©Mennonite Heritage Centre
Last updated 29 January 2015

Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Title: Niverville Mennonite Church fonds
Dates: 1924-2014
Extent: 8 cm of textual records
Extent: 1 microfilm reel

Historical note

When many Mennonites emigrated to Mexico from the Niverville area in the 1920s, they created the opportunity for recent Russian Mennonite immigrants to settle. These families met for worship and affiliated themselves with the Schoenwieser Gemeinde. However, the desire to become independent grew and so in 1944 the Niverville Mennonite Church emerged. They purchased their own meeting house in 1944. The membership in 1958 was 148. In 1958 they built a new larger meeting house which was expanded in 1967 and again in 1976. The emphasis was on nurturing the members. The congregation experienced a division in 1967 when another congregation was formed by the departing members. In 1967 the membership was 102 and 133 in 1977. The membership stood at 148 again in 2000. The leaders of the congregation were: Johann Braun (1928-1952), Jacob Klassen (1933-1962), Dietrich Koop (1928-1930), Peter Dirks (1937-1939), John Krahn (1958-1965), Albert Loeppky (1964-1972), Peter Janzen (1969-1970), John Siemens (1971-1981), Del Epp (1982-1986, 1997), Clarence Epp (1987-1991), Erwin Wiebe (1992), John Lenshyn (1993-1996), Paul Adams (1998- ).

Scope and content note

This fonds consists of bulletins, directories, annual reports, registers, minutes, and financial records which pertain to the beginning and development of the Mennonite congregation in Niverville, Manitoba. It includes documentation about the leaders and participants. This fonds contains bulletins (1982-2008), annual reports (1994), directories (1988, 1994), 50th anniversary documents (1995), membership and family registers (1924-1995), congregational meeting minutes (1928-1995), church council meeting minutes (1966-1995), and congregational general ledgers (1946-1954).

Finding aids

Inventory file list available.

Notes

Language

Much German.

Restrictions on access

No restrictions on access.

Other notes

Textual records were microfilmed at the Mennonite Heritage Centre in 1995. Textual records were deposited at the Mennonite Heritage Centre beginning in 1995. Described by Bert Friesen 12 December 2001. Updated by Alf Redekopp, July 2011.

Niverville Mennonite Church fonds file list:

Volume 1945

  1. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1999)
  2. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1998)
  3. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1997)
  4. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1996)
  5. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1995), directory (1995)
  6. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1994), annual reports (1994), directory (1994)
  7. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1982)
  8. Niverville Mennonite Church directory (1988), annual reports (1988)
  9. Niverville Mennonite Church register (1924-1970) (done in 1993)
  10. Niverville Mennonite Church 50th anniversary 'Dear Opa letters' (1995)
  11. Niverville Mennonite Church register (1970-1993) (done in 1993)
  12. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (2000)
Volume 4999
  1. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (2001)
  2. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (2002)
  3. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (2003)
  4. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (2004)
  5. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (2005)
  6. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (2006)
  7. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (2007)
  8. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (2008)
(2009) - church merger to form Niverville Community Fellowship

Volume 5541
  1. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1970)
  2. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1971)
  3. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1972)
  4. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1973)
  5. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1974)
  6. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1975)
  7. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1976)
  8. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1977)
Volume 5542
  1. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1978)
  2. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1979)
  3. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1980)
  4. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1981)
  5. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1982)
  6. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1983)
  7. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1984)
Volume 5543
  1. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1985)
  2. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1986)
  3. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1987)
  4. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1988)
  5. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1989)
  6. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1990)
  7. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1991)
  8. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1992)
Volume 5544
  1. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1993)
  2. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1994)
  3. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1995)
  4. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1996)
  5. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1997)
  6. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1998)
  7. Niverville Mennonite Church bulletins (1999)

Microfilm

Microfilm No. 706 (MHC Project No. 160)

  1. Membership Meetings – minutes
    1. Book 1, 1928-1993
    2. Book 2, 1933-1939
    3. Book 3, 1942-1946
    4. Book 4, No. 1-51, 1946-1955
    5. Book 5, No. 52-68, 1955-1957
    6. Book 6, No. 69-130 (missing 73, 124-129), 1958-1965
    7. Book 7, No. 131-171 (missing 131-135), 1965-1971
    8. Book 8, No. 171-225, 1971-1982
    9. Book 9, No. 226-253, 1982-1989
    10. Book 10, No. 254-279, 1989-1995
  2. Council Meeting – minutes
    1. Book 1, No. 2-71, 1966-1971
    2. Book 2, No. 72-205, 1971-1982
    3. Book 3, No. 206-283, 1982-1989
    4. Book 4, No. 284-359, 1989-1995
  3. Membership Registers
    1. Book 1
      1. Baptisms, 1962-1986
      2. Receptions of members, 1963-1986
      3. Marriages, 1963-1994
    2. Book 2
      1. Membership Register, ca. 1980-1995
  4. Financial Records
    1. Kassenbuch (Receipt & Disbursement ledger), 1946-1954