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The Groffdale Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA), located two miles (three km) northwest of [[New Holland (Pennsylvania, USA)|New Holland]], [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]], is a member of the [[Lancaster Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Lancaster Mennonite Conference]]. The first meetinghouse was built of logs in 1755 on Hans Groff's vast acreage. A stone addition was built in 1823. In 1909 the new brick church was built which was enlarged in 1936. The congregation cooperated in the [[Palo Alto Mennonite Church (Pottsville, Pennsylvania, USA)|Palo Alto Mission]] from the start, releasing one of its ministers, Lester M. Hoover, to serve there. In 1954 Mahlon Witmer was the bishop in charge, with Eli G. Sauder, Arnos Sauder, and John S. Martin as ministers and Floyd Graybill as deacon. Though a large percentage were still farmers in the 1950s, the [[Old Order Mennonites|Old Order Mennonites]] were buying up most of the land around them. Until 1905 the [[Metzler Mennonite Church (Akron, Pennsylvania, USA)|Metzler]] and Groffdale congregations were served by the same ministers; after that a gradual separation took place. First they had separate deacons and gradually a separate ministry. In 1953 all except two ministers were still serving both congregations. The membership in 1953 was 348. In 2010 the membership was 172; the lead pastor was Thomas L. Eshleman.
+
[[Groff, Hans (1661-1746)|Hans Groff]], with his family, came to [[Germantown Mennonite Settlement (Pennsylvania, USA)|Germantown]], [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]] in 1696, where he lived until he moved to the Pequea River in [[Lancaster County (Pennsylvania, USA)|Lancaster County]]. In 1717, he built a home near the present location of the Groffdale Mennonite Church, northwest of [[New Holland (Pennsylvania, USA)|New Holland]]. The area became known as Groffdale in recognition of settler Hans Groff.
 +
 
 +
An early Mennonite minister at Groffdale was Hans Rudolph Nägele, who was ordained by 1720. However, he left the Mennonites in 1725, becoming a convert to [[Beissel, Johann Conrad (1691-1768)|Johann Conrad Beissel's]] group, which became the Seventh Day Baptists who established the [[Ephrata Cloister (Ephrata, Pennsylvania, USA)|Ephrata Cloister]]. Beissel also influenced other Mennonites.
 +
 
 +
According to tradition, Martin Groff and the sons of Hans Groff built Groffdale's first log meetinghouse in 1755 on land set apart for this purpose in the original grant to Hans Groff. An acre was set aside for a cemetery then, though burials there preceded this transaction.
 +
 
 +
[[Burkholder, Christian (1746-1809)|Christian Burkholder]], ordained as [[Bishop|bishop]] in 1778, provided leadership during tumultuous political and religious times in Lancaster County. This included Mennonites paying fines instead of militia service, resistance to a mandatory oath of allegiance, requests for public schools, migration of some families to [[Ontario (Canada)|Ontario]], and competition for members with the new [[United Brethren in Christ Church|United Brethren in Christ]] denomination. In response to these challenges, Burkholder wrote a book directed at youth, first printed in 1804. Burkholder's ''Nützliche und erbauliche Anrede an die Jugend von der wahren Busse'' provided instruction about Mennonite faith. He used the material much before it was printed, as the forward is dated in 1792.
 +
 
 +
In 1823, a limestone building replaced the log meetinghouse. Detailed records about its construction have survived. Two other meetinghouses were built in the Groffdale area in the following years—1827 in the [[Metzler Mennonite Church (Akron, Pennsylvania, USA)|Metzler]] area and "[[Pike Mennonite Church (Hinkletown, Pennsylvania, USA)|The Pike]]" east of Hinkletown before 1840. During these years, the bishop of the district usually came from one of the two larger congregations.  
 +
 
 +
In the 1840s, the Groffdale congregation suffered a division when the recently ordained minister [[Stauffer, Jacob W. (1811-1855)|Jacob W. Stauffer]] protested against lax [[Discipline, Church|discipline]] in the Mennonite church. By 1845, Stauffer was silenced, but he and Jacob Weber were among those who formed the conservative [[Stauffer Mennonite Church]]. This was a time of larger change within the church, as the English language became more used and pressure to initiate [[Sunday School|Sunday schools]] increased. The [[Civil War (United States)|Civil War]] also added pressure as some Mennonite young men joined the Union Army or paid for volunteers to take their place.  
 +
 
