Personalia
The Mennonite Centre for Newcomers in Edmonton is one of the eight recipients of the 1997 Citizenship and Immigration Canada Citation for Citizenship. The award is given to individuals and organizations that "have demonstrated vision and generosity of spirit towards new Canadians." The Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, in operation since 1981, provides assistance to immigrant seniors and to newcomers who have survived trauma and torture in their countries of origin; helps newcomers find employment through employment counselling and experience programs; and runs an English as a Second Language program.
On Feb. 1, Black Creek (B.C.) MB Church commissioned for ministry two of its youth who recently gradusated from Faith Mission Bible College in Edinburgh, Scotland. Cynthia Ploeg will return to England and Scotland, doing visitation, working with children and preaching; she and a co-worker will minister in different villages for a month at a time. Stefan Schmaling will serve as an associate and youth pastor in Cumberland, B.C. Other Faith Mission College students serving in missions from the church are Jim Hamp, working as a youth pastor in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Kendra Gibson, going to Tanzania with Africa Inland Mission. They and Denny and Andrea Neufeld, on staff at Camp Homewood, and Nate Smith, serving in inner city Los Angeles were among young people significantly influenced by Bible conferences led by Gerhard du Toit at the church in the 1980s.
Pacific Grace Chinese Church South site in Vancouver changed its name and became independent of the north site church in January. Its new name is the South Vancouver Pacific Grace MB Church. The two congregations were originally one congregation that outgrew their original building.
Northwest Community Church in Meadow Lake, Sask., hired Tim and Judy Schroeder to a new full-time position of associate pastor couple Jan. 1. Their main responsibilities will be working with the youth and their families. The Schroeders have been members of Northwest since 1991. Tim worked 3 years for "Door of Hope", a street mission to adults and youth in Meadow Lake and has studied one year at Cornforth Capernwray school, England. He is a journeyman diesel mechanic. Judy has a diploma from Bethany Bible Institute. Previously, they served one year at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Haiti, doing maintenance and teaching staff children; they later returned in 1997 for two months to work on a special project. They have two children, Anna, 4, and Daniel, 2.
Ray and Diane Russell will become senior pastor couple at Orchard Park Bible Church, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., effective July 13. He is presently associate pastor for adult ministries at Forest Grove Community Church in Saskatoon. Previously, he has been associate pastor at Elim Chapel in Winnipeg and at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Bible Church. He has a bachelor's degree from Winnipeg Bible College (now Providence College) and a M.Div. from Phoenix Seminary. The Russells have two teen sons, Derek and Steve.
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