Gospel Haven Mennonite Church
After the Brunk Revival in 1958, a group of approximately seven Amish men and women met for Bible study. Later, in the fall of 1958 this group began meeting for services at the old “Boyd Schoolhouse” on County Road 201. The first two years, the services were held in German.
By 1959, the Bethel Fellowship Church had been established. (Bethel History.pdf) The attendance increased rapidly, so they began an outreach in the village of Maysville in 1960. The Maysville group grew and needing a church house, built one south of Fredericksburg in 1962, which was until recently, the Shiloh Beachy Church.
A group of 15 families from Shiloh began conducting services in the basement of the empty Shiloh Christian Day School on November 2, 1980. Gospel Haven was born! There were approximately fifty people in attendance for the first service. Jonas E. Miller was the founding pastor and Dave Bontrager and Raymond Kaufman took bishop responsibilities for several years.
There were eleven in the first baptismal class in 1982.
1984 is a year which holds many pleasant memories, and also some sad ones. It was a year of changes. Work on renovating the schoolhouse began. A special closeness developed as we worked together in the evenings and on Saturdays to bring the project to completion. The first services in the new sanctuary were in July of this year.
Dennis Mullet was ordained on July 22, 1984, and on Oct. 19, 1984, Jonas passed away, leaving Dennis as the only pastor after three months as assistant. Alvin Troyer was ordained on March 31, 1985. Lewis Wagler started bishop responsibilities on Oct. 7, 1987, and served for eight years. Dennis was ordained bishop on July 31, 1994 by Lewis Wagler. Phil Coblentz was ordained on March 11, 1990 as assistant pastor.
With Phil Coblentz gone to minister at the Mt. Zion outreach and Alvin Troyer having transfered to Bethel Fellowship, Dennis was again the lone pastor with a growing church. In 1995 the decision was made to have another ordination. On September 24, of that year Dan Mast was chosen from a lot of three, and ordained as assistant pastor. In 1997 construction commenced on the new building. The 1984 renovation had served well for the fledgling church but now, not only the sanctuary was filled to capacity but the overflow area was overflowing as well! The first church service in the new sanctuary was held on July 12, 1998.
Five years after Danʼs ordination, on December 3, 2000, Joel Troyer was ordained with the idea that one of the pastors would then lead another outreach church.
Christian Life Mennonite had their first service in Beach City, on September 8, 2001 led by Dan Mast. He was joined by 10 families and six singles
Again, the church continued to expand, attendance went back up to 375-410 again there was talk of the need for an outreach. On April 24, 2005 Sam Yoder was ordained to assist the pastoral team.
In 2008 Providence Mennonite started holding services in Fredericksburg, led by three Elders, they were by joined by eleven families and two singles.
As Godʼs people abide in Christ, He will be glorified, to Him alone be praise, honor and glory.
Source: rewritten from the 1995 “We Have Come This Far
By Faith” Gospel Haven Directory
used by permission
