Congregational Transitions 2020

Goshen Mennonite Church - Provisional Membership

Goshen Mennonite Church is a group of approximately 40 people who worship in Ottawa, Ontario. Goshen is a part of the MDM (Mennonite Disciple Mission) association of congregations who worship in Swahili. “We want to be part of the MCEC family and work together,” says Pastor Francois Machichi. “We want to understand and act in this family as a part of it, and not as foreigners. The government will help to integrate us into the country and we look forward to MCEC to help integrate us into the church.” Goshen Mennonite Church has joined MCEC as a congregation with provisional membership.

Grace New Life Mennonite Church - Full Membership

Grace New Life is a congregation of approximately 45 people who meet in the heart of Hamilton. Predominantly from Laos, they worship in both Lao and English. They joined MCEC is 2012 as an emerging congregation, now known as provisional membership. They have moved now to full membership within the community of congregations. “We look forward to being a full member of MCEC,” says pastor Sririsack Saythavy. “We ask that MCEC pray for Grace New Life to become stronger so that we not only receive the benefit from MCEC, but we will be part of the blessing to MCEC as well.”

MDM Joliette - Provisional Membership

Approximately 60 people gather in Joliette, QC under the leadership of Pastor Victor Mubikalo, and are a part of Mennonite Disciple Mission (MDM) association of congregations who worship in Swahili. They worship in the building where Église évangelique mennonite de Joliette used to gather. Pastor Victor says, “African families who had worshiped with Église évangelique mennonite de Joliette started to dream of starting a new church together and we began to work with some African families to do just that. So now there is a new church in Joliette that is joining MCEC. We don’t want to be independent. We want to be part of a family.” MDM Joliette has joined MCEC as a congreation with provisional membership.

Soul House - Provisional Membership

Soul House is a house church in Scarborough, ON under the leadership of Judith McCartney. Each week 10 - 20 people gather for a meal followed by Bible study and prayer. Judith is also parish pastor to a group of people on-line and a woman from Soul House also leads an on-line Bible study. An on-line presence is an important aspect of Soul House. In fact, Soul House was in part launched from a Facebook invitation of a safe place to talk about and unpack faith. “I invited them to my home,” says Judith. “People come because of their love for God and a desire for a community. We are a multi-layered, unique expression of church.” Soul House has joined MCEC as a congregation with provisional membership.

Warden Underground - Provisional Membership

Primarily focused on young adults and youth, Warden Underground meet together regularly as church under the leadership of Jordan Thoms and Jon Folkeringa. Whether it is a tutoring program, drop-in night, men’s accountability group or summer neighbourhood barbeque, they find unique ways of pouring God’s love on the neighbourhood around them. “There is a hunger within the community for the truth and for God,” says Jordan. “The majority of the people who come out to our church are not actually committed Christians yet. They are interested and seeking, but it hasn’t become real to a number of them yet.” Warden Underground officially became an MCEC congregation with provisional membership. “I’ve very thankful for the trust you have given to us,” continues Jordan. “We want it to be a two-way street. We want to build strong relationships with MCEC as a whole.”

Calvary Church Ayr (Mennonite) - Membership Withdrawn

The Mennonite work in Ayr began in 1954 as a Sunday school outreach by the Mannheim Mennonite Church and the Mennonite Conference of Ontario in the community of Reidsville, just north of the village of Ayr. The group purchased a property in Ayr in 1960, and soon erected a church building and the congregation has served as a community church in the Ayr community. One of the congregation’s unique ministries has been a “skate park” built at the rear of the property in 2005 for young Ayr skateboarders. At the written request of Calvary Church Ayr (Mennonite), Executive Council authorized the removal of the congregation’s membership from MCEC.

Église évangelique mennonite de Joliette - Closed

The Église évangelique mennonite de Joliette began services in 1958, and formally organized in 1974. Harold and Pauline Reesor were the founding missionaries for the group. This mission venture originated through the Mennonite Conference of Ontario and the Mennonite Board of Mission (Elkhart). Opposition from church and municipal authorities made for slow discouraging work. The Reesors met together with fellow missionaries Tilman and Janet Martin, along with the Schmidt family from Rawdon for fellowship and worship in French. The first baptism came in 1969 and in the late 1970s a province-wide revival brought many youth to Joliette. Rapid growth in the late 1970s led to gradual splitting off the members from nearby Rawdon for their own church. French membership dipped but was replaced by new immigrants. The congregation has not met officially for a number of years.

