A Journey of Faith
Established in 1840 as a congregation, Shantz Mennonite Church actually began as the “Schmitt Meetinghouse” in the early 1830’s. A log building which served as a schoolhouse and George Schmitt, the first minister of this congregation, met there.
In 1853, David Y. Shantz and his wife Barbara donated a parcel of land on which to build a church and the congregation moved from the schoolhouse across Erb’s Road to a new stone church building. As was common in many Mennonite churches, the donor’s family name was used by the congregation; thus Shantz Meetinghouse was established and became Shantz Mennonite Church by the turn of the century. Descendants of the founding families still attend today, but the number of different family names has increased throughout the decades.
Shantz Mennonite Church, at the corner of Erb’s and Sandhills Roads, has grown physically over many years. In 1929, the congregation moved into the red brick building which still stands today, with additions being added in 1959 and 1988. In 2022, we completed building a new church facility and we are excited to grow and serve our community and world. But, we are more than a building….
We are a Community of Faith. Our Mission Statement reads: “We are followers of Jesus Christ, called by God and empowered by the Holy Spirit, to grow as a community of grace, joy and peace so that God’s healing and hope flow through us as a witness to the world.”
We love to…
- See each other Sunday mornings during worship, coffee time, and the Christian Education hour that follows worship.
- Eat together, and may have a potluck dinner after church.
- Take part in a host of activities that happen during the week – women’s and community bible studies; active Kids Club, Junior Youth, and Senior Youth programs; volunteer opportunities in local, national and international areas; Summer Vacation Bible Camp; senior’s activities, and much more!
- Share our love of Jesus with each other, our community and our world.
You don’t have to be a Mennonite, or have everything figured out to enter our church. For us, it’s about being real – open and honest about our questions and struggles. We invite you to join us in our journey, as we attempt to pattern our lives after Jesus. We fail, stumble and fall, but we have each other to pick us up again as we walk this journey of faith in God.