Transitions
On May 11, Westview Christian Fellowship, St. Catharines, Ont., commissioned Erika Klassen as community outreach pastor. She will oversee the women’s drop-in centre that she and a team of women began last November, which has become a lifeline for many women with no other support systems. Erika will also do outreach with sex-trade workers on Queenston Street, where the church is located. She has been involved with Westview for 17 years as secretary and administrator. (See “Shine Like Stars” page 7.) ____________________________________________________________________
Scott St. MB Church, St. Catharines, Ont. welcomed Sabrina Wiens as youth pastor May 18. Sabrina comes back to Scott St. after serving on staff with Canadian Mennonite University’s School of Discipleship for three years, leading teams to Guatemala and South Africa. Sabrina attended Tyndale College in Toronto, where she earned a Bachelor of Religious Education and a Social Service Work Diploma. She replaces Tom Friesen, who served as youth pastor for the past 7 years. Tom is moving to Waterloo with his wife, Charity, who is pursuing graduate studies at Wilfred Laurier University.
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On June 1, Central Community Church, Chilliwack, B.C., commissioned Nathan Toews as associate pastor of student ministries. Nathan is married to Melissa and they have a daughter, Natalie.
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MB Biblical Seminary has named Cory Seibel assistant professor of pastoral ministries, effective fall 2008. He will be based on the Fresno, Cal. campus. Cory comes from Sioux Falls Seminary in South Dakota, where he was instructor of Christian leadership and director of contextual learning. “Cory’s strengths include an engaging presence that connects well to young leaders, a broad understanding of contemporary church culture, and experience with contextual learning,” says academic dean Lynn Jost. Cory earlier served in full-time pastoral ministry for 9 years. He and his wife Teresa have a daughter, Savannah.
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Two new staff members joined Mennonite World Conference (MWC) June 1 to help build relationships between the global church and local churches. Béatrice Kalaki, a member of a Mennonite Brethren church in DR Congo, will serve as coordinator of the Global Church Congregation (GCC) program (see story page 6) and will work part-time from Kinshasa. Choosing an African and basing the
coordination of the program in Kinshasa acknowledges the large concentration of Mennonites in both Congo and its capital. Albert C. Lobe, most recently interim executive director of Mennonite Central Committee, will serve full-time as MWC Global Church Advocate in North America, working from MWC’s Kitchener office and from his home in St. Jacobs, Ont. He will be responsible to administer and promote the renewed Global Church Sharing Fund (GCSF). He will also oversee and work at implementing strategic communications and donor support programs in North America, and assist in marketing and raising funds for the Paraguay 2009 Assembly. ____________________________________________________________________
Baptisms and new members
Note: Baptism photos appear in the print version of the Herald but not in the online version.
Elm Creek (Man.) MB Church welcomed 3 new members by baptism May 25. Pictured are (back, l-r) pastor Noel Hudson, Cody Schroeder, and pastor Lorlie Barkman; (front) Jaralyn Klassen and Stephanie Dyck.
Ross Road Community Church, Abbotsford, B.C., welcomed 9 new members Mar. 23, 4 by baptism and 5 by confession of faith. Pictured are (back, l-r) Cassandra Neudorf (b), Shirley Golbeck (cf), Konrad Golbeck (cf), Jennifer Koopmans (cf), Kevin Koopmans (cf), pastor James Penner, Heather Walters (cf), and Alex Walters (b); (front) pastor Darren Petker, Luke Nickel (b), and Adam Suderman (b).
Killarney Park MB Church, Vancouver, baptized Rachel Peters on Easter morning, Mar. 23, and welcomed her into membership. She is pictured with pastor Ken Peters.
Highland Community Church, Abbotsford, B.C., baptized Alexander Klassen Apr. 6, and welcomed him into membership. He is pictured with pastor Andrew Dyck (l).
Forest Grove Community Church, Saskatoon, welcomed 6 new members by baptism May 11. Pictured are (l-r) Megan McPherson, Krista Lebiszczak, Denise Humphreys, Danya Iwabuchi, Alexis Tindall, pastor Chandra Unick, and Anika Whitehawk.
Glencairn MB Church, Kitchener, Ont., welcomed 4 new members June 1, 3 by baptism and 1 by confession of faith. Pictured are (l-r) pastor Ben Cassels, Dan Weber (b), Nick Froese (b), Nancy Wall (b), Loretta Fullerton (cf), and pastor Bill Stubbs.
