Intrductin Wh is yur neighbur? While we may feel this is a familiar questin in the church, d we really knw the answer? D we realize hw it is abut t change even in the mst practical f ways? Statistics Canada predicts that by 2031, ne in fur peple in Canada will have been brn elsewhere. Primarily these new neighburs will be frm cuntries in Asia and Latin America with whm we share a Pacific cast, rather than frm the histrical and mre familiar Eurpean cuntries. Three-quarters f these will have neither French nr English as their mther tngue. They will Janet Plenert, Executive Secretary, Mennnite Church Canada be an urban ppulatin. Islam is expected t be the fastest grwing religin in Canada, increasing t abut 7% f the ppulatin, and Buddhism, Judaism, and Sikhism will duble their numbers. Meanwhile, thse espusing Christianity will drp frm 75% t 65%. Welcme t a new Canada. Wh is yur neighbur? Is this changing? Hw are we as an Anabaptist church in Canada called t respnd t, adapt t, and be present amng this demgraphic? Mennnite Church Canada seeks t empwer all cngregatins and all parts f the church t be fully engaged in Gd s missin, frm acrss the street t arund the wrld. Ministry fcus Mennnite Church Canada fcuses n reaching beynd urselves t engage ur cmmunities, and ur wrld, with the recnciling gspel f Jesus Christ. Accrding t the Mennnite Church Canada by-laws, the Christian Cuncil shuld fcus n six cre activities. Let s see what is happening in each f these areas. Evangelism and Church Planting is resurcing Area Churches by facilitating dialgue and infrmatin sharing related t church planting and missinal frmatin. In Nvember 2009, 22 Mennnite Church Canada cnstituents frm acrss the cuntry attended the bi-annual Church Planting Canada Cngress in Calgary. This inspiring event has had significant spin ffs in sme f the Area Churches. Representatives f Mennnite Church Canada and Area Churches als caucused tgether twice, meeting with plenary speaker and head f the Anabaptist Netwrk in the UK, Stuart Murray Williams, and Missinal church authr, Michael Frst, t discuss ur challenges as Mennnites in Canada. In all, apprximately 170 Anabaptists were present at this Cngress, Christian Cuncil Highlights fr yur Cngregatin t knw! 167 Mennnite Church Canada cnstituents have participated in Learning Turs t a variety f ministry lcatins! Maybe it is time t cnsider when yu might participate, r even spnsr smene in yur cngregatin t g! Is Gd calling yu t service and internatinal ministry? has a number f service pprtunities available: Yung Adults take nte Radical Jurney is a year lng internatinal service and grwth pprtunity! D yu have a heart fr helping peple t learn and grw and a desire t serve? is lking fr English teachers fr Krea and China and shrt term ministry wrkers fr Israel/Palestine. Is Gd calling yu t Africa? T Eurpe? is lking fr new lnger term wrkers t serve. Maskipitn and The Sacred Tree, tw shrt bks bridging Abriginal and Christian Spirituality frm the Reaching Up T Gd Our Creatr curriculum are nw available in French and Spanish! Tell us YOUR STORY f peace-making, bridge-building, recnciliatin, lwering tensins, r any ther such activity! Visit livefrpeace.rg, g t the 1000 Acts f Peace tab, and tell us abut it! Can we lg 1000 Acts fr Peace? Did yu knw? There are apprximately 46 Multi-Cultural cngregatins assciated with Mennnite Church Canada, wrshipping in 17 different languages. including all the majr Anabaptist denminatins in Canada. Church Planting Canada re-visined themselves recently and nw wrks frm and prmtes a missinal church paradigm. In March, the General Bard apprved a recmmendatin t wrk twards becming a spnsring denminatin f Church Planting Canada. Stayed tuned fr hw yur cngregatin and Area Church can draw n this resurce! Nrm Vth, MCM Directr f Evangelism and Service Ministries, has been asked t represent Mennnite Church Canada as he serves n the leadership team f Church Planting Canada. We cntinue t resurce cngregatins in missinal frmatin. Multi-Cultural Ministries There are multi-cultural cngregatins in each Area Church f Mennnite Church Canada. Samsn L, Directr f Multi-cultural ministries, supprts and resurces the Area Churches in wrking with the special needs f these cngregatins. The What Makes a Mennnite? brchure has been translated and distributed in Traditinal Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Vietnamese as an inter-cuncil translatin prject with Frmatin. Translatins are in prgress fr Krean and Chin. The published translated materials have been very well received. 33
