Berea Mennonite Fellowship (Rutherford, Tennessee, USA)
Berea Mennonite Fellowship is located in Rutherford, Tennessee, USA. The church originated as an outreach of the Mount Zion Mennonite Church. In October 1996 the Mount Zion congregation agreed to begin another church through colonization in a new area. It planned for 8-10 families, including two ordained leaders to lead the effort. Bishop Steve Yoder and minister David Schrock were chosen for this role in late 1996.
Possible locations in nine states were scouted in early 1997. Rutherford, Tennessee has been explored in the first trip, but discarded as undesirable because of heat and humidity. But eventually the focus returned to Rutherford. The first families moved to Rutherford in September 1997, with the first services held 12 October 1997 in John Witmer's living room. School started that fall with four students. The congregation was formally established on 3 December 1997.
A school house was built on China Grove Road in 1999, followed later by a church building on the same property. Previously the congregation rented an old Methodist church.
In 2018 the church had 104 members and was a member of the Mennonite Christian Fellowship. The ministerial team included Bishop Steve Yoder, Ministers David Schrock and Aaron Witmer, and Deacons Marlin Miller and Silas Troyer.
Bibliography
"Amish Mennonite Churches in Tennessee." The Beachy Amish Mennonites. 2013. Web. 13 April 2018. http://www.beachyam.org/churches/tn.htm.
Anderson, Cory. The Amish-Mennonites of North America: a portrait of our people. Medina, New York: Ridgeway Publishing, 2012: 111.
Mennonite Church Directory (2014): 87; (2018): 97.
Miller, Allan A., compiler. The origin of the Fellowship churches. Gap Mills, West Virginia: Yoder's Select Books, 2004: 68-70.
Additional Information
Address: 446 China Grove Rd, Rutherford, Tennessee
Phone:
Website:
Denominational Affiliation:
Mennonite Christian Fellowship
Ordained Leaders at Berea Mennonite Fellowship
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Steve Yoder (Bishop) | 1997-present |
| David Schrock | 1998-2003? 2008?-2010? 2013-present |
| Wayne Hostetler | 1999-2016 |
| Aaron Witmer | 2010-present |
Map
| Author(s) | Richard D. Thiessen |
|---|---|
| Samuel J. Steiner | |
| Date Published | November 2018 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Thiessen, Richard D. and Samuel J. Steiner. "Berea Mennonite Fellowship (Rutherford, Tennessee, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2018. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Berea_Mennonite_Fellowship_(Rutherford,_Tennessee,_USA)&oldid=165798.
APA style
Thiessen, Richard D. and Samuel J. Steiner. (November 2018). Berea Mennonite Fellowship (Rutherford, Tennessee, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Berea_Mennonite_Fellowship_(Rutherford,_Tennessee,_USA)&oldid=165798.
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