Difference between revisions of "Alden Christian Fellowship (Alden, New York, USA)"

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Alden Conservative Amish Mennonite Church, located one mile west of Alden, [[Erie County (New York, USA)|Erie County]], [[New York (USA)|New York]], was organized in 1925 with about twenty-five members. In 1922  and soon after, settlers moved into this new section from various states and also from [[Canada|Canada]]. Services were held in the Millgrove and Town Line Methodist churches. A new meetinghouse was built in 1927. The 1953 membership was 160. Ministers who served this congregation prior to the mid-1950s included John Bontrager, John Helmuth, Noah D. Miller, Joseph J. Miller and David Beachy. The congregation built a larger facility in 1994. In 1934 a branch Sunday school was established near Williamsville, New York, where ten years later a new mission building was erected. Here the average attendance in the 1950s was forty, with Preacher Richard Bender in charge at that time.
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The Alden Mennonite Church, Alden, [[New York (USA)|New York]], was rooted in the arrival of families in 1922-1923 from [[Lewis County (New York, USA)|Lewis County]], New York, [[Huron County (Michigan, USA)|Huron County]], [[Michigan (USA)|Michigan]], and [[Waterloo County (Ontario, Canada)|Waterloo County]], [[Ontario (Canada)|Ontario]]. Others came from [[Ohio (USA)|Ohio]] and [[Louisiana (USA)|Louisiana]]. These included Bishop John K. Bontrager, who had been ordained as a member of the [[Old Order Amish]] but had affiliated with the [[Rosedale Network of Churches|Conservative Mennonite Conference]].
  
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In the 1980s the congregation identified with the New York Fellowship ([[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]]) and ended its affiliation with the [[Conservative Mennonite Conference]].
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Bontrager organized the Alden congregation in 1925, with 25 members; it became known as the Bontrager church. Initially, the group met in a schoolhouse and later in the Millgrove Baptist Church and Town Line Methodist Church before building its own meetinghouse in 1927. When it met in the Methodist building, it was called the Town Line Church. In 1994, the congregation moved from West Main Street to a new, larger facility on Two Rod Road. The former building was eventually converted to multi-family apartments.
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In the 1970s, the Alden Mennonite Church became part of the [[New York Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|New York State Fellowship]] of the [[Mennonite Church (MC)]] while retaining its affiliation with the Conservative Mennonite Conference. By 1985, the congregation identified solely with the New York Fellowship ([[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]]) and ended its affiliation with the [[Rosedale Network of Churches|Conservative Mennonite Conference]].
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In 2019, Alden Mennonite Church withdrew from the New York Mennonite Conference of [[Mennonite Church USA]]. It became affiliated with [[LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches]].
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In September 2024, the congregation voted to change its name to Alden Christian Fellowship.
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= Bibliography =
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Miller, Ivan J. ''History of the Conservative Mennonite Conference, 1910-1985''. Grantsville, Md: I. J. Miller, 1985: 188-190.
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Schmidt, Don. "Alden Mennonite Church history." 2016. Web. 13 September 2024. https://www.aldenmennonite.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2016/12/Church-History-2016-Power-Point.pdf.
 
= Additional Information =
 
= Additional Information =
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'''Address:''' 923 Two Rod Road, Alden, New York
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'''Address''': 923 Two Rod Road, Alden, New York 14004
  
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'''Phone:''' 716-937-6977
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'''Telephone''': 716-937-6436
  
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'''Website''': http://www.aldenmennonite.org/
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'''Website''': https://aldenmennonite.org/
  
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'''Denominational Affiliations:'''
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'''Denominational Affiliations''':
  
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[http://www.nymennonite.org/ New York Mennonite Conference]
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[https://lmcchurches.org/ LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches] (2019- )
  
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[http://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA]
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[http://www.nymennonite.org/ New York Mennonite Conference] (1974-2019)
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 1, p. 42|date=1955|a1_last=Bontrager|a1_first=John K|a2_last=Steiner|a2_first=Sam}}
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[https://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA] (Until 2019)
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== Pastoral Leaders at Alden Christian Fellowship ==
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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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| John K. Bontrager (1884-1978)(Bishop) || 1925-1946
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|-
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| Noah D. Miller (1891-1976) || 1932-1945
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|-
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| Joseph J. Miller (1902-1974) || 1942-1962
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|-
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| David P. Beachy (1916-2022)<br />(Bishop) || 1945-1948<br />1948-1984
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|-
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| Joseph F. Baer (1925-2014)<br />(Bishop) || 1969-1974<br />1974-1987
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|-
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| Daniel Yutzy (1928- ) || 1966-1972
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|-
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| Titus F. Kauffman (1937-2022) || 1972-1995
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|-
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| Thomas A. Beachy (1948- ) || 1980-1990?
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|-
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| Douglas Slabach (Assistant) || 1990-1993
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|-
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| Jeffrey House || 1995-1998
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|-
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| James Meador || 1998-2000
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|-
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| Philip Martin || 2001-2017
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|-
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| Dale A. Meyers (Youth/Associate) || 1999-2009
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|-
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| David Gehman || 2017?-2019
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|-
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| Larry Malakie (Interim) || 2020-2021
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|-
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| Lay Leadership || 2021-
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|}
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== Alden Christian Fellowship 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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| 1925 || 25
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|-
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| 1933 || 100
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|-
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| 1940 || 125
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|-
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| 1950 || 135
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|-
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| 1960 || 150
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|-
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| 1970 || 172
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|-
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| 1980 || 123
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|-
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| 1990 || 154
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|-
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| 2000 || 157
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|-
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| 2009 || 119
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|}
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= Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article =
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By John K. Bontrager. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from ''Mennonite Encyclopedia'', Vol. 1, p. 42. All rights reserved.
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Alden Conservative Amish Mennonite Church, located one mile west of Alden, [[Erie County (New York, USA)|Erie County]], [[New York (USA)|New York]], was organized in 1925 with about twenty-five members. In 1922 and soon after, settlers moved into this new section from various states and also from [[Canada]]. Services were held in the Millgrove and Town Line Methodist churches. A new meetinghouse was built in 1927. The 1953 membership was 160. Ministers who served this congregation prior to the mid-1950s are John Bontrager, John Helmuth, Noah D. Miller, Joseph J. Miller and David Beachy. In 1934 a branch Sunday school was established near Williamsville, New York, where ten years later a new mission building was erected. Here the average attendance is forty, with Preacher Richard Bender in charge. David Beachy is the present Alden bishop, with Joe Miller assistant minister
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=September 2024|a1_last=Steiner|a1_first=Samuel J|a2_last= |a2_first= }}
 
