©Mennonite
Heritage Centre 2003
Last updated 8 Feb 2019
Mennonite Heritage Centre
Archives
Winnipeg, Manitoba
First Mennonite Church (Winnipeg) fonds
Retrieval numbers: 46, 1011, 1410, 1411, 1700, 3133, 3554, 4009, 4488, 4759, 5794, 6297, 6348, 6349.
Title: First Mennonite Church (Winnipeg)
fonds
Dates: 1932-2018
Extent: 97 cm of textual records
Extent: 7 microfilm reels
Historical note
First Mennonite Church (Winnipeg) traces its
beginning to the founding of the Schönwieser Mennoniten
Gemeinde in Manitoba in 1926. As early as 1907 Ältester
Benjamin Ewert had provided spiritual services to Mennonites living in
Winnipeg. He eventually moved to Winnipeg from Altona in 1921. The
number of Mennonite families in Winnipeg increased with the 1920s
migration of Mennonites from Russia. With this increase the Canadian
conference asked Ältester Johann Klassen, one of these
immigrants who lived in Starbuck, to minister to them as well. Soon
these immigrants were the majority of this group and they organized in
1926 as the Schönwieser Mennoniten Gemeinde. The name
Schönwieser came from the name of the congregation
Ältester Klassen had led in the Chortitza Colony, South
Russia. In 1929 Ältester Klassen to Winnipeg. During the early
years this congregation met in rented facilities. A centre of activity
was the Mädchenheim (girl's home). Then they met and later
purchased the Zion Reformed Church building on Alexander Avenue. They
built their own meeting house on Notre Dame and Alverston in 1950. This
building was expanded in 1958 and 1983. The congregation was
instrumental in founding the Concordia Hospital, the Mennonitische
Religionschule von Winnipeg, the Bethania Personal Care Home, and
Westgate Mennonite Collegiate among many others. The
Schönwieser Mennoniten Gemeinde had many meeting places during
the 1920s. Eventually seven congregations emerged out of this besides
the First Mennonite Church, Winnipeg. The last of these was Oak Lake in
1971. The leaders of the congregation were: G. A. Peters (1925-1930),
Johann Klassen (1926-1943), John H. Enns (1939-1964), J. H. Wiebe
(1965-1973)[ he was Ältester and the last to be so referred
until 1971], John Neufeld (1973-1983), Victor Kliewer (1984-1985),
Franz Wiebe (1986-2008).
Scope and content note
This fonds contains congregational bulletins
(1958-1998, 2012-2018), congregational directories (1947-1995), congregational
newsletters (1940-2002, young people's newsletter, Das Blatt,
(1951-1963), congregational annual reports (1930-1998), congregational
meeting minutes (1930-1979), family, membership, baptismal, and
marriage register (1929-1975), church council meeting minutes
(1929-1978), minister's meeting minutes (1938-1964), congregational
constitutions ([193?]-1978), several youth society programmes from the
1950s, choir members list (1975), a 1947 preaching schedule,
correspondence with the Conference of Mennonites in Canada,
governments, Bible schools, etc., Frauenverein (ladies society) minutes
(1963-1980), and other miscellaneous papers. The records pertain to the
beginning and development of a Mennonite congregation in the city of
Winnipeg and they document who the leaders, members, and participants
were.
Finding aids
Inventory file list available.
Notes
Language
Much German.
Restrictions on access
No restrictions on access.
Other notes
Described by Bert Friesen 12 November 2001. The
microfilming was done in three projects (ask about project nos.
17,21,43). The hard copies were donated over the years from the
congregation.. Updated by Conrad Stoesz April 12, 2018. Updated by Selenna Wolfe 8 February 2019.
Accession numbers: 2018-013.
