Alpha Mennonite Church (Alpha, New Jersey, USA)
The Alpha Mennonite Church began as a church plant by Henry Swartley in 1975. It was a church plant by the Ohio and Eastern Conference of the Mennonite Church (MC).
When the Atlantic Coast Conference was formed out of the “Eastern” part of the Ohio and Eastern Conference, Alpha became part of the new regional conference.
In the late 1980s the congregation shifted its regional affiliation to the Franconia Mennonite Conference.
In 2008, Alpha's pastor, Michael Schaadt, who was gay, said he could no longer commit to celibacy. The Franconia Mennonite Conference removed his ministerial credentials in October 2008. The Alpha congregation was supportive of Schaadt, leading to discussions on the relationship of the congregation and the conference. By 2012 the congregation told the conference that it was going to accept homosexual persons as full members. The conference recognized the diversity of views within the conference, and declined to discipline the congregation.
In 2014 the congregation described itself as “a small congregation with a family feel who welcomes all who God brings through our doors.“
Bibliography
Ehst, Krista Showalter. “God@work beyond our imagination.” Franconia Mennonite Conference. 15 November 2012. Web. 13 September 2016. http://franconiaconference.org/godwork-beyond-our-imagination/.
Kriss, Stephen. “Franconia Conference leaders meet with initiators of Open Letter.” Franconia Mennonite Conference. 26 August 2009. Web. 13 September 2016. http://franconiaconference.org/franconia-conference-leaders-meet-with-initiators-of-open-letter/.
Mennonite Yearbook (1975-1999)
Mennonite Church USA. Directory (2003-2007)
Kennel-Shank, Celeste. “N.J. pastor loses credentials over sexuality issue.” Mennonite Weekly Review (20 October 2008). Web. 13 September 2016. http://www.mennoworld.org/archived/2008/10/20/nj-pastor-loses-credentials-over-sexuality-issue/.
Additional Information
Address: 901 East Boulevard, Alpha, New Jersey 08865
Phone: 908-454-8345
Website: http://www.alphamenno.com/
Denominational Affiliations: Mennonite Church USA
Pastoral Leaders at Alpha Mennonite Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Henry Swartley | 1975-1985 |
| Jon W. Lowe | 1982-1985 |
| Roy C. Bucher | 1985-1986 |
| Joseph M. Haines | 1991?-1994 |
| David Martino | 1991?-1994 |
| James D. Townsend | 1995-2004? |
| Michael Schaadt | 2004-2008 |
| Krista Showalter Ehst | 2014-2017 |
| Lay leadership | 2018-present |
Membership at Alpha Mennonite Church
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1977 | 36 |
| 1985 | 84 |
| 1995 | 77 |
| 2005 | 27 |
| 2015 | 38 |
| 2020 | 38 |
Map
Map:Alpha Mennonite Church (Alpha, New Jersey, USA)
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | September 2016 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Alpha Mennonite Church (Alpha, New Jersey, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. September 2016. Web. 24 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Alpha_Mennonite_Church_(Alpha,_New_Jersey,_USA)&oldid=172913.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (September 2016). Alpha Mennonite Church (Alpha, New Jersey, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Alpha_Mennonite_Church_(Alpha,_New_Jersey,_USA)&oldid=172913.
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