Difference between revisions of "Midway Mennonite Church (Columbiana, Ohio, USA)"

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Midway Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA), located near Columbiana, [[Mahoning County (Ohio, USA)|Mahoning County]], Ohio, is a member of the [[Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA |Ohio Conference of Mennonite Church USA]]. The first meetinghouse was built about 1825 on land deeded to the church by Jacob Oberholtzer, who was the first Mennonite minister in [[Ohio (State)|Ohio]], having arrived here in 1806. A new brick church was constructed in 1869 to replace the older building. An addition was constructed in 1899. The building had been remodeled twice since that time (to 1956). For many years the members and the ministers were a part of the circuit of the three churches—Midway, [[North Lima Mennonite Church (North Lima, Ohio, USA)|North Lima]], and [[Leetonia Mennonite Church (Leetonia, Ohio, USA)|Leetonia]], rather than assigned to a specific church. The bishops who served since about 1866 were Joseph Bixler, John Burkholder, and Albert J. Steiner. In 1956 Paul Yoder was bishop-pastor, and Ernest Martin minister, with a membership of 164. It was called [[Oberholtzer Mennonite Church (Mahoning County, Ohio, USA)|Oberholtzer's]] until 1898.
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The first Mennonite settlers in [[Ohio (USA)|Ohio]], came in 1801 or slightly before; [[Columbiana County (Ohio, USA)|Columbiana County]] included the first Mennonite settlement in the state. [[Oberholtzer, Jacob (1767-1847)|Jacob Oberholtzer]] arrived in 1806 and was the first Mennonite minister in Ohio. In 1815, he organized the Columbiana-Mahoning congregation in a log schoolhouse.
 +
 
 +
In 1825, Oberholtzer donated land on which the congregation erected a log meetinghouse and schoolhouse with backless benches and a long table from which the ministers spoke. The congregation became known as the [[Oberholtzer Mennonite Church (Mahoning County, Ohio, USA)|Oberholzer congregation]]. Oberholtzer moved away from the community in the 1830s when Mennonites welcomed the opening of public schools to Oberholtzer's dismay, as he wished to retain private German-language schools.
 +
 
 +
[[Nold, Jacob (1765-1834)|Bishop Jacob Nold]] built a meetinghouse known as Nold's in 1828 near his home at present-day Leetonia. In 1835, the congregation erected a third frame meetinghouse near North Lima, Ohio, to serve members in that area. It was known as Metzler's for Jacob Metzler, who provided the land. Worship services alternated between the three meetinghouses into the 1890s. They were among the early members of the [[Ohio Mennonite Conference (1843-1927)|Ohio Mennonite Conference]], which was formed in 1843.
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 +
The Oberholtzer congregation built a new meetinghouse in 1869. This caused some controversy, as the ceiling was higher, and the platform for speaking was raised. This likely contributed to the 1872 division in Columbiana and [[Mahoning County (Ohio, USA)|Mahoning]] counties, when some members joined the [[Wisler, Jacob (1808-1889)|Jacob Wisler]] group that formed the [[Old Order Mennonites]]. [[Sunday School|Sunday school]] began in 1873, after the division cleared the way, but it appears to have stopped by the 1880s. Following this division, the shift from German to English became even more pronounced.
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 +
In 1892, the rotation pattern between the three churches changed. On the first and third Sundays of the month, everyone worshiped at Oberholtzer's, and on the second and fourth Sundays, met at both Metzler's and Nold's. In approximately 1898, the congregations began to be known by geographically related names. Metzler's became [[North Lima Mennonite Church (North Lima, Ohio, USA)|North Lima]], Nold's became [[Leetonia Mennonite Church (Leetonia, Ohio, USA)|Leetonia]], and Oberholtzer became Midway because of its location between the two other congregations.
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In 1913, Leetonia began holding services every Sunday, while Midway and North Lima continued to alternate services. Dissatisfaction with this arrangement led them to become separate congregations with their own pastors and bishops by 1948.
 +
 
 +
A major addition to the building was made in 1960, followed by further renovations in 1972.
 +
 
 +
In 2024, Midway Mennonite Church withdrew from the [[Ohio Mennonite Conference]] and [[Mennonite Church USA]], and joined [[LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches]].
 +
 
 +
= Bibliography =
 +
Beaver Township Bicentennial Committee. ''Bicentennial History of Beaver Township 1976''. North Lima, Ohio: Beaver Township Bicentennial Committee, 1976.
 +
 
