New pastor at Tiefengrund Mennonite

Briefly noted

LAIRD, S ASK. -Tiefengrund Mennonite, a rural congregation of about 100 members, prepared to welcome and commission its new pastor on Oct. 16, although Russ Friesen had already begun full-time pastoral duties. Friesen, 58, was a member of the congregation and had preached several times in the past. When someone suggested his name to the search committee, "he was astounded but quite interested" says Jen Janzen, chair of the church committee. The process took about three months and involved careful consideration of the situation from both sides, taking into account cherished relationships within a close-knit community. "We went over …