Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship, Interior
Source: MCBC

Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship (PGIMF) was begun by individuals interested in creating an inter-Mennonite congregation west of Main Street that could relate to Vancouver’s university students. The fellowship first met in September 1986. Known as the Point Grey Fellowship (PGF), they rented the chapel of The Menno Simons Centre, a former convent that had recently been purchased by The Pacific Centre for Discipleship to serve as a residence for Mennonite and Christian university students. The initial PGF attendees came from three Mennonite traditions: Mennonite Brethren, General Conference, and Mennonite Church.

The small fellowship, which has always worked by consensus, was lay-led (1986-1988), when Palmer Becker was invited to serve from 1988 to 1991 as the fellowship’s part-time pastor and as part-time University Chaplain (supported by the Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia). Following the unexpected departure of the fellowship’s second pastor, Murray Phillips, in 1991, PGF once again became lay-led (1991-present).

Point Grey Fellowship was accepted for full membership in the British Columbia Conference of the Mennonite Brethren (MB) Churches in 1987. After it was granted associate membership in the Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia (now Mennonite Church British Columbia) in 1992, PGF changed its name to Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship in 1993. Later changes to conference polity permitted the fellowship’s full membership in both conferences, making it one of very few dual-affiliated MB / MC congregations in North America.

Relying solely on volunteers to coordinate and create worship services, lead music and administer, the fellowship’s speakers come either from within or from other congregations, church agencies and seminaries. A pastoral care committee coordinates care giving. The fellowship’s creative worship services typically include four-part hymn singing, extensive scripture readings from the lectionary, children's features, the sharing of concerns and congregational prayers, and talks followed by 15 minutes of open responses. Since many attendees commute, PGIMF relies on weekly coffee hours, a book-study group, monthly potlucks, and informally-formed lunch groups to help to create a sense of community.

The fellowship celebrates its Anabaptist spiritual heritage, its love of music and singing, its keen interest in the visual arts (the chapel is also an art gallery), its opportunities for students and laity to give sermons and participate however they wish, and its extended discussions during which ideas from the morning’s meditation are related to things being read or to life as it is being experienced. The fellowship intentionally does not own property, and nearly 70% of its annual budget goes to support outside activities, the various conferences, missions, Mennonite Central Committee, and similar charities.

In 2020 Menno Simons Centre was sold, and the last worship service at that location was held on 15 March 2020. This corresponded with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Folliwng the sale, services were held via Zoom, and eventually occasional in-person worship services were held in rented facilities.

On 15 August 2022, Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship was granted a release from membership in the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. Point Grey had requested a release, stating in a letter to the conference that "Given the . . . requirement that every church be led by a pastor (or designated leader), we acknowledge that we are not aligned with the bylaws and polity of the MB Conference. We have therefore decided to request to voluntarily withdraw from the BC Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches . . . ."

Bibliography

Canadian Mennonite (2 November 1965): 13; (9 August 1966): 9; (14 March 1967): 3; (14 November 1967): 3.

Mennonite Brethren Herald (27 May 1988): 20; (1 May 1992): 18.

Mennonites in Canada files, "1960-British Columbia," Mennonite Archives of Ontario.

Neufeld, Henry. "Point Grey Leaves MBs: The Fellowship's Ties to MC B.C. Remain." Canadian Mennonite. 9 November 2022. Web. 13 December 2022. https://canadianmennonite.org/stories/point-grey-leaves-mbs.

Additional Information

Address: 4000 W. 11th Ave., Vancouver, BC V6R 2L3

Phone: 604-228-8911

Web site: www.pgimf.org

Denominational Affiliations:

British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1987-2022)

Mennonite Church British Columbia (1992-present)

Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1987-2022)

Mennonite Church Canada (1992-present)

General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1987-2002)

Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship Membership

Year	Members	Attendance
1995	49
2000	54
2005	55
2010	49
2015	54	34
2020	67	50

Maps

Map:Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship (Vancouver, BC)

Author(s)	Andre Pekovich
	Evan Kreider
	Janice Krieder
Date Published	January 2024

Cite This Article

MLA style

Pekovich, Andre, Evan Kreider and Janice Krieder. "Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2024. Web. 23 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Point_Grey_Inter-Mennonite_Fellowship_(Vancouver,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=178146.

APA style

Pekovich, Andre, Evan Kreider and Janice Krieder. (January 2024). Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 23 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Point_Grey_Inter-Mennonite_Fellowship_(Vancouver,_British_Columbia,_Canada)&oldid=178146.

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