Difference between revisions of "Pinto Mennonite Church (Pinto, Maryland, USA)"

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Pinto Mennonite Church ([[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]]), located in Pinto, [[Allegany County (Maryland, USA)|Allegany County]], Maryland, a member of the [[Allegheny Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Allegheny Mennonite Conference]] (formerly Southwestern Pennsylvania), was organized in 1927 with a membership of 46. D. H. Bender was the first Mennonite minister to preach in that community, about 1915. Ed Miller and Milton B. Miller of Springs, Pennsylvania served as ministers in the 1920s. Chester M. Helmick was ordained as minister in 1929, and the following year Robert P. Dayton was ordained to the ministry. The church building, a cement block structure that seats 250, was built in 1927. In the present (1957) membership of 100 there are representatives of ten denominations who have been received into fellowship. The ministers in 1956 were A. Lehman Longenecker and Chester M. Helmick.  
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The roots of the Pinto Mennonite Church in Pinto, [[Maryland (USA)|Maryland]], came from Amish and Mennonite families who moved from the Grantsville and [[Springs (Pennsylvania, USA)|Springs]] communities in the early 1900s. These included the [[Yoder (Ioder, Joder, Jodter, Jotter, Yoeder, Yother, Yothers, Yotter)|Yoder]], Ash, and Schrock families. Since no ordained pastors were part of the group, they worshiped at the Methodist Church in nearby Short Gap, [[West Virginia (USA)|West Virginia]]. Families also participated in a union [[Sunday School|Sunday school]] that began in 1917. The [[Allegheny Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Southwestern Pennsylvania Mennonite Conference]] recognized this place as a new mission station in fall 1917.
  
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In 2015 the Pinto congregation left the Allegheny Conference and joined the [[LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches|Lancaster Mennonite Conference]]. This move was part of a larger realignment of Mennonite congregations formerly part of [[Mennonite Church USA]]. These congregations were unhappy with Mennonite Church USA's failure to take stronger disciplinary actions against area conferences and congregations who expressed openness to inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. The Lancaster Mennonite Conference took action in 2015 to withdraw from Mennonite Church USA by the end of 2017, and became an attractive alternative for these congregations.
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In 1926, the Southwestern Conference agreed to erect a cement block meetinghouse on a hillside overlooking the Potomac Valley, and to pay half the cost. The building was dedicated on 22 August 1926. The congregation added a vestibule and balcony in 1938 and remodeled the facility in 1956. In 1972, the congregation built a new church building. The original building was used as a community center until it was destroyed by fire on 14 August 2010. Several years later, the church erected a new community center.
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On 27 November 1927, the Pinto Mennonite Church formally organized.
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In 2015, the Pinto congregation left the Allegheny Mennonite Conference (formerly the Southwestern Mennonite Conference) and joined the [[LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches|Lancaster Mennonite Conference]].
 
= Bibliography =
 
= Bibliography =
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"'Salt and Light': Fall Faith and Life Gathering." ''A M C News'' September-December 2015. Web. 29 May 2017. http://www.alleghenymennoniteconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/September-December-2015.pdf.
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"'Salt and Light': Fall Faith and Life Gathering." A M C News September-December 2015. Web. 29 May 2017. http://www.alleghenymennoniteconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/September-December-2015.pdf.
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Shetler, Sanford G. ''Two centuries of struggle and growth 1763-1963: a history of Allegheny Mennonite Conference''. Scottdale, Pa.: Allegheny Mennonite Conference, 1963: 76-83.
  
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"Springs, Pa." ''Gospel Herald'' 10, no. 10 (7 June 1917): 169, 172.
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"Yoder House Groundbreaking draws a Crowd." ''The House of Yoder Newsletter'' (Summer 2023): 5-6. Web. https://www.houseofyoder.org/32_sum_23.pdf.
 
