Westview Christian Fellowship (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada)
The Westview Christian Fellowship in St. Catharines, Ontario began services at Memorial School on Welland Avenue in October 1988 as an outreach of the Grantham Mennonite Brethren Church. It formally organized on 15 January 1989 with 81 charter members. Half of the members were from Grantham Mennonite Brethren, the remainder came from the Scott Street Mennonite Brethren Church, the community, or were newly baptized. Grantham's associate pastor, Thom Braun became pastor of the new group, which worked at a seeker-friendly approach that would be attractive to persons with little church background.
A former school board office building on Oakdale Avenue was leased and renovated in 1994, and occupied in early 1995. The 1990s were a diffcult time for the Westview congregation, including tensions within leadership and crises that included criminal charges against a lay leader in the congregation.
On 18 September 2005 the congregation moved to an old church building it had purchased on Queenston Street. After the move, the congregation became engaged in social programs, wanting to make a difference in the Queenston neighborhood, and especially reaching out to women in difficult circumstances. Westview's website in 2017 said: "Together we aim to develop a sensitivity to the call of love, peace, justice, reconciliation, hope, beauty, and in these, God.... During the week Westview is a community hub for women in the Queenston Neighbourhood. At Westview Centre4Women (previously called ‘Women4Women’ and ‘Survival4Women’) you’ll find the same guiding principles in practice as women from all walks of life are offered a safe place that encourages respect and dignity for self and others."
In April 2017 the congregation changed its denominational affiliation from the Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches to Mennonite Church Eastern Canada.
Bibliography
Coggins, Jim. "An expansionist mood." Mennonite Brethren Herald 28, no. 7 (31 March 1989): 17.
Coggins, Jim. "Youth leader admits abuse." Mennonite Brethren Herald 35, no. 12 (14 June 1996): 16.
Janzen, Jill Morningstar. "What God taught me." Mennonite Brethren Herald 36, no. 12 (13 June 1997): 9-11.
Klassen, Willy. "Church's quest for building becomes lesson in trusting God." Mennonite Brethren Herald (1 September 1995): 16-17.
Martens, Dave. "Family reunion." Mennonite Brethren Herald 36, no. 18 (26 September 1997): 16.
"Transitions." Mennonite Brethren Herald 44, no. 14 (14 October 2005): 23.
Wiebe, John. "A bold venture." Mennonite Brethren Herald 28, no. 3 (3 February 1989): 19.
Additional Information
Address: 124 Queenston Street, St. Catharines, Ontario L2R 2Z7
Phone: 905-687-4848
Website: http://www.westviewcf.com/
Denominational Affiliations: Mennonite Church Eastern Canada
Pastoral Leaders at Westview Christian Fellowship
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Thom Braun | 1988-2000? |
| Jill Morningstar Janzen (Associate) |
1989-1996 |
| Willy Klassen (Assistant) |
1994-1998 |
| Barry Adams (Associate) |
1997-2000 |
| Vic Ratzlaff | 1998-present |
| Erika Klassen (Associate) |
2008-present |
Membership at Westview Christian Fellowship
| Year | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 115 |
| 1995 | 151 |
| 2000 | 122 |
| 2005 | 74 |
| 2010 | 82 |
| 2015 | 62 |
Map
| Author(s) | Sam Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | May 2017 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Sam. "Westview Christian Fellowship (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. May 2017. Web. 22 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Westview_Christian_Fellowship_(St._Catharines,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=148012.
APA style
Steiner, Sam. (May 2017). Westview Christian Fellowship (St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 22 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Westview_Christian_Fellowship_(St._Catharines,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=148012.
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