Tofield Mennonite Church (Tofield, Alberta, Canada)
The Tofield Mennonite congregation at Tofield, Alberta began services in 1929, gathering in homes and rented facilities. The congregation formally organized on 15 June 1936 and their first building was occupied in 1937. David A. Heidebrecht is considered the founding leader of the group having served as minister beginning in 1929 and elder from 1942. The congregation originated through immigration from the Soviet Union.
Tofield was originally known as Schoenwieser Mennonite Gemeinde zu Tofield or the Schönsee Mennonite Church, and changed its name to Tofield Mennonite Church in 1960. In 1958 the leader was Johann Neufeld, and the assisting ministers were David Boese, Abraham Epp, Peter Regehr, Gerhard Franz, and Abraham Heidebrecht. The transition from German to English occurred in the 1950s.
Bibliography
Baergen, Louise. "The History of the Tofield Mennonite Church." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1965, 27 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Canadian Mennonite (12 July 2010): 23.
Dick, C. L. The Mennonite Conference of Alberta: a History of its Churches and Institutions. Edmonton: The Mennonite Conference of Alberta, 1981, 147 pp.
Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives. "Tofield Mennonite Church." 7 February 2007. http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/programs/archives/holdings/AB/AB_tofield.htm (accessed 23 September 2009).
Archival Records
Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives, Winnipeg, Manitoba: Volumes 967, 1951, 2135.
Additional Information
Address: 5631 - 47 Street, Box 598, Tofield, AB T0B 4J0
Telephone: 780-662-3166
Website: Tofield Mennonite Church
Denominational Affiliations:
Mennonite Church Alberta (1936-present)
Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1937-present)
General Conference Mennonite Church (1938-1999)
Tofield Mennonite Church Leading Ministers
| Minister | Years |
|---|---|
| David A. Heidebrecht | 1929-1956 |
| Cornelius Heidebrecht | 1931-1935 |
| Peter Regehr | 1935-1960 |
| David Boese | 1938-1994 |
| Abe D. Heidebrecht | 1940-1980 |
| Gerhard Franz | 1941-1960 |
| David Regehr | 1943-1988 |
| Abram Epp | 1944-1960 |
| Johann Neufeld | 1945-1974 |
| A. Baergen | 1958-1997 |
| John Unrau | 1975-1980 |
| Frank Baergen | 1979-1997 |
| Jacob Nickel | 1981-1982 |
| Eric Rempel | 1982-1989 |
| George Schroeder | 1988-1989 |
| Merlin Stauffer | 1990-1997 |
| Walt Braun | 1998-1999 |
| Bob Crosland | 2002-2010 |
Tofield Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1941 | 96 |
| 1947 | 138 |
| 1958 | 189 |
| 1965 | 155 |
| 1972 | 142 |
| 1985 | 120 |
| 1990 | 127 |
| 1995 | 127 |
| 2000 | 124 |
| Author(s) | Marlene Epp |
|---|---|
| Date Published | July 2010 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Epp, Marlene. "Tofield Mennonite Church (Tofield, Alberta, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. July 2010. Web. 16 Feb 2025. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Tofield_Mennonite_Church_(Tofield,_Alberta,_Canada)&oldid=61424.
APA style
Epp, Marlene. (July 2010). Tofield Mennonite Church (Tofield, Alberta, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 February 2025, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Tofield_Mennonite_Church_(Tofield,_Alberta,_Canada)&oldid=61424.
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