Difference between revisions of "Eden Mennonite Church (Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada)"

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  [[File:Eden%20MC.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''Eden Mennonite Church, Chilliwack, BC  
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[[File:ECMC Prest.jpg|400px|thumb|right|''East Chilliwack Mennonite Church, ca. 1957''.]]
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[[File:Eden%20MC.jpg|400px|thumb|right|''Eden Mennonite Church, Chilliwack, BC<br />
 +
Source: D. Giesbrecht'']]
 +
Mennonites began moving to the East Chilliwack area from the Canadian prairies in the early 1940s. On 4 April 1945 a meeting was held at the home of Heinrich Bergman to organize church services. Services began shortly thereafter in the Lotbiniere School building on Prest Road, which was later purchased in 1947 and remodeled as a church. The church formally organized on 28 December 1945 under the name ''Westheimer Mennonitengemeinde'' with 32 charter services. [[Rempel, William L. (1914-1965)|William L. Rempel]] and [[Loewen, Gerhard D. (1873-1959)|Gerhard Loewen]] were the first ministers. Rapid growth was experienced throughout the 1940s as through the continued movement of people from the prairies as well as through immigration from Europe after World War II.
  
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Source: D. Giesbrecht
+
Within a few years two distinct groups were evident within the congregation. Rempel, educated at Prairie Bible Institute, and Gerhard Loewen, an older minister from Russia, represented two different theological camps, with Rempel emphasizing conversion and life style issues such as smoking. In May 1947 a group under Loewen’s leadership organized the [[Chilliwack Mennonite Church (Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada)|First Mennonite Church]] in downtown Chilliwack. The ''Westheimer'' group then became known as East Chilliwack Mennonite Church (''East Chilliwack Mennoniten Gemeinde'').
  
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'']]    Mennonites began moving to the East Chilliwack area from the Canadian prairies in the early 1940s. On 4 April 1945 a meeting was held at the home of Heinrich Bergman to organize church services. Services began shortly thereafter in a rented school building, which was later purchased and remodelled as a church. The church formally organized on 28 December 1945 under the name Westheimer Mennonitengemeinde with 32 charter services. [[Rempel, William L. (1914-1965)|William L. Rempel]] and [[Loewen, Gerhard D. (1873-1959)|Gerhard Loewen]] were the first ministers. Rapid growth was experienced throughout the 1940s as through the continued movement of people from the prairies as well as through immigration from Europe after World War II.
+
The greater emphasis on evangelism also led to differences within the provincial conference ([[Mennonite Church British Columbia|Conference of United Mennonite Churches of British Columbia]]) and the congregation voted to leave the conference in May 1954 along with [[West Abbotsford Mennonite Church (Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada)|West Abbotsford Mennonite]]. East Chilliwack rejoined the conference on 20 February 1956.
  
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Within a few years two distinct groups were evident within the congregation. Rempel, educated at Prairie Bible Institute, and Gerhard Loewen, an older minister from Russia, represented two different theological camps, with Rempel emphasizing conversion and life style issues such as smoking. In May 1947 a group under Loewen’s leadership organized the [[Chilliwack Mennonite Church (Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada)|First Mennonite Church]] in Chilliwack. The greater emphasis on evangelism also led to differences within the provincial conference ([[Mennonite Church British Columbia|Conference of United Mennonite Churches of British Columbia]]) and the congregation voted to leave the conference in May 1954 along with [[West Abbotsford Mennonite Church (Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada)|West Abbotsford Mennonite]]. East Chilliwack rejoined the conference on 20 February 1956.
+
The congregation were able to occupy their own building at 333 Prest Road in 1948, which was expanded in 1957. In 1961 the congregation moved from their location on Prest Road to a new church constructed at 46551 Chilliwack Central Road, at which time the name of the church was changed to Eden Mennonite Church.
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The congregation were able to occupy their own building on Prest Road in 1948, which was expanded in 1957. In 1961 the congregation moved from their location on Prest Road to a new church constructed at 46551 Chilliwack Central Road, at which time the name of the church was changed to Eden Mennonite Church.
 
  
 
Missions has been an important emphasis in the church, and in its first 45 years 22 members had worked under various missions boards. In 1976 the congregation formed Eden Mennonite Society to look after its elderly and built Redwood Manor.
 
Missions has been an important emphasis in the church, and in its first 45 years 22 members had worked under various missions boards. In 1976 the congregation formed Eden Mennonite Society to look after its elderly and built Redwood Manor.
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Leaders from within the congregation have also provided leadership in the provincial conference, with pastors Henry A. Wiens, George Groening and Dick Rempel all serving as conference chairman, along with George Nachtigal and Wilmer Tessman.
 
