Tag: pastor-in-residence

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Mary Reimer visits CMU as Pastor-in-Residence

Teacher, pastor, and spiritual director hopes students will ‘courageously look at their lives’

Canadian Mennonite University is pleased to welcome Mary Reimer as Pastor-in-Residence later this month.

Reimer, a spiritual director and the former co-pastor at FaithWorks, a Mennonite Brethren congregation in Winnipeg, will be on campus Monday, October 31 to Friday, November 4.

Reimer hopes to inspire people to “courageously look at their lives.”

“(I want to inspire them) to stop and learn some of the strategies for living an examined life in the light of Christ, because I really believe that that is the key to spiritual formation, that is the key to community life and the church,” Reimer says. “It all begins with that right relationship with Christ and then overflows into all the other attachments in our lives.

Mary Reimer
Mary Reimer will be CMU’s Pastor-in-Residence from October 31 to November 4.

“If I can inspire anyone to begin that journey or to continue it if they’re already on it, then it will be worth it.”

Now in its seventh year, CMU’s Pastor-in-Residence program is designed to encourage pastors to live in residence and participate in the life of the CMU community.

The Pastor-in-Residence provides spiritual care in various ways, including speaking in chapel sessions, visiting classrooms, participating in lunch-hour discussions for students interested in vocational ministry, and informal conversations throughout the week.

“Mary has a true love for people and an incredible ability to sit and be fully present when she meets with you,” says Danielle Morton, Spiritual Life Facilitator at CMU. “She will bring a different voice and a different feel… My big hope is that students will sit with her and sink into that.”

Reimer has a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Manitoba and was a teacher for 20 years. A call to church ministry came in the form of an internship, which led to an Associate Pastor position at Fort Garry Mennonite Brethren Church for six years.

In 2002, Reimer and a colleague planted FaithWorks. While pastoring at FaithWorks, she pursued a Master’s degree in Spiritual Formation and Leadership from Spring Arbor University in Michigan, where she studied under renowned scholars Richard Foster and Dallas Willard. She graduated in 2009.

Through this experience, Reimer was drawn to the practice of spiritual direction and has been practicing ever since. She has been a director in spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius and draws on the wisdom of both Ignatian and Benedictine teaching in her practice of direction.

Additionally, Reimer and her daughter, Heidi Reimer-Epp, co-founded Botanical Paperworks in 1996. The company creates eco-friendly plantable stationery, invitations, favours and promotional products embedded with wildflower seeds that bloom into flowers when planted. The company’s clients include National Geographic, Starbucks, and Toyota.

Reimer and her husband, Gary, have three adult children and two granddaughters. In her spare time, Reimer enjoys painting with watercolours, and she is currently learning how to play the mandolin.

Reimer describes herself as “just an ordinary little old lady” who wasn’t sure what she could offer the CMU community when she was first asked to be Pastor-in-Residence.

Then she came across Psalm 131, which reads in part: “O Lord, I am not proud; I have no haughty looks. I do not occupy myself with great matters, or with things that are too hard for me. But I still my soul and make it quiet, like a child upon its mother’s breast; my soul is quieted within me.”

“That’s what I have learned something about—about how to be quiet in order to listen,” Reimer says. “What I can offer the CMU community is Christ’s invitation to come away, to learn to live an examined life in order to live in a right relationship to all things.”

About CMU

A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over 800 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

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2015’s Pastor-in-Residence reflects on his week at CMU

Kevin Derksen, a 2007 CMU graduate serves as pastor at St. Jacobs Mennonite Church (SJMC) in St. Jacobs, ON. He was on the CMU campus from November 2 to 6 as CMU’s Pastor-in-Residence, a program designed to encourage out-of-province pastors to live in residence and participate in the life of the CMU community.

Derksen’s reflection on his week at CMU appears in the Winter 2015 issue of SJMC’s newsletter, Life Together. Republished with permission is Derksen’s excerpt below.

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Pastor-in-Residence for a Week: Canadian Mennonite University

by Kevin Derksen, SJMC Pastor

During the week of November 2-6, I had the opportunity to turn back the clock and re-live my student years at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) in Winnipeg. I had been invited to spend a week on campus as the “Pastor in Residence” for the fall semester.

The “in Residence” part was quite literal—I was given a tiny bachelor suite in the student apartment block, and went for meals in the school cafeteria. The head cook was still the same from my time thirteen years before, and the good food I remembered hadn’t changed a whole lot.

