Letters to the editor

Mennonite Brethren Herald welcomes your letters on issues relevant to the Mennonite Brethren Church, especially in response to material published in the Herald. Please keep your letters courteous, brief and about one subject only. We will edit letters for length and clarity. We will not publish letters sent anonymously, although we may withhold names from publication at the request of the letter writer and at our discretion. Publication is also subject to space limitations. Because the Letters column is a free forum for discussion, it should be understood that letters represent the position of the letter writer, not necessarily the position of the Herald or the Mennonite Brethren Church. Send letters to: Letters, MB Herald 1310 Taylor Ave. Winnipeg, Man.  R3M 3Z6 or send via e-mail. (Please ensure that your postal address is included in your e-mail correspondence.)

Commendation

I want to commend you for printing “Should Christians try to influence public affairs?” (Feb. 6) by Harold Jantz. It’s a practical and theologically sound article that reminds us the church has a different role than the state and that we as Christians are in the world but not of the world.

Peter Durksen,
Breslau, Ont.

From a Web reader

In following up on something on the Internet, I read something excerpted from your magazine. I checked out your website. While not from a Mennonite background, I am a Christian. I agree with the theology behind the articles I have read. I will continue to “hit” your website on a fairly regular basis. I pray God’s blessing and guidance on your work.

Jim Bright

A liturgical option

In “Why are Mennonite Brethren joining liturgical churches?” (Jan. 16) Dorothy Siebert cites several “born and bred” MBs who are joining Anglican and Greek Orthodox churches. In the description of what is attracting them, Siebert includes a sense of rootedness with the past, a depth and freedom in the resources of the liturgy, and musical diversity.

These reasons, and others, prompted Bakerview MB Church, Abbotsford, to initiate a liturgical service as an option. We began in September 2003 and find it has already addressed needs and provides opportunities for releasing the giftedness in our congregation. Participation is a key component. Many resources of Scripture, readings, songs and prayers are available for Anabaptist/Evangelical liturgical expression. Our worship includes five segments: Gathering, Proclaiming, The Table (once a month), Responding and Sending. This service is enriching our worship expression as a church body, and is reaching out intergenerationally to others in our city who hunger for aspects of the liturgical within the context of an evangelical church community.

Ray Harris,
Abbotsford, B.C.

Bakerview’s new service

Bakerview MB Church in Abbotsford added a third service, and decided on a liturgical style for a 6-month trial. About 120 persons attend.

What is it that attracts us to it? Is it anticipation of what has been so thoughtfully and prayerfully planned for each service? Is it the opportunity to participate in the readings, the prayers, the volunteer choir, the well-chosen hymns, or is it the peace of God so warmly expressed to each other? Is it the sermon that ties it all together? Perhaps it’s all of these and more.

There seems to be no generation gap. Families with young children attend, also youth, middle-aged and older persons.

We hear a lot about planting new churches. Could this be considered a church plant within a church, perhaps groundbreaking among Mennonite Brethren churches?

Agatha E. Klassen,
Abbotsford, B.C.

Well done, MBs!

Re the young people involved in Dorothy Siebert’s article, “Why are Mennonite Brethren joining liturgical churches?” (Jan. 16).

They were almost totally immersed in “MBism” until very recently. MBs introduced them to God, dedicated them to the Lord, prayed over them, and taught them to pray. MBs organized their Sunday school experience, taught them to memorize passages from the Bible, immersed them in Bible camps. Under MB guidance they received Jesus as Lord and Saviour and were baptized upon their faith. MBs established Bible colleges and these students were persuaded to attend. MBs then taught them to the best of their abilities. MBs exposed them to precious young people of largely MB background to facilitate their choice of suitable life partners, and MBs married them. In an MB setting they learned to love choral music, became acquainted with chants, and learned to sing in four-part harmony. I have also seen them sing choruses very happily and lustily. MBs produced workers not only for their churches but also for others.

MBs now bless these young people and wish them many years of useful and faithful service. As they have received from the Lord through the MBs they are expected to pass on what they have received. MBs now urge them to be good stewards of the grace of God.

Gerhard Penner,
Cranberry Portage, Man.

