British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

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1955 Article

The British Columbia Provincial Mennonite Brethren Conference was organized on 31 October 1931 with three local churches, Agassiz, Sardis, and Yarrow, having an approximate total membership of 170. Attracted by the mild climate and large farm incomes, the Mennonite Brethren membership of this area increased until 1948, after which a recession occurred, due to economic difficulties and floods. In 1949 there were 13 churches in the conference with a total membership of 3,077. The churches were located in the southwest part of British Columbia, with eleven in the Fraser Valley, one in the Okanagan Valley, and one on Vancouver Island, in an area stretching about 200 miles eastward from the Pacific coast along the United States border.

Activities in the conference at that time included Bible conferences, youth conferences, tract mission work, radio broadcasts, a city mission in Vancouver, and widespread daily vacation Bible school work. The institutions of the conference included a girls' home in Vancouver, the West Coast Children's Mission, three Bible schools in Yarrow, South Abbotsford, and East Chilliwack, and a high school in North Abbotsford. The conference was active in the resettling of European refugees and in the support of the relief program of the Mennonite Central Committee. C. C. Peters, secretary of the conference after 1948, contributed much to the establishment of the conference. -- G. H. Suckau

1990 Article

The British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches was organized in 1931. Johannes A. Harder, Peter D. Loewen and Cornelius C. Peters significantly shaped the Conference in its formative years.

From its inception, the conference emphasized evangelism and Christian education. The earliest outreach activities included establishing a city mission in Vancouver, and by 1945, support of the West Coast Children's Mission. Simultaneously, much emphasis was placed on Bible conferences, Sunday School conventions, and music festivals.

During the 1970s and 1980s, priority was given to church planting, including congregations among non-English ethnic groups. The conference also supports Stillwood Camp and Conference Centre, and together with the Mennonite Church British Columbia, co-sponsors Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford.

2021 Update

In 2021 the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches had 91 congregations, 19,470 members, and an average weekly attendance of 23,651. In 2015 the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches had 106 congregations, 20,106 members, and an average weekly attendance of 29,087, and in 2010 the conference had 104 congregations and 19,698 members. The following congregations were members of the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches in June 2021:

