ELDERS
J Janzen has been a pastoral elder at Highland since January 2008. He helps to facilitate weekly worship, teaching, and caregiving.
He has worked as a radio producer, been the editor of two magazines, and served as an instructor at Columbia Bible College (www.columbiabc.edu) and Canadian Mennonite University’s Outtatown program (www.outtatown.ca). |
I was born and raised in Montreal. We were anglophones who belonged to a very conservative Plymouth Brethren assembly. A younger me would tell you all the negative parts of that story. The 40-year-old me is grateful for the good parts: kneeling to invite Jesus to be my Saviour when I was about four, my grandpa baptizing me in a lake, learning the Bible backwards and forwards, the experience of deep and abiding fellowship, watching all kinds of lay leaders |
I was raised in a General Conference Mennonite home by my parents, Reinhard and Gerry Epp. We moved around a lot when I was young because of my dad’s work. Our main stability, no matter where we lived was always our church community. This was very important to my parents, and as a result, became a very important part of my life. I am grateful for the good things that were instilled in me --- faith, simplicity, the importance of community --- just to name a few. These things are held fast by a deep respect for my Mennonite heritage and faith that enabled my grandparents to endure some very difficult circumstances. |
“To reveal someone’s beauty is to reveal their value by giving them time, attention, and tenderness.
To love is not just to do something for them but to reveal to them their own uniqueness,
to tell them that they are special and worthy of attention.”
― Jean Vanier, Becoming Human
"Dee and I began to attend Highland early in 1985 with our year old son, Joel. Now our daughter Claire (born in 1986), her husband Nick, and their two sons James and Max attend with us. At Highland I’ve taught Sunday School, been the treasurer, a member of the board of management and I was an elder previously.
I’m retired after a 38 year career as an elementary educator in the Abbotsford School District. I enjoy being a Grandpa, officiating sports in the community (volleyball, basketball and baseball), reading, gardening and enjoying this community and this province." ~ Jim Van Meer |