Difference between revisions of "Ninth Street Community Church (Saginaw, Michigan, USA)"

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The Ninth Street Community Church (formerly Ninth Street Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA)), 1118 North 9th Street, Saginaw, Michigan, was begun in 1949 as a mission for the African American people of the city and operated under the [[Mennonite Board of Missions (Mennonite Church)|Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities]].  
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The Saginaw Mennonite Church in Saginaw, [[Michigan (USA)|Michigan]] began through a [[Voluntary Service]] unit initiated in 1949 under LeRoy Bechler's leadership. The volunteers organized a [[Summer Bible School]] for the African American community that enrolled 500 students. This led the [[Mennonite Board of Missions (Mennonite Church)|Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities]] to purchase a house on North Eighth Street that later became a parsonage. LeRoy Bechler became the founding pastor of the first African American congregation in the [[Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference]] of the [[Mennonite Church (MC)]].
  
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The Church began when Leroy and Irene Bechler moved to North 8th St. in Saginaw. As a result of a successful Bible school ministry in the area, church and Sunday school services were held in their home. In 1951, the current church building was built. Following Leroy Bechler there had been five other pastors by 2007: Marvin Sweigert, Lee Lowery, Bens Sandaire, Timothy Atwood, and William L. Scott.
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The Board purchased a lot on Ninth Street in 1951 and built a meetinghouse, which was dedicated in November 1951. The church then became Ninth Street Mennonite Church.
  
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In 1956 the membership was 58; in 2003 the membership was 40.
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The first baptismal class at Ninth Street posed a difficulty for the congregation's bishop, Tobe Schrock. One of the candidates was [[Divorce and Remarriage|divorced]] and not eligible for baptism according to conference polity. Bishop Schrock arranged for the baptism to be administered by a bishop from another conference, preserving the letter of the law while allowing some flexibility.
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In 1955, Ninth Street planted another Saginaw congregation, [[Grace Chapel (Saginaw, Michigan, USA)|Grace Chapel]]. In 1970, Ninth Street became fully self-supporting.
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In the early 1960s, Ninth Street Mennonite generated another issue within the Indiana-Michigan Conference. Marvin Sweigart, the new pastor, found requiring female members to wear a [[Prayer Veil|prayer veil]] was a hindrance to outreach and declined to require it. This postponed his ordination for several years, but as opinions began to shift in the Mennonite Church (MC), he was finally ordained.
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In about 2005, the congregation changed its name to Ninth Street Community Church after it decided to remain in its location when new homes for low-income families were constructed nearby. It envisioned becoming more of a community church rather than a drive-in church in a city that had suffered significantly from the exodus of automobile manufacturing. One of its programs provided space for neighborhood youth on Friday nights for pizza and games or a movie.
 
= Bibliography =
 
= Bibliography =
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"Ninth Street Community Church." Mennonite Church USA-Online Directory. Accessed 22 June 2007. &lt;[http://directory.mennoniteusa.org/congregation.asp http://directory.mennoniteusa.org/congregation.asp?CongregationID=1678]&gt;
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"Church becomes self-supporting." ''Gospel Herald'' 63, no. 50 (29 December 1970): 1080.
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Gary, Heather Grennan. "Ninth Street Community Church, Saginaw Mich." ''Gospel Evangel'' 88, no. 5 (September 2007): 5, 8.
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Preheim, Rich. ''In Pursuit of Faithfulness: Conviction, Conflict, and Compromise in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference''. Harrisonburg, Va.: Herald Press, 2016: 179, 209, 243-244, 311.
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Scott, Bill. "Ninth Street Community." ''Gospel Evangel'' 87, no. 5 (September 2006): 7.
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Wenger, John Christian. ''The Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan''. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1961: 248-249.
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= Additional Information =
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'''Address''':  1118 North 9th Street, Saginaw, Michigan 48601
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'''Telephone''': 989-752-7366
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'''Website''':
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'''Denominational Affiliations''':
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[https://www.im.mennonite.net/ Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference]
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[https://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA]
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== Pastoral Leaders at Ninth Street Community Churchh ==
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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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| LeRoy Bechler (1925-2023) || 1949-1957<br />1958-1961
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|-
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| Galen I. Johns (1920-2012)(Interim) || 1957-1958
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|-
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| Marvin R. Sweigart (1930-2017) || 1961-1973
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|-
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| Lee A. Lowery || 1967-1981
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|-
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| Bens Sandaire || 1982-1986
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|-
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| Timothy Atwood || 1987-1991
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|-
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| William L. "Bill" Scott (1941-2019) || 1991-2019
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|-
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| Rex A. Jones (1951-2020) || 2010-2020
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|-
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| Lay Leadership || 2020-
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|}
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== Ninth Street Community 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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| 1960 || 58
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|-
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| 1970 || 49
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|-
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| 1980 || 67
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|-
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| 1990 || 60
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|-
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| 2000 || 42
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|-
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| 2009 || 40
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|-
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| 2020 || 40
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|}
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= Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article =
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By [[Bender, Harold Stauffer (1897-1962)|Harold S. Bender]]. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from ''Mennonite Encyclopedia'', Vol. 3, p. 888. All rights reserved.
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The Ninth Street Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church (MC)), Saginaw, Michigan, was begun in 1950 as a mission for the African American people of the city and operated under the [[Mennonite Board of Missions (Mennonite Church)|Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities]], with partial support from the Board, though organized as a congregation. In 1956 the membership was 58, with LeRoy Bechler as pastor.
  
