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<h3>Overview</h3> The Berea Amish Mennonite denomination was the most conservative, constitution-based Amish Mennonite denomination in the early 21st century. Berea supported the 1632 [[Dordrecht Confession of Faith (Mennonite, 1632)|Dordrecht Confession of Faith]] and also maintained a set of distinctive practices and limits on lifestyle choices. They were more permissive than Old Beachys—the [[Midwest Beachy Amish Mennonite Church|Midwest Beachy]] denomination— yet are more conservative than the two Beachy separatist denominations, the [[Ambassadors Amish Mennonite Churches|Ambassadors]] and [[Maranatha Amish Mennonite Churches|Maranatha Amish Mennonites]]. While Berea congregations were autonomous, they come under the precepts detailed in a constitution.
+
=== Overview ===
 +
The Berea Amish Mennonite denomination was the most conservative, constitution-based Amish Mennonite denomination in the early 21st century. Berea supported the 1632 [[Dordrecht Confession of Faith (Mennonite, 1632)|Dordrecht Confession of Faith]] and also maintained a set of distinctive practices and limits on lifestyle choices. They were more permissive than Old Beachys—the [[Midwest Beachy Amish Mennonite Church|Midwest Beachy]] denomination— yet are more conservative than the two Beachy separatist denominations, the [[Ambassadors Amish Mennonite Churches|Ambassadors]] and [[Maranatha Amish Mennonite Churches|Maranatha Amish Mennonites]]. While Berea congregations were autonomous, they come under the precepts detailed in a constitution.
  
−
<h3>Historical Origins</h3> In 1998, a group of like-minded ministers met for a fellowship meeting at the invitation of Believers’ Fellowship, just north of Daviess County, [[Indiana (USA)|Indiana]]. They represented churches that were not in full fellowship with any other Amish Mennonite denomination at the time. From this meeting, the ministers agreed to continue meeting every year. The evolution of the network into a denomination was gradual. In early 2008 they adopted the name Berea Amish Mennonite and developed a constitution soon after, modeled closely after Maranatha Amish Mennonite’s constitution.
+
=== Historical Origins ===
 +
In 1998, a group of like-minded ministers met for a fellowship meeting at the invitation of Believers’ Fellowship, just north of Daviess County, [[Indiana (USA)|Indiana]]. They represented churches that were not in full fellowship with any other Amish Mennonite denomination at the time. From this meeting, the ministers agreed to continue meeting every year. The evolution of the network into a denomination was gradual. In early 2008 they adopted the name Berea Amish Mennonite and developed a constitution soon after, modeled closely after Maranatha Amish Mennonite’s constitution.
  
 
The churches that originally constituted Berea came from diverse backgrounds. One group emerged from the Old Beachys. During the 1960s, the Old Beachys and the revivalist Beachys vied for influence in many Beachy congregations. As the revivalists came to dominate, the Old Beachys gradually withdrew from participation in the denomination. Old Beachy congregations held to German in church services while mainstream Beachys switched to English. However, from the late 1980s and on, some Old Beachy churches wanted to switch to English to accommodate non-Anabaptists who were interested in attending and joining. When the Old Beachys were emigrating out of Paris, [[Tennessee (USA)|Tennessee]], in the early 1990s (see [[Midwest Beachy Amish Mennonite Church|Midwest Beachy Amish Mennonite]] article), two of the congregations established used the migration as a chance to permit English, one in [[Illinois (USA)|Illinois]] and one in [[Kentucky (USA)|Kentucky]]. Simultaneously, Old Beachy churches in Stuarts Draft, [[Virginia (USA)|Virginia]], and [[Holmes County (Ohio, USA)|Holmes County]], [[Ohio (USA)|Ohio]], also permitted English. A second source of Berea churches were those who had once affiliated with the mainstream [[Beachy Amish Mennonite Fellowship|Beachy Amish Mennonite]] or [[Mennonite Christian Fellowship|Mennonite Christian Fellowship]] denominations, but because of their conservatism, did not feel in harmony with the larger body. Thus, Berea was composed of liberal Old Beachys and conservative mainstream Beachys/Fellowship people.
 
