Nechako Community Church (Vanderhoof, British Columbia, Canada)

Eight Vanderhoof families met in the winter of 1983 to discuss the possibility of establishing a new church in Vanderhoof, British Columbia.  After identifying a specific need in the community to reach out to those who had become disillusioned with the church, these eight families extended a formal request to the Board of Church Extension of the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, asking for help with the process.  From the beginning, the executive secretary, Nick Dyck, and the board chairman, Paul Fast, assisted in developing this ministry in Vanderhoof. 

After an initial visit, John Hiebert was asked by the congregation if he would accept the call of becoming the church's first pastor, which he did.  John and his family arrived in Vanderhoof just in time for the church's first baptismal service near the end of July 1983. The congregation joined the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches in 1984.

Initially, Nechako Community Church met at Evelyn Dickson Elementary School.  In 1984, when weekly attendance numbers seemed to indicate that a building of their own would soon be required, the congregation purchased some land.  However, it was not until 3 December 1989 that the congregation occupied their first building.  In 1995, the church hired an associate pastor to oversee family ministries, evangelism and discipleship.

Average attendance in 2008 was around 200, while by 2010 average attendance was 150.

Bibliography

"About Nechako Community Church." Nechako Community Church website http://www.nechakocommunity.com//about.html (accessed 26 August 2009).

Federau, Denis. "Update on Nechako Community Church." Personal e-mail (16 November 2013).

Mennonite Brethren Herald (27 May 1988): 28; (9 February 1990): 20; (16 July 1993): 18.

Reimer, Hugo. "Nechako Community Church." Personal e-mail (24 July 2007).

Additional Information

Mailing Address: Box 1279, Vanderhoof, BC V0J 3A0

Location: 1393 East Highway 16, Vanderhoof, BC

Telephone: 604-567-4960

Website: Nechako Community Church

Denominational Affiliations:

British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1984-present)

Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1984-present)

General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1984-2002)

Nechako Community Church Leading Ministers

Minister	Years
John Hiebert	1983-1990
Hugo Reimer	1990-2008
Len Harms (interim)	2008-2009
Johnny Thiessen	2010-2012
Denis Federau	2013-present

Nechako Community Church Membership

Year	Members
1983	16
1985	27
1990	33
1998	86
2002	118
2005	90
2010	80

Maps

Map:Nechako Community Church, Vanderhoof, British Columbia

Author(s)	Andrew Klager
Date Published	November 2010

Cite This Article

MLA style

Klager, Andrew. "Nechako Community Church (Vanderhoof, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2010. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Nechako_Community_Church_(Vanderhoof,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=114736.

APA style

Klager, Andrew. (November 2010). Nechako Community Church (Vanderhoof, British Columbia, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Nechako_Community_Church_(Vanderhoof,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=114736.

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