The multi-cultural cngregatins within Mennnite Church Canada are cnnecting with cngregatins with similar cultural and thelgical bases. Fr example: the Nrth American Vietnamese Mennnite Fellwship, Krean Anabaptist Fellwship in Canada, Nrth America Hmng Mennnite Churches Missin, and the La Mennnite Cnference f Canada. A new Vietnamese Mennnite ministry has been frming in MCBC since 2008, in cllabratin with Emmanuel Mennnite Church. Hun and Sunny Lee Willard Metzger were cmmissined as Mennnite Church Canada Missin Assciates fr service in their hme cuntry f Suth Krea. Hun has been the mentr and pastr fr several Krean Mennnite fellwships in Canada. His reputatin has grwn t the extent that he is being welcmed as a Mennnite t teach frm an Anabaptist perspective in a Presbyterian mega-church in Seul. The number f Spanish Mennnite huse fellwships in MCEC is grwing. Mre bks and materials in different languages can nw be fund in ur Resurce Centre. Internatinal Ministries We are expanding Peace and Recnciliatin teams in Mindana, suthern Philippines. Internatinal Ministries staff is wrking with the La Mennnite Cnference f Canada, t explre church planting pssibilities in Las. We are encuraging and cnnecting t a grwing netwrk f Anabaptist minded church leaders in China. In partnership with Nrth American Vietnamese Mennnite Fellwship, Nhien Pham is a Special Assignment wrker fr cllabrative ministry in Vietnam. We are explring a new internship prgram in Israel/Palestine. We are grwing cnnectins amng Anabaptist churches and ministries thrugh the Anabaptist Netwrk in Suth Africa. The Mennnite church in Ouagadugu, Burkina Fas, cntinues t grw yung adults wh are serving in the lcal and natinal church. We are explring new ministry partnerships with Mennnite churches in Western Eurpe. There are Special Teaching Assignments fr Titus Guenther (Chile), and Rudy Baergen (Clmbia), and Palmer Becker (Israel/Palestine). We are crdinating the Chile earthquake respnse with Mennnite Central Cmmittee and 3 Chilean church partners. Facilitated participatin f 2 Cuban leaders at Mennnite Wrld Cnference 2009 in Paraguay. There are 103 active partnering relatinships between Wrkers/Internatinal partners and Mennnite Church Canada cngregatins. Native Ministry: Tgether with Mennnite Church Saskatchewan and Mennnite Central Cmmittee Saskatchewan s Abriginal Neighburs, we hsted an Abriginal Learning Tur in July 2009. Change desn t cme frm pliticians. It cmes frm cmmunities. - Maria Campbell, Saskatchewan River Valley, Sask. In ur case what might be the things that get frgtten in the relatinship between white peple and abriginal r Metis peple? We tend t frget that the First Natins peple are called that because they actually were here first - Steve Plenert, Winnipeg, Man. Many thanks and blessings t all the peple wh were invlved in getting this tur tgether. It has been a real blessing fr me! - Barb Daniels, Rivertn, Man. The tur was intended t intrduce us t ur Abriginal brthers and sisters, their histry and their hpe fr the future. - Debrah Frese, Winnipeg, Man. And, again reinfrced fr me thrugh this tur, respnsible living creatin care cannt refer nly t being as green as pssible, t sustainable living, etc. It als includes hw we live with ur neighburs, lcally and glbally. - Rita MacDnald, Rsthern, Sask. Neill and Edith vn Gunten and eight indigenus Canadians answered the invitatin f the three indigenus Mennnite cnferences in Paraguay t visit them fllwing Mennnite Wrld Cnference in Asuncin. In additin, participants came frm USA, Peru, Panama, Guatemala, and Ecuadr. The grup was als hsted by Indigenus peple and missin wrkers in Argentina. It was a trip that changed everyne s lives in psitive ways! Accuntability: Mennnite Church Canada is accuntable t the Christian Cuncil. Members f this Cuncil until July 2010 are: *Willard Metzger (chair) Lynell Bergen Irene Crsland Rudy Dirks Jhn David (JD) Penner *Ne Gnzalia Emily Dueck Waldimar (Wald) Neufeld Hug Neufeld Vacant (was Hun Lee) * The terms f these tw CWC members are cmplete. Tgether with the current vacancy, delegates are being asked t elect 3 new members. 34 reclaiming gladly wear the name
