by PAUL RAYNER

He may be leaving his present charge, but Reverend John Oldenkamp is happy not to leave the area.

Oldenkamp has taken on the position of minister in St. Paul’s United Church in Boissevain, to start on July 1. He has served the last eleven years with the United Churches in Souris and Elgin, and recently announced his resignation there. He said he was drawn to Boissevain for a number of reasons.

“I always liked this community,” Oldenkamp stated. “It is such a pretty town. Also, there is a high level of energy in the congregation, which is important. It was a really attractive position.”

Oldenkamp graduated from seminary at Knox College in his native Toronto in 1981, and has since served as a minister in Manitoba in Waywayseecapo, Winnipeg, Melita and then the present charge. He likes this area.

“I love the Southwest corner. I’m glad to not have to leave the neighbourhood.”

His road to his present position as a United Church minister was a long and interesting one. Oldenkamp said he started his post-secondary education at the University of Toronto, but was not impressed with his studies. He eventually moved on to study at a small college in Michigan where he studied religion, before returning to his home church, and going through the ministry.

“I never had aspirations to be a minister,” he explained, ‘but I felt a strong call. I did attend church regularly but I never thought about doing this.”

The son of Dutch immigrants, he was raised in the Dutch Reformed Church. He began his ministry in the Presbyterian Church, which shares similar roots. It was not until he went to Melita that he moved to the United Church.

There were different reasons for that as well. For one thing, Oldenkamp said there were very few lateral moves in the Presbyterian Church in the prairies. In part this is because the Presbyterian Church is one of the three original founding faiths of the United Church, and the remaining Presbyterian churches in Canada are those who rejected the union. Oldenkamp said he did get some United Church people attending his church in Winnipeg prior to his move.

One of the characteristics the United Church is known, and sometimes criticized, for is its less dogmatic position on theology. This more free thinking concept is attractive to Oldenkamp.

“The big thing with the United Church is its diversity,” Oldenkamp explained. “The thing people pin on us is that we’re so liberal, but there are ultra-conservative people here too. That keeps it honest. There are tough questions and the church is prepared to ask them. No on is forced to accept anything. There is freedom and it is open to conversation.”

He said he was considered somewhat of a radical within the Presbyterian fold, but is seen as middle of the road in the United Church.

“I like being in the middle. It is a challenge to both sides.”

Oldenkamp feels he brings a theological foundation with him in a church equally known for its social conscience. He said often members of the church do not realize how much their social conscience, including that on a local scale, arises from their faith. He said the social and the spiritual must work together.

“There has to be both,” he stated, “I’m not an issues guy, but it has to be spiritually based.”

He and his wife Maggie have four grown children. The couple live in a house in Elgin presently, but will be moving to the manse in Boissevain when the time comes, and keeping the other as a cottage.

St. Paul’s in Boissevain has been without a permanent clergy person since interim minister Jeri Bjornson left last June 30. The worship and education committee had a workshop with her prior to her departure, with four groups coming from it. They have been responsible for the services since, either bringing in guests or doing it themselves. This will continue until Oldenkamp starts in July.

Oldenkamp would not commit to a time frame for Boissevain. Ministers do often move around a fair bit, although he said they are staying longer than they used to. He himself is the longest serving one in both his churches in Souris and Melita.

“If you are there too long you can get complacent. I am really grateful I have never left a place angry or sad. I have had really great relationships. It is neat to know people from all over.”

He is looking forward to staying in this area, and moving into Boissevain. He also looks forward to being close to the Peace Garden. His goals for his stay in Boissevain are simply to work with the people.

“Mostly, I want to work with them, keep the church healthy, happy, alive, worshipping and growing. They have a lot of energy and I think it will make for a great partnership. It is a team effort and I’m looking forward to the partnership.”