The Mennonite congregation in Moose Jaw was small, but we found the people warm and friendly. Being small, they overlooked the fact that we had not been baptized in the way they believed (immersion) and put us to work in the congregation. One Sunday I was teaching the adult Sunday School class and one of … Continue reading Things were going well for us
Memoir
An answered prayer
We had talked over our situation that night, prayed for direction and believed we had been shown a direction that we should pursue. There still remained the question of whether Dennis would need or want my help. It didn't take long for the answer to come. The phone rang the next morning before we had … Continue reading An answered prayer
Disappointments
Pastor Harvey* was immediately hired by another congregation of the same denomination. The young people followed and so did we. This church was the same distance from our home, but out in the country on gravel roads. Before long there was a baptism service for several of the youth and for Chris and me. Now … Continue reading Disappointments
Still looking for an entry level church
We still appreciated the people at the Lowe Farm church, but decided we needed to go shopping for another church. We wouldn’t have been able to put it into words, but we were looking for an entry level church, one that wouldn’t cost us too much in the way of commitment. Nevertheless, we had been … Continue reading Still looking for an entry level church
A time to learn
Suddenly, almost unexpectedly, we were parents. We placed our baby into the blanket lined oval laundry basket on the seat between us and drove home. Up to this point we had thought we knew all about how to raise a child. What we really had were strong ideas about the mistakes our parents had made … Continue reading A time to learn
And then we were three
“Herb and Hilda are applying to adopt a baby,” Chris announced one day. Herb and Hilda were a young couple around our age in the Lowe Farm church. That simple bit of news started wheels turning in our minds. We wanted a family and so far there was no sign of that happening. Adoption had … Continue reading And then we were three
An entry level Mennonite church
“I like to use the New English Bible, it’s easier for people of our time to understand.” We had eaten supper with Peter Dueck and his wife in their home near Lowe Farm. Mr. Dueck (he didn’t want to be called Reverend) was the senior minister of the Lowe Farm Mennonite Church. Chris and I … Continue reading An entry level Mennonite church
Memories of a Bridge Builder
My mother was born to a family that spoke Plautdietsch at home and German in church. Those languages, sometimes called Low German and High German, were meant to be a protective wall, preventing folks of that heritage from feeling at home with the people around them. They also served to exclude the people around them … Continue reading Memories of a Bridge Builder
No longer alone
It was a small wedding, just a few of our family and friends. I remember that we barely made it to the church on time and I remember when we signed our marriage certificate. My meory doesn't seem to have recorded anything else, but that's the important stuff anyway - we were there and we … Continue reading No longer alone
A new course in life
If you've followed me this far you have no doubt gathered that I wasn't a romantic kind of guy. I had strong emotional feelings, but I woud have been horribly embarrassed if anyone got a glimpse of them. Circumstances told to me that now I needed to do something to let my bride-to-be know how … Continue reading A new course in life