Fellowship of Evangelical Churches

Fellowship of Evangelical Churches
Location 1420 Kerrway Court Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805[1]
Country United States
Denomination Evangelical
Membership 60 Churches [2]
Website fecministries.com
History
Former name(s) Egly-Amish, Defenseless Mennonites, Evangelical Mennonite Church
Founded 1866
Events FEC Convention (Yearly)

The Fellowship of Evangelical Churches (FEC) is an evangelical body of Christians with an Amish Mennonite heritage that is headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The FEC contains 60 churches located in Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.[2]

History

Beginnings as Egly Amish

In the first half of 19th century, the time before the Amish split into Amish Mennonites and Old Order Amish, several members of the Amish Egly family immigrated from Baden, Germany, to North America. Among them was Henry Egly (1824–1890). Egly was elected deacon of a Berne-Geneva Amish church in Indiana. In 1858, Egly was then elected bishop of the Berne-Geneva Amish Church. Egly, who insisted on the new birth experience, withdrew from the Amish church. Approximately half of the congregation withdrew as well. In 1866, the first Egly-Amish church was created in Berne, Indiana.[3] In the beginning the Egly Amish church was very strict in regard to discipline and dress, but later developed in the same direction as the Amish Mennonites, that is towards the Mennonite mainstream, away from the Amish heritage.[4]

Defenseless Mennonites

The Egly-Amish officially adopted the name "Defenseless Mennonite" on 6 November 1908 as the congregation wanted to be known as more Mennonite rather than Amish.[3]

Evangelical Mennonite Church

In 1942, the Defenseless Mennonites were charter members in the founding of the National Association of Evangelicals. Later, in 1948, their name was changed to "Evangelical Mennonite Church" to reflect both their Anabaptist and Evangelical beliefs.[3]

Fellowship of Evangelical Churches

On 2 August 2003, the Evangelical Mennonite Church voted to be known as the "Fellowship of Evangelical Churches", or FEC.[3]

Doctrine

The Defenseless Mennonite Conference published its Confession of Faith, Rules and Discipline in 1917. The confession of faith was revised in 1937, 1949, 1961, and 1980. It contains 12 articles of faith. The Lords supper is observed with open communion.

Organization

The conference office is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The FEC organization is governed through a congregational form of governance. Local congregations elect delegates to a delegate body, which in turn elects the conference leadership. The conference is composed of 34 churches in the Midwest of the United States with 5278 members. Fifty-five percent of the churches are located in Illinois and Indiana. All FEC ministries are funded by voluntary donations of congregations and individuals.

Branches and connections

Affiliated organizations

These organizations have their own governing boards but are affiliated solely with the Fellowship of Evangelical Churches.

Affiliated Churches

Colorado

  • Lifegate Church

Idaho

  • Lakeview Bible Church

Illinois

  • Living Hope Community Church
  • Calvary Community Church
  • Crossroads Church of Monticello
  • Dewey Community Church
  • Eureka Bible Church
  • Grace Evangelical Church
  • Great Oaks Community Church
  • Groveland Evangelical Mennonite Church
  • Heartland Community Church
  • Jacob’s Well Community Church
  • New Beginnings Church
  • Northwoods Community Church
  • Oak Grove Evangelical Bible Church
  • Rock Creek Bible Church
  • Salem Church

Indiana

  • Berne Evangelical Church
  • Brookside Church
  • Crossview Church
  • Highland Gospel Community
  • Mission Church
  • Pine Hills Church
  • Sonlight Community Church
  • Upland Community Church
  • Westwood Fellowship

Kansas

  • Grace Community Church
  • Sterling Evangelical Bible Church
  • Grace Community Fellowship
  • Grace Crossing
  • New Anthem Community Church

Maine

  • Moss Brook Community Church
  • Life Community Church
  • The Hill

Michigan

  • Church of the Good Shepherd
  • Comins Mennonite Church
  • Lawton Evangelical Church
  • Neighborhood Church
  • The Remedy

Minnesota

  • The Real Tree Church
  • True North

Missouri

  • Bethel Mennonite Church
  • Freedom Point
  • Harrisonville Community Church
  • PeaRidge Community Church

Ohio

  • Archbold Evangelical Church
  • Catalyst Community Church
  • Christ the King Church
  • Crossroads Evangelical Church
  • Evermore Community Church
  • Life Church of Loraine County
  • Life Community Church
  • Oak Bend Church
  • Pathway Church
  • Solid Rock Community Church
  • Wave Community Church

Pennsylvania

  • River City Church[2]

Literature

  • Frank S. Mead, Samuel S. Hill, and Craig D. Atwood: Handbook of Denominations in the United States.
  • Cornelius J. Dyck, Dennis D. Martin, et al., editors: Mennonite Encyclopedia.
  • Glenmary Research Center: Religious Congregations & Membership in the United States (2000).

References

  1. ↑ http://fecministries.org/contact-us/
  2. 1 2 3 http://fecministries.org/churches/
  3. 1 2 3 4 http://fecministries.org/our-beliefs/history/
  4. ↑ Fellowship of Evangelical Churches at Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online.
  5. ↑ http://fecministries.org/ministries/
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.