Butler Avenue Mennonite Brethren Church, founded in 1956, is located in southeast Fresno near the Mennonite Brethren institutions of Fresno Pacific University and Biblical Seminary. Since the church was established, the neighborhood demographics have changed, and the church has adapted and responded to the opportunities. In the 1990s, Butler became a multi-cultural, multi-congregational church.

In 2013, Butler had four congregations, each with autonomy over worship style, language, and internal organizational structure. Each group managed its own budget and decided whether or not to call a congregational pastor. Though different in languages and cultural norms, all groups were strongly committed to being one church.

In 2013 the Butler Church constitution enunciated a vision of supportive interaction and community involvement. All congregations gave toward a general budget for the shared facilities and support staff, including a Lead Pastor, and met together for combined worship several times a year, often sharing in baptisms and the Lord’s Supper. Every Sunday, all congregants met for fellowship in the courtyard—at Butler Café—between services. Together, the congregations hosted "Meal and More" on the first Wednesday of each month, inviting neighbors and friends to come for a simple meal and an after dinner activity. Monthly prayer meetings, a monthly food distribution, and a weekly Celebrate Recovery program were also joint ventures. The congregations worked together on facilities projects, in global missions, in childcare and Christian education, and on the Church Council.

In 2013 the four congregations at Butler were:

Amor y Fe – Spanish speaking
Asian Grace – Lao/Khmu
Common Ground – English informal
Faith Community –English traditional

Bibliography

Author(s)	Luetta Reimer
Date Published	September 2013

Archival Records

Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies, Fresno, CA: Record Group CB511.

Additional Information

Address: 4884 East Butler Avenue, Fresno, CA 93727

Phone: 559-252-3741

Website: Butler Church

Denominational Affiliation:

Pacific District Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

U. S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

Butler Church Leading Ministers

Minister	Years of Service
Elmer A. Martens	1958-1966
Arno Wiebe	1966-1971
Robert Vogt	1971-1978
George Sanchez	1978-1980
Mervin Dick and Dennis Fast – Pastoral Team	1980-1982
Mervin Dick	1982-1984
Dale Warkentin	1984-1990
Rod Suess	1990-2004
Mark Thompson	2004-2008
Larry Martens (interim)	2008-2009
Scott Holman	2011-present

Butler Church Membership

Year	Members
1960	209
1965	305
1970	354
1975	346
1980	407
1985	308
1990	284
1995	287
2000	341
2010	448

Maps

Map:Butler Avenue Mennonite Brethren Church (Fresno, California)

Cite This Article

MLA style

Reimer, Luetta. "Butler Church (Fresno, California, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. September 2013. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Butler_Church_(Fresno,_California,_USA)&oldid=171217.

APA style

Reimer, Luetta. (September 2013). Butler Church (Fresno, California, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Butler_Church_(Fresno,_California,_USA)&oldid=171217.

Butler Church (Fresno, California, USA)

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