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Nic Shaw resigned in January as part-time associate pastor at Meadows Community Church in Mississauga, Ont., after serving for about two years, including a one-year pastoral internship. He and his wife Diana are now back in Manchester, England. Nic attended Capernwray schools in England, Austria and Germany. The Shaws have two children.
Xavier Law completed a one-year general pastoral internship at Port Moody (B.C.) Pacific Grace Chinese Church at the end of May through the B.C. MB Conference Pastoral Apprenticeship program. He is continuing as assistant pastor at the church. Originally from Hong Kong, Xavier has been in Canada for 10 years. He has a B.A. from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia and an M.R.E. from Northwest Baptist Theological Seminary (ACTS) in Langley, B.C. He is engaged to Keeluy Chui.
Jedd Russell is completing his ministry as youth pastor at South Langley MB Church in Langley, B.C. at the end of June, after serving for three years. He has studied at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, B.C. and has a B.A. from Trinity Western University in Langley. His wife Melanie is a registered nurse and works part-time at Peace Arch Hospital in White Rock, B.C. They have a son, Jayden, 1.
Neil Block has resigned as senior pastor of Winkler (Man.) MB Church, effective Aug. 31, after serving for four years. Previously, he was director of Manitoba MB Conference Missions and Church Extension for five years; was pastor at Brooklands Community Church in Winnipeg for six years; and was youth/music minister at Bridgeway Community Church in Swift Current, Sask. for four years. He also sang in the Messengers Quartet and taught elementary and junior high school for six years. He has studied at Bethany Bible Institute in Hepburn, Sask., Simon Fraser University and Trinity Western University, and has an M.A. in Christian Education from Canadian Theological Seminary in Regina. He and his wife Ruth have two grown children. They are considering options for the future.
Eileen Hiebert is serving as music ministries director for Garden Valley Community Church in Kelowna, B.C. under the B.C. MB Conference Pastoral Apprenticeship program. Since age 16, she has been involved in worship ministry in various churches. She grew up in the Richmond/Ladner, B.C. area. She has served with Youth Mission International. Her education and employment have been in nursing. Her husband Corey is youth pastor at the Garden Valley Church.
Christian Fellowship Chapel in Orillia, Ont. held a sod-turning ceremony April 30 for a building project. Those involved in the ceremony were pastor Roger Thiessen; the building committee consisting of Ralph Stevenson, Gordon Weber and Gerry Barkey; architect Myles Allison; project manager Peter Wassenaar; MP Paul DeVillers; MPP Garfield Dunlop; Severn Township mayor Ron Stevens and former pastor Herman Kroeker. The new structure will be built onto the existing building and will include a 250-seat auditorium, a basement auditorium, offices, Sunday school classrooms and washroom facilities. The present building will also be renovated. The opening is projected for October 2000.
Melissa Cook, a member of the youth group at Grand Forks (B.C.) Gospel Chapel, was honoured April 6 as the first recipient of the Jim and Wendy Unruh Community Service Award. The award was established by CANPAR Industries in memory of Jim Unruh, a valued employee who perished along with his wife in a boating mishap. Unruh was known for organizing and implementing activities that benefitted others. Cook has served as a Pioneer Girls leader; was youth executive, treasurer and registrar for Grow For It, an annual youth retreat; and has engaged in random acts of kindness, including offering free babysitting to parents in home groups. Family and friends gathered for the award presentation and a dinner and also to remember the Unruhs’ contribution to the community. Bruce Welch (right), CEO of CANPAR Industries, presented Cook with a personal plaque and one for her school. The award carries a $500 cash prize for Cook and a matching gift for Pines Bible Camp, where she has served during the summers. Cook said her generosity was a natural result of her relationship with Jesus.
Grand Forks (B.C.) Gospel Chapel celebrated May Muirhead’s 90th birthday on Sunday, April 9. Pastor Henry Klassen presented her with a quilted card made by some of the women in the church and signed by the whole congregation. Klassen paid tribute to Muirhead with an acrostic made from the letters of her name: M for Mother, A for Alert and Y for Yahoo! He said that typifies her approach to life. The congregation prayed for her and joined in a standing ovation. Coffee and a birthday cake were served after the service.
Dean E. Peachey has been appointed academic dean and president designate of Menno Simons College in Winnipeg, effective Aug. 1. He is the founder and first director of The Network: Interaction for Conflict Resolution, a national association committed to the study and practice of conflict resolution in Canada. Most recently, he has worked with PACT Associates, a mediation and conflict resolution firm working with religious, government and non-profit organizations. He has taught peace and conflict studies courses as an adjunct professor at Conrad Grebel College, University of Waterloo. Menno Simons College is affiliated with the University of Winnipeg and is a partner in Canadian Mennonite University. It offers B.A. degrees in conflict resolution/transformation studies and international development studies.
Christina Willems was baptized May 14 and joined Dalhousie MB Community Church in Calgary.
Laura Loewen has been appointed executive director of Mennonite Central Committee B.C., effective Aug. 1. She is replacing Ed Janzen, who retired at the end of May. For the past 12 years, Loewen has been pastor at Mennonite Fellowship of Montreal. She also has worked as MCC country representative in Zambia/Zimbabwe, at MCC Canada and with Menno Travel Service. She attended Mennonite Educational Institute in Abbotsford, B.C. and has a B.A. from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver and an M.Div. from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries in Indiana.
Photo: Tracy Peters |
The Board of Directors of Winnipeg Mennonite Elementary Schools Inc. has reorganized the WMES administrative structure, moving from a two-person to a three-person team. The Board has appointed Ron Loeppky (centre) as senior principal/CEO, John Sawatzky (left) as principal of the Bedson school and Cindy Thiessen (right) as principal of the Agassiz school. Loeppky has been in education as a teacher and an administrator for over 30 years. Since 1996, he has been vice-principal/business manager at WMES. Sawatzky has been a teacher for 10 years, and at WMES since 1991. Thiessen has taught kindergarten to grade 4 for nine years and joined WMES staff in 1997. She is a member of The Meeting Place in Winnipeg. Len Barkman resigned as principal of the Agassiz school last year, after being with WMES since 1983. Bob Dyck resigned as principal of the Bedson school and WMES administrator after serving eight years. Founded in 1981, WMES is the oldest funded Mennonite elementary school in Canada. A staff of over 50 teach about 500 students from kindergarten to grade 8 at two campuses in Winnipeg.
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Last modified June 17, 2000.
© 2000 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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