News
Global Church Congregations plan unveiled
62 receive degrees at CMU; 78 graduate from Outtatown
MB Biblical Seminary graduates 34
Shine like stars
Celebrating half a century of service
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Global Church Congregations plan unveiled
Mennonite World Conference (MWC) is unveiling a new way for individual congregations of MWC member churches to participate in and be supportive of the global church and MWC.
Called Global Church Congregations (GCC), this new initiative had its trial run at the 2006 General Council meetings in Pasadena, California.
A dozen congregations – all of them from North America – made financial contributions to the MWC travel fund, sent participants to the General Council meetings, and agreed to host delegates from churches in other countries after the Pasadena meetings.
GCC is again operating in connection with MWC’s Assembly 15, scheduled for July 14–19, 2009, in Asunción, Paraguay. The goal is that at least 30 congregations from throughout the world, not just North America, will participate.
The congregations will be paired to:
MWC will administer the program by developing publicity, processing applications, pairing successful applicants, and providing communications and informational support. It is hoped, however, that the program will be largely self-administered with congregational pairs making use of each other’s gifts to resolve problems and meet challenges. Administrative leadership for GCC will be provided by MWC staff from Kinshasa, DR Congo.
GCC is seen as a natural continuation of MWC’s emphasis on global gift sharing. The program also follows decisions taken by the 2006 MWC General Council to extend participant status to congregations of MWC member churches willing to make certain commitments to the global communion. GCC is seen as the vehicle for this participation.
MWC will encourage congregational pairs to develop their relationship over at least three years and include either an MWC Global Assembly or General Council meeting. See
www.mwc-cmm.org for more information and application forms.
—MWC release
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62 receive degrees at CMU; 78 graduate from Outtatown
Sixty-two graduates received arts, music, music therapy, and church ministries degrees from Canadian Mennonite University at its eighth annual commencement exercises Apr. 20 (left). Of special note was CMU’s first Hutterite graduate, Jesse Hofer of the Silverwinds Colony near Rosenort, Man.
The speaker at the commencement was Arli Klassen, the first woman to serve as executive director of Mennonite Central Committee’s international office. She urged graduates to “live a rich life,” which is not about getting a good career and earning a living, but one in which graduates “joyfully accept the gifts” God has given them and “use them in service to others.”
A week earlier, 78 students graduated from CMU’s Outtatown adventure and discipleship program.
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MB Biblical Seminary graduates 34
MB Biblical Seminary’s Langley, B.C. campus, part of the Associated Canadian Theological Schools (ACTS), graduated 14 students with Master of Arts degrees Apr. 19 (left). MBBS student Rebecca Stanley, who will serve as a church planter 
with her husband in Vancouver with the B.C. Conference of MB Churches, received the Governor General’s Gold Medal for highest grade point average of 75 ACTS graduates.
Twenty students graduated at MBBS’s Fresno, Cal. location (right). Retired professor Raymond Bystrom returned to Fresno to give the commencement address. He urged graduates to “bring a little bit of heaven to birth on earth.”
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Some months ago, we invited Herald readers to tell us about people who are making an impact for Christ in our denomination – people who “shine like stars in the
universe,” as Paul put it in Philippians 2:15–16, “as they hold out the word of life.” Faithfully, energetically, sometimes quietly, they make an impact in the kingdom.
Here are the “stars” that were nominated. Together, we praise our Father in heaven for placing these awesome servants in our midst.—eds.
Katie Speiser (left) who turned 98 in April, was honoured by our church last January as our 2007 servant of the year. She is one of those servants of Christ whose favourite line seems to be, “I have so much to be thankful for.” She has a heart for others and is glad to be in church every Sunday. She has served the church in various capacities throughout her life, but currently serves in the library. She intends to continue as long as she is able. In our eyes, she’s a star!
—Waldheim MB Church
Peter, Mary, Bill, and Jane, members of our churches, are the stars who shine in our denomination. They are seldom, if ever, openly recognized but they are the foundation of our denomination as they pray fervently for our leaders and tithe to the point of sacrificing in order to support the dreams of our public leaders. They do not seek acclaim, but without their commitment to pray and give, our other “stars” would not be shining.
—Wilmer Kornelson
Rhonda Willms is a youth leader at Yarrow (B.C.) MB Church. She shines for Jesus by modelling his attributes. She is approachable and wise, loves unconditionally, and thinks practically. She has a servant attitude, penetrating the hearts of those around her by making them feel special and cherished. Rhonda is a woman of integrity who stands for what is right, no matter what the cost. She has blessed me as a friend and mentor.
