The history of the Harrison Gospel Chapel begins with the Sunday school work of Mrs. Belle Rendall who moved to Harrison Hot Springs with her husband in 1942.  In 1944 John R. Martens was appointed to full-time work in Harrison by the West Coast Children’s Mission and in 1945 the two joined their efforts.  A 24’x 24’ building was erected the same year and there the Sunday school as well as the church services were held.  Then in 1947 the Harrison Chapel was built using donated funds from the Fraser Valley Mennonite Brethren churches.  The present sanctuary was built and dedicated in 1973 and  an education wing was completed in 1988 to accommodate an attendance of about 150.

The first baptism of eleven persons was held in 1954 and in 1957 the church was organized as an interdenominational body under the leadership of John and Martha Reimer (1952-1957).  The Reimers returned for a second term from 1979-1985.  In 1968 the church was chartered as a member of the Mennonite Brethren Conference of BC with 18 charter members led by Jake and Leona Friesen (1966-1979). Other pastors who served at the Chapel were Henry Born (interim), Peter and Betty Boschman, Walter and Laburmah Heinrichs, Aldon and Betty Loeppky, and Orlando and Tammy Wall.  In 2006 the pastor was Ken and Jeanne Dueck who began ministry there in 1997.   

The Harrison Gospel Chapel is the only church in Harrison Hot Springs and besides serving the town’s children in Sunday school has been the place of worship for many transient tourist visitors.  In addition the church has been involved in many of the social activities of the town through the years and has done significant outreach work.  Membership in 1993 stood at a high of 74 and in 2005 had dwindled to 64.

Bibliography

Additional Information

Mailing address: Box 98, Harrison Hot Springs, BC  V0M 1K0

Location: 514 Lilloet Ave., Harrison Hot Springs, BC

Phone: 604-796-9500

Website: http://www.harrisongospelchapel.com/qry/page.taf

Denominational Affiliations:

British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1968-present)

Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1969-present)

General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches of North America (1969-2003)

Harrison Gospel Chapel Leading Ministers

Ministers	Years
John R. Martens	1944-1950
Henry C. Born (interim)
Abe Neufeld (interim)
John Reimer	1952-1957
Peter Boschman	1957-1962
Walter Heinrichs	1962-1966
Jake Friesen	1966-1979
John Reimer	1979-1985
Aldon Loeppky	1985-1994
Orlando Wall	1994-1996
Ken Dueck	1997-2007
Ron Vonk	2008-present

Harrison Gospel Chapel Membership

Year	Members
1975	72
1985	60
1993	74
2000	59
2005	64

 

©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

To cite this page:

MLA style: Friesen, Hugo. "Harrison Gospel Chapel (Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. August 2006. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 08 September 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/H3775.html>

APA style: Friesen, Hugo. (August 2006). "Harrison Gospel Chapel (Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 08 September 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/H3775.html>