The years had been less kind to the mattress in my room, however, which clearly predated my student days by a fair margin. But I was sleeping on my own without young children to attend to, so the accommodations still felt pretty good. There was a fair amount of night-time commotion from rooms down the hall, but I decided those students probably didn’t need me to find their ‘blankie’ and tuck them back in!

The point of the visit, however, was to spend time with students—not as a parent, but as a pastor. CMU invites someone to come for a week in each semester as a “Pastor in Residence.” The idea is to bring a fresh face on campus to get to know the school, connect with students and initiate some good conversations. I was happy to accept the invitation when it came, especially as a former student with lots of connections and memories still there. Even though I became a pastor in Ontario, I was shaped significantly by my time at CMU. So it was fun to bring what I do now back to that community.

They did keep me pretty busythroughout the week. I spoke at three chapels and at a student worship night. I was a guest presenter in a couple of ministry-related classes. And I had lunches and meetings with a handful of student and faculty groups. In many of these settings I shared about my own experience as a pastor and invited reflection on topics that are significant within our context here at St. Jacobs. I discovered all sorts of resonances and common interests. It turns out that many of our current issues and conversations here are happening within churches in Winnipeg and beyond, too.

I also spent a whole lot of time in campus coffee shops visiting and talking with people. There were a couple of mornings where I was assigned to sit with a box of cookies to share with students who stopped by for conversation. But I also spent lots of time visiting with staff and faculty, as well as community folks who happened to be around.

On one day I had “coffee” with six different people over the course of five hours, as I held court in one of the cafes. By the end of the week, I was pretty chatted out! But it was really interesting to hear what was going on at CMU and make some connections with where I was coming from as a pastor. Hopefully students and staff and faculty at CMU found something valuable in what I shared as well.

Part of what I took from the week was also a renewed appreciation for what a place like CMU can be and do as a branch of the church. So, here are a few quick reflections on what I noticed as the vibe at the school right now:

  1. CMU has just completed a building project that created a new library, coffee shop and student space called the “Marpeck Commons.” The new space is connected to buildings on the other side of Grant Avenue by a fancy indoor bridge that saves the need for risky street crossings in the winter. The bridge and the Commons have transformed the CMU campus. It has connected the buildings on both sides of the street, and created a natural crossroads for the community. I have never experienced a building project that has had such an immediately positive impact on the culture of a place. Kudos to the vision that lay behind it.
  2. When I began as a student at CMU thirteen years ago, there were still growing pains in the integration of the partner colleges. In particular, some of the church culture distinctives between the Mennonite Brethren and Mennonite Church Canada were still being negotiated. My sense fifteen years into this experiment in unity is that these divisions are less of an issue. In part, because the school has grown to encompass a much greater diversity of students. These days, less than half of students come with any sort of Anabaptist or Mennonite background. CMU remains committed to providing education from an Anabaptist perspective, but there is a wide and beautiful diversity in those who come to learn.
  3. Finally, I was struck by the wealth of thoughtful and committed student leaders that I met – many of who are and will be leaders for the church. It was encouraging to receive their passion and to share my story in the midst of it. God is at work at CMU, as in many other places of learning and formation that we are connected with.I’m grateful for the opportunity to see that again.
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CMU Alumnus Returns to Campus as Pastor-in-Residence

CMU is ‘a place where I was formed significantly,’ says Kevin Derksen

A Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) alumnus is preparing to return to campus as Pastor-in-Residence.

Kevin Derksen, a 2007 graduate who currently serves as pastor at St. Jacobs Mennonite Church (SJMC) in St. Jacobs, ON, will be on campus Monday, November 2 until Friday, November 6.

“CMU was a really good place for me. It was a perfect fit in terms of where I was at and what I needed,” Derksen says of his time as a student. “There’s something kind of novel about being able to bring what I do now to a place where I was formed significantly.”

Kevin Derksen, CMU, alumnus is preparing to return to campus as Pastor-in-Residence
Kevin Derksen, CMU, alumnus is preparing to return to campus as Pastor-in-Residence

Now in its sixth year, CMU’s Pastor-in-Residence program is designed to encourage out-of-province pastors to live in residence and participate in the life of the CMU community.

The Pastor-in-Residence provides spiritual care in various ways, including speaking in chapel sessions, visiting classrooms, participating in lunch-hour discussions for students interested in vocational ministry, and informal conversations throughout the week.

