View source for Derstine, Clayton Freed (1891-1967)

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[[File:DerstineCF.JPG|300px|thumb|right|''C. F. Derstine.<br />Mennonite Archives of Ontario photo'']]
Clayton Freed Derstine, born 17 August 1891, died 31 August 1967, was the son of Mahlon and Mary (Freed) Derstine of Souderton, Pennsylvania. Following his [[Conversion|conversion]] in 1911, "C.F." Derstine joined the Souderton Mennonite congregation. His zeal in organizing cottage meetings for Bible study and young peoples' Bible meetings launched him on a lifelong mission of evangelism and teaching throughout the [[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church (MC)]] and beyond. Derstine was ordained a minister in 1914. He and his first wife, Gertrude Hangey (m. 1912), served at the [[First Mennonite Church (Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA)|Mennonite Mission]] in Altoona, Pennsylvania, 1913-1915. Within 13 months of his [[Ordination|ordination]], C. F. preached 520 sermons, as he accepted invitations from congregations in various states to conduct evangelistic services. He served as pastor of the [[Roanoke Mennonite Church (Roanoke, Illinois, USA)|Roanoke Mennonite Church]] at [[Eureka (Illinois, USA)|Eureka]], [[Illinois (USA)|Illinois]], 1915-1924. He was ordained a bishop in 1921. Derstine moved with his family to [[Ontario (Canada)|Ontario]] in 1924 in response to a call from [[First Mennonite Church (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)|First Mennonite Church]], [[Kitchener-Waterloo (Ontario, Canada)|Kitchener]], where a division had splintered the congregation. During his pastorate (1924-1964), membership quadrupled. Derstine continued his evangelistic itineraries throughout [[Canada|Canada]] and the [[United States of America|United States]]. His pulpit ministry stood as the focal point of his contribution to the church. After the death of his first wife, he married [[Derstine, Mary Elizabeth Kolb (1901-1971)|Mary Kolb]] in 1927.

His assignments in the [[Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec|Mennonite Conference of Ontario]] (Mennonite Church) included: conference executive committee (1925, 1930-33, 1936-30); bishop of the [[Danforth Mennonite Church (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)|Toronto Mission]] (1938-1944) and of the Central District (1961-1966); Mennonite Mutual Benefit Association board (1944-1947); Colonization Committee (1953-1955); and the [[Ontario Mennonite Bible School and Institute (Kitchener, Ontario, Canada)|Ontario Mennonite Bible School]] faculty (1929-1948). He served the [[Mennonite Church General Conference|Mennonite Church (MC) general conference]] as associate member on the Relief Committee (1944-1946) and as editor of the ''[[Christian Monitor (Periodical)|Christian Monitor]]'' (1923-29; editor of the "World News" section until 1953).

His ministry in the community included founding a Summer Vacation Bible School for children, the first to be held in any denomination in Canada. With the support of community churches and the city of Kitchener, he founded the Kitchener House of Friendship, a ministry for the homeless.

= Bibliography =
Bender, Urie A. ''Four Earthen Vessels''. Kitchener and Scottdale: Herald Press, 1982.

Minutes of the Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Ontario Mennonite Bible School in [https://uwaterloo.ca/mennonite-archives-ontario/ Mennonite Archives of Ontario], Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo.

Springer, Nelson and A.J. Klassen, eds. ''Mennonite Bibliography, 1631-1961''. Scottdale: Herald Press, 1977 II: 433.

Warkentin, A. and Melvin Gingerich, eds.,'' Who's Who Among the Mennonites.'' North Newton: Bethel College, 1943: 43.
= Additional Information =
{|
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| A 30 second audio clip of C. F. Derstine from a 1956 sermon in Pennsylvania.||  [[File:cf.mp3]]
|-
| The entire sermon (34 minutes) on the Book of Revelation.|| [[File:DerstineCF.mp3]]
|}
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