marry a pastor!”
I remember saying that to my mother when I was in
my early teens. It wasn’t a slight against my father, a gifted
pastor, but a cry for self-preservation.
God’s plans, however, were vastly different from my
own: in my early 20s I found myself married to a theology
major who desired, above all else, to serve God in ministry.
When I reminded my mom of what I had said years
before, her response was, “Maybe God allowed you to
grow up as a pastor’s kid so you would be prepared to be a
pastor’s wife. Very little will come as a shock to you.”
After 10 years as a pastor’s wife, I can claim a widely
different perspective on pastors than most others. For
many, pastors are highly visible on
Sunday mornings, but much of their
daily lives are a mystery.
Please allow me to share some
insights into the lives of pastors and
their families with you—a glimpse of
“life on the other side.”
Pastors are people too
Pastors deserve respect
Pastors deserve respect not only as shepherds of the
church, but as fellow brothers/sisters in Christ. I can’t
count how many times my father or husband has come
home with a story of being accosted in the office.
Even if the complaint was valid, quite often the approach was not. People have different perceptions of how
pastors should act, and what they
should say or do. Striving to please
everyone in a congregation is impossible, not to mention detrimental to
productive church ministry.
Follow Paul’s guidelines when
addressing conflict with your pastor.
Curb the tendency to complain to
others on coffee row and, instead,
approach your pastor with grace and
calm. Recognize that most pastors
are trying to do their best to help
the church actualize Christ’s vision
for his body—and there’s often a bigger picture that you’re
aware of.
Being a pastor’s wife, although the farthest thing from
what I wanted as a teenager, has been one of God’s greatest
blessings to me. Life in ministry is always an adventure.
And I love knowing that we’ve chosen—as a family—to
partner with God in helping to develop his church on
earth.
Allow your pastor to engage in
ministry with his or her family.
It’s essential if we want children
to be an integral part of
ministry, not an afterthought.
Nobody is fully defined by a job, even
though the love of ministry lies deep
in pastors. They have hobbies and
passions outside of church life. They
need vacations like everyone else.
They aren’t superheroes. Just because pastors have a
position in a church doesn’t mean they’re mind readers,
able to work countless hours, or infallible.
So, be gracious to your pastor. Be an encourager. Write
a note. Make a call. Invite the family for a meal. Extend
grace.
And recognize that calendar holidays—when most
people are resting—can be the busiest and most stressful
times of the year for pastors, spouses, and their kids.
Pastors’ families need them too
Allow your pastor to engage in ministry with his or her
family. This might mean noisier home visits or a different
office schedule than you might be used to, but it’s essential
if we want children to be an integral part of ministry, not
an afterthought.
I’m so thankful that both my father and husband place
high priority on their families. I’ve known other pastors,
however, who feel that the needs of their congregations
outweigh the needs of their families. This causes bitterness
among many pastors’ kids and accounts for why many
leave the church at the first opportunity.
Jennifer Kramer is a member of
Richmond Park Church (Mennonite
Brethren), Brandon, Man., where her
husband Ben serves as lead pastor.
The article is reprinted with permission from Mennonite Brethren Herald
(May 2012).
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 11
DREAMSTIME.COM
Confessions of a pastor’s wife
Convention 2012
Anna Bueckert
Caroline Unger
Glenda Friesen
Panel, Klaas Reimer speak at ministerial
“Be yourself!” That was the central
guidance provided to a pastor’s spouse
during the EMC national ministerial
meeting on July 6, 2012, on the campus of Providence University College,
Otterburne, Man.
Other key events were a devotional on valuing small things, prayer
for Charles Koop as Church Planting
Coordinator, a service of footwashing
and communion (where Klaas Reimer
spoke), and a sharing time.
Devotional
Darren Plett (Pleasant Valley) said
that contrary to modern society,
God is not always impressed with
big. “Who despises the day of small
things?” (Zechariah 4:10), Plett cautioned, tying this in with the EMC’s
former name of Kleine (small) Gemeinde. God chooses normal people,
churches, and conferences to do his
work, he said.
Coordinator
Layton Friesen, Board of Leadership
and Outreach chair, introduced
Charles Koop (Fish Creek) as
the EMC’s new Church Planting
12 The Messenger • August 2012
Coordinator. Koop confessed to a
fear of failure, but trusts in God’s
work behind the scenes. Ministerial
members gathered, laid hands on him,
and prayed.
Pastor’s Visit
Brad Schneck (Vanderhoof ) spoke of
going on a prayer walk in Guadalajara,
Mexico. He saw three values in a
pastor’s visiting a mission field: to
encourage workers, to learn about the
work, and to renew a global vision.
Prayers are
offered for
Charles and
Lorraine Koop
(middle).
Charles began
as Church
Planting
Coordinator
on July 1.
Main Theme
Peter and Martha Doerksen (La
Crete) spoke by Skype on Married to
a Pastor: The Magic, The Miseries, The
Make Belief, and the Ministry. Peter
didn’t know of another profession
where the employer has such expectations of the employee’s spouse.
Martha saw “endless” opportunities for ministry, depending on gifts
and availability. While expectations of
a pastor’s wife are not what they once
were, they still exist, she said, and it
is important for a spouse to not be a
clone of someone else.
Convention 2012
Panel Presentations
Glenda Friesen (Fort Garry), Caroline
Unger (Stony Brook), and Anna
Bueckert (Picture Butte) spoke to the
theme.
Glenda Friesen said it’s positive to
live in a community of grace, to have
an insider’s view of the Holy Spirit’s
work, to work with a ministerial team,
and to be directly involved in ministry. Stress occurs when her spouse is
involved in “messy” situations with
friends or when confidentiality is
required about “heavy” matters.
Caroline Unger had no calling to
be a pastor’s wife and she knew she
could not act the same as her pastor’s
wife. It was freeing to be counseled,
“Just be yourself.”
Unger counseled: just be yourself,
don’t let expectations of others
motivate you by guilt, love people, set
boundaries, try to find a friend, pray
often and stay in the Word, “and this
too shall pass.”
Before she was married, Anna
Bueckert felt God’s call to be a pastor’s
wife. She agreed that a pastor’s wife
needs to be herself. She was given a
ministry of encouragement and “loves”
to work alongside Abe, but finds
change hard (such as moving and leaving a job she appreciates). She enjoys it
most when she and Abe pray together.
Questions were asked. Have any
of you changed? One said she hadn’t
changed, but needed to be careful.
Another said mostly not, but needed
to do “what I’m cut out for.” A third
Peter and Martha Doerksen by Skype
A theme during the discussion is that a pastor can
help to protect a spouse from unfair expectations.
said change is good if it’s in the right
direction.
A theme during the discussion
is that a pastor can help to protect a
spouse from unfair expectations.
A pastor asked, what type of emotions do you feel when your husband
is up for evaluation? When a church
mistreated her husband, he resigned,
one woman replied. When she was
then described as the best pastor’s
wife they’d had, she reminded the
person that what they did to him, they
did to her.
When evaluating a pastor, it is
offensive for a form to include questions on evaluating the spouse, one
pastor said; it should be avoided if at
all possible.
Footwashing
A service of footwashing and communion followed. David Kruse
(MacGregor) led singing in German
and English. Jeff Plett (Fort Frances)
read from John 6. Klaas Reimer had
the sermon, as adapted and presented
by Layton Friesen (Fort Garry).
“We must yield our all to Him
without keeping anything back in our
hearts and minds. Oh beloved I sincerely wish that we would thoroughly
prepare ourselves for this love and
memorial feast,” preached Reimer in
1829, “so that no one would appear
before Christ with a lamp without oil
or without a wedding garment.”
After the message, congregants
knelt in prayer facing backwards (as in
earlier KG practice). There was more
singing in English.
Most people present participated
in footwashing before joining in
communion. Layton Friesen then
pronounced a benediction and a coffee time followed. Finally, there was a
time of sharing and prayer.
– Terry M. Smith
Cathy Klassen serves Helen Froese as part of a footwashing and communion service.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 13
Convention 2012
Conference Council deals with
current tasks and the future
In the near future, the EMC will be
asked to consider entering a process
of revising its Statement of Faith,
conference council delegates were informed on July 7, 2012, at Providence
University College, Otterburne, Man.
Nominating Committee
Devotional
After discussion, conference council
voted to accept Iglesia Emmanuel
(Emmanuel Church, Calgary) into the
EMC.
A Vision Statement has been
drafted and is being revised, Tim
Dyck said. The Harmony Project is
needed as thorough work is needed
on difficult issues, said moderator Richard Klassen.
Building on the Board of
Leadership and Outreach’s
desire, the General Board
authorized it to begin a review
of the EMC’s Statement of
Faith, Klassen said. BLO chair
Layton Friesen later clarified
that at November’s conference
council, the BLO will propose
a process of how to revise the
1993 statement.
Kelly Lesser (Roseisle) drew upon
Psalm 8 and a storm that caused him
to marvel at a force of nature and the
God behind it. We are God’s greatest
creation, he said, but get sidetracked
and fail to notice God who acted for
our reconciliation in Jesus.
Election Results
Vice Moderator
Abe Bergen (Kleefeld) Reg. 8
Board of Church Ministries
Brigitte Toews (Heartland) Reg. 8
Rick Bettig (Steinbach EMC) Reg. 8
Board of Leadership and Outreach
David Funk (Abbeydale) Reg. 2
Kim Stoesz (Braeside) Reg. 7
Jacob Enns (Leamington) Reg. 9
Glenn Plett (Morweena) Reg. 5
Alvin B. Plett (Heartland) Reg. 8
Board of Missions
Warren Kroeker (Braeside) Reg. 7
Len Barkman (Heartland) Reg. 8
Fred Buhler (Pineridge) Reg. 3
Board of Trustees
Tony Hiebert (Ridgewood) Reg. 8
Jake Elias (La Crete) Reg. 1
Nominating Committee
Alvin Rempel (Rosenort Fellowship) Reg. 6
Arnold Thiessen (Braeside) Reg. 7
Sid Reimer (Fort Garry) Reg. 7
Hilda Koop (Heartland) Reg. 8
14 The Messenger • August 2012
Alvin Plett (Heartland) led in elections. All positions were filled by
acclamation; they received support
levels of at least 90 percent.
