Letters to the editor

My wife and I were distressed by the article "Teacher Dismissed" (Nov. 7). It seems that the biblical process of forgiveness I grew up with as a Mennonite Brethren has broken down. When a brother or sister sinned, it was not broadcast, but kept within the circle of those aware of it. In this case, a letter to the parents should have been enough. To publicize the sin in an international magazine is unwarranted.

As disturbing is the implication that old sin that has been confessed, dealt with and followed by intensive counselling, must be tagged with lifelong consequences. The apostle Paul dealt with serious sexual sin in I Corinthians, then wrote in II Corinthians 2:6-8: "The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him." Why is Paul now urging loving acceptance? That's in verses 10-11: "I have forgiven . . . in order that Satan might not outwit us." We're suspicious that the public hysteria over unwarranted sexual advances convinced the MEI board to short-circuit the biblical approach.

Many of us have a tough time with the depth of God's forgiveness, particularly in an increasingly judgemental church environment growing out of the world's unwillingness to deal with sin. We cannot, however, let strident voices reflecting the world's attitudes short-circuit an appropriate biblical process. The church needs to be genuinely biblical, truly forgiving and restoring the repentant sinner, even though we may be misunderstood by judgemental members of our community.

Les and Rita Stobbe, (E)

Haverhill, Mass.

Having read the Nov. 7 issue, I felt it appropriate to submit the following poem written by my daughter several years ago after she saw the video "The Silent Scream" with her grade 12 class:

Name withheld

As you will see elsewhere in the issue, the Mennonite Heritage Cruise has a new address because we have switched travel agency partners. People who have already booked on the 1998 cruise will receive their cheques back and be asked to reissue them to the new travel agency.

Walter and Marina Unger, (E)

Toronto, Ont.

I relate to the letter from a pastor's wife (July 18) and almost believed someone had written my story. The story is obviously the same all across Canada--there are numerous casualties who have felt the pain of rejection and abandonment, and yet very little seems to be done for them.

I, too, struggle with the sense that there is very little bearing of one another's burdens. It is time that the church of Christ takes responsibility for how it treats its leadership.

When God called us into ministry, it was with much trepidation that we accepted, but we wanted to be faithful. I fail to understand the huge gap between the biblical and manmade grounds for dismissal. Far too often it is nothing more than personal preference or some hidden agenda by a handful of disgruntled people. That the seeds of discontent were sown at a deacons meeting (when the time should have been spent in prayer for the pastor and the church) speaks of undermining of the highest magnitude.

Expecting one man to be all things to all people is more than even the secular world expects from its employees. I fail to understand why it is always the leader who has to leave the church. Unrealistic expectations put on by a few people do not warrant a "mutual' resignation.

The front lines make us vulnerable to Satan's attacks, but when the attacks come from within the body of Christ, the pain is much harder to bear.

It is almost impossible for the laity to completely identify with the physical, emotional and spiritual hurt that we experience in ministry. Our Mennonite heritage has instilled in us to live isolated lives to the point where we don't know when or how to give emotional support for fear of meddling. At the risk of meddling, just go and do it! You might just be responding to the call for help from a broken heart.

Only time and prayer will bring me back to experiencing joy in ministry again. In the meantime, I want to be there for others who have also fallen on the front lines.

Name withheld

The article regarding the length of stay by youth pastors (Aug. 29) contained good information, but there was something missing. As a recent graduate of Columbia Bible College's youth ministry program and as a newly hired youth pastor, I have found that my relationship with the senior pastor is most important.

My father, a pastor for many years, told me that I should get to know the senior pastor while candidating. My senior pastor couple, James and Janet Toews, made the transition fairly easy. We go out for lunch every other week. Very often James and I talk about what's going on and how we can help each other. He has become not just a co-worker, but someone who is willing to walk with me through the learning process. When I make a mistake, he talks about the future and how we can avoid making the same mistake, instead of reminding me that I erred. He offers ideas not only for youth ministry but for ministry and life.

I learned a lot in my four years at Columbia; I am continuing to learn. My senior pastor has already made a world of a difference in my ministry and life.

Scott Falk,

Nanaimo, B.C.

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