MENNONITE CHURCH ALBERTA

Transcription

1 MENNONITE CHURCH ALBERTA 2006 REPORT BOOK 77 TH ANNUAL SESSIONS Hosted by: Foothills Mennonite Church Calgary, Alberta April 7-8, 2006

2 Table of Contents Program Moderator s Report Conference Pastor s Report Congregational Leadership Committee Missions Service Committee Community Building Committee (formerly Congregational Life Committee).. 9 Camp Valaqua Committee Camp Director s Report Alberta Women in Mission Songfest Committee Mennonite Church Alberta Archives Mennonite Church Canada Canadian Mennonite University CMU, MCA Representative Report Rosthern Junior College Mennonite Foundation of Canada Mennonite Central Committee Alberta Canadian Mennonite Note: The Finance Report to follow, as a Supplement Report Cover Design God s People Now Logo designed for the Mennonite Church Canada Assembly, 2006 to be held in Edmonton, July 4 7,

3 GOD S PEOPLE NOW Friday, April 7 th, :00-7:30 p.m. Registration 7:30-9:00 Welcome & Opening Congregational Singing Celebrating FMC s Work Memorial Service Commissioning of Jon Olfert Guest Speaker Announcements/Closing (new Camp Valaqua Director) Verna Froese/local church Marguerite Jack/Kate Janzen 1 song Foothills Mennonite Church, Calgary Cong. Leadership Committee Paul Neufeldt; Jim Shantz YLT Mike Perschon Kate Janzen/Foothills Saturday, April 8 th, :30-8:45 a.m. Registration Verna Froese 8:45 9:45 a.m. Opening (Doug Klassen) local church Congregational Singing 2 songs Special Introductions Linden Willms Presentation of Nominations Nominating Committee Gather Round Tracy Brown Ewert Meditation Randal Nickel Congregational Singing 1 song Introductions of Workshops Marguerite Jack/Kate Janzen 9:45 10:05 Coffee Break 10:05 10:50 Workshop #1 Congregational Leadership Finance Congregational Life Foothills Committees Missions & Service Camp Valaqua Youth Leadership Team 2

4 10:55 11:40 Workshop #2 Congregational Leadership Finance Congregational Life Committees Missions & Service Camp Valaqua Youth Leadership Team 11:45 12:50 Lunch Foothills 1:00-3:00 p.m. Congregational Singing Meditation 1 song Randal Nickel MCA General Session and Committees Incl. report back from/responses to workshops/reports and greetings from related organizations Conference Summary Commissioning and Closing Remarks Closing of Conference Marguerite Jack Resolutions Committee Jim Shantz Marguerite Jack 3:00 Lunch To stay or go Foothills 3

5 MODERATOR S REPORT A year ago we met as a conference in Edmonton and enjoyed the Edmontonian hospitality! Marilyn Houser Hamm and a Canadian Mennonite University Worship Team gathered with us and we enjoyed our worship time together. Unfortunately Senior Snow Camp was the same weekend and no youth were present. Therefore we have moved our Delegate Sessions to an April date this year and formatted our Friday evening program to include a youthful speaker. We look forward to joining a full slate of delegates and visitors to discuss and worship and renew friendships. Since Edmonton 2005, Mary Anne van Oeveren resigned as a! time youth worker for the conference. We are thankful for her work and since have reflected on the! time position and how it determines the scope of what can be done. We have been unsuccessful in finding a person for! time and are discussing the possibility of adding on that time to an already existing position, or to a new position of a youth pastor for one of our conference churches. Don and Tanya Dyck Steinman also resigned as Camp directors in August. After fond farewells, they returned to Ontario where Don is teaching at Rockway Collegiate. Jeff and Ingrid Schellenberg had taken a well- deserved sabbatical this past summer, but were able to return to help complete the camping season in Don & Tanya s absence. At the beginning of January Jon Olfert began working as Director. We look forward to his gifts and enthusiasm as he plans for this new year. Jon and his family will be transitioning from Edmonton (where they live now) to Camp Valaqua over the next couple of months. The Camp Committee is to be congratulated for their time and considerable work in coordinating these changes. You are aware that a motion made by executive was tabled at the 2006 conference regarding our relationship with Calgary Inter-Mennonite Church (CIM). Over the last year, Mennonite Church Alberta Executive has had considerable discussion with your church chairpersons and pastors in this regard. I trust that the delegates are aware that a statement will be presented at our sessions which indicates our position at this time. We do not expect to debate or vote on this issue. Only to recognize that this is the place where we are as a conference. We wish to conduct our business meeting in a round table atmosphere. We will work at one question together, which will revolve around Future Plans for Camp Valaqua. So bring your ideas and those of your fellow members. We anticipate good discussion with a long list of ideas by the time we conclude. Jim Shantz has been the conference pastor for MCA for more than three years. This past summer we worked together with many of you to evaluate the work that Jim does for the conference. In addition we received your comments as to how you saw Jim fitting in with this position. The feedback was only positive as to how Jim relates to the Pastors Council and to the people of Alberta in his work. We are thankful for the relationship that Jim has garnered with the conference and we ask that you continue to support Jim with your prayers and encouragement. The most common comment for improvement was to increase Jim s time. He is now hired as a " time conference pastor. Our financial position in November was not looking very good but after contacting the various churches, the monies budgeted came in to complete our year in a healthy financial position. Thank you to each church for your contributions for your work in helping to meet our budgets. This year Mennonite Church Alberta is hosting the Mennonite Church Canada Annual Delegate Session in Edmonton from July 4 th to 7 th. The Edmonton and Tofield volunteers have been part of the planning 4

