May 21st

It’s a gift

 My work as Director of Admissions and Development at RJC has taken me to various communities and churches across the province and allowed me to meet kind and generous families and supporters of the school. I have the privilege of hearing stories about how RJC has shaped individuals' views of the church and helped them grow into the people they are today. Some haven’t returned to campus since their graduation, and others can’t wait to get back for their next decade reunion.
 
RJC turns 120 years old in 2025. We have been meeting with alumni, friends and the wider church to talk about some significant upgrades we want to make at the school for the next generation of students. During these meetings one donor presented my colleague, Ryan Wood, with a framed certificate that he received in the late 1960s when he donated to the building of the current school. He remembered the feeling of joining the community in contributing to the project, and the impact it has had on generations of students.
 
It is a gift to be able to sit with alumni and supporters in Alberta and hear their stories. It inspires me in the work that I do and the stories I share with our current students.
 
In mid-April I had the chance to travel to Calgary and Edmonton with the RJC Singers choir as part of our annual choir tour. While we only had a short time in each community, we did our best to try to connect with as many people as possible.
 
During our visit, RJC hosted an evening alumni & friends singing event at Foothills Mennonite Church. In addition to the 45 RJC students in the choir, we had over a dozen alumni & friends from various generations join the group to sing together and make connections.  Following an hour and a half of songs, staff, alumni and friends met at The Banquet on University Ave for an evening of connection, reminiscing and community building. Over 30 alumni gathered together including graduates from a variety of decades (1970s to 2024).


 Photo:  RJC alumni & friends singing event at Foothills Mennonite in Calgary. 

Later on tour in Edmonton, RJC partnered with First Edmonton Mennonite Church to host an evening concert for the RJC Singers. Before the concert RJC alumni from the church invited staff to join them for a time of faspa and conversations at the church. Old yearbooks were brought out from the church library, and it was a special time of sharing stories and reflecting on the impact RJC has had on the lives of students.
 
I am grateful to the MCA community for continuing to believe and support RJC. Though Rosthern can at times feel far away, the connection we have through community and our shared belief in creating Anabaptist-Mennonite spaces for our youth to thrive in, helps us feel closer.