The Germantown Meetinghouse
Located near William Penn's city of Philadelphia the 1770 Mennonite meetinghouse preserves the simplicity of colonial architecture. Though congregational life began as early as 1690, the first baptism and communion service was
held in 1708. It was in Germantown that the first Mennonite conference was held in 172.5.
issued a statement which explained their reason for not shunning expelled members in the way that Ammann considered necessary. At about this time Ammann placed most of the Palatine ministers under the ban in addition to many persons whom he had never seen. The division was now practically complete.
There were further attempts at reconciliation, however, but they were not successful. Some of Ammann's followers later indicated a desire to be received again into the church but they refused to relax their Meidung position and the return to the former body was not made. The last attempt at reconciliation was made in 1711 when a group of Amish from the Palatinate and the Upper Palatinate came to Heidelsheim in Alsace to seek peace, with the provision that they be allowed to practice Meidung and footwashing. Apparently at least two of the group were received into the church, but no largescale healing of the schism took place.`'
