Bethany Mennonite Chapel (Martindale, Pennsylvania, USA)
In the early 2000s the Pleasant Valley congregation of the Mid-Atlantic Mennonite Fellowship, located in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, USA, had branched out twice (Blue Ball in 1986 and Open Door in 1996) and was again overflowing.
Several years of seeking possibilities for an outreach were unfruitful. In 2013 the Bethany Evangelical Congregational Church in Martindale, Pennsylvania decided to close and offered to give their building to the Pleasant Valley congregation. Pleasant Valley gratefully accepted the offer.
The Bethany E.C. Church began in Martindale with worship services held in homes as early as 1885. The present building was erected in 1903 at a cost of $1,600.00, which included $250.00 for the lot. Numerous changes and improvements were done through the years and the building was kept in good repair.
For many years, Bethany E.C. Church was a thriving congregation but attendance dwindled as the young folks moved on. When the congregation decided to close, there were only 13 members and no young children in attendance. Their last service was an adoption service held at Martindale with Pleasant Valley on 30 June 2013. Both Rev. Kirk Wolfe and Brother Darrell Musser shared in the service.
In respect for the E.C. congregation and at the suggestion of one of their members, Bill Blackwell, the building was named Bethany Mennonite Chapel. A group of about 70 individuals from Pleasant Valley held the first service at Bethany on 1 September 2013.
Darrell Musser (minister) and Melvin Martin (deacon) transferred from Pleasant Valley to serve as the ministerial team at Bethany Mennonite Chapel.
Bibliography
Stauffer, Romaine, ed. Mid-Atlantic Mennonite Fellowship 1972-2013. Myerstown, Pa.: Little Mountain Printing, 2014.
Additional Information
Address: 1047 Martindale Road, Martindale, Pa. 17549
Phone:
Website
Denominational Affiliations: Mid-Atlantic Mennonite Fellowship
Bethany Chapel Ordained Leaders
| Names | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Darrell Musser (minister) | 2013-present |
| Melvin Martin (deacon) | 2013-present |
Map
Map:Bethany Mennonite Chapel (Martindale, Pennsylvania, USA)
| Author(s) | Romaine Stauffer |
|---|---|
| Date Published | April 2014 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Stauffer, Romaine. "Bethany Mennonite Chapel (Martindale, Pennsylvania, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. April 2014. Web. 19 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bethany_Mennonite_Chapel_(Martindale,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=123531.
APA style
Stauffer, Romaine. (April 2014). Bethany Mennonite Chapel (Martindale, Pennsylvania, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bethany_Mennonite_Chapel_(Martindale,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=123531.
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