Falling in love with and serving the church

Willy Reimer takes on the moderator’s role

Willy Reimer is the 22nd person to serve as moderator of the Canadian MB Conference since its beginning as the Northern District Conference 94 years ago. At age 43, he is also one of the youngest.*

He admits that he was not particularly interested in Conference work when approached to be assistant moderator several years ago.

A number of things persuaded him to get involved. One was his wife Gwen’s strong encouragement to do so. Another was finding himself weeping over the city of Montreal while attending a Church Planting Congress and realizing that successful mission in that needy place would only be possible with denominational support.

Jascha Boge and Willy Reimer

Some weeks later, listening to a challenge by John Ortberg about “crossing the Jordan,” God pressed home to Reimer that his “Jordan” was being assistant moderator. That role has now led, with Jascha Boge completing his term as moderator, to leadership of the Canadian Conference.

Reimer grew up in Winnipeg, in the North Kildonan MB Church. He graduated from MB Collegiate Institute, then headed for Capernwray Bible School in Colorado. He had not been following God, and “for all intents and purposes” became a Christian there.

He attended Trinity Western University in Langley, B.C. for a year, worked a year at Palliser Furniture in Winnipeg, then did a B.A. in Economics and Administrative Studies at the University of Winnipeg. When he talked to Art DeFehr at Palliser Furniture about employment, Art agreed to give him a job but suggested Reimer do some Christian service first and then come work for him.

Reimer still hasn’t gone back for that job. He served with Youth for Christ in Winnipeg, followed by a ministry internship and two further years with the College and Career at Forest Grove Community Church in Saskatoon. He also worked in a clothing store in Saskatoon.

Willy Reimer preaching at Gathering 2004

He and Gwen Willems, who grew up in Waldheim, Sask., were married in 1988. In 1991, with son Joshua less than a year old, they headed off to MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, Cal. (They later had two more sons, Carter and Matthew.) Here Reimer was exposed to church planting and realized this was what he wanted to do. “I’m entrepreneurial,” he says.

After graduation, the couple undertook a church plant with the Alberta MB Conference in the southeast area of Calgary. Since its first public services in 1995, Sunwest Community Church has grown to about 800 attending each week.

In those early years of Sunwest, Reimer says, he “fell in love with the Church, the Bride of Christ.” He explains, “It’s the only organism that points people to Christ and does so the entire span of their lives. Nothing else is cradle to the grave. The church is not a program with shelf life.”

A variety of people and life passages have shaped the incoming moderator. There was the maintenance man at Capernwray, for instance, in whom Reimer, “an arrogant, cynical youth,” saw the abundant life Jesus speaks of in John 10:10. Then there was a powerful experience of forgiveness, related to boyhood incidences of abuse.

There was, further, the matter of “coming to grips with” his gifts of leadership. He recalls a specific time of being challenged – “if you have the gift of leadership, lead,” – and responding by giving his gift to God.

Although relatively young, Willy Reimer has become increasingly conscious (“perhaps it was turning 40,” he laughs) of “legacy” for the following generations. He takes on the role of moderator with “some fear and trepidation,” but looks forward to using his gifts in “big picture thinking” to further the mission of the Canadian Conference.

—dd

* F.C. Peters became moderator at 40, J.A. Toews at 41, and H.S. Voth (who served a total of 18 years) also at 43.