Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario, Canada)
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| Bethel Mennonite Church, September 2009 |
The Bethel Mennonite congregation was formally organized on 12 December 1947 with 26 members. The church was formerly owned by the United Church of Canada. The first pastor was Newton Gingrich, who was ordained 19 June 1949. The first deacon, Henry F. Martin, was ordained 5 September1948. The first building was occupied in 1948. Reuben Dettweiler was the founding bishop of the congregation. The congregation originated through outreach of the Elmira and Floradale Mennonite churches.
Minister Linda Brnjas served in 2009 as congregational leader. In 1950 there were 53 members; in 1965, 104; in 1975, 214; in 1985, 247; in 1995, 175; in 2000, 178; in 2006; 126. The congregation affiliated with the Mennonite Conference of Ontario from 1948-1988, Mennonite Church Eastern Canada since 1988 and the Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada since 1995. The language of worship is English.
Bibliography
Gospel Herald (6 January 1948): 12; (20 April 1948): 379.
Mennonite Reporter (29 May 1989): 12.
Church records at Mennonite Archives of Ontario include unpublished 2 page history; "Mennonites buy Pilkington United Church," (undated newspaper article) MAO; Mennonites in Canada collection "MC(1830-Moorefield)."
Weber, Linda. "A Brief History of Bethel, Berea, Moorefield, Glen Allan, and Listowel," Research paper, CGC, 1971, 37 pp.
Additional Information
Address: 6772 Eighth Line West, R.R. #1, Elora, Ontario
Phone: 519-846-0180
Website: Bethel Mennonite Church
Denominational Affiliations:
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, p. 311. 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.
MLA style: Dettweiler, Reuben and Marlene Epp. "Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. January 1989. Web. 24 May 2013. http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/B4865.html.
APA style: Dettweiler, Reuben and Marlene Epp. (January 1989). Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 May 2013, from http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/B4865.html.
