Beatrice Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska, USA)
Beatrice Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA), formerly Second Mennonite Church, Beatrice, Nebraska, was organized as an independent congregation in 1926 with 75 charter members. The Mennonites who settled in and near Beatrice originally worshiped at different places but constituted one congregation under one elder. Those residing in and near the city at first worshiped in a rented hall. In 1901 a church was built in Beatrice and Sunday school was introduced. The Christian Endeavor society was organized in 1903. Sam D. Ruth conducted a mission Sunday school on Sunday afternoon for over 20 years.
In 1926 the group decided to organize as an independent congregation. By 1953 the membership totaled 174. H. T. Reimer and Jacob Wiebe, elected as lay ministers previous to the organization, served the congregation occasionally after 1926. M. M. Horsch, 1927-1939, was elected as the first full-time minister, followed by Reynold Weinbrenner, 1939-1942, H. A. Claassen, 1943, E. Koontz, 1944-1948, and E. R. Friesen, 1948- . The church was enlarged in 1929 and a full basement added in 1950. The present building was built in 1960 and designated "The Church of the Sermon on the Mount."
Music was always important to the church and it had an active choir. Fellowship groups for young people were started and continued in 2019 with First Mennonite Church. The men of both Mennonite churches established a Brotherhood which served both congregational members and the community in times of misfortune or disaster. The women of the church organized a Women’s Mission Society which has supported foreign missions and projects since the 1920s. From 1974-2001, Beatrice Mennonite and First Mennonite founded and jointly operated one of the first day cares in Beatrice. The day care became a placement option for numerous Mennonite Voluntary Service workers.
In October 2021 the Beatrice Mennonite Church ceased operation. The pandemic caused strain on the congregation's budget. That same month a "missional replant" was launched in the building as the Summit Street Church. Some congregants continued, but the focus of the new congregation was for persons previously uninterested in church.
Additional Information
Address: 1220 Summit Street, Beatrice NE
Phone:
Website:
Denominational Affiliations:
Ordained Pastors at Beatrice Mennonite Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Heinrich Penner | 1921-1926 |
| H. T. Reimer | 1923-1944 |
| Jacob Wiebe | 1925-1956 |
| M.M. Horsch | 1927-1939 |
| Reinhold Weinbrenner | 1939-1942 |
| H. A. Claassen | 1943 |
| Elbert Koontz | 1944-1948 |
| Elmer Friesen | 1949-1952 1953-1954 |
| Ralph Weber | 1955-1961 |
| Norman Bergen | 1962-1969 |
| Louis Goertz | 1970-1979 |
| Gary Badker | 1980-1986 |
| Preston Goering | 1987-1990 |
| Edward Kauffman | 1991-2001 |
| Denton Jantzi | 2001-2005 |
| Muriel Kaufman-Graber | 2007-2009 |
| John Regier | 2011-2012 |
| Bob Beecher | 2013-2014 |
| Tim Amor | 2015-2021 |
Membership at Beatrice Mennonite Church
| Year | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1935 | 164 |
| 1940 | 177 |
| 1945 | 189 |
| 1950 | 184 |
| 1955 | 171 |
| 1960 | 153 |
| 1965 | 148 |
| 1970 | 142 |
| 1975 | 159 |
| 1980 | 143 |
| 1985 | 146 |
| 1990 | 150 |
| 1995 | 157 |
| 2000 | 153 |
| 2005 | 139 |
| 2010 | 134 |
| 2015 | 133 |
| 2021 | 130 |
Maps
Map:Beatrice Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska)
| Author(s) | Melvin Gingerich |
|---|---|
| Cornelius Krahn | |
| Brett Klingenberg | |
| Samuel J. Steiner | |
| Date Published | December 2021 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Gingerich, Melvin, Cornelius Krahn, Brett Klingenberg and Samuel J. Steiner. "Beatrice Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. December 2021. Web. 18 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Beatrice_Mennonite_Church_(Beatrice,_Nebraska,_USA)&oldid=172636.
APA style
Gingerich, Melvin, Cornelius Krahn, Brett Klingenberg and Samuel J. Steiner. (December 2021). Beatrice Mennonite Church (Beatrice, Nebraska, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Beatrice_Mennonite_Church_(Beatrice,_Nebraska,_USA)&oldid=172636.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 257. All rights reserved.
©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.