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"Letters of Greeting for the official opening of the new TUMC building - 22 June 1997"
| 1. | From William [Bill] and Mary Dick: [former pastor, 1950 - 61] Bill, who was pastor for 11 years, during the building of the facility which served TUMC for nearly 40 years, had planned on being present on this occasion. They called in their regrets due to the death of Bill's brother Jake in Manitoba. |
| 2. | From Darrell and Loretta Fast: [former pastor, 1970 - 86] Christian greetings with the words from Ephesians 4:1-6. We are sorry that we will not be able to join you for this celebrative event. But our thoughts and prayers will be with you. A congregation is a thick gathering of people connected to each other in many different ways. Together they acquire a special name as they gather regularly to worship God, and serve others in Christ's name. This pattern gives shape and meaning to their daily lives. For you / us this thick gathering is "TUMC". May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit continue to be yours in abundant measure now and forever. AMEN. |
| 3. | From John Sawatsky: [only surviving member of those who signed TUMC's Charter Document] Please forgive that I am not able to attend this auspicious occasion. When we started TUMC, in a small and modest way, we never dreamed it would become so successful. Indeed, we sometimes had real survival concerns. And now, we should all praise God for how he has blessed TUMC's growth, and has endowed it with so much talent, and has blessed it's outreach programs. I am making some recovery and hope to join you again in the fall. |
| 4. | From Mennonite New Life Faith Community: [one of our partners] Dear Sisters & Brothers of Toronto United Mennonite Church: We would like to wish you all the blessings of our Lord in the celebration of the first 50 years of pilgrimage as a community of faith. We give thanks to our Lord for who you are today, and who you can become in the next 50 years. We praise Him for your sacrificial openness to invite us to share with you the new facilities given to you by our Lord. Our prayer for TUMC on your 50th anniversary, is a fresh vision for the XXIst Century, that would invite the poor, the blind and the broken-hearted into the Kingdom. God bless you in this search. With thanks, Betty and Adolfo Puricelli |
| 5. | From Danforth Mennonite Church: To those assembled at the Toronto United Mennonite Church. We, at the Danforth Mennonite Church, send you greetings on this your 50th anniversary. We praise God with you as you celebrate this milestone in the life of your congregation. We pray that God may continue to fulfil your every good resolve and work of faith as you worship and minister together, so that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified. And that you may know the love of God which passes all knowledge as you are filled with the fullness of God. Your sisters and brothers at the Danforth Mennonite Church. |
| 6. | From Warden Woods Mennonite Church: Congratulations to your congregation as you celebrate this milestone in your history! As you recall your times of struggle and victory, sadness and joy, disappointment and hopefulness, may you sense anew the faithfulness of God through those fifty years. May God bless your celebrations, and may the Spirit of Christ continue to dwell among you and lead you to new visions and growth. In Christ, Muriel Bechtel, for Warden Woods Mennonite Church. |
| 7. | From First Mennonite Church, Edmonton: [Gary's former pastorate] Dear friends in Christ: The words of Psalm 95 seem most appropriate for what you are celebrating at this time: O Come let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! [vs. 1] O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. [vs. 6-7] You have much about which to make such joyful noise. Fifty years of faithful discipleship and service is an accomplishment to feel very good about, and one for which you can be very thankful. We wish you great joy as you remember 50 years together as "sheep of God's pasture". And might God's Spirit be upon you as you "listen to God's voice" calling you into the future. Grace and peace be with you all, |
| 8. | From Henry Gerbrandt: [musings from the 1940's] With interest I noticed in the Canadian Mennonite that your congregation is planning its fiftieth Anniversary. Congratulations! It is always exciting to look back and see what the Lord has done through his faith servants. It is always difficult to establish dates when it comes to church celebrations. Having worked on the Bergthaler Mennonite history I know how illusive dates can sometimes be. Sometimes the planting of the seed and the organizing of the church are far apart. I suppose the church was only organized in 1948. In 1944/45 Susan and I were students at the Toronto-based Missionary Medical Institute and attended the Toronto Mennonite Church [or Mission]. It was a fledgling group, but enthused about the prospect of a Toronto Mennonite Church. We have no written records, but I remember people like Aaron and Helen Klassen, Isaak Neufelds and a Lehn family. Actually, the Lehns appeared to be rather important in directing the church. Aeltester Wichert of Vineland came to preach and also conduct communion. That makes me believe it was a project of the Ontario conference. |