Wellspring Worship Centre (North York, Ontario, Canada)
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| 189 Brunswick in 1997 was known as Bethel Chapel. Photo from Sherk, p. 18 |
The Wellspring Worship Centre (formerly Banfield Memorial Church), began services in 1897, and was the first Mennonite congregation in Toronto. The first building owned by the congregation was located at 189 Brunswick Ave. and was occupied from 1903-1943; the congregation then moved to 439 Vaughan Road from 1948-1967 and to the present location in 1968.
Noah Detweiler is considered the founding leader of the group. He held tent meetings on Spadina Avenue in September 1897. When the campaign closed he remained in Toronto, rented space in Broadway Hall at 450 Spadina Avenue and began regular Sunday and weekday services. From the beginning there was outreach to persons of non-Mennonite background, and services have always been held in English.
In 1975 there were 268 members; in 1985, 462; in 1995, 317. The congregation has been affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church (1897-1947), the United Missionary Church (1947-1969), the Missionary Church (1969-1993), and the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada, Canada East District (1993-). The language of worship is English. The name change came about 2006.
Bibliography
Sherk, F. Arthur. Keeping Faith: a Centennial History of Banfield Memorial Church. Willowdale, Ont. : Banfield Memorial Church, 1997.
Additional Information
Address: 89 Centre Avenue, North York (Toronto), Ontario
Phone: 416-223-3496
Website: Wellspring Worship Centre
Denominational Affiliation: Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 223. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.
©1996-2013 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.
MLA style: Huson, Frank G. and F. Arthur Sherk. "Wellspring Worship Centre (North York, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. October 1999. Web. 19 June 2013. http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/B361ME.html.
APA style: Huson, Frank G. and F. Arthur Sherk. (October 1999). Wellspring Worship Centre (North York, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 June 2013, from http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/B361ME.html.
