Donwood Manor Personal Care Home
Statement of Faith
Donwood Manor Personal Care Home is governed by a Board of Directors with representatives from 8 Mennonite Brethren churches in Winnipeg: Eastview Community Church, Elmwood Mennonite Brethren Church, Fort Garry Mennonite Brethren Church, McIvor Avenue Mennonite Brethren Church, North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church, Portage Avenue Church, River East Church and Westwood Community Church.
As a faith-based care facility within the Conference of Mennonite Brethren, the Donwood Personal Care Home (PCH) provides senior care services that are consistent with the MB Confession of Faith and the religious principles inherent therein. Donwood PCH accepts the Bible as the authoritative Word of God and strives to follow the scriptural teachings and example of Christ who demonstrated God’s unconditional love and care.
This statement of faith is based on the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith of which the full version is available at https://www.mennonitebrethren.ca/mb-beliefs/the-mb-confession-of-faith-detailed-edition/
We believe in God as eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God created and sustains the universe. The eternal purpose of God the Father is to create a people who will bring glory to God forever. God alone is worthy of worship.
We believe that God became human in Jesus Christ. Jesus came to restore the world because humans have rejected God in disobedience. Jesus taught and modeled the way of God’s kingdom. He died on the cross, making it possible for us to accept a renewed relationship with God. He rose from the dead, broke the power of sin and death, and frees us to live in obedience to God’s will.
We believe that God the Holy Spirit invites all people to be reconciled with God and to join the global family of faith. Believers confess their faith, are baptized, and join in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and guided by the Bible, members of the church seek to live as followers of Christ and invite others to experience this new life.
Humans, the crowning act of creation, were designed to live in fellowship with God and in mutually helpful relationships with each other. God created them male and female in the image of God. The Creator gave them the mandate to rule and care for creation as a sacred trust, and the freedom to obey or disobey Him. God invites all to place their trust in His son Jesus who gives eternal live to all who choose him as Saviour and Lord.
We believe that all human life belongs to God. Each person is created in the image of God and ought to be celebrated and nurtured. Because God is Creator, the author and giver of life, we oppose all actions and attitudes which devalue human life. The unborn, disabled, poor, aging, and dying are particularly vulnerable to such injustices. Christ calls the people of all nations to care for the defenseless.
God values human life highly and we believe in the sanctity of human life. Ultimately, decisions regarding life and death belong to God. Therefore, we hold that procedures designed to take life, including abortion, medical assistance in dying and assisted suicide, are not in keeping with God’s sovereignty. Our response to a request for a medically hastened death would be one of caring, compassion, and recognition of suffering. We also value the life-sustaining therapies currently available through modern medicine, but recognize that there are limits to the value of seeking to sustain life indefinitely. In all complex ethical decisions regarding life and death, we seek to offer hope and healing, support and counsel in the context of the Christian community.
Donwood Board of Directors
June 2019