“It’s an exciting partnership between CMU and our supporting churches,” says Melanie Unger, Spiritual Life Facilitator on campus. “We’re looking forward to the many ways Kevin will speak into our life at CMU!”

Derksen, who graduated with an Honours BA in Biblical and Theological Studies, says he didn’t know he was going to be a pastor while studying at CMU.

At the same time, it was during the practicum each CMU student must complete that Derksen realized he had pastoral gifts.

In consultation with Director of Practica Werner Kliewer, Derksen chose to spend the summer of 2007 in Toronto doing an internship at Toronto United Mennonite Church.

“It was a good experience—tough in some ways, but good,” Derksen says. “It was there that I realized pastoral work is something I could do reasonably well.”

While finishing his Master of Arts in Western Religious Thought at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON in 2009, Derksen and his wife, Pam, decided he should get a job so that she could pursue some of her vocational interests.

Derksen came across the posting at SJMC and applied.

“It was a bit of a ‘follow your nose’ situation,” he says. “It wasn’t me deciding to be a pastor and then looking for a job. It was certainly that particular church and that particular job that appealed to me.”

Today, Derksen is part of a three-person pastoral team at SJMC, where he enjoys preaching, worship planning, and “negotiating the ongoing challenges of Christian community.”

In addition to his work at the church, Derksen chairs the Congregational Ministries Council for Mennonite Church Eastern Canada and sits on the editorial council of Vision: A Journal for Church and Theology.

Derksen and his wife both grew up in Winnipeg in the Mennonite Brethren church. They currently live in the village of St. Jacobs with their three young children.

When he isn’t supervising the craft-corner and walking to the playground, Derksen enjoys softball, gardening, and reading.

He looks forward to his visit as Pastor-in-Residence.

“It will be nice to come around full circle to CMU with this life we’ve been living elsewhere,” he says.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over 800 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program. 

For information about CMU visit cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

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CMU Alumna Returns to Campus as Pastor-in-Residence

‘I have fond memories of my time at CMU,’ says Tabitha VandenEnden

Canadian Mennonite University is pleased to welcome Tabitha VandenEnden as Pastor-in-Residence this week.

VandenEnden, co-pastor at Grantham Mennonite Brethren Church in St. Catherines, ON, will be on campus Monday, January 26 until Friday, January 30.

Tabitha VandenEnden, co-pastor at Grantham Mennonite Brethren Church in St. Catherines, ON, will be CMU’s Pastor-in-Residence from January 26 -30.
Tabitha VandenEnden, co-pastor at Grantham Mennonite Brethren Church in St. Catherines, ON, will be CMU’s Pastor-in-Residence from January 26 -30.

VandenEnden, who graduated from CMU in 2010 with a Master of Arts in Theology, and also worked as the coordinator of the university’s chapel program, is looking forward to being back on campus.

“I have fond memories of my time at CMU,” she says. “I grew my faith and was challenged to think more critically about what I believed, and it was all in an environment where people challenged you, but you could trust them at the same time.”

Now in its fifth year, CMU’s Pastor-in-Residence program is designed to encourage out-of-province pastors to live in residence, participate in the life of the CMU community, and share their faith experiences in a variety of settings including CMU chapel sessions.

“It’s really nice to have someone from the broader church constituency offer what they’re passionate about and provide pastoral care for that one week,” says Melanie Unger, Spiritual Life Facilitator at CMU, adding that the Pastor-in-Residence program also helps build connections between CMU and the churches that support it.

“The Pastor-in-Residence comes as a gift from their home church,” says Unger, noting that the church pays for the pastor’s flight to Winnipeg as well as their salary while they are at CMU. “It’s a huge way the church can get involved in the mission of CMU. Every time a pastor comes, we feel a connection with that particular congregation. It’s a wonderful gift.”

VandenEnden has co-pastored Grantham with her husband, Michael, since 2010. Michael also completed a Master of Arts in Theology at CMU.

Before joining the Mennonite Brethren church, the couple’s respective faith journeys took them through diverse Christian traditions, ranging from Baptist to Pentecostal to Roman Catholic.

While studying at CMU, VandenEnden’s thesis focused on the interrelatedness of worship and mission, and how current worship practices often diminish or distort this connection—particularly with the Lord’s Supper.

