The Metzler Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA), 120 S. 10th St., Akron in West Earl Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is a member of the Lancaster Conference. It was named for Jacob Metzler, who on 6 May 1827 donated 60 perches of land to the trustees of the congregation. This was the home district of Bishop Christian Burkholder (1746-1809). Earlier the members had worshiped in private homes or at Groffdale, which was always a part of the circuit. Jacob Weber and Jacob Stauffer, two of the ministers here, led the schism which resulted in the Stauffer Mennonites (Pike meetinghouse) in 1845. The Metzler meetinghouse was enlarged in 1864. A new one 40 x 62 ft. was built in 1897 and renovated and enlarged in 1952. In 1956 the congregation numbered 235, with Eli G. Sauder, John S. Martin, Amos H. Sauder, and Paul S. Wenger as preachers.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 659. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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