Dates of creation:
90 cm. of textual records
74 Fir Valley Ct., Scarborough, ON, M1L 1N9.
The Warden Woods Mennonite Church in Scarborough, ON began services in 1937, and formally organized in 1951. The first building was occupied in 1952, with a subsequent building program in 1970. Emerson McDowell is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through outreach by Danforth Mennonite Church.
Warden Woods was formerly known as Warden Park Mennonite Church. It began as a Sunday school outreach of Danforth Mennonite Church. It became independent of Danforth in 1951. John H. Hess was the long time pastor of the congregation beginning in 1955. A variety of community programs were operated at the Warden Woods Community Centre, which had a connection to the congregation until 1985.
In 1950 there were 19 members; in 1965, 53; in 1975, 80; in 1985, 116; in 1995, 115; in 2000, 103. The congregation has been affiliated with the Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec (1951-88), Mennonite Church (1951-1999), Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (1988-) and the Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1995-). The language of worship is English.
Pastors at Warden Woods included Ernest Ford, Harold Brown (lay leaders) and non-resident pastors (1948-1955), John H. Hess (1955-1986), Connie Zehr (Assistant, 1981-1988), Muriel Bechtel (1988-2000), Martha Smith Good (2000-2005), Johanna Wall (2005- )
Danforth Gardens Community Church was an outreach effort by Warden Woods Mennonite Church and the Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario. It began as a Sunday school and developed as a church. In the later years it administered its own program. The work closed in 1974.
Custodial history: Periodic donations have been made by the church.
Created September 2008 by Sam Steiner
There are four series: Formal Records, Informal Records, Bulletins, and Danforth Gardens Community Church
1955-1981 (incomplete)
1983-1999
2000, 2005-2008
Last modified
01-May-2009
by Laureen Harder-Gissing