©Mennonite Heritage Centre 2002
Last updated 19 February 2019 

Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Title: Gretna Bergthaler Mennonite Church fonds
Dates: 1919-1990, 2002
Extent: 65 cm of textual records

Historical note

The Gretna Bergthaler Mennonite Church held its first service in 1891 at the Gretna school (now MCI). Prior to that some Gretna Bergthaler Mennonite people met at Edenburg where the first Bergthaler church and school in Canada had been built in 1883. For years the Bergthaler Mennonites in Gretna remained a school congregation which met regularly for Sunday School, worship services Christian Endeavour meetings and choir practises. The congregation was officially recognized as an affiliate of the larger Bergthaler Mennonite Church of Manitoba (Gemeinde) in 1947. In 1958 a church building was built. (See Henry J. Gerbrand, Adventure in Faith. Altona, Manitoba: Bergthaler Mennonite church of Manitoba, 1970, pp.138-148.)

Scope and content note

This fonds consists of minutes, reports, correspondence and related documents such as a constitution documenting the actitivies of the congregation.

Finding aids

Finding aid: Series description with inventory file list.

Related material in this repository

Bergthaler Mennonite Church of Manitoba fonds.

Notes

Custodial history

The records in this fonds were deposited at the Mennonite Heritage Centre around 1994 and came were collected by long-time deacon in the congregation, John D. Driedger.

Arrangement

Arranged and described by Aileen Dyck in August 1999. Revised by Kelli Downey, August, 2000. Revised by Selenna Wolfe, February, 2019. 

Restrictions on access

no restrictions on access

Other notes

Accession No. 88-211, 94-023

Gretna Bergthaler Mennonite Church Series Description

1) Minutes. -- 1939-1987. - 7 cm of textual records.

This series consists of minutes from meetings held by many different groups within the church. These groups include the church council, the brotherhood, the ministry, and many others.

Location: Volume 3836-3839, 3842, 4780

Language: English and German.

2) Programs, papers, and reports.--1939-1974. - 9 cm of textual records.

This series consists of articles, reports and papers that deal with religious topics.

Location: Volume 4781.

Language: English and German.

3) John Driedger materials. --1919-1990. - 5 cm of textual records.

This series includes a small diary, financial records, a visitors book and other personal notebooks of deacon John Driedger.

Location: Volume 4782

Language: English and German

4) Bergthaler Mennonite Church. --[195-?]- 1979. - 3 cm of textual records.

This series consists of church records from numerous of the local Bergthaler churches. It includes membership lists, records from minister's conferences, sermons and a number of articles written about the church and church related issues.

Title based on content of series.

Location: Volume 4782

Language: English and German

5) Organizations. -- 1958-1969. - 5 cm of textual records.

This series includes of a small amount of information from such organizations as Conference of Mennonite in Manitoba, Conference of Mennonites in Canada and Elim Bible School.

Location: Volume 4783

Language: English and German

6) Financial statements, correspondence and constitutions. -- 1938-1971, 1980.- 7 cm of textual records.

This series consists of general financial records including annual financial statements. Also included are constitutions and general correspondence.

Location: Volume 4783, 3838

Language: English and German

7) Annual Reports. -- 1965-1966, 1969-1974, 1980-1983, 1985-1986.

This series consists of the Annual Reports of Gretna Bergthaler Mennonite Church.

Location: Volume 3836

8) Bulletins. -- 2002.

            This series consists of the bulletins of Gretna Bergthaler Mennonite Church. 

            Location: Volume 4782

Gretna Bergthaler Mennonite Church of Manitoba fonds inventory file list:

Volume 3836

  1. Minutes of Annual and Congregational Meetings, 1962-66, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1980.
  2. Annual reports: for 1965, 1966.
  3. Annual reports: for 1969, 1970.
  4. Annual reports: for 1971, 1972.
  5. Annual reports: for 1973, 1974.
  6. Annual reports: for 1980, 1981.
  7. Annual reports: for 1982, 1983.
  8. Annual reports: for 1985, 1986.
  9. Pictorial Directory 1993

Volume 3837

  1. Constitutions:
    1. Effective Jan 1/64
    2. For annual meeting, Feb 3/80. (Letter winding up Bergthaler Corporation).
  2. Church Council Minutes, 1963-65.
  3. Church Council Minutes, 1966-70.
  4. Church Council Minutes, 1971-75.
  5. Church Council Minutes, 1976-80.
  6. Church Council Minutes, 1981-84.
  7. Church Council Minutes, 1985-87.

Volume 3838

  1. Gretna Local Committee Minutes, Dec 27/63.
  2. General Bergthaler Service Committee Executive Meeting, Mar 31/67.
  3. Minutes of the Ministerial Meeting, 1980.
  4. Correspondence between Ministerial and non-resident members re membership, 1980.
  5. Minutes of the Ministerial, and correspondence between Ministerial and non-resident members re membership, 1981-82.
  6. Minutes of the Ministerial Meeting, 1983.
  7. Minutes of the Ministerial Meeting, 1984-85.
  8. Minutes of the Ministerial Meeting, 1986.
  9. Certificates of Registration to Solemnize Marriages, Rev. D. F.Friesen, Rev. A. Loewen (photocopies, originals returned).
  10. Minutes of the (Christian) Service Committee, 1964-70.
  11. Minutes of the Missions Committee, 1964-70.
  12. Minutes of the Home and World Ministries Committee, 1971-75.
  13. Minutes of the Missions and Service Committee, 1979-86 (also known as "Home and World Missions" and "Missions").
  14. Report of the Refugee Assistance Committee, May 25, 1981.
  15. Protokoll der Sitzung des Fuersorge Komitee..., Jan 14/65.

