Osler Mennonite Church (Osler, Saskatchewan, Canada)
A Mennonite congregation was formed in the Osler, Saskatchewan area on 24 March 1928 consisting of families belonging to the Rosenorter, Zoar and Nordheimer Gemeinden, under the initiative of church leaders Boldt and Rempel. Initially this congregation was called Zoar Gemeinde Zu Osler and while independent, was associated closely with the Langham Zoar Mennonite congregation. The church was dedicated by Elder David Toews on 9 September 1928.
In 1931 the Osler congregation became affiliated with the Rosenorter Gemeinde. In 1934 the meeting house reverted back to the creditor because the congregation could not keep up the payments. In 1936 the congregation was able to purchase the same building again. It was renovated in 1954. In 1955 when the Rosenorter Church divided into churches, the Osler congregation joined the United Mennonite Church (Vereinigten Gemeinde). When the Rosenorter and United Mennonite Churches dissolved in 1962, Osler became an independent congregation along with the others. The first building was occupied in 1928, with a subsequent building program in 1996-97.
In 1965 there were 156 members; in 1975, 116; in 1985, 133; in 1995, 139; in 2000, 175. The congregation has been affiliated with Mennonite Church Saskatchewan (1959-), Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1928-) and General Conference Mennonite Church (1931-1999). The language of worship is English and German; the transition from German occurred in the 1960s.
The pastoral leaders of the congregation have included Johann Boldt (1928-1935), Gerhard Loewen (1931-1934), Jacob Pauls (1938-1971), Cornelius Boldt (1938-1949, 1972-1995), Walter Franz (1965-1969), Jake Wiebe (1970-1971), Ernie Hildebrand (1974-1978), Arthur Regier (1979), David Friesen (1980-1989), Bill Kruger (1991-1997), Gordon Janzen (1998-2001), Menno Epp (2002- ).
Location: 212 2nd St., Osler, SK; Address: Box 129, Osler, SK, S0K 3A0; Telephone: 306-239-2133; Fax: 306-239-2279. Interim Minister Menno Epp served in 2002 as congregational leader.
Bibliography
Canadian Mennonite (4 June 1968): 10.
Mennonite Reporter (19 August 1996): 12; (14 April 1997): 11.
Boldt, Leonard C. Fortieth Anniversary: Osler Mennonite Church 1928-1968. Osler, SK: Osler Mennonite Church, 1968, 16 pp.
Boldt, Leonard C. "History of the Osler Mennonite Church, 1968-1974." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1975, 10 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Banman, Jennifer. "Osler Mennonite Church," Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1982, Mennonite Heritage Centre..
Stories of Our People. Historical Committee of Osler Mennonite Church, 1986, 60 pp.
Additional Information
©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.
To cite this page:
MLA style: Friesen, Bert. "Osler Mennonite Church (Osler, Saskatchewan, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. September 2002. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 13 May 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/O844.html>
APA style: Friesen, Bert. (September 2002). "Osler Mennonite Church (Osler, Saskatchewan, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 13 May 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/O844.html>