General Board
Board of Church Ministries
Churches are asked to encourage and assist youth leaders to
attend TRU, our national youth
leaders’ retreat (Oct. 12–14),
said Gerald Reimer, conference
youth minister. TRU provides
good content and does not
want cost to be a barrier to
attending, he said.
EMC archival holdings are
being moved to Winnipeg, said
Terry Smith, executive secretary. The EMC “urgently needs”
to have materials translated
from German. “Voices from
Moderator RIchard Klassen
our history—writings in our vault—
are being silenced by our conference’s
inability to read them,” he said.
Brigitte Toews, BCM secretary,
read a letter from chair Wes Kroeker.
In May the BCM reviewed the decision to publish the creation series and
decided it “fell within the mandate of
the magazine,” and that it “would be
helpful to have a diversity of opinions
represented in the same issue and for
pastors to have a heads-up….”
“Let us dialogue with sincere love,”
Kroeker wrote. “Let us jealously guard
the other’s well-being. Let us seek to
make God look good.”
Board of Missions
Outgoing chair John Bueckert said it
was the BOM’s task to “put missions
in your face.” The Discovering Your
Ministry Potential weekend will be
held in Grande Prairie, Alta. (Sept.
21–23). Tim Dyck, general secretary,
reported on visiting workers in Europe and participating in a MWC missions conference in Switzerland. Heidi
Plett (Prairie Rose) said Namibia
needs teachers.
Board of Trustees
Leonard Plett said a Treasurer’s Day
Convention 2012
was held. Designated funds
are available to help “handicapped” people. The year
2011 ended with a $42,000
surplus (after $20,000 was
reallocated). The audit went
well. The financial year-todate is better than in 2011.
Board of Leadership
and Outreach
While Tim Dyck travels to Madrid, Paris, and
Basel, Ward Parkinson, conference pastor, said
he travels to Picture Butte, Hudson Bay, and
Stevenson and gets the better end of the deal.
Chair Layton Friesen interviewed
Charles Koop about church planting. What’s exciting about planting
churches? The people who will come,
Koop replied. Layton encouraged
churches to invite Koop.
Friesen said there are spiritual
benefits to reviewing the Statement of
Faith. He suggested a lengthy process
involving “grass roots” participation.
The ministerial would deliberate and
form a committee. The committee
would revise the Statement, which
would then be submitted for examination, and approval, by the ministerial
and conference council.
In looking at the creation series,
the BLO took into account the Statement of Faith, the 1985 statement,
and what has been taught at related
Christian institutions, Friesen said. It
concluded that the EMC has held the
door open to several interpretations.
In November the ministerial will hold
a teaching day, looking at Christian
strategies in reading Genesis, he said.
While Tim Dyck travels to Madrid,
Paris, and Basel, Ward Parkinson,
conference pastor, said he travels
to Picture Butte, Hudson Bay, and
Stevenson and gets the better end of
the deal.
Affiliate Organizations
The Evangelical Fellowship
of Canada is responding
to social issues, Tim Dyck
said, and a short video
on human trafficking was
shown. The Winnipeg
Centre for Ministry Studies
is going through changes,
said Bert Kornelson.
Why did Jesus say to help others?
asked Janet Plenert of Mennonite
Disaster Service. Because they need
it, she replied. MDS is to stand with
people on the “margins” and those
who serve are changed in our faith.
Ebenezer
Iglesia Cristiana Ebenezer (Ebenezer
Christian Church), in Brandon,
brought greetings through its delegate
Abraham Gilberto Contreras, who
spoke of the congregation’s newlypurchased meeting place, which is
now being renovated.
– Terry M. Smith
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 15
Convention 2012
Saturday afternoon workshops
Bruce Penner,
Dallas Kornelson
Missions in the 21st Century: The Board
of Missions’ workshop included two
aspects of ministry that are challenging in
different ways.
One couple talked about the widespread need for beginning creative businesses in restricted access countries. They
shared how working through business gives
opportunities to serve real people with real
needs. A Kingdom business brings Jesus
into the marketplaces, which are centres
of influence for every town, region and
nation. Bruce Penner, chair of Mid-Way Christian Leadership (formerly Continental
Mission), shared a renewed vision, through
which the board and mission has sharpened their focus on specific roles to embrace the “Kingdom of God” in northern
Manitoba. Bruce talked about specific steps
that the board is taking to walk alongside
northern Christian leaders. – Ken Zacharias
Foreign Secretary
Deeping the Faith of a New Generation:
With the goal to equip parents, presenters
talked about how they minister to students
under their care. From a para-church perspective, Dallas Kornelson spoke about the
development and challenges facing teens.
Tim Reimer talked about shared experiences as a teacher. David and Marie Dyck
talked about the joys and sorrows of
parenting. Andrew Krahn highlighted
building relationships within the local
church setting. Lots of questions were
asked during the panel discussion and
informal conversations carried on following the workshop. Many resources
were handed out and recommended
as well.
– Gerald Reimer
Conference Youth Minister
Becoming a Welcoming Church: Charles
Koop played a video reflecting experiences in MacGregor. Anthony Reimer
(Blumenort) spoke of the challenges of an
established church opening itself to the
wider community. Angel Infantes (Braeside)
spoke of greeters, getting to know about
other countries. Zac Klassen (The ConneXion, Arborg) spoke of eating together,
participation, caring rather than being busy.
See You in 2020: The EMC is going
through an envisioning process, and a draft
Vision Statement was presented to receive
feedback. Ward Parkinson, Tim Dyck, and
Garry Koop guided this discussion. (There
will be further opportunities for input as
the process continues.)
The Land of the Kleine Gemeinde Beginnings: Photos, descriptions, and personal
responses were shared about the Bicentennial tour to Ukraine (May 21 to June 7). See
a description of the tour elsewhere in this
issue.
Based on attendance figures and comments
received, the workshops—held twice on
Saturday afternoon—are worth considering
within future convention events planning.
– Terry Smith
Executive Secretary
Tim Dyck
Participants at the Becoming a
Welcoming Church workshop.
16 The Messenger • August 2012
Convention 2012
As part of the EMC’s Bicentennial
celebration, 42 people journeyed to
Ukraine, the land of their spiritual and
cultural roots.
The members of the Mennonite
Heritage Tour started for Ukraine on
May 21 and returned on June 7. Of
the 40 tourists and two guides, 23 are
active in the EMC or have roots in it
and 17 come from other Mennonite
groups (such as Sommerfelder and
Mennonite Brethren).
The group easily developed into a
community of faith, encouraging one
another spiritually.
The tour involved Kiev, Molotschna Colony, Chortitz Colony
and Borsenko Colony. We visited
key villages that used to have Kleine
Gemeinde (now EMC) people living
in them.
Some of the group took side
trips to villages where they had connections. One lady expressed joy at
walking on the streets of the village
where her mother had walked, as well
as seeing the house where her parents
had lived.
For EMCers it was exciting to
walk and see the villages where our
forebears had lived before migrating
to Canada and the USA in 1874–75.
There are no structures remaining
that were built prior to 1874. There
are, however, many brick buildings—
homes, schools, factories—built from
1895 to 1945. Some of the factories
and school buildings are being used
today
Education flourished at the end of
the 19th and early 20th centuries among
Mennonites. Also many brick houses
built by Mennonites are being used
today—recognizable by the round
window frames in the gable ends.
A special time was our Sunday
worship service at the mass grave
and monument remembering those
who had been massacred by Makhno
and his men in 1919 in Ebenfeld,
Boresenko.
Another special event was visiting
the restored and currently active
evangelical church in Petershagen, the
village where Klaas Reimer lived. Now
a Baptist church, it was previously
used by the Mennonite Brethren. The
church is also operating a home for
older widows who have been pushed
out into the street.
All on the tour said it was worthwhile and enjoyable to go back to their
roots.
– Harvey Plett
PHOTOS COURTESY HARVEY PLETT
42 people visit their roots in Ukraine
A village lady, with a maiden name of Rempel, still knew a little Low German.
Baptists now use the restored Petershagen
church.
The tour group stands in a field of wild poppies.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 17
Convention 2012
So what if our hillbilly hot tub stayed
cold, our fish were lazy, and our pump
got plugged? These EMC youth were
not going to let a few unplanned hiccups get in the way of a fabulous time
with friends on Saturday, July 7.
The conference youth event began
with 70 youth frantically filling balloons to create “muscles” under the
jersey of their team’s body builder and
then cheering these muscle men on
as they competed in popping all their
balloons with belly floppin’ fun.
Afterwards, Lyndon Epp (Rosenort
Fellowship) got the “Hick Olympic”
competition rollin’. Youth were challenged to set records at corn chuckin’,
toilet seat tossin’, hand fishin’, seed
spittin’, slip ‘n’ slidin’, and boot kickin’.
And the youth didn’t disappoint, for
they were spittin’ watermelon seeds
clear past the measuring line, slippin’
faster than greasy breakfast sausages,
and huckin’ those toilet seats as if it
were an international event.
Just before anybody got the notion of being tired, Travis Friesen
(Roseisle) and Mike Thiessen (Pleasant Valley) dragged the slip ‘n’ slide
18 The Messenger • August 2012
away from the river and onto the open
field. This was the highlight of the
event for many; we tried (with varying
success) several tug of war competitions, obstacle courses and races
down that slippery slide.