Volume 3839

  1. Minutes of the Education Committee, 1976-80.
  2. Minutes of the Education Committee, 1981-87.
  3. Sunday School Minutes, 1960-63.
  4. Sunday School Minutes, 1971-76.
  5. Sunday School Minutes, 1977-85.
  6. Sunday School Report for the Canadian Board of Education and Publication, 1965, 1968.
  7. Invoice, Faith and Life Press, Sunday School Literature, 4th. Quarter, 1967.
  8. Youth Executive Meetings, Sep-Dec/77.
  9. Statistical Report for the General Conference and District/Canadian Conference, 1961-70, 1980-87.
  10. Statistiche Angaben aus den Gemeinden der Konferenz der Mennoniten in Canada, 1961-63.
  11. Finance Committee Minutes, 1964-83; Collection Calendar, 1961.
  12. Promissory note, Feb 27/59; Mortgage Burning Ceremony, 1968.
  13. Financial Reports, 1958-64; Statement of Receipts for Jan/86.
  14. Brotherfield MB Church, Maintenance Fund, 1962.
  15. Book containing birthdays of Sunday School pupils and a few other important dates and notes, Sep/54-.
  16. Finance Bericht der Gretna Mennonitischen Sontagschule, Oct 1/53-Oct 1/62.

Volume 3842

  1. Monatliche Versammlung der Sontagschul=lehrer, Mar 1/39-Dec/56.
  2. Protokoll der Gretna Mennoniten Sontag-Schul Lehrer Sitzung, Oct 21/57-Mar/60.
  3. Protocol der Lokal Kommittee Sitzung in Gretna, Feb 29/60-Dec 27/63.
  4. Protokollbuch der Bergthaler Gemeinde in Gretna, Manitoba, 1948, Oct/48-Feb 12/64.
  5. Minute Book for Gretna Bergthaler Mennonite Church, Brotherhood Meetings, Oct 28/64-Feb 7/82.
  6. Protokoll=Buch der Christlicher Jugendverein in Gretna, Man., 1940, Oct 13/40-May 12/63.

Volume 4780

  1. Ministerial meeting. - 1951, 1965, 1966-1972.
  2. Protokoll for student aid fund. - 1957-1960.
  3. Protokoll. - 1963-1967.
  4. Church council minutes. - 1963-1973.
  5. Minutes from Brotherhood meetings. - 1954-1956, 1963-1970.
  6. Local committee meetings. - 1956-1960, 1962.
  7. Minutes from a number of small committees. - 1964-1969, 1971, 1972.

Volume 4781

  1. Paper on Evangelism.- 1965, [196-?].
  2. Programs. - 1958, 1968, 1969.
  3. Das Bergthaler Gemeindeblatt. - 1936-1940, 1942, 1943, 1952-1955, 1957, 1959-1963, 1966, 1968-1971.
  4. Altona Erho. - 1952.
  5. Pioneer portraits. - 1974.
  6. Reports. - 1965-1968.
  7. Reports. - 1970-1973.
  8. Papers. - 1961-1972.
  9. Activity Reports. - 1939, 1947, 1956, 1958-1966, 1969, 1971, 1972.
Volume 4782
  1. Papers of John Driedger. - 1961, 1966, 1990.
  2. Visitor book of Mr. and Mrs. John D.Driedger. - 1961-1973.
  3. Book of quotes and financial information. - 1919, 1922, 1924, 1926-1928.
  4. Diary of John Driedger. - 1928.
  5. John Driedger's notebook.- 1958-1960.
  6. John Driedger's notebook.-1953.
  7. History of Edenburg and Gretna churches. - [195-?], 1968.
  8. Local Bergthaler Mennonite churches. - 1965, [197-?], 1978, 1979.
  9. Membership list. - [196-?], 1964, 1968.
  10. Sermons. - 1960, 1962-1972.
  11. Ministry. - [196-?], 1966, [197-?].
  12. Predigerheratung (Minister's conference). - 1939-1953.
  13. Bulletins (2002) [incomplete]

Volume 4783

  1. CMM.- 1958, 1966-1969.
  2. CMC. - 1967.
  3. Elim Bible School. - 1959, 1968.
  4. Correspondence. - 1939-1942, 1945, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1958.
  5. Constitutions. - 1958-1970.
  6. Financial statements. - 1952, 1953, 1956-1958.
  7. Financial Ledger. - 1939-1954, 1959, 1961-1971.
  8. Financial notebooks. - 1938, 1940, 1941, 1944, 1945, 1950-1952.