ANNUAL REPORT BOOK. June 2016 May Bethel Mennonite Church 465 Stafford Street Winnipeg MB R3M 2E2

Transcription

1 ANNUAL REPORT BOOK June 2016 May 2017 Bethel Mennonite Church 465 Stafford Street Winnipeg MB R3M 2E2

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3 Meeting Date: Sunday, June 11, 2017 Bethel Mennonite Church Congregational Meeting Location / Time: Bethel Mennonite Church Dining Hall 11:15 am - 1:30 pm 1) Welcome Hans Werner 2) Approval of the Agenda Agenda 3) Approval of Minutes February 26, 2017, Janet Loewen Ens 4) Church Council a. Visioning Committee b. Legacy Fund Proposal Finance Committee c. Maintenance and Upgrades Property Committee d. Safe Church Officer 5) Pastors Reports 6) Committee and Sub Committee Reports; Questions and Discussion (Committees will not read or comment on written reports) a. Finance b. Deacons c. Worship d. Education i. Adoption of audited financial statements e. Gift Discernment f. Witness g. Personnel h. Property i. Pastor-Congregation Relations 7) Partnership Ministries 8) Other Business

4 Table of Contents Church Council Report... 1 Pastoral Reports Darrel Toews... 2 Reynold Friesen... 2 Phil Campbell-Enns... 3 Deacon Ministry Reports Deacon Executive... 5 Care Giving... 6 Hospitality and Social Community Life... 7 Pilgrim Group... 8 Ushers... 8 Education Committee Report... 9 Finance Committee Report Gift Discernment Committee Report Mennonite Voluntary Service Committee Report Pastor-Congregation Relations Committee Report Personnel Committee Report Property Committee Report Property Redevelopment Committee Report Safe Church Report Witness Ministry Report Women in Mission Report Worship Committee Report Bethania Group Carter Early Learning Centre Eden Health Care Services MCC Manitoba Mennonite Church Canada Mennonite Church Manitoba Winnipeg Mennonite Elementary and Middle Schools Winnipeg Mennonite Seniors Care Inc Financial Statements Minutes of February 26, 2017 Congregational Meeting List of Bethel Committees (Gift Discernment attachment)... 36

5 Church Council Like the work of building the Kingdom, the work of Bethel Mennonite Church is never done. Seemingly each Church Council meeting either features reports about significant initiatives undertaken by committees, or there are agenda items that require further discussion and decisions that need to be made on behalf of the church. In 2016, our congregation had significant discussion about the redevelopment of our Bethel Church facilities. There were many opportunities to provide input and suggestions and we are grateful for the engagement of the congregation in this process. In the discussions about redevelopment it became apparent that some aspects of the redevelopment proposals fell into the category of deferred maintenance or upgrades, while others were more visionary and forward looking. Earlier, Council has proposed a way forward on the deferred maintenance aspects and it was decided that before embarking on a more ambitious redevelopment the church should undertake a visioning process. That process is well underway and the reports and agenda for this meeting will provide further updates on a vision for Bethel in the years to come. There will also be further details on the upgrade and maintenance aspects of the plan. Significant work has also been done to outline a framework for managing and governing funds the church receives by way of bequests. These funds have grown significantly in the past few years and the work done by a Committee struck by our Finance Committee has resulted in a significant proposal that will be brought to our meeting. We have also spent considerable time thinking about the next steps identified by the listening group that worked at the process that led to Bethel becoming more inclusive. As has been said on several different occasions, the work is not done. We have demonstrated generosity towards each other as we have discerned the way forward; let us continue in that spirit as we continue to learn together what it means to be an affirming congregation. It is a joy to be involved in the work done by so many people at Bethel who are involved in formal committees or just helping in so many ways. The various reports and updates at our Annual Meetings will attest to the good work being done. I want to also especially thank our Pastoral Team, who have worked hard to do more with less as during the year we decided not to replace Lisa Enns who resigned during the year to take up another position. Council will be evaluating more formally where the gaps are in our pastoral ministry and seeking ways to address these. We welcome your thoughts; please pass them on to a Council member. The Annual Meeting in June marks the transition to a new Council Chair. It has been a blessing for me to do this work and it has made me grateful for being part of a wonderful community. Submitted by Hans Werner Church Council Chairperson Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 1

6 Pastors From Darrel Toews: June 11/16 June 11/17 No one may truly know Christ unless they follow him daily in life. Hans Denck ( ), an early Anabaptist young adult leader, forever shaped the sensibilities of subsequent Mennonite commitments. Last summer s Mennonite Church Canada Assembly in Saskatoon (July 5-10) represented a good sample of a church striving to connect the love of God with our context in 21 st century Canada. One of the important decisions was to provide safe spaces for congregations to continue their unique processes in the Being a Faithful Church journey. Building on a long history of biblical, historical and ethical reflection, Bethel s decision (June 11/16) to be an affirming congregation has become rooted as one of our identifying marks. Meetings with our Mennonite Church Manitoba family included the annual leadership day and delegate meeting (March 4/17), and two highly conversational gatherings (Jan12 & 23/17) working at creating space amongst us. In addition, a number of Bethel leaders met with members of the MCM board to discuss the parameters and filial relationships around being an affirming congregation in our area church. As an active participant in our Winnipeg Mennonite ministerial, it is good to build rapport with colleagues, and a number of our partnership ministries. Highlighting the Sermon on the Mount during this past winter/spring season, it was lovely to hear the Pater Noster (Disciples Prayer) signed and spoken in a goodly variety of tongues. Next winter we will again study and be inspired by one of the epistles this time it will be Colossians. Having worked through Galatians (the Magna Carta of freedom) and Philippians (an epistle of joy), you may well predict what remains! It s exciting to sense how the vision committee is pursuing the process of gathering and digesting the data, thereby determining some suggestive directions. I thought we had visited all the Koinonia groups, but it turns out that during the last year two more such gatherings were enjoyed. In addition to the blessing of our own choirs and musicians, our MCM Faith & Life choirs lifted our Christmas spirits; numerous smaller and congregation-wide celebrations undergird the building of our faith community. Our Christmas staff party revealed I m still a terrible bowler; thankfully my self-esteem was bolstered by the very kind and fun experience of celebrating a particular personal birthday number! Exploring our congregational history and potential trajectories, our annual council (Sept 17/16) and pastoral (Mar 15/17) retreats provide planning direction for the year: we are continually striving to grow in an awareness of our Lord s hospitality revealed in our invitational muscles being strengthened and lauded. My life as pastor of Bethel is very rich and full. As I keep learning about Bethel s ethos, I feel that some very good things have already been accomplished, but that a great deal of work remains tantalizingly on the horizon. Most certainly the sustaining dedicated labors of a large infrastructure supports the worship, education, witness and life of the congregation. I truly hope that what may be remarked about our congregation is that we are characterized by love love for God, one another, and our neighbours. Peace & Joy, Darrel Toews From Reynold Friesen: All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ ~ 2 Corinthians 5:18-20a More and more I see the work we do in ministry to our community as this ministry of reconciliation. We are channeling the gift of reconciliation we have received through Jesus Christ and sharing it with the city of Winnipeg and its people. In our acts of love, I see guests reconciled with the church. In volunteers Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 2

7 working alongside community neighbours, I witness bridges being built. In programs, such as those notes below, I see mini-communities built as different people are brought together. In linking ourselves with outside agencies I see Christ s reconciliation ministry at work. In a world where many powers create division, the work and relationships we do in our neighbourhood is a positive force repairing what has been torn apart. Many of our community programs seek to create small communities of love and acceptance. In the coffee time prior to Winnipeg Harvest, the Alpha Neighbourhood Bible Study (for guests of Winnipeg Harvest), Bethel Kidz and Sports Clubs, 330 (the after-school program), the Harrow Reading Program and the Mosaic Conversation Circles, I have seen relationships develop and grow. We are currently piloting a new program for those 55+ in our neighbourhood, again seeking to foster an environment conducive to inclusion and reconciliation. A recent collaboration with Family Dynamics has brought an EAL conversation circle into our building with opportunities for those of the Bethel community to volunteer and relate to newcomers. Community gatherings are another way for us to reconcile ourselves with those in our neighbourhood. In November, we hosted a gathering of over 100 MCC sponsored Syrian refugees and their sponsoring groups. Later in the month, the Alpha Neighbourhood Bible Study served a spaghetti dinner to Winnipeg Harvest guests and volunteers. Despite a winter storm, 130 guests were welcomed by 25 volunteers at our annual Neighbourhood Christmas Dinner. And later in December, BMCers prepared a meal for families of MMIW who were here to make Christmas cookies. None of this work would be possible without the hours of volunteerism that exist. Between ambassadors for Christ have worked in variety of programs to support our reconciliation work in our neighbourhood! That does not count those who pray, donate money, bake cookies or support our mission work in many unseen ways. The amount of time and love these ambassadors of reconciliation offer our community humbles me every day. Thank you to all who support the work of our church in our neighbourhood. Much support is given to linking those in our neighbourhood with the reconciling love of Christ. Our Camps with Meaning Campership Fundraiser received a breath of fresh air with a new menu featuring perogies! We raised nearly $10,000 and with it will be sending 31 children for transforming weeks of Christian summer camp. Adding some pastoral care responsibilities has added a welcome challenge and joy to my work. I am grateful for the visits and stories that have been shared with me, they have enriched my faith. Such visits have allowed opportunity to share more broadly the community ministry work we are engaged in. As ambassadors of Christ in our neighbourhood, we are changing people and are being changed ourselves. Many express gratitude for the work we do for the neighbourhood, some have eagerly asked to join our work of reconciliation. And I sense a continued openness to extend the table and make space as we as a congregation continue to imagine what it means to be a hospitable and open people of God. I love my work; I love the diversity of tasks, from preaching, the hanging with children, to promoting our programs, to working with neighbourhood partners, to working on a Bible Study. I love the diversity of people, from a ten year old to a 100 year old, from a congregational member, to a guest of Winnipeg Harvest. I love the comradery of my co-workers and how we work and feed off one another. And, I love this community, for all its warts and its beauty marks and for how it deliberately strives to engage deeply in what it means to be lovers and followers of Jesus Christ. Thank you for the honour of serving. Reynold From Phil Campbell-Enns: As I consider this past year of ministry, the passage that comes to mind is 2 Corinthians 3: 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. I offer that verse because I think it reflects the vibe I have felt at Bethel during the last year. Not to say that every detail or every area of ministry has been without challenges. But when I step back and look at the big picture, I see a congregation that is adjusting well to changes within and beyond Bethel, a Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 3

