Bill Glasspell has resigned as part-time interim pastor at Regal Heights Community Church, Moose Jaw, Sask., effective Apr. 30, after serving for two years. He has been hired as senior pastor of Vauxhall (Alta.) MB Church, effective May 1. Previously, he was pastor of Evangelical Free Church in Terrace, B.C. and of a church plant in Seven Persons, Alta. for nine years; served with Shantymen International for five years; was a supply preacher for Associated Gospel Church, Davidson, Sask.; and flew search and rescue and reconnaissance aircraft for the air force for 13 years. He has a Master of Ministry degree from Briercrest Biblical Seminary, Caronport, Sask. and a diploma from Prairie Bible School, Three Hills, Alta. He and his wife Sandra have three children: Eric, 25, studying at Briercrest; Geoffrey, 19, studying at the University of Regina; and Jennifer, 17, who after high school is planning a missions trip to England and Scotland
Clinton Bell has resigned as pastor of St. Ann's Community Church, St. Ann, Ont., effective May 30. He has been appointed part-time director of church extension for the Ontario MB Conference, effective July 1 (see MBH, News, Apr. 2). He will be working out of his home in Waterloo, Ont. A member of Waterloo MB Church, he was elected to the Ontario MB Conference Board of Church Extension in 1997 and has served as its chair. Previously, he pastored an independent church in Zion, Ill., Emmanuel Missionary Church, Elmira, Ont., 1973-79; and Didsbury (Alta.) Missionary Church 1979-81. He has taught at Mountainview Bible College and has been a Christian radio broadcaster for 10 years in South Bend, Ind., Detroit, Mich. and Wingham, Ont. In 1980, he suffered a heart attack, and in 1981 he moved back to Waterloo. His wife Lorraine died 10 years ago. In June 1990 he married Mary. He has three grown children living in the US.
Paul Woods has resigned as the stewardship ministries representative of the Canadian MB Conference for British Columbia south, effective in June, after serving for five years. He has a B.A. in pastoral ministries from Briercrest Bible College, Caronport, Sask. Previously, he owned an insurance brokerage in St. Catharines, Ont. 1984-89 and was involved in construction and accounting in Parry Sound, Ont., his home town. Paul and his wife Melodie, are members of attend Arnold Community Church in Abbotsford, B.C. and have three sons, Nathan (Nate), 22, Adam, 20, and Luke, 17. They are open to further ministry.
Cam Rowland has resigned after six years as youth pastor of Niverville (Man.) MB Church, effective June 30. In 1995, he graduated with a B.A. from Providence College, Otterburne, Man. He plans to go to MB Biblical Seminary in the fall to study towards a Master's degree. During his ministry, he chaired the Manitoba MB Conference youth committee, served on the Canadian MB Conference YNET ministry team and was on the planning team for NYC '99. He and his wife Holly have two children, Harrison, 3, and Toby, 1.
Steven Wiebe has resigned as pastor of Emmanuel Community Church, Pierceland, Sask, effective May 2. He began his ministry with the church in April 1994. He has a B.A. in pastoral ministries from Briercrest Bible College, Caronport, Sask. He will seek other employment and training in the near future and later plans to attend seminary. He then hopes to re-enter pastoral ministry.
Myron Penner has resigned after a year-and-a-half as senior high and college and career pastor at Bakerview MB Church, Abbotsford, B.C., effective Aug. 31. He plans to study full-time towards a Master of Christian Studies degree at Regent College, Vancouver. He has a B.A. in biblical studies from Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford. Previously, he was a pastoral intern in the church for three months in 1996, and he and his wife Andrea have been leaders with the college and career for the last three years. They joined the church in 1995. Andrea is a grade three teacher at Mennonite Educational Institute, Abbotsford.
Hope Fellowship Church in Saskatoon marked the fifth anniversary of its charter service with the Saskatchewan MB Conference on Jan. 23. Reflections took the church back to the group of 40 who gathered under the leadership of Abe and Mary Unrau. The church of about 150 on Sunday mornings uses a cell-based church concept. It has two zones and is budding a third. The pastor couple is Terry and Wanda Froese.
Twenty workers participated in orientation at Mennonite Central Committee headquarters in Akron, Pa., March 2-12. Twelve are beginning overseas assignments, seven are beginning assignments in North America, and one is a national worker from Bangladesh. Gordon Lamb of Aldergrove, B.C. is beginning a two-year assignment in Abbotsford, B.C., where he will work as co-manager of the MCC furniture store. Previously, he was employed as an environmental protection officer for the B.C. government in Surrey. He is a member of East Aldergrove MB Church. He and his wife Susan have two children, Deanne and Stephen.
Richmond Park MB Church in Brandon, Man. ordained Dwayne Dyck Apr. 11 as a missionary to the youth of Brandon. Representatives from the church and Youth For Christ and Manitoba MB Conference representative Aubrey Krahn laid hands on Dwayne and his wife Roxanne and prayed for them. Kyle Jantzen of Saskatoon delivered the sermon. Dwayne grew up in Newton (Man.) Community Fellowship Church, and attended Winkler (Man.) Bible Institute 1988-90, MB Bible (now Concord) College 1990-91 and Brandon University 1991-94. Presently, he is assistant director at Youth For Christ in Brandon, where he has been working since January 1992. He served as an intern in Coaldale (Alta.) MB Church in summer 1990. Currently, he is chair of the Missions and Outreach Committee and serves on the church council at Richmond Park Church. Pictured are (l-r) senior pastor John Unger, Roxanne Dyck, Dwayne Dyck and youth pastor Merlin Enns.
