Aberdeen Mennonite Church (Aberdeen, Saskatchewan, Canada)
The congregation began services and formally organized in 1907 as a branch of the Rosenorter Mennonite Church group in Saskatchewan. The first building was occupied in 1910. Cornelius C. Ens is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through colonization from rural Manitoba. During the first decade or so the congregation was served by various non-resident ministers of the Rosenorter Gemeinde. Jacob Nickel immigrated to Aberdeen in 1924 and remained their leader until 1937. During this time he also taught in the Bible School in Rosthern. The meeting house was moved onto a basement at the same site in 1939. The building was renovated in 1950 and again in 1964 and 1989. In 1962 the Rosenorter Gemeinde was dissolved and each congregation became independent. The membership was 103 in 1963. That figure remained fairly constant; in 2000 it was 102. Leaders of the congregation were: Cornelius Ens (1907-1915), Jacob Nickel (1924-1937), Peter Koop (1932-1946), Heinrich Neudorf (1932-1947), Bernhard Fast (1947-1955), Franz Koop (1951-1973), John Peters (1973-1976, 1983), John Kroeger (1977-1982; first salaried pastor), Verner Friesen (1984-1991), Rod Suderman (1992-1999), David Neufeld (2000- ).
In 1965 there were 107 members; in 1975, 87; in 1985, 107; in 1995, 113; in 2000, 102. The congregation has been affiliated with the Conference of Mennonites of Saskatchewan, Conference of Mennonites in Canada (1907-) and General Conference Mennonite Church. The language of worship is English; the transition from German occurred in the 1960s.
Bibliography
Aberdeen History Book. Edmonton, 1982: 35-37.
Mennonite Church Canada: Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives. "Aberdeen Mennonite Church." Accessed 27 April 2008. <http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/programs/archives/holdings/SK/SK_Aberdeen.htm>.
Mennonite Reporter (18 Sept. 1989): 11.
Rempel, J.G. Die Rosenorter Gemeinde in Saskatchewan. Rosthern, 1950.
Additional Information
Directory Information:
Location: 501 Rupert Rd., Aberdeen, SK, S0K 0A0.
Telephone: 306-253-4604.
©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.
To cite this page:
MLA style: Steiner, Sam and Richard D. Thiessen. "Aberdeen Mennonite Church (Aberdeen, Saskatchewan, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. April 2008. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 13 May 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/A24.html>
APA style: Steiner, Sam and Richard D. Thiessen. (April 2008). "Aberdeen Mennonite Church (Aberdeen, Saskatchewan, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 13 May 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/A24.html>
