Historical Sketch: Flat Rock Mennonite Church*

The Flat Rock Mennonite Church was located about 50 km. east of Fort St. John near the British Columbia – Alberta border. Pioneer work was begun in Cecil Lake in 1950 after Mennonites had moved to the Peace River area from Saskatchewan in 1949. Five families had moved into the Flat Rock area in 1950, and they formed the nucleus of what eventually became the church.

In 1951 Hilda Giesbrecht started a Sunday school. Visiting ministers served the group until Bob Rogers was sent to the area by the Conference of Mennonites in Canada in 1954 to begin regular services on alternate Sundays. When Ken Esau moved to the area, he was able to serve on the other Sundays.

In 1955 a public school was built in the area, and the group held their services there. The first church building was dedicated in June 1962. The church was formally organized in 1970 and became a member of the Conference of the United Mennonite Churches of British Columbia in 1975 with 24 members.

Membership declined in the early 2000s. The church was disbanded in 2004, having met in homes during the last years.

Pastors & Years of Ministry

PASTOR YEARS
Bob Rogers 1954-1958
Ken Esau
Len Chmelyk 1964-1969
Walter Dirks 1969-1982
David C. Ruby 1984-1988
Philip Martens 1989-1991
Werner Janzen   1994-1996
Jon Corbett 1997-2002

 

Membership

YEAR  

 MEMBERS

1975 

24

1980

42

1985

39

1990

44

1995

39

2000

32