6 committee for this event and we commend them for their work. The theme is God s People Now the theme that MC Alberta has also used as a precursor to the MC Canada Sessions. Delegate materials will be available in the next couple of months we look forward to being together again and to welcoming and to worshipping with our fellow brothers and sisters in Mennonite Church Canada. I personally have been excited about this past year it is enjoyable to meet so many of you. Our executive meets and converses regularly and I appreciate very much their work and commitment to MCA. I would also like to recognize the work of the committees the programs and ideas they work at to build the church and its purpose. Thank you. In preparing for our time on April 7 & 8 at Foothills Mennonite Church, please commit to prayerfully supporting the planning of these Delegate Sessions, the discussions and our time together. We look forward to working together again in 2006 in being the church that God is sending to others so that God s healing and hope flow through us to the world. Marguerite Jack MCA Moderator CONFERENCE PASTOR S REPORT Again, it is good to bring you a report of God s work from where I sit as Conference Pastor. It is hard to realize that my first three-year term in this position has come and gone! I am grateful for a very encouraging and helpful evaluation process and I continue to look forward to working with Mennonite Church Alberta. While the past years have been ones of relative stability and keeping things maintained, I am finding a new restlessness to move beyond this, toward our corporate potential for dreaming God s dreams and to look forward to the future with a God-inspired imagination. The past year has been marked by a number of significant events and transitions. This summer Erwin Wiens was installed as senior pastor at Trinity. Over Christmas, Springridge extended an invitation to Harold Preston Schilk, to come for a six month interim period in the wake of Jerry Buhler s departure. Just recently, Holyrood in Edmonton invited Werner and Joanne DeJong to come as pastor couple. Werner will begin his duties toward the end of June, During Advent, Word of Life Mennonite Church in Calgary celebrated the credentialing of its pastor, Marcial Elias Miranda. These are exciting times of celebration for both leaders and congregations. The celebrations are somewhat tempered however, with the goodbyes, in particular to Jerry and Kara Buhler and their family who have served well in Alberta for nineteen years! While Jerry will be missed in Alberta, I am looking forward to working with him around the table of our regional Conference Ministers. As most of you are aware, Jerry has taken the position of Conference Minister for Saskatchewan. As I look across the landscape of our Alberta churches, I am grateful for the good pastor/congregation relationships that are being enjoyed. While several of us as pastors have been feeling the stress for staff needs, a common theme echoed around the circle of our last Pastor s Council, was a very high degree of job satisfaction. A commonly heard phrase was good fit. Good pastor/congregation relationships are 5

7 a gift from God, but I also remind us that it takes effort on the part of both to maintain those relationships. Two events of this past year that have given me great spiritual energy were the North American Mennonite Church Assembly in Charlotte, NC, last July and the Mission Leaders and Conference Pastors Conference at Pinawa retreat Centre near Winnipeg, in September. Charlotte was a reminder that God is able and will give us His energy by an outpouring of His Spirit upon us. Pinawa excited me about the possibility and potential of what could happen as we learn to think outside the box and let our godly imaginations soar! I hope we can harness that same spirit here in our Alberta churches and Conference. I do believe that by pulling together in prayer and unity of spirit we will yet see God do far more abundantly than all that we could ever think or imagine, as Paul prays in Ephesians 3. I also remind us that the treasure of the Gospel is held in earthen vessels, so it is with a good dose of realism that we confess our weaknesses and at the same time walk with confidence and optimism in our God who wants to fill every pore of these vessels of clay. To put it in the words of a contemporary song I recently listened to: there is a higher place to go Beyond Belief, Beyond Belief! Respectfully submitted, Jim Shantz CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT Once more a season of conference history has passed. It is time to step back and reflect upon a year of CLC work. It has been a pleasure to work with Jerry Buhler (Spring Ridge), Doug Klassen (Foothills) and Jim Shantz (Conference Pastor), who shape this committee. Their collective presence, insight and wisdom has been and continues to be much appreciated. Thank you for the time and gifts you bring in leadership to this conference. Theological Studies In 2004, Tom Yoder Neufeld presented an overview of Ephesians using his commentary as the basis for our study. It was good to do academic work on a book form the New Testament with someone as knowledgeable on the subject as Tom. But in 2005, we decided to shift our study to practical theology and so we were blessed to have John Neufeld come as a presenter and bring not only his academic expertise but also his wisdom gleaned from ministry as well. Those in attendance were able to engage in much reflection and dialogue about ministry in context. It would be wonderful if more people were able to attend and while taping some of the presentations might be a possibility, much would be missed from the question and answer as well as the informal discussions. 6

8 One dilemma that we face as a committee is how to assist more pastors to be able to attend as well as how to make these sessions more easily accessible for others in our churches. We have changed times for the theological week from the winter to the spring. This year theological studies will be held from May 29 to June 1, The resource person will be Dan Epp-Tiessen, from Canadian Mennonite University. Dan will be presenting from the Hebrew writings (Old Testament). The theme is not yet defined. Prayer and sharing One continuing important aspect of pastor s council is the retreat time we have to connect with one another. This time provides an opportunity for those attending to share events in the life of their churches, their families as well as what is happening in their own lives. It provides an opportunity for us to gather together and listen to what each wants to share and to worship and pray together for each other. In 2006, it is the intention of the CLC to have pastor s council at Sanctum retreat center near Caroline this winter. This may a variation of a silent retreat with opportunity provided for individual prayer and spiritual direction as well as collective worship. This comes for an increasing sense that we get together to focus upon individual, corporate prayer and worship and spend quiet time with God. We continue to work on issues relating to our conference as a whole as well as issues coming from Mennonite Church Canada. As conference pastor, Jim Shantz continues to keep us well informed of events at the provincial, national and international levels, primarily Mennonite Church USA internationally. It is never easy discerning direction and working with controversial issues but we continue to wrestle with issues affecting the health of MCA. While some individuals might like to expedite the resolutions for difficult issues, we recognize that in some instances there are no simple solutions. We also recognize that there are times when issues must be laid to rest and we need to press forward, perhaps revisiting them in the future, perhaps not. We also recognize because of the uniqueness of churches and the people who make up the church families we can collectively never completely satisfy each person. We are concluding this year, 2005, with a short retreat at Camp Valaqua. During this time we will spend some time reflecting upon what it means to be a member of Mennonite Church Alberta and Mennonite Church Canada. Leadership Changes This year we were able to have both an exit and reentrance interview with Hugo and Doreen Neufeld as they began retirement and then assumed interim pastoral roles at Holyrood Mennonite Church. We were also able to conduct interviews with Shami Willms, Mike Perschon of Holyrood and Michael Kong, lead pastor of the Calgary Chinese Church. This fall we conducted an interview with Elias Miranda, lead pastor of Word of Life Mennonite Church, Calgary leading to licensing for Mennonite Church Alberta as well as an entrance interview with Ervin Weins, lead pastor of Trinity Mennonite Church. 7

