Who We Are
Who Are the Mennonites?
Mennonites have been around for almost 500 years. They began as a movement that insisted no one is born into the church. Instead, Mennonites believe the church is a community of believers who choose to turn over their lives to Jesus Christ and be baptized to symbolize that commitment. Together we strive to live out a new way of life in which Jesus is Lord above all nationalism, materialism or any selfish pursuit.
Mennonites believe we gain strength from the presence of God’s Spirit as we come together in community. Mennonites believe discipleship is a shared journey. We strive to live out Jesus’ way together. Our congregations provide communities of shared worship, support, and accountability. Mennonite congregations are like caring families, and visitors are always welcome.
Mennonites perhaps are best known for our commitment to nonviolence and peacemaking. Jesus taught his disciples to love their enemies and respond to aggression with positive action. He also taught us to follow him. We believe God defeats evil with sacrificial and unconditional love and see peace building as an achievable way of life.
AMC Vision Statement
“Nurture the Future Church”
By 2027, Arthur Mennonite Church will become a community of children and adults
who build deeper relationships with each other. We will guide our children to learn
God’s Word and know Jesus personally. Opportunities for the spiritual growth of
all ages will be provided as we boldly share God’s love to the world.
Four Spiritual Truths
For Followers of Jesus:
- A God of love made you and me in his image as a good part of creation. God wants us to live at peace with our Maker, our world, and one another.
- Sin destroys harmony in creation when we try to run our own lives apart from God. Suffering, greed, violence and broken relationships result.
- Jesus confronted the powers of evil that fracture our world and died on the cross for my sin. Jesus healed the sick, forgave enemies and lived in the joy of the kingdom of God.
- You can have a new beginning by the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. God forgives when we confess our sins, and the Spirit of God enables us to follow Jesus in all of life.
Additional Resources
Mennonite Confession of Faith
We encourage you to review the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective in its entirety for an even more in-depth look at our faith.
Mennonite World Review
Mennonite World Review (MWR) is an independent newspaper published since 1923. MWR exists to foster communication and cooperation
within the Mennonite family of faith, encouraging support for the work of the church, its structures and institutions. It seeks to be a medium for
the preservation and spread of Christian beliefs and ideals as interpreted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition.
A History of Arthur Mennonite Church
Editor’s Note: The following information was gleaned from “Arthur Mennonite Church: An Historical Profile 1940-1990” which was written and compiled by Orva Helmuth. For a more detailed history, please refer to that book which is located in the book rack in the church foyer.
The first services which lead to what is now the Arthur Mennonite Church, were held in the Oba Bontrager home, at what is now 419 N. Elm St. in the north-west part of Arthur. That service was on a Sunday afternoon in Oct. of l936. Brother J.A. Heiser and Brother Harold Zehr conducted the services. Services were held in the Bontrager home every two weeks until the spring of 1938, when the services were moved to the Union Prairie Church located 3 miles south and 1/4 mile west of Arthur, where the Trinity Christian Fellowship now meets. After moving to Union Prairie, services were held every Sunday.
The Henry J. King family moved to Arthur in October of l938. Brother King became pastor of the group of 30 believers, who considered themselves Anabaptists and Mennonites.
In October of 1939, the former Pentecostal Church building, at the corner of E. Progress and S. Poplar Street was purchased.
In the regular meeting of the Illinois Mennonite Conference in 1940, the group at Arthur was granted the privilege of organizing as a congregation. On September 15, 1940, the members at Arthur organized as a congregation in the Illinois Mennonite Conference. Of the 57 charter members on Sept. 15,1940, there were 13 married couples and 31 single young men and women.
In January 20, 1946, 25 people were received into the fellowship of the church, 11 by transfer of membership and 14 others by baptism. This was the largest group received at one time in the history of the church.
On August 1, 1948 ground was broken for the new church building located at 710 E. Park St. in Arthur. On August 12 about 50 men and boys came to cement the basement forms. Shortly after October 1 almost all the outside work was completed. Work on the inside went on all winter long. During rainy weather and after cold weather set in when farmers could not work outside, they came to the church to help work. Some days there were only a few and some times there would be a dozen or more working at once. After working all winter on the new building, it was completed and on April 16 the benches and furniture were moved from the old building to the new. The first services were held in the new building on Easter Sunday, April 17, 1949. The newly constructed church was dedicated on May 1, 1949. The old church house was sold and remodeled to house the Schrock Cabinet Shop.
In 1954 a house was built on the east side of the church property for Brother Theodore Wentland. Volunteer help did most of the work and it was completed around September 1. Brother Wentland and his family moved to Arthur on September 7, 1954. This property was later bought in 1960 from the Wentland property for use as a church parsonage. The first telephone at the church was installed in 1962.
In September 1965 there was a 25th Anniversary and Homecoming of the charter membership of the church, which included a special service for Henry and Anna King.
On September 9, 1973 there was a ground breaking service for a new education wing and fellowship hall. This addition was completed in the spring of 1974. Although many additions and updates have been done since this time the church building remains today at 710 E. Park St. in Arthur.
The Lord has truly been at work in the Arthur Mennonite Church throughout its history. Many persons have committed their lives to Jesus as Lord and Savior. Many have gone out to other places to serve the Lord, and many have faithfully continued to serve Him here through the years. God continues to be at work among us, renewing us by His Spirit, and bringing us into a closer relationship with Him and with each other. Our prayer is that this work will continue and increase in the local community and world as the future unfolds, for the glory of God and the praise of Jesus our Lord.
You are always welcome
at Arthur Mennonite Church!
To God be the Glory!
Celebrating 75 Years of AMC
On September 13, 2015 we gathered to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Arthur Mennonite Church. Pastors and former attendees were invited to come to share memories and stories and to join in our celebration of God’s faithfulness.
It was a blessed event! Here we would like to share some of the highlights from that day.
Slideshow
Worship Service Highlights
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