Small church supports immigrants to Germany

Winnipeg, Man.

Leading the little church at Niedergoersdorf-Flugplatz in Germany has brought James and Henriette Schellenberg both challenges and rewards. The Schellenbergs are members of Douglas Mennonite Church in Winnipeg.

Fifteen months into a two-year assignment, the Mennonite Church Canada Witness workers tend a small congregation of Aussiedler (immigrants of German background from the former Soviet Union). The church is located on a former Soviet military airbase (Flugplatz) near the village of Niedergoersdorf. The church meets in a former Soviet officers' club.

The Schellenbergs dream of the congregation becoming independent and producing its own leadership. Most immigrants arrive with little or no Bible knowledge but find a welcoming, if all-too-often temporary, home in the congregation. One old man, having come to faith late in life, laments "the time he has wasted" and is now rushing to memorize scripture and the Lord's Prayer before his eyesight fails.

Treated as outsiders by Russians and Germans alike, the Aussiedler "don't have a strong sense of belonging," said James. "We can proclaim to them that God loves you and God cares about you and we care about you."

[Graph Not Transcribed]

However, the economically depressed community, located 70 kilometres south of Berlin, offers new immigrants slim prospects. Most church members move further west as soon as they can, but many miss the tight community of the Flugplatz.

"If they can find a job or put down any kind of roots in those first few years, many are happy to stay," said James.

There are stories of hope. One couple, Igor and Irina, have become very active in the church, have found jobs and are renovating a home they've bought. Irina is trained as a geologist but works as a teacher's aide. Igor creates art with a chainsaw, working on children's playgrounds, among other things.

The provincial and municipal governments, with which the church cooperates in social services, say the community would be in bad shape without the church. This work is also supported by Mennonite Central Committee, local Lutheran parishes, and German and Dutch Mennonite churches. The Berlin Mennonite Church is particularly active and has absorbed a significant number of Aussiedler in the past five years.

One supporting congregation, at Wolfsburg, was started by the Conference of Mennonites in Canada 25 years ago and is now fully independent.--MC Canada release