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Life<br />
Together<br />
Oct/Nov 2010<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> <strong>Mennonite</strong> <strong>Church</strong><br />
www.sjmc.on.ca<br />
“Blessed are the Peacemakers ...”<br />
(From the Sermon on the Mount - The Beatitudes from Matthew 5:3-10)<br />
Earl Martin demonstrates that you can knot and<br />
smile at the same time! (Knotty Night Photo - 2008.)<br />
These 3 Youth and Mentor pairs (right) are planning on making<br />
‘Knotty Night’ a time to get together and to do something to help<br />
those in need. They are encouraging other Y/M pairs available, and<br />
everyone else from the congregation to join them to ‘tie the knot!’<br />
Max Bender (gr. 6) & Larry Shantz<br />
Emma Bender (gr. 8) & Kaitlin Sauder<br />
Hannah Bender (gr. 11) & Marcia Shantz<br />
‘Knotty Night’<br />
Tuesday, November 9, 2010 (7:00pm)<br />
- SJMC Gathering Room -<br />
No experience required - will train!<br />
Leave the dirty supper dishes in the sink!<br />
Many hands make light work!<br />
This missional evening of knotting comforters for global relief<br />
distribution, and local needs too, is coordinated by SJMC’s<br />
hardworking WMCEC (Women of <strong>Mennonite</strong> <strong>Church</strong> Eastern<br />
Canada). Invite a friend to join you.<br />
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart<br />
and with all your soul and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)
Contributing Writers<br />
Pa s t o R’s Pe n - Pa g e 3<br />
Dance to the Tension of a World on<br />
Edge<br />
By: Mark Diller Harder<br />
ge t t i n g t o Kn o w ... - Pa g e s 4 & 5<br />
The Willms Family<br />
By: Doris Kramer<br />
Va c at i o n Bi B l e sc h o o l - Pa g e 5 & 16<br />
Egypt: Joseph’s Journey from Prison<br />
to Palace<br />
By: Suzanne Smith<br />
Re f l e c t i o n s - Pa g e 6<br />
Roy S. (Swartz) Koch -<br />
Remembering 21 years of ministry at<br />
SJMC<br />
By: Elmer Sauder<br />
Re a d e R’s Re V i e w-Pa g e 7<br />
By: Alice Brubacher (L)<br />
Vision Vi e w - Pa g e 15<br />
By: Sandy Shantz (R)<br />
ex P R e s s i o n s - Pa g e 7<br />
By: Lily Roth (L)<br />
ex P R e s s i o n s -Pa g e 12<br />
By: Nicole Neufeld (R)<br />
ch i l d R e n’s ch a l l e n g e - Pa g e s 10&11<br />
Can you guess who?<br />
Thanks to the special assistance<br />
received from a helpful guy for<br />
coordinating this edition.<br />
th a n K f u l n e s s - Pa g e 13<br />
A Very Memorable First<br />
Thanksgiving<br />
By: Abby Horst<br />
life a n d ti m e s - Pa g e 14<br />
A glimpse into the hearts and minds<br />
of Janet Bauman, Laverne Brubacher,<br />
Leah Bauman, and Margaret Metzger.<br />
Th a n k-Yo u To:<br />
ST. Ja c o b S Pr i n T e r Y<br />
- a n d -<br />
ka r e n Sa u d e r (SJMc) - diSTribuTion<br />
Editorial<br />
Written By: Vaughn Bender<br />
Thankfulness<br />
“rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were<br />
taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” (Colossians 2:7)<br />
In the harvest season and throughout the year we have much to be thankful for.<br />
This edition’s Vision View asks how do we embrace the challenge of responding<br />
to the poor, the homeless, the marginalized? Recent visiting professor Dan Epp-<br />
Thiessen from Canadian <strong>Mennonite</strong> University (CMU), Winnipeg, MB assured us<br />
it is both possible to lament and to praise. There is much can be found to lament<br />
about in our troubled world. Blessed with freedoms, resources, health care and<br />
security – opportunities to be thankful abound as well.<br />
But do we overflow we thankfulness?<br />
A read of the Thankfulness column by Abby Horst herein indicates that<br />
hopefully as a congregation and community there is a strong demonstration of an<br />
overflowing of thankfulness. Like a mustard seed, one young person’s lament and<br />
care for the situation of others quickly turned into an outpouring and overflowing<br />
act, or praise, to share with others. And so together we can be encouraged by this<br />
call to service which is no doubt rooted and strengthened in the faith which we<br />
have been taught and which we strive to live out and build up together as a faith<br />
community.<br />
This month’s edition also includes photos and snippets of other stories of<br />
thankfulness and praise. One of our youth, Lily Roth speaks of the personal<br />
joy experienced through the pursuit of her passion for dance. Our Pastor’s Pen<br />
encourages us to ‘dance’ in a different way to the tension of a world on edge…testing<br />
our faith by putting ourselves out-there a bit where we might be vulnerable…but<br />
also then have the opportunity to experience our faith in a very real way.<br />
Life Together seeks to capture and chronicle a sense of our roots and share<br />
about our new experiences. Remembering a former SJMC pastor, Roy S. (Swartz)<br />
Koch reminds us of our rich history, and our regular column, featuring the Willms<br />
family marks the thankfulness of ‘getting to know’ an expanding and strengthened<br />
community at SJMC. And<br />
the stories highlighted in<br />
this column merely touch<br />
on the other inspiring<br />
columns and stories<br />
shared in these pages of<br />
this Autumn edition of<br />
Life Together.<br />
We hope you enjoy your<br />
read of this edition and<br />
we express our on-going<br />
appreciation to all those<br />
who have contributed to<br />
its content and publication.<br />
Please remember to continue to capture photos of special events and share your<br />
snippets and goods news for our upcoming Christmas Edition.<br />
ediTorial Te a M<br />
Va u g h n be n d e r - ed i T o r<br />
Ma r c i a Sh a n T z - co o r d i n aT i o n & ediTing<br />
la r r Y Sh a n T z - laY o u T & Ph o T o g r a P h Y<br />
SJMC - 2 ViSiT T h e ST. Ja c o b S Me n n o n i T e ch u r c h w e b S i T e - w w w .S J Mc .o n.c a
life To g e T h e r - oc T/no V 2010<br />
Pastor’s Pen<br />
Dance to the Tension of a World on Edge<br />
Written By: Mark Diller Harder, Pastor<br />
I<br />
don’t really know how to dance. In fact<br />
I look pretty silly if I try. You would<br />
think a musician with a good sense<br />
of rhythm would be able to translate that<br />
into graceful body movements, but it<br />
just doesn’t happen. Maybe it is lack of<br />
experience. Maybe it is un-coordination.<br />
Maybe it is a psychological remnant from<br />
a general <strong>Mennonite</strong> frowning on dancing.<br />
Dancing takes a kind of sophistication and<br />
pizzazz. You need to be able to navigate<br />
that combination of music, rhythm,<br />
body movements, grace, poise, and selfconfidence<br />
