Janet Bauman
Janet Bauman is currently serving part-time as the Eastern Canada Correspondent for the Canadian Mennonite, and enjoys the opportunity to share the stories of what is happening in Mennonite churches and organizations in the KW and surrounding area. She is a retired teacher, having spent 25 years in the profession, 23 of them at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate in Kitchener, where she was head of the Religious Studies department and gave leadership to the chapel program. Before her teaching career, Janet completed a BTh at Canadian Mennonite Bible College (currently Canadian Mennonite University), and a BA in history and religious studies at the University of Waterloo. Part way through her teaching career she took a sabbatical to complete her MTS at Conrad Grebel University College. She recently completed the Ontario Jubilee program, which offers training in spiritual direction, and is a member of MSDEC. Janet is active at St. Jacobs Mennonte Church where she is involved in planning and leading worship. She served as an interim pastor there for four months while one of the other pastors was on Sabbatical. Janet is open to preaching, teaching, leading a bible study or facilitating a retreat. She is married to Trevor Bauman and they have two young adult children. They enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, biking and cross-country skiing. Janet also finds gardening and writing to be creative and spiritual activities. |
Matthew Bailey-Dick
“Mennonite 101” and “Wonder 498” Consider inviting ALW Coordinator (Matthew Bailey-Dick) to your church for one or both of the following:
Contact Matthew Bailey-Dick for more information. |
Palmer Becker
Available to you for conversations, sermons and discussion on Palestine-Israel concerns. Part of the MCEC Palestine-Israel Working Group. |
Kathy Bergen
Available to you for conversations, sermons and discussion on Palestine-Israel concerns. Part of the MCEC Palestine-Israel Working Group. |
Shelley Campagnola
Shelley Campagnola is the Executive Director of Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support. “It is an incredible privilege to work with a team so committed to providing welcome and much needed assistance to people seeking refuge in Canada. I am humbled by the people who come to us from over 40 different countries, hoping to build new lives here, safe at last from the violence and threat to life and well-being they and their families faced.” Shelley is a gifted speaker, and loves to unpack biblical truths about God and his homecoming heart for people. She also loves to do presentations and workshops designed to help people of all ages catch a vision and respond in uniquely personal and local ways to the ever-shifting practical, social and political realities that are a part of people being on the move. |
Brent Charette
|
Conrad Grebel University College
Grebel's mission is to seek wisdom, nurture faith, and pursue justice and peace in service to church and society. An important part of this mission includes being a resource to the community in churches, schools, and civil society. This guide includes faculty and staff members who are willing to share in community and church settings through lectures, presentations, workshops, adult and youth education, sermons, and as conference speakers. Areas of expertise are listed. Please contact each person directly to inquire about availability. |
Sean East
As MCEC Financial Manager, Sean is available to your congregation to share the MCEC story. He brings unique perspectives and expertise as a key leader in the ReLearning Community movement, a movement of individuals and congregations focusing intentionally on being disciples and making disciples. He is also working in the area of Informed Conversations, helping congregations to move into God's leading for the future. |
Rachelle Friesen
Available to you for conversations, sermons and discussion on Palestine-Israel concerns. Part of the MCEC Palestine-Israel Working Group. |
Chris & Amanda Pot
Chris and Amanda serve at Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp in the capacities of Program Director (Chris) and Single Mom’s Camp Coordinator (Amanda). Chris also serves on the board of the Mennonite Camping Association (a bi-national association of Mennonite and Anabaptist camps in Canada and the USA). Both Chris and Amanda are available (individually or together) to share about the positive impact that camp has, and can have, on the lives of those that experience it. They can also bring along members of the summer camp staff team to lead a “Camp Sunday” service including staff sharing stories about their experiences at camp, a message/sermon, music, and children’s times. |
Lori Guenther Reesor
Lori is an enthusiastic speaker on church and money. She tries not to get weighed down by her academic credentials. She is commended for her ability to facilitate group discussions, and brings a wealth of experience to the topic. Check out her blog and contact information. |
Lydia and Gary Harder
Lydia and Gary Harder are available for the following ministries:
|
Peter Haresnape
Peter has worked with Christian Peacemaker Teams for 6 years in their Indigenous Peoples Solidarity team and currently works with the Student Christian Movement of Canada as the National Coordinator (General Secretary). |
Alina Johnson
Available to you for conversations, sermons and discussion on Palestine-Israel concerns. Part of the MCEC Palestine-Israel Working Group. |