—Michelle Janzen
The person who stood out in our church, Greendale MB, Chilliwack, B.C., as someone who shines the light of Christ in her life is Gina Balzer (right), our music and worship coordinator. Compassion, caring, and the beauty of Christ can be seen so clearly in her life. Gina, we all love you very much!
—David Ouimet
Erika Klassen (left), Westview Christian Fellowship, St. Catharines, Ont., shines like a star as she reaches out with God’s unconditional love to women in our community. “Women for Women” (W4W), a weekly ministry to neighbourhood women, sex-trade workers, and others in need of friendship, was launched in November 2007. Volunteers from the church provide coffee, lunch, clothing alterations, and haircuts. Erika greets each woman with an open heart, and a big smile or a hug. At night, she accompanies a Christian ex-prostitute/junkie on the streets surrounding our downtown church, handing out hygiene packs. She represented W4W at a candlelight vigil for female victims of violence. At Christmas and Valentine’s Day, she hosted a dinner and spa night.
—Wilma Janssen
One of the shining stars at Gateway Christian Fellowship, St. Catharines, Ont., is Janna Willms (right). She and her husband Tim, and their family of five daughters, are one of the first at church every Sunday, setting up equipment and supplies for our children’s program. Janna also leads the children in worship. She spends countless hours creating props, photocopying, and organizing programs. She did an amazing job at our Vacation Bible School, leading 125 children in foot-stomping, hand-clapping, joyous singing. Thank you Janna, for preparing our children to go out and shine like stars.
—the staff at Gateway Christian Fellowship
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Celebrating half a century of service
Fifty years in the same branch of work is something to celebrate, and a long career in church ministry is especially notable. For Portage Avenue Church, Winnipeg, the Apr. 13 service was a chance to acknowledge the commitment of one of its long-time leaders. John Unger and his wife Mary dedicated half a century to official church work. John's history of service began with ordination at Scott Street MB Church in St. Catharines, Ontario, and took the couple to various ministry locations, including Portage Avenue Church, where John worked in several capacities and most recently as a crisis minister. John’s career, spent preaching, teaching, and helping people in need, officially ended in March.
62 receive degrees at CMU; 78 graduate from Outtatown
MB Biblical Seminary graduates 34
Shine like stars
Celebrating half a century of service
____________________________________________________________________
Global Church Congregations plan unveiled
Mennonite World Conference (MWC) is unveiling a new way for individual congregations of MWC member churches to participate in and be supportive of the global church and MWC.
Called Global Church Congregations (GCC), this new initiative had its trial run at the 2006 General Council meetings in Pasadena, California.
A dozen congregations – all of them from North America – made financial contributions to the MWC travel fund, sent participants to the General Council meetings, and agreed to host delegates from churches in other countries after the Pasadena meetings.
GCC is again operating in connection with MWC’s Assembly 15, scheduled for July 14–19, 2009, in Asunción, Paraguay. The goal is that at least 30 congregations from throughout the world, not just North America, will participate.
The congregations will be paired to:
- establish a congregational communication and prayer link with each other and with MWC;
- send a delegate from each congregation to MWC gatherings as possible;
- study one of the Anabaptist Shelf book selections;
- agree upon and make an annual per member contribution to MWC according to MWC’s fair share formula.
MWC will administer the program by developing publicity, processing applications, pairing successful applicants, and providing communications and informational support. It is hoped, however, that the program will be largely self-administered with congregational pairs making use of each other’s gifts to resolve problems and meet challenges. Administrative leadership for GCC will be provided by MWC staff from Kinshasa, DR Congo.
GCC is seen as a natural continuation of MWC’s emphasis on global gift sharing. The program also follows decisions taken by the 2006 MWC General Council to extend participant status to congregations of MWC member churches willing to make certain commitments to the global communion. GCC is seen as the vehicle for this participation.
MWC will encourage congregational pairs to develop their relationship over at least three years and include either an MWC Global Assembly or General Council meeting. See
www.mwc-cmm.org for more information and application forms.
—MWC release
____________________________________________________________________
62 receive degrees at CMU; 78 graduate from Outtatown
Sixty-two graduates received arts, music, music therapy, and church ministries degrees from Canadian Mennonite University at its eighth annual commencement exercises Apr. 20 (left). Of special note was CMU’s first Hutterite graduate, Jesse Hofer of the Silverwinds Colony near Rosenort, Man.
The speaker at the commencement was Arli Klassen, the first woman to serve as executive director of Mennonite Central Committee’s international office. She urged graduates to “live a rich life,” which is not about getting a good career and earning a living, but one in which graduates “joyfully accept the gifts” God has given them and “use them in service to others.”
