Walking through open doors

John and Edna Peters, 87 and 86, respectively, live in Winnipeg, where they are charter members of Charleswood Mennonite Church. Edna worked as a nurse and a pastoral coordinator and served on the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) board, while John taught agriculture at two universities, served with MCC in Paraguay and Bolivia, and worked as the business manager for Canadian Mennonite University.

What is your first memory of church?

Edna: My early memory of our little country church in rural Saskatchewan is sitting still. Being told that’s what you do: you sit and listen. The church had a window behind the pulpit, high up, and I remember sitting and watching the clouds go past that window.

John: For me, church was as much a part of life as doing chores and having lunch at 12. It was part of the community. Not to belong to a church was unthinkable.

What is your best memory of church?

Edna: I remember waking up to the gospel when I went to Rosthern Junior College and heard the gospel in English. Services at our church in Herschel had been in German, and although I could speak German, I hadn’t grasped the essence of the gospel. I suddenly understood when Peter J. Dyck of MCC came to speak. I came to personal faith during his week with us.

John: Every second Saturday evening was youth night. We were challenged to find a scripture portion in the Bible. I was pretty good at it.

What is your most challenging memory of church?

Edna: The worst times were when there was conflict, but those were also growth points, when you listened and started talking with each other.

John: I remember a time in Paraguay when they had evangelistic meetings and people were getting saved. One gentleman decided to change his life and get baptized, but the church said he was a smoker and couldn’t. I thought, here was a chance to nurture this person and they missed it.

What song, book or verse has been the most meaningful to you?

John: I like to read historical novels and biographies of those in the church. One of the most moving was about a pastor in Russia in the ’20s—From Stable Hand to Professor—who was eventually executed by the Germans.

Edna: I have a hard time choosing a favourite song, but when I’m trying to get to sleep, I go back to the German songs my mother and dad sang. They’re still there, and in times of difficulty or concern, I can sing.

What’s the hardest thing about getting old?

John: We haven’t experienced that yet! The problem will be when I can’t drive as far as I want, but we’ve been blessed by good health.

Edna: When we moved into our seniors complex 13 years ago, I was having mobility issues, which I don’t have anymore, thanks to good medicine and orthopedic surgeons. I feel really grateful for the ability to continue to live the way we do and hopefully still contribute.

What’s the best thing about getting old? 

Edna: Our great granddaughter. None of our children live in Manitoba but we have a grandson in Winnipeg, and they have a little girl. She’s a lot of fun and inspiration. John and I also continue to enjoy living together.

John: I agree!

What’s something younger people don’t understand about aging?

Edna: When I was busy with four boys and my husband, I didn’t realize how important it is to build relation- ships, nurturing your family and your marriage and beyond. People who reach an older age without paying attention to relationships are lonely. It’s also helpful if these are people of faith.

Who were influential people in your life?

John: When we announced we were going to Paraguay, a friend said, “Create an island of sanity in an insane world.” That was 60 years ago, and the world is more insane now, but that was a very profound statement. He meant: do what you can where you are.

Edna: We had just bought our first house when my oldest brother came to visit and said, “You shouldn’t just sit here making money. You should be doing something.” I thought we were doing something. That was our push. It kept nudging us to consider what that meant in practical terms. We talked about it with our pastor, who invited us to lunch. Little did we know there would also be MCC staff there who saw opportunities for us in Paraguay. The doors were open and we walked through them.

If you could preach one sermon, what would it be about?

Edna: I am the vine, you are the branches. I’ve preached on this before, but I have more to say.

John: I’d preach on our wedding text: Colossians 3:16-17.