Central Mennonite Brethren Church (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada)
Central Mennonite Brethren Church (formerly known as Saskatoon Mennonite Brethren Church), located in Saskatoon, SK, began in 1927, when members gathered for worship under the leadership of Peter Funk. As more Mennonite Brethren moved into the city from rural Saskatchewan a congregation was organized in 1932 under the leadership of Gerhard Penner, which met for services in a Baptist church. The first church was built on the corner of Avenue C and 25th Street West in 1935, and H. S. Rempel became the leader of the city mission and also of the congregation. As the work grew the congregation was separated from the mission and a new church was built in 1954 on the corner of Avenue C and 33rd Street. This building was moved to the present location in 1966. An education wing as added at the same time.
In 1957 there were 302 members; in 1965, 296; in 1985, 209; in 1992, 140. The congregation dissolved in 1993. It had been affiliated with the Saskatchewan Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches and the General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. The language of worship was English; the transition from German occurred in the 1950s.
Leaders have been G.H. Penner (1932-1934), Peter Funk (1934-1936, 1949-1951), H.S. Rempel (1936-1944), H.H. Epp (1946), P.J. Harder (1947-1949), Art Martens (1952-1956), George L. Braun (1957-1962), Eugene Gerbrandt (1962-1968), Henry J. Harder (1968-1973), Harold Block (1985?-1988), Dallas Clausen (1988) and Arnold Fehderau (1989-1993).
An aging membership and decreasing numbers led to the closing of the church in 1993. A new church was founded in 1994 named Hope Fellowship Church. Its leaders have been Abe Unrau (1994), Dale Wuschke (1996), and Terry Froese (1997- ).
Location: 809 32nd St. W., Saskatoon.
Bibliography
Mennonite Encyclopedia, "Saskatoon."
Mennonite Observer (1 December 1959): 1.
Mennonite Brethren Herald (27 August 1993): 17-19.
Toews, John A. A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church: Pilgrims and Pioneers. 1975: 163.
Penner, Peter. No Longer at Arm's Length: Mennonite Brethren Church Planting in Canada. 1987, 178 pp.
Church records on microfilm at Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies.
Additional Information
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 427. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.
©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.
To cite this page:
MLA style: Epp, J. H. and Sam Steiner. "Central Mennonite Brethren Church (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. October 2006. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 05 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/C459.html>
APA style: Epp, J. H. and Sam Steiner. (October 2006). "Central Mennonite Brethren Church (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 05 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/C459.html>
