Mountain Valley Mennonite Church (Willcox, Arizona, USA)
The Mountain Valley Mennonite Church near Willcox, Arizona, USA, was established in 1988. The congregation was rooted in two families from Wisconsin visiting Church of God in Christ, Mennonite missionaries in Mexico. On the return trip, one family picked up a brochure outlining land availability in the Willcox area for $275/acre.
The Sulpher Springs Valley is a desert area surrounded by mountains. Prominent crops included cotton, corn, and grain, plus vegetables and melons. There are also apple, peach, pecan, and pistachio orchards.
Two families moved from Wisconsin to Willcox in 1976, followed by more families in the next year. However, the settlement was not stable, and no members lived in the area from September 1978 to July 1981, when the Milton Schmidt family returned to manage Sunshine Apple Farms. Again other families began to follow.
In 1983 the group constructed a small 16x24 building for school and church. It was used as a school for two years; then, children were bused to the Ash Creek School until 1988. For the next two years, the school met in an apartment house.
On 2 January 1988 the congregation formally organized. The first resident pastor, Edward Schmidt, arrived in November 1988. With many congregations' financial assistance, a new church and school was erected and first used on 14 January 1990.
In 2020 the congregation was part of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. The ministers were Daniel Schmidt and Kirby Toews.
Bibliography
Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. Yearbook (2001-2020).
Histories of the congregations. 3rd. ed. Moundridge, Kansas: Gospel Publishers, 1999: 181-183.
Additional Information
Address: 3588 E. Compadre Road, Willcox, Arizona 85643
Phone: 520-826-3546
Website:
Denominational Affiliations:
Church of God in Christ, Mennonite
Ordained Pastors at the Mountain Valley Mennonite Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Edward Schmidt | 1988-1998? |
| Daniel Schmidt | 1998-present |
| Robert A. Koehn | 2011-2015 |
| Kirby Toews | 2016-present |
Membership at Mountain Valley Mennonite Church
| Year | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 46 |
| 2000 | 60 |
| 2010 | 57 |
| 2020 | 64 |
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | November 2020 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Mountain Valley Mennonite Church (Willcox, Arizona, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2020. Web. 23 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mountain_Valley_Mennonite_Church_(Willcox,_Arizona,_USA)&oldid=169444.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (November 2020). Mountain Valley Mennonite Church (Willcox, Arizona, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 23 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mountain_Valley_Mennonite_Church_(Willcox,_Arizona,_USA)&oldid=169444.
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