Steve Savage began as lead pastor at Port Rowan (Ont.) MB Church, Mar. 25. He was previously associate pastor of connection and ministry at West Portal (MB) Church, Saskatoon, for 5 years. Steve has a BRE from Covenant Baptist College, Mission, B.C., and attended BCIT, Burnaby, B.C., majoring in marketing management. Prior to his tenure at West Portal, he was executive director of N. Saskatchewan for Leadership Ministry, then national director of marketing for the Caleb Group. Steve and Debbie have 3 children. Paul Robinson has transitioned from lead pastor to pastor of care and connecting, with emphasis on visitation of members and adherents, and small groups. Jonathan Silverthorn, a church member and student at Redeemer College, Ancaster, Ont., will serve as a summer intern, focusing on small group ministry for the college and career group, VBS, and other ministry as needed.
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West Portal Church, Saskatoon, welcomed Jeff Siemens as pastor of associate connection and ministry, commencing full-time work in September. Over the summer, Jeff will spend 1 day per week at West Portal while continuing to provide leadership at Redberry Bible Camp, where he’s served as director since 2008. He studied youth work at Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford, B.C., and is completing a BA in pastoral ministry from Bethany College, Hepburn, Sask. Jeff and Jennifer have 1
daughter.
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Jason and Corina Reimer of St. Catharines, Ont., departed for Chonburi, Thailand, Apr. 28. On a 3-year term with MB Mission, they will do maintenance and administration at Abundant Life Home as well as church planting work. Jason studied at Briercrest Bible College, Caronport, Sask., and Corina participated in MB Mission’s 7-month TREK program to Brazil. They have done youth work at Gateway (MB) Church, St. Catharines, Ont., and support work with MB Mission’s TREK, SOAR, and ACTION programs, as well as participating in TREK in Thailand. The Reimers’ home church is Southridge (MB) Community. They have two sons, Jesse, Chase.
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Kristen (Willems) Durston concluded her term as director of ministry to children (begun in August 2009) on May 6. She has accepted a position with Child Evangelism Fellowship of Saskatchewan.
Stacy Kuhns (l) and Heidi Schmidt (r)departed for Piura, Peru, Apr. 17, as missions capacity builders with MB Mission’s Team Peru. Stacy, serving a 10-year term, has studied at Northwestern Oklahoma State University; Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kan.; and Corn (Okla.) Bible Academy. She has worked inside and outside the church as a youth leader, coach, and mentor/discipler for college-aged women. She has also served on short-term missions trips to Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Brazil, and with MB Mission’s 2-year Jornada program alongside the Matthew Team in Guadalajara, Mexico. Heidi, serving a 2.5 year term, was educated at Tabor College, has worked as a group home parent, youth leader, and teacher, and participated in MB Mission’s 8-month TREK program in Portugal. Stacey and Heidi call Enid (Okla.) MB their home church.
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Aldon Loeppky, advancement officer for MBBS-Canada, Langley, B.C., will leave the seminary staff to return to the pastorate this month. B.C. conference director of leadership development, Ron Toews, told the May BCMB convention about a new, more intentional program to help churches through transition to new pastorates, and Aldon is moving to that recently developed “niche” ministry. He will begin a term at North Peace MB Church in Fort St. John, B.C.
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After 6 years as pastor at Elmwood MB Church, Winnipeg, Terry Sawatzky has resigned effective June 30. He and his wife Cathy Hodder will be serving as C2C missionaries in Montreal.
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The moderator of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, Paul Loewen, is leaving Columbia Bible College to pursue a new ministry direction with his wife, Melody. They are looking to return to church ministry, probably to transition pastorate work. For the past 4 years, Paul has served as external and church relations officer for Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford, B.C. He leaves that position formally at the end of June. He will continue in his role with CCMBC.
