Bakersfield Mennonite Brethren Church, located at 1230 Monterey St., Bakersfield, California, had its beginning as a Sunday school in 1910. The early members mostly came from Mennonite Brethren congregations in Kansas and Oklahoma, organized into a church by Peter Richert, who was its first minister.

In 1913 B. J. Friesen was called to shepherd this church. He combined this assignment with city mission and extension Sunday-school work in the eastern part of the city. In 1916 the congregation bought a building lot and a hall, moved the hall to this site, and remodeled it into a church. The congregation in the 1950s had a church 32 x 56 ft. in size.

The congregation gradually increased and in 1924 numbered 150 members. In 1952 the membership stood at 180, composed of business men, laborers, and farmers. The church maintained a very active Sunday school with 200 in attendance, did extension Sunday-school work at East Side Community Chapel, had a Christian Fellowship, a Christian Endeavor, and a very active Ladies' Mission and Sewing Society. B. J. Friesen served the church as pastor from 1913 to 1932. P. N. Hiebert served from 1932 to 1944. After that J. B. Kliewer ministered to the church a short time. The next pastor was Henry Hooge. In 1952 the pastors were Arthur Flaming and E. R. Hodel.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 214. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

To cite this page:

MLA style: Lohrenz, J. H. "Bakersfield Mennonite Brethren Church (Bakersfield, California, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1955. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/B3565.html>

APA style: Lohrenz, J. H. (1955). "Bakersfield Mennonite Brethren Church (Bakersfield, California, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 July 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/B3565.html>