Her thesis work has led the couple to integrate new practices at Grantham that have helped the community grow into a better understanding of the relationship between the Lord’s Supper and loving our neighbour, VandenEnden says.

This has meant celebrating the Lord’s Supper the first Sunday of every month; sharing a potluck meal for lunch as a congregation after the service; and bringing the bread and juice to the church’s shut-ins so that they can partake in the Lord’s Supper and maintain a connection to Grantham.

“We’ve tried to extend the table in those ways to forge deeper connections between Christ’s sacrifice and how that brings us together as a community,” VandenEnden says.

She is currently enjoying a year of maternity leave with her three boys, Job, Titus, and Felix. The entire family will be on campus with VandenEnden during the week.

VandenEnden is eager to connect with the CMU community, and is particularly excited about speaking with students who are thinking about becoming pastors.

“I’m looking forward to being able to talk about some of the highlights of ministry, and some of the challenges,” she says.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences and social sciences, and graduate degrees in Theology and Ministry. CMU has over 1,600 students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury campus and in its Menno Simons College and Outtatown programs.

For information about CMU, visit: www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:

Melanie Unger, Spiritual Life Facilitator
munger@cmu.ca; 204-487-3300 ext. 377
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

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Ryan Dueck Visits CMU as Pastor-in-Residence

‘I’m looking forward to hearing people’s stories,’ Lethbridge pastor says

Ryan Dueck, pastor at Lethbridge Mennonite Church in Lethbridge, AB, will visit Canadian Mennonite University as Pastor-in-Residence from Monday, November 3 to Friday, November 7.

Dueck is eager to connect with CMU students.

“Young adulthood is a really… interesting phase of life where so much is up for grabs,” he says. “It’s pretty cool to have even a small window into people’s lives.”

Now in its fifth year, CMU’s Pastor-in-Residence program is designed to encourage out-of-province pastors to live in residence, participate in the life of the CMU community, and share their faith experiences in a variety of settings including CMU chapel sessions.

“The goal has always been to have the pastor come and serve in our community so that our students, staff, and faculty are cared for by an outside person,” says Melanie Unger, Spiritual Life Facilitator at CMU, adding that hopefully, the week is refreshing for the visiting pastor as well. “It’s about building relationships with our church constituency.”

Ryan Dueck, pastor at Lethbridge Mennonite Church in Lethbridge, AB
CMU’s Ryan Dueck, pastor at Lethbridge Mennonite Church in Lethbridge, AB will be CMU’s pastor-in-residence from November 3-7.

Dueck has been the pastor at Lethbridge Mennonite Church since 2011. Prior to that, he served for three years as associate pastor at Neighbourhood Church, a Mennonite Brethren congregation in Nanaimo, BC.

Dueck grew up on a farm in southern Alberta and says he never imagined that he would become a pastor. After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Philosophy at the University of Lethbridge and then a Master of Christian Studies from Regent College in Vancouver, he thought he might pursue further studies.

A handful of people close to Dueck encouraged him to work in the church. Dueck recalls a conversation with his thesis advisor at Regent during which he shared that he wasn’t impressed with some of the pastors he had encountered growing up.

“Maybe your job is to be the pastor you wish you had,” Dueck’s thesis advisor suggested.

Afterward, Dueck decided to pursue ministry. Given his passion for academia, he says he is naturally drawn to the cerebral aspects of being a minister, such as researching, writing, and preparing sermons.

Over the past six years, however, he has come to appreciate simply being able to hear and be a part of people’s stories.

“As a pastor, you’re invited into some of the most frightening and most holy moments of people’s lives, and that’s an honour I didn’t fully appreciate until I became a pastor,” he says.

Since 2007, Dueck has maintained a blog called “Rumblings.” The blog includes reflection and conversation about various topics related to the intersection of faith and culture.

Dueck is married to Naomi, and the couple has 13-year-old twins. When he isn’t working or spending time with his family, Dueck enjoys playing soccer, hockey, and riding his motorcycle in the mountains.

He is anticipating meaningful conversations during his week at CMU.

“As human beings, we learn and grow when we have an opportunity to have our stories rub off on each other a little bit,” Dueck says. “I’m looking forward to hearing people’s stories.”

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences and social sciences, and graduate degrees in Theology and Ministry. CMU has over 1,600 students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury Campus and in its Menno Simons College and Outtatown programs.

