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The Nith Valley congregation near New Hamburg, Ontario began services and formally organized in 1865. The first building was occupied in 1870 with a subsequent building program in 1964. Menno Cressman is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through colonization from the Doon area of Kitchener.

The Nith Valley Mennonite Church is located about four miles (6.5 km) from New Hamburg, Waterloo County, Ontario. This congregation of the Ontario Mennonite Conference took rise about 1865. Early family names found here were Biehn, Cassel, Bechtel, Cressman, Nahrgang, Stauffer, Christner, and others. At first the meetings were held in Green's schoolhouse south of the present site of the church. In 1870 John Biehn gave land for church purposes and a building was erected. In 1900 a plot of land was added to the grounds for cemetery purposes. A few years later the church was rebuilt. There was a subsequent building program in 1964.

Sunday school was first conducted in 1871 with some 40 in attendance. Young people’s Bible meetings were regular after 1911 and alternated with those of the neighboring Geiger congregation. This church was missionary in its interests and activity over the years. In 1924 with the coming of Mennonite refugees from Russia a considerable number of families were provided for in the homes of this congregation. Revival meetings, Bible conferences, and summer Bible schools became regular features among the activities of this church.

The congregation has been affiliated with the Mennonite Conference of Ontario (1865-1988), the Mennonite Church (1898-), Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada (1988-) and the Conference of Mennonites in Canada (1995-). The language of worship is English; the transition from German occurred in the first decade of the 20th century.

The congregation was known as Biehn Mennonite prior to 1975 when it merged with Blenheim Mennonite Church.

Bibliography

Author(s)	J. C. Fretz
	Marlene Epp
Date Published	January 1989

Canadian Mennonite (11 February 1964): 1; (4 December 1967): 4.

Mennonite Reporter (3 March 1975): 4; (2 September 1975): 4.

Burkholder, L. J. A Brief History of the Mennonites in Ontario. Kitchener, ON: Mennonite Conference of Ontario, 1935: 62-64.

Koch, Alice. "History of the Biehn Mennonite Church." 1960, 4 pp. Mennonite Archives of Ontario.

Waterloo Historical Society annual (1964): 61.

Church records at Mennonite Archives of Ontario.

Additional Information

Address: 1355 Bean Road, R.R. q, New Hamburg, Ontario

Telephone: 519-662-3520

Website: http://nithvalleymennonite.com/

Denominational Affiliations:

Mennonite Church Eastern Canada

Mennonite Church Canada

Nith Valley Mennonite Church Pastors

Name	Years of Service
Gordon Bauman	1975-1977
Amzie Brubacher	1977-1989
Harold Schilk	1989-1996
Sue C. Steiner (Interim)	1996/1997
Bruce Keown	1997-2000
Henry Regehr (Interim)	2000/2001
Matthew Isert Bender	2001-Present
Hendrike Isert Bender	2001-Present

Nith Valley Mennonite Church Membership

In 1925 there were 77 members; in 1950, 88; in 1965, 92; in 1975, 140; in 1985, 154; in 1995, 119; in 2000, 112.

Year	Members
1925	77
1950	88
1965	92
1975	140
1985	154
1995	119
2000	112
2011	130

Map

Map:Nith Valley Mennonite Church (New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada)

Cite This Article

MLA style

Fretz, J. C. and Marlene Epp. "Nith Valley Mennonite Church (New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 1989. Web. 24 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Nith_Valley_Mennonite_Church_(New_Hamburg,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=114477.

APA style

Fretz, J. C. and Marlene Epp. (January 1989). Nith Valley Mennonite Church (New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Nith_Valley_Mennonite_Church_(New_Hamburg,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=114477.

Nith Valley Mennonite Church (New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada)

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