Difference between revisions of "Mountain Park Church (Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada)"

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The Niagara Falls Christian Fellowship began services in 1975 in rented facilities.  These facilities and family homes served as meeting places.  In 1978 the congregation was officially organized with 16 charter members. The first building was occupied in 1979 with a subsequent building program in 1990. [[Baerg, William George "Willie" (1911-1984)|Willie Baerg]] is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through outreach by the [[Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches|Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches]].
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The Mountain Park Church began as a house church of six to 10 people led by [[Baerg, William George "Willie" (1911-1984)|Willie and Margaret Baerg]], a missionary couple who had spent many years in [[Africa]]. The congregation decided to name their new church "Niagara Falls Christian Fellowship Church." The first public service was held in Martha Cullimore School in December 1975. In 1978 the congregation was officially organized with 16 charter members.
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In 1979 the congregation and the [[Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches|Ontario Mennonite Brethren Conference]] purchased land on Mountain Road, and its first building, which seated 120 people, was dedicated on 28 October 1979. A second phase was built in 1984, and a third phase was dedicated on 27 May 1990 and included a sanctuary able to seat 550.
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The 1990s saw a transition to contemporary styles of services and to leadership models that included women along with men. 
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The church went through difficult times in the later 1990s and early 2000s. Part of the revisioning for the congregation included a name change in 2002 to Mountain Park Church. Remodeling and updating of the facility took place during this time as well, and the church began to rent space to outside groups, like a licensed preschool and counselling services.
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In 2017 the congregation's mission statement was: "Mountain Park Church exists to help people become: Reproducing Mature Passionate Christ-Followers."
 
= Bibliography =
 
= Bibliography =
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''Mennonite Brethren Herald'' (27 May 1988): 51; (24 August 1990): 22; (8 June 2001): [http://old.mbherald.com/40-12/personalia.html http://old.mbherald.com/40-12/personalia.html] (accessed 9 November 2009).
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''Mennonite Brethren Herald'' (27 May 1988): 51; (24 August 1990): 22; (8 June 2001).
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"Our Story." Mountain Park Church. 2016. Web. 7 February 2017. http://www.mountainparkchurch.ca/about-us.
 
= Additional Information =
 
= Additional Information =
 
'''Address''': 6970 Mountain Rd., R.R. 1, Niagara Falls, ON, L2E 6S4
 
'''Address''': 6970 Mountain Rd., R.R. 1, Niagara Falls, ON, L2E 6S4
  
 
'''Phone''': 905-374-2911
 
'''Phone''': 905-374-2911
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'''Website''': http://www.mountainparkchurch.ca/
  
 
'''Denominational Affiliations''':
 
'''Denominational Affiliations''':
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[http://www.onmb.org/ Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches]
  
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[[Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches]] (1975-present)
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[http://www.mennonitebrethren.ca/ Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches]
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[[Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches|Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches]] (1975-present)
 
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[[General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches]] (1975-2002)
 
  
 
==Mountain Park Church Leading Ministers==
 
==Mountain Park Church Leading Ministers==
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| Herman Plett ||  align="right" | 2001-present
 
| Herman Plett ||  align="right" | 2001-present
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|-
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| Matt Unruh<br/> (associate) ||  align="right" | 2012-present
 
|}
 
|}
 
==Mountain Park Church Membership==
 
==Mountain Park Church Membership==
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| 2010 ||  align="right" | 81
 
| 2010 ||  align="right" | 81
 
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=February 2017|a1_last=Steiner|a1_first=Sam|a2_last= |a2_first= }}
 
[[Category:Churches]]
 
[[Category:Churches]]
 
[[Category:Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches Congregations]]

Revision as of 19:59, 7 February 2017

The Mountain Park Church began as a house church of six to 10 people led by Willie and Margaret Baerg, a missionary couple who had spent many years in Africa. The congregation decided to name their new church "Niagara Falls Christian Fellowship Church." The first public service was held in Martha Cullimore School in December 1975. In 1978 the congregation was officially organized with 16 charter members.

In 1979 the congregation and the Ontario Mennonite Brethren Conference purchased land on Mountain Road, and its first building, which seated 120 people, was dedicated on 28 October 1979. A second phase was built in 1984, and a third phase was dedicated on 27 May 1990 and included a sanctuary able to seat 550.

The 1990s saw a transition to contemporary styles of services and to leadership models that included women along with men.

The church went through difficult times in the later 1990s and early 2000s. Part of the revisioning for the congregation included a name change in 2002 to Mountain Park Church. Remodeling and updating of the facility took place during this time as well, and the church began to rent space to outside groups, like a licensed preschool and counselling services.

In 2017 the congregation's mission statement was: "Mountain Park Church exists to help people become: Reproducing Mature Passionate Christ-Followers."

Bibliography

Mennonite Brethren Herald (27 May 1988): 51; (24 August 1990): 22; (8 June 2001).

"Our Story." Mountain Park Church. 2016. Web. 7 February 2017. http://www.mountainparkchurch.ca/about-us.

Additional Information

Address: 6970 Mountain Rd., R.R. 1, Niagara Falls, ON, L2E 6S4

Phone: 905-374-2911

Website: http://www.mountainparkchurch.ca/

Denominational Affiliations: Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

Mountain Park Church Leading Ministers

Minister Years
Willie Baerg 1975-1977
Richard Hill 1978-1981
Henry Wiebe 1982-1994
Rudy Bartel 1995
Stephen Mortley 1996-2001
Herman Plett 2001-present
Matt Unruh
(associate)		 2012-present

Mountain Park Church Membership

Year Members
1975 25
1985 118
1995 196
2000 165
2010 81


Author(s) Sam Steiner
Date Published February 2017

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Sam. "Mountain Park Church (Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. February 2017. Web. 1 May 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mountain_Park_Church_(Niagara_Falls,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=147153.

APA style

Steiner, Sam. (February 2017). Mountain Park Church (Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 1 May 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mountain_Park_Church_(Niagara_Falls,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=147153.



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