For information about CMU, visit: www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:

Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

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Doug Klassen Visits CMU as Pastor-in-Residence

January 30, 2012 – Doug Klassen, senior pastor at Foothills Mennonite Church in Calgary since 2000, has arrived on campus as CMU’s Pastor-in-Residence, January 30 to February 3, 2012.

Doug Klassen is no stranger to Winnipeg.

“I look forward to being in the city where I spent seven years of my life – four as a student and three in ministry,” says Klassen, excited about the week ahead. “It will be great to meet the students, and to see some of the fine people who taught and mentored me.”

Canadian Mennonite University’s Pastor-in-Residence program, now in its second year, is designed to encourage out-of-province pastors to live in residence, participate in the life of the CMU community, and share their faith experiences through CMU chapel sessions.

Klassen hopes his pastor-in-residence experience will resemble his time as a student at CMBC, where he gained a clear sense of God’s presence and appreciated the strength of Christian community in a great learning environment.

“I hope that what I am bringing for chapels and discussions will encourage spiritual growth among students and staff and build bridges to our churches,” says Klassen. “I expect to be blessed and challenged in return.”

Klassen has been the senior pastor at Foothills Mennonite Church in Calgary, AB, since 2000. His family currently resides in northwest Calgary, but he has not always lived there. Klassen was born and raised in Vineland, Ontario, then moved away to study at Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC) in Winnipeg, where he met his wife Rose Retzlaff. Together, they received their first pastoral assignment in St. Catherines, ON. Afterwards, Klassen served with Mennonite Church Manitoba, moving back to Winnipeg to serve in a local church in the area of Young Adult Ministries. It was in 1998 that the family answered a call to serve at Foothills in Calgary, and he has been there ever since.

Klassen has served on a variety of regional and national committees, has written for MC Canada’s Season of Prayer, and is currently working towards getting his M.Div. degree through Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. A preacher and a teacher, Klassen is passionate about his work and loves meeting people and building friendships.

“I encourage everyone to get involved in living out God’s Mission in the world,” says Klassen.

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is a Christian university offering undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences, business, communications and media, peace and conflict resolution studies, music, music therapy, theology, and church ministries, as well as graduate degrees in Theological Studies and Christian ministry. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU has approximately 1,700 students at its Shaftesbury Campus in Southwest Winnipeg, at Menno Simons College in downtown Winnipeg, and enrolled through its Outtatown discipleship program. CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).

Community Gatherings
JANUARY 30 – FEBRUARY 3

Monday Forum @ 11:30 A.M. (Chapel)
Dazed and Confused: Men Finding their Role in North American Society
With Doug Klassen, Pastor-in-Residence

Tuesday Chapel @ 11:30 A.M.
“Forget about the money, quit your job!”
A Faith Story by Doug Klassen, Pastor-in-Residence
Music by Rudy Schellenberg and Students

Friday Chapel @11:30 A.M.
“They have taken my Lord away!”
With Doug Klassen, Pastor-in-Residence
Music by the Chamber Choir

 

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CMU Welcomes Pastor-in-Residence Ken Peters

Pastor-in-Residence Program, introduced n the 2010-2011 academic year, continues this year, welcoming Ken Peters as the third Pastor in Residence…

October 31, 2011…Ken Peters, pastor at Saanich Community Church in Victoria since 2010, has arrived on campus as CMU’s campus Pastor-in-Residence, October 31 to November 4.   

Canadian Mennonite University’s Pastor-in-Residence program is designed to encourage out-of-province pastors to come live in residence, participate in the life of the CMU community and share their faith experiences through CMU chapel sessions. 

“In two chapels, I will chronicle my own spiritual pilgrimage in a talk entitled From Love to Love, and speak into our intercultural missional context, Redefining out Neighbour,” says Peters. “In the forum, I’ll be addressing Unspoken Conversations Surrounding the Atonement.  Some students may also have opportunity to hear me speak on An Anabaptist Sensitivity to the Use of Power in Preaching.” 

Peters will share stories on spirituality with students, staff and faculty. Marilyn Peters Kliewer, CMU Dean of Student Life, notes that the aim of the Pastor-in-Residence program is to encourage spiritual growth in members of the CMU community, while also helping to build and maintain stronger relationships with our churches.

Peters, serving in his 25th year of pastoral ministry, has had experience working in churches with a variety of denominations. Previous pastoral ministry include his roles as lead pastor at Killarney Park MB in Vancouver (1995-2010), associate pastor at Memorial United Methodist Church in Clovis, CA (1993-1995), and associate pastor at Coaldale MB in Coaldale, AB (1985-1992) where he was ordained in 1990.

