A checked version of this page, approved on 22 June 2017, was based on this revision.

The Christian Fellowship Church in Birch River, Manitoba began in 1970, when the Mafeking Evangelical Mennonite Church, located 20 miles farther north, decided to meet in Birch River because of its more central location. The church was first known as the Christian Fellowship Centre but changed its name to Christian Fellowship Church in 1988. The language of worship was English.

Services were first held in Birch River in the United Church building. The congregation formally organized in 1971 under the Evangelical Mennonite Conference when Andrew Friesen was the pastor.

Ralph and Mary Lynn Unger took over the pastorate in 1972. When Ralph Unger attended Steinbach Bible Institute in 180, Leroy Friesen filled in the pastorate role. Trained as a teacher, Ralph Unger supplemented his income by driving a school bus. Ben Kroerker, who had been a deacon in the Rosenort Evangelical Mennonite Church, moved to the area in 1971 with his wife Helen, and began to serve as a deacon in Birch River.

Building construction was started in 1975 and the building was occupied in June 1976. For a time, the church had a manse a mile out of town.

John and Becky Hiebert served as the pastoral couple from 1986-1989. Ferlin Abrahamson, a graduate of Nipawin Bible Institute, and raised in Pelly Fellowship Chapel served as pastor for many years. He was partly self-supporting, working as a farm hand.

Glen and Betty Koop served as an interim pastoral couple for about a year starting from January 2008. Harold Thiessen, a local farmer, who had studied at Steinbach Bible Institute, served as pastor from 2009-2012.

When Harold Thiessen moved to Kleefeld after 2012, the congregation continued without a formal pastor. Ferlin Abrahamson informally functioned as the pastor. Ferlin and Elizabeth Abrahamson’s daughter Bethany Matejka, a graduate of Canadian Mennonite University, served as congregational chair.

The area’s population decline has resulted in fewer farms and less people attending Christian Fellowship Church in Birch River, but in 2017 the church still held weekly services – often with guest speakers or a video series, a key ministry was still the Steeprock Bay Bible Camp, supported by a thrift store in Birch River, and Christian Fellowship Church served as an evangelical church for the area.

Bibliography

Author(s)	Terry Smith
Date Published	June 2017

Schellenberg, Dave. “Church Profile: Birch River, Manitoba, Christian Fellowship Center.” The Messenger (27 July 1984): 2-4.

Smith, Terry. “Christian Fellowship Church: More Strengths than Challenges.” The Messenger (19 December 2017): 17-18.

Additional Information

Address: 202 Third St., Birch River, Manitoba

Phone: 204-236-4370

Website: Christian Fellowship Church

Denominational Affiliation: Evangelical Mennonite Conference

Maps

Map:Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, Manitoba)

Christian Fellowship Church Pastors

Minister	Years
Andrew Friesen	1970-1972
Ralph and Mary Lynn Unger	1972-1979, 1981-1985
Leroy Friesen	1980
John and Becky Hiebert	1986-1989
Ferlin and Elizabeth Abrahamson	1990-2006
Glen and Betty Koop	2007-2008
Harold and Laura Thiessen	2009-2012

Christian Fellowship Church Membership

Year	Members
1970	13
1975	29
1980	32
1985	34
1990	40
1995	48
2000	62
2005	60
2010	53
2015	53

Cite This Article

MLA style

Smith, Terry. "Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. June 2017. Web. 24 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Christian_Fellowship_Church_(Birch_River,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=148981.

APA style

Smith, Terry. (June 2017). Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, Manitoba, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Christian_Fellowship_Church_(Birch_River,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=148981.

Christian Fellowship Church (Birch River, Manitoba, Canada)

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