The Michigan Conference of the United Missionary Church (known in 2006 as the Missionary Church) was organized in 1896 as a mission conference under the Ontario Conference, later becoming an independent conference. The earliest congregations in the district had been formed as the result of the work of a young Canadian convert, Peter Cober, and Daniel Brenneman. Other early workers were Samuel Shirk, D. U. Lambert, and J. Schlichter. The first presiding elder was E. O. Anthony. In 1954 the conference had 43 congregations and mission stations, with a total membership of 2,049, of which 16 congregations with 964 members were in the South District, 24 congregations with 1,038 members were in the North District, and 3 unorganized churches had 47 members; most of the churches are small, the following 5 having more than 100 members each: Detroit (Dakota Ave.) 243, Port Huron 177, Brown City 126, Yale Trinity 123, Pontiac 106.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 671. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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