Difference between revisions of "Milford Mennonite Church (Milford, Nebraska, USA)"

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Milford Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church USA), located in [[Milford (Seward County, Nebraska, USA)|Milford]], Seward County, Nebraska, a member of the [[Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church)|Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference]] (now Central Plains Mennonite Conference), was organized on 19 November 1925, with 81 charter members, under the leadership of L. O. Schlegel, bishop, and William Schlegel, minister, as a schism from the East Fairview Mennonite Church. After a period of attempted affiliation with the [[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite Church]] the congregation returned and was received as a member of the Iowa-Nebraska Conference on 8 August 1938. The first meetinghouse, a frame structure, was erected in 1926, modernized and enlarged to a seating capacity of 400 in 1953. The 1956 membership was 205 with L. O. Schlegel as bishop and W. A. Eicher and Milton Troyer as ministers. On 3 June 1956 Milton Troyer was ordained bishop and L. O. Schlegel resigned from active service. In 2005 there were 145 members; Lewis W. Miller served as the pastor.
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 3, p. 688|date=1957|a1_last=Schlegel|a1_first=L. O|a2_last= |a2_first= }}
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[[File:MilfordMennoniteChurch1946.jpg|400px|thumbnail|''Milford Mennonite Church in Milford, Nebraska in 1946.<br />
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Source: Mennonite Community Photograph Collection, The Congregation (HM4-134 Box 1 photo 012.2-1).<br />
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Mennonite Church USA Archives, Goshen, Indiana''.]]
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The Milford Amish Mennonite Church, [[Milford (Seward County, Nebraska, USA)|Milford]], [[Nebraska (USA)|Nebraska]], USA, emerged out of division from the [[East Fairview Mennonite Church (Milford, Nebraska, USA)|East Fairview]] led by minister William Schlegel and deacon, Levi O. Schlegel. Soon after the new congregation organized, [[Krehbiel, Christian Emmanuel (1869-1948)|Christian E. Krehbiel]], Field Secretary of the [[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite Church]], ordained Levi Schlegel as Elder (Bishop) on 6 September 1925.
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Despite its early link to the General Conference Mennonite Church, the Milford congregation remained independent until it joined the [[Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church)|Iowa-Nebraska Conference]] of the [[Mennonite Church (MC)]] in September 1938.
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Milford Amish Mennonite built a frame church in 1926. It renovated and enlarged the building in 1953.
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Levi Schlegel was theologically conservative and a strict disciplinarian. If women [[Dress|cut their hair]], they could not take [[Communion|communion]]. He was also a vocal [[Apocalypticism|premillennialist]] who used maps and charts to predict the end times. Later in life, he withdrew from the conference because it did not take a strict enough stance against [[Divorce and Remarriage|divorce and remarriage]].
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On 1 January 1954, the congregation officially changed its name to "The Milford Mennonite Church."
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A division in the congregation took place in 1959, partly because the congregation's leadership refused to participate in the Myron Augsburger revival meetings because non-Mennonite churches also sponsored it. The division led to the formation of the Beth-El Mennonite Church and the departure of 60 members.
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As part of the realignment of the Mennonite Church (MC) and General Conference Mennonite Church into Mennonite Church USA, Milford Mennonite was among the congregations that joined the new Central Plains Mennonite Conference in 2000.
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In 2023 the congregation was part of the [[Central Plains Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church USA)|Central Plains Conference]] of [[Mennonite Church USA]].
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= Bibliography =
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"Iowa-Nebraska Conference held with the Wood River, Neb., Congregation, Sept. 8 and 9, 1938." ''Gospel Herald'' 31, no. 27 (6 October 1938): 581-582.
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''Mennonite Year Book and Almanac'' (1927): 51.
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Yoder, Holly Blosser. ''The same spirit: History of Iowa-Nebraska Mennonites.'' Freeman, S.D.: Central Plains Mennonite Conference, 2003: 161-167, 170.
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= Additional Information =
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'''Address''': 920 Third Street, Milford, Nebraska 68405
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'''Phone''': 402-761-2244
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'''Website''':
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'''Denominational Affiliations''':
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[http://www.centralplainsmc.org/ Central Plains Mennonite Conference]
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[https://www.mennoniteusa.org/ Mennonite Church USA]
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== Pastoral Leaders at Milford Mennonite Church ==
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{| class="wikitable"
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|-
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! Name !! Years<br/>of Service
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|-
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| Levi O. "L. O." Schlegel (1885-1982)(Bishop) || 1925-1956
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|-
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| William Schlegel (1880-1949) || 1925-1949
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|-
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| Warren A. Eicher (1893-1977) || 1928-1959
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|-
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| Milton C. Troyer (1922-1979)<br />(Bishop) || 1954-1956<br />1956-1979
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|-
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| S. Clark Rediger (Interim) || 1980
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|-
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| Kenneth Steckly || 1981?-1983?
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|-
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| Cloy M. Troyer (1929-2015) || 1985?-1991?
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|-
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| Robert L. Troyer || 1991?-2001?
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|-
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| Lewis W. Miller || 2001?-2005
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|-
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| Timothy J. Springer || 2007?-
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|}
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== Membership at Milford Mennonite Church ==
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: right;"
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|-
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! Year !! Membership
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|-
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| 1925 || 81
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|-
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| 1940 || 178
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|-
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| 1950 || 169
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|-
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| 1960 || 150
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|-
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| 1970 || 83
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|-
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| 1980 || 109
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|-
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| 1990 || 114
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|-
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| 2000 || 135
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|-
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| 2009 || 135
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|-
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| 2020 || 135
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|}
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= Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article =
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By Levi O. Schlegel. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from ''Mennonite Encyclopedia'', Vol. 3, p. 688. All rights reserved.
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Milford Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church), located in [[Milford (Seward County, Nebraska, USA)|Milford]], Seward County, Nebraska, a member of the [[Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference (Mennonite Church)|Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference]], was organized on 19 November 1925, with 81 charter members, under the leadership of L. O. Schlegel, bishop, and William Schlegel, minister, as a schism from the [[East Fairview Mennonite Church (Milford, Nebraska, USA)|East Fairview Mennonite Church]].  
 +
 
