First Mennonite Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
922 Notre Dame Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R3E 0M9. (204) 772-2419.
Minister Franz Wiebe, Herman Dueck and Mark Von Kampen served in 2001 as congregational
leaders.
In 1965 there were 1367 members; in
1975, 1211; in 1985, 1450; in 1995, 1331; in 2000, 1280. The congregation has been affiliated
with Mennonite Church Manitoba (1967-), Conference of Mennonites
in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1926-), and General Conference Mennonite Church (1929-1999).
The language of worship is
English and German; the transition from German began in the 1960s.
First Mennonite Church in the early 1950s. Click on picture
for 15 kb JPG image.
Canadian Mennonite photo.
The congregation began services and formally organized in 1926. The first building was occupied in 1949 and 1950. Bishop Johann P. Klassen is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through immigration from the Soviet Union.
Joined with Starbuck Mennonite in 1926 and became known as Schoenwiese. The congregation became known as First Mennonite in 1951.
Sometimes First Mennonite is considered the mother church of the Schoenwiese, although this is not really accurate. The Schoenwiese Gemeinde was a collection of churches with no parent congregation.
Bibliography
Mennonite Encyclopedia, "Schoenwiese"
Microfilmed records at Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Canadian Mennonite (20 May 1960): 20.
Mennonite Reporter (15 November 1976): 14; (15 September 1986): 14; (4 April 1994): 8; (20 March 1995): 10.
Klassen, Isaac. Dem Herrn die Ehre: Schoenwieser Mennoniten Gemeinde von Manitoba, 1924-1968. Altona: D.W. Friesen, 1969, 150 pp.
Unpublished congregational history, 1979, 20 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Additional Information
©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.
To cite this page:
MLA style: Epp, Marlene. "First Mennonite Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. September 1986. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 13 May 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/F569.html>
APA style: Epp, Marlene. (September 1986). "First Mennonite Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 13 May 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/F569.html>
