Charity Ministries

Persons with backgrounds in various "plain" groups in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, met in 1982 in New Holland to institute a church that would recapture the zeal of early Christianity and the tenets of the Anabaptist movement of the 16th century. Two key leaders were Mose Stoltzfus (1946- ) and Denny Kenaston (27 April 1949-4 July 2012). The new group became known as the Charity Christian Fellowship. In the late 1980s the group began an extensive tape ministry, making available sermons and teaching on cassette tapes. The delivery of these resources later changed to compact discs and electronic files on the Internet. As other churches became connected with the group, it became known as Charity Ministries. The polity is congregational in form.

The group has not identified itself as Mennonite, but has resembled conservative Mennonites in doctrine and practice. Their congregational confessions reflect fundamentalist beliefs while retaining traditional Mennonite practices such as the prayer veiling for women, the holy kiss, the non-swearing of oaths and opposition to military service. Women wear a cape dress, or a jacket-type upper garment. The group has been charismatic and acknowledged the various gifts of the Holy Spirit. They have also stressed the active work of Satan in the world. Most children have been home schooled.

The Fellowship carried on an active evangelistic program among Amish and Mennonite groups, and attracted persons of non-Anabaptist backgrounds as well. Mission work has been carried out in Africa (Ghana) and Asia. 

By 2018 Charity Ministries was described by one observer as a "movement," not an organization. Congregations that considered themselves "Charity Churches" were not accountable to any central body, and there was increasing diversity of expression and polity among these congregations. Much of the change took place after the death of Dennis Kenaston several months after he was diagnosed with cancer of the brain.

In 2012 there were 41 congregations associated with Charity Ministries:

Congregation	City	Province/State, Country	Members in 2012
Abide Christian Fellowship	Ste. Anne	Manitoba, Canada	60
Agape Christian Fellowship	Manistee	Michigan, USA	50
Allen County Christian Fellowship	New Haven	Indiana, USA	310
Berea Christian Fellowship	Leetonia	Ohio, USA	92
Berne Christian Fellowship	Berne	Indiana, USA	35
Buffalo Valley Christian Fellowship	Lewisburg	Pennsylvania, USA	30
Cambridge Christian Fellowship	Byesville	Ohio, USA	44
Charity Christian Fellowship	Leola	Pennsylvania, USA	108
Cheyenne Christian Fellowship	Cheyenne	Wyoming, USA
Christian Light Fellowship	Bedford	Pennsylvania, USA	96
Cleveland Believer's Fellowship	Cleveland	North Carolina, USA	75
Cornerstone Chapel	Dorchester	Wisconsin, USA	20
Dayspring Christian Fellowship	Amherst	Virginia, USA	34
Ephrata Christian Fellowship	Ephrata	Pennsylvania, USA	140
Faith Christian Fellowship	Dundee	Ohio, USA	100
Faith Christian Fellowship	Seminole	Texas, USA
Finger Christian Fellowship	Finger	Tennessee, USA	75
Gospel Light Christian Fellowship	Yuba	Wisconsin, USA	80
Grace Christian Fellowship	Bainbridge	New York, USA	100
Harmony Believer's Fellowship	Harmony	North Carolina, USA
Harmony Christian Fellowship	Myerstown	Pennsylvania, USA	75
Hesson Christian Fellowship	Hesson	Ontario, Canada	45
Immanuel Christian Fellowship	Stover	Missouri, USA	20
Immanuel Fellowship Church	Wooster	Ohio, USA	26
Interlake Christian Fellowship	Arborg	Manitoba, Canada	53
Light and Hope Fellowship	Heavener	Oklahoma, USA	30
Little Flock of Christ	Randolph Center	Vermont, USA
Living Hope Christian Fellowship	Mohnton	Pennsylvania, USA	140
Millbank Christian Fellowship	Millbank	South Dakota, USA	52
Pikeville Christian Fellowship	Pikeville	Tennessee, USA
Pilgrim Christian Fellowship	Monterey	Tennessee, USA
Prairie View Christian Fellowship	Bow Island	Alberta, Canada	25
Remnant Christian Fellowship	Mt. Vernon	Ohio, USA	60
The Church at Cleardale	Cleardale	Alberta, Canada	34
The Church at Kane	Lowe Farm	Manitoba, Canada	90
The Church at Niagara	Niagara-on-the-Lake	Ontario, Canada	12
The Church at Stonewall	Lockport	Manitoba, Canada	75
The Church at Vienna	Vienna	Ontario, Canada	40
The Pilgrim Church	Comber	Ontario, Canada	28
Valley Christian Fellowship	Halsey	Oregon, USA	18
Zion Christian Fellowship	Wellman	Iowa, USA	60

See also Restitutionism

Bibliography

Charity Christian Fellowship. "About us." Web. 21 March 2012. http://charitychristianfellowship.org/ccf/about-us

"Dennis "Denny" Gene Kenaston." LancasterOnline. 6 July 2012. Web. 18 August 2018. https://lancasteronline.com/obituaries/dennis-denny-gene-kenaston/article_1533fa90-1e36-5cb0-98ee-ae9b5649b992.html.

Scott, Stephen. An introduction to Old Order and Conservative Mennonite groups. Intercourse, Pa.: Good Books, 1996: 197.

Author(s)	Samuel J Steiner
Date Published	August 2018

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Charity Ministries." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. August 2018. Web. 24 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Charity_Ministries&oldid=164996.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (August 2018). Charity Ministries. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Charity_Ministries&oldid=164996.

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