8 congregation that is full of vitality, a congregation growing in faith and filled with a sense of the freedom granted by the Spirit of Lord. By far the biggest change for me during this past year has been Lisa s resignation and the resulting adjustments we three pastors have made so that all the bases are covered (or so it feels like we ve got them covered ). The most significant piece of that has been a lot more visitation with our seniors at Bethel. Without exception, these visits have been a pleasure and privilege. The connections that I am making feel like they are quickly becoming friendships. My comment about pleasure and privilege also extends to the time I have spent with families at the passing of a loved one. Time spent planning funerals and celebrating lives that have come to their earthly end is hard work, but good work, and it has been a joy to serve the congregation in this way. In many ways, this shift in ministry is happening at just the right time. While the congregation called me into associate ministry with an emphasis on youth and young adults, the past year has allowed for less time to be given to those age groups. Though we have many young adults plugged into the ministry structures of our church (committees, choir, A/V technicians, Sunday School teaching, Kids Club leading, worship leading, etc.) Bethel s young adults are by and large not drawn to age-specific gatherings. So I continue making efforts and giving opportunities for gathering, but lean towards activities that are easily planned (making a volunteer booking at Siloam Mission) and require a small participation threshold. The youth group has also seen a shift towards less gatherings overall, and to greater flexibility as those gatherings are planned changing dates and events if we find that a number of people won t be able to make it. We currently have 17 youth between grade 7 and 12. Of those, most are very busy with commitments beyond the church, and some are not plugged into our programming at all. These young adult and youth dynamics have made it easier than it would have been in previous years to adjust my schedule and accommodate the broader job responsibilities. A big thank you to Laurel Schellenberg and Devin Friesen for their continued faithfulness, energy, and flexibility as youth sponsors. Further to these adjustments in youth and young adult ministry, during the last three or four decades churches have often measured the health and vitality of their congregation based on the size and activity of these groups. But given the way our youth are subscribed to programs beyond the church, given the latitude parents give youth to make their own decisions about church attendance / participation, and given the fluid nature of connections people have to congregations these days, it feels like we are needing to reconsider the way we measure health and vitality. As you might guess, these changing dynamics are also experienced in many congregations beyond Bethel. While these dynamics and our need to adjust could suggest a sense of defeat, the congregation s vibe that I mentioned above does not reflect any sense of defeat. New people are making Bethel their spiritual home, and these folks include some young adults and families with teens. Though they might not attend our age-specific programs, the worship services, sense of community, and sense of vitality have drawn them into our fellowship and seem to be providing what they are looking for. Beyond the ministry that happens within the congregation, this past year has also included invitations to minister beyond Bethel. Recently I preached at Steinbach Mennonite Church, spoke at the Westgate Bursary Banquet, and am now involved in planning the worship services for Mennonite Church Canada s delegate sessions that will be held in mid-october. It is a privilege to receive these invitations, and a blessing to be part of a congregation that values these sorts of connections to the broader church. Submitted with gratefulness for the good year that has been, and looking ahead to the another good year at Bethel, Phil Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 4

9 Deacon Ministry Reports Deacon Executive Your Deacon Executive presently includes Aaron Penner (chair), Adam Janzen, Juls Rempel, Elenor Winter-Friesen, Val Warkentin and Darrel Toews. Val joined the Executive this year and Sue Friesen left at the beginning of the year after seven years of faithful service. The Deacons Executive is charged with overseeing the Deacon ministries at Bethel, helping with pastoral ordinations, dealing with the membership and child dedications and helping to carry out communion services. We are also responsible, together with our pastoral team, to help all people at Bethel become spiritually aligned with what God expects of us, to assist the congregation to become lovingly aligned with one another, and to work to portray God s love for all visitors and guests at Bethel. The actual work of the Deacon ministries is carried out by the following committees who report to the Deacon Executive: Care Giving, Hospitality/Community Life, Ushers, Bethel Place Worship Planning, Pilgrim Group, and Bethel Financial Advisory. Separate reports are included here to report on the activities of the individual committees. This year will be the last year of service by Bev Sawatzky as the Chair of the Caregiving Committee. We thank her for her seven years of capable and dedicated leadership to this important ministry. This year we also saw Don Friesen join the Hospitality/Community Life committee as its Chair, and Herold Dyck as the Bethel Place Worship Coordinator. We appreciate the leadership and the new energy that they are bringing to these ministries at Bethel. The following are some of the highlights from this past year: Baptisms, Transfers, & Faith Stories: A very rewarding aspect of deacon ministry is to hear and share faith stories with individuals who have decided to transfer their current church membership to Bethel or with individuals who have decided to become baptized and join Bethel. We were pleased that we are able to share a part of these rich stories with the congregation through bulletin inserts. This year we had no baptisms but we did hear about the journeys of six people who joined our congregation by transfer. Their names are listed below. We wish each of them God s blessings as they worship and live in community with us. Communion Services: Throughout the year, our pastors have lead us in a number of meaningful communion services with a variety of formats. We hope that these worship services have had a special meaning for you. Our Deacon executive is reviewing our current practises and involved the congregation in this discussion this winter/spring via a four part Adult Education series. These sessions dealt with the history of communion at Bethel, the purpose of communion, who should partake in these services, and how communion should be served. Summaries of these discussions were provide to the congregation and we will bring some recommendations to the congregation for your consideration. Bethel Place Worship Services Bethel is responsible for coordinating and planning Sunday Morning Worship Services at Bethel Place, separate and apart from worship services at BMC. We believe it is important to continue having regular Sunday morning worship services at Bethel Place because these services nurture the spiritual wellbeing of the residents. The Deacon executive appoints the Worship Coordinator, who works with the Sunday Worship Planning Committee of Bethel Place residents, to plan, organize, and deliver the weekly Sunday morning worship services. Many thanks to these people and to the worship leaders, pianists, and speakers who have served faithfully in wonderful collaboration to provide rich and meaningful Sunday morning worship experiences at Bethel Place. Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 5

10 Membership Numbers & Changes June 1, 2016 to May 31, 2017 Members Covenanting Members Associate/Dual Members 2 2 Affiliates Members (for reporting purposes) Baptisms 0 2 Transfers in 10 4 Transfers out 2 0 Withdrawals 3 2 Deaths Births 1 3 Gain(Loss) (8) (11) Details of membership changes: Baptisms: None Transfers in: Valeriia Alipova, Henry Dueck, Marie Dueck, Errol Ritzell, Grace Fitzell, Clara Froese, Jake Froese, Irene Penner, John Penner, Sidney Tulner. Transfers out: Ferd Sawatzky, Martha Sawatzky. Withdrawals: John Quiring, Kathy Quiring, George Sawatzky. Deaths: Katie Friesen, Anita Froese, Erna Heinrichs, Bernice Hiebert, Jacob Janzen, Matilda Krahn, Anna Lepp, Gert Martens, Bertha Neudorf, Herman Neufeld, Herta Peters, Rita Prescott, George Rempel, Helen Wiebe. Births: Olivia Abigail Carther-Krone. Respectfully submitted, Aaron J. Penner, Chair Care Giving Ministry Report The Committee coordinates, and extends a big thank you to The volunteer visitors who visit at least once a month those who are less mobile The prayer partners who are paired with Sunday School age children The many volunteers who assist the committee at special events such as the September tea, the Christmas tea and the Valentine s tea The many persons from the congregation who share at our events The coordinators of the discussion group for retirees The coordinator for the Mental Health Group The prayer shawl knitters All the participants in Care Groups The Sounding Stone for providing oil lamps given to those in our congregation who have lost a spouse, a parent or a child. The Committee continues to work to find a coordinator for care groups to organize new care groups at building relationships with the congregation to request additional volunteer visitors to provide a listening ear, and helpful ideas for the volunteers We ask for your prayers to continue the work of care giving to listen to your suggestions for new committee members who will begin in September for the continued Kingdom work of this committee Report by the Care Giving Committee: Alma Wiebe, Betty Fast, Ruth Polle, and Bev Sawatzky. Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 6

11 Hospitality and Social Community Life Committee Annual Report I attended another Mennonite church in Winnipeg recently and witnessed an interesting exchange. It began in an hospitable spirit, with a jovial person welcoming a stranger to the congregation. That s nice, I thought; one cannot assume a jovial and welcoming spirit. The next question, however, nipped the welcome in the bud. Do you have family here? asked the welcome-wannabe. No, said the visitor. And that was it. If you don t have family here, well, I don t have anything more to say to you. What began with good intentions became a blunder in hospitality. Hospitality. The Hospitality and Social Community Life Committee (HSCLC) has many responsibilities, but one of the key responsibilities and the most difficult to achieve is a hospitable spirit. Our committee was encouraged by the May, 2016 Deacons Retreat to help make Bethel an even more welcoming spiritual home. Our committee has discussed such things as cliques; singles; transportation (because Sunday bus service is poor); and our educational function, for which we hope to sponsor a series of sessions during the Adult Education Hour. We also discussed various hospitality ideas, such as introducing guests in the service; using name tags; etc. Pictorial Directory. Our major accomplishment this year was producing a pictorial directory, thanks to the work done by Phil Campbell-Enns and the volunteers who are named and thanked in the directory. May this resource help us become better acquainted with each other. Meals as a hospitality venue figure large in our work; that includes potluck meals, much of the work and supervision done by Lois Braun. Other meals included the Thanksgiving Supper, the Paska Breakfast, the Shrove Tuesday meal (thanks to Pam Friesen and Lois Braun), and an Advent Lunch and Crafts event (thanks to Megan Pauls and Michael & Deidre Janzen). We also are experimenting using the Small Groups to help with the monthly potluck meals. Coffee Times, occasionally augmented by a cake, are another food-related hospitality venue and we hope that you are using this opportunity not only to reconnect with people you know but also to introduce yourselves to people you do not know. Social events are sponsored by us on a more ad hoc basis and include events such as a tour of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, a Goldeyes game, and the church picnic, which this year (June 4) will be a Picnic Extravaganza, thanks in large part to the imaginative efforts of Helmut Ens and Reynold Friesen. Communication is yet another one of HASC s responsibilities, and Phil is exploring some online alternatives to a traditional newsletter. There would be less pressure to put out a full issue and it could be updated at any time. Some printed material could be available to those without online access. Other ideas include a BMC brochure and a BMC Welcome Packet for newcomers. Administrative matters. We spent some time prioritizing our many responsibilities. The ushers who are on the front line of hospitality also fall under our purview, and I have talked to Cheryl Warkentin about the possibility of meeting with them. The committee. We have excellent members on our committee who work hard at their tasks; they are Phyllis Friesen, Sandra Loeppky, Kathi von Gunten Wiebe, Pierre Bourdeau, Dave Driedger, and Helmut Ens. Phil Campbell-Enns is the pastoral member of the committee. Newcomers. God has blessed us with people new to our church, and we re grateful to the Worship Committee for involving some of them in our worship services. Members of our committee met with the Worship Committee earlier this year to explore ways in which this can happen. We re also grateful that the pastoral staff held an Introduction to Bethel event in the fall, an explicit acknowledgement that we wish to be hospitable. While the response was less than encouraging, it signalled that we shouldn t make assumptions about newcomers or leave it entirely up to them to find out how Bethel functions. Hospitality is everyone s responsibility, for by showing hospitality to strangers, we may entertain angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2) May God help us to do so. Respectfully submitted, Don Friesen Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 7

