Conference of Mennonites in Canada

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The Conference of Mennonites in Canada (CMC) began in 1902-1903 with the union of congregations from the Rosenorter Mennonites of Saskatchewan and the Bergthaler Mennonites of Manitoba.  The conference first met in 1903 in Hochstadt, Manitoba, and was organized to promote "home missions." The Mennonites generally had large families and were constantly looking for land, and it was hoped that the conference would aid in the challenging task of keeping them united. The constitution, adopted at the second meeting of the conference in Eigenheim, Saskatchewan in 1904, strongly affirmed the autonomy of individual congregations: "The Conference has no authority to interfere in the internal matters of a congregation unless called to do so. It is not a legislative, but an advisory body. The union it promotes does not consist in agreeable forms and customs, but in unity of love, faith, and hope, and in connection with this a common work in the kingdom of God."  Early leaders in the conference included David Toews (chairperson from 1914-1940, with the exception of 1936), John G. Rempel (secretary from 1930-1947), and J. J. Thiessen (vice-chairperson from 1941-1942 and chairperson from 1943-1959).

The Conference of Mennonites in Canada has come to include a significant number of new congregations made up of some families who arrived from the United States, along with many more recent immigrants from the Soviet Union. The latter first came to Canada in the 1920s, then in a further wave during the years following World War II, and finally in a smaller group of scattered families who left the Soviet Union in the 1960s and 1970s.

A series of three different name changes led to the present conference name. Known first as Die Konferenz der Mennoniten im Mittleren Kanada (Conference of Mennonites in Middle Canada), it became the General Conference of Mennonites in Canada in 1932 (sessions at Laird, Saskatchewan, Canada). Restructuring in 1959 brought about some major changes, such as limiting the terms of offices, and giving the organization its present name. At the same time a varying set of committees, which had carried out tasks as they arose, was replaced by five boards: Missions, Education and Publications, Christian Service, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, and Finance. Beginning in the 1950s the first staff members (a part-time treasurer, then a general secretary, and soon also executive secretaries of other boards) took up responsibilities as a central office developed rapidly in the next decade and a half. In the congregations there was a strong move away from leadership by elders toward the promotion of a professional ministry.

These new directions created a project-oriented agenda. With it came rising budgets and new initiatives of ministry and mission. The Mennonite Pioneer Mission, established and maintained by the Bergthal Mennonites of Manitoba until 1958, was brought into the conference program. Ultimately it formed the core aspects of Native Ministries, as this work is called in 1998. Congregations were given loans to build new church buildings. Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC) expanded its new campus at 600 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, where the conference also had its offices. The Board of Education and Publication, meanwhile, published devotional materials, subsidized conference-related periodicals, and undertook to publish the Conference Bulletin and other promotional materials. From time to time certain key theological and other issues rose to the fore. In the beginning years the issues related to problems of assuming public office (government) and other civic responsibilities. Then the matter of conversion and the nature of becoming believers caught attention for a time. Eschatological questions had their turn also. In the 1960s there arose the seeming tension between faith and social action, particularly in the years when the Board of Christian Service drew attention to major social ills erupting in society at the time.

Representation in the delegate sessions and board tended to shift in these years from a predominantly clergy-oriented body to one with a growing lay member involvement; at the first conference session in 1903 there was one lay person present. By 1970 a large number of delegates were lay members, although ministers tended to dominate the executive committee and boards for some time to come. This was no doubt partly because ministers were more readily available, and perhaps better-trained to take up board and other responsibilities. Congregations were more likely to view ministers' attendance at meetings and annual sessions as part of their regular employment than would be true of farmers and the employers of urban workers and professionals.

In 1971 the constitution was revised again. The earlier five boards now became four: General Board, Congregational Resources, Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC), and Mennonite Pioneer Missions (changed to Native Ministries the following year). Another result of the change was a marked reduction of staff, and the general board of the conference assumed responsibility for finances. The conference celebrated its 75th birthday at the Gretna, Man., sessions in 1978. That year the CMBC board reported a projection of changes and expansion which would allow the college's student body to rise to between 160 and 200. The following decade would see that goal attained as student enrollment stabilized around 180.

Additional issues, such as the place of women in the church, marital stability (divorce, marriage), a conference periodical, a new partnership with a growing number of Chinese and other Asian congregations, several Native churches, relating to the Umsiedler Mennonite churches of the Federal Republic of Germany (emigrants from the Soviet Union), and the development of an archival center, came to be important questions for the network of ministries in the conference in the 1980s.

