People & events

Armstrong (B.C.) Bible Chapel celebrated its 25th anniversary June 22–23. Reminiscing, singing by the men’s quartet and ladies’ trio, skits, video and sharing of experience and stories was followed by fellowship and dessert on Saturday evening. Founding pastor Jake Balzer spoke at the Sunday morning service and other former pastors were recognized. Again, a meal and fellowship time rounded out the day. The church was begun in 1976 by seven families. In 1980 land was purchased for a building. This building was dedicated Oct. 17, 1982. The church continues to grow under the leadership of pastor Greg Schmidt.

—Allison Rogers

Hate crimes against Muslims in the US rose from 28 in 2000 to 481 in 2001, according to FBI statistics. Hate crimes against people of Middle Eastern and Asian descent rose from 354 in 2000 to 1501 in 2001. Most of the incidents involved intimidation or assaults; there were three cases of murder and 35 arsons.

—Council on American-Islamic Relations

The Vietnamese government officially recognized the Evangelical Church of Vietnam-South in April 2001 and has now given permission for the umbrella body representing 1.2 million Christians to open a seminary in Ho Chi Minh City. However, the government has refused to return a seminary campus confiscated in 1976, has limited enrollment to 50 students (half the number the church asked for) and has insisted that all students must be approved by the government. It is expected that underground church training programs will continue. At the same time, the government has cracked down on churches among the Montagnard, Hmong and other tribal peoples of the central highlands; it is estimated that 400,000 out of the 600,000 tribal people are either Protestants or Catholics. By the end of last September, 354 of the 412 churches in Dak Lak province had been forcibly closed. Dozens of pastors have been arrested, and some have been killed.

—Compass Direct, Evangelical Press News Service

Travel agency TourMagination is adding another tour to their repertoire of Mennonite World Conference tours. This one will be led by Fred and Irma Epp of Winnipeg. The tour will leave from New York City Aug. 1 and visit places of importance to the work of Mennonite Brethren Church and Mennonite Church in Congo. Contact TourMagination at 800-565-0451 or by e-mail. Fred and Irma served in Congo from 1957–1973 under MB Missions/Services.

Isabella Sellar

In Exile, For A While is a new simulation program set up by Mennonite Central Committee Canada in which youth assume the role of refugees. Adults play such roles as soldiers and United Nations workers while the youth experience the daily events of displaced people – trying to cross a border without knowing the language; being ambushed by thieves, threatened by militia or kidnapped by rebels; and enduring the tedium of a refugee camp. The simulation can last from 2 to 24 hours, followed by a discussion. Isabella Sellar of Saskatoon has been hired by MCC Canada to coordinate the program. She recently worked on a project in Venezuela through the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs. The program was created by Canadian Foodgrains Bank and Canadian Lutheran World Relief, but they have encouraged other agencies to use it. Further information on the program is available by phone at 519-745-8458 or by e-mail.

—MCC Canada

Charitable donations in the US dropped 2.3% last year, and are expected to drop even more this year. Charitable donations by corporations dropped 14.5%. Corporations and foundations now contribute 25% of all donations; individuals contribute 75%. The drop is blamed on the recession. However, giving has shown a steady decline for several decades. Empty Tomb Inc. and the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches say that giving to churches has dropped from 3.1% of personal income in 1968 to 2.4% of personal income.

—Sightings

Whistler (B.C.) Community Church has a new website.

—Whistler Community Church

The Bharatiya Janata Perty, in an election Dec. 12, won 126 of 182 seats in the Indian state of Gujarat, an increase of nine seats from the previous election. The election was marked by anti-Muslim and anti-Christian rhetoric by the BJP and suspicion of election fraud. Over 200,000 people were dropped from voter lists, although the number of voters has usually been increasing by 25% every five years. Hindu activists hope to use the election as a springboard to make all of India a “Hindu nation” within two years. Some Hindu activists want to outlaw conversions and have threatened to give the “death sentence” to all who oppose their movement.

—Compass Direct

At least 728 people from 15 countries have been participating in “A Women’s Fast for Peace” sponsored by Mennonite Central Committee. Participants fast for 12 hours every Wednesday to help stop a possible war with Iraq. The fast was scheduled to end three days before International Women’s day on March 8.

