Lichty (or Smoketown) Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA), a congregation of the Weaverland circuit, Lancaster Mennonite Conference, first worshiped in the farm homes of Christian Lichty and Peter Shirk, until the meetinghouse was built in 1849 a mile south east of the present site. In 1889 a stone meetinghouse was erected (this was the church where the introduction of a pulpit aided the Old Order Mennonite schism). This was earlier also called Zimmerman, and the cemetery in a field a half mile southwest of the present sector still carries the name. The bishop Christian Zimmerman lived hereabouts. This was also Preacher John W. Weaver's home church. In 1956 J. Paul Graybill was bishop and the Weaverland ministers were in charge. The membership in 1956 was 92. In 2002 the membership was 160; Clair R. Long served as minister.

Additional Information

Address: 1690 Union Grove Road, East Earl, Pennsylvania

Phone: 717-445-7434

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 336; vol. 4, p. 1146. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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