South Abbotsford Church (Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada)
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| South Abbotsford Church, Abbotsford, BC Source: D. Giesbrecht |
The South Abbotsford Mennonite Brethren congregation in Abbotsford, BC began services in 1931, and formally organized on 1 May 1932. The first building was occupied in 1936, with subsequent building programs in 1954 and 1995. Abram D. Rempel is considered the founding leader of the group; he continued in office until 1945. The congregation originated through colonization from the Canadian Prairies.
Henry H. Nikkel followed A. D. Rempel as congregational leader. Other leaders prior to 1960 included Frank Janzen, Franz C. Thiessen, Jacob F. Redekop, Jacob Wedel, Jacob Bargen, Isaak Janzen, Herman Voth and John J. Stobbe.
The congregation lost members to Matsqui Mennonite Brethren (1944), East Aldergrove Mennonite Brethren (1947), Otter Road Mennonite Brethren (1947), Central Heights Mennonite Brethren (1949), Bakerview Mennonite Brethren (1966), and King Road Mennonite Brethren (1966).
The congregation started a Bible school in 1936 under the leadership of Cornelius C. Peters. This eventually became the Mennonite Brethren Bible Institute (later Columbia Bible Institute, now Columbia Bible College) in 1943, which met in the church facilities. Also, in 1944, the Mennonite Educational Institute was first housed in this church.
Bibliography
Canadian Mennonite (8 October 1954): 1; (22 June 1956): 8; (24 November 1961): 15.
Mennonite Brethren Herald (6 February 1987): 14; (27 May 1988): 23; (11 August 1995): 20.
Stobbe, Abe J. South Abbotsford Mennonite Brethren Church: a history from 1932-1982. Abbotsford, BC: South Abbotsford Mennonite Brethren Church, 1982, 112 pp.
Willms, H. J. Die Sued-Abbotsford Ansiedlung, Abbotsford, B.C.: historischer Bericht. 1955, 55 pp.
Additional Information
Address: 32424 Huntingdon Rd., R.R.5, Abbotsford BC V2T 5Z1
Phone: 604-853-2663
Website: South Abbotsford Church
Denominational Affiliations:
British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1935-present)
Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1935-present)
General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches of North America
South Abbotsford Church Leading Ministers
| Minister |
Years |
|---|---|
| Abram D. Rempel | 1932 |
| Frank Janzen | 1934-1935 |
| Abram D. Rempel | 1935-1944 |
| Henry H. Nikkel | 1944-1949 |
| John J. Stobbe | 1950-1959 |
| William I. Neufeld | 1959-1966 |
| David Nickel | 1966-1972 |
| Don Balzer | 1972-1980 |
| Henry C. Born (interim) |
1980-1981 |
| David Epp | 1981-1987 |
| Clifford Janzen | 1987-1995 |
| Stephen Berg | 1997-2003 |
| Ed Balzer | 2004-2005 |
| Dan Nicholson | 2006–present |
South Abbotsford Church Membership
| Year |
Members |
|---|---|
| 1932 | 31 |
| 1935 |
80 |
| 1941 |
255 |
| 1945 | 321 |
| 1950 | 500 |
| 1955 | 368 |
| 1960 | 374 |
| 1965 | 357 |
| 1970 | 275 |
| 1975 | 282 |
| 1980 | 323 |
| 1985 | 386 |
| 1990 | 392 |
| 1995 | 475 |
| 2000 | 611 |
| 2003 | 786 |
©1996-2010 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.
MLA style: Nikkel, Henry H., Andrew Klager, and Richard D. Thiessen. "South Abbotsford Church (Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2009. Web. 22 March 2010. http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/S671ME.html.
APA style: Nikkel, Henry H., Andrew Klager, and Richard D. Thiessen. (November 2009). South Abbotsford Church (Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 22 March 2010, from http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/S671ME.html.