—MCC Canada

At least 30 of the 5400 missionaries with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention have refused a request by denominational leaders that they sign “The Baptist Faith and Message” statement approved by the denomination in 2000 and may have their appointments terminated. About 50 others have not yet responded to the request. Although the missionaries signed a similar statement when they were first sent out, some are now saying that the requirement violates the Baptist principle that no human creed should have authority over the Bible and the Holy Spirit.

—Evangelical Press News Service

About 200 students at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Va., have signed a petition protesting the University’s requirement that all faculty and staff sign three documents: EMU’s “Vision, Mission and Values Statement”, EMU’s “Community Lifestyle Commitment” and Mennonite Church USA’s “Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective”. The students leading the petition drive argue that the requirement threatens academic freedom and the University’s role as “a safe place for Christian minds to constructively critique church policy”.

—The Students

A survey conducted on the Christian Coalition’s website found that 88% of visitors to that site believe that Islam is not a peaceful religion, 92% believe Islam is not a divine religion and 75% support the US going to war against Iraq. The Christian Coalition is a right-wing US lobby group.

—Evangelical Press News Service

Mennonite Central Committee shipped more than 11,000 newborn kits and 10,000 children’s comforters to North Korea in February. Collected by church groups across North America, the kits contain clothing, diapers, soap and a receiving blanket.

—Mennonite Central Committee

The World Assemblies of God has cancelled its triennial congress scheduled for August 2003 in Nairobi, Kenya, citing concerns over travel security. Mennonite World Conference, on the other hand, has affirmed that its assembly will go ahead as scheduled in the same month in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

—Evangelical Press News Service

George Weber, 73, a retired teacher from Chesley, Ont., was killed Jan. 6 near Basrah, Iraq, when the vehicle he was riding in blew a tire and flipped over. Weber was part of a 17-member Christian Peacemaker Team that had been in Iraq since Dec. 29. Two other members of the team received moderate injuries. CPT sends North American volunteers to troubled spots of the world in the hope that their nonviolent presence will prevent or reduce violence.

—Christian Peacemaker Teams

An October 2002 poll of 1501 Canadians found that 37% believe human life should be protected from conception on, 13% after 3 months gestation, 6% after 6 months, and 30% from birth (the current law); 14% didn’t know or wouldn’t answer. To a second question, asked of 3010 Canadians, 23% said all abortions should be paid for by government (the current situation), 15% said abortion should be a private responsibility, 51% said abortion should be funded by government only for medical emergencies such as a threat to the mother’s life or in case of rape or incest, and 11% didn’t know or wouldn’t answer. The survey was conducted by Leger Marketing, commissioned by LifeCanada.

—Voice For Life Newsletter

The Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. has accused Palestinian terrorist organizations of using children in their campaign against Israel, even using children’s toys and knapsacks to conceal bombs. It notes that an April 2001 survey of 1000 children aged 9–16 in Gaza found that 45% had taken an active role in violence against Israel and 73% said they wanted to become martyrs.

—Embassy of Israel

720 Israelis and 2075 Palestinians have been killed in the past 28 months of violent conflict between Israel and Palestinians.

—The Council on American–Islamic Relations

The Supreme Court has upheld the decision of two lower courts that allows communities to ban the use of video lottery terminals. The case went to court after the town of Winkler, Man. refused to allow Albert and Ester Siemens to introduce VLTs into a hotel they own.

—CBC.ca, Canadian Press, Evangelical Fellowship of Canada

“Ethics of biotechnology: Viewing New Creations with Anabaptist Eyes” is a major conference being held Nov. 13–15 at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Va. The Anabaptist Center for Health Care Ethics in Elkhart, Ind. and Mennonite Central Committee are associate sponsors. The conference is designed for students, faculty, health care professionals, bioresearchers, agriculturalists, pastors, educators, counsellors and anyone else interested in the use of new understandings in genetics. Speakers include John Gearhart, gynecology and obstetrics professor at Johns Hopkins University; LeRoy Walters, professor of Christian ethics at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University; Carole Cramer, professor of plant pathology and physiology at Virginia Tech; and Stanley Hauerwas, professor of theological ethics at Duke Divinity School. Further information can be obtained by phoning 540-432-4000 or visiting the EMU website.

—Eastern Mennonite University