1990 Article

In the late 1960s and early 1970s lay and pastoral leaders with intense desire to mobilize human resources for mission efforts formed a fellowship of 16 congregations from four different conferences, Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference (1), Lancaster Mennonite Conference (4), Mennonite Conference of Ontario [and Quebec] (1) Conservative Mennonite Conference (8), and two emerging house fellowships. Organizational structures established in 1973, were to facilitate fellowship and local mission projects while all other church polity questions remained with the established conferences.

The resources needed by newly emerging churches eventually encouraged the New York Mennonite Conference (known as the NYS Fellowship until the early 1990s)(to undertake all conference functions. (The State of New York prohibits the use of "New York State" in titles of non-government organizations; hence the name NYS Fellowship rather than New York State Fellowship.) In 1987 17 congregations with 1,007 members looked to the fellowship for all conference functions, and 6 conservative Mennonite congregations, (1,026 members), maintained dual affiliation. A delegate assembly with an executive committee is responsible for policies and direction. A ministerial committee was responsible for the credentials and nurture of pastoral leaders. An executive secretary carried out administrative tasks and served as a resource for affiliated congregations. In 2005 there were 1,304 members in 17 congregations.

2010 Update

In 2010 the following 15 congregations were members of the New York Mennonite Conference:

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, p. 642. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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