Ministerial meeting aims to take 'tribal knowledge' beyond assumptions
♪ “There’s a level of tribal knowledge that we assume people have about being a minister.” Conference Pastor Andy Woodworth began the first session of the Ministerial Day, on November 22, 2024, explaining the Board of Leadership and Outreach (BLO) choice to devote the day to the final sessions of the Minister Credentialing Program.
On not getting things done: a new measure of time
♪ Every Christmas Eve my children look forward to my purple plum torte. Along with roasted turkey and Walter C. Scott’s A Christmas Carol, the simple yellow cake crowned with plums and sprinkled in cinnamon sugar is tradition. Every year the challenge remains the same—in December plums are not grown in northern climes.
From pantry darkness to marvelous light
♪ Either my pantry is shrinking or my kids are growing. I’m not referring to their caloric intake (though that does involve a pantry shrinkage of a different sort). I’m talking about the tiny pantry space itself, which multi-tasks as our official glow-in-the-dark testing station.
Council approves first over-$2M budget in 10 years
♪ On November 23, 2024, Conference Council members approved a budget of nearly $2.1M for 2025—the first budget over $2M since 2015. Delegates gathered at Evangelical Fellowship Church (EFC) in Steinbach, Man., and virtually over Zoom.
Where is your next pastor now?
♪ An era is ending. See if this agrees with what you’re seeing. For the last several generations, when our churches needed a new pastor, we assumed there was a group of moveable pastors “out there” looking for a church. “Out there” were unknown pastors trained, experienced, and ready to move their families across the continent to pastor our church.
Letters and Notices: Jan/Feb Issue
♪ I read the Sept/Oct 2024 issue at one sitting. From the early articles’ discouragement to the last three pages of inspiration, I felt I concluded on a high note.
They call me Abd al-Haqq
♪ In my neighbourhood they call me Abd al-Haqq. It started because some of my friends couldn’t remember my name; others couldn’t pronounce it. One guy was calling me “Android” and another was calling me “Mustafa.” It was finally settled one morning when the guard from my son’s preschool definitively stated that I should be called “Abd al-Haqq.”
Sensory room provides welcoming space for neurodivergent children
♪ My daughter, Noelle, is a wonderful seven-year-old who loves Pokemon, drawing, and hockey. Noelle is also autistic, and like many people who are autistic, church when done “as regular” can seem overwhelming or even at times unwelcoming.
Editorial: New year, still me
♪ While the start of the new year is now a couple of weeks in the rearview mirror, statistics say that most people will have already “failed” at their New Year’s resolutions. That’s why, this year, I decided to focus on small changes that I’m more likely to stick with.
EFC Fort Frances seniors' monthly connection
Here’s a picture of our monthly Senior’s meal
Shared accountability in missions
♪ To whom is the church accountable in terms of evangelism, outreach, social justice, discipleship, and leadership development? Clearly, it is primarily accountable to God in obedience to the instructions of Scripture. Do conference boards and leadership have a right to speak into this area of the life of the church?
When helping is actually hurting
♪ Gordon and Sharon Skopnik have been serving South Sudanese refugees for 21 years and have seen for themselves that helping can end up hurting.
Steinbach Bible College goes on—at a new location
For 88 years, Steinbach Bible College has been empowering servant leaders to follow Jesus, serve the church, and engage the world. We send students back to their churches and into the world to serve there.
December is a busy month for Straffordville EMC
We started the month with a baptism/membership reception on the 1st. What a blessing to hear the testimonies of how God has worked and continues to work in all the candidates.
Fair’s Fehr…or is it?
In every church family, there are a variety of surnames. Some of them at ACF are Fehr, Fair, Steele, Pitta, Unger, Friesen, Corder, Enns, Hughes, Plett, Carpenter, Young, Leal, Cameron, Cure and of course many more which can be referred to in humorous ways.
Believe in the Trinity and you shall be saved
♪ Do I have to believe in the Trinity to be saved, really? Listen to the thunder of the Athanasian Creed from the early church: “Whoever desires to be saved should above all hold to the catholic [historic Christian] faith. Anyone who does not keep it whole and unbroken will doubtless perish eternally.
Rediscovering gentle persuasion
♪ A recent article by James Wood recounts his evolution from a fanboy of Tim Keller to a critic (www.firstthings.com, May 6, 2022). His argument sparked a flurry of responses, both positive and negative (from David French at frenchpress.thedispatch.com and Rod Dreher at www.theamericanconservative.com, for example).
How are we connecting
♪ Each Conference Council is an opportunity for delegates to speak—on behalf of their churches about the items on the agenda, and especially after lunch during roundtable discussions. This year the discussion focus was on connecting.
MCC Peace and Justice office celebrates advocacy wins in 2024
This year we saw a few concrete examples of the success of the government responding to you and the issues you care about.