The churches that originally constituted Berea came from diverse backgrounds. One group emerged from the Old Beachys. During the 1960s, the Old Beachys and the revivalist Beachys vied for influence in many Beachy congregations. As the revivalists came to dominate, the Old Beachys gradually withdrew from participation in the denomination. Old Beachy congregations held to German in church services while mainstream Beachys switched to English. However, from the late 1980s and on, some Old Beachy churches wanted to switch to English to accommodate non-Anabaptists who were interested in attending and joining. When the Old Beachys were emigrating out of Paris, [[Tennessee (USA)|Tennessee]], in the early 1990s (see [[Midwest Beachy Amish Mennonite Church|Midwest Beachy Amish Mennonite]] article), two of the congregations established used the migration as a chance to permit English, one in [[Illinois (USA)|Illinois]] and one in [[Kentucky (USA)|Kentucky]]. Simultaneously, Old Beachy churches in Stuarts Draft, [[Virginia (USA)|Virginia]], and [[Holmes County (Ohio, USA)|Holmes County]], [[Ohio (USA)|Ohio]], also permitted English. A second source of Berea churches were those who had once affiliated with the mainstream [[Beachy Amish Mennonite Fellowship|Beachy Amish Mennonite]] or [[Mennonite Christian Fellowship|Mennonite Christian Fellowship]] denominations, but because of their conservatism, did not feel in harmony with the larger body. Thus, Berea was composed of liberal Old Beachys and conservative mainstream Beachys/Fellowship people.
  
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<h3>Theology, Structure and Culture</h3> In the early 21st century the Berea Amish Mennonites thought of themselves as Beachy in the sense of the broader Amish Mennonite movement, but not as part of the organized denomination. Their standards of practice resembled that of the Beachys at the beginning of the 1950s-1960s revivalist movement. Men wore suspenders, broadfall pants, and hats, while women wore full cape dresses, aprons, and cap-style coverings that come onto the ear. However, unlike some early Beachys, they did not tolerate tobacco and they maintained a close guard on adolescent and courtship behavior. Automobiles were required to be black.
+
=== Theology, Structure and Culture ===
 +
In the early 21st century the Berea Amish Mennonites thought of themselves as Beachy in the sense of the broader Amish Mennonite movement, but not as part of the organized denomination. Their standards of practice resembled that of the Beachys at the beginning of the 1950s-1960s revivalist movement. Men wore suspenders, broadfall pants, and hats, while women wore full cape dresses, aprons, and cap-style coverings that come onto the ear. However, unlike some early Beachys, they did not tolerate tobacco and they maintained a close guard on adolescent and courtship behavior. Automobiles were required to be black.
  
 
The majority of Berea churches have been located outside of historic Anabaptist settlements, with the exceptions of Holmes County, Ohio, and Daviess County, Indiana. The primary occupations have been farming, carpentry, and construction, and the church schools employed men and women from the community. Schooling was through eighth grade; members did not seek higher education. Family sizes were large by American standards. For the young adults, Berea sponsored an annual weekend youth fellowship meeting.
 
The majority of Berea churches have been located outside of historic Anabaptist settlements, with the exceptions of Holmes County, Ohio, and Daviess County, Indiana. The primary occupations have been farming, carpentry, and construction, and the church schools employed men and women from the community. Schooling was through eighth grade; members did not seek higher education. Family sizes were large by American standards. For the young adults, Berea sponsored an annual weekend youth fellowship meeting.
  
−
<h3>Congregations</h3> In 2010 the following 11 congregations, comprising 509 members, were part of the Berea Amish Mennonite Fellowship:
+
== Congregations ==
 +
In 2018 the following 12 congregations, comprising 555 members, were part of the Berea Amish Mennonite Fellowship:
  
