A White Vancouver Christmas

Okay, so we live in Ladner, but I just thought I would show you a photo of our picnic table on Boxing Day 2008.  It is apparently the most snow that Metro Vancouver has ever had at Christmas!  The snow is changing to rain, so please pray that our neighbourhoods would be spared serious flooding.  

It's Broken

I broke my leg playing hockey on Monday, December 15th.  That sounds pretty bad.  The fibula is the thinner bone in the lower leg.  It broke a couple of inches above the angle.  It didn't go out of place, so I just have one of these big plastic boots to walk around in.  My doctor said that the boot is not needed to hold it in place, but to protect it and allow me to get around without hurting myself.  I told my doctor that "God is good," because God gives us pain.  I'm telling you, if I accidentally put any weight on it (such as when a crutch slips on the smooth, polished floor in a mall - not because the floor has water on it, but because the crutch is still a little wet on the bottom from trudging through the snow outside), the shock of pain I get is an instant message of protection!  It's too bad its the right leg, because that keeps me from driving.  Yeah, I could use my left foot, but in our car, I can't get my right leg out of the way to do that.  

On the second day of my injury, I was walking the short distance from our townhouse to my doctor's office, which is in the mall just across the street.  I stopped six times to rest and catch my breath.  I was amazed that, not only at every stop, but as I was walking, almost everybody had a well-meaning comment.  I was just thinking, "Why?"  Why does everybody feel the impluse to talk with an able-bodied person who is temporarily disabled?  I wonder if people do that with a person who is obviously permanently disabled?  I wonder if it is because when a person is injured, yet otherwise healthy, that they are less intimidating?  This person is now no competition, even though normally they would be.   I don't know.  It is nice getting all the friendly, sympathetic conversation from people.

A few people have suggested that the broken leg might be a gift from God to slow me down a bit during the Christmas season.  I agree.  In my efforts at trying to worship with every congregation in Mennonite Church BC in my first year on the job, I ended up taking on preaching assignments on 3 of 4 Sundays in December.  The injury has caused me to cancel preaching at Vancouver Chinese Mennonite Church on December 28th.   This has actually been just the right break to let me settle into the celebration of the season!  

One commitment I did keep was to preach at Sherbrooke Mennonite Church this past Sunday, December 21st.  Along with preaching, I also had opportunity to do my last set of baptisms before Sherbrooke's new senior pastor starts on January 1st.  The couple that I baptised were attending Sherbrooke most of the years I was pastoring there, and committed their lives to following Jesus during this time.  They just arrived at the decision to go public with their faith in baptism during this past year.  

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

Garry and Diane Janzen

Pastor/Spouse Retreat

It has been a long time since I have put something up on my blog.  Thank you, to all of you who stop by to check every once in awhile, for your patience.

We had a wonderful Mennonite Church BC Pastor/Spouse Retreat on October 6th to 8th.  We were at the Cedar Springs Christian Retreat just across the border from Abbotsford into Washington State.  It is beautifully snuggled into the base of a small mountain.  Take a look at the centre from the viewpoint on the mountain.

We had two special features this year.  One was that the speakers were our own brothers - two pastors from our MCBC congregations.   They spoke about important practices in their spiritual lives.  Tim Kuepfer, pastor at Peace Mennonite Church in Richmond, encouraged us to use The Daily Office for our devotional life - we practiced it in his sessions.  He also talked about his (together with his wife Sandra and their boys) discipline of Scripture memory.  Rob Brown, pastor at Eden Mennonite Church in Chilliwack was the other speaker.  He spoke on the importance of spiritual disciplines and some of his recent experiences.

The second thing that was special about this year's Pastor/Spouse Retreat was having our Pastoral Care Reps with us.  In the new structure of MCBC, the Executive Minister (that's me) gives attention to all the ministries of the conference.  This includes: the Faith and Life Committee, Evangelism and Church Development, Finances, Church Health and Camp Squeah.  Notice that I said "gives attention."  This means that every one of these ministries has its own leadership and a chairperson that sits on the MCBC Leadership Board, yet I attend most of their meetings in order to seek to hold it all together.  So, given this larger mandate, the Executive Minister can't be a pastor to the pastors as the former Conference Minister was.  The Conference Minister served, in essence, as a staff person for the Church Health committee.  Since I give attention to the whole, we need help in caring for the pastors - this is where the Pastoral Care Reps (PCRs) come in.  They are respected people in our conference who can take up no more than six of our pastors and care for them.  They are responsible to the Executive Minister.  Anyway, there were some good relationship building times for the PCRs and the pastors to whom they relate.

