Difference between revisions of "Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, Manitoba, Canada)"

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The Christian Fellowship Church in Birch River, Manitoba began services in 1970, and formally organized in 1971. The first building was occupied in 1976. The congregation originated through colonization of rural [[Manitoba (Canada)|Manitoba]]. It was preceded by the Evangelical Mennonite Church at [[Mafeking Evangelical Mennonite Church (Mafeking, Manitoba, Canada)|Mafeking]]. The congregation was known as Christian Fellowship Center until May 1988, when "Church" was adopted in the name.
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The Christian Fellowship Church in Birch River, [[Manitoba (Canada)|Manitoba]] began in 1970, when the [[Mafeking Evangelical Mennonite Church (Mafeking, Manitoba, Canada)|Mafeking Evangelical Mennonite Church]], located 20 miles farther north, decided to meet in Birch River because of its more central location. The church was first known as the Christian Fellowship Centre but changed its name to Christian Fellowship Church in 1988. The language of worship was English.
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Services were first held in Birch River in the United Church building. The congregation formally organized in 1971 under the Evangelical Mennonite Conference when Andrew Friesen was the pastor.
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Ralph and Mary Lynn Unger took over the pastorate in 1972. When Ralph Unger attended Steinbach Bible Institute in 180, Leroy Friesen filled in the pastorate role. Trained as a teacher, Ralph Unger supplemented his income by driving a school bus. Ben Kroerker, who had been a deacon in the [[Rosenort Evangelical Mennonite Church (Rosenort, Manitoba, Canada)|Rosenort Evangelical Mennonite Church]], moved to the area in 1971 with his wife Helen, and began to serve as a deacon in Birch River.
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Building construction was started in 1975 and the building was occupied in June 1976. For a time, the church had a manse a mile out of town.
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John and Becky Hiebert served as the pastoral couple from 1986-1989. Ferlin Abrahamson, a graduate of Nipawin Bible Institute, and raised in [[Pelly Fellowship Chapel (Pelly, Saskatchewan, Canada)|Pelly Fellowship Chapel]] served as pastor for many years. He was partly self-supporting, working as a farm hand.
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Glen and Betty Koop served as an interim pastoral couple for about a year starting from January 2008. Harold Thiessen, a local farmer, who had studied at Steinbach Bible Institute, served as pastor from 2009-2012.
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When Harold Thiessen moved to Kleefeld after 2012, the congregation has continued without a formal pastor. Ferlin Abrahamson, who continued to live in the area, informally functioned as the pastor. Ferlin and Elizabeth Abrahamson’s daughter Bethany Matejka, a graduate of Canadian Mennonite University, served as congregational chair.
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The area’s population decline has resulted in few farms and less people attending Christian Fellowship Church in Birch River, but in 2017 it still held weekly services – often with guest speakers or a video series.  A key ministry was still the Steep Rock Bible Camp and a thrift store in Birch River that was raising funds for the camp.  
  
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In 1985 there were 34 members. The congregation affiliated with the [[Evangelical Mennonite Conference (Kleine Gemeinde)|Evangelical Mennonite Conference]] in 1971. The language of worship is English. In 2010 the pastor was Harold Thiessen.
 
 
= Additional Information =
 
= Additional Information =
 
'''Address''': 202 Third St., Birch River, Manitoba
 
'''Address''': 202 Third St., Birch River, Manitoba
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= Maps =
 
= Maps =
 
[[Map:Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, Manitoba)|Map:Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, Manitoba)]]
 
[[Map:Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, Manitoba)|Map:Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, Manitoba)]]
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=June 2017|a1_last=Smith|a1_first=Terry|a2_last= |a2_first= }}

Revision as of 16:23, 22 June 2017

The Christian Fellowship Church in Birch River, Manitoba began in 1970, when the Mafeking Evangelical Mennonite Church, located 20 miles farther north, decided to meet in Birch River because of its more central location. The church was first known as the Christian Fellowship Centre but changed its name to Christian Fellowship Church in 1988. The language of worship was English.

Services were first held in Birch River in the United Church building. The congregation formally organized in 1971 under the Evangelical Mennonite Conference when Andrew Friesen was the pastor.

Ralph and Mary Lynn Unger took over the pastorate in 1972. When Ralph Unger attended Steinbach Bible Institute in 180, Leroy Friesen filled in the pastorate role. Trained as a teacher, Ralph Unger supplemented his income by driving a school bus. Ben Kroerker, who had been a deacon in the Rosenort Evangelical Mennonite Church, moved to the area in 1971 with his wife Helen, and began to serve as a deacon in Birch River.

Building construction was started in 1975 and the building was occupied in June 1976. For a time, the church had a manse a mile out of town.

John and Becky Hiebert served as the pastoral couple from 1986-1989. Ferlin Abrahamson, a graduate of Nipawin Bible Institute, and raised in Pelly Fellowship Chapel served as pastor for many years. He was partly self-supporting, working as a farm hand.

Glen and Betty Koop served as an interim pastoral couple for about a year starting from January 2008. Harold Thiessen, a local farmer, who had studied at Steinbach Bible Institute, served as pastor from 2009-2012.

When Harold Thiessen moved to Kleefeld after 2012, the congregation has continued without a formal pastor. Ferlin Abrahamson, who continued to live in the area, informally functioned as the pastor. Ferlin and Elizabeth Abrahamson’s daughter Bethany Matejka, a graduate of Canadian Mennonite University, served as congregational chair.

The area’s population decline has resulted in few farms and less people attending Christian Fellowship Church in Birch River, but in 2017 it still held weekly services – often with guest speakers or a video series. A key ministry was still the Steep Rock Bible Camp and a thrift store in Birch River that was raising funds for the camp.

Additional Information

Address: 202 Third St., Birch River, Manitoba

Phone: 204-236-4370

Website: Christian Fellowship Church 

Denominational Affiliation: Evangelical Mennonite Conference

Maps

Map:Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, Manitoba)


Author(s) Terry Smith
Date Published June 2017

Cite This Article

MLA style

Smith, Terry. "Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. June 2017. Web. 18 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Christian_Fellowship_Church_(Birch_River,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=148975.

APA style

Smith, Terry. (June 2017). Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, Manitoba, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Christian_Fellowship_Church_(Birch_River,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=148975.



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