(or self-consciousness) all while<br />
adapting to your particular surroundings.<br />
Dancing does not come easy.<br />
When I was on <strong>Mennonite</strong> Voluntary<br />
Service (MVS) at Welcome Inn Community<br />
Centre and <strong>Church</strong> in Hamilton, MVS came<br />
out with a brightly coloured t-shirt with the<br />
logo “Dance to the Tension of a World on<br />
the Edge.” It was a challenge to those of us<br />
living in intentional community with other<br />
young adults and typically working in lowincome<br />
settings with its array of difficult<br />
issues. The phrase caught my imagination.<br />
It captured what I often felt as I tried to sort<br />
through the tough issues of our society and<br />
how we respond as Christians.<br />
In so many ways our world is ‘on edge.’<br />
The world can be disorientating, confusing,<br />
demanding and unpredictable. Issues and<br />
situations that arise can be overwhelming<br />
with no easy answers or directions.<br />
Discerning how to live faithfully in our<br />
world does not come easy. Our natural<br />
temptation is to flee or hide and not engage<br />
our world. And yet a phrase like this, and<br />
the gospel itself, calls us to step into that<br />
very tension of a world on the edge…<br />
and try to dance. This dancing will be<br />
awkward, trying, uncomfortable and at<br />
times funny-looking. We will get ourselves<br />
into situations where we don’t know what<br />
to do or say. It will get us into trouble. It<br />
will make us take risks and it will make us<br />
vulnerable. And yet, the joy and freedom<br />
and energy of dancing come when we dare<br />
to put ourselves on the edge.<br />
We began our fall worship with a series<br />
on Deuteronomy where we used this<br />
“Th e wo r k S ar e Th i n e o ch r i S T, ou r lo r d”<br />
... in the Latin language,<br />
the word pastor means a shepherd.<br />
‘dancing’ phrase. We heard from Moses,<br />
who stood on the very edge of the Promised<br />
Land … and paused and reflected on this<br />
new reality. How will we live in this new<br />
land? What are the new temptations we<br />
will have as ‘landed’ people? How will we<br />
negotiate the inevitable tensions as those<br />
with power and influence and control?<br />
How will we respond to the orphan, widow<br />
and stranger? How will we give our first<br />
fruits? What new issues and tensions will<br />
dominate our lives and call out the full<br />
depth of our discernment and faith?<br />
We have begun a new year at <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong><br />
<strong>Mennonite</strong>. There is much to anticipate.<br />
There is promise and potential; temptation<br />
and risk. I hope we find ourselves ‘on<br />
the edge.’ I hope the ‘safe option’ does<br />
not become our default. I hope we take<br />
some chances and risks and dare to make<br />
ourselves vulnerable. I hope we attempt to<br />
dance to the many tensions of our world.<br />
Why? Because that so often is where we<br />
find God. That is where our faith becomes<br />
real. That is where we discover the freedom<br />
and joy of Christ. Will you have this dance?<br />
Christmas Memories for Life Together<br />
Do you have a “Christmas memory” (long ago or recent) that you would share for Life Together in only 1-4 sentences? It might be<br />
‘very special’, or ‘profoundly significant’, or simply ‘warm-hearted/nostolgic’. (All ages!)<br />
Ideas might include (limitless): a special kind deed or gift given/received, finding hope in a difficult time, a favourite Christmas<br />
Carol, a favourite food, a family tradition (new or old), volunteering, maybe even a Christmas birth, etc. - tell us why these memories hold<br />
a spot in your heart. If the memory pertains to a certain point in history, or country of origin, or simply is ‘how it was’ in your life at the<br />
time, please include this for the benefit of the reader to give context. If you have several memories, put them in a point-form sentence.<br />
Please submit by Sunday, November 14 to either: marciabshantz@gmail.com or, put a handwritten note in the LT box on foyer table or,<br />
call Marcia at 519.576.8559. Include name (required) and age (optional) - these will be printed with the memory. Space will be limited;<br />
editing discretion applies. A special welcome to participate by those persons who read the announcement sheet by mail or email. - LT.<br />
SJMC - 3
Getting To Know ...<br />
When arriving at the Willms<br />
Family home in Waterloo, I was<br />
met at the door by an excited<br />
Alice Willms with, “We’re going to have<br />
a tea party!” Brother Jonah soon joined<br />
his sister and I had a warm welcome. A<br />
tour of the house was led by the children,<br />
each to their own room. Alice’s bed was<br />
graced by a cross-stitched quilt made by<br />
her great-grandmother, Alice Martin of our<br />
congregation.<br />
Paul and Rachel (Brubacher) Willms and<br />
children have been attending SJMC for<br />
about three years and enjoy this community,<br />
feeling “welcomed and at home.”<br />
Rachel has been active in teaching<br />
Sunday School and Vacation<br />
Bible School.<br />
Paul Walter Willms<br />
was born in Kitchener to<br />
Waldemar (Wally) and<br />
Annemarie (Neufeld)<br />
Willms on February 27,<br />
1969. Paul’s mother is<br />
a sister to three of our<br />
members – Susanne Ens,<br />
Frieda Klassen and Lily<br />
Unruh. Paul’s younger sister<br />
Anita, married to Corey Riddall,<br />
comes to Sunday School with their<br />
children, Ben and Eden. They also live in<br />
Waterloo. Paul’s retired parents continue<br />
to reside in the same Waterloo house Paul<br />
grew up in. Previously his father worked<br />
in an auto body shop. His mother was in<br />
an administrative position in computer<br />
services at University of Waterloo in the<br />
early days of computers.<br />
Paul’s schooling began in 1974 in<br />
Waterloo’s brand new N.A. MacEachern<br />
Public School, where he attended through<br />
Grade 6. He then moved to MacGregor<br />
Public School (Grades 7, 8), Waterloo<br />
Collegiate Institute (high school) and<br />
then entered the Co-op program at the<br />
University of Waterloo where he studied<br />
Urban Planning, receiving his Bachelor of<br />
Environmental <strong>St</strong>udies in 1993. His co-op<br />
work terms took him to Halifax, Toronto,<br />
Brampton and Aylesbury Dale, England.<br />
Following graduation, he worked for two<br />
years for Huron County, living in the town<br />
of Bayfield. He then studied in Brussels,<br />
Belgium for two years where he received<br />
his Master’s Degree. His career took him<br />
to Toronto: two years with Toronto Home<br />
Builders Association and five years with<br />
