January 30, 2012 – Doug Klassen, senior pastor at Foothills Mennonite Church in Calgary since 2000, has arrived on campus as CMU’s Pastor-in-Residence, January 30 to February 3, 2012.
Doug Klassen is no stranger to Winnipeg.
“I look forward to being in the city where I spent seven years of my life – four as a student and three in ministry,” says Klassen, excited about the week ahead. “It will be great to meet the students, and to see some of the fine people who taught and mentored me.”
Canadian Mennonite University’s Pastor-in-Residence program, now in its second year, is designed to encourage out-of-province pastors to live in residence, participate in the life of the CMU community, and share their faith experiences through CMU chapel sessions.
Klassen hopes his pastor-in-residence experience will resemble his time as a student at CMBC, where he gained a clear sense of God’s presence and appreciated the strength of Christian community in a great learning environment.
“I hope that what I am bringing for chapels and discussions will encourage spiritual growth among students and staff and build bridges to our churches,” says Klassen. “I expect to be blessed and challenged in return.”
Klassen has been the senior pastor at Foothills Mennonite Church in Calgary, AB, since 2000. His family currently resides in northwest Calgary, but he has not always lived there. Klassen was born and raised in Vineland, Ontario, then moved away to study at Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC) in Winnipeg, where he met his wife Rose Retzlaff. Together, they received their first pastoral assignment in St. Catherines, ON. Afterwards, Klassen served with Mennonite Church Manitoba, moving back to Winnipeg to serve in a local church in the area of Young Adult Ministries. It was in 1998 that the family answered a call to serve at Foothills in Calgary, and he has been there ever since.
Klassen has served on a variety of regional and national committees, has written for MC Canada’s Season of Prayer, and is currently working towards getting his M.Div. degree through Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. A preacher and a teacher, Klassen is passionate about his work and loves meeting people and building friendships.
“I encourage everyone to get involved in living out God’s Mission in the world,” says Klassen.
Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) is a Christian university offering undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences, business, communications and media, peace and conflict resolution studies, music, music therapy, theology, and church ministries, as well as graduate degrees in Theological Studies and Christian ministry. Located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, CMU has approximately 1,700 students at its Shaftesbury Campus in Southwest Winnipeg, at Menno Simons College in downtown Winnipeg, and enrolled through its Outtatown discipleship program. CMU is a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC).
Community Gatherings
JANUARY 30 – FEBRUARY 3
Monday Forum @ 11:30 A.M. (Chapel)
Dazed and Confused: Men Finding their Role in North American Society
With Doug Klassen, Pastor-in-Residence
Tuesday Chapel @ 11:30 A.M.
“Forget about the money, quit your job!”
A Faith Story by Doug Klassen, Pastor-in-Residence
Music by Rudy Schellenberg and Students
Friday Chapel @11:30 A.M.
“They have taken my Lord away!”
With Doug Klassen, Pastor-in-Residence
Music by the Chamber Choir