Richmond Mennonite Fellowship
The Richmond Mennonite Fellowship is a congregation of between twenty and twenty-five adults and children. The Richmond Mennonite Fellowship originated in 1985 in order to create a Mennonite congregation in the West End of Richmond. Another factor in the formation of the new congregation was that a pastor at First Mennonite married a divorced woman, which is regarded as a breach of Mennonite beliefs. Services are held in a house offered to the congregation by the West Richmond Church of the Brethren. They are renting the home but only pay for the amount of usage, rather than a monthly rate.
The Richmond Mennonite Fellowship does not have a full-time pastor. At some times they have had part-time pastors, but currently they conduct services with guest speakers. A typical service consists of a reflective time in which the congregation shares something they feel is important or meaningful. The congregation listens to each person’s insight and relates it to their own lives. Services sometimes consist of music sung from a hymnal with piano accompaniment. In the absence of a pastor, Richmond Mennonite Fellowship invites the congregation participation. Each person is encouraged to volunteer to lead a meditation (sermon), lead music, or lead a children’s story. Sunday school for the children is held in the Church of the Brethren. Adult Sunday school consists a second hour of discussion after the service. This discussion can focus on a book or sermon or simply involve open sharing.
The Richmond Mennonite Fellowship does not follow a traditional service format; the service is very informal. The Fellowship does follow certain parts of the traditional Christian calendar. Lent is celebrated in the church along with Advent.
The Richmond Mennonite Fellowship contributes to many causes in the Richmond area. The congregation makes donations to Fan Free Clinic, Assisting Families of Inmates, Art 180, Fish, and CARITAS. The congregation has also supported students engaged in peace studies at Eastern Mennonite College in West Virginia.
Richmond Mennonite Fellowship
7612 Wanymala Rd.
Richmond, VA 23229
(804)-285-7717
Sources:
Church website at http://richmond.va.us.mennonite.net/Home
RMF Congregation
Profile prepared by: Wallace Wayne Pitts Jr.
April 2007
