Block, Abram J. (1905-1982)

Abram Block: teacher and lay minister; b. 2 May 1905 in the village of Dolinovka, Orenburg Colony, Russia. He was the twelfth of fourteen children born to Johann J. Block (14 January 1866 – 15 November 1913) and Agatha (Klassen) Block (16 October 1868 – 3 January 1954). Abram was baptized in June 1920 in Klubnikovo, Orenburg. He came to Canada in 1926 with his mother and two sisters. Abram J. Block married Elisabeth Petkau (15 August 1910 – 22 July 2002) on 20 October 1929 in Oxbow, Saskatchewan. Abram and Elisabeth had ten children, of which six sons and three daughters survived to adulthood. Abram died 22 June 1982 in St. Catharines, Ontario.

After one year in Canada, Abram J. Block attended Winkler Bible School, where he studied under Abram H. Unruh, 1927-1929. He continued his education with one year of studies at the University of Saskatchewan, and then began a long teaching career, which started at Dalmeny Bible School, and continued at Bethany Bible School in Hepburn, Virgil Bible School, and ended at Mennonite Brethren Bible Institute of Ontario in Kitchener in 1956. From 1940-1956, he was very active in youth work, and served as a preacher and teacher in the Virgil Mennonite Brethren Church, where he was ordained on 12 October 1941, with A.H. Unruh, H.H. Janzen and D.J Klassen officiating.

Abram and Elisabeth Block moved from Hepburn (Saskatchewan) to Virgil (Ontario) in 1940, and from Virgil to St. Catharines (Ontario) in 1956. Abram assisted in the ministry in Scott Street Mennonite Brethren Church, before he was called to be the pastor of Port Rowan Mennonite Brethren Church, where he ministered from 1966-1971. He was the leading pastor of Scott Street M.B. Church 1973-1976, and served in an associate role after that until his health began to fail in 1980.

Abram Block’s deep desire for God, his intense interest in missionary work, his concentrated study and teaching of eschatology, and his dedication to serve the church, remained firm to the end.