South Abbotsford (B.C.) Church welcomed 21 new members Apr. 19–20, 16 by baptism and 5 by transfer. Pictured are (back, l-r) pastor Dan Nicholson, Len Willems (t), Evilene Willems (t), Kuldip Sahota (b), and Nirmal Grewal (b); (3rd row) Tony Helary (b), Trent Loewen (t), Kirandeep Grewal (b), Lawrence Isfeld (b), and pastor Jake Dyck; (2nd row) Dave Parrott (b), Cory Unruh (b), Connie Loewen (t), Joan Smith (t), pastor Anne Dyck, and Joel Boxum (b); (front) pastor Harinder Sahota, Vidya Sharma (b), Serena Kalyan (b), Cora Prachnau (b), Kelsey Siemens (b), Leanza Hiebert (b), and Michelle Oravec (b). Missing are Amarjit Cheema (b) and Malkiat Sahota (b).
Richmond Park MB Church, Brandon, Man., welcomed 3 new members by baptism Nov. 4. Pictured are (l-r) Benji Pries, Kaitlyn Enns, Zarah Cunningham, and pastor Dave Ens.
Sunrise Community Church, Edmonton, welcomed 6 new members Apr. 13, 3 by baptism, 1 by transfer, and 2 by confession of faith. Pictured are (l-r) board of elders chair Len Fehr, Ann Seibert (t), James Seibert (cf), Peter Dahl (cf), Melissa Johnson (b), Travis Matchett (b), Chelsie Eleniak (b), and pastor Dennis Wiens.
Linden (Alta.) MB Church welcomed 7 new members by baptism May 18. Pictured are (back, l-r) pastor Gary Burke, Julie Neufeld, Lynn Boake, pastor Daniel Beutler; (front) Ryan Kung, Nicole Neufeld, Gina Wickersham, and Steve Boake. Not pictured is Steve Hatch.
River West Christian Church, Edmonton, welcomed 5 new members by baptism Mar. 9: Alex Martens, Deidre Martens, Tiffany Crosswhite, Brad Hainstock, and Connie Hainstock.
Culloden MB Church welcomed 9 new members Apr. 27, 4 by baptism and 5 by confession of faith. Pictured are (back, l-r) Chris Ratzlaff (b), Arafat Isaya (b), and Washington Isaya (b); (middle) Alebel Ewunetu (b), Jordan Kabulimbo (cf), and pastor Ted Klassen; (front) Yaping Lu (cf), Yasser Kabulimbo (cf), Bitisho Bembeleza (cf), and Michelle Kabulimbo (cf).
Armstrong (B.C.) Bible Chapel baptized 3 new members June 1. The baptism was held at Gardom Lake Bible Camp during the church’s annual family camp. Pictured are (l-r) pastor Ken Dueck, Tenisha Hoogland (b) with her father Garry Hoogland, Wayne Hoogland with his daughter Erin Hoogland (b), and Joshua Baylis (b) with his father Ray Baylis.
Foothills Community Church, Pincher Creek, Alta., welcomed 5 new members Mar. 2, 3 by baptism and 2 by transfer. Pictured are (back, l-r) pastor Ernie Bergen, Julian Machado (b), Violet Spendlow (b), and Reed Conley (b); (front) Bob Sunquist (t) and Shannon Sunquist (t).
Mountain Park Community Church, Abbotsford, B.C., welcomed 18 new members Apr. 27, 7 by baptism, 5 by confession of faith, and 6 by transfer. Pictured are (back, l-r) pastor Amy Adrian, Rachel Nalos (t), Paul Nalos (t), pastor Shawn Driedger, Brady Kaethler (b), David Loewen (cf), Dominc Miletto (cf), Melissa Ens (cf), Travis Danek (t), Jeff Twells (cf), pastor Cam Stuart, and pastor Terry Kaethler; (front) Larisa Sinclaire (b), Amy Scheffler (b), Tricia Schuetz (b), April Scheffler (b), Lindsay Postma (b), Tanya Schuetz (b), Melissa Friesen (cf), Steve Brown (t), Lea Brown (t), and Rosalie Danek (t).