A few new congregations have come into the conference from eastern Canada (Quebec and New Brunswick). Various other, notably urban, congregations have also joined in the last decade. One segment of the conference accepted a new inter-Mennonite affiliation in Ontario when the Conference of United Mennonite Churches of Ontario joined Mennonite Church (MC) congregations in Ontario to become the of Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada (MCEC) in 1988. The MC congregations in MCEC became associate members of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada, and in 1995 sixty-eight of these congregations became full members of CMC. Provincial conferences have taken on sizable programs of their own, and reassessments of mutual relationships continue as this occurs. Joint sessions occurred for the first time with the General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM) in 1989. In the CMC Directory, 1998, there are 222 congregations with a total of over 35,000 members listed as belonging to the Conference of Mennonites in Canada.

In 1999 the conference, together with the Mennonite Church (MC) and General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM) completed a long process of integration and transformed into two national bodies -- Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada.

Bibliography

Bulletin: Conference of Mennonites in Canada, 1965- (Winnipeg, four to six times annually; annually since 1971).

CMC Directory (1998): 12.

Conference of Mennonites in Canada Yearbook (Winnipeg, 1928-)

Ens, Adolf. Becoming a National Church: a History of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada. Winnipeg, MB: CMU Press, 2004.

Friesen-Petkau, Irene. "Just when we were . . ." Winnipeg: History Archives Committee of the Conference of Mennonites In Canada, 1978.

Gerbrandt, Henry J. "A History of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada," in Call to Faithfulness, ed. Henry Poettcker and Rudy Regehr. Winnipeg: CMBC, 1972: 81-91.

Handbook of Information (1988): 100-103.

Mennonite World Handbook, (Strasbourg, France, and Lombard, Ill.: Mennonite World Conference, 1984): 131.

Peters, Jacob. "Organizational Change Within A Religious Denomination: A Case Study of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada, 1903-1978." Ph.D. diss., U. of Manitoba, 1987.

Regehr, Rudy A. and Margaret Franz, ed. Twenty-Five Years: A Time To Grow. Winnipeg: CMBC, 1972.

Reimer, Margaret Loewen, ed. One Quilt, Many Pieces. Waterloo, Ont.: Mennonite Publishing Service, 1983: 49-51.

Rempel, J. G.  Fünfzig Jahre Konferenz Bestrebungen, 1902-1952: Konferenz der Mennoniten in Canada. Steinbach, 1952.

Totemak. Winnipeg, Native Ministries program, 1972-79, frequency varies; name changed to Intotemak (1980-).

Additional Information

Statements approved by the Conference

A Commitment to Christ's Way of Peace (Mennonite Central Committee, 1993)

Guidelines for building faithful relationships in the church (Conference of Mennonites in Canada, 1998)

Resolution on the Issue of Homosexuality (Conference of Mennonites in Canada, 1998)

Mennonite Church Canada (formerly Conference of Mennonites in Canada) website

See also General Conference Mennonite Church; Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia; Mennonite Church Alberta; Conference of Mennonites of Saskatchewan; Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba; Conference of United Mennonite Churches of Ontario; Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada.

