Trinity Mennonite Church (Hillsboro, Kansas, USA)
In 1966, Trinity Mennonite Church (TMC) resulted from the merger of two congregations: Brudertal Mennonite Church and Johannestal Mennonite Church. Brudertal was comprised of immigrants from South Russia and West Prussia, while Johannestal was comprised of immigrants from Polish Russia near Warsaw. These congregations were just four miles apart in the country.
The impetus for the merger was the creation of the Marion Reservoir, which included the land on which the Brudertal building sat. Brudertal Mennonite Church sold its property to the U.S. government for $50,000 in 1966 and decided to construct its new building on 2 1/2 acres of land on the west edge of Hillsboro since much of the population had moved to town. The cost of the entire church building, including land and furnishings, was $225,000. The Johannestal congregation offered to join them, and the resulting congregation was named "Trinity Mennonite Church," "Trinity" representing Brudertal, Johannestal, and others joining the church. The first worship service together was on 22 May 1966.
Most TMC members were farmers. Over the years, changes in the agricultural sector of the economy (e.g. larger, fewer farms with more work done by machines) meant fewer farms were available and fewer farmers were needed. Consequently, more and more people left the farm to work in urban settings or moved to different states for farming opportunities. Others went to colleges and universities and found employment in cities. This migration from rural to urban settings, combined with new church plants starting in Hillsboro, drew members away from TMC. Members also transferred to the home churches of their spouses.
As a result, TMC, which began with 326 members in 1966, in 2021 was the spiritual home of 36 people. The congregation was comprised of individuals ranging from 50-year-olds to 90-year-olds. Although they had no children or youth among their members, TMC actively ministered to the children in Hillsboro. For instance, the church is two blocks from the community swimming pool, so during the summer, they cooked meals for children at risk of hunger and gave them a pool pass each day. The congregation served up to 75 children a day during the summer. Another example of their children’s ministry was the construction of a playground on church property for the neighborhood children. Beyond its ministry to the children of Hillsboro, TMC also strongly supports Mennonite Central Committee with craft projects to sell and making zweibach and pies for the annual relief sale.
Finally, on 9 April 2023, Trinity held its last service. It gave its building to the Hillsboro Community Foundation, which will continue programming for children.
Bibliography
Duerksen, Norma. Unpublished information provided to Western District Conference, 2021.
"Congregation History Stories." Western District Conference. Web. 17 May 2021. https://mennowdc.org/congregation-history-stories/.
Robinson, Laurie Oswald. "Church ends on resurrection note." Anabaptist World 4, no. 6 (5 May 2023): 26-27.
Archival Records
The congregation's archives are located at the archives of the Mennonite Historical Library at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas.
Additional Information
Address: 211 Elm Street, Hillsboro, Kansas 67063
Phone: 620-947-3824
Website: https://www.trinitymennonitehillsboroks.com/
Denominational Affiliations: Western District Conference
Pastoral Leaders at Trinity Mennonite Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Henry Goosen | 1966 (May-Jul) |
| Ben Friesen | 1966 (Jul-Dec) |
| Victor Sawatzky | 1967-1972 |
| Loris A. Habegger (1918-2009) | 1973 (Jan-Aug) |
| Eric Sawatzky | 1973-1976 |
| William Keeney (1922-2006) | 1976 (Jun-Aug) |
| Mel Friesen | 1976-1979 |
| Albert Gaeddert | 1979-1980 |
| Heinz & Dotty Janzen | 1980-1990 |
| Corey Miller (Youth) | 1987-1997 |
| Roland Goering | 1990-1991 |
| Arlin Yoder | 1991-1994 |
| Paul & Grace Brunner | 1994-1996 |
| Steve Conrad | 1996-1998 |
| Kerry Saner (Youth) | 1997-1998 |
| Gordon Scoville | 1998-1999 |
| Eric Schrag (Youth) | 1998-2001 |
| Timothy W. Kliewer | 1999=2007 |
| Todd Lehman (Youth) | 2001-2007 |
| Orlan Koehn | 2007-2008 |
| Justin Hiebert (Youth) | 2007-2008 |
| Jeffrey Wintermote | 2008-2014 |
| Amanda Rempel | 2014 (Sep-Dec) |
| Norma Duerksen | 2015-2023 |
Membership/Attendance at the Trinity Mennonite Church
| Year | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1966 | 326 |
| 1970 | 314 |
| 1975 | 313 |
| Attendance | |
| 1980 | 183 |
| 1985 | 167 |
| 1990 | 160 |
| 1995 | 133 |
| 2000 | 111 |
| 2005 | 95 |
| 2010 | 74 |
| 2015 | 52 |
| 2020 | 36 |
| Author(s) | Norma Duerksen |
|---|---|
| Kent Moore | |
| Samuel J. Steiner | |
| Date Published | May 2023 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Duerksen, Norma, Kent Moore and Samuel J. Steiner. "Trinity Mennonite Church (Hillsboro, Kansas, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. May 2023. Web. 26 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Trinity_Mennonite_Church_(Hillsboro,_Kansas,_USA)&oldid=175470.
APA style
Duerksen, Norma, Kent Moore and Samuel J. Steiner. (May 2023). Trinity Mennonite Church (Hillsboro, Kansas, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 26 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Trinity_Mennonite_Church_(Hillsboro,_Kansas,_USA)&oldid=175470.
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