Springstein Mennonite Church (Springstein, Manitoba, Canada)

The Springstein Mennonite Church began services in 1924 as a group of recent immigrants from the Soviet Union who took up farming around the towns of Oak Bluff and Springstein in Manitoba. The town of Springstein quickly became a favourite meeting place, because it had a school and was located on the main railway line, on which Aeltester J.P. Klassen could travel regularly to provide worship services. Thus, the worshiping group at Springstein became a part of the Schoenwieser Mennonite Church group, an association which lasted until 1939. The Mennonite Brethren families worshipped with them until the first building project began.

Springstein Mennonite Church completed its first church building 1938. The congregation was then formally organized on 17 October 1938. Minister William H. Enns, their founding leader, was ordained as Aeltester (bishop) in 1941 and served the congregation until 1965. The congregation grew as transportation improvement and families from greater distances could attend. When the Starbuck Mennonite church dissolved, its remaining members joined Springstein. The original building was enlarged to double its original size in 1959. The transition from German to English occurred in the 1960s.

Springstein Mennonite Church is probably best known for its leadership in the founding and development of Camp Assiniboine near Headingly in 1949. They were also a part of the group which founded the Canadian Mennonite Bible College in the 1947, which later became the Canadian Mennonite University. Members from Springstein were active on committees in Mennonite Church Manitoba and Mennonite Church Canada.

Bibliography

Canadian Mennonite (22 August 1958): 8.

Deininger, Margot. "The Historical Development of the Springstein Mennonite Church." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1985, 15 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.

Dyck, J. P. Das 25-Jaehrige Jubilaeum der Springsteiner Mennoniten-Gemeinde, 1938-1963. Springstein: Springstein Mennonite Church, 1963, 60 pp.

Additional Information

Address: Box 38, Springstein MB R0G 2N0; located at 22 Victoria Road, Springstein, Manitoba

Telephone: 204-735-2758

Denominational Affiliations:

Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba / Mennonite Church Manitoba

Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1939-present)

General Conference Mennonite Church (1947-1999)

Springstein Mennonite Church Ministers

Minister	Years of Service
Wilhelm Enns	1930-1940 1941-1965
Rudy Goerzen	1948-1966
Gerhard Peters	1966-1971
Henry Neufeld	1971-1973
Ervin Siemens	1973-1974
Bruno Epp	1974-1977
Ernest Wiebe	1977-1981
Albert Durksen	1981-1989
Ernie Hildebrand	1990-1993
Elizabeth and Don Plett	1994-1999
Kathy Giesbrecht	1998-2005
Al Rempel	2001
Erwin Kroeker	2002-2007
Steve Plenert	2005-2009
Melissa Miller	2007-present

Springstein Mennonite Church Membership

Year	Members
1950	156
1965	202
1975	159
1985	194
1995	185
2000	129

Author(s)	Alf Redekopp
	William H. Enns
Date Published	November 2015

Cite This Article

MLA style

Redekopp, Alf and William H. Enns. "Springstein Mennonite Church (Springstein, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2015. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Springstein_Mennonite_Church_(Springstein,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=132802.

APA style

Redekopp, Alf and William H. Enns. (November 2015). Springstein Mennonite Church (Springstein, Manitoba, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Springstein_Mennonite_Church_(Springstein,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=132802.

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