by Lori Thompson
MINDEMOYA—The Mindemoya Missionary Church remains a vibrant entity even while other area churches struggle with declining memberships. According to Pastor Ray Kloestra, there are 130 to 140 members in the congregation, although Sunday services average about 120 attendees. Most were on hand this past Sunday as the church celebrated its 75th anniversary.
Back in 1939 when the church first began, members met in a home just east of town. The group grew too large and moved to the basement of what was once the Continuation School in Mindemoya. In 1948, under the ministry of then pastor Clarence Hunking, they acquired the abandoned Presbyterian church building in Snowville. It was disassembled and rebuilt on the present day site. The little white church would have been located between the sign and the stone wall at the red brick part of the current structure. The older part of the present building was built in 1976 and 1977 under Pastor Ted Montgomery. As the congregation has grown, so has the building. The addition was completed in 2011, with renovations to the sanctuary undertaken in 2012.
There have been other changes through the years. Even though the people who formed the church here were not Mennonite, it did originate with Mennonites in southern Ontario. They were strongly affected by the revivals in the 1860s and 1870s. George Schroeder came to Manitoulin as a missionary from the Elmwood area (near Hanover). He started some preaching points and the Salem Church in Spring Bay was born as a result.
As the Mindemoya church grew, they invited the pastor from (the congregation in) Spring Bay to join them and they became the Mennonite Brethren in Christ. They continued to function as a two-point charge until 1892 when each church became autonomous with its own pastor. At that time, Salem had a congregation of 25 to 30 members and Mindemoya had about 60.
After World War II, the name was changed to the United Missionary Church. The congregation at that time felt they were not Mennonite enough, and they had developed a strong missionary component. There were a number of denominational mergers that followed before members finally settled on the Mindemoya Missionary Church.
They are part of the national body of the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada (EMCC), which has approximately 170 congregations across Canada, primarily in Ontario and Alberta, and are part of a worldwide family of churches and denominations operating in Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and India. The EMCC has a long history of missionary work and today the church continues its activities overseas while increasing active endeavours in Canada, primarily with new Canadians and First Nations.
The Missionary Church that was planted here in the pioneer days of Manitoulin Island continues to thrive. The parking lot was full for the celebratory service on Sunday. “God has given us the best day of the whole year to celebrate our 75th anniversary,” said member Dale Scott.
Inside the building was warm, spacious, and full of light. The atmosphere was friendly as young ushers greeted people with smiles and the church filled up with worshippers of all ages. The very modern sanctuary contains rows of pews and additional chairs. There is a podium at the front but no altar. Instead there are two screens where the congregation can follow along with prayers and hymns. There is a technical booth at the back of the room, where several members monitored the projection and sound system.
The church’s revival roots were evident in the fervent and joyous singing as the congregation stood to sing along with the choir. Members swayed and raised their hands in the air. Tim Renwick, who led Sunday’s service, displayed a plaque from the EMCC and read a letter from president Phil Delsaut, who congratulated the church on this “momentous milestone in your storied history. It’s all about the people and the community it has impacted,” stated Mr. Delsaut.
Mr. Scott spoke about the church’s impact. “For 75 years, (this church) has been a lighthouse in the community. It has brought people from all over the province, all over the country, to worship with us. That’s what we need to continue to do,” he said. “It’s all been through prayer.”
He remembered overseas missionaries and local community, offering a special prayer for Varley VanHorne, who could not be at the service on Sunday but who has been a member of the church throughout its 75 years. “I remember fondly so many times we worked together on this church and the parsonage,” said Mr. Scott. “He’s truly a pioneer in this church.”
Keith and Ruth Ann Elliott were introduced as special guests, there to share in celebrating the church’s 75th anniversary. The Elliotts have served in pastoral ministry in Kitchener and as missionaries in Ecuador and Mexico. Mr. Elliott has a Manitoulin connection. His grandmother, Ruby Pyette, was a member of the church many years ago. Rev. Elliott spoke on the theme “The Church and its Mission.”
“The Church is the most important entity in the world,” he said. “No other entity is more vital, relevant, or important than the Church. The perspective is not always that way. Second, the mission of the Church is the most important endeavour in the world. It’s formative. It changes people,” he explained. The Church is not a piece of property, or a building, or a particular organization or hierarchy of leadership. The Church is “the people in charge. It is the whole congregation of God.”
He encouraged the congregation to be true to their calling. “Do not settle down to be a traditional Christian community but continue to be a transformational Christian community.”
Pastor Kloestra attributes the success of the church to its members. “It’s certainly not anything I’ve done,” he said. “I’m surrounded by a lot of great people. They work hard and care a lot for the people in their communities. That impacts a lot of other people. We’re very fortunate.”
Francine and Phil Gosse have been members since they moved to Manitoulin Island in 2008. “We love this church,” they said. “The people here are very welcoming. We’ve had three kids move through the children and youth programs. They’re amazing.”
Mark Hovingh of Manitowaning agreed, saying his family has been attending the church since moving here in 1999. “It’s a great community,” he said.