N matter what clur r denminatin yu are, yu felt a belnging. - Marilyn Sinclair, Hllw Water First Natin, Man. A persnal encunter with the visitrs, t see them and hear them, is very imprtant t the Chac indigenus peple when building relatinships. We wuld like t cntinue t cnnect in the future. - Jakb Lepp, Filadelphia, Paraguay. Lakta thelgian Richard Twiss was the Listening Circle speaker in BC. Circle evenings were held at the Skwah First Natin hall in Chilliwack and at Peace Mennnite Church in Richmnd. Cayuga thelgian Adrian Jacbs was the speaker fr Manitba s 2010 annual spring event Remving Barriers Building Bridges. This event gives vice t Abriginal church leaders and prvides pprtunities fr learning mre abut Abriginal reality and issues. Adrian s tpic was We Are All Treaty Peple; A Biblical Perspective n Cvenant. The Truth and Recnciliatin Cmmissin is active and wrking acrss Canada as the result f Prime Minister Harper s Gvernment Aplgy t residential schl survivrs in June 2008. Native Ministry ffice is mnitring the plans and will be strngly encuraging Mennnite presence at every event as a way t stand in slidarity with ur Abriginal brthers and sisters. The first natinal event is planned fr June 15 19, 2010 in Winnipeg; the remaining events will be in ther prvinces in the next few years. Mennnite Church Canada and Mennnite Central Cmmittee Canada recently renewed the Jubilee Fund. This is an endwment fund which addresses the imbalance f wealth and pwer between peple f Indigenus (First Natins, Métis, and Inuit) descent and Canada s settler ppulatin. This fund is a symbl f Gd s healing and hpe fr a better wrld; a wrld in which bridges are built s that newcmers t this cntinent and the Original Peples can live tgether in cmmunities f grace, jy, and peace. Peace and Justice Advcacy - Because we believe peace is the will f Gd, peace is the task f all parts f the church. (see Cnfessin f Faith art. 22). S while is the administrative hme fr peace initiatives in Mennnite Church Canada, all staff and parts f the church are engaged in living ut ur peace witness. We will highlight nly sme f the initiatives undertaken this year, and will give a fuller update f the Peace in the Public Square initiative during the delegate sessins. We created and launched the livefrpeace.rg website. We created a blg called 1,000 Acts f Peace, at livefrpeace.rg and we are encuraging peple t pst their peace acts there. We prduced and sent livefrpeace.rg tques t six Calgary cngregatins. Staff visited Bill Siksay, the member f Parliament wh intrduced Bills C390 (An Act Respecting Cnscientius Objectin t the Use Of Taxes Fr Military Purpses) and C447 (An Act t Establish the Department f Peace). We prmted and prvided resurces t ur cnstituency t fill ut Peace Tax Returns during the incme tax seasn and remained cnnected t Cnscience Canada. Neill and Edith vn Gunten (centre) and the Cuncil pse with a quilt made especially fr the vn Guntens by Abriginal wmen, in hnur f the vn Guntens years f service with native peples. This, the vn Guntens were tld, is the Abriginal versin f the Order f Canada. We have written abut and prmted the Department f Peace Initiative. We have tld stries in cngregatins, written, and been interviewed by the Winnipeg Free Press abut the Lutheran Mennnite aplgy prcess. We are planning a Canadian respnse. Janet Plenert will be present at the Lutheran Wrld Federatin assembly fr the final decisin making. We participate n the Mennnite Wrld Cnference Peace Cmmissin and are giving staff time t that. We c-hsted a sympsium n War and Peace with the Christian Refrmed Church in Nrth America. We respnded t the Wrld Cuncil f Churches Decade t Overcme Vilence draft paper that was written by an internatinal cmmissin. Service Ministries Native Ministry is ffering pprtunities fr Urban Assessment internships in three different lcatins in Canada. While ffering the Interns an excellent pprtunity t learn abut the urban situatin f ur Abriginal neighburs, this Urban Assessment will prvide valuable infrmatin t Mennnite Church Canada fr planning future ministry pprtunities. Vacatin Bible Schl is just ne way t build relatinships with Abriginal friends. The Manitba Partnership Circle f Abriginal and nn-abriginal churches wrks and wrships tgether, and visits each ther ccasinally. Many members f the partnership wrk tgether n ministries such as camp, VBS, and ther service prjects. 35
Radical Jurney is a year lng internatinal discipleship prgram that teams yung adults tgether fr spiritual grwth and internatinal service. This is the secnd year Mennnite Church Canada has ffered this pprtunity. Current participants are in Suth Africa and Paraguay. Pssible sites fr the 2010-11 teams include Argentina, Blivia, China, England, and Suth Africa. and Mennnite Vluntary Service Adventure (MVSA) cntinue t cllabrate in building teams f yung adults wh live tgether in cmmunity, are spnsred by a lcal cngregatin, and serve in the lcal cmmunity. In spring, 2010, Palmer Becker is serving again in a Special Assignment, teaching in Vietnam, Macau, China, and Krea. Learning Turs are anther way t learn, serve, and be in slidarity with ther