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Mennonite Central Committee received more than 7,200 "Comfor-t'n Joy" bundles which were distributed to disheartened refugees in Serbia during December.--
MCCThere are 208 Mennonite Brethren congregations in Canada, comprising approximately 31,300 members. Of these 28 congregations, with about 2200 members, worship in a language other than English. There are 162 MB congregations and 20,450 members in the US. Of these 54 congregations comprising 3600 members worship in other languages.-- BOARD OF RESOURCE MINISTRIES
Robert Thompson died Nov. 16 in Langley, B.C. at age 83. Thompson went to Ethiopia as a RCAF pilot during World War II and helped reorganize the Ethiopian air force. After the war, he served as advisor to Ethiopia's Emperor Haile Selassie, worked as a deputy minister in the Ethiopian Ministry of Education to develop a system of public schools and then worked with Sudan Interior Mission. He returned to Canada in 1957. He helped with several Christian higher education efforts, including the founding of Trinity Western University in 1962 (he served at various times as board of governors chair, vice-president for development and professor). In the 1960s, he was national leader of the Social Credit party, which held the balance of power in minority parliaments, and was a frequent prayer partner of Prime Minister Lester Pearson. He was instrumental in developing the Canadian International Development Agency. He was active in the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, World Vision of Canada, Samaritan's Purse and other charitable organizations. His funeral was held Nov. 22 at Trinity Western University, with Franklin Graham preaching the funeral sermon--B.C. CHRISTIAN NEWS, CHRISTIAN COURIER
The Alberta Gaming Commission indicates that from 1993 to 1997, more than 100 churches applied for and received $3,669,022 in gambling revenue. Among them were a Christian and Missionary Alliance camp, and Foothills Alliance Church in Calgary, which received $125,000 for its building fund. Some church leaders claimed they were unaware that the money had come from gambling profits. However, a representative from the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission said it is impossible for churches not to know the source of the money since it is stated on all documents, including the cheques. Alberta receives a higher percentage of revenues from gambling than does any other province. Albertans put an average of $214 per person per year into gambling. The revelations have undercut efforts by Christians to limit gambling in the province. Recently, ministers and other activists in several smaller Alberta communities had successfully campaigned to have Video Lottery Terminals removed from their towns.--CHRISTIANWEEK
A Mennonite Central Committee thrift store volunteer in Brandon, Man. found rolls of $100 bills in a bag of donated items she was sorting in October, 1996. After police were called, the money was counted and deposited into a separate bank account. Ads were placed in the local papers, but no one claimed the money. Last year, the money was turned over to the thrift store, and a cheque for $45,000 was forwarded to MCC.--MCC
Mennonite Disaster Service gave southern Manitoba flood survivors a gift of $25,000 last Christmas. This was part of $100,000 donated by MDS, the Canadian Red Cross, the Salvation Army and Rotary Clubs to support a community initiative called Christmas in the Valley. The events, which ran between Nov. 29 and Dec. 18, were held to help foster hope and ease tensions between neighbours due to the flood. Seven communities participated. Christmas parties focussed on children and included visits from Santa, a gift and a goodie bag, carolling and refreshments. Christmas hampers were provided to 600 families.--MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE
Georgi Vins, founder of Russian Gospel Ministries, has died of a brain tumour. Vins, whose grandfather was a Mennonite Brethren pastor in Borden, Sask. at one time, was released from a Siberian prison camp in the 1970s and exiled to North America. He began a ministry of supplying Bibles and literature to the Soviet Union, eventually returning to preach.--RUSSIAN GOSPEL MESSENGER
The Supreme Court of Canada heard an appeal from Delwin Vriend arguing that it is unconstitutional for the Alberta government not to add "sexual orientation" to its human rights legislation. Vriend, a homosexual, was dismissed as a lab instructor by King's College, a Christian liberal arts school in Edmonton, because he refused to adhere to the college's statement on sexual activities. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and Focus on the Family Canada intervened in the case, arguing that legislatures, not the courts, should create laws. They fear the case could limit the right of religious organizations to require employees to adhere to moral standards based on the organizations' religious beliefs. A decision in the case is expected in 1998.--EFC