= Additional Information =
 
= Additional Information =
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'''Address''': 13822 Pinto Road Southwest, Cumberland, MD 21502
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'''Address''': 13822 Pinto Road SW, Cumberland, Maryland 21502  
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'''Telephone''': 301-729-2714
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'''Website''': https://www.facebook.com/pintomennonitechurch/
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'''Denominational Affiliations''':
  
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'''Phone''': 301-729-2714
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[https://lmcchurches.org/ LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches]
  
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'''Website''': http://www.pintochurch.org/
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[https://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA] (Until 2017)
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== Pastoral Leaders at Pinto Mennonite Church ==
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{| class="wikitable"
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|-
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! Name !! Years<br/>of Service
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|-
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| Edward D. Miller (1876-1968) || 1917-1924
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|-
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| Milton B. Miller (1892-1966) || 1925-1929
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|-
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| Chester M. Helmick (1899-1988) || 1929-1954
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|-
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| Robert Dayton (1894-1953) || 1930s-1953
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|-
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| Allen "A. Lehman" Longenecker (1914-2005) || 1954-1961
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|-
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| Mahlon D. Miller (1931-2014)  || 1961-1966
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|-
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| Melvin M. Stauffer (1931-2013) || 1966-1969
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|-
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| Richard E. Martin (1915-2002) || 1969-1978
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|-
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| Lay Leadership || 1978-1980
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|-
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| Elvin J. Sommers (1928-2021) || 1980-1985
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|-
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| Roy Bender || 1987-1994
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|-
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| Lester T. Hershey (1912-2007)(Interim) || 1994-1995<br />1999?-2005?
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|-
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| Sven E. Miller || 1995-1999?
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|-
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| Paul T. Livengood || 2001?-2010s?
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|-
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| Phillip Dayton || 2001-2016?
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|-
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| Merle Christner || 2008-2016
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|-
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| A. Willard Shertzer (Interim) || 2016-2017
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|-
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| Duane Frederick || 2017-
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|}
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== Pinto Mennonite Church Membership ==
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
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|-
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! Year !! Members
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|-
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| 1927 || 46
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|-
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| 1930 || 78
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|-
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| 1940 || 115
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|-
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| 1950 || 128
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|-
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| 1960 || 101
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|-
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| 1970 || 108
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|-
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| 1980 || 132
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|-
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| 1990 || 117
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|-
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| 2000 || 138
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|-
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| 2009 || 159
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|}
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= Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article =
  
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'''Denominational Affiliations''': [https://www.lancasterconference.org/ Lancaster Mennonite Conference]
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By Chester M. Helmick. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from ''Mennonite Encyclopedia'', Vol. 4, p. 182. All rights reserved.
  
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 4, p. 182|date=1959|a1_last=Helmick|a1_first=Chester M.|a2_last=Steiner|a2_first=Samuel J.}}
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Pinto Mennonite Church ([[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]]), located in Pinto, [[Allegany County (Maryland, USA)|Allegany County]], Maryland, a member of the [[Allegheny Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Allegheny Mennonite Conference]] (formerly Southwestern Pennsylvania), was organized in 1927 with a membership of 46. D. H. Bender was the first Mennonite minister to preach in that community, about 1915. Ed Miller and Milton B. Miller of Springs, Pennsylvania served as ministers in the 1920s. Chester M. Helmick was ordained as minister in 1929, and the following year Robert P. Dayton was ordained to the ministry. The church building, a cement block structure that seats 250, was built in 1927. In the present (1957) membership of 100 there are representatives of ten denominations who have been received into fellowship. The ministers in 1956 were A. Lehman Longenecker and Chester M. Helmick.
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=January 2026|a1_last=Steiner|a1_first=Samuel J|a2_last= |a2_first= }}
 
[[Category:Churches]]
 
[[Category:Churches]]
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[[Category:Allegheny Mennonite Conference Congregations‏‎]]
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[[Category:Allegheny Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
 
[[Category:LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches Congregations]]
 
[[Category:LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches Congregations]]
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[[Category:Mennonite Church (MC) Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Mennonite Church USA Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Mennonite Church USA Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Maryland Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Maryland Congregations]]
 
[[Category:United States Congregations]]
 
[[Category:United States Congregations]]

Latest revision as of 15:40, 29 January 2026

The roots of the Pinto Mennonite Church in Pinto, Maryland, came from Amish and Mennonite families who moved from the Grantsville and Springs communities in the early 1900s. These included the Yoder, Ash, and Schrock families. Since no ordained pastors were part of the group, they worshiped at the Methodist Church in nearby Short Gap, West Virginia. Families also participated in a union Sunday school that began in 1917. The Southwestern Pennsylvania Mennonite Conference recognized this place as a new mission station in fall 1917.

