Pastors and leaders witnessed an answer to prayer at the annual convention of the Alberta Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (ABMB) which took place March 21–22, 2014, at River West Christian Church.
Alberta conference
Hoping to rediscover the call of God’s kingdom on their lives, some 100 people gathered at Dalhousie MB Church, Calgary, Mar. 15–16, for the annual convention of the Alberta conference (ABMB). By the end of the weekend, the province had agreed to collaborate more intentionally with the national conference, and to outsource most of its services, resourcing, and even budget to the Canadian conference, in order to see God’s kingdom come in Alberta.
“Today you’re released from having a perfect family, marriage, and walk with God,” GospelCoach.com founder Scott Thomas told the Alberta MB convention, calling them to become shepherds who initiate care, lead eagerly, and provide a reproducible model (1 Peter 5:1–5): “We need to be examples of how ‘my life is messed up and, through the gospel, he transforms it.’”
“Staying on TRAC (trajectory, replenishment, awareness, choices)” was the theme for the March 18–19 gathering of Alberta MB congregational representatives at Sunrise Community Church, Edmonton. Yet the theme might have very well been “A new normal.”
“We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2). Speaker Gary Thomas repeated this line in each of his four sessions over the course of the Alberta Conference of MB Churches (ABMB) leader’s day and convention, Mar. 19–20, not as condemnation, but a freeing admission of failures in the pursuit of holy living.
Stewardship Ministries of Canadian Conference of MB Churches has positions available; New Executive board of Alberta MB Conference; Provincial church planting directors meet in Whistler; Dr. Delphin Kapasa visits various Canadian MB settings
I have watched, with dismay, the growing disconnect between our local MB church families, and the provincial and Canadian conferences. There was a time when poverty, persecution, struggle, and common goals knit us together; but times have changed and the family is drifting apart.
While the Liberal party of Canada gathered in Vancouver to officially recognize Michael Ignatieff as their leader, two provincial MB conferences were also holding their annual conventions, in Abbotsford, B.C., and at College Drive Community Church in Lethbridge, Alta.
The Alberta conference held three Regional Council of Church Leaders meetings January 19-21, in Edmonton, Calgary, and Lethbridge. Ewald Unruh, director of the national conference’s Regenerate 21-01, participated in the evenings of information, connection, conversation, and prayer.
Introducing Ramsy Unruh, Steve Reimer, Yohannes Engida, Terry Sawatsky, Paul Loewen, Vern Heidebrecht, Claude Pratte, Andrea Geiser
Farewell to Leah Hageman-Vermeulen, Victor Kliewer, Nelson Kraybill, Merv Boschman- MB HeraldNewsPeople and Events
Alberta counts on ad hoc committee to point the way forward
by Laura KalmarAnnual convention of Alberta MB churches meets in Edmonton Alberta churches voted unanimously for an ad hoc committee to lead the conference into the future, after nomination ballots for vacant…