Hesston Mennonite Church stands on South Main Street in Hesston, Kansas, a small community in Harvey County about thirty-five miles north of Wichita. It is one of two institutions that have grown up together since 1909 - the other being Hesston College - and the long partnership between the two has shaped almost everything about how this congregation worships, learns, and serves its neighbors.
A Century Tied to Hesston College
Hesston Mennonite Church was born on October 3, 1909, in the same weeks that Hesston College, then called Hesston Bible School and Academy, opened its doors a short walk away. Twenty-five charter members came together, most transferring their membership from seven nearby congregations. Eight of them came from the Pennsylvania Church at Zimmerdale, which continued to be the primary supporting body. The new congregation met on Sunday afternoons so as not to interfere with the PA Church's services.
That close relationship with Hesston College has never ended. College administrators D.H. Bender and J.D. Charles became the congregation's first pastors. T.M. Erb served as bishop and is regarded as the primary founder. For nearly fifty years the congregation met in campus facilities - first Green Gables, then the Administration Building, then Hess Hall - before building its own sanctuary in 1956. Even then the sharing continued: the college used the new sanctuary for chapels and other rooms for classes and faculty offices. In 2007 HMC built a second set of facilities, again sharing space with the college. More than a century later, the two institutions still trade facilities and personnel.
Sunday Mornings: Sunday School, Fellowship, and Worship
The Sunday rhythm at Hesston Mennonite Church is threefold. Sunday School for all ages begins at 9:00 am. At 10:00 am a fellowship time fills the space between classes and worship. At 10:30 am the congregation gathers for the main worship service. The whole sequence runs through the late morning, with the worship service itself lasting about an hour and fifteen minutes.
First-time visitors are invited to wear whatever is comfortable - there is no dress code to observe. Parking is available on the north, south, and east sides of the church building. The friendly people at the Welcome Booth can answer questions, and when there is a noon potluck meal after worship, newcomers are asked to be guests.
The service itself includes a variety of music, opportunities for children to be involved, prayer, scripture reading, a sermon, and time afterward to greet one another. Services are livestreamed on YouTube and remain available to watch afterward, with a recent playlist archived on the same channel.
Children and Youth: SHINE, JYF, and MYF
Faith formation for children begins early. On Sunday mornings from 9:00 to 10:00 am, Faith Formation gathers children ages three through fourth grade. An opening time together includes singing, praying, stories, and activities, and then the children divide into age-appropriate classrooms where Bible stories and hands-on projects help them grow in faith and Biblical knowledge.
Wednesday evenings from September through April bring SHINE - which stands for Share His Incredible News with Everyone. A meal is served first, followed by Bible learning, crafts, and recreation for children ages four through fourth grade.
Older children have their own fellowships. JYF, the Junior Youth Fellowship, is for students in grades five through seven and meets on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings during the school year. The Wednesday gathering begins with a meal at 6:00 pm in the Community Center and runs until 7:30 pm. MYF, the Mennonite Youth Fellowship, is the high school fellowship for grades eight through twelve, gathering on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings from 7:45 to 9:00 pm in the downstairs MYF Room. Both groups center on growing in faith, asking questions, fellowship, and fun, with MYF going deeper into what it means to live in community. Kendra Engle serves as Youth Director for both groups.
Adult Sunday School: Six Classes for Six Stages of Life
The Sunday School hour at 9:00 am is also when six adult classes meet, each with its own personality.
Nolongya gathers in the northwest Education Hall rooms. The name is a mashup of "no longer young adults." Most participants are in their thirties to fifties with children ranging from preschool to college age. Discussions are led by class members in rotation and have covered books of the Bible, current events through a Biblical lens, spiritual disciplines, and personal testimonies. The class notes that it tends to get a slow start, so newcomers should not worry if no one has arrived before 9:15.
F.I.S.H. - Fellowship In Service to Him - meets in Education Hallway Room Y. It draws singles, married and dating couples, and families for fellowship, Bible study, and mutual support.
New Beginnings fills the southwest Education Hall rooms. Most members are in their fifties through seventies, though anyone is welcome. The class alternates sharing and prayer with focused Scripture study; recent studies have included the Gospel of John, "A Faith of Many Rooms," and a video series by Max Lucado.
Genesis meets in the northeast Education Hall rooms and includes members sixty-five and older. The class chooses its own books and topics and often shares a noon meal together once a month after church.
Vessels gathers in the southeast Education Hall rooms, mostly retirees and those approaching retirement. Members spend the first fifteen minutes in prayer and sharing, then move into a book study on justice issues or Bible study.
Pathfinders, in Education Hallway Room Z, is the oldest class, with members ranging in age from sixty-seven to ninety-six. The class begins with sharing, prayer requests, a hymn, and prayer, then moves into a Bible-based lesson and discussion. The class notes that anyone is welcome, even just for one Sunday.
The Shepherd Program
One distinctive ministry at HMC is the Shepherd Program, a structured lay-caring network rooted in the Anabaptist doctrine of the priesthood of believers. Each family unit in the congregation is assigned a shepherd - a lay leader who has been vetted by the pastors and trained in listening, visitation, prayer, and crisis response.
