Herb Sawatzky

Important Dates

December 28, 1967 - Born in Vancouver, B.C. Other than that, a pretty quiet day
1972 - First girlfriend. My mom makes us break up
1973 - We move two blocks down to Windsor Street over my very strong objections. My parents still live in that house
1975 - Give my life to Christ at a Layton Ford crusade
March 1984 - Get baptized
1992 - Graduate from Okanagan Bible College with a Bachelor of Theology. I was the Valedictorian. We drew straws.
January 1995 - Start at Regent College. The very first exam I wrote there literally left people in tears (not me though – I was too stunned to cry)
September 1997 - See Lorrie. Decide to marry her
February 14, 1998 - Lorrie comes around and decides to marry me
December 29, 1998 - Marry Lorrie. A very good day
April 1999 - Move to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, to spend 6 adventurous years as the youth pastor to some really great kids (and adults) at Niagara United Mennonite Church. Side note: this is the farthest east I've been in Canada
April 2, 2001 - Introduced to Aleah Blythe Sawatzky, a very cool girl. Leads to new axiom: 'Make peace with your parents, they come back as your children' Another very good day
October 19, 2003 - Meet Colton Abraham Sawatzky, a very cool boy. Some days I feel as though one of my brothers has become my son. In all, also a very good day
February, 2005 - Take two groups of teens to Guatemala on a missions trip. We also raise $12,000 to build a school. A very cool thing
March, 2005 - Interview with the search committee of Avon Mennonite Church and definitely like what I see. Apparently they do too, because they invite me back for a second interview (which I also, somehow, pass)
April 17, 2005 - Candidate at Avon Mennonite Church, where I only sleep 3 hours the night before I preach one of the most pathetic sermons of my life. That sermon didn't exactly set unrealistic expectations, but they take me on anyway!
June 2005 - Wrap up 6 great years as the youth pastor at Niagara UM. Was blessed to leave on a very positive note
August 1, 2005 - Start at Avon Mennonite Church, and am completely excited to see where God takes us in the years ahead
Summer 2008 - Went to Kentucky on a mission trip with our church to fix some roofs (pardon me, ‘ruffs’) and do other home repair work. Ate some grits and biscuits and gravy for the first time in my life. Needless to say, we met more great, neat, fascinating people
July 2009 - Go to Ottawa with Lorrie, my brother and his wife – the furthest east I’ve now been in Canada
December 1, 2009 - Aleah realizes that there is no Santa Claus when the e-mail she sent him got bounced. This did not go over well. I thought we had covered this last year when she was nervous about some stranger coming into the house through the chimney
Today. This is the day that the Lord has made…so it must be a big day.

Favourite Food

Hard to nail this one down, but I'll try: Borscht, vereneka, Thai food, East Indian food, Greek food, anything barbecued, mashed potatoes (a current obsession), Lorrie's apple pie, pie in general (mincemeat, pecan, and bumbleberry excepted), nachos – a very big fan of nachos, and pretty much everything that Lorrie makes, as well as many of the things that I make

Heroes

• Lorrie, being a mom is a huge challenge, and she's great at it
• My Dad
• My grandmothers, who were both refugees during WWII with young families. They moved to foreign countries, started all over, and had an incredible faith in Jesus Christ who took them through it all.
• Any number of the people at Avon, who have given me a lot of room to learn and grow, and have accepted my meager pastoral gifts with open hands and open hearts (which has been the greatest gift of all)
• Jesus Christ, who makes life an adventure worth living

Things I love to do (but never do)

Ice hockey (I haven’t played in some 10 years now, it might be time to take it off the list…), hiking, canoeing

Things I love to do (and do)

Reading, playing with my kids, playing with my wife, dinners with friends, sermon prep, preaching, going for workouts, running into people like you in coffee shops and various other places around town

Things I Love About Avon That I Think You Will Too

• There are all kinds of people at Avon: some of us were born and raised in different Mennonite backgrounds (some of whom still wear a prayer covering every Sunday), while others of us (about one half to two-thirds) have no Mennonite background at all prior to coming to Avon. The best part is that we all love our diversity.
• The people are very real and genuine, no posing or performing for others, which is pretty healthy.
• There's a lot of variety in our worship with people using their ideas and creativity.
• The people are very warm and inviting; if you show up, they'll definitely welcome you in.
• Best of all, we are all looking forward to the adventure that God is about to lead us on.