Peace Mennonite Community Church (Aurora, Colorado, USA)
Leonard Wiebe, who had formerly pastored the Faith Mennonite Church in Newton, Kansas, and his wife Joann, began a new church planting ministry jointly sponsored by the Western District Conference of the General Conference Mennonite Church and the Rocky Mountain Mennonite Conference, in the east Denver suburb of Aurora in September 1986. On 1 February 1987 the new congregation—Peace Mennonite Community Church—conducted its first worship service in the rented Aurora Senior Citizens Center with 93 persons in attendance. The congregation was formally established on 1 September 1987. Under the leadership of the Wiebes, the congregation, dually affiliated with both of its sponsoring conferences, quickly developed an effective neighborhood and community outreach program. In 2006 the congregation became a charter member of the Mountain States Mennonite Conference.
The growing congregation continued to meet in the Aurora Senior Citizens Center from its beginning in 1987 until 1997. In 1990 the congregation purchased a 2.2-acre parcel on East Alameda Avenue, two blocks west of Interstate Highway 225. A groundbreaking service was held in September 1996, and construction of a church building was completed the following year. The first worship service in the new facility was held on 17 August 1997, and a dedication service followed on 24 August. At that time approximately 60 percent of the 110-member suburban congregation came from Mennonite backgrounds, while 40 percent represented other faith traditions.
Peace Mennonite’s pastors include Roy Walls, Phil Ebersole, and Tim Davis who was installed on 1 August 2010. In 2010 the congregation, with 91 members/covenanted attendees, was focused on worship, spiritual formation/discipleship, community, and outreach. The church program features a Wyldlife for Teens Program administered by Young Life, and the church facility is used by Korean and Hispanic congregations.
Bibliography
Unrau, Harlan D. In Pursuit of Land, Health and Mission: A History of Mennonites in the Mountain States Region. Printed in Canada by Blitzprint Inc., 2007.
Additional Information
Address: 13601 E. Alameda Avenue, Aurora, Colorado 80012
Telephone: 303-340-1555
Website: Peace Community Mennonite Church
Denominational Affiliations:
Mountain States Mennonite Conference
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Leonard Wiebe | 1987-1998 |
| Wally Jantz (interim) | 1998-1999 |
| Jane Dick (interim) | 1999 |
| Roger Hochstetler (interim) | 1999 |
| Roy Walls | 1999-2003 |
| Phil Ebersole | 2004-2008 |
| Pat Hobin (interim) | 2008-2010 |
| Tim Davis | 2010- |
Maps
Map:Peace Mennonite Community Church (Aurora, Colorado)
| Author(s) | Harlan Unrau |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 2010 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Unrau, Harlan. "Peace Mennonite Community Church (Aurora, Colorado, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 2010. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Peace_Mennonite_Community_Church_(Aurora,_Colorado,_USA)&oldid=167576.
APA style
Unrau, Harlan. (2010). Peace Mennonite Community Church (Aurora, Colorado, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Peace_Mennonite_Community_Church_(Aurora,_Colorado,_USA)&oldid=167576.
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