An older person’s response

I have not joined a liturgical church. But I like to attend a liturgical service. Why does a person like me, Mennonite Brethren and over 50, like to worship in a liturgical service?

I like quiet prayerfulness before the service begins. I like being surrounded by symbols with spiritual meaning. I appreciate the simple black or white gowns of those who are leading. I gladly join in the ancient responses, “The Lord be with you . . . And also with you.” I value the involvement of standing or sitting throughout the service. I appreciate Scripture being read well, three or four passages in one service. I think it important to recite the creed and affirm with others what we believe. I am happy that prayers are offered numerous times. I appreciate kneeling for prayer. I like it that we all say Amen together. I like to shake hands and offer those timeless words, “The peace of Christ be with you.” I like to speak the Lord’s Prayer with the congregation. I like to walk to the front to receive the bread and wine. I am moved by the words spoken to me, “The body of Christ was broken for you.” I am blessed when I go to the prayer team at the front and receive anointing and prayer.

I don’t just “attend” a liturgical service. I encounter the living Christ.

My Anabaptist identity is very important to me. Theologically, that is home – almost. In other denominations I sometimes encounter different theology, though it does not normally detract from the expression of worship. At times I find dissonance in my own denomination too. For example, there is a confessional emphasis on the centrality of the Word and the importance of prayer, but not much time is allowed for it in worship services. If we truly believe these things are important, they deserve more priority in our corporate life.

I worship and serve at the Elmwood MB Church in Winnipeg, a traditional church that is surprisingly untraditional! Among the folks at Elmwood I feel loved and accepted, and I expect they will continue to love me, even though they may not understand or share the perspective I express here. They will probably wonder what has led me toward enjoyment of liturgical worship. Why do any of us have certain preferences?

Both our personal inclinations and our life experience weigh in quite strongly. From the time of my childhood until the present, my life experience has brought to me (and I have sought) opportunities to worship, fellowship and serve with people of different denominations. Within myself I have noticed deep joy and a sense of being “at home” in a service that flows with dignity, beauty and reverence.

At 19 my place of worship was a little log chapel where I sometimes played the old pump organ as Cree hymns were sung. At 29 my husband and I were church planting in a mining town and finding that our little MB congregation was attracting Catholics and charismatics. At 39 we adopted, from our Jewish neighbours, their tradition of a weekly family “Shabbat” celebration.

In the last 10 years my husband and I have been in churches across Canada and beyond, teaching seminars and doing prayer ministry. We have knelt at the altar with the Nazarenes. We have laughed and cried with the Pentecostals. We have experienced miracles among the Mennonites. We have received prayer from Catholics. We have shared burdens with the Baptists. We have prayed for healing with charismatics. We have received communion from our African brothers and sisters. We have been prayed over in tongues. We have joined in prayer walks around church buildings. We have rejoiced with the Lutheran pastor who was constantly leading people to faith in Christ. We have bonded with clergy folks that were United and Anglican.

These experiences have included experiencing the rich variety of worship expression within the larger Christian family. In so doing I have found much that is deeply soul satisfying.

Carolee Neufeld,
Winnipeg, Man.

More information available

“Biased viewpoint” (Letters, Dec. 5) discusses the ongoing brutality between Israelis and Palestinians. The US Mennonite Brethren publication The Christian Leader in the December (2003) and January (2004) issues carries an excellent discussion of the theological issues involved. We commend these to your readers for their consideration.

Ronald J.R. Mathies, Executive Director,
Mennonite Central Committee

Re “Another view”

I was dismayed to read another letter regarding homosexuals and same-sex marriages (Feb. 6). Can’t we stop rationalizing what we wish and think without basing it on the Word of God? Let’s quote God’s Word and then let it rest. Are we not a Bible-believing brotherhood whose final authority is the Bible? The writer tries to argue that there is some oblique relationship between Old Testament polygamous marriages and homosexual and lesbian same-sex arrangements. What an absolutely absurd argument.

Our Canadian courts often make decisions based on what is acceptable by community standards. We follow a much greater guideline.

Jake Abrahams,
Abbotsford, B.C.

