Alberta convention hears lots of good news

“The last year has been thrilling!”

Konrad Loewen

The statement was made by Konrad Loewen at Alberta’s annual convention, held Mar. 16–17 at Highland MB Church in Calgary. It referred to what’s happened since the conference “crossed the Jordan” last year by accepting Vision 2012.24 – a vision to see 24 new ministry initiatives launched in the province by the year 2012.

Delegates heard stories from six “emerging works” that illustrated what Loewen, chair of the Church Extension Commission (CEC), meant.

They heard about the Bethel Eritrean Evangelical Church in Edmonton, reaching out to its own people “in diaspora” but with a desire to be multicultural. “We don’t see ourselves as immigrants but as missionaries here,” said pastor Menghis.

They learned about Open Waters, a new congregation meeting in a restaurant in Grand Prairie, where the average age is 27, and about Calgary’s first Indonesian church, House for All Nations, which recently baptized eight people.

They also heard about the “slow, steady” start of SunWest @ McKenzie, a satellite congregation of SunWest Christian Fellowship in Calgary, and how the Sudanese Church, which meets in Highland Church, is re-building after collapse and “a purification period.” And, that a church planting task force in Edmonton continues to seek and pray about the right location and leadership for a church plant.

Two churches were received into the conference: Bethel Eritrean Evangelical Church, Edmonton, and Ethiopian Evangelical Church, Calgary. The latter church was released last year following church conflicts but, pastor Chalachew said, “God has led to a new unity and strength.”

Karen Hampton, part-time administrative assistant for the Alberta MB Conference, and Ralph Dickau, conference secretary, recorded convention proceedings.

New Initiatives Coach

The Church Extension Commission recommended that it “be given the freedom to pursue and hire a New Initiatives Coach in 2007, providing that CEC fundraises to support this position.” This individual would act as explorer, coach, and catalyst for the province’s Vision 2012.24.

Questions were raised about potential overlap with the budget or donors committed to other projects like Camp Evergreen, as well as future implications of the annual $90–100,000 sum. Loewen stated that the CEC would not move forward until the money was raised, nor did it want to strain the existing budget.

“We’ve said we’ll raise it until the conference takes care of it,” Loewen said. “As a conference, we’ll grow because of it.”

Speaking in support, Lilly Quiring (Highland) said, “This is a step of faith and a call to be mission minded. Merv [Boschman] reminded us [in his Friday address] that this is a wealthy province. There is money available.” Delegates approved the recommendation.

Optimism and energy

Optimism also characterized the Camping Ministries Commission’s report. Camp Evergreen reported a balanced budget, an increase in donors, strong support for its capital fund (a new Administration and Welcoming Centre is scheduled for spring completion), as well as increased camp registrations and programming. Several delegates expressed warm affirmation for the camp’s ministry.

In other business, delegates approved the 2007 bylaws of the conference, sent to churches earlier. One change to the conference structure is the addition of an administrative and financial commission. The convention also accepted a budget of $232,700, a significant increase over last year.

Assistant moderator Gary Giesbrecht led the business sessions in the absence of a moderator; that position remains unfilled. (Len Fehr was nominated and elected at the convention, but information to the Herald indicates he later withdrew.)

Faith and Life Commission chair Lorne Willms (far left) leads in communion, together with (l–r) Chalachew Eshetu, Khamis Akanu, Menghisteab (Menghis) Menghistu, and Hendry Agus.

Warnings

The reports, worship, and participation of so-called “ethnic” churches (“though we’re all ethnic,” Lorne Willms, chair of the Faith and Life Commission, reminded) vividly portrayed the praise focus of the convention theme – “May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you” (Psalm 67:3).

Two strong messages by conference minister Merv Boschman and Laurence Hiebert, MBMSI missionary to Japan, pushed deeper into the call of Psalm 67, however. The psalmist is not yearning just for the nations to praise, Boschman said, but that they “will make a change regarding the object of their worship. They were worshipping idols.”

Both speakers warned of contemporary idols such as the province’s economic boom, bank accounts and RSPs, education and athletics. “The temptation and tendency,” Hiebert said, “is to go back to the gods.”

—Dora Dueck