Harrison Church of God in Christ Mennonite Church (Harrison, Michigan, USA)

From GAMEO
Jump to navigation Jump to search

The beginning of Harrison Church of God in Christ was in the spring of 1912 when two families moved there from Ithaca, Michigan, USA. They were brothers Chris Iutzi and Charles Bates and their families. That summer Sunday school was held in what was known as Woodry School. In the fall, Minister Christian Buerge and his family arrived from Hesston, Kansas along with several other families.

In 1913 services were held in Amble School, Hamilton Township. Services were continued in the schoolhouse until 1950 when a new church was completed. Later a new entrance, nursery, and Sunday school rooms were added.

People moved here for the benefit asthma, and hay fever sufferers enjoyed. Also, the price of land was cheap, making it possible for many to buy and own their own home.

Herman Mininger was chosen for the ministry on 9 April 1937. The little congregation continued to grow. During the 1940s and 1950s, tourism increased rapidly, and quite a few families found employment building cabins and manufacturing lumber, cabin logs, and crates in a factory operated by Carey Peters.

By the mid-1960s, there were around 70 members, but the community was changing. Because of much unrest in the cities, the summer cottages were being occupied by families who stayed year-round. By the 1970s, there was less suitable employment for growing families. The minister, Richard Mininger, moved to Brazil and he encouraged others to move elsewhere with their families, so the congregation became smaller.

The last of the remaining members transferred their membership to the Newark congregation in November 1980.

A mission Sunday school was started in September 1981. The little church building was then used as a mission station supported by the Newark congregation and the Mt. Calm Congregation.

Bibliography

Histories of the congregations. 3rd. ed. Moundridge, Kansas: Gospel Publishers, 1999: 356-358.

Ordained Pastors at the Harrison Church of God in Christ, Mennonite Church

Name Years
of Service
Christian G. Buerge (1864-1948) 1912-?
Herman Mininger (1905-1977) 1937-1970?
Richard Mininger 1960-1975

Membership at Harrison Church of God in Christ, Mennonite Church

Year Membership
1955 59
1965 70

Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article

By Charles Bates. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 666. All rights reserved.

Harrison (Michigan) Church of God in Christ Mennonite Church was organized in 1912. For a period of years, services were held in the Amble School 7.5 miles northeast of Harrison, Clare County, Michigan. The 1956 membership was 59. A new church was dedicated in January 1952. Wilbert Koehn is the leader of the congregation.


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published January 2021

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Harrison Church of God in Christ Mennonite Church (Harrison, Michigan, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2021. Web. 24 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Harrison_Church_of_God_in_Christ_Mennonite_Church_(Harrison,_Michigan,_USA)&oldid=170274.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (January 2021). Harrison Church of God in Christ Mennonite Church (Harrison, Michigan, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Harrison_Church_of_God_in_Christ_Mennonite_Church_(Harrison,_Michigan,_USA)&oldid=170274.



©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved. Extinct Congregations

Retrieved from "https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Harrison_Church_of_God_in_Christ_Mennonite_Church_(Harrison,_Michigan,_USA)&oldid=170274"