Peters earned his Diploma in Agricultural Management from BCIT (’79), a BRS in Theology from MBBC and a BA in Religious Studies from U of W (’85), an M. Divinity in Pastoral Ministry from MBBC (’95) and wrote his thesis entitled Interculturalism: A Preferred Praxis for Ministry in Multicultural Contexts to graduate with his Doctor of Ministry from Carey Theological College in 2009. 

Peters has involved himself in denominational work throughout his pastoral ministry, serving on the Alberta boards of Education and Church Extension, the Canadian Board of Evangelism, the Planning Teams for Banff  ’86 and ’89, the BC Board of Pastoral Ministries and most recently eight years on the Canadian Board of Faith and Life from 2002-2010.

His work history extends beyond pastoral ministry, having worked for the Bank of British Columbia and for construction and agricultural firms in the Langley, BC area.

Ken and his wife Yvonne moved to Brentwood Bay in May of this year. With three adult children out of the home, Ken and Yvonne take time to enjoy cultural celebrations, travelling, and quiet walks.

Peters shares many common interests with those in the CMU community and will fit right in during his time spent here in residence.  He is an avid gardener and enjoys cycling. With the presence of the CMU Farm and the bike co-op on North campus, he should feel right at home. 

“As a MBBC/MBBS grad, I was never schooled on the current campus but look forward to sensing how the historical DNA lingers on in and through conversations in the classroom, hallways, and campus culture,” says Peters, who received his BRS in Theology and his M. Divinity in Pastoral Ministry from MBBC (now CMU) in the ‘90s.

“I hope to bring encouragement to students that God is present in and through all experiences and uncertainties.”  Peters also looks forward to observing and listening to how CMU students integrate shared convictions of Christian faith and the natural provocations associated with exploration of ideas.  

PASTOR-IN-RESIDENCE COMMUNITY GATHERINGS

October 31 – November 4

Monday Forum @ 11:30 A.M. (Chapel)
Unspoken Conversations Surrounding the Atonement
With Ken Peters, Pastor In Residence

Tuesday Chapel @ 11:30 A.M.
From Love to Love:  A Faith Story
With Ken Peters, Pastor In Residence
Music by Rudy Schellenberg

Wednesday Night Worship @ 9:30 P.M. (Conference Room, South Campus)
Led by the Faith in Life Committee

Friday Chapel @11:30 A.M.
Who really is my neighbour?
With Ken Peters, Pastor In Residence
Music by the Chamber Choir

Issued October 31, 2011 

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Pastor in residence urges students to consider ministry

Carol Penner has a list of ten reasons why she couldn’t be a pastor. The pastor of The First Mennonite Church in Vineland, Ontario also has ten stories of how God helped her surmount those barriers. Telling those stories to students at Canadian Mennonite University was one of Penner’s priorities during the week she spent at on campus as a pastor in residence.

In mid-February The First Mennonite Church loaned its pastor to CMU for a week. Penner travelled to Winnipeg and spent a week on the CMU campus as part of the university’s new pastor in residence program.

Inviting pastors to spend time on campus is a way of providing spiritual care for students and staff and helps CMU strengthen relationships with its supporting churches, says CMU’s spiritual life facilitator, Melanie Unger.

Twice a year—once in fall and once in spring—a pastor comes to live on campus for a week. The pastor in residence meets with students and faculty, hosts discussions, speaks in chapel and offers pastoral care. Churches give their pastors a week of paid leave and pay for their transportation to Winnipeg. CMU covers room and board.

“It’s a huge blessing to us for a church to free up their pastor to come here for a week,” says Unger.

Dan Unrau, pastor of Fraserview Mennonite Brethren Church in Richmond, B.C., came to CMU last fall as the program’s first pastor in residence.

During her week on campus, Penner spoke to chapel gatherings, led a workshop for student leaders on how to care for oneself spiritually, spoke in a seminar class, and hosted lunchtime discussions for students considering the ministry. One luncheon was specifically for women and explored some of the unique challenges faced by women in church leadership. Penner also hosted a forum on sexual abuse and family violence.

Penner, who graduated from Canadian Mennonite Bible College in 1981, says it was a joy to visit CMU and meet some of her old profs.

