Early Church (Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA)
The Early Church in Harrisonburg, Virginia, began in the late 2000s, first meeting in a community center. Its focus became radical hospitality to those around them. It became affiliated with the Virginia Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA.
As a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, the congregation moved to its current location.
Early Church has identified within the Mennonite denomination but also acknowledges inspiration and influence from the broader historic Orthodox Church, the wisdom of its liturgies, and the charismatic movement of the 20th century.
In 2024, Early Church withdrew from the Virginia Mennonite Conference and became part of the Blue Ridge District of LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches.
Bibliography
"Our missional story: Early Church." TheMennonite 20 November 2017. Web. 16 January 2025. https://anabaptistworld.org/missional-story-early-church/.
Tobin, Carol. "More than a Sunday morning gathering." Pathways 6, no. 2 (Summer 2020): 5.
Additional Information
Address: 700 West Market Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22802
Meeting Place: The UC part of West Side Baptist Church
Telephone: 646-707-4944
Website: https://earlychurchva.org/
Denominational Affiliations:
LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches
Mennonite Church USA (Until 2024)
Pastoral Leaders at Early Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Lay Leadership? | 2000s-2015 |
| Kenneth Wettig | 2015- |
| Nicholas Meyer | 2015-2017 |
| Harrigan Bowman | 2020- |
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | January 2025 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Early Church (Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2025. Web. 12 Feb 2026. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Early_Church_(Harrisonburg,_Virginia,_USA)&oldid=180127.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (January 2025). Early Church (Harrisonburg, Virginia, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 12 February 2026, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Early_Church_(Harrisonburg,_Virginia,_USA)&oldid=180127.
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