We poured on the soap till it
was gone and shouted with glee as
we slid down that poly; spectators
in the truckbox pool watched with
excitement.
However, our hope was that the
youth could be part of something
bigger than entertainment on this day.
Jesse and Erin Penner (Pleasant Valley), Scott and Debbie Dick (Rosenort
EMC) and Alyssa Thiessen (Pleasant
Valley) set up numerous stations
where youth were encouraged to get
creative with paper, cameras, canvas,
yarn, pictures, cards and musical
instruments to bless our Conference
missionaries.
Biographies of missionaries were
posted at each station and leaders
guided youth through the process of
praying for and creatively encouraging
them. The youth left us speechless
at how they jumped into this service
PHOTOS COURTESY SCOTT DICK
EMC youth spit, serve, and worship
project and created many beautiful
and meaningful works of art.
The pizza supper came just in
time, and was followed by a surprise
dessert: an eavestrough ice cream
sundae. After everyone was done
lickin’ their lips, the evening got off to
a bold start with the band Reinstate
performing a concert for the energetic
crowd.
Next, a hillbilly skit was performed
that built on the “missions” theme
and helped prepare the crowd to hear
from our speaker, Flo Friesen. A past
missionary herself, Friesen shared
personal stories while painting a
picture of what missions is: actions
that stem from a genuine response to
God’s love.
Missions is not trying to fulfill all
the needs in this world, but rather
being faithful to listen and obey the
God who loves us. Then, Reinstate led
us in worshipping God through song.
And that is how the event ended, just
as it should have, with all glory going
to our Lord and Saviour.
– Scott Dick
Convention 2012
How do you start a race? Dr. Arden
Thiessen had noted in his talk the previous evening that Mennonites don’t
celebrate an anniversary with guns or
cannons. I thought of a solution: three
Swiss cowbells!
Participants had typical pre-race
jitters on July 7, 2012, but as the
cowbells rang the runners followed
the red signs and the five-km walkers
followed the yellow markers. The early
morning sun hadn’t dried off the fog
patches, so participants disappeared
silhouetted into the horizon along the
gravel road south of Otterburne, Man.
The morning was cool. However,
the July humidity was shown as runners came in wet from perspiration.
The five-km walkers and runners
zigzagged along the beautiful meandering Rat River, heading to the Bridal
Falls and back.
One runner missed the turn-in to
the finish and headed out for the second round until some runners called
him back.
One young five-km runner got so
enthused he took off with the 10-km
runners and just before the 7 a.m.
start of the five-km run he crossed
the finish line, only to be informed
that his race was about to begin. The
expression on his face was worth a
picture or two.
The only team of three runners—
Shannon Sawatzky, Bryan Warkentin
and Gary Koop (Steinbach EMC)—
received their baskets of fruit. All
participants received EMC t-shirts.
There was good competition
between the 10-km runners. Our
two fastest EMC pastors turned out
to be Garry Koop (Steinbach EMC)
and Jared Schroeder (Westpointe in
Grande Prairie).
All 33 participants enjoyed the
event and seemed pleased with the
special t-shirts and medals for the
winners. Maybe next year we can do it
again, increasing the numbers.
– Albert Martens
Shannon Sawatzky
PHOTOS: JOHN SAWATZKY
The EMC Rat River Run attracts 33
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to the core
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2012
CALLING TO CONNECT GALA
With Special GueStS
Janet Stewart, Wilma Derksen & JJ Lavallee
Reserve your tickets and tables today to this
annual, sold-out event by contacting Laurie at
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The four fastest runners: Garry Koop, Jared Schroeder, Adam Schmidt, and Gord Penner.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 19
Convention 2012
The Mennonite Landing Site at the junction of
the Red and Rat Rivers is not just another picturesque green space beside some quiet water. It
holds a very important place in Kleine Gemeinde
history, the place where the first contingent of
KG immigrants entered when they arrived in
Manitoba in 1874.
“I was very moved,” says Diana Peters, who
took the bus tour to the landing site offered on
Saturday afternoon from the EMC Convention.
“I was wondering what the settlers might have
been thinking as they stepped off the boat into
the unknown.”
Cyndy Warkentin had similar sentiments.
“I thought especially of the women who
had left their homes and belongings behind in
Ukraine, and now were faced with feeding and
clothing their families in a land where everything was unfamiliar,” she says. “It must have
been overwhelming.”
Warkentin notes while we may know the history of the arrival of Mennonites in Canada, to
actually visit the place evokes powerful images.
“It brings it very close to home,” she notes.
“This is my history.”
There is no doubt the immigrants had many
fears, but there would also have been a sense of
hopefulness and excitement in beginning a new
life. They faced the future with a measure of
optimism because they were convinced that God
had led them to Canada where they had freedom
to follow their spiritual convictions.
The first Kleine Gemeinde settlements in
Manitoba were at Gruenfeld (Kleefeld) and
Steinbach.
– Doris Penner
20 The Messenger • August 2012
Worship service
goes back 200 years
The starkly beautiful Old Colony Church at Mennonite Heritage
Village in Steinbach, Man., was the scene of an historically
significant service on July 1, 2012, as 150 people gathered to
worship as the Kleine Gemeinde did through the 200 years since
the conference was founded.
To appropriately set the scene, men and women were required to sit on separate sides of the sanctuary, and there was no
prelude on piano or guitar.
At the designated time, two men dressed in severe dark suits
stepped onto the podium and the service began with Henry Fast,
a member of the EMC Bicentennial Committee, making a brief
introduction to inform modern worshipers of the procedure.
The service included several a cappella High German hymns,
silent prayer with the congregation kneeling at the benches,
an opening sermon delivered almost 100 years by Heinrich
R. Dueck (minister at Kleefeld EMC from 1916–1944) read
by Barry Plett, and a main sermon preached by Klaas Reimer
(founder of the conference) in 1832 read by Menno Kroeker.
As the gathered congregation listened to the words of Rev.
Dueck as he expressed his thoughts on the parable of The
Sower and the Seed and the exposition of Jesus’ parable of the
wheat and the tares as found in Matthew 13 by Klaas Reimer,
it is evident that the early leaders were well acquainted with
scripture and had a deep desire that the flock follow God daily in
obedience.
The Kleine Gemeinde congregation of 1812 has expanded
to 62 EMC churches across five Canadian provinces, said EMC
general secretary Tim Dyck in closing.
– Doris Penner
PHOTO: DORIS PENNER
PHOTO: FLO FRIESEN
Mennonite Landing Site
evokes strong images
Participating in the “retro service” at Mennonite Heritage Village are Menno Kroeker
(as Klaas Reimer), Danny Reimer (as song leader), Tim Dyck (EMC general secretary),
Henry Fast (Bicentennial Committee) and Barry Plett (as Heinrich Dueck).
Columns • archives alcove
Looking at a legacy
T
DREAMSTIME.COM
he Kleine Gemeinde (now EMC) has a
history of standing up for the wrongly
treated and the poor—so said Dr.
Harvey Plett during his convention message,
drawing upon several early KG stories.
Klaas Reimer opposed the beating of Russian
servants. The KG intervened for Franz Thiessen
and his daughter Anna, both imprisoned for
alleged incest.
Church members were helped with land or
travel costs. The KG intervened for Michael
Makowski, a convert to Anabaptism. These are
wonderful acts. However, questions linger.
Did Klaas Reimer or other KG leaders show
concern for the general living conditions of
people of Russian descent? Did the KG approach
the Russian government for those who were not
church members or of Dutch/German background? Historians can clarify this.
Early Anabaptist history does provide a
legacy of opposing injustice. Partly shaped by
the tragedies of the German Peasants’ War and
Muenster, 16th century Anabaptist leaders were
conscious of social matters.
Menno Simons, for instance, opposed unfair
taxes that “suck the very marrow from the bones
of the poor,” and denounced lords and princes,
judges, lawyers, advocates, captains, knights,
foot soldiers, “similar bloody men,” priests,
monks, and preachers, “wicked merchants and
retailers” for greed and abuses of power (Complete Writings, 367–368).
Layton Friesen said in his convention message that when it comes to considering others
beyond the Mennonite village, “…Evangelicals
have shown us what it means to be Mennonite.”
Today our Conference’s Statement of Faith
and Church Practices point us in a clear direction: “Instead of taking up arms, we should do
whatever we can to lessen human distress and
suffering, even at the risk of our own lives” (“The
Life of Peace,” Statement of Faith, article 9). “Disciples of Christ commit themselves to righteousness, justice, peace and love, in their homeland
and the global community” (“Commitment to
Service,” Church Practices, article 6).
Makowski’s story brings out another central
matter. It has become almost a cliché to say that
the EMC “has missions in its DNA.” If so, history
reveals that this missions gene was dormant for
many years in both Russia and Canada.
When Dutch/German Mennonites negotiated their move to Russia, they agreed not to
proselytize. How could Anabaptists agree to this
limitation?
The early Anabaptist Church boldly claimed
the apostolic legacy that it must proclaim Christ
in order to “obey God rather than man” (Acts
4:19). In setting aside the Great Commission
within Russia, part of the later Anabaptist
Church decided otherwise. Can past persecution
adequately explain or excuse this? With all due
respect, I cannot say yes.
It is troubling to find only a single story of a
non-Dutch/German family being welcomed into
the KG in Russia. Were there more? If so, written KG history has hidden them well.
Years ago professor Ben Hoeppner said at
SBC that Martin Luther’s reformation only
went part way because he failed to apply
Scripture to all of life. Using this same standard of judgment—apparently rooted in the
Radical Reformation—how, then, shall we
evaluate the early KG legacy?
by Terry M. Smith
When Dutch/German Mennonites negotiated their
move to Russia, they agreed not to proselytize. How
could Anabaptists agree to this limitation?