9 A highlight for the year was being able to officially welcome Word of Life Mennonite Church into Mennonite Church Alberta. Respectfully submitted by Elwin Garland for the Congregational Leadership Committee: Jerry Buhler, Doug Klassen, Jim Shantz and Elwin Garland MISSIONS & SERVICE COMMITTEE ANNUAL REPORT Members: Marvin Baergen, Chair, Ruth Preston Schilk, Secretary, Dan Jack and Dan Poovong We began the year exploring the possibility of ministry amongst Aboriginal people in Edmonton s downtown area. After a number of meetings with interested persons and groups it became clear that the necessary ingredients for successful ministry partnership were not yet in place and implementation was indefinitely postponed. We partnered with the Lao Community Mennonite Church in Calgary in sponsoring Ratthaya Nanthasen, a young woman from Thailand, to work with the Lao church in ministry outreach to Lao and Thai people in Calgary. Her mandate was to connect with people of Lao/Thai background and to explore what their needs are and how the LCMC could help address those needs. Ratthaya made a number of good connections with people isolated from spiritual support. Time will determine what the fruit of this work will be. With Mennonite Church Canada, we co-sponsored a men s retreat, Closer than a Brother, at Camp Valaqua in April, A second men s retreat is being planned for April We continued to support Alvin Lepp in his ministry among people on the Siksika Nation, through Bible distribution and some preaching support. In the fall Neil and Edith Von Gunten, new Native Ministry Directors for Mennonite Church Canada, came for a visit and toured a number of places and homes on the Nation. We entered into a partnership with Word of life Mennonite Church in providing financial backing for leadership training in the Anabaptist Training Institute, Newton Kansas. We expect this partnership to continue in the coming year. We spent quite a bit of meeting time reflecting on and refining our job description as found in the MC Alberta Bylaws. What should our goals and priorities be? One emerging consensus is that perhaps we should focus on promoting training in Missional church thinking and doing. Your feedback is appreciated. Marv Baergen, Chairperson 8

10 Committee Name Change COMMUNITY BUILDING COMMITTEE Over the past few years there has been some confusion caused by the similar sounding names of the Congregational Life Committee and Congregational Leadership Committee. For this reason the Congregational Life Committee agreed to consider a name change. This was not as easy a task as we had hoped. There are only so many words to describe our work of encouraging community, communication and education. A further restriction was the desire to keep the name short. After much consideration, and with the input of attendees at the Fall Conference Committee Meetings, it was decided that the Congregational Life Committee will henceforth be known as the Community Building Committee. While it may not be a perfect representation of the work we do, we hope it will prevent further confusion for committee members and delegates in the future. Canadian Mennonite Feature Our Conference has been offered 2 to 4 pages of space in the Canadian Mennonite to promote our work. The Community Building Committee will be developing a feature to reflect our Alberta Mennonite community. Watch for it in the near future. MC Alberta Newsletter We would like to thank the many churches who have been contributing regularly to the Conference newsletter. It has grown from a few pages to several over the past two years. Our Conference is dispersed over broad distances and it is important to find ways to share news. We all benefit by hearing from our brothers and sisters in Christ. Website The Conference website continues to see steady growth in its use as people become more familiar with it as a resource. We are now averaging 1400 visitors each month. Two more churches have requested web pages bringing the number of Conference web sites to 14 of the 18 churches who are currently members. New to the site is an Events Calendar. While we have always had a place to highlight Conference activities, the new calendar allows anyone to add an event. Just click on the 'plus' symbol below the calendar or in the top right corner of a particular day of the month. The events you submit are prescreened to protect from abuse. We encourage members to submit activities that may interest others in the Conference. The calendar is located on the Events page and can be found here: Also available on the site are Minutes and Report Books from our Annual Sessions, the MC Alberta Constitution, Discussion Boards, Tuition Assistance forms, Conference Newsletter and Church Bulletins. As always, we encourage your comments and suggestions on things you would like to see available from the web site. Send your requests/concerns to webservant@mennonitechurch.ab.ca 9

11 Consultation on Education Vince Friesen represented our committee at the Consultation on Education held in Winnipeg on November 18, 19, 20. This consultation included representatives from all the Mennonite Church Canada affiliated post-secondary institutions, most of the kindergarten to grade 12 Mennonite schools as well as representatives from Mennonite Church Canada, Mennonite Church Manitoba, Mennonite Church Saskatchewan and Mennonite Church Alberta. The discussions revolved around the relationship of the schools to the broader Mennonite church. Discussions were frank yet positive with many connections established or reestablished. All parties involved seemed to be earnestly interested in building ties between the schools and the broader church. Of particular note to MC Alberta, the other area conferences and Mennonite Church Canada saw the Tuition Assistance program of MC Alberta as a model to follow that would encourage students to examine the possibility of going to a post-secondary Mennonite school. Tuition Assistance It was another successful year for the Tuition Assistance Program. This year thirteen students were granted funds totalling $8,400. Of those thirteen students, nine are attending Canadian Mennonite University, two are attending Bethany College, one is attending Steinbach Bible College and one is attending Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. Applications came from the following churches: Bergthal Mennonite Church - TwoApplications First Mennonite Calgary - One Application First Mennonite Edmonton - TwoApplications Foothills Mennonite Church - Four Applications Lethbridge Mennonite Church - One Application Tofield Mennonite Church - TwoApplications Trinity Mennonite Church - One Application Respectfully submitted by Kelvin Rempel on behalf of the Community Building Committee: Coreen Froese, Vince Friesen 10

