Benders Mennonite Church (Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, USA)
In the mid-1950s, the Goodville and Lichty's Mennonite churches began holding Summer Bible School in an unused church building near Pen Argyl, Northampton County, Pennsylvania. On 1 January 1956, the Weaverland District of the Lancaster Mennonite Conference began Sunday worship services at the church. Over the next several years, Mennonite families moved to the area.
For a time in the 2000s, the church was known as Great Shepherd Christian Fellowship. After Jack Rice's departure as minister, the name reverted to Benders Mennonite Church.
In 2007, lightning struck the church's steeple, causing a fire, but the building was saved.
Benders Mennonite Church helped to launch the Maranatha Christian Family Fellowship in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and the Bethlehem Community Fellowship in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Bibliography
"Benders Mennonite Church." LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches. 9 October 2017. Web. 3 October 2024. https://lmcchurches.org/2017/10/benders-mennonite-church/
Additional Information
Address: 975 Benders Church Road, Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania 18072
Telephone: 610-863-9114
Website:
Denominational Affiliations:
LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches
Mennonite Church USA (Until 2017)
Pastoral Leaders at Benders Mennonite Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Visiting Ministers | 1956-1958 |
| Marlin S. Burkholder (1924-2017) | 1958-1989 |
| Bruce J. Bender | 1975-1986? |
| Keith Lysek | 1983-1986? |
| David J. Albanese | 1988-1992 |
| Jack Rice | 1988-2008 |
| James R. Snyder | 1990-1999 |
| Joseph M. Dobrota | 1996-1998? |
| Martin G. "Marty" Sauder (1932-2024)(Interim) | 2008 |
| Kenneth E. Moore | 2008-2014 |
| ? | 2014-2016 |
| Brent Stoy | 2016-2018? |
| Gregory Stokes | 2019- |
Benders Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 12 |
| 1970 | 18 |
| 1980 | 70 |
| 1990 | 156 |
| 2000 | 128 |
| 2009 | 65 |
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | October 2024 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Benders Mennonite Church (Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. October 2024. Web. 4 Oct 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Benders_Mennonite_Church_(Pen_Argyl,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=179810.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (October 2024). Benders Mennonite Church (Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 4 October 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Benders_Mennonite_Church_(Pen_Argyl,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=179810.
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