A feast of resources for church workers

Winnipeg, Man.

The three ministries of Mennonite Church Manitoba offered a banquet of resources to church workers on October 2. A total of 134 people--pastors, teachers, worship leaders, council chairs and others--came to feast on the enticing array of workshops at this year's Equipping Conference, held at Canadian Mennonite University.

Norm Voth, director of Evangelism and Service Ministries, led a series of reflections in the opening worship.

"Our call is to be ambassadors, living here, yet not of here," Voth said. "Ambassadors have no independent authority, only the authority of their sending government.... Ambassadors hear and interpret the values and culture of another government."

Like ambassadors, "do we promote the cultural benefits of God's kingdom?" he asked. The Equipping Conference provided tools for being effective ambassadors.

A workshop on "offering care in situations of abuse and boundary violations" was well attended.

"It was helpful," said one pastor, noting that abuse is far too common. "The attendance indicates the number of people struggling with that issue."

A panel addressed the topic of "family sanity." Bob Wiebe, director of Education Ministries, guided the discussion. He has discovered that many youth workers are frustrated in their work by a culture that is too programmed and busy.

Joanne Klassen, a counsellor, said that "busy" is an "obscene" word. "It's like a signal: don't expect anything from me."

Glen Klassen, pastor of family ministry in the Winkler Bergtahler Church, gave testament to the need for supports for families. Jarrod Chamberlin, youth pastor at Carman Mennonite Church, explained the shift he has made in his ministry to youth, "trying to create a space where they'll find rest."

Workshops focused on skills for Sunday school teachers, visual art in worship, care giving and many other equipping resources.

Peter Dyck, coordinator of the Chaplaincy Program for MC Manitoba, spoke to a group of care givers who are frustrated with tight restrictions placed on hospital visitation. The Public Health Information Act has since 1997 severely limited the work of church care givers in hospital settings.

At a government hearing in March, Dyck and others were able to highlight the importance of the spiritual needs of the patient. "All other needs of the patient are addressed. Why do we make an exception for spiritual needs?" he asked.

As a result of the hearing, an amendment has been made to the act, encouraging "all facilities to treat Spiritual Care Providers...as integral members of the overall health care team."

"It will take awhile for all hospitals to implement the change," said Dyck, but it certainly opens the door to religious care givers.