12 Pilgrim Group Report This group was formed in 2004 after, and in response to, a three-year dialogue within BMC on sexuality issues (focusing on homosexuality). It continues to meet monthly except in holiday months, and continues to attract participants from Bethel, from other Mennonite churches, and from other denominations and some from no formal faith background at all. Participants number 6 to 15 per session, usually about a dozen. We have a standing invitation to our pastors and our deacons to attend our sessions, and are very happy when they are able to do so. Otherwise we have a number of parents of adult transgender children, parents/siblings of lesbian, gay and bisexual adult children, and a few lgbtq people themselves attend. We also have a smattering of committed allies who have no direct family connections to lgbtq people, but wish to understand and encourage all people of faith. We have even had clergy from other denominations attend our meetings not because of academic interest, but because of intensely personal reasons. As reported last year, Pilgrim Group was awed and encouraged by Bethel s decision to become an affirming congregation. At the same time, we recognized that issues of sexuality are far from resolved within Bethel, and although we may feel that a turning point has been reached, the path ahead for actual acceptance of lgbtq people within Bethel is still a long road. We find that there is still much misinformation about the reality of non-heterosexual and non-cis-gender life within our church and there is plenty of opportunity to learn about who our lgbtq siblings are. There is still suspicion of those who read the Bible in ways that suggest a gay-affirming approach and there is plenty of opportunity to read scripture together and discuss various interpretations. There are so many lessons about how marginalized people are subtly (or explicitly) excluded from our church circles and there is plenty of opportunity to practice love through genuine hospitality. Pilgrim Group is humbled and encouraged by the willingness of our church members to engage in some of these opportunities, but there is always room for more: more education, more Bible study, more fellowship. It is when we talk within our Pilgrim Group meetings of the reactions of the various churches represented by Group members, that we realize that Bethel has a positive influence in all churches in our sway other churches in MC Manitoba, other Mennonite churches, other evangelical churches, even other mainstream churches. We are also aware that a number of people have started attending Bethel over the last year, who are attracted, among other reasons, by our affirming stance. We point to this as evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in our congregation, and praise our God for giving us good neighbours in our pews! We trust this reflects a more open and trusting stance by individual members of our congregation, and a less judgmental approach by our church as a whole. For that, we are grateful. Erwin Warkentin (on behalf of Val, Egon and Erna Enns, Art and Alma Wiebe, and Mark Brubacher) Ushers Presently, each Sunday 6 people, out of the 13 who are regularly on the schedule, usher for the Sunday morning service. One of the ushers counts the number of worshipers each week. We have been blessed with 8 Junior Ushers have been involved when their time permits. Another 8 persons have been almost regular from the substitutes list. This is a wonderful opportunity to greet each other, so if there are more persons who would like to be involved in this form of ministry, you would be most welcome. Cheryl Warkentin, on behalf of the Ushers Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 8

13 Education & Formation Ministry Children s Sunday School (preschool to grade 6), Youth Ministry, Adult Education, the library and liaisons with CMU, Westgate, WMES, and Inter Mennonite Chaplaincy are under the umbrella of Education & Formation Ministry. Currently E&FM is made up of: Phil Campbell-Enns, MaryLou Driedger, Dorothy Fontaine, Conrad Peters (co-chair), Ellen Stothers, and Nadene Marlatt (co-chair). EDUCATION: 1. Children s Sunday School This was the first year operating with a team of teachers who received a stipend and the model met with great success. Our teachers were Jean Hinton, Daly Penner, Tobian Penner and Kathleen McCollough-Janzen as well as volunteers, including Stacey Friesen. Parents were overwhelmingly supportive of the quality and consistency of the their children s instruction. The theme this year was "Heroes of the Bible". Each Sunday, our teachers told the stories of people throughout the Bible - Old and New Testament, young and old, men and women - whom God chose to lead to demonstrate God's power and love for His people. Each hero was given a special word to be remembered by, so that the kids could learn to develop and uphold these characteristics such as "trust", "courage", etc. We were not using a set curriculum, but pulled from many sources: the Shine storybook, and many online resources for craft and game ideas. This worked well because it allowed us to bring a variety of activities to Sunday School each week. We rotated the four teachers through the pre-school and grade school classes as leaders and helpers, which worked out very well. We usually had 3-4 kids on average in the preschool class (ages 3-5). There was usually an average of 7-8 kids in the grade school class. 2. Youth- See Pastor Phil s report. 3. Adult Education Committee Report This past year has brought some changes to our committee with the loss of one committee member (Hugo Peters) and pastoral rep (Lisa Enns) and the addition of a new committee member (Delmer Epp) and pastoral rep (Phil Campbell-Enns). Over this fall we held Adult Education sessions on Gift Discernment, a three Sunday portable CMU by Sheila Klassen-Wiebe on the book of James, and a series on physician-assisted dying. Over the advent season, we enjoyed the gifts of a few of our own musically talented who led us in singing Advent and Christmas songs. During the winter, we explored communion practices and theology, enjoyed the Artists in Residence lead us through storytelling, had Church Council lead us in post-assembly review on Being a Faithful Church, and ended the adult education sessions with Ross Penner sharing on Mennonite Disaster Service. We have begun planning for next year with some new inspirational topics. LIBRARY: MaryLou Driedger continues as the Bethel Librarian. Circulation numbers have been steadily increasing and the library is experiencing plenty of activity on Sunday mornings. Volunteers Bernice Sparrow, Verla Suderman, Jennifer Epp, and Gertrude Bergen keep the library staffed each Sunday. The Little Free Library, built by Delmer Epp and Brock Klassen, opened in April of 2017 and will offer a book exchange service for the community. OUR SCHOOLS: We continue to value the connection Bethel has to our Christian education partners. - This year we don t have any of our students attending Winnipeg Mennonite Elementary and Middle Schools, but enjoy their presence in our building for school concerts. - At Westgate, we have 10 students, and especially strong ties to the school because of very significant involvement in school life from all the families that are represented. - At Canadian Mennonite University, our Bethel enrolment has decreased since last year, with only 2 full-time and a few part-time students. But a significant number of our seniors take advantage of the Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 9

14 adult education Explore program, and Bethel maintains important connections through members of our congregation who are on staff at the school. - Bethel also has an important connection to the Inter-Mennonite Chaplaincy program at the University of Manitoba helping to fund the rental of their office and the wage of part-time chaplain, Mark von Kampen. Some of our Bethel students even treat this office as their home base on the campus. Submitted by Nadene Marlatt. Content contributions from MaryLou Driedger, Children s Sunday School Teaching Team, Phil Campbell-Enns, Cindy Peters. Finance Committee Money is a miraculous thing. It is your personal energy reduced to portable form and endowed with power you do not possess. It can go where you cannot go; speak languages you cannot speak; lift burdens you cannot touch with your fingers and save lives with which you cannot deal directly. Harry Emerson Fosdick The money we give to the ministry of the church is a powerful expression of our conviction that we are a part of what God is doing in the world was a rich year of ministry as we extended God s goodness wherever our work and activities took us. With God s help, through our worship, educational activities, engagement and witness in the community and beyond we have written a powerful, impactful story. It is a story that is changing lives, building peace, bringing reconciliation and healing. For this we are grateful and offer praise to God. Looking back: Fiscal year 2016 During the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016 total revenue received by the congregation was $760,997. This was made up of $730,500 in donations and $59,500 in other income. Although donations were somewhat short of our plan by $54,344 (7.4% of $730,500), due to various under-expenditures we were able to end the year with a $0 balance of income over expenses while meeting all our commitments to our ministry partners. Our total Disbursements for the year were $794,588 (a slight increase of $6,807 over fiscal year 2016). A big Thank You goes to: o the Congregation for the very generous donations we received throughout the year in our Sunday morning offerings, through Direct Deposit Donations, Online and from our Fundraising events. o Tricia Funk for her excellent past service as Assistant Treasurer. o Lois Bergen who has capably stepped into the role of Assistant Treasurer, quickly learning the ropes of working with donation envelopes, contribution statements and year end income tax statements as well as accounts payable (cheque requisitions, printing of cheques, etc.). o Richard Dyck for his stellar work as Treasurer. We deeply appreciate his steady hand and the professional approach he brings to his role. o Incoming Members Ryan Warkentin o Volunteers who so willingly gave of their time Sundays to help Finance Committee members count the offering: Steve Braun, Lois Braun, John Sawatzky, Ryan Warkentin, John Balsillie, Greg Wiebe, Ron Boese, Donelda Friesen. Looking forward: Fiscal year 2017 On February 26, 2017 the congregation approved a budget of $795,000 for fiscal year Of this, $735,000 is donation income and $60,000 is from other income (rentals, catering, etc). This represents a 0.63% increase over This is a common sense budget not extravagant in its scope nor over-reaching either our abilities or God s call to serve. It is a courageous plan made in response to the mission to which Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 10