 +
After a period of attempted affiliation with the [[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite Church]] the congregation returned and was received as a member of the Iowa-Nebraska Conference on 8 August 1938. The first meetinghouse, a frame structure, was erected in 1926, modernized and enlarged to a seating capacity of 400 in 1953.
 +
 
 +
The 1956 membership was 205 with L. O. Schlegel as bishop and W. A. Eicher and Milton Troyer as ministers. On 3 June 1956 Milton Troyer was ordained bishop and L. O. Schlegel resigned from active service.
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{{GAMEO_footer|hp=|date=June 2023|a1_last=Steiner|a1_first=Samuel J|a2_last=|a2_first=}}
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[[Category:Churches]]
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[[Category:Independent Mennonite Congregations]]
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[[Category:Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
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[[Category:Mennonite Church (MC) Congregations]]
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[[Category:Central Plains Mennonite Conference Congregations]]
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[[Category:Mennonite Church USA Congregations]]
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[[Category:Nebraska Congregations]]
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[[Category:United States Congregations]]

Latest revision as of 12:20, 12 June 2023

Milford Mennonite Church in Milford, Nebraska in 1946.
Source: Mennonite Community Photograph Collection, The Congregation (HM4-134 Box 1 photo 012.2-1).
Mennonite Church USA Archives, Goshen, Indiana.

The Milford Amish Mennonite Church, Milford, Nebraska, USA, emerged out of division from the East Fairview led by minister William Schlegel and deacon, Levi O. Schlegel. Soon after the new congregation organized, Christian E. Krehbiel, Field Secretary of the General Conference Mennonite Church, ordained Levi Schlegel as Elder (Bishop) on 6 September 1925.

Despite its early link to the General Conference Mennonite Church, the Milford congregation remained independent until it joined the Iowa-Nebraska Conference of the Mennonite Church (MC) in September 1938.

