Wonderful Word of Witness Gallery

World of Witness (WOW) Team:

• Ashley Frank (Lion) is an information technology worker.
• Laura Donaldson (Dorothy) works at a youth drop in centre
• Willard Metzger (Tinman) is pastor at Community Mennonite Fellowship in Drayton, ON.
• Ron Weber (Strawman) is associate pastor at Community Mennonite Fellowship in Drayton, ON.
• Sandy Gasch Frank designed and produced the costumes.
• Script by Steve Plenert and Marilyn Houser Hamm

Every year, Willard Metzger takes a team from his congregation on a short term service assignment. Previously assignments have all been international. This year Metzger married the need to build awareness for Mennonite Church Canada Witness to the idea of an interactive Canada-wide presentation (see the tour schedule) on the World of Witness, using the Wizard of Oz story as a framework. Mennonite Church Canada thanks the WOW team, and their congregation at Community Mennonite Fellowship in Drayton, ON, for releasing this team to do this work.

When asked… the entourage replied:

Why are you doing this on your own time and at their own expense?

Metzger: This is an important year of development for Mennonite Church Canada Witness. If we don’t have strong congregational support, we won’t have international ministries to support.

What has been you congregations response?

Weber: This is a significant sacrifice as both pastors are leaving at the same time. The congregation felt this was a worthwhile cause.

What has been the response so far?

Donaldson: We’ve had a lot of positive feedback so far.

Weber: They are surprised and at first taken aback… but afterwards, quite affirming.