Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Where is PGIMF?
When and how was PGIMF established?
What is PGIMF's Mission
Statement?
Who is the pastor of PGIMF?
What are some of the scheduled
activities of PGIMF?
Do you have 'care groups' at PGIMF?
Do you have Sunday School at PGIMF?
What do Mennonites believe?
How can I learn more about Mennonites?
Why can't I find any e-mail addresses
for your leadership or members?
What
are some resources that I can use to prepare to speak at PGIMF?
How can I find
out about your past and future events?
What is your
policy for linking to the PGIMF web site?
What are your answers to the "Five
Questions" interview by the MB Herald?
Q:
Where
is PGIMF?
A: We
worship in the chapel of the Menno Simons Centre, at 4000 West 11th Avenue, Vancouver, BC,
Canada. See our Worship-Contact
section for a map and directions.
Q: When and how was PGIMF established?
A: In 1986,
a small group of people started the Pacific Centre for Discipleship
Association, initially for the purpose of operating the Menno Simons
Centre. A number of those people decided to start the Point Grey
Fellowship (PGF) at the same time. In 1993, the congregation decided to
distinguish itself as a Mennonite congregation but also to embrace its
dual-affiliation status by changing its name to the Point Grey
Inter-Mennonite Fellowship (PGIMF).
Q: What is PGIMF's Mission Statement?
A: We are a
maturing Christian fellowship valuing God and each other. We invite you
to join us as we:
- Worship on Sundays with ample
opportunity for singing, praying and hearing Bible readings. Our
morning talks offer insights into scripture, the nature of God, and
faith. Our leisurely discussion times encourage us to reflect on the
morning’s activities, and raise thoughtful and honest questions with
the Fellowship. Our reflective celebrations of the Lord’s Supper remind
us we are members of Christ’s Body across the world and the ages.
- Involve an array of worship
leaders and speakers, both members and special guests, young and
old.
- Strengthen our faith
intellectually, aided by resources available through the church,
UBC, Regent College, and the Vancouver School of Theology.
- Meet in the chapel of the Menno
Simons Centre, a university student residence seeking to model
Anabaptist values. This challenges us to offer students fellowship,
encouragement, and practical support during their formative years.
- Practice lay leadership and
encourage active participation in the life of the congregation. Our
sense of community and fellowship, coupled with our commitment to
consensus building, fosters mutual appreciation and support as we
attempt to live our Christian lives in one of Canada’s major
metropolitan areas.
- Build our interest in, and
knowledge of, the Anabaptist/Mennonite spiritual heritage as we
share with each other our varied interests and perspectives from our
various spiritual backgrounds.
- Learn from each other,
whether through open conversation in discussion time, talking
individually during the coffee hour, meeting in homes for study and
prayer, or sharing lunch.
- Appreciate ways in which the
arts can nourish faith and life. Our singing is heart-felt, whether
for traditional hymns in four-part harmony or for unison songs in a
contemporary style. Our chapel’s walls offer art exhibits by members
and friends, inviting us to enter into a world unencumbered by words.
Q:
Who
is the pastor of PGIMF?
A: The
duties of a pastor are shared by dedicated volunteers in the following
ways:
- The Pastoral Concerns Committee,
consisting
of two to four people (with overlapping terms of service)
enhances the spiritual life of the church. They take care of visiting
those who are absent or sick, those seeking counselling (using an
outside Christian counselling service), and newly interested people.
This group also arranges for flowers to be sent to the ill or bereaved.
- The Worship Speaker
Coordinators, consisting of two people, ensure that each Sunday
service includes a speaker, whether a testimonial by someone from
within the congregation, or a guest speaker from another church or
missionary service. Sometimes the coordinators will arrange for one or
more speakers to deliver a series of teachings on a topic, such as a
book of the Bible.
Since PGIMF has no
clergy at this time, the congregation has arranged with the Conference
of Mennonites of B.C. for Evan Kreider to be licensed to perform
marriages for persons of the congregation. Any request to have Evan
perform a marriage requires prior approval of the church Board.
