Foothills Mennonite

Foothills Mennonite Church began services in 1955 when families began meeting in homes. In January 1956 the group began holding worship services and Sunday school, and formally organized in November 1961. The first building was occupied in 1959, with a subsequent building program in 1966. Peter Unger is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through urbanization from rural Alberta.

The congregation was first called North Hill Mennonite Mission, and then North Hill Mennonite Church. It was renamed Foothills Mennonite in 1966 when a new church building was constructed at a new location.

Foothills broke with tradition by electing deacons for terms of three years rather than for life. It also departed from the practice of allowing only elders to baptize and administer communion. The congregation experienced internal struggles over church leadership and spiritual stagnation. General renewal came to the church in the early 1970s.

Foothills helped in the development of Calgary Mennonite Fellowship in 1975.

Bibliography

Canadian Mennonite (16 October 1959): 7; (24 November 1961): 3; (27 April 1965): 9; (3 May 1966): 9; (15 November 1966): 3; (25 June 1968).

Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives. "Foothills Mennonite Church fonds." 28 July 2009. http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/programs/archives/holdings/AB/AB_foothills.htm (accessed 23 September 2009).

"Our History." Foothills Mennonite Church website. http://foothills.mennonitechurch.ab.ca/about.htm (accessed 23 September 2009).

Schellenberg, Larry. "Financial History of the Foothills Mennonite Church," Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1982, 40 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.

Wedel, Candace. "The History of the Foothills Mennonite Church, Calgary, Alberta." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1965, 9 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.

Wiens, Janet. "The History of the Foothills Mennonite Church." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1980, 20 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.