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 21
With Our Missionaries
Involvement that
includes the whole
community
PAUINGASSI
Because of the high costs,
it is always a task to see
how we can best pack
and transport supplies—
but this is a reality that
residents live with.
22 The Messenger • August 2012
It was a really great camp and
community experience, though with
some challenges. Because of the
high costs, it is always a task to see
how we can best pack and transport
supplies—but this is a reality that
residents live with.
This year another challenge was
the 35 C heat and high humidity. It
made baseball almost impossible, so
we spent time with the kids swimming
in the lake. Two of our workers actually cooled off a bit in a deep freeze.
The seaplane flight, taking off and
landing on water, can be a bit of an
adrenaline experience. Sometimes
it is quite bumpy and rough; some
Gravol may be needed. It is a faith
adventure—but, again, this is a reality
that Pauingassi residents accept.
We look forward to going back
next year, already having new ideas.
As a full-time Athletes in Action
staff member, I am organizing three baseball camps
this summer in remote First
Nations communities, with
about six to eight volunteer
staff members working in
each camp.
– Albert Martens
PHOTO COURTESY ALBERT MARTENS
What began as straightforward
Baseball Camp nine years ago has developed into a program that includes
the whole community—that’s our
experience at Pauingassi First Nation,
Man., with Athletes in Action (AIA).
Our AIA team was present from
July 9–15, 2012, and while baseball is
still an integral part of the program,
there is much more: Bible classes,
crafts and swimming for the kids.
Men were invited to a breakfast, ladies
to their own breakfast, and the community to a wiener roast.
Forty-five men came for the
breakfast of pancakes with bacon.
Each man received a fishhook as a
gift. Forty-one ladies came for their
breakfast, and each received a
gift bag of goodies. Shortly past
10 a.m. we were worried only
five ladies would show, but a
busload of 36 women arrived.
At the wiener roast we served
300 hotdogs.
Over the years we have
learned to know and appreciate
the residents of Pauingassi.
This year I was privileged to
help local pastor Allan Owen, of the
Apostolic Church, as he baptized Delores Pascal. She shared her testimony
with the ladies at the breakfast.
The AIA group also attends the
local church service and each one is
expected to contribute. The service
may carry on for three to four hours
before everyone has shared a song, a
story or some scripture.
About 30 children turned up for
our first “Sunday School” class. They
kept coming back each day for lessons
and crafts.
One evening I wandered into
the gym and the older teens were
organizing a floor hockey tournament.
I immediately became the referee
and spent the better part of the night
in the gym with these young guys.
Personal friendships have developed
between our AIA team and some local
people, which is a joy to see.
The AIA team: (front) Winnie Fehr, Katrina Woelk, Bud
Kehler, (middle) Linda Blatz, Stephanie Fehr, Abby Janzen,
Albert Martens, (back) Walter Fehr. All but Martens are from
Emmanuel Mennonite Church, Winkler, Man.
Albert Martens (Steinbach
EMC) is an ultra-marathoner
who serves with Athletes in
Action.
Editor’s Note: Pauingassi
First Nation is a Saulteaux/
Ojibwa First Nation located
about 280 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg, Man. In
2009 it had a population of
about 600 people (Wikipedia).
With Our Missionaries
CINAG’s ministry
continues, church
grows
NICARAGUA
Over the years CINAG has made
concerted efforts along with
family services to teach parents,
to give them tools for parenting,
to introduce them to Jesus.
PHOTO COURTESY LESTER AND DARLENE OLFERT
I have before me a photo of the children and staff taken in 2007. I let my
mind wander and the memories come
freely. It is a large group of “little”
children who today are adolescents
and young adults.
No one imagined how this ministry would develop and affect this
group or the wider community. God,
however, knew. It has been the mighty
hand of God at work one life at a time,
one year at a time.
Isaiah 50:4 says, “The Sovereign
Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know what to say to all
these weary ones.” Years of intentional
teaching and nurturing has produced
a lovely group of healthy, welladjusted, educated young people.
Several are now in high school
and others are already in university.
Another is in the police academy.
Among them are also a few young
moms who now have the responsibility of raising their children. One youth
mentioned he would like to work at
CINAG when he finished school.
CINAG continues to walk alongside all of these people and helps them
in practical ways, always speaking
hope into their lives.
I also think of a young girl who did
not escape the culture of the sex trade
her mother was in, and today at 13
she is pregnant and devastated. She
Lester and Darlene Olfert (back left) with children and workers in 2007.
had always expressed her fear of this
happening to her and did not want to
be part of such a lifestyle. CINAG will
continue to give her a hand up, love,
care and refuge.
Over the years CINAG has made
concerted efforts along with family
services to teach parents, to give them
tools for parenting, to introduce them
to Jesus. Only Jesus will turn this cycle
around if they will trust in Him.
Gethsemane Church, adjacent
to CINAG, has been making a huge
impact on the community. The little
church is now not so little both in
adherents and size of structure. How
we praise God for his marvelous
workings.
They have outgrown their present
facility and are in the process of building. They are looking to God for the
finances to finish the walls, roof, doors
and windows.
We thank the countless work team
members and supporters who have
put a lot of love and work into this
project. Today CINAG continues to
depend on God and carries on with
the mission before them. We are
called on to continue to support and
pray for them.
The original group of children have
grown up and found meaning in life,
but today the new group of children
entering the program, need the same
care and teaching. They need to know
God loves them and be taught life
skills to prepare them for life.
Please continue to pray for director Elizabeth Vado and the staff as
they faithfully and enthusiastically
serve the Lord.
– Darlene Olfert
Darlene and Lester Olfert (EFC
Steinbach) have resigned from Action
International, but continue their longtime interest in Nicaragua’s well-being.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 23
With Our Churches
Kleefeld EMC
Baptism and grad recognition
Kleefeld, Man.—On Sunday, June 17,
2012, our church family was happy to
witness the baptism and membership
reception of eight new members. All
eight are youth who have grown up
in the church and it was a blessing to
hear their testimonies.
Coralie, daughter of Bev and Bert
Dueck, testified as to how she had
learned that “prayer changes things.”
Kayla, daughter of Phyllis and Ron
Harder, read Psalm 13:5 and was reassured that God’s love doesn’t fail.
Zach, son of Lisa and Dean
Kamstra, had made the decision to let
Christ be number one in his life. Katy,
daughter of Sharon and Pastor Darryl
Klassen, was encouraged by verses 23
and 24 of Psalm 37; and Lukas, son of
Martha and Vik Sawatzky, chose verse
1 of Psalm 42.
Amy and Scott, children of Patti
and Wayne Unger, both vowed to
continue to follow Christ and to trust
in the Lord completely. Cy, son of
Karen and Rob Wiebe, was encouraged by Romans 8:31 to rely fully on
the power of God.
It was evident that the candidates’
families, their church, their experiences at camp, and even the illness of
a friend had inspired them to commit
themselves to God. We welcome you
to the Kleefeld EMC and wish you
God’s blessings in your walk with the
Lord.
Graduate recognition took place
on June 24. Not all graduates were
It was evident that the candidates’ families, their church, their
experiences at camp, and even the illness of a friend had inspired
them to commit themselves to God.
able to attend that morning, but the
following were recognized and we
extend congratulations to all who have
completed their course of studies and
wish them all the best as they continue on into the work force or further
education.
Graduating from SRSS were
Alairic Penner, Katy Fast, Yolanda
Morran, Melissa Friesen, Hayley
Toews, Tamara Banman, Mac Wiebe
and Ryan Sharples. Other graduates
were Michael Dueck (Bachelor of
Music and Bachelor of Education),
Christine Unger (Bachelor of Nursing), Kurry Dueck (Bachelor of Arts),
and Ruth Friesen (Early Childhood
Education).
“We pray … that you may live
a life worthy of the Lord and may
please him in every way; bearing fruit
in every good work, growing in the
knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10).
– Louella Friesen
Births
VADNAIS – to Ron and Arlana Vadnais of
Winnipeg, Man., a son, Micah William Kenneth,
on July 10, 2012.
PLETT – to Jeremy and Erin Plett of Winnipeg,
Man., a daughter, Lauryn Joanne, on June 14,
2012.
PHOTO: LOUELLA FRIESEN
PETERS – to Ron and Jamie Peters of
Rosenort, Man., a daughter, Ryann Jade, on
Apr. 26, 2012.
Baptized: (back) Katy Klassen, Zach Kamstra, Scott Unger, (middle) Lukas Sawatzky, Kayla
Harder, (front) Cy Wiebe, Amy Unger, Coralie Dueck.
24 The Messenger • August 2012
DUECK – to Blaine and Melissa Dueck of Blue
Creek, Belize, a daughter, Sadie Bluthe, on May
24, 2012.
BRANDT – to Justin and Krystal Brandt of
Rosenort, Man., a son, Colton Josiah, on May
31, 2012.
BANMAN – to Frank and Mary Banman of
Rosenort, Man., a son, Jaymian Jon, on June
23, 2012.
With Our Churches
Pansy Chapel
Pansy, Man.—June is a pretty perfect
time of the year, isn’t it? Located as we
are in the lush outdoors, midst green
grasses and oak trees, flowers and evergreens, robins, squirrels and hummingbirds, what could be lovelier?
Add a bubbling creek to the
background; with a new walking
bridge spanning it and, well, you get
the picture. And for various reasons,
some of our most celebrated church
events coincide with this, coming up
every June.
Let’s start with the party we like
to put on for the grads. This year we
honoured three.
Inviting the grads with their immediate families and close friends
plus various church leaders, we began
with a barbecue dinner at the pastor’s
yard and later moved over to the
church basement for both some hilarious fun and more serious send-off
words of wisdom and prayers.