12 CAMP VALAQUA COMMITTEE Paul Neufeld and Lois Epp Camp Valaqua Committee Co-Chairpersons We are pleased to report that 2005 has been another successful year for Camp Valaqua. The summer program, co-ordinated by the Camp Directors, helped the campers strengthen their relationship to God, and presented the staff the opportunity to develop their spiritual leadership skills (see Camp Directors Report). The facility continues to be steadily booked throughout the year by church and community groups. We continue to maintain and develop the facility through staff support and volunteer donations of time, skills, goods and money. The future is full of potential for growth and further development. In the summer program, the campers came from 14 MCA related churches (198), other Mennonite churches (5), other Christian churches (112) and with no church affiliation (192). The total of 507 campers compares to a total of 524 campers in Camp registration since 2000 has been similar to the pre 1997 levels, when registrations were in the range. The Camp Directors, Don and Tanya Dyck Steinman, resigned effective August 12, Don was offered an opportunity to continue working with youth in a Christian setting, as a technical teacher at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate in Ontario. Camp celebrated Don and Tanya's four successful years at Camp Valaqua. Effective January 2006, Jon Olfert took the Camp Director position. The Camp Committee is grateful to attract someone with such excellent qualifications, recent relevant experience, and heart for the camping ministry. Jon will be commissioned during the MCA annual meeting. During the next year, in addition to developing the Camp program, Jon expects to develop a pilot project that will bring schools to Camp Valaqua for nature education. Jon is looking forward to working as a colleague with the new MCA youth worker when s/he is appointed. Camp benefited from the work of a number of volunteers this summer. Special thanks goes to Herman and Esther Wiebe who were volunteer Camp Managers during Jeff and Ingrid's leave when the river valley flooded in June, and to Matt Love who was Camp Director after Don and Tanya's departure in August. The Camp Managers, Jeff Schellenberg and Ingrid Janssen, took their sabbatical from early June to mid- August this year. Camp staff persons are unable to take time for family and friends during the summer season, and miss many family and reunion occasions that happen in summer. We were pleased to be able to organize a sabbatical during the summer months. Special thanks is due to Jeff and Ingrid, who returned early from their sabbatical to ease the transition that was required for the last two weeks of Camp after Don and Tanya's departure. The Committee continues to maintain the facilities on site. The major building project this year was replacing the lodge roof. The roof was leaking and required replacement to prevent further damage. A metal roof that matches the Vauxhall Cabin's roof was installed. At the time of writing, some $34,000 has been raised for the roof fund and an additional $6000 is required to fully pay for the roof. 11

13 The Camp Committee believes that Camp Valaqua has great potential to continue to help individual spiritual development, build our sense of community and reach out to new Christians. The Camp Committee thanks the Congregational Leadership Committee that assists Camp in the hiring process that was mandated by the delegate body of CMA. The Congregational Leadership Committee is leading the commissioning of the new Director and will provide a mentor for the Director as mentors are provided for pastors and other workers. Finally, we would like to thank Eugene Brown, Lynne Empey, Byron Thiessen, and John Piera for serving on the Camp Committee. We thank Jeff Schellenberg, Ingrid Janssen and Jon Olfert for providing excellent staff support, and the Camp Contacts who link us to each of the congregations. 12

14 CAMP DIRECTOR REPORT Submitted by Don Dyck Steinmann I am writing this report knowing that there are still 2 more weeks of camp to go, but also reassured that there are very gifted and capable people in place to continue the great things that have been going on at camp this summer. Plans for the last 2 weeks are fully in place and I can at least comment on what can be expected for those weeks. Surprises, as usual, are out of my control! This being my last report, there is much to reflect on. Not only about how this summer has gone so far, but also how the last 3 " years have been for Tanya and I as Camp Directors. Our time has been both rewarding and challenging, and we will take with us many great memories and meaningful friendships. Being leaders and mentors in camping ministry is a privilege and a humbling experience, but it s also inspiring. It s inspiring to know that the this ministry is made strong by the excitement that campers bring, by the dedication and love of the counsellors and CIT s, by the commitment of the many volunteers who give generously of their time, and by all those who provide support through prayers, encouragement and financial donations. Thank you for the opportunity we ve had to be one small part in God s work here at camp. The Staff: The counsellors and CIT s are an amazing group of veteran Valaquites, and new-comers to our camp. They have worked extremely well together to be leaders and role models for the campers. The love and care they show to the campers is amazing, even when camp work gets tiring and challenges arise. In the past 4 years we have seen so many excellent staff grow and develop as leaders both at camp and beyond as they get involved in other ministry areas. It s wonderful to see this growth and reminds is how important camp is to develop Christian faith and leadership among staff as well as campers. The names of the 24 counselors and program staff and the 16 CIT volunteers were published in the June newsletter. The Campers: It has been so great to see the excitement and joy that campers bring to their camp experience! Each week they bring a new eagerness to learn and grow and this encourages the counsellors and CIT s to make each week special for the campers. We are thankful that there have been very few camper incidents this summer, with no serious injuries, beyond cuts, scrapes and mosquito bites! Our Campership Aid subsidy program provided a total of $ in financial assistance for 32 campers to come to camp this summer. Campers come from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences, and this adds a wonderful dimension of diversity and learning opportunities for both campers and staff. We ve had campers with a strong Christian background, campers with no Church background, campers at camp for the first time (approx. 180); returning campers (approx 330), campers from broken homes, campers with disabilities, campers who speak very little English, and campers from as far away as Manitoba, Ontario and Yukon! The wonderful thing is how these campers come together to learn and grow, each in ones own way. These families are always extremely grateful for the financial help to allow their child to come to camp. It s exciting to know that all campers receive the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and are encouraged to Take a Hike and follow in God s paths, and even more encouraging when campers make a personal decision to accept Jesus Christ as their guide and saviour for life! 13

15 The Volunteers: We had the help of over 60 volunteers, including teens and adults, who helped out in various ways this summer. We rely heavily on their help to keep everyone fed and the facilities and program operational during the summer, and a BIG THANK YOU to all those who generously gave of their time. A special thanks to the chaplains, who bring their energy and creative to make the summer theme of Take a Hike: Walk in God s Paths come alive in meaningful ways for the campers. and the Interim Managers who helped with maintenance while Jeff and Ing were away. The volunteers for this summer: Chaplains Interim Managers Doug Klassen & Rebekah Hiebert Herman and Esther Wiebe (June 19-July 15) Mike Pershon Don Neufeldt (July 17-29) Matt Love Paul Neufeldt (Aug 1 5) Ryan Wood John Piera (Aug 7 12) Jerry Buhler Amy Goerzen Craig Wiens Kitchen and Maintenance Bill Wiebe Archie Fehr Peggy Sawatsky Rudy Wiens Natasja Willms Kaelin Beriault Steve Bergen Carol Giesbrecht Gloria Janzen Annie Dyck Ernie Engbrecht Susan Reynar Debbie Goerzen Rose Klassen Jackie Wiebe Kara Buhler Josh Dyck Joel Dueck Rob Bird Cole Friesen Lauren Enns Jessie Thiessen Clare Schellenburg Kelsie Anderson Karis Klassen Ellen Duncan Cordelius Harrison David Dyck Kayla Callfas Carly Salisbury Camper Numbers: We have a total of 507 registered campers this summer, down 17 from last summer. Our Discovery camps for 8-10 year olds were significantly smaller this year, while our Explorer campers for year olds were up from last year and Breakaway camps stayed consistent. Out-trips were also down slightly from last year, and Advanced Canoe was cancelled because of low camper enrolment. 14

