WATERLOO MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH CELEBRATES 50 YEARS of Vision

When Waterloo Mennonite Brethren Church first opened their doors at 245 Lexington Road in 1967, there

were just 43 charter members. Today their congregation has grown to almost 3,000, with an average of 750 members attending services each Sunday. “The church is growing. We baptized over 100 people in the last 3 years and many of our congregants meet in smaller groups, in homes during the week to continue learning from Sunday, pray together, and support each other in daily life,” says Chris Stevens who has been Lead Pastor for the last 3 and-a-half years. “30 years ago, the church built a larger sanctuary which was finished in 1989 and we are working on many cosmetic updates around the building needed for our use and for community groups who regularly use our space like Red Cross Care Partners, Sounds of Christmas, Northlake Woods, and LBP school graduations.”

Every Sunday there are 2 services. Both are in English and the second is also translated into Farsi and Spanish (they are hoping to have more languages soon.) Hearing assist is available at both services. “Our Sunday morning services feature contemporary music, relevant life-applicable messages and age-based programming for kids, youths, and adults. A Sunday morning café and soup from WMB’s Cheerful Spoon Soup Co. provides job experience and training for 3 to 5 people each year.” says Pastor Stevens.

The church offers inclusivity for everyone on their spiritual journey. “We have many different ways of expressing our great love for this community,” says Pastor Stevens. “At one time our Mennonite Brethren heritage meant you probably came from a German background; today WMB Church includes people from many diverse backgrounds and every walk of life.”

The Open Homes Ministry, which helps refugees settle in the area, started as a WMB initiative and has grown to over 10 local churches offering holistic care to those in need as part of the Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support (MCRS). Barnabas Missions offers numerous programs to help people in impoverished and marginalized situations with life skills courses covering everything from basic home repair and food preparation to health care and financial help.

WMB hosted 199 children at Wumba Kid’s Camp which also provided 5 students with full time jobs. Soccer camp in Victoria Hills hosted another 100 children and was even able to provide footwear for some. A weekly mentoring program is also offered to a group of underprivileged boys and 25 backpacks are filled with school supplies for those in need to help prepare for the school year.

Programs are offered throughout the year and are open to anyone in the community, including monthly barbeques in the summer, movie night in February and pancake dinner in the spring. “Each spring we offer a 6 week program which includes a $3 dinner followed by a variety of practical life skills courses.” says Pastor Stevens. “This is geared towards people from the community who are not regularly involved at the church.”

An anniversary celebration will be held Saturday, October 14th and Sunday, October 15th, marking 50 years of vision, mission, and faith. “It’s a chance to hear from all those who came before us, with former pastors telling stories about how they got involved in the church, and also looking to the future as we continue to grow,” says Pastor Stevens.

Attendees must register by Sunday, October 1. The cost is $10 per person and includes the kick-off, lunch, afternoon panel, and the evening program. A buffet dinner is also available for an additional $30 per person