Manitoba conference finds room to breathe

After last year’s heavy business agenda, the 2007 Manitoba convention planning team tried something different. They organized a series of workshops for participants and scheduled lots of time for worship and celebration. “During Assembly 2007 we want to take time to look at what God is and has been doing in our midst,” said moderator Barry Dyck.

Elm Creek MB Church hosted the 232 delegates and guests with warm rural hospitality. Friday night was a time of worship and communion, ending with a coffee house featuring the Canadian Mennonite University Jazz Band and Jazz Singers. Saturday was set aside for workshops, personal sharing, and a short business session.

Manitoba workshop participants go “back to school” to learn to care for their pastors.

Workshops

On Saturday, delegates chose from a variety of workshops that provided resources for church ministry, leadership development, and Dream Manitoba, the province’s church planting initiative. Many attendees heard about new church planting models, such as ministry in the urban core with Fred Stoesz or “simple church” with Ken Stade, Canadian director of the House Church Network. Both models signal a departure from previous provincial church planting endeavours.

Variations on a theme

“This is frontline ministry,” said Darrell Janzen of Simonhouse Bible Camp as he announced the “Camp Centre Challenge.” Simonhouse is encouraging churches and individuals to help wipe out the camp’s debt by making financial contributions towards the building of its new eco-friendly facility (90 percent complete). Simonhouse is located in Cranberry Portage, a remote town in northern Manitoba. It has a thriving summer ministry with approximately 70 percent of campers coming from non-churched homes.

“Did we just recycle an old convention theme?” asked John Unger, pastor of Fort Garry MB Church, during Saturday’s sharing time. Commenting on the theme, “Just Watch Me!” from Isaiah 43:19, he reminded delegates that the same verse had been used 10 years ago. “Maybe God wants us to look at it again.”

Unger provided a retrospective of the past decade, reviewing the “new” works God had begun in 1997, such as the explosion of Russian ministry under Family Life Network (FLN), the amalgamation of three Christian colleges under the umbrella of

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU), and the genesis of the School of Discipleship (SOD). Each ministry is now making a huge impact for God’s kingdom. Looking ahead at the next 10 years, Unger exclaimed, “I’m going to fasten my seatbelt!”

An open forum

Delegates then had the opportunity to share what God was doing in their churches. The open mic session allowed various people to speak, including several from northern communities. Delegates applauded Christian Centre Fellowship in Snow Lake, a congregation pressing forward with only 10 members. The spirit of the weekend was that of a family reunion. Greetings came from all over the province and hearty thanks were given to conference leaders.

Business

The Board of Management reported that the conference’s 2006 financial year ended with a surplus of approximately $34,000, although a large deficit had been anticipated. Board chair Ken Wiebe said this was due to the strong support of churches and reduced conference expenditures. The surplus was offset by deficits in Manitoba Missions and Church Extension.

Delegates approved the 2007 budget, including a rate of eight percent receiptable church revenue towards the Conference Support Fund. This year marks the beginning of the province’s new funding model based on percentage of a church’s annual operating budget rather than a per member norm.

—Laura Kalmar