Reflections of the outgoing moderator

Jascha Boge

When outgoing moderator Jascha Boge was asked what the highlights of his last four years had been, he replied he appreciated getting to know a lot of dedicated leaders on the different executive boards, saying he was richer for having worked with these people. Another highlight was his trip last summer to Mennonite World Conference and to the Mennonite Brethren churches of Angola and Congo. This spawned interest in seeking ways to help these churches. The recent convention was another highlight; with its emphasis on worship and celebration, it was a change from previous conventions. Pastors told him they were sorry that not more of their people had attended.

On giving advice to new moderator Willy Reimer, Boge said, “Be yourself. Be the person God made you.” He continued, “I believe God calls people with different gifts at different times. Surround yourself with prayer warriors. If you can get a few people to pray for you that’s a good thing.”

When asked what Conference involvement would be like for him in the future, he stated he has three areas of interest: strengthen ICOMB (International Committee of Mennonite Brethren); set up an international church relations project; and third, hit the road to our Canadian churches to tell the story of the Conference.

Regarding the international church relations project, he expanded by saying he would like the Conference to sponsor people from a few churches each year to visit the churches overseas to get to know the needs of those churches. These people would then return to their home churches and set up ways to help the brothers and sisters, perhaps with buildings, education facilities and employment. In turn they would receive a new sense of the joy of worship.

About women in leadership, Boge said, “I would like to encourage women to say yes when they are asked to do something – to serve in leadership positions. To lay to rest the fear that they cannot do a job.” He continued, “The Canadian Conference takes a long time to make major decisions, but the process we use actually has served our denomination very well – it will serve this process well also. It’s a question of timing.”

Reflecting on how he wanted to be remembered, he replied, “As someone who by God’s grace tried to be fair when difficult decisions had to be made.” He wanted to guide the process of Conference so that people felt they were heard.

He concluded by reminiscing on how he became moderator. In 1997, when the General Conference talked about dissolution, Boge read the news story in the Herald about a task force being formed to discern what needed to be done. He mentioned to his wife Hildi that he would enjoy being on such a task force. When he later got the call asking him to serve, he felt it was a call from God. He stated that although it was not an easy time to work through all the issues, he always appreciated the spiritual maturity of the people with whom he worked. “When you know you are going to have different opinions – even if we have a go at it in brotherly love – at the end of the day we can get together around the communion table and there are no enemies, that is God’s grace.” This ministry on the task force led to him then also accepting the call to be moderator of the Canadian MB Conference for four years.

—sbb