Plains Mennonite is located on the corner of Orvilla Road and Route 63 (Main Street), Lansdale, where a group of God’s children have gathered to for Sunday morning worship and fellowship events for almost 250 years. The original meetinghouse was built in 1765.
Our current pastors, Mike Derstine and Dawn Ranck Hower, minister to all who enter our doors with a warm and creative spirit and a loving acceptance of sinners saved by grace through Jesus Christ. Members seek to live as followers of Jesus in a changing world. Confession and praise find expression in our hearty singing, open sharing, and caring prayers.
When entering Plains churchyard you will see a recently developed small park area utilizing the land adjoining the church and cemetery. A welcoming sign reads “Plains Park: A Place of Peace in the Community.“ A yearly “party in the park” involving our pastors and attendants offers free food and a time of neighborhood delight to all who come. Many from the surrounding community regularly stop by for relaxed times within this Peace Park. Some new warm friendships are developing as church members also enjoy the park. At times courageous neighbors choose to join our worship services.
All who come to worship with us receive a welcome at our doors, an invitation to join small groups discussing Bible passages and issues of faith and practice – along with an extension of ongoing love and fellowship. Children and youth are offered love and quality time during a Sunday morning hour as well as during the worship hour. Excellent food is shared frequently and with joy in the ground-floor fellowship area. We expect those who worship with us to give generously to support church-related ministries such as Mennonite Central Committee and Mennonite Disaster Service as well as meeting local needs via community-run programs like Manna on Main Street in nearby Lansdale.
“Called to journey together with Jesus, we listen to God and to each other, join in the creative work of the Holy Spirit, and joyfully share God’s saving love, justice, and peace with our neighbors and world.”
The opinions expressed in articles posted on Mosaic’s website are those of the author and may not reflect the official policy of Mosaic Conference. Mosaic is a large conference, crossing ethnicities, geographies, generations, theologies, and politics. Each person can only speak for themselves; no one can represent “the conference.” May God give us the grace to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us through people with whom we disagree and the humility and courage to love one another even when those disagreements can’t be bridged.