Ester Kern
Available to you for conversations, sermons and discussion on Palestine-Israel concerns. Part of the MCEC Palestine-Israel Working Group. |
Jean Lehn Epp
As the landscape around us changes, how are you attending to growing faith in youth and families? Are you challenged by models for ministry with youth that just don’t seem to fit for your church? Ministry with youth and families needs special support. Jean is available to help you look at your church’s vision for ministry with youth from a leadership perspective or work directly with youth, junior youth and/or parents. She is available for: Workshops and Resourcing with Leadership:
- how your church is nurturing faith in young people
Workshops with Youth: Interactive Workshop, Event or Sunday School class with youth or junior youth on the following topics:
An honorarium is expected and mileage for locations outside of Waterloo Region is appreciated. |
Brandon Leis
Multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Brandon Leis, a dynamic speaker, teacher, performer, and workshop facilitator who has a passion for church music. With a focus on gifts-centered music making and participant engagement, his workshops/sessions are designed to explore a broad range of topics as they relate to the music of our worship. Brandon teaches in the faculty of music at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, serves as music director at Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church in Kitchener and is the artistic director of the Menno Singers. Possible Workshop/session topics:
|
Lifted Voices
They are open to singing for small groups or for the entire congregation for a Sunday morning worship service. They would prefer to stay within a one hour drive of Kitchener/Waterloo, however, would consider further distances if there was compensation for travel. Due to vacations, they are typically not available during July and August. |
Carrie Martens
Carrie is a pastor with a passion for the biblical story and for the continuation of God’s story in the lived experience of God’s diverse and quirky family today. She enjoys engaging scripture in study, teaching, preaching, storytelling, spiritual practices, and curriculum development as both a pastor and a curriculum writer/editor for Menno Media. She delights in exploring a wide variety of biblical texts, whether lectionary-based or thematic, and approaches preaching as the sharing of what she has seen and heard through listening to, and wrestling with, the text for today's world. Carrie is also a strong advocate for intergenerational and inclusive worship and is willing to share her gifts in both preaching and children’s time. |
David Martin
|
Colin McCartney
|
Michel Monette
|
Brent Musser
|
Fred Redekop
He has travelled to Turkey and Greece, exploring the world of Paul and is willing to do a four-part bible study on the complex guy we call Paul of Tarsus. |
Al Rempel
|
Dave Rogalsky
Dave Rogalsky loves preaching and teaching! Working with the biblical material to help folk draw nearer to God is his passion. He has pastored in various congregations for 36 years. He lives in Waterloo with his partner Annemarie, near to his adult children and grandchildren. |
Elmer Thiessen
Elmer likes topical preaching, but will also follow the church’s lectionary. Some possible topics for seminars or a Sunday school series: the Ethics of Evangelism; Biblical Ethics for Today’s Postmodern Society; A Christian Worldview; A Biblical Approach to Knowledge; Doubt; Committed Openness; Christian Education in the Home and the Church. He is available during most of the year. An honourarium and travel expenses as per church policy would be appreciated. |
Devon Wagler
Devon has strong Anabaptist convictions and believes in God's presence and activity in the world, as well as His creativive work in different ways through different people. Devon has led the Network through various initiatives in the community over the years, and loves being able to tell the stories of our failures and successes. |
Patricia Wagler
She also has a canvas labyrinth that she travels with, as well as an outdoor labyrinth on my farm that she uses for events. Special music can also be provided for worship or events. |
Johnny Wideman
Theatre of the Beat is a Canadian touring theatre company working to catalyze conversations on social justice and its intersection with the beliefs of the communities it finds itself in. Their original plays Gadfly: Sam Steiner Dodges the Draft, A Bicycle Built for Two, Forgiven/Forgotten, This Will Lead to Dancing, and Yellow Bellies have toured churches, festivals, universities, and prisons across Canada. Theatre of the Beat also leads weekly theatre workshops for incarcerated women in Grand Valley Institute for Women, a federal penitentiary located in Kitchener, Ontario. If your congregation would be interested in learning more about Theatre of the Beat please contact Laura McCallum (General Manager) at info@theatreofthebeat.ca. Johnny Wideman (Artistic Director) would love to meet your community and share with your congregation the work and mission of Theatre of the Beat. |
Amanda Zehr
Amanda has a BA in Recreation and Business and a Masters of Theological Studies, both from the University of Waterloo. |
As MCEC Operations and Church Engagement Minister, Brent is pleased to preach, provide a presentation or lead a discussion on the vital role of the wider church. He enjoys sharing stories about MCEC ministries and congregations across Eastern Canada.