Congregation City Members Average Weekly

Attendance

Abbotsford Community Church Abbotsford 46 55
Alderbrook Community Church Abbotsford 40 145
Arabic Evangelical Church Abbotsford / Surrey Abbotsford / Surrey
Armstrong Bible Chapel Armstrong 24 32
Arnold Community Church Abbotsford 182 125
Bakerview Hispanic Church Abbotsford 44 36
Bakerview Mennonite Brethren Church Abbotsford 359 135
Beacon Communities Victoria 39 50
Bethel Chinese Christian Mennonite Brethren Church Vancouver 222 150
Black Creek Mennonite Brethren Church Black Creek 245 175
Boundary Community Church Midway 18 15
Broadway Mennonite Brethren Church Chilliwack 192 230
Burnaby Pacific Grace Church Burnaby 245 120
Cariboo Bethel Church Williams Lake 195 160
Cedar Park Mennonite Brethren Church Delta 150 120
Central Community Church Chilliwack 448 1,050
Central Heights Church Abbotsford 782 537
Christ City Church Vancouver 131 500
Church on Five Richmond 107 100
Clearbrook Mennonite Brethren Church Abbotsford 248 450
Coast Hills Community Church Surrey 61 100
Cornerstone Mennonite Brethren Church Prince Rupert 20 37
Crossridge Church Surrey 176 400
Discovery Community Church Campbell River 63 120
Eagle Ridge Bible Fellowship Coquitlam 111 100
Esperanza Multicultural Church Richmond 30 25
Fraserview Mennonite Brethren Church Richmond 113 90
Gateway Community Church Port Alberni 15 16
Gospel Chapel Grand Forks 104 218
Gracepoint Community Church Surrey 429 277
Greendale Mennonite Brethren Church Chilliwack 257 120
Heritage Mountain Community Church Port Moody 32 50
Highland Community Church Abbotsford 130 41
Hindi Punjabi Fraserview Gospel Chapel Surrey
House for All Nations Coquitlam 160 170
Imago Dei Christian Community Church Vancouver 75 55
Jericho Ridge Community Church Langley 100 91
Jubilee Church Maple Ridge 36 50
Kelowna Gospel Fellowship Kelowna 252 300
Killarney Park Mennonite Brethren Church Vancouver 81 60
King Road Mennonite Brethren Church Abbotsford 521 250
Main Street Church Chilliwack 230 600
Maple Ridge Community Church Maple Ridge 127 150
Metro Community Church Kelowna 150 90
Midtown Church Vancouver 53 150
Mountain Park Community Church Abbotsford 90 75
Nechako Community Church Vanderhoof 48 100
Neighbourhood Church of Nanaimo Nanaimo 104 160
New Hope Christian Church Delta 122 45
North Langley Community Church Langley 698 1,000
North Peace Mennonite Brethren Church Fort St John 208 156
North Shore Bethel Christian Mennonite Brethren Church North Vancouver 29 24
North Shore Pacific Grace Mandarin Church North Vancouver 93 70
North Shore Pacific Grace Mennonite Brethren Church North Vancouver 270 182
Northview Community Church Abbotsford 2,484 5,000
Pacific Grace Mandarin Church Burnaby 100 200
Pacific Grace Mennonite Brethren Church Vancouver 264 289
Pemberton Community Church Pemberton 24 40
Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship Vancouver 67 50
Port Moody Pacific Grace Mennonite Brethren Church Port Moody 320 260
Praxis Church Kelowna 150
Reality Vancouver Vancouver 140 100
Richmond Chinese Mennonite Brethren Church Richmond 120 130
Richmond Pacific Grace Mennonite Brethren Church Richmond 272 92
River of Life Community Church Blind Bay 99 130
Ross Road Community Church Abbotsford 379 345
Saanich Community Church Victoria 69 40
Sardis Community Church Chilliwack 197 148
Sayward Christian Fellowship Sayward 15 20
Silver Valley Community Church Maple Ridge 53 50
South Abbotsford Church Abbotsford 782 300
South Langley Mennonite Brethren Church Langley 280 230
South Vancouver Pacific Grace Mennonite Brethren Church Vancouver 255 175
SunRidge Community Church Kelowna 47 93
Surrey Grace Mandarin Church Surrey
The Life Centre Abbotsford 60 100
The Rock Church Squamish 64 120
The Shore Church North Vancouver 100 80
Tri-City Christian Church Port Moody 64 52
TriCity Church Port Coquitlam 182 270
Valleyview Bible Church Kamloops
Vancouver Chinese Mennonite Brethren Vancouver 95 97
Vancouver Christian Logos Church Vancouver 104 70
Vancouver Vietnamese Mennonite Brethren Church Vancouver 45 22
Westside Church Vancouver 395 565
Westwood Mennonite Brethren Church Prince George 273 400
Whistler Community Church Whistler 80 70
Willingdon Church Burnaby 2,129 3,646
Willow Park Church Kelowna 1,145 700
Yarrow Mennonite Brethren Church Yarrow 62 60
Totals 19,470 23,651

Bibliography

Minutes of the Annual Meetings (1931-1996). Clearbrook [Abbotsford], B.C.: B.C. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, published annually.

Klassen, Agatha E. Yarrow: A Portrait in Mosaic. Yarrow: A.E. Klassen, 1976.

Penner, Peter. Reaching the Otherwise Unreached. Clearbrook: West Coast Children's Mission 1959.

Toews, John A. History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, ed. A.J. Klassen. Fresno, Calif.: Mennonite Brethren Board of Literature and Publication, 1975, index, esp. 167-71.

