The History of Hyattsville Mennonite Church

The long-awaited 50th Anniversary book on Hyattsville Mennonite Church is now in print from Pandora Press in Waterloo, Ontario. "Taking Root in Strange Soil" is now available for sale online for only $15(USA)/copy ($18CDN).

Two of Hyattsville's own have made this celebratory book a possibility. Gene Miller researched and wrote the text and Nancy Gehman designed the book and coordinated its production. We owe both of them a debt of gratitude for making this memorable addition to the life of Hyattsville Mennonite Church a reality.

Here is what Gene has to say about "Taking Root in Strange Soil":

If writing history simply involved collecting facts, then the "World Almanac" would be a great history. It isn't, and the reason it isn't is because history is not just facts, it's a story. "Taking Root in Strange Soil" is one take on Hyattsville's story: how the congregation came to be and what happened to it after it began in 1952 in the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C. Because Hyattsville is our congregation, this story is our story. It describes how we've come to where we are today.

The book has regular chapters in it that tell the more-or-less chronological story, but it also has some excursions into issues in greater depth. For example, the first three chapters deal pretty straightforwardly with the founding of the congregation and its subsequent move from Georgetown to Woodridge and then to its own building in Hyattsville. After a chapter on the 1972 congregational reorganization, there is an excursus that explores some of the differences between Hyattsville's first constitution and the new organizing document adopted in 1972, which was called the Polity. There are subsequent explorations of Hyattsville's decision to seek dual OM/GC affiliation, as well as its decision to accept its first gay member.

The book closes with the 2002 ordination of Cindy Lapp. There is an appendix that lists the officers and many committee members throughout the history of Georgetown/Woodridge/Hyattsville, a brief bibliography, and an index of proper names. There are also lots of pictures, including an especially wonderful picture of Tim Wiens.

Click here to order online from Pandora Press or by calling them (toll-free) at 866-696-1678.