Arizona Sun Chapter, February 11, 2012 Meeting Recap
Dell Epp presented "Die Auswanderung der Mennoniten: Faith, Economics and Politics Scatter a People of God.
We had an excellent chapter meeting on February 11 as Dell Epp of Canada shared his story of “Die Auswanderung der Mennoniten, Faith, Economics, and Politics Scatter a People of God.“
Born in 1943, Dell Epp grew up in Henderson, Nebraska, a Mennonite farming community. His father was an eighth generation Mennonite. His grandparents and great grandparents were born in the Mennonite Colony of Molotschna, South Russia. His father broke tradition by marrying Ottilie Peter who grew up in Sutton, Nebraska, a German Lutheran/German Reform community. His mother’s roots trace back to the German Palatinate, and the South Russian Black Sea communities of Worms and Rohrbach.
His mother died when Dell was four. His father remarried and so he had only occasional contact with the Reform side of his family. He graduated from Henderson High School, attended Bethel College in Newton, Kansas, and graduated from the University of Nebraska with a BA in Psychology. He also attended Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana. While there his studies were interrupted with a two year term as a Conscientious Objector in Pleiku, Vietnam. It was in Pleiku that he met Dale Copsey. They discovered they both had Sutton, Nebraska roots.
When he returned to Seminary he met Lucy Kroeker, a Mennonite girl who grew up in Winkler, Manitoba, Canada. After seminary, Dell and Lucy pastored a small rural Mennonite Church in Davis County, Iowa. Then they accepted a 3 year term with Mennonite Missions in Japan where they taught English. Upon returning to the US they pastored a small house fellowship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The couple has two children, a daughter born in Japan and a son born in Iowa.
In December 1981, they moved to southern Manitoba where Dell pastored two churches, the second for 17 Years. He also acquired a Masters Degree in Counselling. Dell retired 3 years ago. He now travels and works on genealogy.
Born in 1943, Dell Epp grew up in Henderson, Nebraska, a Mennonite farming community. His father was an eighth generation Mennonite. His grandparents and great grandparents were born in the Mennonite Colony of Molotschna, South Russia. His father broke tradition by marrying Ottilie Peter who grew up in Sutton, Nebraska, a German Lutheran/German Reform community. His mother’s roots trace back to the German Palatinate, and the South Russian Black Sea communities of Worms and Rohrbach.
His mother died when Dell was four. His father remarried and so he had only occasional contact with the Reform side of his family. He graduated from Henderson High School, attended Bethel College in Newton, Kansas, and graduated from the University of Nebraska with a BA in Psychology. He also attended Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana. While there his studies were interrupted with a two year term as a Conscientious Objector in Pleiku, Vietnam. It was in Pleiku that he met Dale Copsey. They discovered they both had Sutton, Nebraska roots.
When he returned to Seminary he met Lucy Kroeker, a Mennonite girl who grew up in Winkler, Manitoba, Canada. After seminary, Dell and Lucy pastored a small rural Mennonite Church in Davis County, Iowa. Then they accepted a 3 year term with Mennonite Missions in Japan where they taught English. Upon returning to the US they pastored a small house fellowship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The couple has two children, a daughter born in Japan and a son born in Iowa.
In December 1981, they moved to southern Manitoba where Dell pastored two churches, the second for 17 Years. He also acquired a Masters Degree in Counselling. Dell retired 3 years ago. He now travels and works on genealogy.