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Eleanor Epp Stobbe will begin as Women's Network Co-ordinator in early January. She is a Th.D. candidate at the Toronto School of Theology and a graduate of Niagara College, Goshen College and Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries. She served for six years as pastor in Hamilton (Ont.) Mennonite church and is now living in Winnipeg and teaching part-time at Canadian Mennonite Bible College. Tom Snowdon will begin mid-November as Peace Ministries Co-ordinator. Tom is currently pastor at Fort Richond Assembly (Pentecostal) and vice-president of the Manitoba Council for International Co-operation. Originally from Sackville, New Brunswick, he has degrees from the University of Western Ontario and Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saskatoon and a D.Min from Covenant theological Seminary in St.Louis, Missouri.
Keith and Heidi Poysti were installed as senior pastoral couple at Elmwood (Winnipeg, Man.) MB Church on October 5, 1997. Keith has been working in the church since July 1, coming most recently from an interim pastor position in Steinbach, Man. The Poystis have also served at the Burrows Bethel (Winnipeg), River East (Winnipeg) MB and St Luke's (Fresno, Calif.) United Methodist Churches. They have three teenage children--Nathan, Rachel and Sarah.
Wayne Loewen has resigned as pastor of worship and music at Northview Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C., effective Dec. 31, after serving for almost nine years. He studied at Bethany Bible Institute; was a member of the band Bondservant for five years (including touring full-time with Global Outreach for a year); worked in construction while serving as a volunteer youth sponsor and youth choir leader at Central Heights MB Church in Abbotsford; studied for a year at Trinity Western University; served for three-and-a-half years as youth and music pastor at College Drive Community Church in Lethbridge, Alta.; earned a B.Mus. at University of British Columbia; and served a one-year internship at Willingdon Church in Burnaby, B.C. In January, he will become pastor of worship and music at Copper Hills Community Church, the new MB church plant in Phoenix, Ariz.; that church has begun having interest meetings and plans to begin public worship services March 15, 1998. He and his wife Debbie have two children, Jessica, 12, and Desiree, 10.
Graeme Isbister will become senior pastor of Sardis Community Church in Chilliwack, B.C. on Nov. 24. He has a B.A. and a teaching certificate from the University of Victoria, has taken extension studies from Fuller Theological Seminary and has an M.Div. from Regent College in Vancouver. He taught high school for two years in Nigeria and three years on Vancouver Island; served for five years as an administrator with Cridge Centre, a ministry to low-income families in Victoria, B.C.; was chaplain for three years with the Fellowship Baptist Housing Society in Victoria; and for the past three-and-a-half years has been chaplain at Chilliwack Hospital. His wife Verna is a half-time school teacher. They have three children, Anna, Sarah, 13, and David, 10.
Doug and Karen Braun became senior pastor couple of Arnold (B.C.) Community Church at the beginning of October. A native of Clearwater, B.C., Doug studied at Columbia Bible Institute (now College) in Abbotsford, B.C., was on the CBI staff for a year and then completed his B.Th. at Okanagan Bible College. He then worked in Kelowna for seven years in auto mechanics, construction and a family business. The Brauns then served as associate pastor couple at West Portal MB Church in Saskatoon for five years and as pastor couple of Vernon (B.C.) Community Church for the past year and a half. They have two sons, Caleb, 5, and Logan, 2.
Bill McGladdery resigned as pastor of West Clearbrook Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C., effective Oct. 17, after serving for five years. He has a B.R.E and an M.A. from Briercrest Theological Seminary. He previously served as associate pastor of Clearbrook MB Church for two-and-a-half years and as pastor of Kelstern (Sask.) Community Church for six years, and has also worked as an electrician. He and his wife Sandy have five children and one grandson. They are open to further ministry.
Dan Thiessen completed three-and-a-half years as half-time associate pastor of Yarrow (B.C.) MB Church Sept. 30. He has a B.R.E. from Prairie Bible College in Three Hills, Alta. and an M.A. in biblical counselling from Providence Seminary in Otterburne, Man. He previously served for five-and-a-half years in mission work in Israel, sponsored by East Aldergrove MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C.; one-and-a-half years as associate pastor at Steinbach (Man.) MB Church; and two years as pastor of Discovery Community Church in Campbell River, B.C. while also running North Island Pastoral Counselling. While at Yarrow, he has been also working as a counsellor with Columbia Christian Counselling Group in Abbotsford. He has now established his own counselling office in Sardis, B.C. His wife Sandy also has an M.A. in biblical counselling from Providence Seminary; she is a counsellor for the Chilliwack School district and also does some private counselling. The Thiessens have three children, Rachel, Amanda and Avi, and one grandchild.
Fifty-two workers participated in an orientation at Mennonite Central Committee headquarters in Akron, Pa. Sept. 9-19. Twenty-nine are beginning overseas assignments and 23 assignments in North America. Orlando and Vivian Schmidt of Abbotsford, B.C. are beginning three-year assignments in Brazil, Orlando in agricultural economics and Vivian at general education. Orlando has a bachelor's degree in agriculture and plant science from University of British Columbia, Vivian received a bachelor's degree in education from Trinity Western University. Orlando was last employed at an agricultural consulting firm in Abbotsford. Vivian last worked as teacher in Chilliwack, B.C. They are members of West Clearbrook Community Church in Abbotsford. Their children are Jayden and Raquel. Bill Giesbrecht of Abbotsford is beginning a two-year assignment in Abbotsford as co-manager of the Abbotsford Furniture Store. He has a M.Ed. from Western Washington State College in Bellingham, Wash. and was last employed as a teacher and administrator in Abbotsford. He is a member of Bakerview MB Church in Abbotsford. His wife is Marie. Art Matz of Abbotsford is beginning a two-year assignment in Harlan, Ky. as a construction supervisor. He has a bachelor's degree in religious studies from Okanagan Bible College in Kelowna, B.C., was last employed as a farmer in Abbotsford and is a member of King Road MB Church in Abbotsford. Lori Smith of Winnipeg is beginning a one-year assignment in Winnipeg as an adult drop-in coordinator. She has a bachelor's degree in church music from Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg and was last employed as campus hostess at the College. She is a member of Fort Garry MB Church in Winnipeg.
Doug Barkman, a first-year student at Columbia Bible College, is serving a part-time voluntary internship with the MB Herald in the Abbotsford, B.C. office. He is from Landmark, Man.
Family Camp at Columbia Bible Camp Sept. 12-14 provided the setting for the installation of David and Diana Macfarlane as pastor couple of Chilliwack (B.C.) Central MB Church. The installation was led by Jake Balzer, chair of the pastoral ministry committee of B.C. TheMacfarlanes have three daughters: Susan, grade 12, Heather, grade 9 and Victoria, grade 5.
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