Making sense in Saskatchewan

“Where life makes sense.” It’s the official slogan of Swift Current, Sask., but it’s also a great summary line for the provincial Mennonite Brethren convention that met in the city’s Bridgeway Community Church Mar. 10–11.

Delegates (less than 100 this year) and boards exhibited a quiet but solid confidence in who the Saskatchewan MB conference is (and isn’t) and in what God seems to be calling them to do. They also recognized what it takes to accomplish their purpose: working together – or, in the words of their convention motto, “Partnership with Purpose.”

Moving forward

Last year’s convention had adopted a way of focusing conference funds designed both to set vision and to address budget fluctuations and deficits. This year, reported board of management chair Maurice Van Nes, the conference saw “a miraculous upswing in support” and the year ended with a surplus. Delegates easily approved a 2006 budget of $174,630, with a $55 “norm” per member.

They also embraced recommendations from the executive board to focus future energy around leadership development and multiplying churches. These purposes are to be realized within conventional church programs and non-church planting contexts (such as camps), and within a “multiplying church model.”

Marion Oatway holding Cultivating a Life for God, a resource going to Saskatchewan churches.

Saskatchewan has been a leader in applying the multiplying church model within the Canadian MB conference, as West Portal Church of Saskatoon has birthed two daughter churches (Living Hope and Faith River).

West Portal pastor Dwayne Barkman, chair of the Ministry Leadership Development Team, emphasized, however, as did others who spoke to the recommendation, that the multiplying church model has three parts: multiplying disciples, multiplying leaders (not just pastors, but secretaries, moderators, etc.), and multiplying churches.

Every church, they said, even one where it is not realistic to birth another congregation, can have a multiplication mindset. Marion Oatway of the Board of Church Extension, for example, talked about her experience in a discipleship group, using the book Cultivating a Life for God by Neil Cole. “You go deep right away,” she said. (The conference is making this resource available to every Saskatchewan congregation.)

Key “Communities” Initiative

Delegates also approved the establishment of a task force to develop a “Key Communities” proposal for Saskatchewan. The Key Cities Initiative is a 10-year church planting partnership of the Canadian and provincial conferences to focus church planting efforts in a number of major Canadian cities, beginning with Calgary, then adding Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. The idea had been floated that the fifth initiative might be a joint project of the Manitoba and Saskatchewan provinces.

These provinces decided to develop separate initiatives, however. Both will come to Gathering 2006 in Calgary this summer. (See Man. report for Dream Manitoba.)

“We’re approving a direction,” Saskatchewan delegates were told. “It will be a made-in-Saskatchewan plan.”

Board breakouts

Each board reported to the plenary session but discussion took place in breakouts.

• The Board of Church Extension reported that a networking initiative of the Watrous, Lanigan, and Foam Lake MB churches for a church plant in Wynyard has resulted in connecting with a small struggling EMMC church there and developing a plan to work together.

• The provincial Board of Faith and Life reported that it could not reach agreement on the women in ministry leadership question coming to Gathering 2006 and advised congregations to study the issue locally and instruct their Gathering delegates. Discussion in the breakout indicated some resistance to the recommendation.

  The provincial BFL has also been addressing the practical implications of the same sex marriage legislation and urges that churches be proactive in teaching “healthy sexuality.”

  Tony Martens of the Borden MB Church, approved for ordination, shared his testimony Friday evening.

• The Board of Management is working on a Safe Place Policy but it was deemed not ready to bring forward for a vote.

Pushers, partnerships

Ralph Gliege (l) presents aids for remembering his talk about “button pushers” (a can of air freshener and package of sweet peas) to Gerald Epp, who at 22 years ministry in Blaine Lake is Saskatchewan’s longest serving MB pastor.

Conference minister Ralph Gliege reported for the Board of Church Ministries. He reminded his audience of “button pushers” that, just like the button on an aerosol can, release the fragrance of God’s work: pastors, problems, possibilities, prayer, and partnerships.

Indeed, stories of partnerships were abundant at the convention, stories such as Hepburn MB Church bringing Carrot River Church a large cheque for their building project, pastors in Dalmeny meeting for interdenominational prayer, and many more.

Darren Holland (l) of Watrous MB Church and Dave Berg of West Portal Church took turns giving the Friday evening sermon.

Partnering is a “buzzword,” admitted moderator Ron Dyck, but convention planners seemed determined to demonstrate as well as talk about it. The Friday evening message was presented in tandem by two young preachers, Darren Holland and Dave Berg. There was time for inspirational reports from the camps (Westbank and Redberry), schools (Bethany and MBBS), MCC, the Canadian Conference, and MB Mission and Service International. Saturday afternoon, MBBS president Jim Holm spoke on how Jesus prepared leaders.

For two days representatives of the Mennonite Brethren of Saskatchewan had been together to review their conference work, and then, almost on schedule, they adjourned. They returned to their home congregations with solid goals and partnerships in place. It made good sense.

—Dora Dueck