This is probably the last time we will cross the border for this event.  Hopefully the new retreat facilities will be ready by next fall - we are already booked for that weekend.

Thoughts on Thanksgiving

This morning I had the privilege of preaching at my home church - Sherbrooke Mennonite Church, Vancouver. The text was Psalm 105. The psalmist begins by calling the people of Israel to "Give praise to the LORD and make known among the nations what he has done." Then the psalmist proceeds with a recitation of the story of God's people from the promise of the land of Canaan to Abraham to their entrance into that land, ending with a statement of purpose for this story - "that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws."

When we celebrate God's goodness at Thanksgiving, we cannot be focused only on our own benefits. As with the people of Israel, we are called to make known among the nations what the LORD has done.

God's gift of grace is so generous, that often our only way of saying thankyou is to pass on another gift of kindness to someone else.

The Covenant

It gives me great pleasure to announce that First Mennonite Church, Burns Lake has voted to sign the MCBC Covenant.  

This has not been an easy journey for them and it will not be without pain and difficulties ahead.  But, MCBC is committed to walk with them.  They are in the process of searching for a pastor.  What I believe is needed is someone with strong Anabaptist belief and practice, someone who can help re-establish unity, and is able to nurture healing and new hope.

Dave Friesen (and Doris) is going to serve as interim pastor for a month, starting October 24th.  MCBC is helping to provide interim ministry as well as working with their search committee to find long-term pastoral leadership.

A Covenant-signing service is being planned for November 23rd, so if any of you are interested in going up to Burns Lake to celebrate with them, let me know.  We are hoping to take a 15-passenger van, driving up on the 22nd and returning on the 24th.

Election Primer

Remember to vote on October 14th!  Check out the Election Primer put out by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).  It has been added to the bottom of the Homepage of our MCBC website.  This article discusses issues on the Canadian scene that are important to Anabaptist Christians.  Take a look at it before going to the polls on Tuesday.  

There was also a very helpful comparison of the party positions on 15 important issues in Saturday's Vancouver Sun.  Check it out.

The Line Up This Fall

Many congregations are moving into new starts with leadership.  We have a number of installations; please come and celebrate God’s work in our various congregations (See list in the News ‘n Notes that will be in your mailboxes next week.  Your congregation will have also received an email with this information.)  

We continue to work with the congregations who did not sign the covenant with plans to be clear on our MCBC membership by the end of the year.  We also have another congregation that is considering joining MCBC. 

I am taking a Leadership course in Pennsylvania in the 3rd week of September.  I look forward to developing my abilities in being a good leader.

Thanks for your prayers!

Mennonite Church Canada Assembly and the People's Summit

The Mennonite Church Canada Assembly and the People's Summit was encouraging, challenging, informative. It was in Winnipeg - July 7-10. After the Canadian business meeting, a North American gathering for fellowship and learning took place. The major themes included "Care for God's Creation", and the unveiling of the results of "The Pastor Trends Survey".

There are 6 photos below that represent these priorities: worship, work, fellowship, fun, the future and teaching.

Next year the adult assembly will be in Saskatoon from June 5-7. The youth assembly will be in Caronport, SK from July 6-10. And remember the great opportunity to go to Paraguay for the Mennonite World Conference, July 14-19, 2009.

The Sunshine Coast Route

Okay, so this is the story of another motorcycle ride.

Diane and I took a short 4 - day vacation this past weekend (August 8-11). We went on our motorcycle to the Sunshine Coast, then crossed the ferry from Powell River to Comox, taking the Oceanside Route all the way down to Victoria. We actually have no motorcycle pictures, but I'm including the view of one of our B & B's and the view from another B & B.

I remember the winding road from Pender Harbour to the Earl's Cove ferry from a car trip some years ago. I got a headache; but I also said that this would be an amazing trip on a motorcycle, and so it was. The weather was great. I would encourage anyone to make this trek in mid-summer. Riding between the mountains and the ocean takes your breath away.

