Mountain Park Church (Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada)
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, which led to a loss of members. Part of the revisioning process 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 |
Map
Map:Mountain Park Church (Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada)
| 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. 19 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mountain_Park_Church_(Niagara_Falls,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=156027.
APA style
Steiner, Sam. (February 2017). Mountain Park Church (Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mountain_Park_Church_(Niagara_Falls,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=156027.
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