The World Health Organization estimates that there are 6,000 new infections of HIV every day; 30 million to 40 million people will be infected by the virus, believed to cause AIDS, by the end of this century. To date, 4.5 million people infected by HIV now have full-scale AIDS. By the year 2000, more than 90% of the people with HIV will live in the third world.--WORLD PULSE
Estimated number of people infected with HIV
Sub-Saharan Africa 14,000,000
South and Southeast Asia 4,800,000
North America 780,000
Caribbean 270,000
East Asia and Pacific 35,000
Eastern Europe and Central Asia 30,000
Australia 13,000
Youth Mission International in 1997 surveyed the almost 1000 alumni who have been through its programs in the last nine years. 97% of the respondents indicated that YMI had equipped them for further ministry; 62% have since been involved in some form of youth ministry in their local church; 34% have been involved in some form of community service; 79% are planning to be involved in further missions/service in the next 5 years; 26% are interested in longer terms of service (2-3 years); 33% are interested in being part of a church planting project; and 31% are interested in outreach ministry to unreached peoples. The survey showed that 77% of SOAR alumni and 69% of YMI alumni in general rated their experience with YMI as exceptional.--YOUTH MISSION INTERNATIONAL
A Mennonite church building in Bayursari Karyatani, Lampung, Indonesia was burned by a crowd of 300-500 people Nov. 25. The pastor's motorcycle and all the equipment and tools kept in the church were damaged. The cost estimate for the damage is $6,500, the equivalent of the total annual income of all the households of the church. Government officials were called after the riot began, but police didn't arrive until one-and-a-half hours after the disturbance started, too late to prevent the damage. The members of the church do not seem frightened by the incident. On Dec. 7, the church conducted a revival service and baptized 27 new members. In the last two years, 105 Christian churches have been reported destroyed by burning in Indonesia. Others may have been burned but have not been reported. This is the first Mennonite church to be burned. There are about 160 Mennonite congregations in Indonesia, with approximately 63,000 members. Mennonite World Conference is accepting donations to assist the church in Lampung.--MENNONITE WORLD CONFERENCE
Michael Ingham, an Anglican bishop from New Westminster, B.C., has written a controversial book called Mansions of the Spirit. In the book, Ingham says he can't resolve how a loving God could condemn billions of people simply because they don't believe in Jesus Christ. He says, "There are diverse paths to God, and that God is active among the spiritual traditions outside Christianity." He also says that the 39 Articles of the Anglican Chruch, which specify that salvation is through Christ alone, are archaic and representative of "what our church held and believed in the 16th century". United Church of Canada moderator Bill Phipps created even more controversy when he was quoted in the Oct. 24 Ottawa Citizen as saying "I don't believe Jesus was God. . . . I don't believe He rose from the dead as a scientific fact. . . . I don't believe Jesus is the only way to God." The General Council of the United Church met Nov. 21-24 in Toronto, but refused to censure Phipps for his remarks. According to a 1994 survey by Reg Bibby, a sociologist of religion at the University of Lethbridge, 4 out of 5 United Church members held "traditional beliefs concerning the existence of God, the divinity of Jesus and life-after-death," while only 1 in 4 faculty members in United Church seminaries believed it was very important to confess "Jesus as Lord and Saviour."--B.C. CHRISTIAN NEWS, CHRISTIANWEEK
Church of Satan founder Anton Szandor LaVey died of heart complications Oct. 29. LaVey wrote the Satanic Bible. His themes of materialism, indulgence and vengeance influenced rock music and the drug culture. His daughter, Karla LaVey, says she will continue her father's work.--INTERCESSORS FOR AMERICA
Mennonite Economic Development Associates is sponsoring a women's leadership retreat July 10-12 at the Womanship Sailing School, Annapolis, Maryland. The retreat is for Mennonite women who want to "stretch their creative thinking skills, grow spiritually, identify their own leadership styles and get to know other women involved in business". More information is available from MEDA at 1-800-665-7026.--MEDA
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