 +
Stoltzfus, Grant M. ''Mennonites of the Ohio and Eastern Conference: from the colonial period in Pennsylvania to 1968''. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1969: 42-49, 218-219, 343-397.
 +
 
 +
Umble, John Sylvanus. ''Ohio Mennonite Sunday Schools''. Goshen, Ind.: Mennonite Historical Society, Goshen College, 1941: 359-376.
 +
= Additional Information =
 +
'''Address''': 13376 Columbiana-Canfield Road, Columbiana, Ohio 44408
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 +
'''Telephone''': 330-482-3135
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 +
'''Website''': https://www.midwaymennonite.org/
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'''Denominational Affiliations''':
 +
 
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[https://lmcchurches.org/ LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches]
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[https://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA]
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== Pastoral Leaders at Midway Mennonite Church ==
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{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Name !! Years<br/>of Service
 +
|-
 +
| [[Oberholtzer, Jacob (1767-1847)|Jacob Oberholtzer]] (1767-1847)(Bishop) || 1806-1834
 +
|-
 +
| [[Nold, Jacob (1765-1834)|Jacob Nold]] (1765-1834)(Bishop) || 1817-1834
 +
|-
 +
| Matthias Tintsman (1768?-1832) || 1819-1830
 +
|-
 +
| John Shank (1798-1858) || 1827-1858
 +
|-
 +
| Jacob Christophel (1783-1868) || 1827-1848
 +
|-
 +
| John Blosser (1780-1864) || 1827?-1864
 +
|-
 +
| Henry Stauffer (1781-1851)<br />(Bishop) || 1815-1834<br />1834-1851
 +
|-
 +
| [[Wisler, Jacob (1808-1889)|Jacob Wisler]] (1808-1889) || 1833-1848
 +
|-
 +
| Samuel Good (1810-1883) || 1848-1872
 +
|-
 +
| Rudolph Blosser (1809-1852) || 1848?-1852
 +
|-
 +
| John Blosser (1802-1866) || 1852?-1866
 +
|-
 +
| Peter Basinger (1812-1901) || 1854-1901
 +
|-
 +
| Joseph S. Bixler (1813-1895)(Bishop) || 1864-1895
 +
|-
 +
| Jacob Kolb (1808-1880)(Bishop) || 1866-1880
 +
|-
 +
| John Burkholder (1838-1909)<br />(Bishop) || 1879-1886<br />1886-1909
 +
|-
 +
| Jacob Stauffer ( 1832-1899) || 1882-1899
 +
|-
 +
| Allen Rickert (1848-1933) || 1892-1933
 +
|-
 +
| David L. Lehman (1851-1940) || 1894-1940
 +
|-
 +
| [[Whitmer, Paul Emmons (1876-1966)|Paul E. Whitmer]] (1976-1966) || 1901-1903
 +
|-
 +
| Enos M. Detweiler (1868-1936) || 1904-1936
 +
|-
 +
| [[Steiner, Albert James (1876-1965)|Albert "A. J." Steiner]] (1876-1965)<br />(Bishop) || 1908-1910<br />1910-1948
 +
|-
 +
| Abraham B. Burkholder (1850-1941) || 1910s-1920s
 +
|-
 +
| Isaac B. Witmer (1865-1958) || 1915-1948
 +
|-
 +
| Paul R. Yoder (1897-1990)<br />(Bishop) || 1925-1951<br />1951-1963?
 +
|-
 +
| Stephen A. Yoder (1889-1991) || 1927-1948
 +
|-
 +
| David C. Steiner (1905-1986) || 1939-1948
 +
|-
 +
| Ernest D. Martin (1924-2021) || 1951-1989
 +
|-
 +
| Steve J. Yoder (Intern) || 1979-1980
 +
|-
 +
| Richard Bartholomew, Jr. (Intern) || 1981?-1983
 +
|-
 +
| David Byer (Intern) || 1983-1989
 +
|-
 +
| Larry D. Rohrer || 1990-2007
 +
|-
 +
| Herman F. Myers (Interim) || 2007-2010?
 +
|-
 +
| Dan Coburn || 2011?-2013?
 +
|-
 +
| Jesse Johnson || 2013?-2017
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|-
 +
| Matthew Peterson || 2017-2024
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|-
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| Leadership Team || 2024-
 +
|}
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== Midway Mennonite Church Membership ==
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
 +
|-
 +
! Year !! Members
 +
|-
 +
| 1905 || 245<br />In District
 +
|-
 +
| 1913 || 357<br />In District
 +
|-
 +
| 1920 || 335<br />In District
 +
|-
 +
| 1930 || 397<br />In District
 +
|-
 +
| 1940 || 420<br />In District
 +
|-
 +
| 1950 || 144
 +
|-
 +
| 1960 || 150
 +
|-
 +
| 1970 || 190
 +
|-
 +
| 1980 || 220
 +
|-
 +
| 1990 || 141
 +
|-
 +
| 2000 || 179
 +
|-
 +
| 2009 || 149
 +
|-
 +
| 2020 || 85
 +
|}
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= Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article =
 +
 
