Orthodox Mennonite Church, Huron County
The Orthodox Mennonite Church, Huron County or "Gorries", as they are nicknamed, originated as a division from the Wellesley Orthodox Mennonites in 1974. After several changes, including men beginning to wear beards, and the Bishop Elam S. Martin beginning to liberalize his interpretation of the ban, the latter divided from their church to form their own group. In 1979, this new group moved to the Gorrie-Wroxeter area of Huron County, and legally registered as the "Orthodox Mennonite Church, Huron County". In practice, the Gorries are almost identical to their parent group in Wellesley Township. However, their more open interpretation of the ban keeps the two groups of Orthodox Old Orders separate. The Gorries have grown over the years to a much larger church than the Wellesley Orthodox, specifically in that they have taken in several of the more traditional members of the Old Order Mennonite Church. Because of this, they have expanded into other rural Ontario communities. In addition, they have come into full fellowship with small Old Order groups in the United States. The Gorries have a close relationship also with the Kinloss Old Order Mennonites, a small but growing conservative sub-division within the Old Order Mennonite Church in Ontario.
Genesis of the Huron Orthodox Mennonites
Regarding March 2, 1974, Amos Sherk(1947-), future Bishop of the Wellesley Orthodox Mennonites wrote, "A meeting was held at the home of Emanuel Sherks by the remaining members after the withdrawl of the greater part of the church members. Although heart broken it was agreed by the following to continue services and communion was held on April 14th."[1] Among that group of Orthodox Mennonites was a minister named Noah Brubacher. On April 2, 1967, Brubacher, along with a small group of Old Order Mennonites, united with the Wellesley Orthodox Mennonites.[2]They had parted ways with the Old Order Mennonite Church in Ontario in the late 1950s because of what they viewed as laxity in their church, and united with the John Dan Wenger division[3] in Virginia. Brubacher had been ordained by Bishop Wenger, and was allowed to retain his office of Minister in the Orthodox group.[4]
According to the current leader of the Wellesley Orthodox Mennonites, Minister Brubacher had quite an influence on his church over the next several years,[5]and many members became uncomfortable with some of the new practices, including the fact that some of their men began to wear beards. Even their bishop, Elam S. Martin, began to change his views over similar matters, as well as his view of the ban.[6] By late February of 1974, differences among the members of the church became divisive to the point of splitting the church almost down the middle. [7] Thus a new group of Orthodox Mennonites was formed, which to this day (2016), has not been fully healed.
Move to Huron County
Desiring to be further from the urban centre of the Waterloo Region, in 1979 the group relocated to the Gorrie-Wroxeter area (Howick Township) in Huron County, Ontario.[8]Unfortunately, the move did not go as smoothly as they had hoped, and communion was cancelled in the Autumn of 1978, as well as in the Spring and Autumn seasons of 1979. [9]
In spite of the internal problems, or perhaps because of them, on 14 October, 1980, John Sherk (1939-), who was ordained as a Minister in 1978, was ordained as the second bishop of the Huron Orthodox.[10] This was significant, in that his brother Amos Sherk had become bishop of their parent group, the Wellesley Orthodox, in 1976.[11]This inter-relationship was to become very important for the future of both Orthodox groups.
See Also
References
- ↑ Amos Sherk: Unpublished history of the Orthodox and David Martin Mennonites (Primary Source), no date, Addendum.
- ↑ Ibid., page 22.
- ↑ Harry A. Brunk: Old Order Mennonites of Virginia., Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1959. Web. Retreived 16 Dec 2016. http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Old_Order_Mennonites_of_Virginia&oldid=117454.
- ↑ Donald Martin: Old Order Mennonites of Ontario: Gelassenheit, Discipleship, Brotherhood, Pandora Press, Kitchener, Ontario, 2003, page 180.
- ↑ Conversation with Minister David E.M. Martin, 2009.
- ↑ Donald Martin: Old Order Mennonites of Ontario, page 180.
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ Ibid.
- ↑ Amos Sherk: Unpublished History, Addendum
- ↑ Donald Martin: Old Order Mennonites in Ontario, page 343.
- ↑ Ibid.
