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No Fences at Jubilee

Gord Braun and J Club children explain their

tree-planting project to Pastor Dan.

There is no fence around the yard at Jubilee Mennonite Church in North Kildonan (www.jubileemennonitechurch.ca). People come and go freely and often. On Thursday evenings year-round up to 40 pre-school and elementary age children come from the surrounding homes to the yard or basement for J-Club. At the same time, as many as 20 junior and senior high students, none of whom grew up in the church, gather for games, relationship building and faith discussion.

Adults, some with children in tow, walk in to tend their gardens amongst the 30 thriving plots. Small groups of women gather in the kitchen for community kitchen cooking events, co-sponsored with Donwood Elementary School. Large numbers gather in the basement for community meals, a Christmas party and other events. Used clothing sales attract     bargain hunters and household items are    distributed to people who need them. Other  activities – a sewing club, volleyball, parenting classes – happen as volunteers come forward. In winter a skating rink serves the neighbourhood, and volunteers teach kids to play hockey. Skates donated by several churches and community organizations make this possible. In spring a similar    partnership provides a soccer league     experience. Young people and older make use of the basketball net. The unfenced yard continues to be developed with trees, paths, play areas, and a butterfly garden.

Donations of various kinds and partnerships with school, church and community organizations make these ministries possible. Many members volunteer their time and skills, and “friends of friends” come forward to get involved. Jubilee's contribution,    besides space, is some programming funds and lots of volunteer time, and the salary for a part-time Community Ministry Director, Anna Marie Geddert.

The conviction that God has established the church to serve the people who are not  already members is as old as the Bible (Genesis 12:1-3, Luke 4:18-19, John 3:16,  2 Corinthians 5:18-6:1 and many others). The current language for talking about it is “the missional church.” This is what drives the 120-member congregation to follow God's passion for the people whom God brings into our yard and our lives.

How did Jubilee's vision for this ministry emerge?

Partly from prayer – Several faithful members have been conducting prayer walks in the community long before we knew what God wants us to do.

Partly from previous ministries – Earlier clubs for children ran their course and ended before the current versions emerged.

Partly from keeping our eyes open – Members saw children hanging around   the church and recognized it as a call and opportunity.

Partly from entrepreneurial risk-taking –   A member who offered to make sure we could afford an initial experiment, and who waited for the church systems to get on board, freed the church to take the initial risk. The spirit of taking chances on unknown outcomes continues.

Partly from the right people coming forward at the right time.

Partly from a larger vision – Jubilee determined several years ago that its  mission includes “Reach out with God's Good News” and “Serve in Jesus' name,” along with internally-focused purposes to “know one another in loving community, grow into spiritual maturity, and worship God with all we have and are.”

Entirely from the mysterious movement  of the Holy Spirit – We watch to see where the Spirit is blowing and try to follow its energy.

There are costs. The carpet gets dirty, things get broken, garden plots get vandalized, and patience gets tested. But we want to be stewards of all these resources, and that means using them to the fullest extent for sharing faith and  caring for the people whom God loves.

Dan Nighswander, Pastor

Anna Marie Geddert, Community Ministry Director, works with J Club kids on crafts.