Administrative History

The New Life Christian Church began in 2001, as the first merger between Mennonite Brethren and Brethren in Christ congregations. New Covenant Christian Fellowship, the Mennonite Brethren congregation involved in the merger, began in 1995, under the leadership of Vidya and Gwen Narimalla, and with sponsorship from the Ontario Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches Board of Church Extension, Kitchener Mennonite Brethren Church, and Fairview Mennonite Brethren Church. The goal was to plant a multi-ethnic, English-speaking church in the suburb of Scarborough.

The meetings began in the Narimalla home, but as the group grew in size, the congregation looked for a more public and spacious facility. For a time, the church met in the chapel of the Serving In Mission (SIM, formerly Sudan Interior Mission) building. Numbers continued to grow, in part due to a merger with Yorkdale Community Church (Mennonite Brethren) in 1996, and by 2001 average attendance was around 120.

Nearby, the Bridlewood Brethren in Christ congregation had more space than it needed. Soon talks began between Vidya Narimalla and Bridlewood pastor, Walter Kelly. The two leaders found that their congregations had much in common; both were theologically rooted in Anabaptism, and both involved a wide range of ethnic groups. The merger became official in 2001, under the new name, New Life Christian Church.

Evidence of growing pains soon appeared. In 2002, Vidya Narimalla left the congregation to serve as senior pastor at the Kitchener Mennonite Brethren Church. Walter Kelly also left the congregation around the same time.

After the Narimalla/Kelly period, church leaders have included Grant Gordon (2002–2005), Wayne Wright (2005–2009), Benjamin Devadason (2009–2018), Timothy Quek (2018– ).