Leaders from within the congregation have also provided leadership in the provincial conference, with pastors Henry A. Wiens, George Groening and Dick Rempel all serving as conference chairman, along with George Nachtigal and Wilmer Tessman.
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−
 
 
= Bibliography =
 
= Bibliography =
−
<em>Canadian Mennonite</em> (11 August 1961): 1; (24 November 1961): 8; (27 April 1962): 1.
+
''Canadian Mennonite'' (11 August 1961): 1; (24 November 1961): 8; (27 April 1962): 1.
  
−
<em>Churches in Profile.</em> Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia, 1978: 46-50.
+
''Churches in Profile''. Clearbrook, BC: Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia, 1978: 46-50.
  
−
<em>Eden Mennonite Church, 1945-1985</em>. Chilliwack: Eden Mennonite Church, 1985.
+
''Eden Mennonite Church'', 1945-1985. Chilliwack, BC: Eden Mennonite Church, 1985.
  
−
Lehn, Cornelia.  Frontier Challenge: A Story of the Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia.  Clearbrook, BC: Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia, 1990: 114-116.
+
Lehn, Cornelia. ''Frontier Challenge: A Story of the Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia''. Clearbrook, BC: Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia, 1990: 114-116.
  
−
<em>Mennonite Reporter</em> (19 August 1985): 12.
+
"Mennonite Church Offers to Purchase Lotbiniere School." ''Chilliwack Progress'' (19 February 1947): 10.
  
−
<h3>Archival Records</h3> Microfilmed records at [http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/programs/archives/index.htm Mennonite Heritage Centre].
+
''Mennonite Reporter'' (19 August 1985): 12.
  
 +
=== Archival Records ===
 +
Microfilmed records at [http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/programs/archives/index.htm Mennonite Heritage Centre].
 +
= Additional Information =
 +
'''Address''': 46551 Chilliwack Central Road, Chilliwack, BC V2P 1K1
  
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= Additional Information =
+
'''Phone''': 604-792-6013
−
<strong>Address</strong>: 46551 Chilliwack Central Road, Chilliwack, BC V2P 1K1
 
  
−
<strong>Phone</strong>: 604-792-6013
+
'''Website''': https://www.edenmennonitechurch.org/
  
−
<strong>Denominational Affiliations</strong>:
+
'''Denominational Affiliations''':
  
 
[http://mcbc.ca/ Mennonite Church British Columbia] (1945-1954, 1956-present)
 
[http://mcbc.ca/ Mennonite Church British Columbia] (1945-1954, 1956-present)
Line 50: Line 52:
  
 
[[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite Church]] (1959-1999)
 
[[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite Church]] (1959-1999)
 +
=== Eden Mennonite Church Lead Pastors ===
 +
                                                             
 +
{| class="wikitable
 +
|-
 +
!Pastor
 +
!Years
 +
|-
 +
|[[Rempel, William L. (1914-1965)|William L. Rempel]]
 +
| align="right" |1945-1952
 +
|-
 +
|[[Peters, Abraham J. (1900-1972)|Abraham J. Peters]]
 +
| align="right" |1953-1955
 +
|-
 +
|[[Rempel, William L. (1914-1965)|William L. Rempel]]
 +
| align="right" |1956
 +
|-
 +
|[[Neufeld, Henry H. (1912-1967)|Henry H. Neufeld]]
 +
| align="right" |1956-1962
 +
|-
 +
|[[Nickel, Valentine E. (1901-1965)|Valentine E. Nickel]]
 +
| align="right" |1962-1964
 +
|-
 +
|Dietrich "Dick" Rempel (interim)
 +
| align="right" |1965
 +
|-
 +
|Henry A. Wiens
 +
| align="right" |1965-1971
 +
|-
 +
|George Groening
 +
| align="right" |1971-1984
 +
|-
 +
|Art Kropp (interim)
 +
| align="right" |1984
 +
|-
 +
|Dietrich "Dick" Rempel
 +
| align="right" |1985-1994
 +
|-
 +
|Jake Tilitzky (interim)
 +
| align="right" |1995
 +
|-
 +
|Werner Froese
 +
| align="right" |1996-2003
 +
|-
 +
|Kerry Palmer
 +
| align="right" |2003-2008
 +
|-
 +
|Rob Brown
 +
| align="right" |2008-2019
 +
|-
 +
|Aaron Roorda
 +
| align="right" |2019-present
 +
|}
  
