The Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada was the result of an integration of three Ontario Mennonite groups: the Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec (5,110 members, 1987), the Western Ontario Mennonite Conference (3,195 members, 1987), and the Conference of United Mennonite Churches in Ontario (5,192 members, 1987). The first two groups were conferences of the Mennonite Church (MC). The last was a provincial conference related to the Conference of Mennonites in Canada, which was one of the districts of the General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM).

The Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada was rooted in a long history of cooperation including the formation of the Nonresistant Relief Organization (1917), Conference of Historic Peace Churches (1940s), a joint Mennonite Mission and Service Board (1950s), and Conrad Grebel College (1960s). In 1973 the three conferences formed an Inter-Mennonite Conference (Ontario) to direct the growing cooperative work in mission, education, and congregational resources. The separate conference structures remained intact, and they reserved the right to make final decisions on policy and budgets.

A 1979 proposal to amalgamate all three groups was defeated. In 1986, however, the conferences decided to "integrate" (this term, it was felt, implied less of a melting pot than "merger" or "amalgamation") by 1988.

In March 1987 delegates from the three conferences approved a structural model for the proposed integration. They also decided to become associate members of each other's North American general conferences for a six-year get-acquainted period rather than leave wider affiliations up to each individual congregation. The Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada was officially inaugurated on 1 March 1988. In 1997 the conference numbered 97 congregations with 13,630 members; all but one congregation hold dual conference affiliation (MC and GCM).

In October 2001 the Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada changed its name to Mennonite Church Eastern Canada in recognition of the transformation of the Mennonite Church and General Conference Mennonite Church into Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada (formerly Conference of Mennonites in Canada). Instead of relating to separate binational and national denominational structures, Mennonite Church Eastern Canada now was affiliated only with a national body. In 2001 the conference included 95 congregations with a total membership of 14,075.

In 2010 the following 99 congregations were members of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada:

Bibliography

Additional Information

Mennonite Church Eastern Canada website

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