Elders

Leadership Developments

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As you may know we’ve had a few things on the go for the past several months. Specifically, we’ve been praying and working towards a new leadership situation at WCV. As was announced in our Sunday Gathering a few weeks back and was communicated by email, here is the exciting news:

New Pastors:

We have made offers to both Krista Heide and Mauritz van den Heever and both have accepted!

Mauritz will be WCV’s new Lead Pastor as soon as he, Estelle and Benjamin can get here. The van den Heevers will be joining us from South Africa so it may take some time for them to get to Winnipeg. Because of this Krista will be serving as Interim Pastor (part-time position) to help bridge the gap between Andy stepping away October 2 and whenever Mauritz and Estelle are able to be in Winnipeg.

After the interim period Krista will be working in a part-time pastoral position which will focus on teaching, creative and spiritual formation.

New (Prospective) Elders:

While we’re excited about the pastoral developments we also have some exciting news to share about our Elder team.

Dave and Barb Johns and Deyan and Deanna Momtchilov have agreed to let their names stand as Prospective Elders! This means that they will be functioning as elders for the next season to see if it’s a good fit. The Prospective period lasts until the AGM in 2023 (likely in April) at which time the community is given an opportunity to ratify them. You can read more about our Elder process here.

We’re grateful for God’s continued provision and faithfulness to us as a community. Seek first the Kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added. This certainly has been our experience as we have endeavoured to seek Jesus above all else. Let’s keep doing that!

 

Photo by Merakist on Unsplash

Prospective Leadership Team members

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At our upcoming AGM (Nov 30 at 7pm) we will be recommending the following people for the Leadership Team as either Lay Elders or members of the Board. We asked each of them to share (in 3-4 mins) a little about themselves, what they love about WCV and why they’re excited to serve in this position.

Cornelius & Tania Martens – Lay Elders
Christy Chan – Lay Elder
Lois & Lindsay Ward – Lay Elders
Sara Epp – BOD

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Leadership Transitions

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We are having some transitions in leadership occurring this year. Lay Elders and BOD members each have a three-year term with the possibilities of extension. We have a few Elders and one BOD member who have completed their terms (most with some extensions along the way).

We’d like to extend our deepest gratitude to Cliff & Krista Heide, Rod & Elisa Jersak, and Stephen Fligg for their wise and dedicated service to WCV these past number of years. The Heides and Jersaks have served on the Elder team and Stephen has been a BOD member for a number of years.

  • Krista & Cliff Heide
  • Elisa & Rod Jersak
  • Stephen Fligg

Meanwhile, Lindsay & Lois Ward, Rick & Luanne Hill, Cornelius & Tania Martens, and Christy Chan (pictures below) are going to be functioning as our Elder Team, recognizing that they are still prospective elders until they are ratified by the membership at our next AGM. This is yet to be scheduled.

  • Lindsay & Lois Ward
  • Rick & Luanne Hill
  • Cornelius & Tania Martens
  • Christy Chan

New Prospective Elders

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Last fall we embarked on a process to discern who God was inviting into eldership at the Vineyard. Lindsay and Lois Ward, Rick and Luanne Hill, Cornelius and Tania Martens and Christy Chan came to the forefront of our discussion and prayer. We’ve since invited each of them to be prospective elders. This means that they will come to our meetings and participate in normal elder activities in the Vineyard. At the end of this prospective period (April 2020) we will determine if they would like to have their names stand to be elders. If it seems good to us and the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28) the membership of WCV will vote on them.  

Let’s continue to pray for all of them, as well as the rest of the elders and Leadership Team.

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Lindsay and Lois Ward

Lois and Lindsay have been part of WCV tribe since the mid 1990’s having experienced significant God encounters through Prairie Fire (Winnipeg) and the Toronto Airport Vineyard (Toronto Blessing).

“Church planting was a significant initiative within the Vineyard movement and encouraged by a John Wimber conference leading to plants being seeded in Winkler, Portage la Prairie, Brandon and locally in Transcona and South Winnipeg. In 1998, two couples, the Musselmans and ourselves embarked on a journey of ‘doing the stuff’ in the South end of the City meeting in various locales under the auspices of WCV. What a ride! There are lots of ‘out and back again’ stories in the Bible, and we’ve been part of that story. WCV has been our home for a quarter of a century (ouch) yet we look ahead with confidence and some trepidation to what God is planning for WCV.”