Christians. Since last Assembly, Mennnite Church Canada has ffered the Native Ministry tur in Saskatchewan, the Native Ministry tur t Paraguay and Argentina; and tgether with TurMaginatin we ffered a tur t Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay, and tw turs t Philippines. While perhaps we dn t always think f it this way, Mennnite Church Canada ffers many pprtunities fr anyne t serve the brader church thrugh pprtunities t participate in leadership f ur General Bard and Cuncils. In additin we appint peple t serve n bards f ther related rganizatins. Cuncil appints peple t Mennnite Central Cmmittee Canada, Mennnite Disaster Service, Mennnite Vluntary Service Adventure, Christian Peacemaker Teams, and Mennnite Men. Cngregatinal Partnerships staff has been wrking with thse cngregatins r individuals wh wuld like t pursue shrt term ministry pprtunities natinally and internatinally. OTHER Pandemic Planning: By nw the H1N1 Pandemic feels like histry. It is imprtant t nte, hwever, that Mennnite Church Canada has a web site (www.churchpandemicresurces.ca) ready t help cngregatins think abut being a faithful witness during a pandemic. Many ther churches and rganizatins have lked t ur materials fr guidance. The partnership with Mennnite Disaster Service in this prject was very psitive, and resulted in ur mutual cllabratin with Mennnite Publishing Netwrk t publish three titles n being faithful in times f crisis. We are grateful that the pandemic was nt as severe as it culd have been, and we believe that the imprtant wrk we did in thinking abut a biblical respnse t such a crisis in ur cntext was an imprtant ecclesial, thelgical, and practical task. Church Matters: Church Matters is an audi interview frmat prgram with stimulating guests. We discuss leading edge issues abut church life at hme, acrss the street, and arund the wrld. It airs n the radi the third Sunday f every mnth and is available via pdcast n the Mennnite Church Canada website at www.mennnitechurch.ca/tiny/206. Yu can als subscribe in itunes t have the pdcasts sent directly t yu. Many f the issues Mennnite Church Canada engages are featured n Church Matters. Check ut the Resurce Centre link abve t see a listing f shws and find a tpic f interest t yu! Staffing The staff f are highly mtivated and energetic, and I am grateful fr their teamwrk and dedicatin. Here is a list f staff during 2009: Janet Plenert (Executive Secretary) Jennifer Rempel (Executive Assistant) Val Pankratz (Executive Assistant while Jennifer was n Maternity leave) Ingrid Miller (Administrative Assistant) Nrm Dyck (Directr f Cngregatinal Partnerships) Rebecca Yder Neufeld (Missinal Frmatin & Partnership Facilitatr - MCEC) Eric Olfert (Missinal Frmatin & Partnership Facilitatr - MC Sask) Tim Frese (Executive Directr Internatinal Ministries, Facilitatr fr Latin America) Grdn Janzen (Facilitatr fr Asia & Middle East) Hipplyt Tshimanga (Facilitatr fr Africa & Eurpe) Samsn L (Directr f Multi-Cultural Ministries) Neill & Edith vn Gunten (C-Directrs, Native Ministry) IMPaCT (Internatinal Mennnite Pastrs Cming Tgether): IMPaCT 2009 was c-hsted by MC Saskatchewan and brught tgether pastrs frm Canada, Chile, Clmbia, Mexic, and Philippines. IMPaCT 2010 will be c-hsted by MCBC, with pastrs frm Canada, China, Germany, Macau, Philippines, and Vietnam. The 2010 IMPaCT will mark the final in the first rund f events, ne having been chsted by each Area Church. Challenges we face We live in a culture f CHOICE. Never befre in human histry have peple had t make as many chices as we d tday. We knw that the wrd f Gd des nt change; but, hw we chse t be faithful in living ut ur faith is a cnstant, and cmplicated, reality fr us. As we have been grwing int ur identity as a church, bth Anabaptist and Canadian, we find urselves cnstantly asking what it is that we are nt called t d, and what it is that we must d. Sme f the challenges we face are: 1) Willing, Lng Term Wrkers are becming increasingly scarce. While it is imprtant that we prvide shrt term pprtunities, shrt term effrts are nly helpful when built n the legacy, relatinships, cmmunity, and fruit f lng term wrk. The churches that hst shrt term teams and persns are the result f years f lng term investment. Our pl f lng term, experienced wrkers is nt large. Des yur cngregatin have individuals with the relatinal gifts, ptential, and visin t engage the wrld with the recnciling gspel f Jesus Christ? 2) Shrt term effrts, individualized prgrams, and custmized prjects all require significant staff and administrative time. Yet, there is greater and greater interest frm cnstituency t fund specific (and ften abve budget ) prjects. Hw d we balance funding fr staff time with bth shrt and lng term ministry effrts, in Canada and beynd? 36 reclaiming gladly wear the name
