Bethany Mennonite Church (Watrous, Saskatchewan, Canada)
The Bethany Mennonite congregation formally organized in 1932. The first building was occupied in 1932, with a subsequent building program in 1951. Jacob Klassen is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through immigration from the Soviet Union. A parsonage was built in the autumn of 1984.
The church building was located two miles east of the CBK radio station. Congregational chairperson Edward Kornelsen served in 1996 as congregational leader. The language of worship wais English; the transition from German occurred in the 1960s.
Because of dwindling numbers and an aging membership of 10 people, the congregation held its last service in December 2005. Remaining members joined the North Star Mennonite Church except for one couple, which joined the local Baptist church.
Bibliography
Canadian Mennonite 5 (2 August 1957): 11.
Canadian Mennonite 10 (20 March 2006): 22-23.
Through 50 Years at Bethany Mennonite Church, 1932-1982. Watrous, Sask.: Anniversary Committee, 1982.
Archival Records
Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives, Winnipeg, MB: Volumes 57, 1641, 2884, 2925.
Additional Information
Denominational Affiliations:
Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1932-2005)
General Conference Mennonite Church (1947-2001)
Bethany Mennonite Church Ministers
| Minister | Years |
|---|---|
| Jacob Klassen | 1934-1938 |
| Abram Warkentin | 1945-1963 |
| Abram Regier | 1956-1965 |
| Peter Willms | 1956-1967 |
| Ruben Siemens | 1968-1970 |
| Eric Froese | 1971-1974 |
| Herb Kornelsen | 1975 |
| Dan Boehr | 1976 |
| James Mullet | 1977-1984 |
| Dave Peters | 1985-1989 |
| Henry Funk | 1991 |
| Ed Kornelsen | 1990, 1992-? |
Bethany Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1953 | 88 |
| 1965 | 84 |
| 1975 | 64 |
| 1985 | 45 |
| 1995 | 23 |
| 2000 | 23 |
| 2005 | 10 |
| Author(s) | Marlene Epp |
|---|---|
| Sam Steiner | |
| Date Published | January 2012 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Epp, Marlene and Sam Steiner. "Bethany Mennonite Church (Watrous, Saskatchewan, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2012. Web. 27 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bethany_Mennonite_Church_(Watrous,_Saskatchewan,_Canada)&oldid=142424.
APA style
Epp, Marlene and Sam Steiner. (January 2012). Bethany Mennonite Church (Watrous, Saskatchewan, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 27 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bethany_Mennonite_Church_(Watrous,_Saskatchewan,_Canada)&oldid=142424.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 304. All rights reserved.
©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.