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      The Bender House 
      The Bender House has historical significance in the Greenwood Mennonite Church History. Lester and Mary Lou Beachy owned the house which was first purchased by Lesters grandfather, Valentine Bender on January 1, 1914. Their plan was to raze the old house after they built their new one. 
     Providentially, a Val Bender reunion was being held in Greenwood in 1993 and a groundswell of interest to save the old building began to grow. Money was raised and a Bender steering committee was formed to explore a plan to save the old house. 
      The house was dismantled, secured and moved to the property of Millard and Lura Benner, (the original homestead of the Neven Bender family), where it was repaired and restored. It stands like a sentinel several hundred yards from road 36, at the edge of the woods where the little brown school house once stood. It beckons visitors with its simple grace to come and take a backward look in time. 
     While this house is important in the lives of many Mennonites in Delaware, the Board agrees that we do not want this important icon to crowd out the other significant places, events and people in Delawares unique history. Yet, this simple building, about to be destroyed, became the catalyst that helped bring about the birth of the Delaware Mennonite Historical Society. 
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                   DMHS, in keeping with its mission statement intends to provide a vibrant and accurate presentation of Mennonites in Delaware. At present this includes: 
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                   Greenwood
                       
                      
       Mennonite Church
                     
                    
      Greenwood 1914 
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                   Cannon
                       
                      
       Mennonite Church
                     
                    
      Bridgeville 1976 
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                   Laws
                       
                      
       Mennonite Church
                     
                    
      Harrington 1953 
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                   Central
                       
                      
       Mennonite Church
                     
                    
      Dover 1955 
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                   Tressler
                       
                      
       Mennonite Church
                     
                    
      Greenwood 1935 
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                   First
                       
                      
       Mennonite Church
                       
                    Wilmington 1959-1972. 
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                   Maranatha Fellowship
                       
                    Dover 
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                   President
                     
                    
            Paul Bender 
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                   Treasurer
                     
                    
            Amy Schlabach 
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                   Secretary
                       
                    Jesse Bontrager 
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                   Archives
                     
                    
            Harvey Mast 
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                   Buildings and Grounds
                     
                    
          Titus Schlabach 
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                   Legal
                     
                    
          Truman Schrock 
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                   Consulting
                     
                    
            
						Millard Benner
                     
                    
						Harold Huber
                     
                    
            Vernon Zehr, Jr. 
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