Difference between revisions of "First Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska, USA)"

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For some time the congregation had several meeting places, one in Beatrice, one four miles (7 km) west of Beatrice erected in 1879 and patterned after the Heubuden church, and another some ten miles (16 km) west of the city, which was discontinued. The main sanctuary erected in 1879 was destroyed by fire the first year and immediately rebuilt after the same pattern. It was replaced by a large stone structure in 1951. Customs of worship and social life were continued and changed only with the infiltration of the English language after [[World War (1914-1918)|World War I]], which is a partial explanation for the organization of the (Second) Beatrice Mennonite Church in 1926. Sunday school, young people’s organizations, and missionary interests were started during the first years. In 1892 the congregation joined the [[Western District Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Western District Conference,]] in 1896 the [[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite Church]]. Among the ten families that came from [[Khiva (Khorezm Oblast, Uzbekistan)|Khiva]] in 1884 were the ministers Johann Jantzen and [[Penner, Johannes K. (1850-1926)|Johannes K. Penner]]. The latter became one of the outstanding parochial teachers of the Mennonite community.
 
For some time the congregation had several meeting places, one in Beatrice, one four miles (7 km) west of Beatrice erected in 1879 and patterned after the Heubuden church, and another some ten miles (16 km) west of the city, which was discontinued. The main sanctuary erected in 1879 was destroyed by fire the first year and immediately rebuilt after the same pattern. It was replaced by a large stone structure in 1951. Customs of worship and social life were continued and changed only with the infiltration of the English language after [[World War (1914-1918)|World War I]], which is a partial explanation for the organization of the (Second) Beatrice Mennonite Church in 1926. Sunday school, young people’s organizations, and missionary interests were started during the first years. In 1892 the congregation joined the [[Western District Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Western District Conference,]] in 1896 the [[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite Church]]. Among the ten families that came from [[Khiva (Khorezm Oblast, Uzbekistan)|Khiva]] in 1884 were the ministers Johann Jantzen and [[Penner, Johannes K. (1850-1926)|Johannes K. Penner]]. The latter became one of the outstanding parochial teachers of the Mennonite community.
  
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The [[Mennonite Bible Academy (Beatrice, Nebraska, USA)|Mennonite Bible Academy]] and the [[Mennonite Deaconess Home and Hospital (Beatrice, Nebraska, USA) |Beatrice Mennonite Deaconess Home and Hospital]] were established by the congregation. The 1953 membership of the congregation was 338; in 2006 it was 251. Numerous families have moved to other communities such as Paso Robles, California.
+
The [[Mennonite Bible Academy (Beatrice, Nebraska, USA)|Mennonite Bible Academy]] and the [[Mennonite Deaconess Home and Hospital (Beatrice, Nebraska, USA) |Beatrice Mennonite Deaconess Home and Hospital]] were established by the congregation.
 +
 
 +
Service has played a central role in the congregation. From 1944-2000, First Mennonite hosted 48 seminary students who participated in their Summer Assistant program. From 1974-2001, First Mennonite and [[Beatrice Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska, USA)|Beatrice Mennonite]] founded and jointly operated one of the first day cares in Beatrice. The day care became a placement option for numerous Mennonite [[Voluntary Service]] workers. In 1987 members of the congregation established community-based Mother to Mother Ministries in Beatrice which provided resources and friendship to mothers searching for community and assistance. In 2019 the church had an active Women’s Mission Society which supports [[Mennonite Central Committee (International)|Mennonite Central Committee]] and foreign missions. The men of both Mennonite churches established a Brotherhood which served both congregational members and the community in times of misfortune or disaster.
 +
 
 +
The 1953 membership of the congregation was 338; in 2018 223 with an average attendance of 93. Numerous families have moved to other communities such as Paso Robles, California.
 
= Bibliography =
 
= Bibliography =
−
Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. <em>Mennonitisches Lexikon</em>, 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 147.
+
Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. ''Mennonitisches Lexikon'', 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 147.
 
