By Ruth Penner and Marilyn Funk
WINNIPEG, Man.—“Mom, you’re the only one I know who likes having church on Zoom!” This comment, made by an adult son to his mother, was shared after a recent Aberdeen prayer meeting on Zoom and started a discussion about our experience of church by Zoom. Continue reading Experiencing the Church on Zoom
By Maria Neufeld
PICTURE BUTTE, Alta.—Pastor couple Ben and Maria Dyck and pastor couple Craig and Laura Cornelsen pray a blessing over new lay minister Peter Goertzen and his wife Annie at their installation on January 31, 2021, at the Picture Butte Mennonite Church. Standing are Ben Dyck, Craig Cornelsen, Maria Dyck and Laura Cornelsen, while Peter and Annie Goertzen kneel to receive prayer.
By Ivy Plett
CALGARY, Alta.—Some of ACF’s most dedicated people have found creative ways of facilitating communication and connection amongst members and adherents since gathering restrictions began in March 2020. Continue reading Creative Communications 1-2-3
By Janice Imrie
CREIGHTON, Sask.—At NFC, we had some additional surprises this year, beyond the pandemic. We have battled water, seepage and sewer back-up in our basement for numerous years. These chronic problems led to the inward bulging of two walls in our basement. We had come to our wits end. Continue reading NFC Releases Building to Northern Growing Abilities
By Pastor Ed Peters
BURNS LAKE, B.C.—Last year has brought significant changes to our youth outreach. Phil Bogora, who had served as IGF’s youth pastor since May of 2017, officially resigned in September 2020. In January 2020, Phil and his wife Christine gave birth to a son, David, who was diagnosed with Trisomy 18. Continue reading God’s Direction Sought for Outreach Efforts
by Ferlin Abrahamson
BIRCH RIVER, Man.—Many times it is a disadvantage to be a small and shrinking congregation in a dying town. Still, during a pandemic, there is no better place to be than a town so forsaken that even the virus can’t find it yet and in a church that is small enough to legally proceed with regular services with a few minor adjustments to meet pandemic protocol.
Birch River CFC continues to function without a pastor and with minimal programming. Church services include singing, sharing, scripture reading, a recorded sermon while the children have Sunday School and a discussion time following the sermon. Next August, we are planning for an anniversary homecoming and welcome everyone with connections to CFC in the past 60 years to come and join us for the celebration.
by Dan Cormie
WINNIPEG, Man.—I think the past year at Braeside might best be described by words like: revealing, unmasking, exposing, or even laying bare. Something about the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a paring-down to essentials, on both personal and corporate levels. Continue reading Braesiders Responding With Fresh Commitment
by Pastor Darrel Guenther
WINNIPEG, Man.—Things I miss:
What I really miss is my favorite ice cream place that is shut down for the winter.
I miss that people are not as connected as they used to be. People are more cautious, more timid, less care-free and interact less with each other. Continue reading Finding Gratituge in the Midst of Turmoil
by Heidi Dirks
WINNIPEG, Man.—During this time of physical distancing and staying safe at home Aberdeen EMC has been creative in how we worship and connect with each other. For several months we connected with weekly Zoom services on Sunday evenings. Everyone had a chance to share how they were doing and there was a special children’s feature. As is often the case, the children’s feature impacted the adults as much as the children. Continue reading Staying Safe and Getting Creative
STEINBACH, Man.—Andrew Dyck, pastor at Stony Brook, responded to a few questions from Terry Smith.
Tell us about where you were raised, educated, and served prior to and while at SBF.
I was raised in a loving Christian family, spending my early years in Landmark, Man. When I was 10 my family was sent as missionaries from Prairie Rose to join Wycliffe Bible Translators. We lived six years in Dallas, Texas, and moved to the Wycliffe Canada office in Calgary. In Alberta I graduated from high school and chose to attend Providence College and come back home to Manitoba. My time at Prov was extremely fruitful, netting me a BA and a future wife! I married Karen in 2007 and began my ministry in 2009 as a youth pastor at New Life Church in Stonewall, Man. In 2013 I moved to an associate pastor role until God called me to SBF in the fall of 2019. Continue reading ‘The EMC is the Best Conference in the History of the World!’
