Riverdale Mennonite Church (Millbank, Ontario, Canada)
The Riverdale Mennonite congregation at Millbank, ON began services in 1946, and formally organized in June 1948 with 60 members. The first building was occupied in 1946. Valentine Nafziger and Menno Zehr are considered the founding leaders of the group. The congregation originated through outreach by the Ontario Amish Mennonite Conference, Poole Mennonite Church and Maple View Mennonite.
The congregation purchased a former Presbyterian Church building. The founding bishop, Valentine Nafziger withdrew with 23 members in 1956 to form Bethel Conservative Mennonite Church.
In 1950 there were 86 members; in 1965, 162; in 1975, 192; in 1985, 207; in 1995, 235; in 2000, 234. The congregation has been affiliated with the Western Ontario Mennonite Conference (1947-1988), Mennonite Church (1959-1999), Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (1988-) and Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1995-). The language of worship is English.
Pastoral leaders since 1946 have included Sam Erb (1946-1948), Menno Zehr (1948-1983), Valentine Nafziger (1951-1956), David Jantzi (1958-1982), Glenn Zehr (1982-2000), Darrell Jantzi (Interim, 2000/01), Clive Ollies (2001-2006), Sue C. Steiner (Interim, September 2006-June 2007), Jim Brown (August 2007- ).
The congregation's address is Box 195, Millbank Ontario N0K 1L0. Phone 519-595-4055. The church is located at the west end of Millbank on the north side of Perth Line 72 at #4138.
Bibliography
Mennonite Reporter (29 July 1991): 11.
A History of Riverdale Mennonite Church, 1946-1996. Millbank, ON: The Church, 1996, 67 pp.
Records at Mennonite Archives of Ontario.
Additional Information
©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.
To cite this page:
MLA style: Gingerich, Orland, Valentine Nafziger and Marlene Epp. "Riverdale Mennonite Church (Millbank, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1986. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 09 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/R5915ME.html>
APA style: Gingerich, Orland, Valentine Nafziger and Marlene Epp. (1986). "Riverdale Mennonite Church (Millbank, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 09 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/R5915ME.html>
