Kingsburg Mennonite Brethren Church 50-year anniversary

A local church with humble beginnings is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Members of Kingsburg Mennonite Brethren Church don't shy away from recounting the early days when the church was located on Draper Street at what is now the Kingsburg Community Assistant Program building. "It's first service was on Feb. 11, 1962 at the VFW Hall at the southeast end of Draper Street," writes Kathy Wiest. "Sixteen families from Kingsburg and the surrounding area formed the core of the new congregation which met in the hall's dining room for its first two years. A bowling alley and coffee shop were part of the hall." Kathy's husband, Steve, was a child when he attended the church.

"There were a lot of kids, so the church focused on having a good, healthy environment," Steve Wiest says. "The restaurant's dinning room served roast beef at noon on Sundays and then you would hear the bowling pins. That and the smell of the roast beef was plenty to distract us."

The church is encouraging early members to share their stories at its website http://www.kingsburgmb.org.

Two special events are planned with church members and friends invited to attend. The church will hold a celebration program at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 featuring music and stories from the church history. Special speaker will be former member Mark Isaac, current advance director at Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary.

Music will be led by former choir director Alice Isaac and worship leader Liviu Amariei.

Guests can view early photographs of the church.

On Sunday, Feb. 12 the worship service will feature Lynn Jost, vice president of Fresno Pacific University and the Dean of the Biblical Seminary. Jost is a former associate pastor of Kingsburg Mennonite Brethren Church. Isaac will lead a special choir reunion performance. A dinner of the German-Russian Mennonite dish called verenika will be served following the music.

Doug and Norma Hofer both recall the bowling alley.

"I remember asking my dad, Clarence Hofer, if we could go bowling instead of Wednesday night classes," Doug Hofer writes. "You could hear the lanes rumbling with bowling balls as we tried to memorize Scripture. I also remember building the church on its current ground, my dad and I went out to see the progress every week."

Ruth Ratzlaff said the anniversary inspired her to look for "old material I have from our days at the bowling alley."

The move from bowling alley came in February 1964. The church celebrated a two-year anniversary with a dedication for its new location at 14th and Stroud avenues.

"When construction started, it seemed as if it was a long way from town," Steve Wiest says. "There was a vineyard and strawberry field. The idea of a junior high being built seemed like something that wouldn't happen in my lifetime."

Today, the church has 225 members and is led by Rev. Ron Penner. The church, through its Happy Days School, has provided preschool and childcare for the community's families since 1979.

Wiest takes pride in how the church has helped people get through troubled times. Many have gone on to minister to others.

"We have seen how God changes lives," he says.

Details: 897-4162.

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Kingsburg Mennonite Brethren Church 50-year anniversary