Letters to the editor
Sensitive articles
I want to encourage you. You have covered difficult and relevant topics with sensitivity, balance and excellence. I look forward to being challenged by such timely writing each new issue. Lisa Shuh,
Waterloo, Ont.
Gentle restoration needed
I so closely relate to the letter from a pastor's wife (July 18) that I could have written that letter myself. Galatians 6:1-2 says, "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." The pastor's wife's suggestions for what should be available to wounded Christian workers are right on: skilled counselling, a place of safety where healing can begin and, above all, awareness that working on the front lines makes us extra vulnerable to the enemy's attack. The pastor's wife and I are only two of many wounded healers who feel abandoned, wondering if God will ever use them again. I pray the MB church will learn to offer gentle restoration and unconditional love to those who have fallen on the front lines.
Name withheld
Helping the church to grow
In the last few months, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the MB Herald and the staff. You have been dealing with issues that have taught me and allowed me to grow in compassion for those struggling around me. In some cases, I simply didn't know what to look for and then what to say. Thank you for dealing with so many important topics. You are helping the church to grow and become more like Christ.
Your magazine has affected me so much that I've shared it with numerous people. I even approached my pastor because I sensed he was on the road to burn-out. The issue I gave him was well received and he took a much needed vacation.
Tammy Harwood,
London, Ont.
Pursuit of power
If nothing else, the General Conference convention at Waterloo has defined the generation lines which divide the Mennonite Brethren Church. Control is in the hands of the baby boomers where it should be. But why shut out the older and the younger generations? The retired and soon to be retired generations still have a lot more to give than only money.
Where is the younger generation the church seems to be courting? Will they really only pick up a dropped baton? Could it be that again leaders fearful of losing power will not pass the baton on?
The older members of the church have nothing more to give than money. Leaders are jockeying for position and power. The younger generation is a threat to the leaders. Is this the Mennonite Brethren Church we see emerging? It should not be. We are all followers of Jesus. Our leaders are followers of Jesus with a special gift from God. They deserve to be honoured regardless of their age.
Henry Koop,
Winnipeg, Man.
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