Lenzmann, Herman (1909-2005)
Herman Lenzmann: minister and Bible school teacher; born 9 October 1909 on an estate south of Nikopol, South Russia to Hermann Lenzmann (24 January 1881 - 27 February 1965) and Emma (Schroeder) Lenzmann (8 August 1884 - 1 July 1922), (he was the grandson of educator Hermann A. Lenzmann). He was the oldest child of the two sons and two daughters born to that union. After his mother passed away, his father married Marie (Dick) Heinrichs (7 November 1890 - 8 October 1946) in 1923, a widow with three sons and a daughter. Of the three children born to this union, two grew into adulthood. On 30 December 1935 Herman married Katharina "Tina" Wiens (10 June 1907, Lindenort, Schoenfeld, South Russia - 8 February 1990, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) in the North End Mennonite Brethren Church, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Tina was the daughter of Nikolai G. Wiens (18 March 1872 - 11 June 1912) and Maria (Janzen) Wiens (2 December 1875 - 22 February 1968). Herman and Tina had one son and four daughters: Mary, Elvira, Luella, Edwin and Irene. Herman died on 14 August 2005 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he was buried on 19 August.
In 1918 the Lenzmann family fled to Halbstadt, Molotchna Mennonite Settlement. During this time Herman attended the Halbstadt Zentralschule (high school) in Halbstadt, Molotschna. By 1924 continued existence in the Soviet Union became hazardous. As a result Herman's parents with their eight children immigrated to Canada. After living several months in the Kitchener, Ontario area, the family settled on a farm near Herschel, Saskatchewan. In 1930 Herman was born again and was baptized and received into the membership of the Philadelphia Mennonite Brethren Church in Watrous. Later that year Herman continued his education at the Winkler Bible School, where he was a student for five years (1930-1935).
After farming in Saskatchewan for the first year after their marriage, Herman and Tina Lenzmann served at the Bololo Mennonite Brethren Mission in the Belgian Congo as missionaries with the Afrika-Missions-Verein (Africa Mission Society) from 1937-1939. Their return was made necessary by Tina's poor health in Africa. They spent two years in Saskatchewan and Alberta, and he studied for a year (1940-1941) at the Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta. In 1941 the Lenzmanns moved to Greendale, British Columbia (BC) where Herman taught for a year at the Greendale Bible School (1941-42). In 1942 they relocated to Yarrow, BC where, with the exception of the year 1948, Herman taught at the Elim Bible School from 1942-1952. In 1948 he began studies at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas, eventually graduating with a BA in 1968.
Lenzmann served as pastor of the Yarrow Mennonite Brethren Church from 1950-1959. During his seventeen years in Yarrow, Herman also became a successful raspberry farmer. Between 1959 and 1967 he taught at the Winkler Bible School in Manitoba and pastored the Winkler Mennonite Brethren Church from 1962 to 1967. In 1968, after a year of studies in order to complete his degree, they moved to Clearbrook, BC where he pastored the Clearbrook Mennonite Brethren Church from 1968 until 1976. In 1976 they relocated to Chilliwack where he served as the pastor to seniors in the Broadway Mennonite Brethren Church in Chilliwack, BC. After his retirement to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1981 he continued to preach and serve in a pastoral capacity on a part time interim basis.
Throughout his years of ministry Herman Lenzmann was deeply involved in the affairs of the Mennonite Brethren Conference. In addition to being moderator of the British Columbia, Manitoba, and Canadian MB Conferences at various times, he also sat on many conference boards and committees. His special interest was foreign missions and he served continuously on the foreign missions board of the Mennonite Brethren Church from 1954-1975. His colleagues in the conference saw him as "a real stabilizer."
Lenzmann is perhaps best remembered for his pulpit presence. His preaching was characterized by warmth, passion, fervency, enthusiasm, and conviction. Members were often sustained spiritually by his passionate public prayers. His pastoral work included a great deal of home visitation. Through his teaching and preaching, and by his example, he challenged many to a life of commitment to Christ and His church.
Bibliography
The personal papers of Herman Lenzmann and other family documents are with his son, Edwin Lenzmann, in Winnipeg, MB.
| Author(s) | Edwin Lenzmann |
|---|---|
| Date Published | November 2005 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Lenzmann, Edwin. "Lenzmann, Herman (1909-2005)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2005. Web. 18 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Lenzmann,_Herman_(1909-2005)&oldid=57915.
APA style
Lenzmann, Edwin. (November 2005). Lenzmann, Herman (1909-2005). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Lenzmann,_Herman_(1909-2005)&oldid=57915.
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