Difference between revisions of "Strickler's Mennonite Church (Middletown, Pennsylvania, USA)"

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The Shope Mennonite Church ([[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]]), located a few miles southeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, one mile east of the Lancaster Pike at Steelton, was first called the Mumma Mennonite congregation, since they worshiped in Frederick Mumma's home. By 1815 a church-schoolhouse, 20 x 30 ft., of log with comb roof was erected, and later weatherboarded. It was replaced in 1873 by a brick church. The cemetery was started in 1877 on the elevation. Bishop Nathaniel Shope was the first to be buried there. It was a part of the Strickler-Shope circuit of the [[Lancaster Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Lancaster Conference]], with communion at the Strickler church. The total membership in the circuit in 1957 was 87. Harry L. Longenecker was the minister at the Shope church. A separate Sunday school of 50 was maintained at that time.
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The history of Strickler’s Mennonite Church, Middletown, [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]], USA is closely connected to Shope’s Mennonite Church. The Shope congregation ([[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church]]), located a few miles southeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, one mile east of the Lancaster Pike at Steelton, was first called the Mumma Mennonite congregation, since the group worshiped in Frederick Mumma's home. Shope’s meetinghouse began before Strickler’s as by 1815 a church-schoolhouse, 20 x 30 ft., of log with comb roof was erected, and later weatherboarded. It was replaced in 1873 by a brick church. The cemetery was started in 1877 on the elevation. Bishop Nathaniel Shope was the first to be buried there. Shope's Mennonite Church was a part of the Strickler-Shope circuit of the [[Lancaster Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Lancaster Conference]], with communion held at the Strickler church. The total membership in the circuit in 1957 was 87. Harry L. Longenecker was the minister at the Shope church. A separate Sunday school of 50 was maintained at that time.
  
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In 1965, the joint congregation decided to conduct all Sunday services at Strickler's. The Shope's meetinghouse did not meet the standards of more rigid building codes for an increasingly suburban community, and the declining membership did not provide an incentive to renovate the building. It continued to be used occasionally, especially for prayer meetings during the summer months. In 1976 the congregation donated the building to the [[Eastern Mennonite Missions (Lancaster Mennonite Conference)|Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions]] for the development of a new, community-oriented congregation named Garden Chapel. This congregation renovated and enlarged the building and occupied it for 15-20 years, after which they built a new and larger church a few miles away near Highspire just off Rosedale Avenue. After standing vacant for several years the former Shope meetinghouse became a residence.
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Strickler’s meetinghouse was erected in 1837 three miles east of Shope’s at its current location. The original Strickler’s meetinghouse was built of limestone and measured 28 feet wide and 42 feet long. The same congregation maintained both buildings, alternating regular worship services between both locations. With a growing congregation, the Strickler’s meetinghouse could no longer adequately accommodate the people. In 1922, the small Strickler’s meetinghouse was razed and was replaced by the present brick building, measuring 42 feet wide by 70 feet long. The limestone from the original meetinghouse was used to form the foundation for the new building.
  
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In 2000 Strickler's Mennonite Church left the Lancaster Mennonite Conference. Issues of difference with the Conference included such issues as women in leadership, divorce and remarriage, and the prayer veiling. Strickler's remained unaffiliated until 2006, when they became a part of [[Biblical Mennonite Alliance|Biblical Mennonite Alliance]]. In 2015 the congregation had 37 members and an average attendance of 48.
+
Cooperation between Shope’s and Strickler’s continued for many years, with services alternating between both churches each Sunday. Around 1950, both Shope’s and Strickler’s began to have Sunday School simultaneously each Sunday, but continued to alternate worship services. In 1965, the congregation decided to conduct all Sunday services at Strickler’s. The Shope’s meetinghouse did not meet the standards of more rigid building codes for an increasingly suburban community, and the declining membership did not provide an incentive to renovate the building. It continued to be used occasionally, especially for prayer meetings during the summer months.  In 1976 the congregation donated the building to the [[Eastern Mennonite Missions (Lancaster Mennonite Conference)|Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions]] for the development of a new, community-oriented congregation named Garden Chapel. This congregation renovated and enlarged the building and occupied it for 15-20 years, after which they built a new and larger church a few miles away near Highspire just off Rosedale Avenue. After standing vacant for several years the former Shope meetinghouse became a residence.
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 +
In 2000 Strickler's Mennonite Church left the Lancaster Mennonite Conference. Issues of difference with the Conference included such issues as women in leadership, [[Divorce and Remarriage|divorce and remarriage]], and the [[Prayer Veil|prayer veiling]]. Strickler's remained unaffiliated until 2006, when they became a part of [[Biblical Mennonite Alliance|Biblical Mennonite Alliance]]. In 2019 the congregation had 35 members and an average attendance of 51.
 
= Bibliography =
 
= Bibliography =
 
Biblical Mennonite Alliance. "BMA Congregational Directory with Pastors." August 2015.
 
