Goerzen, Edward “Ed” Edwin (1936-2023)
Edward "Ed" Edwin Goerzen: minister and conference worker; born 3 May 1936 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, the youngest of five children born to Abraham Goerzen (22 January 1894, Chortitza, Chortitza Mennonite Settlement, South Russia – 13 September 1956, Starbuck, Manitoba) and Justina (Dueck) Goerzen (13 May 1897, Samoylovka, Kharkov, South Russia – 28 March 1989, Winnipeg, Manitoba). Ed married Helen Ann Krause, daughter of Abram Krause (1907-1985) and Katharina (Loewen) Krause (1908-1969), on 2 June 1958 in Abbotsford, British Columbia. Ed and Helen had three children: Lorraine, Barbara, and Duane. Ed died on 5 April 2023 in British Columbia.
Ed’s parents were part of the early wave of Mennonites immigrants who came to Canada from Ukraine in 1924. Here they began their new life on a rented farm in the little community of Willow Ridge, Manitoba. Later, the family moved to Springsteen, Manitoba, where they were able to purchase a farm. Here Edward grew up in a loving, Christian family, who attended and faithfully served in the Springstein Mennonite Church. It was also here where Ed accepted Christ as his personal Savior and was baptized on 6 June 1954.
Ed was eager to study the Bible, and after finishing public school he enrolled at Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg. Here he met his future wife, Helen Ann. They were married on 21 June 1958. In the next years they devoted time to serving in ministry, and to Ed continuing his education. Their early ministries included serving at Cross Lake, Manitoba, Burns Lake, British Columbia, and three years at Menno Bible Institute in Didsbury, Alberta, where Ed worked as teacher/principal. After this he continued his studies at Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas, and at the Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana.
In 1965, Ed became the first paid pastor of Cedar Valley Mennonite Church in Mission, BC. Ed helped the congregation expand their vision in sharing Christ’s love with neighbors and friends. It was also here that Ed, along with other area pastors, was part of the "charismatic renewal" which led them into a deeper awareness of the importance of the Holy Spirit in equipping believers for life and ministry.
After 11 years of pastoral ministry in Mission, Ed and Helen Ann joined Campus Crusade for Christ. After two years with Campus Crusade, in 1976 they accepted the invitation to join the pastoral team at Willingdon Mennonite Brethren Church in Burnaby, BC. Here Ed’s primary focus was to direct the evangelism program – teaching and coaching members of the congregation how to share the message of God’s redeeming love with their neighbors and friends; discipling new believers; and in helping follow up newcomers to the church. The impact of Ed’s ministry soon became evident in the growing number of new believers being baptized and added to the congregation.
In 1984 Ed and Helen Ann planted Maple Ridge Community Church in Maple Ridge, BC. In 1990 Ed accepted the appointment as BC Mennonite Brethren Conference minister. Together, Ed and Helen Ann encouraged and coached pastors and congregations across British Columbia. They served in this role for three years, after which they returned to serve in a pastoral role, first at Cornerstone (MB) Church, in Surrey, BC, and then as a transitional pastoral couple in several churches. Throughout his ministry years, Ed also served on numerous BC MB Conference boards and committees, always championing the importance of evangelism and church-planting.
In their later years, Ed and Helen Ann moved back to Maple Ridge, where they enjoyed serving and fellowshipping in the church that they started. In 2022 Ed began to experience a number of health issues, and after a brief hospitalization, died on 5 April 2023
Ed Goerzen is remembered as a loving pastor who was passionate in leading individuals to accept Jesus, as a catalyst in bringing leaders together to pray, and as a great encourager.
| Author(s) | Herb Neufeld |
|---|---|
| Date Published | October 2024 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Neufeld, Herb. "Goerzen, Edward “Ed” Edwin (1936-2023)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. October 2024. Web. 1 Dec 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Goerzen,_Edward_%E2%80%9CEd%E2%80%9D_Edwin_(1936-2023)&oldid=179849.
APA style
Neufeld, Herb. (October 2024). Goerzen, Edward “Ed” Edwin (1936-2023). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 1 December 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Goerzen,_Edward_%E2%80%9CEd%E2%80%9D_Edwin_(1936-2023)&oldid=179849.
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