[checked revision]

Revision as of 12:39, 15 January 2021

The Grace Mennonite Church west of Halstead, Kansas, USA was organized in 1882 when John Holdeman ordained Henry A. Koehn and Heinrich Schmidt to the ministry. Prior to this time, 24 persons had been baptized beginning in 1878 in the Lone Tree congregation as a result of Holdeman's preaching.

The early converts met in homes, most often that of the Jacob Becker family. In 1882 Bernard Warkentin donated a house located on one of his farms one mile north and one mile east of Halstead for the use of the congregation. This building was used until 1896 when it had become inadequate because of numbers. The house was dismantled and a new church built on the same site. Over time the center of the community moved, so in 1916 the congregation moved the building to a new location several miles west. In 1923 the building was expanded to double its previous size. By 1939 the building was again too small and was found to be too close to a busy railroad. The congregation then bought a plot of land was purchased 0.5 miles south. The church was dismantled and a new one built at the present location. It was dedicated on 5 November 1939. Renovations and additions took place in 1959, 1976, and 1990.

In 1971 a number of members and a pastor helped to form the new Garden View Mennonite Church north of Halstead.

The congregation launched the Countryside Christian School in 1978.

In 2020 the congregation was part of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. The ministers were Raleigh Koehn and Marlin Unruh.

Bibliography

Author(s)	Samuel J Steiner
Date Published	January 2021

Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. Yearbook (1996-2020).

Histories of the congregations. 3rd. ed. Moundridge, Kansas: Gospel Publishers, 1999: 283-286.

Additional Information

Address: 3523 South Old Settlers Road, Halstead, Kansas 67056

Phone: 316-835-2201

Website:

Denominational Affiliations:

Church of God in Christ, Mennonite

Ordained Pastors at Grace Mennonite Church

Name	Years of Service
Henry A. Koehn (1862-1932)	1882-1905
Heinrich A. Schmidt	1882-1895?
Jacob Dirks (1864-1945)	1896-1945
Peter Johnson (1874-1922)	1919-1922
Jacob P. Unruh (1868-1946)	1920-1946
Carl J. Dirks (1900-1982)	1931-1970s?
Henry Dirks (1903-1982)	1931-1942
Paul W. Becker (1907-1997)	1944-1997
Arnold F. Wiggers (1917-2002)	1953-1971
Kenneth L. Smith (1931-2016)	1953-2013
Dean Becker	1969-2005
Raleigh Koehn	1983-present
Stanley Wiggers	1983-1999 2004-2005 2007-2010
Marlin Unruh	2004-present

Membership at Grace Mennonite Church

Year	Membership
1882	24
1896	46
1923	126
1939	213
1954	230
1995	249
2000	262
2010	274
2020	173

Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article

Grace Church of God in Christ Mennonite Church, located one mile west of Halstead, Harvey County, Kansas, was organized in 1877. A church was built in 1896 northeast of Halstead, and the congregation was called the "Halstead" congregation. In 1915 this building was moved one mile west of Halstead and was enlarged in 1921. In 1939 a new church building with a seating capacity for 600 was built one mile south of the old site. The past residing ministers Henry A. Schmidt and Henry A. Koehn were ordained in 1882. The latter served the congregation for 24 years. Jacob Dirks was ordained to the ministry in 1896 and served the congregation until his death in 1945, a period of nearly 50 years. Jacob P. Unruh moved here in 1920 ministering to the church until his death in 1947. Carl J. Dirks, the minister in charge in 1954, was assisted by Paul Becker, Kenneth Smith, and Arnold Wiggers. In 1954 the membership was 230.

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Grace Mennonite Church (Halstead, Kansas, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2021. Web. 22 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Grace_Mennonite_Church_(Halstead,_Kansas,_USA)&oldid=169783.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (January 2021). Grace Mennonite Church (Halstead, Kansas, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 22 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Grace_Mennonite_Church_(Halstead,_Kansas,_USA)&oldid=169783.

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-The Grace Mennonite Church west of [[Halstead (Kansas, USA)|Halstead]], [[Kansas (USA)|Kansas]], USA was organized in 1882 when [[Holdeman, John (1832-1900)|John Holdeman]] ordained Henry A. Koehn and Heinrich Schmidt to the ministry. Prior to this time, 24 persons had been baptized beginning in 1878 in the [[Lone Tree Church of God in Christ, Mennonite (Moundridge, Kansas, USA)|Lone Tree congregation]] as a result of Holdeman's preaching.
+The Grace Mennonite Church west of [[Halstead (Kansas, USA)|Halstead]], [[Kansas (USA)|Kansas]], USA was organized in 1882 when [[Holdeman, John (1832-1900)|John Holdeman]] ordained Henry A. Koehn and Heinrich Schmidt to the ministry. Prior to this time, 24 persons had been baptized beginning in 1878 in the [[Lone Tree Church of God in Christ, Mennonite (Galva, Kansas, USA)|Lone Tree congregation]] as a result of Holdeman's preaching.
 The early converts met in homes, most often that of the Jacob Becker family. In 1882 [[Warkentin, Bernhard (1847-1908)|Bernard Warkentin]] donated a house located on one of his farms one mile north and one mile east of Halstead for the use of the congregation. This building was used until 1896 when it had become inadequate because of numbers. The house was dismantled and a new church built on the same site. Over time the center of the community moved, so in 1916 the congregation moved the building to a new location several miles west. In 1923 the building was expanded to double its previous size. By 1939 the building was again too small and was found to be too close to a busy railroad. The congregation then bought a plot of land was purchased 0.5 miles south. The church was dismantled and a new one built at the present location. It was dedicated on 5 November 1939. Renovations and additions took place in 1959, 1976, and 1990.

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