Previous | Next 

Montreal, Que.
Quebec Mennonite churches put faith into action through service


Service opportunities are helping first and second generation Mennonite churches in Quebec define their identity in one of Canada’s most secular provinces.

“If you want to reach out, you have to put your faith into action,” says Éric Wingender. Wingender serves as a Mennonite Brethren representative to the Mennonite Central Committee Canada delegate body and is also the president of École de Théologie Évangélique de Montréal, a French Mennonite Brethren Bible college.

“It has only been in the last few years that as a church we have moved away from the more comfortable margins. We realize that society needs us to take a more active role and build bridges,” he says.

Over the past 30 years Mennonite churches in Quebec have had a more evangelical perspective than some of their other Canadian counterparts because of the way in which their churches developed during the 1970s and early 80s. Many of those who joined the Mennonite churches (most of which are Mennonite Brethren) did so because of the spiritual void left by the Quiet Revolution in Quebec. The Quiet Revolution, which marginalized the role of the Roman Catholic Church in government and in education in Quebec, left many people disconnected from their historical faith. Although 80 per cent of Quebec’s population claims to identify with the values of Christianity, statistics suggest that only five per cent attend church more than six times a year.

“MCC has been useful in providing a channel,” says Wingender. “MCC is a tool we have been able to use to grow in our faith (through service to others). It is a slow process but we are moving ahead.”

Mennonite churches in Quebec are made up of about 500 members who attend nine churches located in Montreal and Quebec City. Wingender says the churches have been creative in developing their service ideas. Members of one church have been helping newly landed immigrants establish their lives in Montreal. Another church has partnered with a nearby Roman Catholic parish in providing blood donor clinics. In addition, Wingender notes the local service work of six students from Quebec churches who last year chose to sign up for MCC’s Summerbridge program.

“We are not big enough to do everything ourselves,” he says. “We are relatively new, and we do not have a long history in Quebec. We don’t have a lot of credibility because we have not done much in the way of social ministry.”

Wingender says the Mennonite leadership in Quebec is committed to nurturing its members. The churches, ranging in size from 50 to 70 people, have been able to send members overseas to serve with MCC Work and Learn teams, which help communities rebuild after disasters. He says the overseas experiences have been positive and have helped re-energize the people, but he notes the work at home that still needs to be done.

“It was easy at the beginning (when we discovered our faith) but things have become more difficult,” Wingender says. “We are a family and we know social ministries are important. The more service work we do, the more we will help people to understand our (faith) tradition and be an influence on others.”

 – MCC Canada

Previous | Next 

Last modified April 17, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
Masthead and usage information.