Date Founded: 1500s
Membership/Number of Clergy: 104,684/2,831 as of 2009
Headquarters: Three offices: 3145 Benham Ave., Suite 1, Elkhart IN 46517; 718 N. Main St.
Newton KS 67114-1703; and 1251 Virginia Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22802
Schools & Seminaries: Bethel College, Bluffton University, Eastern Mennonite University, Goshen College, Hesston College, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Eastern Mennonite Seminary
Publications: On the Way
Website: http://www.mennoniteusa.org/
Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Core Beliefs:
- Following Jesus in daily life is a central value.
- We believe that it is possible to follow Jesus as Lord above nationalism, racism or materialism.
- We believe that it is possible to follow Jesus as a peacemaker. We believe that we can practice the way of Jesus’ reconciling love in human conflicts and warfare, without having to strike out in fear to defend ourselves.
- We believe that we can live life simply and in service to others as a witness to God’s love for the world.
To see a full explanation of the Statement of Faith visit http://www.mennoniteusa.org/about-us/who-are-the-mennonites/what-do-mennonites-believe/
Short History: Arose during the Anabaptist (re-baptizing) movement in 16th Century Europe, the denomination was nicknamed Mennonite for one of the early leaders associated with the movement, Menno Simons, a Catholic priest who believed in adult baptism. Although the Amish were part of the same Anabaptist movement, these Mennonites are not the same as the Amish or Old Order Mennonites who generally do not take part in modern society. The denomination ordains men and women.
Local Churches: The closest church to Louisville is Paoli Mennonite Fellowship, 2589 N CR 100 W, Paoli, IN 47454. Use the Church Finder to locate other congregations.
