Midwolda (Groningen, Netherlands)

Midwolda, a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. The Mennonite congregation here was in existence by the 17th century, but was then usually called Woldampt. Concerning its history there is little information; in 1637 it was mentioned as the Midwolda congregation. In the 17th century it belonged to the Old Flemish branch. Amme Hikke(n)s was its elder at this time. During the 18th century the name Widwolda is not found in the Naamlijst, since the Mennonites of Midwolda were united with the Beerta and Meeden congregations; but from 1793 the congregation is listed as Midwolda-Beerta-Meeden, and in 1794 a parsonage was built at Midwolda.

Until 1793 the preachers had always been chosen from the members of the congregation; in that year Huizinga was called in from the outside; the first preacher who received training at the Amsterdam Mennonite Seminary was Taco Kuiper, serving here in 1804-1807. He was followed by Sjoerd Ebeles Wieling 1808-1822, J. F. Boersema 1827-1866, J. Oosterbaan 1866-1872, J. F. Bakker 1873-1875, A. H. ten Cate 1877-1883; after a vacancy of ten years a call was accepted by Joh. A. Wartena, who however did not live at Midwolda, but at Winschoten.

Concerning the membership there are no figures for the 17th and 18th centuries; in 1834 the baptized membership of the Midwolda-Beerta-Meeden congregation numbered 65, 100 in 1861, 119 in 1897.

About the middle of the 19th century the congregation became liberal in its theology. In May 1869 the question was discussed whether persons should be admitted to the church without baptism, i.e., only on confession of faith; and in 1871 it was decided that baptism was not obligatory for membership. In 1893 the church in Midwolda was sold, and the pastor moved to Winschoten, which now became the center of the united congregation; services were to be held alternately in Beerta, Midwolda, de Meeden, and Winschoten. In Midwolda a hall had been rented for the purpose, but Beerta and de Meeden had churches. In Winschoten the preaching service was at first held in the Lutheran church. On 11 October 1931 a new Mennonite church was dedicated there. Since about 1920 no services have been held at Midwolda; only seven members were living there then. The congregation now carried the name Winschoten. For ministers and membership, see Winschoten.

Bibliography

Cate, Steven Blaupot ten. Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Groningen, Overijssel en Oost-Friesland, 2 vols. Leeuwarden: W. Eekhoff en J. B. Wolters, 1842: I, 93, 214, 238.

Doopsgezinde Bijdragen (1879): 5; (1870): 178; (1872): 192; (1887): 148; (1894): 168.

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. III, 133.

Author(s)	Nanne van der Zijpp
Date Published	1957

Cite This Article

MLA style

Zijpp, Nanne van der. "Midwolda (Groningen, Netherlands)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Web. 21 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Midwolda_(Groningen,_Netherlands)&oldid=145883.

APA style

Zijpp, Nanne van der. (1957). Midwolda (Groningen, Netherlands). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 21 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Midwolda_(Groningen,_Netherlands)&oldid=145883.

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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 682. All rights reserved.

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