West Portal Mennonite Brethren Church (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada)
The West Portal Mennonite Brethren congregation in Saskatoon, SK began in 1950, and formally organized in 1957. This church began as a city mission Sunday school work. In 1950 Helen Giesbrecht held six classes for children in homes in various parts of the city. By 1952 the number of classes per month ranged from 9 to 16 with total average attendance from 133 to 215. The first building was occupied in 1962, with a subsequent building program in 1984. Abe J. Sawatsky is considered the founding leader of the group.
In 1952 the Saskatchewan Mennonite Brethren conference purchased two lots to build a mission hall at the corner of 20th Street and Avenue W. Building progressed slowly in 1953 and 1954. Meanwhile, services were conducted in the Pleasant Hill school with Wes Willems as Sunday school superintendent and Allan Baerg as treasurer. From 1954 to 1956 meetings were held in the basement of the new hall since the building had not been completed. During this phase the group was called the City Mission. In 1957 the City Mission organized as an Mennonite Brethren church with 22 charter members and in June of that year the building was completed and dedicated. In 1962 the name was changed to the West Portal Mennonite Brethren Church. In 1983 a new church was built on 33rd Street.
In 1965 there were 123 members; in 1985, 176; in 1994, 264; in 2000, 321. The congregation has been affiliated with the Saskatchewan Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1962-), Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1962-) and the General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (1962-2002). The language of worship is English.
Pastoral leaders have included Abe Sawatsky (1950-1956), Lawrence Redekopp (1956-1963), Mark Gripp (1964), Wally Gripp (1964-1967), Nick Willems (1967-1972), Abe Klassen (1972-1989) and Dwayne Barkman (1990- ).
The congregation's address is 3134 33rd St. W, Saskatoon, SK, S7L 6V5. (306) 382-1622.
Bibliography
Mennonite Brethren Herald (27 May 1988): 66.
Toews, John A. A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church: Pilgrims and Pioneers. Fresno, CA, 1975: 164.
Penner, Peter. No Longer at Arms Length: Mennonite Brethren Church Planting in Canada. Winnipeg: Kindred Press, 1987.
Additional Information
©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.
To cite this page:
MLA style: Epp, Marlene. "West Portal Mennonite Brethren Church (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. February 1989. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 20 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/W475.html>
APA style: Epp, Marlene. (February 1989). "West Portal Mennonite Brethren Church (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 20 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/W475.html>
