Oak Grove Mennonite Church
| Oak Grove Mennonite Church | |
|---|---|
| Location | 7843 Smucker Road, Smithville, Ohio |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Central District Conference, Mennonite Church USA |
| Previous denomination |
Amish General Conference Eastern Amish Mennonite Conference (1937) Ohio Mennonite and Eastern Amish Mennonite Joint Conference (1947) Ohio and Eastern Mennonite Conference of the Mennonite Church (1970) and Central District Conference of the General Conference Mennonite Church (1970) |
| Website | Oak Grove Mennonite Church |
| History | |
| Founded | 1818 |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Active |
| Completed | 1905 |
Locations
- 7843 Smucker Rd., Smithville, Ohio 44677 - current
City Directories
Comprehensive History
Oak Grove Mennonite Church located at 7843 Smucker Road, Smithville was established in 1818. Its former name was Amish-Mennonite Church. Previously the congregation met in houses, barns and the Amish-Mennonite Meeting House. Buildings were erected in 1862 and 1905. Sources found for this church include; Church Histories of Wayne County, Ohio, Wipert, History of Wayne County, Ohio, 1987, page 57, History of Wayne County, Ohio, B.F. Bowen & Co., 1910, Vol. 1, page 276 and Living Our Name 175 Years, Oak Grove Mennonite Church, Smithville Ohio, 1993 (located in the Genealogy Dept. at Wayne County Public Library). The website listed for this church was www.oakgrovemc.org. The present church was built in 1905, with additions and remodeling occurring every twenty years or so since. The Fellowship Center was built in 1949. In 1958, more land across the road, north of the church, was purchased for a new cemetery. In 1963 the parsonage was built, and in 1968 an educational wing was added to the church. In 2003 a carport was added, and the interior was totally remodeled. The church has been active in relief work in war-torn countries with the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), as well as financial aid and volunteer time with MCC Connections, the MCC Relief Sale, People to People, Boy’s Village, and Habitat for Humanity. The church has affirmed women in ministry since 1974 as well as having student pastors since 1958. Music, with a cappella hymn singing, choirs, quartets, the praise team, and the yearly Messiah program have been an important part of the church’s worship of God.
Slogans
Historical documents
Yearbooks
Membership of Oak Grove Mennonite Church
Pastors of Oak Grove Mennonite Church
| Minister | Years of Service |
|---|---|
| Christian Brandt | 1818-1866 |
| David Zook | |
| Peter Schrock | ?-1846 |
| Solomon Zook | ?-1870 |
| Peter Nafziger | ?-1841 |
| John Fertenwald | 1831-1849 |
| Joseph Frey | |
| Hannes Yoder | ?-1850 |
| Emmanuel Hochstetler | 1855-1862 |
| Jacob Yoder | 1850-1858 |
| Peter Blough | 1855-? |
| Christian Nafziger | 1844-1864 |
| Christian Schantz | |
| John K. Yoder | 1855-1906 |
| Christian Conrad | 1859-1890 |
| Christian K. Yoder | 1861-1871 |
| Jonathan Smucker | 1861-1887 |
| John Smiley | 1866-1878 |
| D. Z. Yoder | 1872-1929 |
| David Hostetler | 1880-1889 |
| Isaac Miller | 1891-1894 |
| Benjamin Gerig | 1895-1913 |
| Jacob S. Gerig | 1896-1955 |
| Christian Z. Yoder | 1904-1939 |
| Peter R. Lantz | 1909-1927 |
| Jesse N. Smucker | 1916-1936 |
| William G. Detweiler | 1938-1947 |
| Virgil O. Gerig | 1947-1960 |
| Robert Otto | 1960-1965 |
| Lotus Troyer | 1965-1971 |
| Peter Wiebe | 1972-1984 |
| Jim Schrag | 1985-1994 |
| Dennis Schmidt | 1994-1996 |
| Norma Duerkson | 1997-2008 |
| Will Shertzer | 2008-2009 |
| Doug Zehr | 2009-present |
Timeline
Gallery
Business Letterheads
Business Photos
Newspaper articles
Newspaper full-text articles
Newspaper ads
Newspaper citations with no attached images
What Links Here
Further reading
References