Then there was the baptism
service on June 10. Ever since we
adopted the idea of using Joubert
Creek to create our own Jordan River
experience, even damming it up when
necessary, baptism has become, more
than ever, a highlight. This year was
no exception.
The inspiring worship singing,
the timely message on the flags and
colours of baptism, the vibrant testimonies by the candidates, and finally
the moment when we all go down to
the river for the ceremony.
Each part is special and adds to
the whole, as does each person in the
crowd of attendees. Baptized were
Jennifer Funk (nee Derksen) and
Renae Hiebert. We wish you gals,
richly, God’s blessings and grace for
the journey.
PHOTO: BETTY BARKMAN
Graduation, baptism, picnic at Pansy
Jen Funk and Ranae Hiebert were baptized in Joubert Creek on June 24. Pastors Ed Giesbrecht and Leonard Barkman stand with them.
Finally, June 24 had us winding up
a good, bursting-at-the-seams Sunday
School year, with an all-day picnic at
the park. We are privileged to have
a large lovely green park right in the
community, and we begin by having
our morning service in or around its
shelter.
Here we were blessed with some
lovely singing by Byron and Friends
and an appropriate and powerful
message by friend Len Friesen, Awana
missionary from the Steinbach area.
The meal that followed was a chicken
barbecue and potluck, enjoyed by
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close to two hundred people, while
the various games, activities and
treats following that offered fun for
everybody.
Put it all together and rejoice.
God has been very good to us—both
through the good times and the bad,
but isn’t it strange how much easier
those words roll off our tongues when
good things happen?
– Betty Barkman
Weddings
OLFERT – PLETT: Dean Olfert and Janna Plett
were married on July 14, 2012, at All Saints
Anglican Church. The couple lives in Winnipeg,
Man.
PLETT – WITTENBERG: Michael Plett and
Heather Wittenberg were married on July 29,
2012, at Bethel Mennonite Church. The couple
lives in Winnipeg, Man.
PARKINSON – PLETT: Kyle, son of Ward and
Janine Parkinson of Morris, Man., and Danae,
daughter of Darren and Pearl Plett of Rosenort,
Man., were married on May 12, 2012. The
couple lives in Morris, Man.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 25
With Our Churches
Pleasant Valley EMC
Sunday School teachers appreciated
Carl and Lisa Loewen, with their
four sons, came home from the Philippines after 12 years of working with
boys at Honest Hands. Both sets of
parents—Dan and Florence Loewen,
Reg and Marilyn Giesbrecht—hosted
open house parties for the community
to reconnect with them.
Loewens have moved into their
newly-purchased home in Mitchell,
Man. Their plans are to begin a ministry with Filipinos in the Steinbach
area.
Sunday School teachers were
treated to a delicious lunch after
church in appreciation of their efforts.
On June 24, 2012, the church had a
Sunday School picnic at the Rosenort
Arena. The preparation of rollkuchen,
a pastry, in deep fryers was a big hit.
People from many places in
Canada enjoyed the EMC Convention,
which was held at Providence University College in Otterburne, Man.
A birthday cake was served in
celebration of the 200 years since the
EMC started. Workshops and panel
discussions were held and speakers
were heard, with many interesting
topics throughout the three-day
weekend.
Children were entertained, with
many well-prepared things for them
to enjoy. Food was tasty at meals and
coffee breaks.
A spruce seedling was given out,
representing the convention’s theme,
Rooted in Christ. Growing in Him.
Thank you to the many volunteers.
Our senior youth went to Dallas,
Texas, on a short-term missions trip.
A group of 14 was led by Mike and
Alyssa Thiessen, Marshall Reimer, and
Jackson Brandt
The youth were involved with
children, the homeless, and a prayer
ministry with Adventure in Missions.
– Marilyn Kornelsen
PHOTOS COURTESY MARILYN KORNELSEN
Rosenort, Man.—The Ladies Fellowship held a shower for Danae Plett,
daughter of Darren and Pearl Plett,
and for Samantha Silvester, foster
daughter of Ernie and Mary Ann
Loewen.
Enjoyable speeches were told
about the brides by Danae’s mom,
Samantha’s mom and foster sister Jen.
Delicious finger food and cakes were
served.
Our newly-elected deacon couples
are Keith and Lynn Rance and Pat
and Kim Siemens. Rudy and Grace
Loewen have stayed for another term.
All men, grade 10 and up, were
invited to participate in a great weekend of fun and fellowship, work and
worship in God’s beautiful outdoors at
Gem Lake. This is a yearly weekend retreat for men. They came home with a
great report of it being time well spent.
Senior youth who served in Dallas, Texas: (front) Mike Thiessen, Jennifer
Penner, Alyssa Thiessen, Karen Friesen, Kari Plett, Destiny Ludwig, Rae
Anna Schulz, Katelyn Sawatzky, (middle) Marshall Reimer, Mitchell Siemens, Alison Stevenson (back) Jackson Brandt, Riley Penner, Nicole Friesen.
26 The Messenger • August 2012
Parent-child dedication on July 22, 2012: pastoral couple
Pearl and Darren Plett, Ron and Jamie Peters with daughter
Ryann, Justin and Crystal Brandt with sons Cash and Colton.
Columns • focus on
Let’s keep the Word of God central!
Scripture memorization – Remember as a
child when you needed to memorize your verse
on Saturday night before going to Sunday School
the next morning? Why does this become less
emphasized when we become adults? In fact, we
should become more adept at memorization as
adults.
The Navigators are well known for Scripture
memorization utilities, and there are also
resources online. What initiatives do you have in
your church to promote memorization of Scripture among the adults in the congregation?
Preaching the Word – Whether through
expository preaching, topical messages, or
any other method, is the message founded on
Scripture? In a generation that emphasizes entertainment, the temptation is to make sermons
interesting at the expense of everything else.
Are we as congregations prepared to sacrifice
an entertaining message for a challenge from the
Word of God?
In his message, Layton suggested that it
might take decades of being saturated with the
Bible to effect changes within our churches—a
sort of “marinating” process. Maybe these are
areas where your church is already excelling, and
I hope this is the case.
Let’s keep the Word of God central.
Does your church
commit time during
each service to the
public reading of the
Word? Is this segment
a highlight of the worship
service?
by Tim Dyck
General Secretary
ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
S
cripture is the “prayer grammar of the
Church”—this is how Layton Friesen
described it during his message at Convention on Sunday morning.
This part of his message was a challenge to us
as a Conference to take seriously the role of the
Scriptures in growing deeper in our encounter
with God, just as modeled by Jesus.
When Conference staff met with churches to
discuss EMC core values, the value of Scriptural
truth was always highlighted, so it seems that
most of us would agree with this position. But
just how well are we doing as EMC churches?
How does your church fare in the following
areas in giving Scripture a prominent role in our
worship services?
Public reading – Does your church commit
time during each service to the public reading of
the Word? Is this segment a highlight of the worship service? If not, it should be and it can be.
There are various books and online resources
providing tips on how to effectively read Scripture
in public. These tips include things such as effective use of pauses, practicing aloud in advance,
and appropriate dramatization of the text.
Perhaps your church could consider training
sessions for people who read Scripture publicly.
A dynamic and enthusiastic reading of Scripture
would immediately impact the worship experience of any church.
Personal reading – Perhaps the
most important thing you can do in
your church is to encourage daily
reading of the Word. The moment
that I made the decision to read
God’s Word daily was a turning
point in my walk with the Lord, even
though I had been a Christian for
many years.
God’s Word is most powerful
and effective when it is consumed
regularly. What would happen in
your church if every person attending
made a commitment to read the Bible
each day? What would it take to accomplish this in your church?
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 27
News
Project Builders raises $24,000 at 18th EMC Golf Classic
ICYA and Nicaragua to benefit
PHOTOS: LEN BARKMAN
STEINBACH, Man.—The EMC Project Builders Golf Clas- A critical need of the camp has been a clean and adequate
sic is a popular, much anticipated annual event. This year
water supply.
was no exception as 154 golfers came together from across
With a new well, pump and distribution lines the camp
the province to participate in the event.
will no longer need to haul water a distance of several
This is one occasion where we have the opportunity to
kilometres and will have the capacity to adequately supply
relate with friends and business associates in an informal
water for large groups using the facilities. The camp is used
setting. The animated greetings and conversations affirm
extensively by the national church for children’s camps,
the role of bringing people together for a friendly, relaxing
youth retreats, church and family camps as well as having a
game of golf. Good weather is obviously important for
great potential for rental to other churches and groups.
an outdoor activity, and what a blessing it was to enjoy a
Project Builders continues to sponsor numerous initiabeautiful warm day.
tives each year. In addition to those mentioned, we are also
Significant as the social aspect may be, our primary
contributing to several Business for Transformation (b4t)
purpose in hosting this event is to support several of the
programs in Asia and North Africa, leadership training in
numerous projects taken
Afghanistan, a church building in the Demoon by Project Builders each
cratic Republic of the Congo, a women’s shelter
year. Sincere thanks go to
in Central Asia, a senior’s shelter in Mexico, and
our sponsors whose generan outreach fund for our church-planting team
ous donations are so imporin Mexico.
tant in making this event
Project Builders provides an important minsuch a success. More than
istry through assisting the national church and
$24,000 was raised to help
our workers throughout the world with capital
fund two of our projects.
resources to more effectively carry out their
As we have done for
work for the Kingdom. We are always open to
each of the past eighteen
new members who can, with a modest annual
years, half of the proceeds
Ed Barkman, Ray Plett, Lloyd Plett
donation, make it possible for us to support
raised go toward a project
these projects.
presented to us by Inner
For information on how to become a memCity Youth Alive in Winber go to www.projectbuilders.ca.
nipeg, Man. This year their
– Len Barkman
project was to provide
signage on their property,
both for community exposure as well as for providing
identification and direction
SBC foursome: David Reimer, Ernie Koop,
within the building. It has
Len Sawatsky, Rob Reimer
been a great privilege for
Project Builders to support
the ministry of ICYA over
these many years.