the Toronto Conservation Authority. For<br />
the past five years he has been working in<br />
Cambridge, Ontario as an Environmental<br />
Planner, pursuing his passion of caring<br />
for the environment. He attended Sunday<br />
School and church at W-K United <strong>Mennonite</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong>, where he was MYF president for<br />
three years.<br />
Rachel Beth Brubacher was born in<br />
Kitchener on August 24, 1970. She is well<br />
known to many in our congregation as she<br />
is the daughter of Laverne and Ella (Martin)<br />
Brubacher. She is the granddaughter of Roy<br />
and Minerva Brubacher (both deceased)<br />
and Moses (deceased) and Alice Martin.<br />
These families had leading roles in the life<br />
of our SJMC congregation. Rachel attended<br />
church services, Sunday School, Vacation<br />
Bible School and MYF activities here and<br />
has fond memories of those times. Her<br />
school years through Grade 8 were at <strong>St</strong>.<br />
<strong>Jacobs</strong> Public School, followed by four years<br />
at Rockway <strong>Mennonite</strong> Collegiate and one<br />
year at Bluevale Collegiate. At Wilfrid<br />
Laurier University she studied Community<br />
Psychology for three years, earning her BA<br />
degree and later at York University, she<br />
graduated with a B. of Education degree.<br />
Both Rachel and Paul loved to travel.<br />
“... Kindle in us love’s compassion<br />
so that everyone may see in our fellowship<br />
the promise of a new humanity.” (HWB#420)<br />
The Willms Family (L-R): Jonah, Paul, Rachel and Alice<br />
Written By: Doris Kramer<br />
After university, Rachel spent a summer<br />
in Europe with friends, lived at a kibbutz<br />
in Israel for five months, working in the<br />
kitchen and at a pomelo (fruit) grove.<br />
She taught English in Taiwan for two<br />
years and in Brussels, Belgium for seven<br />
months, where she joined Paul when he<br />
was studying there. She had taught English<br />
to immigrants in Toronto for several years<br />
after her travels. Paul had gone to Europe<br />
several times, to Thailand, Indonesia and<br />
Russia. They’re settled now in Waterloo.<br />
Earlier they lived in Orangeville for five<br />
years in what was their “dream home.” It<br />
was an old house where Paul restored<br />
each room. He told me August 16<br />
is a special date for them as they<br />
bought a house, sold a house<br />
and married – all on an August<br />
16 th , but not all in the same<br />
year. Paul gave a romantic<br />
spin on their meeting each<br />
other. He used to fish off<br />
the <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> bridge and<br />
because Rachel lived at the<br />
top of the hill and walked<br />
down into town, he’s sure<br />
their eyes met at some time or<br />
other. It’s a good story, but they<br />
really met through a dinner with<br />
mutual friends.<br />
Rachel’s teaching career was in<br />
Brampton for four years. Now she’s in<br />
her third year at Rockway Public School<br />
(Kitchener) teaching Grade 4. She loves<br />
teaching. Jonah is in Grade 1 and Alice in Jr.<br />
Kindergarten at N.A. MacEachern School<br />
– the same school where their father had<br />
attended. Jonah and Alice are both enjoying<br />
swimming and music lessons. Jonah loves<br />
anything outdoors, especially climbing and<br />
exploring. Alice enjoys collecting rocks and<br />
shells.<br />
Both Paul and Rachel love to read but<br />
find, with work and family responsibilities,<br />
most reading is work and child related.<br />
Paul recently read a book about Paraguay<br />
because of his father’s connections there.<br />
They have other interests but most revolve<br />
around family life at this period of their<br />
lives. They go biking, camping and canoeing<br />
together. Their backyard is also a major part<br />
of their interests. They’ve planted apple,<br />
SJMC - 4 “Th e wo r k S ar e Th i n e o ch r i S T, ou r lo r d” life To g e T h e r - oc T/no V 2010
Vacation Bible School (VBS)<br />
Egypt: Joseph’s Journey from Prison to Palace<br />
Written By: Suzanne Smith<br />
The <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> Community Vacation Bible School was held this<br />
year from August 16 to 20 at Calvary United <strong>Church</strong>. One<br />
hundred and sixty (160) children between the ages of 4 and<br />
14 participated, along with approximately 75 volunteers.<br />
The theme this year was Egypt: Joseph’s Journey from Prison<br />
to Palace. The Grades 1 to 5 children were divided into groups<br />
representing the Tribes of Israel: Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Gad,<br />
Joseph, Judah, Levi, Reuben and Simeon.<br />
Each morning the children gathered with their tribes outside the<br />
church. At 9:00am they would enter the sanctuary to the sounds of<br />
the worship band playing and singing. During the morning worship<br />
time, we would sing, pray and follow the story of Joseph. We also<br />
met ‘Conestoga Jones’ and ‘Heidelberg Harry’, two archaeologists<br />
in search of the lost treasures and strike it rich! They also received<br />
guidance from a very wise ‘Mummy.’<br />
After the opening service each day, the children spent their<br />
morning creating crafts, playing games, listening to the Bible story<br />
retell, knotting comforters, and eating snacks. At the end of each<br />
morning, everyone would gather in the sanctuary before heading<br />
home for the rest of the day.<br />
The youth had a separate curriculum, which they followed each<br />
day. On Wednesday they went swimming and spent time at the<br />
Village Manor in <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> preparing food and setting up for their<br />
life To g e T h e r - oc T/no V 2010<br />
Community Tea. Wednesday night for the youth was a pizza party<br />
and sleepover.<br />
Each year the VBS Committee selects a mission project to direct<br />
the week’s offerings toward. This year the Yvonne Martin Memorial<br />
Fund was selected to be the recipient of the offering. This money<br />
is being used to train Haitian doctors and nurses so they will be<br />
able to provide ongoing health care to the Haitian people. (Yvonne<br />
Martin, a Woolwich area retired nurse, was killed in the earthquake<br />
which devasted Haiti in January 2010, while on a medical mission<br />
trip there.) On the Wednesday we had a visit from Marilyn<br />
Raymer, who was travelling with Yvonne on the mission when the<br />
earthquake occurred. She was able to share about the work that<br />
they were going to be doing in Haiti and also to tell us more about<br />
Yvonne as a person. The children also brought in over 270 items,<br />