15 God calls our congregation. Each line represents one small part of the large and inspiring work with which God entrusts us. Our approval of this spending plan is an act of faith and trust in God who is faithful, and in this community called Bethel that dares to believe we can do amazing things when we work together and keep our eyes on Jesus. May it be so! Your financial participation in this work can take numerous forms: You can give in the traditional way, during the offering in Sunday worship You can give by arranging a monthly, pre-authorized withdrawal from your bank account. Richard Dyck will happily supply details if you are interested in this. You can also give online through our website. We are encouraged by the growing use of this option, amounts which are reported in our weekly bulletin Finance update. Now you can give from the convenience of your home, at the lake, or from your comfortable winter vacation spot--anywhere you have WiFi access! The current Finance Committee consists of Dave Bergen (chair), Megan Pauls, Cheryl Funk, Erwin Warkentin (Allard Ave) and Richard Dyck (treasurer). New committee members begin their work at the end of the summer. Memorial Fund (reports to Finance) In 2003 Bethel Church Council struck a small committee to set out guidelines for, and to launch, a new, special fund for the purpose of receiving estate gifts and other donations from Bethel members and friends. The Fund is envisioned to provide a vehicle that will enable proper estate planning and help the congregation undertake special projects and ministries it would otherwise not be able to engage. The initial stated objective was to grow the Fund to about $300, ,000 after which monies could begin to be used for qualifying initiatives. As of December 31, 2016, the Fund total stands $533,633. We are grateful to the individuals who generously gave a portion of their accumulated assets to our congregation through their wills. During 2016, a new Fund Committee consisting of Hugo Peters (chair), Errol Fitzell, Alanda Penner and Cheryl Funk was appointed and given the following tasks: Review and focus the Vision for the Fund Propose a new name for the Fund which encourages greater engagement, passion and understanding Articulate Fund guidelines and criteria, nature of special projects to which proceeds of the Fund may be directed, application procedure for Fund resources This committee has worked energetically and is prepared to make a presentation and a re-launch of the newly named Fund at the June 11 meeting of the congregation. Bethel members are encouraged to include the congregation in their estate and generosity planning. Respectfully submitted, Finance Committee, May 2017 [See the financial statements on pages ] The Gift Discernment Team Report Gift Discernment As members of the Gift Discernment Team our primary task is to identify, nurture and encourage the gifts that God has given to the people of Bethel and to also (where possible) match people with the ministries and programs of the church. Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 11

16 This work gives our committee a window into the vast array of gifts & talents within our church as well as a deep appreciation for our Creator who birthed these gifts within us. We rejoice with the writer of 1 Corinthians who rightly said: God s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God s Spirit. God s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God s Spirit. God s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. (1 Corinthians 12:1-4, The Message). Wonderful things can and do happen when we allow God s Spirit to nurture the gifts within us. It s important, therefore to lift up the work of God and the Church in thanks, celebration and prayer! With this in mind, we would like to celebrate these gifts during the Sunday morning service on June 11 th please join us for Bethel Does It (BDI) Sunday and yes, there will be ice cream! Included in this report is also a list of the various committees and ministries of our church. As you will see there is room on some committees for more members. We ask that you carefully consider whether you are being called to the work of the church. Moreover, if you are a youth or young adult who is interested in exploring your gifts and perhaps being mentored in one of our ministries please get in touch with us (Adelia Neufeld Wiens, Donelda Friesen or Dorothy Fontaine) we would love to hear from you. Finally we would like to thank and acknowledge the good work of Gerald Gerbrandt who served as Chair of the Gift Discernment Team until the end of Gerald left the GDT to work on the church Executive. The Gift Discernment Team [See the list of committees and members at the end of this Report Book.] Mennonite Voluntary Service Committee Report There are currently five volunteers living at the MVS House. Their work assignments for the year are: Bethel Mennonite Church shared with Sargent Thrift shop, Carter Early Learning Centre, Hospitality House and two at Winnipeg Harvest. Each of the work placements provide support for the unit, to cover the costs of rent, heat, groceries, etc. It is a challenge to learn to live and work together in harmony. The volunteers are leaving this week for a retreat with other MVS units from Lethbridge and Edmonton. We are in the process of dealing with applications for next year. It appears we will have 6 volunteers next September. These volunteers provide significant support to our community. Submitted by Joan Cormie, May 16, Pastor-Congregation Relations Committee (PCRC) I am grateful to have a full committee (thanks gift discernment team) and for the attention we have given to the transition issues as they emerged this year. Dorothy Friesen joined the committee and serves as secretary. Crystal Wiens also joined PCRC and links with Reynold. Henry Block links with Darrel, and Abe Bergen with Phil. With Lisa s resignation in the fall and a decision not to seek additional Pastoral staff until the visioning committee had completed its work, PCRC desires that our pastors not become overwhelmed through additional responsibilities they are required to take on during this interim. PCRC has monitored gaps in ministry that have arisen. We have been listening to what our pastors are saying and also intentionally sought out voices within the congregation. Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 12

17 Overall the transition has been fairly smooth and the experience of the Pastors mostly positive. Our two associate pastors have done significantly more visitation of elderly members. They have felt encouraged as they have visited with and heard their faith stories. New duties for them have included officiating at funeral services at Bethel. Everyone, including Darrel has taken on additional visitation and committee responsibilities. Gaps include a lack of a feminine face in the pastoral team. We have heard from congregants that they miss having a female pastor. To address this, some women have been invited as guest speakers. Presently, we do not have a grief support group. Some roles taken on by pastors in the past have been taken on by others at Bethel (e.g., the recently retired group and the mental health support group). No one has new initiatives as part of his portfolio, though Darrel is picking these up as needed. Although things seem to be working well in the interim, we are concerned that the present situation cannot be maintained in the long term. The work of our lead pastor is spread over too great an area of responsibility, and presently our community minister is away from our neighbourhood more than was intended when this position was created. Some support structures are being skimmed away on conference levels. Additional work is needed by the Future Directions Task Force. Phil has agreed to be on the Camps working group (MC Canada) and Reynold is on the new Camping Commission for Manitoba. The PCRC supports our pastors in these involvements as we feel Bethel is a healthy congregation and we are in a position to contribute to the broader church in these ways. No 5-year pastoral reviews needed to be completed this year. In fall 2018, we will conduct Phil s 10- year review. During this time of more limited pastoral resources, it is important that we don't turn inward with reduced staff and neglect new initiatives. Our ministry across the street and around the world should not be diminished because of a reduction in staff. Sometimes we have heard that we need to have only three pastors serving us at Bethel. When we say that, it is important to remember that Reynold has been called to serve in the neighborhood and thus we really have only two pastors addressing the needs within the congregation. During PCRC meetings we often talk about what excites us at Bethel. The list is extensive. We appreciate the ministry of the pastoral team and also the way others have rallied to fill in the gaps that have emerged due to a reduction in staffing. What excites you about Bethel? We d like to continue to hear from you as this interim pastoral arrangement continues. Abe Bergen, Chair of PCRC On behalf of Dorothy Friesen, Crystal Wiens, Henry Block and Darrel Toews Personnel Once again it has been an interesting year for the Personnel Committee, which now consists of four members: Edith von Gunten, Michael Janzen, myself, and Grace Loeppky, who joined us in February and also took on the assignment of being the delegate for PC at council. This is a huge obligation and we are grateful to her for doing this. The year began with the departure of Lisa Enns, which provided PC to serve her with a Letter of Termination. This was presented to Lisa at a luncheon November 14 th, at which time she also shared with PC some highlights of her experience at Bethel. In addition she offered some valuable suggestions for the remaining pastors in their new role as caregivers. Lisa agreed to put these suggestions in writing. Additionally, Lisa s departure obligated the PC to re-align the duties of the remaining pastors as required by the PC Policy Manual. This was done by reviewing the job description of Lisa and categorizing the various duties as being mainly caregiving, adult education and funerals. The categories were then included in an Appendix which was attached to each pastor s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) rather than rewrite the individual job descriptions given the fact that the new arrangement of three pastors was done on a temporary basis. All of this was done under the direction of the Lead Pastor. Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 13

18 Since there were changes to the MOU s such as the Health Plan, etc. the MOU s were redrafted. One important change was that all MOU s, except that of the Lead Pastor, were made effective January 1 st of each year, thereby aligning them with the church budget and the worksheets of each staff member. A large part of the duties of the committee is the review of the pastors salaries and we are particularly grateful to Richard Dyck for his professional guidance and patience. PC follows the Pastors Salary Guidelines set out by Mennonite Church Canada. As chair of the committee, I am deeply grateful to the other members for their thoughtful and prayerful contributions. Submitted by Esther Matz, Personnel Committee Chair. Property The Property Committee has responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the physical church facility, equipment and grounds. This past year, the committee has said farewell to Raymond Bock after many years of dedicated service. We were also fortunate to welcome Brock Klassen as a new member of the committee. Brock joins continuing committee members Ron Boese, Michael Dyck (chair), Ervin Petkau and Art Wiebe. The committee has been able to operate within the proposed operating budget for the 2016 fiscal year. The 2017 budget sees an increase of 8.6% to $95,000. This is needed to account for the increasing costs of insurance, utilities and maintenance as the building gets older. We continue to operate a very active facility rental program that makes our building available to a variety of community groups and organizations. This program allows for increased utilization of the property and provides some additional income from rental fees. A significant update to the rental policy and rate structure was adopted last year in order to improve operational efficiency and better align the rental rates with space usage and costs. Transition to the new rate structure has worked out well without negatively impacting the program. The Property Committee administers a number of active lease arrangements. This past year saw the renewal of the space lease with the Carter Early Learning Centre. The current lease term for the parking lot with Manitoba Hydro will expire in 2017 requiring negotiation of a renewal. Over the last several years, spending on major maintenance projects has slowed as the church considered a more significant facility redevelopment program. With the timeline for such a program becoming more drawn out, it is necessary to proceed with several of these deferred maintenance projects. The Property Committee has proposed several projects as part of a multi-year maintenance program and estimated the necessary funding requirements. These projects have been selected based on immediate needs and also with a view to avoiding crossover with elements of the eventual facility redevelopment program. Plans to proceed with these projects are underway with some funding allocated through the 2017 budget. Approval for additional funding is anticipated at the June congregational meeting. Finally, I would like to offer thanks to the following: Gerald Warkentin for his continued provision of custodial and hosting services; Lois Bergen for her administration of the facility rental program; The sound and video technicians that operate the audio and projection equipment for our services and in support of the facility rental program; The numerous volunteers who offer their services and expertise in keeping up the facility through painting, repairs, etc. Submitted by Michael Dyck, Chairperson Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 14

