HOME MISSIONS, FOREIGN MISSIONS, and ONTARIO EVANGELISTS

Home Missions by the Brethren in Christ (Tunker) church in Ontario began in the time of John W. Hoover when he and his wife served in Toronto. Brother and Sister Earl Bossert and Sister Idellus Sider were active in early mission work in Buffalo. Brother and Sister John Nigh of Springvale were pioneers in the missions in the Houghton area many times driving one hundred miles at his own expense. Others who served this field were Walter Taylor, Brother and Sister Edward Gilmore, Idellus Sider and others. The Welland rnission was served by Brother and Sister Levi Shell, Brother and Sister Henry Heise, Brother and Sister Jonathan Lyons and others from Bertie and Markham. Others who served in the Home Missions of Ontario were Brother and Sister T. S. Doner, Brother and Sister Webster Burch, Brother and Sister Arthur Heise, Brother and Sister Ronald Lofthouse, Basil Long, Myrtle and Ruth Steckley. Some have given their services to missions in western Canada, mainly in Saskatchewan.

Mention should be made of volunteers from the home churches to foreign missions – Levi Doner and his wife, Lewis Steckley, Annie Winger, Clarence Heise and wife, Cecil Cullen and wife, Hannah Baker, John Climenhaga and wife, Arthur Pye and wife, Walter Winger and wife, Anna Steckley, Cyrus Winger and wife, Lewis Sider and wife, Mary Jane Shoalts, Shirley Bitner, Miriam Heise, Velma Brillinger, Luella Heise, Ruth Keller, Anna Henry.

Among home ministers who held revival meetings were Asa Bearss, John W. Hoover, George Detweiler, Bert Sherk, John Nigh, Gervin Bearss, Lafayette Shoalts, Earl Bossert, Marshall Winger, Walter Winger, Fred Elliott, Abraham Winger, Peter Steckley, Thomas Doner, Asa Climenhaga, John Climenhaga, E. J. Swalrn, George Sheffer, Earl Sider, Percy Cassel, John Heise, Jesse Steckley, Roy Sider, Romie Sider, Ray Sider, Edward Gilmore.

I would like to say also that those ministers who did not go out on evangelistic work were men that could make touching appeals to their people which often awakened sinners who became converted and were added to the church. These brethren did a lot of house-to-house visitation not only to their own flock, but as many others as they came in contact, not forgetting the sick and widows and all those who were discouraged. Always their desire was to have unity, giving the laity a chance to bring questions to council which could be felt at the business meetings. At present the business is mostly done by the official board and committees.

The present bishops of the Ontario church are Alvin Winger, William Charlton, Edward Gilmore, E. J. Swalm, (Bert Sherk and Lafayette Shoalts retire). Brother Swalm has been chosen Moderator of General Conference several times and is chairman of the Executive Board, also chairman of the Conference of Historic Peace churches. He also took in the World Peace Conference in Switzerland in 1953 which was a very educational trip for mission work.