16 Registrations by Week CAMP GIRLS BOYS ADULTS TOTAL % OF CAPACITY 1. Mini Camp -- Familes % 2. Breakaway I B % 3. Discovery I B % 4. Explorer I B % 5. Discovery II B % 6. Explorer II B % 7. Explorer III B % 8. Breakaway II B % TOTAL ON SITE % 9. Sr. Backpack % 10. Beg. Canoe % 11. Int. Canoe % 12. Jr. Backpack % 13. Bike Trip % 14. Sr. Canoe cancelled 0% TOTAL OUTTRIP % TOTAL CAMPERS % Registrations by Church Bergthal First Mennonite Calgary First Mennonite Edmon Edmonton Foothills Holyrood Lethbridge Rosemary Tofield Trinity Springridge Coaldal Camorse 6 Word of Life 2 Calgary Inter-Mennonite TOTAL MENNONITE Other Mennonite Other Church No Church GRAND TOTAL

17 ALBERTA WOMEN IN MISSION Living to Make a Difference was the theme of our bi-annual Enrichment Days at First Mennonite Church in Edmonton April 29 & 30, Tobia Veith, on leave from her work in Macau with MC Canada Witness, led us through three sessions: 1. Vision: Healing and Hope, 2. Living to Make a Difference (Gentle Among You) and 3. Being Real with People. Tobia used her experiences in Macau, together with stories of present day family concerns to emotionally bond the 46 participants together. The Women in Mission group of First Mennonite Edmonton brought in the theme of spring gardening and growth for the weekend s entertainment and fundraising efforts. We were excited to have the First Mennonite Church Yellow Pages children s choir perform the musical How Does Your Garden Grow for our amusement Friday evening. The silent auction and free will offerings added up to just over $ and were divided between two projects: the Camp Valaqua lodge roof, and support of CMU student, Odette Mukole. Mukole, a mother of 3 from the Congo, had received money from the AWM tuition fund for her first year of study and the AWM voted to continue to support her education with this offering. We had two applicants for tuition assistance this year, Jennifer Ewert from Tofield and Jaymie Schmidt from Calgary. We were pleased to divide our fund between the two of them. Our individual groups continue with many activities: catering, quilting, Bible study and prayer, sewing, Mission projects, community service, retreats, book club, volunteer work, coffee groups, etc. In 2005 the AWM groups made over 500 comforters/quilts, about 100 Health Kits, 125 School Kits and many other projects. The projects that we supported in 2005 were: Jeanette and Todd Hanson (China Educational Exchange), MCC Global Family, Lao Pastors Support Fund (Alberta), and the Family Life Centre in Macau (George and Tobia Veith, and Tim and Cindy Buhler). Outgoing executive members this year were President; Beth Moyer, Vice-President, Rita Dahl, and Camp Valaqua Rep., Bev Janzen. New members are President Evelyn Buhr, Vice-president Anne Martens, and Camp Valaqua Rep. Lynne Empey. Secretary-treasurer Ellie Janz continues her term. The next annual gathering will be our bi-annual Retreat at Camp Valaqua, May 26-28, The theme for this gathering is Women in Conversation: Celebrating Women s Lives. We invite all women to join us as we explore the wonderful aspects of each woman s journey through life; from working professional to retiree, parent of young children to empty nester. See you there! Submitted by Ev Buhr AWM President 16

18 God s People Now ~ Songfest 2006 SONGFEST COMMITTEE REPORT Songfest 2006 will be held in Edmonton, May 6 &7. Our theme God s People Now is based on the 1 Peter 2:9-10 text and is also the theme for the Mennonite Church Canada Assembly. We are very lucky this year to have the Canadian Mennonite University Chamber Choir, under the direction of Rudy Schellenberg, with us for the weekend. Rudy Schellenberg will direct the Mass Choir. Cheryl Thiessen will direct the Children s Choir. Our third group this year will be a youth ensemble, open to those in Junior High, High School and post high school young people. Suzanne Gross will direct this group. We hope to see many faces at Songfest this year, so mark the date on your calendar! Reflection on Songfest 2005 in Rosemary Can t Keep Quiet! ~ Songfest 2005 Songfest 2005 was held in Rosemary, May 28 & 29, Our theme Can t Keep Quiet, based on the Acts 4:20 text was an excellent choice. The Mass Choir conductor was Ron Brown from Didsbury. The Mass Choir was accompanied by Ashley Nickel. The Children s Choir was led by Samantha Knights and accompanied by Deanna Willms. The Men s Choir was led by Joanne Dyck and accompanied by Jessie McNabb. Thank-you to everyone who participated in Songfest Respectfully Submitted by Kim Wiens Deanna Willms Marilyn Preston 17

19 MENNONITE CHURCH ALBERTA ARCHIVES REPORT The Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta has as its main focus the collecting of important documents and books of historic significance. We received forty-six (46) accession this year, about one-half being books. These are being processed as quickly as we can. Staffing is one of the things that will need to be addressed this coming year. The workload is increasing significantly. There are now about thirteen hundred (1,300) catalogued books. A Genealogy group meets once a month sharing things about family histories and collecting a lot of genealogical data. After the last years Annual Assembly in Edmonton, a trip to a Viking Hutterite Colony was undertaken. At a fall workshop this past year, the Society remembered the Bible Schools and the contribution they made to the Mennonite life as well as to that of the Province. Alberta was celebrating its 100 th Anniversary and the Society wanted to plug into that with something significant out of that time period. Since much of the information is now put onto computer, there is the possibility to access information. Four five persons visit the Archives weekly doing research and several calls on are taken as well. There are presently about forty (40) titles of books for sale, some should be at the Annual sessions. The MHSA website is Projects that the Society has undertaken this past year is doing biographies of those persons who contributed to Mennonite life in this province. Irene Klassen should have that done and published in this year. Some translation work is also undertaken for individuals, as well, for general use. The Society is connected to the National Mennonite Historical Society. A project at that level of interest is the creation and additions to the Canadian Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Our Alberta Society is expected to submit things from our province, to be entered into that Online site. Of special interest to this Conference is that we invite it to store its materials at the Archives at the Alberta MCC building in Calgary. We further invite individuals and families and churches to share their stories and to use the Archives for permanent placement of records. Thank you! Henry D. Goerzen 18