Conference of Mennonites in Canada Executive 1
Number Year Place Chair Vice-Chair Secretary
01 1903 Hochstadt, MB Jacob Hoeppner   Benjamin Ewert
02 1904 Eigenheim, SK Jacob Hoeppner   David Toews
03 1905 Winkler, MB Jacob Hoeppner   Benjamin Ewert
04 1906 Eigenheim, SK Henry H. Ewert   David Toews
05 1907 Herbert, SK Henry H. Ewert   David Toews
06 1908 Drake, SK Johann Gerbrandt   David Toews
07 1909 Edenburg, MB Johann Gerbrandt   David Toews
08 1910 Eigenheim, SK Johann Gerbrandt   David Toews
09 1911 Herbert, SK Johann Gerbrandt   David Toews
10 1912 Winkler, MB Henry H. Ewert   Benjamin Ewert
11 1913 Drake, SK Henry H. Ewert   Benjamin Ewert
12 1914 Rosthern, SK David Toews N. F. Toews Benjamin Ewert
13 1915 Herbert, SK David Toews Johann Gerbrandt Benjamin Ewert
14 1916 Altona, MB David Toews Johann Gerbrandt Nicolai W. Bahnmann
15 1917 Langham, SK David Toews Johann Gerbrandt Nicolai W. Bahnmann
16 1918 Drake, SK David Toews Johann Gerbrandt Nicolai W. Bahnmann
17 1919 Gretna, MB David Toews Benjamin Ewert H.H. Hamm
18 1920 Laird, SK David Toews Johann Gerbrandt J. Regier
19 1921 Herbert, SK David Toews Johann Gerbrandt J. Regier
20 1922 Winkler, MB David Toews Johann Gerbrandt Jacob Gerbrandt
21 1923 Langham, SK David Toews Henry H. Ewert Jacob Gerbrandt
22 1924 Drake, SK David Toews G. Buhler Jacob Gerbrandt
23 1925 Eigenheim, SK David Toews Benjamin Ewert Jacob Gerbrandt
24 1926 Drake, SK David Toews Benjamin Ewert Jacob Gerbrandt
25 1927 Herbert, SK David Toews Benjamin Ewert Jacob Gerbrandt
26 1928 Rosthern, SK David Toews G. Buhler Jacob Gerbrandt
27 1929 Drake, SK David Toews J.J. Klassen Jacob Gerbrandt
28 1930 Winkler, MB David Toews Benjamin Ewert Johann G. Rempel
29 1931 Langham, SK David Toews Jacob H. Janzen Johann G. Rempel
30 1932 Laird, SK David Toews Jacob H. Janzen Johann G. Rempel
31 1933 Gnadenthal, MB David Toews Jacob H. Janzen Johann G. Rempel
32 1934 Hague, SK David Toews Jacob H. Janzen Johann G. Rempel
33 1935 Altona, MB David Toews Jacob H. Janzen Johann G. Rempel
34 1936 Drake, SK Jacob J. Thiessen Benjamin Ewert Johann G. Rempel
35 1937 Rosemary, AB David Toews Benjamin Ewert Johann G. Rempel
36 1938 Eigenheim, SK David Toews J. J. Klassen Johann G. Rempel
37 1939 Morden, MB David Toews Benjamin Ewert Johann G. Rempel
38 1940 Waldheim, SK David Toews Benjamin Ewert Johann G. Rempel
39 1941 Laird, SK Benjamin Ewert Jacob J. Thiessen Johann G. Rempel
40 1942 Winkler, MB Benjamin Ewert Jacob J. Thiessen Johann G. Rempel
41 1943 Langham, SK Jacob J. Thiessen Benjamin Ewert Johann G. Rempel
42 1944 Winnipeg, MB Jacob J. Thiessen Benjamin Ewert Johann G. Rempel
43 1945 Eigenheim, SK Jacob J. Thiessen Jacob Gerbrandt Johann G. Rempel
44 1946 Beamsville, ON Jacob J. Thiessen Jacob Gerbrandt Johann G. Rempel
45 1947 Coaldale, AB Jacob J. Thiessen Jacob Gerbrandt Johann G. Rempel
46 1948 Gnadenthal, MB Jacob J. Thiessen Jacob Gerbrandt Johann G. Rempel
47 1949 Greendale, BC Jacob J. Thiessen Jacob Gerbrandt H. T. Klaassen
48 1950 Rosthern, SK Jacob J. Thiessen Jacob Gerbrandt H. T. Klaassen
49 1951 Leamington, ON Jacob J. Thiessen Jacob Gerbrandt H. T. Klaassen
50 1952 Gretna, MB Jacob J. Thiessen J. M. Pauls H. T. Klaassen
51 1953 Drake, SK Jacob J. Thiessen David Schulz H. T. Klaassen
52 1954 Abbotsford, BC Jacob J. Thiessen David Schulz H. T. Klaassen
53 1955 Didsbury, AB Jacob J. Thiessen David Schulz P. R. Harder
54 1956 Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON Jacob J. Thiessen David Schulz P. R. Harder
55 1957 Winkler, MB Jacob J. Thiessen David Schulz P. R. Harder
56 1958 Saskatoon, SK Jacob J. Thiessen Henry Poettcker P. R. Harder