3) There are thusands f charitable rganizatins in Canada. While nly the church has the unique purpse f striving t establish and build the church (deeply rted cmmunities f transfrmatin in every cmmunity in the wrld s that thrugh these cmmunities Gd s grace, hpe, jy, peace, healing, and recnciliatin will ccur), many cngregatins invest in para-church and ther rganizatins. We culd d s much mre if we cncentrated ur effrts tgether t build the church in Canada and arund the wrld. We ask yu t cntinue t evaluate cngregatinal giving patterns, s that we as the church cntinue t build the church arund the wrld. 4) Mbilizing the masses: As we feel it is urgent t bth strengthen ur being a peple f Gd, and strengthen ur ding as a peple f Gd, we ften find urselves brainstrming lists f peple. Wh culd resurce a cngregatin n peace tax issues? Cnnect a cngregatin t their native neighburs? Research Abriginal urban issues? Write a brchure explaining Canada Revenue Agency issues fr cngregatins? Create sme advcacy materials fr ur cngregatins t help them advcate fr a Department f Peace? Create sme teaching vides? r represent Mennnite Church Canada at an event? Putting gifts t wrk in imprtant parts f building the church is an ever present pprtunity and challenge! Submitted by Willard Metzger, Chair, Christian Cuncil and Janet Plenert, Executive Secretary, Christian Cuncil The Mennnite Wmen Canada (MW Canada) 5 member Executive includes Ruth Jantzi, Ontari, Secretary-Treasurer Mennnite Wmen Canada Reprt 3 reginal Presidents Evelyn Buhr, Alberta Ruby Harder, Saskatchewan Shirley Redekp, Ontari, Wmen f Mennnite Church Eastern Canada (WMCEC) and Erna Neufeldt, President Mennnite Wmen Canada. Waltrude Grtzen, British Clumbia, chair f Wmen s Ministries fr Mennnite Church British Clumbia (MC BC) and Lis Mierau, Saskatchewan. 1. Changes t Executive membership Ruth Jantzi and Shirley Redekp have cmpleted secnd and final terms. Lis Mierau, new Secretary-Treasurer as f July 1, 2010 Pattie Ollies, new Crdinatr fr WMCEC as f April 2010 Names f TF members n pht: l t r Mylene Melancn, Liz Kp, Justina Heese, Waltrude Grtzen, Marguerite Jack, Irene Bartel, Ruby Harder. - pht by Keri Clasn 3. Pennies & Prayer Inheritance Fund (PPIF) The PPIF is a legacy f cmpassin frm ur mthers and grandmthers in shwing us hw t minister t physical and spiritual needs. As a revlving Fund, mney frm it is used t supprt wmen wrking with Mennnite Church Canada s ministries, and it is a hme fr dnatins made in memry/hnur f lved nes. 4. Bible Study Guide (BSG) Elizabeth St, USA, is authr f the BSG fr 2010 Seek Peace and Pursue It: Wmen, Faith and Family Care. 2. Task Frce (TF) n Bridging the Gap and Enlarging the Tent Mre than 1100 wmen respnded t a survey prepared by the TF. Bridging the Gap and Enlarging the Tent is the title f a wrkshp being planned fr July 1 at the Mennnite Church Canada Assembly in Calgary. At that time we want t share the findings f the TF and discuss new initiatives. All wmen welcme. 5. Spiritual Grwth Assistance Fund We are pleased t prvide financial assistance t 2 wmen fr the 2009/10 schl year: Kara Carter, Milvertn, Ontari and Virginia Gerbrandt, Leamingtn, Ontari. Respectfully submitted by Erna Neufeldt, President Mennnite Wmen Canada 37
Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) Change, Challenge, Opprtunity and Grwth! These wrds are the best current descriptrs f Christian Peacemaker Teams. On March 10, 2010 we bade a sad farewell t Gene Stltzfus, funding Directr f Christian Peacemaker Teams, wh has nw jined a clud f witnesses. Serving as the Directr fr 18 years, he gladly bre the name f Jesus as he respnded t the call fr Gspel peacemaking, and left an indelible legacy f inspiratin fr all. With the recent annuncement that CPT C-Directr (Prgram) Duglas Pritchard will nt renew at the end f his term (effective August 31, 2011), there is a future pprtunity fr creative mdels in leadership which respnd t ever changing needs f the rganizatin, and the cmmunities in which we serve in Iraq, Palestine/Israel, Clmbia, USA/ Mexic Brderlands, and the Abriginal cmmunities in Nrth America. CPT Delegatins t these areas cntinue with an anticipated twelve delegatins planned frm March t December 2010. As part f CPT s Unding Racism strategic directins, a facilitatin grup has been frmed t develp a new CPT missin statement and based n the statement, a new CPT slgan and lg. Further initiatives in unding racism included a gathering f Peple