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Indians at Nanih Waiya where fifty families were without church privileges. Nevin Bender moved into the community to serve as pastor with John Garber of Burton, Ohio, as bishop. In 1963 a church building was erected, in part by donated labor from members of Hartville, Ohio. A number of Indians have been baptized as church members.

In September l964 a dynamite bomb completely wrecked the church. It is believed that the bombing was due to racial tensions in the county. Mennonite Disaster Service helped to rebuild the church and within three weeks the congregation began to worship in the new though not completed building. In February 1966 another dynamite explosion demolished the building. The congregation, numbering twenty-four Indians and five white members, proceeded to rebuild the church with the help of the local community and labor donated from congregations in other areas. In 1967 there was the third bombing and the third rebuilding. The members of the congregation hope for a peaceful future and continue to worship and witness in the community. Eldon King of West Liberty, Ohio, serves the congregation as bishop.

Urban Fellowships

Among the newer churches to be planted are a number of fellowship groups in Ohio's principal cities. One of these is the Lee Heights Church in southeast Cleveland. This church had its beginning in a summer Bible school program for Negro children sponsored by Tillie Yoder in 1948. The school was supported by the Plainview Church of Aurora. In 1960 the school reached the high figure of 800 children enrolled. The Ray Stutzman family continued a ministry, and in 1951 the Plainview Church purchased a site for worship. In 1953 Vern L. Miller was ordained pastor by Bishop Elmer Stoltzfus of the Plainview congregation. In 1957 the church was organized as the Lee Heights Church and continued its ministry to persons of different racial and economic backgrounds.

The University-Euclid Community Church is a local outpost of Lee Heights and is sponsored jointly by the Ohio Mission Board and the General Mission Board of the Mennonite Church. Warner Jackson is in charge of this church which since its founding in 1963 has included persons of different racial backgrounds in its fellowship.

What is now the Friendship Mennonite Church in Cleveland