©Mennonite Heritage Centre 2002
Last updated April 17, 2002

Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Title: Mather Mennonite Church fonds
Dates: 1958-1983
Extent: 40 cm of textual records

Historical note

The congregation was formed after a division of the Crystal City Mennonite Church, part of the Whitewater Gemeinde, in 1958. Two well known leaders, John Warkentin and George Bock left the community in 1966 and 1972 respectively. The Gemeinde structured was dissolved and so Mather became an independent congregation in 1971. In 1973 women were given the right to be part of the decision making process. In 1976 the congregation had a division and two Mennonite congregations emerged in this rural community. Due to declining membership the congregation dissolved in 1981. The leaders of the congregation were: Johann Warkentin (1959-1967), Gerhard Bock (1958-1973), Wiegand Friesen (1967-1972), Alvin Peters (1966-1972), Peter Buhler (1973-1975), Henry Bock (1976-1977), Norman Friesen (19787-1981).

Scope and content note

This fonds consists of minutes, reports, financial records, correspondence, and registers which pertain to the beginning, development, and dissolution of the Mennonite congregation at Mather, Manitoba. It documents the leaders and members of the congregation. This fonds contains congregational meeting and church council meeting minutes (1958-1982), education committee meeting minutes (1971-1975), youth society documents (1958-1966), Sunday school documents (1958-1981), congregational financial records (1973-1982), a brief congregational history (1983), congregational constitution (1971), congregational membership and family register (1958-1981).

Finding aids

Inventory file list available.

Notes

Language

Some German.

Restrictions on access

No restrictions on access.

Other notes

This congregation deposited its textual records at the Mennonite Heritage Centre after 1982. Described by Bert Friesen 3 December 2001.

Mather Mennonite Church (Manitoba) fonds file list:

This congregation existed from 1958 to 1981. It deposited textual records at the Mennonite Heritage Centre sometime after 9 March 1982 when the decision was made to deposit. It was decided on 3 December 2001 to shred some of the financial records. This consisted on invoices, payments, receipts, bank deposit books, bank cheque books, etc. These give details already contained in the general ledger. The period covered was 1973-1981.

Volume 2634

  1. Mather Mennonite Church congregational meeting minutes (1958-1969)
  2. Mather Mennonite Church congregational meeting and church council meeting minutes (1970-1973)
  3. Mather Mennonite Church congregational meeting and church council meeting minutes (1973-1982)
  4. Mather Mennonite Church education committee meeting minutes (1974-1975)
  5. Mather Mennonite Church education committee meeting minutes (1971-1973)

Volume 2635

  1. Mather Mennonite Church stamp
  2. Mather Mennonite Church Jugendverein (youth society) meeting minutes (1958-1965)
  3. Mather Mennonite Church young peoples’ committee meeting minutes (1964)
  4. Mather Mennonite Church Jugendverein (youth society) financial statements (1958-1966)

Volume 2636

  1. Mather Mennonite Church Sunday School registers (1958-1981)
  2. Mather Mennonite Church Sunday School financial records (1961-1962)
  3. Mather Mennonite Church annual Sunday School report (1959-1968)
  4. Mather Mennonite Church Sunday School teachers’ meeting minutes and records (1958-1965)

Volume 2637

  1. Mather Mennonite Church inventory of physical assets (1981)
  2. Mather Mennonite Church miscellaneous correspondence (1975-1982), membership list (1981)
  3. Mather Mennonite Church property insurance documents (1975-1982)
  4. Mather Mennonite Church financial reports (1973-1980)
  5. Mather Mennonite Church conference correspondence (1978-1980)
  6. Mather Mennonite Church bill of sale of meeting house (1981), brief congregational history (1983)
  7. Mather Mennonite Church constitution (1971)
  8. Mather Mennonite Church membership and family register (1958-1977)
  9. Mather Mennonite Church general ledger (1973-1979)
  10. Mather Mennonite Church general ledger (1979-1982)

Volume 2631

  1. Mather Mennonite Church membership and family register (1958-1981), membership transfer documents ([197-?])
  2. Mather Mennonite Church membership transfer certificates (1972-1981)
  3. Mather Mennonite Church marriage register (1978)
  4. Mather Mennonite Church family register (1958-1981)