Biblical Mennonite Alliance. "BMA Congregational Directory with Pastors." August 2015.
  
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Zeager, Lloyd. "History of Strickler's Mennonite Church." Strickler's Mennonite Church. [http://www.stricklersmennonitechurch.org/History.aspx http://www.stricklersmennonitechurch.org/History.aspx] (accessed 17 December 2009)
+
Zeager, Lloyd. "A Dauphin County Mennonite Congregation: Strickler and Mumma/Shope." ''Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage'' 10, no. 2 (April 1987): 12-20. Web. http://stricklersmennonitechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/A%20Dauphin%20County%20Mennonite%20Congregation.pdf.
 +
 
 +
Zeager, Lloyd. "History of Strickler's Mennonite Church." Strickler's Mennonite Church. http://stricklersmennonitechurch.org/history/.
 +
 
 +
Zeager, Lloyd. "Stricklers and Shopes Mennonite Church: Chronology of Significant Events." 14 August 2004. Web. 11 July 2019. http://stricklersmennonitechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Chronology-of-Significant-Events.pdf.
 +
 
 
= Additional Information =  
 
= Additional Information =  
 
'''Address''': 3256 Schoolhouse Road, Middletown, PA 17057
 
'''Address''': 3256 Schoolhouse Road, Middletown, PA 17057
Line 17: Line 24:
  
 
'''Denominational Affiliation''': [http://www.biblicalmennonite.com/ Biblical Mennonite Alliance]
 
'''Denominational Affiliation''': [http://www.biblicalmennonite.com/ Biblical Mennonite Alliance]
 +
== Ordained Pastors at Strickler's Mennonite Church ==
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Name !! Years<br/>of Service
 +
|-
 +
| John Mumma, Jr. (1776-1859<br />(Bishop)|| 1816-1825<br />1825-1859
 +
|-
 +
| Nathaniel Shope (1815-1877)<br />(Bishop) || 1858-1864<br />1864-1877
 +
|-
 +
| John Erb (1839-1913) || 1877-1913
 +
|-
 +
| David Z. Miller (1881-1971) || 1905-1963
 +
|-
 +
| Harry L. Longenecker (1881-1978) || 1913-1963
 +
|-
 +
| Henry N. Shope (1852-1939) || 1882-1939
 +
|-
 +
| Russel S. Zeager (1915-2002) || 1947-1992
 +
|-
 +
| James E. Keener || 1965-1972
 +
|-
 +
| Lester M. Hoover || 1970s?
 +
|-
 +
| Omar B. Stahl || 1970s?
 +
|-
 +
| Elmer K. Breneman || 1980-present
 +
|-
 +
| Edward N. Meyers || 2002-present
 +
|-
 +
| Philip Oberholtzer || 2010-present
 +
|}
 +
== Membership at Strickler's Mennonite Church ==
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
 +
|-
 +
! Year !! Membership
 +
|-
 +
| 1916 || 65
 +
|-
 +
| 1919 || 80
 +
|-
 +
| 1925 || 80
 +
|-
 +
| 1930 || 110
 +
|-
 +
| 1935 || 110
 +
|-
 +
| 1940 || 93
 +
|-
 +
| 1945 || 87
 +
|-
 +
| 1950 || 102
 +
|-
 +
| 1955 || 98
 +
|-
 +
| 1960 || 85
 +
|-
 +
| 1965 || 88
 +
|-
 +
| 1970 || 80
 +
|-
 +
| 1975 || 65
 +
|-
 +
| 1980 || 34
 +
|-
 +
| 1985 || 32
 +
|-
 +
| 1990 || 25
 +
|-
 +
| 1995 || 31
 +
|-
 +
| 2005 || 33
 +
|-
 +
| 2011 || 34
 +
|-
 +
| 2015 || 37
 +
|-
 +
| 2019 || 35
 +
|}
 
= Map =
 
= Map =
 
[[Map:Strickler's Mennonite Church (Middletown, Pennsylvania, USA)]]
 
[[Map:Strickler's Mennonite Church (Middletown, Pennsylvania, USA)]]
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 4, p. 516|date=September 2010|a1_last=Landis|a1_first=Ira D.|a2_last=Zeager|a2_first=Lloyd}}
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 4, p. 516|date=July 2019|a1_last=Landis|a1_first=Ira D.|a2_last=Zeager|a2_first=Lloyd}}
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[[Category:Churches]]
 
[[Category:Churches]]
 
[[Category:Mennonite Church (MC) Congregations]]
 
[[Category:Mennonite Church (MC) Congregations]]

Revision as of 17:10, 13 July 2019

The history of Strickler’s Mennonite Church, Middletown, Pennsylvania, USA is closely connected to Shope’s Mennonite Church. The Shope congregation (Mennonite Church), located a few miles southeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, one mile east of the Lancaster Pike at Steelton, was first called the Mumma Mennonite congregation, since the group worshiped in Frederick Mumma's home. Shope’s meetinghouse began before Strickler’s as by 1815 a church-schoolhouse, 20 x 30 ft., of log with comb roof was erected, and later weatherboarded. It was replaced in 1873 by a brick church. The cemetery was started in 1877 on the elevation. Bishop Nathaniel Shope was the first to be buried there. Shope's Mennonite Church was a part of the Strickler-Shope circuit of the Lancaster Conference, with communion held at the Strickler church. The total membership in the circuit in 1957 was 87. Harry L. Longenecker was the minister at the Shope church. A separate Sunday school of 50 was maintained at that time.

