Victory Fellowship Mennonite Brethren Church (Waterloo, Quebec, Canada)
The beginnings of Victory Fellowship Mennonite Brethren Church in Waterloo, Quebec can be traced to 1972, when workers from Canadian Sunday School Mission (CCSM) began Sunday School services in the local Elementary School in Waterloo, Quebec. James Carter, the leader of the CSSM, felt that there needed to be a church established in the area. During the summer of 1974, a group of Mennonite students from Columbia Bible Institute in Abbotsford, British Columbia explained Mennonite Brethren and Anabaptist distinctives in the Sunday school programs they were running in the church. These distinctives resonated with the group, and Carter offered the work in Waterloo to the Mennonite Brethren. On 15 June 1975 a membership service was held and 21 members voted unanimously to request admission into the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.
George and Ruth Wiens from Linden, Alberta filled the pastoral responsibilities on 1 September 1977. Services continued to take place in the Waterloo Elementary School and other events such as Bible study, youth group and meetings, took place in the Wiens’ home. George had a very community-focused ministry, and it was under his leadership that the annual Corn Boil and the Victory Fellowship banquet began.
In July 1977 David and Ruth Taylor assumed pastoral responsibilities. The church began to look for a new meeting place and settled upon the Gospel Recordings of Canada building in Knowlton, Québec This facility offered enough space to hold Sunday morning services, which began there 1 November 1977. There were 9 people who were baptized during Taylor’s ministry.
In June 1979, Rod and Julia Zook arrived and assumed the pastoral position for Victory Fellowship. On 30 June 1980 a baptism was held and three people were added to the church. In February 1980, Gospel Recordings of Canada relocated from the area along with many members of Victory Fellowship. However Fred and Mary Penner stayed behind to help with the ministry.
On 12 September 1981, Victory Fellowship decided to form two Sunday morning worship groups to meet in Waterloo and Cowansville, Québec respectively. In January 1983, arrangements were made with a United Church in Waterloo, Québec for the rental of their facilities. In 1985 there were 17 members.
The church closed down in 1989, due to the lack of members attending. The language of worship was English.
Bibliography
Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies. "Victory Fellowship MB Church." Web. 19 September 2010. http://www.mbconf.ca/home/products_and_services/resources/published_genealogies/mb_provincial_conferences_and_church_congregation_records/quebec_archives/victory_fellowship_mennonite_brethren_church_archives/.
Mennonite Brethren Herald (27 May 1988): 59.
"Victory Fellowship: the First Ten Years." Mennonite Brethren Historical Society Newsletter (December 1981).
Archival Records
Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies, Winnipeg, MB: Volume 576.
Additional Information
Denominational Affiliations:
Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1975-1989)
General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1975-1989)
Victory Fellowship Church Ministers
| Minister | Years |
|---|---|
| George Wiens | 1975-1977 |
| David Taylor | 1978 |
| Rod Zook | 1979-1983 |
| Pierre Gilbert | 1984-1985 |
| Fred Sommerville | 1986-1989 |
| Author(s) | Richard D Thiessen |
|---|---|
| Date Published | September 2010 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Thiessen, Richard D. "Victory Fellowship Mennonite Brethren Church (Waterloo, Quebec, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. September 2010. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Victory_Fellowship_Mennonite_Brethren_Church_(Waterloo,_Quebec,_Canada)&oldid=167849.
APA style
Thiessen, Richard D. (September 2010). Victory Fellowship Mennonite Brethren Church (Waterloo, Quebec, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Victory_Fellowship_Mennonite_Brethren_Church_(Waterloo,_Quebec,_Canada)&oldid=167849.
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