19 Property Redevelopment Committee The property redevelopment committee has been grateful for the opportunity to engage the congregation in considering our building and how we can be good stewards as we look to the future. The committee has been especially active last summer and fall in coming to the congregation with: - a building proposal with architectural drawings based on feedback from a spring 2016 workshop, a questionnaire to the congregation a needs assessment, as well as conversations with members of the congregation - a Class C cost estimate for the proposal of $1,581, an explanation of the required maintenance, sensible improvements and visionary upgrades aspects of the project - a report to the Oct 2016 congregational meeting While the committee has engaged these details, we have worked to listen to the congregation and respond to the questions, affirmations and concerns. After the congregational meeting in October, in consultation with Church Council, it was decided to have the congregation consider further the vision of Bethel Mennonite Church. This would be instrumental in looking at how we see any property redevelopment undertaken by the congregation. As a committee, we are fully supportive of this direction. In looking deeper at the vision and mission of Bethel, it will help answer the question of what aspects of the Property redevelopment plan fit with that vision and what is sustainable. This project is of significant magnitude and needs to be carefully considered. - Does this plan fit with the vision of Bethel Mennonite Church? - Is the plan a good use of resources? - Are there sufficient resources available for a project such as this? - Is this a sustainable proposal for the future? At this point, we look for further direction from the congregation and Council as to how best to proceed. I am appreciative of the comments and questions from the congregation and look forward to further engagement. We are grateful for the expertise provided by FT3 architectural and also to the members of the committee who have worked hard on Bethel s behalf to prepare and communicate a plan for the congregation to consider. We look forward to moving in faith together, seeking God s guidance in clarifying the vision for Bethel Mennonite Church. Ken Dueck for the Property Redevelopment Committee: Art Wiebe, Nadine Kampen, Aaron Penner, Erv Petkau, Reynold Friesen. Safe Church Bethel adopted a Safe Church Policy in June This past year Reynold and I have been reviewing the policy and updating it. It is nearing completion. There are no major changes. I have continued to process the Criminal Record Check and Child Abuse Check for all volunteers working in a program of Bethel involving persons under the age of 18. That has totalled 19 applications this past year. Community people connected to Bethel appreciate the fact that we have a policy in place. It is important that all volunteers submit the paperwork promptly so we can insure the safety of the underage persons we work with. Submitted by: Essie Bergen, Safe Church Officer Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 15

20 Witness I would like to begin by thanking the members of the Witness Committee for all their work over the past year, with a special thank you to Leona Giesbrecht whose term ended in June We also welcomed Diana Werner onto the committee. Our MVS ers continue to play a major role in the Bethel Community Ministry programs and there were also numerous other volunteers without whom the programs and activities supported by this committee would not have been possible. Many thanks to each one of you. The Past Year and Ongoing Mission at BMC Bethel has partnered with St. Mark s Lutheran Church to support Hammoud, Hanaa and Rayan Jumaa (Syrian refugees) for their first year in Canada. In March, Hammoud completed an English as Additional Language (EAL) program to acquire Canadian certified training toward possible EAL teaching in Canada. In April, he also completed a course on Restorative Justice in Conflict Resolution Studies at the University of Winnipeg and he is currently searching for full or part time work. In May, the Jummas will be moving into a subsidized apartment at McFeetor Hall, University of Winnipeg, where Hammoud plans to continue his program in Conflict Resolution Studies as a part time student. Hanaa frequently attends the Wolseley Family Centre where she enjoys respite while Rayan is preoccupied in the play area. When they move to their new apartment, they will also have access to a new playground and gym. The Jumaas are excited and full of anticipation about their futures, Hammoud through employment and study, and Hanaa through being a great mom and improving her English. Our financial support will be fulfilled at the end of June but friendships will be ongoing. Thank you to the Bethel refugee support team: Ernie Penner and Ann Purvis, Gord and Nita Friesen, Crystal Wiens, Anais and Nico Boyd, Gloria Dueck. The 330 after school program was in its second year and has continued to grow. In its first year the majority were from grade 6 but that has expanded to include neighbourhood youth from grades 6 to 9. This 330, along with Bethel Kids Club/Bethel Sports Club for younger kids, provided a safe place for kids. These are important programs to the kids and their parents. Other ongoing ministries at Bethel include the Harrow school reading program, Mosaic Conversation Circles (English classes), the Harrow School snack kit program, income tax filing assistance (about 120 people served this year), kids photography club led by Stefan (our MVSer), Winnipeg Harvest food distribution (twice per month), a spring-break day camp for neighbourhood kids, a drop-in program in partnership with Families Forward for pre-schoolers and parents called Kids@Play. The Alpha Missional Community continues and hosted a spaghetti dinner for about Winnipeg Harvest guests. Hosting the Harrow School concert received a great response from the community. Bethel also hosted a Neighbourhood Christmas dinner which served 130 community members plus volunteers despite the storm. This year BMC made a concerted effort to strengthen ties between ourselves and CELC (see report from CELC for more details). A more detailed report on the many Community Ministry programs is available on request from Brian Wiebe or the church office. The proceeds from the 2016 garage sale went to support the service trip to Cross Lake (8 Bethel folks joined with Sterling Mennonite). It was a week of much learning for our group and interaction with the children, youth and adults of that community, including at the local Family Camp. A group from Bethel is planning to go again this summer and help lead the VBS sessions and a youth sports camp (new initiative) with Sterling. We are grateful for this hands-on opportunity to be guests in a First Nation and Métis community and spend time relating to each together. The Witness led adult education sessions on the Pass System were very well attended and opened all our eyes to a little known and shameful part of our Canadian history. We also completed a brochure to help explain what is meant by Treaty One Land and 400 copies were made and distributed to our mailboxes with extras available in the brochure display. Significant involvement has continued with the Partnership Circle and Riverton Fellowship Circle (RFC). Bethel along with the other churches of the Riverton Ministry Circle (Sargent Avenue, Home Street, and Douglas Mennonite churches) have come alongside the Riverton Fellowship Circle and supported Samuel Bergen in full time ministry at Riverton beginning in April This support is now in its second year and RFC is planning a visioning time in June as they consider the path forward. The Building Bridges event began with a discussion on Bill C262 and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples on Friday evening and was followed on Saturday by the all Partnership Circles Annual Meeting, Exploring New Paths to Justice, Friendship and Leadership. Dorothy Fontaine and Steve Heinrichs Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 16

21 facilitated and topics included Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Water Issues among others. The Partnership Circle and Riverton Fellowship Circle continue to be places of supporting and learning from one another. Camps with Meaning is an important mission for us as well. We again held a fundraiser to provide assistance for children who wish to attend summer camp. Bethel supported 26 campers from neighbourhood and Bethel families to attend Camps with Meaning camps last summer (2016) and have 31 kids registered to attend camp in Our camps are also a very important training ground for our future church workers/leaders and we supported a number of youth and young adults in their camp work. Brian Wiebe on behalf of Pam Friesen, Neill von Gunten, Peter Dyck, Diana Werner, Judy Wiens and Reynold Friesen. Women in Mission Report About thirty-five to forty-five women gathered nine times for monthly meetings since our last report to the congregation. Bethel Women in Mission get together for friendship, for sharing, praying, giving and hearing about some aspect of God s work in our community and world. We continue to serve refreshments at funerals- a service that is coordinated by our Food Committee. Our theme for this year is Hospitality. The program committee invited the women of the Harrow United Church to join us for the April meeting. As they described their work with shut-ins, their prayer shawl ministry and their involvement with the Truth and Reconciliation proposals, we were encouraged by our common ministries and enjoyed our fraternal visiting. Some of our recent meetings have focused on ways we show hospitality in our homes, to foreign students at CMU and toward refugees. Two years ago Bethel Women in Mission received a special note of thanks from MCC, indicating that we had contributed $73,000 toward the work of MCC in the past two decades. Adding our contributions during the last two years, we have now contributed almost $83,000. The plight of refugees in our world has created concern, prayers, generosity and opened our purses for the work of MCC. Our annual income since our last report (June, 2016) has been $17, Our offering at meetings are our main income. Our donations continue to support camping ministries (MC Manitoba;) indigenous relations (MCCanada); CMU, MBS Ukraine Project and Bethania (including Pembina Place) Spiritual Care. A number of other charities, including those suggested by our members, are also supported. Revisiting the Bethel Mennonite Women in Mission constitution with the purpose of aligning our activities with the work of God and with the initial purpose of our organization is being worked at by our executive. The minutes of our meetings are available from the office for anyone interested in the work of Bethel Mennonite Women in Mission. All women are welcome to our monthly meetings. Submitted by Justina M. Heese, Bethel Women in Mission President Worship The Worship Committee continued to work with the theme of hospitality this year and explored how Bethel can become a more welcoming and invitational church. We examined questions such as, What do hospitality and welcome mean in worship? How do we incorporate these elements in our worship? Does being an affirming congregation make a difference? How do we welcome newcomers to Bethel and facilitate their integration into the community at Bethel? A major initiative which our committee undertook last year was the appointment of Artists in Residence. The program was introduced on a three-year trial basis, and started with Sarah Ens and Amelia Warkentin being appointed as Artists in Residence for The focus of their art has been story-telling, both in our worship services and in congregational life. In worship services, their stories have been enriching and powerfully dynamic, and in workshops they have helped us to see the connection between our personal Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 17

22 narratives and God s activity. We are thankful to them for their work! For , we have appointed Grace Kang, a visual artist, beginning in September. We look forward to her contribution to worship at Bethel! In the fall, the children s story was relocated from the sanctuary to the foyer on a trial basis. There have been some positive outcomes as a result of the change. It has been noted that the children participate more often and express themselves more freely. Although many adults miss hearing the story, the children are now truly the focus of the story time. There have also been numerous additional volunteers willing to lead the story time. Thank you to everyone who has shared a story with the children in our church. We also explored live-streaming our worship services, for the benefit of those who cannot attend in person. This is an on-going joint proposal being studied with Property Committee, dependent on resources (especially technicians) and visioning priorities. Our Guidelines for Worship Leaders (found on our church website) seem to benefit from constant review and updating. We find that this is an important document, as we welcome new worship leaders to our services. We are grateful for the willingness of all who are willing to serve, especially some of the younger folks who have agreed over the last year to lead worship. A special thank you to worship leaders, story tellers, audio and visual technicians, choristers and musicians, and pastors for enriching our worship services at Bethel. Louise Kroeker on behalf of the worship committee: Erwin Warkentin (Chair), Louise Kroeker (Council rep), Blake Friesen, Irene Penner, Sarah Ens, Darrel Toews (Pastor rep), and Waldy Ens (Music rep). Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 18

