Return to the M.B.Herald Vol. 37, No. 8 Home Page
Board of Communications |
MB Conference Worldwide Web siteswww.mbconf.ca/mb/mbherald.htm www.mbconf.ca www.mbconf.ca/mb/cem www.mbconf.ca/mb/cmbs.htm www.mbconf.org www.nyc99.com www.concordcollege.mb.ca www.bethany.sk.ca www.columbiabc.edu www.mobynet.com/~mbms/ www.mbconf.org/mbc/kp/kindred.htm www.mbconf.org/mbc/brm/rm.htm www.fresno.edu/mbseminary www.infobahn.mb.ca/mbcom/ www.mennonitecc.ca/mcc/ www.fresno.edu/hc www.fresno.edu/cmbs Board of CommunicationsStaff:ProgramCentre for Mennonite Brethren Studies (Archives)Mennonite Brethren Herald Mennonitische Rundschau Le Lien Chinese Herald |
MB HeraldStaffLast year, editor Jim Coggins and managing editor Susan Brandt were both affirmed by the Board for another four-year term. They were commended for their effective ministry among us. Peter Woelk joined the Herald staff in January, 1998 as an editorial assistant. The Herald staff continue to work hard at producing a very creative periodical.Budget CutsConference budget cuts have resulted in one issue of the Herald being cancelled. Another may be cancelled in May, and a couple of issues have been reduced in length. Cancelling an issue of the Herald saves money in preparation, printing and mailing costs (but reduces ad revenue). These savings, however, must be balanced against the increased pressure of material that needs to be communicated in our Conference. We must maintain a publishing level that serves both our readers and other Conference agencies well. In the long run, it will not save the Conference money if the Herald is cut back and other agencies are forced to launch their own magazines in order to get their message out.Reader SurveyThis spring, a random sample of Herald readers will be surveyed. The results will assist in evaluating the effectiveness of the various elements of the Herald as well as in providing possible direction for change. These results will be available for the July convention.Funded Postal RatesAs outlined in the March 6, 1998 issue of the Herald (News, Editorial), the Herald is facing the possible loss of its Funded Postal Rates (formerly called second class mailing privileges). This could increase postage costs by up to 400% (over $100,000 a year). This would mean a 30% increase in funding (or a very significant cut in publishing) at a time when our budget is already facing cuts. There have been a number of new developments regarding this issue:At this point, the Board and staff are continuing to pursue a number of options, but with no obvious solution. One proposal is that the Herald could continue to be sent out as before; members receiving the Herald would have $24 deducted from the charitable receipt they receive for their donations to their local church each year; this money would be considered a subscription purchase rather than a donation (i.e., no longer be tax-deductible); the $24 would be forwarded to the Canadian MB Conference as part of the church's "norm" contributions. The Board has made no decision on whether such an approach would be possible or desirable. Mennonitische RundschauLast summer, Lorina Marsch, editor of the Rundschau for over eight years, was called, along with her husband Roland, to serve in Germany under MBMS International. Her dedication and significant ministry to the Conference will be missed.Brigitte Penner was appointed interim editor in the fall. On April 1, 1998, Brigitte Penner and Marianne Dulder begin serving as co-editors. Their experience with the Rundschau (both have served as editorial assistants) and their heart for ministry were affirmed by the Board. Further discussion regarding the possible repositioning of the Rundschau will await the completed report of a task force exploring possible future options for the paper. Le LienLe Lien, under the editorship of Annie Brosseau, continues to serve as a vital link among the churches in Quebec and between the churches of Quebec and the Canadian Conference. Her creative ministry is appreciated.Brosseau's husband Jean-Victor, Mennonite Central Committee representative to Quebec, travelled to Chad, Congo and Europe last summer, and Annie was able to join him in Europe. They made contact with some Le Lien readers in those areas. In the past year, Le Lien has begun to occasionally exchange articles with Christ Seul, a Mennonite periodical in France. Le Lien is upgrading some equipment and programs this summer, creating the possibility that Le Lien could be put onto the worldwide web, as the MB Herald is now. Chinese HeraldThe Chinese Herald is in transition, after editor Keynes Kan moved back to Hong Kong last year. Pastor Isaac Chang of Burnaby Pacific Grace Chinese Church is now serving as editor, and it is hoped that an assistant can be appointed to do much of the work.As a result of the transition, the Chinese Herald, intended to be published four times a year, has been published only sporadically. At the moment, the Chinese churches in British Columbia are publishing a small local newsletter at their own expense. The Board of Communications still has long-term plans to develop the Chinese Herald into a larger, more frequent periodical to serve this growing segment of our constituency all across Canada. The exact nature of this periodical will be decided in conjunction with the Chinese MB churches. The Internet/Worldwide WebCanadian Mennonite Brethren presence on the internet/worldwide web continues to expand (see list of Canadian MB web sites).In the past year, a "Policy on the Use of the Internet" has been developed by the Board of Communications to give direction regarding the expanding Mennonite Brethren presence on the web. While discussion at a variety of levels still needs to take place, the Board of Communications is proposing that a part-time webmaster be hired by the Canadian MB Conference. Duties would include the following: Centre for Mennonite Brethren StudiesThe Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies is the official archive and historical centre for the Canadian Conference. Its role is to "create a usable past". Part of its function is to receive, organize and preserve the historical records of the Conference, its institutions and its congregations, as well as the personal papers of conference leaders. It also seeks to foster knowledge, understanding and appreciation for our history in a way that can help our church move toward greater faithfulness to Jesus Christ.During the past year, the largest collection that has been transferred to the Centre is the records of Winkler Bible School, which closed in 1997. Although the Centre does not use Conference money to publish books, the Centre has published a series of books during the past several years. Money for these ventures has come from donations and the sale of the books. An example is the recent publication of David Ewert's Honour Such People. Abe Dueck, the director of the Centre, also recently completed a book entitled, Moving Beyond Succession: Defining Russian Mennonite Brethren Mission and Identity, 1872-1922. We are thankful for his continuing contribution to a deeper understanding of our history. Members of every region and every ethnic background are invited to help us make the past and the present usable for the next generation of our church. |
Return to the M.B.Herald Vol. 37, No. 8 Home Page