Three-quarters of a century and going strong

No one threw tomatoes at the speakers during the annual convention of the Ontario Conference of MB Churches, an amazing fact since Leamington is home to the H.J. Heinz tomato ketchup plant. This unique and agriculturally diverse city provided a perfect backdrop for celebrating the diverse ministries happening in and through MB churches in Ontario.

Snowstorms in the northern part of the province didn’t keep the approximately 165 delegates from enjoying wonderful food and hospitality at Meadow Brook Fellowship in Leamington. Abbie Froese serves guests with a smile. (l–r) Abbie Froese, Ben Cassels, Chandra Johnson, Phil Serez, Robyn Serez.

Delegates at the 75th annual convention, Feb. 17–18, heard myriad stories about creative ministry and outreach happening in the province.

Host church Meadow Brook Fellowship sports a unique skateboarding ministry in the Leamington community. The two new churches accepted into the conference – 614 St. Jamestown and Ajax Community – both run innovative ministries in their respective neighbourhoods.

614 St. Jamestown, a partnership between the Mennonite Brethren and Salvation Army, is announcing the good news in one of the poorest and most densely populated areas of Toronto. Ajax Community Church welcomes about a dozen deaf members each Sunday, making it one of the largest deaf churches in Ontario. And Richard Martens from Evergreen Heights Christian Fellowship (Simcoe) shared how his church has its doors wide open to those with mental illness.

Geoff Ryan, pastor of 614 Regent Park in Toronto, speaks on Friday evening.

Listening to two plenary speakers, delegates received a powerful biblical challenge and then caught a glimpse of what such a call might look like in a local church setting. Geoff Ryan, pastor of 614 Regent Park in Toronto and founder of the 614 Church Network, exhorted the delegate congregation to be a people walking toward those who suffer, urging the church to care for poor, disenfranchised and marginalized people in society.

“Jesus is not present unless his people are present,” declared Ryan. “We are plan A. There is no plan B.”

The following day, Paul MacIlwraith, lead pastor at Waterloo MB, told how his congregation made the difficult decision to refrain from spending large amounts of money on a new church building, choosing to invest in people instead of “bricks and mortar.” The church also switched from running four services each week to two, intentionally moving away from a “culture of chaos” in order to facilitate more community-based ministry.

A focus on church planting

Rita Reimer peruses the Kindred Productions book table.

The convention gave considerable attention to the province’s church planting endeavours. Director of the Board of Church Extension (BOCE) Terry Wiseman outlined changes to the board, including a reduced number of board members so the board can operate more proactively and maintain higher accountability. The board will now have job descriptions for each member, including a prayer coordinator.

Wiseman outlined the BOCE’s gradual move from “addition church planting” (where the conference plants a new church) to “multiplication church planting” (where churches plant churches). This shift demands a sharper focus on local church health, he said, and greater collaboration with the provincial Board of Faith and Life.

This shift also opens new collaborative opportunities. Wiseman said the BOCE is actively looking for ways to partner with para-church organizations, government, the business community, and other denominations.

“We’re discovering that partnering with other denominations can mean celebrating diversity, not reducing to the ‘lowest common denominator,’ and losing our MB flavour,” said Wiseman.

Time for business

Dave Gray, Montreal church planter, announces the potential for a new English theological study program to be launched at École de Théologie Évangelique de Montréal (ÉTÉM).

Attendees then participated in the business portion of the meeting. After some debate, the delegation voted to cease publicizing individual church financial contributions in convention reports. One person noted that publication of contributions didn’t persuade a single church to give more, but actually caused some churches to decrease their giving because they saw they had been giving above the norms. In the future, only total income from all churches will be published in reports.

After considerable study, the leadership council decided not to recommend an enforceable levy to the delegation. However, delegates continued to express concern over the current per-member levy and whether churches would actually give the amount pledged. Several delegates expressed fear over which programs might be cut if money does not come in. At this time, the levy stands at $50 per member with a proposed increase to $52 per member in 2008.

Delegates approved the 2006 income budget of $233,300, reflecting a 13 percent increase over the previous year. This requires churches to pay a per-member levy higher than in previous years.

Even if churches contribute their full amount, an operating shortfall of more than $13,000 is predicted for 2006. Although budgeted income was received, 2005 financial statements reported a deficit of over $50,000 in operating costs last year, causing a substantial decrease in the conference’s operating reserve.

Provincial moderator Vic Thiessen remains optimistic. “We have a God who has lavished resources on us,” he said. “It’s not just about a budget, it’s about trusting our Lord. As the heart embraces, God will lavish us with the resources.”

Other business

Other recommendations were also approved:

• An emergency pastoral support fund was established.
• Ontario became the first province to adopt an Associate Local Church Conference Membership Policy. “Associate” membership is a short-term state for a local church, leading to full membership with the conference in the future. The policy is intended to facilitate and guide the transition process.
• Funds were dispersed from the sale of Hope Community Church, Stoney Creek; some for new church planting initiatives within Ontario, and some for a Missional Development Fund that will, in part, see a small team of church leaders from across the province look at the mission, vision, and core values of the conference.
• Camp Crossroads will become a separate legal corporation and the camp’s new General Operating Bylaws were approved.

The convention ended with communion, led by conference minister Mark Johnson.

—Laura Kalmar