Administrative History

The Central Community Church officially began on January 6, 1945, as the East Chilliwack Mennonite Brethren Church. In 1943, there was a rapid influx of families with Mennonite Brethren affiliation from the prairie provinces who met together for Bible study and worship. The desire for a Mennonite Brethren fellowship was very evident. So, in 1944, the decision was made to temporarily rent a small hall. In a few weeks, the little hall was filled to overflowing.

The possibility of constructing a new building became a reality when land was donated and construction began. After much donated time, money, and materials, 82 members were able to meet on January 6, 1945, to formally organize the East Chilliwack Mennonite Brethren Church; it was later dedicated on February 25, 1945.

In fall 1947, a Bible school opened in a converted feed store near the church with a student body of 58 and a staff of four teachers. The school remained in operation for eleven years.

Church membership and attendance continued to increase. By 1947, the church was considering constructing a new building or adding to the existing one. Classrooms and an extended front entrance to the church were added and even more room was made available when sixty families transferred out of the church to organize the Broadway Mennonite Brethren Church. Membership at East Chilliwack was now reduced by almost forty percent. However, attendance did continue to increase and building plans were again underway.

Construction of a new building began in 1953. The new building provided seating for approximately 400 people in the sanctuary and was completed in 1954. The old building was renovated to house the Bible school during the winter months and also for Sunday school use. At this time, church membership reached a high of 259 with many more adherents. The congregation was led by Rev. George Theilmann from 1950 to 1969. In 1970, Rev. Ben Heppner became the first salaried pastor at the church; he was later succeeded in 1975 by Rev. Edward Hamm.

By 1980, more families moved into town, causing a decline in attendance. This limited growth potential, leading to the sale of the building and relocation to the city of Chilliwack. The new facilities were first used in February 1981, although the education wing was not complete until April. The relocation of the church brought not only a new building, but also a new name: Chilliwack Central Mennonite Brethren Church.

In 2003, the church was renamed the Central Community Church. And, by 2021, it had became a multi-campus network with five worshiping communities:

• Central Community Church, 46100 Chilliwack Central Rd., Chilliwack, BC
• Agassiz Campus, meeting at Agricult. Hall, 6800 Pioneer Ave., Agassiz, BC
• Lake Errock Campus 2017 (Former North Fraser Community Church), meeting at 43745 Lougheed Hwy., Lake Errock, BC
• Promontory Campus, meeting at Promontory Heights Elementary School, 46200 Stoneview Drive, Chilliwack, BC
• Harrison Ministry Centre 2019, 514 Lillooet Ave., Harrison Hot Springs, BC

Leaders of the church include N.A Rempel (1945–1946, 1947–1948), Jacob Bergen (1946–1947), H.A. Kroeker (1948–1950), George Thielmann (1950–1969), Ben Heppner (1970–1975), Edward Hamm (1975–1982), Henry Born (1982–1985), Keith Wiggin (1986–1993), Reg Toews (1995), David MacFarlane (1998–2000), Adam Wiggins (2000–2005), Ron Van Akker (2006–2014), Matt Shantz (2014– ).

The language of worship is English.  The transition from German occurred in the 1960s.