−
<div align="center"> <table class="vertical listing">  <tr> <th>Congregation</th> <th>City</th> <th>State</th> <th>Members</th> <th>Founded</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Believers Fellowship Amish Mennonite Church</td> <td>Worthington</td> <td>Indiana</td> <td align="right">22</td> <td align="right">2000</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Belleville Amish Mennonite Church</td> <td>Belleville</td> <td>Arkansas</td> <td align="right">58</td> <td align="right">2001</td> </tr> <tr> <td>[[Fryburg Beachy Fellowship (Fryburg, Ohio, USA)|Fryburg Beachy Fellowship]]</td> <td>Fryburg</td> <td>Ohio</td> <td align="right">28</td> <td align="right">1940</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Grace Haven Fellowship</td> <td>Millersburg</td> <td>Ohio</td> <td align="right">86</td> <td align="right">1996</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Mount Olive Christian Fellowship</td> <td>Berlin</td> <td>Ohio</td> <td align="right">8</td> <td align="right">2005</td> </tr> <tr> <td>[[Mount Zion Beachy Amish Mennonite Church (Staunton, Virginia, USA)|Mount Zion Amish Mennonite Church]]</td> <td>Stuarts Draft</td> <td>Virginia</td> <td align="right">11</td> <td align="right">1954</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Peniel Christian Fellowship</td> <td>Holmesville</td> <td>Ohio</td> <td align="right">60</td> <td align="right">1969</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Pleasant Hill Mennonite Church</td> <td>Cynthiana</td> <td>Kentucky</td> <td align="right">67</td> <td align="right">2001</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Rehoboth Amish Mennonite Church</td> <td>Roodhouse</td> <td>Illinois</td> <td align="right">69</td> <td align="right">1995</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Salem Christian Brotherhood</td> <td>Salem</td> <td>Missouri</td> <td align="right">51</td> <td align="right">2004</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Unionville Christian Brotherhood</td> <td>Cincinnati</td> <td>Iowa</td> <td align="right">49</td> <td align="right">2002</td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Total</strong></td> <td><strong>
+
<div align="center">
 +
{|  class="wikitable"  
 +
! Congregation
 +
! City
 +
! State
 +
! Members
 +
! Founded
 +
|-
 +
| [[Believers Fellowship Amish Mennonite Church (Worthington, Indiana, USA)|Believers Fellowship Amish Mennonite Church]]
 +
| Worthington
 +
| Indiana
 +
| align="right" | 22
 +
| align="right" | 2000
 +
|-
 +
| [[Belleville Amish Mennonite Church (Belleville, Arkansas, USA)|Belleville Amish Mennonite Church]]
 +
| Belleville
 +
| Arkansas
 +
| align="right" | 58
 +
| align="right" | 2001
 +
|-
 +
| [[Fryburg Beachy Fellowship (Fryburg, Ohio, USA)|Fryburg Beachy Fellowship]]
 +
| Fryburg
 +
| Ohio
 +
| align="right" | 28
 +
| align="right" | 1940
 +
|-
 +
| [[Lebanon Mennonite Christian Fellowship (Lebanon, Missouri, USA)|Lebanon Mennonite Christian Fellowship]]
 +
| Lebanon
 +
| Missouri
 +
| align="right" | 34
 +
| align="right" | 2015
 +
|-
 +
| [[Mount Carroll Christian Brotherhood (Mt. Carroll, Illinois, USA)|Mount Carroll Christian Brotherhood]]
 +
| Mt. Carroll
 +
| Illinois
 +
| align="right" | 20
 +
| align="right" | 2015
 +
|-
 +
| [[Peniel Christian Fellowship (Holmesville, Ohio, USA)|Peniel Christian Fellowship]]
 +
| Holmesville
 +
| Ohio
 +
| align="right" | 60
 +
| align="right" | 1969
 +
|-
 +
| [[Pleasant Hill Mennonite Church (Berry, Kentucky, USA)|Pleasant Hill Mennonite Church]]
 +
| Cynthiana
 +
| Kentucky
 +
| align="right" | 67
 +
| align="right" | 2001
 +
|-
 +
| [[Pleasant View Amish Mennonite Church (Holliday, Missouri, USA)|Pleasant View Amish Mennonite Church]]
 +
| Holliday
 +
| Missouri
 +
| align="right" | 21
 +
| align="right" | 1982
 +
|-
 +
| [[Rehoboth Amish Mennonite Church (Roodhouse, Illinois, USA)|Rehoboth Amish Mennonite Church]]
 +
| Roodhouse
 +
| Illinois
 +
| align="right" | 69
 +
| align="right" | 1995
 +
|-
 +
| [[Salem Christian Mennonite Brotherhood (Salem Missouri, USA)|Salem Christian Mennonite Brotherhood]]
 +
| Salem
 +
| Missouri
 +
| align="right" | 51
 +
| align="right" | 2004
 +
|-
 +
| [[Seven Mile Christian Fellowship (El Progresso Village, Belize)|Seven Mile Christian Fellowship]]
 +
| El Progresso Village
 +
| Belize
 +
| align="right" | 18
 +
| align="right" | 2013
 +
|-
 +
| [[Unionville Christian Brotherhood (Cincinnati, Iowa, USA)|Unionville Christian Brotherhood]]
 +
| Cincinnati
 +
| Iowa
 +
| align="right" | 49
 +
| align="right" | 2002
 +
|-
 +
| <strong>Total</strong>
 +
| <strong></strong>
 +
| <strong></strong>
 +
| align="right" | <strong>555</strong>
 +
|
 +
|}
 +
</div>
  
