Winnipeg MBs join Christian community to worship God at new stadium
Winnipeg
More than 15,000 came out to worship God and stand in unity at the inaugural event of the new Investor’s Group Field, home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, May 26. They represented more than 90 churches from the Winnipeg area, including 10 Mennonite Brethren churches: Crossroads MB Church, Eastview Church, Église communautaire de la Rivière Rouge, Elmwood MB Church, Jubilee Mennonite Church, McIvor Avenue MB Church, North Kildonan MB Church, Portage Avenue Church, Walls of Freedom, and Westwood Community Church.
The event, the fourth annual One Heart service, was the result of collaboration between many denominations. Milt Stegall, former Bombers receiver and CFL Hall of Famer, delivered a short message, after which Mark Hughes (Church of the Rock) preached a sermon of encouragement and sports metaphors.
The service also kickstarted the two week “Love Winnipeg” initiative, through which churches will serve in a variety of ways in their local community.
“I guess from a personal standpoint and a church standpoint, it is my opinion that we don’t do enough interchurch events,” said Rick Koss, moderator of McIvor MB Church. “So I think this was a terrific opportunity. We were sitting with a bunch of people from Filippino background,…some relatively recent Chinese immigrants, and so that was just really good to have an opportunity to gather together.” He says his church’s Love Winnipeg activities in the coming days will involve doing some work at Madison Lodge (a ministry church members have connected with), and “delivering cookies and stuff to the firehalls and schools around the neighbourhood – that sort of thing.”
One Heart, One Lord, One Church, One Harvest!
—Paul Esau, summer intern with the Canadian Conference of MB Churches and the MB Herald
Photos by Matthew Veith
Updated with participate quote May 27.
1 comment
Very encouraging reports on PAC, Winnipeg.
Also loved he dated report on the opening of the WBB stadium.