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Forks Mennonite Church, located six miles southeast of [[Middlebury (Indiana, USA)|Middlebury]], in Newbury Township, [[Lagrange County (Indiana, USA)|Lagrange County]], [[Indiana (USA)|Indiana]], is a member of the [[Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Indiana-Michigan Conference]]. The first [[Amish Mennonites|Amish]] settlers came to [[Elkhart County (Indiana, USA)|Elkhart]] and Lagrange counties in 1841-1842. A group broke away from the Amish in 1854 to form the Amish Mennonite Forks Church. Christian Plank and Christian Miller were the first ministers. The first known bishop was Jonas Troyer. [[Johns, Daniel J. (1850-1942)|D. J. Johns]] then retained oversight until [[Miller, Daniel D. (1864-1955)|D. D. Miller]] was ordained bishop in 1906. Miller, who died in 1955, was ordained deacon in 1890, minister in 1891, and bishop in 1906, all three times by D. J. Johns. In 1953 Earley C. Bontrager was the bishop, Donald E. Yoder the minister, and Malvin P. Miller the deacon; the 1953 membership was 213. The first church, built in 1864, was replaced in 1893 by a larger structure, which was remodeled in 1915. In 1927 the house was destroyed by fire but was soon replaced. Missionaries from this congregation include Dr. and Mrs. W. B. Page, [[Miller, Ernest E. (1893-1975)|Ernest E. and Ruth Miller]], S. Jay and Ida Hostetler, Wilbur and Velma Hostetler, and Amsa and Nona Kauffman. Forks was also the home congregation of [[Miller, Orie O. (1892-1977)|Orie O. Miller]], executive secretary of the [[Mennonite Central Committee (International)|Mennonite Central Committee]].
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__TOC__
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The Forks Amish Mennonite Church emerged from a movement led by Bishop Jonas D. Troyer, who relaxed the Amish ''[[Ordnung (Order)|Ordnung]]'' requirements and began to build meetinghouses. In [[Indiana (USA)|Indiana]], the division of the [[Amish Mennonites]] from the other Amish (later called [[Old Order Amish]]) began in 1854. The Indiana Amish Mennonites held less strict dress standards, baptized converts in a flowing stream, accepted political offices that didn't require force, encouraged more education, and soon adopted [[Sunday School|Sunday schools]] and high school education.  
 +
 
 +
The first service of the Forks Amish Mennonite group took place in 1857 in Joseph Hershberger's home.  
 +
 
 +
In the spring of 1864, the congregation bought an acre of land on 4 May 1864 on which to build a meetinghouse, though it may have already been built in 1863. The land was at the Little Elkhart River and the Emma Creek, thus accounting for its name. The first building was replaced in 1893 by a larger structure. The original building was moved to a nearby farm. The congregation remodeled the 1893 building in 1915 and put a basement under it. In 1927, the meetinghouse was destroyed by a fire started by a lightning strike but was replaced by a new building in January 1928.
 +
 
 +
Forks Amish Mennonite began a Sunday school in 1871. Perhaps this and other liberalizing actions led Minister Joseph J. Bontrager to withdraw with other like-minded members to form the [[Townline Mennonite Church (Shipshewana, Indiana, USA)|Townline Amish Mennonite Church]]. That congregation affiliated with the [[Rosedale Network of Churches|Conservative Amish Mennonite Conference]]. In 1901, some members of Forks worked together with the [[Shore Mennonite Church (Shipshewana, Indiana, USA)|Shore Mennonite Church]] to begin the [[Emma Mennonite Church (Topeka, Indiana, USA)|Emma Mennonite Church]].
 +
 
 +
It also nurtured many missionaries, including [[Page, Alice Thut (1872-1951) and William B. (1871-1945)|William B. and Alice Page]], [[Miller, Ernest E. (1893-1975)|Ernest E. Miller]], and [[Hostetler, Ida Miller (1900-1972) and Hostetler, Sylvan Jay (1901-1978)|Sylvan and Ida Hostetler]].  
 +
 
 +
Forks also launched many mission outposts, including the [[First Mennonite Church (Middlebury, Indiana, USA)|Middlebury Mennonite Church]] and Sunday schools in White Pigeon, Fawn River, and [[California Mennonite Church (Montgomery, Michigan, USA)|California]], [[Michigan (USA)|Michigan]].
 +
 