Lydia Neufeld Harder has been a professor, scholar and interim pastor. Gary Harder has been a long term pastor and interim pastor. Together Lydia and Gary taught a course on “Church & Ministry” at Conrad Grebel University College for a number of years, and at AMBS several times. 
Peter is on the preaching team for Toronto United Mennonite Church, and has often had the honour to preach at other churches through his work with Christian Peacemaker Teams. He preaches on the lectionary, or on specific topics, included but not limited to Indigenous-Settler Relations, Land Justice, Peacemaking & Nonviolence, the Social Gospel, Ecumenism, ministry with young adults/students. He also offers workshops tailored for adults or young adults on these topics, at events/retreats or as a Sunday School class.
Jean Lehn Epp is MCEC's Interim Coordinator of Youth Ministry Resources, an ordained minister, a certified coach practitioner and a member at Breslau Mennonite Church. It is her hope and dream that the church engage youth and families in prayerful and intentional ways. With 19 years of experience as a pastor working with youth, junior youth, young adults and families, in the setting of the church as well as over 7 years with MCEC’s winter retreat for youth, Jean has a rich background in engaging the church in very practical ways. 
Lifted Voices is a singing group of six women from First Mennonite Church in Kitchener who have been singing and praising God together for over 25 years. They provide special music or a full worship service. Worship services consist of music, scripture, readings, prayer and drama.
As MCEC Executive Minister, David is available for speaking engagements. His presentations are usually focused on the mission and vision of MCEC and MC Canada and how we engage our common mission at the local congregation level as well as the Regional Church and NationWide levels. Sermons are biblically based and will challenge listeners to engage the call/mission of the church. David enjoys an interactive approach to small group presentations. Presentation options can include sermons, small group presentations and Sunday school class interactive engagement about the ministries of MCEC and MC Canada.
Colin McCartney is the founder of UrbanPromise Toronto and current President and Founder of Connect Ministries (
Michel is a mission associate with MCEC.
Brent is Director of Facilities and Environmental Stewardship at Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp & Retreat Centre. He is available to preach or lead a Christian Education type class on topics related to the connection between faith and our relationship to creation. Specifically, he can help explore the ways the natural world is a community of which people are part, a gift from God, and a charge for which we are responsible. He is also happy to share about Hidden Acres, its ongoing ministry, and some of the ways the camp practices care for the environment. Brent has a Master of Divinity from Evangelical Theological Seminary and has served as a Mennonite pastor in Pennsylvania. He is also an aspiring naturalist who is seeking to learn more about the creatures with whom we share God’s world. 
Fred has been a pastor for many years. He preaches from the lectionary texts, in order to work/preach on difficult texts and was affirmed at the church for his style and content. 
As MCEC Regional Minister, Al would be delighted to participate in your service of worship or adult education time. He welcomes the opportunity to speak on congregational vitality, Christian discipleship, stewardship and missional vocation. He is open to being a resource for interactive events.
Elmer is a semi-retired philosopher, having moved to Waterloo in 2007. While living in Alberta for most of his teaching career, he was active in his home church as Moderator, Elder, Lay-minister and Sunday school teacher. He has also preached and given teaching seminars in other churches and church colleges. In 2001-2002 he did a year of pulpit supply in the Seven Persons Community Church in Alberta, while this church was without a pastor.
Devon is the pastor and founder of the Network Church in Kitchener, a multi-site house church founded on radical community and practical compassion as acts of worship. He has occasional Sunday availability and is excited to speak on any range of topics including mission, outreach, the Kingdom of God, compassion, spiritual gifting and Old Testament/New Testament theology. Devon loves delving into difficult topics, and finds that even in the 'easier' topics, there is value in striving to find the challenging and difficult message for God's people.
Patricia is a follower of Jesus, Ordained Minister, certified Spiritual Caregiver, and Labyrinth Facilitator, and simply enjoys planning and facilitating events with any age group, any topic. Patricia is available for speaking/preaching, leading retreats/workshops. 'We can have a conversation and develop an experience that will invite participants to encounter God.' 
Amanda has spent several years working in pastoral ministry in Mennonite churches around southwestern Ontario.