 +
In about 1886, a frame addition on the meetinghouse's south end increased the worship space. During these years, worship services were held every two weeks. In 1893, the district suffered from the [[Old Order Mennonites, Pennsylvania|Old Order Mennonite division]] led by [[Martin, Jonas H. (1839-1925)|Jonas H. Martin]], the bishop ordained at [[Weaverland Mennonite Church (East Earl, Pennsylvania, USA)|Weaverland]], who also served Groffdale. One-third of the district membership joined the Old Order and soon built two Old Order meetinghouses.
 +
 
 +
The Metzler and Groffdale congregations were served by the same ministers until 1905; after that, a gradual separation took place.
 +
 
 +
By 1908, the modified stone and frame building needed extensive repairs. On 13 June 1909, the congregation decided to build a new brick meetinghouse with a basement. Stones from the old building were used for the new church's foundation. It opened for worship on 10 February 1910 with a coal furnace and electric lights powered by a generator. The congregation added an extension to the building in 1976 and planned another building project in the 1990s.
 +
 
 +
The congregation initiated more programs with the new meetinghouse, including [[Singing Schools|singing schools]], a sewing circle in 1920, and a young people's meeting in 1921.
 +
 
 +
In 1948, the congregation helped to launch a mission outpost at [[Palo Alto Mennonite Church (Pottsville, Pennsylvania, USA)|Palo Alto]], near Pottsville. Lester Hoover from Groffdale served as the founding minister.
 +
 
 +
= Bibliography =
 +
 
 +
Ruth, John L. ''The Earth is the Lord's: a narrative history of the Lancaster Mennonite Conference''. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 2001: 267, 319, 1138-1169.
 +
 
 +
Weaver, Martin G. ''Mennonites of Lancaster Conference: containing biographical sketches of Mennonite leaders, histories of congregations, missions, and Sunday schools, record of ordinations, and other interesting historical data''. Scottdale, PA: Mennonite Publishing House, 1931. Reprinted Ephrata, PA: Eastern Pennsylvania Mennonite Church Publication Board, 1982: 121-122, 125-135, 151. Available in full electronic text at https://archive.org/details/mennonitesoflanc00weav_0/page/n3/mode/2up.
 +
 
 +
Wenger, A. Grace. ''Frontiers of faithfulness: the story of the Groffdale Mennonite Church''. Leola, Pa.: Groffdale Mennonite Church, 1992.
 
= Additional Information =
 
= Additional Information =
−
<strong>Address</strong>: 168 North Groffdale Road, Leola, Pennsylvania 17540
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'''Address''': 168 North Groffdale Road, Leola, Pennsylvania 17540  
 +
 
 +
'''Telephone''': 717-656-6388
 +
 
 +
'''Website''': https://www.groffdale.com/
  
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'''Phone''': 717-656-6388
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'''Denominational Affiliations''':
  
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'''Website''': [http://groffdale.net/ Groffdale Mennonite Church]
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[https://lmcchurches.org/ LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches]
  
