Janjgir Mennonite Church (Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh, India)
The Janjgir Mennonite Church (formerly the Janjgir Mennonite Mission Station) (General Conference Mennonite Church) is located on the southeastern edge of the village Janjgir, in Bilaspur District Chhattisgarh, (formerly Madhya Pradesh, and earlier Central Provinces), India. It was opened by J. F. Kroeker, who visited this spot with P. A. Penner in April 1901. He procured land in December 1901, after which first buildings were erected. The Kroekers served only one term. In 1906 Annie C. Funk arrived from Hereford, Pennsylvania, served a term, started the first girls' school, sailed for furlough, and perished on the Titanic. In 1909-1937 (except for 1916-1921) P. W. Penner served here, extensively developed the work, and erected many buildings. Other missionaries who made distinctive contributions were the E. B. Steiners, Miss M. R. Burkhalter, Miss H. E. Nickel, Miss A. Schmidt, and the W. F. Unruhs. Unruh started the Bible School here in 1929. Later workers included the S. T. Moyers, the F. J. Isaacs, and the J. R. Duerksens. The name of the Indian pastor M. Rufus Asna, who served 45 years, beginning 1903, will long be associated with Janjgir. The congregation was organized in 1912. The meetinghouse was erected 1909, replaced by a larger one in 1926. The Indian pastor in the 1950s was Philip Lader. The baptized membership in June 1949 was 160.
Types of work in the 1950s included the A. C. Funk Memorial School for girls, the Chhattisgarhi Bible School, a small medical dispensary, and a coeducational primary school. The Girls' School had in residence about 130 girls, with work up to VIIIth Standard. The enrollment of the Bible School was about 60. An extensive evangelistic work in 360 surrounding villages was a feature of the work during these years.
| Author(s) | Samuel T Moyer |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1957 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Moyer, Samuel T. "Janjgir Mennonite Church (Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh, India)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Web. 18 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Janjgir_Mennonite_Church_(Janjgir-Champa,_Chhattisgarh,_India)&oldid=95481.
APA style
Moyer, Samuel T. (1957). Janjgir Mennonite Church (Janjgir-Champa, Chhattisgarh, India). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Janjgir_Mennonite_Church_(Janjgir-Champa,_Chhattisgarh,_India)&oldid=95481.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 87; vol. 4, p. 1146. All rights reserved.
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