King of Glory Tabernacle (Bronx, New York, USA)

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The Fox Street Mennonite Church in Bronx, New York, USA, had roots in weekend street evangelism carried out by persons from the Chestnut Hill and Mellinger congregations of the Lancaster Mennonite Conference by persons like Earl W. Witmer, Harold Thomas, and Aquilla Riehl. This outreach included singing, distribution of The Way, and prayer meetings. By early 1949 they utilized the apartment of the Emmanuel Cruz family who had worshipped earlier with Mennonites at Ybor City in Florida.

When the Cruz apartment became too small, the mission congregation met in a real estate office and a location on Vyse Avenue. On 31 July 1949, it moved to a rented storefront at 1127 Fox Street. Harold and Dorothy Thomas first commuted to Fox Street, then moved to the city in December 1949.

In the early years, the church placed much emphasis on outreach to children and youth through Summer Bible School and participation in "Fresh Air" programs that sent children to Mennonite homes in Lancaster County for two weeks in the summer.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the community around the church changed. The Jewish community had largely left, and the church was now on the dividing line between Latin and African American communities. Many church families were scattered because of slum clearance programs.

Fox Street was noted for trying to maintain the dress standards of the Lancaster Conference, causing some dissension among the mission workers.

By 1973 the Fox Street location became unviable. Members no longer lived in the area and the community had deteriorated. In October 1973 the mission board purchased a former synagogue at Burnside and Grand Avenues in the West Bronx. The church then became the Burnside Mennonite Church.

In about 1995 the congregation changed its name to King of Glory Tabernacle.

Bibliography

"Hyacinth and Benjamin Stevens: Growing in God." The Mennonite 1 July 2014. Web. 7 March 2022. https://anabaptistworld.org/hyacinth-benjamin-stevens-growing-god-growing-god/.

MacMaster, Richard K. Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches of New York City. Kitchener, Ont.: Pandora Press, 2006: 43-50, 85-91, 96-101, 104-111, 188-203, 240-246.

Additional Information

Address: 2019 Grand Avenue, Bronx, New York 10453

Phone:

Website: https://king-of-glory-tabernacle-71a83d.webflow.io/

Denominational Affiliations:

LMC: a Fellowship of Anabaptist Churches

Pastoral Leaders at King of Glory Tabernacle

Name Years
of Service
B. Harold Thomas (1921-1991) 1949-1951
Aquilla E. Riehl (1924- ) 1951-1958
John L. Freed (1930-1999) 1960-1968
Carl E. Good 1966-1968
Carl K. Metzler 1968-1969
Glenn Zeager 1969-1975
Lay leaders 1975-1977
Samuel Walters 1977-1984
Michael E. Banks (1953-2020) 1984-2010?
Kenton L. Bontrager 1991-2000?
Benjamin Stevens 2010-2021?
Hyacinth Banks Stevens 2010-present

Membership at King of Glory Tabernacle

Year Membership
1955 19
1960 12
1970 26
1980 26
1990 63
2000 98
2007 80


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published March 2022

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "King of Glory Tabernacle (Bronx, New York, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. March 2022. Web. 11 Oct 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=King_of_Glory_Tabernacle_(Bronx,_New_York,_USA)&oldid=176682.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (March 2022). King of Glory Tabernacle (Bronx, New York, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 11 October 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=King_of_Glory_Tabernacle_(Bronx,_New_York,_USA)&oldid=176682.




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