Bethel Ethiopian Evangelical Church (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)

From GAMEO
Revision as of 11:17, 25 April 2024 by SamSteiner (talk | contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search


Bethel Ethiopian Evangelical Church at worship in September 2013. Photo by David Rogalsky.

The Bethel Ethiopian Evangelical Church began meeting in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada in September 2010. The group soon sought a relationship with a Canadian Protestant denomination. Since many in the congregation had been part of the Meserete Kristos Church in Ethiopia, they chose to relate to Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. It became a formal member of the conference in April 2013.

The worship service in 2013 met Sunday afternoons in a local Baptist church, and would be characterized as charismatic or "contemporary" with a worship band. The lengthy time of singing, punctuated by times of prayer, included ululation from the group's Ethiopian heritage. Mesfin Woldearegay, the full time pastor, has served in pastoral leadership for 15 of his 21 years in Canada. In 2013 the worship service was in Amharic, though Sunday school for children and youth was provided in English.

The congregation also sponsored a weekly radio program in Amharic.

The Bethel Ethiopian Evangelical Church ended its relationships with Mennonite Church Eastern Canada and Mennonite Church Canada in 2023.

Bibliography

Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. Annual Church Gathering Workbook (2013): 27.

Rogalsky, Dave. "Charismatic worship, Mennonite connections." Canadian Mennonite 17, no. 20 (14 October 2013): 25.

Additional Information

Address: Meeting at Central Baptist Church, 358 Ottawa St. S., Kitchener, Ontario N2M 3S5

Phone: 519-603-1711

Denominational Affiliations:

Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (Until 2023)

Mennonite Church Canada (Until 2023)

Bethel Ethiopian Evangelical Church Pastoral Leaders

Name Years of Service
Mesfin Woldearegay 2010-

Bethel Ethiopian Evangelical Church Membership

Year Members
2013 60
2020 90


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published April 2024

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Bethel Ethiopian Evangelical Church (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. April 2024. Web. 23 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bethel_Ethiopian_Evangelical_Church_(Kitchener,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=178714.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (April 2024). Bethel Ethiopian Evangelical Church (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 23 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bethel_Ethiopian_Evangelical_Church_(Kitchener,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=178714.




©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.