Neu Hutterthaler Mennonite Church (Bridgewater, South Dakota, USA)
In 1868, 20 families left the village of Hutterthal in South Russia and found the Neu Hutterthaler village, with Paul Tschetter as its leader. In 1874 and 1875, the entire village migrated to the United States and became a congregation near Bridgewater, Dakota Territory.
Initially, the group held services in homes and, from 1880 to 1888, in schools. In 1888 it built a church seven miles south, three miles west, and 0.5 miles north of Bridgewater on land donated by Paul Tschetter. The building was remodeled in 1952. In 1975 an educational wing was added.
A Sunday school began in 1908 on Sunday afternoons. Christian Endeavor organized in 1923.
The congregation joined the Northern District Conference of the General Conference Mennonite Church in 1941. As part of the realignment of the Mennonite Church (MC) and General Conference Mennonite Church into Mennonite Church USA, Neu Hutterthal Mennonite was among the congregations that joined the new Central Plains Mennonite Conference in 2000.
Neu Hutterthal sent a letter dated 4 March 2017, indicating that it was withdrawing from the Central Plains Mennonite Conference and Mennonite Church USA.
Bibliography
Schmidt, Diena, ed. The Northern District Conference of the General Conference Mennonite Church 1891-1991. Freeman, S.D.: The Conference, 1991: 153-154.
Additional Information
Address: 27165 432nd Ave., Bridgewater, South Dakota 57319
Phone:
Website:
Denominational Affiliations: Northern District Conference (until 2017)
General Conference Mennonite Church (until 2017)
Pastoral Leaders at Neu Hutterthaler Mennonite Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Paul Tschetter (1842-1919)(Elder) | 1868-1919 |
| Joseph Wipf (1835-1896) | 1869-1896 |
| Martin Waldner (1832-1890) | 1876-1890 |
| John D. Hofer (1848-1914) | 1884-1914 |
| David J. Wipf (1861-1937) | 1909-1937 |
| Paul J. Tschetter (1869-1945) | 1909-1945 |
| Albert Ewert (1907-1966) | 1945-1965 |
| Peter Tschetter | 1965-1974 |
| Paul W. Kliewer | 1974-1979 |
| Kenneth J. Ontjes (1926-2011) | 1979-2011 |
| Kenneth Dalke | 2011-? |
Neu Hutterthaler Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1944 | 120 |
| 1950 | 160 |
| 1960 | 146 |
| 1970 | 160 |
| 1980 | 135 |
| 1990 | 100 |
| 2000 | 92 |
| 2009 | 50 |
Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article
By John D. Unruh. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 862. All rights reserved.
The Neu Huttertaler Mennonite Church (General Conference Mennonite), located near Bridgewater, South Dakota was organized in Russia and transplanted to America in 1874. It is of Hutterite background. Paul Tschetter served as its first leader in North America. Previous to 1888, when the first meetinghouse was constructed, services were held in homes and schools.
The meetinghouse was remodeled in 1952. The 1956 membership was 150, largely rural. Other ministers who had served this congregation to 1956 were Joseph Wipf, John D. Hofer, David J. Wipf, Paul J. Tschetter, Jacob I. Walter, Albert Ewert, and Abe M. Wiebe.
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | September 2023 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Neu Hutterthaler Mennonite Church (Bridgewater, South Dakota, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. September 2023. Web. 20 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Neu_Hutterthaler_Mennonite_Church_(Bridgewater,_South_Dakota,_USA)&oldid=177681.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (September 2023). Neu Hutterthaler Mennonite Church (Bridgewater, South Dakota, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 20 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Neu_Hutterthaler_Mennonite_Church_(Bridgewater,_South_Dakota,_USA)&oldid=177681.
©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.