The Rosenort group of congregations began in the Rosthern area of Saskatchewan in 1891 when five families settled in the area. On 2 July 1894 Elder Peter Regier, who had come from the Rosenort church in West Prussia the year before, helped the congregation to organize. In 1896 the first Rosenort church was dedicated in Eigenheim. It was rebuilt in 1902. The next year the church at Rosthern was built. In 1920 churches were built in Aberdeen (on the right side of the South Saskatchewan River), Laird and Tiefengrund. In 1911 Hague built a church. All belonged to the Rosenort congregation.

In 1913 David Toews was elected as Elder. In 1927 Johannes Regier, son of Peter Regier, was elected as elder to assist David Toews. Toews was commonly referred to as a bishop by the government and daily newspapers.

Eigenheim became self-sustaining in 1929. Churches were also established at Hochfeld and Neuanlage. The Osler church joined the Rosenort Church in 1931. In 1932 Saskatoon organized a congregation which joined Rosenort until 1938. Capasin built a church in 1933. Garthland and Horse Lake also became part of Rosenort. In September 1946, Johann G. Rempel was elected as elder.

In 1954 the Rosenort congregation divided into two parts because of its unwieldy size. The groups were known as the Rosenort Mennonite Church (Tiefengrund, Garthland, Capasin, Hague, Hochfeld, Neuanlage and Aberdeen) and the United Mennonite Church of Saskatchewan (Rosthern, Osler, Laird and Horse Lake). Elders Arthur Regier and Jacob C. Schmidt were ordained in 1954 by John G. Rempel to serve these groups.

These congregations now form part of Mennonite Church Saskatchewan.

Bibliography

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