Our Story
Over 60 years ago, a group of 30 people felt that they were called by God to start a new church in Kelowna.
While there were several factors involved in that decision, at the core of the group were the following values:
a desire to worship using the language of their community, which was English.
a desire to reach out to other people than their own ethnic group.
a desire to see their children understand and participate in the worship service.
Who were those founding members?
The charter members were:
Jake and Mary Bartel
Alan and Helen Dyck
Jacob and Helen Fast
Mrs. Susanna Giesbrecht
Rev. Jake and Helen Enns Abe and Minnie Schellenberg
Jake and Adina Schellenberg Andreas Vogt
Miss Aganetha Vogt
John and Tina Vogt
Rev. John and Helen Vogt Miss Margaret Vogt
Nick and Anne Vogt
Peter and Helen Vogt
Abe and Kay Wiens
Dan and Helen Wiens
Dan and Maria Wiens
Thus, the new church was born in January 1961 and was called Kelowna Mennonite Mission.
Today,
many of the children of those families are still a part of our KGF Church family.
The Early Years
Early in 1960, the small group of believers began meeting in homes in the Kelowna area. By October of that year the group moved into its first rented home - the Women's Institute Hall on
Lawrence Ave., in Kelowna. In the fall of 1961, the old First Baptist building came available for rent and the church gladly rented the building for a period of time. In 1966 the church purchased its first building from the Mennonite Brethren Church on Ethel St. and changed its name to Kelowna Gospel Fellowship Church.
Growing Pains
By1976 KGF had outgrown the building on Ethel Street and needed to expand. On February 17, 1976, a motion was carried unanimously to purchase some property on Gordon Drive for $32,500.00. In 1978 the church on Ethel was sold and construction started on our current building. The first worship service was held here on March 5, 1979.
Ministry
KGF has always had a heart for ministry. To be in the Lord's service in one form or another is highly valued. Thus, the years have seen countless numbers of people serving the Lord in music, Sunday School, ushering, workdays, mid-week club activities, Home Bible Studies and Care Groups, special events, fellowship activities, missions, evangelism, and countless other opportunities. KGF has seen many people serve the Lord here for a while and go on to become elders, deacons, pastors, missionaries, camp directors and church leaders in other congregations and ministries. We praise God that He has seen fit to use us to 'Equip the Saints' for ministry.
KGF Today
KGF is a product of the Lord's incredible grace and the vision of the founding members. At the core of the founding group were these values:
1) a desire to worship using the language of their community. Today, people still come every Sunday morning from all over our community with a desire to worship God,
2) a desire to reach out to people in this community. A quick glance around our auditorium on a Sunday and you will see how the Lord has honoured those prayers; and
3) a desire to see their children understand and participate in the worship service. Every Sunday morning our children are encouraged to grow in their knowledge of their heavenly Father. Our young children participate in Children's Church and our youth and young-adults ministries are running strong. We have become a multi-ethnic, multi-generational church with one common factor: a love for Jesus Christ. Praise God for His goodness!
KGF has changed and is changing.
People will come and go, programs will rise and fall, pastors will minister until called elsewhere, our children will grow up while our older saints will probably be called to glory. Even though change has come, and will continue to come, our Lord does not change and neither does our reason for loving and serving Him. May His endless grace see us through until He calls us all home.
Father:
May You bless and keep this church from error and sin.
May You grant us wisdom and grace for each challenge.
May You sustain us until the final hour.
May we never forget our purpose and calling.
May our greatest days be ahead of us.
Amen.