 +
When the Amish Mennonites and Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan merged into the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference in 1916, Forks Amish Mennonite Church dropped the "Amish" from its name.
 +
 
 +
During World War II, the congregation supported its men serving in [[Civilian Public Service]] by providing annual allowances of $120.
 +
 
 +
On 24 April 1949, the Forks church building again burned, probably from an overheated furnace. A new meetinghouse was dedicated on 22 January 1950. In 1966, the congregation added a lobby and Sunday school rooms to the building, and in 1977, added a fellowship hall and education wing.
 +
 
 +
The Palm Sunday tornadoes in 1965 took the lives of four Forks Mennonite Church members.
 +
 
 +
By 2006, average Sunday morning attendance had dropped to 89. The congregation closed in December 2016. Several reasons influenced the decision to close, including the changing community and the loss of youth in the church in the rural area. Pastor Philip Yoder said, "Almost everybody who comes here drives in, they’re not really from this community anymore," Yoder said. "The age of the people in the congregation was another factor."
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 +
In 2024, the Middlebury Community Church of the Nazarene occupied the former Forks Mennonite building.
 
= Bibliography =
 
= Bibliography =
−
Augsburger, A. "History of the Forks Congregation." <em>Mennonite Historical Bulletin </em>4, no. 3-4 (September 1943-December 1943).
+
Augsburger, A. "History of the Forks Congregation." ''Mennonite Historical Bulletin'' 4, no. 3-4 (September 1943-December 1943).
 +
 
 +
Preheim, Rich. ''In Pursuit of Faithfulness: Conviction, Conflict, and Compromise in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference''. Harrisonburg, Va.: Herald Press, 2016: 96, 149, 169, 256, 309.
 +
 
 +
Stoltzfus, Eldon. "Forks Mennonite." ''Gospel Evangel'' 87, no. 7 (November 2006): 6.
 +
 
 +
Wenger, John Christian. ''The Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan''. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1961: 171-175.
 +
 
 +
_____. ''The Story of the Forks Mennonite Church: a 125th Anniversary History.'' Middlebury, Ind.: The Church, 1982.
 +
 
 +
Young, Jay. "After 159 years, Forks Mennonite Church closes its doors on Christmas Day." ''Goshen News.'' 26 December 2016. Web. 5 June 2017. http://www.goshennews.com/news/local_news/after-years-forks-mennonite-church-closes-its-doors-on-christmas/article_f7519ca7-a0c6-58ee-b6d5-be37e7042157.html.
 +
 
 
= Additional Information =
 
= Additional Information =
−
'''Address''': 11435 W 025 S, Middlebury, Indiana
 
  
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'''Phone''': 574-825-9333
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'''Address:''' 11435 W 025 S, Middlebury, Indiana
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 +
'''Phone:'''
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 +
'''Website''':  
  
 
'''Denominational Affiliations''':
 
'''Denominational Affiliations''':
 +
[https://www.im.mennonite.net/ Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference]
  
