First Mennonite Church in Kelowna, B.C. was formally organized founded in 1947 as the Erste Mennoniten Gemeinde zu Kelowna and affiliated with the Conference of United Mennonite Churches of British Columbia. A building project began in 1951 and culminated with the dedication of the sanctuary in October 1956. During the late 1950s tensions grew over differing visions for the church. One group wanted to preserve the German language and Mennonite traditions, while the other group wanted more English in order to reach out into the surrounding community. In 1960, 29 people separated from First Mennonite and organized a new congregation called Kelowna Mennonite Mission (later known as Kelowna Gospel Fellowship). (See GAMEO for names of leaders and membership numbers.)
A new church building was completed in 1989, with the first service being held 21 May 1989.
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Fonds 13 photographs are found in Box P1 Aisle 5 Bay E
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Old church is in the foreground; new structure is in background, at Gordon Drive in Kelowna.
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A German play "Die Lebenskrone" (Crown of Life). Left to right: Helen Haemmerling, Kay Krahn, Mary Lesser, Anna Wiebe.
Anna Wiebe placing a crown on the head of Mary Lesser.
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An unknown missionary couple with their 3 children on furlough at a missions service on Thanksgiving Day
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High school graduation (left to right): Wendy Wiebe, Brena Wiebe, Donna Dyck
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High school graduation (left to right): Teresa Haemmerling, Helen Hartmut. Sitting beside them is a man, unknown.
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Banquet for graduates, also a farewell for Wiebes. Three graduates and five adults are sitting at a banquet table, identiites unknown.
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A bible classes taking place outdoors under a tree at the church. Teachers Dorothy K (?), Helen Schmidt and Bonnie W (?) are shown with 7 students.
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Betty, Brena and Anne Wiebe (teachers) with class of eight children sitting around a table.
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Men's choir. Left to right: H. Wiebe, J. Braun, M. Dyck, F. Penner, J Willms, H. Haemmerling
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Back row (left to right) Braun, Engbrecht, Willms, Friesen, D. Dyck, Front row (Left to right) A. Wiebe, N. Guenther, K. Krahn, H. Penner, B. Wiebe, B. Dyck, A. Kolart. To the left of the choir is the pianist, Anne Wiebe. The flowers and fruit display seems to indicate that this is a Thanksgiving celebration.
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Ladies quartet (left to right) Janet Dyck, Carol Wiebe, Chris Dueck, Valery Wiebe
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Bell ringers at a Christmas program. Left to right D. Kaehtler, C. Dueck, D. Dyck, D. Wiebe, V. Wiebe, J. Dyck,T. Haemerling, D. Dueck,
R. Dueck, L.Dueck.
Pastor Epp and Mary taught bell ringing. Marv. Epp designed the bows and capes for the students.
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A portrait of Mary and Henry Epp taken from a photo album. He was pastor of Kelowna First Mennonite Church from 1983- 1986.
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A colour photo of Frank and Helen Penner with Donna Penner, probably at a graduation event.
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Mrs.Tina Letkeman, who was a charter member at Kelowna First Mennonite, posing for a picture in her living room.
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Mrs Helena Janzen, pictured in front of a large quilt hanging on a wall, was the wife of Elder Jakob A. Janzen. She was a charter member of Kelowna First Mennonite Church. She is wearing a flower on her sweater. Is she the one who made the large quilt?
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Anna Dyck knitting wool socks and scarves for overseas.
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Mrs. Lena Pauls spent many years in the Menno Home Clearbrook, British Columbia
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Ed Schmidt holding a guitar. The setting is a rustic fenced area, possibly Knox Mountain Lookout in Kelowna, British Columbia.
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Helen Penner with her daughter Mary standing in front of a home, possibly in Kelowna.
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Pastor Lorin and Jeanette Bergen on the church steps with new members.
Back row (left to right): Unknown, Pastor Lorin Bergen, Jeanette Bergen, Jack Hamm, Unknown. Front row in a wheelchair is Mrs. Jack Hamm. Lorin was pastor of First Mennonite Church in Kelowna from 1987-1993.
