| Grace Mennonite Church 677 Niagara St., St. Catharines, ON, L2M 3R4 Tel: 905.935.6112 ● Email: gracemennonite@bellnet.ca |
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Our Ministry Team
David Brubacher
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David Brubacher has begun a second year as pastor at Grace Mennonite Church, St. Catharines. In his years of service with MCEC David has served seven congregations as youth pastor, lead pastor or interim pastor. Most recently he completed a term as interim pastor at Bethany Mennonite Church, Virgil. In addition David served six years as MCEC Minister to Conference (now Ex Minister). David’s education includes degrees completed at CMBC (B.Th), University of Waterloo (BA) and AMBS (M Div). David recently retired as an occasional associate with ARC (Associates Resourcing the Church). He served with ARC since its beginning and has been one of the group coaches with Transitioning into Ministry (TiM) since it began seven years ago. David and his wife Lynda live in Vineland. They have three adult children and four grandchildren.
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Annie Schulz
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My role as music coordinator is to provide music leadership in the church which draws the congregation together in expressing and strengthening their faith.
We have a women's chorus which practices several times a month and sings in our worship services. My participation in the music ministry at Grace is a very rewarding and enriching experience. I also enjoy my piano teaching in my home studio. Connecting with family and friends is important to me, as is relaxation which includes reading, walking and travelling. |
Doug Schulz
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Doug is a retired high school teacher working part-time at Grace Mennonite Church in developing connections into the local community to focus mission engagement energy of the congregation, and to encourage others to participate in the worship, fellowship and mission of Grace.
Doug says: "Since starting to attend Grace in 2008, I've felt completely at home. I'm an active reader/writer/contemplative type, so it is pretty important to me to have a church that welcomes people in an open-minded way. I have that approach when I work in facilitating community connections. Other parts of my life include relating alongside my wife Annie to our five grandchildren (and to their parents, of course), traveling to ocean-side or lakeside locations whenever possible, and walking/cycling for exercise." |
Ester Funk
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Ester has always been an active participant in church life: teaching Sunday school, children's singing, youth leadership, worship planning, song leading and organizing various church functions and events. In the past, Ester facilitated a bi-weekly mental health support group.
Ester thoroughly enjoys her role as an office administrator in support of pastors through daily office tasks and also through cultivating meaningful relationships with congregational members. She has 15 years experience in different office administration roles, 10 of which were church specific. Ester lives with her husband Doug on their grape farm in Jordan where they raised their four children. She enjoys music, reading, baking, gardening and spending time with her 9 grandchildren. |
Jan Carrie Steven
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Jan Steven offers a supportive and encouraging listening service - Tuesday afternoons by appointment. 1 pm, 2:15 pm, or 3:30 pm.
Jan, a Registered Social Worker who has worked for many years as a counsellor and pastoral care visitor, is well-suited to serve as community chaplain with Grace. This service is non-denominational and there is no fee. To book an appointment, call Grace Mennonite Church at 905-935-6112. |
Lyn Beckett
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Lyn was the office administrator at Grace for ten years and enjoys working with the pastor and members of the congregation. She is a Deacon and takes part in various church activities.
Lyn was born in Toronto and moved to St. Catharines when she was sixteen. She attended Grantham High School, St. Catharines Teachers' College, and worked as a teacher of junior grade students for DSBN for eight years before becoming a mother of 3 sons. For seventeen years, Lyn was family-related director and later part-time administrator for Help A Child Smile. She co-facilitates a bereavement support group for parents. |
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Who are the ministers of the church? Some people have a tendency to use the word minister to mean the clergy, the pastors. Biblically, however, this understanding does not even begin to exhaust the true nature of ministry. The scriptures make it clear that all of God’s children are called into ministry and given special gifts and abilities for ministry. The clergy have a very important role in the ministry of the church, but they are not the only ministers. The church is a body of people in ministry together.
- Michael Roberts, D. Min |
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