Difference between revisions of "Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church (Matsqui, British Columbia, Canada)"

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__FORCETOC__
 
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[[File:MatsquiMBChurch1950.jpg|400px|thumbnail|''Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church, 1949-1950.<br />
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[[File:MatsquiMBChurch1950.jpg|400px|thumbnail|''Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church, 1950.<br />
 
Creator: Henry J. Wiens (1885-1975)<br />
 
Creator: Henry J. Wiens (1885-1975)<br />
 
Digitized by Hiebert Library. [http://callimachus.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15008coll27/id/23/rec/121 Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies]''.]]
 
Digitized by Hiebert Library. [http://callimachus.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15008coll27/id/23/rec/121 Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies]''.]]
Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church was founded in 1945 at Matsqui village and the members first met in a converted farmhouse. [[Rempel, Abram D. (1889-1971)|Abram D. Rempel]] is considered to be the founding leader of this group that numbered 71 members at the outset. The congregation originated through division from [[South Abbotsford Church (Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada)|South Abbotsford Mennonite Brethren]] due to the distance of some members from the church. At first the church met in a home but construction soon began on a sanctuary. However, before construction was completed, the building was damaged by the 1948 flood. During this time the congregation met at the Abbotsford airport. The sanctuary was completed in 1950 and dedicated on 12 March 1950. In January 1959 the church burned and a new church was built and completed in 1960.
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[[File:MatsquiMBChurch.jpg|400px|thumbnail|right|''Matsqui MB Church, ca. 1966.<br />
 +
Source: [http://www.thereach.ca/photo/p19725-2 The Reach P19725]''.]]
 +
Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church was founded in 1945 at Matsqui village and the members first met in a converted farmhouse. [[Rempel, Abram D. (1889-1971)|Abram D. Rempel]] is considered to be the founding leader of this group that numbered 71 members at the outset. The congregation originated through division from [[South Abbotsford Church (Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada)|South Abbotsford Mennonite Brethren]] due to the distance of some members from the church. At first the church met in a home but construction soon began on a sanctuary. A ground breaking ceremony was held on 8 May 1947. However, before construction was completed, the building was damaged by the 1948 flood. During this time the congregation met at the Abbotsford airport. The sanctuary was completed in 1950 and dedicated on 12 March 1950. In January 1959 the church burned and a new church was built and completed in 1960.
  
 
Membership in the church grew from the original 71 at the organizational meeting on 21 May 1945 to it highest point of 200 in 1955 and stood at 117 in 1975. The church was strongly involved in Christian education and in outreach to the surrounding area and some communities north of the Fraser River. Sunday school was conducted in the village of Matsqui and chapels were constructed at Silverdale and McConnell Creek. As the congregation aged, older members retired and sold their dairy farms in the area, and younger generations chose to live and work in more urban settings. The church voted to dissolve on 23 September 1975 and the building was sold to a Baptist congregation.
 
Membership in the church grew from the original 71 at the organizational meeting on 21 May 1945 to it highest point of 200 in 1955 and stood at 117 in 1975. The church was strongly involved in Christian education and in outreach to the surrounding area and some communities north of the Fraser River. Sunday school was conducted in the village of Matsqui and chapels were constructed at Silverdale and McConnell Creek. As the congregation aged, older members retired and sold their dairy farms in the area, and younger generations chose to live and work in more urban settings. The church voted to dissolve on 23 September 1975 and the building was sold to a Baptist congregation.
 
= Bibliography =
 
= Bibliography =
<em>Canadian Mennonite</em> (16 January 1959): 1; (4 September 1959): 8; (11 December 1959): 1; (24 November 1961): 24.
+
''Canadian Mennonite'' (16 January 1959): 1; (4 September 1959): 8; (11 December 1959): 1; (24 November 1961): 24.
  
 
Klassen, A. J., ed. <em>The Church in the Heart of the Valley: 1892-1992</em>. Abbotsford, BC: Matsqui-Abbotsford Ministerial Association, 1992: 79-80.
 