f Clr within CPT in Clmbia in February 2010. This past Nvember, three CPT members engaged in a speaking tur thrugh the USA and Canada as a way f demnstrating the transfrmed identity and racial diversity within the rganizatin. In 2009, first time ever CPT trainings were held in Clmbia and in the United Kingdm. There are nw interested grups in Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. Over the past year the Abriginal Justice Team has rganized delegatins t Grassy Narrws First Natin, participating in a Six Natins Slidarity Netwrk, and supprting the Indian Residential Schls Truth and Recnciliatin Cmmissin. During the summer, CPT members std in slidarity with Beausleil First Natins in ppsitin t Dump Site 41, a landfill being cnstructed ver the Allistn Aquifer in Simce Cunty, Ontari. After three mnths f blckading, the Cunty Cuncil ultimately decmmissined the site. Further activities f the team include events in Trnt in April 2010, calling fr gvernment actin n the nging negative health effects f mercury cntaminatin in the water accessed by Grassy Narrws First Natins. Tw new Full Time members jined the team in April. In Clmbia, the team cntinues making visible, the vilence against the accmpanied cmmunities and their nnvilent resistance, thrugh team cnversatins, delegatins, articles accmpaniment trips and public actins. Of cncern is the situatin in Las Pavas, where 123 families were uprted and mved away frm their land by plice and Daabn a Clmbian multinatinal palm il cmpany. The cmpany is develping a palm plantatin, the il f which is used in Bdy Shp prducts. CPT has started a campaign in Nrth America encuraging cnsumers t byctt these prducts. In the Middle East, the Iraq Team cntinues its presence in Kurdistan. In March 2010, they published a reprt dcumenting the bmbings alng the Iraq/Turkish brder, which has displaced the peple living in the area. The Palestine team remains strng and healthy after the Al Khalil prject was interrupted fr a perid f assessment and re-visining. In At Tuwani, the cmmunity members have strengthened their cmmitment f nn-vilent resistance t the nging attacks frm nearby settlers and sldiers, which are increasing in severity and in numbers f incidents. Financially, CPT has had a fiscal year end with an unprecedented grwth in individual dnatins, allwing a deficit budget f $107,000 t end in a surplus f $71,000! Hallelujah! We thank Gd and all ur cnstituents fr their nging financial and prayerful supprt! Respectfully submitted by Esther Kern 38 reclaiming gladly wear the name
After fleeing war and harsh ecnmic cnditins in Vietnam 30 years ag, Te and Thanh Trinh s dreams f a new life in Canada have been fulfilled. Their children, ranging in age frm tw weeks t nine years ld in 1980 when they were spnsred by the Grace Mennnite Church in Steinbach, Manitba, nw fill psitins as a medical physician, pharmacist, massage therapist, ccupatinal therapist and sprts stre manager. The family has expanded t include spuses and fur grandchildren. This was my dream fr my family my dream has been fulfilled, said Thanh, adding he and his family attribute their successes and accmplishments t the enduring friendship and supprt they received frm a Steinbach family, Elbert and Lrraine Tews and their children. The tw families share family gatherings, vacatins, graduatins and weddings. They are ur parents they are mm and dad, said Thanh. MCC s refugee assistance prgram started in 1979 when MCC Canada, n behalf f Mennnite churches in Canada, negtiated a private spnsrship agreement with the federal gvernment t spnsr refugees frm Sutheast Asia. Since then, cngregatins have welcmed mre than 40,000 refugees t Canada. It is an astnishing number and attests t the cmpassin f thse wh respnd t the needs f thers, in the name f Christ. Sme ther highlights: Haiti earthquake - The utpuring f supprt frm churches, cmmunity grups, businesses and individuals makes it pssible fr MCC t undertake a multimillin-dllar, multi-year respnse t help peple recver frm the disaster. MCC has been wrking in Haiti since 1958 and is wrking clsely with church grups and ther partner rganizatins in Haiti. Fd aid - MCC fd aid reached recrd levels this past year as MCC respnded t hunger caused by natural disasters, skyrcketing fd prices and climate change. Much f the fd aid was delivered thrugh Canadian Fdgrains Bank. MCC Canada cntinues t be a majr partner in CFGB. Glbal Family educatin spnsrship prgram - The MCC Glbal Family prgram helps make creative, cmmunity-based educatin available t children and yung adults. Students wh achieve educatin gain cnfidence and skills that enable them