23 The following reports are from partner organizations that Bethel Mennonite Church supports financially. Where a representative from the church is active, the report has been submitted by that representative. Additional partner reports have been included if they were provided by the organization. The Bethania Group As another year has passed, we reflect with gratitude and humility on the many achievements of our organization. We have also faced significant challenges as we strive to meet our Mission and Vision. Some of these challenges we have met and overcome, while others are persistent and at times seem intractable. We continue to focus on maintaining and improving our core services to ensure residents receive the best quality personal health care, meals, recreation opportunities and spiritual support possible. We continue our persistent efforts to develop new skills to effectively manage in an ever-changing workplace environment and to maintain and enhance a staff culture of compassionate care for residents. Despite the fact that Manitoba Health/Winnipeg Regional Health Authority PCH Standards were revised in 2015 with more demanding sub-criteria, Bethania and Pembina Place had excellent ratings in this year s review, where we met or exceeded 11 of 12 Standards at Bethania and 10 of 12 at Pembina Place. Those Standards not fully met dealt mainly with our documentation of procedures or processes and not with our level or quality of care. These reviews are a complex assessment of hundreds of criteria concerning Resident personal care services and support, Recreation programs, Spiritual Care, Food services, housekeeping, drug usage and controls, and other detailed accountability measures. Further, we also were subject in 2016 to the Accreditation Canada evaluation as part of the WRHA re-certification process. The investigators provided a number of examples where they felt Bethania was exceeding the expected standards and were especially impressed in their observations of staff-resident/family interactions. Our number of residents of the Mennonite faith at Bethania PCH has increased from 47% in Sept 2014 to 62% as of Sept This is a result of the good working relationship between us and the WRHA Access Centre to adapt the new Panel and Admission Redesign to respect our responsibility to our faith based community. The WRHA has also recently confirmed our 2012 agreement that 75% of our beds should be reserved for those of Mennonite faith. In response to the Supreme Court ruling on Physician Assisted Death (now known as Medical Assistance in Dying-MAID), the federal government passed legislation in June 2016 making this procedure legal. In anticipation of this legislation our Board and CEO prepared a Declaration on Physician Assisted Death that prohibits its practice, any referral to others for this specific purpose or even its encouragement in both of our Personal Care Homes. The Minister of Health, Active Living and Seniors, and the CEO of the WRHA have both written indicating their acceptance of our position as a faith based organization. The Community Relations and Fund Raising Committee led by James Schellenberg, and with the expertise of Charlene Petrash, has developed a 3 year Spiritual Care Fundraising Strategy, to meet current and future funding shortfall needs in spiritual care. It is becoming better known now that the WRHA does not pay for Spiritual Care costs therefore we must raise all funds through donations. Our new Spiritual Care Fundraising Campaign is called Share the Light and we hope that our Mennonite community members and successful business enterprises will be generous in their donations to help us reach our target of one million dollars by As one of our major in-kind gifts initiative, in October our Chapel roof and floors were replaced, and the cupola windows resealed. We are very grateful to Henry Thiessen for his generosity and Winnipeg Building and Decorating for their excellent work. In partnership with the WRHA, we held presentations on How Admissions are made to PCHs for the congregations of Douglas Mennonite Church, First Mennonite Church and most recently Bethel Place and Bethel Church. Feedback from participants indicates these sessions were well received. We invite further requests for education session from our supportive churches on topics affecting our elderly population. We continue to work in partnership with the WRHA in the WRHA Dementia Care Pilot Program. We have implemented our Dementia Care collaborative project using the PIECES (Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, Capabilities, Environment and Social) framework to create a person centered inter-professional Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 19

24 care plan for residents with dementia. There are daily staff huddle sessions for better communication to ensure all staff are aware of a resident s changing needs and care plan interventions. We were successful in receiving a student grant for a Safety Program Assistant to aid us in our Safe Work procedures and we are hosting a Clinical Pastoral Education Student from September to April, 2017 to work in Spiritual Care under the mentorship of Ferd Funk. Bethania has also been host to 4 LPN Practica Students this summer and will be hosting 7 more in November. Accepting these students for their practica is a major recruiting tool for us once they graduate. In Bethania, our new food carts, which provide a choice of two main entrees at meals, have been extremely well received by Residents and families. The Bethania Group was selected and participated in the multi-university led Translating Research in Elder Care Project (TREC) to identify how current work habits can influence the use of best practices by front line staff in order to improve the quality of Resident Care. We were also fortunate to have Pembina Place chosen as a site for the Safer Care for Older Persons Environments (SCOPE) initiative. SCOPE is a quality improvement initiative with the aim to engage and empower front line staff in quality improvement activities, to enhance the use of best practices, quality of care for resident, staff engagement and job satisfaction. The increase in staff and practice hours for Rehabilitation services for both Bethania and Pembina Place has improved the quality of life for many of our Residents as it facilitates greater Resident independence and preventing falls. In Bethania had 150 volunteers who contribute 8,635 hours of volunteer work while Pembina Place had 43 registered volunteers contributing 3,473 hours. Recruitment efforts continue, as the need for volunteers to enhance the daily lives of residents is ever so important. Volunteers are essential in providing Residents with personal interactions and opportunities to alleviate loneliness and boredom and serve in a variety of areas within the homes including but not limited to assisting residents at mealtimes, recreation programs, visits, worship services, gift shop, maintenance, folding laundry, special events and beautifying the grounds. Last year we held many special events for Residents. For example there were 13 BBQ s and 15 outings held over the summer, as well as the seasonal special events such as Mother s Day, Father s Day, Christmas, Canada Day, Family Day, Watermelon and Rollkuchen parties and the ever so popular ice cream in the park. A survey was developed for pastors, residents and family members to identify gaps in support needs for congregational residents. Residents and family members affirmed the vital role of their faith communities in the religious and spiritual care of the elderly, and felt that their congregations would benefit from information sessions about the Panel and Admission Process, Dementia Care, End of Life Care, Spiritual and Emotional Support of family caregivers, and Volunteer Opportunities and Training. Clergy also expressed the need for resources to support family members as they navigate the admission process, they appreciated the communication of significant events in the life of residents, and affirmed the ongoing care provided by our staff for their church members. In addition to weekly chapel services, Ferd Funk and Michele Barr, our Chaplains at Bethania and Pembina Place respectively, provide a wide range of services, consulting, spiritual advice and supports for Residents and their families and mentoring of our staff. Their work is an integral part of the holistic care provided in our homes. Every quarter they also hold memorial celebrations for those Residents who have passed, and they are at times asked by families to preside at the church funerals of Residents. We are grateful for the continued strong commitment from 15 pastors from our supportive churches and their music groups for weekly Thursday and Sunday chapel services. In addition, we appreciate the Priests who provide Roman Catholic services at both Pembina Place and Bethania. Our dedicated volunteers also provide support for communion, piano playing, assisting Residents to come to chapel and singing in choir groups from our churches. We are blessed to have this ongoing pastoral and volunteer support for our spiritual care. Our annual Dankfest and Spring Tea were well attended and they provide a wonderful platform to inform our community about our services and our needs, while offering Residents and families an opportunity to worship in the context of the wider community of faith. As noted earlier, the Bethania Mennonite Memorial Foundation continues to struggle financially and as a result, spiritual care services could end as a core program of our PCHs. Our Community Relations and Fundraising Committee has developed a comprehensive 3 year Fundraising Strategy for the Foundation, titled Share the Light. We hope to raise at least $1 Million for a reserve fund to help pay for our Chaplains Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 20

25 and all other costs for spiritual care programs for those years when our donations are less than our required expenditures. Bethania was created by Mennonites seventy years ago to alleviate suffering and provide health and spiritual care for our elders, and it is now our collective responsibility to continue its good work in the future, and to ensure its legacy in our community. For information on how you can be part of the legacy please contact our Major Gifts Director, Charlene Petrash at or ph The Board and Staff of the Bethania Group remain dedicated to the well-being and quality of life for our Personal Care Home Residents and the Tenants of our housing facilities. We ask that you keep us in your prayers as we continue God s work. Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Bethania Group, Henry Neudorf, Board Chair Gary J. Ledoux, CEO Ferdinand Funk, Director of Spiritual Care / Chaplain Carter Early Learning Centre (CELC) At the June 2016 congregational meeting, a question was raised as to why there was no word from CELC in the annual reports. This was a great question. It spurred Bethel on to look at what happened to the connection between Bethel and its first significant community outreach program, started over forty years ago. When the centre was first established in 1974 the by-laws were written by Bethel members. To this day according to those by-laws all members of Bethel are also members of CELC. Furthermore, Bethel is to have three members on the Board of CELC. Over the last few years this commitment was not fulfilled and this gap contributed greatly to the breakdown in connection. Filling our commitment on the CELC Board and creating a liaison position to ensure greater communication were Bethel s responses to repairing the link. Both were accomplished by fall 2016 with Leona Giesbrecht and Adelia Neufeld Wiens coming forward to fill two board positions and Irene Nickel Patterson taking on the newly formed liaison position. This new liaison position operates under the umbrella of Witness and Community Ministry in connection with Bethel s Community Minister and the CELC Director. How exactly this liaison will function is in the process of taking shape. Our initiative to reconnect resulted in the following actions: To kick off the new link between the Bethel and the CELC communities, Irene presented a brief history of CELC from a personal perspective at the November 2016 CELC AGM. Bethel s representation on the CELC board has been re-established. Quarterly meetings between Reynold Friesen (Community Ministry), Irene (liaison), Adelia and Leona (board representatives) serve to facilitate intentional connections. (Reynold is temporarily filling Leona s position on the Board during her recovery.) Bethel engaged in The Week of the Early Childhood Educator by delivering some lovely cakes and coffee. Irene has provided CELC Board members with information from the provincial Early Learning and Child Care office. Reynold, Irene and Adelia will personally invite CELC families to the June 4 family day at Bethel. Dialogue has begun between Irene, the CELC director and the CELC Board about possible shared events between Bethel and CELC families, for example a nutrition for young children workshop. A current view of what is happening at CELC: Over the past year CELC has experienced leadership changes. The Director of ten years, Marlene Epp, retired in June Lisa Tokarz, Assistant Director, took over the Director position, but unfortunately resigned in December The Board worked tirelessly for several months in search of the most suitable candidate. Jaime Hoover was hired and began as Director in early March Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 21

