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Previous | Next The MB Conference Conventions • July 25–27, 2002
Abbotsford, B.C.
Will the flame burn brighter?
The Mennonite Brethren convention this year was actually a cluster of conventions, which operated almost independently of each other:
- The Canadian MB Conference convention was held July 26–27 during the day in Northview Community Church.
- The US MB Conference convention was held July 25–27 during the day in Bakerview MB Church.
- The General MB Conference convention was held Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening (July 25–27) in Central Heights Church and was a celebration of North American MB ministries over the past century.
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Also happening were:
- The annual meeting of the International Committee of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) July 28–30 at Columbia Bible College.
- Two seminars on Thursday, July 25, one of which reinforced the anabaptist aspect of MB theology and the other of which reinforced the evangelical aspect of MB theology
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In spite of the organizational independence, a number of common themes seemed to run through all of the sessions, pulling them together.
Canadian conference delegates at work |
General MB conference evening program |
A fire burning
The themes of the General and Canadian Conferences – ”Like a fire burning in my bones” and “Like a Burning Fire: A Passion for God in Canada” – had considerable overlap. This theme was mentioned again and again, but almost entirely in formal presentations – sermons, songs and liturgies. The theme was never fully defined but was generally understood as a passion for God.
Attendance
Conference organizers found renewed hope in the fact that attendance for many parts of the multi-convention was higher than had been expected. The downside of this unexpectedly large attendance is that there were line-ups for transportation and meals, and some late registrants were told that there were no meals available for them.
- The Canadian Conference convention attracted 440 registered delegates plus 68 registered guests and 11 guests from other countries who had come for the ICOMB meetings; this is the highest delegate total since 1994. The delegates represented 122 churches, up from 114 at the 2000 convention, although this is still just barely more than half of the 230 Canadian congregations.
- In addition, 24 Canadians and 13 Americans registered for the joint youth convention, and 23 children registered for the Canadian convention children’s program. (A separate children’s program was run for the US convention.)
- The US Conference registered 195 delegates, about two-thirds of what is usual for a US Conference convention, but not too bad considering the convention was held in a foreign country.
- The General Conference evening sessions (where there was no registration) packed out the 1500-seat Central Heights Church, especially on Friday night with people sitting on the balcony stairs, standing at the back and sitting on chairs in the foyer. Considerable numbers of local MBs, many of them “grey-haired”, swelled the ranks of delegates for these sessions.
- Registration for the Tom and Christine Sine seminar Thursday morning included 298 Canadians and 89 Americans, but it appeared that considerably more people actually attended. The Wayne Cordeiro seminar Thursday afternoon had had advance registration of over 100, but in the end 380 people registered, and about 475 attended (so many that organizers gave up trying to register them all). US Conference delegates did not attend this session, as their convention had already started, but there were large numbers of non-MBs.
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A youth movement
In spite of the grey hair evident at the evening sessions, a focus on youth and “the next generation” ran through all of the conventions. The Sines, futurists after all, finished their session by calling forward youth and those who work with youth for prayer.
Youngest participant at Canadian convention |
The last General Conference evening closed with those who had served the General Conference in the past passing on the fire (in the form of candles) to those who were younger. In between, in the Canadian Conference business sessions, several people lamented that more young adults were not delegates, and some delegates recommended acceptance of the Board of Discipleship Ministries proposal simply because it was developed by three young leaders. There was much focus on training new leaders, and MBBS president Henry Schmidt affirmed that he would dedicate his remaining years to encouraging young leaders; he asked delegates to hold him to account if they ever heard him criticizing the young.
A Friday supper forum where young leaders could talk to older leaders was not well attended, and the discussion was low-key, focusing on local church ministry.
Women in ministry
The theme of women in ministry was an undercurrent this time, surfacing only occasionally. In the context of the need for more leaders in a Canadian Conference session, Jon Unger Brandt, his voice breaking with emotion, called for full equality for women. Dan Unrau briefly alluded to the subject in his message at the General Conference session Friday night. Two of the seven main speakers were women.
Gifts, thanks and farewells
These conventions seemed to be an occasion for giving gifts. The General Conference gave a free copy of its commemorative book (For Everything a Season) to every church library, and pins to all former General Conference board members. MBMS International gave a free video of its report to every church, and a free can of “mission soup” to everyone who attended lunch on Saturday. Other boards offered books, T-shirts and other prizes. Historian and General MB Conference Historical Commission chair Abe Friesen even offered a free copy of his last book to anyone who would send him an e-mail.
The conventions were also a time for thanking past staff and welcoming new ones.
