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Meet your executive board
MB Herald earns 6 awards
Timeline II bound in piece of living history
Kindred Productions faces change
Conference matters
Coming Soon
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Meet your executive board
Sam Reimer lives in Moncton, Nova Scotia, where he’s an active member of River of Life MB Church. He’s a member at large (MAL), not an official representative of the Atlantic region, but he does see himself as a liaison between the Mennonite Brethren churches in the Maritimes and the board. Sam is professor of sociology at Atlantic Baptist University in Moncton, the author of Evangelicals and the Continental Divide, and one of the scholars involved in the Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism’s first-ever study of evangelical congregations in this country. Sam is married to Mary Beth and they have 3 children.
Peter Durksen (MAL) spent his professional life in education, including 24 years as a secondary school principal and 10 years as instructor at the University of Western Ontario. He’s retired but still supervises student teachers for two colleges. Peter was moderator of the Ontario conference for 5 years and has a keen interest in how organizations work, as well as in the development of the MB conference. Challenges the conference faces, he says, are a shortage of “biblically trained pastors” and “willing servants at all levels of church life.” Peter and Erna have 3 grown children and 5 grandchildren. They attend Grace MB Church in Waterloo, Ont.
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Ramsy Unruh is a “rookie” on the board, having recently joined by virtue of being elected moderator of the Manitoba conference this spring. He enjoyed his first meetings with “this group that is quite passionate about leading our conference well.” Ramsy has been pastor at Community Fellowship Church in Newton, Man. since 2003, and was earlier worship pastor at Eastview Community Church, Winnipeg. He and Shannon have 3 children.
Kristen Corrigan (MAL) recently relocated from B.C. to Quebec, where she is dean of administration at École de théologie évangelique de Montréal (ETEM). Her career has been in organizational design and leadership development, including 5 years as executive director of human resources at Trinity Western University, Langley, B.C. She is licensed in the Relationship Model of Board Governance which the Canadian conference uses, and says steady progress is being made in its application to our context. Kristen and Garry have 2 grown children and 2 grandchildren.
Gerald Peters (MAL) says he was told when he joined the board last fall that if he kept his head down and didn’t make eye contact, he might be able to avoid being on a subcommittee! He was soon on the board’s finance committee, however, and it’s a good fit, as he has worked in Mennonite financial companies for 19 years. Gerald lives in Leamington, Ont., where he is financial planner for the Mennonite Savings and Credit Union there. He and Debbie have 4 children and are members at Meadow Brook Fellowship. Gerald appreciates the “brisk and unvarnished” discussion of board meetings.
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MB Herald earns 6 awards
A humorous story called “The haircut” garnered a first-place win for the MB Herald and its author, Dan Unrau, at this year’s Canadian Church Press (CCP) awards ceremony held in Winnipeg May 15.
Unrau is pastor of Fraserview MB Church in Richmond, B.C. His story of a rushed haircut that left a bald swath on his head just before he had to officiate at a wedding was described as “marvellous story-telling,” and “laugh-out-loud funny.” The judge also said, “I hope the author’s sermons are as engaging!”
“The haircut,” which appeared in the August 2008 issue, won in the narrative category.
In the poetry category, Ray Harris’ poem, “Yarrow cemetery,” received a third place award. The Herald and its letter writers of January and March 2008 got an honourable mention in the letters category.
The Herald also won 3 awards for 2008 design and content at the Evangelical Press Association convention in Indianapolis, Ind., May 6–8.
The magazine’s new look, implemented by designer Audrey Plew, placed third in the publication redesign category. “Upgraded paper and full-colour throughout makes a huge difference,” wrote the judge. “New logo feels more contemporary.”
“John the Baptist and the joy of being #2,” a Text message column (Sept.) by Dora Dueck, came third in the devotional category. Harris’ poem, “Yarrow cemetery,” received a 5th place award.—DD
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Timeline II bound in piece of living history
WESTZAAN, the Netherlands
The mill De Schoolmeester (the schoolmaster), located on the Zaanse Schans in the Netherlands, is currently the only paper windmill in the world still producing paper commercially. The durable, sturdy paperboard it churns out was famous worldwide in the 17th and 18th centuries; it was used for the first 200 copies of the U.S. Declaration of Independence in 1776.
The Zaansche paper will also form the cover of Timeline II, a 10-foot-long accordion-fold book produced in 2009. This 500-year history of the worldwide community of Mennonites was crafted by father and daughter Jacob and Nelleke Schiere, inspired by the first timeline created in 1985, also by a father-daughter duo, Robert and Ruth Kreider of Kansas.
The supple paper makes it an appropriate cover for a Mennonite history. The Zaan region was not only a growing industrial centre in the mid-16th century, with windmills sprouting to perform tasks from sawing wood to grinding seeds to making paper, it was also a haven for Frisian and Flemish Mennonites who were less welcome in their home regions. De Schoolmeester, built in 1692, has been in Mennonite hands until its current miller, Arie Butterman, took ownership.
