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Sunnyside Mennonite Church ([[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]]), located in Dunlap, [[Indiana (USA)|Indiana]], between Elkhart and Goshen, a member of the [[Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference]], began in 1946 as a mission of the [[Goshen College (Goshen, Indiana, USA)|Goshen College]]YPCA under the leadership of Paul Mininger (sponsor of the YPCA) and Richard Showalter. A church building was completed in 1948 with the help of the General Mission Board. There were 38 members in 1958, with C. Richard Miller as pastor.
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 4, p. 663|date=1959|a1_last=Raber|a1_first=Chester A|a2_last=|a2_first=}}
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The Sunnyside Mennonite Church in the Dunlap part of [[Elkhart (Indiana, USA)|Elkhart]], [[Indiana (USA)|Indiana]], began as an outreach project of the Young People's Christian Association (YPCA) at [[Goshen College (Goshen, Indiana, USA)|Goshen College]]. The YPCA surveyed the Dunlap community in 1946 with positive results. The [[Mennonite Board of Missions (Mennonite Church)|Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities]] erected a concrete block meetinghouse in 1947. The first services were held on 14 September 1947, but the dedication service occurred on 2 May 1948.
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Early student leaders in the church included Richard Showalter, [[Buckwalter, Ralph Earl (1923-1980)|Ralph Buckwalter]], Roy Bucher, Chester Raber, and John Lederach.
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In 1956, the meetinghouse was too small, so the congregation decided to build a new facility adjacent to the former building. The new meetinghouse was dedicated on 21 April 1957.
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On 11 April 1965, the Palm Sunday tornadoes that devastated Northern Indiana destroyed the Sunnyside church and killed one of its members, though 27 died in the vicinity of the church. Within 48 hours, the congregation decided to rebuild as soon as possible. Groundbreaking took place two weeks later. The new building was dedicated on 3 April 1966.
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In 2020, the Sunnyside congregation provided free rental space to a new Hispanic Mennonite congregation, [[Piedra Viva Menonita (Elkhart, Indiana, USA)|Iglesia Menonita Piedra Viva]] (Living Stone Mennonite Church). By 2023, it also hosted La Posada Immigrant Aid, a faith-based immigrant legal aid center for Hispanic immigrants in Elkhart County.
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= Bibliography =
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Good, Sheldon C. "Hispanic peace church invigorates established congregation." ''TheMennonite'' 4 May 2020. Web. 15 August 2024. https://anabaptistworld.org/hispanic-peace-church-invigorates-established-congregation/.
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Griggs, Jessica. "Indiana center offering immigrant aid." ''Anabaptist World'' 4, no. 6 (5 May 2023): 28.
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"Hundreds of Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers...." ''Gospel Herald'' 58, no. 16 (27 April 1965): 367.
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"Sunnyside history." Sunnyside Mennonite Church. 2024. Web. 14 August 2024. https://sunnysidemc.com/sunnyside-history/.
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Preheim, Rich. ''In Pursuit of Faithfulness: Conviction, Conflict, and Compromise in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference''. Harrisonburg, Va.: Herald Press, 2016: 256, 275, 312.
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"Sunnyside." ''Gospel Herald'' 59, no. 11 (22 March 1966): 252.
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Wenger, John Christian. ''The Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan''. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1961: 220.
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Zehr, Terry. "Sunnyside Mennonite." ''Gospel Evangel'' 87, no. 7 (November 2006): 9-10.
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= Additional Information =
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'''Address''': 23786 Sunnyside Avenue, Elkhart, Indiana 46516
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'''Telephone''': 574-875-7790
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'''Website''': https://sunnysidemc.com/
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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 Sunnyside 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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| Student Leadership || 1947-1952
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|-
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| Chester A. Raber (1929-2022) || 1952-1953
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|-
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| John M. Lederach || 1954-1957
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|-
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| D. Richard Miller || 1958-1962
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|-
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| Marlin Zook (Assistant) || 1961-1962?
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|-
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| Nelson W. Histand (1910-1988)(Bishop) || 1962-1964?
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|-
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| Ernest "Leonard" Garber || 1964-1971
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|-
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| Herbert Schultz || 1971-1972
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|-
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| Ray Keim (1926-2013) || 1964-1966
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|-
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| Clare F. Schumm || 1971-1986
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|-
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| Wayne Nitzsche || 1985-1986?
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|-
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| Virgil M. Gerig (1918-2006)(Interim) || 1987-1988
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|-
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| Gerald Good || 1988-1997
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|-
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| Brenda Isaacs (Interim) || 1995<br />1997
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|-
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| James M. Isaacs (Interim) || 1995
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|-
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| Terrence D. "Terry" Zehr (1958-2020) || 1997-2017
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|-
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| Dorothy A. Kratz (1930-2021)(Care & Visitation) || 2002-2005
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|-
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| Melissa Fisher Fast || 2006-2016
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|-
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| Amy Kratzer (Youth & Worship) || 2003-2021
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|-
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| Randall C. Miller (Transitional) || 2017-2019?
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|-
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| Charles W. Geiser || 2019-2022
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|-
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| Teresa L. "Terri" Geiser || 2019-2022
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|-
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| Rebecca Helmuth (Interim) || 2023
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|-
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| Rachel Nafziger Hartzler (Interim) || 2023
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|-
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| Maria Hosler Byler || 2023-
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|-
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| Osée Tshiwape || 2024-
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|}
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== Sunnyside 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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| 1950 || 11
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|-
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| 1960 || 46
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|-
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| 1970 || 80
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|-
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| 1980 || 130
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|-
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| 1990 || 119
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|-
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| 2000 || 130
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|-
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| 2009 || 141
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|-
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| 2020 || 136
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|}
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= Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article =
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By Chester A. Raber. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from ''Mennonite Encyclopedia'', Vol. 4, p. 663. All rights reserved.
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Sunnyside Mennonite Church ([[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]]), located in Dunlap, [[Indiana (USA)|Indiana]], between Elkhart and Goshen, a member of the [[Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference]], began in 1946 as a mission of the [[Goshen College (Goshen, Indiana, USA)|Goshen College ]]YPCA under the leadership of Paul Mininger (sponsor of the YPCA) and Richard Showalter. A church building was completed in 1948 with the help of the General Mission Board. There were 38 members in 1958, with C. Richard Miller as pastor.
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=August 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:Indiana Congregations]]
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[[Category:United States Congregations]]

