New church starts

Friends Community Church began the New Year by opening its doors to the Carman, Man. community. Friends, with a mission of loving God and building friendships with others, bases its name on John 15:15 where Jesus says: “I no longer call you servants; now I call you friends.”

Dale and Marge Warkentin, pastor couple, (pictured left), moved to the community from Flin Flon, Man. in August and have been busy brainstorming, praying, gleaning ideas from other congregations and books, clarifying direction, meeting with their steering committee, and seeking God’s mind in the development of this new congregation.

To encourage interaction, the people who attend services at Friends are seated around tables, rather than in traditional pews. “We want the worship service to be intimate, to involve the people in the message and the prayer and praise time, to set a less formal atmosphere. The setting also reminds us constantly of that future banquet that Jesus invites us to,” explains Dale.

Support for this new congregation has been widespread. The Manitoba MB Conference spearheaded the venture, and the Winkler MB Church has assisted with music and childcare. A Blessing and Commissioning Service was held in Elm Creek on Jan. 18, expressing the support of the regional network of congregations in Elm Creek and Newton.

At the January 4 opening service, Neil Funk (interim visitation pastor for the dispersed church that ended in April 2003) read with emotion the words of Jesus from John 15: “I am the vine, you are the branches . . . Those who remain in me will bear much fruit.”

—Marge Warkentin