HISTORY
500 years ago...
Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church is rooted in the Anabaptist movement of 16th century Europe, which, since its beginning, has emphasized following Jesus Christ in daily life, identification with a local congregation, and commitment to peace and service to others.
70 years ago...
The influx of German-speaking families from Europe and Paraguay in the post-World War II years brought into focus different language needs among the Mennonites in British Columbia. Whereas the West Abbotsford Mennonite Church was moving towards more use of English to accommodate acculturation, the new immigrants and others still preferred to use German. Other cultural issues, personalities and leadership styles were also present. On 24 January 1963, 52 members of the West Abbotsford congregation formed a new congregation, ministering in the German language. Jake Tilitzky, a minister in the West Abbotsford congregation, was called to be the leading minister (his wife, Erna, served for years as pianist and choir leader), while another minister, Henry Neudorf, was asked to serve as assistant minister. Land was purchased at the corner of Windsor and Marshall near West Abbotsford church, a sod turning ceremony was held on 27 February 1963, and the building was dedicated on 14 July of that year. They named it Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church (Eben-Ezer means the Stone of Help).
The surrounding culture forced upon the congregation the very same challenges they could not face back in 1963. In 1978 some 40 members announced that they were ready to start an English-language congregation. This group formed what was to become the Emmanuel Mennonite Church in 1981. The departure of Emmanuel members underscored the need for the mother church to make some significant allowance for the remaining younger members in terms of the Sunday Worship services. About five years later, after some heart-wrenching processes, Eben-Ezer decided to offer separate German and English services. The occasional joint services had a distinctly bilingual flavor.
The children of the 1980s became parents at the turn of the 21st century. A reluctance or a failure to learn from the experiences of 1978, complicated by personalities and diverse understanding of the nature and governance of Eben-Ezer as well as the emphasis on local mission generated internal tensions. When in 2003 the English Ministries Pastor was not asked to serve another term, many felt thwarted and most of the families with children, including some grandparents, saw no choice but to go. They started the East Abbotsford Community Church, today known as Abbotsford Community Church.
In the late 1970s refugees from Indochina came to Canada. Eben-Ezer sponsored about a dozen Laotian families (48 people). Members of the congregation offered to help materially, socially, and spiritually. Some of these Laotians eventually formed the Lao Christian Church which is still using Eben-Ezer’s facilities to this day. Refugees from other countries have also been sponsored by the congregation.
In 2013, Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church celebrated its 50th anniversary.
On 29 November 2016, the congregation voted to no longer affiliate with Mennonite Church Canada after the national church passed the Being a Faithful Church 7 recommendation earlier that year.
Eben-Ezer has been a strong supporter of Mennonite organizations such as Conferences, Mennonite Central Committee, the Mennonite Benevolent Society, Columbia Bible College, and, until a few years ago, Mennonite Educational Institute.
Today...
Eben-Ezer Mennonite continues to be a bilingual church that hosts and blesses other ministries , while proclaiming God's Truth to the community around it.
Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church is rooted in the Anabaptist movement of 16th century Europe, which, since its beginning, has emphasized following Jesus Christ in daily life, identification with a local congregation, and commitment to peace and service to others.
70 years ago...
The influx of German-speaking families from Europe and Paraguay in the post-World War II years brought into focus different language needs among the Mennonites in British Columbia. Whereas the West Abbotsford Mennonite Church was moving towards more use of English to accommodate acculturation, the new immigrants and others still preferred to use German. Other cultural issues, personalities and leadership styles were also present. On 24 January 1963, 52 members of the West Abbotsford congregation formed a new congregation, ministering in the German language. Jake Tilitzky, a minister in the West Abbotsford congregation, was called to be the leading minister (his wife, Erna, served for years as pianist and choir leader), while another minister, Henry Neudorf, was asked to serve as assistant minister. Land was purchased at the corner of Windsor and Marshall near West Abbotsford church, a sod turning ceremony was held on 27 February 1963, and the building was dedicated on 14 July of that year. They named it Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church (Eben-Ezer means the Stone of Help).
The surrounding culture forced upon the congregation the very same challenges they could not face back in 1963. In 1978 some 40 members announced that they were ready to start an English-language congregation. This group formed what was to become the Emmanuel Mennonite Church in 1981. The departure of Emmanuel members underscored the need for the mother church to make some significant allowance for the remaining younger members in terms of the Sunday Worship services. About five years later, after some heart-wrenching processes, Eben-Ezer decided to offer separate German and English services. The occasional joint services had a distinctly bilingual flavor.
The children of the 1980s became parents at the turn of the 21st century. A reluctance or a failure to learn from the experiences of 1978, complicated by personalities and diverse understanding of the nature and governance of Eben-Ezer as well as the emphasis on local mission generated internal tensions. When in 2003 the English Ministries Pastor was not asked to serve another term, many felt thwarted and most of the families with children, including some grandparents, saw no choice but to go. They started the East Abbotsford Community Church, today known as Abbotsford Community Church.
In the late 1970s refugees from Indochina came to Canada. Eben-Ezer sponsored about a dozen Laotian families (48 people). Members of the congregation offered to help materially, socially, and spiritually. Some of these Laotians eventually formed the Lao Christian Church which is still using Eben-Ezer’s facilities to this day. Refugees from other countries have also been sponsored by the congregation.
In 2013, Eben-Ezer Mennonite Church celebrated its 50th anniversary.
On 29 November 2016, the congregation voted to no longer affiliate with Mennonite Church Canada after the national church passed the Being a Faithful Church 7 recommendation earlier that year.
Eben-Ezer has been a strong supporter of Mennonite organizations such as Conferences, Mennonite Central Committee, the Mennonite Benevolent Society, Columbia Bible College, and, until a few years ago, Mennonite Educational Institute.
Today...
Eben-Ezer Mennonite continues to be a bilingual church that hosts and blesses other ministries , while proclaiming God's Truth to the community around it.