LEMC (Leamington Evangelical Mennonite Church)  is rooted in the history and faith tradition of the European Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. Our forefathers originated in Northern Holland, and insisted on personal freedom of conscience and the spiritual calling of each person individually to live out their faith in Christ as a member of a faith community. Their emphasis was that every person must be accountable before God for their faith and in obedience to God’s call receive believers water baptism.

 

Because of their practice of believers baptism our forebears were called Anabaptists since they did not accept their state church enforced infant baptism. One early Anabaptists named Menno Simons became a leader among the Anabaptists, and hence the name Mennonites.

 

Because of severe religious persecution many of our forebears fled their native Northern Holland and settled in Poland to escape severe persecution. Later many moved to Russia, and later some moved to Canada.  

 

Through the generations the Mennonites have branched off into various groups with different emphasis on lifestyles and faith practices. In principle the core faith values of the various groups remain much the same.

 

As LEMC we are a member church of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference of Canada, on which our core values, statement of faith and church practices are based on.