such as towels, shampoo, toothpaste, and soap to be donated to<br />
<strong>Mennonite</strong> Central Committee (MCC) to put into relief kits.<br />
On Thursday night we held the annual <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> Community<br />
BBQ. Attendees were treated to a meal of gourmet hot dogs, chips<br />
and cookies, followed by a service in the sanctuary celebrating a<br />
wonderful week! (See Did You Know? ... pages 11, 13 & 15.)<br />
Getting to Know ... The Willms Family (continued from page 4)<br />
“Th e wo r k S ar e Th i n e o ch r i S T, ou r lo r d”<br />
... <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> Community VBS,<br />
since 1935.<br />
pear and apricot trees, strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and ground cherry plants and the children get to pick and eat as they desire. This<br />
must make gardener Grandpa Laverne proud.<br />
Their house shows their interest in art, including an interesting painting done by Paul in Grade 8, paintings by Mother Ella and others,<br />
a whole table where the children make crafts and artistic artifacts from travels. Paul and Rachel are both on an ongoing spiritual journey.<br />
Rachel feels inspired and nourished by the sermons and conversations with members.<br />
The tea party with the children was special, Alice having her own pot of apple juice (pretend tea) and apple cake made by Rachel and<br />
Alice. It is Ella’s recipe and very good. When I left for home I had a bag of four apples from their trees, a little container of raspberries<br />
and a piece of apple cake. It was a good time indeed!<br />
SJMC - 5
Reflections<br />
Remembering Roy S. (Swartz) Koch<br />
September 6, 1913 - June 12, 2010<br />
Written By: Elmer Sauder<br />
(Elmer Sauder shared these reflections<br />
at “A Service of Remembrance and<br />
Celebration of Roy S. Koch” at <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong><br />
<strong>Mennonite</strong> <strong>Church</strong> on Sunday, August 8,<br />
2010 at 3:00pm. - LT.)<br />
How do you put a 21-year ministry<br />
into a 7-minute time capsule? It is<br />
a challenge!!<br />
Roy S. Koch was born on September<br />
6, 1913 on a farm very close to the Three<br />
Bridges near where the <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> <strong>Mennonite</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong> Cemetery is located. Ludwig Koch,<br />
the first minister for the <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> <strong>Church</strong><br />
<strong>Mennonite</strong> Congregation was his great-<br />
grandfather.<br />
Roy already felt convictions to become a<br />
minister while still in his teens. On a Sunday<br />
afternoon (October 4, 1936), nominations<br />
for a new pastor for <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> took place.<br />
Instead of the Lot system that had formerly<br />
been used, Roy had a strong feeling that<br />
God was calling him to the Ministry. Roy<br />
had just turned 23, but surrendered to the<br />
will of God. Roy was nominated, answered<br />
some doctrinal questions and listened to<br />
the counsel from the Bishops: C. F. Derstine,<br />
Manasseh Hallman, O.D. Snider, Curtis<br />
Cressman, Rueben Detweiler, and Simon B.<br />
Martin joined in commending Roy to God<br />
and the Ministry. Probably never again<br />
would a congregation nominate, examine,<br />
ordain and install a person as pastor in the<br />
space of one hour.<br />
... pausing to reflect on where God meets us in our<br />
daily lives, including the remembrance of a pastor.<br />
Community Summer Bible School (S.B.S.)<br />
began in <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> in 1935 with J.B. Martin<br />
as superintendent, but from 1936 on Roy<br />
was very involved with S.B.S. In 1936 our<br />
membership was 296. These numbers led<br />
to the enlargement of our church building.<br />
In 1938 we started to have preaching every<br />
Sunday morning instead of every second<br />
Sunday. Roy had to supplement his income<br />
by raising turnips, raising broilers, working<br />
in a factory, teaching at Ontario <strong>Mennonite</strong><br />
Bible School (O.M.B.S.) and conducting<br />
evangelistic meetings.<br />
During Roy’s 21 years of ministry<br />
at <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> we had annual revival or<br />
evangelistic meetings usually at least a<br />
week in length with large attendance;<br />
special music and efforts made to reach the<br />
unsaved and restore the back sliders. Roy<br />
also served many times as an evangelist in<br />
other areas. Quite a few of Roy’s siblings<br />
served as Sunday School teachers here<br />
at <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong>. Some of you will remember<br />
sitting in SS classes taught by Gladys, Vera,<br />
Lester, Orton or Oliver.<br />
Roy did not go to high school; he had 36<br />
weeks of Bible <strong>St</strong>udy when he was ordained<br />
and then took another 36 weeks of advanced<br />
training at O.M.B.S. In the Fall of 1940, Roy<br />
was accepted at Waterloo College<br />
as a mature student even without<br />
high school. Roy said the tuition was<br />
really high: $62.50 per semester. Roy<br />
graduated in 1944 with a B.A. and was<br />
Head of the class. He then enrolled in<br />
Goshen Biblical Seminary, graduating<br />
in 1945 with a Bachelor in Theology,<br />
then a Bachelor of Divinity followed<br />
by a Master of Divinity. Martha took<br />
a year at Goshen College in 1942 and<br />
graduated from the Bible Depart.<br />
Roy married Martha Horst on<br />
August 8, 1942. They had four<br />
children born in Ontario and then two<br />
more born after they moved to Ohio<br />
in 1957. There are 18 grandchildren<br />
and seven great-grandchildren.<br />
While Roy was at <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> we<br />
started using assistant pastors. We<br />
had David Shank, Peter Wiebe, Paul<br />
Swarr, Robert Witmer, and Tilman Martin<br />
serving us at <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong>.<br />
There were quite a number of families<br />
living in the Hawkesville area attending<br />
<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> <strong>Mennonite</strong> <strong>Church</strong>. Our<br />
membership in 1949 had risen to 417. A<br />
church in Hawkesville became available<br />
for $100.00 and after renovations, church<br />
services began on January 1, 1950 and Roy<br />
gave the main address that day.<br />
While Roy was Pastor at <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> he<br />
officiated at many weddings and funerals.<br />
How many here today had Pastor Roy<br />