Luanne and Rick Hill

Luanne and Rick Hill have been involved in ministry for over 35 years (youth, church planting, parachurch and church consulting). They became acquainted with WCV in 2001 soon after they arrived in Winnipeg from Ontario with their three children (Esther, Caleb, Micah). Luanne has recently retired from her full-time position as a Nursing Instructor at Red River College (although she has returned on a temporary basis). WCV has served as a spiritual home for them between periods of Rick’s work as a transitional pastor/consultant in several churches throughout Winnipeg.  

Rick and Luanne are both trained Spiritual Directors (Sustainable Faith) and are passionate about helping people cultivate a deeper connection with God. They are excited to have welcomed their two new daughters-in-law and a future son-in-law into their family over the last few years. 

“We are full of hope and looking forward to see how God moves within WCV in the future.”

Cornelius and Tania Martens

Cornelius and Tania Martens, along with their four children: Lukas, Annalie, Tobias, and Larissa have been attending WCV since 2007. They are especially passionate about the Kids and Youth ministries. They have served as Youth Leaders, Club 56 Leaders, and Sunday School teachers over the years. Tania currently administrates and teaches ages 4-6 kids ministry. Cornelius enjoys being part of the regular worship rotation and he also serves on the Board of Directors.

Christy Chan

Christy has been a part of WCV since around 2001. Over the years she has enjoyed helping with Sunday School, the Breathe program for moms with little ones, and co-leading a house group with her husband Andrew and their 3 boys. She has recently become a Spiritual Director (Sustainable Faith) and is enjoying the gift of hearing peoples stories and praying with them.

New Elder Process & Invitation

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In the Vineyard elders function as overseers who tend to the spiritual health and vision of the community.  At this juncture we’d like to add to our current Elder team and your input and prayer is critical.

There are two kinds of elders in Winnipeg Centre Vineyard – Pastoral Elders and Lay Elders.  The Lay Elders (Paul & Sherry Ansloos, Cliff & Krista Heide, Jason & Theresa Eheler, Rod & Elisa Jersak) keep the big picture in mind and prayerfully seek God for direction and counsel regarding all macro matters relating to church-life. The Pastoral Elders (Riegers, Woods, Rademakers & Labuns) also embrace this role with the added responsibility of implementing the daily tasks associated with the macro. The whole Elder team is lead by the Pastoral Executive (Nathan & Andy). More on leadership in WCV here.

A few points to keep in mind in this process:

  1. Leadership is servanthood. It’s not about ordering others around, but rather serving others (Luke 22:25-27). Being an elder isn’t a promotion. Rather, it’s a recognition of a person’s current influence in the community.
  2. Leadership is action. It’s not about position or titles. While specific roles can be very helpful, true leadership is never about titles. If a someone has a position of leadership, but doesn’t have anyone following, then they’re just going for a walk.
  3. The Elders, while not always older, are all seasoned leaders and followers of Jesus.
  4. While all the current elders are married couples, this is not a requirement for prospective elders, nor is it necessarily preferable.
  5. Lay Elders meet monthly, participate in one annual 2-day retreat, and commit to a 3-year term which is renewable based on mutual agreement by all current Pastoral and Lay Elders.

There are four steps in the process of adding new elders to our current team.  There are also a number of considerations and requirements for elders.

The New Elder Process is:

  1. Nomination and Discernment (November). During this time the community and the current elder team nominate those they think are currently functioning as elders (even if they don’t have the position). Prayerfully ask, “who do I naturally look to for counsel, support, care, etc?” Chances are, those are the people who are already functioning as elders. At the same time, the pastors and elders are prayerfully discerning if people qualify and are a good fit for the current team and season of life the church is in (see below for requirements and considerations).
  2. Proposal & Mutual Consideration (December). The staff will contact potential new elders and invite them to prayerfully consider.  This is a period in which we see if this “seems good to us and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 15:28).
  3. Prospective Elder Period (January – March).  This is a three-month period during which prospective elders are known to the community, come to monthly elder meetings, and are in communication with staff.  We “kick the tires” so to speak. At the end of this period it’s determined if it’s a fit.  If it is:
  4. Membership Vote (March).  Those who are formal members of WCV (those who “belong, serve and give” as described here) vote on the prospective new elders. If the new elder is ratified, this begins their 3-year term. Bear in mind that this is a vote, not on who should become elders, but on whether those who’ve been identified via the above process are the right decision for the Vineyard at this time.

