Soo Hill Community Church (Escanaba, Michigan, USA)
Bruce Handrich, pastor of the Ferndale Mennonite Church in Germfask, Michigan, held a Summer Bible School in the Danforth School near Escanaba beginning in 1950. In 1952, the first Mennonite worship services were held there one evening a month.
The Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Mission Board ordained Paul Horst of the Clinton Frame Mennonite Church to pastor this mission outpost on 1 March 1953. He supported his ministry by working as a plumber.
For a time, services were held in a local school near until some local Catholic opposition ended this option. The basement of a meetinghouse four miles northwest of Escanaba in the Soo Hill community was built in 1953-1954; the remainder of the building was completed in 1955-1956 and dedicated on 4 November 1956. The congregation was called the Soo Hill Mennonite Church. A new meetinghouse was erected in 1986.
In the early 1990s, the congregation changed its name to Soo Hill Community Church.
The Soo Hill Community Church closed in 2008. In 2023, the Escanaba Church of Christ occupied the building.
Bibliography
"A 'church raising' was held...." Gospel Herald 79, no. 7 (15 February 1986): 116.
"Dedication services...." Gospel Herald 49, no. 45 (6 November 1956): 1061.
"A double ordination service...." Gospel Herald 46, no. 10 (10 March 1953): 236.
Eash, Sandord and Orpha. "Soo Hill: earnestly working." Gospel Herald 78, no. 20 (14 May 1985): 340-341.
Horst, Paul H. "Gladstone, Michigan." Gospel Herald 50, no. 4 (22 January 1957): 91.
Kauffman, Freda Kurtz. "Visit Upper Michigan." Gospel Herald 48, no. 45 (8 November 1955): 1071.
Preheim, Rich. In Pursuit of Faithfulness: Conviction, Conflict, and Compromise in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference. Harrisonburg, Va.: Herald Press, 2016: 312.
"Soo Hill." Gospel Herald 59, no. 9 (8 March 1966): 204.
Wenger, John Christian. The Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1961: 254-255.
Additional Information
Address: 5079 18th Road, Escanaba, Michigan 49829
Meeting Place:
Telephone:
Website:
Denominational Affiliations:
Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference
Pastoral Leaders at Soo Hill Community Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Bruce E. Handrich (1924-2011) | 1952-1953 |
| Paul H. Horst (1917-1999) | 1953- |
| Stanley J. Troyer | 1979- |
| Cal Thorpe (Interim) | 1994-1995 |
| Dale R. Borntrager | 1995-1998? |
| Wayne Joosse (Interim) | 1999?-2002? |
| Lay Leadership | 2002-2008 |
Soo Hill Mennonite Community Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1958 | 10 |
| 1960 | 13 |
| 1970 | 15 |
| 1980 | 18 |
| 1990 | 28 |
| 2000 | 31 |
| 2007 | 10 |
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | August 2024 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Soo Hill Community Church (Escanaba, Michigan, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. August 2024. Web. 11 Aug 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Soo_Hill_Community_Church_(Escanaba,_Michigan,_USA)&oldid=179435.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (August 2024). Soo Hill Community Church (Escanaba, Michigan, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 11 August 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Soo_Hill_Community_Church_(Escanaba,_Michigan,_USA)&oldid=179435.
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