Chin Christian Church (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)

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Chin Christian Church choir. Mennonite Church Eastern Canada photo

The Chin people were once an independent people in an area that is part of Burma (also known as Myanmar) and India. Many left their homeland because of persecution, and a group arrived in Kitchener, Ontario in July 2003. They initially met in homes when the group included only 15 people, but soon sought larger and more permanent space. The First Hmong Mennonite Church offered use of their building, and a strong relationship developed between the two groups beginning in November 2004. As a result the Chin group sought a relationship to Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. In April 2009 the Chin Christian Church became an emerging congregation within MCEC.

The Chin worship services in 2009, held Sunday afternoons, were much like a traditional Mennonite service, but longer. Music was an important componant of each service, including choirs and congregational singing. A "concert of prayer" followed the sharing time. Each service ended with the singing of "How Great Thou Art" in Chin. The sermon by Pastor Jehu Lian was also in Chin.

In September 2014 the congregation bought a former church building that had been used as a restaurant for eleven years. It hoped to reach out to other Burmese speaking immigrants in Waterloo Region. Attendance in December 2014 was about 130 each Sunday.

Bibliography

Herhalt, Chris. "Former Eatery to become new Home for persecuted Sect." Waterloo Region Record (12 September 2014). http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4857488-former-eatery-to-become-new-home-for-persecuted-sect/.

Herhalt, Chris. "Verses Restaurant Sold, Building will become a Church again." Waterloo Region Record (9 September 2014). http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4841591-verses-restaurant-sold-building-will-become-a-church-again/.

Rogalsky, Dave. "Restaurant 'converted' to church use." Canadian Mennonite (24 November 2014): 20.

"Welcome to Chin Christian Church." 22nd Annual Church Gathering Workbook. Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (24-25 April 2009): 29.

Additional Information

Address: 182 Victoria St. North, Kitchener, Ontario N2H 5C6

Denominational Affiliations:

Mennonite Church Eastern Canada

Mennonite Church Canada

Pastoral Leaders of Chin Christian Church

Name Years
of Service
Jehu Ching Lian 2004-Present
Joseph Raltong 2014-Present


Author(s) Sam Steiner
Date Published December 2014

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Sam. "Chin Christian Church (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. December 2014. Web. 31 Oct 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Chin_Christian_Church_(Kitchener,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=128180.

APA style

Steiner, Sam. (December 2014). Chin Christian Church (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 31 October 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Chin_Christian_Church_(Kitchener,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=128180.




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