Personalia

Gary and Charla Badker have completed their ministry as senior pastor couple at Greendale MB Church in Chilliwack, B.C. this spring after serving for three years. Gary has a B.A. from California State University in Fresno and an M.Div. from MB Biblical Seminary and is working on a D.Min. degree from Denver Seminary. He previously served as pastor of Wasco (CA) Bible Church for six years and Beatrice (NE) Mennonite Church for six years, and has also taught school. Charla has a B.A. from the University of Nebraska and a teaching certificate from Fresno Pacific College; she is currently teaching part-time. The Badkers have two children, Andrew, 12, and Brianna, 10.

David Chan, senior pastor of Pacific Grace Chinese MB Church in Vancouver, is on sabbatical from mid-March to mid-June this spring. He will be spending most of the sabbatical teaching at Alliance Bible Seminary in Cheung Chau, Hong Kong.

Rob Wall became half-time youth pastor at Mountain Park Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C. on April 1. He owned and operated his own drywall company for 10 years before beginning studies at Columbia Bible College two years ago. He plans to continue studying part-time at Columbia. He has been a youth sponsor at the church since its beginning five years ago. He is also a partner in Base Camp, a four-year-old ministry that takes community youth on extreme wilderness adventures (backpacking, caving, mountaineering and rock climbing) as a means of building bridges between community youth and churches. He and his wife Brenda-Lee have two children, David, 6, and Dakota, 2.

Dan and Julie Berger were installed March 3 as the first associate pastor couple at Nechako Community Church in Vanderhoof, B.C. Ike Bergen, B.C. conference minister, and his wife Shirley were also present to encourage the congregation. The Bergers previously served as assistant pastor couple of Steinbach (Man.) MB Church.

Rey Nickel has resigned as pastor of Gospel Chapel Fellowship in Grand Forks, B.C. effective May 15 after serving since September, 1982. Previous to that, he spent 7 years as associate pastor at Central Heights MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C. He studied at Regent College. He and his wife, Anne are open to the Lord's leading for their future.

Ted Goossen has resigned as pastor of Grace Church of the Mennonite Brethren in Cranberry Portage, Man. effective the end of June after 10-and-a-half years of service. He will take over as full-time director at Simonhouse Bible Camp. He currently serves three-quarter-time at the church and one-quarter at the camp. During their 11-year service with the camp, enrollment has doubled, youth retreats have tripled and rental of the facility has doubled. The Northern Advisory Commission of Manitoba Missions and Church Extension, the church board and the Simonhouse Bible Camp board agreed that it was unrealistic to expect Goossen to do both. He previously served for 10 years at Winkler (Man.) Bible Camp. He and his wife, Mary have 4 children: Jon, 20, Jodene, 19, Josh, 16 and Sara Joy, 14.

Bill and Darlene Lothian have resigned as pastor couple of Gospel Chapel in Hays, Alta. effective the end of June after serving 7 years. They will become pastor couple at Grace Church of the Mennonite Brethren in Cranberry Portage, Man. It is a three-quarter-time position; he also hopes to employ his skills as a heavy-duty mechanic and truck driver. They are both graduates of Nipawin (Sask.) Bible Institute. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Ministry from Prairie Bible College. They have two children: Daniel, 14, and Jennifer, 12.

Isaac Block has resigned as pastor of Sargent Avenue Mennonite Church (General Conference) in Winnipeg due to increasing health problems. He and his wife, Alvina will continue to worship there. He was a longtime professor at Mennonite Brethren Bible College, MB pastor and former chair of Canadian MB Conference Board of Faith and Life.

The Ontario MB Women's Network hosted an event called "Women and Men Walking Together in the Faith Community" Nov. 11 at Kitchener (Ont.) MB Church. Fifty women and 20 men attended. Gudrun Mathies chaired the event; worship was led by Anita Schroeder Kipfer. The speakers for the event were Cathie Kearsley, who spoke on ministry vs. achievement; Joel Pauls Wohlgemut on deriving principles from Scripture; Lori Schmidt on the experiences that led her to become a chaplain; and Nancy Fedhderau on the role of women in the church.

Twenty-five workers participated in orientation at Mennonite Central Committee headquarters in Akron, PA, Mar. 19-29. Eleven are beginning overseas assignments and 14 North American assignments. Anamaria Hiebert of Niverville, Man. is beginning a three-year assignment in Bangladesh, where she will work as a handicrafts product designer. She has a bachelor's degree in human ecology from the University of Manitoba and was last employed as an engineer and patternmaker for Pacesetter Swim and Gym Wear in Winnipeg. She is affiliated with The Meeting Place in Winnipeg. Hardy and Nelly Groening of Winnipeg began four-year assignments in April, 1994 in Winnipeg. He works as a materials manager with Habitat for Humanity; they previously served with Mennonite Brethren Missions/Services in Peru. He attended Winnipeg Theological Seminary in Otturburne, Man. They were last employed as farm business consultants and income tax workers. They are members of Portage Avenue MB Church in Winnipeg. They have three children, Alinea, Amy and Benjamin.

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