Zaanse paper is made from fibres of rags worked into a thick mass then pressed flat by the powerful cogs of the wind-powered mill. The miller handles each sheet at least 10 times. Where 13 employees used to do the work, Butterman now toils by himself or with the help of volunteers. On the wall of the small shop in the windmill hangs a piece of Zaansche cardboard, inscribed with the text: “only the wind is free.”
Timeline II is available in English, German, and Spanish, and can be ordered through Herald Press.
Kindred Productions faces change
Winnipeg
Kindred Productions, publishing arm of Mennonite Brethren Churches in North America, has re-evaluated the scope and direction of its ministry.
Over the past two years, Kindred Productions emphasized the reselling component of the business. It was decided this direction was not financially viable.
“It became apparent that we needed to scale back on outside publishing, resale, and associated advertising,” says Cam Rowland, communications director at the Canadian conference.
This had immediate implications for the manager position. Mario Buscio, former manager of Kindred Productions, officially completed his services on June 5.
“Although Mario brought much creativity and energy to the task [of improving the financial health of the reselling component], Kindred Productions has not seen the results required to continue in this direction,” explains Rowland.
So, what does the future look like for Kindred Productions?
Priority will be placed on publishing resources directly related to the mission and ministries of the Conference to serve the local church. Kindred Productions will continue selling resources developed by the conference, but will limit the resale of books and resources that may be purchased elsewhere.
Conference matters
Coming Soon
2009
July 13–17 — Attack volleyball camp, Bethany College, Hepburn, Sask.
July 14–19 — Mennonite World Conference, Asunción, Paraguay.
July 20–24 — Above the Rim basketball camp, Bethany College, Hepburn, Sask.
Oct. 15–17 — BFL Study Conference, Forest Grove Community Church, Saskatoon.
MB Herald earns 6 awards
Timeline II bound in piece of living history
Kindred Productions faces change
Conference matters
Coming Soon
____________________________________________________________________
Meet your executive board
The executive board is one of two boards of the Canadian MB Conference. (The other is the Board of Faith and Life.) It usually meets 3 or 4 times a year and provides overall vision, governance, and fiduciary oversight to the denomination. We would like to put “a face” to the current board by introducing, over the next months, all of its 20 members.—Eds
Sam Reimer lives in Moncton, Nova Scotia, where he’s an active member of River of Life MB Church. He’s a member at large (MAL), not an official representative of the Atlantic region, but he does see himself as a liaison between the Mennonite Brethren churches in the Maritimes and the board. Sam is professor of sociology at Atlantic Baptist University in Moncton, the author of Evangelicals and the Continental Divide, and one of the scholars involved in the Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism’s first-ever study of evangelical congregations in this country. Sam is married to Mary Beth and they have 3 children. Peter Durksen (MAL) spent his professional life in education, including 24 years as a secondary school principal and 10 years as instructor at the University of Western Ontario. He’s retired but still supervises student teachers for two colleges. Peter was moderator of the Ontario conference for 5 years and has a keen interest in how organizations work, as well as in the development of the MB conference. Challenges the conference faces, he says, are a shortage of “biblically trained pastors” and “willing servants at all levels of church life.” Peter and Erna have 3 grown children and 5 grandchildren. They attend Grace MB Church in Waterloo, Ont. Ramsy Unruh is a “rookie” on the board, having recently joined by virtue of being elected moderator of the Manitoba conference this spring. He enjoyed his first meetings with “this group that is quite passionate about leading our conference well.” Ramsy has been pastor at Community Fellowship Church in Newton, Man. since 2003, and was earlier worship pastor at Eastview Community Church, Winnipeg. He and Shannon have 3 children. Kristen Corrigan (MAL) recently relocated from B.C. to Quebec, where she is dean of administration at École de théologie évangelique de Montréal (ETEM). Her career has been in organizational design and leadership development, including 5 years as executive director of human resources at Trinity Western University, Langley, B.C. She is licensed in the Relationship Model of Board Governance which the Canadian conference uses, and says steady progress is being made in its application to our context. Kristen and Garry have 2 grown children and 2 grandchildren. Gerald Peters (MAL) says he was told when he joined the board last fall that if he kept his head down and didn’t make eye contact, he might be able to avoid being on a subcommittee! He was soon on the board’s finance committee, however, and it’s a good fit, as he has worked in Mennonite financial companies for 19 years. Gerald lives in Leamington, Ont., where he is financial planner for the Mennonite Savings and Credit Union there. He and Debbie have 4 children and are members at Meadow Brook Fellowship. Gerald appreciates the “brisk and unvarnished” discussion of board meetings.____________________________________________________________________
MB Herald earns 6 awards
A humorous story called “The haircut” garnered a first-place win for the MB Herald and its author, Dan Unrau, at this year’s Canadian Church Press (CCP) awards ceremony held in Winnipeg May 15.Unrau is pastor of Fraserview MB Church in Richmond, B.C. His story of a rushed haircut that left a bald swath on his head just before he had to officiate at a wedding was described as “marvellous story-telling,” and “laugh-out-loud funny.” The judge also said, “I hope the author’s sermons are as engaging!”
“The haircut,” which appeared in the August 2008 issue, won in the narrative category.