 +
By Paul R. Yoder. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from ''Mennonite Encyclopedia'', Vol. 4, p. 354. All rights reserved.
 +
 
 +
Midway Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA), located near Columbiana, [[Mahoning County (Ohio, USA)|Mahoning County]], Ohio, is a member of the [[Ohio Mennonite Conference]]. The first meetinghouse was built about 1825 on land deeded to the church by Jacob Oberholtzer, who was the first Mennonite minister in [[Ohio (USA)|Ohio]], having arrived here in 1806. A new brick church was constructed in 1869 to replace the older building. An addition was constructed in 1899. The building had been remodeled twice since that time (to 1956). For many years the members and the ministers were a part of the circuit of the three churches—Midway, [[North Lima Mennonite Church (North Lima, Ohio, USA)|North Lima]], and [[Leetonia Mennonite Church (Leetonia, Ohio, USA)|Leetonia]], rather than assigned to a specific church. The bishops who served since about 1866 were Joseph Bixler, John Burkholder, and Albert J. Steiner. In 1956 Paul Yoder was bishop-pastor, and Ernest Martin minister, with a membership of 164. It was called [[Oberholtzer Mennonite Church (Mahoning County, Ohio, USA)|Oberholtzer's]] until 1898.
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=October 2025|a1_last=Steiner|a1_first=Samuel J|a2_last= |a2_first= }}
 
[[Category:Churches]]
 
[[Category:Churches]]
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[[Category:Ohio and Eastern Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
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[[Category:Ohio Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
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[[Category:LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches Congregations]]
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[[Category:Mennonite Church (MC) Congregations]]
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[[Category:Mennonite Church USA Congregations]]
 +
[[Category:Ohio Congregations]]
 +
[[Category:United States Congregations]]

Latest revision as of 14:23, 9 October 2025

The first Mennonite settlers in Ohio, came in 1801 or slightly before; Columbiana County included the first Mennonite settlement in the state. Jacob Oberholtzer arrived in 1806 and was the first Mennonite minister in Ohio. In 1815, he organized the Columbiana-Mahoning congregation in a log schoolhouse.

In 1825, Oberholtzer donated land on which the congregation erected a log meetinghouse and schoolhouse with backless benches and a long table from which the ministers spoke. The congregation became known as the Oberholzer congregation. Oberholtzer moved away from the community in the 1830s when Mennonites welcomed the opening of public schools to Oberholtzer's dismay, as he wished to retain private German-language schools.

Bishop Jacob Nold built a meetinghouse known as Nold's in 1828 near his home at present-day Leetonia. In 1835, the congregation erected a third frame meetinghouse near North Lima, Ohio, to serve members in that area. It was known as Metzler's for Jacob Metzler, who provided the land. Worship services alternated between the three meetinghouses into the 1890s. They were among the early members of the Ohio Mennonite Conference, which was formed in 1843.

The Oberholtzer congregation built a new meetinghouse in 1869. This caused some controversy, as the ceiling was higher, and the platform for speaking was raised. This likely contributed to the 1872 division in Columbiana and Mahoning counties, when some members joined the Jacob Wisler group that formed the Old Order Mennonites. Sunday school began in 1873, after the division cleared the way, but it appears to have stopped by the 1880s. Following this division, the shift from German to English became even more pronounced.

In 1892, the rotation pattern between the three churches changed. On the first and third Sundays of the month, everyone worshiped at Oberholtzer's, and on the second and fourth Sundays, met at both Metzler's and Nold's. In approximately 1898, the congregations began to be known by geographically related names. Metzler's became North Lima, Nold's became Leetonia, and Oberholtzer became Midway because of its location between the two other congregations.

In 1913, Leetonia began holding services every Sunday, while Midway and North Lima continued to alternate services. Dissatisfaction with this arrangement led them to become separate congregations with their own pastors and bishops by 1948.

A major addition to the building was made in 1960, followed by further renovations in 1972.

In 2024, Midway Mennonite Church withdrew from the Ohio Mennonite Conference and Mennonite Church USA, and joined LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches.