Klassen, A. J., ed. <em>The Church in the Heart of the Valley: 1892-1992</em>. Abbotsford, BC: Matsqui-Abbotsford Ministerial Association, 1992: 79-80.
Line 14: Line 16:
 
Klassen, Betty Suderman, comp. <em>Memories of Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church 1945-1975</em>. Abbotsford, BC: Elizabeth G. Klassen, 2007.
 
Klassen, Betty Suderman, comp. <em>Memories of Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church 1945-1975</em>. Abbotsford, BC: Elizabeth G. Klassen, 2007.
  
<em>Mennonite Brethren Herald</em> (11 September 1992): 14.
+
''Mennonite Brethren Herald'' (11 September 1992): 14.
  
<em>Mennonite Reporter</em> (7 September 1992): 12.
+
''Mennonite Reporter'' (7 September 1992): 12.
 
= Additional Information =
 
= Additional Information =
<strong>Address</strong>: 5525 Gladwin Road, Matsqui BC  V0X 1S0
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'''Address''': 5525 Gladwin Road, Matsqui BC  V0X 1S0
  
<strong>Denominational Affiliations:</strong>
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'''Denominational Affiliations:'''
  
 
<span class="link-external">[http://www.bcmb.org/ British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches]</span> (1945-1975)
 
<span class="link-external">[http://www.bcmb.org/ British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches]</span> (1945-1975)
Line 27: Line 29:
  
 
[[General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches|General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches of North America]] (1945-1975)
 
[[General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches|General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches of North America]] (1945-1975)
 +
=== Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church Leading Ministers ===
 +
                                     
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
!Minister
 +
!Years
 +
|-
 +
|[[Rempel, Abram D. (1889-1971)|Abram D. Rempel]]
 +
|1945-1949
 +
|-
 +
|George A. Konrad
 +
|1949-1955
 +
|-
 +
|John F. Klassen
 +
|1955-1957
 +
|-
 +
|Henry H. Neufeld
 +
|1957-1963
 +
|-
 +
|Alwin P. Wiebe
 +
|1963-1965
 +
|-
 +
|Julius J. Kasper
 +
|1966-1969
 +
|-
 +
|Jake Thielmann (interim)
 +
|1970
 +
|-
 +
|Leo Siemens
 +
|1970-1975
 +
|}
  
<h3>Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church Leading Ministers</h3>
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=== Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church Membership ===
<table class="vertical listing">
+
                                 
<tr> <th>Minister</th> <th>Years</th> </tr>
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
<tr> <td>[[Rempel, Abram D. (1889-1971)|Abram D. Rempel]]</td> <td align="right">1945-1949</td> </tr>
+
|-
<tr> <td>George A. Konrad</td> <td align="right">1949-1955</td> </tr>
+
!Year
<tr> <td>John F. Klassen</td> <td align="right">1955-1957</td> </tr>
+
!Members
<tr> <td>Henry H. Neufeld</td> <td align="right">1957-1963</td> </tr>
+
|-
<tr> <td>Alwin P. Wiebe</td> <td align="right">1963-1965</td> </tr>
+
|1945
<tr> <td>Julius J. Kasper</td> <td align="right">1966-1969</td> </tr>
+
|90
<tr> <td>Jake Thielmann (interim)</td> <td align="right">1970</td> </tr>
+
|-
<tr> <td>Leo Siemens</td> <td align="right">1970-1975</td> </tr>
+
|1950
</table>
+
|182
<h3>Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church Membership</h3>
+
|-
<table class="vertical listing">
+
|1955
<tr> <th>Year</th> <th>Members</th> </tr>
+
|200
<tr> <td>1945</td> <td align="right">90</td> </tr>
+
|-
<tr> <td>1950</td> <td align="right">182</td> </tr>
+
|1960
<tr> <td>1955</td> <td align="right"> 200</td> </tr>
+
|146
<tr> <td>1960</td> <td align="right">146</td> </tr>
+
|-
<tr> <td>1965</td> <td align="right">118</td> </tr>
+
|1965
<tr> <td>1970</td> <td align="right">100</td> </tr>
+
|118
<tr> <td>1975</td> <td align="right">117</td> </tr>
+
|-
</table>
+
|1970
 +
|100
 +
|-
 +
|1975
 +
|117
 +
|}
 