Additional Information

Address: 302 - 32025 George Ferguson Way, Abbotsford, BC V2T 2K7

Phone: 604-746-4436

Website: BC Conference of MB Churches

British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches Executive

Date of Election Moderator Assistant Moderator Secretary
1931 June 21 Johannes A. Harder   Jacob B. Harder and Peter D. Loewen
1931 October 25 Heinrich G. Dueck   Petrus Martens and Peter D. Loewen
1932 June 19 K. A. Klassen   Cornelius C. Peters and Petrus Martens
1932 November 17 K. A. Klassen   Cornelius C. Peters and Petrus Martens
1933 June 11 K. A. Klassen Johannes A. Harder Alexander Baumann and Peter D. Loewen
1933 November 26 K. A. Klassen Heinrich G. Dueck Jacob B. Harder and Cornelius C. Peters
1934 May 27 Heinrich G. Dueck    
1934 August 12 K. A. Klassen   Johannes A. Harder and Cornelius C. Peters
1934 November 25 Heinrich G. Dueck Johannes A. Harder Peter D. Loewen and Jacob B. Harder
1935 November 10 Heinrich G. Dueck Johannes A. Harder Peter D. Loewen and Jacob B. Harder
1936 November 8 Heinrich G. Dueck Johannes A. Harder Peter D. Loewen and Jacob B. Harder
1937 November 21 Johannes A. Harder Heinrich G. Dueck Cornelius C. Peters and Peter D. Loewen
1938 November 27 Heinrich G. Dueck Johannes A. Harder Cornelius C. Peters and Peter D. Loewen
1939 November 11 Heinrich G. Dueck Johannes A. Harder Cornelius C. Peters
1940 November 10 Heinrich G. Dueck Johannes A. Harder Cornelius C. Peters
1941 November 2 Johannes A. Harder Heinrich G. Dueck Cornelius C. Peters and Peter D. Loewen
1942 November 15 Heinrich G. Dueck Johannes A. Harder Cornelius C. Peters
1943 November 21 Heinrich G. Dueck Johannes A. Harder Cornelius C. Peters
1944 November 25 Heinrich G. Dueck Johannes A. Harder Cornelius C. Peters
1945 November 3 Heinrich G. Dueck Johannes A. Harder Cornelius C. Peters
1946 November 16 Jacob F. Redekop Johann P. Braun Cornelius C. Peters
1947 November 8 Jacob F. Redekop Heinrich G. Dueck Cornelius C. Peters
1948 August 14 Heinrich G. Dueck Johannes A. Harder David A. Friesen
1949 June 11 Jacob F. Redekop Aron A. Toews David A. Friesen
1950 October 28 Jacob F. Redekop Heinrich G. Dueck David A. Friesen
1951 June 9 Heinrich G. Dueck Jacob F. Redekop David A. Friesen
1952 June 7 Heinrich G. Dueck Johannes A. Harder David A. Friesen
1953 June 6 Johannes A. Harder Jacob F. Redekop David A. Friesen
1954 June 12 Heinrich G. Dueck Herman Lenzmann David A. Friesen
1955 June 18 Herman Lenzmann Gerhard Thielmann David A. Friesen
1956 June 9 Herman Lenzmann Gerhard Thielmann David A. Friesen
1957 June 9 Peter R. Toews Gerhard Thielmann David A. Friesen
1958 June 7 Peter R. Toews Herman Lenzmann David A. Friesen
1959 June 6 Herman Voth Peter R. Toews Johannes A. Harder
1960 June 10 Herman Voth Peter R. Toews Abram Goerz
1961 June 9 Peter R. Toews Isaac H. Tiessen George Konrad
1962 June 8 Peter R. Toews Herman Voth David A. Friesen
1963 June 7 Henry Brucks Herbert J. Brandt Henry J. Unger
1964 June 5 Henry Brucks Nick Willems Henry J. Unger
1965 June 11 Herbert J. Brandt Nick Willems Henry J. Unger
1966 June 10 Herbert J. Brandt David H. Neumann Henry J. Unger
1967 June 2 Jacob H. Quiring David H. Neumann Hugo W. Jantz
1968 June 7 Jacob H. Quiring Peter R. Toews John H. Neumann
1969 June 6 Herman Lenzmann Jacob H. Quiring John H. Neumann
1970 June 5 Jacob H. Quiring Herbert J. Brandt John H. Neumann
1971 June 11 Jacob H. Quiring Rudie Willms Harry E. Pankratz
1972 June 9 Herbert J. Brandt Rudie Willms Harry E. Pankratz
1973 June 16 Loyal A. Funk Rudie Willms Leonard Doerksen
