Partners in Ministry
Master of Theological Studies student Thawng Tha is both excited and nervous to begin work in a church community that is very different from his own place of worship, Chin Christian Church. Thawng began a Supervised Experience in Ministry (SEM) at Bloomingdale Mennonite Church this term, under the supervision of Pastor Zac Klassen (MTS 2015), also an MTS graduate. In this internship, Thawng is looking forward to learning about pastoral leadership, including preaching, pastoral care, administration, and working with church leaders, while he gains experience with Mennonite theology and traditions through congregational life. “I will be participating in and communicating with new people who have different languages, cultures, perspectives, and experiences, which will give me new insights and experiences,” he said. Bloomingdale Mennonite Church is a member of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada, and Chin Christian Church is an affiliated congregation. This placement is a way to strengthen connections between churches that might not know each other well.
A Supervised Experience in Ministry is a core aspect of the Applied Studies stream in Grebel’s MTS program. For one or two terms, ten hours a week, students participate in practical internships that can include pastoral roles in congregations, chaplaincy in hospitals, prisons, or elder care facilities, or social service in a variety of settings. Partnerships are crucial to these placements, as students work closely with a mentor.
“I see value in this type of partnership between a church and the MTS program because it allows both the local church and the MTS program to be mutually enriched and informed by each other,” explained Zac. He has seen how through the SEM, students gain concrete experience in a local congregation that can “complement and contextualize their classroom learning,” while churches have the opportunity to learn alongside students. “Furthermore, churches receive the benefit of being reminded that discerning a calling to ministry is a function of the Body of Christ as it seeks to be faithful.”
Beyond the logistics of pastoral ministry, as a new Canadian, Thawng also hopes to understand more about how Mennonite theology and traditions inform a congregation's worship, leadership, relationships, and community engagement. He is also looking to experience a ministry outside his own cultural community and learn more about what it means to be Mennonite in the Canadian context. He wants “to learn to see these differences not as a barrier but as an opportunity to grow in humility, understanding, and openness to different ways of following Christ.” He added, “I hope to finish the SEM with greater spiritual maturity, a better understanding of my calling, and practical skills that will shape my future ministry.”
“I hope that Thawng will first and foremost experience the hospitality of the body of Christ as he tests his calling to ministry,” said Zac. He described Bloomingdale as a tight-knit congregation that values taking risks, trying new things, and giving space for everyone to serve as God has gifted them to serve. “I believe this environment will offer Thawng a gracious space to lean into God's calling for him. On the other hand, I hope that Bloomingdale will learn from Thawng and from the Spirit's work in his life and ministry.”
Thawng also sees the relationship as reciprocal. “Students can offer the church new ideas for ministry and experiences from their theological education and cultural backgrounds,” he said. “Both the student and the church can grow in their understanding and practice of Christian ministry.”
Kate Strathdee completed her MTS degree with a Supervised Experience in Ministry at Parkwood Seniors Community. Supervised by Grebel alum Lisa Carr-Pries (MTS 2010), Kate worked as Student Chaplain this summer, leading Bible studies and hymn sings, and visiting residents.
A particularly moving experience for Kate was providing spiritual care to a resident on their deathbed. “It was beautiful to witness the resident light up when Lisa and I read Psalm 23,” she reflected. “I learned that presence and using the words of scripture can be meaningful, even as I struggled to find the right words to pray extemporaneously. In my pastoral care course with Professor Carol Penner, I learned about the power of presence and scripture, but it was important to see this in action. This will be something I continue to take with me in my future Clinical Pastoral Education unit and in (God willing), ordained ministry.”
The practical experience also challenged some of Kate’s assumptions about dementia in the scale and ways it affects memory. “Connection can still occur in residents who have ‘severe’ dementia,” she explained. “This was evident during one of the three hymn sings that I led each week. Even though most language is gone, some residents knew the words of the old-time hymns.” Through these experiences, Kate has a clearer idea of what spiritual care looks like. “I can still touch hearts and partake in the care of souls regardless of someone's memory or ability to carry a conversation.”
Parkwood has also hosted several other Grebel students for SEMs. Recently, Margaret Sherk (MTS 2025) did her SEM at Parkwood and continues to volunteer there more than a year later. Niamh Brown (BA 2016, MTS 2023), now Chaplain at Fairview Mennonite Home, had her first experience with seniors ministry at Parkwood.
“As a graduate of Grebel’s MTS program, I know how important it is to have opportunities to bring theological learning into conversation with lived experience,” added Lisa. “Placements like Parkwood allow students to test assumptions, recognize blind spots, deepen their gifts, and discover areas where further learning is needed. They also invite us as practitioners into rich mutual learning, as students bring fresh perspectives, complementary gifts, thoughtful questions, and new energy to the community.”
For Lisa, the ongoing connection with Grebel is especially meaningful because her own vocation was influenced by a professor who recognized and affirmed gifts in her and encouraged her toward pastoral ministry. “I value the opportunity to offer that same kind of attentive mentoring to others—to create space where students can explore their calling, grow in confidence, and discover how theological knowledge becomes embodied in relationship, practice, and service.”
“I am humbled to serve in a supervisory role for this SEM and see my MTS as being an important milestone in my own calling to pastoral ministry,” reflected Zac. While he did not complete a Supervised Experience in Ministry while working on his MTS degree, his own pastoral internship set the trajectory for his future ministry. “I think it is essential that the MTS offers the SEM as an option for students that are interested in discerning their calling,” he said.
