Always a place at the Froese table
Abbotsford, B.C.
Photo: Werner and Susan Froese
I am invited to sit at the table in a bright corner of the kitchen. Coffee is poured, cookies offered and the conversation is cheerful. My hosts are as interested in me as I am in them.
As I chat with Werner and Susan Froese, it becomes clear that this is the hallmark of their ministry and I feel somewhat sorry that Im interviewing them on the occasion of their retirement. Werner will finish as pastor at Eden Mennonite Church in Chilliwack this June.
Technically it is Werner who is retiring; Susan has rarely worked outside the home.
Ive always been of the mind that if one in the household is running in all directions, then the other one need not, Susan says, adding that theyve always managed to live on one income. Shes never thought of herself as a pastors wife anymore than a woman married to a teacher might think of herself as a teachers wife. She was Werners wife and a member of whatever congregation they were attending, and in that way they ministered together.
Their journey has taken them all over western Canada and as far as Mexico, including churches in B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan. Werner also served as the executive director for Mennonite Central Committee Saskatchewan. Wherever they have served, their home has been open. Weve had lots of people over and been in a lot of peoples homes, Werner says. My style has been very much connecting, relational.
In their 39 years of service, the Froeses have seen many changes. Susan says the biggest change shes noticed has been in music. Few churches have choirs anymore and the couple has witnessed the struggle many churches have with finding a balance between contemporary and traditional music.
In a way, that ties into another change Ive noticed and thats a change in church thinking, Werner says. There is less of a commitment to the organized church. He shares examples of people moving from church to church to try to find something that makes them happy, rather than sticking with a church because of a commitment to its theological perspectives.
The instability of people makes me wonder about the longevity of the church here in B.C.
Werner believes that the greatest challenge facing church leaders is the tremendous pressure of church growth. He refers to the amount of mail he gets encouraging churches to try various programs to get higher attendance.
I dont want to be critical, he says. Im not the kind of pastor who sets five year goals and works towards them. Ive always been more of a Seelsorger (soul caretaker).
As he says this, he fills my coffee cup and the conversation turns back to my experiences in different churches. Weve talked about my music background, my son, the church I grew up in. Theyve shown me photos of family and grandchildren. I ask what the future holds and they laugh, telling me they agreed that this was the one question they were not going to answer.
We only have two plans, Susan says. One is not to stay living here [in Chilliwack] and the other is to be free and easy until the end of this year. Their children live in Alberta and Saskatchewan and they talk about a desire to be closer to family.
But how do you retire from a calling? I ask.
You dont! Werner says, smiling. But maybe we can have a sabbatical.
By the time they finish their term, they hope to have had everyone in the church over to their place for coffee or a meal. Whatever the future holds for the Froeses, one thing is certain: there will always be a place at the kitchen table.
Angelika Dawson