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James and Julie Simpson were commissioned as youth pastor couple in Lakeview Community Church, Killarney, Man. on Aug. 26. They began serving the church on July 1. James was born in Manchester, England to alcoholic parents, who committed suicide – his mother when he was 10 and his father when he was 14. He was a troubled youth, growing up on the streets. In 1986, he came to Canada. After finding Christ, he worked at a Christian conference centre in Ontario. In 1993, he founded Sky High, a street evangelism ministry in Huntsville, Ont. After three years, he went to Briercrest Bible College, earning a B.A., and then served for a year with Campus Crusade for Christ at the University of Regina. He did a pastoral internship at Sunningdale Community Church in Moose Jaw, Sask. for two years, worked for McDonald’s for a time and was youth director at Morris (Man.) Mennonite Church for 21 months. He also worked for Circle Square ranches in Saskatchewan and Ontario 1997–98. The Simpsons have two daughters, Rachel, 3, and Cara, 1.
Pictured are (l-r) Manitoba MB Conference minister Herb Kopp, Doris Kopp, James Simpson, Julie Simpson, Kathy Stobbe and senior pastor Dan Stobbe. |
Warren Schmidt began serving as lead pastor of Kennedy Heights MB Church in Delta, B.C. on May 1, after serving as student ministries pastor for four years. Previously, he pastored Zion Baptist Church in Edmonton for three years and served a pastoral internship at Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton for two years. He has a B.R.E. from North American Baptist College in Edmonton. He and his wife Cindy have two children, Fraser, 4, and Jensen, 8 months.
Tim Froese began serving as student ministries pastor at Kennedy Heights MB Church in Delta, B.C. on May 15 under the B.C. MB Conference pastoral apprenticeship program. Previously, he did a pastoral internship at Emmanuel Mennonite Church in Abbotsford, B.C. for two years and worked at Camp Squeah in Hope, B.C. for six summers. He has a B.A. from Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford.
Kelly and Lorelie Cochrane began serving as pastor couple at Discovery Community Church in Campbell River, B.C. on Sept. 4. Previously, they were church planters at Barkley Hills Community Church (an MB church plant) in Bellingham, Wash. for two years, were associate pastor couple of small groups and divorce recovery at Clovis (Calif.) Hills Baptist Church for two years, ran Haltershank Ministries (a men’s, counselling and street ministry) in Williams Lake, B.C. for six years, ran an insurance business in Williams Lake and were involved in lay ministry in Cariboo Bethel MB Church in Williams Lake for eight years. Kelly has a B.A. from Simon Fraser University and an M.A. from MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, Calif. They have three children, Courtney, 11, Kyla, 9, and Karis, 7.
Forest Grove (B.C.) Church held an appreciation Aug. 26 for Harvey and Gloria Guenther, who completed their ministry at the church after serving on a part-time basis for the first year it became affiliated with the B.C. MB Conference. James Nikkel, church extension director for the conference, visited the church Aug. 19 and expressed appreciation to the Guenthers for their ministry.
Blake Wagner has accepted a call to pastor Grace MB Church in Penticton, B.C., effective Oct. 15. Previously, he ran his own computer business, pastored Foothills Community Church in Pincher Creek, Alta. for four-and-a-half years and served with Youth With A Mission in Japan and the Philippines for a year. He has a B.A. from Prairie Bible College in Three Hills, Alta., and has studied at Briercrest Biblical Seminary in Caronport, Sask. He and his wife Lynda have three children, Karemi, 12, Lorna, 11, and Nolan, 8.
Victor and Helen Stobbe began pastoring Forest Grove (B.C.) Church in September. Previously, he pastored Hillside Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C. for five-and-a-half years, an independent church in Big Creek, Calif. for five years, Mountainview MB Church in Mission, B.C. for eight years, a Full Gospel Church in Castlegar, B.C. for three years, a Full Gospel Church in Chilliwack, B.C. for three years, Miocene (B.C.) Community Church for six years and Hays (Alta.) Gospel Chapel for four years, and served with Youth With A Mission in Long Beach, Calif. for two years. He is a graduate of MB Bible Institute (now Columbia Bible College), has a B.A. from Fresno (Calif.) Pacific College (now University) and has studied at MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno. The Stobbes have four children and 14 grandchildren and are expecting their 15th grandchild soon.
Ernest Dyck began serving as administrator of the Manitoba MB Conference on Aug. 1. He replaces George Martens, who retired at the end of July. Previously, Dyck was a project management consultant for 20 years for government and non-government organizations in Africa, the Caribbean, Bangladesh and the former Soviet Union; served with MBMS International for 14 years, working in agriculture and development in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo); and worked in banking for eight years in Winnipeg, Saskatoon and Broadview, Sask. He has a diploma from Briercrest Bible College in Caronport, Sask. and a B.A. and an M.A. in economics from the University of Manitoba. He and his wife Mary have two daughters and three grandchildren. The Dycks attend Elmwood MB Church in Winnipeg.