In 1926, the Southwestern Conference agreed to erect a cement block meetinghouse on a hillside overlooking the Potomac Valley, and to pay half the cost. The building was dedicated on 22 August 1926. The congregation added a vestibule and balcony in 1938 and remodeled the facility in 1956. In 1972, the congregation built a new church building. The original building was used as a community center until it was destroyed by fire on 14 August 2010. Several years later, the church erected a new community center.

On 27 November 1927, the Pinto Mennonite Church formally organized.

In 2015, the Pinto congregation left the Allegheny Mennonite Conference (formerly the Southwestern Mennonite Conference) and joined the Lancaster Mennonite Conference.

Bibliography

"'Salt and Light': Fall Faith and Life Gathering." A M C News September-December 2015. Web. 29 May 2017. http://www.alleghenymennoniteconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/September-December-2015.pdf.

Shetler, Sanford G. Two centuries of struggle and growth 1763-1963: a history of Allegheny Mennonite Conference. Scottdale, Pa.: Allegheny Mennonite Conference, 1963: 76-83.

"Springs, Pa." Gospel Herald 10, no. 10 (7 June 1917): 169, 172.

"Yoder House Groundbreaking draws a Crowd." The House of Yoder Newsletter (Summer 2023): 5-6. Web. https://www.houseofyoder.org/32_sum_23.pdf.

Additional Information

Address: 13822 Pinto Road SW, Cumberland, Maryland 21502

Telephone: 301-729-2714

Website: https://www.facebook.com/pintomennonitechurch/

Denominational Affiliations:

LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches

Mennonite Church USA (Until 2017)

Pastoral Leaders at Pinto Mennonite Church

Name Years
of Service
Edward D. Miller (1876-1968) 1917-1924
Milton B. Miller (1892-1966) 1925-1929
Chester M. Helmick (1899-1988) 1929-1954
Robert Dayton (1894-1953) 1930s-1953
Allen "A. Lehman" Longenecker (1914-2005) 1954-1961
Mahlon D. Miller (1931-2014) 1961-1966
Melvin M. Stauffer (1931-2013) 1966-1969
Richard E. Martin (1915-2002) 1969-1978
Lay Leadership 1978-1980
Elvin J. Sommers (1928-2021) 1980-1985
Roy Bender 1987-1994
Lester T. Hershey (1912-2007)(Interim) 1994-1995
1999?-2005?
Sven E. Miller 1995-1999?
Paul T. Livengood 2001?-2010s?
Phillip Dayton 2001-2016?
Merle Christner 2008-2016
A. Willard Shertzer (Interim) 2016-2017
Duane Frederick 2017-

Pinto Mennonite Church Membership

Year Members
1927 46
1930 78
1940 115
1950 128
1960 101
1970 108
1980 132
1990 117
2000 138
2009 159

Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article

By Chester M. Helmick. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 182. All rights reserved.

Pinto Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church), located in Pinto, Allegany County, Maryland, a member of the Allegheny Mennonite Conference (formerly Southwestern Pennsylvania), was organized in 1927 with a membership of 46. D. H. Bender was the first Mennonite minister to preach in that community, about 1915. Ed Miller and Milton B. Miller of Springs, Pennsylvania served as ministers in the 1920s. Chester M. Helmick was ordained as minister in 1929, and the following year Robert P. Dayton was ordained to the ministry. The church building, a cement block structure that seats 250, was built in 1927. In the present (1957) membership of 100 there are representatives of ten denominations who have been received into fellowship. The ministers in 1956 were A. Lehman Longenecker and Chester M. Helmick.


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published January 2026

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Pinto Mennonite Church (Pinto, Maryland, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2026. Web. 16 Apr 2026. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Pinto_Mennonite_Church_(Pinto,_Maryland,_USA)&oldid=181486.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (January 2026). Pinto Mennonite Church (Pinto, Maryland, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2026, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Pinto_Mennonite_Church_(Pinto,_Maryland,_USA)&oldid=181486.



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

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