Previous | Next 

Sainte-Rose, Que.
Be at the rendez-vous!

Dave Wiebe

Even though Rendez-vous Montréal was approved by the Canadian MB Conference at its convention in July, it was at the Quebec MB Conference convention Sept. 7 that the project to plant churches in Montreal was placed into the hands of the people who will have to carry it out. Thirty-eight delegates from Quebec MB churches were present for the meeting, held in the Ste-Rose church.

Ewald Unruh

The delegates were joined by Canadian MB Conference executive director David Wiebe and Canadian Conference evangelism director Ewald Unruh, who is spearheading the Key Cities Initiative, of which Rendez-vous Montréal is the third project. “Salut, mes amis,” said David Wiebe, and received spontaneous applause for his ongoing efforts to learn French. Wiebe explained the mission of the Canadian Conference and outlined the highlights of the Canadian Conference convention.

Executive Committee

Jean Théorêt

Moderator Jean Raymond Théorêt thanked the other members of the Quebec Conference executive (Stéphane Rhéaume and Robert Dagenais and former member Philippe Bonicel, who had served as assistant moderator for several years). Referring to the rebuilding of the walls in the book of Nehemiah, he said that the executive could not carry out the project of God alone but that every member needs to contribute.

Théorêt also announced that the executive had had a section translated from the Canadian MB Conference church manual Following the Call – the section dealing with the calling of a pastor to a local church. Noting that the Quebec MB Conference had lost three pastors, he said that that situation was “unacceptable”, even if it was not unique to the Quebec Conference. Insisting that things had to change, he announced that inter-church meetings would be held to restructure pastoral ministry in the Conference.

Participants at a general session

Further, Théorêt announced that from now on the Conference’s General Council would meet Saturday mornings so that lay workers and local church moderators could also attend.

Robert Dagenais introduced a membership manual intended to give all members of the churches a sense of belonging and to introduce new members to the larger family of Quebec MB churches.

A vote was taken confirming the New-Richmond congregation’s withdrawal from the Quebec Conference. (New-Richmond is a small congregation in eastern Quebec, distant from the other MB congregations, which are mostly grouped near Montreal.)

Rendez-vous Montréal

Ewald Unruh updated delegates on the progress of the first two Key Cities, Calgary and Toronto. He also came with gifts for the Montreal project:

a gift of $5000 from the Ontario MB Conference; the proceeds of an offering taken at the Canadian Conference convention in July (over $4000); and a commitment by Winkler (Man.) MB Church to pay the salary of a full-time church planter for two years.

The help is important because the budget for Rendez-vous Montréal is $1 million, of which the Quebec Conference must raise $100,000. Rendez-vous Montréal director Patrice Nagant has studied the finances of the Quebec churches and developed a plan whereby they would contribute 5-6% of their revenues, eventually increasing to 10%. The plan would provide financial support for Rendez-vous Montréal and for the existing programs of the Quebec Conference.

The convention formally recognized the planting of Communauté chrétienne international de Montréal (International Christian Community), which has already been meeting for several months in Montreal and is particularly targeted to refugees and other immigrants.

Finances

Treasurer France Joly presented the financial statement for 2001-2002, saying that the finances were well managed even though revenue was less than expected. The budget was based on the churches contributing a norm of $26 per member, but the churches had actually contributed an average of only $19 per member. A discussion followed on ways to encourage churches to pay the full norm: sending reminders three times a year, sending bills directly to members, undertaking an information campaign.

The 2002-2003 budget sets the norm at $26.40 and calls for revenue of $77,685 (more than half of which comes from the Canadian Conference) and spending of $79,685. The budget will actually be balanced because $2000 of the spending is to “repatriate” title to the Quebec church land and buildings from the Canadian Conference to the Quebec Conference; money was already set aside for this expense in last year’s budget.

Faith and Life and Theology

President Éric Wingender reported on l’École de théologie évangélique de Montréal (Montreal School of Evangelical Theology), noting that the Canadian Conference has decided to eliminate its subsidy to this MB school over three years. ETEM wants to sell its former buildings in Ste-Rose; there was some discussion whether this could be done without affecting the Ste-Rose church building, which is on the same property.

La Communauté chrétienne internationale

Wingender is also the Quebec representative on the Canadian Conference Board of Faith and Life. He announced that the French translation of the new MB Confession of Faith will soon be available. He reminded delegates of the next Canadian Conference Board of Faith and Life consultation, on baptism and church membership, to be held in May.

Camp Péniel

Board member praised camp director Richard Gervais for his ability to discover sources of financial and material donations. In recent months, the camp has added a second floor to its cafeteria building. Valued at $70,000-$100,000, it cost the camp $12,000-$14,000. Moreover, the camp tripled its rental income last year. In the future, it hopes to offer children’s camps for all ages, and to make the camp known in France and the rest of Canada as a site for snowmobiling and dogsledding. The youth winter camp will return this year, and will include a skiing and snowboarding trip to Morin Heights.

Rally

On Sunday, the St-Jérôme Church once again opened its large sanctuary for the annual rally of the entire Quebec Conference membership. Meeting under the theme “Together for a Rendez-vous, the audience appreciated the worship led by Georges Brissette and the St-Jérôme worship team and the enthusiastic shouts of joy of the African women members of Communauté chrétienne internationale. David Wiebe and Ewald Unruh again took the opportunity to build bridges between the Canadian and Quebec Conferences, and an offering of $2048 was received for the work of the Quebec Conference.

Music team

Patrice Nagant

Patrice Nagant preached on the story of Jesus walking on water, a passage which speaks of fear, faith, doubt, confidence, challenge and encounter. (In another room, his wife Cindy made a dynamic presentation on the same passage to the dozens of children present.) “If we want to walk on water as Peter did,” Patrice said, “we have to get out of our boat.” Even if he later doubted and began to sink, Peter was the only one of the disciples to personally experience this miracle. “What is your boat?” Patrice asked. “What keeps you from leaping over the side and venturing out? Jesus is not only in the church but also outside on the restless sea, and He says, ‘Come.’” As Peter had a rendezvous with Jesus, Patrice challenged his listeners to rendezvous with Jesus in Montreal. “Rendez-vous Montréal is not a project, but a beginning without an end, a rendezvous between us and God.”

 – from an article in Le Lien, written by Annie Brosseau and translated by Jim Coggins

Previous | Next 

Last modified January 10, 2003.

© 2003 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
Masthead and usage information.