©Mennonite Heritage Centre 2002
Last updated April 17, 2002
Title: Grunthal Bergthaler Mennonite Church fonds
Dates: 1951-1990
Extent: 8 cm of textual records
Extent: 1 microfilm reel
The congregation originated through settlers moving into the area from the "West Reserve" after a number of local Mennonite families immigrated to Mexico and South America. The congregation began services about 1933, and formally organized in 1938. The first building was constructed in Spencer in 1939. William Heinrich is considered the founding leader of the group. Subsequent building programs occured in 1949 and 1970. In 1970 the congregation built a new building at Grunthal. They were then known as the Grunthal Bergthaler Mennonite Church. The building was expanded in 1983. Wilhelm Heinrichs gave leadership to the group from 1936 to 1946. Other leaders of the congregation were: Peter Dyck (1956-1973), John Wiebe (1974-1999), Edwin Klippenstein (2000), Colin Plett (2001- ). This congregation withdrew membership from Mennonite Church Manitoba in 2001.
The fonds contains church council meeting minutes (1972-1989), congregational meeting minutes (1951-1956, 1971-1989), membership and family register (1981-1990), ministerial meeting minutes (1972-1982), annual election meeting minutes (1971-1981), congregational constitution ([198-?]), and miscellaneous documents. The records pertain to the congregational activities in Grunthal.
Inventory file list available.
Some German.
No restrictions on access.
Some textual records were microfilmed in 1982. Textual records were deposited at the Mennonite Heritage Centre in 1994. Described by Bert Friesen 22 November 2001.
(MHC Project No. __; MHC Microfilm no. 627)