The Mid-West Mennonite Fellowship grew out of a number of ministers' desire for fellowship for themselves and their congregations along with the need of a winter Bible School for their young people. Most of these ministers were from the midwestern United States. A few were from eastern Ontario.

On 1 October 1976, 15 of these interested ministers gathered at Fairview, Michigan for a day of fellowship and sharing of concerns. Out of this meeting grew an interest in including others unaffiliated with a conference. At this meeting a committee of three were elected to plan the next meeting. The three brethren chosen were Samuel Yoder (Minnesota, USA), Leighton Martin (Ontario, Canada), and Roman Schlabach (Michigan, USA).

The second meeting was held 8-10 February 1977, at Stone Lake, Wisconsin. This meeting was well attended, with 50 ministers present, along with the representation from the local congregation. A third meeting was held at the Salem Mennonite Church near Kinross, Iowa, 1-3 July 1977. About 500 people attended these services. Interest in a winter Bible school was the main topic of the ministers business session. There was strong support for the school and an association to support it. The latter was organized by 23 ministers gathered at Nappanee, Indiana, 21 September 1977. The first program committee was made up of Leon King (Ohio), Homer Miller (Indiana), and Alvin Mast (Wisconsin). A five-member school board was chosen as follows: Leighton Martin (Ontario, Canada), Victor Miller (Michigan, USA), Arnie Skrivseth (Minnesota, USA), Olen Miller (Indiana, USA), and Samuel Yoder (Minnesota, USA). Thirteen churches joined the Mid-West Fellowship as charter members. In 2001 the fellowship had 36 congregations with a total membership of 2,001.

A former elementary school building at Lansing, Minnesota was chosen as the site for the winter Bible School. The building, leased at first and later purchased, is also used to hold the annual winter ministers' meetings. Bible School begins the first Monday of January and runs for 12 weeks. Total annual enrollment in 1990 was 200 students.

See also Conservative Mennonites.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 584. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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