Leadership
“One of the best things about my job is calling, training and credentialing pastors. It is such a joy to walk with pastors on their ministry journey.”
– Marilyn Rudy-Froese, Church Leadership Minister
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.”
Kendall and Charleen Jongejan Harder
MCEC Pastors
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Coming Events
Canoe Tripping as Spiritual Practice
POSTPONED UNTIL FALL 2021
Paddle your way into a beautiful backcountry setting for camping, connection to the natural environment, guided spiritual reflection and community building. Originally planned for fall 2020, we have postponed this trip until fall 2021.
Ministry Opportunities
Send your resume to: pastoraltransitions@mcec.ca
The search committees of the congregations will review and process candidates as they come forward until their position is filled.
Pastor
Erie View United Mennonite Church
Part-time: 0.5 FTE
Start Date: Negotiable
Port Rowan, ON
Supply Pastor
Mannheim Mennonite Church
Part-time: 0.5 FTE
Application Date: April 30, 2020
Start Date: July 1, 2020
Petersburg, ON
Pastor
Mennonite Fellowship of Montreal
Part-Time: 0.5 FTE
Starting Date: August 2020
Montreal, QC
Pastor
Nith Valley Mennonite Church
Full time
Start Date: Available Immediately
New Hamburg, ON
Pastor
Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church
Full time
Start Date: Summer 2020 preferred
Kitchener, ON
Pastor
The First Mennonite Church
Full Time
Start Date: September 1, 2020 preferred
Vineland, ON
The search committee will begin processing potential candidates in February 2020.
Shared Pastor
Preston Mennonite Church
Wanner Mennonite Church
Part Time
Start Date: Spring 2020
Cambridge, ON
The search committee will be reviewing MLI's as soon as February 1 and will continue until the role is filled.
Pastor
Zion Mennonite Fellowship
Part-time: 0.8 FTE
Start Date: Early 2021
Application Deadline: August 15, 2020
Elmira, ON
Pastoral Transitions 2020
Below is a cumulative compilation of pastoral transitions in MCEC for the 2020 calendar year. These include: placements, installations, concluding assignments, study/other leaves, credentialing dates, credential withdrawn (non-disciplinary), and deaths. Please send notification of errors or omissions to leadership@mcec.ca.
Pioneer Park Christian Fellowship, Kitchener ON
Melissa Miller, Transformational Pastor, January 1, 2020
Erb Street Mennonite Church, Waterloo ON
Steph Chandler Burns, Associate Pastor, January 7, 2020
Erb Street Mennonite Church, Waterloo ON
Rudy Baergen, Interim Pastor, February 1, 2020
Agape Fellowship, London ON
Quenton Little, Pastor, February 10, 2020
Bloomingdale Mennonite Church, Bloomingdale ON
Dave Rogalsky, Supply Pastor, February 24, 2020
Elmira Mennonite Church, Elmira ON
Emily Rempel, Youth Worker, April 1, 2020
Elmira Mennonite Church, Elmira ON
Erwin Wiens, Supply Pastor, May 1, 2020
Community Mennonite Church of Stouffville, Stouffville ON and Rouge Valley Mennonite Church, Markham ON
Glyn Jones, Shared Pastor, May 1, 2020
Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church, Kitchener ON
Bev Suderman-Gladwell, Interim Pastor, June 1, 2020
Preston Mennonite Church and Wanner Mennonite Church, Cambridge ON
Danielle Raimbault, Co-pastor, August 1, 2020
Pastors in Exile, Kitchener ON
Jessica Reesor Rempel, Parental Leave, April 1, 2019 - March 31, 2020
North Leamington United Mennonite Church, Leamington ON
Alicia Good, Maternity Leave, August 1, 2019 - July 31, 2020
Elmira Mennonite Church, Elmira ON
Jonathan Brubacher, Parental Leave, March 15, 2020 - September 30, 2020
Toronto United Mennonite Church, Toronto ON
Michele Rizoli, Sabbatical, April 1, 2020 - May 31, 2020
Doug Johnson Hatlem, Co-Pastor, January 25, 2020
Renee Sauder, Pastor, retiring May 30,2020
Danielle Raimbault, Pastor, June 15, 2020
Glyn Jones, Shared Pastor, May 24, 2020
Peter Haresnape, Toronto United Mennonite Church, Toronto ON, Licensed Toward Ordination, January 12, 2020
Nick Schuurman, St. Catharines United Mennonite Church, St. Catharines ON, Ordination, January 19, 2020
Len Rempel, St. Agatha Mennonite Church, Baden ON, Ordination, January 26, 2020
Kendra Whitfield Ellis, Waterloo North Mennonite Church, Waterloo ON, Ordination, February 9, 2020
Ryan Jantzi, Kingsfield - Zurich Mennonite Church, Zurich ON, termination of MCEC congregational membership, March 1, 2020
Tilman Martin, Retired MCEC Minister, December 12, 2019
Formerly at St. Jacobs, Waters, and Église évangélique mennonite de Montréal-Nord. He and his wife, Janet Martin were pioneer missionaries in Quebec, sent by the Mennonite Board of Missions. (Note from family: Given the current situation around Covid-19, the public health protocols being recommended in the provinces where our family members live (Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba) and the vulnerability of so many of the people who would attend, we have decided to cancel the gatherings that we had planned to celebrate Dad's life. We are rescheduling a gathering for August 22 in the Ottawa/Gatineau area. At this point, we don't know if we will also plan for something in St Jacobs around that time.)
Guest Speakers
Are you looking for a speaker for a worship service, workshop or retreat. Find here qualified persons who will assist your congregation. Contact them directly by their email listed in their profile.
What is TiM?
TiM provides a three-year formational experience for beginning pastors or pastors new to MCEC to assist them in integrating their seminary training into the life and ministry of a congregation and to develop faithful habits and practices. It also draws on the wisdom of experienced pastors and provides them with the opportunity to help equip and support the next generation of leaders.
Would you like to explore pastoral ministry?
Discover more about the policies and guidelines that help to guide MCEC pastors. Learn more about the credentialing process - licensed toward ordination; ordination; licensing for specific ministry; commissioning and transferring credentials.
Strengthening the Pastor Congregation Relationship
The materials here are designed to strengthen and support relationships that are empowering and fruitful for all parties. These resources are addressed to all those responsible for, or concerned about, pastor-congregation relations.
Church Leadership Team
Al Rempel
Regional Minister
Kevin Derksen
Regional Ministry Associate
Cathrin van Sintern-Dick
Regional Ministry Associate
Reporting Sexual Misconduct of Church Leaders
MCEC is committed to supporting congregations to ensure that they are safe for everyone. When sexual misconduct occurs (that is, uninvited sexual engagement of any kind by a church leader) the church takes this very seriously.