Evangelical Mennonite Mission Church - Aylmer
Churches have always been very important to newcomers as they have settled in East Elgin over the years. Today there is a strong and very active District Ministerial Association where the church leaders of the various churches meet for fellowship and get involved in the social issues of the community. The Aylmer EMMC began in 1965 by some of the Low German speaking Mennonites who had returned to Canada from Mexico, beginning in the 1950's.
Shortly after Manitoba and Saskatchewan were part of Canada, the Mennonites were invited to settle there. When, however, after some years Canada found itself with a large number of German speaking people in the middle of the country at a time when it was at war against Germany, sharp differences arose. So in the early 1920's many of the Mennonites moved to Mexico.
Now that the atmosphere in Canada is much more receptive again, many choose to come back to Canada, settling in Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta. As a rural farming people, work on the land is what they were after. Since farm work is very seasonal, many of the Mennonites became migrant workers, going back to Mexico for the winters. Some of the families that stayed, established churches in the 1960's, the Old Colony as well as the EMMC. Both of these, along with three others which were built later, are active in Mennonite Community Services.
The Aylmer EMMC began in 1965 and met in the church building on Crossley Hunter Line and in 1966 began building at the current site. Three times the building has been enlarged since that time. Services for the first few years were in Low German but it did not take long before English became the language of choice for many. Today, a Low German congregation meets at 9:00 and an English one at 10:30 on Sunday mornings. An English Sunday School for all ages takes place at 9:00. The church is usually open during business hours Tuesday to Friday, Feel free to come in when someone is there, and everyone is welcome to the Sunday morning services.
The quilt block, "Star of Bethlehem", was chosen as it symbolizes God's guidance of his people, and that the churches in the community want to show the way in our community.
