The Archbold Evangelical Church (formerly Archbold Evangelical Mennonite Church) is a member of the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches (formerly Evangelical Mennonite Conference). The church was organized about the year 1870 as a secession from the main Amish Mennonite group. Worship services in that period were held in the homes of the members. In 1880 a brick church accommodating 200 persons was built 2.5 miles (four km) east of Archbold. In 1922 this church was razed and made part of a new church erected in town, with a capacity of 450, the membership having grown to 494. Approximately 100 of these members, assisted by the local congregation, erected a church building at Wauseon, Ohio, 10 miles (16 km) east of Archbold, and began regular services there in 1949. This church has a seating capacity of 350. On 22 July 2007 the congregation broke ground for a new church building.

Ministers serving the congregation at Archbold up to 1955 were Joseph Rupp, John Dietsch, Daniel Rupp, Joseph Egly, Eli Rupp, Ben Rupp, J. C. Miller, Elmer Klopfenstein, E. M. Slagle, Sam Rupp, Reuben Short, and H. E. Bertsche. Gordon Zimmerman was the first pastor of the church at Wauseon, Ohio.

Bibliography

Additional Information

Address: 705 Lafayette Street, Archbold, Ohio 43502

Phone: 419-445-5661

Website: Archbold Evangelical Church

Denominational Affiliation: Fellowship of Evangelical Churches

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, pp. 146. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

©1996-2013 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.