21(i / Development of Church Life in the Older Congregations

an effective and eloquent speaker in either language. Mast was active in the conference as a moderator and preacher in many of its congregations. As a bishop he traveled widely to serve scattered congregations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.

In a period of transition he skillfully kept the unity of his congregations. He was careful to introduce the new only after it had proved itself elsewhere. He saw the membership of his church grow from 100 in 1900 to about 500 in 1950 and with this also the starting of some new congregations. He played an important part in introducing the Sunday school, Bible conferences, sewing circles, and evangelistic meetings. As a leader in the more conservative part of the conference he was widely known and appreciated throughout the entire conference during the long years of his ministry.

His successor was Ira A. Kurtz who was ordained in 1944 and served both the Conestoga and Maple Grove districts until the latter district ordained Aaron Stoltzfus in 1953. Under their leadership the congregations have grown, new congregations have been planted, and numerous missions started.

In 1953 the Maple Grove MYF began the publication of a monthly community newssheet called Maple Breezes with Edna Mast as editor. This monthly publication contains much church news, letters from relief workers, news of men and women in voluntary service, and other items. An annual hymn-sing in the vicinity has attracted as many as 5,000 persons on an afternoon on the farm of Joseph Kennel. In the pages of Maple Breezes it is possible to see the growth of Maple Grove's outposts and daughter congregations: Wesley Chapel, Sandy Hill, Grayson (in North Carolina), Birch Grove, Ridgeview, and House of Friendship (in New York City).

Both the Conestoga and Maple Grove churches are fortunate to have had much of their history preserved by two local historians. Christian Z. Mast, son of John S. Mast, has for more than half a century gathered data on family, church, and local history. He is

author of the Mast Family History (1911) and Annals of Conestoga Valley (1942) and numerous articles. Joseph G. Kennel of the Maple Grove Church kept a careful record of activities in this congregation from 1911 to his death in 1949.