Photo 651 - William Falk photos from alternative service camp

Wilhelm H. Falk, Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference founding bishop and farmer, was born on October 23, 1892 in the village of Schoenthal, northwest of Altona, Manitoba. He was one of nine children born to Heinrich and Justina (nee Unrau) Falk. One of his siblings and his father died while he was still a young child. His mother then married Abram Bergen who was a widower with five children of his own and this marriage produced another half brother and sister for Falk. He attended private school in Schoenthal where G.G. Neufeld was one of his teachers. In 1912 Falk was baptized on May 27th. A year later her married Sarah Friesen on June 8th. He purchased a farm in Roseville school district and lived there until he retired. He and his first wife had eight children but two died as infants. Sarah then died in 1930. Two years later he married Elizabeth Schellenberg on June 30th. This second marriage also produced eight children, two of which died as infants. Falk was elected to the ministry in the Sommerfeld Mennonite Church and ordained on June 29, 1927 at Schoenthal. He later became one of four ministers who separated from this church in 1936 and became the first Aeltester of the newly formed Rudnerweide Church (later known as the Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference or EMMC). He was ordained to this office by Aeltester David Schulz on February 4, 1937. Falk was a conscientious objector (CO) in the First World War and supported the young COs in the second world war (WWII). During his many years of service to the church, Falk performed 1000 baptisms, 50 funerals, 112 marriages, 14 church dedications, and ordained 48 ministers, 2 bishops and 5 deacons. Wilhelm H. Falk died on July 29, 1976. In 2008 his daughter Mary Neufeld published a biography of Wilhelm H. Falk entitled A Prairie Pilgrim.