1974 June 14 Loyal A. Funk Harold Ratzlaff Frank Peters
1975 June 13 Loyal A. Funk Harry Heidebrecht Frank Peters
1976 June 11 Loyal A. Funk Harry Heidebrecht Frank Peters
1977 June 10 Loyal A. Funk Harry Heidebrecht Henry J. Unger
1978 June 9 Harry Heidebrecht Herbert D. Neufeld Henry J. Unger
1979 June 8 Harry Heidebrecht Herbert D. Neufeld Henry J. Unger
1980 June 13 Harry Heidebrecht Herbert D. Neufeld Henry J. Unger
1981 June 12 Herbert D. Neufeld John Schmidt Robert J. Friesen
1982 June 12 Herbert D. Neufeld John Schmidt Robert J. Friesen
1983 June 10 Harry Heidebrecht Rudy Boschman Robert J. Friesen
1984 June 9 Harry Heidebrecht Robert J. Friesen Peter Enns
1985 June 14 Harry Heidebrecht Robert J. Friesen Peter Enns
1986 June 13 Harry Heidebrecht Robert J. Friesen Peter Enns
1987 June 12 Robert J. Friesen Bill A. Wiebe Peter Enns
1988 June 10 Robert J. Friesen Bill A. Wiebe Peter Enns
1989 June 9 Robert J. Friesen Peter Nikkel John Lenzmann
1990 June 8 Robert J. Friesen Peter Nikkel John Lenzmann
1991 June 14 Herbert D. Neufeld Reuben Pauls John Lenzmann
1992 June 12 Herbert D. Neufeld Reuben Pauls John Lenzmann
1993 June 11 Herbert D. Neufeld Reuben Pauls Mark Burch
1994 June 10 Herbert D. Neufeld Reuben Pauls Mark Burch
1995 April 21 Robert J. Friesen Mark Burch
1996 May 3 Robert J. Friesen Mark Burch John Lenzmann
1997 May 2 Robert J. Friesen Peter Nikkel Peter Enns
1998 May 1 Robert J. Friesen Peter Enns
1999 April 30 Robert J. Friesen Herbert D. Neufeld Peter Enns
2000 Arnie Peters Herbert D. Neufeld Peter Enns
2001 May 4 Arnie Peters Reuben Pauls Reg Toews
2002 May 3 Christopher Douglas Reuben Pauls Reg Toews
2003 May 2 Christopher Douglas Ron van Akker Reg Toews
2004 Ron van Akker Arnie Peters Reg Toews
2005 April 29 Ron van Akker Arnie Peters Ron Redekop
2006 April 29 Ron van Akker Larry Schram Ron Redekop
2007 May 5 Reg Toews Tim Williams Ron Redekop
2008 May 3 Reg Toews Tim Williams Ron Redekop
2009 May 2 Reg Toews Ron van Akker John H. Redekop
2010 May 1 Rob Thiessen Ron van Akker John H. Redekop
2011 April 30 Rob Thiessen Ron van Akker Lorraine Dick
2012 May 5 Ron van Akker Steve Wiens Reuben Pauls
2013 May 4 Ron van Akker Steve Wiens Reuben Pauls
2014 May 3 Michael Dick Lee Francois Reuben Pauls
2015 May 2 Michael Dick Lee Francois Reuben Pauls
2016 April 30 Don Petker Matt Ewert Sharon Simpson
2017 April 29
2018 April 28 Matt Ewert
2019 April 27 Sharon Simpson Laurence Matzek Sandy Reutlinger
2020 May 2 Sharon Simpson Laurence Matzek Sandy Reutlinger
2021 May 1 Sharon Simpson Laurence Matzek Sandy Reutlinger
2022 April 30 Sharon Simpson Laurence Matzek Sandy Reutlinger


Author(s) G. H. Suckau
Herbert J. Brandt
Richard D. Thiessen
Date Published December 2020

Cite This Article

MLA style

Suckau, G. H., Herbert J. Brandt and Richard D. Thiessen. "British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. December 2020. Web. 26 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=British_Columbia_Conference_of_Mennonite_Brethren_Churches&oldid=175704.

APA style

Suckau, G. H., Herbert J. Brandt and Richard D. Thiessen. (December 2020). British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 26 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=British_Columbia_Conference_of_Mennonite_Brethren_Churches&oldid=175704.



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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 431; vol. 5, p. 101. All rights reserved.


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