Alberta Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

1955 Article

The first Mennonite Brethren churches in Alberta were established in 1926, when immigrant Mennonites from Russia settled there. A few years later these churches united into a provincial organization known as the Alberta Provincial Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Church. The purpose was to strengthen the churches and to promote various home mission projects. This conference elected a home mission committee composed of chairman, assistant chairman, and secretary-treasurer, which directed the various phases of home mission work in the province. The following Mennonite Brethren churches in Alberta constituted this conference in 1949: Coaldale, Grassy Lake, Pincher Creek, Vauxhall, Namaka, Gem, Linden, Rosemary, Lindbrook, and La Glace. The total church membership of the conference was 955.

In all churches annual Bible conferences were conducted under the auspices of the mission committee, in cooperation with other Mennonite churches and in the spirit of mutual love and respect. Two Bible schools, one at Coaldale and one at Gem, served the constituency in 1950. A Mennonite high school at Coaldale was supported by the conference and served to provide Christian education to the young people. Sunday-school teachers' courses, young people's rallies, ministers' courses, and courses for church choir leaders were held annually if possible.

The following ministers served in itinerating work and in conducting meetings for a number of years up to 1950: B. B. Janz, J. J. Siemens, Abram A. Toews, D. Pankratz, P. P. Doerksen, A. G. Martens, J. A. Toews, Sr., J. A. Toews, Jr., H. Kornelson, B. W. Sawatzky, A. P. Willms, and A. A. Toews, Peter Goerz, Franz Friesen, Jac. P. Dyck; Peter Warkentin, H. R. Siemens, H. D. Siemens, Nic. A. Rempel, H. G. Klassen, Dav. Kroeker, Jac. Klassen, Martin Hamm, H. H. Rempel, and David Dyck. -- A. A. Toews

1990 Update

The first Mennonite Brethren church in Alberta was established by immigrants from Russia in 1926 in Coaldale, a southern farming community. Three years later several churches united to form a provincial conference to assist local churches in proclaiming the kingdom of God, unifying faith, stimulating vision, and enabling common ministries in areas of education and mission.

To provide young people access to educational opportunities, both local Bible schools and an Alberta Mennonite High School were established. As communities expanded and urbanization increased, the high school was closed in 1964, and in 1968 the Bible school thrust was merged with that of the Saskatchewan Conference of Mennonite Brethren churches, as both conferences assumed sponsorship of Bethany Bible Institute.

In 1996 the conference consisted of 22 churches with a total membership of more than 2,720 scattered across the province. With more than 50 per cent of the members located in urban centers, the churches also minister to the communities in which they are found through Camp Evergreen and a Mailbox Bible Club. Ministries to Native peoples have been pursued at Hobbema. In Calgary and Edmonton the churches have also ministered to East Asian people. Together the churches experience rich blessings in worship and service. -- Abram G. Konrad

2016 Update

In 2015 the following 20 congregations, with a total membership of 1,972, were members of the Alberta Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches:

Congregation	City	Membership	Average Weekly Attendance
Bethel Eritrean Evangelical Church	Edmonton	75	100
Coaldale Mennonite Brethren Church	Coaldale	154	185
College Drive Community Church	Lethbridge	79	137
Crestwood Mennonite Brethren Church	Medicine Hat	83	71
Dalhousie Church	Calgary	183	265
Ethiopian Evangelical Church of Calgary	Calgary	99	150
Gem Mennonite Brethren Church	Gem	77	80
Highland Mennonite Brethren Church	Calgary	126	109
House For All Nations	Calgary	47	20
La Glace Bible Fellowship Church	La Glace	68	100
Lakeveiw Bible Church	Lethbridge	100	125
Lendrum Mennonite Brethren Church	Edmonton	121	134
Linden Mennonite Brethren Church	Linden	202	170
Manifest	Calgary	N/A	N/A
Mountainview Grace Church	Calgary	74	91
River West Christian Church	Edmonton	105	140
Sunrise Community Church	Edmonton	27	59
SunWest Christian Fellowship	Calgary	209	377
Urban Grace Church	Calgary	N/A	80
Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church	Vauxhall	143	112
Totals		1,972	2,505

In 2011 there were 21 congregations with 2,355 members in the conference.

Bibliography

Mennonite Brethren Directory: 2015-2016 Edition. Winnipeg, MB: Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.

Additional Information

Address: 160 - 340 Midpark Way SE, Calgary, AB T2X 1P1

Phone: 403-256-3211

Website: Alberta Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

Author(s)	Aron A. Toews
	Abram G. Konrad
Date Published	July 2016

Cite This Article

MLA style

Toews, Aron A. and Abram G. Konrad. "Alberta Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. July 2016. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Alberta_Conference_of_Mennonite_Brethren_Churches&oldid=135199.

APA style

Toews, Aron A. and Abram G. Konrad. (July 2016). Alberta Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Alberta_Conference_of_Mennonite_Brethren_Churches&oldid=135199.

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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, pp. 33-34; vol. 5, pp. 12, 14. All rights reserved.

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