Apostle Paul’s view

Re “Another view” (Letters, Feb. 6)

We must ask ourselves, does Paul have a dual personality? No. Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write Romans 1:24–28. If Paul states that homosexuality is wrong in Romans, why would he contradict himself when writing to Timothy? We must not try to justify what is contrary to what God says.

Dennis Hughes,
Delta, B.C.

A more appropriate concern

I am sorry Steve Martens chooses to affirm homosexual marriages (Letters, Feb. 6). The Bible is clear (Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:18–32; 1 Cor. 6:9–10), and our Confession of Faith reflects our understanding of the Bible (Marriage is a covenant relationship intended to unite a man and a woman for life).

A more appropriate concern is how we relate with brothers and sisters who are struggling for victory over homosexual or lesbian or adulterous inclinations. This is the related topic that needs to be addressed because we are followers of Christ.

John I. Block,
Calgary, Alta.

Clear guideline

Printing “Another view” (Letters Feb 6) without presenting the MB Conference view is irresponsible and unwise. The Canadian MB Conference has a very clear guideline about what we believe regarding this issue.

Herbert Tsang,
Port Moody, B.C.

Please see the editorial note in this issue (p.3) about Herald policy on letters and the role of the Letters section. Readers may also want to view or participate in the discussion of whether or not the letter should have been run that is posted on the MB Conference website forum. —eds.

Healing our frustration

Re “Another View.” Let’s heal our frustration and anger by calling a sin a sin. Let’s heal our discrimination by loving the sinner, not the sin.

Henry Durksen,
St. Catharines, Ont.

What about toasts?

In response to “What makes a marriage Christian?” (Feb. 6).

I feel very uncomfortable when I’m at a wedding reception and a toast is proposed and drunk in honour of. . . . When the reception is part of a worldly wedding I don’t have a problem. I just abstain since I don’t want to bring dishonour to my Lord. But what if the reception is organized by my brothers and sisters in the Lord and they propose a toast to honour . . .?

Drinking to someone’s luck, health, honour implies superstition. I don’t believe in superstition. I believe in a living God who is in control of every detail in my life and in the lives of others. We start our banquets/weddings asking for God’s blessing and intervention. How then can we “drink to honour someone,” knowing that it will offend God?

I challenge us to study the Word and discuss issues we have taken over from the world. Perhaps there is no harm. But what if we bring dishonour to our Lord through our actions?

Isaak Eitzen,
St. Catharines, Ont.

God provides gifts

In response to “Another View of Worship” (Letters, Feb.6), Tsang makes good points [but] I have some difficulty with his view of using only “trained” people in leading the music segment of worship services.

I am a member of a small country church. There is no “officially trained ear” available to lead music, nor does our worship leadership team have theological training. I am not worried in the least. I know that God provides gifts as needed, and in a church such as ours, we rely heavily on God to provide what we need through the people we have. I thank God for the willingness of our members to step in where there is a need.

We try to incorporate both older and newer styles into our services. I know of too many churches that have refocused their “vision for ministry” only to lose the older generation. We need the input of young and old, trained and untrained alike, to keep our churches thriving.

Chris Harms,
Borden, Sask.

Issue needs resolution

In February 2003, at the Manitoba Mennonite Brethren Church convention, the discussion on leadership and gender resulted in a resolution (passed by 79%) being forwarded to the Canadian Board of Faith and Life (BFL) for their consideration. Part of the resolution reads: “We call the MB Church of Manitoba to be increasingly alert to the gifts of women and men and to become more active in calling and blessing them to minister in all areas of church life.”

I understand that the Canadian Board of Faith and Life decided not to raise the issue at the Canadian Conference in 2004, but possibly to bring it to the floor in 2006 after a series of provincial discussion sessions. I am dismayed that a restriction on women in leadership is still an issue – what an old tired issue it is.

I would urge the Board of Faith and Life to openly state their position on the subject, to allow the issue to be explored at the Canadian Conference in 2004, and if possible to find a way to have this restriction on the gifts of women removed from our Conference policy. Resources on this topic by Mennonite Brethren are available at Direction Journal.

Judith Dueck,
Winnipeg, Man.