River East Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
The River East Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba began services in 1962, and formally organized in 1963. It started when Jacob Ens befriended Japanese families and began Sunday School classes for the children because they did not know German -- the language of all the Mennonite Brethren churches in the area. The classes grew and soon the parents requested that worship services be held. Initially services were held in a school and the group was known as the Princess Margaret Fellowship. In 1962, the leadership committee was asked if it was possible to organize a church. Many people in the congregation were part of the North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church. Five couples from the mother church were released to organize this new congregation.
In 1963, the congregation had a chartering service and renamed themselves the Springfield Heights Mennonite Brethren Church. In 1964, Sunday School was held in the school for the last time before moving to their new building. To avoid confusion with the Springfield Heights Mennonite Church, the name changed in 1964 to McLeod Avenue Mennonite Brethren and later that same year to River East Mennonite Brethren. In 2017, the name of the congregation changed to River East Church.
Bibliography
Fast, Karl, ed. Fiftieth Anniversary of the Mennonite Settlement in North Kildonan. Winnipeg: The Anniversary Committee, 1978, 128 pp.
Mennonite Brethren Herald (27 May 1988): 42.
Mennonite Reporter (15 June 1992): 9.
Toews, John A. A Brief History of the Mennonite Brethren Church: Pilgrims and Pioneers. Fresno, CA, 1975: 162.
Archival Records:
Records at Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies.
Additional Information
Address: 755 McLeod Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R2K 0B8
Phone: 204-663-5096
Website: River East Mennonite Brethren Church
Denominational Affiliations:
Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba (1963-present)
Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1963-present)
General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1963-2002)
River East MB Church Ministers
| Minister | Years |
|---|---|
| Ernest A. Isaac | 1965-1973 |
| John B. Epp | 1976-1987 |
| Norm Neufeld | 1988-1990 |
| Karen Heidebrecht Thiessen | 1990-2000 |
| Christine Longhurst | 2000-2006 |
| Wesley Toews | 2000-2001 |
| Connie Epp | 2000-2009 |
| Gerry Derksen | 2001-2012 |
| Mary Anne Isaak | 2011-present |
River East MB Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 179 |
| 1985 | 328 |
| 1995 | 187 |
| 2000 | 197 |
| 2010 | 218 |
| Author(s) | Marlene Epp |
|---|---|
| Date Published | March 2011 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Epp, Marlene. "River East Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. March 2011. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=River_East_Church_(Winnipeg,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=167127.
APA style
Epp, Marlene. (March 2011). River East Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=River_East_Church_(Winnipeg,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=167127.
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