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[http://www.im.mennonite.net/ Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference]
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[https://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA]
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== Pastoral Leaders at Forks Mennonite Church ==
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
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! Name !! Years<br/>of Service
 +
|-
 +
| Jonas D. Troyer (1811-1897)(Bishop) || 1857-1864?<br />1885?-1897
 +
|-
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| Christian S. Plank (1819-1887) || 1857-1860s
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|-
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| Christian C. Miller (1818-1891) || 1857-1860s
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|-
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| John Smiley (1822-1879) || 1857-1866
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|-
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| Emanuel Hostetler (1817-1897) || 1857-1870s
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|-
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| Joseph J. Bontrager (1830-1921) || 1867-1876
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|-
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| Eli S. Miller (1821-1917)(Deacon-Bishop) || 1870-1917
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|-
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| Seth Troyer (1835-1910) || ca. 1880-1890s?
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|-
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| Joseph D. Miller (1858-1901) || 1886-1901
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|-
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| Edward Gegax (1857-1947) || 1887-1890
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|-
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| [[Miller, Daniel D. (1864-1955)|Daniel D. "D. D." Miller]] (1864-1955)<br />(Bishop)  || 1891-1906<br />1906-1944
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|-
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| Andrew J. Hostetler (1858-1925) || 1898-1904
 +
|-
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| Samuel E. "S. E." Weaver (1880-1935) || 1904-1916
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|-
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| William "Wilbur" Miller (1899-1991) || 1921-1924
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|-
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| Earley C. "E. C." Bontrager (1888-1979)<br />(Bishop) || 1932-1945<br />1945-1962<br />1964-1967
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|-
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| Donald E. Yoder (1930-1998)<br />(Bishop) || 1953-1961<br />1961-1964
 +
|-
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| Sylvester R. Haarer (1916-2001)<br />(Bishop) || 1964-1967<br />1967-1976
 +
|-
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| John J. Yoder (1919-2001)(Bishop) || 1976-1984
 +
|-
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| David R. Helmuth (1935-2020) || 1978-1979?
 +
|-
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| Bruce W. Lyndaker (Associate) || 1983-1985?
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|-
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| Eugene Bontrager || 1985-1998?
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|-
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| Theodore M. "Ted" Eash (1936-2009)(Associate) || 1995?-1998?
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|-
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| Philip W. Yoder (Associate) || 1993-1999<br />2012?-2016
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|-
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| Mahlon Miller (Interim) || 1999-2000
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|-
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| Wes P. Yoder || 2000-2003
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|-
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| Mervin Miller (Intentional Interim) || 2003-2005
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|-
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| Eldon R. Stoltzfus (1948-2021|| 2005-2011
 +
|-
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| Randall C. Miller (Interim) || 2015
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|}
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== Forks Mennonite Church Membership ==
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
 +
|-
 +
! Year !! Members
 +
|-
 +
| 1890 || 180
 +
|-
 +
| 1908 || 208
 +
|-
 +
| 1920 || 295
 +
|-
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| 1930 || 269
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|-
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| 1940 || 245
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|-
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| 1950 || 214
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|-
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| 1960 || 225
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|-
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| 1970 || 239
 +
|-
 +
| 1980 || 215
 +
|-
 +
| 1990 || 189
 +
|-
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| 2000 || 176
 +
|-
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| 2009 || 151
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|}
  
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[http://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA]
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= Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article =
−
{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 2, p. 354|date=1956|a1_last=Rheinheimer|a1_first=Floyd L|a2_last=|a2_first=}}
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By Floyd L. Rheinheimer. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from ''Mennonite Encyclopedia'', Vol. 2, p. 354. All rights reserved.
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 +
Forks Mennonite Church, located six miles southeast of [[Middlebury (Indiana, USA)|Middlebury]], in Newbury Township, [[Lagrange County (Indiana, USA)|Lagrange County]], [[Indiana (USA)|Indiana]], is a member of the [[Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Indiana-Michigan Conference]]. The first [[Amish Mennonites|Amish]] settlers came to [[Elkhart County (Indiana, USA)|Elkhart]] and Lagrange counties in 1841-1842. A group broke away from the Amish in 1854 to form the Amish Mennonite Forks Church. Christian Plank and Christian Miller were the first ministers. The first known bishop was Jonas Troyer. [[Johns, Daniel J. (1850-1942)|D. J. Johns]] then retained oversight until [[Miller, Daniel D. (1864-1955)|D. D. Miller]] was ordained bishop in 1906. Miller, who died in 1955, was ordained deacon in 1890, minister in 1891, and bishop in 1906, all three times by D. J. Johns. In 1953 Earley C. Bontrager was the bishop, Donald E. Yoder the minister, and Malvin P. Miller the deacon; the 1953 membership was 213. The first church, built in 1864, was replaced in 1893 by a larger structure, which was remodeled in 1915. In 1927 the house was destroyed by fire but was soon replaced. Missionaries from this congregation include Dr. and Mrs. W. B. Page, [[Miller, Ernest E. (1893-1975)|Ernest E. and Ruth Miller]], S. Jay and Ida Hostetler, Wilbur and Velma Hostetler, and Amsa and Nona Kauffman. Forks was also the home congregation of [[Miller, Orie O. (1892-1977)|Orie O. Miller]], executive secretary of the [[Mennonite Central Committee (International)|Mennonite Central Committee]].
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=May 2024|a1_last=Steiner|a1_first=Samuel J|a2_last=|a2_first=}}
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[[Category:Churches]]
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[[Category:Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
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[[Category:Mennonite Church (MC) Congregations]]
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[[Category:Mennonite Church USA Congregations]]
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[[Category:Extinct Congregations]]
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[[Category:Indiana Congregations]]
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[[Category:United States Congregations]]

