Mennonite Church British Columbia

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On 27-29 November 1936 representatives from seven organized congregations of General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM) affinity (Greendale, Vancouver, West Abbotsford, Coghlan, Black Creek, Agassiz, and Yarrow) met in the First Mennonite Church of Sardis (later known as First Mennonite Church Greendale) to establish the Konferenz der Vereinigten Mennonitengemeinden in Britisch Columbien (Conference of United Mennonite Churches of British Columbia). The conference's stated threefold purpose was to be a united force in the cause of Christ, to serve as guardian of the faith in the Anabaptist tradition, and to be a beacon to attract and draw together the many lost and straying members of the family of faith. The provincial conference was incorporated on 22 July 1940 with the following congregations officially listed as members: Oliver, Black Creek, West Abbotsford, Mission, Coghlan, Yarrow, Sardis (Greendale), and Vancouver, with a total membership of 405.

The following have been or still are major programs and institutions of the conference. Mary Martha Girls' Home, for women working in the city of Vancouver, was established in 1935. A Bible school, started in the Coghlan area of what is now known as Aldergrove in 1939, later moved to Abbotsford as Bethel Bible Institute and amalgamated with the Mennonite Brethren Bible Institute to become Columbia Bible Institute in 1970 (Columbia Bible College since 1985). Menno High School operated at Sardis, 1947-1951. Camp Squeah, nestled in the coastal mountains, has served the churches as a year-round retreat center. The conference has emphasized Sunday School teacher training throughout the years. Mission endeavors have included church planting and cross-cultural ministries with Hispanic, South-East Asian, and Indo-Canadian ethnic groups. Peace and justice issues and care for underprivileged people have largely been relegated to Mennonite Central Committee (B.C.) of which the conference continues to be an integral part. The youth organization, Women in Mission, and the Ministers and Deacons conference have played a vital role in the life of the Conference. In 1976 the conference opened an office in Clearbrook (now Abbotsford) with a full-time conference coordinator, later referred to as the conference minister. At the February 1977 annual conference sessions, a new constitution and by-laws were accepted, replacing the 1940 constitution and by-laws, and the name of the conference was changed to Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia.

The conference continued to maintain close ties with the Conference of Mennonites in Canada, which it had joined in 1937, and the General Conference Mennonite Church of North America until the transformation of the General Conference Mennonite Church and Mennonite Church into Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada. At that time the conference's denominational ties transferred to the new Mennonite Church Canada. In 2001 the Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia changed its name to Mennonite Church British Columbia as a symbol of the new Mennonite Church denominational structure in Canada, and its relationship to the new Mennonite Church Canada.

On 27 May 2007 a renewal covenant was signed by 30 of the 34 member congregations. The covenant dealt with the local congregations’ mutual relationship within MCBC and covered six areas of commitment to: essential doctrine and practice; meaningful worship and fellowship; shared ministries; discernment; mutual accountability; and service. Of the four congregations that did not sign, two signed later in 2008, while another two, First Mennonite Church Greendale (Chilliwack) and Olivet Church (Abbotsford) voted to leave the conference in the fall of 2007.

In 2020 the conference had 29 congregations with a total membership of 2,751. In the fall of 2011 the conference had 32 congregations with a total membership of 3,537.

Congregation Location Members in 2020
Bethel Mennonite Church Langley 135
Cedar Valley Mennonite Church Mission 101
Chinatown Peace Church Granisle 90
Crossroads Community Church Chilliwack 100
Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church Abbotsford 215
Eden Mennonite Church Chilliwack 215
Emmanuel Mennonite Church Abbotsford 270
First Mennonite Church, Kelowna Kelowna 37
First United Spanish Mennonite Church Vancouver 35
Langley Mennonite Fellowship Langley 154
Lao Christian Church Abbotsford 42
Level Ground Mennonite Church Abbotsford 178
Living Hope Christian Fellowship Surrey 185
Living Stones Christian Fellowship Surrey 8
Mennonite Japanese Christian Fellowship Surrey 19
North Shore Japanese Christian Church West Vancouver 5
Northgate Anabaptist Fellowship Dawson Creek 6
Peace Church on 52nd Vancouver 185
Peace Mennonite Church Richmond 184
Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship Vancouver 67
Richmond Peace Chinese Mennonite Church Richmond 68
Sherbrooke Mennonite Church Vancouver 139
United Mennonite Church, Black Creek Black Creek 72
Vietnamese Grace Mennonite Church Burnaby 10
Vancouver Vietnamese Mennonite Church Vancouver 48
Vietnamese Christian Church Abbotsford 23
Western Hmong Mennonite Church Maple Ridge 45
White Rock Mennonite Christian Fellowship White Rock 55
Yarrow United Mennonite Church Chilliwack 60
Total 2,751

