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The Cumberland Valley settlement of the Groffdale Old Order Mennonite Conference, located in Cumberland and Franklin counties, Pennsylvania, started when Jacob Oberholtzer and Adam Reiff, along with two other families, migrated to this area in 1967 from the Buffalo Valley settlement. Oberholtzer and Reiff maintained the same ultra-conservative standard in the new settlement which they had followed while residing at Buffalo Valley. The new community's population remained rather stagnant until Jacob Oberholtzer relocated to Kentucky in 1976. After Oberholtzer's departure, the remaining congregation members returned to the prescribed Groffdale Conference standard, and the settlement's population increased rapidly thereafter. As of 1 January 2011 there were approximately 269 Groffdale Conference households within the Cumberland Valley Groffdale Conference settlement.

Stoughtown Old Order Mennonite Meetinghouse

The Stoughtown meetinghouse was a vacant church purchased in 1974 by Jacob Oberholtzer and his small congregation. This meetinghouse was located on Ritner Highway. The ministers were Jacob W. Oberholtzer and Isaac H. Weaver, and the deacon was Adam M. Reiff. In 1971 Adam Reiff left the Oberholtzer group to join the more conservative-minded Scottsville Orthodox Mennonites located at Scottsville, Kentucky. Worship services were discontinued at Stoughtown after the Meadow View meetinghouse was completed in 1988.

Shippensburg Old Order Mennonite Meetinghouse

The Shippensburg meetinghouse is a wood frame structure located along Duncan Road. It was built in 1971 as a second meetinghouse to accommodate the community's increasing church membership. Without any expansions, in 2012 it retained its original size of 56 feet by 60 feet. As of 1 January 2011 the following ministry team served the congregation--The presiding bishop was Isaac H. Weaver (ordained minister, 1973; bishop, 1991). The ministers were Amos R. Martin (ordained 1976) and Harvey R. Hoover (ordained 2004). The deacon was John Z. Martin (ordained 1977).

Clearfield Old Order Mennonite Meetinghouse

The Clearfield meetinghouse was an old schoolhouse used for church services until 1984 when the community built the new Clearfield Old Order Mennonite Meetinghouse. It is a wood frame building located on the corner of Shale road and Clearfield Road, near Orrstown. It was the third meetinghouse in this community. The meetinghouse measures 52 feet by 52 feet. As of 1 January 2011 the following ministry team served the congregation--The presiding bishop was Isaac H. Weaver (ordained minister, 1973; bishop, 1991). The ministers were Paul Z. Weaver (ordained 1980) and Wayne M. Zimmerman (ordained 1996). The deacon was Elvin W. Zimmerman (ordained 1997).

Meadow View Old Order Mennonite Meetinghouse

The Meadow View meetinghouse is a wood frame structure built along Hair Road. The ever-increasing membership in the community produced overcrowding so that, in 1984, this fourth meetinghouse was erected. Without expansions, it measures 56 feet by 60 feet. As of 1 January 2011 the following ministry team served the congregation--The presiding bishop was Isaac H. Weaver (ordained minister, 1973; bishop, 1991). The ministers were Aaron I. Martin Jr. (ordained 1986) and Daniel M. Zimmerman (ordained 1994). The deacon was Allen B. Martin (ordained 1987).

Locust Lane Old Order Mennonite Meetinghouse

The Locust Lane meetinghouse is a wood frame building whose construction was begun in the autumn of 2010 along Hammond Road. When completed, its size was 56 feet by 68 feet. As of 1 January 2011 there is no ministry for this meetinghouse. Bishop Isaac H. Weaver had oversight of this congregation.

Bibliography

Author(s)	Jonathan H Martin
Date Published	February 2012

Groffdale Conference Mennonite Church Schedules.

Records of ordinations of the Old Order Mennonites, Groffdale Conference churches, 1750 to 2010. East Earl, PA: [Earl Z. Weaver?], 2010.

Cite This Article

MLA style

Martin, Jonathan H. "Cumberland Valley Old Order Mennonite Settlement (Pennsylvania, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. February 2012. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Cumberland_Valley_Old_Order_Mennonite_Settlement_(Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=102346.

APA style

Martin, Jonathan H. (February 2012). Cumberland Valley Old Order Mennonite Settlement (Pennsylvania, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Cumberland_Valley_Old_Order_Mennonite_Settlement_(Pennsylvania,_USA)&oldid=102346.

Cumberland Valley Old Order Mennonite Settlement (Pennsylvania, USA)

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