Latest revision as of 23:26, 28 May 2024

The Forks Amish Mennonite Church emerged from a movement led by Bishop Jonas D. Troyer, who relaxed the Amish Ordnung requirements and began to build meetinghouses. In Indiana, the division of the Amish Mennonites from the other Amish (later called Old Order Amish) began in 1854. The Indiana Amish Mennonites held less strict dress standards, baptized converts in a flowing stream, accepted political offices that didn't require force, encouraged more education, and soon adopted Sunday schools and high school education.

The first service of the Forks Amish Mennonite group took place in 1857 in Joseph Hershberger's home.

In the spring of 1864, the congregation bought an acre of land on 4 May 1864 on which to build a meetinghouse, though it may have already been built in 1863. The land was at the Little Elkhart River and the Emma Creek, thus accounting for its name. The first building was replaced in 1893 by a larger structure. The original building was moved to a nearby farm. The congregation remodeled the 1893 building in 1915 and put a basement under it. In 1927, the meetinghouse was destroyed by a fire started by a lightning strike but was replaced by a new building in January 1928.

Forks Amish Mennonite began a Sunday school in 1871. Perhaps this and other liberalizing actions led Minister Joseph J. Bontrager to withdraw with other like-minded members to form the Townline Amish Mennonite Church. That congregation affiliated with the Conservative Amish Mennonite Conference. In 1901, some members of Forks worked together with the Shore Mennonite Church to begin the Emma Mennonite Church.

It also nurtured many missionaries, including William B. and Alice Page, Ernest E. Miller, and Sylvan and Ida Hostetler.

Forks also launched many mission outposts, including the Middlebury Mennonite Church and Sunday schools in White Pigeon, Fawn River, and California, Michigan.

When the Amish Mennonites and Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan merged into the Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference in 1916, Forks Amish Mennonite Church dropped the "Amish" from its name.

During World War II, the congregation supported its men serving in Civilian Public Service by providing annual allowances of $120.

On 24 April 1949, the Forks church building again burned, probably from an overheated furnace. A new meetinghouse was dedicated on 22 January 1950. In 1966, the congregation added a lobby and Sunday school rooms to the building, and in 1977, added a fellowship hall and education wing.

The Palm Sunday tornadoes in 1965 took the lives of four Forks Mennonite Church members.

By 2006, average Sunday morning attendance had dropped to 89. The congregation closed in December 2016. Several reasons influenced the decision to close, including the changing community and the loss of youth in the church in the rural area. Pastor Philip Yoder said, "Almost everybody who comes here drives in, they’re not really from this community anymore," Yoder said. "The age of the people in the congregation was another factor."

In 2024, the Middlebury Community Church of the Nazarene occupied the former Forks Mennonite building.

Bibliography

Augsburger, A. "History of the Forks Congregation." Mennonite Historical Bulletin 4, no. 3-4 (September 1943-December 1943).

Preheim, Rich. In Pursuit of Faithfulness: Conviction, Conflict, and Compromise in Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference. Harrisonburg, Va.: Herald Press, 2016: 96, 149, 169, 256, 309.

Stoltzfus, Eldon. "Forks Mennonite." Gospel Evangel 87, no. 7 (November 2006): 6.

Wenger, John Christian. The Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1961: 171-175.

_____. The Story of the Forks Mennonite Church: a 125th Anniversary History. Middlebury, Ind.: The Church, 1982.

Young, Jay. "After 159 years, Forks Mennonite Church closes its doors on Christmas Day." Goshen News. 26 December 2016. Web. 5 June 2017. http://www.goshennews.com/news/local_news/after-years-forks-mennonite-church-closes-its-doors-on-christmas/article_f7519ca7-a0c6-58ee-b6d5-be37e7042157.html.