t imprve their lives and their cmmunities. MCC is prmting a Glbal Family grwth strategy t reach $5 millin by 2017. With yur help it can be dne. Lw German prgram - MCC s prgram cntinues in Mexic and thrughut the hemisphere, addressing educatinal, ecnmic, scial, spiritual and health needs in Lw German speaking cmmunities. Mennnite Central Cmmittee Canada Thrift Shps - MCC s 56 thrift shps in Canada cntributed $5.9 millin t MCC this past year the highest amunt ever raised by the shps. Mre than 4,600 vlunteers are invlved in MCC s thrift shps in Canada. Thank yu. MCC Peace Buttn-The message n this small red pin t remember is t wrk fr peace resnates with Canadians and peple beynd ur brders. In 2009, MCC filled rders fr mre than 4,500 peace buttns. Mst f them were distributed in schls and churches in Nvember. MCC New Wine Statement MCC has apprved a set f fundatinal statements n identity, purpse, visin, pririties, appraches and values, alng with a statement f shared cnvictins f glbal Anabaptists as adpted by the Mennnite Wrld Cnference, March 2006. The wrk f re-structuring MCC the New Wineskin cntinues based n structural principles affirmed in the curse f the year. In its Statement f Identity, MCC states: Mennnite Central Cmmittee is a wrldwide ministry f Anabaptist churches. As such, MCC is a ministry f Mennnite Church Canada. We thank yu fr yur cntinued supprt f MCC s missin in the wrld. May Gd bless yu richly. Respectfully submitted Dnald Peters Executive Directr, MCC Canada 39
Mennnite Disaster Service (MDS) Mennnite Disaster Service vlunteers cntinue gladly wearing the name f Jesus acrss Canada and the USA by enabling peple affected by disaster t return hme and regain hpe. This past year, 712 Canadians travelled t prject sites fr a week t swing a hammer. They served in American Sama, Camer, LA, Cheek, TX, Diamnd, LA, Dulzura, CA, Eagle, AK, Marble Falls, TX, New Iberia, LA, New Orleans, LA, Pass Christian, MS, Picayune, MS, Ramna, CA, Stevens Village, AK, and Winnipeg MB. In many f these lcatins, 281 Canadians served fr a mnth r mre where fires, hurricanes, and flds had damaged r destryed hmes and cmmunities. (41 f these vlunteers were pulling RVs and stayed in an RV camp.) A pastr wh vlunteered with MDS writes: I understand that the ultimate gal f MDS is t get flks back int safe husing, but the benefits that all f us experience as we wrked side by side, shulder t shulder is lasting and real As I return t my everyday life here in Manitba, I will remember the feeling f being a part f smething that I did nt begin, nr did I cmplete I was merely ne small part f the whle. MDS has shwn me again that Gd nly requires me t d and be my part and tgether the wrk is getting dne. What is MDS ding in Canada? BC MDSers repaired hmes in Duncan (Vancuver Island) after majr flding in the fall. AB MDSers did a majr hme repair in Smkey Lake after a husefire (n insurance). SK MDSers spent a weekend renvating a huse fr drm parents f Rck Slid Refuge in Shaunavn (trubled teen bys hme). MB MDSers cntinued n the renvatins at Red Rad Ldge (htel fr transient and hmeless flks in Winnipeg) and did a majr hme repair fr a Winnipeg wman after a husefire (n insurance). ON MDSers cleaned up late summer after trnades in Durham/ Vaughan and als hsted the Regin V (Canadian) fall bard meetings/retreat. And this as well SK MDS hsted the binatinal MDS All Unit meetings/cnventin in Warman in Feb. 2010 with ver 250 peple in attendance t hear abut the wrk f MDS. SK MDS will hst the Canadian summer yuth prject at Rck Slid Refuge building a drm/recreatin centre with yuth grups during July and August. MDS cntinues t partner with Canadian Mennnite University with the delivery f Disaster Recvery Studies prgram and summer field experiences fr students. Three students cmpleted 8 weeks f MDS field wrk in the summer f 2009 and mre will jin MDS in May-June f 2010. CMU students write: I ve gained a lt f leadership skills.i ve definitely grwn and nw I knw what kind f effrts yu need t put in, in rder t actually build a hme. And Ding MDS this summer ignited the desire t d vlunteering (service) that will stay with me fr the rest f my life. The practicum allwed me t see aspects f the Disaster Recvery Studies curse at wrk in the cmmunity thrugh getting t knw the peple we wrked fr. Submitted by Lis Nickel, Directr Regin Relatins and Prgrams, MDS Extensin Office, Wpg. 40 reclaiming gladly wear the name
