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EDITORIAL
Jake

Jim Coggins

Of all the decisions and announcements made at last January’s Canadian MB Conference Council of Boards session, the one that seemed to impact board members the most was the announcement that Conference treasurer Jake Neufeld was retiring. That retirement will take place this summer.

Jake is the longest serving executive staff member of the Canadian Conference, except for Herald editors Jim Coggins and Susan Brandt and Centre for MB Studies director Abe Dueck. However, we have all changed positions during the course of our service, and Jake has been in the same position for 14 years.


I suspect that Jake resigned when he did, between Canadian Conference conventions, so that he could avoid lengthy farewells and formal expressions of praise and thanks. I have some sympathy for that choice. However, praise is probably one thing that is beyond Jake’s control (not much at the Canadian Conference is). Jake received a spontaneous standing ovation at the Council of Boards, and I have chosen to make him the subject of this editorial.

I am going to miss Jake. The Conference is going to miss Jake. He has served very well.

There have been many achievements during Jake’s tenure, including the remarkable expansion of the Stewardship Ministries department, improvements in technology and improvements in employees’ benefits. Yet it is Jake’s personal characteristics that I remember the most.

Jake has controlled the Canadian Conference financial accounts with absolute integrity. People and churches can give to the Canadian Conference with confidence that their donations will be used for the intended purposes. That integrity has also extended to little things. Jake almost always takes 10:00 coffee break, but at 10:15 he stands up from the coffee table, and coffee break is over. We take integrity for granted, but, in a sinful world, maybe it is far more remarkable than we realize.

I am also going to miss Jake’s honest advice – in everything from personal financial matters to Conference budgetting and office politics. When he thought it necessary, Jake has called me into his office and told me firmly but graciously that I was wrong. He has also affirmed me on those occasions when I have done something right. I haven’t always followed Jake’s advice, but I have always known that I had better have a very good reason for not doing so.

Jake has kept a very tight control on Conference finances. As Canadian Conference staff, we know better than to bring in frivolous requests for money. When buying new equipment, we are required to have done our homework and to have found the best deal available. Jake hates waste. But he loves ministry. While he has never allowed us to spend money carelessly, Jake has worked hard to find ways to provide the money for worthwhile ministry.

Jake himself modelled ministry. He came to the Conference from private industry primarily because he had decided that he wanted to spend time serving God.

As time went on, it seemed that Jake developed a sense of humour (or more likely we finally came to recognize the wry sense of humour that was already present). How could he not have a sense of humour after telling a convention . . . well, if you have not heard that legendary story, I won’t repeat it again here.

One of the services the Canadian Conference provides is to give mortgages to churches and pastors. It is typical of Jake’s heart for ministry that when a mortgage is paid in full, Jake signs the final payment receipt and adds a happy face. It is his way of saying, “Well done!”

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Last modified June 18, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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