−
<h3>Eden Mennonite Church Pastors</h3> <table class="vertical listing">  <tr> <th>Pastor
+
=== Eden Mennonite Church Membership ===
 +
                                                 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
 +
|-
 +
!Year
 +
!Members
 +
|-
 +
|1945
 +
|32
 +
|-
 +
|1950
 +
|139
 +
|-
 +
|1955
 +
|203
 +
|-
 +
|1960
 +
|228
 +
|-
 +
|1965
 +
|254
 +
|-
 +
|1975
 +
|298
 +
|-
 +
|1985
 +
|405
 +
|-
 +
|1995
 +
|323
 +
|-
 +
|2000
 +
|283
 +
|-
 +
|2006
 +
|248
 +
|-
 +
|2010
 +
|249
 +
|-
 +
|2015
 +
|231
  
−
</th> <th>Years
+
|-
 +
|2020
 +
|215
 +
|}
  
−
</th> </tr>  <tr> <td>[[Rempel, William L. (1914-1965)|William L. Rempel]]</td> <td align="right">1945-1952</td> </tr> <tr> <td>[[Peters, Abraham J. (1900-1972)|Abraham J. Peters]]</td> <td align="right">1953-1955</td> </tr> <tr> <td>[[Rempel, William L. (1914-1965)|William L. Rempel]]</td> <td align="right">1956</td> </tr> <tr> <td>[[Neufeld, Henry H. (1912-1967)|Henry H. Neufeld]]</td> <td align="right">1956-1962</td> </tr> <tr> <td>[[Nickel, Valentine E. (1901-1965)|Valentine E. Nickel]]</td> <td align="right">1962-1964</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Dietrich "Dick" Rempel (interim)
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= Maps =
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[[Map:Eden Mennonite Church, Chilliwack, British Columbia|Eden Mennonite Church, Chilliwack, British Columbia]]
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</td> <td align="right">1965</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Henry A. Wiens</td> <td align="right">1965-1971</td> </tr> <tr> <td>George Groening</td> <td align="right">1971-1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Art Kropp (interim)
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=February 2016|a1_last=Thiessen|a1_first=Richard D.|a2_last=Brown|a2_first=Rob}}
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</td> <td align="right">1984</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Dietrich "Dick" Rempel</td> <td align="right">1985-1994</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Jake Tilitzky (interim)
 
  
−
</td> <td align="right">1995</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Werner Froese</td> <td align="right">1996-2003</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Kerry Palmer</td> <td align="right">2003-2008</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rob Brown
+
[[Category:Churches]]
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+
[[Category:Mennonite Church British Columbia Congregations]]
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</td> <td align="right">2008-present</td> </tr>  </table> <h3>Eden Mennonite Church Membership</h3> <table class="vertical listing">  <tr> <th>Year
+
[[Category:Mennonite Church Canada Congregations]]
−
 
+
[[Category:General Conference Mennonite Church Congregations]]
−
</th> <th>Members
+
[[Category:British Columbia Congregations]]
−
 
+
[[Category:Canadian Congregations]]
−
</th> </tr>  <tr> <td>1945</td> <td align="right">32</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1950</td> <td align="right">139</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1955
 
−
 
 
−
</td> <td align="right">203
 
−
 
 
−
</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1960</td> <td align="right">228</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1965</td> <td align="right">254</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1975</td> <td align="right">298</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1985</td> <td align="right">405</td> </tr> <tr> <td>1995</td> <td align="right">323</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2000</td> <td align="right">283</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2006</td> <td align="right">248</td> </tr> <tr> <td>2010
 
−
 
 
−
</td> <td align="right">249
 
−
 
 
−
</td> </tr>  </table>
 
−
 
 
−
= Maps =
 
−
[[Map:Eden Mennonite Church, Chilliwack, British Columbia|Map:Eden Mennonite Church, Chilliwack, British Columbia]]
 
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=March 2012|a1_last=Thiessen|a1_first=Richard D.|a2_last=Brown|a2_first=Rob}}
 

Revision as of 18:57, 27 February 2021

East Chilliwack Mennonite Church, ca. 1957.
Eden Mennonite Church, Chilliwack, BC
Source: D. Giesbrecht

Mennonites began moving to the East Chilliwack area from the Canadian prairies in the early 1940s. On 4 April 1945 a meeting was held at the home of Heinrich Bergman to organize church services. Services began shortly thereafter in the Lotbiniere School building on Prest Road, which was later purchased in 1947 and remodeled as a church. The church formally organized on 28 December 1945 under the name Westheimer Mennonitengemeinde with 32 charter services. William L. Rempel and Gerhard Loewen were the first ministers. Rapid growth was experienced throughout the 1940s as through the continued movement of people from the prairies as well as through immigration from Europe after World War II.

Within a few years two distinct groups were evident within the congregation. Rempel, educated at Prairie Bible Institute, and Gerhard Loewen, an older minister from Russia, represented two different theological camps, with Rempel emphasizing conversion and life style issues such as smoking. In May 1947 a group under Loewen’s leadership organized the First Mennonite Church in downtown Chilliwack. The Westheimer group then became known as East Chilliwack Mennonite Church (East Chilliwack Mennoniten Gemeinde).