The other half of the
proceeds will go towards a
well for Camp Maranatha
SEPTEMBER15
in Nicaragua. Project BuildSteinbach Bible College
ers has made significant
Tickets only $35 at SBCollege.ca or 326-6451
Find out how you can take this as a course for credit!
contributions to this camp
EMC Golf Classic organizer Ron Penner and
over a period of many years. Inner City Youth Alive’s Lori Kozak
28 The Messenger • August 2012
News
CFGB appeals for donations for the Sahel
$9.7 milllion committed for Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso
WINNIPEG, Man.—A year
ago, the world watched as a
food crisis unfolded in East
Africa.
What seemed like non-stop
media coverage throughout the
– CFGB executive director Jim Cornelius
summer prompted millions of
Canadians to help people in
Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia
The CFGB is responding through its
caught by drought, conflict,
member agencies and their partners. A
and famine. The Canadian
total of $9.7 million is committed to proFoodgrains Bank responded,
grams in Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso.
providing over $18 million
These projects will reach over 257,000
of food assistance to 587,000
people in need.
people.
When Cornelius visited Yapoa Lale,
Another food crisis is
a mother in Niger, she lifted up her shirt
unfolding today, this time
to show her small breasts that her baby
in the Sahel region of West
daughter, Martine, was trying to nurse
Africa. There has been little
from. “She sucks, but there is no milk,”
media attention—despite over
she said.
18 million people facing food
“Many animals have already died,”
shortages due to drought and
said David Dale, another villager. “If the
crippled harvests.
situation persists, we are going to die.”
When CFGB executive
Yapoa Lale and her daughter, Martine are among
People can to donate through CFGB’s
director Jim Cornelius visited
those who need food assistance in Niger.
website: http://foodgrainsbank.ca/
the Sahel region in May, he saw
sahel_emergency_food_appeal.aspx; by
that grain bins were already empty.
mailing a cheque to Box 767, Winnipeg, MB R3C 2L4; or
“Until the next harvest in fall, they will need help to
by calling 1-800-665-0377.
survive,” he says.
– CFGB
PHOTO: CFGB
‘Until the next harvest in fall, they
will need help to survive.’
New appointments at CFGB
Michael Salomons has
taking over the half-time
been appointed to two
Program Officer position
half-time positions
vacated by Vera
at the Foodgrains
Isaak, who retired
Bank, Program
in spring 2012. He
Officer and Conserhas also accepted a
vation Agriculture
one-year contract
Program Developas Conservation
ment Officer.
Michael
Agriculture Program
Salomons will be
Salomons Development Officer,
also a half-time position.
Foodgrains Bank.
Salomons begins his
Macdonald holds a
new roles in summer
doctorate in Human
2012.
Nutrition (McGill).
Beginning on
Macdonald reSept. 10, Barbara
places Stuart Clark,
Macdonald will
who is retiring from
serve as senior
the CFGB after 14
policy advisor
Barbara
years.
within the Canadian Macdonald
– CFGB
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 29
News
Steinbach Bible College staff transitions
Prayer invited as changes are made
STEINBACH, Man.—SBC is currently experiencing several transitions in our faculty department. We invite you to
join us in prayer for all involved.
LeRoy Barkman is retiring after serving as SBC/SCHS
librarian for the past 10 years. Thank you, LeRoy, for your
faithful service to God as librarian, teacher, missionary,
and pastor over four decades. During LeRoy’s time at SBC,
the library added a periodicals room, moved the catalogue
online, phased out the VCR, added online journals, and
weeded over 2,000 books.
Dave Reimer has served well as Bible and pastoral
ministries faculty for the past five years. Dave made his
passion for ministry felt to pastoral students, in first year
classes, and on the Student Ministry program. Dave is now
serving as the bishop of the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference, but will also teach courses at SBC each semester in
the 2012–13 academic year.
We are pleased to welcome Chrystie Kroeker-Boggs
(Steinbach EMC) as the new librarian, Arlene Friesen
(Gospel Mennonite Church, Winnipeg) as faculty in Bible
and ministry faculty, and Hali Reimer (Steinbach EMC) as
faculty in drama and counselling.
– Dr. Terry Hiebert,
Academic Dean
AT I
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Terry Hiebert, SBC Academic Dean, presents a farewell gift from SBC
and SCHS to LeRoy and Marcella Barkman.
emc
1812 ~ 2012
All are invited!
EMC
Community
Celebration
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Program to start at 11:00 a.m.,
free barbeque lunch to follow
Steinbach EMC parking lot
422 Main St, Steinbach, Man.
30 The Messenger • August 2012
New executive director at MCC Manitoba
Ron Janzen to take over from Peter Rempel
WINNIPEG, Man.—Ron Janzen
will take over as executive director at
Mennonite Central Committee Manitoba (MCCM) effective Sept. 4, 2012.
Janzen comes to the position from
his post as a vice president at South
Eastman Health in Manitoba. He has
also worked as finance manager at
Steinbach Credit Union and secretary
treasurer at Garden Valley School
Division.
Ron Janzen
Janzen has a long history with
MCC and the community it serves. He was on the board
of directors of MCC Canada and Ten Thousand Villages
Canada. He has volunteered with Mennonite Church Manitoba and Mennonite Economic Development Associates.
Janzen takes over from Peter Rempel, who is retiring
after seven years with MCCM.
– MCC Canada
PHOTO: MCC
PHOTO: SBC
••
News
SBC welcomes Chrystie Kroeker-Boggs
New director of library services
PHOTO: SBC
STEINBACH, Man.—Steinbach Bible College is pleased to
announce the appointment of Chrystie Kroeker-Boggs as
director of library services effective July 1, 2012.
Chrystie brings enthusiasm for learning resources and
a love for students to the position. She
will develop the library collection for
college and high school, assist with
information literacy, mentor college
students, and manage SBC bookstore
services.
For five years Chrystie has provided excellent service as a library
technician at SBC. She received a BA
Chrystie
from the University of Winnipeg, with
Kroeker-Boggs
studies at the University of Texas at
Dallas, and Union University, Jackson,
Tenn. She is enrolled in the Master of Library Science
online program at the University of Alabama.
“My hope is that by being a librarian who’s fun and
approachable, I’ll be able to help students excel in their
research as they study to become better equipped servant
leaders,” says Chrystie. “My heart is also thrilled at the
prospect of mentoring students as they learn who they are
as God’s children. Being involved in student’s lives is what
makes this such an amazing opportunity!”
SBC offers three and four year BA degrees, a diploma,
and certificate with focus areas in Bible-Theology, Children’s Ministry, Global Mission, Peer Counselling, Pastoral
Ministry, Worship Arts, and Youth Ministry.
– SBC
••
Make today count at SBC
The journey, not just the destination, matters
STEINBACH, Man.—I attend recruitment fairs where colleges and universities follow an advertising pattern: X years
equals desired degree that translates into desired salary.
This formula has a problem: if the only value is the
degree, the value of the education acquired every day is
missed.
At SBC, the journey of education is as important as
the destination. While attaining a degree and supporting
yourself are important, SBC sees incredible value in the
education happening daily. Students are learning, testing,
and applying their studies in the classroom, in residence,
and through ministry opportunities.
“I’ve been learning academically through classes,
strengthening my biblical foundation,” says fourth-year
student Sarah Barkman (Mennville EMC). “But even more
so, being at SBC has given me the opportunity to grow
socially, emotionally and spiritually as I’ve been given opportunity after opportunity to put my learning into action.”
Students come to SBC for many reasons, including an
environment to make their faith their own. We call this
faith formation. A student can be formed in their faith
while taking courses to assist their educational pursuits.
We constantly work with other educational institutions
to maximize credit transfer. Students wanting a career in
social work can transfer credits to Booth University College or the University of Manitoba. Students in education
can transfer to Canadian Mennonite University and other
Manitoba universities.
While many students pursue ministry, others become
photographers, dental hygienists, healthcare professionals,
farmers, and trades people. They share a broad gospelbased education allowing them to build a good foundation
for faith development.
I am repeatedly reminded that students are here to
make a difference. Students believe SBC not only prepares
them to make a difference in the future, it enables them to
make a difference today.
– Patrick Friesen,
Director of Enrollment
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 31
In Memory
Calendar
Diana Mary Smith
AT I
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0
Evangelical Mennonite Conference
Y
Quarterly Financial Report
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1929–2012
Diana Mary Smith was born at Abernethy, Sask., on March 9, 1929, to her
parents, Herb and Grace How. They
moved to the Pelly, Sask., area in 1931.
Diana married Robert Smith in 1947;
to all the family he was Bob.
They had seven children. Together
they farmed on a small scale, so Bob
worked at various jobs. They opened
their home to a number of children,
fostering and as a daycare for working
moms. Diana continued to do so after
being widowed. She had a great love
for children.
Together with their family, they
were faithful attenders at Pelly Fellowship Chapel.
When her health began to fail
because of Parkinson’s disease, Diana
managed in her own home as long as
possible with help from her family.
She spent the last five years in Norquay Lodge. She accepted the change
in lifestyle, where she was very well
cared for. Though her body would not
allow her to do certain activities, she
was bright in mind to the time of her
sudden passing on June 8, 2012.