Joy and sorrow
There was much to celebrate at these conventions, and many attenders returned home enthused about new programs and new ideas. Numerous times presentations in the celebration events and the business sessions were received with enthusiastic applause, sometimes even standing ovations. Mixed with the joy, however, was a sense of loss, for the closing of the General Conference and for major cuts to the funding for MB Biblical Seminary, Conference periodicals and some other programs. Executive secretary Marvin Hein referred to this at the closing session on Saturday evening. He said he had talked to someone who had refused to attend this last General Conference convention on the grounds that “I do not want to attend a funeral even though it is called a celebration.” Hein observed, “We do not boycott funerals when loved ones die. We celebrate the life, remember and let go.” Some old things undoubtedly died or declined at these conventions, and new things are taking their place. On balance, will the MB flame burn brighter because of this summer’s conventions? Optimists, including many Conference leaders, would say yes. Others weren’t so sure. Time will tell. – jc
Passion for God
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David Chan |
On Saturday morning, David Chan, senior pastor of Pacific Grace MB Church in Vancouver since 1987, challenged the delegation with a meditation on Paul’s passion for God. Using Acts 16:6-10, Paul’s vision of the “Macedonian call”, Chan stated that, although Paul wanted to continue to preach in Asia, this call began the spread of the gospel to Europe and allowed the West’s more pointed and linear thinking to be incorporated into Christianity. This call was affirmed by the Holy Spirit (verse 6), Jesus (v. 7) and God (v. 10), thus emphasizing the teaching of the trinity of God. Paul responded to the need in Macedonia with his passion for God. Chan illustrated this by referring to former city missionary Henry Classen, who began Pacific Grace Mission many years ago and worked in the mission for about 40 years. This ministry has evolved into five Chinese churches in the Vancouver area, as well as two churches in Venezuela. He, too, had a strong passion for God and for the lost. – sbb
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Fun at the MB convention
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Cory Loeppky led a children’s program during the Thursday morning Tom and Christine Sine seminar, separate from the Canadian and US Conference children’s programs. |
At the Canadian MB convention, people from all over the country came to British Columbia. The part I personally liked was the kids’ program. We got to do lots of fun things. For example, we went bowling and swimming, and visited a theme park. I also got to meet a lot of new friends. The best friends I met are Jon and Nathan from Medicine Hat, Alta.
The last day, our teacher did a couple of magic tricks. For one of them, he dumped water into a container, and when it looked like he had poured out all the water, more and more water kept coming out. It was amazing. The lesson he was trying to teach us was that you can give to God but He will just keep giving back.
I think that everybody should come and have a great time at the next Canadian convention. – Carter Reimer, Calgary, Alta.
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Spiritual stretching
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Adults weren’t the only ones at the conventions in Abbotsford. Youth also got together for fun and service. Ranging in age from 12 to 18, they went canoeing and hiking and visited Vancouver in an “urban plunge”. Youth Mission International, a short-term mission program of MBMS International, sponsored the activities.
“At first we were all a bit wary of doing some things the leaders asked us to do,” wrote Rachel Pederson and Stephanie Wiest of their experience. “Eating lunch with a person off the streets wasn’t exactly within our comfort zones. But we were stretched in ways we had hardly thought possible. Out of our stretching, the love of God was shown to many people: a homeless person, the recipient of a free ice cream cone, or even others in our group.”
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Leading women
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Sharon Johnson |
Sharon Johnson, executive director of Christian Education Ministries, hosted a “Leading Women” lunch Friday. Sixty-two women from across Canada showed up for a time of fellowship and encouragement. Laura Kalmar, one of the participants at the Canadian interdenominational Leading Women conference in February (see MBH, News, March 22), told about the encouragement she had received regarding mentoring and being mentored. She also was impressed with the women who were honoured during the conference; they were not the angry women, but rather gracious women who were committed to following Jesus. Contrary to her expectations,
Laura Kalmar, CEM |
Michelle Penner was impacted by a Salvation Army lady who spoke about the responsible older brother in the story of the Prodigal Son. She stated that this brother could have chosen to get so close to the father that nothing could get in the way of their relationship; instead, jealousy threatened that relationship. Interestingly, Fraserview MB Church pastor Dan Unrau was brave enough to hang out with the women. Johnson would have gladly welcomed any other men who were interested enough to join the group. Johnson also encouraged the women present to become familiar with the MB stance on women in leadership and to become involved in all the areas open to them. She stated, “Accept who God has made us to be, and use the gifts we have.” – sbb with Sharon Johnson
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Last modified December 17, 2002.
© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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