Difference between revisions of "First Mennonite Church (Vineland, Ontario, Canada)"

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[[File:90-12.86.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''Rendition of the pre-1897 building  
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[[File:90-12.86.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''Rendition of the pre-1897 building'']]        [[File:88-8-10.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''Mennonite Bicentennial  
 
 
'']]        [[File:88-8-10.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''Mennonite Bicentennial  
 
  
 
monument, 1986.  
 
monument, 1986.  
  
Source: Barbara Fauth  
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Source: Barbara Fauth'']]    The First Mennonite Church in Vineland, Ontario is the oldest Mennonite congregation in [[Canada|Canada]]. At one time the congregation had three places of worship: the Moyer church at the present location, the [[Mountain Mennonite Church (Campden, Ontario, Canada)|Mountain]] church (extinct) and the [[Jordan Mennonite Church (Jordan, Ontario, Canada)|Jordan]] church (extinct). Services were held alternately at the three churches. First Mennonite was known as Moyer Mennonite Church until 1955.
 
 
'']]    The First Mennonite Church in Vineland, Ontario is the oldest Mennonite congregation in [[Canada|Canada]]. At one time the congregation had three places of worship: the Moyer church at the present location, the [[Mountain Mennonite Church (Campden, Ontario, Canada)|Mountain]] church (extinct) and the [[Jordan Mennonite Church (Jordan, Ontario, Canada)|Jordan]] church (extinct). Services were held alternately at the three churches. First Mennonite was known as Moyer Mennonite Church until 1955.
 
  
The congregation began services about 1800, and formally organized in 1801. The first building was occupied in 1801, with subsequent building programs in 1810, 1897, 1962 and 2000. [[view|view]][[Kratz, Valentine (ca. 1760-ca. 1824)|Valentine Kratz]]is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through immigration beginning in 1786 from [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]]  to "The Twenty". The congregation experienced loss of members both in the New Mennonite division and Old Order Mennonite division in the second half of the 19th century.
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The congregation began services about 1800, and formally organized in 1801. The first building was occupied in 1801, with subsequent building programs in 1810, 1897, 1962 and 2000. [[view|view]][[Kratz, Valentine (ca. 1760-ca. 1824)|Valentine Kratz ]]is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through immigration beginning in 1786 from [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]]  to "The Twenty". The congregation experienced loss of members both in the New Mennonite division and Old Order Mennonite division in the second half of the 19th century.
  
 
[[Coffman, Samuel Frederick (1872-1954)|Samuel F. Coffman]] was longtime leader of the congregation from 1903 until his death in 1954. Although the congregation experienced a number of losses in the late 20th century, it experienced revival and growth when a number of "Russian Mennonite" families began to attend this church founded by some of the earliest Mennonites to come to Canada from [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]]. The language of worship is English; the transition from German occurred in the 1890s.
 
[[Coffman, Samuel Frederick (1872-1954)|Samuel F. Coffman]] was longtime leader of the congregation from 1903 until his death in 1954. Although the congregation experienced a number of losses in the late 20th century, it experienced revival and growth when a number of "Russian Mennonite" families began to attend this church founded by some of the earliest Mennonites to come to Canada from [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]]. The language of worship is English; the transition from German occurred in the 1890s.

Revision as of 14:01, 23 August 2013

Rendition of the pre-1897 building
Mennonite Bicentennial monument, 1986. Source: Barbara Fauth

The First Mennonite Church in Vineland, Ontario is the oldest Mennonite congregation in Canada. At one time the congregation had three places of worship: the Moyer church at the present location, the Mountain church (extinct) and the Jordan church (extinct). Services were held alternately at the three churches. First Mennonite was known as Moyer Mennonite Church until 1955.

The congregation began services about 1800, and formally organized in 1801. The first building was occupied in 1801, with subsequent building programs in 1810, 1897, 1962 and 2000. viewValentine Kratz is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through immigration beginning in 1786 from Pennsylvania  to "The Twenty". The congregation experienced loss of members both in the New Mennonite division and Old Order Mennonite division in the second half of the 19th century.

Samuel F. Coffman was longtime leader of the congregation from 1903 until his death in 1954. Although the congregation experienced a number of losses in the late 20th century, it experienced revival and growth when a number of "Russian Mennonite" families began to attend this church founded by some of the earliest Mennonites to come to Canada from Pennsylvania. The language of worship is English; the transition from German occurred in the 1890s.

The bicentennial of Mennonites in Canada in 1986 culminated in a celebration at First Mennonite Church with the unveiling of a Bicentennial Monument.

Bibliography

Burkholder, L. J. A brief history of the Mennonites in Ontario. 1935: 61, 43-48.

Canadian Mennonite (July 12, 1966): 10.

Coffman, S.F. "The one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Mennonite Church at Vineland, Ontario." 12 pp. MAO.

Good, E. Reginald. "Jacob Moyer's Mennonite church records: an interpretive sketch," Mennogespräch 3 (March 1985): 1-5.

Harder, Laureen. Their Richest Inheritance : a Celebration of The First Mennonite Church, Vineland, Ontario, 1801-2001. Vineland, ON : The Church, 2001.

Mennonite Reporter (July 30, 1990): 4.

"The Mountain Church," Mennonites in Canada collection "(1780-Vineland)," MAO.

Moyer, Carson. "The Mountain Church at Campden," Mennogespräch 4 (March 1986): 1-3.

Archival Records

Church records at Mennonite Archives of Ontario.

Additional Information

Address: 3557 Rittenhouse Road, Vineland, Ontario

Phone: 905-562-5944

Website: The First Mennonite Church

Denominational Affiliations:

Mennonite Church Eastern Canada

Mennonite Church Canada

The First Mennonite Church Pastoral Leaders

Minister Years
Valentine Kratz 1801-1824
Jacob Moyer 1802; Bishop, 1807-1833
Jacob Moyer, Jr. 1824-1831
Daniel Hoch 1831-1849
Jacob Gross 1833; Bishop, 1834-1865
Abraham Moyer 1842-1871
Dilman Moyer 1842; Bishop, 1850-1873
Abram K. Hunsberger 1858-1889
Daniel Honsberger 1875-1914
John F. Rittenhouse 1889-1903
Samuel F. Coffman 1895; Bishop, 1903-1954
Willis Hallman 1951-1954
Wayne North 1955-1963
Milton Schwartzentruber 1964
Marvin Yoder 1965-1967
J. B. Martin (Interim) 1967-1968
Clare Wideman 1969-1975
Eric Strachan 1976-1978
Richard Leonhard 1979, 1983-1984
Stanley Shantz 1980-1982
Harold Nigh 1985-1989
Kevin Block 1991-2003
Harold Peters Fransen (Interim) 2003-2004
Carol Penner 2004-

The First Mennonite Church Membership

Year Membership
1900 60
1925 79
1950 71
1965 63
1975 66
1985 60
1995 56
2000 55

Maps

Map:First Mennonite Church (Vineland, Ontario)


Author(s) Sam Steiner
Date Published September 2003

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Sam. "First Mennonite Church (Vineland, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. September 2003. Web. 24 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=First_Mennonite_Church_(Vineland,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=91767.

APA style

Steiner, Sam. (September 2003). First Mennonite Church (Vineland, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=First_Mennonite_Church_(Vineland,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=91767.




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