Anniversary Facts

1. The first pastor of First Mennonite Church was Cloy Troyer (uncle of Susan Burkey). He was chosen by lot in 1960 and served 4-5 years. For most of the first 20 years, First Mennonite Church had a bishop overseer. Milton Troyer (Susan Burkey's father) was the longest serving bishop.

2. Children have always played an important part of First Mennonite Church. In the early 60's, Bible School for neighborhood children was a big event. There were over 200 children enrolled in 1963. The Friendship Circle Day Care Center was part of First Mennonite Church in the early 80's after the move to 73 & Holdrege. The Center was licensed to care for about 20 children.

3. With dwindling attendance, no pastor, and the building at 25 & S needing extensive repairs, First Mennonite Church moved to a small white frame church on the corner of 70th & Platte in Havelock. It is still a church today. That building was purchased for $6500, and the one at 25 & S was sold for $9500.

4. Leland Oswald (who grew up in the Shickley area / Salem Mennonite Church) served as Pastor of First Mennonite Church for over 11 years (January 1972-fall of 1983). He became FMC's first fully supported pastor in 1978 with the help of the Iowa-Nebraska Conference. Steve Ratzlaff who served from 1992-2003 is the other First Mennonite Church pastor who served over 10 years.

5. First Mennonite Church has had two female pastors. Janice Sutter served as interim pastor from 1983-1985. Donnita Payne Hostetler served with her husband Marvin as co-pastors from 1985-1991. They all plan to attend the 50th anniversary celebration in April.

6. First Mennonite Church moved to 7300 Holdrege in 1979. The building and large lot were purchased from the Knights of Columbus for $125,000. Another $30,000 was spent in remodeling and renovation to turn the building back into a church. Reconfiguring and carpeting the sanctuary, enclosing the west entry, insulating, reshingling the roof, turning the bar into a nursery, and repainting the whole building were all done as part of this renovation. All costs for the purchase and remodeling were paid in 3 years, thanks to help from Mennonite churches in Nebraska and northwest Iowa.

7. First Mennonite has been a transient church. Many people of Mennonite background have moved to Lincoln for job opportunities or to attend the University of Nebraska or other colleges, but many have also left when job transfers occurred or their course of study was completed. Since the move to 7300 Holdrege in 1979 almost 100 people who attended FMC moving out of state and another 60 moving to other places in Nebraska.  

8. Since the late 1970's First Mennonite Church has fielded many teams in church league sports. This has been a unique opportunity to involve new attenders and get to know those already in the congregation in a setting outside of church. FMC has won many Co-Ed volleyball, Co-Ed softball, Men's basketball, and Men's softball tournaments. The Youth won the Volleyball tournament in 1993. 

9. Not until the 1990's was there a formal Youth Group as part of First Mennonite Church. Gerry and Mary Cooney were the first sponsors. Phil and June Coleman-Hull led a service trip to Chicago in 1996, and Dallas and Barb Schlegel a service trip to Denver in 2000. Craig and Brenda McLey have led youth to the last two Mennonite Youth Conventions in Charlotte and San Jose.