Series 9 - Faith and Life Communications

Faith and Life Communications traces its beginning to an initiative by the Manitoba Jugendorganisation that began the Mennonite Radio Mission together with the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba. They first sponsored a 15-minute Sunday English program on Radio Station CKY in Winnipeg called Mennonite Devotional. Two months later they broadcast a half-hour Sunday German program, Frohe Botschaft, on the Christian station KFNW from Fargo, North Dakota. The broadcasts on CKY and KFNW were phased out when airing on CFAM, based in Altona, Manitoba, began in 1957.

Frohe Botschaft, led by Gerhard Ens, had different speakers and was aired in Europe and the Americas.

Wort des Lebens had more of a teaching and nurturing emphasis. Listeners enjoyed the speaker D.D. Klassen and his impromptu solos. The program reached those who were confined to their homes and those who had broken contact with the church. Around 1964 the programs' character changed to more Bible expository messages.

The Abundant Life program won the most widespread appeal and relevance with its messages and singing groups. By 1961 it aired in all four western provinces. Messages were on subjects of practical Christianity, social issues and evangelism. In the 1960s Abundant Life attempted to reach the uncommitted listeners ages 15-30 in a more contemporary way. Sermons were replaced by unpredictable conversation or comments and a brand new approach to music was introduced by the Faith and Life singers.

In 1969 Mennonite Radio Mission was renamed Faith and Life Communications and it also acquired both the Church School Hour (prepared by MCI and Elim) and Christian Home Hour (sponsored by the Bergthaler Mennonite Church of Manitoba). Delegates at a 1976 meeting agreed that Abundant Life should be revamped as a broadcast for the congregations. The Faith and Life Communications committee changed its mission to complement the Bible teaching in churches and private schools. Abundant Life became a teaching program which soon gained appreciation beyond Mennonite circles. In 1977 Faith and Life Communications moved away from counseling and transferred their relationship with the pastoral Institute and counseling ministry to the Education Committee.

The relocation of the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba offices to Shaftesbury Blvd. in early 1990 provided a new and larger recording studio. This enabled the Faith and Life Committee to include the constituency in broadcasting and to provide radio program production, recording services and music production to congregations and the larger community. The studio also provided an additional means to promote and communicate the ministries of the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba.

Two four-year projects of male choir ministry served the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba constituency and beyond and increased music resources for Faith and Life Communications. The Faith and Life Male Choir, conducted by George Wiebe and accompanied by Esther Wiebe, were brought together for two series, 1984-1988 and 1988-1992. It included programs in Manitoba and other Canadian churches, a tour abroad and a concert at the Winnipeg Concert Hall. A third series began in 1994. The Faith and Life Male Choir, Faith and Life Women's Chorus and Faith and Life Singers continue to provide music for concerts, festivals, programs, radio and worship services throughout the province of Manitoba.

The three programs, Frohe Botschaft (Good News), Wort des Lebens (Word of Life) and Abundant Life, developed in 1957 by Frank H. Epp, were still on the air in the 1990s.

In 2002 Faith and Life Communications changed its name to Media Ministries and came under the supervision of Mennonite Church Manitoba (MCM) Church Community Building Ministry. The Frohe Botschaft radio program was moved to MCM Evangelism and Service.
Ministry directors were:
-1957-1959 Frank H. Epp
-1959-1965 J. K. Klassen
-1965-1970 Bernie Wiebe
-1970-1972 Waldo Neufeld
-1974-1976 Ronn Klassen
-1976-1998 Victor Sawatzky
-1999-2001 Edward Cornelson
-2002- Daryl Neustaedter Barg

-In February of 1956 the Manitoba Jugendorganization and the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba sponsored a 15-minute Sunday English program on Radio Station CKY in Winnipeg called "Mennonite Devotional." Two months later they broadcast a half-hour Sunday German program "Frohe Botschaft" on the Christian station KFNW from Fargo, North Dakota. The broadcasts on CKY and KFNW were phased out when airing on CFAM based in Altona, Manitoba began in 1957.
-In 1969 Mennonite Radio Mission was renamed Faith and Life Communications.