Randolph Chortitzer Mennonite Church

Randolph church and cemetery, 2010

The Randolph Chortitzer Mennonite Church was a Mennonite congregation located in the Canadian postal district of Randolph, Manitoba (originally known as Chortitz). Established in 1876 by Mennonite immigrants arriving from the Bergthal Colony in Russia, it was one of the first Mennonite churches in western Canada. The original building was destroyed by fire and replaced by a new building in 1897, which still stands today.[1]

As the Bergthal Mennonites spread out throughout the region and built more churches, they became known as the Die Mennonitische Gemeinde zu Chortitz, later renamed the Christian Mennonite Conference (CMC). The Randolph church remained as the central church for many years, as it was the home church of the bishops. It was the last of the conference's churches to still use the traditional format in its worship services, using only the German language and no musical instruments for singing.[2][3][4]

The aging congregation's dwindling numbers forced the closure of the Sunday School in the 1990s. The CMC eventually closed the church in 2010. After its closure, the Rural Municipality of Hanover designated the church as a heritage site. The CMC still maintains heritage cemetery adjacent to the church.[1][5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Dueck, Shannon (24 June 2013). "Hanover Purchases Randolph Church". SteinbachOnline.com. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  2. ↑ Dueck, Gustav. CMC History Book (1874-1990).
  3. ↑ Thiessen, Richard (July 2010). "Randolph Chortitzer Mennonite Church". Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO). Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  4. ↑ Hamm, H.H. (July 2010). "Chortitzer Mennonite Conference". Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO). Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  5. ↑ "Historic Sites of Manitoba: Chortitz Heritage Church (Randolph, RM of Hanover)". Manitoba Historical Society. Retrieved 1 November 2015.

External links

Coordinates: 49°32′46.72″N 96°49′50.32″W / 49.5463111°N 96.8306444°W / 49.5463111; -96.8306444

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