MCBC Motorcycle Ride

Wow!! What a great time. 20 bikes and 23 riders went on a tour around the backroads of the Lower Mainland on Saturday, July 26th. Seven bikes with eight riders left from the Peace Mennonite Church, Richmond, parking lot at 8:00 am. It was very cool to pull into the Columbia Bible College parking lot to see a row of 13 motorcycles awaiting our arrival.

After a word of prayer, we were on our way, riding down to Huntingdon Road and then following the back roads along the south side of the Fraser Valley. We went through Yarrow, and stopped at Cultus Lake for ice cream. After Cultus, we continued on backroads around the east side of Chilliwack and crossed over the #1 Highway on Annis Road. It was neat to come right up to the foot of the mountains on several occasions and then turn to continue our trek. We went through Rosedale and ended up at the Wildcat Cafe for lunch - just on the north side of Minter Garden (great food, by-the-way).

After lunch we went through Agassiz and up to Harrison Hot Springs. We skirted around the bottom of Harrison Lake and stopped up at Sasquatch Provincial Park to enjoy the beauty and cool off a bit.

Then we were led by Len and Cheryl Dyck, of Cedar Valley Mennonite Church in Mission, on some more amazing back roads - taking Sylvester Road and riding to their church from the north side. Cheryl had a snack prepared for us. The Vancouver riders said goodbye to the the Valley riders at Cedar Valley. We continued on back to Vancouver - for the most part on Dewdney Trunk Road - going up to Stave Lake and following the Barnet Highway around the north side of Burnaby Mountain. Our last leg of the journey included a view of Burrard Inlet. Once we hit Boundary Road, we stopped to bid farewell to each other and headed in our separate ways, returning to our homes around 5:30 pm.

It was a great time of meeting folks from a number of different MCBC congregations from around the Lower Mainland. We plan to do another ride next summer - maybe to the Island.

Pray for Zimbabwe

Deborah Froese, Interim PrayerNet Coordinator, sent this urgent prayer concern last week. Since then the opposition leader has withdrawn due to escalating violence against his supporters. Inspite of no opposition, the election is still apparently going ahead today. Please pray.

Dear Friends and fellow pray-ers,

Since the last issue of PrayerNet was distributed, Mennonite Church Canada and the Mennonite World Conference (MWC) have issued an urgent call for intercessory prayer on behalf of Zimbabweans as they face a tense run-off election on June 27. (MWC 2006 statistics count over 33,000 Mennonite and Brethren in Christ members in Zimbabwe.) MC Canada Witness workers Dan Nighswander and Yvonne Snider-Nighswander will be in Zimbabwe as deacons for the MWC community for two weeks surrounding the election period. For your convenience, we have attached a PDF copy of this request that has been formatted to include in your church bulletin.



Urgent call to Intercession

Please note June 26 and 27 on your calendar. Mennonite World Conference (MWC) and Mennonite Church Canada are calling for prayer and fasting on those dates to support Zimbabweans as they face a tense run-off election on June 27.

Dan Nighswander and Yvonne Snider-Nighswander, MC Canada Witness workers in South Africa, have been blessed by MC Canada to serve as deacons of the MWC community during that time. They will provide encouragement to Bishop Ndlovu, MWC president-elect and leader of the Brethren in Christ Church in Zimbabwe (BICCZ), Bishop Ndlovu’s family, pastors and others under stress.

Dan and Yvonne have specifically asked for prayers for wisdom during this time of uncertainty. Please also pray:
– that God will intervene in a visible way to end the violence and suffering that have afflicted Zimbabwe;
– that the churches of Zimbabwe will be signs of God’s love and justice in the midst of this struggle;
– that those who have been intimidated will be able to exercise their right to vote without further threat;
– that election monitors will be permitted to play a credible role to assure integrity and lack of violence at polling stations;
– that the government in power will allow honest results to be reported;
– that, whatever the election results, the government in power will agree to come to the table with opposition political leaders, military and security forces, and church and civil society organizations to map out a workable path for the future of the country;
– that African and United Nations leaders will play a strong and clear role in pressing for the above outcomes.

