Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

The Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches is a Canadian nonprofit religious organization that serves as a conference body for Mennonite Brethren congregations in Ontario. It was officially founded in 1932 and is registered under the Business Number 108090929RR0001.

History

The roots of the Ontario Conference date back to 1924 when a group of Mennonite immigrants from Molotschna, South Russia, settled in southern Ontario, particularly in the Waterloo region and surrounding communities such as Kitchener, Hespeler, New Hamburg, Essex County (now Leamington), Port Rowan, and Vineland. These immigrants were members of Mennonite Brethren and Evangelical Mennonite groups who initially worshiped alongside local Mennonite families but soon established separate congregations due to linguistic and cultural differences as well as differing church traditions.

On May 24, 1925, the two related faith groups amalgamated under the name "Molotschna Mennonite Brethren Church," with key leaders including J. P. Friesen, J. W. Reimer, and J. P. Wiens. While baptism by immersion was the primary practice, other baptism forms were accepted for transfers, provided the candidate had undergone regeneration.

Initially, business affairs for the congregations were centralized in a large annual meeting in Kitchener. On January 31, 1932, five congregations united to form an organized conference. This organization was formally registered with the Ontario government on July 8, 1932, as The Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. At the time of registration, the five congregations had a combined membership of 287, with churches in Kitchener, Leamington, New Hamburg, Hespeler, and Vineland.

Over the years, the conference expanded to include other congregations such as Port Rowan (1933), Virgil (1937), and St. Catharines (1943). In 1939, the Ontario Conference was accepted as the Ontario District Conference of the General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches of North America. Later in 1946, it joined with the Northern District Conference to form the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.

Ministries and Institutions

The conference has been involved in social and care ministries, notably Bethesda Home, a care institution for which a couple from Vineland who had experience working in similar Russian Mennonite institutions initiated private efforts in 1932. Bethesda Home was taken over by the Ontario Conference in 1937, transferred to the Canadian conference in 1947, and then returned to Ontario Conference jurisdiction in 1983. The facility grew to serve over 100 residents with significant government support and staffing.

Significance

The Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches has played a critical role in organizing Mennonite Brethren congregations in Ontario, maintaining a connection to their cultural and religious heritage while adapting to the Canadian context. It has fostered community cohesion among Mennonite Brethren immigrants and their descendants, supporting worship, education, and social services.

Note: This article is based on historical and organizational details retrieved from the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online and other Mennonite historical sources.