What Do We Believe?
God has called us to be united together in loving each other, in seeking renewal, in introducing people to Christ, in each person enthusiastically doing their part, and in worshiping joyfully.
Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada
"The Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada (ECCC), a denomination in Canada, and a regional conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church, is a community of churches in covenant with God and one another. We single-mindedly confess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and the Bible as the Word of God, the only perfect rule for faith, doctrine and conduct. As a family of churches, we enjoy diversity in all other matters of faith and practice, refusing to let them divide us or detract from our common mission."
The Six Affirmations of the Covenant Faith
We affirm the centrality of the word of God.
We affirm the necessity of the new birth.
We affirm a commitment to the whole mission of the church.
We affirm the church as a fellowship of believers.
We affirm a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit.
We affirm the reality of freedom in Christ.
Other links can be found below.
MECC History
Immigrants from the Scandinavian countries arriving in Winnipeg during the latter part of the 1800's and the early 1900's were often contacted by "The Swedish Church" of Winnipeg MB, organized in 1885, the only Scandinavian church in Canada at the time. Communities sprang up all over Canada including one just south of Minnedosa, MB. It was originally named Smoland because many of the families came from the same province in Sweden.
In 1908 a group met in the home of John Berg under the leadership of Rev. J. E Bjorklund and the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Mission Church was formed, later known as the Smoland Mission Covenant Church, and presently Minnedosa Evangelical Covenant Church.
The first church building, Smoland Mission Covenant Church, was started October 29, 1909. In 1957, the Smoland church building burned down. In that same year, the congregation began new construction of a church building in the town of Minnedosa. In 2008, upgrades were made to the church building adding a new foyer to the front of the church building with offices, coat room and elevator.
Frost, Edward S. History of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Minnedosa, Manitoba . 1958.
MECC Leadership
Marc Vandersluys
Senior Pastor
I've been married for 20 years (as of August 2020) to Dixie and have three awesome kids, Madeline (18), Luke (15), and Olivia (13). I enjoy the simple things in life: a cup of tea (Yorkshire Gold pretty much exclusively), reading, music, British television, a walk, quiet, games, laughter. I inherited a fondness for pens and paper from my father. I am an introvert, but I do enjoy being with people, especially when it includes deep conversation. I am Dutch by birth and an immigrant but have been a Canadian citizen since I was a baby (figure that one out!). And I am an Anglophile (which is why, possibly to my shame, I've been to England twice in my adulthood and not once to the Netherlands...one of these days I'll remedy that).
I am compelled by Jesus. The story that surrounds him makes sense of the world; when nothing else makes much sense, he does. I love his church. It's such a mess that sometimes it's comical, which is why it's such a beautiful thing.
We used to drive through Minnedosa quite regularly and have always thought it was a beautiful town. I look forward to settling in this community, to get to know this church, this town, and its people.
Sean Dyck
Youth Pastor
I began as the youth pastor at MECC in 2016. My wife, Heidi and I have lived in Minnedosa since 2016. Our son Jacoby was born in 2018. I'm is originally from Minnedosa, and grew up in MECC. I spent a couple years in Winnipeg attending Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) where he graduated from the one year discipleship program Outtatown, and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology. I enjoys spending time fishing, hunting, and playing soccer. Heidi is a middle school teacher and enjoys camping, canoeing and volleyball. In summer I have a passion for camp and spends many weeks up at Covenant Heights Bible Camp in Riding Mountain National Park.