Foothills Mennonite Church (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
2115 Urbana Rd. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4B9. (403) 289-7172. Lead Pastor Doug Klassen served in 2002 as a congregational leader. In 1965 there were 87 members; in 1975, 210; in 1985, 262; in 1995, 270; in 2000 278. The congregation has been affiliated with Mennonite Church Alberta (1963-), Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1963-) and General Conference Mennonite Church (1965-1999). The language of worship is English.
The congregation began services in 1956, and formally organized in 1961. The first building was occupied in 1959, with a subsequent building program in 1966. Peter Unger is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through urbanization from rural Alberta.
The congregation was first called North Hill Mennonite Mission. It was renamed Foothills Mennonite in 1966 when a new church building was constructed on a new location.
Foothills broke with tradition by electing deacons for terms of three years rather than for life. It also departed from the practise of allowing only elders to baptize and administer communion. The congregation experienced internal struggles over church leadership and spiritual stagnation. General renewal came to the church in the early 1970s.
Foothills helped in the development of Calgary Mennonite Fellowship in 1975.
Bibliography
Canadian Mennonite (16 October 1959): 7; (24 November 1961): 3; (27 April 1965): 9; (3 May 1966): 9; (15 November 1966): 3; (25 June 1968).
Wedel, Candace. "The History of the Foothills Mennonite Church, Calgary, Alberta." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1965, 9 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Wiens, Janet. "The History of the Foothills Mennonite Church." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1980, 20 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Schellenberg, Larry. "Financial History of the Foothills Mennonite Church," Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1982, 40 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. "Foothills Mennonite Church (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. July 1986. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 14 October 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/F664.html>
APA style: Epp, Marlene. (July 1986). "Foothills Mennonite Church (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 14 October 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/F664.html>