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In the centre of the platform Bill Schmidt, holding a Bible, is welcoming Loren and Jeanette Bergen as members. Other people on the platform are unknown.
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Betty, Linda and Menno Dyck are standing on the steps of the church.
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Helen and Will Schmidt are standing in front of an orchard of fruit trees.
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Lynn Schmidt and Frank Peters are making Christmas goodie bags in the Penner family home. They are preparing for the Christmas Eve Sunday School program
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Helen Wingerter is seated in a chair holding a Bible. She is a resident at the Joseph Benjamin Residence. The picture is taken in the Christmas season as there is a poinsettia on the table.
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Easter Sunrise Service at Knox Mountain Lookout. Six unidentified people appear to be singing.
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Rev. Henry Epp is standing at the front of the church, behind the communion table with two baptismal candidates, Janet Dyck and Donna Dyck. To the left of them are Sylvia and Arno Heinrichs who are pastors in training.
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Gerda and Frank Dueck in their home celebrating Gerda's 50th birthday. Their living room is decorated with many balloons.
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Anne and Henry Wiebe's 25th wedding anniversary celebration. They are seated at a decorated head table, probably in the downstairs of the church.
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Mary and Jake Engbrecht's 60th wedding anniversary.
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The family of Bishop Heinrich M. Epp (1904-1958 and Anna Epp at a family reunion in Green Bay Bible Camp. About 90 family members are in the photo. The Epps had 13 children.
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Henry Friesen and his wife were honored guests at a celebration of the history of the church.They are standing in front of a chart, titled "Our History" detailing the events of the church calendar. Henry Friesen built the church and served in the pioneer years. An unidentified woman is in the background.
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At the 40th Anniversary service of the church, charter members and seniors are honored. They are standing on the platform behind the communion table. Pictured ( left to right) wearing corsages and boutonniers are K. Letkeman, L. Janzen, J. Engbrecht, A. Penner, D. Hiebert, Mrs. H. Friesen, A. Wiebe, A. Friesen, M. Dyck.
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A farewell was held for Cornie and Margaret Wiebe seen standing on the left of the picture. They are pictured in an outdoor setting, under a tree with a table in the foreground. Margaret served as a youth Sunday School teacher for years and was an active council member. An unidentified man (holding a large decorated cake with a house and a tree and the inscription "Happy North Home" on the cake) and woman are standing to the right of Cornie and Margaret. A wrapped gift is also on the table.
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The family of William Schmidt is pictured outdoors at the wedding of daughter Lynn Schmidt and Ehrhart Pilz. Several cars are seen in the parking lot. The Schmidt family is pictured (left to right) Edward, Helen (bride's mother), Lynn Erhard, Pilz, Ernest, William ( bride's father) , Erwin in 1984 or 1985.
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On Christmas Eve, the Bell Choir ringers joined the church choir and participated in a candle light processional. The choir members wore white capes with black bows. A decorated Christmas tree is at the front of the church.
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Ken and Joanne Birch are cutting a cake at the farewell banquet held in the church auditorium. Ken Birch is holding their young child. Ken and Joanne were Youth Leaders who are moving to another city.
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A project for Mennonite Central Committee, making "Reader's Digest Santas" are being made by (left to right) Gerda Dyck, Kay Kathler and Dorothy K? The ladies are working on this fund raiser project in a private home.
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A pancake breakfast is prepared in the church kitchen by (left to right) Betty Dyck and Kay Kathler
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Sonnenstrahl Verein (Sunbeam Sewing Circle) meets twice a month to make quilts, roll bandages, sew layettes, and host many banquets.
18 women are pictured here.
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Mrs. Agatha Wiebe, wearing a blue dress and white hat is standing in front of a colourful patchwork quilt in the church lower auditorium. She was the leader of the Sunbeam sewing circle for many years.
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Mrs. Anna Friesen , wearing a flowered dress and white sweater, is standing in front of a colourful patchwork quilt in the church lower auditorium. She participated in all ladies work. She loved drama.
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Ladies quilting for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in the church lower auditorium. (left to right ) Neta Neufeld, Kay Krahn, Mary Lesser, Helen Harms.