[[Category:Churches]]
 
[[Category:Churches]]
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[[Category:Conservative Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
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[[Category:New York Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
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[[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]]
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[[Category:New York Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
 
 
[[Category:New York Congregations]]
 
[[Category:New York Congregations]]
 
[[Category:United States Congregations]]
 
[[Category:United States Congregations]]

Latest revision as of 14:30, 14 September 2024

The Alden Mennonite Church, Alden, New York, was rooted in the arrival of families in 1922-1923 from Lewis County, New York, Huron County, Michigan, and Waterloo County, Ontario. Others came from Ohio and Louisiana. These included Bishop John K. Bontrager, who had been ordained as a member of the Old Order Amish but had affiliated with the Conservative Mennonite Conference.

Bontrager organized the Alden congregation in 1925, with 25 members; it became known as the Bontrager church. Initially, the group met in a schoolhouse and later in the Millgrove Baptist Church and Town Line Methodist Church before building its own meetinghouse in 1927. When it met in the Methodist building, it was called the Town Line Church. In 1994, the congregation moved from West Main Street to a new, larger facility on Two Rod Road. The former building was eventually converted to multi-family apartments.

In the 1970s, the Alden Mennonite Church became part of the New York State Fellowship of the Mennonite Church (MC) while retaining its affiliation with the Conservative Mennonite Conference. By 1985, the congregation identified solely with the New York Fellowship (Mennonite Church) and ended its affiliation with the Conservative Mennonite Conference.

In 2019, Alden Mennonite Church withdrew from the New York Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA. It became affiliated with LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches.

In September 2024, the congregation voted to change its name to Alden Christian Fellowship.

Bibliography

Miller, Ivan J. History of the Conservative Mennonite Conference, 1910-1985. Grantsville, Md: I. J. Miller, 1985: 188-190.

Schmidt, Don. "Alden Mennonite Church history." 2016. Web. 13 September 2024. https://www.aldenmennonite.org/wp-content/uploads/sermons/2016/12/Church-History-2016-Power-Point.pdf.

Additional Information

Address: 923 Two Rod Road, Alden, New York 14004

Telephone: 716-937-6436

Website: https://aldenmennonite.org/

Denominational Affiliations:

LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches (2019- )

New York Mennonite Conference (1974-2019)

Mennonite Church USA (Until 2019)

Pastoral Leaders at Alden Christian Fellowship

Name Years
of Service
John K. Bontrager (1884-1978)(Bishop) 1925-1946
Noah D. Miller (1891-1976) 1932-1945
Joseph J. Miller (1902-1974) 1942-1962
David P. Beachy (1916-2022)
(Bishop)		 1945-1948
1948-1984
Joseph F. Baer (1925-2014)
(Bishop)		 1969-1974
1974-1987
Daniel Yutzy (1928- ) 1966-1972
Titus F. Kauffman (1937-2022) 1972-1995
Thomas A. Beachy (1948- ) 1980-1990?
Douglas Slabach (Assistant) 1990-1993
Jeffrey House 1995-1998
James Meador 1998-2000
Philip Martin 2001-2017
Dale A. Meyers (Youth/Associate) 1999-2009
David Gehman 2017?-2019
Larry Malakie (Interim) 2020-2021
Lay Leadership 2021-

Alden Christian Fellowship Membership

Year Members
1925 25
1933 100
1940 125
1950 135
1960 150
1970 172
1980 123
1990 154
2000 157
2009 119

Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article

By John K. Bontrager. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 42. All rights reserved.

Alden Conservative Amish Mennonite Church, located one mile west of Alden, Erie County, New York, was organized in 1925 with about twenty-five members. In 1922 and soon after, settlers moved into this new section from various states and also from Canada. Services were held in the Millgrove and Town Line Methodist churches. A new meetinghouse was built in 1927. The 1953 membership was 160. Ministers who served this congregation prior to the mid-1950s are John Bontrager, John Helmuth, Noah D. Miller, Joseph J. Miller and David Beachy. In 1934 a branch Sunday school was established near Williamsville, New York, where ten years later a new mission building was erected. Here the average attendance is forty, with Preacher Richard Bender in charge. David Beachy is the present Alden bishop, with Joe Miller assistant minister


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published September 2024

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Alden Christian Fellowship (Alden, New York, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. September 2024. Web. 14 Sep 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Alden_Christian_Fellowship_(Alden,_New_York,_USA)&oldid=179670.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (September 2024). Alden Christian Fellowship (Alden, New York, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 14 September 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Alden_Christian_Fellowship_(Alden,_New_York,_USA)&oldid=179670.



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