Rev. Arthur Drewitz

With great sadness, the Drewitz family shares the news of the peaceful passing of Reverend Arthur Drewitz on Monday, August 29, 2011 in his 85th year. Arthur went to be with his Heavenly Father, whom he faithfully served all his life. Arthur will be dearly missed by his beloved wife, Adina (nee Segert); and by his children (and their spouses): Harald (Linda) of Kitchener; Renate (Fred) of Sarnia; Monica (Jens) of Welland; W. Charles (Inge) of Kitchener; Karin (Ed) of Waterdown and Norma (Rein) of Waterloo. Lovingly remembered by 18 grandchildren: Jonathan (Jenn) of Kitchener; Kyla (Mark) of Halifax; Jenny (David) of Kitchener; Gerald (Kirsten) of Bowmanville; Kenneth (Jody) of Australia; Barry (Natalie) of Sarnia; Jeremy (Sarah) of Chicago; Dennis (Kimberly) of Kitchener; Jodie (Matthew) of Dorchester; Cheryl (Kevan) of Kamloops; Michelle of Vancouver; Laura (Douglas) of Kitchener; Zachary (Sarah) of Hamilton; Kyle (Meaghan) of Toronto; Jaime of Waterdown; Kevin, Caitlin (Joshua) and Julianne of Waterloo. Also lovingly remembered by 11 great-grandchildren: Geoffrey, Bradley, Conner, Charlie, Darcie, Talia, Avery, Parker, Lindsay, Nathaniel and Jacob. Predeceased by his loving parents, Emil and Wilhelmine and by his siblings, Wilhelm, Selma, Amanda and Karl.

The family will receive friends at the Schreiter-Sandrock Funeral Home and Chapel, 51 Benton Street (at Church St.), Kitchener on Friday from 2 - 4 and 7 - 9 p.m. Funeral Service to take place at Immanuel Pentecostal Church, 100 Hoffman Street, Kitchener on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Markus Brandt officiating. Interment to follow at Woodland Cemetery.

The Drewitz family would like to thank all the staff at A. R. Goudie Nursing Home for the loving care they provided for our dear husband, father and grandfather over the past few years.

As expressions of sympathy, the family would appreciate donations to Mission Link (IPC Missions). Online condolences may be expressed by visiting www.schreitersandrockfuneralhome.com

Arthur Drewitz

August 1, 1927 – August 29, 2011

Arthur was born as the last of ten children (5 died in childhood), to Emil and Wilhelmine (nee Mittelstaedt), in the small village of Daniszew, Province of Poznan, Poland. As his mother succumbed to tuberculosis in 1938, the task of nurturing and teaching him Biblical principles fell to his father and four remaining siblings. Not long after his mother’s death, Arthur found himself at death’s door with meningitis. As he often testified, it was only by the grace of God that he recovered from this illness.

Along with his countrymen, during World War II, Arthur witnessed many atrocities. In the waning days of the war, at age 17, he was pressed into military service, and his artillery unit was stationed in Southern Germany. When the war ended he found himself a Prisoner of War and was held by American troops. Soon, by the stipulation of the Potsdam Conference agreements, he found himself on a train bound for a Soviet controlled zone. Acting on a hint dropped by an American infantryman on guard duty, he bravely jumped from the train and disappeared into the countryside around Hof. Not having any proper documents, he was fortunate to find refuge with a farmer, with whom he stayed for two years until he was reunited with his siblings and father.

Having made his way to Bremen, he served as a carpenter’s apprentice. Here, he also consecrated his life to the cause of Jesus Christ, was baptized and joined Germany’s fledgling Pentecostal movement. Through youth ministries of the church, he met, courted and married Adina Segert, of Lilienthal. By 1952, with two children in hand and a third on the way, they took passage on the Beaverbrae to Canada. After working on a farm near Lethbridge, Alberta to repay their passage, and after several months in Edmonton, the Drewitz’s moved to Calgary, where Arthur pioneered a church among fellow German immigrants, while supporting the family by working as a carpenter on construction. Always an advocate for education, Arthur earned a diploma from Berean Bible College, followed by a Bachelor of Religious Education from Winnipeg Bible College. While pastoring in Kitchener, he completed subsequent courses at Emmanuel Bible College.

Ordained in 1957 in Winnipeg, Manitoba at a German Branch Conference, Arthur was soon valued and respected as a loving and caring Minister of the Gospel. He was a gifted teacher and always a loving shepherd to his church family. His flock knew they could call on Arthur to help them through the many challenges and struggles of life.

Arthur pastored in various cities in four provinces of his beloved Canada; Calgary, AB; Kelowna, BC; Winnipeg, MB; and then Kitchener and St. Catharines, ON. During those pastorates, Arthur was involved in no less than four church building programs; three of which were the construction of new churches and one being a major renovation. With Arthur’s construction background, he was an integral part of each phase of the building projects, and still always kept up with all other aspects of his calling.

In addition to his local church responsibilities, Arthur was also known as an efficient administrator. This led him to take on extra duties as Secretary-Treasurer for the German Branch of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada and he sat on their Executive Board for many years.

Due to Arthur’s gifted speaking and teaching abilities he was often invited to speak and teach as a guest at various camp, church and Bible school settings throughout the world. This allowed him to travel extensively, and he visited all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Arthur always viewed these extra assignments as a privilege to serve God and appreciated the adventures his travels brought him.

Retirement did not rest easy with Arthur; his first attempt at retirement was in 1992, but he soon found himself again in a pastoring role enjoying the opportunity to continue to teach and nurture his senior peers. After ten years of working with seniors in various Kitchener church settings, Arthur retired for good in 2002, having achieved the milestone of ministering in the PAOC for 50 years.

Beside Arthur at all times was his loving wife, Adina. She understood Arthur’s calling to the ministry and was truly his God-given helpmate. Arthur and Adina lovingly raised the six children that God had entrusted to them. Arthur was a valuable role model to his family, encouraging his children to always do their best with the talents and skills that they had been given. Observing Arthur and Adina’s abilities to multi-task motivated all his children to develop similar strengths as evidenced in all of their life endeavours. The passion Arthur held for his calling has been an amazing example and inspiration to his children and grandchildren, and this legacy will continue with his great-grandchildren.

Sadly, in 2003, Arthur received the diagnosis of Pick’s Disease. True to the educator that he was, Arthur researched all he could about the illness and continued to live with dignity and grace, personally penning the following words as an encouragement to Adina:

Ich, Arthur, geh mit dir, Adina Alma,

Durch den Garten,

Den Garten der Trübsal

Bis zumThron.

Ich geh mit Dir,

Allen Kindern und Schwiegerkindern,

Bis zum Thron.

We are so grateful that Arthur was released from his struggle with Pick’s Disease by peacefully passing to his heavenly home during his sleep on August 29, 2011.