Vinewood Community Church (Lodi, California, USA)
Creator: Henry J. Wiens (1885-1975)
Digitized by Hiebert Library. Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies.
The Lodi Mennonite Brethren Church, a member of the Pacific District Conference, had its beginning in 1907, when Jacob Knoll, George Bechtold, and Ludwig Reimche arrived in Lodi from Harvey, North Dakota. For three years these families attended the Evangelical Church in Victor, a hamlet four miles east of Lodi. In 1911 they rented a private home in Victor and held regular services there. In 1912 they moved to Lodi, locating in another rented house, and organized a congregation under the leadership of John Berg. The church was formally organized in 1915.
The first meetinghouse was erected in 1912, the second in 1920 at the corner of Flora and Garfield streets, 40 x 22 ft. in size. In 1955 an additional educational unit was erected, 60 x 30 ft. Many of the people of this congregation as well as of the community in general in the 1950s were of German background. Many came from the German Lutheran and Baptist villages in Russia. In the early 1920s the church was filled to capacity, but due to internal difficulties and people moving south the church spent a number of years with a small membership.
The first pastor was John Berg, followed by John H. Richert, Peter Rempel, Fred Just, F. F. Wall, J. M. Schlichting, George Reimche, George Sattler, Christ Reimche, John S. Dick, George Warkentin, A. A. Smith, H. D. Wiebe, and Henry H. Epp.
In 1956 the pastor was Henry H. Dick, with a membership of 118 and an average attendance of 200.
In 1966 the congregation changed its name to Vinewood Community Church.
Bibliography
Archival Records
Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies (Fresno, Calif.): Record Group CB516, Vinewood Community Church (Lodi, Calif.).
Additional Information
Address: 1900 W. Vine Street, Lodi, CA 95242
Phone: 209-369-1068
Website: Vinewood Community Church
Denominational Affiliations:
Pacific District Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
| Author(s) | Henry H Dick |
|---|---|
| Date Published | March 2014 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Dick, Henry H. "Vinewood Community Church (Lodi, California, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. March 2014. Web. 25 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Vinewood_Community_Church_(Lodi,_California,_USA)&oldid=115856.
APA style
Dick, Henry H. (March 2014). Vinewood Community Church (Lodi, California, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 25 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Vinewood_Community_Church_(Lodi,_California,_USA)&oldid=115856.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 385. All rights reserved.
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