Zion Mennonite Church (Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada)

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Mennonites from Manitoba first settled in the area south of Swift Current, Saskatchewan around 1905. More settlers came when the railway was built in the area after 1911. In 1913 the Conference of Mennonites in Canada began a work in the area to serve the families in the Wymark, Blumenhof, and Neville areas. The first baptisms occurred in the following years. In 1928 a congregation was officially founded with about 75 charter members. This was a multi-congregation church (Gemeinde) with a meeting place near Wymark and another in Swift Current. It was called the Emmaus Mennonite Church. By 1940 the membership had reached 224. In 1959 the membership was 270. It was then decided to form two churches so in 1960 the congregation in Swift Current was called the First Mennonite Church. In late 1960 it changed its name to the Zion Mennonite Church.

In 1965 there were 209 members; in 1975, 268; in 1985, 231; in 1995, 219; in 2000, 210. The congregation has been affiliated with the Conference of Mennonites of Saskatchewan (1960-), the Conference of Mennonites in Canada (1961-) and the General Conference Mennonite Church (1960-1999). The language of worship is English; the transition from German occurred in the 1960s.

The leaders of the congregation have included Abe Neufeld (1960-1969), David Wiebe (1970-1971), Edwin Brandt (1972), Abe Hiebert (1973-1976), Barry Lesser (1979, 1983-1991), Ken Schrag (1980-1982), Ray Friesen (1992-1993), Dennis Fehr (1994-1996, Sylvia and Ray Friesen (1997- ).

The congregation's address is 78 6 Ave. NE, Swift Current, SK, S9H 2L7. (306) 773-4770. The church is located at the corner of 6th Ave. NE and Cheadle St. E.

Bibliography

Canadian Mennonite (10 November 1961): 7.

Mennonite Reporter (22 February 1993): B6.

CMC Nexus (February 1996): 11.

Sawatzky, Bryan. "History of the Zion Mennonite Church." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1973, 18 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.


Author(s) Bert Friesen
Date Published December 2002

Cite This Article

MLA style

Friesen, Bert. "Zion Mennonite Church (Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. December 2002. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Zion_Mennonite_Church_(Swift_Current,_Saskatchewan,_Canada)&oldid=112632.

APA style

Friesen, Bert. (December 2002). Zion Mennonite Church (Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Zion_Mennonite_Church_(Swift_Current,_Saskatchewan,_Canada)&oldid=112632.



©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

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