Difference between revisions of "Risser's Mennonite Church (Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, USA)"

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Risser (Rissers) [[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]], located four miles east of [[Elizabethtown (Pennsylvania, USA)|Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania]], a member of the [[Lancaster Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Lancaster Conference]], originated in 1737. The first meetinghouse was built in 1760 in a grove on Peter Risser's land. This was enlarged in 1865, and in 1887 replaced by the present frame church 50 x 70 ft. It is beautifully located, with a schoolhouse adjoining and a well-kept cemetery. In 1957 the membership was 138; Noah W. Risser and Clarence E. Lutz were the bishops, Walter W. Oberholtzer and J. Harold Forwood the ministers. It formerly shared its ministers with the [[Stauffer Mennonite Church (Conewago Township, Pennsylvania, USA)|Stauffer]] congregation at Bachmanville.
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Risser's (Rissers, Risser) Mennonite Church near [[Elizabethtown (Pennsylvania, USA)|Elizabethtown]], [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]], began about 1737, with the ordination of Peter Risser, a new immigrant from [[Switzerland]]. He preached in homes until the first sandstone school and meetinghouse was built on his land in 1760. The meetinghouse was enlarged in 1865. In 1887, this meetinghouse was dismantled, and a larger frame meetinghouse was erected.
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[[Sunday School|Sunday school]] began at Risser's in 1890. Services were held every four weeks until the 1920s, when they became every two weeks. It reverted to every four weeks during and following World War II, before becoming weekly.
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= Bibliography =
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Ruth, John L. ''The Earth is the Lord's: a narrative history of the Lancaster Mennonite Conference''. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 2001: 230, 1138-1169.
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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: 208-215, 218-219, 283. Available in full electronic text at https://archive.org/details/mennonitesoflanc00weav_0/page/n3/mode/2up.
 
= Additional Information =
 
= Additional Information =
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'''Address''': 8360 Elizabethtown Rd, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania 17022
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'''Address''': 8360 Elizabethtown Road, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania 17022
  
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'''Phone''': 717-367-1975
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'''Telephone''': 717-367-1975
  
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'''Website''':
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'''Website''': https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552061069898
  
 
'''Denominational Affiliations''':
 
'''Denominational Affiliations''':
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[http://www.lancasterconference.org/ Lancaster Mennonite Conference]
 
  
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[http://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA]
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[https://lmcchurches.org/ LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches]
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= Map =
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[[Risser Mennonite Church (Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, USA)]]
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[https://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA]
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 4, p. 341|date=1959|a1_last=Landis|a1_first=Ira D|a2_last=|a2_first=}}
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== Pastoral Leaders at Risser's 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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| Peter Risser (1713-1804) || 1737-1804
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|-
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| John Mumma (1776-1859)<br />(Bishop) || 1815-1825<br />1825-1859
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|-
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| John Risser (1787-1870) || By 1820-1870
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|-
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| Peter R. Ebersole (1790-1870)<br />(Bishop) || 1830-1850<br />1850-1870
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|-
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| Benjamin Lehman (1823-1907) || 1866-1907
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|-
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| Peter R. Ebersole, Jr. (1822-1899) || 1867-1899
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|-
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| [[Rutt, Martin N. (1841-1905)|Martin N. Rutt]] (1841-1905)(Bishop) || 1870-1905
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|-
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| Harry M. Enterline (1858-1934) || 1898-1900s?
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|-
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| Samuel L. Oberholtzer (1859-1931) || 1903-1931
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|-
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| John G. Ebersole (1849-1934)<br />(Bishop) || 1887-1907<br />1907-1934
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|-
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| Noah W. Risser (1877-1964)<br />(Bishop) || 1919-1920<br />1920-1964
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|-
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| Walter W. Oberholtzer (1892-1964) || 1931-1964
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|-
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| Clarence E. Lutz (1903-1973)(Bishop) || 1950-1973
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|-
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| John "J. Harold" Forwood (1919-2016) || 1954-1968
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|-
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| Paul G. Ruhl (1925-1984) || 1968-1983?
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|-
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| Eugene H. Zimmerman  || 1976-1982?
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|-
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| William M. Weaver (1929-2016) || 1980-1983
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|-
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| Donald R. Pickell  || 1984-2003?
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|-
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| Gerald M. Heistand || 1984-2010
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|-
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| Ralph G. Ginder (1923-2012) || 1989?-2003?
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|-
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| Larry E. Ginder (Associate) || 2004?-2010
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|-
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|James S. Zimmerman (Associate) || 2004?-2010
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|-
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| Daryl L. Heistand || 2011-
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|}
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== Risser's 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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| 1920 || 175
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|-
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| 1930 || 108
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|-
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| 1940 || 130
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|-
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| 1950 || 140
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|-
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| 1960 || 148
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|-
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| 1970 || 139
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|-
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| 1980 || 112
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|-
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| 1990 || 94
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|-
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| 2000 || 95
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|-
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| 2009 || 58
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|}
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= Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article =
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By Ira D. Landis. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from ''Mennonite Encyclopedia'', Vol. 4, p. 341. All rights reserved.
  
