Grace Mennonite Church (Neuanlage, Saskatchewan, Canada)
Mennonites had settled on the Hague-Osler reserve in the 19th century. In 1895 the village of Neuanlage was settled on the reserve, mostly by Old Colony Mennonites. Many of these immigrated to Mexico in the 1920s. More Mennonite immigrants from the Soviet Union settled in the area in the 1920s.
Grace Mennonite Church in Neuanlage started as an outpost of the Hague Mennonite Church in about the year 1926. At that time, services such as Sunday School and Christian Endeavour programs were held in homes and later in classrooms in the Pembroke School.
In 1937 the fellowship of Neuanlage purchased an acre of land and the dwelling of Mr. Henry Peters, who immigrated to the Peace River settlement in Alberta. With some renovations, this building served the congregation well. As time went on, members prospered on their farms, and more attended the meetings until it became evident that an addition was necessary. At that time the Lutheran congregation in Hague decided to build a new church and sell the old one. This church was purchased, moved to the site in the village and dedicated to the Lord on 27 October 1946.
In June 1962, at the annual meeting of the Rosenort Mennonite Church of Saskatchewan – of which Neuanlage was a member church – the Rosenort Mennonite Church of Saskatchewan was dissolved, and the Neuanlage church became a self-governing body. Many of the older members retired and moved to Hague, so the transition from the Low German language to the English language went quickly, and without much opposition. The English services attracted many youth, so an addition to the building was made in 1964, followed by another renovation in 1967. When congregational growth demanded more space, a completely new building was constructed in 1978. This was a major undertaking through which the fellowship experienced a significant growth in love and dependence on each other as a brotherhood. As growth continued, a new sanctuary was added in 1996, with on-going renovations continuing according to need, including converting the existing sanctuary into a dining hall.
The language of worship is English; the transition from German occurred in the 1950s.
In 1978 the congregation built a larger meeting house; this building was expanded in 1995.
The congregation left Mennonite Church Saskatchewan and Mennonite Church Canada in 2006.
Congregational leaders have included Johann Janzen (1934-1949), Johann Funk (1935-1943), John Pauls (1949-1951), John J. Janzen (1952-1986), Jacob Penner (1961-1989), Henry Janzen (1986-1999).
Bibliography
Epp, Richard. "A Tale of Three Churches." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1973, 29 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Rempel, J. G. Die Rosenorter Gemeinde in Saskatchewan. 1950.
Rempel, John D. History of the Hague Mennonite Church, Hague, Sask. 1900-1975. Rosthern, Sask.: Hague Mennonite Church, 1975, 94 pp.
Additional Information
Address: Box 538, Hague, SK S0K 1X0
Location: SE 23-40-4-W3
Phone: 306-225-5806
Denominational Affiliations:
Conference of Mennonites of Saskatchewan (1962-2006)
Conference of Mennonites in Canada (1962-2006)
General Conference Mennonite Church (1962-1999)
Neuanlage Grace Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 77 |
| 1975 | 81 |
| 1985 | 178 |
| 1995 | 231 |
| 2000 | 251 |
| Author(s) | Marlene Epp |
|---|---|
| Bert Friesen | |
| Date Published | July 2002 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Epp, Marlene and Bert Friesen. "Grace Mennonite Church (Neuanlage, Saskatchewan, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. July 2002. Web. 22 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Grace_Mennonite_Church_(Neuanlage,_Saskatchewan,_Canada)&oldid=114972.
APA style
Epp, Marlene and Bert Friesen. (July 2002). Grace Mennonite Church (Neuanlage, Saskatchewan, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 22 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Grace_Mennonite_Church_(Neuanlage,_Saskatchewan,_Canada)&oldid=114972.
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