First Mennonite Church (Winnipeg) fonds file list:
Volume 46
- First Mennonite Church constitutions ([between 1974-1978],
1978)
- First Mennonite Church youth society programme (1954)
- First Mennonite Church youth society programme (1956) and
bulletin (1956), Statutes (1956)
- First Mennonite Church choir programme (1957)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1958)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1963)
- First Mennonite Church directory (1964)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1969)
- First Mennonite Church pictorial directory (1971)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1975), choir members list
(1975)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1976)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1977)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1978), and annual reports
(1978), annual general meeting minutes (1977)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1979), League for life of
Manitoba newsletter (1979)
Volume 1011
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1980), annual reports
(1980), annual general meeting minutes (1979)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1981)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1982)
Volume 1410
- Schönwieser Mennonite Church paper on fundamentals
of faith (1933)
- Schönwieser Mennonite Church open letter ([1943])
- Schönwieser Mennonite Church preaching assignments
(1947)
- First Mennonite Church miscellaneous papers
([196-]-[197-]), newsletter of youth clubs ([196-])
- Schönwieser Mennonite Church congregational
meeting minutes (1932, 1933, 1968-1970, 1972, 1974-1975)
- First Mennonite Church council meeting minutes (1971-1978)
Volume 1411
- First Mennonite Church young people's newsletter, Das
Blatt, (1951-1960)
Volume 1700
- Schönwieser Mennonite Church constitution, 3rd
edition (1967)
- Schönwieser Mennonite Church directories (1947,
1951, 1955-1959, 1961-1970, 1973)
- First Mennonite Church pictoral directory (1971); membership list, Spring, 1984
- First Mennonite Church pictoral direcotry (1976?) (no date given)
Volume 3133
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1983)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1984)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1985)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1986), annual reports
(1986), directory (1986)
- First Mennonite Church pictoral directory (1981)
Volume 3554
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1987), list of deceased
members (1987)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1988), music schedule
(1988), pictoral directory (1988)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1989)
Volume 4009
- First Mennonite Church pictorial directory (1988),
Membership List (1988).
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1990)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1991)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1992)
Volume 4488
- First Mennonite Church directory (1995), annual reports
(1995)
- First Mennonite Church annual reports (1994), pictoral
directory (1994)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1993), annual reports
(1993)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1996), annual reports
(1996)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1997), annual reports
(1997)
- First Mennonite Church bulletins (1998), annual reports
(1998), membership list (1998)
- First Mennonite Church pictoral directory (2008)
Volume 4759
Intercom: Newsletter of First Mennonite Church (1976-2002)
- Intercom: Newsletter of First Mennonite Church October 1976, November 1976
- September 1979
- Intercom... Vol. 5: 1-3 (1980-1981)
- Intercom... Vol. 6: 1, 2 (1981-1982)
- Intercom... Vol. 7: 1-4 (1982-1983)
- Intercom... Vol. 8: 1-3 (1983-1984)
- Intercom. -- [41 unnumbered, but dated] 1987-2000.
- Intercom. -- #66 (Dec. 2000)
- Intercom. -- #68 (June 2001), #70 (Dec . 2001)
- Intercom. -- #73 (Dec. 2002)
Volume 5794
1. First
Mennonite Church bulletins (2012); "The Community Well" Vol. 6, No.
1-11; Annual congregational meeting minutes (2011); First Mennonite
Senior Citizens Homes Inc. audited financial statments year ended Dec.
31, 2011.
2. First Mennonite Church bulletins (2013); "The Community
Well" Vol. 7, No. 1-7; 2008 pictoral directory; annual report book
(2012)
3. First Mennonite Church bulletins (2014); The Community
Well" Vol. 8, 1-5; annual congregational meeting (2013); Financial
Review Committee Report (2013); First Mennonite Senior Citizens Home
Inc. (Sunset House) (2013); 2014 Telephone and Address Directory
Volume 6297
1. First Mennonite Church bulletins (2015); The Community Well Vol. 9,
1-5; minutes of congregational meeting; report book 2014; First
Mennonite Senior Citizens Home Inc. (Sunset House) 2014 annual report.
2. First Mennonite Church bulletins (2016); annual
directory, annual general meeting report book; AGM minutes (2015), "The
Community Well", Vol. 10, Issue 1, 3 calendar schedules, numberous
notices of events, et. Verpers, etc.
