Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church, Abbotsford, BC Source: D. Giesbrecht

The influx of German-speaking families from Europe and Paraguay in the post-World War II years brought into focus different language needs among the Mennonites in British Columbia. Whereas the West Abbotsford Mennonite Church was moving towards more use of English to accommodate acculturation, the new immigrants still preferred to use German.  On 24 January 1963, 52 members of the West Abbotsford congregation decided to form a new congregation, ministering in the German language.  Jake Tilitzky, a minister in the West Abbotsford congregation, was called to be the leading minister, while another minister, Henry Neudorf, was asked to serve as assistant minister. Land was purchased at the corner of Windsor and Marshall near West Abbotsford church, and a sod turning ceremony was held on 27 February 1963. The building was dedicated on 14 July of that year.

As Eben-Ezer grew they expanded their building by adding an education wing in 1964. In 1970 the present Sanctuary was enlarged to fit the growing body, and in 1983 a gym was also added.

By the late 1970s the congregation had grown to approximately 500 members and it became a challenge to accommodate all of the families  By this time there was also a desire for more English in the worship service, especially among the younger members.  The church encouraged those desiring an English service to organize themselves and found a new church under the umbrella of the Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church. This daughter church, Emmanuel Mennonite Church, became a reality in 1981, with financial assistance from the mother church.

When the boat people from Laos came to Canada in the late 1970s, Eben-Ezer was able to sponsor 12 family units (48 persons). Members of the congregation offered to help and give guidance in their spiritual nurture. This Laotian group eventually formed the Lao Christian Church and was granted membership in the BC Conference of Mennonites in 1988. 

In July 2003 pastor David Hobson and a group of families left due to internal conflicts in the church and formed East Abbotsford Community Church.

Bibliography

Additional Information

Address: 2051 Windsor St., Abbotsford, BC  V2T 6L9

Phone: 604-850-8422

Denominational Affiliations:

Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia / Mennonite Church British Columbia (1964-    )

Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1964-    )

General Conference Mennonite Church (1965-1999).

Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church Leading Ministers

Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church Membership

©1996-2009 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

To cite this page: