© Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

(Last updated 24 March 2009

• Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba -- Education Committee

Retrieval numbers: 609, 613-617, 732-738, 2600-2601, 2837, 3276, 3969, 4938-4940, 5359, 5365, 5420

Series Title: Education Committee
Dates: 1953-2003
Extent: 1.44 m of textual records

Historical note

The Education Committee or Erziehungs Kommittee, as it first appeared, was first constituted in 1969 with Ältester Gerhard Lohrenz leading. Its 1960 report identified three areas of work: Sunday School, Daily Vacation Bible School and children's camps. By the end of 1972 it was also responsible for coordinating and monitoring all educational concerns, including private schools, ministers' courses and youth work. The Education Committee's task was to study and determine the needs of congregations, work toward meeting those needs and serve as a link to parallel committee of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada and the General Conference Mennonite Church.

The Education Committee promoted a number of practices with regards to the Sunday School program. It encouraged the entire family attend Sunday school, that all families conduct devotions, that all congregations conduct teachers' courses, that teachers change as little as possible, that they meet approximately every two weeks to discuss their work and that they call parent-teacher meetings at least once annually. In 1967 the annual provincial Sunday School Conference was renamed the Provincial Education Conference.

The Education Committee also reported on the work of the Daily Vacation Bible School which had been started during the 1940s by the Manitoba Jugendorganization (MJO). Thise program attracted many young women into voluntary service through which they ministered to children, parents and the community. In 1942 Manitoba had 23 Daily Vacation Bible School workers. Organizers of the Daily Vacation Bible School were: Henry Gerbrandt (ca. 1941-1959), Bernie Wiebe (1960), Egon Enns (1961-1964) and Ernie Dyck (1964-1966). The Daily Vacation Bible School was last mentioned at the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba session in 1967.

Ministers were encouraged to participate in courses which were scheduled at conference sessions, and bi-annually at Elim Bible Institute and Canadian Mennonite Bible College. Over the years the focus of the Ministers Courses shifted from 'the character of a minister, Bible exegesis and practice preaching for sermon content and deliverance' to the idea that renewal would 'come through the meeting together in small groups for Bible study, prayer and the sharing of experiences'.

In the late 1960s the Education committee began to struggle as programs were scaled down or phased out, private schools required additional funding and a liberal arts residential college was needed. Workshops and conferences tackled such issues as peace, stewardship, sexuality, drugs, pastoral care and counseling. Together with Manitoba Mennonite Youth Organization they developed a university campus ministry. The Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba was represented on the Inter-Mennonite Campus Ministries Committee begun in 1971. In cooperation with the Camp Committee, the Education Committee worked on camp philosophy and the meaning of conversion.

During 1973-1975 the Education Task Force recommended expanded resources for workers in the local congregations, establishment of a Bible school, promotion and financial support for Mennonite Collegiate Institute (MCI) and Westgate Mennonite Collegiate and restructuring where needed. In its resourcing, the committee focused on several major areas, namely, the annual Sunday school convention, counseling through marriage enrichment seminars, the ministers and deacons conferences and other related concerns. In 1977 the Education Committee also became responsible for counseling ministry and the relationship which the Faith and Life Communications Committee had with the Pastoral Institute.

In 1975 the Education Committee assumed some responsibility for the Elim Bible Institute. The school struggled and closed in 1988. In the early 1990s the Education Committee terminated the chaplain's position in favour of a broader-than-university-campus ministry to young adults in 1995. It was suggested that the youth wanted dialogue with the leaders and this prompted the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba to include youth and young adults at delegate sessions.

Chairs of the Education Committee over the years have been:
1959 G. Lohrenz
1960-1966 Frank Isaac
1967-1968 D.F. Friesen
1969 George Kroeker
1970-1972 John Neufeld
1973 Victor Epp
1974 Reynold Kipfer
1975 Rena Kroeker
1976-1980 Victor Epp
1981-1982 Helen Unrau
1983-1985 Elbert Toews
1986-1987 Dolores Lohrenz
1988-1989 Darlene Driedger
1990-1992 Justina Heese
1992 Rick Neufeld & Kathy Penner-Dyck
1993-1994 Rick Neufeld
1995-1999 Ron Janzen and Elsie Rempel
2001- Bob Wiebe

Scope and content note

This series contains reports, minutes, correspondence, administrative records, questionnaires and financial information generated by members of the Education Committee. These records would be of interest to anyone researching the history and development of Christian education in the Manitoba Mennonite communities since the 1950s.

Index terms

Creators

• Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba -- Education Committee

  Adjunct descriptive data

  Finding aids

  Inventory file lists available

  Notes

  Language

  Material in English, some German.

  Restrictions on access

  There are no restrictions on access.

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  Inventory file list for CMM Education Committee series

  
  Volume 609
  1. Education Committee Correspondence. (CMM-Ec) – 1961-1963.
  
  Volume 613
  1. Summer Bible School, General. – 1965.
  2. Summer Bible School, Bills. – 1965f.
  3. Sunday School and Vacation Bible School Statistics. – 1965.
  4. Other Letters. – 1966.
  5. Odds. – 1964.
  6. Summer Bible School. – 1966.
  7. Summer Bible School Financial Accounts. – 1964.
  8. Summer Bible School. – 1964.
  
  Volume 614
  1. Evaluation of Summer Bible School (Questionnaires). – 1964.
  2. Summer Bible School Teachers. – 1964.
  3. Leading Ministers address labels. – 1965?
  4. Sunday School Superintendent labels. – n.d.
  5. Prospect IV address labels. – n.d.
  6. Summer Bible School address labels and lists for youth leaders. – n.d.
  7. Prospect I. – n.d.
  8. Prospect III. – n.d.
  9. Teacher publications. – 1965.
  10. Teacher’s report. – 1965.
  11. Request for teachers. – 1965.
  12. Prospective teachers lists.
  13. Teacher evaluations. – 1966.
  14. Teacher applications. – 1966.
  
  Volume 615 -- Education
  1. Summer Bible School Kilarney. – 1961-1963.
  2. Summer Bible School Brandon. – 1958-1963.
  3. Summer Bible School Alt-Berthal. – 1960-1963
  4. Summer Bible School Friedensruh. – 1961-1962.
  5. Summer Bible School Blumenfeld. – 1959-1960.
  6. Summer Bible School MacGregor. – 1960-1962.
  7. Summer Bible School Thompson. – 1963-1964.
  8. Summer Bible School Lowe Farm. – 1962.
  9. Summer Bible School Unfinished. – 1962.
  10. Summer Bible School Rudnerweide. – 1962-1963.
  11. Summer Bible School Arden. – 1961-1962.
  12. Summer Bible School Manigotogan, Hole River. – 1961-1962.
  13. Summer Bible School Ethelbert, Winnipegosis. – 1960-1962.
  14. Summer Bible School Gladstone. – 1961-1963.
  15. Summer Bible School Matheson Island/Pine Dock/Bloodwein. – 1961-1962.
  16. Summer Bible School Homewood. – 1962-1963.
  17. Summer Bible School The Pas. – 1961-1962.
  18. Summer Bible School Loon Straits. – 1961-1963.
  19. Summer Bible School Oak Point. – 1961-1963.
  20. Summer Bible School Reinfeld. – 1961-1962.
  21. Summer Bible School Wingham. – 1960-1961.
  22. Summer Bible School Shoenweise. – 1961-1964.
  23. Summer Bible School Shoenan. – 1961-1964.
  24. Summer Bible School Grunthal. – 1961-1962.
  25. Summer Bible School Prospective teachers. – 1961.
  
  Volume 616 -- Education
  1. Manitoba P.R. Harder. – 1954-1956, 1967.
  2. Manitoba Jugend Organization, retreat. – 1953.
  3. Sängerfeste. – 1955-1959.
  4. Manitoba Jugend Organ/Sängerfest. – 1953.
  5. M.J.O. Sängerfeste/Retreat/etc. – 1954
  6. Committee on private schools (P.R. Harder). – 1960-1971.
  7. Manitoba Conference on Education, addresses and proceedings. – 1960.
  8. S.S. Komitee, P.R. Harder. – 1954-1957.
  9. M.J.O. Gesang. Komitee, P.R. Harder. – 1954-1955.
  
  Volume 617 -- Education
  1. Daybook/Protokoll, P.R. Harder. – 1942-1958.
  2. Minutes of the private school meeting at CMBC. – 1962.
  
  Volume 732 – Education Committee
  1. Sunday School Conferences. – 1968-1971.
  2. Summary report on questionnaires. 1974.
  3. Christian education questionnaires-tabulation of returns. – 1974.
  4. Christian education Questionnaires-blank forms.
  5. Questionnaires-responses to question #9
  6. Questionnaires-responses to question #10
  7. Questionnaires-responses to question #11
  8. Questionnaires-responses to question #13-14
  9. Questionnaires-responses to question #18
  10. Questionnaires-responses to question #19
  11. Questionnaires-responses to question #20
  12. Questionnaires-responses to question #21
  13. Questionnaires-responses to question #23
  14. Questionnaires-responses to question #24
  15. Questionnaires-responses to question #25
  16. Questionnaires-responses to question #26-27
  17. Questionnaires-responses to question #29
  18. Questionnaires-responses to question #30, 32-33
  19. Questionnaires-responses to question #31
  20. Questionnaires-responses to question #34-36
  21. Questionnaires-responses to question #37
  
  Volume 733 – Education Committee
  1. Questionnaires Form A
  2. Questionnaires Form B
  3. Questionnaires Form C: 1-30.
  
