Pages from the Past
Dave Schellenberg

The Western Gospel Mission -
Part One

In 1946 a small Mennonite Conference existed in southeastern Manitoba in only five churches with about 1600 members of Low German culture. Its name was the Kleine Gemeinde, meaning small church, reflecting its history of breaking away from a larger Mennonite church in Russia in 1812.

Today, we have fifty organized churches, many leaders and members who are not Low German, a missions ministry in 25 countries, and are known as the Evangelical Mennonite Conference.

A symbol and a means of change in our Conference has been the Western Gospel Mission (WGM). The WGM, which ran from 1946-1961, has influenced our Conference for more than a half-century – much longer than it existed.

The WGM began through the vision of some EMC churches, a vision later shared by some members of the Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference.

On June 20, 1946, some people from the four eastern EMC congregations – Steinbach, Kleefeld, Blumenort, Prairie Rose - were invited to an Innere Missions Versammlung (Inner Missions Meeting) at Kleefeld. The invitation to the meeting likely came from some members of the Prairie Rose EMC, including Mr. Ben D. Reimer, a minister and a leader in the movement. About thirty men were present, including six ministers, Christian Endeavour Committees (Vereins Committees), and other brethren.

Ben D. Reimer explained the reason for the gathering. There was concern was that mission work in Canada. The goal was to work mainly in Manitoba. He read Luke 9:10-17, emphasizing the phrase, "Give ye them to eat." He posed the question, "Do we want to organize?" The audience was in favour. One church, with only two members of its Christian Endeavour committee present, could not speak officially. A five-member committee was elected, and the meeting ended.

Eight days later, on June 28, the committee organized. The movement’s name would be Western Gospel Mission, and Ben D. Reimer was elected chairman, a position he held for the life of the WGM.

For fifteen years the WGM saw action in small towns and communities in western Canada through evangelism, Vacation Bible Schools, rural school Bible classes, street meetings, and personal work. The influence of the WGM goes, however, far beyond its fifteen-year history.

In retrospect, while the WGM had humble beginnings, it was a time of bold change for a church that had been content to live a separated, quiet life. This mission both reflected and encouraged a growing concern for evangelism in Canada. Its concern took many people beyond their comfort zone. Many workers gained service experience through it, and many continued to serve in Canada or elsewhere, and remain as church leaders in the EMC.

In this historical sketch we want to summarize the growth and service of this mission in western Canada. Perhaps unfairly, it will focus mostly on the workers who served in various points in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Rather than in Manitoba, the first station was opened in the fall of 1946 at Arabella, Saskatchewan, some eighty miles northeast of Yorkton, close to Norquay. The first missionaries were John K. and Leona Reimer, from the Steinbach Kleine Gemeinde (now EMC).

John and Leona located in what was known as The Tabernacle, a combination chapel and residence already being used as an area meeting place. They reached out into the immediate area, including to the community of Swan Plain. Their activities included Sunday school and church services in the chapel, meetings in a school, house visitations and Daily Vacation Bible School (DVBS). The Reimers began what later became a great ministry of the WGM: released-time religious classes in rural schools.

This station was about fifteen miles northwest of Arabella. Later its name was shortened to Danbury. Peter and Susie Martens were its first resident missionaries; they came as summer workers in 1948, fresh from Bible school in Steinbach. That fall, with John and Leona Reimer, they conducted area revival meetings. People were saved and fourteen adults asked for baptism. This crusade resulted in the construction of a chapel/residence at Danbury.

The Martens left for Bible school, but returned in 1949. They resided first at Danbury, and, later in the year moved to serve Canora, Saskatchewan. A baptismal service took place at a lake near Danbury in July.

After a chapel was built here, John and Leona Reimer, moved here from Arabella and served until 1955. Ben and Mary Hoeppner of Steinbach, Manitoba replaced them, and later Abe and Martha Wiebe served here.

Summer missionaries, Harvey and Avril Barkman, who came from the Steinbach Bible Academy, carried out the first work in Canora in 1948. Their summer work consisted of services, Sunday school, DVBS, school visitation, and house visitations.

In 1949 Peter and Susie Martens from Danbury took over the Canora work. The WGM had no church building there, so Peter constructed a combined church and residence in 1950. Early that year they wrote, "By the grace of God the Gospel is beginning to take effect…." Released-time school Bible classes were held in up to ten schools. A superintendent spoke approvingly of the classes. In 1952 the Martens left and were followed by several women missionaries, Margaret Harms, Eva Koop and Mary Loewen.

In 1955, Edwin and Violet Wright took over the work. They soon reported that they found much to be encouraged by. New families were coming to services and taking an interest in the work. Their activities included Bible study, Good News Clubs, and prayer meetings. Mr. Wright was heavily involved in trying to establish a Christian high school in the Canora area; this didn’t materialize.

Assisting for a while at Canora was a tent-making couple, Mr. and Mrs. John L. Giesbrecht. The Wrights left around 1962 to take up EMC church planting at Endeavour, Saskatchewan.

Kamsack lies thirty miles east of Canora, and John Unger, a single fellow, arrived as the missionary in the fall of 1948. He visited schools and worked through the winter. In the summer of 1949 Ben Eidse, a student from Steinbach Bible Academy, replaced him.

Ben continued to visit schools. He conducted services in nearby Verigin and at the Cote Indian reserve six miles north of Kamsack. In fall he reported holding Bible classes in eight schools.

Dave and Helen Schellenberg, from Steinbach, replaced Ben in the fall of 1949. Dave had graduated from the Steinbach Bible Academy that past spring. The Schellenbergs continued the work in schools and the services at Verigin and at Cote. Before the Schellenbergs left in 1952, an excavation was made for a church basement and construction of a church.

John and Goldie Harms, from Rosenort, Manitoba, followed at Kamsack, arriving on July 3, 1952, at DVBS time. They held DVBS at three rural schools, and at Kamsack and Verigin. During their term a chapel/residence was constructed. They continued with services at Verigin, school released-time classes, hospital singing, street meetings, and personal work. They left in 1955.

In the fall of 1956 Harvey and Avril Barkman arrived in an interim position; they had their sights set on the Congo. Harvey continued with school visits and by October was visiting eight schools. (The Barkmans also helped out at Danbury, since John and Leona Reimer had left.) After the Barkmans left, Harvey Kroeker, a schoolteacher, took over the work.

It was likely the summer of 1958 when Jake and Dora Hoeppner from Dominion City, Manitoba, took over the station. Their work included hospital services, services at Verigin, street meetings, personal work, and school visitation. They left in 1961.