Mannheim Mennonite Church (Petersburg, Ontario, Canada)

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Latschar Mennonite Church (now Mannheim Mennonite Church) in Petersburg, Ontario.
Source: Church website
.
Mannheim Mennonite Church, 2009.
Source: Your Heritage (Waterloo Region)

The Mannheim Mennonite Church in Petersburg, Ontario was founded by Swiss background Mennonites from Pennsylvania. The congregation, originally known as Latschar Mennonite Church, built their church on land purchased from Isaac Latschar in 1836. The congregation formally organized in 1832 and worshiped in homes for several years before the church building was constructed. The first building was occupied in 1839 and Jacob Hallman is considered the founding leader of the group. The transition from German to English occurred in the early 1900s.

Subsequent building programs took place in 1853, 1908, and 1980. In 1980 the church building was moved up the hill, turned 90 degrees, and attached to a schoolhouse that had been purchased years before and had served as the Wilmot Township No. 9 schoolhouse. A new entrance and fellowship room were also constructed at this time.

The congregation often struggled with dissension, particularly over leadership issues. Demographics and the congregation's location have also contributed to the congregation's struggles. However, the congregation was able to celebrate its 175th anniversary on 8-9 October 2011.

Bibliography

Bearinger, Jesse and George Milne. "History of the Mannheim Mennonite Church." Mennonite Archives of Ontario.

Burkhardt, Ferne. Full Circle: Mannheim Mennonite Church, 1836-1986. Petersburg: The Church, 1986, 74 pp.

Burkholder,  L. J. A Brief History of the Mennonites in Ontario. Kitchener, ON: Mennonite Conference of Ontario, 1935: 84-87.

"Mannheim Mennonite Church." Mennonite Heritage Portrait. Web. 26 January 2012. http://www.mennoniteheritageportrait.ca/Report.php?ListType=Collections&ID=114.

Mennonite Reporter (24 November 1980): 11; (27 October 1986): 15.

Milne, George. "History of the Latschar Mennonite Church." ca. 1960, 3 pp., Mennonite Archives of Ontario.

Rogalsky, Dave. "Viability is No Longer the Question: At 175, Mannheim Mennonite Church Looks Toward the Future with Hope." Canadian Mennonite (14 November 2011): 18.

Archival Records

Church records at Mennonite Archives of Ontario.

Additional Information

Address: 1494 Bleams Road, Petersburg, ON N0B 2H0; located 1 km west of Mannheim on the north side of Bleams Rd.

Phone: 519-749-1581

Website: Mannheim Mennonite Church

Denominational Affiliations:

Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec (1832-1988)

Mennonite Church (1898-1999)

Mennonite Church Canada (1995-present)

Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (1988-present)

Mannheim Mennonite Church Ministers

Minister Years
of Service
Moses C. Bowman (1855-1933) 1889-1933
J. Wesley Witmer (1879-1960) 1922-1937
Lorne W. Schmitt (1906-1993) 1937-1945
Osiah W. Horst (1919-2005) 1946-1964
Don Wenger 1964-1967
Gordon Bauman 1967-1976
James R. "Jim" Reusser (1929-2017) 1976-1994
Helen E. Reusser (1924-2017) 1985-1994
Doris B. Weber (1930-2021)
(interim)
1994-1996
Dave Tiessen 1996-2004
Nancy Brubaker Bauman
(interim)
2004-2006
Gordon Alton (interim) 2006-2007
Ruth Anne Laverty 2007-2012
Erv Wiens
(interim)
2012-2013
Gord Alton 2013-August 2020
Gary Knarr (supply) September 2020-2023
Doug Amstutz September 2023-

Mannheim Mennonite Church Membership

Year Members
1900 72
1925 125
1950 125
1965 107
1975 80
1985 94
1995 110
2000 117
2010 85
2015 85
2020 51


Author(s) Marlene Epp
Richard D. Thiessen
Date Published January 2012

Cite This Article

MLA style

Epp, Marlene and Richard D. Thiessen. "Mannheim Mennonite Church (Petersburg, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 2012. Web. 4 Oct 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mannheim_Mennonite_Church_(Petersburg,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=176270.

APA style

Epp, Marlene and Richard D. Thiessen. (January 2012). Mannheim Mennonite Church (Petersburg, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 4 October 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mannheim_Mennonite_Church_(Petersburg,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=176270.




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