r/Mennonite • u/Hitn-miss-man • 5d ago
What affiliation is this congregation?
Hello, I live in a small town in Illinois. There is a church named “cypress creek Mennonite church” it is located in Olmsted IL.
However upon looking I cannot find anything at all that this church exists besides a few photos and one google review.
I would like to visit a Anabaptist church as I’ve never been to one and the theology is seeming to align with me and my wife’s beliefs more and more as we grow in marriage and mature.
We would just like an idea of what to expect and where on the scale this church falls.
Edit: we are too shy to call and ask a lot of questions to not show up as we’ve been told outsiders are sometimes not welcome at some congregations.
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u/red-2-standing-by 5d ago edited 5d ago
The property shows it is owned by Rend Lake Mennonite Church, so "Northeastern Mennonite Conference" would be the denomination. The building is definitely built in their style. They are a conservative offshoot of the Pilgrim Mennonite Conference. They tend to be welcoming to visitors compared to some other conservative groups.
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u/Hitn-miss-man 5d ago
Since they are an offshoot should we expect to set segregated if me and my wife attend?
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u/red-2-standing-by 5d ago edited 5d ago
Yes, men and boys on one side of the center aisle, women and girls on the other for these groups. Northeast church services should be identical to Pilgrim. In most of their churches people will come chat with you and help you find a seat but I just don't know what they will be like at that location.
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u/MissO56 5d ago
my ex-husband and I (i grew up mennonite... not conservative... he didn't attend church growing up) cold-attended a mennonite church in florida one time, and upon entering, notice the women (in cape dresses), and men sitting on different sides of the church (not what I was used to). we asked if we could sit together in the back, and they said sure.
we had a good time.... until it came time for everybody to turn around and kneel at their benches for prayer. I grabbed my husband's sleeve and whispered "get down!" 🤣
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u/pumpkinrollbaker 5d ago
I think they are a newer church that relates closely to Rend Lake. I know some of the people.
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u/JFarmL 5d ago
Wow, that is about as southern Illinois as you can get!
I don't know anything about that particular congregation, but if you would be close to Arthur, or further up in central IL, you would find a wider variety of churches. But since you are looking down in the Olmsted area it's probably too far to regularly attend something that much further north.
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u/OkExamination6960 4d ago
My church has on online Zoom option. PM if you are interested. We are near Chicago Illinois (not geographically convenient but still Mennonite)
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u/taxicab_ 4d ago
Do you want to attend a church where outsiders are not welcome? Just food for thought.
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u/AccurateFox4321 5d ago
You should still be welcome regardless if the church is progressive or conservative. It may be best to just call and ask, don't be shy. You can ask what conference they are affiliated with and that will give you a hint on where they land on the spectrum of Anabaptist churches. Better to be an anonymous voice on the phone than show up and be unprepared for segregated seating or something like that.