Camrose Mennonite Fellowship (Camrose, Alberta, Canada)
The Camrose Mennonite Fellowship began forming in 1979 when Camrose Lutheran College professors Murray Lauber and Ed Friesen discussed the possibility of regular gatherings of Camrose area Mennonites in the Lauber home. In November 1980 the congregation formally organized with 16 charter members. In 1981 the congregation joined both the Conferences of Mennonites in Alberta and the Northwest Mennonite Conference. John Lenshyn is considered the founding leader of the group.
The congregation experienced slow but steady growth until the mid-1980s. After a leadership crisis in the late 1980s, a few families left. However, the church recovered and membership reached a high of 36 in 1995. Peter Nickel served as pastor from 1990 until his retirement in 1996. After part-time pastor Eric Mierau retired a few years later, the congregation relied on guest and lay speakers.
In 2000 the church withdrew from the Northwest Conference over disagreement with its policies for disciplining congregations.
On 26 June 2011 the congregation held its last service, celebrating 32 years of ministry.
Bibliography
Funk-Unrau, Neil. "Camrose withdraws from Northwest Conference." Canadian Mennonite 4 (17 April 2000). Web. http://www.canadianmennonite.org/vol04-2000/4-8/widerchurch.html
Mennonite Reporter (12 October 1981): 8; (21 February 1983): 10.
Wiebe-Neufeld, Donita. "Camrose Fellowship Closes." Canadian Mennonite (31 October 2011): 16.
Additional Information
Address: 5415 - 49 Avenue, Camrose, Alberta (Camrose Senior Centre)
Website: Camrose Mennonite Fellowship
Denominational Affiliations:
Northwest Mennonite Conference (1981-2000)
Mennonite Church Alberta (1981-2011)
Mennonite Church Canada (1981-2011)
Camrose Mennonite Fellowship Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1985 | 21 |
| 1995 | 36 |
| 2000 | 33 |
| 2009 | 20 |
Maps
Map:Camrose Mennonite Church (Camrose, Alberta)
| Author(s) | Richard D Thiessen |
|---|---|
| Date Published | November 2011 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Thiessen, Richard D. "Camrose Mennonite Fellowship (Camrose, Alberta, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2011. Web. 25 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Camrose_Mennonite_Fellowship_(Camrose,_Alberta,_Canada)&oldid=136873.
APA style
Thiessen, Richard D. (November 2011). Camrose Mennonite Fellowship (Camrose, Alberta, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 25 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Camrose_Mennonite_Fellowship_(Camrose,_Alberta,_Canada)&oldid=136873.
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