U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
Encyclopedia
The US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (USMB) is an association of Mennonite
Christian
s with origins in southern Russia
.
, influenced by Moravian Brethren and Lutheran Pietism
, seeking greater emphasis on discipline, prayer and Bible study, met in the village of Elisabeththal, Molotschna
and formed the Mennonite Brethren Church. Mennonite Brethren were among the migration of Mennonites from Russia to North America between 1874 and 1880, settling mainly in Kansas
, Minnesota
, Nebraska
, and South Dakota
. The earliest congregations in the United States
were gathered in Kansas in 1874. In October 1879, representatives from those four states gathered in Henderson, Nebraska
to form a general conference. This general conference met annually until 1909; at which time the meetings were changed to every three years.
The first Mennonite Brethren congregation in Canada was founded in Winkler, Manitoba
in 1888 as a result of mission work from the United States. From 1923 to 1929, many Mennonite Brethren migrated from Russia to Canada
, and some went to South America
. In 1954, the desire of the Canadian churches for independence brought about the formation of two "area conferences" (as opposed to one general conference) of the Mennonite Brethren of North America - the subject of this article and the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
. The Krimmer Mennonite Brethren Conference formally merged with this body on November 14, 1960.
; the Bible as the inspired word of God; the fall of man and his salvation through the atoning work of Christ; the Lord's Day (Sunday) as a day of worship; and the resurrection of all men, either to eternal punishment or eternal happiness with God. The Mennonite Brethren Church holds two ordinances - baptism
and the Lord's supper. Water baptism by immersion is the mode administered by local congregations, but they may receive on confession of faith persons who have been baptized by other modes. Those baptized as infants must receive baptism from a local Mennonite Brethren congregation on their profession of faith. Believers who have confessed their faith in Jesus Christ and understand the meaning of the Lords' supper are invited to participate, though the understanding of the Mennonite Brethren is that baptism should precede participation in the communion service. USMB members reject the swearing of oaths, membership in secret societies, and bearing of arms in warfare. The church allows alternative types of service during times of war.
Organization includes a general assembly held every two years, to which delegates are sent by local congregations to elect people to serve on the Board of Church Ministries and other offices. A board of some type governs each ministry of the U.S. Conference. Currently (2003), there are Mennonite Brethren congregations in more than 20 countries. The largest conferences are located in India and Congo. Offices of the US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches are located in Hillsboro, Kansas
. In 2003, the Mennonite Brethren had 188 congregations in the United States, with 26,219 members. They own and operate the higher education institutions of Tabor College, Kansas
, Fresno Pacific University
, and the Fresno Pacific University Biblical Seminary.
revival in a village near Simferopol
, Crimea
. Unlike the majority of Mennonites, this body adopted trine forward immersion as the mode of baptism. They left for America as a group in 1874, arriving in New York on July 15. They eventually settled in Marion County, Kansas
. The body incorporated as the Krimmer Mennonite Brethren Church of North America in 1917. At the time of the merger with the Mennonite Brethren (1960), the Krimmer Church represented 11 congregations with almost 2000 members.
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s with origins in southern Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Background
On January 6, 1860, a small group of Mennonites in UkraineUkraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, influenced by Moravian Brethren and Lutheran Pietism
Pietism
Pietism was a movement within Lutheranism, lasting from the late 17th century to the mid-18th century and later. It proved to be very influential throughout Protestantism and Anabaptism, inspiring not only Anglican priest John Wesley to begin the Methodist movement, but also Alexander Mack to...
, seeking greater emphasis on discipline, prayer and Bible study, met in the village of Elisabeththal, Molotschna
Molotschna
Molotschna Colony was a Russian Mennonite settlement in what is now Zaporizhia Oblast in Ukraine. Today is called Molochansk with a population of under 10,000. The settlement is named after the Molochna River which forms its western boundary. Today the land mostly falls within the Tokmatskyi and...
and formed the Mennonite Brethren Church. Mennonite Brethren were among the migration of Mennonites from Russia to North America between 1874 and 1880, settling mainly in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, and South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. The earliest congregations in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
were gathered in Kansas in 1874. In October 1879, representatives from those four states gathered in Henderson, Nebraska
Henderson, Nebraska
Henderson is a city in York County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 986 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Henderson is at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
to form a general conference. This general conference met annually until 1909; at which time the meetings were changed to every three years.