Roger and Rosanne Thiessen have been hired as senior pastor couple of Christian Fellowship Chapel, Orillia, Ont., effective in summer. Previously, Roger was an associate pastor for four years at Portage Ave. MB Church, Winnipeg. He is a graduate of MB Bible (now Concord) College and has an M.Div. from MB Biblical Seminary, Fresno, Calif. Rosanne is a registered nurse. They have two daughters, Marie, 4, and Emily, 2, and are expecting their third child in August.
Chad and Sandy Neustaeter have been hired as full-time youth pastor couple of Bridgeway Community Church, Swift Current, Sask., effective June 1. They both have B.A.s from Providence College, Otterburne, Man. Since 1995, they have been members of Eastview Community Church, Winnipeg, where Chad has helped with the boys' club for two years and they both have worked with the junior church program. Chad is originally from Swift Current, and Sandy grew up in Winnipeg. They have two children, Mikayla, 2, and Ashton, 8 months.
Rocky Taetz has resigned as worship pastor of Northview Community Church, Abbotsford, B.C., effective May 16, after serving 11 months. Previously, he served at Johnston Heights Evangelical Free Church, Surrey, B.C. He has B.A.s in vocal performance, music and communication from Seattle (Wash.) Pacific University. He and his wife Lori have three children, Jericho, 4, Malibu, 2, and Harmony, 11 months. They are open to further ministry.
Scott Lanigan has resigned as youth pastor of Richmond (B.C.) Bethel MB Church, effective June 30, after serving one-and-a-half years. Previously, he served four-and-a-half years as youth pastor at Arnold Community Church, Abbotsford, B.C. He has a B.A. from Briercrest Bible College, Caronport, Sask. He and his wife Carla have one son, Brady, 10 months. They are open to further ministry.
Dalhousie MB Community Church, Calgary baptized Breanne Poetker and Donna Teichroeb on Apr. 18.
Tofield (Alta.) Gospel Church baptized Lesli Solomon and Jen Fisher on Mar. 14.
Panorama Community Church, Surrey, B.C. held a baptism on Apr. 18 for: Kaitlyn Davies, Ross Birdsall, Brandon Pearson, Al Brookes, Maria Brookes and Steve Beukers.
Sunrise Community Church in Edmonton recently baptized and welcomed into the church Wayne Laroche.
Clearbrook MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C. held a farewell service Apr. 25 for Jacob and Mary Pauls, who served the church as associate and senior pastor couple for ten-and-a-half years. They will become associate pastor couple in Elmwood MB Church, Winnipeg, on June 15 (see MBH, Mar. 5). Henry Voth, who has benefitted from 25 years of the Paulses pastoral ministry, first in Herbert, Sask., then in Clearbrook, said he has seen them grow in ministry. Wanda Goertz spoke words of appreciation on behalf of the women, and David Schellenberg wished them well on behalf of the deacons. The Pauls last day of ministry in the Clearbrook church was May 2, when Jacob preached and he and Mary sang duets. Former senior pastor couple John E. and Leona Klassen were commissioned May 2 to serve as interim pastor couple until the end of September, when Peter J. and Betty Klassen become the church's new senior pastor couple (see MBH, May 28).
Several people from Richmond Park MB Church, Brandon, Man., have accepted a call to missions. Bev Giesbrecht left May 21 to spend the summer serving with Mennonite Disaster Service in Birmingham, Ala., and then will be given another posting with MDS until spring 2000. Sara Johnson is working with Operation Mobilization in Georgia, assisting in the distribution of Christian literature. Julie Harder is working with Youth for Christ in Brandon. Robin Mauthe will be returning this spring from Brazil, where he has been involved with Youth Mission International. Tim Vanderstel is leading the BLAST high school ministry with Youth for Christ. Mark Downey is in charge of the Back Alley drop-in centre which ministers to at-risk youth in Brandon through Youth for Christ. Sherri Pries is working with Crisis Pregnancy Centre.
Kelstern (Sask.) Community Church hosted a "Christian Science: Evidence in Your Backyard" seminar Apr. 16-17. Speakers were Peter Kievberg, Michael Oard and Tara Wolfe from Great Falls and Helena, Mont. Kievberg and Oard, having conducted research on the erosion surfaces in Montana and the Cypress Hills regions of Alberta and Saskatchewan, presented information that was both biblical and scientifically verified.
Rick and Jan Janzen have been appointed Mennonite Central Committee directors for the Middle East, effective Apr. 1. They replace Ed Epp, who is now director of international programming for Mennonite Economic Development Associates. The Janzens served as MCC's country representatives in Lebanon and have served with MCC in Nigeria, Saskatchewan and Egypt. MCC currently has 26 volunteers in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and Gaza, and is working in Iraq. The Janzens are members of Mennonite Fellowship of Rosthern, Sask. They have two grown children.