Graysville Mennonite Church (Graysville, Manitoba, Canada)
The Graysville Mennonite Church in Manitoba, Canada began in 1925 when Abe Dahl, who together with 12 other families that had settled in the area, organized the first formal worship services in the Orr United Church building. The Mennonites met in the morning and the United Church in the afternoon. They joined the Schoenwieser Mennonite Church group in 1927. During the 1930s some families moved away and other families moved to the area, changing the composition of the group to consist of Schoenwieser, Rudnerweider, Sommerfelder, Mennonite Brethren and Bergthaler. In 1947 the Bergthaler ministerial included Graysville on its preaching schedule. In 1945 the Schoenwieser Mennonite Church group elected Franz H. Letkemann as a lay minister to serve in Graysville. In 1953 John H. Janzen, an ordained Bergthler minister from Morden, moved to the Graysville area. The Graysville Mennonite group in 1953 decided to join the Bergthaler Mennonite church group and purchase the Orr United Church building with their help. Franz H. Letkemann transferred to the Bergthaler Church in 1953 and served Graysville until his retirement and move to Winkler in 1960.
The church building which was purchased in 1953 was moved and placed on a full basement. In 1960 the redirection of the highway necessitated another move. The church was moved renovated and supplied with better Sunday School facilities. Another subsequent building project occurred in 1988.
Frank Letkeman, son of Franz H. Letkemann, was ordained as deacon in 1955 and as minister in 1965.
The language of worship was originally German; the transition to English happened in the 1960s.
The 50th anniversary of the congregation was celebrated on 11-12 October 2003, marking 50 years from their formal organization in 1953.
In February 2017 the congregation voted to leave Mennonite Church Manitoba and Mennonite Church Canada. The decision was primarily a response to a resolution passed in July 2016 by Mennonite Church Canada related to same-sex matters.
Bibliography
Ens, Anna. In Search of Unity: Story of the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba. Winnipeg, MB: CMBC Publications, 1996: 170-171.
Gerbrandt, Henry J. Adventure in Faith. Altona, MB: D.W. Friesen, 1970: 229-232.
Klassen, Is. Dem Herrn die Ehre: Schoenwieser Mennoniten Gemeinde von Manitoba, 1924-1968. Altona, MB: The Conference, 1969: 40-43.
Krahn, Gerald. "The Story of the Graysville Mennonite Church." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1986, Mennonite Heritage Centre.
"Two More Manitoba Churches Leave MC Canada." Canadian Mennonite (3 July 2017): 21, no. 14: 16.
Archival Records
Church records microfilmed at Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Additional Information
Address: Box 31, Graysville, MB R0G 0T0
Phone: 204-828-3359
Website: Graysville Mennonite Church
Denominational Affiliations:
Mennonite Church Manitoba (until 2017)
Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (until 2017)
General Conference Mennonite Church (1968-1999)
Graysville Mennonite Church Leading Ministers
| Minister | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Franz H. Letkemann | 1945-1960 |
| Johann H. Janzen | 1953-1967 |
| Frank Letkeman | 1967-1974 |
| Edward Funk | 1975-1981 |
| A.H. Born | 1982 |
| Gerald Neufeld | 1983-1986 |
| Neil Funk | 1987-1996 |
| Edward Kuhl | 1987-1996 |
| Irvin Penner | 1998-1999 |
| Norm Dyck | |
| Laurie Redpath | 2013- |
Graysville Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 46 |
| 1975 | 62 |
| 1985 | 77 |
| 1995 | 61 |
| 2000 | 47 |
| Author(s) | Marlene Epp |
|---|---|
| Alf Redekopp | |
| Date Published | July 2017 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Epp, Marlene and Alf Redekopp. "Graysville Mennonite Church (Graysville, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. July 2017. Web. 23 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Graysville_Mennonite_Church_(Graysville,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=149093.
APA style
Epp, Marlene and Alf Redekopp. (July 2017). Graysville Mennonite Church (Graysville, Manitoba, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 23 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Graysville_Mennonite_Church_(Graysville,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=149093.
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