Elmwood Mennonite Brethren Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
The congregation began services in 1907, and formally organized in 1913. The first building was occupied in 1911, with subsequent building programs in 1929 and 1954. Johann Warkentin is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through urbanization from rural Manitoba. Several persons from the Winkler area opened a city mission in Winnipeg in 1907 under the leadership of Johann Warkentin. The Northern District (Canadian) Conference took over the venture in 1913. The congregation had its own leading minister after 1937. Pastors have been salaried since 1949. The language of worship is English and German; the transition from German occurred in the 1960s.
The congregation was known as North End Mennonite Brethren until 1953 when a new building was located in the Elmwood district. Originally North End, South End, and North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren were under one organization, along with a number of rural branches in Springstein, Marquette, McAuley, Foxwarren and Moosehorn-Ashern.
In 1936 the South End (Portage Ave. Mennonite Brethren) group organized with a membership of 110. In 1942 Springstein organized with 50 members.
Bibliography
Canadian Mennonite (20 May 1960), 17.
Elmwood Mennonite Brethren Church: pictorial history 1970 (1970), 63 pp. Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies.
Klassen, Catherine. "Early History of North End and Elmwood MB Church." 5 pp. Mennonite Historical Society of Canada collection, Mennonite Archives of Ontario.
Mennonite Brethren Herald (27 May 1988): 42.
Penner, Peter. No Longer at Arm's Length: Mennonite Brethren Church Planting in Canada. Winnipeg, MB : Kindred Press, 1987.
Thiessen, Anna. "Die Entstehung und Entwickelung der Mennoniten Brueder Gemeinde in Winnipeg, 1907-1966." 1966, 152 pp. Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies.
Toews, John A. A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church: Pilgrims and Pioneers. 1975: 162.
Archival Records:
Church records at Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies.
Additional Information
Address: 145 Henderson Highway, Winnipeg MB R2L 1L4
Telephone: 204-668-3244
Website: Elmwood Mennonite Brethren Church
Denominational Affiliations:
Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba (1929-present)
Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1929-present)
General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1929-2003)
Elmwood MB Church Leading Ministers
| Minister |
Years |
|---|---|
| Wilhelm J. Bestvater | 1913-1921 |
| Erdman Nickel | 1921-1925 |
| C. N. Hiebert | 1925-1936 |
| Franz Isaac | 1936-1939 |
| Franz C. Thiessen | 1939-1943 |
| B. B. Fast | 1943-1949 |
| David K. Duerksen | 1949-1953 |
| I. W. Redekop | 1953-1967 |
| W. J. Schmidt | 1968-1971 |
| Eugene Gerbrandt | 1972-1975 |
| Peter R. Toews | 1977-1979 |
| Henry Brucks | 1981 |
| Jacob J. "Jay" Neufeld | 1983-1987 |
| Abe Klassen | 1989-1997 |
| Keith Poysti | 1997-2006 |
| Victor Kliewer |
2006-2009 |
| Terry Sawatsky |
2009-present |
Elmwood MB Church Membership
| Year |
Members |
|---|---|
| 1913 | 33 |
| 1925 | 60 |
| 1950 | 301 |
| 1965 | 621 |
| 1985 | 450 |
| 1995 | 398 |
©1996-2009 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.
MLA style: Redekopp, I. W. and Marlene Epp. "Elmwood Mennonite Brethren Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2009. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2009 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/E543ME.html>
APA style: Redekopp, I. W. and Marlene Epp. (November 2009). "Elmwood Mennonite Brethren Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2009 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/E543ME.html>
