View source for Schaefer, Paul J. (1899-1969)

[[File:SchaeferPJ.JPG|300px|thumb|right|''From "Jubilaeum-Album der Konferenz

der Mennoniten in Canada 1902-1952"'']]     Paul J. Schaefer (1899-1969) was an outstanding [[Manitoba (Canada)|Manitoba]] Mennonite educator and church leader. He was born of Lutheran parents in the Russian [[Caucasus|Caucasus]] region. After elementary schooling in his native village he studied for nine years at the <em>Gymnasium </em>(secondary school) in Tarutino, [[Moldova|Bessarabia]]. Schaefer then became a teacher in the Mennonite village of [[Alexandrodar (Russia)|Alexandrodar]] ([[Alexanderfeld (Kuban settlement, Russia)|Alexanderfeld]]) in the [[Kuban Mennonite Settlement (Northern Caucasus, Russia)|Kuban]] valley. He married a colleague, Margaretha Wiebe, and was received into the Mennonite congregation. In 1925 the couple immigrated to [[Canada|Canada]]. They joined the [[Blumenort Mennonite Church (Manitoba, Canada)|Blumenort Mennonite Church]], a southern Manitoba congregation of newly-arrived emigrants from [[Russia|Russia]]. Paul and Margaretha Schaefer had four children. In 1948 Margaretha died. In 1949 Paul married Louise Wiebe Neufeld, whose daughter then also joined the family circle.

Schaefer earned a Manitoba teaching certificate and a bachelor's degree. From 1928 to 1943 be taught school in [[Gnadenthal (Manitoba, Canada)|Gnadenthal]]. Then followed 25 years of teaching, 19 of them as principal, at the [[Mennonite Collegiate Institute (Gretna, Manitoba, Canada) |Mennonite Collegiate Institute]], Gretna. He authored the history series <em>Woher? Wohin? Mennoniten!</em>, a biography of Mennonite educator [[Ewert, Henry H. (1855-1934)|H.H. Ewert]], and numerous shorter articles.

A minister since 1942, Schaefer was elected elder (bishop) in 1954. The former Lutheran, who had become a persuaded [[Anabaptism|Anabaptist]], thus made a momentous decision -- he received [[Baptism|baptism]] upon confession of faith and then accepted the call to congregational leadership. Schaefer gained prominence on the wider Canadian Mennonite scene. He served in Sunday school leadership, on youth and education committees, on the [[Canadian Mennonite Bible College (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)|Canadian Mennonite Bible College]] board, and as moderator of the [[Mennonite Church Manitoba|Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba]].
= Bibliography =
Springer, Nelson and A. J. Klassen, compilers. <em>Mennonite Bibliography, 1631-1961</em>, vol. 2. Scottdale, 1977: 498.
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