Q: What are some of the scheduled activities of
PGIMF?
A: Subject
to change, but please refer to the following list as a starting point:
- Worship services - 10:00
a.m. each Sunday, except for retreats (e.g. 1st weekend in June at Camp
Luther) and ecumenical services (e.g. Trimble Park, etc.).
- Communion - 1st Sunday of
each month, with adjustments for the liturgical calendar
- Coffee Hours - each Sunday
after Church (except when there is a Pot Luck Lunch).
- Pot Luck Lunches - the last
Sunday of the month from September to April (except December)
- Church Board Meetings -
monthly or at the call of the Moderator
- Church Business Meetings -
September, January and April (Annual General Meeting). Others at the
call of the Chairperson or any group of five members after giving one
week's notice. Elections are held in April; duties start July 1st.
- Vancouver Area Ministers -
monthly in winter (Conference of Mennonites)
- West Point Grey Ministerial
Association - planning meetings for joint activities.
Q: Do you have 'care groups' at PGIMF?
A: Yes, we
have 'house groups' which our Pastoral Concerns Committee can help you
join. We encourage people to join a house group for a number of reasons:
- to share, pray and care for one
another
- to provide opportunities for
spiritual growth, including finding and using gifts
- to allow for a fuller
participation in active fellowship during the week.
Q: Do you have Sunday School at PGIMF?
A: Although
we do not have a Sunday School program before the service, we do have a
"Children's Church" time during the second half of the worship time
when the younger children are taught suitable lessons and given
structured activities for their age group. Currently the children are
divided into three groups: nursery (up to age 3, during the whole
service), younger children (ages 4-7), and older children (8-13).
Q: What do Mennonites believe?
A:
Mennonites are Christians, in the evangelical-Anabaptist tradition:
Q: How
can I learn more about Mennonites?
A: There
are several good web sites with information about Mennonite history as
well as current issues, such as:
Q: Why can't I find any e-mail addresses for
your leadership or members?
A: To
protect the privacy of everyone who attends our congregation, and to
prevent this site from being used as a source of marketing information,
we do not publish any e-mail addresses. To contact someone in the
church, you may send an e-mail to info@pgimf.org
and the Congregational Coordinator will read your message and forward
it to the appropriate person.
Q: What are some resources that I can
use to prepare to speak at PGIMF?
A: If you
have been asked to speak, all we expect is that you speak from your
heart as God leads you. That said, you may still be interested in using
some of the following resources which our past lay-preachers have found
useful in their preparations:
- The Bible Gateway: Free word
search and Bible passage lookup in many versions (including NIV) and
languages (including Plautdietsch), complete with spoken-word sound
clips and Inter-Varsity Press commentary.
- OBB (Oremus Bible Browser): The
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Anglicized Edition is preferred for
reading aloud during our services.
- Blue Letter Bible:
A
vast free resource containing: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge,
Strong's Concordance (Greek & Hebrew word study), Commentaries
(many sources including Matthew Henry; text and audio), Art images,
Maps/Charts, Hymns, Alternate Version (including the Vulgate),
Dictionary entries and more added regularly.
- Text Week: A portal of links by
categories such as: Liturgical references by week, Movie Concordance
(biblical themes in modern movies), Art Concordance, Scripture Index,
and of course full-text searching.
Q: How can I find out about your past and future
events?
A: Links to
current schedules (today and future) are provided on our home page. Links to past schedules (before
today) are on our news page. If you
are responsible for entering schedule information, or if you want to
see all of the details about any given Sunday, click here to view
the full database.
Q: What is your policy for linking to the PGIMF
web site?
A: Since
we are a small church, we don't have a budget for web-based
advertising, and our site is not meant to support all kinds of
reciprocal linking arrangements. All we ask is that links to our site
be appropriate and accurate. Here are some of the places that include
links to our site:
Q: What are your answers to the "Five Questions"
interview by the MB Herald?
A: You can
read our answers to the 5 questions here
or in the
January 2009 MB Herald, Homepage section (a publication of the
Canadian Conference of MB Churches).
© 2009 Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship
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