Conservative Mennonite Church of Ontario
Conservative Mennonite Church of Ontario was established in 1959. Curtis Cressman and Moses Roth, bishops; Moses Baer and Elmer Grove, ministers; Andrew Axt and Clarence Huber, deacons; with their followers, held their first separate church service on 22 November 1959, at the Township Hall, Baden. Services at Baden continued until the New Hamburg Conservative Mennonite church was built in 1960. The Heidelberg and Fort Stewart congregations were established the same year.
The reason for the group's withdrawal from the Mennonite Conference of Ontario (MC) was the desire to return to earlier biblical standards of nonconformity to the unequal yoke in regard to politics, immodest attire (dress), women's hair cutting, and wearing of jewelry. They wanted closer adherence and obedience to scriptural church ordinances. Their appeal to the conference was ineffective, resulting in their withdrawal.
In 1975, issues relating to radio and television again surfaced, causing about one-third of the most lenient members to secede and establish the Heidelberg Fellowship Church.
In 1986 there were 11 congregations, with 4 bishops, 17 ministers, and 7 deacons. Membership was 418. Ten schools offered instruction up to grade 10. Under the Fellowship Churches program, the Conservative Mennonite Church of Ontario has supported missions in India, Nigeria, Mexico, Dominican Republic, and the Philippines.
In 2001 there were 9 congregations, with 5 bishops, 13 ministers and 9 deacons. Membership was 476. One congregation was located in Kakinada, India. Six private schools were operated.
Bibliography
Mennonite Archives of Ontario, Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ont.
Constitution and Faith and Practice of the Mennonite Church of Ontario.
Directory of the Fellowship Churches. Farmington, N. Mex.: Lamp and Light Publishers, Inc.
Reimer, Margaret Loewen, ed., One Quilt, Many Pieces. Waterloo, Ont.: Mennonite Publishing Service, 1983: 18
Mennonite Church Information. Harrisonburg, VA: Christian Light Publications, 2001: 34-35.
Additional Information
©1996-2008 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.
To cite this page:
MLA style: Horst, Isaac R. and Sam Steiner. "Conservative Mennonite Church of Ontario." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 2001. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 11 May 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/C6674ME.html>
APA style: Horst, Isaac R. and Sam Steiner. (2001). "Conservative Mennonite Church of Ontario." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 11 May 2008 <http://www.gameo.org/encyclopedia/contents/C6674ME.html>