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<strong>Denominational Affiliations</strong>:
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[https://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA] (Until 2017)
 +
== Pastoral Leaders at Groffdale Mennonite Church ==
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Name !! Years<br/>of Service
 +
|-
 +
| Hans Rudolph Nägele (ca. 1668-1765) || 1720?-1725
 +
|-
 +
| Hans Peter Summy (1674?-1740s? || 1730s-1740s
 +
|-
 +
| Christian Wenger (1698-1772) || 1740s-1772
 +
|-
 +
| Martin Groff (ca. 1720-1759) || Before 1755-1759
 +
|-
 +
| Martin Huber (1725-1785) || 1760s-1785?
 +
|-
 +
| [[Burkholder, Christian (1746-1809)|Christian Burkholder]] (1746-1809)<br />(Bishop) || 1770-1778<br />1778-1809
 +
|-
 +
| Abraham Reiff (1735-1788) || 1770s?-1788
 +
|-
 +
| Christian Horst (1755-1837) || 1780s-1837
 +
|-
 +
| Joseph G. Wenger (1766-1851) || 1800s?-1851
 +
|-
 +
| William Westheffer (1785-1851) || 1810-1826
 +
|-
 +
| Abraham Burkholder (1768-1840) || 1810?-1820?
 +
|-
 +
| Jacob Weber (1796-1861) || 1830-1846
 +
|-
 +
| [[Stauffer, Jacob W. (1811-1855)|Jacob W. Stauffer]] (1811-1855) || 1840-1845
 +
|-
 +
| Abraham S. Martin (1799-1889) || 1847-1885
 +
|-
 +
| Joseph E. Wenger (1829-1907) || 1857-1907
 +
|-
 +
| Elias W. Nolt (1824-1900) || 1868-1900
 +
|-
 +
| Esaias G. Witmer (1856-1937) || 1895-1937
 +
|-
 +
| [[Mack, Noah H. (1861-1948)|Noah H. Mack]] (1861-1948)<br />(Bishop) || 1900-1919<br />1919-1926
 +
|-
 +
| Benjamin G. Wenger (1875-1942) || 1908-1942
 +
|-
 +
| Banks S. Winey (1858-1918) || 1910-1918
 +
|-
 +
| Eli G. Sauder (1888-1979) || 1920-1979
 +
|-
 +
| Amos H. Sauder (1912-2000)<br />(Bishop) || 1940-1962<br />1962-
 +
|-
 +
| Lester M. Hoover (1921-2010) || 1944-1948
 +
|-
 +
| John S. Martin (1908-1964)<br />(Bishop) || 1949-1962<br />1962-1964
 +
|-
 +
| Curvin R. Buchen(Assistant) || 1962-
 +
|-
 +
| Charles W. Wert <br />(Bishop) || 1965-1988<br />1988-1996
 +
|-
 +
| Keith Blank (Youth) || 1986-1989
 +
|-
 +
| Ray M. Martin (Youth/Assistant) || 1989-2000?
 +
|-
 +
| Timothy L. Herr || 1990-1999
 +
|-
 +
| Timothy Horst (Youth) || 1992-2000
 +
|-
 +
| Craig Sensenig (Youth/Assistant) || 2000-2004
 +
|-
 +
| James R. Martin (Interim) || 2000-2001
 +
|-
 +
| James R. Leaman || 2001-2009
 +
|-
 +
| Thomas L. Eshleman (Associate)<br />(Lead) || 2005-2009<br />2009-
 +
|-
 +
| Kathy Weaver Wenger (Associate) || 2010?-2017
 +
|-
 +
| Austin Horning (Youth/Associate) || 2015?-2019
 +
|-
 +
| Krista Snader (Associate)|| 2021-
 +
|}
 +
== Groffdale Mennonite Church Membership ==
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
 +
|-
 +
! Year !! Members
 +
|-
 +
| 1913 || 240
 +
|-
 +
| 1920 || 260
 +
|-
 +
| 1930 || 290
 +
|-
 +
| 1940 || 328
 +
|-
 +
| 1950 || 360
 +
|-
 +
| 1960 || 320
 +
|-
 +
| 1970 || 301
 +
|-
 +
| 1980 || 301
 +
|-
 +
| 1990 || 311
 +
|-
 +
| 2000 || 267
 +
|-
 +
| 2009 || 179
 +
|}
 +
= Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article =
  
−
[http://lancasterconference.org/ Lancaster Mennonite Conference]
+
By Ira D. Landis. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from ''Mennonite Encyclopedia'', Vol. 2, p. 587. All rights reserved.
  
−
[http://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA]
+
The Groffdale Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church (MC)), located two miles northwest of [[New Holland (Pennsylvania, USA)|New Holland]], [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]], is a member of the [[LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches|Lancaster Mennonite Conference]]. The first meetinghouse was built of logs in 1755 on Hans Groff's vast acreage. A stone addition was built in 1823. In 1909 the new brick church was built which was enlarged in 1936. The congregation cooperated in the [[Palo Alto Mennonite Church (Pottsville, Pennsylvania, USA)|Palo Alto Mission]] from the start, releasing one of its ministers, Lester M. Hoover, to serve there. In 1954 Mahlon Witmer was the bishop in charge, with Eli G. Sauder, Arnos Sauder, and John S. Martin as ministers and Floyd Graybill as deacon.  
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= Maps =
 
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[[Map:Groffdale Mennonite Church (Leola, Pennsylvania)|Map:Groffdale Mennonite Church (Leola, Pennsylvania)]]
 
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 2, p. 587|date=1956|a1_last=Landis|a1_first=Ira D|a2_last=|a2_first=}}
 
  
 +
Though a large percentage are still farmers, the [[Old Order Mennonites|Old Order Mennonites]] were buying up most of the land around them. Until 1905 the [[Metzler Mennonite Church (Akron, Pennsylvania, USA)|Metzler]] and Groffdale congregations were served by the same ministers; after that a gradual separation took place. First they had separate deacons and gradually a separate ministry. In 1953 all except two ministers were serving both congregations. The membership in 1953 was 348.
 +
{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=March 2025|a1_last=Steiner|a1_first=Samuel J|a2_last= |a2_first= }}
 