officiate at their wedding? Roy was very<br />
busy – a family man, husband, father,<br />
pastor, speaker, teacher, writer, bishop,<br />
administrator, principal, etc. etc., but he<br />
always had time to talk and listen.<br />
On October 2-5, 1986 here at <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong><br />
we had a Congregational Homecoming<br />
and Celebration of Roy S. Koch’s 50 years<br />
in Christian Ministry. What a celebration<br />
that was!!! Today we recognize another<br />
Homecoming – Roy S. Koch has gone<br />
Home – to his Heavenly Home. We at <strong>St</strong>.<br />
<strong>Jacobs</strong> <strong>Mennonite</strong> <strong>Church</strong> are thankful for<br />
Roy’s 21 years of Ministry to us.<br />
SJMC - 6 “Th e wo r k S ar e Th i n e o ch r i S T, ou r lo r d” life To g e T h e r - oc T/no V 2010
Written By: Lily Roth<br />
life To g e T h e r - oc T/no V 2010<br />
Reader’s Review<br />
Written By: Alice Brubacher, <strong>Church</strong> Librarian<br />
e “Our Turn to Parent: Shared<br />
Experiences and Practical Advice on Caring<br />
for Aging Parents in Canada” (by Barbara<br />
Dunn and Linda Scott)<br />
The senior years of life receive much<br />
attention in literature and news media.<br />
A tremendous amount of information<br />
is spread across many sources including<br />
government agencies, community services,<br />
medical and financial institutions and the<br />
Internet. Often retrieving necessary and<br />
practical information is a confusing, timeconsuming<br />
and overwhelming process. The<br />
authors’ hope is that in their book readers will<br />
discover a resource to reduce the confusion.<br />
Each chapter covers a major caregiving issue<br />
and offers practical information as well as tips,<br />
resources and personal stories.<br />
The fact that it’s “your turn to parent”<br />
doesn’t suggest that your mother or father has<br />
suddenly become a child. Rather, you will try<br />
When I was younger, my parents<br />
(Daryl Roth and <strong>St</strong>ephanie<br />
Kramer) told me that I was to do<br />
some kind of sport, as to have some kind<br />
of physical activity. Now, I’m not really<br />
the sort of person who enjoys sports that<br />
much, but when the idea of taking dance<br />
lessons was suggested I was all for it. So,<br />
I started dance at the age of four in Pre-<br />
Primary Ballet at Contemporary School of<br />
Dance. It was a good choice. I have since<br />
made numerous good friends, taken on<br />
jazz as well as ballet and have had so much<br />
fun in the process.<br />
Dance is intense and exciting, and yet<br />
it is still relaxing and calming. It takes a<br />
lot of concentration and lots of hard work.<br />
Most of my dance classes are late at night<br />
and often are quite exhausting.<br />
My emotions greatly affect the way I<br />
dance; if I’m feeling bad I typically don’t<br />
want to go to dance, but as soon as I’m<br />
there I feel much better; seeing my friends<br />
and moving distract me and long after<br />
Expressions ... inspired creativity.<br />
I’m still feeling great! It works the other<br />
way too. I can go to dance feeling great<br />
and by the end I’m feeling horrible, either<br />
from exhaustion or from a disagreement<br />
between friends and such. But overall<br />
dance doesn’t usually affect my emotions<br />
too much; I’m generally delighted to<br />
go there and still remain in high spirits<br />
afterwards.<br />
I have accomplished so much in dance,<br />
entering Grade 6 Ballet and Intermediate<br />
Foundations Jazz this year and getting<br />
a merit for my first ever ballet exam last<br />
year, as well as taking part in ten end of<br />
the year recitals.<br />
Dance is probably one of the greatest<br />
things that has happened to me, I will<br />
never regret it.<br />
“There is a time for everything, a time for every activity<br />
under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die,”<br />
(Ecclesiastes 3:1,2)<br />
Dance is the<br />
hidden language of the soul.<br />
~ Martha Graham (1894-1991),<br />
American dancer and choreographer.<br />
to embody the attributes of a good parent in<br />
order to communicate and work through all<br />
the questions and emotions of these evolving<br />
situations. There are a variety of check lists<br />
such as questions to ask when choosing<br />
assistive devices, e.g. canes and walkers, or<br />
when touring prospective care facilities. The<br />
procedure in Ontario for gaining admission into<br />
long-term care facilities is explained in detail<br />
(see Chapter 5). In chapters 6 and 7 medical<br />
issues, financial and legal issues are dealt with.<br />
The book ends with a comprehensive Senior<br />
and Caregiver Resource Guide.<br />
In addition, these two picture books may be<br />
very helpful when small children are part of<br />
family units involved in the above transitions:<br />
e “My Little Grandmother Often Forgets”<br />
(by Reeve Lindbergh)<br />
e “What’s Happening to Grandpa”<br />
(by Maria Shriver).<br />
“Th e wo r k S ar e Th i n e o ch r i S T, ou r lo r d”<br />
SJMC - 7
1) Young people’s initiative: use creative skills, make greeting cards, sell to cong.,<br />
proceeds to MCC. 2) Pastor Darrel Toews, Breslau MC of KW Perimeter Cluster<br />
Pulpit Exchange. 3-4) MBCI choir/band: instruments stretched north to south<br />
walls of sanctuary, literally! (Kevin & Pam’s former high school.) Milestone<br />
Ministry (age 18) Prayer Shawls: (5) Jesse Bean (L), Kassi Fritz (R); (6) Michelle<br />
Poole (L), Amanda Forsyth (R). 7) Junior Youth Group Sleepover. 8) 2010 Quilt<br />
Festival: 950 Visitors; $5,400 proceeds; 2010 grand total: $53,892 - all to MCC!!!<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
SJMC S<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8
naps<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
1) SJMC youth making music during Sunday School. 2) Grace Lao <strong>Mennonite</strong><br />
<strong>Church</strong> and SJMC <strong>Church</strong> Picnic (inside due to weather). 3) <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> churches<br />
ministerial exchange - <strong>St</strong>. James Lutheran <strong>Church</strong> visit with Rev. Martin Giebel<br />
(and puppet friend), and the church’s Bell Choir. (5-8) <strong>Church</strong> Camping weekend<br />
in June at Riverstone Retreat Centre (Durham, ON): 5. A time to get in touch with<br />
your ‘inner’-tube (ha :-), 6. It doesn’t get any better than to play with friends with<br />
water on a pile of rocks, 7. or over a card game, 8. or just wade in the shallow<br />
river and reflect on your own. (Thanks to Cal Cressman for camping photos.)<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8
