Trusting God into the future
Hagerman Mennonite celebrates 75th anniversary
From left to right, former pastors Gord Alton, Maurice Martin, David Martin and Jonathan Emerson-Pierce join current co-pastors Lydia and Gary Harder at Hagerman Mennonite Church’s 75th anniversary celebration on June 10.
Photo by Joanna Reesor-McDowell
A large group of past and present members gathered at Hagerman Mennonite Church in Markham on June 10 to remember the vision of earlier leaders, to tell stories of lives that have been touched, and to celebrate God’s faithfulness throughout three-quarters of a century of change. The special service ended with a litany prepared with input from current youth and congregational leaders that articulated dreams for the church and focused on trusting God into the future.
Floyd and Lillian Schmucker, with their family of nine children, were the driving force behind establishing a community-oriented church in a small hamlet called Hagerman’s Corners. The congregation was formally established in 1937, with 16 charter members. While some support was given by the Mennonite Mission Board, Schmucker worked full-time at other jobs to support his family while doing church ministry. The earliest outreach efforts focused on providing Sunday school and Vacation Bible School for the many children in the neighbourhood.
Emerson McDowell came to pastor at Hagerman in 1965 with his wife Elsie and their five children. Boys and girls clubs, Christian camping and other programs for youths — both in the church and from the neighbourhood — were a focus during those years.
Nancy Dolphin Marshall, one of the local teens at that time, came to the anniversary celebration and spoke about how the church was a “safe haven” and “changed her life.”
By the 1980s, Hagerman’s Corners was experiencing massive change. It became part of an urban community bordering the City of Toronto with many immigrants, particularly from Asia. When Toronto Chinese Mennonite Church asked to use Hagerman’s facilities as a basis to do outreach to the new immigrants in 1990, Hagerman voted unanimously to share its space. By 1993, Markham Chinese Mennonite Church was established.
Demographic shifts were affecting the church in other ways during the same period. Property values were rising, along with massive new development and higher-density living. This had the effect of encouraging young couples and retirees to buy homes to the north of Toronto.
Many purchased homes in the Stouffville area. By 1995, there were a significant number of Hagerman members with a vision to start a new church in that community. After a challenging but healthy process of listening to each other, it was clear that there were two distinct but equally valid visions:
Start a new Mennonite congregation in Stouffville; and
Renew the congregation at Hagerman to adapt to a multicultural and urban environment.
Both groups agreed to bless the other’s vision and Community Mennonite Church of Stouffville was established in 1996.
Hagerman nurtured the start of another new congregation in 2005, when space was provided to the Markham Christian Worship Centre, the first Tamil-speaking Mennonite congregation in Canada.
Four pastors who served Hagerman between 1976 and 2010 were present and spoke at the anniversary celebration: Maurice Martin, David Martin, Gord Alton and Jonathan Emerson-Pierce. Gerald Good, who also served during that time, sent greetings that were read in the service. Current co-pastors Lydia and Gary Harder are serving on an interim basis.