Barbara & Darrell Jantz

Through the sixth grade, Darrell was reared in Canton, Kansas, where the family attended the rural Spring Valley Mennonite church. His father Clyde owned a retail/wholesale milk and ice business. As a child, Darrell learned to work alongside his dad. In the summer, he would ride along to get the milk from the supplier, deliver to retail stores and restaurants in the area, and make door-to-door deliveries three times a week in the early morning hours. Darrell’s family moved to Hesston, KS, when Darrell was in the seventh grade. There he also completed high school at the Hesston College Academy.

Barbara was reared in a family with an adventuresome spirit. Born in Phoenix, Arizona, the Barge family moved to Upland California shortly after, and remained five years before moving to Arkansas, near Calico Rock. The family attended Mt Joy Mennonite Church and the children went to the Culp Mennonite School. There Barbara’s father Willard continued his work as carpenter, while the whole family participated in subsistence farming. In 1960, the Barges moved to Hesston, Kansas.

Darrell and Barbara met in Hesston, attended the academy together, and were married at Hesston Mennonite Church in 1963. Barbara was employed by Hesston Corporation as Darrell pursued an engineering degree (beginning at Bethel College, transferring to Wichita State University). Upon graduation in 1969, Darrell began employment with Halliburton Energy Services in Duncan, OK, as a design engineer, designing and building oil well servicing trucks, trailers, and offshore skid units.

The Jantzes have two children: Michael and Jennifer. Since there wasn’t a Mennonite congregation in Duncan, Darrell and Barbara joined the First United Methodist Church soon after their move. Both children were nurtured in that loving community of faith. Later each graduated from Oklahoma City University (a United Methodist institution). Barbara and Darrell found their places of service in various positions at FUMC: youth sponsors, Sunday school teachers, as lay speakers, and in administrative leadership, with a special love for the Chancel Choir, in which they participated for 40 years.

In 1993, Barbara joined the staff at First Christian Church, Duncan, as Director of Adult Ministries. Having an “additional” church richly blessed their lives. Barbara retired from FCC in Nov 2009 after sixteen years of ministry. Darrell completed 40 years of service in Jun 2009, retiring in Oct 2009.

Barbara enjoys reading, book club discussions, walking, traveling. Darrell’s hobbies include golfing and traveling. He also enjoyed restoring his father’s 1955 Chevy pick-up (which was purchased new and used on all those milk deliveries).

With full support of their two children and spouses (and four beloved grandsons: Caleb and Colin, Jacob and Luke) who are making plans to visit London, Darrell and Barbara are very excited about their “joint-service” as LMC Hosts. It has been a long-held dream since visiting on three occasions, Barbara’s parents, Willard & Elizabeth Barge, who also served as LMC Hosts. Like Bill & Liz before them, Darrell and Barbara are now living out “the call” to serve the church through the ministries of the London Mennonite Centre.

17/02/2010

Will Newcomb

Will Newcomb joined the staff of the London Mennonite Centre in 1984. He has handled much of the administration and the book keeping since then, and in 1994 took on the management of the book service.

He grew up in Bedford, England (John Bunyan country), and studied Civil Engineering at Manchester University before practising in South Africa for 3 years.

Taking a year out from the world of work he travelled to the West Indies with 3 friends in a 35 foot sloop. From there he spent 2 months hitch hiking all over the U.S.A. and Canada, and finally accepted Jesus just before flying back to the U.K.

Back in England he joined a large evangelical Anglican church in 1975 where he remained until moving to the Wood Green Mennonite Church in the early 80's.

For 7 years he worked for an international construction company and served as a temporary works design engineer in the overseas department.

His recreational passion is ice skating which he took up in 1991.

Since 1997 he's been singing in the Highgate Choral Society as a tenor. For the next performance see Highgate Choral Society. In 1999 he joined a Gospel Singing Class which puts on concerts several times a year.

In church, he is a regular member of the music group, playing a 12 string Maton guitar. He has served as an elder for 5 years, stepping down in 1994. His vision for the church is one which lives out the teachings of Jesus in every area of life, both personal and corporate. He longs to see others come into the new life and transforming relationship with God and for disciples of Jesus to honour him as King, above all authority and power, the state included. This has led him to help provide music at public acts of Christian witness against injustice and militarism.

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