Diana is survived by two daughters, Joyce (Joe) Mussleman of
Veregin, Sask., and Eunice (Ted) Vetter of Denzil, Sask.; four sons, Owen
(Goldie) Smith of Wembley, Alta.,
Edward (Dot) Smith of Battleford,
Sask., Glen (Gwen) Smith of Pelly,
Sask., and Kevin (Judy) Smith of Fort
Saskatchewan, Alta.; sixteen grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren;
two brothers, Vic (Lorraine) How of
Swan River, Man., and Dave (Helene)
How of Saskatoon, Sask.; four sisters,
Vivian (Lewis) Anfinson of Pelly,
Sask., Barbara (Art) Capner of Taber,
Alta., Shirley Abrahamson of Pelly,
Sask., and Sylvia (Clifton) Abrahamson of Pelly, Sask.
Diana Smith’s funeral service
was held on June 13, 2012, from the
Pelly Community Hall, with Ferlin
Abrahamson of Birch River, Man., and
John Froese of Pelly, Sask., officiating.
Her six grandsons were pallbearers
and her granddaughters gave tributes,
expressing their love and appreciation
for their grandma.
Diana was predeceased by her
husband Robert (Bob) Smith, infant
son Eric, daughter-in-law Brenda, and
her parents Herb and Grace How.
– Her Family
emc
1812 ~ 2012
Receipts and Transfers
Disbursements
Excess/Shortfall
Jan–June
2012
635,147
861,896
-226,749
Jan–June
2011
664,372
926,385
-262,013
– Board of Trustees
32 The Messenger • August 2012
Alberta
Sept. 21–23
Discover Your Ministry Potential
A weekend of self-discovery
Westpointe Community Church
Grande Prairie
204-326-6401, www.emconference.ca
Manitoba
August 21
EMC Community Celebration
Steinbach EMC parking lot
see ad on p. 30 for details
Sept. 8
Head for the Hills Bike Rally
Eden Foundation fundraising event
Colert Beach, near Morden
204-325-5355
Register at www.edenhealth.mb.ca
Oct. 12–14
TRU'12: EMC Youth Leaders' Retreat
Wilderness Edge Retreat and
Conference Centre, Pinawa
204-326-6401, [email protected]
www.emconference.ca
Ontario
Sept. 29
MCC Ride for Refuge
Waterloo, Niagara, Brampton
[email protected]
rideforrefuge.org/partner/mcco
Check website for more dates
and locations
Oct. 13
MCC Ride for Refuge
Markham
[email protected]
rideforrefuge.org/partner/mcco
Check website for more dates
and locations
Shoulder Tapping
Pastoral positions
Crestview Fellowship (www.crestviewfellowship.ca), an
Evangelical Mennonite Conference church located in
Winnipeg, Man., is prayerfully seeking applications for a
senior pastor. If you feel God calling you to this position
or if you have any questions about the position, please call
Alex Wiebe at 204-837-2516 or send resume and references either electronically to the Pastoral Search Committee,
Attn: Alex Wiebe ([email protected]) or by mail to Pastoral
Search Committee c/o Crestview Fellowship, 271 Hamilton
Ave, Winnipeg, MB R2Y 0H3.
Picture Butte Mennonite Church, a young congregation
of about 200 people, seeks a full-time pastor to begin
as soon as possible. Picture Butte is a small town in
Southern Alberta approximately twenty minutes north
of Lethbridge, the closest city centre. As our congregation
consists largely of Mennonites who have settled here from
Mexico, the successful applicant must be able to speak
and present their messages in both the English and Low
German languages. Please forward resumes with references and all other inquiries to: Henry Krahn, Box 891, Picture
Butte, AB T0K 1V0; 403-732-5994 or [email protected]
First Mennonite Church, Burns Lake, a small body of
believers in northern BC, is looking for a part-time or fulltime servant leader pastor. We desire to find a person
who shares our vision and will work with us to fulfill it. Our
ideal candidate will have an exceptional ability to inspire
discipleship, outreach, and a desire to embrace our community, while holding firm to sound biblical doctrine. Our
candidate will agree with the Confession of Faith in the
Mennonite Perspective. Please send your resume to FMC
c/o Wilf Dueck [email protected], phone 250-692-3455
or (cell) 250-692-6454.
New Life Christian Fellowship in Stevenson, Ont., seeks a
senior pastor who has a heart for people and loves the
Lord. We are an evangelical church located in Stevenson,
Ontario. The church is mostly young families with average
attendance between 80 and 100 people. The majority of the people attending have a Low German-speaking
background. We seek a pastor who has the heart of a
shepherd and a desire to see our church grow. He should
have strong preaching and teaching skills and ability to
develop leaders. Pastoral experience is preferred. He must
be in agreement with our constitution and statement of
faith. Anyone who possesses these qualifications and is
interested in this position can forward their resume to
[email protected].
La Crete Christian Fellowship Church (EMC) seeks a fulltime associate pastor.
La Crete, located in NW Alberta, offers rural lifestyle
and a progressive outlook. With a range of family-oriented
amenities, it’s a great place to raise a family.
LCCFC is a vibrant church of approximately 500
regular attendees who desire to spread the Word through
a variety of ministries.
The associate pastor will provide direction to our care
giving and outreach ministries as well as work closely with
the pastoral team to strengthen the parishioners’ personal
connection and commitment to Jesus Christ.
The applicant should be committed to a
personal Christian faith, a disciple of Jesus Christ, a willing
and teachable leader, and a person whose love for the
Lord is reflected in their ability to work well with others.
If the Holy Spirit seems to be inviting you to pursue
this further, please contact Bill Neudorf at 780-814-1439,
[email protected], or www.lccfc.ca.
Rosenort EMC, in southern Manitoba, seeks a senior
pastor who will prepare and preach sermons that inspire,
challenge and convict, emphasizing spiritual development. He will equip members, teaching and modelling
local evangelism and missions and oversee the Leader-InTraining program. His ministry team includes a full-time
youth pastor, lay ministers, deacons, and 250 members.
He will be a servant leader, modelling faithfulness
and love for the Lord, caring for those with needs while
guiding, directing, correcting and unifying the church
with sound Biblical teaching. He views the Bible as the
inspired and true Word of God, the authority for faith and
action. Having a deep personal faith, strong convictions,
and valuing family highly, he is a warm and loving person.
He relates to us as a listener; not afraid to reveal personal
pain and struggles; a compassionate and godly man.
See www.rosenortemc.com for full ad. Contact:
Arlin Scharfenberg, [email protected], 204746-6154.
Ridgewood EMC is looking for a full-time senior pastor
to begin August 1, 2012. This multi-generational family
oriented rural church is located north-east of Steinbach,
Man., with over 200 in attendance on Sunday mornings.
As the spiritual overseer, the senior pastor is the
shepherd and guardian of the congregation. This ministry
is accomplished by studying and teaching, praying and
preaching, and visiting and visioning on the basis of the
Word.
Ridgewood EMC members strive to be a people that
minister to the whole family, worshipping God together,
sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in love, responding to
needs around, and cultivating a culture of Biblical discipleship, prayer and fellowship—all for the glory of God.
Applications along with a cover letter should be sent
to Stan Hamm, [email protected], or Stan Hamm, Box
140, Blumenort, MB R0A 0C0.
Do you enjoy fishing? How about quiet community living? If you are God-fearing with a deep personal faith
and seeking a full-time pastoral position, Treesbank
Community Church (EMC) could be the place for you.
We are a small country church located in southwestern
Manitoba, between the Souris and Assiniboine Rivers. If
you are interested in this position, please contact Leonard
Plett at 204-824-2475 or at [email protected].
Other opportunities
The Morweena Christian School (MCS) is looking for a
classroom teacher to serve on the teaching team in
High School. Candidates with strengths in Math and
Science will be given preference.
MCS is a rural school about 90 minutes North of
Winnipeg Man., serving about 120 students.
The two-grade split classes range in size from 15 to
26 students. MCS was founded in 1966 by families of the
local Morweena Evangelical Mennonite Church.
The candidate needs to be certifiable in the Province
of Manitoba, needs to embrace the Evangelical Mennonite
Conference Statement of Faith and be active in congregational life.
Send resume to Tim Reimer, Principal, [email protected].
Steeprock Bay Bible Camp seeks passionate and caring
individuals to fill the roles of senior cabin leader,
junior cabin leader and lifeguard. There are also
many volunteer opportunities with the camp for cooks,
nurses, maintenance or other. No prior camp experience
required, just a desire to serve and to learn. Police checks
are required for people 18 and over.
Steeprock Bay Bible Camp is an interdenominational
camp that teaches the Word of God and principles of
Christian life so that children in this area may know the
Lord Jesus Christ—the Way, the Truth, and the Life. SBBC is
located in northern Manitoba on the Steeprock River near
Sapotaweyak Cree Nation.
Camps are for ages seven to 14, primarily First Nations
children, and run from July 2–August 4. There is also a teen
camp for ages 13–18 that will take place August 6–11.
See the Camp Info tab at steeprockministries.com for
applications. Contact Bethany Abrahamson at 281-3583 or
[email protected] for information.
Inner City Youth Alive in Winnipeg, Man., is looking to fill
the following positions:
Senior counsellors are needed for Gem Lake
Wilderness Camp. Join us for one week, 10 days or the
whole summer throughout July and August. Applicants
must be 17 and older, have good leadership skills, be outgoing, energetic, and ready for the adventure of a lifetime.
If this sounds like you, please contact Gord at gord@icya.
ca or 204-582-8779 ext. 212.
Administrative manager to lead and manage the
administrative team and give input for organizational direction to the ICYA leadership team. Full-time, permanent
position, 40 hours a week from Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5
p.m. Go to www.icya.ca for details. Forward resumes to
[email protected].
Director of programming to work closely with the
Executive Director in giving oversight to all day-to-day
functions and future endeavours of ICYA. Primary attention will be given to providing leadership and direction to
the program staff of Inner City Youth Alive. Go to www.
icya.ca for details. Forward resumes to [email protected].
