Hope Mennonite Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)

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Hope Mennonite Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, came into being after Bethel Mennonite Church in 1986 commissioned seven members to explore birthing a new congregation. These founding leaders were Werner and Adelia Wiens, Steve Schroeder, Bill and Delores Block, and Bert and Martha Lobe.

The first meeting place was the auditorium at Westgate Mennonite Collegiate in the Armstrong’s Point neighborhood. The first service was held in February 1987 with almost 40 persons present. The congregation was characterized by roots in Anabaptist-Mennonite theology, diffuse leadership and consensus decision-making, strong small groups, and a concern for social justice.

In about 1989 the congregation moved to space at Canadian Mennonite Bible College, but it sought a place with possibilities for a stronger social justice witness. In 1993 it became part of Crossways in Common, an inner-city facility shared with a United church, 11 apartments for people living with AIDS, and numerous community service agencies. As the Hope congregation continued to grow, the sanctuary at Young United became full and indicated the need for a larger venue. This was in the Thomson Funeral Home, located just across Broadway street. In 2019 this provided a much larger auditorium/sanctuary within the same neighborhood. The church office remained at Crossways in Common.

A major concern in Hope's formation was congregational leadership. It initially decided that it would not hire a pastor. Instead, the gifts of various persons in the congregation would be exercised in preaching, leading worship, and pastoral care. A committee in charge of pastoral care was in place for some years. However, in the mid-1990s there developed a growing desire to call a pastor. One member served as part-time Interim Pastor for one year at the end of the 1990s. Then, after numerous meetings both in small groups and as a whole, it was decided to call a pastor for a three-year “pilot project.” It identified a pastor within our congregation and has not looked back since.

Small groups have always been important in the life of Hope Mennonite Church. Early on, every adherent was encouraged to join a small group for fellowship, study, pastoral care and processing congregational decisions. In recent years, some small groups have been formed around themes and activities such as “faith and film”; connecting scripture and life; the Enneagram; and eating together.

Bibliography

"An Insider's History of Hope Mennonite Church." Hope Mennonite Church. Web. 22 June 2021. https://hopemennonite.ca/history. http://covenantmennonitechurch.ca/history/.

Ens, Anna. In Search of Unity: Story of the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba. Winnipeg, Man.: CMBC Publications, 1996: 204.

Klassen-Wiebe, Nicolien. "Hope Mennonite Church navigates growing numbers." Canadian Mennonite 23, no. 7 (27 March 2019). https://canadianmennonite.org/stories/hope-mennonite-church-navigates-growing-numbers.

Mennonite Mirror (June 1988): 15.

Mennonite Reporter (25 June 1990): B4.

Additional Information

Address: 101-222 Furby St, Winnipeg, MB R3C 2A7

Meeting Place: 669 Broadway, Winnipeg, MB R3C 0X4

Telephone: 204-786-5077

Website: https://hopemennonite.ca/

Denominational Affiliations:

Mennonite Church Manitoba

Mennonite Church Canada

Pastoral Leaders at Hope Mennonite Church

Name Years
of Service
Dori Zerbe Cornelsen 2000-2007
Lynell Bergen 2009-present
Clare Schellenberg 2016-2017
Lisa Martens (Associate) 2018-2022
Ellis Hamm (Interim Associate) 2022-2023
Selenna Wolfe (Associate) 2023-present

Hope Mennonite Church Membership

Year Members
1995 42
2000 38
2020 104


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published June 2021

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Hope Mennonite Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. June 2021. Web. 9 Oct 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hope_Mennonite_Church_(Winnipeg,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=176027.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (June 2021). Hope Mennonite Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 9 October 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hope_Mennonite_Church_(Winnipeg,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=176027.




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