HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2000-01-19, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2000.
Mennonite Fellowship marks anniversary
The beginning
The Brussels home of Clark and Hazel Matheson was purchased by Brussels Mennonite
Fellowship in June, 1981.
Today
The present church building can be seen from the west side of the structure. The main house
is still in use by the congregation.
Bible School in 1983. The enroll
ment hit approximately 130 commu
nity children in peak years. The tra
dition of a summer ministry event
for children has continued.
The first worship service held at
the Callander Nursing Home by
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship was
in March, 1980. These services con
tinued once a month, until the nurs
ing home closed in 1991.
The ministry came to life again
when Huronlea Home for the Aged
opened. Brussels Mennonite
Fellowship takes a turn along with
other churches in providing Sunday
afternoon services and also leads in a
Sing-Along the last Friday of most
months, for the residents at the
home.
When 10 families had declared
their support of Brussels Mennonite
Fellowship, the group met for the
first Sunday morning service,
February, 198L The rented facilities
of the Brussels Library soon were
inadequate for the rapidly-growing
group.
On June 1, 1981, a house and the
surrounding land was purchased
from Clark and Hazel Matheson. The
home was quickly transformed into a
worship centre.
The following Sunday, June 7, a
worship service was held in the par
tially-renovated building. The con
gregation celebrated with a potluck
meal following the service. This cel
ebration gave birth to another treas
ured tradition. Once a month the
congregation celebrates its blessings
with a potluck meal, following the
service.
On June 17, 1984, the ground
breaking service was held for the
chapel addition. A major building
blitz was held July 2 - 7. With the
help of many volunteers from the
Northern District of the Mennonite
Conference of Ontario and Quebec,
and a work crew from Good’s
Mennonite Church, Elizabethtown,
Pennsylvania, the Brussels congre
gation was able to worship in the
new chapel, July 8, although
the finishing touches were done
The idea of starting a Mennonite
Church in Brussels, was conceived
long before any concrete action was
taken. It was talked about in the
1970s by the Listowel Mennonite
Congregation which had distinct
geographic groups.
The Brussels group seemed eager
and capable. A document entitled,
“IN SEARCH OF NEW DIREC
TIONS”, was presented to the
Listowel congregation in 1979, and
Brussels was suggested as a location
for a new congregation. It was
agreed that if 10 families would
commit themselves to the new
church, it would be a definite go.
Only four families gave a definite
commitment. However, these four
families from Listowel Mennonite
Church, and a Brussels family who
attended the Dungannon Christian
Fellowship, felt the Spirit’s leading
to engage in more active outreach in
the Brussels community. So, the
Church planting project of Listowel
Mennonite Church began. The
founding families were: John and
Mary Baan and family, Elwin and
Linda Garland, Lome and Marion
Wideman Ross and Anne
Hemingway and family, Howard and
Alice Martin and family.
The first public worship service of
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship was
held in January of 1980, at the
Melville Presbyterian Church. The
Listowel Pastor, Brian Laverty, gave
leadership initially, but Doug Zehr
began pastoral duties on a part-time
basis in July, 1980. Sunday evening
services were held alternately with
Friday evening Bible Study, includ
ing children’s activities. In 1989 the
congregation hired Doug and Mim
Zehr for a full-time position.
A Brussels Community Daily
Vacation Bible School was one of
the first projects. A program for
children Grades K-8 was held at the
Melville Presbyterian Church each
summer from 1980-1982, with vol
unteer help from the other village
churches.
Kids’ Comer was proposed as an
alternative to the Daily Vacation
held
was
A
was
later.
A service of dedication was
that September.
In 1987 building expansion
experienced again,
gymnasium/fellowship hall
added, along with a new stairway to
the Sunday School classrooms
upstairs (former bedrooms in the old
house), a new kitchen, and an office.
The project was complete and ready
for an open house in April, 1988.
Cement floors in the basement and
in the gym were tiled in the 1990s by
Don Becker. Shuffleboard, volley
ball and basketbail courts were
designed in the gymnasium floor.
In 1995 the old verandah in the
north of the original house was
closed in for an office and meeting
room. The former office now serves
as a pastor’s study.
In March of 1983 the church coun
cil gave approval to a Meals-on-
Wheels program for seniors in the
Brussels community. After a trial
period of eight weeks, interest was
good and about a dozen community
volunteers came forth. This service
continued until May 1999.
1983 is remembered for another
reason. The Community Youth
Fellowship of Brussels Mennonite
Fellowship was begun in an attempt
to provide wholesome activity for
the youth in the church and in the
larger Brussels community.
In 1984 the youth group entered its
first team in the Ontario-Quebec
Mennonite Youth Fellowship Bible
Quiz competition. On Easter Sunday
in 1985 the youth led a Sunrise
Service and served a light breakfast
before the regular worship service.
This service and breakfast have also
become a tradition.
Approximately 20 youth are
actively involved in the Brussels
MYF (Mennonite Youth Fellowship)
today. Several mission service ven
tures have been done by the youth of
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship.
The first application for a summer
student under the federal govern
ment’s summer experience job cre
ation program was made in 1985,
and for many years the church hired
one or more students, with the focus
of the position being on co-ordinat
ing summer programs.
The Brussels Ladies’ Group, the
WMSC (Women’s Mission and
Service Committee) was also estab
lished in 1983. The group, now
known as Ladies’ Fellowship, has
taken part in many projects
over the years. Currently it is sup
porting a child in Bolivia through
“Plan”.
1990 was the close of one era of
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship with
the Zehrs moving on to pastor at
Elmira, and then in Indiana.
Various projects have been suc
cessful. Several talent auctions aug
mented the mission fund substantial
ly. On a wider scale, the mission
committee of Brussels Mennonite
Fellowship has held Self Help Craft
sales, hosting their 10th sale in 1999.
These sales are now known as “Ten
Thousand Villages Festival”.
The Church underwent a “LIFE
Process” (Living in Faithful
Evangelism) three-year program.
Saturday evening services were
held for a few month's. Occasionally
outdoor praise services have been
held during the summer. Since the
mid-80s, New Year’s Eve has been
celebrated by the church family as a
whole.
Sunday School has always been a
vital part of the congregational life.
There are classes for all ages. Two or
^three adult classes held each quarter,
each studying different topics, give a
variety from which adults may
choose. Sometimes intergenerational
sessions will be held for a few
weeks.
In 1996 a “burning the mortgage”
celebration was held, as the church
had paid off all debts incurred from
the purchase of the property and
from the additions.
Gordon Bauman from Tavistock
came as an interim part-time pastor
prior to the hiring of Tom Warner as
a permanent full-time pastor. Pastor
Tom left in 1995 to continue his
schooling in Western Canada.
For the next year and a half the
church continued without a pastor,
under the leadership of the elders
and church council chairperson.
From December 1996 - April
1997, Glenn Brubacher served as a
part-time interim pastor. At present
Ben Wiebe is part-time pastor at
Brussels Mennonite Fellowship.
Youth activities for Grades 4-8,
as well as the youth sector, prayer
and Bible Study groups, visitation,
fellowship, and of course worship
and Sunday School have all helped
unite participants and also helped the
group grow in size and spirit.