Administrative History

The Yarrow Mennonite Brethren Church in Yarrow, British Columbia, was founded by Mennonites who began arriving in the area in 1928. They met together in the homes of Mennonite Brethren and Mennonite Church families. The Mennonite Brethren organized as a separate congregation with 96 charter members on February 3, 1929, with Peter Dyck as the leading minister. Soon they began to build their own church, which was finished in the fall of 1930.

The church joined the Mennonite Brethren Conference in 1931 and became an influential congregation in the conference. In the same year, outreach to the community of Greendale began, resulting in the creation of the Sardis Mennonite Brethren Church, later renamed the Greendale Mennonite Brethren Church. In 1938, a new larger, building was built. Outreach to other communities such as Haney, Pitt Meadows, and Hope was carried out as well as through the West Coast Children’s Mission and Daily Vacation Bible School (DVBS). Foreign missions were supported through various fundraising drives as well as several workers came from the Yarrow church.

Yarrow MB Church has had a long history in education. It was instrumental in the creation of the Elim Bible School (1930–1955), and the high schools Sharon Mennonite Institute (1945–1949), and the Sharon Mennonite Collegiate (1951–1970). Music was nurtured in the congregation through various choirs and musical groups. Early music directors included H.P. Neufeldt and George Reimer. In 1948, the church had grown to 970 members and the largest MB church in Canada. In the next two decades, there was a rapid decline in membership due to poor crops and urbanization.

The switch from German to English services began in 1957 with a bilingual service to separate German and English services in 1968. A new building project was completed in 1991 with a new gymnasium. Membership in 1956 stood at 761; in 1961, it was 606; in 1969, it was 480; in 1975, it was 328; in 1983, it was 292; in 1990, it was 246; and in 2001, it was 161.

Leaders of the congregation include: Peter Dyck (1929–1930), John Harder (1930–1948), Herman Lenzmann (1950–1959), Peter Neufeldt (1960–1961), Henry Brucks (1961–1965), Henry Thielmann (1965–1968), David Friesen (1968–1971), John Klaseen (1971–1974), Abe L. Klassen (1974–1987), Ron and Marion Braun (1988–1997), Jim Nightingale (1997–2004), Eldon Fehr (2005– ). Interim Pastors to have served include K. A. Klassen (1930–1931), Henry Bartsch (1949–1950), Ike Bergen (2004–2005), Eldon Fehr (2005–2013),