Requirements for Elders are:

  1. All the biblical requirements outlined in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
  2. Be a current member of WCV (described here). Walking out and dialoguing with our 15 Core Practices. Of particular note are: Devotion to Jesus (elders should be devoted to their walk with God), Circles of Sharing (a hallmark of eldership is hospitality) and Generosity (elders should be giving to the local church).
  3. A good fit with the current team and the season the Vineyard is in. While there are many people who generally qualify as elders, the staff and current elders must prayerfully discern who is the best fit for right now. What skills and gift mix will best suit the team already? This is not a popularity contest – it is a serious process to discern who God has prepared and gifted to serve the whole community at this time.

>>Will you join us in this process?  We value both your prayer and input.  If you’d like to nominate someone please contact one of the pastors or email or call the office. Thanks!

For a further explanation of this Organizational Diagram go here.

Our current Elder team (both lay and pastoral elders):

 

 

 

New Elders

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We’re excited to report that our New Elder process has resulted in four new elders joining the team!  Rod & Elisa Jersak and Jason & Theresa Eheler are now Lay Elders and will bring valuable insight and unique perspective to the team as it attempts to follow Jesus and tend to the mission and vision of WCV.  The elder team is comprised of both Lay Elders (Paul & Sherry Ansloos and Cliff & Krista Heide) and the Pastoral Elders (John & Violet Rademaker, Nathan & Kendra Rieger, Jodi & Mike Labun and Andy & Beckie Wood).  The Elder team (both Lay and Pastoral elders) are the only leadership positions which require a membership vote.  This happened at the last Outer Circle gathering where the Ehelers and the Jersaks were enthusiastically endorsed.  If you want to know more about being a voting member at WCV, go here.

It may be important to note that this is not a promotion or a position of prestige as the world may view it.  We’ve simply recognized that the Lord has put these four people in our midst, and has called them into serving the body in this way for this season.  We also want to note that being a couple is not a requirement for being either a Lay Elder or a Pastoral Elder at WCV.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this process whether it was through submitting names back in the Fall, talking with us about who you perceived to be elders, praying along the way or voting on Saturday.

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The Jersaks in Nepal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Ehelers at the Lake

New Elder Invitation

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We are in the process of prayerfully discerning the expansion of our Elder team and we’d like to invite your input.

In the Vineyard, Elders function as overseers who tend to the spiritual health and vision of the community.  The Elder team, while not always elders in age, are seasoned leaders and followers of Jesus.  There are two kinds of elders in Winnipeg Centre Vineyard – Pastoral Elders and Lay Elders.  The Lay Elders (Ben & Debra Kelly, Paul & Sherry Ansloos and Krista & Cliff Heide) keep the big picture in mind and prayerfully seek God for direction and counsel regarding all macro matters relating to church-life.  The Pastoral Elders (Riegers, Woods, Rademakers & Labuns) also embrace this role with the added responsibility of implementing the daily tasks associated with the macro.  While all the current elders are married couples, this is not a requirement for prospective elders, nor is it even preferable.

Lay Elders meet monthly and commit to a 3-year term.

There are four steps in the process of adding new elders to our current team.  There are also a number of considerations and requirements for elders.

The New Elder Process is:

  1. Nomination and Discernment (October). During this time the community and the elder team nominate those they think are currently functioning as elders (even if they don’t have the position).  Prayerfully ask, “who do I naturally look to for counsel, support, care, etc?”  Chances are, those are the people who are already functioning as elders.  At the same time, the pastors and elders are prayerfully discerning if people qualify and are a good fit for the current team and season of life the church is in (see below for requirements and considerations).
  2. Proposal & Mutual Consideration (November). The staff will contact potential new elders and invite them to prayerfully consider.  This is a period in which we see if this “seems good to us and the Holy Spirit”.
  3. Prospective Elder Period (December – March).  This is a three-month period during which prospective elders come to monthly elder meetings and are in communication with staff.  At the end of this period it’s determined if it’s a fit.  If it is:
  4. Membership Vote (in March).  Those who are formal members of WCV (in the Outer Circle or an equivalent) are able to vote on the prospective new elders.  If the new elder is ratified, this begins their 3-year term.  Bear in mind that this is a vote, not on who should become elders, but on whether those who’ve been identified via the above process are the right decision for the Vineyard at this time.

