Markham-Waterloo Mennonite Conference
The Markham-Waterloo Mennonite Conference is a Canadian Old Order Mennonite group established in 1939, although the church has its roots in an earlier division from the Old Order Mennonite Church in Ontario. The primary reason for the division at the time included usage of telephones and automobiles. Markhams, as they are nicknamed, are the most progressive of Old Older groups. Although they utilize considerable technology on their farms and otherwise, they still worship and design their meetinghouses in the same way as other Old Order groups, and they similarly adhere to the Dordrecht Confession of Faith (Mennonite, 1632). The Markhams are known also as "Black Car Mennonites", have electricity and modern appliances in their homes, and use computers and cellphones, although internet usage is monitored. Mennonite plain clothes are still worn in church services, but it is less common for men to wear traditional clothing in public. Women wear the white cap head covering and dresses. Children attend private church run schools, administered usually with the Old Order Mennonite Church.
History
In the early 20th century, some of the Old Order Mennonites in Ontario and Pennsylvania began to use automobiles instead of horses and buggies, which resulted in a great deal of tension within the Old Order congregations. Because of this, "The Old Orders of Waterloo had ceased to affiliate with Markham in 1930 because of the automobile issue."
From 1931 the MWMC had been known as the Markham Mennonite Conference. When a significant group of Old Order Mennonites from the Waterloo County area of Ontario joined with the Markham church in the 1930s, the new MWMC church was formed in 1939.
The Old Order Mennonite Conference of Ontario had its roots in a division within the Mennonite Conference of Ontario in 1889 over such issues as the use of Protestant Sunday School methods, evangelistic meetings, church order, etc. According to the MWMC, "In 1889, the Mennonite Conference of Ontario divided on issues of assimilation to the larger Protestant society". A similar division occurred in 1893 in the Lancaster Mennonite Conference in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, which resulted in the formation of the Weaverland Old Order Mennonite Conference.
In 2003, MWMC layman Donald Martin (ordained Deacon in 2004) published a book entitled "Old Order Mennonites of Ontario: Gelassenheit, Discipleship, and Brotherhood" (Pandora Press, Kitchener, Ontario). His book is a detailed study of the history of most of the Old Order groups in Ontario, including the MWMC, the Old Order Mennonite Conference, the David Martin Mennonites, and the Orthodox Mennonites. This book also contains a primer on basic Old Order Mennonite beliefs. A more detailed study of Old Order Mennonite beliefs was published by the same author in 2007 called Distinctive Teachings of the Old Order People (Vineyard Publications, Wallenstein, Ontario). It explains Old Order Mennonite beliefs on issues such as 'Salvation', 'Discipleship', 'The Church', and 'Separation from the World'.