{{GAMEO_footer-3|hp=Vol. 3, p. 538|date=November 2009|a1_last=Konrad|a1_first=Gerhard A.|a2_last=Friesen|a2_first=Hugo|a3_last=Thiessen|a3_first=Richard D.}}
 
{{GAMEO_footer-3|hp=Vol. 3, p. 538|date=November 2009|a1_last=Konrad|a1_first=Gerhard A.|a2_last=Friesen|a2_first=Hugo|a3_last=Thiessen|a3_first=Richard D.}}
 
[[Category:Churches]]
 
[[Category:Churches]]

Latest revision as of 19:54, 26 October 2017

Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church, 1950.
Creator: Henry J. Wiens (1885-1975)
Digitized by Hiebert Library. Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies
.
Matsqui MB Church, ca. 1966.
Source: The Reach P19725
.

Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church was founded in 1945 at Matsqui village and the members first met in a converted farmhouse. Abram D. Rempel is considered to be the founding leader of this group that numbered 71 members at the outset. The congregation originated through division from South Abbotsford Mennonite Brethren due to the distance of some members from the church. At first the church met in a home but construction soon began on a sanctuary. A ground breaking ceremony was held on 8 May 1947. However, before construction was completed, the building was damaged by the 1948 flood. During this time the congregation met at the Abbotsford airport. The sanctuary was completed in 1950 and dedicated on 12 March 1950. In January 1959 the church burned and a new church was built and completed in 1960.

Membership in the church grew from the original 71 at the organizational meeting on 21 May 1945 to it highest point of 200 in 1955 and stood at 117 in 1975. The church was strongly involved in Christian education and in outreach to the surrounding area and some communities north of the Fraser River. Sunday school was conducted in the village of Matsqui and chapels were constructed at Silverdale and McConnell Creek. As the congregation aged, older members retired and sold their dairy farms in the area, and younger generations chose to live and work in more urban settings. The church voted to dissolve on 23 September 1975 and the building was sold to a Baptist congregation.

Bibliography

Canadian Mennonite (16 January 1959): 1; (4 September 1959): 8; (11 December 1959): 1; (24 November 1961): 24.

Klassen, A. J., ed. The Church in the Heart of the Valley: 1892-1992. Abbotsford, BC: Matsqui-Abbotsford Ministerial Association, 1992: 79-80.

Klassen, Betty Suderman, comp. Memories of Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church 1945-1975. Abbotsford, BC: Elizabeth G. Klassen, 2007.

Mennonite Brethren Herald (11 September 1992): 14.

Mennonite Reporter (7 September 1992): 12.

Additional Information

Address: 5525 Gladwin Road, Matsqui BC  V0X 1S0

Denominational Affiliations:

British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1945-1975)

Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1945-1975)

General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches of North America (1945-1975)

Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church Leading Ministers

Minister Years
Abram D. Rempel 1945-1949
George A. Konrad 1949-1955
John F. Klassen 1955-1957
Henry H. Neufeld 1957-1963
Alwin P. Wiebe 1963-1965
Julius J. Kasper 1966-1969
Jake Thielmann (interim) 1970
Leo Siemens 1970-1975

Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church Membership

Year Members
1945 90
1950 182
1955 200
1960 146
1965 118
1970 100
1975 117


Author(s) Gerhard A. Konrad
Hugo Friesen
Richard D. Thiessen
Date Published November 2009

Cite This Article

MLA style

Konrad, Gerhard A., Hugo Friesen and Richard D. Thiessen. "Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church (Matsqui, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2009. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Matsqui_Mennonite_Brethren_Church_(Matsqui,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=155491.

APA style

Konrad, Gerhard A., Hugo Friesen and Richard D. Thiessen. (November 2009). Matsqui Mennonite Brethren Church (Matsqui, British Columbia, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Matsqui_Mennonite_Brethren_Church_(Matsqui,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=155491.




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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 538. All rights reserved.


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