Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario, Canada)
The Bethel Mennonite congregation was formally organized on 12 December 1947 with 26 members. The church was formerly owned by the United Church of Canada. The first pastor was Newton Gingrich, who was ordained 19 June 1949. The first deacon, Henry F. Martin, was ordained 5 September 1948. The first building was occupied in 1948. Reuben Dettweiler was the founding bishop of the congregation. The congregation originated through outreach of the Elmira and Floradale Mennonite churches.
Bibliography
Gospel Herald (6 January 1948): 12; (20 April 1948): 379.
Mennonite Reporter (29 May 1989): 12.
Church records at Mennonite Archives of Ontario include unpublished 2 page history; "Mennonites buy Pilkington United Church," (undated newspaper article) MAO; Mennonites in Canada collection "MC(1830-Moorefield)."
Weber, Linda. "A Brief History of Bethel, Berea, Moorefield, Glen Allan, and Listowel," Research paper, CGC, 1971, 37 pp.
Additional Information
Address: 6772 Eighth Line West, R.R. #1, Elora, Ontario
Phone: 519-846-0180
Website: Bethel Mennonite Church
Denominational Affiliations:
Mennonite Church Eastern Canada
= Bethel Mennonite Church Pastors
| Newton Gingrich | 1949-1960 |
| Ray Erb | 1960-1971 |
| Simeon Hurst | 1972-1977 |
| Gerry Vandeworp | 1977-1983 |
| Amsey Martin | 1983-1987 |
| Art Byer | 1987-1995 |
| Darryl Jantzi | 1995-2000 |
| James Cober (interim) |
2000-2002 |
| Art Byer (interim) |
2002-2003 |
| Steve Brnjas | 2003-2009 |
| Linda Brnjas | 2003-2012 |
| Maurice Martin (interim) |
2013-2014 |
| Dave Tiessen | 2014-present |
Bethel Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 53 |
| 1965 | 104 |
| 1975 | 214 |
| 1985 | 247 |
| 1995 | 175 |
| 2000 | 178 |
| 2006 | 126 |
| 2015 | 126 |
| 2020 | 71 |
Maps
Map:Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario)
| Author(s) | Reuben Dettweiler |
|---|---|
| Marlene Epp | |
| Date Published | January 1989 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Dettweiler, Reuben and Marlene Epp. "Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 1989. Web. 31 Oct 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bethel_Mennonite_Church_(Elora,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=171633.
APA style
Dettweiler, Reuben and Marlene Epp. (January 1989). Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 31 October 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bethel_Mennonite_Church_(Elora,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=171633.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 311. All rights reserved.
©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.