Milford Amish Mennonite built a frame church in 1926. It renovated and enlarged the building in 1953.

Levi Schlegel was theologically conservative and a strict disciplinarian. If women cut their hair, they could not take communion. He was also a vocal premillennialist who used maps and charts to predict the end times. Later in life, he withdrew from the conference because it did not take a strict enough stance against divorce and remarriage.

On 1 January 1954, the congregation officially changed its name to "The Milford Mennonite Church."

A division in the congregation took place in 1959, partly because the congregation's leadership refused to participate in the Myron Augsburger revival meetings because non-Mennonite churches also sponsored it. The division led to the formation of the Beth-El Mennonite Church and the departure of 60 members.

As part of the realignment of the Mennonite Church (MC) and General Conference Mennonite Church into Mennonite Church USA, Milford Mennonite was among the congregations that joined the new Central Plains Mennonite Conference in 2000.

In 2023 the congregation was part of the Central Plains Conference of Mennonite Church USA.

Bibliography

"Iowa-Nebraska Conference held with the Wood River, Neb., Congregation, Sept. 8 and 9, 1938." Gospel Herald 31, no. 27 (6 October 1938): 581-582.

Mennonite Year Book and Almanac (1927): 51.

Yoder, Holly Blosser. The same spirit: History of Iowa-Nebraska Mennonites. Freeman, S.D.: Central Plains Mennonite Conference, 2003: 161-167, 170.

Additional Information

Address: 920 Third Street, Milford, Nebraska 68405

Phone: 402-761-2244

Website:

Denominational Affiliations: Central Plains Mennonite Conference

Mennonite Church USA

Pastoral Leaders at Milford Mennonite Church

Name Years
of Service
Levi O. "L. O." Schlegel (1885-1982)(Bishop) 1925-1956
William Schlegel (1880-1949) 1925-1949
Warren A. Eicher (1893-1977) 1928-1959
Milton C. Troyer (1922-1979)
(Bishop)		 1954-1956
1956-1979
S. Clark Rediger (Interim) 1980
Kenneth Steckly 1981?-1983?
Cloy M. Troyer (1929-2015) 1985?-1991?
Robert L. Troyer 1991?-2001?
Lewis W. Miller 2001?-2005
Timothy J. Springer 2007?-

Membership at Milford Mennonite Church

Year Membership
1925 81
1940 178
1950 169
1960 150
1970 83
1980 109
1990 114
2000 135
2009 135
2020 135

Original Mennonite Encyclopedia Article

By Levi O. Schlegel. Copied by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 688. All rights reserved.

Milford Mennonite Church (Mennonite Church), located in Milford, Seward County, Nebraska, a member of the Iowa-Nebraska Mennonite Conference, was organized on 19 November 1925, with 81 charter members, under the leadership of L. O. Schlegel, bishop, and William Schlegel, minister, as a schism from the East Fairview Mennonite Church.

After a period of attempted affiliation with the General Conference Mennonite Church the congregation returned and was received as a member of the Iowa-Nebraska Conference on 8 August 1938. The first meetinghouse, a frame structure, was erected in 1926, modernized and enlarged to a seating capacity of 400 in 1953.

The 1956 membership was 205 with L. O. Schlegel as bishop and W. A. Eicher and Milton Troyer as ministers. On 3 June 1956 Milton Troyer was ordained bishop and L. O. Schlegel resigned from active service.


Author(s) Samuel J Steiner
Date Published June 2023

Cite This Article

MLA style

Steiner, Samuel J. "Milford Mennonite Church (Milford, Nebraska, USA)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. June 2023. Web. 24 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Milford_Mennonite_Church_(Milford,_Nebraska,_USA)&oldid=175900.

APA style

Steiner, Samuel J. (June 2023). Milford Mennonite Church (Milford, Nebraska, USA). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 24 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Milford_Mennonite_Church_(Milford,_Nebraska,_USA)&oldid=175900.



©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.

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