The first Mennonite Brethren congregation in Canada was founded in Winkler, Manitoba
Winkler, Manitoba
Winkler is a small city with a population of about 9,900 located in southern Manitoba, Canada in the Rural Municipality of Stanley...
in 1888 as a result of mission work from the United States. From 1923 to 1929, many Mennonite Brethren migrated from Russia to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and some went to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. In 1954, the desire of the Canadian churches for independence brought about the formation of two "area conferences" (as opposed to one general conference) of the Mennonite Brethren of North America - the subject of this article and the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
The Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches is an association of Mennonite Christians with origins in southern Russia. It is part of the larger Mennonite Brethren Church and shares some common history with the US Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.-Background:A small group of...
. The Krimmer Mennonite Brethren Conference formally merged with this body on November 14, 1960.
Status
The first confession of faith of the Mennonite Brethren was written in 1873, revised in 1900 and published in 1902. The USMB also esteems the historic creeds of the Mennonites. Their confession of faith reveals the churches of the US Conference accept God in three persons; the divinity, humanity, virgin birth, atonement, resurrection, ascension and return of JesusJesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
; the Bible as the inspired word of God; the fall of man and his salvation through the atoning work of Christ; the Lord's Day (Sunday) as a day of worship; and the resurrection of all men, either to eternal punishment or eternal happiness with God. The Mennonite Brethren Church holds two ordinances - baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and the Lord's supper. Water baptism by immersion is the mode administered by local congregations, but they may receive on confession of faith persons who have been baptized by other modes. Those baptized as infants must receive baptism from a local Mennonite Brethren congregation on their profession of faith. Believers who have confessed their faith in Jesus Christ and understand the meaning of the Lords' supper are invited to participate, though the understanding of the Mennonite Brethren is that baptism should precede participation in the communion service. USMB members reject the swearing of oaths, membership in secret societies, and bearing of arms in warfare. The church allows alternative types of service during times of war.
Hillsboro, Kansas
Hillsboro is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. Hillsboro was named after John Gillespie Hill, who homesteaded in the area in 1871. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,993. Hillsboro is home of Tabor College, which has approximately 550 students.-19th century:For...
. In 2003, the Mennonite Brethren had 188 congregations in the United States, with 26,219 members. They own and operate the higher education institutions of Tabor College, Kansas
Tabor College, Kansas
Tabor College is a four-year Christian liberal arts college in Hillsboro, Kansas, United States. It was founded in 1908 by members of the Mennonite Brethren and Krimmer Mennonite Brethren Christian churches...
, Fresno Pacific University
Fresno Pacific University
Fresno Pacific University also known as FPU is an accredited Christian university located in Fresno, California, United States. It was founded in 1944 by the Pacific District Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. The university awarded its first bachelor of arts degree in 1965...
, and the Fresno Pacific University Biblical Seminary.
Krimmer Mennonite Brethren Conference
The Krimmer (or Crimean) Mennonite Brethren Church was founded September 21, 1869, by Jacob A. Wiebe (1839-1921), the outgrowth of the Kleine GemeindeEvangelical Mennonite Conference
The Evangelical Mennonite Conference is a Canadian Mennonite body of evangelical Christians.-Background:The Evangelical Mennonite Conference began in 1812 in the Molotschna settlement of southern Russia as the Kleine Gemeinde a group of Low German-speaking Mennonites of Dutch-German-Russian...
revival in a village near Simferopol
Simferopol
-Russian Empire and Civil War:The city was renamed Simferopol in 1784 after the annexation of the Crimean Khanate to the Russian Empire by Catherine II of Russia. The name Simferopol is derived from the Greek, Συμφερόπολις , translated as "the city of usefulness." In 1802, Simferopol became the...
, Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
. Unlike the majority of Mennonites, this body adopted trine forward immersion as the mode of baptism. They left for America as a group in 1874, arriving in New York on July 15. They eventually settled in Marion County, Kansas
Marion County, Kansas
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 12,660. The county seat is Marion...
. The body incorporated as the Krimmer Mennonite Brethren Church of North America in 1917. At the time of the merger with the Mennonite Brethren (1960), the Krimmer Church represented 11 congregations with almost 2000 members.