Children’s Challenge: Who Are We Now?<br />
We were once children like you! Can you guess who we are?<br />
Can you guess what these four ‘children’ have in common? (continued on page 11)<br />
Rambling Riddle: “I was born on King <strong>St</strong>reet in <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong>, but a ‘large regular<br />
and a dutchie’ was not served that day! - and - “A little, a little, a lee, lee lat, how<br />
many l’s are there in that?” (Don’t be fooled! - LT.)<br />
Thinking Thoughts: 1) Why do we do what we know we should not, and<br />
not do what we should? 2) How do bees know how to fly right straight to the<br />
beehive in an emergency when they are miles away? 3) I don’t suppose the next<br />
world has anything similar to this world because everything we use is made of<br />
materials from here.<br />
‘Foul’ Frowns: Cleaning out chicken coops. Seagulls. Pasta. Rhubarb.<br />
Telling Tales: Rafts at the tile yard. Pump, pump, pull-away. Two room schoolhouse. Baden. Conestoga<br />
College teacher. Potatoes. O.J. Smith Shoe Factory (<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong>). Married 68 years. Five children.<br />
Conscientious objector.<br />
God’s Gospel Guidance: (Proverbs 3:6) “In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct they paths.”<br />
Rambling Riddle: “I was a tiny, premature baby. My bed was a shoe box and<br />
I was kept alive and warmed on the oven door of an old fashioned cook stove.<br />
I was born into an Old Order <strong>Mennonite</strong> family and went to church by horse<br />
and buggy until I was eight years of age. My parents then joined this church so<br />
I could attend Sunday School.”<br />
Thinking Thoughts: 1) The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have<br />
them do unto you. 2) Do not worry, it doesn’t help anyway. 3) Be happy and<br />
content with what you have.<br />
‘Foul’ Frowns: <strong>St</strong>rong winds. Snakes. Complaining. Having my homestead<br />
torn down for the sake of coffee.<br />
Telling Tales: Enjoy reading. Doing crossword puzzles. Visiting shut-ins. Babysitting. Enjoyed a<br />
summer in Quebec doing VS at a church camp.<br />
God’s Gospel Guidance: I still enjoy reading the scriptures in the King James version, especially the<br />
Psalms, and (Proverbs 3:6) “In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.”<br />
Aug/Sep 2010 Answers: Three busy SJMC moms! Marilyn Buehler, Gina Ens, <strong>St</strong>ephanie Kramer.<br />
SJMC - 10 “Th e wo r k S ar e Th i n e o ch r i S T, ou r lo r d” life To g e T h e r - oc T/no V 2010
Children’s Challenge: Who Are We Now?<br />
We were once children like you! Can you guess who we are?<br />
Can you guess what these four ‘children’ have in common? (continued from page 10)<br />
life To g e T h e r - oc T/no V 2010<br />
Rambling Riddle: “I was born number eight in a family of ten, and we were/<br />
are a very musical family.”<br />
Thinking Thoughts: 1) It is better to prevent than to lament. 2) Teach me to<br />
look at what I have left – not what I have lost. 3) Peace is much more than the<br />
absence of conflict. I enjoy my large family.<br />
‘Foul’ Frowns: Thunderstorms. Snakes. Hot peppers. Tardiness.<br />
Telling Tales: Sponsored Laotian family. My husband and I owned and operated<br />
a potato business. Queen. Chesley Lake. Dressmaker. O.J. Smith Shoe Factory<br />
(<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong>). Market gardener. Worked at Self Help Crafts.<br />
God’s Gospel Guidance: (Isaiah 26:3,4) “Those of a steadfast mind you keep in peace – in peace because they<br />
trust in you. Trust the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock.”<br />
Rambling Riddles: “I delivered horses to Poland and coal to Denmark. I<br />
delivered milk and ice cream for Silverwoods. I raised goats, bantams, fancy<br />
chickens and pigeons. I threw snowballs at friends in the Swiss Alps and<br />
boomerangs in Australia.”<br />
Thinking Thoughts: 1) It is better to try and fail then not to try at all. 2) It does<br />
not take long to wait ½ an hour. 3) Take good care of your body; we are only<br />
allowed one in this world.<br />
‘Foul’ Frowns: Polluting water. Driving through a yellow light. Shrimp. Smooth<br />
peanut butter. Un-tuned musical instruments. Fighting in hockey.<br />
Telling Tales: I love music. I love making music. I love good food. I snared groundhogs and sold them<br />
for 10 cents to a ferret farmer. Playing crokinole. Riding horses. Biking. Driving people who have no<br />
car.<br />
God’s Gospel Guidance: Galatians 2:20 (please look it up) and (Matthew 5:13): “If we are to be the salt, we<br />
should spread out more to needy areas. When we make soup we do not wrap the salt in one spot in the kettle.”<br />
A favourite quote: “We should live more simply so that others may simply live.” (-Archbishop Nichols,<br />
referenced from an internet source.)<br />
Did You Know?... VBS Health Kit Offerings: 279 items total!<br />
30 Towels, 71 Soap Bars, 22 Toothpaste Tubes, 14 Shampoo Bottles, ... continued on page 13 & 15.<br />
“Th e wo r k S ar e Th i n e o ch r i S T, ou r lo r d”<br />
SJMC - 11
Expressions ... inspired creativity.<br />
I run to you.<br />
Wrapping my arms around your strong<br />
torso,<br />
Breathing in the earthy brown scent<br />
My soul is at peace here,<br />
Falling back I lay down to take in,<br />
Your majesty<br />
I watch.<br />
Your arms bowing gracefully,<br />
Feeling your sister’s cool breath,<br />
Finger tips softly kiss the sweet soil.<br />
Centuries rooted beneath you,<br />
There growing,<br />
Old magic infused with time,<br />
Intertwines with your rough skin<br />
Filled with ancient wonder –<br />
Grandmother Willow<br />
Written By: Nicole Neufeld<br />
Peacemaking Ponderings<br />
Innocent eyes look up<br />
Seeing-<br />
Secrets untold, stories of the past,<br />
Tales of wisdom<br />
Whispered softly,<br />
Only to those whose hearts wait and<br />
listen,<br />
Lovers sit beneath your watchful gaze,<br />
Yearning for wisdom,<br />
Dreamers as I,<br />
Rest against your breast,<br />
Wishing and wondering,<br />
Ponder thoughts of your mysteries<br />
All beings here,<br />
<strong>St</strong>ay to gaze in awe,<br />
Your kind wrinkled face,<br />
Hoping to remain in the loving embrace,<br />
Of our grandmother forever.<br />
... in our daily lives,<br />
near and far.<br />
Darkness cannot drive out darkness;<br />
only light can do that.<br />
Hate cannot drive out hate;<br />
only love can do that.<br />
- Martin Luther King Jr.<br />
(from “Curious The Tourist Guide”)<br />
(Printed with permission from <strong>Mennonite</strong> Central Committee.)<br />
SJMC - 12 “Th e wo r k S ar e Th i n e o ch r i S T, ou r lo r d” life To g e T h e r - oc T/no V 2010
