Bethel College Mennonite Church (North Newton, Kansas, USA)
Bethel College Mennonite Church, North Newton, Kansas, USA, was founded 31 October 1897 with 22 charter members. From the beginning the congregation had close ties with Bethel College (chartered in 1887); and as the college grew, the church grew accordingly. Among Kansas Mennonite churches, the College Church was known as a “mixed” congregation, drawing its membership from persons of diverse Mennonite communities, all coming to Newton because of the college. The original members and attenders were primarily Bethel professors and students, but interested community people soon joined as well. The founding leaders were co-pastors Cornelius H. Wedel (president of Bethel College) and David Goerz (business manager of the college).
The original name of the congregation was Bethel Gemeinde bei Bethel College. The Kansas Mennonites in early days used German as the language of worship, and this was the case with the College Church. English services were gradually added; then, during World War I, on 15 September 1918, the church voted to go entirely in English – under pressure and threats from local anti-German “patriots.” The following day, Bethel College followed suit and eliminated all instruction in German and abolished the German Department (later restored in happier post-war times). The college community grew up on the northern outskirts of Newton; this area in 1938 incorporated into a separate town called North Newton, with the college and church at its center.
The life and times of the church and college were closely intertwined, so much so, that a later pastor, Darrell Fast, proposed that the church in its first decades was simply the college community “at prayer.” The congregation met in the college chapel located in the stately Main Building (Administration Building). For over two decades, until 1920, the college presidents served also as the church pastors, and many of the members and attenders were college-connected. The use of the college chapel provided the church with extra amenities of worship, among these the use of the college organ, presided over by Professor Ben F. Welty, and the ambiance of stained glass windows. The arrangement was financially advantageous for the church because it was saved from the expense of maintaining its own building and did not pay a ministerial salary.
The church continued to meet in the college chapel (which seated about 500 persons) for over 50 years, but as attendance increased, overcrowding became a problem. Following World War II, members voted to build their own house of worship on land adjacent to the college campus. The new building, dedicated 2 December 1956, was in the English Gothic style (with seating of 752), designed by architect Lorentz Schmidt of Wichita. An organ, by the Möller Company, was installed in 1961. A building project of 1985-87 added an elevator, air conditioning, and additional classroom and office space.
The church saw considerable membership growth, by the 25th anniversary, membership was 176 (and growth continued). The church has long-term special relationships with Bethel College and Kidron Bethel Village. Members are also active in much outreach activity with other Mennonite institutions, as well as civic and charitable work.
Bibliography
Goertz, Mrs. P.S. and Harley J. Stucky. Our Church Past and Present: A Short History of Bethel College Mennonite Church. North Newton, Kan.: Bethel College Mennonite Church, 1954.
Haury, David A. Prairie People: The History of the Western District Conference. Newton, Kan.: Faith and Life Press, 1994.
Sprunger, Keith. Campus, Congregation, and Community: The Bethel College Mennonite Church 1897-1997. North Newton, Kan.: The Church, 1997.
Sprunger, Keith. Bethel College of Kansas 1887-2012. North Newton, Kan.: Bethel College, 2012.
Archives
The archives are maintained in the church vault in the basement of the church.
