Brussels Mennonite Fellowship is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year!

Join them for a special anniversary service on Sunday, June 8, 2025 at 10:00 am, with a fellowship meal to follow.

Our guest speaker will be Pastor Doug Zehr.

We invite you to come and celebrate with us!

Story of Brussels Mennonite Fellowship - by Linda Campbell

In 1979, Brian Laverty was the Pastor at Listowel Mennonite Church. With his encouragement and guidance, five families from the congregation, began dreaming of planting a new Church in the Brussels area. These founding families were, John and Mary Baan and family, Howard and Alice Martin and family, Ross and Anne Hemingway and family, Elwin and Linda Garland, and Lorne and Marion Wideman.  Soon these dreams, with prayerful thought, planning, and hard work, started to crystallize.

Initially the services were held in rented facilities in Brussels. 

The property on the corner of Turnberry and Princess Streets in Brussels, Ontario, has many tales to tell.  Eventually it became the home of Brussels Mennonite Fellowship.

As early as 1868 a planing and saw mill was established on this corner lot by three Smith brothers. It was sold to James Bennett. By 1875, a house was built on the land.  There were other owners between  1887 and 1906. Then Peter Stewart became the next proud owner.  In 1981, the property again changed hands. The small group of ambitious and determined people bought it, and it became the site of the newly founded church, Brussels Mennonite Fellowship. 

If walls could talk the old house could tell many stories of the last 150 years.

The new owners soon began renovations on the old house.  Early services were held in what used to be the kitchen /dining room. The upstairs bedrooms became Sunday School classrooms. Brussels Mennonite Fellowship officially opened in the spring of 1982. By 1984, the congregation outgrew the original space, so a chapel and finished basement (32ft X 48ft) were added to the west side.  Continued growth necessitated more expansion. In 1987 a pastor’s study, a kitchen and gymnasium were added.  Later the original porch was transformed into a general office. All of these renovations were accomplished by volunteer labour by members and volunteer help from many other Mennonite churches from near and far. 

Brussels Mennonite Fellowship is affiliated with Mennonite Church Eastern Canada.

Brian Laverty was the first pastor, serving from 1979-1980. Next came Doug Zehr  from 1980-1990. Gordon Bauman was interim pastor from 1990-1991. Tom Warner pastored at BMF, 1991-1995, followed by Ben Wiebe 1997-1999 and Art Byer (interim) 2001. Brent Kipfer came in 2002 and stayed until 2012. Jim Whitehead served as interim pastor from 2012 until 2014. Ken Gazley was the pastor from 2014 until 2023. Elwin Garland (interim) has pastored since 2024. 

BMF has always maintained a casual and welcoming worship style for their services.  Singing is a vital part of each service. A prayer time for joys and concerns shared by the congregation is another important part, followed by the weekly scripture passage and message.  After the worship service there is a short social “coffee and snack” time. Then Sunday School begins. 

Once a month, the congregation  holds a fellowship pot luck meal following the service. Birthdays are also recognized on a monthly basis.  

BMF selects a pastoral care team to help with needs of the congregation and to assist the pastor. As well there is a church council to deal with organization needs.  Individual committees to look after various aspects of the church life. 

Brussels Mennonite Fellowship works with other village congregations in several ways. The Thrift Shop is one joint project, as is Soup and More luncheons held in the Presbyterian Church. Holy Week Services and luncheons, and Community Choir Presentations are also the result of joint efforts of the Brussels churches. Village pastors meet together periodically. 

Kids Corner, a vacation Bible School activity, was another major undertaking by the Brussels Churches. It was hosted at BMF  for several years. However, unfortunately, the program had to be discontinued. 

Over the years, many activities and projects have come and gone at BMF. Some of them were talent auctions, hosting Ten Thousand Villages sales, men’s groups, small groups, “Guess who’s coming to Dinner Meals”, Valentine Dinners, Strawberry Socials,  a quilting group, a very active Youth Group, and weekly prayer meetings, Games Nights, participation in The Food Grains Bank, to name a few.  These activities are presently not active at BMF for a variety of reasons, but they do provide warm and vivid memories. 

Some current activities of BMF include providing a Christmas dinner for members of the community, having a Ladies’ Bible Study Group, and contributing a loose change monthly offering to a worthy cause such as the Christmas Bureau or the local Food Bank, the Food Grains Bank, etc.. 

Tribute to the founding families should be recognized. Six of the ten founders are still serving the Church faithfully after 45 years of dedication to BMF. The other four were faithful until their death. 

A large percentage of today’s Churches face common problems. Aged congregations tend to be the norm.   Energy levels dwindle. Church events such as tobogganing or skating parties are no longer feasible in many churches. How grateful we would be to have full Children’s Sunday School classes, active youth groups,  pews of young adults, and the energy of the young! 

But do not despair. Be thankful. God is in control. Everything happens for a reason. Life goes in cycles.

Remember - Prayer changes things! 

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This event is posted as a Community of Congregations event! We celebrate with Brussels Mennonite!