life To g e T h e r - oc T/no V 2010<br />
Thankfulness<br />
A Very Memorable First Thanksgiving!<br />
Written By: Abby Horst<br />
I<br />
have always known that the good folks at SJMC are able to pull<br />
together to create great things – and while I was overjoyed by<br />
one particular act of generosity this past month, I was not at all<br />
surprised by the outpouring of kindness from this church.<br />
But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start with some<br />
background.<br />
I am currently in my last year of my Masters of Social Work<br />
degree, and completing my final internship. With this placement,<br />
part of my time is spent at the Supportive Housing of Waterloo<br />
(SHOW) apartment building. This brand new building is a result of<br />
a dream the 13 churches involved with the Out of the Cold program<br />
came up with a few years back. They envisioned an affordable and<br />
supportive home for homeless individuals in Waterloo Region –<br />
and that’s just what they got! The building, opened in June 2010,<br />
has 30 one-bedroom units, and currently is home to 28 individuals<br />
(mostly men) who have been homeless anywhere from 1 to 15<br />
years.<br />
I started at SHOW in September and will <strong>complete</strong> my term there<br />
around Christmas. My role there is mostly supportive, offering<br />
crisis intervention when needed as well as supporting many of<br />
the tenants who are struggling with addictions. Often, tenants will<br />
simply pop into the office to say hello, or some of them have also<br />
started gathering with me and the staff for pancake breakfasts each<br />
Saturday. While this transition from homelessness to housing can<br />
be a very tricky one, the tenants are settling in nicely. From my<br />
first day, I felt extremely welcomed by the staff and tenants. Not a<br />
shift goes by that I don’t have a meaningful conversation or just a<br />
simple chat with one of the men or women.<br />
It was a few weeks into my internship when I was chatting with<br />
a staff member about the tenants first real holiday in their new<br />
home: Thanksgiving. No organization or volunteers had seemed to<br />
pick up leadership for this special day, so I said I’d ‘put the feelers’<br />
out to my home congregation, quietly thinking that at least a few<br />
people would be able to help us out. I was unable to be at church<br />
to announce it, but my mom (Andrea Horst) offered to help get<br />
the ball rolling. I was in Detroit when I got a text message from<br />
her after church that read: “God is good!!! Sign-up sheets full, plus<br />
volunteers, plus donations towards food!!” For a split second,<br />
I was shocked at just how quickly SJMC members came aboard<br />
this idea…but then I remembered that this has happened time and<br />
time again in our church. I was so thankful for the large hearts<br />
and caring souls that immediately took interest in helping with this<br />
event. God is indeed good!<br />
The meal itself was a wonderful success! Several of us gathered<br />
at the church the night before to prepare some of the food, and the<br />
day of the meal went on without a hitch. We had lots of volunteers<br />
(including a slew of helpful youth!) and almost all of the tenants<br />
were able to join us of the meal. I looked out at one point during<br />
the lunch and saw many smiling faces, lots of conversations, and<br />
plates piled high with food. We fed everyone until they were ready<br />
to burst, and then still had enough food to prepare about a dozen<br />
meals to be handed out as needed during the upcoming week.<br />
It was an absolutely wonderful event for those of us able to help<br />
out by offering our time, money or food, but more importantly<br />
though, it was most definitely a very memorable first Thanksgiving<br />
for the tenants in their new home.<br />
“Th e wo r k S ar e Th i n e o ch r i S T, ou r lo r d”<br />
... a four-seasons perspective<br />
on being thankful.<br />
Did You Know?... VBS Health Kit Offerings (See story on page 5)<br />
... 16 Laundry Soap Bars, 8 Bandaid Packages, 54 Combs, and ... continued on page 15<br />
SJMC - 13
Life and Times<br />
Janet (Martin) Bauman (43) – April 20, 1967. 1 st Childhood Home: RR #1 Waterloo. Now: Elmira, ON.<br />
Laverne Roy Brubacher (66) – May 3, 1944. 1 st Childhood Home: RR #1 Waterloo (by present Piller’s Meats). Now: <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong>, ON.<br />
Leah Bauman (11) – April 4, 1999. 1 st Childhood Home: Elmira, ON. Now: Elmira, ON.<br />
Margaret (Good) Metzger (73) – January 5, 1937. 1 st Childhood Home: <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong>, ON. Now: <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong>, ON.<br />
wh at a R e s o m e o f y o u R faV o u R i t e s m e l l s, s o u n d s, ta s t e s?<br />
Janet: Choc.chip cookies. Hay drying. <strong>St</strong>ring quartet music. Bird songs. Waves lapping (shore). Crackling campfire. Earth after a rain.<br />
Laverne: Sweet clover. Maple syrup. Burning leaves. Elderberry pie. Citron jam. Autumn air. Music:Violin, Barbershop, Russian men’s choir.<br />
Leah: Mom’s cookies. Hot dogs roasting. Bon Echo Prov.Park. Ice&leaves crunching. Campfires. Chocolate. Dad’s honey baked chicken.<br />
Margaret: Beef & onions cooking. Fresh popped popcorn. Fresh mowed grass. Outside after rain. BBQ’d food. Sausage baking in church<br />
ovens. The ‘putt-putt’ of the old John Deere tractor.<br />
th i n g s y o u m i g h t n o t K n o w a B o u t m e !<br />
Janet: Play women’s soccer since’87/hockey (recent).Design/plant perennial gardens. Dairyfarm child/I can milk cows! Violin (Gr. 5-10).<br />
Laverne: Hand-picked wild mustard for half a cent each. I have some claustrophobia. Played an E-flat alto-sax – way back! Punny.<br />
Leah: On <strong>St</strong>udents’ Council. I like to cook bacon/egg sandwiches. Born Easter Sunday Morning. Named after 2 great-grandmothers.<br />
Margaret: Learned to drive a Buick McLaughlin car (age 9). Married in this church 50 years ago. I don’t like to watch TV.<br />
wh at a R e s o m e n o ta B l e P e R s o n a l i t y t R a i t s t h at o t h e R s w o u l d s ay y o u h aV e ?<br />
Janet: Calm. Serious. Discerning. Easy going. Sensitive. Perceptive.<br />
Laverne: Friendly. Musical. <strong>St</strong>ubborn. Generous. Practical. Grounded. Value-oriented. Risk taker.<br />
Leah: Funny. Speak clearly (good diction). Athletic. Easy going.<br />
Margaret: Friendly. Good cook.<br />
wh at a R e s o m e o f y o u R i n t e R e s t s?<br />
Janet: Hockey, soccer, cross country skiing. Camping, hiking, canoeing. Coaching girls’ sports. Reading, writing. Gardening. Cooking<br />
