Difference between revisions of "Meckville Mennonite Church (Bethel, Pennsylvania, USA)"

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Meckville Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA), a member of the [[Lancaster Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Lancaster Conference]], began as a mission station in the Meckville area, Bethel Township, [[Berks County (Pennsylvania, USA)|Berks County]], [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]]. After some disappointing experiences in joint work with the [[Church of the Brethren|Church of the Brethren]], and then in a purchased schoolhouse which burned to the ground, the mission board in 1932 built a brick building, 36 x 50 ft., near one of these schools. In 1954 Aaron M. Shank and Cletus Doutrich were serving as ministers with a membership of 65.  
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__TOC__
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The Meckville Mennonite Church near Bethel, [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]], began as a mission station on 16 August 1931, after earlier failed attempts. [[Sunday School|Sunday school]] began on 23 August 1931 with 73 students in attendance. By the end of 1931, the mission had purchased and renovated the schoolhouse in which it was meeting. Various ministers from the [[LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches|Lancaster Mennonite Conference]] district, which sponsored the mission, provided leadership. However, on 14 January 1932, the schoolhouse burned, as did another schoolhouse used by the [[Church of the Brethren]]. In February, the [[Eastern Mennonite Missions (Lancaster Mennonite Conference)|mission board]] decided to build a meetinghouse on donated land one-and-a-half miles north of the former schoolhouse. Groundbreaking took place already on 6 February 1932, and the new brick building was dedicated on 24 April 1932.
  
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The meetinghouse is located on Meckville Rd., Bethel, PA. In 2006 the membership was 72; J. Donald Martin, Sr. was the pastor.
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= Bibliography =
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 3, p. 549|date=1957|a1_last=Landis|a1_first=Ira D|a2_last= |a2_first= }}
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Darkes, J. W. "Lebanon, Pa." ''Gospel Herald'' 24, no. 24 (10 September 1931): 541, 544.
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Hess, John S. "Lititz, Pa." ''Gospel Herald'' 24, no. 48 (25 February 1932): 1037.
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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: 1138-1169.
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Wert, J. D. "Jonestown, Pa." ''Gospel Herald'' 24, no. 40 (31 December 1931): 857.
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"Word reaches us...." ''Gospel Herald'' 24, no. 44 (28 January 1932): 952.
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= Additional Information =
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'''Address''': 1020 Meckville Road, Bethel, Pennsylvania 19507
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'''Telephone''': 717-639-1680
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'''Website''': https://www.facebook.com/meckvillemennonitechurch/
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'''Denominational Affiliations''':
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[https://lmcchurches.org/ LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches]
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[https://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA] (Until 2017)
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== Pastoral Leaders at Meckville 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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| Visiting Ministers || 1931-1935
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|-
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| Daniel D. Wert (1904-1969) || 1935-1941
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|-
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| Aaron M. Shank (1915-2003) || 1941-1957
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|-
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| Cletus L. Doutrich (1922-2012) || 1952-1978?
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|-
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| Stephen M. Stoltzfus (1928-2006) || 1958-1960
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|-
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| Amos W. Martin (1921-1999) || 1968-1969?
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|-
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| J. Paul Graybill (1900-1975)(Bishop) || 1970-1972
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|-
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| Ivan N. Weaver || 1976-1978?
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|-
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| James "J. Donald" Martin (1938-2016) || 1978?-2008
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|-
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| Elias S. Gingrich  || 1988-1998?
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|-
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| George L. Zimmerman || 2008-2013?
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|-
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| Anthony Martin || 2013-
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|-
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| Luke Weaver (Associate) || 2019-
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|}
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== Meckville 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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| 1936 || 39
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|-
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| 1940 || 40
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|-
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| 1950 || 51
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|-
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| 1960 || 75
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|-
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| 1970 || 110
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|-
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| 1980 || 65
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|-
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| 1990 || 71
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|-
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| 2000 || 88
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|-
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| 2009 || 40
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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. 354. All rights reserved.
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Meckville Mennonite Church ([[Mennonite Church (MC)]]), a member of the [[LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches|Lancaster Conference]], began as a mission station in the Meckville area, Bethel Township, [[Berks County (Pennsylvania, USA)|Berks County]], [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]]. After some disappointing experiences in joint work with the [[Church of the Brethren]], and then in a purchased schoolhouse which burned to the ground, the mission board in 1932 built a brick building, 36 x 50 ft., near one of these schools. In 1954 Aaron M. Shank and Cletus Doutrich were serving as ministers with a membership of 65.  
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=September 2025|a1_last=Steiner|a1_first=Samuel J|a2_last= |a2_first= }}
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[[Category:Churches]]
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[[Category:LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches Congregations]]
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[[Category:Mennonite Church (MC) Congregations]]
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[[Category:Mennonite Church USA Congregations]]
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[[Category:Pennsylvania Congregations]]
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[[Category:United States Congregations]]

