Duyring the winter of 1973-74 our pastor spent several weeks in California taking in a seminar on church growth. Upon his return to Moose Jaw, he called a meeting at church to talk about what he had learned. He began the meeting by asking “What makes a church grow?” One lady responded with what seemed … Continue reading Trying to swim upstream
Christianity
Our granddaughter becoms our sister
Friday evening two young ladies stood in turn before our congregation and told how God had called them, how they had felt troubled and fearful and how they had prayed and found forgiveness, happiness and freedom. A few questions were asked and the congregation found their testimonies genuine. This morning they were baptized. One of … Continue reading Our granddaughter becoms our sister
Disappointments
Pastor Harvey* was immediately hired by another congregation of the same denomination. The young people followed and so did we. This church was the same distance from our home, but out in the country on gravel roads. Before long there was a baptism service for several of the youth and for Chris and me. Now … Continue reading Disappointments
Memories of a Bridge Builder
My mother was born to a family that spoke Plautdietsch at home and German in church. Those languages, sometimes called Low German and High German, were meant to be a protective wall, preventing folks of that heritage from feeling at home with the people around them. They also served to exclude the people around them … Continue reading Memories of a Bridge Builder
Spiritual drought
About this time every year farmers here on the dry Canadian prairies can be heard worrying about whether there will be enough moisture to produce a crop. This year we a are midway through the fourth month of winter with no end in sight according to the long range forecast. There is not a lot … Continue reading Spiritual drought
Two keys
I have two keys that, to my eyes at least, appear to be identical. One was made with a state of the art key cutting machine; the other was made by an elderly gentleman using a grinding wheel. Guess which one works? The machine-made key goes into the keyhole just a little bit roughly and … Continue reading Two keys
A new course in life
If you've followed me this far you have no doubt gathered that I wasn't a romantic kind of guy. I had strong emotional feelings, but I woud have been horribly embarrassed if anyone got a glimpse of them. Circumstances told to me that now I needed to do something to let my bride-to-be know how … Continue reading A new course in life
Life takes some unexpected turns
Alcohol had once enabled me to admit my interest in some day becoming a Mennonite, but the three other people who heard that statement didn’t take it seriously and never again mentioned it. My two trips into Regina to attend a Mennonite church had gone completely unnoticed by those who knew me. I was quite … Continue reading Life takes some unexpected turns
Words of wisdom from J. S. Park
I keep forgetting that most people on social media who act like authorities are young 20-somethings who haven’t seen much of the world and don’t know how it works. They want to change the world from their basement, or they’re just hungry to go viral. It doesn’t mean they can’t have an opinion. It means […] … Continue reading Words of wisdom from J. S. Park
Every Day With Jesus – booklet report
My wife has informed me that the book reviews I have posted are not reviews. I have thought about that and decided that she is right. I should have called them book reports. What I have before me today, though, is not really a book; it is a booklet of daily devotions giving a page … Continue reading Every Day With Jesus – booklet report
