Cariboo Bethel Mennonite Brethren Church established itself in 1963 through the efforts of approximately thirty people who asked if the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches Home Missions Board might include them in their program. Consequently, Neil Isaac initiated and led services in a rented hall beginning in February of that same year. By 1965, the need for a full-time pastor became evident, and after hiring on Paul Unger to fill this position, the congregation also formally organized under the auspices of the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.

The first building project commenced the following year with the groundbreaking ceremony taking place in April 1966. Construction began on 20 June, and the 200-seat structure was completed in August 1967. The church was technically a mission until 1970, at which time Cariboo Bethel became self-supporting. In 1974, the church satisfied its need for expansion by adding onto their existing structure; construction began in April, and the addition was completed the following year with the dedication ceremony taking place on 9 November 1975. On 3 March 1982, the entire church was destroyed by fire. A local Seventh-Day Adventist church was used as a temporary home while construction on the new building was taking place. In April 1983 a new 650-seat sanctuary was completed with larger banqueting facilities and an upgraded Christian education wing.

Bibliography

Author(s)	Andrew Klager
Date Published	May 2023

Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies. "Cariboo Bethel Mennonite Brethren Church." http://www.cdnmbconf.ca/mbstudies/holdings/bc/cariboobethel.en.html (accessed 2 July 2008).

Mennonite Brethren Herald (27 May 1988): 28; (10 August 1990): 18-19.

Mennonite Reporter (19 April 1982): 11; (12 December 1983): 11.

Additional Information

Address: 833 Western Ave., Williams Lake, BC V2G 2J5

Phone: 250-398-6731

Website: Cariboo Bethel Church

Denominational Affiliations:

British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1965-present)

Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1965-present)

General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1965-2002)

Cariboo Bethel Church Leading Ministers

Minister	Years
Paul Unger	1965-1972
John Balzer	1973-1984
Alex Campbell	1985-1991
Michael Young	1993-2002
Larry Thomas	2003-2007
Jeremy Vogt
Esther Corbett

Cariboo Bethel Church Membership

Year	Members
1970	35
1975	75
1980	103
1985	169
1990	184
1995	239
2000	155
2005	98
2010	126
2015	138
2020	195

Maps

Map:Cariboo Bethel Church, William Lake, BC

Cite This Article

MLA style

Klager, Andrew. "Cariboo Bethel Church (Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. May 2023. Web. 3 Dec 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Cariboo_Bethel_Church_(Williams_Lake,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=175630.

APA style

Klager, Andrew. (May 2023). Cariboo Bethel Church (Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 3 December 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Cariboo_Bethel_Church_(Williams_Lake,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=175630.

Cariboo Bethel Church (Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada)

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