Series 9 - Bethel Mennonite Church (Winnipeg)

Bethel Mennonite Church began in January 1938 when Benjamin Ewert, a minister ordained by the Bergthaler Mennonite Church, was commissioned by the Canadian Conference of Mennonites to visit Mennonite families in Winnipeg and surrounding settlements. At first they held service in the Emmanual Baptist Church at Sargent Avenue and Furby Street. Later they rented a church at the corner of Sherbrook Street and Sargent Avenue and held services there until 1945, when they purchased a church building at 103 Furby Street. In 1955 a property was acquired at the corner of Stafford and Carter and built a new church building. Known initially as the Bethel Mission or Bethel Mennonite Mission Chruch, the name became Bethel Mennonite church when then relocated to Stafford Avenue in 1955.

Isaac Irwin (I.I.) Friesen (1900-1974) was born in Rosthern, Saskatchewan to Isaac P. and Katherine Friesen. He completed his early education at Rosthern Public School and the German English Academy. In 1917, he was baptized at Rosthern Mennonite Church by David Toews and also attended the Bible Institute of Los Angeles, California, where Dr. R. A. Torry was a strong influence on his life and faith.

Isaac I. Friesen and his father Isaac P. Friesen were both elected as lay ministers at the Eigenheim Mennonite Church in Saskatchewan in 1919. Isaac I. served as a minister in the Rosenorter Church for 17 years. He attended the Saskatchewan Provincial Normal School, graduating in 1921, following which he taught at the Scarpe Public School near Rosthern. He continued his education, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in 1927 and a Master of Education in 1934, both from the University of Saskatchewan. He taught at the German English Academy, the Laird High School, Bedford Road Collegiate in Saskatoon, and Mennonite Collegiate Institute in Gretna, Manitoba.

I.I. Friesen married Elsie Funk (1909-1995), daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ezra Funk of Drake, Saskatchewan, in 1937. He worked as chaplain at the Salem Deaconness Hospital in Oregon from 1939-1942, where he also directed the hospital radio program. In 1943, Isaac was called to continue the ministry of Reverend Benjamin Ewert at Bethel Mission Church in Winnipeg. He was ordained as an elder of Bethel Mission Church in 1945, and served as minister from 1943-1951.

Isaac's post-secondary teaching career began at Mennonite Brethren Bible College in 1944. He participated in the formation of the Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC) and joined the teaching faculty when it opened in 1947. He taught at CMBC for 21 years and served as president for eight years.

Both teaching and ministry led Isaac into conference work. He was a member of the General Conference Mennonite Church (GCMC) Board of Education from 1947-1956, he served as vice-president of the GCMC Executive Committee from 1956-1962, he was a member and chairman of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada (CMC) Board of Education, and he served on the GCMC Commission for the Study of Scripture between 1961-1962.

Isaac continued to study throughout his adult life. He attended Dallas Theological Seminary (1936-1937), Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1937-1938, 1943) where he earned a Bachelor of Divinity, and Winona Lake School of Theology, where he earned a Master of Theology in 1956. During his CMBC years, he attended summer school at New York Biblical Seminary, Garrett Biblical Seminary, Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Union Theological Seminary in New York, Concordia Seminary and Luther Seminary. He pursued post-graduate studies at United Seminaries Toronto (1959-1960), London Bible College (1963-1964), and the University of Basel (1968-1971), where he earned a Doctor of Theology degree.

Upon their return from Switzerland, Isaac taught at Canadian Bible College in Regina from 1972-1973. He spent only his last year of life in retirement before his death on July 23, 1974. He died of a heart attack while speaking at CMC sessions in Steinbach, Manitoba. His wife Elsie died on July 24, 1995 in Winnipeg.