Kelvin Hildebrandt of Boissevain, Man., has completed a year in Japan teaching English as a second language. He is a member of Boissevain MB Church.
Trevor Martens of Boissevain, Man. will be working in agriculture in the Rwenzorian Mountain area of Uganda for a year with Emmanuel International missions. He is a member of Boissevain MB Church. Fifty-three young people from 27 countries are participating in Mennonite Central Committee’s International Visitor Exchange Program (IVEP), this year, beginning with an orientation Aug. 4–10 in Blooming Glen (Pa.) Mennonite Church. IVEP promotes international friendships for young people. Some participants spend six months living in a North American location, meet for a mid-year reunion, then spend six months volunteering at a second location. Most participants spend the entire year in one location, meet at a mid-year conference and return to a new host but the same sponsor. Those in teaching positions remain at the school for the entire school year and serve a two-month summer term with a camp or service assignment. Participants receive vocational training in mostly Mennonite agencies, institutions and businesses in the fields of farming, business/accounting, education, architecture, pastoral care, social service, computers, construction and building trades. Silvana Ricca of Córdoba, Argentina, is beginning a one-year assignment as an educational assistant at Mennonite Educational Institute in Abbotsford, B.C.
Twenty-seven young people from North America have begun a year in Europe with the Intermenno Trainee Program, which began with an Aug. 16 orientation at a conference centre in Toronto. Participants spend a year in the Netherlands, Switzerland or Germany, working and living with European Christians in order to learn their culture firsthand. Most participants spend six months in each of two locations within the same country. Intermenno Trainee Committees in Europe administer the program. Mennonite Central Committee assists the committees by answering inquiries and collecting applications for approval in Europe, and prepares the participants for the experience. Karla Braun of Niverville, Man. is beginning a one-year term as the custodian/hostess for the Doopgezinde Church in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Previously, she was a receptionist at Falk Nurseries in Niverville. She attended Providence College in Otterburne, Man. She is a member of Fourth Ave. Bible Church in Niverville. Sherrilyn Pries of Brandon, Man. is beginning a one-year term as a nanny for the Fellman family in Hemberg, Switzerland. Previously, she worked for Wal-Mart. She completed a home school course. She attends Richmond Park MB Church in Brandon.
Kimberly Precht |
Luke Davis
MCC photos by Tony Siemens |
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Thirty-two people participated in a SALT and YIP orientation held at Mennonite Central Committee headquarters in Akron, Pa., Aug. 18–24. SALT (Serving And Learning Together) and YIP (Youth Internship Program) are both one-year programs for young adults interested in living, learning and working overseas. SALT is a program for young adults from Canada and the US; YIP is only for young people from Canada. Luke Davis of Richmond, B.C. is beginning a one-year assignment in Paraguay. Previously, he worked at Green as Grass in Richmond. He is a member of Fraserview MB Church in Richmond. Karen Giesbrecht of Abbotsford, B.C. is beginning a one-year assignment with Committee for the Upliftment of the Mentally Ill in Montego Bay, Jamaica. She has a bachelor’s degree in dietetics from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She previously worked as a summer intern with a homeless shelter for First Baptist Church in Vancouver. She is a member of Bakerview MB Church in Abbotsford. Kimberly Precht of Edmonton is beginning a one-year assignment as a preschool assistant in Cairo, Egypt. She previously was a furniture refinisher for Paul Precht in Edmonton. She is a member of River West Christian Church in Edmonton.
Mennonite World Conference has added two full-time associate executive secretaries to assist executive secretary Larry Miller. Ray Brubacher of Waterloo, Ont., formerly MWC director of special projects, began serving as associate executive secretary, events and administration on Sept. 1. He worked for MWC part-time while studying at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Ind. in 1999, then worked in the MWC office in Strasbourg, France from January to October 2000, when he moved to the Kitchener, Ont. office. Previously, he served in Africa with Mennonite Central Committee in positions ranging from teacher to Africa director to international program director for 30 years; pastored Elmira (Ont.) Mennonite Church 1981–89; and served on the MCC binational and MCC Canada boards. His new administrative tasks will include updating policies and ways of keeping records, but his primary task for the next two years will be planning the MWC general assembly in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Aug. 11–17, 2003. Pakisa Tshimika of Fresno, Calif., began serving as MWC associate executive secretary, networks and projects on Sept. 1. A native of Democratic Republic of Congo, Tshimika came to the US to study to be a surgeon. When a car accident thwarted that plan, he turned to other health fields, earning Masters and Ph.D. degrees in California. He then worked in Congo as African program director for MBMS International and national director of health and development. One of his specialities is HIV/AIDS. Most recently, Tshimika was director of the Global Gifts Sharing Project for MWC. His new full-time position expands his responsibility to creating and overseeing a range of projects and staff, including the new YAMEN! (Young Anabaptist Mennonite Exchange Network) program.