with fresh ingredients. Spending time with family and friends.<br />
Laverne: Golf. Volunteer Board work. Walking. Skiing. Travelling.<br />
Leah: Hockey. Soccer. Hanging out with friends. Writing. ‘Arena’ football. Drawing.<br />
Margaret: Read cookbooks. Read Christian fiction. Go to coffee shop with friends. Shopping in the U.S. Working in the church kitchen.<br />
wh at a R e s o m e o f y o u R faV o u R i t e l i f e t i m e m e m o R i e s?<br />
Janet: Childhood trips/now with my kids in Canada. 4-H dairy calf club. Farm (as child): open spaces, animals, games with siblings.<br />
Laverne: Eating a hard boiled egg boiled in maple sap evaporation. Bringing in cows with my stick on a wheel and finding a fourleafed<br />
clover. Milk and cookies after walking home from school (1 mile) in winter.<br />
Leah: Trips to Prince Edward Island, British Columbia, Alberta and Florida. Going to provincial hockey finals in Mississauga.<br />
Margaret: Homemade ice-cream /w cousins. Baby kittens with eyes open. Mom’s Sunday dinners. Camping. Four people in our bed.<br />
wh at a R e y o u P R e s e n t ly d o i n g ? / an d w h at o t h e R V o c at i o n (s) m i g h t y o u h aV e c h o s e n (o R s t i l l w o u l d c h o o s e)?<br />
Janet: Teacher, Rockway <strong>Mennonite</strong> Collegiate (17th year!) This year Gr. 9 & 10 Religious <strong>St</strong>udies and Gr. 8 PE. / Writer, pastor, farmer.<br />
Laverne: In transition from out of Menno S. Martin Contractors Ltd. (<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong>) and volunteering. / Farming. Landscaping.<br />
Leah: I am in Grade six at Park Manor Public School (Elmira). / Being an author or journalist.<br />
Margaret: Work at <strong>St</strong>one Crock Meats & Cheese store (<strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong>) and clean <strong>St</strong>. <strong>Jacobs</strong> <strong>Mennonite</strong> <strong>Church</strong>. / To be a chef.<br />
wh at a R e s o m e P l a c e s w h e R e y o u l i K e t o P l ay a n d/o R P o n d e R?<br />
Janet: Comfy attic chair. Kissing Bridge Trail (Elmira). Beside a lake. In backyard/gardens. Hiking woods. On my skis on a snowy trail.<br />
Laverne: In my garden. On the ski hill. On the golf course. In my office.<br />
Leah: In my room. On the computer. Outside.<br />
Margaret: At my kitchen table. <strong>Church</strong> sanctuary. Front porch.<br />
wh at a R e s o m e i t e m s o n y o u R … “to do in my lifetime” l i s t?<br />
Janet: Write a book. Take creative writing course. Travel Europe. Go back to Newfoundland. Learn piano or cello. See Grand Canyon.<br />
Laverne: Travel to Australia. Do a riverboat cruise. Do lots of exploring. Continue volunteering.<br />
Leah: Go to Switzerland (chocolate) and Italy (pasta). Play on Canada’s Women’s Soccer Team and Canada’s Women’s Hockey Team.<br />
Margaret: Go on a plane ride with Pete.<br />
SJMC - 14 “Th e wo r k S ar e Th i n e o ch r i S T, ou r lo r d” life To g e T h e r - oc T/no V 2010
life To g e T h e r - oc T/no V 2010<br />
Vision View<br />
How will you respond to God’s call?<br />
Written By: Sandy Shantz, Leadership Council Chairperson<br />
SJMC Logo, circa 1980’s. Art design by Marilyn Wideman Feil. Wall hanging<br />
fabric drafting technique, piecing, quilting by Alice (Snider) Brubacher.<br />
“We seek to celebrate and listen to the<br />
Living God; empowered by the Holy Spirit<br />
to be a welcoming, caring community<br />
of faith centred in Jesus Christ; and<br />
to demonstrate God’s love in our<br />
neighbourhoods and the world.”<br />
- SJMC Vision <strong>St</strong>atement<br />
e e e<br />
When I was reading the latest minutes from SJMC’s<br />
Missions Facilitation Ministry, I was struck by the sense<br />
of the Spirit leading in a very active way. Our vision<br />
calls us to be a “caring community of faith centred in Jesus; and<br />
to demonstrate God’s love in our neighbourhood and the world.”<br />
Their minutes describe it like this:<br />
... O God, our help in ages past,<br />
our hope for years to come, ... (HWB #328)<br />
“Mission is seen as being integrated into all aspects of our<br />
congregational life. It is understood in a broad sense including:<br />
a. Engaging in grateful service for others,<br />
b. The promotion of peace & justice,<br />
c. Care for all of God’s creation, our environment,<br />
d. Reaching out and extending hospitality in our community<br />
and beyond,<br />
e. Nurturing our local and global partnerships.”<br />
That sounds to me like the essence of ‘being a caring community<br />
of faith centred in Jesus; and demonstrating God’s love in our<br />
neighbourhood and the world.’ As a congregation we need some<br />
structure and organization around our group activities, but what<br />
about as individuals? Is it enough to say, “We do mission because<br />
we have an active ministry, because there is a group of committed<br />
people who take care of that for us?” What is our personal response<br />
to those around us?<br />
At one of the MCEC congregational consultations, I heard a plea<br />
for opportunities and resources to learn about the roots of our<br />
Anabaptist and Christian beliefs. People are looking for answers<br />
to some difficult questions like, “How do I respond to the poor,<br />
those struggling with substance abuse, the homeless and otherwise<br />
marginalized people?”<br />
I believe we at SJMC are a caring community of faith, but to be<br />
truly responsive to God’s call we need to individually internalize<br />
those ideals that the early Christians and early Anabaptists fought<br />
so hard to retain. I know I have a long way to go before I can truly<br />
give of myself and reach out to the world around me as God calls<br />
us to.<br />
Change is in the air. In this era ‘they’ call post Christendom we<br />
need to define who we are as Christian Anabaptists. We need to<br />
reach to the depths of our being and rediscover the Christ who<br />
lived and loved and worked among us and who lives and loves<br />
and works among us now.<br />
As Ministry leaders at SJMC we try to provide opportunities to<br />
learn about and to actively participate in God’s mission – through<br />
Sunday morning worship; through Sunday School; through a<br />
wide variety of mission opportunities; through fellowship; and<br />
through various other channels within the broader church. The<br />
opportunities will be there – how will you respond to God’s call?<br />
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“Th e wo r k S ar e Th i n e o ch r i S T, ou r lo r d”<br />
SJMC - 15
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SJMC - 16 “Th e wo r k S ar e Th i n e o ch r i S T, ou r lo r d” life To g e T h e r - oc T/no V 2010