= Additional Information =
 
= Additional Information =
 
'''Address''': 6714 West State Highway 4, Beatrice, Nebraska
 
'''Address''': 6714 West State Highway 4, Beatrice, Nebraska
Line 28: Line 32:
  
 
[http://directory.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA] (2002-present)
 
[http://directory.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA] (2002-present)
 +
== Ordained Leaders at First Mennonite Church ==
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Name !! Years<br/>of Service
 +
|-
 +
| Gerhard Penner || 1877-1878
 +
|-
 +
| Gerhard Penner, Jr. || 1888-1920
 +
|-
 +
| Franz Albrecht || 1920-1940
 +
|-
 +
| Walter H. Dyck || 1940-1946
 +
|-
 +
| Jacob T. Friesen || 1947-1956
 +
|-
 +
| Harold W. Buller || 1957-1960
 +
|-
 +
| Leo. L. Miller || 1960-1969
 +
|-
 +
| Kenneth E. Rupp || 1969-1972
 +
|-
 +
| Donavin Diller || 1973-1984
 +
|-
 +
| Tim Schrag || 1985-1996
 +
|-
 +
| Florence Schloneger || 1998-2006
 +
|-
 +
| Weldon Schloneger || 1998-2010
 +
|-
 +
| Brett Klingenberg || 2011-present
 +
|}
 +
== Membership at First Mennonite Church ==
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
 +
|-
 +
! Year !! Membership
 +
|-
 +
| 1940 || 361
 +
|-
 +
| 1945|| 340
 +
|-
 +
| 1950 || 330
 +
|-
 +
| 1955 || 333
 +
|-
 +
| 1960 || 327
 +
|-
 +
| 1965 || 330
 +
|-
 +
| 1970 || 298
 +
|-
 +
| 1975 || 286
 +
|-
 +
| 1980 || 254
 +
|-
 +
| 1985 || 257
 +
|-
 +
| 1990 || 256
 +
|-
 +
| 1995 || 229
 +
|-
 +
| 2000 || 247
 +
|-
 +
| 2005 || 249
 +
|-
 +
| 2010 || 236
 +
|-
 +
| 2015 || 227
 +
|}
  
 
= Maps =
 
= Maps =
 
[[Map:First Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska)|Map:First Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska)]]
 
[[Map:First Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska)|Map:First Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska)]]
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 1, pp. 256-257|date=1953|a1_last=Krahn|a1_first=Cornelius|a2_last= |a2_first= }}
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 1, pp. 256-257|date=January 2019|a1_last=Krahn|a1_first=Cornelius|a2_last=Klingenberg|a2_first=Brett}}
 
[[Category:Churches]]
 
[[Category:Churches]]
 
[[Category:Western District Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Western District Mennonite Conference Congregations]]

Latest revision as of 13:20, 9 March 2019

First Mennonite Church, Beatrice, Nebraska
Source: Tom McLaughlin.

First Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA) near Beatrice, Nebraska, was organized on 9 September 1877, by 34 families from Prussia with 138 members.

Since 1788 Prussian Mennonites had been migrating to Russia because of religious and economic restrictions. When in the 1870s Russia too introduced general military conscription, Prussian Mennonites began to consider immigration to America. Cornelius Jansen of Berdyansk and Wilhelm Ewert of Prussia paved the way. Some 30 families of the large Heubuden Mennonite Church and a few from the Elbing-Ellerwald Mennonite Church under the leadership of Elder Johann Andreas who were unwilling to accept non-combatant service, left Germany 15 June 1876, for America, stopping in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, where Cornelius Jansen temporarily resided. Under his guidance some families went to Beatrice, Nebraska, arriving there in February 1877, while others followed Peter Dyck to settle near Whitewater, Elbing, and Newton, Kansas.