Bibliography

Lehn, Cornelia. Frontier Challenge: A Story of the Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia. Clearbrook, BC: Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia, 1990.

Mennonite Church British Columbia. Mennonite Church British Columbia Fall 2011 Directory/Addresses. Abbotsford, BC: Mennonite Church British Columbia, 2011.

Additional Information

Address: 305 - 32025 George Ferguson Way, Abbotsford BC V2T 2K7

Phone: 604-850-6658

Website: Mennonite Church British Columbia

Mennonite Church British Columbia Executive

Session Number Convention Served Place of Convention Chairman/Moderator Assistant Chair/Assistant Moderator Secretary Treasurer/Finance Chair
01 27-29 November 1936 Sardis Jacob H. Janzen David A. Hausknecht Franz P. Thiessen P. P. Thiessen
02 13-14 January 1937 Sardis Jacob H. Janzen   Johann Goertz  
03 4 January 1938 Sardis Nicolai Bahnmann David A. Hausknecht Franz P. Thiessen  
04 10-11 January 1939 Sardis Nicolai Bahnmann Jacob B. Wiens Franz P. Thiessen P. P. Thiessen
05 15-17 January 1940 Abbotsford David A. Hausknecht Jacob B. Wiens Franz P. Thiessen P. P. Thiessen
06 22-24 January 1941 Coghlan David A. Hausknecht Jacob B. Wiens Franz P. Thiessen P. P. Thiessen
07 27-28 January 1942 Yarrow David A. Hausknecht John Julius Klassen Abram Warkentin P. P. Thiessen
08 27-28 January 1943 Sardis David A. Hausknecht Jacob B. Wiens Abram Warkentin P. P. Thiessen
09 5-6 February 1944 Abbotsford David A. Hausknecht Johann Goertz Abram Warkentin P. P. Thiessen
10 3-4 February 1945 Abbotsford Johann Goertz P. Thiessen Abram Warkentin P. P. Thiessen
11 13-14 January 1946 Sardis Johann Goertz Aron Jantzen George G. Schmidt J. H. Brucks
12 18-19 January 1947 Vancouver Johann Goertz Aron Jantzen George G. Schmidt J. H. Brucks
13 24-25 January 1948 Abbotsford Wilhelm Martens Johann Goertz George G. Schmidt J. H. Brucks
14 15-16 January 1949 Aldergrove Heinrich M. Epp Wilhelm Martens Peter J. Froese J. H. Brucks
15 18-19 February 1950 East Chilliwack Heinrich M. Epp Wilhelm Martens Peter J. Froese J. H. Brucks
16 13-14 January 1951 Sardis Heinrich M. Epp Aron Jantzen Peter J. Froese J. H. Brucks
17 1952 Abbotsford Heinrich M. Epp      
18 1953 Yarrow George G. Schmidt      
19 1954 Mission Peter Froese      
20 1955 Clearbrook Peter Froese      
21 1956 Vancouver First Peter Froese      