20 600 Shaftesbury Blvd Winnipeg MB R3P 0M4 Toll Free T: F: E: W: Mennonite Church Canada Report to Area Conferences Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice (Phil. 4:4). The ability to rejoice comes out of a profound sense of gratitude. It is with this sense of deep gratitude that we welcome the opportunity to communicate with you on behalf of Mennonite Church Canada. There are indeed many motives for rejoicing. We have again experienced a significant year of ministry. It s hard to know where to start and where to stop when we think of reporting some highlights to you. The leaders and staff of Mennonite Church Canada can report to you that teaching of Mennonite peace theology is facing an unprecedented demand in almost all the places of the world in which we already work and also where we currently have no workers and fund no ministry. We can report that online reservations of books and videos from MC Canada Resource Centre is up by 102% over last year, and that other use has increased over 40%: this suggests a heightened desire for faith nurture from individuals and congregations. We can tell you that MC Canada s PrayerNet ministry is thriving and useful to recipients far beyond what we might have imagined. We can also report that more congregations than ever are seeking to partner with an MC Canada ministry, and that some exciting new ministry opportunities are coming about because of these connections. We can tell you stories about how Laotian, Hmong, and Chinese Mennonites are crossing Canadian provincial boundaries and thinking about how they can work together in new ways. We can talk about a new peace ministry in the Philippines; a new church plant and meeting place construction in Thailand; the release of Vietnamese Mennonites held captive for their principles of faith. We can also say thank-you: at the time of writing, MC Canada s revenue vs. projected revenue targets for look very encouraging. We are very grateful. (Check out for many more stories). We also rejoice in the way that staffing changes have come about in MC Canada this year. We have a very strong, competent, and energetic staff serving our churches in so many areas of ministry. We are grateful to God for providing such committed servants of the church. And we continue to work hard at a very basic challenge: To understand more fully why the church exists in the first place. We need to be reminded of the BIG PICTURE: that the church exists to be a blessing to the world as God continues to use to it save the world from its destructive and evil ways. 19

21 Unfortunately, the Church too often has separated and isolated its understanding of faithfulness into standalone components: evangelism, missions, peace and justice, advocacy, prayer, devotion and worship, church planting, Christian education, and more. Somehow we have lost our focus on the central role of ecclesiology itself (people-hood) in God s plan for redemption. It is vital that we continue to recover the foundational role of the church for faithful life and witness in the world. The missional church vision is an attempt to reconsider and re-join categories of ministry that have unfortunately been separated. Discipleship should not exist without apostleship. Evangelism, church planting, missions, peace and justice, Christian education the list goes on should not exist in isolation from the other faith disciplines. MC Canada has come a long way since first introducing a missional model for the wider church at Abbotsford in All area conferences and many congregations have embraced this model. But we still have a long way to go before that which has grown separate can be rejoined into a seamless whole. As staff and leaders of MC Canada, we rejoice with you in your ministry and we pray for you in the work ahead. We offer our blessings to you on the journey and trust that God s blessings will richly nourish you. Sincerely in Christ, Robert J. Suderman General Secretary Mennonite Church Canada Henry Krause Moderator Mennonite Church Canada The church is; the church does what it is; the church organizes what it does (Craig Van Gelder) To learn more, check out the inspirational video message from MC Canada, at 20

22 Living in Hope: Canadian Mennonite University, For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you future with hope. Jeremiah 29:11 That verse, from the book of Jeremiah, is our chapel theme this year at CMU. Jeremiah spoke these words to the exiles in Babylon, telling them that they would not be returning home in the near future. Despite this, God had plans for them. These were not to be times of despair but of hope! We at CMU are not in exile or despair. On the contrary; things are going well. This year there are over 1,800 students taking one or more courses, with a full time equivalent of roughly 950 a number well over double what the colleges had prior to CMU. We have experienced financial stability five consecutive years in the black, with an operating surplus of 4 percent, and the new campus at 500 Shaftesbury nearly paid for. We have added new faculty members, including a number in the arts and sciences; experienced growth in our academic programs; and our degrees are being recognized at a growing number of universities across North America. We celebrated the construction of our new residence in September as the most energy-efficient building of its kind in the province, it is a physical expression of how we at CMU care about the use of resources from God s creation. Then there is the creation of our new Institute for Community Peacebuilding, along with the Centre for Leadership and Management; the leadership exercised by Menno Simons College in peace and international development studies; and the testimonies of students, who routinely say that CMU has helped change their lives. We are grateful for all of these blessings. Yet, the future does raise some questions. Finances continue to be a challenge for all postsecondary institutions today, whether owned by the public or independent like CMU. We need to find the right mix of revenue sources (student fees, government support, private contributions) and balance that with expenses. In facing these questions we do have some disadvantages we are a small institution; we are relatively new and we are less well known outside the Mennonite constituency. But we also have two tremendous advantages: a large, loyal and generous church constituency, and a much-appreciated annual grant from the Government of Manitoba. Given that student fees at CMU provide a much smaller percentage of the total budget than at public universities, and given that the government grant although substantial is considerably less than at public universities, support from individuals, congregations and church bodies across Canada is absolutely crucial. Finances are a challenge, but I am not alarmed. I am convinced that we can find the support we need as we show how effective we are in educating tomorrow s Christian leaders students who will take their faith into the workplace and the church, strong and confident in their beliefs and their trust in God. Our ongoing task is to help more people catch the vision for the kind of education that prepares students for life in the real world of studies and work. The vision that drove the creation of Canadian Mennonite University five years ago was a good one: That by working together, Mennonites in Canada could do more in faith-based higher education both in serving the Mennonite church community and in making a positive contribution beyond that community. This vision remains valid, even if implementing it has its challenges. As Mennonites, we need a Christian university that provides students with the tools they need to be Christian leaders in society. Other Christian churches in Canada need us, too. I believe that God wishes to use CMU to serve the world. Together, as faculty, staff, students and supporters, our goal is to seek God s plan as we humbly serve God and others around us through CMU. On behalf of CMU I thank Mennonite Church Alberta for your interest and support of this venture in Christian education. I am pleased to report that Ruth Friesen and Linda Garland of Mennonite Church Alberta are part of the CMU Council, with Ruth also serving as a Board member. May God be with you as together we inspire and equip people to be agents of God s reconciliation in the world. If you have any questions or feedback, we appreciate hearing from you. Gerald Gerbrandt, President Coming to CMU was the best decision I ever made. This place has changed me. Tera Dyck, a fourth-year math major from Vineland, Ontario. 21

