Waterloo North Mennonite Church (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)
Waterloo North Mennonite Church in Ontario originated originated as a multi-congregational church plant by the Erb St. Mennonite Church, St. Jacobs Mennonite Church, Waterloo-Kitchener United Mennonite Church and the Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec.
At the beginning the group numbered about 40 persons and met at Lutherwood, a residential and school facility located on Benjamin Road in North Waterloo. After briefly worshiping in Lutherwood's chapel beginning in October 1986, the congregation met in the gym until the end of May 1994. The congregation formally organized in 1987.
When it became clear larger facilities would be required for the growing congregation, a building committee was established in 1989. Milo and Laura Shantz donated land at the corner of Weber Street and Benjamin Road at the edge of Waterloo. The congregation moved into the new facility in June 1994.
Waterloo North has always placed emphasis on lay participation in leadership. At the beginning there were no paid leaders -- leadership was provided by a group of Elders and an Administrative Committee, together with a church chairperson. Although titles and job descriptions changed over the years, the numbers of persons actively involved in all parts of the church's ministry remained high. A four- or five-person Ministry Team composed of paid staff and volunteers provided spiritual leadership for the congregation. Dan Nighswander became a part time paid member of the Ministry leadership team in 1988 and continued in a leadership role until 1997.
The worship style in 2017 was traditional/liturgical. There were two services each Sunday. The "Matins" service incorporated liturgical worship with the congregation participating actively in prayers, readings, singing, prayer and times of silent reflection. The focus was the Bible readings that follow the common lectionary (order) that is used by Christians throughout the world. The second service included a variety of persons in leading the service. The focus of the worship was the proclamation of the Word through the sermon, supported by scripture reading, hymns, and the children's time.
On its website Waterloo North has declared itself to be a "welcoming and affirming Church."
Bibliography
"History." Waterloo North Mennonite Church. 2008. Web. 20 January 2017. http://www.waterloonorthmc.org/content/history.
Mennonite Reporter (22 December 1986): 8; (27 June 1994): 14.
Archival Records
Congregational papers at Mennonite Archives of Ontario.
Miscellaneous historical items with Mennonite Historical Society of Canada collection, Mennonite Archives of Ontario.
Additional Information
Address: 100 Benjamin Road, Waterloo, ON N2J 3Z4; located at the corner of Weber St. N. and Benjamin Rd.
Phone: 519-888-6113
Website: Waterloo North Mennonite Church
Denominational Affiliations: Mennonite Church Eastern Canada Conference
Waterloo North Mennonite Church Ministers
| Minister | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Carol Shantz (paid elder) | 1987 |
| Ron Flaming (paid elder) | 1987 |
| Dan Nighswander | 1988-1997 |
| Doris Weber (interim) | 1995 |
| Mary Mae Schwartzentruber (interim) | 1997-1998 |
| Lynn Bergsma Friesen | 1999-2000 |
| Sue C. Steiner | 1998-2004 |
| Darrell "Chip" Bender | 2000-2010 |
| Renee Sauder (interim) | 2005-2006 |
| Ardith Frey | 2006-2013 |
| Lisa Carr-Pries | 2008-present |
| Ben Cassels | 2011-2016 |
| Rudy Baergen (interim) | 2013-2014 |
| Gordon Allaby | 2014-present |
Waterloo North Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 104 |
| 2000 | 166 |
| 2008 | 240 |
| 2015 | 249 |
| Author(s) | Sam Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | January 2017 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Sam. "Waterloo North Mennonite Church (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2017. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Waterloo_North_Mennonite_Church_(Waterloo,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=147007.
APA style
Steiner, Sam. (January 2017). Waterloo North Mennonite Church (Waterloo, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Waterloo_North_Mennonite_Church_(Waterloo,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=147007.
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