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Transitions – Winter 2019

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Hellos

Chris Battle

Title & congregation: campus pastor, Lake Errock (part of Central Community Church, Chilliwack, B.C.)
Start: July 1, 2018
Education: diploma in biblical studies, Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford, B.C.; BA in pastoral ministry, Prairie Bible Institute, Three Hills, Alta.; MTS (in progress), MB Seminary at ACTS and Tyndale Seminary, Toronto
Previous ministry: pastor, Oakridge Bible Chapel, Oakville, Ont.; associate at Apologetics Canada
Family: Sara, 1 son
On ministry: The thing that makes me passionate about the church is the opportunity she has to bring hope to the hopeless.

Robert Patterson

Title & congregation: lead pastor, Scott Street Church, St. Catharines, Ont.
Start: Sept. 5, 2018
Education: BA, York University; MDiv, MEd, Acadia; DMin, Carey, UBC
Previous ministry: missionary in East Africa; lecturer, director of church relations, Tyndale University
Passion for ministry: Raising up leaders and seeing Christ use them as his hands, feet, and mouthpiece. Working with our leaders to serve as salt and light in our community.
Family: Sarah

Ellen Funk

Title & congregation: associate pastor – children’s ministry, Ross Road, Abbotsford, B.C.
Start: Aug. 1, 2018
Education: MA in Christian formation and discipleship from Nazarene Theological Seminary; certificate in Mennonite Brethren Studies from Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary
Previous ministry: director of children’s ministry (2005-2017): Community Bible Church in Olathe, Kansas, director of Kids Camp (2013-2017): Southern District Conference of MB Churches [activities director 2008–2012]
Family: Donovan, 3 grown children, and 4 grandchildren

Jeremy Crowe

Title & congregation: campus pastor, Creekside, Willow Park Church, Kelowna, B.C.
Start: Aug. 26, 2018
Education: bachelor of biblical studies, Eston College
Previous ministry: youth pastor (2008-2011) Grenfell Apostolic Church; manager (2011-2013) TD Canada Trust; accounts officer (2013-2018) dean of men (2016-2017), faculty (2017-2018) Eston College
Family: Kim, 4 children (Malachi, Zion, Jude, Evie)
On ministry: This is my first pastorate so everything is very new and exciting to me. My favourite thing right now is preaching. I look forward to the preparation and delivering the message with clarity, simplicity, conviction, and humour. I also love seeing the church reach its potential and new believers come to Christ.

Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba board announces Cam Priebe as provincial director

Cam Priebe currently serves as the director of the Outtatown program with Canadian Mennonite University, a role he has held since 2011. Prior to that, he served the newly restructured leadership development department for the Canadian Conference of MB Churches with a focus on emerging leaders (2009–11), and as director of Ministry Quest, a program of MB Biblical Seminary, Fresno, Cal. (2006–09).

The board looks forward to the new leadership and direction Priebe will bring to Manitoba MB churches starting in Spring 2019 as they live out mission in serving Christ.

The board has joyful confidence that Cam’s gifts of coaching, mentoring, teaching, and leadership will assist in fulfilling the conference initiatives of developing leaders, building community, multiplying churches, and resourcing ministries.

“My desire is to bring my gifts to promote an atmosphere of discipleship in learning to love and follow Jesus Christ,” says Priebe.

Priebe completed an MA in Christian ministry from Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno, Cal. He and his wife Shauna currently attend The Meeting Place, Winnipeg. They have three children, Tyson (married to Alanna), Megan, and Madison.

—MBCM board

CCMBC calls Ingrid Reichard as National Faith and Life director

In consultation with provincial MB leaders, the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (CCMBC) called Ingrid Reichard as National Faith and Life director beginning Dec. 15, 2018. In this newly created full-time staff position, Reichard offers strategic leadership to the National Faith and Life team (NFLT, formerly the Board of Faith and Life) in its role of Building Community among MB churches across Canada.