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Risser (Rissers) [[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]], located four miles east of [[Elizabethtown (Pennsylvania, USA)|Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania]], a member of the [[LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches|Lancaster Conference]], originated in 1737. The first meetinghouse was built in 1760 in a grove on Peter Risser's land. This was enlarged in 1865, and in 1887 replaced by the present frame church 50 x 70 ft. It is beautifully located, with a schoolhouse adjoining and a well-kept cemetery. In 1957 the membership was 138; Noah W. Risser and Clarence E. Lutz were the bishops, Walter W. Oberholtzer and J. Harold Forwood the ministers. It formerly shared its ministers with the [[Stauffer Mennonite Church (Conewago Township, Pennsylvania, USA)|Stauffer]] congregation at Bachmanville.
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=February 2026|a1_last=Steiner|a1_first=Samuel J|a2_last= |a2_first= }}
 
[[Category:Churches]]
 
[[Category:Churches]]
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[[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]]
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[[Category:Lancaster Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
 
 
[[Category:Pennsylvania Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Pennsylvania Congregations]]
 
[[Category:United States Congregations]]
 
[[Category:United States Congregations]]

Latest revision as of 15:23, 9 February 2026

Risser's (Rissers, Risser) Mennonite Church near Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, began about 1737, with the ordination of Peter Risser, a new immigrant from Switzerland. He preached in homes until the first sandstone school and meetinghouse was built on his land in 1760. The meetinghouse was enlarged in 1865. In 1887, this meetinghouse was dismantled, and a larger frame meetinghouse was erected.

Sunday school began at Risser's in 1890. Services were held every four weeks until the 1920s, when they became every two weeks. It reverted to every four weeks during and following World War II, before becoming weekly.

Bibliography

Ruth, John L. The Earth is the Lord's: a narrative history of the Lancaster Mennonite Conference. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 2001: 230, 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: 208-215, 218-219, 283. Available in full electronic text at https://archive.org/details/mennonitesoflanc00weav_0/page/n3/mode/2up.

Additional Information

Address: 8360 Elizabethtown Road, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania 17022

Telephone: 717-367-1975

Website: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552061069898

Denominational Affiliations:

LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches

Mennonite Church USA

Pastoral Leaders at Risser's Mennonite Church

Name Years
of Service
Peter Risser (1713-1804) 1737-1804
John Mumma (1776-1859)
(Bishop)		 1815-1825
1825-1859
John Risser (1787-1870) By 1820-1870
Peter R. Ebersole (1790-1870)
(Bishop)		 1830-1850
1850-1870
Benjamin Lehman (1823-1907) 1866-1907
Peter R. Ebersole, Jr. (1822-1899) 1867-1899
Martin N. Rutt (1841-1905)(Bishop) 1870-1905
Harry M. Enterline (1858-1934) 1898-1900s?
Samuel L. Oberholtzer (1859-1931) 1903-1931
John G. Ebersole (1849-1934)
(Bishop)		 1887-1907
1907-1934
Noah W. Risser (1877-1964)
(Bishop)		 1919-1920
1920-1964
Walter W. Oberholtzer (1892-1964) 1931-1964
Clarence E. Lutz (1903-1973)(Bishop) 1950-1973
John "J. Harold" Forwood (1919-2016) 1954-1968
Paul G. Ruhl (1925-1984) 1968-1983?
Eugene H. Zimmerman 1976-1982?
William M. Weaver (1929-2016) 1980-1983
Donald R. Pickell 1984-2003?
Gerald M. Heistand 1984-2010
Ralph G. Ginder (1923-2012) 1989?-2003?
Larry E. Ginder (Associate) 2004?-2010
James S. Zimmerman (Associate) 2004?-2010
Daryl L. Heistand 2011-

Risser's Mennonite Church Membership

Year Members
1920 175
1930 108
1940 130
1950 140
1960 148
1970 139
1980 112
1990 94
2000 95
2009 58

Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article

By Ira D. Landis. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 341. All rights reserved.

Risser (Rissers) Mennonite Church, located four miles east of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, a member of the Lancaster Conference, originated in 1737. The first meetinghouse was built in 1760 in a grove on Peter Risser's land. This was enlarged in 1865, and in 1887 replaced by the present frame church 50 x 70 ft. It is beautifully located, with a schoolhouse adjoining and a well-kept cemetery. In 1957 the membership was 138; Noah W. Risser and Clarence E. Lutz were the bishops, Walter W. Oberholtzer and J. Harold Forwood the ministers. It formerly shared its ministers with the Stauffer congregation at Bachmanville.


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published February 2026

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Risser's Mennonite Church (Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. February 2026. Web. 12 Feb 2026. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Risser%27s_Mennonite_Church_(Elizabethtown,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=181512.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (February 2026). Risser's Mennonite Church (Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 12 February 2026, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Risser%27s_Mennonite_Church_(Elizabethtown,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=181512.



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

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