Gospel Light Fellowship (Redcliff, Alberta, Canada)
Gospel Light Fellowship is an Evangelical Mennonite Conference (EMC) congregation that ministers in the community of Redcliff, Alberta, which borders the city of Medicine Hat, Alberta.
In November of 2012, Abe and Anna Bueckert, with the backing of the Church Planting Task Force of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference, arrived in Redcliff with the vision and intent to see people come to a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ and to get an EMC church planted in order to provide a spiritual home for these people. In preparation for this move, they had completed two summers of Vacation Bible School for children and more than a year’s worth of evenings of singing with adults and children’s ministry.
There was real interest, especially in the beginning, but as time went on resistance was building. This was not unexpected. The need was great. Many had heard the gospel, and Bueckerts wanted to see them come to faith in Christ. They felt God had directed them to pursue this.
A number of young adults came to faith in Christ. Verna Doerksen, formerly a missionary in Peru, and Abe and Kara Penner, the son-in-law and daughter of Bueckerts, also felt the call of God to join this work. On 16 November 2014 the first morning service was held. The work slowly grew.
In May 2017 the church held its chartering service where nineteen people became members. In June 2018 it had twenty-five members and its morning services averaged around 80 people.
The church name was originally Redcliff EMC. Its meeting place was in rented space in Medicine Hat. The congregation adopted the name Gospel Light Fellowship to reflect its desire to live in God’s light in fellowship around the gospel of forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ (1 John 1:7).
The vision of Gospel Light Fellowship was to see people come to a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ, and to establish an EMC church that would provide a spiritual home for the people drawn together. This was done through Sunday services, discipleship, Bible studies, music outreach, and Vacation Bible School. The focus was especially to Low German Mennonite people, but was not restricted to this group. The languages of worship were Low German and English.
Gospel Light Fellowship was received into the membership of the EMC on 8 July 2018. The leadership in 2018 consisted of Pastor Abe Bueckert, Minister Abe Penner, and board member Isaak Unger.
Bibliography
Additional Information
Mailing Address: 932 Maskell Place, Redcliff, AB T0J 2P0
Meeting Address: 2055 Saamis Dr. NW, Medicine Hat, AB
Denominational Affiliations: Evangelical Mennonite Conference
Author(s) | Abe Bueckert |
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Date Published | July 2018 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Bueckert, Abe. "Gospel Light Fellowship (Redcliff, Alberta, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. July 2018. Web. 17 Aug 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Gospel_Light_Fellowship_(Redcliff,_Alberta,_Canada)&oldid=161139.
APA style
Bueckert, Abe. (July 2018). Gospel Light Fellowship (Redcliff, Alberta, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 17 August 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Gospel_Light_Fellowship_(Redcliff,_Alberta,_Canada)&oldid=161139.
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