Shepherds are expected to make at least one in-person visit per year with each family in their flock - an intentional time to talk about what is going well and what could be improved in the family's relationship with HMC and their spiritual journey. They also reach out at times of celebration - births, weddings, graduations, retirements - and concern - death, illness, divorce, or changes in church involvement. A maximum of fifteen family units is assigned per shepherd, and shepherds commit to at least a two-year term. Quarterly check-in meetings allow shepherds to share composite patterns and trends with the pastors, who step in when a situation exceeds what a layperson is equipped to handle.
The program is supported by the Caring Ministry Team and uses "The Caring Congregation Ministry" by Karen Lampe and Melissa Gepford as its primary training resource. In the materials, the pastors frame the program with Acts 20:28: "So guard yourselves and God's people. Feed and shepherd God's flock."
Wednesday Evenings: Prayer Shawl and Youth
For anyone looking for a quieter way to spend a Wednesday evening, the Prayer Shawl Ministry meets in the church library at 6:30 pm. Beginners and experienced crocheters and knitters are both welcomed; the gathering is open to anyone who wants to join in.
This weekly rhythm is layered on top of the Wednesday evening youth programming. From September through April, the building holds a meal in the Community Center at 6:00 pm, JYF until 7:30, MYF until 9:00, and the click of needles in the library - all on the same night.
The Dorcas Circle
The Dorcas Circle is the women's fellowship of the congregation, meeting on the first Thursday of each month from September through May, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. The women work on handwork projects together and process items for Mennonite Central Committee. Each month the group collects donations for a different local organization, and meetings include a devotional time and lunch. Members can come for all of the day or just part of it.
Core Commitments and Confession of Faith
As part of Mennonite Church USA, HMC shares three central commitments with the wider denomination.
The first is to follow Jesus: as an Anabaptist community of the living Word, the congregation listens for God's call through Scripture together, guided by the Spirit, and through baptism commits to live faithfully as Jesus' disciples, no matter the cost.
The second is to witness to God's peace: the congregation is called to extend God's holistic peace, proclaiming Christ's redemption for the world with their lives. Through Christ, God frees the world from sin and offers reconciliation. Members bear witness by rejecting violence and resisting injustice in all forms and in all places.
The third is to experience transformation: the Holy Spirit dwells in and among the congregation, transforming members to reflect God's love. Through worship the Spirit gathers the body of Christ, where their diversity reveals God's beauty, and empowers the community to embody the grace, joy, and peace of the gospel.
These commitments are rooted in a set of core scriptures that the congregation has held close: the Shema from Mark 12 ("love the Lord your God... love your neighbor as yourself"), Jesus' invitation in Matthew 11 to come to him and find rest, the call in Luke 11 to ask and receive, the comfort of Isaiah 43 ("I have called you by name, you are mine"), the forgiveness passage in Colossians 3, the steadfast love of Lamentations 3, the bearing of sins in 1 Peter 2, and Paul's prayer in Philemon 6 that others would catch the faith they see in the community.
Artwork, Library, and Solar Panels
The HMC Artwork Gallery gathers the paintings, sculptures, and Stations of the Cross that decorate the sanctuary and education spaces, including a "Transformation" sculpture and pieces that engage the Parable of the Ten Virgins. The church library, housed in the building, offers a large children's collection and an extensive adult fiction section, along with nonfiction, biographies, and Anabaptist history and theology.
The congregation has invested in creation care through a community solar project funded in part through Inflation Reduction Act support and featured by the Anabaptist Climate Collaborative. Members have also produced a series of resources on anti-racism - including a recommended films list with titles like 13th, Just Mercy, and King in the Wilderness - peacemaking (a page about Mennonite Action, the grassroots movement of Anabaptists and allies working for peace and justice), and Anabaptist identity (an "Anabaptism at 500 Toolkit" for the 2025 commemoration of the movement's origin). Links to Hesston College, Mennonite Mission Network, Mennonite Central Committee, Bethel College, and other ministry partners are also kept current.
Staff and Governance
The pastoral team consists of Pastors Jess Engle and Kay Schroeder. Kendra Engle serves as Youth Director, and Emily Miller is Office Manager. The Governance Board is chaired by Jon Friesen, with Bruce Krase as Vice Chair. Other members include Jim Diller (At-Large), Troy Jantz (Facilities), Vonnie Sieber (Human Resources), Phil Schmidt (Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair), and Cindy Betts (Recording Secretary). Ministry Team Leaders include Mark Miller (Caring Ministry), Meghann Rogers (Gifts Engagement), Carolyn Rychener (Hospitality), Craig Gingerich (Outreach), and Margaret Brewer (Worship).
Hesston Mennonite Church is a member congregation of the Western District Conference of Mennonite Church USA. Giving is handled online through the church's Realm account. The building at 309 South Main Street, Hesston, Kansas, 67062 is open to visitors on Sunday mornings and for the various midweek programs described above.