Trinity Church (Morton, Illinois, USA)
Trinity Mennonite Church, Morton, Illinois, began as a division from the First Mennonite Church of Morton in August 1977. The members who left did not like the pastor-centric leadership and felt the church did not utilize their gifts. They also clearly desired a freer, more charismatic worship experience.
The new church met in temporary quarters until it dedicated a new church building in September 1979. That year, it joined the Illinois Mennonite Conference of the Mennonite Church (MC).
The congregation planted the Trinity New Life Mennonite Church in Henry, Illinois, in 1984.
In the mid-1990s, Trinity Mennonite began to express discontent with the direction of the conference's polity around homosexuality. In 1995, it threatened to "abstain from membership" unless the conference disciplined Oak Park Mennonite, a congregation that accepted members in same-sex relationships. The following year, Trinity decided to maintain its conference membership but to abstain from participation and to redirect its financial support from the conference.
In about 2008, Trinity Mennonite Church finally withdrew from the Illinois Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA. It subsequently changed its name to Trinity Church and continued as a non-denominational charismatic congregation.
Bibliography
Hockman, Cathleen. "Illinois Conference wrestles with future of churches accepting homosexual members." Gospel Herald 88, no. 16 (18 April 1995): 8.
"Illinois congregation spawns offspring." Gospel Herald 77, no. 22 (29 May 1984): 392.
Preheim, Rich. "Illinois churches protest keeping two congregations." Gospel Herald 89, no. 29 (16 July 1996): 10.
Smith, Willard H. Mennonites in Illinois. Studies in Anabaptist and Mennonite History, 24. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1983: 455-457, 551.
Additional Information
Address: 1901 South 4th Avenue, Morton, Illinois 61550
Phone: 309-263-8808
Website: https://www.trinitychurchmorton.org/index.php
Denominational Affiliations: Illinois Mennonite Conference (until about 2008)
Mennonite Church USA (until about 2008)
Pastoral Leaders at Trinity Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Mahlon D. Miller (1931-2014) | 1977-1989 |
| Sanford K. Yoder (Associate) | 1981-1987? |
| Mike Schneider (Youth) | 1988-2001? |
| Edward King | 1988-1990 |
| Calvin R. Kaufman | 1990-1994 |
| David A. Troyer | 1992-1997? |
| Michael "Mike" D. Hutchings | 1998-2012 |
Trinity Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1977 | 108 |
| 1980 | 137 |
| 1990 | 277 |
| 2000 | 164 |
| 2007 | 189 |
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | April 2024 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Trinity Church (Morton, Illinois, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. April 2024. Web. 18 Dec 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Trinity_Church_(Morton,_Illinois,_USA)&oldid=178637.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (April 2024). Trinity Church (Morton, Illinois, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 December 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Trinity_Church_(Morton,_Illinois,_USA)&oldid=178637.
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