26 The main aim of CELC is to continue providing a quality service to children and families. A play-based curriculum focusses on areas of literacy, social and emotional skills with lots of outdoor nature and physical play. The centre is operating at the maximum capacity of 32 children ages two to five. There is a long waiting list of families who wish to access the services of CELC. Maintaining fiscal responsibility and meeting the restraints of the annual budget continue to be a priority. CELC has been in the Bethel space adjacent to the lower lounge for nearly twenty-five years and the facility is showing wear. The centre continues to enjoy and value its relationship with Bethel s MVS program. As we look forward, we see many opportunities for Bethel to continue to engage with and support the significant work of CELC. Respectfully submitted: Irene Nickel Patterson and Adelia Neufeld Wiens Eden Health Care Services This past year has seen the Eden organization continue to grow, supported by an involved board through an informed strategic plan. The unique structure that Eden Health Care Services represents is the fundamental connection between the faith community and publicly funded services. One factor that is significantly influencing the work at Eden Mental Health Centre involves the recovery transformation agenda. It continues to shape the context within which we deliver our services. Recovery is defined as..."a journey of healing and growth that is owned by and unique to each individual. Recovery builds on individual, family, spiritual, cultural and community strengths and enables a person to live a resilient, meaningful, and satisfying life of their choice in the community, in the presence or absence of symptoms of mental health problems and illnesses. Recovery is nurtured by relationships with self and others, and by environments that provide hope, empowerment, acceptance, choices, and opportunities. Family members, service providers, peers, and others may be partners in one s journey of recovery. Eden s housing and supports program continues to see growth in all of its three service sites; Winkler, Steinbach and Winnipeg. This past year saw us responding to a call for Expressions of Interest from Manitoba Housing and Community Development for affordable housing for vulnerable populations and families. When safe, affordable housing exist, recovery can happen. We await word from the new Provincial Government to inform our next steps. Recovery of Hope counselling service completed a successful year of providing individual and family counselling Eden Health Care Services. The offering of parenting classes has seen significant interest. From the vantage point of mental health, investing in the front end of the human experience at early childhood development is always a sound approach. The program continues to operate from head offices in Winnipeg, with services offered in four rural communities, now under the leadership of our new Program Director, Brad Unger. In our Segue Employment Program, Sheila Suderman accepted the position of Program Director this past spring. Sheila had been the Mature Adult Program Coordinator prior to this appointment. The value of work and a title for individuals who struggle with significant employment barriers cannot be overstated. The Segue program continues to address these vital needs as part of Eden s holistic approach to mental health recovery. The work of the Foundation and the response from the community is a strong indicator of how we are doing as a mental health service provider. This past year has been the strongest yet in terms of support, both in fundraising events and other awareness raising activities. The resulting benefit of financial support has allowed us to complete some much needed additional renovations to some of our housing stock as well as capital improvements at the mental health center. Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 22

27 Partnerships continue to be one of the major factors that have allowed Eden Health Care Services to realize success. As a faith-based organization, strong partnerships encourage us to build stronger and more resilient and responsive communities. My sincere hope is that we are able to continue to build capacity in our communities as we inform, challenge and engage individuals, churches, businesses and agencies in helping us advance effective mental health services. We see this as a sacred trust as we continue to find ways to express Christ s love, particularly to those of us struggling with mental health challenges. Respectfully, James Friesen, CEO December 13, 2016 MCC Manitoba MCC Manitoba 2016 report to churches In this year MCC staff at all levels, in all places and in all roles have been encouraged by our leaders to provoke one another to love and good deeds. This admonition reminds us that our love should not only be a sentiment but be expressed in good deeds and that our good deeds should be motivated and guided by love, not by pride or pity. This love is ultimately God s love and so our mission statement for MCC commits us to share God s love and compassion for all in the name of Christ. In response to this commitment MCC Manitoba, volunteers, donors, board members and staff generate resources for MCC s international and domestic programs and participate in several ministries within Manitoba. Highlights over the past year include ongoing strong donations for relief and peacebuilding in Syria; a surge in sponsorships and resettlement of refugees; the significant contributions of thrift shops; an increase in contributions to MCC's account at the Canadian Foodgrains Bank; and more learning about reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and settlers. Our MCC-wide strategic plan was implemented, with provincially specific activities approved by the MCC Manitoba Board. Strategic goals of expanding efforts to provide access to clean water, food and livelihoods; strengthening efforts to build bridges through innovative peacebuilding; developing new partnerships with churches and supporting communities; increasing opportunities for young adults; leveraging strategic initiatives; and engaging thrift as a key marketing face will be targeted throughout this five year period. MCC Manitoba has also been host to transition and growth throughout this past year. Peter Rempel graciously assumed the position of Interim Executive Director October 2015 through August 2016 with Darryl Loewen entering the role of MCC Manitoba Executive Director in mid-august. In addition to leadership transitions, a number of new program staff were hired mid-year including Joanna Hiebert-Bergen, Peace and Advocacy Coordinator; Katie Froese, International Volunteer Exchange Program Coordinator; Kerry Saner-Harvey, Indigenous Neighbours Program Coordinator; and Blanca Cota-Mitchel, Program Assistant. An Assistant Director of Donor Relations, Val Block, was hired while several other job descriptions were re-configured within the Communications & Donor Relations department to give focus to deepening relationships with congregations and donors. As we look ahead to next year, we anticipate reaffirmed relationships with thrift shops through new Memos of Understanding; furthered progress toward an affordable housing project in partnership with Eden Health Care Services; and deepened relationships with congregations, families, and individuals through our local programs and focuses on peacebuilding and advocacy, resettlement, abuse prevention, reconciliation, and more. Thank you for your continued support, prayers and engagement with us. We hope, pray and trust that MCC Manitoba will continue to be a beacon and instrument of God s compassion for our world in the name of Christ. Darryl Loewen MCC Manitoba Executive Director Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 23

28 Mennonite Church Canada 2016 Update to Congregations and Area Churches They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength... Isaiah 40:31 As we embrace 2017, I want to say a heartfelt thank you to each congregation and individual donor that has supported and continues to unwaveringly support the ministries of MC Canada and our five area churches this past year. As our wider church family plan a transition to a new structure that will see congregations as the foundational unit of ministry, we do not take your support for granted. In the meantime, our staff is tasked with maintaining existing ministry commitments with partner ministries in Canada and around the world, while also planning and preparing for change. Looking back on 2016, we can celebrate success stories and inform you of challenges that continue to need your ongoing support. Visiting You: Itinerating international Witness workers from 10 countries paid 60 visits to congregations in 2016, sharing stories of God s work in the world with you. In addition, staff visited 43 congregations on Sunday mornings, plus numerous contacts and meetings with churches and individuals on week days. Thank you for your generous hospitality! Ride for Refuge - On Oct. 1, eight teams comprising 59 cyclists from Ontario to Saskatchewan rode their bikes in support of the Witness international ministry of their choosing. Together we raised almost $16,000. We hope to grow the Ride event in Long Term Witness Workers: Together with you, we support 27 long term workers in 11 countries. We also financially support ministry with partners in 6 countries where we have no workers. Check out one or more of the many blogs maintained by Witness workers at Short Term Witness Workers: In 2016, we sent 8 Short Term Ministry workers (including 3 couples) to serve on 5 different assignments in 4 countries. Three of these workers supported the ministries of long-term Witness workers and 4 served in Palestine and Israel, where we are currently unable to send long-term workers. Peacebuilding: At Assembly 2016, delegates almost unanimously passed a resolution supporting peace in Palestine and Israel. A working group of passionate volunteers with knowledge of this longstanding conflict has been formed to help congregations engage the Resolution on Palestine and Israel. Indigenous Relations: Following the remarkable sales success of Wrongs to Rights a special publication following the conclusion of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) a second special edition called Yours, Mine, Ours was published to address the TRC s call to action to churches that participated in the Indian Residential School (IRS) system (Mennonites were involved in day schools). More than 3,300 copies of both publications have been distributed. Thanks to sales and donations, the cost of production for these resources has been recovered. Christian Formation: CommonWord a collaboration of Mennonite Church Canada s Resource Centre for churches and Canadian Mennonite University s bookstore, offers 12,000 loan, sale or download items and links to hundreds of websites. 57,000 individuals have used CommonWord this year. Over 1,000 items were sold online. More than 1,700 items were downloaded over 40,000 times. This is a ministry that serves well beyond the 134 congregations that accessed items this year. A Baptist leader wrote, Your website s a gold mine! I ve surveyed resources across Canada and you have the best stuff out there. Church History: The Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives responds to 120 research assistance requests/month, hosts 10,806 historical images online, has continuously published the Mennonite Historian magazine for 41 years running, and produced an award winning film on conscientious objectors called The Last Objectors, which has aired nationally and CBC TV. A huge thank you to the 11 regular plus additional casual volunteers that help make all this happen. This year, the Archives also received significant collections of historical documents from the Evangelical Mennonite Church and the Christian Mennonite Conference. Art and Faith: The Mennonite Heritage Centre Art Gallery continues to cross the bridges of different faith traditions using the visual arts. Eight exhibits were hosted in A significant milestone saw the completion of gallery curator and artist Ray Dirks Along the Road the Freedom series of paintings, documenting the faithful and courageous Mennonite women who led their families to freedom in the Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 24