[[Category:Churches]]
 
[[Category:Churches]]
 +
[[Category:LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Mennonite Church (MC) Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Mennonite Church (MC) Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Mennonite Church USA Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Mennonite Church USA Congregations]]
−
[[Category:Lancaster Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
 
 
[[Category:Pennsylvania Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Pennsylvania Congregations]]
 
[[Category:United States Congregations]]
 
[[Category:United States Congregations]]

Latest revision as of 13:20, 30 March 2025

Hans Groff, with his family, came to Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1696, where he lived until he moved to the Pequea River in Lancaster County. In 1717, he built a home near the present location of the Groffdale Mennonite Church, northwest of New Holland. The area became known as Groffdale in recognition of settler Hans Groff.

An early Mennonite minister at Groffdale was Hans Rudolph Nägele, who was ordained by 1720. However, he left the Mennonites in 1725, becoming a convert to Johann Conrad Beissel's group, which became the Seventh Day Baptists who established the Ephrata Cloister. Beissel also influenced other Mennonites.

According to tradition, Martin Groff and the sons of Hans Groff built Groffdale's first log meetinghouse in 1755 on land set apart for this purpose in the original grant to Hans Groff. An acre was set aside for a cemetery then, though burials there preceded this transaction.

Christian Burkholder, ordained as bishop in 1778, provided leadership during tumultuous political and religious times in Lancaster County. This included Mennonites paying fines instead of militia service, resistance to a mandatory oath of allegiance, requests for public schools, migration of some families to Ontario, and competition for members with the new United Brethren in Christ denomination. In response to these challenges, Burkholder wrote a book directed at youth, first printed in 1804. Burkholder's Nützliche und erbauliche Anrede an die Jugend von der wahren Busse provided instruction about Mennonite faith. He used the material much before it was printed, as the forward is dated in 1792.

In 1823, a limestone building replaced the log meetinghouse. Detailed records about its construction have survived. Two other meetinghouses were built in the Groffdale area in the following years—1827 in the Metzler area and "The Pike" east of Hinkletown before 1840. During these years, the bishop of the district usually came from one of the two larger congregations.

In the 1840s, the Groffdale congregation suffered a division when the recently ordained minister Jacob W. Stauffer protested against lax discipline in the Mennonite church. By 1845, Stauffer was silenced, but he and Jacob Weber were among those who formed the conservative Stauffer Mennonite Church. This was a time of larger change within the church, as the English language became more used and pressure to initiate Sunday schools increased. The Civil War also added pressure as some Mennonite young men joined the Union Army or paid for volunteers to take their place.

In about 1886, a frame addition on the meetinghouse's south end increased the worship space. During these years, worship services were held every two weeks. In 1893, the district suffered from the Old Order Mennonite division led by Jonas H. Martin, the bishop ordained at Weaverland, who also served Groffdale. One-third of the district membership joined the Old Order and soon built two Old Order meetinghouses.

The Metzler and Groffdale congregations were served by the same ministers until 1905; after that, a gradual separation took place.

By 1908, the modified stone and frame building needed extensive repairs. On 13 June 1909, the congregation decided to build a new brick meetinghouse with a basement. Stones from the old building were used for the new church's foundation. It opened for worship on 10 February 1910 with a coal furnace and electric lights powered by a generator. The congregation added an extension to the building in 1976 and planned another building project in the 1990s.

The congregation initiated more programs with the new meetinghouse, including singing schools, a sewing circle in 1920, and a young people's meeting in 1921.

In 1948, the congregation helped to launch a mission outpost at Palo Alto, near Pottsville. Lester Hoover from Groffdale served as the founding minister.

Bibliography

Ruth, John L. The Earth is the Lord's: a narrative history of the Lancaster Mennonite Conference. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 2001: 267, 319, 1138-1169.

Weaver, Martin G. Mennonites of Lancaster Conference: containing biographical sketches of Mennonite leaders, histories of congregations, missions, and Sunday schools, record of ordinations, and other interesting historical data. Scottdale, PA: Mennonite Publishing House, 1931. Reprinted Ephrata, PA: Eastern Pennsylvania Mennonite Church Publication Board, 1982: 121-122, 125-135, 151. Available in full electronic text at https://archive.org/details/mennonitesoflanc00weav_0/page/n3/mode/2up.

