July 7th

Women’s Chorus Celebrates 30 Years of Ministry

Sixty-five singers came together at Bethel Mennonite Church on May 9 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Faith and Life Women’s Chorus. The 35 current choristers and 30 alumni were joined by the four conductors the choir has had in its three decades of ministry within Mennonite Church Manitoba.

The agenda for the event was simple: sing together. Each conductor—Shirley Bestvater, Arlene Kroeker, Millie Hildebrand, and Janet Brenneman (see image)—worked with the choir on a piece they had chosen from their era. The choir then recorded the pieces for archival purposes. A coffee break partway through the rehearsal, plus a dinner catered by the church, provided plenty of opportunity to reminisce.

“I loved that so many of the alumni came back for an afternoon of singing,” says Janet, current conductor of the Women’s Chorus. “There was no pressure for performance; it was simply a time set aside for doing what the FLWC does best—singing and learning together.”

Theresa Klassen, co-chair of the choir executive, adds, “I have been fortunate to sing under all four of the conductors of this choir, and singing for each of them again reminded me of what I loved about each conductor’s individual style and gifts.”

The Women’s Chorus was created in 1996 after a group of women, led by Wilma Poetker, proposed to MCM leadership that a women’s choir should be created to run parallel to the longstanding Male Choir. The choir’s first performance took place on June 14, 1996, in an outdoor tent at the Forks in Winnipeg for a Mennonite Central Committee relief sale.

Highlights for the choir since its inception include three tours, most notably a European tour in 2013, and the many visits to MCM churches and personal care homes. “It’s good for congregations to see that their members are active in the work of the church outside of Sunday mornings,” says Janet. “I also see this as bringing together the community of congregations that’s spread across our province.”

The relationships formed within the choir are also noteworthy. “Sometimes the greatest moments happen when we are not singing,” says Theresa. “The personal sharing and the uplifting of each other is one of the things that makes the FLWC so special. To be a part of a group of women who truly love and care for each other is so enriching to my life, and I believe that is what keeps all of us coming back.”

Thinking back to the day of celebration, Janet says, “As I heard reflections from current and past singers throughout the day, and as I witnessed the joy on each other’s faces as we sang together and visited over coffee and a delicious meal, it was so clear to me that the FLWC serves a broader purpose to demonstrate love and care for each other as sisters in Christ’s church.”

If you are interested in joining either the Women’s Chorus or our Male Choir for the 2026-27 season, contact the MCM office. If you are interested in supporting financially this unique and important ministry of our regional church, see www.mennochurch.mb.ca/giving.