Mennonite World Conference is a communion (Koinonia) of Anabaptist-related churches linked to one another in a worldwide community of faith for fellowship, worship, service, and witness.

A Motorcycle Ride

Well, I have been talking about pulling together an MCBC motorcycle ride for some time. I guess I better come through with it. I am setting the day for July 26th. I am now looking for bikers. Please call me or email me if you are going to participate.

This is what I am thinking. A group could start in the Vancouver area (say from the Peace Mennonite Church parking lot in Richmond). We could take some back roads to Abbotsford and join a Valley group (say at the CBC parking lot). From there we would take some nice back roads along the south side of the Valley, going around Chilliwack and continuing on back roads and crossing the bridge to Agassiz. We could then work our way back on the No. 7 highway. We would work out some good places to stop for coffee breaks and lunch.

All bikers who can do highway speed are welcome - cruisers, sport bikes, touring bikes or any kind of bike you may have.


I'll throw in a couple pictures of mine (a Yamaha V-Star 650). When you reply include a picture of your bike. I can post it too.

Photos from the Palestine-Israel Learning Tour

I have been very busy since the last posting. I have had lots of thoughts about blogs to write, but other priorities have kept crowding them out. I have had several requests to post some photos from my trip to Palestine and Israel, so I will do that.

While there was much learning to do, walking into the Garden Tomb area, and then having the empty tomb appear before my eyes, was the highlight of my trip. I am posting 3 photos: one from a distance (my first sighting), one close up and one inside (showing the actual place where it is believed that the body of Jesus lay.)
















Our time up in Galilee was amazing. I echo many others who have said this line, but it is true, "I will never read my Bible the same again." By this I mean that being in the places where Jesus was gives a context for the things he said and did.

I have a whole new appreciation of Capernaum. I hadn't noted that Jesus loved being there so much. This is likely because it was the place where Peter lived.













To see the ruins of the synagogue in Capernaum and of Peter's house was amazing. Then to go back to the Bible and read texts from these places was very cool; for example, Luke 4:31-44















There is much, much more to be said, but I will just leave you with one image of the current dynamics of the relationship of the people of Palestine and Israel. It is the wall. I could not believe that in this day of international awareness, a 30 foot wall was being built to divide two peoples. I, along with many Palestinians and Jews, pray that there may be a way to reconcile these peoples so that they may co-exist in this land in peace.

Happy Mother's Day

This is wishing all mothers a blessed day. May those who are close to you make your day special.

Some of you may recall that my mother had a brain aneurism on December 26th. She had emergency surgery and has since gone through much hospital care and therapy. She has improved much and we are very thankful, but she is now in a nursing home. She first went to a nursing home in a neighbouring town, but as of yesterday, our prayers were answered. She was moved to the Rosthern Mennonite Nursing Home. She is now in her home town where Dad, her sisters and brothers, neighbours and church friends can easily visit her. She also knows many others who are resident there. There is an assisted living facility, called Pineview, attached and her sister is living there. In fact, Dad is on a short list for getting into Pineview. It seems as though Dad may be able to get a room there within the next month. In Mom and Dad's situation, this is truly the best case scenario. The wonderful thing is that they have not fought any of this, but accepted the realities of their situation. In fact, yesterday when I was speaking with my Dad, he suggested that this may be his last year of driving, and was imagining people with whom he might get rides to church. Remember that he is 90.

Just a brief word on my trip to Palestine-Israel. People have asked what the highlight of the trip was. While the whole trip was a highlight, and everything we did left a powerful impact, I have three things I would lift out. Remember, this trip was a learning tour sponsored and hosted by MCC (Mennonite Central Committee), so it was an opportunity to see the holy sites, but also to see the realities of life in that region. The first highlight was seeing the empty tomb - the place where we believe Jesus was buried and rose from the dead. Second was the incredible hospitality of the Palestinian people in the West Bank, especially in Bethlehem. Third was a very hopeful sign in the midst of tragedy, and for this I quote one of my fellow travellers, Donita Wiebe-Neufeld, who wrote this as part of her response to an article in the Calgary Herald regarding the 60th anniversary of the formation of the state of Israel (May 14th, 2008). "The most moving, and hopeful meeting we had was with the Parents Circle. www.parentscircle.org This group is made up of bereaved families supporting peace, reconciliation, and tolerance. Aisha is a Muslim woman who lost her brother to an Israeli attack. Robi is a secular Jew, who lost her son, a soldier, when he was shot by a Palestinian sniper. Together, the women speak to groups about their losses and the understanding that violence does not solve problems, but good relationships might. Unfortunately, the increasing segregation of the two peoples is making it almost impossible for them to see each other and to spread their humanizing message."

