Fast, Paul Johann (1932-2018)
Paul Johann Fast: teacher, church planter, and minister; born on 21 August 1932 in Newton Siding, Manitoba to Johann "John" Fast (20 January 1891, Borangar, Crimea, South Russia – 13 February 1981, St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada) and Justina (Friesen) Fast (13 June 1987, Blumstein, Molotschna, South Russia – 1 June 1991, St. Catharines, Ontario). Paul was the ninth of eleven children. On 28 August 1959 Paul married Elizabeth Gertrude "Betty" Baerg in Coaldale, Alberta, Canada, the daughter of Aron C. Baerg (1904-1987) and Gertrude (Willms) Baerg (1905-1991). Paul and Betty had three children: Bonnie, Byron, and Barbara. Paul died on 31 August 2018 in Langley, British Columbia, Canada. The funeral took place in North Langley Community Church, Paul and Betty’s home congregation.
In 1942 the Fast family moved from Manitoba to a fruit farm in St. Catharines, Ontario. Paul prayed to accept Christ at age nine and was baptized on 8 July 1951 in St. Catharines, Ontario. Paul attended Eden Christian College and Eden Bible School, and after a six-week course, Paul taught for two years in a one-room schoolhouse in northern Ontario, discovering there that he had a passion for teaching.
Fast attended Hamilton Teacher’s College and upon graduation in 1955, taught for two years in St. Catharines, Ontario. In 1957 Paul began his ministry preparation at Mennonite Brethren Bible College (MBBC) in Winnipeg, where Paul met Betty. Upon graduation in 1960, Paul taught at Bethany Bible Institute in Hepburn, Saskatchewan, for two years. Paul continued his education and graduated with a BA from Waterloo Lutheran University (now Wilfrid Laurier University), and taught for several years at Lakeport High School and Eden Christian College in St. Catharines.
Paul's church ministry started as the assistant pastor at Fairview Mennonite Brethren Church in St. Catharines, where he was also ordained. He worked there from 1969 to 1975. After this assignment, Paul attended the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary in Fresno, California. Upon graduating with an MA, Paul pastored the South Langley Church in British Columbia from 1977 to 1987. Paul’s heart for evangelism and church planting led him to start two congregations: North Langley Community Church, where he was pastor from 1987 to 1994; and Murrayville Community Church, also in Langley, where he was pastor from 1994 to 1998.
When Fast retired from fulltime ministry in 1998, he embarked on a number of interim ministry positions, including two years of church-plant coaching at ACTS Seminary in Langley, BC. This was followed by three interim pastoral positions, including Fleetwood Community Church in Surrey, Northside Community Church in Mission, and Lake Errock MB Church. Paul’s last interim church assignment was at the Scott Street MB Church in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Once retired from church ministry, Paul and Betty returned to BC. Here he spent a number of years doing volunteer work at Fraser Valley Gleaners, in seniors’ homes, and as a hospital chaplain at Langley Memorial Hospital. Paul and Betty also served for ten years on the Retired Pastor Fellowship planning team in Abbotsford. Paul was known for his sense of humor, as well as his heart for evangelism and church planting. Paul and Betty were acknowledged for their hospitality and strong family relationships.
Bibliography
GRANDMA (The Genealogical Registry and Database of Mennonite Ancestry) Database, 21-01 ed. Fresno, CA: " California Mennonite Historical Society, 2021: #385837.
"Langley Minister Paul Fast Passes Away." Langley Advance Times. 4 September 2018. Web. 28 March 2021. https://www.langleyadvancetimes.com/community/langley-minister-paul-fast-passes-away/.
"Paul Johann Fast." MB Herald. 30 September 2018. Web. 28 March 2021. https://mbherald.com/obituaries/paul-johann-fast/.
| Author(s) | James Nikkel |
|---|---|
| Robert Martens | |
| Date Published | March 2021 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Nikkel, James and Robert Martens. "Fast, Paul Johann (1932-2018)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. March 2021. Web. 24 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Fast,_Paul_Johann_(1932-2018)&oldid=171000.
APA style
Nikkel, James and Robert Martens. (March 2021). Fast, Paul Johann (1932-2018). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Fast,_Paul_Johann_(1932-2018)&oldid=171000.
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