Garry Janzen to retire as MC B.C. executive minister

October 14, 2021

Garry Janzen, executive minister for Mennonite Church B.C., has submitted his notice of retirement. He has served in the position for 14 years. “MC B.C. Leadership wants to acknowledge Garry’s many contributions, his commitment and his years of dedicated service,” says Gerry Grunau, moderator for MC B.C. “His retirement will happen around the time of his 65th birthday in July 2022, and the specific date will be determined considering the MC B.C. search process timeline for a new executive minister.” In a letter to the leadership board announcing his intentions on Sept. 22, Janzen wrote, “It has been an amazing journey that began on October 1, 2007. I am so thankful for the partnership that we have shared together in helping our family of congregations known as MC B.C. to find their way and to be strong. I have certainly found strength and joy in the Moderators and Leadership Board members that I have been gifted to work with throughout these years. I have often said, ‘When challenging matters have come up, I can sleep at night, because I know that we carry this work together.’’ According to Grunau, the current plan is to form a search task group with two representatives from the leadership board and three representatives from the MC B.C. constituency. Once confirmed, the search task group will generate a hiring process, including input from congregations on the qualities and priorities of a prospective executive minister.

—By Amy Rinner Waddell

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