A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

out educational needs, giving counsel and advice where required, and serving as speaker for Christian education conferences. 3 - After the reorganization of the Canadian Conference in 1966, the interim Board of Christian Education assumed responsibility for the Sunday school, for youth work, and for church music. The new board appointed Wilmer Kornelson as executive secretary in 1967 with responsibilities related to the whole area of Christian education. 3. General Observations A number of brethren deserve special recognition for many years of devoted service in the interests of better Sunday schools in the M. B. Conference. A. A. Schroeter of Reedley, California provided effective leadership as chairman of the Sunday School Committee of the Gen- eral Conference. A. A. Kroeker served in the same capacity for many years in the Canadian Conference. In recent years, D. E. Redekop has given good leadership in this work. In addition to the executive secretaries and other workers mentioned earlier, a number of brethren have written lesson materials for the M. B. Quarterly for many years. Their services were recognized by the Christian Education Committee of the General Conference in 1969. Plaques were presented to D. Edmond Hiebert, J. B. Toews, G. W. Peters, G. D. Huebert, and 226 HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH Orlando Harms in special ceremonies in Winnipeg, Hillsboro, and Fresno. The following statistical report presents an overall picture of Christian education activities in the General Conference of Mennonite Brethren of North America for the year 1968, as reported at the 1969 conference. TABLE IV Church Educational Activities United Canada Stales Total Sunday School Enrollment 19.986 16.29.1 3H.279 Sunday School Teachers 1.982 1.719 3.701 Teacher Training Enrollment 54:1 722 1 .2(ir> Daily Vacation Rible School Enrollment 10.770 7.41H IH.I8H Midweek Services (No. of churches) 110 8fi I9I> Women's Service Groups 1 13 123 ■J.'lti Men's Fellowship Groups 4 3ft 39 Youth Cluhs 132 14fi In recent years great emphasis has been placed on a meaningful midweek training program to supplement Sunday school instruction. The Christian Service Brigade (for boys) and the Pioneer Girls programs have gained widespread acceptance in M. B. churches during the last few years. That these programs were accepted with some reservations by leading brethren can be concluded from the recommendation of the Board of Christian Education to the Canadian Conference in 1969. In a "rider" attached to the recommendation the brethren caution against the "militaristic aspect" of the program, and emphasize the fact "that this program should be a part of the total church program and not an end in itself." :M This program has in many instances been more successful in community outreach than the Sunday sch