23 Canadian Mennonite University Report MCA Representative Canadian Mennonite University celebrated the opening of its new dormitory facility in the late summer of Much of the base funding came from private donations. The rest was covered by a mortgage, repayment of which will be covered by the payments made by students and others in the residence. Some of the facilities can also be rented out to groups celebrating special occasions during the summer and at other times when students are not in residence. A second major event was the reappointment, after a careful review and assessment, of the President, Gerald Gerbrandt. He has served the university very well. Faculty, staff, students, Board and Council members are confident that he will continue to do so in the future. Integration of the programs of the several colleges which came together to form the Canadian Mennonite University continues. The main campus is located at 500 and 600 Shaftesbury Blvd., while the courses taught by Menno Simons College professors continue to be offered at the University of Winnipeg. The Board is working on policies which can take into account some of the different setting and expectations at the two main teaching locations. Student enrolment during the Fall Term was down somewhat from last year, but up slightly for the Winter Term. The university receives some funding from the Manitoba provincial government. But, since that funding is less than the per student grants received by the other publicly funded universities, CMU must rely on substantial donations to meet its capital and operating costs. That support comes from the Mennonite Church Canada, the Manitoba Mennonite Brethren Conference, The Friends of Menno Simons College and, increasingly, from individual churches and private donors. Respectfully submitted by Ted Regehr, Member, CMU Board of Governors Rosthern Junior College Report to MC Alberta and MC Sask Assemblies In 2005 Rosthern Junior College celebrated its Centennial. At the Roots and Wings Centennial Celebration, July 29-31, Sunday morning speaker John Rempel, from AMBS challenged those present with these words. As of yesterday, RJC sfirst century came to a close. Today, the sun rises on a new century of educational challenge. We have climbed the mountain of nostalgia and been rightly inspired by the myriad ways Rosthern Junior College has shaped the lives of generations of individuals and the wider life of MC Canada. But soon we will descend from the heights of remembering and envisioning, to return to the flatlands where love has to wear work clothes. As we go, may we be guided by the down-to- 22

24 earthness of Jesus, our fellow-activist, as well as the grandeur of Jesus, God s intimate presence, wherever the call to ministry leads us. As we go, let us remember that this reality is big enough to encompass all our conflicts and all our dreams. Let us follow in the footsteps of the teachers, ministers, parents and students of RJC, who went against the grain in their generation and refused to give up on the dream of living as if the reign of God is present now. (Cite Canadian Mennonite issue) To continue the school s legacy calls for continued vision, passion and commitment to discern RJC s place in our MC Sask and MC Alberta constituencies and our ever-changing environment. The last few years have seen enrollment levels below the 10-year average. Students numbers bring with them budget concerns. In light of the challenges of enrollment, the board and staff have embarked on a time of discernment, to develop action plans that move us to actively seek God s leading and to grow in the conviction, commitment and courage to live a Christ-centred life as people of God s peace. We continue to look for how best to do so in the context of church school education. A number of specific initiatives include the following:! Common Ground II The Board and Administration initiated this one day think tank session which took place in November. Through broad participation of individuals from MC Sask and MC Alberta, as well as people beyond the Mennonite Church the group was led by Jeff Steckley (from Mennonite Church of Eastern Canada) in a process of identifying the challenges and the possibilities for RJC, and what first steps will need to take place. By the Assembly date the RJC Board will have met to process the information gathered and then to begin to prioritize and implement the directives given.! Board Governance - the Board wants to provide the most effective leadership it can and therefore has begun a two year process of reviewing its structures and practices in order to determine what governance model is best in realizing the mission of the school.! School leadership - The principal is the academic and spiritual leader of the school and is central in helping both staff and students make links between the local school community of RJC and the larger church. For seventeen years Erwin Tiessen has given passionate and compassionate leadership as principal. At the end of this school year he will retire and in the coming months we will find ways to honour and celebrate his leadership and legacy! A search committee is in place and we invite your prayers and your suggestions as we discern who can give the leadership that is necessary to continue to make RJC a vibrant Christian school for the next generation of students. More details on the response to some of these initiatives will be available at the delegate meeting. Continue to pray for the as RJC seeks to partner with supporting conferences to cultivate and nurture leadership and passion for the work of the church, to be God s people now. 23