Off to Palestine-Israel

I am actually going to Palestine-Israel tomorrow morning for 2 weeks. I will be returning on the evening of May 2nd. Please pray for me. It is such an awesome opportunity. MCC Canada is hosting the tour and MCC BC is sponsoring my Mennonite Brethren counterpart and myself. We are going to see the work that MCC is doing in the region. We will also be going to some of the holy sites. We will be doing lots of learning.

I will tell you all about it when I get back.

The Message Doesn't Change, but the Methods Do

I have been trying to pay attention to new expressions of being the church so as to remain fresh and effective.

At least 10 years ago leaders of the Mennonite Church were trying to get our minds around the concept of "missional church". In 1998 the book entitled "Missional Church," edited by Darrell L. Guder, was published by Eerdmans. Lois Barrett, a Mennonite mission leader was one of the writers. The subtitle of the book explains the concept, "A vision for the sending of the church in North America." The idea is that our mission emphasis is not focused on the church simply sending out and supporting missionaries, but on the church actually being sent into God's mission. This makes us all mission workers wherever we are and wherever God sends us, be it at home, across the street or around the world. It also means that to understand God's mission, we must listen well to what God is doing in the world. When Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA were formed in 2001, we embraced "missional church" as our way of being. Since then we have been attempting to learn what it means for us and our world.

I welcome your thoughts about being a missional church and being missional Christians.

The Significance of the Resurrection

I have added a new book to my list of favourites. It is "The Resurrection Life" by Myron Augsburger. Much writing has been done with regard to the significance of the cross, but much less is available on the significance of the resurrection. Augsburger gives us a look into this theme with the Anabaptist perspective in mind. The book is available to purchase from Hearld Press and to borrow at the Columbia Bible College library.

Two things have been impressed upon me recently concerning the Resurrection. One is that, since the word Easter comes from a pagan celebration, it would be better to refer to Easter Sunday as "Resurrection Sunday". I don't think it's a real big deal because we as Christians know exactly what we are celebrating when we speak of Easter, but for those who are new to the story of Jesus, it would clarify the reason that this "holiday" exists.

The congregations that I have served in my years of ministry have given recognition to Lent (the season of reflection on the suffering and death of Jesus through the six Sundays leading up to Easter). I always felt it to be a bit odd that we would give so much time to the suffering of Jesus, but only one day to the resurrection of our Lord. This leads me to the second thing that has impressed me. Sometime in the last number of years I came to realise that in the layout of the church year, the Resurrection is to be celebrated from Easter Sunday all the way to the Sunday before Pentecost. Now that makes sense - a seven Sunday celebration of the Resurrection!

On a personal note, Diane and I were back home (Rosthern, Saskatchewan) to celebrate my Dad's 90th birthday in the middle of March. We were also there to see my Mom, who suffered a brain anuerism on Boxing Day. She is doing much better - talking, walking - but not well enough to come home. Just this week she was admitted to a nursing home. Please pray for her and my Dad as they make these adjustments. Thanks.

Easter

It is Saturday; the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. In my life it usually becomes just an ordinary day to work at home, do some business, or do something with Diane.

When we were mission workers in Africa (Botswana), the churches we worked with celebrated Easter by gathering together for the whole weekend. They would meet on Thursday at the location where their church was founded. Friday would be somber, with worship gatherings and communion. The worship would begin on Saturday night and go all through the night with lots of preaching and singing. As the sun rose, the Resurrection of our Lord was celebrated with baptisms. After breakfast they would return to their homes. But, Saturday was also a day of relaxing, hanging out with church friends from other locations, sleeping, etc.

