Personalia

Roland Marsch resigned as senior pastor of Portage Ave. MB Church in Winnipeg, effective Oct. 31, after serving for seven years. His wife Lorina resigned as editor of the Mennonitische Rundschau, effective Oct. 31, after serving for eight years. They will be moving to Dresden, Germany Dec. 1, where they will serve as pastor couple at the Evangelical Mennonite Free Church there and serve in outreach ministry. This is an MB congregation planted six years ago by MB Missions/Services missionary couple Lawrence and Selma Warkentin, the first MB congregation to be planted in the former East German city. The Marsches are both garduates of Coaldale Bible School and MB Bible College. They previously served as pastor couple of Grassy Lake (Alta.) Community Church for two years, pastor couple of the MB Church in Neuwied, Germany under MBM/S for 12 years and senior pastor couple of North Kildonan MB Church in Winnipeg for seven-and-a-half years. Roland then served for four years as Canadian MB Conference Minister. The Marsches have three grown children and nine grandchildren.

Harry Engstrom has resigned as associate pastor for missions, children and visitation at Central Heights MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C., effective the end of December, after serving in the church for three years. In January, he will become full-time children's pastor at Smokey Point Community Church in Arlington, Wash. He earned a B.R.E. in Christian education from Briercrest Bible College, worked for a year in the Canadian prairies with the Canadian Sunday School Mission, then worked as a freelance wildlife artist for 10 years. He then worked for eight years with Village Missions, pastoring churches in California and Oregon and helping in the Village missions graphics department. He and his wife Grace have two children, Charissa, 17, and Eric, 14.

Scott Koop began service as youth pastor at Steinbach (Man.) MB Church on Nov. 3. He studied for two years at Winkler Bible Institute and studies architecture for three years at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ont. He has worked at various jobs, most recently as an estimator for a commercial contractor. He has been a youth sponsor at Fort Garry MB Church in Winnipeg for the last four years. His wife Natalie is a half-time kindergarten teacher at Linden Christian School in Winnipeg. They have one son, Spencer, 2.

On Sept. 28, Panorama Community Church in Surrey, B.C. received nine new members: Michel Bogelund, Nicole Folk, Ron and Kathy Moes, John and Sue Nickel, Kelly Schultz and Andy and Yuka Ward. On Oct. 5, Panorama baptized seven more new members: Cam and Geraldine Ree, Larry and Lori Ykema, Tom Janovsky, Lane Wilson and Melissa Long. The baptism took place in the parking lot of Seaquam Secondary School, in which the church meets for Sunday services.

Woodrow (Sask.) Gospel Chapel celebrated Thanksgiving and missions awareness Oct. 5, with John Barkman of Briercrest Bible College speaking in the morning and afternoon services. Music by the Woodrow choir, a ladies' trio and a male quartet, a well-attended noon meal, fellowship and fall decorations contributed to an atmosphere of thankfulness and joy.