Credentialed Ministers 2024

Anthony Junggyu Yang (Ordination), Danforth Mennonite Church: As children of God, our continuous transformation, inspiration, and calling are ongoing processes within our own contexts. Encountering God transforms and inspires us to love ourselves and our neighbors. In God, we discern our calling by observing the life journeys of key figures for spiritual harmony and maturity ( Ephesians 4:11-13). Despite facing challenges and temptations in various aspects of life, we need not fear or be troubled, as God promises that God is with us (John 14:18).

Carrie Lehn (Ordination), Ottawa Mennonite Church: The state of our world can feel bleak and so we need to cling to the hope and inspiration of our faith. Let us be careful that we don’t erase the beauty and mystery that God has revealed to us and calls on us to notice. God’s ability to redeem and transform is endless. As I reflect on this theme, I wonder, what transformation is around the next corner?

Cesar Garcia (Ordination Recognition), First Mennonite Church/Mennonite World Conference: Hope resulting from faith in Jesus may be defined as the ability to see and act based on a new reality. It is to long for a different world and behave as if we were already in it. Waiting on Christ is never passive, never simply a feeling. It is to realize that there is already a new creation—here and now—and that through the power of Christ, we are a part of it.

Chung Vang (Ordination), First Hmong Mennonite Church: We Are the Community of Faith.  Faith In What? Faith in Jesus Christ our Lord, who dwells in our hearts and transforms our lives. His love was shown to us by suffering when He died on the cross for our sins.  This Love we find in Jesus is an inspiration and endurance for today and is the hope for tomorrow.  We are called to imitate Jesus to others as the salt and light of the world.

Daniel Tela (Licensed Toward Ordination), Shalom Worship and Healing Centre: Attending the MCEC Annual Church Gathering (ACG) last year was an unforgettable experience. Seeing so many individuals from different cultural backgrounds brought together by the Gospel of Christ was a small glimpse into what heaven will be one day. Many of the brothers and sisters I met then have become close partners and labourers for the Kingdom until now. Like the theme, it was a time that transformed, inspired, and called us to worship and collaborate.

Jessie Hyejung Yum (Ordination), Danforth Mennonite Church: Hope has transformative power, guiding us towards envisioned realities. As an ordained minister, I aspire to contribute to MCEC's dream and inspiration of becoming an intercultural Church.

Sandra Baez (Ordination Recognition), First Mennonite Church: I have been transformed by the stories and lives of the seniors I work with in my local congregation. These stories are the sum of the experience, humility, wisdom, and fragility that the passage of years brings.  Every time I visit them in their house, hospital bed, or retirement home, I am inspired by their compassionate hearts. They keep the faith and live in hope amid our world's troubles and also in hope for what God has in store for them.

Steph Chandler Burns (Licensed Toward Ordination), Pastors in Exile: I find I am inspired to hope by the presence of the Holy Spirit, who draws an imperfect and beautiful community together in big and small ways each day. The guidance of the Spirit calls us to learn from one another, create a new world together, and lament and celebrate together. Our ability to reconcile with one another, walk together, and build the church together, in an increasingly polarized and isolated world gives me hope that in Christ all things are possible. 

Stephen Kennedy (Licensed Toward Ordination), Avon Church: "Hope is a precious commodity in our divided world. It is so easy to feel the weight of the world on our shoulders, but as I reflect on the word, "hope", I believe it is the ability to look at something that seems bleak and know that there is goodness coming. It's why nature is such a profound revelation of God's truths- A bland cocoon containing a bright butterfly, a shriveling seed ready to burst into life... When we invite more hope into our lives, and our churches, we have a new ability to reveal Christ in the most unbelievable locations, in unexpected people, and in exciting new ways; Christ is closer than we realize. I believe our calling is to be hope-seekers, and to invite others to join us on this journey towards personal and communal transformation filled with hope. After all, the hope of our faith is that a God who is constant and unchanging can and will continually transform us and our world."

Taucha Inrig (Licensed Toward Ordination), Wideman Mennonite Church: The process of being "transformed, inspired, and called" is not a linear process.  I envision it to be a repeating coil or cycle.   We are transformed by the Holy Spirit, and called to participate in representing His Kin-dom every day! When we respond to that call,  we are Jesus' hands and feet in the communities around us.  When I serve,  I am often inspired to have hope...I have the privilege of standing on the precipice and watching  God's miracles unfold every day!

Thing Sai (Licensed Toward Ordination), Kitchener Emmanuel Church: In fact, I could say that believing there’s hope is the precursor of transformed, inspired, and called. I also believe that instilling church members with a sense of purpose gives them hope. For instance, I am juggling with the full-time work and the called for a pastor role at KEC, has made me realize that how strong I am through His Grace. Serving to the ministry is a privilege and it’s my commitment to Christ. I am only inspired each day by a sense of hope that could make us endurance in the midst of our hardships. 

Yosief Abraham (Licensed Toward Ordination), Shalom Worship and Healing Centre