Northside Christian Family Center (Omaha, Nebraska, USA)
The Northside Mennonite Chapel in Omaha, Nebraska, USA, had its roots in the Hope Evangelistic Mission launched in 1964 by independent African American preacher, Dewitt Wayde. Mennonites from the Milford area Mennonite churches began to assist in the mission at the north end of Omaha. The Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference considered ordaining Wayde but never did so.
In 1965 the mission was turned over to the Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Mission Board. Morris and Grace Stauffer moved from a farm to the north side of Omaha and began holding worship services on Florence Boulevard. By 1970 morning attendance reached 100. About half were African American. The conference then built a building for the growing congregation.
Sometime in the 1990s, the congregation changed its name to Northside Christian Family Center.
As part of the realignment of the Mennonite Church (MC) and General Conference Mennonite Church into Mennonite Church USA, Northside was among the congregations that joined the new Central Plains Mennonite Conference in 2000.
In 2018 the congregation closed. It was located in a section of the city that suffered from economic decline and drug-related crime. As people moved away and membership declined, the church decided to end. Northside’s building was sold to a local ministry. In 2022, an Assembly of God congregation used the building.
Bibliography
Yoder, Holly Blosser. The same spirit: History of Iowa-Nebraska Mennonites. Freeman, S.D.: Central Plains Mennonite Conference, 2003: 190-194, 282.
_____. "Uplifting spirit reflected in delegate sessions." Scattered Seeds (August 2018): 2.
Additional Information
Address: 4102 Florence Blvd., Omaha, Nebraska 68110
Phone:
Website:
Denominational Affiliations: Central Plains Mennonite Conference
Pastoral Leaders at Northside Christian Family Center
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Dewitt Wayde | 1964-1965 |
| Morris Stauffer | 1965-1979 |
| John Moore | 1979-1983? |
| L. Stephen Emery | 1983?-1984? |
| Brent E. Foster | 1986-1988 |
| William Hartwell | 1989-1992 |
| Robert Thorpe, Jr. | 1992-2000 |
| Patricia Barron (Interim) | 2000-2001? |
| Owen Taylor | 2002?-2008? |
| Lay Leadership? | 2009-2018 |
Membership at Northside Christian Family Center
| Year | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1970 | 37 |
| 1980 | 29 |
| 1990 | 11 |
| 2000 | 12 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | June 2023 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Northside Christian Family Center (Omaha, Nebraska, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. June 2023. Web. 27 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Northside_Christian_Family_Center_(Omaha,_Nebraska,_USA)&oldid=175903.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (June 2023). Northside Christian Family Center (Omaha, Nebraska, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 27 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Northside_Christian_Family_Center_(Omaha,_Nebraska,_USA)&oldid=175903.
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