Bibliography

Beaver Township Bicentennial Committee. Bicentennial History of Beaver Township 1976. North Lima, Ohio: Beaver Township Bicentennial Committee, 1976.

Stoltzfus, Grant M. Mennonites of the Ohio and Eastern Conference: from the colonial period in Pennsylvania to 1968. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1969: 42-49, 218-219, 343-397.

Umble, John Sylvanus. Ohio Mennonite Sunday Schools. Goshen, Ind.: Mennonite Historical Society, Goshen College, 1941: 359-376.

Additional Information

Address: 13376 Columbiana-Canfield Road, Columbiana, Ohio 44408

Telephone: 330-482-3135

Website: https://www.midwaymennonite.org/

Denominational Affiliations:

LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches

Mennonite Church USA

Pastoral Leaders at Midway Mennonite Church

Name Years
of Service
Jacob Oberholtzer (1767-1847)(Bishop) 1806-1834
Jacob Nold (1765-1834)(Bishop) 1817-1834
Matthias Tintsman (1768?-1832) 1819-1830
John Shank (1798-1858) 1827-1858
Jacob Christophel (1783-1868) 1827-1848
John Blosser (1780-1864) 1827?-1864
Henry Stauffer (1781-1851)
(Bishop)		 1815-1834
1834-1851
Jacob Wisler (1808-1889) 1833-1848
Samuel Good (1810-1883) 1848-1872
Rudolph Blosser (1809-1852) 1848?-1852
John Blosser (1802-1866) 1852?-1866
Peter Basinger (1812-1901) 1854-1901
Joseph S. Bixler (1813-1895)(Bishop) 1864-1895
Jacob Kolb (1808-1880)(Bishop) 1866-1880
John Burkholder (1838-1909)
(Bishop)		 1879-1886
1886-1909
Jacob Stauffer ( 1832-1899) 1882-1899
Allen Rickert (1848-1933) 1892-1933
David L. Lehman (1851-1940) 1894-1940
Paul E. Whitmer (1976-1966) 1901-1903
Enos M. Detweiler (1868-1936) 1904-1936
Albert "A. J." Steiner (1876-1965)
(Bishop)		 1908-1910
1910-1948
Abraham B. Burkholder (1850-1941) 1910s-1920s
Isaac B. Witmer (1865-1958) 1915-1948
Paul R. Yoder (1897-1990)
(Bishop)		 1925-1951
1951-1963?
Stephen A. Yoder (1889-1991) 1927-1948
David C. Steiner (1905-1986) 1939-1948
Ernest D. Martin (1924-2021) 1951-1989
Steve J. Yoder (Intern) 1979-1980
Richard Bartholomew, Jr. (Intern) 1981?-1983
David Byer (Intern) 1983-1989
Larry D. Rohrer 1990-2007
Herman F. Myers (Interim) 2007-2010?
Dan Coburn 2011?-2013?
Jesse Johnson 2013?-2017
Matthew Peterson 2017-2024
Leadership Team 2024-

Midway Mennonite Church Membership

Year Members
1905 245
In District
1913 357
In District
1920 335
In District
1930 397
In District
1940 420
In District
1950 144
1960 150
1970 190
1980 220
1990 141
2000 179
2009 149
2020 85

Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article

By Paul R. Yoder. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 354. All rights reserved.

Midway Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA), located near Columbiana, Mahoning County, Ohio, is a member of the Ohio Mennonite Conference. The first meetinghouse was built about 1825 on land deeded to the church by Jacob Oberholtzer, who was the first Mennonite minister in Ohio, having arrived here in 1806. A new brick church was constructed in 1869 to replace the older building. An addition was constructed in 1899. The building had been remodeled twice since that time (to 1956). For many years the members and the ministers were a part of the circuit of the three churches—Midway, North Lima, and Leetonia, rather than assigned to a specific church. The bishops who served since about 1866 were Joseph Bixler, John Burkholder, and Albert J. Steiner. In 1956 Paul Yoder was bishop-pastor, and Ernest Martin minister, with a membership of 164. It was called Oberholtzer's until 1898.


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published October 2025

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Midway Mennonite Church (Columbiana, Ohio, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. October 2025. Web. 19 Jan 2026. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Midway_Mennonite_Church_(Columbiana,_Ohio,_USA)&oldid=181258.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (October 2025). Midway Mennonite Church (Columbiana, Ohio, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 January 2026, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Midway_Mennonite_Church_(Columbiana,_Ohio,_USA)&oldid=181258.



©1996-2026 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

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