Personalia
Darryl Sly has resigned as youth pastor of Richmond Park MB Church, Brandon, Man. effective July 31 after serving since Sept. 1, 1995. He and his wife Pamela are graduates of Bethany Bible Institute in Hepburn, Sask. They have been involved in youth ministry in the Northwest Mennonite Conference in Alberta and Darryl has served as part-time youth pastor at a Mennonite church in Edmonton. They are moving to Saskatoon where Darryl will be doing computer work for Cogema Resources, a mining company. They have an infant son, Jesse.
Rick Penner has resigned as youth pastor at the Boissevain (Man.) MB Church effective Sept. 30 after serving four years. He and his wife, Nancy are open to further ministry.
John and Bertha Klassen of Winnipeg, Man., currently on a one-year missions assignment from MB Communications, teach over 100 instrumental music students in the Neuland and Fernheim Colonies, Paraguay.
Terry Sawatsky became MCC Africa co-secretary July 19. Sawatsky replaces Eric Olfert, who has been in that position since 1986. Sawatsky and his wife, Cathy Hodder, previously served as MCC country representatives in Chad and Zaire. They were part of the Mennonite team that ministered to Rwandan refugees who poured into Zaire in 1994. Sawatsky spent his childhood in Zaire where his parents were Mennonite Brethren missionaries. Before going to Africa in 1991 to serve with MCC, Sawatsky lived in Coppermine, N.W.T. He is a member of Batela MB Church in Kinshasa, Zaire, and of L'Eglise Evangelique Chretienne de Lorraine in Quebec.
Dan and Phebe Shadid Balzer of Glen Ellyn, Ill. are beginning three-year MCC assignments in Chad. They will be working as educators of peace and Christian ethics. Dan has a master's degree in educational ministries from Wheaton (Ill.) College Graduate School. Phebe received a master's degree in education from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. Dan was last employed as a program director of Exodus World Service in Bloomington, Ill. Phebe last worked as an internship coordinator at the Christian education department of Wheaton College. The Balzers are members of Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Warrenville, Ill. They are affiliated with North Kildonan MB Church in Winnipeg.
Christian Fellowship Church in Lanigan, Sask. held a surprise appreciation service June 2 for pastor Abe Klassen and his wife Kathy who have served there for three years. Moderator Jerry Pullman led the service in which several people gave tribute for the work of the pastor couple. Lawrence Redekopp gave the message emphasizing the responsibility of the congregation to pray for the pastor. At the meal following the service, there were more tributes, presentations from Sunday school classes and some humorous cartoons.
Ted Fransen resigned from his position as a teaching vice-principal of Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute, Winnipeg, in May. He has taught at MBCI since 1982 when he moved from Ontario to Winnipeg. He will become principal of W.C. Miller Collegiate in Altona, Man. this fall. Ralph Wagner has been appointed as a teaching vice-principal of MBCI for a 3-year term. He has been a teacher in areas of sciences and mathematics for 13 years and served as department head.
Paul Unger has completed a three-year ministry assignment as associate pastor at Kennedy Heights MB Church in Delta, B.C. He and his wife Anne served in caregiving, teaching and visitation. Prior to serving at Kennedy Heights, Paul ministered as a church planter in Ontario, as director of development at Columbia Bible College, and as a pastor in Regina, Victoria, B.C. and Williams Lake, B.C. The Ungers have three grown children. They are open to further ministry.
Len and Esther Doerksen have begun serving as interim pastor couple at Eagle Ridge Bible Fellowship in Coquitlam, B.C. They have long service in the ministry, most recently as senior pastor couple of Hepburn (Sask.) MB Church.
Henry and Vi Willms have accepted a call to serve as interim pastor couple of Chilliwack Central MB Church in Chilliwack, B.C. They have previously served pastorates in B.C. and Alberta, most recently as interim senior pastor couple of North Langley Community Church in Langley, B.C. and La Glace (Alta.) Bible Fellowship.
Return to the M.B. Herald Vol. 35, No. 15
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