57 1959 Clearbrook, BC Jacob J. Thiessen Henry Poettcker Henry H. Epp
58 1960 Steinbach, MB J. M. Pauls Henry Poettcker Henry H. Epp
59 1961 Calgary, AB J. M. Pauls/G. G. Neufeld G. G. Neufeld/David P. Neufeld Henry H. Epp
60 1962 St. Catharines, ON Paul Schroeder J. J. Wichert P. R. Harder
61 1963 Altona, MB Paul Schroeder H. P. Epp P. R. Harder
62 1964 Rosthern, SK Paul Schroeder H. P. Epp P. R. Harder
63 1965 Clearbrook, BC H. P. Epp H. T. Klaassen R. H. Vogt
64 1966 Winnipeg, MB H. P. Epp H. T. Klaassen R. H. Vogt
65 1967 Leamington, ON H. P. Epp P. G. Sawatzky Herman Enns
66 1968 Calgary, AB P. G. Sawatzky Henry Poettcker Herman Enns
67 1969 Saskatoon, SK Edward Enns Jacob F. Pauls Herman Enns
68 1970 Winkler, MB Edward Enns Abe Neufeld William Block
69 1971 Vancouver, BC Edward Enns Jacob Tilitzky William Block
70 1972 Waterloo, ON Jacob Tilitzky Peter Retzlaff Menno Epp
71 1973 Edmonton, AB Jacob Tilitzky Peter Retzlaff Menno Epp
72 1974 Steinbach, MB Jacob Tilitzky Peter Retzlaff Menno Epp
73 1975 Swift Current, SK Jake Harms Herman Enns Menno Epp
74 1976 Clearbrook, BC Jake Harms Herman Enns Lorne Buhr
75 1977 Toronto, ON Jake Harms Herman Enns/H. P. Epp Lorne Buhr
76 1978 Gretna, MB David P. Neufeld Jake Fransen Lorne Buhr
77 1979 Calgary, AB David P. Neufeld Jake Fransen Helen Rempel
78 1980 Rosthern, SK David P. Neufeld Jake Fransen Helen Rempel
79 1981 Vancouver, BC Jake Fransen Henry Funk Helen Rempel
80 1982 St. Catharines, ON Jake Fransen Henry Funk Jacob Wiebe
81 1983 Winnipeg, MB Jake Fransen Fred Enns Jacob Wiebe
82 1984 Three Hills, AB Jake Fransen Fred Enns Jacob Wiebe
83 1985 Regina, SK Jake Fransen Fred Enns Kay Martens
84 1986 Waterloo, ON Jake Fransen Fred Enns Kay Martens
85 1987 Clearbrook, BC Walter Franz George Richert Ruth Enns
86 1988 Winkler, MB Walter Franz George Richert Ruth Enns
87 1989 Normal, IL, USA Walter Franz George Richert Ruth Enns
88 1990 Edmonton, AB Walter Franz George Richert Ruth Enns
89 1991 Saskatoon, SK Menno Epp George Richert Ruth Enns
90 1992 Sioux Falls, ND, USA Menno Epp George Richert Ruth Enns
91 1993 Waterloo, ON Menno Epp Gerd Bartel Ruth Enns
92 1994 Clearbrook, BC Menno Epp Gerd Bartel Mary Anne Loeppky
93 1995 Newton, KS, USA Menno Epp Gerd Bartel Mary Anne Loeppky
94 1996 Calgary, AB Menno Epp Gerd Bartel Mary Anne Loeppky
95 1997 Winnipeg, MB Ron Sawatsky Gerd Bartel Mary Anne Loeppky
96 1998 Stratford, ON Ron Sawatsky Gerd Bartel Pam Peters Pries
97 1999 St. Louis, Missouri, USA Ron Sawatsky Jake F. Pauls Joy Kroeger
Notes: 1. Individuals are listed alongside the convention at which they were appointed.

Source: Ens, Adolf. Becoming a National Church: a History of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada. Winnipeg, MB: CMU Press, 2004.


Author(s) John G. Rempel
Lawrence Klippenstein
Date Published 1990

Cite This Article

MLA style

Rempel, John G. and Lawrence Klippenstein. "Conference of Mennonites in Canada." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1990. Web. 16 Oct 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Conference_of_Mennonites_in_Canada&oldid=135254.

APA style

Rempel, John G. and Lawrence Klippenstein. (1990). Conference of Mennonites in Canada. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 October 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Conference_of_Mennonites_in_Canada&oldid=135254.




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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 671; vol. 5, pp. 182-183. All rights reserved.


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