Strickler’s meetinghouse was erected in 1837 three miles east of Shope’s at its current location. The original Strickler’s meetinghouse was built of limestone and measured 28 feet wide and 42 feet long. The same congregation maintained both buildings, alternating regular worship services between both locations. With a growing congregation, the Strickler’s meetinghouse could no longer adequately accommodate the people. In 1922, the small Strickler’s meetinghouse was razed and was replaced by the present brick building, measuring 42 feet wide by 70 feet long. The limestone from the original meetinghouse was used to form the foundation for the new building.

Cooperation between Shope’s and Strickler’s continued for many years, with services alternating between both churches each Sunday. Around 1950, both Shope’s and Strickler’s began to have Sunday School simultaneously each Sunday, but continued to alternate worship services. In 1965, the congregation decided to conduct all Sunday services at Strickler’s. The Shope’s meetinghouse did not meet the standards of more rigid building codes for an increasingly suburban community, and the declining membership did not provide an incentive to renovate the building. It continued to be used occasionally, especially for prayer meetings during the summer months. In 1976 the congregation donated the building to the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions for the development of a new, community-oriented congregation named Garden Chapel. This congregation renovated and enlarged the building and occupied it for 15-20 years, after which they built a new and larger church a few miles away near Highspire just off Rosedale Avenue. After standing vacant for several years the former Shope meetinghouse became a residence.

In 2000 Strickler's Mennonite Church left the Lancaster Mennonite Conference. Issues of difference with the Conference included such issues as women in leadership, divorce and remarriage, and the prayer veiling. Strickler's remained unaffiliated until 2006, when they became a part of Biblical Mennonite Alliance. In 2019 the congregation had 35 members and an average attendance of 51.

Bibliography

Biblical Mennonite Alliance. "BMA Congregational Directory with Pastors." August 2015.

Zeager, Lloyd. "A Dauphin County Mennonite Congregation: Strickler and Mumma/Shope." Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 10, no. 2 (April 1987): 12-20. Web. http://stricklersmennonitechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/A%20Dauphin%20County%20Mennonite%20Congregation.pdf.

Zeager, Lloyd. "History of Strickler's Mennonite Church." Strickler's Mennonite Church. http://stricklersmennonitechurch.org/history/.

Zeager, Lloyd. "Stricklers and Shopes Mennonite Church: Chronology of Significant Events." 14 August 2004. Web. 11 July 2019. http://stricklersmennonitechurch.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Chronology-of-Significant-Events.pdf.

Additional Information

Address: 3256 Schoolhouse Road, Middletown, PA 17057

Phone: (717) 944-9631

Website: http://www.stricklersmennonitechurch.org/

Denominational Affiliation: Biblical Mennonite Alliance

Ordained Pastors at Strickler's Mennonite Church

Name Years
of Service
John Mumma, Jr. (1776-1859
(Bishop)		 1816-1825
1825-1859
Nathaniel Shope (1815-1877)
(Bishop)		 1858-1864
1864-1877
John Erb (1839-1913) 1877-1913
David Z. Miller (1881-1971) 1905-1963
Harry L. Longenecker (1881-1978) 1913-1963
Henry N. Shope (1852-1939) 1882-1939
Russel S. Zeager (1915-2002) 1947-1992
James E. Keener 1965-1972
Lester M. Hoover 1970s?
Omar B. Stahl 1970s?
Elmer K. Breneman 1980-present
Edward N. Meyers 2002-present
Philip Oberholtzer 2010-present

Membership at Strickler's Mennonite Church

Year Membership
1916 65
1919 80
1925 80
1930 110
1935 110
1940 93
1945 87
1950 102
1955 98
1960 85
1965 88
1970 80
1975 65
1980 34
1985 32
1990 25
1995 31
2005 33
2011 34
2015 37
2019 35

Map

Map:Strickler's Mennonite Church (Middletown, Pennsylvania, USA)


Author(s) Ira D. Landis
Lloyd Zeager
Date Published July 2019

Cite This Article

MLA style

Landis, Ira D. and Lloyd Zeager. "Strickler's Mennonite Church (Middletown, Pennsylvania, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. July 2019. Web. 19 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Strickler%27s_Mennonite_Church_(Middletown,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=164318.

APA style

Landis, Ira D. and Lloyd Zeager. (July 2019). Strickler's Mennonite Church (Middletown, Pennsylvania, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Strickler%27s_Mennonite_Church_(Middletown,_Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=164318.



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Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 516. All rights reserved.


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