Penner never intended to be a pastor. She earned a PhD in theology at the University of Toronto hoping to become a professor. “Doors weren’t opening for me,” she recalls. So she changed direction and decided to enter the ministry. “It’s a very rewarding career,” she says, looking back.

“If you’re passionate about listening to people and sharing the gospel, maybe this is the job for you,” she counsels curious students. “If you’re bored with those things, maybe not.” But don’t let fears stand in your way, she says.

Listening to students sitting around the table and asking questions about the ministry is exciting, says Unger. “People are quite encouraged at the gifting, the passion for God and the depth of character among these students. We’re encouraged that the church is going to be in good hands.”

Categories
General News News Releases

Pastor-in-Residence Program Established

Two pastors serving on campus in 2010-2011 – B.C.’s Dan Unrau and Ontario’s Carol Penner
For release November 3, 2010

In 2010-201, CMU will benefit from a new student life program that brings a Pastor in Residence to CMU for a week during each of the fall and winter academic terms.

Dan Unrau, lead pastor at Fraserview Mennonite Brethren Church in Richmond, served as CMU’s first Pastor in Residence, visiting CMU October 25 – 29, 2010. From February 7 -11, 2011, CMU will welcome Carol Penner, pastor at First Mennonite Church in Vineland, Ontario, to be CMU’s Pastor in Residence during the winter semester.

“The Pastor in Residence is invited to participate in the life of the CMU community by being available for pastoral care through one-on-one time with students, faculty, and staff, and sharing his or her faith story through our CMU chapel sessions,” says CMU Dean of Student Life Marilyn Peters Kliewer. She notes that the aim of the program is both to encourage spiritual growth among members of the CMU community, while also helping to build and maintain close connections with our churches.

Pastor Dan Unrau, a former Manitoban born and raised in Boissevain, now lives in Richmond, British Columbia, with his wife, Lois. During his weeklong stay, faculty, staff, and students welcomed him on campus where he participated and led in a variety of settings. This included a forum on the topic of family systems, a chapel where he shared his faith story, a round-table discussion with local pastors, a resourcing session for student leaders, an evening time of worship, and a meeting with students who are interested in pursuing ministry as their vocation, along with other informal gatherings with members of the CMU community. Another highlight for Unrau was conversation with CMU students during evening snack time.

“I come away from my time at CMU with a professional and pastoral affirmation that the need to tell the integrative story of Christ, faith and life, at all ages, for students, and for faculty and staff, is never ending. It is needed, and welcome, and appropriate,” said Unrau, commenting further that, during CMU’s weekday chapel programs, and again in the evening during student worship time, he was refreshed to again hear and see the “aha” impact of the words of Christ’s story.

“My strongest image of the students is these fresh-faced, young people, alive, vibrant… with healthy bodies and healthy souls. I am so encouraged by this. These students will look after the future. They will become us and more.”

A former teacher, Unrau has been serving in a pastoral role for nearly 26 years. Unrau holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology, English, and Religious Studies from The University of Winnipeg, a Master’s degree in Judaeo-Christian Studies (Jerusalem University College), and a DMin. degree in Leadership Studies (Carey Theological Seminary, UBC).

Speaker, preacher, story-teller, and motivational trainer, Unrau has lived in Manitoba, British Columbia, Israel, and Germany. He has authored two books, is currently completing a novel with Mennonite and Jewish themes, has been an adjunct Seminary professor, has appeared on television, and has been a guest on various radio shows. Among his commitments, he serves as the volunteer chaplain of the Vancouver Giants WHL hockey team.

“Most people are running so hard they have no time to reflect,” he notes. “My job as a pastor is as much speaking the good news as reflecting what it means to be a follower of Christ in this day and age. My role is to pray for people, to read the Bible for them, and to read the world for them in a way that helps them to understand.”

Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is a Christian university offering undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences, business, communications and media, peace and conflict resolution studies, music, music therapy, theology, and church ministries, as well as graduate degrees in Theological Studies and Christian ministry. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU has over 1,800 students at its Shaftesbury Campus in Southwest Winnipeg, at Menno Simons College in downtown Winnipeg, and enrolled through its Outtatown discipleship program. CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).
For CMU information, contact:

Nadine Kampen, Communications & Marketing Director
Tel. 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
nkampen@cmu.ca
500 Shaftesbury Blvd.
Winnipeg, MB R3P 2N2