Making a Difference:
Mennonite Savings and Credit Union 43rd Annual Meeting
St. Jacobs, ON – On March 26, Mennonite Savings and Credit Union (MSCU) members, guests and staff gathered at St. Jacobs Mennonite Church for the Credit Union’s 43rd Annual General Meeting, featuring guest speaker Doug Pritchard, Co-Director of Christian Peacemaker Teams. Pastor Mark Diller Harder of St. Jacobs Mennonite Church welcomed MSCU and gave the opening meditation and prayer on the theme of making a difference.
The meeting was presided over by Bob Janzen, Board Chair , who also provided the Board of Directors report to the membership. Janzen shared with those in attendance the new Vision, Values, and Mission statements, affirmed at the 2006 Regional Meetings. He reported on the new Strategic Directions for the Credit Union, which focus on the following eight areas: Faith Base, Cooperative Principles, Service, Profitability, Growth, Staff, Brand and Social Responsibility. The new Statements and Strategic Directions will allow the Credit Union to make a difference in each aspect of its business, from membership service to corporate stewardship.
Making a difference was the key message in the management report given by Nick Driedger, CEO. He shared with the membership and guests the key MSCU programs that help to make a difference, including Church Builder and Member Assistance Services. Driedger also informed the group about a partnership that had not been highlighted in recent publications, a partnership with MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates). MSCU provides micro-loans to graduates of the ASSETS+ program (A Service for Self-Employment Training and Support) which is a program managed by MEDA and The Working Centre to assist the working poor, women and refugees by providing them with the steps and skills required to start a small business.
John Klassen, Chief Operating Officer, shared the operational successes of 2006 with those in attendance, highlighting the overall growth in assets of 7.9%, translating into $522.6 million in ‘on-book’ assets. Klassen also discussed the successful launch of a new high-interest savings account, and the opening of the new MSCU branch in St. Catharines. Other successes for 2006 included the message from Meritas Financial Inc CEO, Gary Hawton. Meritas completed 2006 with over $138 million in assets under management, representing a 54% growth. Hawton credits the success of Meritas to his staff, the continued commitment of MSCU members and investors, and the national interest in Socially Responsible Investing.
Doug Pritchard, Co-Director of Christian Peacemaking Teams (CPT) captured the attention of all those in attendance with his descriptions of the events that CPT has been part of by living their motto of “Getting in the Way”, that is, getting in the way of lethal physical violence, and getting in Jesus’ way of loving enemies. Pritchard emphasised that “each time we get in the way of violence, we have an opportunity to make a difference, to witness the loving way of Jesus.” He shared the story of a local CPTer Scott Albrecht of Kitchener who, along with another CPT volunteer, ‘jumped in front of a gang of armed paramilitaries in Colombia as they threatened to kill a small farm owner who was accused of aiding the guerrillas.’
Pritchard gave praise to MSCU on the commitment the Credit Union makes to stewardship and cooperative principles. “I appreciate the mutual aid that we provide to each other through the Charitable Fund, church builder deposits, scholarships and the member assistance services program,” he stated. “Blessings on you, as you seek ways to make a difference,” were Pritchard’s parting words to the group, “not just with your personal finances, but with your whole lives.”
About MSCU
Mennonite Savings and Credit Union (Ontario) Ltd. is a closed-bond credit union that serves members of Mennonite, Amish and Brethren in Christ churches in Ontario. MSCU operates seven branches and six sub-locations throughout Southern Ontario. For more information about Mennonite Savings and Credit Union, visit www.mscu.com.
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For more information, contact: Frank Chisholm
Mennonite Savings and Credit Union
Phone: (519) 772-5211
Local Credit Union Employee Receives Coveted Scholarship
Toronto, ON – On March 29 Shawn Good, Manager of Branch Operations at Mennonite Savings and Credit Union (MSCU), received the World Council of Credit Union (WOOCU) Young Credit Union People Program scholarship. He was recognized for his outstanding contributions to MSCU and to the Credit Union system on a provincial and national scale. This scholarship was presented to Good at the Credit Union Central of Ontario’s 67th Annual General Meeting held in Toronto at the Fairmont Royal York.
Nick Driedger, CEO, and John Klassen, COO had this to say about Good and his contributions to MSCU, “Throughout his thirteen-year career with MSCU and his many community involvements, Shawn has proven to be an extremely hard working, engaged employee, fully committed to Credit Union values and mission.” Good was selected by a panel of Canadian Credit Union system peers based on his contributions to MSCU, his work with system partners in the broader credit union system, and his significant community involvement.
Examples of Good’s exceptional contributions include facilitating a visit this past year of a delegation of Credit Union peers from Ukraine (a joint program with the Canadian Cooperative Association), and he was an early initiator and champion of the Community Effort/Enterprise Facilitation project bringing support, encouragement and expertise to community entrepreneurs. Good was also heavily involved in the development of ClearCredit, a commercial loan product now used by credit unions across the country. He understands and embodies the spirit of openness to new ideas, flexibility, and creativity that are vital to attracting the youth audience to the Credit Union story.
About Credit Union Young Credit Union People Program
The scholarship program was established in 2000 by WOCCU to recognize young outstanding professionals and leaders from the international credit union movement. For more information on World Council of Credit Union Young Credit Union People Program, visit www.woccu.org.
About MSCU
Mennonite Savings and Credit Union (Ontario) Ltd. is a closed-bond credit union that serves members of Mennonite, Amish and Brethren in Christ churches in Ontario. MSCU operates seven branches and six sub-locations throughout Southern Ontario. For more information about Mennonite Savings and Credit Union, visit www.mscu.com.
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For more information, contact: Frank Chisholm
Mennonite Savings and Credit Union
Phone: (519) 772-5211