Requirements for Elders are:

  1. Biblical requirements for Eldership (1 Timothy 3, Titus 1)
  2. Be a member of WCV (Part of the Outer Circle or an equivalent).  Walking out and dialoguing with our 15 Core Practices.  Of particular note are: Devotion to Jesus (elders should be devoted to their walk with God), Circles of Sharing (a hallmark of eldership is hospitality) and Generosity (elders should be tithing to the local church).
  3. A good fit with the current team and the season the Vineyard is in.   While there are many people who generally qualify as elders, the staff and current elders must prayerfully discern who is the best fit for right now.  What skills and gift mix will best suit the team already?  This is not a popularity contest – it is a serious process to discern who God has prepared and gifted to serve the whole community at this time.

Will you join us in this process?  We value both your prayer and input.  If you’d like to nominate someone please contact one of the pastors or email or call the office.  Thanks!

Here is our current Elder team (both lay and pastoral elders):

 

 

 

 

New Leaders

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Recognizing what the Father is doing and blessing it, is our primary strategy for identifying new leaders in the Vineyard.  Like the old proverb says, “one who thinks he is a leader but has no followers, is merely taking a walk.”  We recognize leaders amongst us precisely because they are already leading.  It’s first about the function, then about the position.  I was a pastor in WCV long before I was called a Pastor (and long before I realized I was being a pastor!).

There are a few people in whom we’ve recently recognized varying expressions of leadership.  Here are those who have newly made commitments towards exercising their leadership gift in the community.

Krista & Cliff HeideCliff and Krista Heide have recently joined the Elder team.  They are now lay elders in the Vineyard and will bring valuable insight and unique perspective to the team as it attempts to follow Jesus and tend to the mission and vision of WCV.  The elder team is comprised of both Lay Elders (Ben & Debra Kelly, Paul & Sherry Ansloos and Cliff & Krista Heide) and the Pastoral Elders (John & Violet Rademaker, Nathan & Kendra Rieger, Jodi & Mike Labun and Andy & Beckie Wood).  The Elder team (both Lay and Pastoral elders) are the only leadership positions which require a membership vote.  This happened at the last Outer Circle gathering where Krista & Cliff were enthusiastically endorsed.


suhail_jenn Shower Photo_150Suhail Stephen is another whom we are recognizing is leading in a unique way.  He will be stepping from a coordinator role with Drop-in, to a pastoral role.  We recognize that God is doing great things in Drop-in lately through Suhail’s leadership and we’re excited about the future in this regard.  He will be the Drop-in Pastor (he’ll still be directing the School of Justice).  This role is a Pastoral Support Staff role (not a Pastoral elder) and it does have remuneration in the budget (which you can view here).

James & LynelleJames Ryan has been leading the youth for awhile, but we’ve recently made room in the budget to subsidize his work with our youth.  He will be stepping into a Youth Leader role.  We’re excited about the passion and leadership he brings to our youth! James and Lynelle have opened up their home and their hearts to our youth.  Ian Williams will continue to provide youth mentoring and leadership to our Senior Youth.

ANClossAnd finally, Adam Closs has recently made a commitment to the Flatlanders Inn Leadership Team.  We’re excited about the roles and responsibilities Adam will inhabit as part of the Flatlanders community.  The whole team is: Jeff & Amanda Leighton (Amanda is taking a Maternal break), Kelly & Brendan Dvorak, Andy Wood, Adam Closs and Julie Kettle (who is the Flatlanders Administrator +!)

We will be laying hands on, and praying for all these people on Sunday, March 29th.

New Elder Vote

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Hey there Vineyard people.  March 21 will be the final stage of the New Elder process we’ve been on since September.  You’ll remember that we began by praying and asking, “who is eldering in the community already?” and “who is God inviting into formal eldership for this season?”  We were looking for people who were recognized in the community and those who would fit with the current elder team (along with the other biblical traits of elders).  You can read about this process here.

This process clearly identified Cliff and Krista Heide and in November we invited them to be prospective elders.  This 4-month stage enabled the broader community to get to know the Heides and gave Krista and Cliff an opportunity to give it a test drive.  We are pleased to say that Krista, Cliff, and the elder team are excited to say this process has gone well.  We would like to bring it to a member’s vote.

The vote will happen on March 21 at our regular Outer Circle gathering (5:30pm – 8pm).  At this gathering, all voting members are welcome to come – even if you’re not part of the Outer Circle (come for supper too!).  In WCV, our formal / voting membership is those who are part of the Outer Circle or an equivalent.  If you’re unsure about what “an equivalent” is then, ask yourself, “am I intentionally and regularly pursuing balanced spiritual growth with a small group of people?”  If the answer is yes, then you’re doing an equivalent of the Outer Circle, and you can be a voting member of WCV – you just need to let us know (we’re required to keep an annual membership list by the government).  You can read about membership here.