Additional Information
Address: 2600 College Ave., P.O. Box 364, North Newton, Kansas 67117-0364
Phone: 316-283-3667
Website: Bethel College Mennonite Church
Denominational Affiliations:
General Conference Mennonite Church (1899-2002)
Mennonite Church USA (2002-present)
Pastoral Leaders at Bethel College Mennonite Church
| Name | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| David Goerz (1849-1914) | 1897-1911 |
| Cornelius H. Wedel (1860-1910) | 1897-1910 |
| John W. Kliewer (1869-1938) | 1912-1920 1922-1925 1932-1935 |
| Henry A. Fast (1894-1990) | 1925-1930 |
| Jacob H. Langenwalter (1877-1965) | 1931-1932 |
| Jesse N. Smucker (1893-1983) | 1936-1942 |
| Lester Hostetler (1892-1989) | 1942-1952 |
| Harold W. Buller (1922-2006) | 1952-1956 |
| Russell L. Mast (1915-2007) | 1957-1968 |
| Esko Loewen (1917-1981) | 1968-1977 |
| Lloyd L. Ramseyer (1899-1977) | 1969-1971 |
| John A. Esau | 1971-1984 |
| Darrell Fast (1939-2017) | 1986-1999 |
| Heidi Regier Kreider | 2000-2015 |
| Dawn Yoder Harms | 2016-present |
| Assistant and Associate pastors (at least half time) | |
| Robert Carlson | 1960-1964 |
| Kenneth Shelly | 1964-1968 |
| Ernst Harder | 1977-1979 |
| Marilyn Klaus | 1977-1981 |
| Donald Kaufman | 1979-1986 |
| Renee Sauder | 1983-1990 |
| Barbara Unruh Ewy | 1987-1991 |
| Wendell Wiebe-Powell | 1991-1993 |
| Dorothea Janzen | 1990-1997 |
| Steven Yoder | 1994-2003 |
| Norma Johnson | 1997-2007 |
| Roger Juhnke | 2004-2007 |
| Ruth R. Harder | 2007-2013 |
| Susan Wheeler | 2010-2019 |
| John Tyson | 2014-2018 |
| Reinee Reimer | 2019-present |
| Nathan Koontz | 2019-present |
Membership at Bethel College Mennonite Church
| Year | Membership |
|---|---|
| 1897 | 22 |
| 1902 | ? |
| 1907 | 69 |
| 1912 | ? |
| 1917 | 108 |
| 1922 | 176 |
| 1927 | 230 |
| 1932 | 251 |
| 1938 | 325 |
| 1943 | 427 |
| 1948 | 500 |
| 1953 | 525 |
| 1958 | 565 |
| 1963 | ? |
| 1968 | 731 |
| 1973 | 744 |
| 1978 | 746 |
| 1983 | 765 |
| 1988 | 744 |
| 1993 | 756 |
| 1998 | 706 |
| 2003 | 649 |
| 2008 | 595 |
| 2013 | 553 |
| 2018 | 515 |
Maps
Map:Bethel College Mennonite Church (North Newton, Kansas)
Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article
By Lester Hostetler. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, pp. 307-308. All rights reserved.
Bethel College Mennonite Church (General Conference Mennonite) at North Newton, Harvey County, Kansas, was organized to meet the needs of a college community, first of all the students and faculty of Bethel College, and also others who were attracted to the services and began attending in increasing numbers. With 22 charter members, the church had its beginning in 1897. C. H. Wedel, Bethel College's first president, was chosen as college pastor, and David Goerz, business manager of the college, as elder. The church became a member of the Western District Conference in 1898 and a year later, 1899, was received into the General Conference Mennonite Church.
With the growth of the Newton community and the college, the congregation likewise increased in numbers. The 1953 membership was 530 (626 in 2006), though nearly one fourth of these may be classified as "non-resident." The resident membership was made up of teachers and other employees of the college, laborers, business and professional people, as well as retired couples living in Newton. Less than 20 families lived on farms in 1953. There were within the membership in 1953, 23 ordained ministers, some of whom were retired and others of whom were engaged as teachers, missionaries, or administrative workers. The students worshipped with the congregation and could become associate members.
Services of worship were held every Sunday in the college chapel which had a seating capacity of nearly 600. The need for a separate church building has been felt for some years and in 1950 the erection of a church on the Bethel College campus was begun; it was dedicated 2 December 1956. The German language was used exclusively until 1912, when provision was made for some English services. After 1930 all services, with the exception of certain special meetings, employed only the English language, though the German chorales were still loved and found occasional use.
Since the early ministries of C. H. Wedel and David Goerz, 1897-1912, the church was served by the following pastors through 1953: J. W. Kliewer, 1912-1925; H. A. Fast, 1925-1930; J. H. Langenwalter (supply), 1931-1932; J. W. Kliewer, 1932-1935; J. N. Smucker, 1936-1942; Lester Hostetler, 1942-1952; Harold Buller, 1952- .
Bibliography
Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 210.
| Author(s) | Keith L Sprunger |
|---|---|
| Date Published | June 2021 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Sprunger, Keith L. "Bethel College Mennonite Church (North Newton, Kansas, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. June 2021. Web. 23 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bethel_College_Mennonite_Church_(North_Newton,_Kansas,_USA)&oldid=171967.
APA style
Sprunger, Keith L. (June 2021). Bethel College Mennonite Church (North Newton, Kansas, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 23 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Bethel_College_Mennonite_Church_(North_Newton,_Kansas,_USA)&oldid=171967.
©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.