“Today we are experiencing something the author of the Hebrews writes about in Chapter 12:1.  We are “encircled.. with such a great cloud of witnesses.”  The reference is to those who died in faith – and on this sacred plot of ground we are surrounded by hundreds of such witnesses.  Individually and collectively they belonged to a community that nurtured us.  They have impacted us by their words, their life style and their steadfastness in the face of adversity.  As we look at the gravestones of a few individuals this afternoon our minds are flooded with memories of what has been, of instances and happenings associated with people who lie buried here.  There are memories of personal kindnesses, of words of encouragement, of selfless love.  We remember those who made lasting contributions to the community at large, who promoted visions of what could be  and who worked sacrificially to implement those visions.  We give free reign to our varied emotions – a sense of loss, tears, perhaps anger, solemnity, pain.  Yet there is also joy, celebration and a resolve to carry on, to emulate the lives of those buried here.”

     These words were read to the more than 200 persons, including many young people, who gathered in the Maclure Road Mennonite Cemetery on 21 May 2006 to participate in the Memorial Cemetery Tour.  It was not exactly a balmy day, but the rain held off for the two and one-half hours needed for the tour.

     Maclure Mennonite Cemetery is the final resting place for a great many important Mennonite personalities. The selection process proved a formidable task for the organizing committee.   Following lengthy discussions and compromises 29 names were chosen.  Hard work by volunteers and office staff ensured that participants could follow proceedings from a booklet containing biographical sketches of the persons honoured.

     It was inspirational to hear the many stories of selfless dedication to the public good both at home and abroad.  In the process the Historical Society also obtained permanent records of individuals whose stories might otherwise have been lost.  Perhaps the tour also contributed to a better understanding of the Mennonite and Mennonite Brethren traditions by demonstrating how very similar our stories really are.

     The tour concluded with a Faspa at the Bakerview MB Church.  The program included a brief Annual General Meeting detailing the Society’s activities and projects during 2005.  A $500.00 scholarship was presented to Jennifer Dijk for her excellent research on the early story of settlers in the Greendale area.

     A short Liturgical service of Scripture and prayer ended the program, but not the lengthy time for visiting and meeting people “from the past.”  It may be of interest to the readers that the Alberta Mennonite Historical Society sponsored a Memorial Cemetery Tour at the Coaldale Mennonite Cemetery on June 3, 2006.

Submitted by the committee 2006:  Ben Braun, Jean Neufeld, Agatha Klassen, Jacob Tilitzky, Hank Klassen, Lillian P. Toews (Chair)