Prince Albert church holds its final service
After 80 years, Grace Mennonite Church held its closing service on Jan. 31. The service marked a months-long discernment process and a bittersweet celebration of all that God has done through the church. Grace Mennonite began with a mission, and the church’s legacy of mission in the community will continue. In the 1890s, Mennonites began…
Zoar Mennonite closes after 111 years
“It was not a sudden oh-my-goodness-what-are-we-going-to-do conversation,” says Liz Baerwald of her church’s decision to close. As she sees it, the conversation began more than a decade ago. When long-serving pastor Barry Lesser left Zoar Mennonite Church in Waldheim in 2007, the Waldheim congregation hired interim ministers to help them through the transition. Through this…
Riverton Fellowship Circle’s legacy lives on
When the soft cloud of an expired dandelion explodes, the flower is gone, but the seeds that have spread far and wide soon erupt into new life. So it is with the recently closed Riverton Fellowship Circle. After 35 years of worshipping together, the church decided to close its doors. But its legacy will live…
Emmaus Mennonite closes after 90 years
“There’s not one of us that isn’t grieving,” said Lorna Wiens. “We’re all unhappy to lose our church building, our congregation, our friends.” Wiens was reflecting on the decision to close Emmaus Mennonite Church in Wymark, Sask. “We’ve seen it coming for 20 years,” said retired pastor Fred Heese, who still resides in the community.…
Dying well
Every living thing eventually dies, including churches. Just as people who do not plan for death may complicate things for their families, churches that do not plan for eventual closure can leave a mess for congregants and their surrounding communities. A ‘stolen’ legacy The story of the Pineridge Christian Fellowship is complicated and still somewhat…
