Burr Oak Community Church (Rensselaer, Indiana, USA)
In spring 1919, Bishop Jacob K. Bixler of Elkhart, Indiana, learned of Mennonite families in Jasper and Newton counties, in the northwest part of Indiana. He visited them several times and held services in a schoolhouse. Communion services were held in December 1919 in a vacant dwelling house. A congregation of eight members formed, with D. D. Miller appointed as non-resident bishop.
In 1925, James Love donated land to the Mennonites, on which they built a 24' x 38' meetinghouse. Floyd Weaver of the Yellow Creek congregation was invited to become the minister. The building was dedicated, and Weaver was ordained on 4 October 1925.
There have been additions to the original building in 1952, 1966 and 1987.
In 2016 the Burr Oak congregation left the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference. This move was part of a larger realignment of Mennonite congregations in the 2010s that were formerly part of Mennonite Church USA. These congregations were unhappy with Mennonite Church USA's failure to take stronger disciplinary actions against area conferences and congregations that expressed openness to the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons. Burr Oak was an early supporter and became a member of the Evana Network in 2016.
The church changed its name to Burr Oak Community Church in about 2016.
Bibliography
Preheim, Rich. In Pursuit of Faithfulness: Conviction, Conflict, and Compromise in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference. Harrisonburg, Va.: Herald Press, 2016: 167, 245, 308.
Wenger, John Christian. The Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1961: 210-212.
Additional Information
Address: 11506 W 200 S, Rensselaer, Indiana 47978
Phone: 219-394-2339
Website: https://www.burroakchurch.com/
Denominational Affiliations:
Pastoral Leaders at Burr Oak Community Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Visiting ministers | 1919-1925 |
| Floyd W. Weaver (1896-1977) | 1925-1945 |
| Henry J. Stoll (1899-1988)(Deacon) (Minister) |
1932-1951 1951-1965? |
| Harvey L. Chupp (1937-2015) | 1963-1966? |
| Theodore M. "Ted" Eash (1936-2009) | 1966-1970 |
| Lay & Retired Leadership |
1970-1974 |
| Edwin M. Bontreger | 1974-1985? |
| Philip D. Leichty | 1986-2015 |
| Virginia M. Leichty (Associate) | 2008-2015 |
| Debra K. Voss (Youth) (Lead) |
2008-2015 2015?- |
| James C. Marchand | 2008-2010s? |
| Kent Towler (Assistant) | 2016?- |
| Caleb Voss (Youth) | 2019- |
| Kim Voss (Assistant) | 2019?- |
Burr Oak Community Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1930 | 39 |
| 1940 | 67 |
| 1950 | 48 |
| 1960 | 52 |
| 1970 | 41 |
| 1980 | 51 |
| 1990 | 70 |
| 2000 | 64 |
| 2009 | 71 |
Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article
By Henry J. Stoll. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 479. All rights reserved.
The Burr Oak Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA) is located in Rensselaer, Indiana. In May 1918 J. K. Bixler of the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Mission Board first visited this field and met with the six members that were here at that time. For the first five years, ministers were sent to hold services about once a month. During this time the services were held in a schoolhouse, a vacant dwelling, and in a Baptist church. In 1925 with the help of the mission board a church, 24 x 38, was built. It was dedicated on 4 October of the same year, at which time Floyd Weaver of the Yellow Creek congregation (Indiana) was ordained. At this time there were 16 members. In 1945 Weaver resigned as pastor on account of his health; Henry J. Stoll was asked to take charge of the work, and was ordained in 1951. The membership in 1953 was 57, and the congregation was now fully organized under the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference. It was largely Amish in background.
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | April 2024 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Burr Oak Community Church (Rensselaer, Indiana, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. April 2024. Web. 3 Dec 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Burr_Oak_Community_Church_(Rensselaer,_Indiana,_USA)&oldid=178702.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (April 2024). Burr Oak Community Church (Rensselaer, Indiana, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 3 December 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Burr_Oak_Community_Church_(Rensselaer,_Indiana,_USA)&oldid=178702.
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