In the poetry category, Ray Harris’ poem, “Yarrow cemetery,” received a third place award. The Herald and its letter writers of January and March 2008 got an honourable mention in the letters category.
The Herald also won 3 awards for 2008 design and content at the Evangelical Press Association convention in Indianapolis, Ind., May 6–8.
The magazine’s new look, implemented by designer Audrey Plew, placed third in the publication redesign category. “Upgraded paper and full-colour throughout makes a huge difference,” wrote the judge. “New logo feels more contemporary.”
“John the Baptist and the joy of being #2,” a Text message column (Sept.) by Dora Dueck, came third in the devotional category. Harris’ poem, “Yarrow cemetery,” received a 5th place award.—DD
____________________________________________________________________
Timeline II bound in piece of living history
WESTZAAN, the NetherlandsThe mill De Schoolmeester (the schoolmaster), located on the Zaanse Schans in the Netherlands, is currently the only paper windmill in the world still producing paper commercially. The durable, sturdy paperboard it churns out was famous worldwide in the 17th and 18th centuries; it was used for the first 200 copies of the U.S. Declaration of Independence in 1776.
The Zaansche paper will also form the cover of Timeline II, a 10-foot-long accordion-fold book produced in 2009. This 500-year history of the worldwide community of Mennonites was crafted by father and daughter Jacob and Nelleke Schiere, inspired by the first timeline created in 1985, also by a father-daughter duo, Robert and Ruth Kreider of Kansas.
The supple paper makes it an appropriate cover for a Mennonite history. The Zaan region was not only a growing industrial centre in the mid-16th century, with windmills sprouting to perform tasks from sawing wood to grinding seeds to making paper, it was also a haven for Frisian and Flemish Mennonites who were less welcome in their home regions. De Schoolmeester, built in 1692, has been in Mennonite hands until its current miller, Arie Butterman, took ownership.
Zaanse paper is made from fibres of rags worked into a thick mass then pressed flat by the powerful cogs of the wind-powered mill. The miller handles each sheet at least 10 times. Where 13 employees used to do the work, Butterman now toils by himself or with the help of volunteers. On the wall of the small shop in the windmill hangs a piece of Zaansche cardboard, inscribed with the text: “only the wind is free.”
Timeline II is available in English, German, and Spanish, and can be ordered through Herald Press.
—KB, from reports
____________________________________________________________________Kindred Productions faces change
Winnipeg
Kindred Productions, publishing arm of Mennonite Brethren Churches in North America, has re-evaluated the scope and direction of its ministry.
Over the past two years, Kindred Productions emphasized the reselling component of the business. It was decided this direction was not financially viable.
“It became apparent that we needed to scale back on outside publishing, resale, and associated advertising,” says Cam Rowland, communications director at the Canadian conference.
This had immediate implications for the manager position. Mario Buscio, former manager of Kindred Productions, officially completed his services on June 5.
“Although Mario brought much creativity and energy to the task [of improving the financial health of the reselling component], Kindred Productions has not seen the results required to continue in this direction,” explains Rowland.
So, what does the future look like for Kindred Productions?
Priority will be placed on publishing resources directly related to the mission and ministries of the Conference to serve the local church. Kindred Productions will continue selling resources developed by the conference, but will limit the resale of books and resources that may be purchased elsewhere.
—Canadian Conference of MB Churches
____________________________________________________________________Conference matters
- The Mennonite Brethren Historical Commission accepted with regret the resignation of Ken Reddig at their annual meeting May 15–16 in Fresno, Cal. The commission expressed deep appreciation for Reddig’s many years of service as a commission member and as executive secretary. Abe Dueck of Winnipeg will serve as interim executive secretary. The commission is publishing a global history of the Mennonite Brethren, and is planning a symposium for the 150th anniversary of the founding of the MB church, to be celebrated in 2010. —MBHC
- ETEM, in Montreal, was the site of the Pastors Credentialing Orientation May 13–15, attended by 56 pastors and leaders from across Canada. The annual event, a collaborative effort of the Canadian conference and MB Biblical Seminary, is designed for pastors new to the conference and any pastor looking for a refresher. MBBS professors and conference leaders led sessions on Anabaptist and MB history, the church and God’s mission in the world, discipleship, and pastoral ethics. Go to www.mbherald.com and click on PCO Journal for a chronicle and photos of the event.
- Sunwest Christian Fellowship pastor Willy Reimer began as the Canadian conference’s Ministry Advantage director on a volunteer basis May 1. The leadership ministry matches an experienced pastor with a church leader for an over-the-phone coaching relationship, using core leadership curriculum to address the leader’s situation. Pastors can join Ministry Advantage at any time and participate in the process as long as desired.
Coming Soon
2009
July 13–17 — Attack volleyball camp, Bethany College, Hepburn, Sask.
July 14–19 — Mennonite World Conference, Asunción, Paraguay.
July 20–24 — Above the Rim basketball camp, Bethany College, Hepburn, Sask.
Oct. 15–17 — BFL Study Conference, Forest Grove Community Church, Saskatoon.