Liesa Unger of Karlsruhe, Germany, has been appointed the first director of the Young Anabaptist Mennonite Exchange Network (YAMEN!), effective Oct. 1. YAMEN! is a joint Mennonite World Conference and Mennonite Central Committee exchange for youth and young adults; participants will work for a year in a congregation in a different part of the world and then spend at least three months reporting back to their home congregations. Pakisa Tshimika will supervise the program. Unger was born in Russia and moved to Germany with her family at age 10. Her husband Wilhelm pastors Thomashof Mennonite Church. Liesa worked as an MCC volunteer in Winnipeg’s inner city 1990–92. For the last eight years, she has directed Christliche Dienste, a German Mennonite voluntary service organization, working with young adults in partnership with other organizations in Germany, North America and Israel. Unger and Tshimika hope to place five young people in the first year, 10 in the second and 15 in the third.
Baptisms and new members
Note: Baptism photos appear in the paper version of the Herald but not in the online version.
Sardis Community Church in Chilliwack, B.C. welcomed 10 new members recently, 2 by baptism, 1 by transfer and 7 by confession of faith. Pictured are (l-r) Colleen Ellis (t), pastor Graeme Isbister, Helmut Allert (cf), Lily Allert (cf), Ken Esau (cf), Kathy Esau (cf), Darryl Flater (cf), Ruth Flater (cf), Tammy Boersma (b) and pastor Allan Rempel. Not pictured are Judy Reinhardt (cf) and Nigel Jackson (b).
Cornerstone Community Church in Virgil, Ont. welcomed 2 new members by baptism May 6. Pictured are (l-r) pastor Vic Loewen, Connie Smith and Rob Smith.
Lakeview Community Church in Killarney, Man. welcomed 4 new members by baptism June 10. Pictured are (l-r) Darcy Stobbe (b), Kathy Stobbe, pastor Dan Stobbe, Steven Doerksen (b), Chad Penner (b) and Nicole Morrow (b).
Richmond Park MB Church in Brandon, Man. welcomed 8 new members June 3, 3 by baptism and 5 by confession of faith. Pictured are (l-r) Leighton Penner (b), Jody Penner (b), Kevin Heide (cf), Kathy Heide (cf), Kim Holmes (cf), Sharlene Speight (b), pastor Dave Ens, Carol Koop (cf) and Wally Koop (cf).
Chilliwack (B.C.) Central MB Church welcomed 7 new members by baptism Aug. 5. Pictured are (back, l-r) Jon Funk, James Massie, pastor Mike Froese, Jon Schmidt, pastor Adam Wiggins; (front) Angelique Epp, Rebecca Schulz, Cam van Klei and Jonathan Kornelsen.
Chilliwack (B.C.) Central MB Church welcomed 7 new members by baptism Aug. 5. Pictured are (back, l-r) Jon Funk, James Massie, pastor Mike Froese, Jon Schmidt, pastor Adam Wiggins; (front) Angelique Epp, Rebecca Schulz, Cam van Klei and Jonathan Kornelsen.
Waterloo (Ont.) MB Church welcomed 7 new members May 13, 2 by baptism and 5 by confession of faith. Pictured are (l-r) Dennis Funk (small group leader), Gerry Ross (b), Terry Shuh (small group leader), Brenda Nickle (b), Gord Payne (cf), Virginia Payne (cf), Linda Payne (cf), Maureen Medel (cf), pastor David Macfarlane and John Medel (cf).
Waterloo (Ont.) MB Church welcomed 7 new members May 12, 4 by baptism and 3 by confession of faith. Pictured are (l-r) Andrew Nowak (b), Angela Nowak (b), Evan Petkau (b), Diana Balcarras (b), Steven McEvoy (cf), Bonita Eby (cf) and Jeff Horst (cf).
Scott Street MB Church in St. Catharines, Ont. welcomed 8 new members July 3, 5 by baptism and 3 by transfer. Pictured are (back, l-r) Oliver Trefz (t), Rudi Schanbacher (b), Derek Geitner (b), Herb Wall (t), pastor Paul Fast; (front) Jennifer Wiens (b), Pat Thompkins (b), Johanna Friesen (t) and Lauren Schiebel (b).
K.J. Weinberger, pastor of The Dwelling Place in Kitchener, Ont., baptizes Patrick Spielmacher at the church’s first baptismal service Saturday, June 23. The school board gave permission for the church to hold the service at the school where the church meets, and a watering trough was rented. Baptized that day were Carine Goossen, Bryan Dyck, Patrick Spielmacher and Margaret Russell. After the baptism, the congregation assembled in the gym for the prayer of dedication found in 1 Thessalonians 5:23,24. The church’s name comes from Psalm 84.
South Point Community Church in Leamington, Ont. held a baptismal service in a backyard pool June 24; 8 new members joined that day, 5 by baptism and 3 by confession of faith. Pictured are (back, l-r) pastor Brad Wilson, Alisha Dyck (b), Annie Letkeman (cf), Julie Welch (b), Chris Welch (b), Gerhard Taves (cf); (front) Jennifer Taveirne (b), Tara Cardoso (b) and Doris Shuglo (cf).
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Last modified October 29, 2001.
© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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