View source for Shantz, Elven (1893-1984)

[[File:ShantzElven.JPG|300px|thumb|right|''Elven Shantz.<br />
Source: [https://uwaterloo.ca/mennonite-archives-ontario/ Mennonite Archives of Ontario]'']]

Elven Shantz (1893-1984) was the son of Menno and Susannah (Bowman) Shantz. He was born in [[Breslau (Ontario, Canada)|Breslau]], Ontario. In 1920 he married Mabel Weber, a sister of [[Weber, Urias K. (1879-1971)|Urias K. Weber]], then minister at Eby's Mennonite Church (later known as [[First Mennonite Church (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)|First Mennonite Church]] in [[Kitchener-Waterloo (Ontario, Canada)|Kitchener]]). Elven and Mabel Shantz returned from homesteading in [[Saskatchewan (Canada)|Saskatchewan]] and joined the [[Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)|Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church]], Kitchener, in 1929. Shantz became an active lay leader in that congregation. He was always considered a "liberal" Mennonite but had a great rapport with all Mennonites.

He served as secretary of the Military Problems Committee of the [[Conference of Historic Peace Churches|Conference of Historic Peace Churches]], 1943-64. Shantz organized the [[Ontario (Canada)|Ontario]] unit of [[Mennonite Disaster Service|Mennonite Disaster Service]] in 1958 and was interim secretary of Mennonite Central Committee Ontario in the 1960s.

As a result of these activities, his farm background, his ability to speak the [[Dialect Literature and Speech, Pennsylvania German|Pennsylvania German]] dialect and his fine rapport with the Old Order, [[Amish Mennonites|Amish]], and Conservative Mennonites, Shantz was asked to be their spokesman to government in their requests for exemption from government health insurance, Family Allowance, Old Age Security, Workmen's Compensation, and the Canada Pension Plan, and in gaining recognition of their right to establish private Christian schools. Shantz was active in the founding of [[C666.html|Conrad Grebel College]] in 1961, the [[Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario|Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario]], and the Ontario Mennonite relief sale in 1966. The members of many branches of Mennonites who attended and participated at his funeral attested to his commitment and service to Mennonite unity.
= Bibliography =
Minutes of the Military Problems Committee of Conference of Historic Peace Churches, 1940-64; minutes of MCC (Ontario), 1964-; minutes of Ontario Mennonite Relief Sale board, 1966-; minutes of Conrad Grebel College board; minutes of the Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario (all located at [https://uwaterloo.ca/mennonite-archives-ontario/ Mennonite Archives of Ontario]).
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