Difference between revisions of "Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario, Canada)"
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[[File:Bethel-Mennonite-Elora-2009.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''Bethel Mennonite Church, September 2009'']] | [[File:Bethel-Mennonite-Elora-2009.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''Bethel Mennonite Church, September 2009'']] | ||
The Bethel Mennonite congregation was formally organized on 12 December 1947 with 26 members. The church was formerly owned by the United Church of Canada. The first pastor was [[Gingrich, Newton L. (1925-1979)|Newton Gingrich]], who was ordained 19 June 1949. The first deacon, Henry F. Martin, was ordained 5 September 1948. The first building was occupied in 1948. Reuben Dettweiler was the founding bishop of the congregation. The congregation originated through outreach of the [[Elmira Mennonite Church (Elmira, Ontario, Canada)|Elmira]] and [[Floradale Mennonite Church (Floradale, Ontario, Canada)|Floradale]] Mennonite churches. | The Bethel Mennonite congregation was formally organized on 12 December 1947 with 26 members. The church was formerly owned by the United Church of Canada. The first pastor was [[Gingrich, Newton L. (1925-1979)|Newton Gingrich]], who was ordained 19 June 1949. The first deacon, Henry F. Martin, was ordained 5 September 1948. The first building was occupied in 1948. Reuben Dettweiler was the founding bishop of the congregation. The congregation originated through outreach of the [[Elmira Mennonite Church (Elmira, Ontario, Canada)|Elmira]] and [[Floradale Mennonite Church (Floradale, Ontario, Canada)|Floradale]] Mennonite churches. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Bethel Mennonite Church closed the end of October 2025 due to shrinking numbers and an aging congregation. The property was sold to another Anabaptist congregation. | ||
= Bibliography = | = Bibliography = | ||
| + | "Closing well - Bethel Mennonite Church." Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. 21 October 2025. Web. 17 December 2025. https://mcec.ca/article/25007-closing-well-bethel-mennonite-church. | ||
| + | |||
''Gospel Herald'' (6 January 1948): 12; (20 April 1948): 379. | ''Gospel Herald'' (6 January 1948): 12; (20 April 1948): 379. | ||
| − | + | ''Mennonite Reporter'' (29 May 1989): 12. | |
Church records at [https://uwaterloo.ca/mennonite-archives-ontario/ Mennonite Archives of Ontario] include unpublished 2 page history; "Mennonites buy Pilkington United Church," (undated newspaper article) MAO; Mennonites in Canada collection "MC(1830-Moorefield)." | Church records at [https://uwaterloo.ca/mennonite-archives-ontario/ Mennonite Archives of Ontario] include unpublished 2 page history; "Mennonites buy Pilkington United Church," (undated newspaper article) MAO; Mennonites in Canada collection "MC(1830-Moorefield)." | ||
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'''Address:''' 6772 Eighth Line West, R.R. #1, Elora, Ontario | '''Address:''' 6772 Eighth Line West, R.R. #1, Elora, Ontario | ||
| − | + | '''Phone:''' | |
| − | + | '''Website:''' | |
'''Denominational Affiliations:''' | '''Denominational Affiliations:''' | ||
| Line 50: | Line 54: | ||
| Maurice Martin<br />(interim) ||2013-2014 | | Maurice Martin<br />(interim) ||2013-2014 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | | Dave Tiessen||2014- | + | | Dave Tiessen||2014-2025 |
|} | |} | ||
== Bethel Mennonite Church Membership == | == Bethel Mennonite Church Membership == | ||
| Line 72: | Line 76: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| 2015 || 126 | | 2015 || 126 | ||
| + | |- | ||
| + | | 2020 || 71 | ||
|} | |} | ||
= Maps = | = Maps = | ||
[[Map:Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario)]] | [[Map:Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario)]] | ||
| − | {{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 1, p. 311|date= | + | {{GAMEO_footer-3|hp=Vol. 1, p. 311|date=December 2025|a1_last=Dettweiler|a1_first=Reuben|a2_last=Epp|a2_first=Marlene|a3_last=Steiner|a3_first=Samuel J.}} |
[[Category:Churches]] | [[Category:Churches]] | ||
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[[Category:Mennonite Church Eastern Canada Congregations]] | [[Category:Mennonite Church Eastern Canada Congregations]] | ||
[[Category:Mennonite Church Canada Congregations]] | [[Category:Mennonite Church Canada Congregations]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Extinct Congregations]] | ||
[[Category:Ontario Congregations]] | [[Category:Ontario Congregations]] | ||
[[Category:Canadian Congregations]] | [[Category:Canadian Congregations]] | ||
Latest revision as of 18:26, 17 December 2025
The Bethel Mennonite congregation was formally organized on 12 December 1947 with 26 members. The church was formerly owned by the United Church of Canada. The first pastor was Newton Gingrich, who was ordained 19 June 1949. The first deacon, Henry F. Martin, was ordained 5 September 1948. The first building was occupied in 1948. Reuben Dettweiler was the founding bishop of the congregation. The congregation originated through outreach of the Elmira and Floradale Mennonite churches.
Bethel Mennonite Church closed the end of October 2025 due to shrinking numbers and an aging congregation. The property was sold to another Anabaptist congregation.
Bibliography
"Closing well - Bethel Mennonite Church." Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. 21 October 2025. Web. 17 December 2025. https://mcec.ca/article/25007-closing-well-bethel-mennonite-church.
Gospel Herald (6 January 1948): 12; (20 April 1948): 379.
Mennonite Reporter (29 May 1989): 12.
Church records at Mennonite Archives of Ontario include unpublished 2 page history; "Mennonites buy Pilkington United Church," (undated newspaper article) MAO; Mennonites in Canada collection "MC(1830-Moorefield)."
Weber, Linda. "A Brief History of Bethel, Berea, Moorefield, Glen Allan, and Listowel," Research paper, CGC, 1971, 37 pp.
Additional Information
Address: 6772 Eighth Line West, R.R. #1, Elora, Ontario
Phone:
Website:
Denominational Affiliations:
Mennonite Church Eastern Canada
= Bethel Mennonite Church Pastors
| Newton Gingrich | 1949-1960 |
| Ray Erb | 1960-1971 |
| Simeon Hurst | 1972-1977 |
| Gerry Vandeworp | 1977-1983 |
| Amsey Martin | 1983-1987 |
| Art Byer | 1987-1995 |
| Darryl Jantzi | 1995-2000 |
| James Cober (interim) |
2000-2002 |
| Art Byer (interim) |
2002-2003 |
| Steve Brnjas | 2003-2009 |
| Linda Brnjas | 2003-2012 |
| Maurice Martin (interim) |
2013-2014 |
| Dave Tiessen | 2014-2025 |
Bethel Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 53 |
| 1965 | 104 |
| 1975 | 214 |
| 1985 | 247 |
| 1995 | 175 |
| 2000 | 178 |
| 2006 | 126 |
| 2015 | 126 |
| 2020 | 71 |
Maps
Map:Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario)
| Author(s) | Reuben Dettweiler |
|---|---|
| Marlene Epp | |
| Samuel J. Steiner | |
| Date Published | December 2025 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Dettweiler, Reuben, Marlene Epp and Samuel J. Steiner. "Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. December 2025. Web. 19 Jan 2026. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bethel_Mennonite_Church_(Elora,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=181365.
APA style
Dettweiler, Reuben, Marlene Epp and Samuel J. Steiner. (December 2025). Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 January 2026, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bethel_Mennonite_Church_(Elora,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=181365.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 311. All rights reserved.
©1996-2026 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.