Morning Star church dedication set for April 9
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
A new, imposing brick structure stands out against the blue sky at the corner of 340th and Falcon in extreme northwest Marion County. It is the new home of Morning Star Mennonite Church.
Construction on the new facility began about a year ago. The congregation has been meeting there since December. Plans are being made for an April 9 dedication service.
According to Lillian Wiebe, wife of minister Ransom Wiebe, the new structure was built because the congregation had outgrown the former building.
"We ran out of Sunday school rooms, the kitchen was small, the baby room became too small, and the reception room was crowded," she said.
The new church stands on the same site as the original church built in 1904 and a second church built in 1966.
Known originally as Logan Mennonite Church (because of its location in Logan Township), the name was changed to Morning Star Mennonite Church when the 1966 building was dedicated.
Morning Star is affiliated with the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite conference.
Many such churches exist throughout the U.S. and Canada and are numerous in central Kansas. They also exist in foreign countries.
Members of Church of God in Christ, Mennonite are more commonly known as Holdemans.
The first Mennonites to migrate to the United States came to America almost 100 years before the Constitution was ratified. They came to the colony of Pennsylvania in 1683 by personal invitation of William Penn.
Penn was an English Quaker who sought settlers for a large tract of land granted him by the King of England.
In time, some Mennonites felt the group was drifting away from its original principles. John Holdeman rose up to seek a return to the old values. Eventually, he and his followers split with the church and formed their own group, which was organized as the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite.
Holdemans stand fast in not conforming to the world and maintaining simplicity in dress and lifestyle. Men are required to wear beards, and women are required to wear a "prayer covering" to reflect their submission to man.
Holdemans don't believe in holding political office or participating in the military. They don't vote in civil elections but believe it is their duty as Christians to pay taxes.
Membership in the church is granted after a "born again" experience and a confession of faith, symbolized by baptism (by pouring).
Most congregations have their own schools, grades one through eight. Teachers are hired from within the group.
Morning Star's school is Cottonwood Grove Christian School, situated near Cottonwood Crossing. The teacher lives in a nearby house provided by the church.
Morning Star young people generally don't attend high school but some with special permission take nurses' training. To maintain the purity of their principles, they marry within their own conference, and are excommunicated if they marry someone from the outside.
The Morning Star congregation currently has three ministers elected by the people from within their own ranks. They are Ransom Wiebe, Bruce Dirks, and Merlin Wiebe.
In addition to regular church services, the congregation is active in supporting its school and a church-sponsored senior living center in Moundridge known as Moundridge Manor.
They provide special services for Brown Memorial Home in Abilene and Salina Rescue Mission. An active youth group meets regularly.
The church also supports evangelism and missions conducted by their conference throughout the world.
Present membership is 120.
