Open Door Mennonite Church (Jackson, Mississippi, USA)
The Open Door Mennonite Church, Jackson, Mississippi, began in 1973 as an outreach of the Conservative Mennonite Conference and longtime minister Raymond J. Byler. It also joined the Gulf States Mennonite Fellowship of the Mennonite Church (MC) when that regional conference began in 1979. Open Door reached out to African Americans located in a less-advantaged area of Jackson.
Rick Russel was the first African American to become part of the elder leadership team in 1989; he later served as the pastor.
For many years, the congregation rented space at a former whites-only private school. In 2009, the congregation bought a property formerly owned by another church.
On its website in 2023, the diverse congregation asserted: "We affirm that people of any race, ethnic identity, gender, sexual orientation, ability, age, economic status, or life situation are welcome, valued, and invited to full participation in the life of the congregation."
Bibliography
Snider, Vada. "Mississippi church breaks racial barriers." TheMennonite 12, no. 3 (3 February 2009): 32.
Additional Information
Address: 1800 TV Road, Jackson, Mississippi 39204
Phone:
Website: https://www.opendoor.us/
Denominational Affiliations:
Gulf States Mennonite Conference
Mennonite Church (MC)
Pastoral Leaders at Open Door Mennonite Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Raymond J. Byler (1914-1993) | 1973-1983 |
| Thomas A. Horst | 1984-1989 |
| Lay Leadership | 1989-1993 |
| Rick Russell | 1993-2002? |
| Robert O. Zehr (1930-2017)(Interim) | 2002?-2006? |
| Horace McMillon | 2006-2023 |
| Hugh L. Hollowell | 2018- |
Open Door Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1980 | 15 |
| 1990 | 27 |
| 2000 | 24 |
| 2009 | 24 |
| 2020 | 24 |
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | November 2023 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Open Door Mennonite Church (Jackson, Mississippi, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2023. Web. 24 Nov 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Open_Door_Mennonite_Church_(Jackson,_Mississippi,_USA)&oldid=177922.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (November 2023). Open Door Mennonite Church (Jackson, Mississippi, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 November 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Open_Door_Mennonite_Church_(Jackson,_Mississippi,_USA)&oldid=177922.
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