The group at Beatrice was joined by some additional families from Heubuden on 19 June 1877, led by Elder Gerhard Penner, who died the next year. Elder Johann Andreas had died in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. For a time the newly organized church was served by the elders Isaak Peters of Henderson, Nebraska, and Leonhard Sudermann of Whitewater, Kansas, in addition to its own ministers, Andreas Penner and Heinrich Zimmermann. In 1888 Gerhard Penner, Jr., son of Elder Gerhard Penner, was ordained as minister and elder and served in this capacity until 1920, at which time he was succeeded by Franz Albrecht, 1920-1940. From 1940 to 1946 Walter H. Dyck served the congregation as the first full-time minister. He was succeeded by Jacob T. Friesen, 1947- .

For some time the congregation had several meeting places, one in Beatrice, one four miles (7 km) west of Beatrice erected in 1879 and patterned after the Heubuden church, and another some ten miles (16 km) west of the city, which was discontinued. The main sanctuary erected in 1879 was destroyed by fire the first year and immediately rebuilt after the same pattern. It was replaced by a large stone structure in 1951. Customs of worship and social life were continued and changed only with the infiltration of the English language after World War I, which is a partial explanation for the organization of the (Second) Beatrice Mennonite Church in 1926. Sunday school, young people’s organizations, and missionary interests were started during the first years. In 1892 the congregation joined the Western District Conference, in 1896 the General Conference Mennonite Church. Among the ten families that came from Khiva in 1884 were the ministers Johann Jantzen and Johannes K. Penner. The latter became one of the outstanding parochial teachers of the Mennonite community.

The Mennonite Bible Academy and the Beatrice Mennonite Deaconess Home and Hospital were established by the congregation.

Service has played a central role in the congregation. From 1944-2000, First Mennonite hosted 48 seminary students who participated in their Summer Assistant program. From 1974-2001, First Mennonite and Beatrice Mennonite founded and jointly operated one of the first day cares in Beatrice. The day care became a placement option for numerous Mennonite Voluntary Service workers. In 1987 members of the congregation established community-based Mother to Mother Ministries in Beatrice which provided resources and friendship to mothers searching for community and assistance. In 2019 the church had an active Women’s Mission Society which supports Mennonite Central Committee and foreign missions. The men of both Mennonite churches established a Brotherhood which served both congregational members and the community in times of misfortune or disaster.

The 1953 membership of the congregation was 338; in 2018 223 with an average attendance of 93. Numerous families have moved to other communities such as Paso Robles, California.

Bibliography

Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 147.

Additional Information

Address: 6714 West State Highway 4, Beatrice, Nebraska

Phone: 402-228-2231

Website: First Mennonite Church

Denominational Affiliations:

Western District Mennonite Conference (1892-present)

General Conference Mennonite Church (1892-2002)

Mennonite Church USA (2002-present)

Ordained Leaders at First Mennonite Church

Name Years
of Service
Gerhard Penner 1877-1878
Gerhard Penner, Jr. 1888-1920
Franz Albrecht 1920-1940
Walter H. Dyck 1940-1946
Jacob T. Friesen 1947-1956
Harold W. Buller 1957-1960
Leo. L. Miller 1960-1969
Kenneth E. Rupp 1969-1972
Donavin Diller 1973-1984
Tim Schrag 1985-1996
Florence Schloneger 1998-2006
Weldon Schloneger 1998-2010
Brett Klingenberg 2011-present

Membership at First Mennonite Church

Year Membership
1940 361
1945 340
1950 330
1955 333
1960 327
1965 330
1970 298
1975 286
1980 254
1985 257
1990 256
1995 229
2000 247
2005 249
2010 236
2015 227

Maps

Map:First Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska)


Author(s) Cornelius Krahn
Brett Klingenberg
Date Published January 2019

Cite This Article

MLA style

Krahn, Cornelius and Brett Klingenberg. "First Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2019. Web. 22 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=First_Mennonite_Church_(Beatrice,_Nebraska,_USA)&oldid=163469.

APA style

Krahn, Cornelius and Brett Klingenberg. (January 2019). First Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 22 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=First_Mennonite_Church_(Beatrice,_Nebraska,_USA)&oldid=163469.



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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, pp. 256-257. All rights reserved.


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

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