Isaak Dyck, elder of Chortitza Mennonite Church and son of Elder Gerhard Dyck, was born 9 December 1847 in Chortitza, Russia, and died in the same place, 24 August 1929. He attended elementary and secondary schools at Chortitza, married Margaretha Hamm (28 June 1870), taught at Fürstenland settlement 1873-1876, and was called into the ministry in 1876. From 1882 to 1888 he was minister and leader of the Anadol Forestry Camp where Mennonite boys did their alternative service. In 1888 he returned to Chortitza where he was elected elder in 1896 to succeed H. Epp. He was a minister for 53 years and an elder for 26 years. He served several times as president of the Allgemeine Bundeskonferenz. His motto was Bete und arbeite (“pray and work”).

For many years Dyck was the president of the committee that maintained and supervised forestry camps and president of the board of the Chortitza Zentralschule and Mädchenschule. Repeatedly he was delegated to negotiate with the government of St. Petersburg regarding the Mennonites. His sound judgment and vision usually assured him success. During the Revolution and Civil War following World War I, he felt that a younger person should shoulder the task and responsibilities. Thus he ordained and introduced Peter Neufeld as his successor in the office of elder in 1922. His wife followed him in death in 1931.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, pp. 114-115. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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