Westside Community Church (Morden, Manitoba, Canada)
Creator: Henry J. Wiens (1885-1975)
Digitized by Hiebert Library. Center for Mennonite Brethren.
A few Mennonites from Russia settled in Morden, Manitoba in the 1920s. Initially these families attended a local Lutheran Church since its services were conducted in German. In 1929 the Mennonites that were attending the Lutheran church in Morden decided to rent a hall in the town to hold their own services. They had midweek Bible and prayer meetings. In 1930, they became an organized congregation called Morden Mennonite Brethren Church. In 1933 they decided to buy a hall which was much more convenient. They spent thirteen years in that hall and then built a new church in 1946. They stayed in this building for 23 years. There was a youth program that rotated amongst the churches in the town. Each church was in charge of one service a week. Beginning in 1957, the church hosted a radio program for five years. A new church building was constructed in 1969. The language of worship is English; the transition from German occurred in the 1960s.
The congregation was instrumental in establishing Tabor Home for the elderly in 1952.
Morden Mennonite Brethren Church changed its name in 1993 to Westside Community Church.
Bibliography
Friesen, H. F. Fiftieth Anniversary, Morden Mennonite Brethren Church: Historical Report. Mordon, MB, 1969, 7 pp. Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies.
Mennonite Brethren Herald (27 May 1988): 40.
Toews, John A. A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church: Pilgrims and Pioneers. Fresno, CA, 1975: 162. Available in full electronic text at: https://archive.org/details/AHistoryOfTheMennoniteBrethrenChurch.
Archival Records:
Records at Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies.
Additional Information
Address: 831 Thornhill Avenue, Morden, MB, R0G 1J0 (Coordinates 49.193056 -98.116944)
Phone: 204-822-5172
Church website: Westside Community Church
Denominational Affiliations:
Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba (1933-present)
Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1933-present)
General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1933-2002)
Westside Community Church Leading Ministers
| Minister | Years |
|---|---|
| D. D. Toews | 1928-1929 |
| Abe Friesen | 1930-1932 |
| F. H. Friesen | 1933-1935 |
| Johann P. Braun | 1935-1943 |
| F. H. Friesen | 1943-1965 |
| William Falk | 1965-1968 |
| Victor H. Neufeld | 1971-1978 |
| George Braun | 1979-1985 |
| Russel Toews | 1987-2006 |
| Konrad Loewen | 2008-2018 |
Westside Community Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 141 |
| 1965 | 160 |
| 1985 | 213 |
| 1995 | 194 |
| 2000 | 198 |
| 2010 | 254 |
| Author(s) | D. J. Reimer |
|---|---|
| Samuel J. Steiner | |
| Date Published | January 2018 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Reimer, D. J. and Samuel J. Steiner. "Westside Community Church (Morden, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2018. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Westside_Community_Church_(Morden,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=167112.
APA style
Reimer, D. J. and Samuel J. Steiner. (January 2018). Westside Community Church (Morden, Manitoba, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Westside_Community_Church_(Morden,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=167112.
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