Oliver Mennonite Brethren Church (Oliver, British Columbia, Canada)
Prior to 1944, Mennonite Brethren Church members had moved into the Okanagan Valley with some settling in the Oliver area but often maintaining membership in the Kelowna Mennonite Brethren Church. In 1944 the West Coast Children’s Mission sent Peter P. Neufeldt and Abe J. Sawatzky to Oliver to conduct summer Bible school with these efforts continuing during the ensuing summers. In May 1950 the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches accepted the Oliver group as a mission station under the auspices of the West Coast Children's Mission (WCCM), and named it the Oliver Gospel Chapel. The first leader of this group was Jake A. Froese and they met in a building that had been purchased one-half mile south of Oliver. The early work involved an emphasis on Sunday School, which had an attendance of 50 children, and Summer Bible School with around 100 children in 1954.
Eventually the congregation purchased a different building which was renovated and dedicated in 1956. In 1964, the mission became the Oliver Mennonite Brethren Church. The church decided to dissolve in February 1970.
Bibliography
Penner, Peter. Reaching the otherwise unreached: an historical account of the West Coast Children's Mission of B.C. Clearbrook, B.C.: West Coast Children's Mission of B.C., [1959].
Archival Records
Mennonite Archives Centre, Mennonite Historical Society of British Columbia, 211 - 2825 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford, B.C. V2T 6S3.
Additional Information
Denominational Affiliations:
British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1965-1970)
Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1965-1970)
General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches of North America (1965-1970)
Oliver Mennonite Brethren Church Leading Ministers
| Minister | Years |
|---|---|
| Jake A. Froese | 1950-1953 |
| John E. Klassen | 1953-1963 |
| Peter C. Penner | 1963-1967 |
| Helmut Klassen | 1967-1970 |
Oliver Mennonite Brethren Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1951 | 21 |
| 1955 | 15 |
| 1965 | 15 |
| 1969 | 21 |
| Author(s) | Hugo Friesen |
|---|---|
| Date Published | August 2006 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Friesen, Hugo. "Oliver Mennonite Brethren Church (Oliver, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. August 2006. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Oliver_Mennonite_Brethren_Church_(Oliver,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=114995.
APA style
Friesen, Hugo. (August 2006). Oliver Mennonite Brethren Church (Oliver, British Columbia, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Oliver_Mennonite_Brethren_Church_(Oliver,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=114995.
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