Latest revision as of 21:30, 3 September 2024

The Sunnyside Mennonite Church in the Dunlap part of Elkhart, Indiana, began as an outreach project of the Young People's Christian Association (YPCA) at Goshen College. The YPCA surveyed the Dunlap community in 1946 with positive results. The Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities erected a concrete block meetinghouse in 1947. The first services were held on 14 September 1947, but the dedication service occurred on 2 May 1948.

Early student leaders in the church included Richard Showalter, Ralph Buckwalter, Roy Bucher, Chester Raber, and John Lederach.

In 1956, the meetinghouse was too small, so the congregation decided to build a new facility adjacent to the former building. The new meetinghouse was dedicated on 21 April 1957.

On 11 April 1965, the Palm Sunday tornadoes that devastated Northern Indiana destroyed the Sunnyside church and killed one of its members, though 27 died in the vicinity of the church. Within 48 hours, the congregation decided to rebuild as soon as possible. Groundbreaking took place two weeks later. The new building was dedicated on 3 April 1966.

In 2020, the Sunnyside congregation provided free rental space to a new Hispanic Mennonite congregation, Iglesia Menonita Piedra Viva (Living Stone Mennonite Church). By 2023, it also hosted La Posada Immigrant Aid, a faith-based immigrant legal aid center for Hispanic immigrants in Elkhart County.

Bibliography

Good, Sheldon C. "Hispanic peace church invigorates established congregation." TheMennonite 4 May 2020. Web. 15 August 2024. https://anabaptistworld.org/hispanic-peace-church-invigorates-established-congregation/.

Griggs, Jessica. "Indiana center offering immigrant aid." Anabaptist World 4, no. 6 (5 May 2023): 28.

"Hundreds of Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers...." Gospel Herald 58, no. 16 (27 April 1965): 367.

"Sunnyside history." Sunnyside Mennonite Church. 2024. Web. 14 August 2024. https://sunnysidemc.com/sunnyside-history/.

Preheim, Rich. In Pursuit of Faithfulness: Conviction, Conflict, and Compromise in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference. Harrisonburg, Va.: Herald Press, 2016: 256, 275, 312.

"Sunnyside." Gospel Herald 59, no. 11 (22 March 1966): 252.

Wenger, John Christian. The Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1961: 220.

Zehr, Terry. "Sunnyside Mennonite." Gospel Evangel 87, no. 7 (November 2006): 9-10.

Additional Information

Address: 23786 Sunnyside Avenue, Elkhart, Indiana 46516

Telephone: 574-875-7790

Website: https://sunnysidemc.com/

Denominational Affiliations:

Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference

Mennonite Church USA

Pastoral Leaders at Sunnyside Mennonite Church

Name Years
of Service
Student Leadership 1947-1952
Chester A. Raber (1929-2022) 1952-1953
John M. Lederach 1954-1957
D. Richard Miller 1958-1962
Marlin Zook (Assistant) 1961-1962?
Nelson W. Histand (1910-1988)(Bishop) 1962-1964?
Ernest "Leonard" Garber 1964-1971
Herbert Schultz 1971-1972
Ray Keim (1926-2013) 1964-1966
Clare F. Schumm 1971-1986
Wayne Nitzsche 1985-1986?
Virgil M. Gerig (1918-2006)(Interim) 1987-1988
Gerald Good 1988-1997
Brenda Isaacs (Interim) 1995
1997
James M. Isaacs (Interim) 1995
Terrence D. "Terry" Zehr (1958-2020) 1997-2017
Dorothy A. Kratz (1930-2021)(Care & Visitation) 2002-2005
Melissa Fisher Fast 2006-2016
Amy Kratzer (Youth & Worship) 2003-2021
Randall C. Miller (Transitional) 2017-2019?
Charles W. Geiser 2019-2022
Teresa L. "Terri" Geiser 2019-2022
Rebecca Helmuth (Interim) 2023
Rachel Nafziger Hartzler (Interim) 2023
Maria Hosler Byler 2023-
Osée Tshiwape 2024-

Sunnyside Mennonite Church Membership

Year Members
1950 11
1960 46
1970 80
1980 130
1990 119
2000 130
2009 141
2020 136

Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article

By Chester A. Raber. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 663. All rights reserved.

Sunnyside Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church), located in Dunlap, Indiana, between Elkhart and Goshen, a member of the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference, began in 1946 as a mission of the Goshen College YPCA under the leadership of Paul Mininger (sponsor of the YPCA) and Richard Showalter. A church building was completed in 1948 with the help of the General Mission Board. There were 38 members in 1958, with C. Richard Miller as pastor.


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published August 2024

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Sunnyside Mennonite Church (Elkhart, Indiana, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. August 2024. Web. 22 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Sunnyside_Mennonite_Church_(Elkhart,_Indiana,_USA)&oldid=179589.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (August 2024). Sunnyside Mennonite Church (Elkhart, Indiana, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 22 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Sunnyside_Mennonite_Church_(Elkhart,_Indiana,_USA)&oldid=179589.



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

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