Ordination Two by Two

Charleen and Kendall Jongejan Harder

Ordination was a natural step for me,” says Kendall. Charleen quickly adds, “I think there would have been times that Kendall could have gotten ordained on his own, while I was on maternity leave, but that wasn’t what we chose.” Kendall further explains, “Our ministry is together. I think it would have felt funny for the congregation and for us not to have been ordained together.”

Kendall and Charleen Jongejan Harder’s ministry started during seminary, covering a sabbatical at Harrow Mennonite Church. “We had a wonderful time pastoring and testing ministry together,” recalls Kendall.

The process of ordination required them to revisit their original call to ministry through completion of a second MLI – Ministerial Leadership Information form – a form filled out when they were originally seeking a congregation. Upon completion of the MLIs, a selected group of interviewers at MCEC scheduled an interview with Kendall and Charleen.

“Part of what I really appreciated about the ordination interviews was how prepared the interviewing team from the Leadership Council was.” Charleen notes. “They had clearly read our materials and they carefully framed their questions. They didn’t ask us to repeat what we had already said but rather expand on it. There was a sense of encouragement all the way through.”

With the interview behind them, Kendall, Charleen, and Valleyview Mennonite Church planned a service that celebrated and affirmed Kendall and Charleen’s ministry.

 Kendall recalls, “Naming our promises at the ordination service was a powerful experience for me. Ordination is about covenant, commitment, and blessing.” Charleen continues, “It is an opportunity to reflect on what it is to be church, pastor, and what ministry is. It was significant to reflect on that within the context of being known in the congregation. Valleyview did not call us as new pastors. They know who we are and affirmed us – that is an empowering thing.”