Wenger, A. Grace. Frontiers of faithfulness: the story of the Groffdale Mennonite Church. Leola, Pa.: Groffdale Mennonite Church, 1992.

Additional Information

Address: 168 North Groffdale Road, Leola, Pennsylvania 17540

Telephone: 717-656-6388

Website: https://www.groffdale.com/

Denominational Affiliations:

LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches

Mennonite Church USA (Until 2017)

Pastoral Leaders at Groffdale Mennonite Church

Name Years
of Service
Hans Rudolph Nägele (ca. 1668-1765) 1720?-1725
Hans Peter Summy (1674?-1740s? 1730s-1740s
Christian Wenger (1698-1772) 1740s-1772
Martin Groff (ca. 1720-1759) Before 1755-1759
Martin Huber (1725-1785) 1760s-1785?
Christian Burkholder (1746-1809)
(Bishop)		 1770-1778
1778-1809
Abraham Reiff (1735-1788) 1770s?-1788
Christian Horst (1755-1837) 1780s-1837
Joseph G. Wenger (1766-1851) 1800s?-1851
William Westheffer (1785-1851) 1810-1826
Abraham Burkholder (1768-1840) 1810?-1820?
Jacob Weber (1796-1861) 1830-1846
Jacob W. Stauffer (1811-1855) 1840-1845
Abraham S. Martin (1799-1889) 1847-1885
Joseph E. Wenger (1829-1907) 1857-1907
Elias W. Nolt (1824-1900) 1868-1900
Esaias G. Witmer (1856-1937) 1895-1937
Noah H. Mack (1861-1948)
(Bishop)		 1900-1919
1919-1926
Benjamin G. Wenger (1875-1942) 1908-1942
Banks S. Winey (1858-1918) 1910-1918
Eli G. Sauder (1888-1979) 1920-1979
Amos H. Sauder (1912-2000)
(Bishop)		 1940-1962
1962-
Lester M. Hoover (1921-2010) 1944-1948
John S. Martin (1908-1964)
(Bishop)		 1949-1962
1962-1964
Curvin R. Buchen(Assistant) 1962-
Charles W. Wert
(Bishop)		 1965-1988
1988-1996
Keith Blank (Youth) 1986-1989
Ray M. Martin (Youth/Assistant) 1989-2000?
Timothy L. Herr 1990-1999
Timothy Horst (Youth) 1992-2000
Craig Sensenig (Youth/Assistant) 2000-2004
James R. Martin (Interim) 2000-2001
James R. Leaman 2001-2009
Thomas L. Eshleman (Associate)
(Lead)		 2005-2009
2009-
Kathy Weaver Wenger (Associate) 2010?-2017
Austin Horning (Youth/Associate) 2015?-2019
Krista Snader (Associate) 2021-

Groffdale Mennonite Church Membership

Year Members
1913 240
1920 260
1930 290
1940 328
1950 360
1960 320
1970 301
1980 301
1990 311
2000 267
2009 179

Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article

By Ira D. Landis. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 587. All rights reserved.

The Groffdale Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church (MC)), located two miles northwest of New Holland, Pennsylvania, is a member of the Lancaster Mennonite Conference. The first meetinghouse was built of logs in 1755 on Hans Groff's vast acreage. A stone addition was built in 1823. In 1909 the new brick church was built which was enlarged in 1936. The congregation cooperated in the Palo Alto Mission from the start, releasing one of its ministers, Lester M. Hoover, to serve there. In 1954 Mahlon Witmer was the bishop in charge, with Eli G. Sauder, Arnos Sauder, and John S. Martin as ministers and Floyd Graybill as deacon.

Though a large percentage are still farmers, the Old Order Mennonites were buying up most of the land around them. Until 1905 the Metzler and Groffdale congregations were served by the same ministers; after that a gradual separation took place. First they had separate deacons and gradually a separate ministry. In 1953 all except two ministers were serving both congregations. The membership in 1953 was 348.


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published March 2025

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Groffdale Mennonite Church (Leola, Pennsylvania, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. March 2025. Web. 26 Apr 2025. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Groffdale_Mennonite_Church_(Leola,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=180405.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (March 2025). Groffdale Mennonite Church (Leola, Pennsylvania, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 26 April 2025, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Groffdale_Mennonite_Church_(Leola,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=180405.



©1996-2025 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

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