Bethel Mennonite Church (Langley, British Columbia, Canada)
The congregation has been affiliated with the Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia (1936- ), Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1937- ) and General Conference Mennonite Church (1938- ). The language of worship is English and German; the transition from German occurred in the 1950s. In 1950 there were 147 members; in 1965, 267; in 1975, 273; in 1985, 289; in 1995, 263; in 2000 274.
The congregation began services in 1934, and formally organized in 1936. The first building was occupied in 1937 and expanded in 1944 and 1948 with a subsequent building program in 1957. Heinrich H. Dueck and Aron J. Janzen are considered the founding leaders of the group. The congregation originated through colonization from the Prairies.
The congregation was known as Coghlan Mennonite Church before 1951. In 1939 Coghlan Bible School, the first Bible school in BC, was begun at the church by N. W. Bahnmann. The school was later moved to Abbotsford and became Bethel Bible Institute.
The leaders of the congregation have been: Heinrich H. Dueck (1935-1969), Nicolai W. Bahnmann (1935-1944), Aron J. Janzen (1935-1985), Jacob Siemens (1943-1948), Johannes Regier (1946-1956), Richard Friesen (1947-1964), Johann Görtz (1949-1952), Jacob Bärg (1950-1952), Nickolai N. Friesen (1955-1995), John H. Neufeld (1963-1969), Rudy Goerzen (1966-1974), Peter Retzlaff (1976-1984), John Friesen (1985-1990), Peter Bartel (1990-1997), and George Hoeppner (1998- ).Pastors have been salaried since 1966.
24687 56th Ave., Langley, BC, V2Z 1B9. (604) 856-8454.
Bibliography
Bethel Mennonite Church 1936-1980, Aldergrove, B.C. Altona, Man.: D.W.Friesen, 1980.
Bethel Mennonite Church, 1980-1986. 1987.
Canadian Mennonite (14 June 1957): 3; (24 November 1961): 25
Churches in Profile. Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia, 1978: 7-11.
"History of Bethel Mennonite of Aldergrove," Research paper, CMBC, 1983, 32 pp. MHC.
Mennonite Encyclopedia. "Coghlan."
Mennonite Reporter (12 July 1982): 9; (13 October 1986): 20.
Microfilmed records at Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Warkentin, Mary. "The Bethel Mennonite Church, Aldergrove, British Columbia," Research paper, CMBC, 1958, 8 pp.
Additional Information
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To cite this page:
MLA style: Epp, Marlene. "Bethel Mennonite Church (Langley, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 1988. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 13 May 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/B4866.html>
APA style: Epp, Marlene. (January 1988). "Bethel Mennonite Church (Langley, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 13 May 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/B4866.html>
