North Kildonan Mennonite Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
Mennonites first settled in North Kildonan in 1928, in part to fulfill immigration requirements to be farmers and yet be close to city employment opportunities. These families initially worshipped together even though they came from distinctly different backgrounds.
In 1935 the families which affliated with the Schönwieser Gemeinde, organized their own group and built a meeting house on Devon Avenue. In 1938 this building was expanded. In 1938 Anna Vogt also began the first German Kindergarten. Further expansion of this building happened in 1943. Due to immigration after the WWII, a new meeting house basement was completed on Roch Street in 1951 and the upper building in 1956. In 1964 this building was further expanded, and again in the late 1980s. The congregation became independant of the Schoenwieser Gemeinde (by then known as First Mennonite Church (Winnipeg) in 1957. Daniel Loewen is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through division from due to the latter's large size.
In 1965 there were 348 members; in 1975, 458; in 1985, 512; in 1995, 478; in 2000, 431. The congregation has been affiliated with the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba (1958-), Conference of Mennonites in Canada (1958-), and General Conference Mennonite Church (1959-). The languages of worship are German and English; the transition from German occurred in the 1970s.
The leaders of the congregation have included: Daniel Loewen (1933-1934, 1943-1950), Johann Enns was the Schönwieser Ältester, Victor Schröder (1936-1969), H. Janzen (1936-1937), Peter Dirks (1939-1941), Is. Klassen (1945-1958), Jacob Friesen (1951-1956), Abe Rempel (1967-1978) , Jakob Wiebe (1978-1995), Henry Harder (1981), David Epp (1982-1993), Edward Enns (1988-1990), Albert Durksen (1990- ).
The church is located at 1131 Roch St., Winnipeg, MB, R2G 1S1. (204) 663-5059.
Bibliography
Canadian Mennonite (20 May 1960): 23.
Mennonite Reporter (15 September 1986): 14.
Fast, Karl. Fuenfundzwanzig Jahre der mennonitischen Ansiedlung zu Nord Kildonan, 1928-1953. 1953, 70 pp.
North Kildonan Mennonitengemeinde, 1935-1975. Winnipeg: North Kildonan Mennonitengemeinde, 1975, 96 pp.
Fast, Karl, ed. Fiftieth Anniversary of the Mennonite Settlement in North Kildonan. Winnipeg, 1978, 128 pp.
50th Anniversary: North Kildonan Mennonite Church 1935-1985. Winnipeg, MB, 1987, 157 pp.
Church records at Mennonite Heritage Centre
Additional Information
©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.
To cite this page:
MLA style: Enns, John H. and Marlene Epp. "North Kildonan Mennonite Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. February 1989. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 07 September 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/N67733ME.html>
APA style: Enns, John H. and Marlene Epp. (February 1989). "North Kildonan Mennonite Church (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 07 September 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/N67733ME.html>
