Foothills Mennonite Church (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
Foothills Mennonite Church began services in 1955 when families began meeting in homes. In January 1956 the group began holding worship services and Sunday school, and formally organized in November 1961. The first building was occupied in 1959, with a subsequent building program in 1966. Peter Unger is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through urbanization from rural Alberta.
The congregation was first called North Hill Mennonite Mission, and then North Hill Mennonite Church. It was renamed Foothills Mennonite in 1966 when a new church building was constructed at a new location.
Foothills broke with tradition by electing deacons for terms of three years rather than for life. It also departed from the practice of allowing only elders to baptize and administer communion. The congregation experienced internal struggles over church leadership and spiritual stagnation. General renewal came to the church in the early 1970s.
Foothills helped in the development of Calgary Mennonite Fellowship in 1975.
Bibliography
Canadian Mennonite (16 October 1959): 7; (24 November 1961): 3; (27 April 1965): 9; (3 May 1966): 9; (15 November 1966): 3; (25 June 1968).
Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives. "Foothills Mennonite Church fonds." 28 July 2009. http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/programs/archives/holdings/AB/AB_foothills.htm (accessed 23 September 2009).
"Our History." Foothills Mennonite Church website. http://foothills.mennonitechurch.ab.ca/about.htm (accessed 23 September 2009).
Schellenberg, Larry. "Financial History of the Foothills Mennonite Church," Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1982, 40 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Wedel, Candace. "The History of the Foothills Mennonite Church, Calgary, Alberta." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1965, 9 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Wiens, Janet. "The History of the Foothills Mennonite Church." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1980, 20 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Archival Records
Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives: Volumes 90, 91, 2421, 3912, 4010, 4641, 4819., 2143.
Additional Information
Address: 2115 Urbana Road NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4B9
Phone: 403-289-7172
Website: Foothills Mennonite Church
Denominational Affiliations:
Mennonite Church Alberta (1963-present)
Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1963-present)
General Conference Mennonite Church (1965-1999)
Foothills Mennonite Church Leading Ministers
| Minister | Years |
|---|---|
| Peter Unger | 1957-1961 |
| Jake Nickel | 1962-1965 |
| Abe Sawatzky | 1965-1966 |
| George Groening | 1966-1971 |
| Menno Epp | 1971-1983 |
| Bruce Wiebe | 1984-1985 |
| John Lenshyn | 1986-1992 |
| Ed Balzer | 1993 |
| Richard Yordy | 1994 |
| Adam Robinson | 1995-1997 |
| Helen and Bill Krueger | 1998-2000 |
| Doug Klassen | 2000-June 2019 |
| Donna Dinsmore (Intentional Interim) |
July 2019-2022 |
| Bill Christieson | March 2022- |
Foothills Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 87 |
| 1975 | 210 |
| 1979 | 225 |
| 1985 | 262 |
| 1989 | 274 |
| 1995 | 270 |
| 2000 | 278 |
| 2020 | 339 |
| Author(s) | Marlene Epp |
|---|---|
| Date Published | September 2009 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Epp, Marlene. "Foothills Mennonite Church (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. September 2009. Web. 3 Dec 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Foothills_Mennonite_Church_(Calgary,_Alberta,_Canada)&oldid=175596.
APA style
Epp, Marlene. (September 2009). Foothills Mennonite Church (Calgary, Alberta, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 3 December 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Foothills_Mennonite_Church_(Calgary,_Alberta,_Canada)&oldid=175596.
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