Hanover Mennonite Church (Hanover, Ontario, Canada)
In 1959 a Mennonite family moved to the Hanover, Ontario, Canada area, followed by several other families within several years. Amos Martin, then pastor of the Moorefield Mennonite Church, began to hold midweek fellowship meetings in Hanover, beginning in November 1961. In December 1963 the group began to meet in a "chapel" in a renovated portion of a home owned by Sam Shantz. In 1964 the families organized themselves as the Hanover Mennonite Fellowship. Amos Martin, Elvon Burkholder and Amsey Martin, pastors at the closest Mennonite Conference of Ontario congregations, helped provide leadership in the first years.
Beginning in late 1964 or early 1965, John Atkinson, a retired non-Mennonite minister in the Hanover area provided pastoral leadership with the blessing of the conference. In 1966 the congregation moved out of the chapel to various locations in the town, before moving into its own new building at the present location in March 1968.
In 1975 the congregation began a fellowship in Chesley, Ontario. For 19 years the Hanover-Chesley Fellowship had two meetingplaces with one pastor and one organization. They met separately for Sunday worship and Sunday School. The arrangement experienced significant conflict, and in 1995 the two groups agreed to proceed as separate congregations. After the separation, Hanover was known as the Hanover Mennonite Church.
In 2003 a wheelchair accessible entrance and new kitchen were added. This renovation created more space for fellowship activities.
Bibliography
Canadian Mennonite (11 July 1967): 3.
Mennonite Reporter (22 December 1975): 10; (4 October 1976): 17; (29 November 1976): 4, (4 October 1982): 12; (24 November 1986): 15; (26 June 1989): 13; (17 April 1995): 4.
Ontario Mennonite Evangel (July 1967): 27-28; (June 1968): 5; (January 1971): 8-9.
Rogalsky, Dave. "Built on tradition; open to change." Canadian Mennonite 17, no. 14 (8 July 2013): 17.
Archival Records
Congregational records at Mennonite Archives of Ontario.
Additional Information
Address: 172 5th Street, Hanover, Ontario
Phone: 519-364-4309
Website: https://www.facebook.com/hanovermennonitechurch/
Denominational Affiliations:
Mennonite Conference of Ontario (1971-1988)
Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (1988-present)
Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1995-present)
Ordained Leaders at Hanover Mennonite Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Mission Board supplied | 1961-1964 |
| John Atkinson | 1965-1966 |
| Arthur Byer (Lay leader) |
1966-1977 |
| Ernie Martin | 1977-1981 |
| Ephraim Gingerich (Interim) |
1981-1982 |
| Maurice Martin | 1982-1989 |
| Wayne Nafziger | 1989-1994 |
| Winston Martin (Interim) |
1995-? |
| Anita Janzen | ?-2006 |
| Dave Rogalsky (Interim) |
2006-2007 |
| Juanita Laverty | 2007-present |
Hanover Mennonite Fellowship Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1965 | 14 |
| 1975 | 49 |
| 1985 | 75 |
| 1995 | 70 |
| 2000 | 63 |
| 2015 | 56 |
Map
Map:Hanover Mennonite Church (Hanover, Ontario, Canada)
| Author(s) | Sam Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | December 2016 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Sam. "Hanover Mennonite Church (Hanover, Ontario, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. December 2016. Web. 19 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hanover_Mennonite_Church_(Hanover,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=141785.
APA style
Steiner, Sam. (December 2016). Hanover Mennonite Church (Hanover, Ontario, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 19 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Hanover_Mennonite_Church_(Hanover,_Ontario,_Canada)&oldid=141785.
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