The Growth of Newer Congregations / 245

providing a new church home. Often these congregations began as a result of summer Bible schools, Sunday schools, or meetings in private homes. They have often started with small memberships but are gradually growing into mature congregations with programs for youth, with women's organizations, and with an active outreach.

The Farmerstown Church in Holmes County was formed as a separate congregation from Walnut Creek in 1949, though services had been held in the community since 1936. In 1949 fiftyfour persons from Walnut Creek signed a petition asking for a separate congregation. Fourteen others also became charter members. John J. Yoder was ordained as minister and Albert C. Slabach as deacon. The present pastor is Homer Kandel and Paul R. Miller is bishop.

In the same county the Millersburg Mennonite Church was founded in 1954 as an extension of Martin's Creek. In 1955 John C. King was ordained pastor, and in 1959 the congregation became independent and was received by the conference. The congregation now has 104 members and the pastor is Paul Lantz.

The Rockville Church near Honey Brook, Pennsylvania, grew out of summer Bible schools and Sunday schools that the Conestoga Church started in 1951. In 1952 Millard Shoup was ordained as minister in the Conestoga-Rockville District and in 1958 became pastor of the Rockville Church. The following year Rockville became a congregation of the conference.

The Stoner Heights Church near Louisville, Ohio, began in 1938 as a Sunday school with teachers from the Beech Church. In 1955 a charter membership formed an independent congregation with Delvin Nussbaum as pastor. The congregation now occupies a new building and Elvin J. Sommers is the present pastor.

In some instances congregations founded work at a great distance, e.g., the Rainbow Chapel, Shouns, Tennessee, was the outgrowth of efforts by the Conestoga, Maple Grove, and Ridgeview churches in Pennsylvania. The Birch Grove Church at Port Allegany in western Pennsylvania is an extension of the Maple Grove Church in eastern Pennsylvania. Alvin Miller is its pastor. Big Laurel Church in North Carolina originated in 1950. It was founded by the Maple Grove (Atglen, Pennsylvania) and Media Chapel congregations at the request of a convert of Media Chapel who was