Hostetter Mennonite Church, established in Union Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania, in 1845, was originally a member of the Lancaster Conference. The church has a cornerstone marked "Manosimon Meetinghouse Built AD 1854; Rebuilt 1899." This beautiful farming community was settled by Mennonites in the mid-18th century. The congregation met in private homes with Bair's Hanover and later a schoolhouse until 1854, when Bishop John Hostetter gave land for a church, and the first meetinghouse was built, later replaced by another one. Services are held here every four weeks. It is part of the Hanover-Bair's Hanover circuit. In 1955 it had 111 members.

In 1978 or later the congregation withdrew from the Lancaster Conference and joined the Mid-Atlantic Mennonite Fellowship, a conservative group that brought together independent Mennonite congregations. It was identified as the Bairs-Hostetters Mennonite Church. In 2008 it had 48 members; Richard K. Herr was the bishop; David Keller was the minister.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 819. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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