Clearbrook Mennonite Church Source: David Giesbrecht

In the late 1940s and early 1950s West Abbotsford Mennonite Church experienced significant growth. By 1952 the sanctuary was filled to capacity on many Sunday mornings. The congregation decided to build a daughter church in Clearbrook. Abraham H. Loeppky, owner of Clearbrook Realty and Insurance Agency, donated a lot on the corner of Clearbrook and Peardonville roads, which was accepted by the church on 17 March 1952. West Abbotsford agreed to help finance the new structure and to draw up a list of people from the church interested in starting a new church. Clearbrook Mennonite Church was formally organized on 8 December 1952 with 60 members. Abram I. Loewen, a minister at West Abbotsford, was the first minister of the church.

The membership decreased below 200 when in 1960, 52 people left to form a new English speaking church, Olivet Mennonite Church. The church, however, soon recovered and by 1963 had 213 members, though even at this time only 102 were less than sixty years of age. By 1972 almost 70% of the congregation was over 60 and by 1978 almost 95% of the members were retired. The church continued to attract older members moving into the Clearbrook area until the 1990s, when attendance began to decline.  There remains a strong emphasis on the German language.

Bibliography

Additional Information

Address: 32027 Peardonville Road, Abbotsford BC V2T 1M2

Phone: 604-859-4132

Denominational Affiliations:

Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia / Mennonite Church British Columbia (1952-present)

Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1953-present)

General Conference Mennonite Church (1954-1999)

Clearbrook Mennonite Leading Ministers

Clearbrook Mennonite Membership

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