Mennonite Christian Fellowship (Atmore, Alabama, USA)
The Freemanville Mennonite Church, Atmore, Alabama, USA, began from a Summer Bible School held in Freemanville by Richard and Gail Kling in July 1949 in a mission tent owned by the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities. In October 1949, the Klings began Sunday school and preaching services in the tent. Richard and Gail then bought a two-acre plot near the tent location. They built a house and garage that was dedicated in April 1950, with the garage utilized for Sunday school and worship.
By the summer of 1951, the garage was no longer adequate. The Amos Horst district of the Lancaster Mennonite Conference built a 36'by 60' cement block building on a new site. The congregation dedicated the new facility on 10 May 1952.
The Freemanville Church sponsored a Christian school in rented facilities for two years. This property became unavailable after the 1981-82 school year, and no nearby land became available. The congregation purchased eight acres within the Atmore, Alabama, city limits to build a new worship and educational building. The basement was completed by the fall of 1982, allowing the school to begin. With the move to the new location, the congregation changed its name to Mennonite Christian Fellowship (MCF). It sold the former building to the Calvary Baptist Church.
In 2000, the Lancaster Mennonite Conference "released" the 14 churches it had established in the southeast United States to form a new network called Good News Fellowship (GNF). Mennonite Christian Fellowship became part of this new network.
MCF's school, called Atmore Christian School, in 2006 offered kindergarten to grade 12 classes. It had over 80 students and 11 staff members
Bibliography
Dagen, Paul L. Seedtime and Harvest, 1942-1987: History of Alabama Northwest Florida District Mennonite Churches. [Atmore, Alabama]: P. L. Dagen, 1987: 52-58.
Swartzendruber, Anthony and Tim Battles. "MCF promotes Christian education." The Good News Messenger (Fall 2006): 5.
Yoder, Dawn. "God has been faithful to Mennonite Christian Fellowship." The Good News Messenger (Summer 2004): 4.
Additional Information
Address: 245 Tennant Drive, Atmore, Alabama 36502
Phone: 251-368-5499
Website: https://www.visitmcf.com/home
Denominational Affiliations: Lancaster Mennonite Conference
Pastoral Leaders at Mennonite Christian Fellowship
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| C. Richard Kling (1923-1993) | 1949-1982 |
| David Z. Weaver (1922-1997) | 1951-1956 |
| Howard W. Stevanus (1888-1968) | 1952-1956 1958-1961 |
| Oscar T. Schrock (1926-1989) | 1967-1972 |
| Edgar Sensenig | 1977-1980 |
| Steven Longenecker | 1979-1984 |
| Luke C. Weaver | 1984-1986 |
| James R. Weber | 1986-1999? |
| Brian Bruley | 1989-1996? |
| Gene I. King | 1998-2001 |
| Elder Team | 1999?-2004? |
| Anthony Swartzendruber | 2004-2017? |
| Carl Martin | 2009?-2010s |
| Blaine Copenhaver | 2017- |
Mennonite Christian Fellowship Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1955 | 21 |
| 1960 | 21 |
| 1970 | 20 |
| 1980 | 42 |
| 1990 | 95 |
| 2000 | 102 |
| Author(s) | Samuel J Steiner |
|---|---|
| Date Published | December 2023 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Steiner, Samuel J. "Mennonite Christian Fellowship (Atmore, Alabama, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. December 2023. Web. 27 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mennonite_Christian_Fellowship_(Atmore,_Alabama,_USA)&oldid=177979.
APA style
Steiner, Samuel J. (December 2023). Mennonite Christian Fellowship (Atmore, Alabama, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 27 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mennonite_Christian_Fellowship_(Atmore,_Alabama,_USA)&oldid=177979.
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