Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship (Goshen, Indiana, USA)
Source: Courtesy of John Yoder.
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/119591299.
Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship in Goshen, Indiana began in 1979 with members from Waterford Mennonite Church, East Goshen Mennonite Church, and a few other congregations in the Goshen area. The first worship service happened on 28 July 1979 at Bethany Christian High School. Attendance ranged from 28 to 50 persons during the first few months. That November the congregation moved to the Mennonite Mutual Aid building in Goshen (now Everence), where it met for nearly two years.
On 17 May 1980, the church purchased a vacant meetinghouse at 2509 Berkey Avenue from a German Baptist Brethren congregation. In June of that year the congregation adopted a statement of faith, confirmed 73 charter members, and affiliated with the Mennonite Church (now the Mennonite Church USA).
Because the German Baptist building only consisted of what is now the sanctuary, the congregation immediately broke ground for a 4,800 square-foot addition to the building. The congregation officially moved into the new building on 19 July 1981, with the dedication service taking place on 25 October 1981. In 1982 the average worship attendance reached 189, which remained the highest average attendance until 2004.
In September 1992, the congregation adopted a motto that came out of a church leaders’ retreat in 1987: "Called to be Christ’s loving, healing, caring presence." This motto has remained at the heart of the congregation’s self-identity ever since. Enthusiasm began to build and worship attendance increased after reaching a low of 113 in 1991-92.
In 1995-96, the congregation built a new Christian education wing along with offices and a library/conference room. In 1997 members unanimously approved a "Vision and Strategy for the Future" which embraced intimacy and invitation as primary values. This vision recognized the tension between these values but encouraged the church to value both equally. It further encouraged the church to maintain strength in worship, mission, and nurture while strengthening its welcoming ministry.
In 2004, average attendance reached 225, the highest in the congregation’s history. To allow for future expansion, the congregation purchased 3.5 acres to the west that fall. In 2005 the congregation approved a new mission statement, currently displayed in the fellowship hall. Numerical growth during much of this decade caused the congregation to consider ways of accommodating more people, from church planting to multiple services to new construction. But in late 2009 with the national economy in a deep recession, average attendance somewhat down, and a lack of sufficient funds, the congregation voted not to proceed with plans for new construction. Meanwhile, giving to the general budget remained strong in spite of the recession.
At the start of a new decade, three significant events occurred. First, long-time pastor Anita Yoder Kehr announced her resignation in order to move to Kansas. Second, the congregation recalibrated its vision to focus more on spiritual practices that draw us into intimacy with God and each other, as well as a new emphasis on living (rather than just being) the presence of Christ in the world. Third, the members adopted a revised structure to more clearly distinguish governance (provided by the Spiritual Leadership Team) from program ministry (provided by the pastors, commissions, and volunteers).
In 2011, the congregation fulfilled a long-standing dream when it bought the red house next to the church building, allowing for possible expansion in the future. A renovation project in 2010-11 upgraded the kitchen, carpet, wall paint, sanctuary lights, and speakers. A permanent visual installation called "Trees of Life" was also added. In 2013, two new paintings were hung in the fellowship hall to remind the congregation of its motto and to help prepare people for worship. A second renovation project in 2013 created a larger nursery and more usable classrooms.
Bibliography
"Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship History." 2013. Web. 15 May 2015. http://www.berkeyavenue.org/about/history/.
Additional Information
Address: 2509 Berkey Avenue, Goshen, IN 46526
Phone: 574-534-2398
Website Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship
Denominational Affiliations:
Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference (1980-present)
Mennonite Church USA (1980-present)
Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship Pastoral Leaders
| Minister | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Don Blosser (interim) | 1979-1980 |
| Art Smoker | 1980-1989 |
| Peter Buller (interim) | 1990-1992 |
| Mary Borntrager, youth pastor | 1991-1995 |
| Richard Litwiller | 1992-2000 |
| Peter Buller (interim) | 2001-2002 |
| Anita Yoder Kehr | 1999-2010 |
| Dan Schrock | 2002-2021 |
| Cindy Warner Baker, youth coordinator | 2005-2009 |
| Lois Stoltzfus Mast, youth coordinator and youth pastor | 2005-June 2017 |
| Marilyn Rudy-Froese | 2012-June 2017 |
| Joanne Gallardo, pastor of faith formation | 2017-2021 |
| Bob Richer Smith, interim | 2018-January 2019 |
| Marg Richer Smith, interim | 2018-January 2019 |
| Richard Kauffman (Interim) | February 2021-July 2022 May-August 2023 |
| Stephanie Wieand | 2022-present |
| Billy Funk | 2022-present |
| Author(s) | Richard D Thiessen |
|---|---|
| Date Published | April 2024 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Thiessen, Richard D. "Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship (Goshen, Indiana, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. April 2024. Web. 23 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Berkey_Avenue_Mennonite_Fellowship_(Goshen,_Indiana,_USA)&oldid=178681.
APA style
Thiessen, Richard D. (April 2024). Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship (Goshen, Indiana, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 23 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Berkey_Avenue_Mennonite_Fellowship_(Goshen,_Indiana,_USA)&oldid=178681.
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