3. First Mennonite Church bulletins (2017); monthly service
calendars; budget deficit task force update, recommendatoins, and
report to council (2017); Senior Citizen's Home AGM Annual Report
(2016); Ushers' Guidelines; Telephone and Address Directory (2017);
memorial service bulletins
Volume 6348
1. First Mennonite Church, Winnipeg Annual Congregational reports. -- 1982-1986, 1988.
2. First Mennonite Church, Winnipeg Annual Congregational reports. -- 1989-1993.
3. First Mennonite Church, Winnipeg Annual Congregational reports. -- 2000-2007.
Volume 6349
1. First Mennonite Church, Winnipeg Annual Congregational reports. -- 2008-2012.
2. First Mennonite Church, Winnipeg Annual Congregational reports. -- 2016-2018.
3. First Mennonite Church, Winnipeg bulletins (2018); "The
Community Well" Vol. 11, 1-2; memorial service bulletins; Senior
Citizen's Homes Inc. (Sunset House) annual report (2017).
4. First Mennonite Church, Winnipeg picture directory (2001).
Microfilm
(MHC Project No.17, 21, 43; MHC Microfilm no. 17, 179, 180,
193, 194, 195, 196)
Microfilm No. 17
(in chronological order)
- Register, (at beginning of book).
- Familienverzeichnis, pp. 33-292.
- G1iederverzeichnis Index pp. 293-324, #1 –1090.
- Taufhandlungung pp. 393-432, 1929-1942.
- Trauhandlungen for Church Record Books, (Blank).
- Register, (at beginning of book).
- Familienverzeichnis, pp. 21-188.
- G1iederverzeichnis Index, (Blank).
- Taufhandlungung, (Blank).
- Trauhandlungen for Church Record Books, (Blank).
- Register, (at beginning of book).
- Familienverzeichnis, pp. 1-424.
- G1iederverzeichnis Index, pp. 425-464, #1-1640.
- Taufhandlungung, pp. 465-483, May 28, 1944-1960.
- Trauhandlungen for Church Record Books, (Blank).
- Register, (at beginning of book).
- Familienverzeichnis, pp. 1-400.
- G1iederverzeichnis Index, pp. 401-417, #1641-2317.
- Taufhandlungung, (Blank).
- Trauhandlungen for Church Record Books, (Blank)
- Register, (at beginning of book).
- Familienverzeichnis, pp. 1-252.
- G1iederverzeichnis Index, (Blank).
- Taufhandlungung, (Blank).
- Trauhandlungen for Church Record Books. (Blank).
- Register, (at beginning of book).
- Familienverzeichnis, pp. 1-460.
- G1iederverzeichnis Index, pp. 461-488, #2315-2689,
#3063-3075.
- Taufhandlungung, pp. 489-503, 1961 - May 14, 1967.
- Register, (at beginning of book).
- Familienverzeichnis, pp. 1-318.
- G1iederverzeichnis Index, pp. 457-484, #2690-3059.
- Taufhandlungung pp. 485-500, June 2, 1968--May 18, 1975.
Microfilm 179, 180
- Gruess Gott: Newslwtter of the Schoenwieser Mennoniten
Gemeinde (First Mennonite Church, etc.) 1940-1974.
- Issues missing in this series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 19, 23,
26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 46, (first series)
Microfilms 193, 194, 195, 196
- Church Membership Register: 1949-1977 (incomplete)
- Membership Registers
- Baptismal Candidates 1939-1958 (incomplete)
- Constitutions (Statutes), [193-?]-1978
- History of the Church and Biographies, etc.
- "Dem Herrn die Ehre."
- Minutes
- Congregational (Bruderschaft) 1930-1970)
- Church Council Meetings
- Gemeinderat – 1933
- Kirchenrat - 1929-1970)
- Minister's Meetings
- Minutes, 1938-1964
- Mennonite Pastors' Fellowship Constitution
- Jugendverein (Constitution) "Das Blatt" - 1951-1963.
- Church Statistics (financial and otherwise)
- Correspondence with Conference of Mennonites in Canada
- General Conference correspondence
- COMM
- miscellaneous statistics (journal entries)
- Annual Reports: 1968-1978 (complete)
- Miscellaneous
- Letters re: Theodore P. Bollinger (Dept. of the Northwest
Board of Home Missions of the Reformed Church)
- Canada Colonization Association correspondence
- Canadian Board of Colonization
- letter to Minister of National War Services regarding
imprisoned C.O.s
- Education related correspondence e.g. Bible Schools, etc.
- Miscellaneous documents, minutes, etc.
- Frauenverein minutes 1963-1980.