‘Who will go?’
LANDMARK, Man.—On September 10, 2023, Heartland congregation officially installed our new lead pastor: Matthew Funk (originally of Landmark, Man.) supported by his wife, Kathy, who is originally from Niverville, Man.
Pastor Travis Plett, Pastor Matt and Kathy Funk, Viola Penner and David Kroeker.
Pastor Matt brings twenty-four years of pastoral ministry experience to Heartland. He started ministry as a youth pastor within one of the EMC churches in Manitoba then migrated south to sunny California where he raised his family and continued ministry as an associate pastor and later the senior pastor of a congregation there.
During a two-year hiatus from pastoral ministry (post-COVID), Matt and Kathy relocated back to Manitoba where he was employed in his family’s business for a while. But with Matt’s strong call to preach the Word of God, he was also in demand as an itinerate preacher and that is when he was invited to Heartland to preach. Afterward, during the candidate process, we also heard Matt’s heart for people to know God intimately and be cared for.
Andy Woodworth, former Heartland lead pastor, and new Conference Pastor for EMC, preached during the special installation service. He shared Oswald Chamber’s devotional insight on Isaiah 6 where Isaiah overhears a question in his vision from God: “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Andy did not just apply it to Matt’s calling to Heartland, but to all of us who have ears to hear God’s commissioning and gifting, citing the five-fold ministry gifts in Ephesians 4 which are given to believers to build up the body of Christ, the church, and fulfill its calling to make disciples. Andy put a special emphasis on our responsibility today, as a congregation, to evangelize the next generation.
As our congregation commissioned Matt as our lead pastor, many gathered around our pastoral couple to pray for God’s leading and equipping. Our new pastoral couple were then gifted with and wrapped in a quilt which represents the care of a community that will also surround them and care for them and their family.
With special services like these, and with the start-up of our church programs, we also had a special meal together to reconnect after the summer holidays, to begin afresh the ministry of the church in this new season.
Welcome Pastor Matt and Kathy Funk!
Commissioning prayers for the new pastoral couple: (back row) Conference Pastor Andy Woodworth, Leadership Team chair Craig Sawatzky, young life pastor Travis Plett, Leadership Team vice-chair Tabitha Hildebrandt, prayer care team members Viola Penner and David Kroeker (chair); (front row) Pastor Matt and Kathy Funk.