−
</strong></td> <td><strong>
 
−
 
−
</strong></td> <td align="right"><strong>509</strong></td> <td><strong>
 
−
 
−
</strong></td> </tr>  </table> </div>
 
 
= Bibliography =
 
= Bibliography =
 
<em>Amish Mennonite Directory</em>. [Various editions since 1993.] Edited by Devon Miller. Millersburg, OH: Abana Books. 
 
<em>Amish Mennonite Directory</em>. [Various editions since 1993.] Edited by Devon Miller. Millersburg, OH: Abana Books. 
  
−
Anderson, Cory. "Retracing the blurred boundaries of the twentieth-century 'Amish Mennonite' identity." <em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em> 85 (2011): 361-412.
+
Anderson, Cory. "Retracing the blurred boundaries of the twentieth-century 'Amish Mennonite' identity." ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' 85 (2011): 361-412.
  
 
Beachy Amish Mennonite Churches. "Amish Mennonite Sects and Movements." Web. 28 September 2010. <span class="link-external">[http://www.beachyam.org/amishmennonites.htm http://www.beachyam.org/amishmennonites.htm]</span>.
 
Beachy Amish Mennonite Churches. "Amish Mennonite Sects and Movements." Web. 28 September 2010. <span class="link-external">[http://www.beachyam.org/amishmennonites.htm http://www.beachyam.org/amishmennonites.htm]</span>.
  
−
<em>Mennonite Church Directory 2010</em>. Harrisonburg, VA: Christian Light Publications, Inc., 2010: 49-50.
+
<em>Mennonite Church Directory (2010): 49-50; (2018): 53-54..
 +
 
 
= Additional Information =
 
= Additional Information =
 
<span class="link-external"><span class="link-external">[http://www.beachyam.org/ Beachy Amish Website]</span></span> (Informal)
 
<span class="link-external"><span class="link-external">[http://www.beachyam.org/ Beachy Amish Website]</span></span> (Informal)
 
{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=January 2012|a1_last=Anderson|a1_first=Cory|a2_last=|a2_first=}}
 
{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=January 2012|a1_last=Anderson|a1_first=Cory|a2_last=|a2_first=}}
 +
[[Category:Denominations]]

Latest revision as of 18:49, 7 April 2018

Overview

The Berea Amish Mennonite denomination was the most conservative, constitution-based Amish Mennonite denomination in the early 21st century. Berea supported the 1632 Dordrecht Confession of Faith and also maintained a set of distinctive practices and limits on lifestyle choices. They were more permissive than Old Beachys—the Midwest Beachy denomination— yet are more conservative than the two Beachy separatist denominations, the Ambassadors and Maranatha Amish Mennonites. While Berea congregations were autonomous, they come under the precepts detailed in a constitution.

Historical Origins

In 1998, a group of like-minded ministers met for a fellowship meeting at the invitation of Believers’ Fellowship, just north of Daviess County, Indiana. They represented churches that were not in full fellowship with any other Amish Mennonite denomination at the time. From this meeting, the ministers agreed to continue meeting every year. The evolution of the network into a denomination was gradual. In early 2008 they adopted the name Berea Amish Mennonite and developed a constitution soon after, modeled closely after Maranatha Amish Mennonite’s constitution.