  Volume 734
  1. Questionnaires Form C: 31-97.
  2. Questionnaires Form D
  
  Volume 735
  1. Questionnaires Form E
  2. Questionnaires Form F
  3. Questionnaires Form G
  4. Questionnaires Form H
  5. Questionnaires Form I
  
  Volume 736
  1. Questionnaires Form J
  2. Questionnaires Form K
  3. Questionnaires Form L
  4. Questionnaires Form M
  5. Questionnaires Form N
  6. Questionnaires Form O
  7. Questionnaires Form P
  
  Volume 737
  1. Questionnaires Form Q
  2. Questionnaires Form R
  3. Questionnaires Form S
  4. Questionnaires Form T
  5. Questionnaires Form U: 1-40.
  
  Volume 738
  1. Questionnaires Form V
  2. Questionnaires Form W
  3. Questionnaires Form X
  4. Questionnaires Form Y
  5. Questionnaires Form Z
  6. Questionnaires Form A-A
  7. Questionnaires Form B-B
  8. Questionnaires Form C-C
  9. Questionnaires Form U: 41-60.
  
  Volume 2600
  3. Education Ministry volunteer group minutes. – 2001.
  
  Volume 2601
  3. Educational director’s correspondence. – 2002.
  4. Education Ministry reference group meeting minutes. – 2002.
  5. Youth ministry Fellowship correspondence. – 2002.
  19. Education Ministries reports. – 2003.
  20. Education Ministries minutes and correspondence. – 2003.
  
  Volume 2837
  3. Summer Bible School mailings. – 1965.
  4. Vacation Bible School questionnaires for Canadian Conference. – 1962.
  6. A guide to marriage preparation (Ronald Humsicker, John Neufeld). – 1973.
  7. Provincial Christian Education Conference. – 1966.
  10. Bibelstudien in Heim, correspondence course. – 196-?
  
  Volume 3276
  1. Education Committee (A.A. Teichroeb). – 1959-1963.
  2. Education Committee (Rev. Bernie Wiebe). – 1964-1965.
  3. Education Committee (B. Wiebe). – 1966.
  4. Education Committee. – 1967.
  5. Elim Christian Education Centre minutes and correspondence. – 1974-1975.
  6. Education Committee: Minutes and Correspondence. – 1974-1975.
  
  Volume 3969
  7. Commission on education reports, minutes. – 1975.
  
  Volume 4482 – Education
  9. MCI annual meeting, MCI to CMM, society churches. – 1985-1988.
  
  Volume 4938
  10. Educational Ministries Commission children of Peace / MaryLou Driedger. – [ca. 1985].
  11. Educational Ministries Commission minutes. – 1999.
  12. Educational Ministries commission Parenting on Purpose Workshop. – 1997-1998.
  13. Educational Ministries Commission Schools in Winnipeg address. – [ca. 1995].
  15. Educational Ministries Commission Young Adult Ministries forms. – 1995-1997.
  16. Educational Ministries Commission Youth Ministries Director Correspondence. – 1998.
  
  Volume 4939
  19. Educational Ministries Commission minutes. – 1999.
  
  Volume 4940
  7. Education Ministry Volunteer Group. – 2000.
  
  Volume 5359
  23. Educational Resources correspondence and minutes. – 1979-1980.
  24. Educational Resources correspondence and minutes. – 1981.
  25. Educational Resources correspondence and minutes. – 1982.
  26. Educational Resources correspondence and minutes. – 1983.
  27. Educational Resources correspondence and minutes. – 1984.
  28. Educational Resources correspondence and minutes. – 1985.
  29. Educational Resources correspondence and minutes. – 1986.
  30. Educational Resources correspondence and minutes. – 1987.
  31. Educational Resources correspondence and minutes. – 1988.
  32. Educational Resources correspondence and minutes. – 1989.
  33. Educational Resources correspondence and minutes. – 1990.
  34. Educational Ministries correspondence and minutes. – 1991.
  35. Educational Ministries correspondence and minutes. – 1992.
  36. Educational Ministries correspondence and minutes. – 1993.
  37. Educational Ministries correspondence and minutes. – 1994.
  38. Educational Ministries correspondence and minutes. – 1995.
  39. Educational Ministries correspondence and minutes. – 1995.
  40. Educational Ministries correspondence and minutes. – 1996.
  41. Educational Ministries correspondence and minutes. – 1997.
  42. Educational Ministries correspondence and minutes. – 1998.
  43. Educational Ministries correspondence and minutes. – 1999.
  
  Volume 5365
  20. Campus and Young Adult ministries minutes and correspondence. – 1983.
  21. Youth Ministries minutes and correspondence. – 1983.
  22. Youth Minister Correspondence. – 1988.
  
  Volume 5420
  4. Education Conference. – 1996-2004.
  5. Equipping the Congregation. – 2001.
  6. Equipping the Congregation. – 2003.
  7. Equipping the Congregation. – 2005.
  8. Education minutes, correspondence. – 2000.
  9. Education Reference Council. – 2001.