The Messenger does not sell advertising,
but provides free space (classified and
display) to enhance our Conference, its
churches, boards and ministries; interMennonite agencies and educational
institutions; and the wider church. Ads
are not to be for monetary benefit. To
place an ad (150 words or less), e-mail
[email protected] or call 204-3266401 and ask for Rebecca Roman or
Terry Smith. Ads will run twice unless
other arrangements are made.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 33
Columns • pictures of god
Pictures of God: a reflection
I
n the past five years I have written this
column from the deep corners of three continents, from the heights of celebration and
the dark night of my soul. Looking back over
those times, I am honestly surprised that I so
consistently was able to glimpse pictures of God.
Even in seasons where I felt like I hadn’t
heard from him for months on end, I still caught
by Joanna Enns
sight of him enough to write and to keep moving
forward in faith.
When Isaiah first encounters God and is
given his commission to speak to the people of
Israel, he hears seraphim calling to each other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
the whole earth is full of his glory”
(Isaiah 6:3).
I have struggled to believe that
the whole earth is full of God’s glory,
especially living in intensely secular
communities. Even studying history
can make me a little skeptical about the
truth of this claim.
I think one of my problems is that
I look for glory in massive ways—in
February 2007
revolutions, in revivals, in revelations. I
want to see His glory shake up politics,
economics or the media, or at least
somehow spread across the whole sky in
shocking awesomeness.
Reflecting on my five-year quest for
pictures of God has shown me, however,
that his glory that fills the earth doesn’t
burst upon it, but permeates it. Most of
the time it looks more like Jesus than like
September 2008
a pillar of fire. It is clothed in the trappings of everyday life.
March 2009
34 The Messenger • August 2012
May 2010
If we look for God, we will find pictures of
him in the oddest places and in unconventional
ways. I stumbled upon him in night clubs and
cathedrals, on streets and in airplanes, in
conversations and on the news. Street signs, unmowed lawns and broken shoes triggered deep
spiritual truth and growth.
As we arrange those pictures in our spiritual
scrapbooks, we will begin to see not only his
glory, but also glimpses of his work in our lives
and patterns of his bigger purposes for us. My
goal is to never stop looking for pictures of God
and to periodically come back to my scrapbook
to reflect on who God is and what he has done
in my life.
I want to thank all my readers for looking
over my shoulder at the pictures of God I have
found, and I encourage you to keep looking for
them in your own life. I conclude this stage of
my quest with an encouragement from my Fall
2008 article:
“Life is never defined by its seasons, but
only in the big picture of the culmination of
all of them and the greater purpose and vision to which each of them adds and points…
Therefore, do not look with contempt on the
small things or despair in moments. Chase after
God and follow his leading and he will do his
big picture work. This is the role of faith in our
lives—to persevere in seasons.”
Editor’s note: Joanna Enns (nee Plett) began
serving as a columnist in February 2007 when
she was single and a history major. She is now
married and a law student. This is her final
article as a columnist. We are grateful for her
period of service
during which
she challenged
us with thoughtful, well-written
reflections on
discipleship.
Joanna, thank
you! May the
Lord bless you
June 2012
September 2011
and guide your
future.
Columns • stewardship today
Inheritance
W
DESIGNPICS.COM
ills and estate planning is a hot
topic of conversation, but it is
certainly not new either in
content or importance. The Bible has
a lot to say on inheritance. In the NIV
there are 500 references to inheritance.
While some Bible scholars suggest
that the New Testament commonly uses ideas of inheritance in
a spiritual sense, even the literal
references to passing on material goods often hinge
on right relationship
and faithfully walking
with God. There is also
a caution that passing on
wealth too soon, without adequate
instruction, or to people who aren’t
capable of handling the windfall, can
have tragic consequences.
I’ve heard a number of stories of
squandered inheritances, often because money was made available as
soon as the beneficiaries reached the
legal age of majority, but before they
had the capacity to thoughtfully
deal with the windfall. As U.S. estate lawyer Nathan Woolman puts
it, “Giving money to someone who
can’t handle it in hopes it will improve
their
financial situation is like trying to put out a fire
with lighter fluid.”
In recent years charities, researchers and financial advisors have frequently cited the topic
of inheritances. Many write hopefully about
an alleged trillion-dollar transfer of wealth
expected in the coming generation.
That prediction overlooks the impact of
Canadians living longer lives—people aged 65
in good health today have a 50 per cent chance
of living to 100—or the reality that one-third of
seniors go into retirement with significant debt.
Many of these folks will leave no wealth to be
transferred.
Successful wealth transfers require values
transfers as well. That recognition is leading
some families to make conscious efforts to
encourage philanthropy in their children and
grandchildren, sometimes by matching the
younger person’s donations. Others set up a
fund and allow young relatives to choose
recipients of gifts that flow from the fund.
U.S. studies conclude
that 90 per cent of inherited wealth evaporates
within three generations.
From shirtsleeves to shirtsleeves within a few lifetimes, as my favorite university
professor was fond of saying.
by Mike Strathdee
A Wall Street Journal article suggests that
wealthy families often breed reckless spenders, in
part when expectations about the responsibility
to be generous aren’t modeled.
A Wall Street Journal article suggests that wealthy families often breed
reckless spenders, in part when expectations about the responsibility to be
generous aren’t modeled.
The document written to explain
what should happen after we die was once
called a “last will and testament” because it
provides the last opportunity for us to testify to
our beliefs. Some years ago, I witnessed a conversation around differences in giving patterns
between generations.
An older businessman lamented that his
children weren’t as generous as he and his wife
had been. How much did you talk about your
giving, he was asked. “We didn’t,” was the reply.
“But they had to have known.”
Can generosity be caught by another generation if it is not taught? What does your will
say about your values? Is sharing beyond the
immediate family circle part of your plan?
Mike Strathdee is a
stewardship consultant at the Kitchener,
Ont., office of Mennonite Foundation of
Canada (MFC). MFC
provides stewardship
education and estate
and charitable gift
planning at no cost.
Contact your nearest MFC office or visit
Mennofoundation.ca.
www.emconference.ca/messenger • The Messenger 35
Columns • kids’ corner
A
DRE
MST
IME.C
OM
As busy as a bee
I
t’s summer break. No classes. No rides on
the school bus. No homework.
So what are you doing? Do you sleep
late? Do you play with your friends in the
middle of the day?
Your schedule may have changed but many
things happen in the summer time. You want to
be outside. The air is warm; the grass is green
by Loreena
and feels soft under your feet.
Thiessen
You play baseball and have picnics in your
backyard or at the park. You may be at camp
where you swim in the lake,
sing around the campfire
Activity: Make honey shortbread
and make new friends.
cookies
Plants are active too.
(make sure you have an adult helping you)
Warm temperatures signal
Need: 2 and ½ cups flour, sprinkle of salt, ½
for them to begin to grow.
cup butter, softened, ½ cup honey, mixing
Buds form in early spring.
bowl, cookie baking sheet, rolling pin, cookie
In summer, leaves become
cutter shapes, and a preheated oven of 350
larger and plants grow
degrees F.
taller. Flowers blossom;
Do:
fruit and seeds follow; pea
1. Mix dough:
pods grow on the pea plant,
- measure 2 and ½ cups flour into a
pears on the pear tree and
mixing bowl
potatoes grow under the
- sprinkle and mix a little salt into the
potato plant.
mixing bowl
Insects become active.
- put ½ cup softened butter into the
Ants scurry across the grass
mixing bowl
and sidewalk. Look closely
- put ½ cup honey into the mixing bowl
and you will see them carry
2. Squeeze and knead the mixture in the
a leaf bit or some food or
bowl until all ingredients are mixed in;
maybe even another ant!
shape in a ball.
In Proverbs 6:6 God says
3. Cool the dough in the fridge for about 1
the ant is hard working and
hour.
wise. Butterflies flit and
4. Roll out the dough until flat and smooth.
flutter across the garden.
5. Cut out cookie shapes with cookie cutters.
What about bees? Bees
6. Place cookie shapes onto the cookie baking
are the most important
sheet.
insect of all. Do you know
7. Bake cookies at 350 F for 12 minutes.
why? It is because of bees
8. Take out cookies and let them cool for
that we have flowers and
5–10 minutes.
food that comes from
9. Eat cookies with milk and enjoy with a
plants.
friend.
What do bees do?
The bee is attracted to
36 The Messenger • August 2012
flowers. Flowers produce nectar, a sugary fluid.
Flowers also produce pollen, the sticky yellow
powder you see in its center. The bee collects
both. The bee will visit from 50 to 100 flowers in
one collecting trip. It carries the nectar back to
its hive to make honey.
It carries the pollen from one flower to another to fertilize them so they will produce fruit
or seeds. Seeds produce next year’s plants.
Bees work hard. The bees’ wings beat 200
times per second—that’s each time you can say
“One, one thousand.” One bee flies around three
kilometres on a collecting trip. The whole hive
flies 176,000 kilometres—over four times around
the earth—to collect one kilogram of honey.
The bee has a tiny brain, the size of a sesame
seed, but it learns and remembers which flowers have nectar and which ones have pollen. It
knows where the flowers are and how far away
from the hive.
It communicates this information to its own
hive members. It recognizes and keeps out any
enemy bees.
The Queen bee lives from two to five years.
She lays 2,500 eggs in one day. That’s a lot of new
bees! Each one must be fed. And the hive must
be cleaned every day. Are you as busy as a bee?
Honey is a pure food, which means that by
itself it has enough nutrients; nothing needs to
be added.
In Psalm 81:16 God says he will fill your
mouth with honey, all the things you may need.
The Promised Land is called a land of milk and
honey, a land with everything you need. Read
about them.
The Messenger
Evangelical Mennonite Conference
440 Main St, Steinbach, MB R5G 1Z5
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