The greater emphasis on evangelism also led to differences within the provincial conference (Conference of United Mennonite Churches of British Columbia) and the congregation voted to leave the conference in May 1954 along with West Abbotsford Mennonite. East Chilliwack rejoined the conference on 20 February 1956.

The congregation were able to occupy their own building at 333 Prest Road in 1948, which was expanded in 1957. In 1961 the congregation moved from their location on Prest Road to a new church constructed at 46551 Chilliwack Central Road, at which time the name of the church was changed to Eden Mennonite Church.

Missions has been an important emphasis in the church, and in its first 45 years 22 members had worked under various missions boards. In 1976 the congregation formed Eden Mennonite Society to look after its elderly and built Redwood Manor.

In the early 1990s Eden experienced a severe congregational conflict due to differences over worship style (based on styles of music) and theological underpinnings within its leadership. As a result the church felt the effects of members leaving the congregation slowly over time. Those that remained within the church continue to promote unity in diversity, as typified by a balanced approach in worship styles, blending both hymns and contemporary songs into an average Sunday morning service.

The German speaking segment of the congregation slowly continues to decline, though there still remains to be one German speaking Bible study group. The leaders of this group have always been gracious in enabling the English focus of the church and have been intentional about not making the language difference into a divisive issue. In the mid-1990s the German Sunday morning service was turned into a German Sunday school before eventually becoming a Wednesday bible study group.

In the last 15 years, the church has been intentionally generational in its discipleship focus, believing that each generation can profoundly help others in their journey with Christ. This approach has also fostered congregational unity and maturity. Along with this shift towards discipleship, Eden has also been positively influenced by a missional approach to church life (as endorsed by Mennonite Church Canada), encouraging its members to be involved in being the salt and light in their own communities locally.

In 2012, Eden was marked by an inter-generational focus, evidenced by its demographics where the two largest groups within the congregation were the 0-12 year old group and the 75+ year old group. The church had continued to operate with a congregational based polity and had seen much fruit in this style of leadership.

Leaders from within the congregation have also provided leadership in the provincial conference, with pastors Henry A. Wiens, George Groening and Dick Rempel all serving as conference chairman, along with George Nachtigal and Wilmer Tessman.

Bibliography

Canadian Mennonite (11 August 1961): 1; (24 November 1961): 8; (27 April 1962): 1.

Churches in Profile. Clearbrook, BC: Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia, 1978: 46-50.

Eden Mennonite Church, 1945-1985. Chilliwack, BC: Eden Mennonite Church, 1985.

Lehn, Cornelia. Frontier Challenge: A Story of the Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia. Clearbrook, BC: Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia, 1990: 114-116.

"Mennonite Church Offers to Purchase Lotbiniere School." Chilliwack Progress (19 February 1947): 10.

Mennonite Reporter (19 August 1985): 12.

Archival Records

Microfilmed records at Mennonite Heritage Centre.

Additional Information

Address: 46551 Chilliwack Central Road, Chilliwack, BC V2P 1K1

Phone: 604-792-6013

Website: https://www.edenmennonitechurch.org/

Denominational Affiliations:

Mennonite Church British Columbia (1945-1954, 1956-present)

Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1945-present)

General Conference Mennonite Church (1959-1999)

Eden Mennonite Church Lead Pastors

Pastor Years
William L. Rempel 1945-1952
Abraham J. Peters 1953-1955
William L. Rempel 1956
Henry H. Neufeld 1956-1962
Valentine E. Nickel 1962-1964
Dietrich "Dick" Rempel (interim) 1965
Henry A. Wiens 1965-1971
George Groening 1971-1984
Art Kropp (interim) 1984
Dietrich "Dick" Rempel 1985-1994
Jake Tilitzky (interim) 1995
Werner Froese 1996-2003
Kerry Palmer 2003-2008
Rob Brown 2008-2019
Aaron Roorda 2019-present

Eden Mennonite Church Membership

Year Members
1945 32
1950 139
1955 203
1960 228
1965 254
1975 298
1985 405
1995 323
2000 283
2006 248
2010 249
2015 231
2020 215

Maps

Eden Mennonite Church, Chilliwack, British Columbia


Author(s) Richard D. Thiessen
Rob Brown
Date Published February 2016

Cite This Article

MLA style

Thiessen, Richard D. and Rob Brown. "Eden Mennonite Church (Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. February 2016. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Eden_Mennonite_Church_(Chilliwack,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=170215.

APA style

Thiessen, Richard D. and Rob Brown. (February 2016). Eden Mennonite Church (Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Eden_Mennonite_Church_(Chilliwack,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=170215.



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