South Side Mennonite Brethren Mission Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, began as a mission on Franklin Avenue in 1907 with Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Wiens as missionaries and Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Schmidt as assistants. Soon the Mennonite Brethren Conference built a two-story mission building near the Milwaukee Railroad Yards, at 2120 Minnehaha Avenue, in an area where there were many neglected homes with many children. This building provided a chapel seating about 200, and other facilities. When the Wienses left in 1911 the Schmidts took charge of the mission, serving more than 30 years, with a number of assistants. In 1943 Mr. and Mrs. O. W. Dirks were called to the mission. After a year of service, they were replaced by Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Schimnowski. In 1946 Mr. and Mrs. Chester Fast had charge of the mission, with the help of students attending Bible school in the city. This mission has been supported by the Mennonite Brethren General Conference under the supervision of the Conference City Mission Board. In 1955 it became a congregation with 31 members and Paul G. Hiebert as pastor.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 588. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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