History

LMC is a 300-year old organization of more than 200 congregations with rich diversity, many complexities, and a culture that is ever-changing. The Earth Is the Lord’s, authored by John Ruth, tells much of this 300-year history. This long history has been graced with God’s faithfulness in successes and failures as we attempt to be a faithful community of God’s kingdom.

Origin of Mennonite

Mennonites are a subset of 16th century reformers know as Anabaptists. Many of these various Anabaptist groups eventually took the name “Mennonite” from an early Dutch leader Menno Simons. Menno was a Roman Catholic priest who abandoned his Catholic faith, and through rebaptism, joined the Anabaptists. He was one of the few early leaders who eluded capture to die a natural death. As a result, he left behind a large number of writings that shaped and continue to shape the movement. The Swiss-German Anabaptists who immigrated to what became Lancaster County were already known as “Menonists” when they arrived in Philadelphia in 1710. The first meetinghouse for Lancaster Mennonites was built in what is today Willow Street, PA and referred to as the 1719 Herr House.

16th Century

The term “Anabaptist” literally means “to rebaptize,” as these Christians rejected infant baptism and began a practice of rebaptizing those from the Catholic and Protestant churches in 16th century Europe during the early years of the Protestant Reformation. The Anabaptists were Christian reformers who rejected the Roman Catholic church-state system and the Protestant church-state attempts at reform, which the Anabaptists concluded fell far short of what was necessary in light of the New Testament texts. Their lack of conformity to either Catholic or Protestant groups and their willingness to confront both groups with a different reading of the Gospel resulted in severe persecution and martyrdom for two centuries in Europe. Many Anabaptist migrations occurred, both to the east and west, as safe havens were sought.

17th-18th Centuries

Pennsylvania is the home to a variety of Anabaptist groups including one called the Amish. The Amish emerged in Europe through a church split among the Swiss Anabaptists led by Jacob Amman in 1693. These Amish immigrated to the New World separately beginning about 1734. They originally settled to the north of Lancaster County in what is today Berks County. While both the Amish and Mennonites are Anabaptist in their historical and theological origins, they are distinctly different groups today. The origins of LMC churches stem from several waves of European immigration to the New World in the 18th century, the first occuring in 1710. These immigrants were Anabaptists of primarily Swiss-German heritage who sought religious tolerance, fled persecution, and desired economic betterment.

20th Century

In the 20th century LMC congregations developed a number of institutions. Through these new  organizations, considerable expansion, multiplication, and cultural diversity emerged. Some of the many “firsts” are listed below.

  • African American
    • 1917–Baptism of LMC’s first African-American member, Elmer Boots, from Welsh Mountain
    • 1929–African-American Mennonite converts from Rawlinsville are received into membership at the Vine Street mission
    • 1933–Crossroads Mennonite Church (formerly South Christian street) founded
    • 1935–Diamond Street founded in Philadelphia
    • 1938–South Seventh Street founded in Reading
    • 1982–Lindsey Robinson became pastor at Hamilton Street Mennonite Church
  • Asian
    • 1975–1985–Lancaster Mennonites host scores of Southeast Asian refugee families.
  • Hispanic
    • 1953–The first Hispanic congregation in LMC is founded-New Holland Spanish Mennonite Church
    • 1957–El Buen Pastor/Good Shepherd Mennonite Church is founded in Lancaster city among Puerto Rican farmworkers
    • 1975–Hispanic Mennonite Convention first meets
  • Vietnamese
    • 1984–Vietnamese Mennonite Church, the first Vietnamese congregation, is founded in Philadelphia

21st Century

Today, the LMC churches range from Connecticut to Florida and New Jersey to Hawaii. Since the twentieth century, LMC churches embrace a host of new immigrant groups including Spanish, Asian, and African cultures. Through the ministry of Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM), the missions agency of the Conference, fraternal relationships exist with Mennonite churches in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Central and South America. Churches in the Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Costa Rica also belonging to the New York district and the Shalom Council of LMC. For a listing of LMC congregations by district, click here.

Come, walk with us through LMC’s rich and varied story.

Ven, camina con nosotros a través de la historia rica y variada de LMC.

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