The churches that originally constituted Berea came from diverse backgrounds. One group emerged from the Old Beachys. During the 1960s, the Old Beachys and the revivalist Beachys vied for influence in many Beachy congregations. As the revivalists came to dominate, the Old Beachys gradually withdrew from participation in the denomination. Old Beachy congregations held to German in church services while mainstream Beachys switched to English. However, from the late 1980s and on, some Old Beachy churches wanted to switch to English to accommodate non-Anabaptists who were interested in attending and joining. When the Old Beachys were emigrating out of Paris, Tennessee, in the early 1990s (see Midwest Beachy Amish Mennonite article), two of the congregations established used the migration as a chance to permit English, one in Illinois and one in Kentucky. Simultaneously, Old Beachy churches in Stuarts Draft, Virginia, and Holmes County, Ohio, also permitted English. A second source of Berea churches were those who had once affiliated with the mainstream Beachy Amish Mennonite or Mennonite Christian Fellowship denominations, but because of their conservatism, did not feel in harmony with the larger body. Thus, Berea was composed of liberal Old Beachys and conservative mainstream Beachys/Fellowship people.

Theology, Structure and Culture

In the early 21st century the Berea Amish Mennonites thought of themselves as Beachy in the sense of the broader Amish Mennonite movement, but not as part of the organized denomination. Their standards of practice resembled that of the Beachys at the beginning of the 1950s-1960s revivalist movement. Men wore suspenders, broadfall pants, and hats, while women wore full cape dresses, aprons, and cap-style coverings that come onto the ear. However, unlike some early Beachys, they did not tolerate tobacco and they maintained a close guard on adolescent and courtship behavior. Automobiles were required to be black.

The majority of Berea churches have been located outside of historic Anabaptist settlements, with the exceptions of Holmes County, Ohio, and Daviess County, Indiana. The primary occupations have been farming, carpentry, and construction, and the church schools employed men and women from the community. Schooling was through eighth grade; members did not seek higher education. Family sizes were large by American standards. For the young adults, Berea sponsored an annual weekend youth fellowship meeting.

Congregations

In 2018 the following 12 congregations, comprising 555 members, were part of the Berea Amish Mennonite Fellowship:

Congregation City State Members Founded
Believers Fellowship Amish Mennonite Church Worthington Indiana 22 2000
Belleville Amish Mennonite Church Belleville Arkansas 58 2001
Fryburg Beachy Fellowship Fryburg Ohio 28 1940
Lebanon Mennonite Christian Fellowship Lebanon Missouri 34 2015
Mount Carroll Christian Brotherhood Mt. Carroll Illinois 20 2015
Peniel Christian Fellowship Holmesville Ohio 60 1969
Pleasant Hill Mennonite Church Cynthiana Kentucky 67 2001
Pleasant View Amish Mennonite Church Holliday Missouri 21 1982
Rehoboth Amish Mennonite Church Roodhouse Illinois 69 1995
Salem Christian Mennonite Brotherhood Salem Missouri 51 2004
Seven Mile Christian Fellowship El Progresso Village Belize 18 2013
Unionville Christian Brotherhood Cincinnati Iowa 49 2002
Total 555

Bibliography

Amish Mennonite Directory. [Various editions since 1993.] Edited by Devon Miller. Millersburg, OH: Abana Books. 

Anderson, Cory. "Retracing the blurred boundaries of the twentieth-century 'Amish Mennonite' identity." Mennonite Quarterly Review 85 (2011): 361-412.

Beachy Amish Mennonite Churches. "Amish Mennonite Sects and Movements." Web. 28 September 2010. http://www.beachyam.org/amishmennonites.htm.

Mennonite Church Directory (2010): 49-50; (2018): 53-54..

Additional Information

Beachy Amish Website (Informal)


Author(s) Cory Anderson
Date Published January 2012

Cite This Article

MLA style

Anderson, Cory. "Berea Amish Mennonite Fellowship." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2012. Web. 18 Dec 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Berea_Amish_Mennonite_Fellowship&oldid=160282.

APA style

Anderson, Cory. (January 2012). Berea Amish Mennonite Fellowship. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 December 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Berea_Amish_Mennonite_Fellowship&oldid=160282.



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