Very frustrated. What churches are in Seminole, TX area?

[Chris]

This is part question and part vent.

There are apparently a bunch of Anabaptist churches in Seminole, TX.
But Pilgrim Church finder apparently doesn't approve of them.
The "Red Book" apparently doesn't approve of them.
Nor does the CLE book have them.

This luxury of saying "nah not in our directory" may be a fun way to show church politics in PA, OH, or IN.... But when somebody is drained of churches in their area and needs to find something in not such strong Anabaptist demographics church write offs are harming others a lot. Perhaps they'd rather see people go to fundamental Baptist churches rather than attend a more or less conservative church than they'd "approve of". BMA anybody? Excluded. What else is left out? Okay my rant is done.

With that said can somebody please help name every Anabaptist church in Seminole, TX area or TX in general that are NOT in the books / finders? Including Old German Brethren, Hutterite, or whatever else has been left out. Thank you!

[barnhart]

Google has several hits. Typically internal church polity is not a big concern for them.

[Ken]

Are the directories that you mention deliberately excluding churches from being listed?

Or are the churches in question just not bothering to make sure that they are listed in online directories?

I sort of expect that the online directories you mention are lightly curated volunteer efforts that are largely dependent on the information that people send them. But then I could be wrong.

Seminole TX is a pretty out-of-the way place, even by Texas standards but Google Maps reveals two Mennonite churches there. One that looks huge: https://goo.gl/maps/SeS4LxVQtd1bhVQNA

And the other which also looks pretty big: https://goo.gl/maps/9xvGUChbMHMGXP6G6

[Ken]

Are the directories that you mention deliberately excluding churches from being listed?

Or are the churches in question just not bothering to make sure that they are listed in online directories?

I sort of expect that the online directories you mention are lightly curated volunteer efforts that are largely dependent on the information that people send them. But then I could be wrong.

Seminole TX is a pretty out-of-the way place, even by Texas standards but Google Maps reveals two Mennonite churches there. One that looks huge: https://goo.gl/maps/SeS4LxVQtd1bhVQNA

And the other which also looks pretty big: https://goo.gl/maps/9xvGUChbMHMGXP6G6

Actually if you zoom in there are two more listed as well. Anyone know why such a tiny town in remote west Texas has so many different Mennonites?

[ohio jones]

https://www.bethelks.edu/article/story- ... ites-lives

In March 1977, an Old Colony Mennonite bishop from Mexico purchased a ranch southwest of Seminole, which led to the immigration of others living in Mexico, as well as Canada. The latter sought tax relief and freedom to organize their own schools while those from Mexico wanted affordable land, isolated enough to encourage separation from 'the world.'

The Old Colony Mennonites who came to Texas from Mexico in early 1977 had been falsely led to believe that buying land would allow them to enter the United States as legal immigrants. But in July 1977, the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) ordered 43 Mennonite families to be deported. Some 250 families that had planned to emigrate instead stayed in Mexico. Without their assistance, the original group was unable to pay its mortgage and their land was sold at auction in 1979. The plight of these Mennonites received widespread publicity, and in 1980, the U.S. Congress legalized the status of 653 colonists.

However, the Mennonites in Seminole have been unable to realize their original dream of building a colony of up to 40,000 people. Nevertheless, a number of the original families have remained, making a living on individual farms off the harsh, west Texas land, as well as through successful businesses in carpentry and auto mechanics, among others. There are five churches in the area, representing Old Colony (Gaines County Mennonite), Reinlander, Evangelical Mennonite (Kleinegemeinde in Mexico), Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference and Sommerfelder Mennonite.

[Ken]

https://www.bethelks.edu/article/story- ... ites-lives

In March 1977, an Old Colony Mennonite bishop from Mexico purchased a ranch southwest of Seminole, which led to the immigration of others living in Mexico, as well as Canada. The latter sought tax relief and freedom to organize their own schools while those from Mexico wanted affordable land, isolated enough to encourage separation from 'the world.'

The Old Colony Mennonites who came to Texas from Mexico in early 1977 had been falsely led to believe that buying land would allow them to enter the United States as legal immigrants. But in July 1977, the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) ordered 43 Mennonite families to be deported. Some 250 families that had planned to emigrate instead stayed in Mexico. Without their assistance, the original group was unable to pay its mortgage and their land was sold at auction in 1979. The plight of these Mennonites received widespread publicity, and in 1980, the U.S. Congress legalized the status of 653 colonists.

However, the Mennonites in Seminole have been unable to realize their original dream of building a colony of up to 40,000 people. Nevertheless, a number of the original families have remained, making a living on individual farms off the harsh, west Texas land, as well as through successful businesses in carpentry and auto mechanics, among others. There are five churches in the area, representing Old Colony (Gaines County Mennonite), Reinlander, Evangelical Mennonite (Kleinegemeinde in Mexico), Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference and Sommerfelder Mennonite.

Interesting history that I never knew. Doesn't surprise me then that they aren't listed in Mennonite directories out of PA or OH.

[Josh]

There’s a church on my denomination in Pecos; the preacher there is the one who baptised me in Ohio. Why not give it a visit?

[Ernie]

Are the directories that you mention deliberately excluding churches from being listed?

Or are the churches in question just not bothering to make sure that they are listed in online directories?

I sort of expect that the online directories you mention are lightly curated volunteer efforts that are largely dependent on the information that people send them. But then I could be wrong.

Sorry but this time you happen to be wrong.

CLP publishes a directory with defined parameters.
Pilgrim Church finder simply uses the CLP electronic directory.
The Red Book has defined parameters as well.

The most complete source for Plain Anabaptist churches is http://www.beachyam.org/churches.htm. You may need to send multiple requests until you get an answer as Cory is very busy and only responds as he has time.

[Ken]

Are the directories that you mention deliberately excluding churches from being listed?

Or are the churches in question just not bothering to make sure that they are listed in online directories?

I sort of expect that the online directories you mention are lightly curated volunteer efforts that are largely dependent on the information that people send them. But then I could be wrong.

Sorry but this time you happen to be wrong.

CLP publishes a directory with defined parameters.
Pilgrim Church finder simply uses the CLP electronic directory.
The Red Book has defined parameters as well.

The most complete source for Plain Anabaptist churches is http://www.beachyam.org/churches.htm. You may need to send multiple requests until you get an answer as Cory is very busy and only responds as he has time.

Which part was I wrong about? That they aren't excluding groups deliberately? Or that it isn't a volunteer effort?

The directory you linked to is just a Beachy Amish directory, not any sort of comprehensive directory of plain churches.

[steve-in-kville]

BMA anybody? Excluded. What else is left out? Okay my rant is done.

Okay, I have to ask, why the hate towards BMA? Seems like it pops up here on the forum often enough