Manitoba dreams on!

Delegates enjoy fellowship at the convention.

Dream big

What dreams did God birth in Manitoba over the past nine-and-a-half decades? What new dreams does God desire to birth for this central Canadian province?

Jim Westgate, professor at Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, spoke Friday evening from 2 Kings 2:19–21. Westgate discussed the paradoxical nature of the city – on one hand, cities are centres of great thinking, industry, art, and commerce, but, on the other hand, are places of great pollution. He urged leaders to work towards the transformation of Winnipeg, being willing to engage in difficult places and to act as salt in the city. Westgate also led a well-attended pre-convention seminar, “Transforming your community with the whole gospel,” Feb. 24.

These questions rang in the hearts of the approximately 270 delegates and guests at the 97th annual convention of the Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba, who met at Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute Feb. 26–27.

First, the convention gave attention to new ministries. On Friday night, members of the International Revival Church introduced themselves and shared how theirs is a congregation representing six African nations in the city of Winnipeg. Four women from the church performed a worship dance with an upbeat, African flare, encouraging audience members to “feel free to move your bodies because you’re worshipping Jesus!”

Elton DaSilva from Christian Family Centre spoke candidly with conference pastor Keith Poysti, and shared how God redirected the ministry of their inner city church, leading them to focus on poor people and community outreach. Christian Family Centre now has more than 200 attendees each Sunday.

Time was also set aside to celebrate older, more established ministries. Two of Manitoba’s larger ministries, Family Life Network (FLN) and Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute (MBCI), received approval to become separately incorporated agencies, rather than remaining lodged under the governance of the conference. After celebrating the history of these ministries, delegates blessed FLN and MBCI for the future.

John Reimer Epp explained how incorporation puts governance of these agencies into the hands of their local boards, creates a greater sense of ownership between congregations and the agencies, and diminishes liability risk for the provincial conference. Delegates raised questions over whether these ministries would maintain their MB values and identity, but received assurance that neither FLN nor MBCI had any intention of distancing themselves from the Mennonite Brethren.

Key “Communities” Initiative

Mission and Church Extension director, Russ Toews (left), was blessed for his new role; John Unger (right) of the “Dream Manitoba” task force led a short history tour by powerpoint of MB urban mission efforts.

Saturday afternoon gave delegates a snapshot of the newest Key Cities Initiative (KCI), a partnership between the Canadian conference and Manitoba conference, called Dream Manitoba. Russ Toews, Manitoba Board of Church Extension director, explained that the new program is Manitoba’s way of “inviting God to move among us in powerful and surprising ways.” Delegates voted unanimously to approve the initiative. The Canadian Conference will process a parallel recommendation at Gathering 2006 in Calgary.

Toews outlined the Dream Manitoba strategy: 1) reproduce leaders, 2) develop ministries, especially to and with poor people because “God has a heart for the brokenhearted,” and 3) plant churches with a focus on coaching and follow-up for church planters. The Dream Manitoba team wants to embrace diversity by developing wide-ranging partnerships, and affirm creativity by blessing entrepreneurs just as the first church planters in Manitoba did more than one hundred years ago.

“Our hope is to encounter God,” said Kathi Fast, member of the KCI task force. Conference moderator Don Petker agreed. “This is a chance to strengthen and revitalize our conference,” he added, “and a chance to take advantage of new realities [in our province].”

First in Canada

Ken Wiebe, Board of Management chair, fielded a variety of questions about Manitoba’s new Conference Support Fund fomula.

In an historic move, Manitoba became the first province to approve a levy based on a percentage of total receiptable revenue of individual churches, rather than a per member amount. This change will go into effect next year (2007). The Board of Management estimates the new Conference Support Fund (CSF) formula will be set between 7–9%, determined annually after a review of congregational budgets. The amount for 2007 has yet to be determined.

The Board of Management believes this CSF formula will make the system more equitable for all churches, because an amount calculated from a church budget will more accurately reflect the capacity of a congregation to pay its provincial dues.

Delegates were generally supportive of the change and applauded the financial team for their hard work. However, several local church treasurers mentioned concerns over logistics of the new system, such as which budget line to use when calculating the amount due.

A $490,859 MBCM budget was approved for 2006, with a levy of $90 per member. The conference is still suggesting another $91 be directed towards conference agencies, equaling $181 per member as in previous years. The Board of Management had budgeted for a deficit last year, but was able to avoid that, bringing in a balanced 2005 budget.

—Laura Kalmar