Jane Finch Faith Community - Closed

The Jane Finch Faith Community was first known as the Black Creek Faith Community. The congregation formally organized in 1993. The congregation originated through outreach by the Missions Committee of the Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec. The congregation is based in a public housing apartment building in Metropolitan Toronto. They were a small church, with a chapel in a high-rise building that is home to over 1,200 people from at least 50 countries. They have not met officially for a number of years.

Kingsfield Clinton/Zurich Mennonite Church - Membership Withdrawn

The Zurich Mennonite Church in Zurich, Ontario, Canada, began in spring 1908. The congregation developed a full range of activities for its members and the community. A women’s sewing circle began in 1937. Vacation Bible School began the same year, and later developed into a community effort. The congregation helped develop a coffee house in Grand Bend, Ontario in the 1960s, as well as a mission outreach in Exeter, Ontario known as the Thames Road Mission. In the 1990s the congregation again talked about a church planting initiative. This finally resulted in the formation of Kingsfield-Clinton in October 2007. The Zurich congregation also began to use the prefix Kingsfield, and the two groups were part of a multiplying church. At the written request of Kingfield Zurich Mennonite Church and Kingsfield Clinton Executive Council authorized the removal of their membership from MCEC.

Living Water Community Christian Fellowship - Membership Withdrawn

Living Water Community Christian Fellowship in New Hamburg, Ontario began as a church plant in 1980 by the Western Ontario Mennonite Conference and the Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec. Members sought an “alternate” Mennonite fellowship that allowed for greater variety in worship and openness to charismatic expressions of faith. The first Sunday morning service was held in August 1981, and regular Sunday morning services began in October 1981, leadership was provided by a team of the founding couples and the small group leaders. Living Water exists to equip and inspire people to come to a saving knowledge of God, to follow Him and worship Him with their whole lives and to show all those around them the love of Jesus. They have recently changed their name to Living Water Fellowship Church. At the written request of Living Water Community Christian Fellowship, Executive Council authorized the removal of the congregation’s membership from MCEC.

Maple View Mennonite Church - Membership Withdrawn

Serving the Lord in Wellesley Township for over 150 years, the congregation began services and formally organized in 1859. John Jantzi is considered the founding leader of the group. Maple View was first known as the Wellesley Amish Mennonite (AM) congregation. Worship services were held in homes until a meetinghouse was erected which was to be used only as a funeral chapel. With a dream of continuing a community Sunday school and also wanted to establish a daughter congregation, members from Maple View Mennonite Church who lived near Crosshill, along with some community neighbors, began to worship at Crosshill in 1950. Maple View seeks to follow the Holy Spirit’s call to pour out their lives, love and gifts for God in worship, Each Other In Community and The World in Mission. At the written request of Maple View Mennonite Church, Executive Council authorized the removal of the congregation’s membership from MCEC.

Milverton Mennonite Fellowship - Membership Withdrawn

Milverton Mennonite Fellowship began in 1982 as an outreach of the Western Ontario Mennonite Conference in the town of Milverton, Ontario, Canada. Many of the conference’s churches were located in the countryside, and it believed a “town” church would have appeal to persons in that community. Important parts of the worship life have been music and the sharing time. They have a strong emphasis on connectedness and family. They changed their name to Milverton Christian Fellowship. At the written request of Milverton Mennonite Church, Executive Council authorized the removal of the congregation’s membership from MCEC.

River of Life Fellowship - Membership Withdrawn

In December 1995, 60 people met in cell groups and held weekly celebration worship services as River of Life Fellowship began. The celebration services included everyone for an hour of celebration, followed by an hour of teaching for adults and separate ministry for the children. The leadership of River of Life has been provided through a volunteer team of elders. Over time the congregation shifted from a “cell church” to being a church with cells in which all members were encouraged to participate. They continue as a community of faith who shares a deep love for God and people. At the written request of River of Life Fellowship, Executive Council authorized the removal of the congregation’s membership from MCEC.