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Ray Dirks, curator of the Mennonite Heritage Centre Gallery in Winnipeg, will be artist-in-residence at the Overseas Ministries Study Center (OMSC) in New Haven, Conn., from September to December. Dirks will contribute to seminars and workshops, pursue his own artistic endeavours and be a research fellow at Yale University. Currently, Dirks is putting together an exhibit called “Our Family”, featuring the works of Mennonite artists around the world, for the 2003 Mennonite World Conference in Zimbabwe. The OMSC was founded in 1922 as a learning and renewal centre for missionaries on furlough.
Vidya Narimalla has resigned as co-pastor of New Life Christian Church in Toronto, effective in October, after serving as pastor for eight years. Narimalla started New Covenant Christian Fellowship in 1995. Last year, the congregation amalgamated with Bridlewood Brethren in Christ Church, and the combined congregation was named New Life Christian Church. (See MBH, News, Mar. 22, 2002). Made up of people from 25 nationalities, the church is affiliated with both the MB and BIC denominations. In October, Narimalla will become senior pastor of Kitchener (Ont.) MB Church, his home congregation before he attended MB Biblical Seminary, Fresno, Calif., where he earned an M.Div. Previously, he was a banker for six years in Waterloo, Ont., and served as treasurer on the Mennonite Central Committee Board. Besides his seminary training, he has business management and financial consulting certification from the Credit Union Institute of Canada. He and his wife Gwen have two children, Michael, 14, and Rachael, 12.
Bob Enns became senior pastor of Grantham MB Church in St. Catharines, Ont. on Sept. 1. Previously, he pastored South Park MB Church in Altona, Man. for 13-and-a-half years and was assistant pastor at Mayfair Mennonite Church in Saskatoon for four years. He has an M.Div. from Providence Theological Seminary in Otterburne, Man. He and his wife Vicki have two daughters, Carrie and Tracy.
John Wiebe became half-time associate pastor at Grantham MB Church in St. Catharines, Ont. on Sept. 1, after serving as full-time pastor for five-and-a-half years. Previously, he served as moderator of the church for 14 years and taught high school science in St. Catharines for 32-and-a-half years. He has a B.Sc. from McMaster University in Hamilton and a diploma from a Bible school in Kitchener, Ont. He and his wife Ingrid have three grown children and two grandsons.
Jamie Reimer has accepted a call to become youth pastor at Grantham MB Church in St. Catharines, Ont., effective in September. Previously, he served on staff at Camp Crossroads, a ministry of the Ontario MB Conference, for three years, and this past summer was assistant program director. He also served as a volunteer youth worker at Fallingbrook Baptist Church in Scarborough, Ont. for three years. He has studied toward a B.R.E. at Tyndale College in Toronto.
Ken and Carolee Neufeld began serving as interim pastor couple of South Park MB Church in Altona, Man. on Aug. 27. Previously, they served in Snow Lake (Man.) Christian Centre, Crossroads MB Church in Winnipeg and River of Life MB Church in Moncton, N.B. Ken also taught public school in cross-cultural settings for 10 years and was director of Manitoba MB Conference Missions and Church Extension for eight years. The Neufelds have been on staff with Freedom in Christ Ministries for eight years, doing prayer counselling and conducting seminars across Canada, with a focus on Manitoba and the Maritimes. In March, they resigned and launched Living Free Ministries as part of their broadening vision for serving the church. The assignment in Altona is one aspect of their new direction. The Neufelds have six children and five grandchildren. They continue to live in Winnipeg.
Chris and Louise Friesen have accepted a call to become full-time associate pastor couple at Lendrum MB Church in Edmonton, effective Sept. 1. Previously, Chris taught in Little Buffalo, Alta. for three years, worked with Mennonite Central Committee in Little Buffalo for two-and-a-half years and worked with children and youth at an east Vancouver church for several years. He recently completed one-and-a-half years of studies at MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, Calif., where he is pursuing an M.A. in theology. He has a B.A. from the University of British Columbia and a teaching certificate from Simon Fraser University. Louise has a B.A. in music from UBC and a Bachelor of Church Music from Canadian Mennonite Bible College (now Canadian Mennonite University) in Winnipeg. The Friesens have four children, Silas, 8, Simone, 6, Godwin, 4, and Amos, 2.
Ron and Gladys Medwid have accepted a call to pastor Warman (Sask.) MB Church, effective in September. Previously, Ron was an electronic engineering consultant for over 10 years and ran his own window covering outlet and factory in Regina for eight years. They also led a home church for the past three years. He has a diploma in electronic engineering technology from Red River Community College in Winnipeg. They and their three children – Amanda, 16, Stacey, 14, and Mark, 11 – live in Martensville, Sask.
Jon McInnis began serving as full-time director of worship and music at Portage Ave. MB Church in Winnipeg on July 9. He previously served music internships at Bethel Mennonite Church for a year and at Grant Memorial Baptist Church in Winnipeg for two years. He has a Bachelor of Church Music degree from Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg and studied at Alberta Bible College in Calgary. He and his wife Amber have a son, Daniel, 2 months.
John Enns-Wind resigned as pastor of Emmanuel Community Church in Pierceland, Sask., effective Aug. 29, after serving for eight months. He and his family (wife Annette and sons, John, 3, and Joshua, 7 months) will be moving to Caronport, Sask., where John will be continuing studies toward an M.Div. at Briercrest Biblical Seminary. Previously, he was an economic planner for the Northwest Territories government for three years and ran his own consulting business for a year in Yellowknife. He also was a lay leader in a men’s ministry at Yellowknife Alliance Church for three years. Annette has a B.Ed. from the University of Saskatchewan. She previously was a high school science teacher. John has a B.A. from Brock University in St. Catharines, Ont.
Winkler (Man.) MB Church held a farewell lunch June 2 for interim lead pastor couple Victor and Linda Neufeld, who served the congregation in this capacity for 20 months. The Neufelds are retired.
Pictured are (l–r) youth pastor Brad Huebert, Linda Neufeld, Connie Pauls, Victor Neufeld and church moderator Stan Pauls. |
Baptisms and new members
Note: Baptism photos appear in the paper version of the Herald but not in the online version.
Westwood Community Church in Winnipeg welcomed 15 new members Mar. 17 and Apr. 14, 5 by baptism, 2 by transfer and 8 by confession of faith. Pictured are (l–r) pastor Roger Thiessen, Rod Giesbrecht (cf), Christa Giesbrecht (cf), John McGregor (cf), Lorie McGregor (cf), Greg Wiebe (b), Ed Hume (cf), Karen Hume (cf), Greg Hildebrand (t), Candace Hildebrand (t), Shawna McKenzie (b), Allison Driedger (b), Chantale Bourget (b), Darryl Delaine (b), pastor Sean Sagert; (below) Guylaine Kornelsen (cf) and Tim Kornelsen (cf).
Elm Creek (Man.) MB Church welcomed 13 new members by baptism Mar. 31. Pictured are (back, l–r) pastor John Willems, Jonathan Dueck, Russell Neufeld, David Schroeder, Jesse Penner, Lindsey Penner and pastor Greg Wiens; (middle) Ainsley Esau, Brittany Esau, Rhonda Wiebe, Rhoda Wiebe, Natasha Esau, Candace Driedger, Justin Dueck; and (front) Joshua Klassen.
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Last modified October 3, 2002.
© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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