A week earlier, 78 students graduated from CMU’s Outtatown adventure and discipleship program.
____________________________________________________________________
MB Biblical Seminary graduates 34
MB Biblical Seminary’s Langley, B.C. campus, part of the Associated Canadian Theological Schools (ACTS), graduated 14 students with Master of Arts degrees Apr. 19 (left). MBBS student Rebecca Stanley, who will serve as a church planter with her husband in Vancouver with the B.C. Conference of MB Churches, received the Governor General’s Gold Medal for highest grade point average of 75 ACTS graduates.Twenty students graduated at MBBS’s Fresno, Cal. location (right). Retired professor Raymond Bystrom returned to Fresno to give the commencement address. He urged graduates to “bring a little bit of heaven to birth on earth.”
____________________________________________________________________
Some months ago, we invited Herald readers to tell us about people who are making an impact for Christ in our denomination – people who “shine like stars in the
universe,” as Paul put it in Philippians 2:15–16, “as they hold out the word of life.” Faithfully, energetically, sometimes quietly, they make an impact in the kingdom.
Here are the “stars” that were nominated. Together, we praise our Father in heaven for placing these awesome servants in our midst.—eds.
Katie Speiser (left) who turned 98 in April, was honoured by our church last January as our 2007 servant of the year. She is one of those servants of Christ whose favourite line seems to be, “I have so much to be thankful for.” She has a heart for others and is glad to be in church every Sunday. She has served the church in various capacities throughout her life, but currently serves in the library. She intends to continue as long as she is able. In our eyes, she’s a star!—Waldheim MB Church
Peter, Mary, Bill, and Jane, members of our churches, are the stars who shine in our denomination. They are seldom, if ever, openly recognized but they are the foundation of our denomination as they pray fervently for our leaders and tithe to the point of sacrificing in order to support the dreams of our public leaders. They do not seek acclaim, but without their commitment to pray and give, our other “stars” would not be shining.
—Wilmer Kornelson
Rhonda Willms is a youth leader at Yarrow (B.C.) MB Church. She shines for Jesus by modelling his attributes. She is approachable and wise, loves unconditionally, and thinks practically. She has a servant attitude, penetrating the hearts of those around her by making them feel special and cherished. Rhonda is a woman of integrity who stands for what is right, no matter what the cost. She has blessed me as a friend and mentor.
—Michelle Janzen
The person who stood out in our church, Greendale MB, Chilliwack, B.C., as someone who shines the light of Christ in her life is Gina Balzer (right), our music and worship coordinator. Compassion, caring, and the beauty of Christ can be seen so clearly in her life. Gina, we all love you very much!
—David Ouimet
Erika Klassen (left), Westview Christian Fellowship, St. Catharines, Ont., shines like a star as she reaches out with God’s unconditional love to women in our community. “Women for Women” (W4W), a weekly ministry to neighbourhood women, sex-trade workers, and others in need of friendship, was launched in November 2007. Volunteers from the church provide coffee, lunch, clothing alterations, and haircuts. Erika greets each woman with an open heart, and a big smile or a hug. At night, she accompanies a Christian ex-prostitute/junkie on the streets surrounding our downtown church, handing out hygiene packs. She represented W4W at a candlelight vigil for female victims of violence. At Christmas and Valentine’s Day, she hosted a dinner and spa night.
—Wilma Janssen
One of the shining stars at Gateway Christian Fellowship, St. Catharines, Ont., is Janna Willms (right). She and her husband Tim, and their family of five daughters, are one of the first at church every Sunday, setting up equipment and supplies for our children’s program. Janna also leads the children in worship. She spends countless hours creating props, photocopying, and organizing programs. She did an amazing job at our Vacation Bible School, leading 125 children in foot-stomping, hand-clapping, joyous singing. Thank you Janna, for preparing our children to go out and shine like stars.—the staff at Gateway Christian Fellowship
____________________________________________________________________
Celebrating half a century of service
Fifty years in the same branch of work is something to celebrate, and a long career in church ministry is especially notable. For Portage Avenue Church, Winnipeg, the Apr. 13 service was a chance to acknowledge the commitment of one of its long-time leaders. John Unger and his wife Mary dedicated half a century to official church work. John's history of service began with ordination at Scott Street MB Church in St. Catharines, Ontario, and took the couple to various ministry locations, including Portage Avenue Church, where John worked in several capacities and most recently as a crisis minister. John’s career, spent preaching, teaching, and helping people in need, officially ended in March.
