How it all started...
Back in 1939, a small group of people started meeting in a house just east of Mindemoya, with the sole purpose and desire to worship and grow together in Jesus Christ. As the house church grew in size, they moved to the basement of the Continuation School in Mindemoya. They invited William Schroeder, a missionary pastor from the Salem congregation in Spring Bay, to join them and they became the Mennonite Brethren in Christ.
In 1948, under the ministry of then pastor Clarence Hunking, they acquired the abandoned Presbyterian church building in Snowville. It was disassembled and rebuilt on the present day site. The little white church would have been located between the sign and the stone wall at the red brick part of the current structure.
After World War II, the name was changed to the United Missionary Church. There were a number of denominational mergers that followed before members finally settled on the Mindemoya Missionary Church in the 1990s.
In 2021, to reflect the fact that our membership is distributed across Manitoulin, and out of respect for our Indigenous neighbours, the congregation changed the church name to Freshwater Community Church.
In 1948, under the ministry of then pastor Clarence Hunking, they acquired the abandoned Presbyterian church building in Snowville. It was disassembled and rebuilt on the present day site. The little white church would have been located between the sign and the stone wall at the red brick part of the current structure.
After World War II, the name was changed to the United Missionary Church. There were a number of denominational mergers that followed before members finally settled on the Mindemoya Missionary Church in the 1990s.
In 2021, to reflect the fact that our membership is distributed across Manitoulin, and out of respect for our Indigenous neighbours, the congregation changed the church name to Freshwater Community Church.
Expanding the vision...
As the congregation has grown, so has the building. In 1976 and 1977 under Pastor Ted Montgomery a large renovation occurred and then again in 2011 renovations to the building were undertaken under Pastor Ray Kloetstra who has served the church for over 30 years. In August 2021 Josh Wilhelm with his wife, Katrina, answered the call to move to Manitoulin and be the pastor at FCC.
Today, Freshwater Community Church is part of the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada (EMCC). For more information about our denominational family click here.
Today, Freshwater Community Church is part of the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada (EMCC). For more information about our denominational family click here.
Where we are today....
It's pretty simple: we get together each week to worship God, build relationships, and find ways to love and serve our local communities as we learn to follow Jesus.
We value our kids, youth, adults and seniors and want to live life as a diverse group of people with Jesus at the center. And when it's at its best, the church can be the source of a loving, caring, committed, and diverse group of people who want to come together and love others better.
We’re a church that loves Jesus and loves people. We don't have all the answers, but helping you get to know Jesus better is pretty much our favourite thing.
Come join us this Sunday!
We value our kids, youth, adults and seniors and want to live life as a diverse group of people with Jesus at the center. And when it's at its best, the church can be the source of a loving, caring, committed, and diverse group of people who want to come together and love others better.
We’re a church that loves Jesus and loves people. We don't have all the answers, but helping you get to know Jesus better is pretty much our favourite thing.
Come join us this Sunday!
