A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

acted contrary to our Confession of Faith, and if the church is satisfied with their repentance for this deviation from the Confession of Faith, the hand of fellowship may (again) be extended to them. 56 At the same convention the brethren also agreed to make non- resistance a part of the commitment of an candidate for baptism and church membership. In subsequent years the Canadian Conference carried on an active and extensive program of peace education through special lecture series, appropriate literature and peace conferences. According to the circulated questionnaire, no members of the M.B. Church in Canada have served in the armed forces during the last five years (1966-71). What the record would have been like, had Canada also had a universal military training program like the United States, is a matter of conjecture. III. Mennonite Brethren in Voluntary Service Compulsory service constitutes the "first mile" in a disciple's life; voluntary service exemplifies the principle of the "second mile." As a specialized concept the term "voluntary service" originated in the latter part of World War II and has been sponsored and administered largely by the MCC and several of the larger Mennonite groups. The idea of Voluntary Service was born out of a deep conviction that the church must give a sustained Christian testimony in various areas of need through a program of practical service "In the Name of Christ." 67 Voluntary Service was first undertaken as a summer service program. A year-round Voluntary Service was inaugurated in 1947-48. The MCC program developed rapidly and by 1957 had 193 workers in summer service units, and 112 in year-round service. The 1957 Mennonite Brethren General Conference gave its approval to Voluntary Service in the following resolution: (a) That we stand in approval of Voluntary Service wherever and whenever it remains in line with the evangelical policies of the church. (b) That mature young people from our churches who are members in good standing, are well established in faith and who have a missionary motive for service be encouraged to enter voluntary service. 68 In 1960 the Board of General Welfare and Public Relations reported to the conference that sixty workers from M.B. churches were engaged in MCC service — twenty-five in relief and foreign service, and thirty-seven in Voluntary Service. The latter group constituted only a small part of the total task-force in VS. According to the MCC report on VS in 1970, there were thirty long-term units serving in North America — nineteen in Canada and eleven in the United States. Of the VS units GIVING TO CAESAR 359 serving in Canada more than one half were located in the economically depressed province of Newfoundland. Services ranged all the way from combating poverty in Appalachia to serving in a school for the mentally retarded in British Columbia; from helping in the Material Aid Center in Kitchen