Central Heights Church Source: David Giesbrecht

Central Heights Church began when the South Abbotsford Mennonite Brethren Church became overcrowded and the membership decided to establish a daughter church, which was then called the Abbotsford Mennonite Brethren Church, later named Central Heights Mennonite Brethren Church (1966), and, subsequently, Central Heights Church (1991). Organization of the new church took place in January 1950, when 197 members transferred from South Abbotsford to the new congregation. Henry H. Nikkel is considered the founding leader of the group.

Land for the new church was acquired from Henry Hooge and in the summer of 1949 construction began on a sanctuary. By 1 January 1950, with the help of volunteers, the basement was completed and the congregation had a place to meet. On 6 April 1951 the upper sanctuary was completed.

Many additions were made to the church sanctuary as it grew.  On 20 March 1966 a second sanctuary (now Nikkel Hall) was completed, and the congregation changed its name to Central Heights Mennonite Brethren Church.  In 1967, renovations to convert the 1950 sanctuary into a Christian education building were completed.  In 1974 an overflow area for the sanctuary was built as well as a gymnasium, and in 1979 a two-story education wing was completed. A new 1578 capacity sanctuary was completed in 1985.

Over the years Central Heights has played a role in the planting of other Mennonite Brethren congregations in the Abbotsford area. Northview Community Church had a number of founding members who came from Central Heights when it started in 1980. In 1991, the congregation experienced a division over leadership styles, and a number of families left with the pastor, Herb Neufeld, to start Mountain Park Community Church. October 1999, Northside Community Church in Mission was helped with its start-up by Central Heights families. In June of 2000 a Korean church began holding services at Central Heights.

Central Heights has a contemporary service in English. When services first began they were bilingual while evening services were in English. Central Heights was the first Mennonite Brethren church in the Fraser Valley to use English in its services. By 1959 the services were all English.

Bibliography

Additional Information

Address: 1661 McCallum Rd., Abbotsford, BC  V2S 3M4

Phone: 604-852-1001

Church website: Central Heights Church

Denominational Affiliations:

British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1950-present)

Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1950-present)

Central Heights Church Leading Ministers

Minister	Years
Henry H. Nikkel	1950-1960
Abram H. Wieler	1960-1962
Nick J. Dyck	1962-1973
Rudy Boschman	1973-1985
Herb Neufeld	1986-1988
Nick J. Dyck (interim)	1989
Al McVety (interim)	1990
Peter Unrau	1991-1996
Christopher Douglas	1998-present

Central Heights Church Membership

Year	Members
1950	213
1955	275
1960	251
1965	203
1971	314
1975	475
1980	754
1985	835
1990	1079
1995	1014
2000	965
2004	1034

©1996-2009 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

MLA style: Klix, Waylon and Andrew Klager. "Central Heights Church (Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2009. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 22 November 2009 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/C45887.html>

APA style: Klix, Waylon and Andrew Klager. (November 2009). "Central Heights Church (Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 22 November 2009 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/C45887.html>