The Church choir led by Nicholas Fehderau, announcer C. J. Rempel (left) and preacher Frank C. Peters (right) giving a weekly radio program ca. 1950.

The congregation began services in 1924, and formally organized on 25 May 1925 with Jacob P. Friesen as leader. The first building was occupied in 1935 with a subsequent building program in 1952. J. P. Friesen, J. W. Reimer, and J. P. Wiens are considered the founding leaders of the group. The congregation originated through immigration from the Soviet Union in the 1920s. Kitchener Mennonite Brethren was known as the Molotschna Mennoniten-Brüder-Gemeinde until 1932. Worship services were first held in St. Jacobs. The languages of worship are English and German; the transition from German occurred in the 1960s.

The church housed the Ontario Mennonite Brethren Bible School from 1955-64. Congregational leaders prior to 1955 included Jacob P. Friesen, J. W. Reimer, J. P. Wiens, P. Klassen, H. Konrad, Henry H. Janzen, D. Klassen, Isaac Ewert, J. Sudermann, Henry Thielman, Frank C. Peters and Jacob J. Toews.

Bibliography

Additional Information

Address: 19 Ottawa St. N., Kitchener, ON N2H 3K2

Phone: 519-745-5144

Website: Kitchener Mennonite Brethren Church

Denominational Affiliations:

Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

Kitchener MB Church Leading Ministers

Kitchener MB Church Membership

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 187. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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