Fr Mennnite Men, 2009 was a very gd year financially. We celebrated 25 years f prviding JinHands Mennnite Church Building grants f mre than $1.5 millin t 55 yung cngregatins acquiring their first church building. Three grants given included: Salina Mennnite, Salina, KS which received a $30,000 grant and Luz del Evangeli, Dallas, TX and Living Water, Chicag, IL bth f which received $40,000 grants. A $10,000 tithe grant is available fr Mennnite Church Canada which is in the prcess f selecting a recipient. Even with a significant increase in cntributins each year it remains an nging challenge t help yung cngregatins acquire their first church building and t d it in a timely manner. Eight cngregatins have been apprved t receive JinHands grants and seven additinal applicatins are being prcessed, 80% f which are racial-ethnic r multi-cultural. During 2010, grants will be given t Encuentr de Renvacin, Miami, FL, Ethipian Evangelical, Lancaster, PA and tithe grants t Mennnite Church Canada and Mennnite Missin Netwrk. In the past year, Mennnite Men partnered with Mennnite Publishing Netwrk in prducing a new study bk n male spirituality. Authred by Gareth Brandt, f Abbtsfrd, BC, Under Cnstructin: Reframing Men s Spirituality ffers a fresh perspective n men s spirituality. Mennnite Men s ecumenical cnnectins with Denminatinal Men s Ministry Netwrk f Nrth America (DMMNNA), prvides pprtunity t share Mennnite Men abut the availability f resurces such as this. In January, Dave Bergen, Executive Secretary f Mennnite Church Canada Frmatin, was the resurce persn at this year s annual meeting and used this bk as the basis fr the sessins. Dave has als been selected as President f DMMNNA, 2010-2011. Mennnite Men has a half time staff persn, a Canadian crdinatr and bard members wh actively participate in its prgrams. Activities include a presence at many church related gatherings, frmatin f netwrks in a number f US Area Cnferences and Canadian Area Churches that relate t cngregatins and men s grups, prmting Anabaptist study resurces and interpreting the ministry f Mennnite Men thrughut the denminatins. Jim Gingerich has served as half time crdinatr fr Mennnite Men fr the last 12 years. He will be retiring frm this psitin at the end f May. We are very pleased t advise that Mennnite Men has selected Dn A. Yder as the next Mennnite Men crdinatr. Dn, wh currently serves as Directr f Seminary and Graduate Admissins and Directr f Seminary Vcatinal services at Eastern Mennnite University, will begin as Mennnite Men Crdinatr n June 1. He will be wrking ut f the Mennnite Church USA ffice at Harrisnburg, VA. Submitted by Marvin Baergen Canadian JinHands Crdinatr and Jim Gingerich Mennnite Men Crdinatr Mennnite Vluntary Service Adventure, r MVSA (www.mvsa.net), is the Christian Vluntary Services prgram f fur cngregatins within Mennnite Church Canada membership with similar utreach prgrams, cperating and supprting each ther t ffer a cnsistent Christian Vluntary Services prgram fr yung adults in Canada. We are privileged t reprt anther very gd year f Christian Vluntary Service experiences fr the thirteen yung adults participating in the prgram in Canada this year. These include fur participants in Lethbridge, five in Winnipeg, three in Trnt, and ne in Mntreal. It is a rewarding experience, nt nly fr ur participants but especially fr ur church. These yung peple stretch us and energize us. Fr sme this is a first time pprtunity t experience new ideas, new situatins, and new understanding with their peers, in a safe envirnment, while dedicating their time and expressing their faith in actin and service t thse in need. Fr many yung men frm Germany, the time f service is als an alternative t military service. Mennnite Vluntary Service Adventure (MVSA) During the past several years, mst f ur participants have cme frm Germany and this year als frm France. MVSA wrks with tw German rganizatins, Christliche Dienste and Eirene, wh have strng missin prgrams and prvide pprtunities fr yung adults t serve in varius cuntries. Our hpe is t find ways t recruit mre Canadian and American participants in the future. We see great value in the MVSA prgram in the fllwing ways; Value t the individual vlunteers, nw and in their future Value t the life f the spnsring cngregatin Value t the agencies f placement Value t the many peple they tuch in their everyday wrk Value t the hme cngregatins when the vlunteers cmplete their terms Sme f these values can be determined immediately, in the faces f thse wh are in cntact with the vlunteers r wh benefit frm the services prvided, r in the cngregatins where the vlunteers participate. Sme values will nt be evident until much later, when the influences f the Christian Service experience in future life chices r shifts in persnal values becme clear. Submitted by Ernie Engbrecht 41