Paso Robles First Mennonite Church was organized in 1903 by twenty-five charter members. Originally this group was a part of the San Marcos Mennonite Church which dissolved on 26 November 1903, and reorganized as the Willow Creek Mennonite Church and the First Mennonite Church of Paso Robles. The group dismantled an old building 15 miles west of Paso Robles and moved it to Paso Robles where the church was erected. Some of the members lived at Estrella, where worship services were conducted on alternate Sundays for a while. The preaching was originally in German, then in German and English, and at present it is in English only.

Jacob Hege served the congregation until 1906, when he moved to Idaho. John K. Lichti succeeded him and was ordained as elder by Michael Horsch. Hege returned to Paso Robles and served as elder 1915-1919, succeeded by his son Christian C. Hege 1919-1944. Since that time the church has been served by Arlo Kaufman, Ben Rahn, M. S. Galle, and Alfred J. Schwartz, pastor in the late 1950s; the membership at that time was 69.

Bibliography

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 122. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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