Previous | Next 

Ottawa, Ont.
National Capital Community Church closes


A spirit of quiet celebration marked the closing service of National Capital Community Church in Ottawa on May 27. Attendance at this service swelled as the current congregation was joined by past members, pastors from the community, Conference leaders and other friends, some who had travelled some distance to attend.

Greetings were brought from the Canadian MB Conference, the Ontario MB Conference, Ottawa Mennonite Church, and from the Creech family, members of the congregation, serving in Senegal with Wycliffe Bible Translators.

During the service many gave emotional testimony of how the ministry of the church had impacted their lives, bringing them to a deeper commitment to Christ and providing a strong community for them to grow in faith and in relationship with each other.

The worship had many songs proclaiming the love and faithfulness of God. Pastor Gerald Hildebrand exhorted the congregation with a message entitled “His Love Never Quits”.

After serving for 17 years in the National Capital Region, church members at a congregational meeting in February voted to close the church. In consultation with the Conference, the church elders are taking the necessary steps to wind up the financial affairs of the congregation and are attempting to ensure that everyone in the church finds new communities in which to worship.

Gerald Hildebrand is now serving as MBMS International regional director for Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. He and his family currently live in Winnipeg.

Carmyn, Joanne, Simone, Gerald Hildebrand

The church was chartered on Nov. 18, 1984. Earlier that year, a small group of believers began meeting. Under the guidance of the Canadian MB Conference Board of Evangelism, the group began a search for a pastor and called themselves National Capital Community Church. The first full-time pastor couple was Ken and Bertha Dyck. The group met in a school at first and moved to a community centre in December 1986. The church offered Sunday school and worship services. Two mid-week home group meetings formed. The Dycks resigned in July 1987. Arthur and Joy Dyck then served as part-time pastor couple. Herman and Cheryl Plett were full-time pastor couple from March 1988 to June 1991. This was followed by a series of short, interim pastoral assignments: Howard Adams, Nick and Betty Dyck, and Aaron and Kay Schmidt. Aaron Schmidt also was serving as Ontario MB Conference Church Extension director at the time. In August 1994, Gerald and Joanne Hildebrand became full-time pastor couple.

By the early 1990s, weekly attendance at the church was showing about 150, seven home Bible study groups were meeting across the city and people from a variety of cultural backgrounds were getting involved in the church.

 – from releases

Previous | Next 

Last modified October 13, 2006.

© 2006 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
Masthead and usage information.