Our Story
Our Roots
Our story began in 1939, when a small group of people started meeting in a house just east of Mindemoya with the sole purpose of worshipping and growing together in Jesus Christ. As the house church expanded, the congregation moved to the basement of the Continuation School in Mindemoya. During this time, they invited William Schroeder, a missionary pastor from the Salem congregation in Spring Bay, to join them, and they formally became the Mennonite Brethren in Christ.
The First Seeds (1939 – 1947)
In 1948, under the ministry of Pastor Clarence Hunking, the congregation acquired an abandoned Presbyterian church building in Snowville. The structure was carefully disassembled and rebuilt on our current site, forming the foundation of what we see today. The original "little white church" stood as a landmark of faith at the heart of our property for decades. Following World War II, the church evolved through several denominational mergers and was known for a time as the United Missionary Church.
A Permanent Home (1948 – 1989)
In 1948, under the ministry of Pastor Clarence Hunking, the congregation acquired an abandoned Presbyterian church building in Snowville. The structure was carefully disassembled and rebuilt on our current site, forming the foundation of what we see today. The original "little white church" stood as a landmark of faith at the heart of our property for decades. Following World War II, the church evolved through several denominational mergers and was known for a time as the United Missionary Church.
Freshwater Today (1990 – Present)
Growing Together
As more people found a home here, our building grew along with us. We’ve undergone several major renovations to make more room for our neighbors—first in the late 70s under Pastor Ted Montgomery, and again in 2011 during Pastor Ray Kloetstra’s thirty-year legacy of leadership. In 2021, we welcomed Pastor Josh Wilhelm to the island to lead us into this next season of life at Freshwater. Today, we are proud to be part of the Evangelical Missionary Church of Canada (EMCC) family.
Where We Are Today
It’s 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 every generation—from our kids and youth to our adults and seniors—and we love being a diverse group of people with Jesus at the center of it all.
We believe the church is a place for care and commitment, where we can come together and learn to love others better. We’re a community that loves Jesus and loves people. We don't have all the answers, but helping you get to know Jesus better is the heartbeat of why we’re here.
Come join us this Sunday!