“My passion and service in the church have always revolved around strengthening the followers of Christ in the soundness of our theology and in the depth of our love for Jesus,” says Reichard.

Reichard has served as the chair of the Ontario Board of Faith and Life (BFL), and as the secretary and vice-chair of the national BFL. In November 2017, she returned to the national BFL in the role of chair, ratified at Gathering 2018 in July. Leadership of the Faith and Life team will continue to account for 70 percent of her staff role.

Reichard’s responsibilities will also include caring for the spiritual health of the national ministry team, fostering relationships at national and provincial conference events, encouraging the provincial Faith and Life teams, assisting provincial directors with faith and life matters, facilitating greater collaboration between the NFLT and MB Seminary, and developing and promoting theological resources for the churches.

“Ingrid brings a sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, a heart for discipleship, and a wealth of effective leadership experience to this role,” says CCMBC national director Elton DaSilva. “With her passion for relationship and love for MB history and theology, she will champion a vision for collaboration and unity within our Mennonite Brethren family across Canada.”

Reichard’s biblical studies at Heritage Seminary and McMaster Divinity College focused on the Old Testament. She holds a DMin in spiritual formation from Tyndale Seminary, Toronto, where she also trained as a spiritual director in the evangelical tradition.

Reichard left a corporate career to become a full-time Bible teacher and executive director of Solid Ground Bible Study Ministries in Kitchener, Ont. She served as lead pastor of The Dwelling Place (MB church), 2008–14, and most recently, as pastor of development at Glencairn MB Church.
When she is not travelling for her new role, Reichard will continue contributing to her church as Bible class and life group leader, occasional preacher, and sounding board for leadership.

Ingrid and her husband of 30 years, Scott, have two adult sons, who are also active in their home church.

Goodbyes

After much fasting and prayer, the leadership team of Grace Mennonite Brethren Church, Penticton, B.C., presented a motion to close at their AGM. It passed unanimously. Grace was established as a result of a cooperative effort between local Mennonite Brethren individuals and Associated Gospel Churches (AGC) ministries in Penticton. The first joint service was held in 1982 and 57 members chartered the congregation with the B.C. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, with Edward Hamm becoming pastor a few months later. Blake Wagner served as pastor from 2002 until 2018, when he stepped down to relieve the financial burden created by a sudden decrease in membership due to deaths and relocations. In their time of fasting and prayer, the leadership team received a message of hope for rebirth. Three new members were baptized in February. The closing celebration service May 20, 2018, was well attended.

Phil Wagler completed his service with Multiply (MB Mission) Nov. 30, 2018. He served as lead team member and B.C. regional team mobilizer.

Community News

The C2C Network and MB Mission merged January 2018 to form a new global church planting network. The new entity came under the name Multiply in January 2019. “As Multiply, we continue to partner across denominational lines with a vision of seeing gospel-centred, spirit-led, mission-focused churches established. Our new partnership brings resources and energy for reaching diverse people groups globally,” reads their news release.

James Penner will volunteer as pastoral associate with the Saskatchewan Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. As a counsellor, pastoral support to church and camps, and as pulpit supply. He has served as lead pastor in three churches in two denominations over 15 years.

Ryan and Terri Epp began serving with Multiply in fall 2018 as short-term mission coordinators for Saskatchewan. Terri studied biblical studies at Capernwray Harbour and education at University of Saskatchewan; Ryan studied at Bethany College, Hepburn, Sask., for 2 years and is a qualified mechanic. Ryan and Terri are members at Forest Grove Community Church, Saskatoon, where they have participated in the congregation’s long-term relationship with the MB church in Panama.  

Gary Dyck succeeds Barry Dyck as executive director of Mennonite Heritage Village, Steinbach, Man., February 2019.   

Doug Klassen accepted the call to become executive minister of Mennonite Church Canada, effective June 2019. He has pastored in St. Catharines, Winnipeg, and Calgary. He served on MC Canada’s Faith and Life Committee for 5 years.  

 

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