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=2007|a1_last=Bender|a1_first=Harold S.|a2_last=Steiner|a2_first=Sam}}
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=July 2024|a1_last=Steiner|a1_first=Samuel J|a2_last= |a2_first= }}
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[[Category:Churches]]
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[[Category:Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
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[[Category:Mennonite Church (MC) Congregations]]
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[[Category:Mennonite Church USA Congregations]]
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[[Category:Michigan Congregations]]
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[[Category:United States Congregations]]

Latest revision as of 14:01, 12 July 2024

The Saginaw Mennonite Church in Saginaw, Michigan began through a Voluntary Service unit initiated in 1949 under LeRoy Bechler's leadership. The volunteers organized a Summer Bible School for the African American community that enrolled 500 students. This led the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities to purchase a house on North Eighth Street that later became a parsonage. LeRoy Bechler became the founding pastor of the first African American congregation in the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference of the Mennonite Church (MC).

The Board purchased a lot on Ninth Street in 1951 and built a meetinghouse, which was dedicated in November 1951. The church then became Ninth Street Mennonite Church.

The first baptismal class at Ninth Street posed a difficulty for the congregation's bishop, Tobe Schrock. One of the candidates was divorced and not eligible for baptism according to conference polity. Bishop Schrock arranged for the baptism to be administered by a bishop from another conference, preserving the letter of the law while allowing some flexibility.

In 1955, Ninth Street planted another Saginaw congregation, Grace Chapel. In 1970, Ninth Street became fully self-supporting.

In the early 1960s, Ninth Street Mennonite generated another issue within the Indiana-Michigan Conference. Marvin Sweigart, the new pastor, found requiring female members to wear a prayer veil was a hindrance to outreach and declined to require it. This postponed his ordination for several years, but as opinions began to shift in the Mennonite Church (MC), he was finally ordained.

In about 2005, the congregation changed its name to Ninth Street Community Church after it decided to remain in its location when new homes for low-income families were constructed nearby. It envisioned becoming more of a community church rather than a drive-in church in a city that had suffered significantly from the exodus of automobile manufacturing. One of its programs provided space for neighborhood youth on Friday nights for pizza and games or a movie.

Bibliography

"Church becomes self-supporting." Gospel Herald 63, no. 50 (29 December 1970): 1080.

Gary, Heather Grennan. "Ninth Street Community Church, Saginaw Mich." Gospel Evangel 88, no. 5 (September 2007): 5, 8.

Preheim, Rich. In Pursuit of Faithfulness: Conviction, Conflict, and Compromise in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference. Harrisonburg, Va.: Herald Press, 2016: 179, 209, 243-244, 311.

Scott, Bill. "Ninth Street Community." Gospel Evangel 87, no. 5 (September 2006): 7.

Wenger, John Christian. The Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1961: 248-249.

Additional Information

Address: 1118 North 9th Street, Saginaw, Michigan 48601

Telephone: 989-752-7366

Website:

Denominational Affiliations:

Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference

Mennonite Church USA

Pastoral Leaders at Ninth Street Community Churchh

Name Years
of Service
LeRoy Bechler (1925-2023) 1949-1957
1958-1961
Galen I. Johns (1920-2012)(Interim) 1957-1958
Marvin R. Sweigart (1930-2017) 1961-1973
Lee A. Lowery 1967-1981
Bens Sandaire 1982-1986
Timothy Atwood 1987-1991
William L. "Bill" Scott (1941-2019) 1991-2019
Rex A. Jones (1951-2020) 2010-2020
Lay Leadership 2020-

Ninth Street Community Church Membership

Year Members
1960 58
1970 49
1980 67
1990 60
2000 42
2009 40
2020 40

Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article

By Harold S. Bender. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 888. All rights reserved.

The Ninth Street Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church (MC)), Saginaw, Michigan, was begun in 1950 as a mission for the African American people of the city and operated under the Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, with partial support from the Board, though organized as a congregation. In 1956 the membership was 58, with LeRoy Bechler as pastor.


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published July 2024

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Ninth Street Community Church (Saginaw, Michigan, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. July 2024. Web. 25 Jul 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Ninth_Street_Community_Church_(Saginaw,_Michigan,_USA)&oldid=179286.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (July 2024). Ninth Street Community Church (Saginaw, Michigan, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 25 July 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Ninth_Street_Community_Church_(Saginaw,_Michigan,_USA)&oldid=179286.



©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

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