Holmfield Mennonite Brethren Church (Holmfeld, Manitoba, Canada)
Mennonites immigrants from the Soviet Union settled in the Killarney, Manitoba area in 1926–1927. All Mennonites worshiped together in the beginning years in rented facilities. As the numbers grew they formed their own congregations. On 11 March 1928 the Mennonite Brethren (MB) families formed the Holmfield Mennonite Brethren Church with 24 charter members and under the leadership of Heinrich Unger. Since the families were scattered and transportation was still problematic throughout the year, they formed a second congregation in 1938, the other being the Lena Mennonite Brethren Church. It was still referred to as the Holmfield and Lena MB Church (according to the congregational minutes from 1932 to 1937 and again from 1944 to 1945), and sometimes even the Holmfield and Smith Hill MB Church (according to the congregational minutes from 1938 to 1944).
In 1944 both the Holmfield and Lena congregations built their own buildings, each with a seating capacity of 250.
During the war years many families moved, so in 1945 most of the remaining members left the Holmfield MB Church and joined the Lena MB Church. From 1946 to 1951 it was again referred to as the Holmfield and Lena congregation. However, in 1951 the two groups separated and became separate congregations. The congregation dissolved in 1959.
From 1959 to 1967 only the Lena MB Church existed. It was this congregation that outgrew its facilities and decided to build a meeting place in Killarney in 1967. The congregation was renamed the Lakeview Mennonite Brethren Church.
The congregation had been affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba, the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches and the General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. The language of worship was German and English.
Bibliography
Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies, Winnipeg, Manitoba. "Holmfield MB Church." Web. 18 October 2011. http://www.mbconf.ca/home/products_and_services/resources/published_genealogies/mb_provincial_conferences_and_church_congregation_records/manitoba_archives/holmfield_mennonite_brethren_church_archives/.
Toews, John A. A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church: Pilgrims and Pioneers. Fresno, CA, 1975: 162.
Archival Records
Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies, Winnipeg, MB: Reel 133.
Additional Information
Holmfield MB Church Leading Ministers
| Minister | Years |
|---|---|
| Heinrich Unger | 1928–1936 |
| Heinrich Derksen | 1937-1938 |
| Peter P. Schulz | 1938–1950 |
| P. F. Sawatzky | 1951–1952 |
| Peter P. Schulz | 1953–1957 |
| J. D. Froese | 1958 |
Holmfield MB Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1928 | 24 |
| 1930 | 56 |
| 1949 | 63 |
| 1951 | 26 |
| 1954 | 27 |
| Author(s) | J. F. Poetker |
|---|---|
| Marlene Epp | |
| Date Published | October 2011 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Poetker, J. F. and Marlene Epp. "Holmfield Mennonite Brethren Church (Holmfeld, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. October 2011. Web. 18 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Holmfield_Mennonite_Brethren_Church_(Holmfeld,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=56998.
APA style
Poetker, J. F. and Marlene Epp. (October 2011). Holmfield Mennonite Brethren Church (Holmfeld, Manitoba, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Holmfield_Mennonite_Brethren_Church_(Holmfeld,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=56998.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 794. All rights reserved.
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