Stiens, a village in the Dutch province of Friesland, formerly the seat of a Mennonite congregation, which also was known as the Stiens and Hijum congregation. In 1635 this congregation numbered about 35 baptized members, most of whom, how­ever, lived at Hijum. These Mennonites of Hijum joined the Hallum congregation in the 18th century or even earlier. Then the Stiens congregation, which always was small and which never had a meetinghouse and no preacher after 1704, died out about 1725. Elder Leenaert Bouwens baptized one person at Stiens about 1552. Since 1 November 1951, there has been a Mennonite circle (Kring) at Stiens, to which 20 Mennonites belong; they hold their meetings every two weeks. The pastors of the neighboring congregations of Oudebildtzijl and Hallum take care of the Stiens circle.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 632. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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