29 aftermath of the Russian Revolution. A celebration at the Manitoba legislature was attended by Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba, the Honourable Janice C. Filmon, media, and about 500 guests. The Gallery is primarily self-funded by donations and grants. Finances: As of Nov. 30, donation income was $240,000 behind our $4.4 million donation budget and significantly behind last year s levels for the same time period. Your prayer and financial support continues to be critical to the ministries we do together. Task Forces: The Being a Faithful Church and Future Directions Task Forces presented their final reports at Assembly Delegates approved the recommendations of both task forces. The transition to a re-imagined a national and area church system that is closer to its congregational base is now well under way. Assembly 2016: A special delegate gathering to approve new structures (see above) is scheduled for Oct , 2017, in Wpg. More information will be coming your way over the spring and summer. In closing, I ask that you pray and financially support as we wait upon the Lord so that the many ministries of MC Canada and our 5 Area Churches so that we can transition to a new future in good health. Thank you. Willard Metzger, Executive Director December, 2016 Mennonite Church Manitoba Report to the Congregations for the year 2016 Mennonite Church Manitoba is a collection of 45 congregations joined together by faith, mission, ministry, and history. The membership of these congregations choose to work together to run a vibrant camping ministry, an effective and unique mission outreach, and to ensure that the leadership needs of our churches are met. This year over 800 children and adults with disabilities have had a week long experience of journeying with Jesus at one of our camps. They have been led by an incredibly gifted team of young and old people who have dedicated parts of their summer to this ministry. We are truly blessed to have such committed and steadfast leadership in our midst. We are also blessed by our year round camp staff both in the office at 600 Shaftesbury Blvd, and at our camps. Our camping ministry also entered a new phase with the proposal to combine Missions with our camping ministry. This proposal was presented and adopted at our last annual Gathering and it includes a redevelop plan for Camp Assiniboia. We began this redevelopment with the construction of four new cabins which will enhance both our summer program and our guest group season. Much of the construction was done by Mennonite Disaster Service and we are deeply grateful for their help. Over the past several years we have had the mandate to reduce our camp ownership and sell Camp Moose Lake and Camp Koinonia. The hope was that we would sell these camps to constituent congregations or groups so that we might be able to use the camps as a delivery site for our camping program. We have been working with Steinbach Mennonite to transfer ownership of Camp Moose Lake to them, but they have needed to withdraw from these negotiations. The Board has authorized Ken Warkentin to explore a few more options before we need to turn the camp back over to the province. We are also working with a group of Friends of Camp Koinonia with the intention of having them operate that camp. Rick Neufeld and Kathy Giesbrecht have been busy helping congregations with pastoral transitions and training. Many of our congregations were in transition with their pastoral staff this year and MCM was able to hear these needs, meet with the congregations to explore creative ways of configuring pastoral teams, and then helping to find the best candidates for these roles. Also Kathy enjoyed a three month sabbatical after seven years of service to MCM! MCM is also a part of our National Church Mennonite Church Canada! Over the past five years we have been participating in a national conversation about how we might best reorganize our Church to serve the mission of our congregations. The broad strokes of a redevelopment plan were presented at our Annual Gathering and ultimately approved at the Mennonite Church Canada Assembly in July. Work is now being done to flesh out this report and to develop a more specific plan about how we will work together. The basic Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 25

30 idea is that the Area Churches (MCM is one of five area churches in Canada) will own the agenda of the National church. As part of a National Church we are also part of a national conversation named Being a Faithful Church. This conversation has focused this past year on the resolution passed in July by the National Assembly that read: One of our foundations of unity has been the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective. We recommend that it continue to serve the church in the ways suggested in the Introduction of the Confession itself. We call upon our family of Christ to respectfully acknowledge that there are those among us (congregations and individuals) whose careful study of Scripture and prayerful journey of discernment lead them to a different understanding on committed same-sex relationships than is commonly understood by readings of Article 19 in our Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective. We recommend that we create space/leave room within our Body to test alternative understandings from that of the larger Body to see if they are a nudging of the Spirit of God. Since continued discernment will be required after Assembly 2016, we recommend that Mennonite Church Canada and Area Churches develop ways to hear one another around the implementation of this recommendation. Our task in the coming year will be to discern together what it means to create space. I urge you to join me in prayer that the Holy Spirit will guide this discernment. I am looking forward to the New Year with hope, joy, and the assurance that God is in this church, that Jesus leads this church, and that the Holy Spirit is at work in this world! Submitted by: Ken Warkentin (Executive Director) DISCERNING THE SPACE FOR TESTING ALTERNATE UNDERSTANDINGS OF MARRIAGE Background Information for the Special Membership Meeting of Mennonite Church Manitoba January 12, 2017 See the Background document and the Addendum at: Winnipeg Mennonite Elementary and Middle Schools (WMEMS) Annual Report to Churches January 2017 On behalf of the students, staff, parents, families and Board of Winnipeg Mennonite Elementary and Middle Schools, I bring greetings and thank you for your continued support and prayers. As we enter the second half of our school year, we are thankful for God s blessings and the many ways He shows His love to all of us. Once again I am grateful to see our faith alive and vibrant within our school community. We have spent a lot of time focusing on the spiritual and emotional health of our students and staff this year. I would encourage you to check us out and see how this manifests itself in our schools. Here are some facts about our schools: Enrollment at our campuses remains strong and stable. 323 students are enrolled in our schools this year. 190 at WMEMS Bedson (a K-8 School located in St. James). 133 at WMEMS Katherine Friesen (a K-6 School located in Ft. Garry). 32 students enrolled at WMELCC (Christian Daycare at Bedson). Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 26

31 Open Houses will take place Tuesday, January 31 st at WMEMS Katherine Friesen and Wednesday, February 1 st at WMEMS Bedson. Please mark these dates on your calendars. Come out and visit our schools or let a friend know about us. WMEMS is an inter-mennonite school open to all students regardless of church affiliation. Admission priority is given to children from returning families and children of families that worship in Mennonite churches. Application information is available on our website at WMEMS employs only provincially certified teachers and teaches the provincial curriculum as set out by Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth. WMEMS offers French and German studies at both of its campuses Music is a specialty at WMEMS. Mrs. Becky Barkman and Mrs. Carissa Boschman are continuing the tradition of excellence in Music education and the performing arts that our schools are known for. All students receive music education starting in Kindergarten. This focus is continued in Middle school (at Bedson) with a Band Program starting in Grade 6 and continuing until Grade 8. Optional choirs, musicals and handbells are also included at our campuses. A full Middle School Program is offered at our Bedson campus. Middle school starts in Grade 5 and continues until Grade 8. This includes all standard academic classes plus classes in Band, Choir, Practical Arts, Experiential Learning and Service Education. Full and Half-time Kindergarten classes are available at both campuses. Over 50% of our Kindergarten students attend full-time. Both Kindergarten Classes are currently full with wait lists. Come and see us soon if you are planning on attending in September of Children from Mennonite Church member families do have admission priority if applications are received before February 15, Both schools offer before and after programs that run from 7:30am to 9:00am and 3:30pm to 5:30pm. WMEMS Bedson has a Christian Daycare Centre (WMLECC) that offers daycare services to children from ages two to five. Thirty-two spots are available in this program and it is full! For more information or admissions information please contact the school office at Class sizes are limited to 22 in Kindergarten and 24 in other grades. Both schools have state of the art computer labs, fully equipped gyms and safe spacious playgrounds. WMEMS owns and operates six bus routes, two serving Katherine Friesen, three serving Bedson and a shuttle that buses students from the Katherine Friesen Campus to St. James for middle school (added in September of 2016). Door to door service is quite convenient and economical. Tuition Fees range from $2500 to $4925 per student. Flexible payment plans are offered. Family discounts are applied, starting with the second child and there is a family tuition cap that is set at $8935 for families with children only in K-5 and $9510 for families with children in K-8. This cap is in effect no matter how many children in a family are enrolled in our schools (both campuses). Bursaries are available to help ensure that all students who wish to attend are able to do so. Our goal is to ensure that we do not turn children/families away because of financial need. Charitable receipts are issued for a portion of tuition (usually around 50% of net tuition), which does effectively reduce the net cost. Please visit us at for more information about our schools. The support of your church and other churches is important to our school community. These relationships help strengthen and clarify who we are. They also help us realize that we are both working towards the same goal. We welcome your prayers, your encouragement and your contributions. We also welcome opportunities to share with your congregation in a worship experience during the course of the upcoming year. Please feel free to drop by and connect with us at WMEMS. We would be happy to spend some time with you, give you a tour or listen to some of your suggestions. Respectfully, Lawrence Hamm Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer Winnipeg Mennonite Elementary and Middle Schools (WMES Inc.) Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 27

32 Winnipeg Mennonite Seniors Care Inc. (WMSCI) We are grateful that 2016 was a good year at Winnipeg Mennonite Seniors Care Inc. We appreciate the opportunity to invest in the lives of men and women who have chosen Lindenwood as their home; to serve them; to encourage them; and to help them find meaning, joy, peace, and purpose in their senior years. In turn we are blessed by the contribution they make to the Lindenwood community; their expressions of appreciation; their words of encouragement and wisdom; and their ongoing support for management and staff, help to make it a joy to serve at Lindenwood. It is also an encouragement to observe residents connecting with one another and making new additions to our community feel welcomed and at home. The past year has been a year of unprecedented suite turnover. For a several reasons a high number of our residents have had to move into facilities that are equipped to provide a higher level of care. It has been difficult to say Good Bye to a number of long-term Lindenwood residents, they are missed. It has been a challenge to maintain high occupancy rates but we are grateful for hard working and accommodating staff who have been able to keep vacancies at around 1%. The reputation Lindenwood has in the community as the premier residence for seniors in this city has also been a significant factor in keeping occupancy high. We are grateful for the vision and the hard work past leadership has invested; and for the men and women who currently serve with commitment and genuine care for the people who call Lindenwood home. We continue to work hard towards the realization of the goal of providing Long-term Care in our community. The vision of a Continuum of Care is moving ever closer to becoming a reality. With the change in government in April, there have been some delays in construction; but we are confident that when we report a year from now, Bridgwater Personal Care Home will be well into the building phase. We are excited about the opportunity to further impact seniors in our community for good, and for the challenge of leading the way in the development of the Household model of seniors care in Manitoba. Thank you for your ongoing support. The effort that you make in providing weekly church services for our residents has a significant impact in their lives; many of them are unable to go out for church, so the fact that you make the effort to bring the service to their home means so much to them. In addition to the Sunday services, many of you volunteer in various other ways; thank you for taking the time and making the effort; you are making a difference. Many residents, families; visitors, and staff recognize that Lindenwood has a different atmosphere; we are frequently told that there is something special about this place. We know that what makes Lindenwood special is fact that faith is central to who we are and what we do. Genuine love and care come from hearts that are committed to the values of commitment, humility, service, and consideration of others; as taught and demonstrated by Jesus Christ. As we live out these values, we experience the pleasure and the blessing of God. God Bless, John Thiessen Executive Director Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 28

33 Financial Statements Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 29

34 Bethel Mennonite Church Report Book 2017 Page 30