Latest revision as of 14:52, 22 September 2025

The Meckville Mennonite Church near Bethel, Pennsylvania, began as a mission station on 16 August 1931, after earlier failed attempts. Sunday school began on 23 August 1931 with 73 students in attendance. By the end of 1931, the mission had purchased and renovated the schoolhouse in which it was meeting. Various ministers from the Lancaster Mennonite Conference district, which sponsored the mission, provided leadership. However, on 14 January 1932, the schoolhouse burned, as did another schoolhouse used by the Church of the Brethren. In February, the mission board decided to build a meetinghouse on donated land one-and-a-half miles north of the former schoolhouse. Groundbreaking took place already on 6 February 1932, and the new brick building was dedicated on 24 April 1932.

Bibliography

Darkes, J. W. "Lebanon, Pa." Gospel Herald 24, no. 24 (10 September 1931): 541, 544.

Hess, John S. "Lititz, Pa." Gospel Herald 24, no. 48 (25 February 1932): 1037.

Ruth, John L. The Earth is the Lord's: a narrative history of the Lancaster Mennonite Conference. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 2001: 1138-1169.

Wert, J. D. "Jonestown, Pa." Gospel Herald 24, no. 40 (31 December 1931): 857.

"Word reaches us...." Gospel Herald 24, no. 44 (28 January 1932): 952.

Additional Information

Address: 1020 Meckville Road, Bethel, Pennsylvania 19507

Telephone: 717-639-1680

Website: https://www.facebook.com/meckvillemennonitechurch/

Denominational Affiliations:

LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches

Mennonite Church USA (Until 2017)

Pastoral Leaders at Meckville Mennonite Church

Name Years
of Service
Visiting Ministers 1931-1935
Daniel D. Wert (1904-1969) 1935-1941
Aaron M. Shank (1915-2003) 1941-1957
Cletus L. Doutrich (1922-2012) 1952-1978?
Stephen M. Stoltzfus (1928-2006) 1958-1960
Amos W. Martin (1921-1999) 1968-1969?
J. Paul Graybill (1900-1975)(Bishop) 1970-1972
Ivan N. Weaver 1976-1978?
James "J. Donald" Martin (1938-2016) 1978?-2008
Elias S. Gingrich 1988-1998?
George L. Zimmerman 2008-2013?
Anthony Martin 2013-
Luke Weaver (Associate) 2019-

Meckville Mennonite Church Membership

Year Members
1936 39
1940 40
1950 51
1960 75
1970 110
1980 65
1990 71
2000 88
2009 40

Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article

By Ira D. Landis. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 354. All rights reserved.

Meckville Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church (MC)), a member of the Lancaster Conference, began as a mission station in the Meckville area, Bethel Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. After some disappointing experiences in joint work with the Church of the Brethren, and then in a purchased schoolhouse which burned to the ground, the mission board in 1932 built a brick building, 36 x 50 ft., near one of these schools. In 1954 Aaron M. Shank and Cletus Doutrich were serving as ministers with a membership of 65.


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published September 2025

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Meckville Mennonite Church (Bethel, Pennsylvania, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. September 2025. Web. 12 Feb 2026. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Meckville_Mennonite_Church_(Bethel,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=181232.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (September 2025). Meckville Mennonite Church (Bethel, Pennsylvania, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 12 February 2026, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Meckville_Mennonite_Church_(Bethel,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=181232.



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

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