25 MENNONITE FOUNDATION OF CANADA 2005 Report to Mennonite Church Alberta April 7-8, 2006 Erwin Warkentin assumed the role of General Manager at Mennonite Foundation of Canada in March of Erwin has a passion for the church and its ministries, and his background in law adds another skill set to the MFC staff. Prior to joining MFC, he had a longstanding practice with Warkentin and Calver Law Office in Winnipeg. MFC revised its strategic plan, setting a direction for the next five years and determining the services considered core for MFC. We are continually challenged to consider adding more services and, with limited resources, it is critical for the organization to be focused on the right priorities. Integral to this process is actively listening to our participating conferences to ensure that we continue to meet their needs. A new 12-session study book, God, Money, and Me exploring the spiritual nature of money in our lives, was released early in 2005 and has been well received. It is an ideal one-quarter study guide for Sunday school classes and other study groups. Gary Sawatzky, MFC consultant for Mennonite Church Alberta, and the rest of the MFC staff continue to offer their skills and expertise to assist people in identifying and achieving their estate and gift planning goals. These services are available at no charge to people from MC Alberta churches, as well as those from our other participating conferences. Gary is also available to serve MC Alberta churches by preaching at worship services, leading Sunday school sessions, and presenting workshops and seminars on stewardship and related themes. MFC also continues to offer seminars and advice to churches and charities on technical topics such as issuing donation receipts, completing the T-3010, as well as reporting and legal requirements for registered charities. You may contact Gary Sawatzky at or call head office in Winnipeg at Both are toll free numbers. In 2005 MFC distributed over $4.8 million to charities. Assets managed by MFC now approach $79 million, with some $20 million invested in church or related-institution mortgages. The Calgary office which opened early in 2005 has quickly taken root and is in a prime position to serve our expanding constituency in Alberta. MFC will be hiring another consultant for its Kitchener office to join Mike Strathdee and Darren Pries-Klassen in serving Ontario and Eastern Canada. Dave Kroeker, MFC consultant in Abbotsford, is retiring in 2006 so MFC will be looking to fill this vacancy. For more information about MFC log on to Submitted by Erwin Warkentin, general manager; Gary Sawatzky, stewardship consultant; Lowell Thiessen, MC Canada representative to MFC from Alberta 24

26 MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE ALBERTAREPORT The MCC Alberta Board and Staff want to wish each of you God s blessings. We appreciate your faithful support of and participation in MCC Alberta. Here is a brief report on MCC activities during this past year. 1. The current MCC Alberta Board includes: Glen Kauffman of Edson (Chair), Kris Peters of Grassy Lake (Vice-Chair), Jake Elias of La Crete (Treasurer), Lisa Heinrichs of Edmonton (Secretary), Carol Wiebe of Calgary, Rod Wilson of Edmonton, John Hubert of Coaldale, Jim Wiebe of Canmore, Julia Mierau of Calgary, and Leona Janzen of Pincher Creek. There are several vacancies that need to be filled. 2. The annual meeting in La Crete was well attended. There were MMI & MCC business meetings, La Crete history presentation, tours, an inspirational service, Alberta program reports, workshops, updates from Indonesia, India, Central America and Colombia, presentations by Elda Martens and an evening featuring many La Crete musicians. 3. The budget for was approved at $3 million. This is approximately $200,000 higher than last year. Giving has increased this past year and delegates at the annual meeting approved this target. Tsunami receipts in Alberta alone were $839,000. Including Tsunami and other designated gifts (100% of which goes directly to projects), MCCA forwarded 75.5% to Overseas Ministries. Besides supporting local and overseas work, we were also able to reduce the building debt by approximately $400, Your support of Thrift Stores, Material Aid, Generations at Risk, Peace Ministries, Refugee Sponsorship, Community Justice Ministries, Global Family, Services for Low German Mennonites in Southern Alberta, and Overseas needs (to name a few) makes it possible for MCC to keep working. A very good Peace Education Curriculum is now being piloted in some private, public and home schools. Three CDs have raised $500,000 for Generations at Risk (AIDS), 75 refugees have arrived in Alberta and there are 277 Global Family sponsorships. We hope to add 50 more sponsorships in the next year Upcoming events:! April 21 Fine Arts Festival at Master s Academy, Calgary (we encourage your youth to attend!).! May 28 Brian Stewart and Anna Maria Tremonti of the CBC will be the speakers at our second Glimmers of Hope (AIDS) event.! June 16 & 17 Annual MCC Relief Sale in Didsbury.! October 26 Tony Campolo will be speaking at a CJM event. Workers from Indonesia, Byron Remple & Heather Klassen and Randall & Suzanne Nickel from Lebanon, and other returned MCC workers from Tanzania, Nigeria, Mexico, Jamaica, Bolivia, Ukraine, Uganda and South Korea (as well as various Alberta programs) are available to speak in churches in Alberta. Please call us if you would like an MCC representative to visit your church in the next several months. May God continue to bless the ministries of His churches in Alberta. Submitted by Abe Janzen, MCC Alberta Executive Director 25

27 Dear MC Alberta Delegates: Canadian Mennonite report to the Mennonite Church Alberta Annual Delegate Session, April 2006 Thank you so much for the many ways you have enriched Mennonites in Alberta and across the country through Canadian Mennonite! You ve shared your stories of how to be faithful Mennonite witnesses and servants of Christ in 21 st century Canada. You ve used the magazine to communicate about church happenings around the province as well as find out the latest on Mennonite Church Alberta, Camp Valaqua and MCC Alberta events. You ve heard from many other parts of the country on what is important to the churches there. You ve also used this magazine s pages to stay informed and to share your views on important issues of the day. Thank you so much for how you ve supported this publication through conference and personal giving. This is what allows us to provide church subscriptions at about half actual cost so as to reach as many homes as possible. This magazine is the one publication Mennonite church households have in common. Donita Wiebe-Neufeld is our staff correspondent for Alberta and works throughout the year covering Alberta events. We had about four Alberta stories per issue last year; Donita wrote about half of these while the other half came directly from churches or other Alberta writers. In addition, MC Alberta is a regular contributor to the From Our Leaders column. I want to share with you some very encouraging feedback for us from a survey just completed by Mennonite Church Canada of 5,000 constituency households across the country. Asked to rank 26 different church programs, resources or events in terms of their overall value to the ministry of their churches, Canadian Mennonite received the highest overall evaluation. The firm analyzing the data stated, Canadian Mennonite magazine is in a class by itself in terms of recognition and perceived value. This is an affirmation and a challenge to keep on providing this value to church homes. I m also pleased to report to you that the publishing partner consultation process started in mid-2004 at the Winkler national church assembly concluded in November 2005 with a new proposed partnership covenant between all seven partners. Marguerite Jack represented MC Alberta on this group. MC Alberta s executive approved the new covenant in January. It specifies how the magazine is governed and funded and is in effect from 2006 to We very much value our partnership with you all to provide with this publishing ministry to the church. I welcome your feedback on the publication at any time by phone or . In addition, I will be joining you at these delegate sessions in person. Please feel free to let either Donita or me know what you think! I look forward to reading about God s work in MC Alberta through Canadian Mennonite in Grace and peace, Tim Miller Dyck, Editor and Publisher Canadian Mennonite 26