22 1957 Greendale Gerhard I. Peters      
23 1958 Aldergrove Gerhard I. Peters      
24 1959 Clearbrook Nicolai N. Friesen     Gilbert E. Epp
25 1960 Yarrow Nicolai N. Friesen     Gilbert E. Epp
26 1961 Vancouver First Peter Froese     Gilbert E. Epp
27 1962 Greendale Peter Froese     Gilbert E. Epp
28 1963 Chilliwack Nicolai N. Friesen     Gilbert E. Epp
  Date Elected         Gilbert E. Epp
28 1963 February 15-16 Eden Mennonite Jake Tilitzky Henry H. Neufeld George Nachtigal Gilbert E. Epp
29 1964 February 14-16 Bethel Mennonite Jake Tilitzky Henry H. Neufeld George Nachtigal Gilbert E. Epp
30 1965 February 12-14 Mission United Mennonite Jake Tilitzky Henry H. Neufeld George Nachtigal Gilbert E. Epp
31 1966 February 11-13 Cedar Hills Mennonite Henry A. Wiens M. H. Epp George Nachtigal Gilbert E. Epp
32 1967 February 10-12 West Abbotsford Mennonite Henry A. Wiens M. H. Epp George Nachtigal Victor Loewen
33 1968 February 9-11 First United Mennonite Vancouver Henry A. Wiens Abe Buhler George Nachtigal Victor Loewen
34 1969 February 7-8 Olivet Mennonite Jake Tilitzky Abe Buhler George Nachtigal Victor Loewen
35 1970 February 6-7 Yarrow United Mennonite Jake Tilitzky Abe Buhler George Nachtigal Victor Loewen
36 1971 February 12-13 Greendale First Mennonite Jake Tilitzky David J. Nickel George Nachtigal Edward Becker
37 1972 February 4-5 Eden Mennonite George Nachtigal David J. Nickel John H. Derksen Edward Becker
38 1973 February 9-10 First United Mennonite Vancouver George Nachtigal Dietrich "Dick" Rempel John H. Derksen Edward Becker
39 1974 February 8-9 Eben Ezer Mennonite George Nachtigal Dietrich "Dick" Rempel John H. Derksen Helmut Penner
40 1975 February 7-8 Eden Mennonite George Groening Dietrich "Dick" Rempel John H. Derksen Victor Dyck
41 1976 February 6-7 First United Mennonite Vancouver George Groening Dietrich "Dick" Rempel Dick Hildebrandt Victor Dyck
42 1977 February 11-12 West Abbotsford Mennonite George Groening John Sawatzky Jurgen Schonwetter Victor Dyck
43 1978 February 10-11 Eden Mennonite George Groening John Sawatzky Siegfried Toews Victor Dyck
44 1979 February 16-17 First United Mennonite Vancouver George Groening John Sawatzky Siegfried Toews Victor Dyck
45 1980 February 15-16 Cedar Valley Dietrich "Dick" Rempel John Sawatzky Siegfried Toews Victor Dyck
46 1981 February 14-15 Kelowna Gospel Fellowship Dietrich "Dick" Rempel

