Manitoba dreams into the future

Delegates to the 96th convention of the Manitoba MB Conference were inspired to dream when they met Feb. 25–26 at Richmond Park Church in Brandon.

Don Petker

Under the theme “I have a dream,” they heard and then embraced a “notice of intent” that could see them become the fifth location of the Key Cities Initiative, a church planting partnership with the Canadian MB Conference. They approved a deficit budget, but dreamed of improving funding mechanisms and church support in the future. They bid farewell to their much-loved conference pastor, Herb Kopp, and then welcomed Keith Poysti into that role.

Because of space constraints, the convention met only in plenary session. The delegates were coaxed into the lower level to meet various conference agency representatives, however, by the opportunity to enter draws for prizes at the convention’s end. Moderator Don Petker joked that the executive committee also had a prize to offer: a year as moderator!

Dave Ens of the host church leads communion

Dreaming together

Though reminiscent of Martin Luther King’s famous 1963 speech in Washington, the convention theme came from Peter’s speech in Jerusalem, where he quoted Joel: “God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams” (Acts 2:17).

“These dreams are not vacant staring,” said Herb Kopp in his meditation on the text, “but are touched by the reality of the world.”

Michelle Penner

That dreaming, ground in the reality of the world, started at the worship service Friday evening, as five people – Randy Friesen, new head of MB Mission and Service International; Michelle Penner, active in children’s work at McIvor Ave. MB Church, Winnipeg; Russ Toews, pastor of Westside Community Church in Morden; Wally Schmidt, founding and outgoing director of the Outtatown program; and Delbert Enns, head of Family Life Network – shared their ministry dreams. They included an MB church renewed and mobilized for world mission, children lovingly nurtured in the “village” of the church community, and congregations who “expect God to reach out in power.”

The dream motif was woven through Saturday’s business sessions as well, as delegates heard reports from their five agencies (Concord College/Canadian Mennonite University, Evangelical Anabaptist Seminary, Family Life Network, Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute, and Missions and Church Extension).

Highlights included:

• Family Life Network has re-launched the English ministries, which includes the radio, music and live events programming in English in Canada, under “The Banner Group” (based on Isaiah 11:10) led by David Balzer.
• The Board of Congregational Ministries reported that the re-opening of the church in Carman, Man. has gone well, and that the internship program has been expanded to 4 interns in 2005. Delegates heard stories from Winkler MB Church, led by Gary Loewen, which now conducts Alpha in Russian as well as English and German for new immigrants in the area, and from the Christian Family Centre, Winnipeg, led by Elton DaSilva, which has been experiencing “amazing growth.” Conference minister Herb Kopp introduced 11 pastor couples who began ministry in Manitoba last year. He interviewed two of the new pastors: Stephan Bauer of Killarney and Scott Koop of Flin Flon.
• Canadian Mennonite University is experiencing growth and ended the financial year in the black. Wally Schmidt is stepping down as director of the Outtatown program after 7 years. The new board chair is Abe Konrad of Edmonton, who replaces Herta Janzen, who with her husband Neil has committed to a two-year volunteer service term with CMU as Associate for Special Projects.
• Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute (MBCI) is embarking on a multi-phase building and renovation project whose first phase will provide facilities for a full middle school program as well as a new library. In discussion after MBCI’s presentation, several delegates commended MBCI for making a commitment to stay in the Elmwood area of Winnipeg, which has a reputation as a tough neighbourhood.
• The Evangelical Anabaptist Seminary is an emerging program partnering with four other Mennonite denominations, led by Pierre Gilbert. Their dreams, Gilbert said, include more suitable facilities on the CMU campus, and expanding the program’s ability to offer a Master’s degree. The board is also looking for a new name for EASP.
• The Board of Mission and Church Extension reported that L’Eglise Communautaire de la Riviere Rouge now has their own building in which to worship and grow their church. The board is working with a new church, The International Revival Church of Jesus Christ, led by David Uwiyingoma and Adela Uwimana. It currently has some 40 people from various African countries.
• Simonhouse Bible Camp has had an exciting year in camp ministry to Manitoba’s northern communities. Director Darrell Janzen used the lunch hour to acquaint delegates with the work of the camp. Simonhouse has embarked on a fundraising project for a new dining hall/camp centre, projected to cost some $750,000. Construction will begin once half the monies are in hand and the total amount is pledged.

Transitions

Herb and Doris Kopp

The delegation bid farewell to Herb Kopp, who is retiring as Manitoba’s first conference minister this July, after six years of service. Warm words of appreciation were spoken to him and his wife Doris for their love for the churches and pastors. “You are very special to us,” Hildi Boge of the Board of Congregational Ministries, said.

Keith Poysti, pastor of Elmwood MB Church, together with his wife Heidi, was later presented as the new conference minister.

Ray Klassen has stepped down as director of MCE, and he and his wife Chris are returning to the pastorate of the LaSalle Community Church.

Prayer for Keith and Heidi Poysti (centre)

Intentions for the future

The executive committee of the conference presented two notices of intent to the delegation. One concerns the incorporation of Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute and Family Life Network as separate legal entities. Reasons include legal and liability issues, as well as funding requirements. It is to be assumed, the notice stated, that both agencies would remain Mennonite Brethren – linked to the Manitoba Conference “confessionally and missionally.”

Ray Klassen

Another notice of intent concerned naming Winnipeg the next “key city” of the Key Cities Initiative, a Canadian Conference program that partners with provinces in church planting. “Can we trust God for two churches a year for the next five years?” asked MCE director Ray Klassen. “We’ve been doing about one a year.”

Delegates responded positively to the idea. Several responded with encouragement to be more involved with the aboriginal community of Winnipeg and to think of the Key Cities Initiative provincially, so vibrant churches outside Winnipeg might also get involved in the church planting plans. John Unger urged conference leaders to have broad conversation about the KCI proposal before the final package is presented next convention. “Manitoba is process oriented,” he said.

A third notice of intent came from the Board of Management. Delegates accepted the budget, with projected expenditures of about $984,000. This keeps the per member contribution for the Conference Support Fund at $181, but projects a revenue deficit of some $40,000.

Irvin Wiebe

Last year, reported Board of Management chair Irvin Wiebe, churches contributed 85.23% of the required support fund, down from over 90% the year before. (This year, only 13 out of 29 churches paid in full, compared to 22 the previous year.) Therefore, the board served notice that they, together with the executive committee, want to revise the funding model, in order to address concerns raised by the churches and to continue to carry out the mandate and ministries of the conference.

Speaking “heart to heart,” Wiebe said that “more and more churches are telling us what they’re going to do, and we don’t have any recourse.” The “bottom line message” is that the Conference Support Fund has to be reduced. Of the provinces, Manitoba has the highest budget costs per MB member. A model that seeks to focus on and fund “core activities” will, of course, affect the agencies, he said.

The Board of Management hopes to bring a recommendation on this matter to a special meeting of the Manitoba Conference by the fall of 2005.

Although the mood shifted slightly when the budget deliberations began, the 2005 Manitoba convention was remarkably optimistic. Delegates seemed to resonate with the dreams God was calling them to through their ministries and churches – dreams already underway and those just emerging.

—Dora Dueck