What should we do on this day of confusion and grieving for the disciples, Mary and the women? It is hard, even for the African Indigenous Church people, to hold the intensity of the story through the whole weekend. Is it irreverent to return to ordinary life after the intensity of the cross on Good Friday? Some of us start returning to ordinary things already on Friday afternoon. My best answer to this question is that, while this is a weekend of commemoration filled with immense grief and great joy, and the most important weekend in the church year, it is only a commemoration. What we do with Jesus' calling on our lives through the rest of the year is what matters most to him.

I welcome your thoughts.

More Annual Meeting photos just in

Mr. Thien is the representative of the Karen group from Myanmar who have become a part of Living Hope Christian Fellowship in Surrey.



The worship team, led by Heidi Epp at the piano.


A worship display, including: the Bible, candles and a beautiful quilt.

Pictures of the MCBC Annual Meeting

The first picture is of Nhien Pham, pastor of the Vancouver Vietnamese Mennonite Church, a newly accepted member congregation into MCBC. On the right is Jack Suderman, representing their membership also in Mennonite Church Canada.

The next two pictures are of my installation service as Executive Minister.
It was really neat when Erwin Cornelsen came up in front of Diane and myself to pray over us as the whole assembly held hands in a chain of prayer. Erwin is the founding pastor of Sherbrooke Mennonite Church in Vancouver and a very important mentor to me.

I haven't been able to get any other pictures yet.

Going for a ride

I talked about organising a motorcycle ride for anyone who is interested. I have heard a lot of positive response, so we might have to do two rides, one starting and returning to Vancouver, and one from Abbotsford. I was thinking that somewhere in the middle or towards the end of July would be a good time. We'll see once we get closer. Remember, bikers in the oulying areas (Burns Lake/Granisle, Kelowna and Black Creek) that you are encouraged to join in. Also, I would love for anyone to suggest some good one-day routes. I guess an over-nighter might be fun too.

On this same topic, I hear a group from Emmanuel Mennonite have joined the Abbotsford Toy Run the last couple of years. I think you can contact their youth pastor, Rod Wiebe, to join. It would be fun to also get a group of Mennonites joining the Vancouver Toy Run. I don't know the dates yet.

I have chatted with a few of you, expressing the idea of riding motorcycle to the MC Canada Assembly and Summit in Winnipeg. But, being a prairie boy, I have reconsidered the long ride across the flat land. I think this might be an idea some year when the conference is in Edmonton or Calgary.

A Sip of Scripture

I want to draw your attention to a new feature on the MCBC website. Go to Links and scroll right down to the bottom. Click on "A Sip of Scripture" and you will get a daily Scripture reading. You can go as deep as you want. There is a daily verse or two, or you can read the larger context of that Scripture, or you can go to a blog about that Scripture called "A Simple Desire". The blog serves as a devotional based on the Scripure. There are six bloggers that take turns writing their thoughts about the daily Scripture.

So, for example, March 4th follows the topic "Do Not Fight". The daily verse is 1 Kings 12:24a. The larger context is 1 Kings 12:1-24. This day's blog, at "A Simple Desire", is written by Carole Boshart. I have found that the blogs may come a little late at times.

You can also get "A Sip of Scripture" sent to your email, so it automatically shows up everyday for you. If you click on "Pondering at the Well", you are sent to a page with some options. Click on 'Email Subscription'. It takes you to a page from which you can subscribe to a number of different Anabaptist related items, including "A Sip of Scripture", that you can have sent to your email address.

My response to the MCBC Annual Meeting

I think the meetings went very well. There was a positive - forward thinking atmosphere. I was really blessed by the installation service and the very special gifts I was given by people from MCBC and my home congregation, Sherbrooke Mennonite Church. The theme that "We're in a new place" was fitting. It was great to celebrate our togetherness. It was great to see a strong commitment to move forward with building an adult-0riented retreat facility at Camp Squeah. The hope is that it would be ready sometime in 2009.

There is also some tough work ahead. I was encouraged that the delegates gave their approval to the proposed process for working with the congregations that did not sign at our re-covenanting celebration last year (May 2007). But, the work related to this matter will not be easy. I ask your prayers for the MCBC leadership as we engage in this work - prayers for courage, wisdom, grace and love.

Look for pictures as soon as I get some together - probably next week.

I look forward to any of your comments.