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Saskatchewan MB Conference Convention • March 15-16, 2002
Saskatoon, Sask.
Delegates support church plant proposal, church evangelism fund


The South Saskatchewan River flows through the middle of Saskatoon, offering hope to a region gripped by a drought more severe than that of the Dirty Thirties. Similarly, hope for reaching the lost was a theme running through the 56th annual convention of the Saskatchewan Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. Hosted by West Portal Church March 15–16, convention delegates affirmed a proposal to plant a new church in Moose Jaw. They also endorsed funding for an evangelistic project that will allow churches to reach their communities with the gospel.

Moose Jaw

Joe and Shantelle Almeida

Josinaldo (Joe) and Shantelle Almeida are in the preliminary stages of planting a church in Moose Jaw. They are members of Forest Grove Community Church in Saskatoon, but are now living in Moose Jaw. Originally from Brazil, Joe earned a B.Th. from Northern Christian Evangelical Seminary in São Luis, Brazil and has an M.Div. from Providence Theological Seminary in Otterburne, Manitoba. Previously, he served in ministries in Brazil as well as pastoring Grace Baptist Church in Oak River, Man. for eight months and doing a youth pastor internship at Portage Ave. MB Church in Winnipeg for a semester. Shantelle currently teaches full-time at Briercrest Bible College in Caronport, Sask. They have a daughter, Mikhayla, 4.

The Board of Church Extension (BOCE) undertook a lengthy discernment process before bringing the Moose Jaw

Greg Bright

recommendation to the delegates. The Board is committed to evaluating the Almeidas’ work on a continual basis, and is anticipating that the church would be launched in 2003.

Since the closing of Regal Heights MB Church in Moose Jaw a few years ago, Conference leaders have been reluctant to begin another church in that city. However, with the success of Living Hope Church in Saskatoon – the daughter church to West Portal planted just last year – enthusiasm for church planting became evident. BOCE chair Greg Bright acknowledged that the work ahead would not be easy, adding that this effort would have to use a different model than the mother–daughter model used with West Portal and Living Hope. Delegates affirmed this endeavour, including committing $22,000 to the Conference budget for this effort.

Living Hope Church

The success of Living Hope Church was celebrated at the convention. The Saskatoon church marked its first anniversary at a special service on Sunday. Pastor Dwayne Harms said the success of Living Hope Church was due largely to the more than 400 people who have been praying for the new church and to the coaching he has received from Dwayne Barkman, senior pastor at West Portal. Living Hope Church began with 51 members and has grown to 200 regular attenders. Last spring, it raised $150,000 in five weeks for the construction of a children’s ministry wing.

Project: RYW

Andrew Fehr, a member of BOCE and the newly appointed associate pastor of evangelism at West Portal, introduced delegates to “Project: Reach YOUR World”. The Project will set aside $20,000 as seed money for a fund that churches can apply to for use in new evangelistic efforts, such as hosting a community barbecue, beginning an Alpha program or bringing in a band for an outreach concert. Delegates affirmed this project and the seed money needed.

Christian Education

Delegates also voted to dissolve the Board of Christian Education Ministries. This Board has been struggling for years, and it was felt that it was no longer serving the needs of the churches. This year it cancelled the annual “Sharpen Your Cutting Edge” seminar. Chair Arlene Schroeder said that times have changed and churches have to re-examine what their needs for Christian education are.

Conference Moderator Rod Dick said, “I don’t think (the Board of Christian Education Ministries) is dead. The mandate (of the CEM Board) is outdated, and it has served its function. It needs to be retooled.”

Pastoral leadership development

The Council of Boards has appointed a Pastoral Leadership Development Team with the task of finding out what the current and future needs are in pastoral training. The team will be seeking input from the churches and the schools, Bethany and MB Biblical Seminary. The team is made up of Phil Gunther, Darren Holland, Clarence Peters, Larry Speiser and Ray Lepp.

Worship

The worship sessions, interspersed throughout the weekend, began on Friday night.

Ralph Gliege, director of church ministries, gave the first message entitled “The State of the Province Address”. He recalled a visit to Abbotsford, B.C.

Ralph Gliege

when he was six. In 1955, Abbotsford was a small town that had lots of churches. Today it is a good-sized city that has lots of crime and drugs. On a recent visit, he asked himself what had happened to this small town that once was a godly place. In the book It Takes a Church to Raise a Village (which is based on the African proverb “It takes a whole village to raise a child”), Marva Mitchell writes, “Stop having church and start being a church.” Jesus and His disciples impacted whole communities (John 4, Luke 8, Matthew 8, Mark 6) with their ministry. After Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Pharisees remarked, “Look how the whole world has gone after him!” Said Gliege, “What a testimony!” Since the government has no more money to take care of the people, he suggested that maybe it is time for the church to take care of them. But people can’t see through our stained glass windows.

Richard Funk

“People are not interested in what is happening in our churches if they are not interested in what is happening in our hearts. We have to walk out of the doors (of our churches) before we can expect the village to come through our doors,” he concluded.

Richard Funk, MBMS International missionary in Salzburg, Austria, gave the second address. He spoke about what it means to go outside the camp (Hebrews 13:13,14), where garbage was dumped, animal carcasses were burned and lepers spent their time. Seen as a place of disgrace and mockery, it was also where Jesus was crucified. Funk compared what life was like for Anabaptists who experienced severe persecution in Salzburg during the 16th century with life there today. While there is no open persecution, most men do not get baptized because they fear they might lose their family inheritance if they join a Mennonite church. Women, however, do not fear this, and they get baptized.

Gerald and Shirley Falk

Gerald Hildebrand, MBMS International area director for Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario, gave the third address. He spoke about global missions in the context of the home church. He then introduced Gerald and Shirley Falk, missionaries in Peru, who reported on their work. Formed in 1995, the Peruvian MB Conference today has 10 churches and 500 members, and had its seventh annual convention last January. Currently, 125 people are studying for pastoral leadership, with the majority taking the theological training by extension program which is supported by MBMSI.

Budget

Delegates accepted the Conference’s 2002 budget of $173,580, up from $158,441 in 2001. Last year, the Conference actually took in $149,195 and spent $146,479, leaving it with a surplus of $2,715. The Conference levy for each member that is used to support the various Conference ministries remains the same as last year at $55.

Other ministries and agencies associated with the Conference gave brief reports, including West Bank Bible Camp, Redberry Bible Camp, Bethany Bible Institute, MB Biblical Seminary, Canadian Mennonite University, Kindred Productions, Family Life Network and Mennonite Central Committee Saskatchewan.

 – pjw

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Last modified April 17, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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