Canadian Mennonite
Volume 7, number 4
February 24, 2003
UpClose

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 I’m 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.

“I’ve 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 they’ve always managed to live on one income. She’s never thought of herself as a pastor’s wife anymore than a woman married to a teacher might think of herself as a teacher’s wife. She was Werner’s 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. “We’ve had lots of people over and been in a lot of people’s 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 she’s 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 I’ve noticed and that’s 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 don’t want to be critical,” he says. “I’m not the kind of pastor who sets five year goals and works towards them. I’ve 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. We’ve talked about my music background, my son, the church I grew up in. They’ve 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 don’t!” 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

Couple separated in immigration tangle

Harrisonburg, Va.

Photo: Ross and Cathy Smeltzer Erb show the document that finally allowed Ross to join his family after many months.

Some people thought it was a joke, but Ross and Cathy Smeltzer Erb weren’t laughing. The couple was forced to live apart for nearly six months while Ross, a native of Ontario, tried to establish his right to live with his family in the U.S.

Cathy, Ross and their three children had been living in Baden, Ontario, where Ross was a supervisor with Family and Children’s Services. The family decided to move to Virginia when Cathy was offered a job as assistant professor of teacher education at Eastern Mennonite University last January. Cathy filed a petition to sponsor Ross’ entry into the U.S., and they were told he should have a visa by June or July.

As the move loomed, the case became entangled in “endless loops of no information.” She spent hours on the phone as her calls were shunted among State Department offices in Missouri, New Hampshire and Montreal—none of whom claimed to know about her husband’s case.

In July, Ross came to Harrionsburg as a temporary visitor. He was hired as associate pastor at Park View Mennonite Church.

But just as the family began its new life, Ross had to return to Ontario to get his police records and other documents. When he tried to return, however, he was told he could not leave Canada until the visa process was complete.

Ross had no choice but to stay in Ontario. Fortunately, he was able to board with families from his former church and to resume his job temporarily. Meanwhile, Cathy and the children found support in their new community.

Several members volunteered to cover Ross’ responsibilities until he returned. An adult Sunday school class provided meals three days a week, drove the children to lessons and offered a listening ear. They also treated the children to several “fun with kids” days.

“I don’t know how I would have survived without that,” said Cathy.

In November, Ross was told to come to the American Consulate in Montreal on December 20. Even though his documents seemed to be in order, this appointment was no guarantee Ross would be granted a visa. But an official simply asked Ross to confirm his information, then wrote “approved” on his file.

Ross says his anxiety didn’t entirely disappear until he got a visa stamp at the border. On December 21, he and his family were reunited.

The local congressional representative, whose office handles hundreds of immigration requests per year, says a typical error made by immigrants probably kept Ross from returning to the U.S. earlier.

“People make the mistake of leaving their country of origin without the proper paperwork,” he says. The events of September 11, 2001 also have affected immigration, requiring FBI checks and keeping up with rapidly changing procedures.

When hearing about the family’s plight some people laughed, says Cathy. Others asked about his skin colour or his ability to speak English. She blames this reaction on the common misconception that citizens of Canada encounter fewer difficulties than other nationalities in immigrating to the U.S.

Ross wonders how much harder the process is for immigrants who don’t have his advantages. “We’re both English speakers, well educated,” he says. “We’re familiar with bureaucracy and didn’t fear authority.”

Ross received his permanent residency, also known as a green card, in January. He had been told to expect it next June.—From a report by Rachel Bowman

The article was reprinted by permission from the January 11 issue of the Daily News-Record in Harrisonburg. The writer is a student at EMU.


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