Large plain Mennonite churches

[cooper]

What is the highest membership that you know of for a plain Anabaptist church? Reiffs Mennonite Church in Hagerstown, Maryland, is a Washington-Franklin congregation with around 270 members. That's the largest plain church I know. I am curious to learn about other large plain Mennonite congregations.

[JohnH]

What is the highest membership that you know of for a plain Anabaptist church? Reiffs Mennonite Church in Hagerstown, Maryland, is a Washington-Franklin congregation with around 270 members. That's the largest plain church I know. I am curious to learn about other large plain Mennonite congregations.

That sounds like sheer torture come time for a communion counsel meeting.

[Judas Maccabeus]

I have been in an Old German Baptist Brethren church that is that large, and my guess is the Lancaster meeting of the Old Order River Brethren is about that big. Never a conservative Mennonite church.

[Soloist]

I’ve heard it said one of the sleeping preacher churches Tampaco? (Can’t spell) is like upper 500-800 members

[Biblical Anabaptist]

What is the highest membership that you know of for a plain Anabaptist church? Reiffs Mennonite Church in Hagerstown, Maryland, is a Washington-Franklin congregation with around 270 members. That's the largest plain church I know. I am curious to learn about other large plain Mennonite congregations.

That sounds like sheer torture come time for a communion counsel meeting.

Actually, the council meeting is very efficient. A group of 10-20 people goes into the council room, where the ordained are gathered. The bishop then asks" Are you at peace with God and your fellow men, are you upholding the standards of the church and do you desire communion?" this is in the form of one question. He then goes around the circle of standing folks who are all expected to say "yes". Each group only takes a few minutes. The whole Reiff's congregation can finish that part of the service in around 1/2 hr. Occasionally, there may be dissent in the group, which would result in someone voicing concerns, which would take longer. This is fairly rare as folks have learned that if you are in disagreement with the "system", it is best to just quietly leave for another church setting.

[cooper]

I have been in an Old German Baptist Brethren church that is that large, and my guess is the Lancaster meeting of the Old Order River Brethren is about that big. Never a conservative Mennonite church.

It's interesting that these are Old Order type Anabaptists. Reiffs has some Old Order DNA (adopted Sunday School 20 years after other churches in their district). I found some Old Order Mennonite meetinghouses are the same size as Reiffs.

[Biblical Anabaptist]

I have been in an Old German Baptist Brethren church that is that large, and my guess is the Lancaster meeting of the Old Order River Brethren is about that big. Never a conservative Mennonite church.

It's interesting that these are Old Order type Anabaptists. Reiffs has some Old Order DNA (adopted Sunday School 20 years after other churches in their district). I found some Old Order Mennonite meetinghouses are the same size as Reiffs.

The present building at Reiffs is older than the building that was torn down to build the present building. The bishop at the time wanted a building patterned after the , I believe, the Weaverland Mennonite Church Building, or perhaps it was the Martindale Building.

Weaverland


Reiffs


Martindale

[JohnH]

What is the highest membership that you know of for a plain Anabaptist church? Reiffs Mennonite Church in Hagerstown, Maryland, is a Washington-Franklin congregation with around 270 members. That's the largest plain church I know. I am curious to learn about other large plain Mennonite congregations.

That sounds like sheer torture come time for a communion counsel meeting.

Actually, the council meeting is very efficient. A group of 10-20 people goes into the council room, where the ordained are gathered. The bishop then asks" Are you at peace with God and your fellow men, are you upholding the standards of the church and do you desire communion?" this is in the form of one question. He then goes around the circle of standing folks who are all expected to say "yes". Each group only takes a few minutes. The whole Reiff's congregation can finish that part of the service in around 1/2 hr. Occasionally, there may be dissent in the group, which would result in someone voicing concerns, which would take longer. This is fairly rare as folks have learned that if you are in disagreement with the "system", it is best to just quietly leave for another church setting.

Well, that’s one way to speed it up.

[R7ehr]

I’ve heard it said one of the sleeping preacher churches Tampaco? (Can’t spell) is like upper 500-800 members

Wouldn’t surprise me.

[Heirbyadoption]

What is the highest membership that you know of for a plain Anabaptist church? Reiffs Mennonite Church in Hagerstown, Maryland, is a Washington-Franklin congregation with around 270 members. That's the largest plain church I know. I am curious to learn about other large plain Mennonite congregations.

That sounds like sheer torture come time for a communion counsel meeting.

Actually, the council meeting is very efficient. A group of 10-20 people goes into the council room, where the ordained are gathered. The bishop then asks" Are you at peace with God and your fellow men, are you upholding the standards of the church and do you desire communion?" this is in the form of one question. He then goes around the circle of standing folks who are all expected to say "yes". Each group only takes a few minutes. The whole Reiff's congregation can finish that part of the service in around 1/2 hr. Occasionally, there may be dissent in the group, which would result in someone voicing concerns, which would take longer. This is fairly rare as folks have learned that if you are in disagreement with the "system", it is best to just quietly leave for another church setting.

Being somewhat familiar with the social pressures, gossip potential, and lack of trust in these circles (WashCo and others around them), that seems like a pretty unlikely way to actually hear the honest hearts of the people if there is an actual issue... Is it common for such groups to take such a voice from a mixed group of members, rather than one by one, or is that a unique situation due to the size of the congregation?