Northgate Anabaptist Fellowship (Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada)
In 1962 Dawson Creek Mennonite Brethren Church began as an outreach program of the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. Its first core group was teachers who had moved to the area and taught in Dawson Creek. This congregation became part of the Mennonite Brethren conferences in 1963. Jacob "Jay" Neufeld was the first pastor.
Through the efforts of Dan Reimer, who had already been in the area, this group was able to rent an old school for one dollar a month, including all facilities. This served as their meeting place for one year, while plans were being made to build a sanctuary using volunteers. The congregation moved into their completed building in 1965.
In 1978 the church changed its name to Northgate Community Church. In 1986 the church changed its name again to Northgate Mennonite Brethren Church. Beginning in 2003, the congregation was led by a board of three elders. This group has included Ernie Klassen, Wayne Plenert, Lois Klassen, Annemarie Sawatzky, and Violet Williams.
Membership increased until 1998-2002 when it stood at 73. By 2004 the membership had decreased to 23 and to 12 by 2010.
The congregation left the BC Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches and was accepted into the membership of Mennonite Church British Columbia as Northgate Anabaptist Fellowship on 27 February 2016.
The congregation held its final service on 10 October 2021.
Bibliography
Canadian Mennonite (28 August 1959): 1.
Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies. "Northgate Mennonite Brethren Church." (accessed 30 July 2021).
Mennonite Brethren Herald (28 April 2000); (14 September 2001).
Mennonite Reporter (16 October 1989): 5.
Neufeld, Jay. "Northgate MB Church." Personal e-mail (10 November 2009).
Penner, Peter. No Longer at Arms Length: Mennonite Brethren Church Planting in Canada. Winnipeg, MB: Kindred Press, 1987: 130-131. Available in full electronic text at: https://archive.org/stream/NoLongerAtArmsLengthMBChurchPlantingInCanadaOCRopt?ref=ol#mode/2up.
Plenert, Delores. "Northgate Mennonite Brethren Church." Personal e-mail (7 June 2011).
"Two MC B.C. churches close their doors." Canadian Mennonite 25, no. 22 (25 October 2021): 22.
Various items, including 1 p. congregational history, in Mennonite Historical Society of Canada collection, Mennonite Archives of Ontario.
Waddell, Amy Rinner. "‘House church with a building’: small size, remoteness characterize Dawson Creek fellowship." Canadian Mennonite 24, no. 16D (29 July 2020). Web. 30 July 2020. https://canadianmennonite.org/stories/%E2%80%98house-church-building%E2%80%99.
Archival Records
Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies (Winnipeg, MB): Volume 1263-1266; NP186; NP149-01, NP091-01; NMV74-1.
Additional Information
Mailing Address: c/o 11336 17th Street, Dawson Creek, BC V1G 4J5
Phone:
Website:
Denominational Affiliations:
British Columbia Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches (1963-2016)
Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1963-2016)
General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1963-2011)
Mennonite Church British Columbia (2016-2021)
Northgate Anabaptist Fellowship Leading Ministers
| Minister | Years |
|---|---|
| Jacob "Jay" Neufeld | 1962–1964 |
| Leo Siemens | 1964–1968 |
| Alvin Penner | 1968–1974 |
| George Anastasiades | 1974–1976 |
| Chris Wilson | 1977–1978 |
| John E. Friesen | 1979–1983 |
| John F. Klassen | 1983–1997 |
| Brian Palmer | 1997-1998 |
| David Dick | 1999-2000 |
| Corey Lizotte | 2001–2003 |
Northgate Anabaptist Fellowship Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1963 | 11 |
| 1965 | 21 |
| 1970 | 45 |
| 1975 | 40 |
| 1980 | 39 |
| 1985 | 32 |
| 1990 | 55 |
| 1994 | 68 |
| 2000 | 73 |
| 2004 | 23 |
| 2010 | 12 |
| 2020 | 6 |
| Author(s) | Andrew Klager |
|---|---|
| Richard D. Thiessen | |
| Date Published | October 2021 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Klager, Andrew and Richard D. Thiessen. "Northgate Anabaptist Fellowship (Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. October 2021. Web. 24 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Northgate_Anabaptist_Fellowship_(Dawson_Creek,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=172499.
APA style
Klager, Andrew and Richard D. Thiessen. (October 2021). Northgate Anabaptist Fellowship (Dawson Creek, British Columbia, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Northgate_Anabaptist_Fellowship_(Dawson_Creek,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=172499.
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