John Sawatzky
(appointed in interim)

John Sawatzky David P. Neufeld Lena Unger
47 1982 February 12-13 Peace Mennonite Peter Retzlaff Wilmer Tessman Les Klassen Lena Unger
48 1983 February 11-13 Olivet Mennonite Peter Retzlaff Wilmer Tessman Les Klassen Lena Unger
49 1984 February 10-12 Eden Mennonite Peter Retzlaff Wilmer Tessman MaryAnne Boschman Rudy Nickel
50 1985 February 22-23 First United Mennonite Vancouver Peter Retzlaff

Wilmer Tessman
(appointed in interim)

Wilmer Tessman MaryAnne Boschman Rudy Nickel
51 1986 February 21-23 Eben Ezer Mennonite Dietrich "Dick" Rempel Wilmer Tessman MaryAnne Boschman Rudy Nickel
52 1987 February 20-22 Eden Mennonite Dietrich "Dick" Rempel Wilmer Tessman MaryAnne Boschman Rudy Nickel
53 1988 February 19-21 Cedar Valley Dietrich "Dick" Rempel Walter Paetkau MaryAnne Boschman Rudy Nickel
54 1989 February 17-19 Peace Mennonite Jake Tilitzky Walter Paetkau MaryAnne Boschman Rudy Nickel
55 1990 February 16-18 Kelowna Gospel Fellowship Jake Tilitzky Walter Paetkau George Nachtigal Mel Penner
56 1991 February 15-17 Bethel Mennonite Jake Tilitzky Walter Paetkau George Nachtigal Mel Penner
57 1992 June 12-13 West Abbotsford Walter Paetkau John Sawatzky George Nachtigal Mel Penner
58 1993 June 11-12 Burns Lake First Mennonite Walter Paetkau Rudy Nickel Alan Dyck John Krause
59 1994 June 3-4 Peace Mennonite Walter Paetkau Larry Schram Alan Dyck John Krause
60 1995 June 9-10 Eden Mennonite Walter Paetkau Larry Schram Alan Dyck LaVerne Peters
61 1996 June 7-8 Eben Ezer Mennonite Walter Paetkau Larry Schram Alan Dyck LaVerne Peters
62 1997 June 6-7 First United Mennonite Vancouver Walter Paetkau Larry Schram Alfred Sawatzky
63 1998 June 5-6 Kelowna Gospel Fellowship Larry Schram Waldo Neufeld Alan Dyck Leona Dyck
64 1999 May 28-29 Sardis Senior Secondary School Gerd Bartel Waldo Neufeld Alan Dyck Leona Dyck
65 2000 May 26-28 Mennonite Educational Institute Gerd Bartel Doug Epp Alan Dyck Jane Andres
66 2001 May 5 Peace Mennonite Gerd Bartel Doug Epp Lorin Bergen Jane Andres
67 2002 June 8-9 Vernon Mennonite Doug Epp John Sawatzky Lorin Bergen Jane Andres
68 2003 June 6-7 Cedar Valley Mennonite Doug Epp John Sawatzky Lorin Bergen Jane Andres
69 2004 June 5 Eden Mennonite Doug Epp John Sawatzky Karen H. Thiessen Don Teichroeb
70 2005 February 26 Peace Mennonite Doug Epp John Sawatzky Karen H. Thiessen Don Teichroeb
71 2006 February 25 Eben Ezer Mennonite Gerd Bartel Karen H. Thiessen Linda Matthies Don Teichroeb
72 2007 February 24 Eden Mennonite Gerd Bartel Karen H. Thiessen Linda Matthies Eldon Krause
73 2008 February 23 Peace Mennonite Gerd Bartel Dan Rempel Linda Matthies David Niebuhr
74 2009 February 21 Cedar Valley Mennonite Gerd Bartel Dan Rempel Linda Matthies John Redekop
75 2010 April 10 Eden Mennonite Dan Rempel Karen H. Thiessen Linda Hoock John Redekop
76 2011 February 26 Living Hope Christian Fellowship Dan Rempel Karen H. Thiessen Linda Hoock John Redekop
77 2012 March 3 Emmanuel Mennonite Dan Rempel Karen H. Thiessen Linda Hoock John Redekop
78 2013 February 23 Bethel Mennonite Leona "Lee" Dyck Karen H. Thiessen Tim Froese Alan Peters
79 2014 February 23 Eden Mennonite Leona "Lee" Dyck Karen H. Thiessen Rita Ewert Alan Peters
80 2015 February 21 Peace Mennonite Leona "Lee" Dyck Karen H. Thiessen Rita Ewert Alan Peters
81 2016 February 27 Level Ground Mennonite Leona "Lee" Dyck Karen H. Thiessen Rita Ewert Gerry Grunau
82 2017 February 25 Emmanuel Mennonite Church Leona "Lee" Dyck Karen H. Thiessen Mary Barg Gerry Grunau
83 2018 February 24 Eden Mennonite Church Leona "Lee" Dyck Karen H. Thiessen Mary Barg Gerry Grunau
84 2019 Peace Mennonite Church Leona "Lee" Dyck Walter Bergen Mary Barg Gerry Grunau
85 2020 February 29 Cedar Valley Mennonite Church Gerry Grunau Darnell Barkman Mary Barg Tom Miller
86 2021 February 27 Virtual Gerry Grunau Darnell Barkman Mary Barg Tom Miller


Author(s) Jacob Tilitzky
Richard D. Thiessen
Date Published February 2021

Cite This Article

MLA style

Tilitzky, Jacob and Richard D. Thiessen. "Mennonite Church British Columbia." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. February 2021. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mennonite_Church_British_Columbia&oldid=170207.

APA style

Tilitzky, Jacob and Richard D. Thiessen. (February 2021). Mennonite Church British Columbia. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mennonite_Church_British_Columbia&oldid=170207.



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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, pp. 181-182. All rights reserved.


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