EMC Missionary Fellowship ‘like a family gathering’
STEINBACH, Man.—EMC missionaries from all over the world were able to make new connections, build community, and encourage one another in their calling at the annual EMC Missionary Fellowship held September 7, 2023, at Prairie Rose EMC in Landmark, Man.
Gerald Reimer, EMC Director of Church Planting.
Gerald Reimer, Director of Canadian Church Planting, started the evening with a brief introduction and shared John 14:1, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” This became the theme verse of the evening and was referenced in the stories of workers.
Soon, people started to make their way to the serving table. After sharing a meal and stories around the table, the evening transitioned into a time of worship and ministry stories.
Nancy Friesen, a worker serving in Bolivia, shared her experience working with Low German Mennonites. She spoke about the great need for discipleship and the lack of biblical literacy in that community. “They have the Bible in High German but are not able to understand it and are not encouraged to read it or study it,” she said. Many in the audience nodded their heads as they empathized with the challenge Nancy was facing. However, God’s faithfulness and the work of the Holy Spirit have not been absent; many men, women, and children have come to experience the presence of Jesus and now have a fervent desire to grow in their faith. As Nancy concluded her time of sharing, people prayed for her and her ministry.
Chris and Revita Kroeker sharing their field report.
Chris and Revita Kroeker took the stage next and talked about their discipleship and marriage restoration ministry in Paraguay. Those present heard about the hard realities of temptation and the struggle between the flesh and the spirit. But despite the challenges they face, Chris and Revita are seeing God’s faithfulness and a change of heart in the people they are discipling. They are seeing the work of the Holy Spirit as more and more people become embedded in Christ’s love and truth. After hearing their stories, people gathered around Chris and Revita to pray for them and their ministry. This was followed by worship and prayer; missionaries gathered in small groups to intercede for specific prayer requests.
For the rest of the evening, people continued to connect and share stories. When asked why they attended the Missionary Fellowship one worker shared,
This is like a family gathering with people who have also lived and worked in cross-cultural settings, and we have much in common … It is important to build community because we all suffer pain and disappointments and discouragement, and we all have our stories of successes and victories. Sharing this pain and sharing these joys with each other gives us renewed strength.
-Paul Thiessen, Burkina Faso
As the evening ended, some workers said their “goodbyes” to their friends and colleagues as they headed back to their fields. Many of them expressed how they were already looking forward to the next Missionary Fellowship, a gathering where they get to become a big, beautiful family in Christ.