Additional Information

Address: 11435 W 025 S, Middlebury, Indiana

Phone:

Website:

Denominational Affiliations: Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference

Mennonite Church USA

Pastoral Leaders at Forks Mennonite Church

Name Years
of Service
Jonas D. Troyer (1811-1897)(Bishop) 1857-1864?
1885?-1897
Christian S. Plank (1819-1887) 1857-1860s
Christian C. Miller (1818-1891) 1857-1860s
John Smiley (1822-1879) 1857-1866
Emanuel Hostetler (1817-1897) 1857-1870s
Joseph J. Bontrager (1830-1921) 1867-1876
Eli S. Miller (1821-1917)(Deacon-Bishop) 1870-1917
Seth Troyer (1835-1910) ca. 1880-1890s?
Joseph D. Miller (1858-1901) 1886-1901
Edward Gegax (1857-1947) 1887-1890
Daniel D. "D. D." Miller (1864-1955)
(Bishop)		 1891-1906
1906-1944
Andrew J. Hostetler (1858-1925) 1898-1904
Samuel E. "S. E." Weaver (1880-1935) 1904-1916
William "Wilbur" Miller (1899-1991) 1921-1924
Earley C. "E. C." Bontrager (1888-1979)
(Bishop)		 1932-1945
1945-1962
1964-1967
Donald E. Yoder (1930-1998)
(Bishop)		 1953-1961
1961-1964
Sylvester R. Haarer (1916-2001)
(Bishop)		 1964-1967
1967-1976
John J. Yoder (1919-2001)(Bishop) 1976-1984
David R. Helmuth (1935-2020) 1978-1979?
Bruce W. Lyndaker (Associate) 1983-1985?
Eugene Bontrager 1985-1998?
Theodore M. "Ted" Eash (1936-2009)(Associate) 1995?-1998?
Philip W. Yoder (Associate) 1993-1999
2012?-2016
Mahlon Miller (Interim) 1999-2000
Wes P. Yoder 2000-2003
Mervin Miller (Intentional Interim) 2003-2005
Eldon R. Stoltzfus (1948-2021 2005-2011
Randall C. Miller (Interim) 2015

Forks Mennonite Church Membership

Year Members
1890 180
1908 208
1920 295
1930 269
1940 245
1950 214
1960 225
1970 239
1980 215
1990 189
2000 176
2009 151

Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article

By Floyd L. Rheinheimer. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 354. All rights reserved.

Forks Mennonite Church, located six miles southeast of Middlebury, in Newbury Township, Lagrange County, Indiana, is a member of the Indiana-Michigan Conference. The first Amish settlers came to Elkhart and Lagrange counties in 1841-1842. A group broke away from the Amish in 1854 to form the Amish Mennonite Forks Church. Christian Plank and Christian Miller were the first ministers. The first known bishop was Jonas Troyer. D. J. Johns then retained oversight until D. D. Miller was ordained bishop in 1906. Miller, who died in 1955, was ordained deacon in 1890, minister in 1891, and bishop in 1906, all three times by D. J. Johns. In 1953 Earley C. Bontrager was the bishop, Donald E. Yoder the minister, and Malvin P. Miller the deacon; the 1953 membership was 213. The first church, built in 1864, was replaced in 1893 by a larger structure, which was remodeled in 1915. In 1927 the house was destroyed by fire but was soon replaced. Missionaries from this congregation include Dr. and Mrs. W. B. Page, Ernest E. and Ruth Miller, S. Jay and Ida Hostetler, Wilbur and Velma Hostetler, and Amsa and Nona Kauffman. Forks was also the home congregation of Orie O. Miller, executive secretary of the Mennonite Central Committee.


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published May 2024

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Forks Mennonite Church (Middlebury, Indiana, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. May 2024. Web. 7 Jun 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Forks_Mennonite_Church_(Middlebury,_Indiana,_USA)&oldid=179051.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (May 2024). Forks Mennonite Church (Middlebury, Indiana, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 7 June 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Forks_Mennonite_Church_(Middlebury,_Indiana,_USA)&oldid=179051.



©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

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