Personalia

Vic Schellenberg has been made full-time associate pastor of children's ministries at Northview Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C. For the past year and a half, he has been serving as half-time assistant to the associate pastor of children's ministries at the church.

Owen Prince became grade 6-7 pastor, a new position, at Northview Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C. on Sept. 1. He has been a youth pastor intern at the church for three years, the last year full-time. He is finishing his last courses to complete his bachelor's degree at Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C.

West Edmonton (Alberta) MB Church has officially changed its name to River West Christian Church.

Kerry Dyck became associate pastor of discipleship and worship at River West Christian Church in Edmonton on Oct. 7. He has a diploma from Columbia Bible College, a B.Ed. from the University of Saskatchewan and an M.Div. from MB Biblical Seminary. He served for five years as a church planter at Cornerstone Community Church in Dartmouth, N.S. and completed two years as pastor of music and worship at Waterloo (Ont.) MB Church this summer. He and his wife Sandy have three children, Kevin, 8, Erin, 5, and Graham, almost 2. Although the salary for his position at River West is only half-time, the Dycks and the church have committed to partner together to raise the second half of the salary and free Kerry to minister full-time; to date, over 50% of the second half of his salary has been raised.

Boris Alfaro became pastor of Iglesia Evangelica Vida Abundante (Abundant Life Evangelical Church) in Winnipeg on Oct. 1, replacing Ernesto Pinto, who is moving into full-time radio ministry with MB Communications. Alvaro came to Christ through the ministry of Willingdon Church in Burnaby, B.C. He served a one-year internship at Willingdon, studied for three years at Rio Grande Bible Institute in Texas and then returned to Willingdon to serve as an assistant pastor in Willingdon's Hispanic congregation for two years. He and his wife Teresa have a four-month-old daughter Ana Brenda.

Scott and Carla Lanigan begin service as youth pastor couple at Richmond Bethel MB Church in Richmond, B.C. on Oct. 26. Scott has a B.A. from Briercrest Bible College and completed four years as youth pastor of Arnold Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C. this summer.

Phil and Elvira Born resigned as pastor couple of Gem (Alta.) MB Church Aug. 31. After Phil graduated from MB Biblical Seminary, the Borns served as pastor couple of Cariboo Christian Life Fellowship at 108 Ranch, B.C. for two years and then as associate pastor couple of Highland MB Church in Calgary for three years. The Borns have four children. They have decided to return to farming, and Phil is now managing a horse ranch near Linden, Alta.

Last May 25, the Sunday school classes of Gem (Alta.) MB Church put on a community pancake breakfast in order to raise money for flood victims in Manitoba. $1249 was raised. The Sunday school children did the cooking, serving and cleaning up, and "had a wonderful time".

Dalhousie MB Community Church in Calgary, Alta. baptized and received into membership Dennis and Joy Stewart and Kari Willems on June 1, 1997.

The Christian Fellowship Chapel in Severn Township, Ont. has accepted Tim Whatley into membership. Tim and his wife Kathy, who has been a member for several years, are preparing to leave for missionary sevice in Irian Jaya, with New Tribes Mission.

Herb and Linda Wiebe became missionary development representatives for Mexican Mission Ministries (a new division of Global Outreach Mission) on Aug. 1. Their ministry will include itinerant activities with contacts, friends and churches across North America, with regular trips into Mexico. The Wiebes are graduates of Bethany Bible Institute and previously served under MB Missions/Services for four-and-a-half years in Bogota, Colombia. Herb also served in the Westwood Community Church in Winnipeg. The Wiebes have two sons, Herb Jr., 19, and Matt, 17.

On June 22, 1997, Elmwood MB Church in Winnipeg bade farewell to senior pastor couple Abe and Alvina Klassen, who began their service with Elmwood in July, 1989, after moving from Saskatoon, Sask. Canadian MB Conference executive minister Reuben Pauls spoke at the morning service. In the evening, the church family gathered for supper. Under the leadership of moderator Neil Janzen, many tributes of recognition for work well done were brought by various members. The Klassens are moving back to Saskatoon to serve as interim senior pastor couple at Forest Grove Community Church. They have two grown children, Ryan, in Toronto, and Florianne Klassen Nickel, in Saskatoon.