Freeport Mennonite Church (Freeport, Illinois, USA)
The Freeport Mennonite Church, Freeport, Illinois, USA, had its roots in Mennonite settlers northeast of Freeport in the early 1840s. First were Samuel and Martin Lapp from Ontario, Canada, but earlier from Clarence Center, New York. The Freeport church was organized in the mid-1840s, possibly 1845. Initially, the congregation met in homes every second Sunday.
In 1862 or 1863, the congregation built its first meetinghouse, a white frame building, on land donated by Samuel Lapp. Martin Lapp was probably the first minister, though others believe it was John Brubaker. The building was enlarged about 1888, and again in 1912 and in 1943
Freeport was a charter member of the Illinois Mennonite Conference when it formed in 1872.
Freeport Mennonite Church began supporting the Mennonite Central Committee's meat canning program in 1951.
Bibliography
Smith, Willard H. Mennonites in Illinois. Studies in Anabaptist and Mennonite History, 24. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1983: 41-43, 188-191, 545.
Additional Information
Address: 3416 East Brick School Road, Dakota, Illinois 61032
Phone: 815.255-0943
Website: https://www.freeportmennonite.com/
Denominational Affiliations: Illinois Mennonite Conference
Pastoral Leaders at Freeport Mennonite Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Martin Lapp (1801-1875) | 1845-1855 1869-1875 |
| John Brubaker (1794-1855) | 1848-1855 |
| Matthias Eby (1809-1894) (Bishop) |
1855-? ?-1875 |
| Christian Snyder (1819-1872) | 1864-1872 |
| Christian C. Snavely (1831-1905) | 1875-1905 |
| Ephraim Shellenberger (1837-1919) | 1878-1887 1909-1919 |
| Joseph S. Lehman (1847-1936) | 1887-1892 |
| Joseph S. Shoemaker (1845-1936) (Bishop) |
1892-1902 1902-1936 |
| John V. Fortner (1854-1946) | 1899-1946 |
| Simon E. Graybill (1873-1941) | 1903-1941 |
| Howard J. Zehr (1916-1977) | 1941-1950 |
| Richard J. Yordy (1922-1995) | 1950-1960 |
| Donald W. Blosser | 1960-1969 |
| Paul O. King (1921-2016) | 1970-1981 |
| Robert E. Nolt | 1982-1994 |
| Paul C. Sieber (1921-2019) | 1994-1995 |
| Dennis Stutzman | 1995-2001? |
| Marvin W. Thill (Interim) | 2002?-2004? |
| Mark Vincent (Interim) | 2004?-2005 |
| David J. Schrader | 2005-2017 |
| Gerry Krupp (Intentional Interim) | 2018-2019 |
| Jacob Landis (Interim) | 2017-2020 |
| Kenneth Hawes | 2020- |
Freeport Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1891 | 55 |
| 1907 | 75 |
| 1913 | 72 |
| 1920 | 73 |
| 1930 | 90 |
| 1940 | 118 |
| 1950 | 159 |
| 1960 | 151 |
| 1970 | 162 |
| 1980 | 195 |
| 1990 | 148 |
| 2000 | 152 |
| 2009 | 128 |
| 2020 | 95 |
Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article
By Howard J. Zehr. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 390. All rights reserved.
Freeport Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA), located about 7.5 miles northeast of Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois, is a member of the Illinois Conference, and in 1954 had a membership of 170. It was organized about 1845 by Mennonite settlers from Ontario. The first building was constructed about 1863, and to meet the increasing membership was enlarged about 1888, and again in 1912 and in 1943. The first Sunday school was organized in 1878, the young people's meetings in 1890, and the sewing circle in 1910. The congregation through its history has ordained three deacons, ten ministers, and three bishops. In 1954 Richard Yordy was pastor and bishop.
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | January 2024 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Freeport Mennonite Church (Freeport, Illinois, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2024. Web. 18 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Freeport_Mennonite_Church_(Freeport,_Illinois,_USA)&oldid=178249.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (January 2024). Freeport Mennonite Church (Freeport, Illinois, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 18 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Freeport_Mennonite_Church_(Freeport,_Illinois,_USA)&oldid=178249.
©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.