A checked version of this page, approved on 27 February 2014, was based on this revision.

Russian Mennonite immigrants came to the Selkirk, Ontario area in 1925 to be hosted by the Pennsylvania German Mennonites who had been there since the late 18th century. In 1926 these immigrants took up land in the Port Rowan area. These Mennonite families were from the Mennonite Brethren and General Conference Mennonite backgrounds but they were worshiped together in the Messiah Church building. In 1927 the Mennonite Brethren families formed their own congregation with 11 charter members. This group met in private homes periodically to discuss their own business but they continued to worship together with all the Mennonite families in the Messiah Church building. In 1940 the two groups separated and the Mennonite Brethren families purchased the Messiah Church building.

The Messiah Church building was expanded in 1946 when more space was needed when more families moved into the area. Renovations were completed in 1949. The language transition from German to English began in the 1950s. In 1958 a new meeting house was constructed. The original Messiah Church building, built in 1883 was finally dismantled in 1977 after having been moved one last time. In 1970 an education wing was added to the 1958-built meeting house. In 1976 a foyer was added.

Port Rowan is the parent congregation to Simcoe Mennonite Brethren and Evergreen Heights Christian Fellowship.

Bibliography

Author(s)	H. H. Janzen
	Marlene Epp
Date Published	January 1989

Mennonite Brethren Herald (7 February 1986): 18; (27 May 1988): 53.

Teigrob, David. What Mean These Stones: Mennonite Brethren Church, Port Rowan, 1927-1977. Port Rowan: Port Rowan Mennonite Brethren Church, 1979, 90 pp.

When Your Children Shall Ask: a History of the Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, 1957-1982. 1982: 41-43.

Archival Records

Church records at Center for MB Studies, Fresno, California, copies at Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Additional Information

Address: R. R. 3, Port Rowan, ON N0E 1M0

Location: 465 Concession Road 1, 6.5 km west of Port Rowan on the north side of Concession Rd. 1

Telephone: 519-586-2835

Website: Port Rowan MB Church

Denominational Affiliations:

Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1933-present)

Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1933-present)

General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1939-2002)

Port Rowan MB Church Leading Ministers

Minister	Years
Dietrich Doerksen	1927-1928
Johann Baese	1928-1933
Gerhard Derksen	1928-1933
Alexander Suderman	1928-1933
Peter Reimer	1933-1934
Jacob Penner Sr.	1934-1956
Peter Reimer	1956-1962
Willie Baerg	1962-1965
Peter Reimer	1965-1966
Abram Block	1966-1971
Jacob Penner Jr.	1971-1973
Walter Janzen	1973-1978
Ralph Teigrob (interim)	1978-1979
Cornelius Braun	1979-1990
Arnie Neufeld	1991-1993
John Unger (interim)	1993
Bill Lehman	1994-1998
Ralph Teigrob (interim)	1999
Randy Dueck (interim)	1999
Alexander "Sandy" Young	2000-2006
Ralph Teigrob (interim)	2007
Paul Robinson	2007-2012
Steve Savage	2012-present

Port Rowan MB Church Membership

Year	Members
1950	112
1965	147
1975	215
1985	221
1995	266
2000	279

Cite This Article

MLA style

Janzen, H. H. and Marlene Epp. "Living Hope Bible Church (Port Rowan, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 1989. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Living_Hope_Bible_Church_(Port_Rowan,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=114267.

APA style

Janzen, H. H. and Marlene Epp. (January 1989). Living Hope Bible Church (Port Rowan, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Living_Hope_Bible_Church_(Port_Rowan,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=114267.

Living Hope Bible Church (Port Rowan, Ontario, Canada)

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