A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

volutionary changes have taken place in the life-style and vocational pattern of Mennonite Brethren families since World War II. The rapid urbanization of Mennonite Brethren has not only resulted in the organization of a relatively large number of city churches, but it has also seriously affected the very existence of many rural congregations. Many of these have reported a decrease in membership in recent years, and a significant number have been dissolved. Although the history of extinct churches is not directly related to urbanization it might be instructive to briefly consider this sad phase of M.B. history. The following table is based on a recent study. 21 TABLE VI Number and General Location of Extinct M.B. Churches In the United States Central District ... 17 Southern District . 36 Pacific District . . 11 Total 64 In Canada Ontario 2 Manitoba 17 Saskatchewan .... 12 Alberta 4 British Columbia _2 Total 37 332 HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH Several observations need to be made regarding the figures given above. Of the 101 churches listed as extinct all were located in rural areas with the exception of two in the Pacific District (Portland and Los Angeles). Several "extinct" churches merged with nearby larger congregations when membership dropped to a level where the congregation could not effectively carry on its work and worship. In several areas — Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota, and Oklahoma — the dissolution of the churches close to metropolitan centers is directly related to the urbanization process. It is also noteworthy that the disintegration of small rural congregations was often triggered by the moving away of the leader or minister of the group. In the United States the largest number of extinct M.B. churches is found in the state of Oklahoma. This fact seems to be related to the Depression of the thirties and the general migration to California. In Canada the prairie provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan show the largest number of extinct congregations. Here too the Depression forced many families to leave the farm and a significant number of these moved to British Columbia or Ontario. Others moved to the cities in then- respective province to find employment. The motivation for movement from farm to city has been alluded to in several earlier chapters. The urbanization of Mennonite Brethren must be viewed in the context of the general trends in the population as a whole. Until 1961 the Mennonites, including the Mennonite Brethren, were the most rural of the twenty largest religious groups in Canada. 22 In the United States, according to Leland Harder's analysis, about 33 percent of the gainfully employed members of the General Conference Mennonites were still farmers in 1960, in comparison to only 4 percent for the nation. 23 This pattern is rapidly changing, however, and Mennonites may be passing through the greatest urbanization pro