©Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba. (Last updated January 31, 2003)


Frank Isaac fonds. -- 1951-1988 -- 1.05 m of textual records.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Frank K. Isaac was born in Schoenberg, Russia on March 24, 1923. Rev. Isaac's career in the Mennonite church began with his ordination as an assistant minister of the Steinbach Mennonite Church in 1956. In 1962 Rev. Isaac was given the role of leading minister, becoming the church's first salaried pastor. In 1969 Rev. Isaac took a one year sabbatical in order to study at the Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana. He returned to the Steinbach congregation, serving there until 1975. Later in 1975, Rev. Isaac began his duties as minister of the Springfield Heights Mennonite Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He served this congregation until his retirement from the ministry in 1988.

Along with his duties as a church minister, Frank Isaac was also involved with several Mennonite church conferences, most significantly with the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba. With the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba Rev. Isaac participated as a board member of the Camp Committee (1957-1959), the Sunday School Committee (1958-1966), as vice-Chair of the Conference (1967-1968), Secretary of the Conference (1970-1971), Chair of the Elim Bible School Board (1975-1979) and as a member of the Program/Nominating Committee (1983-1986). Rev. Isaac also served with the Conference of Mennonites in Canada, as a member of the Canadian Mennonite Bible College board (1973-1982) and with the Mennonite Central Committee, as a Manitoba board member (1987-1988). Subsequent involvement with the Mennonite Central Committee saw Frank and his wife Susan working with Umsiedler Mennonite immigrants in Germany from 1988-1989.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

This collection reflects Rev. Frank K. Isaac's ministerial and conference involvements and this fonds is organized accordingly into six series: 1) Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba, 1957-1988, 2) Conference of Mennonites in Canada, 1958-1977, 3) Mennonite Central Committee, 1988-1989, 4) General Conference, 1952-1978, 5) Steinbach Mennonite Church, 1951-1975, 6) Springfield Heights Mennonite Church, 1977-1985.

CUSTODIAL HISTORY

The material in this fonds was received by Anna Ens from Frank Isaac as research material for In Search of Unity, a study documenting the history of the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba. Upon completion of the project in 1996 the materials were deposited at the Mennonite Heritage Centre.

NOTES

Some records, especially files of the 1950s, 1960s and approximately one half of the Mennonite Central Committee files, are in German.

Arranged and described by Myron Dyck in June 2000.

Accession No. 97-153.

Finding aid consists of a series of description with an inventory list.

SERIES DESCRIPTION

Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba (CMM). -- 1957-1988. -- 57 cm of textual material.

This series consists of minutes, reports, notes and correspondence of the committees, programs and conferences relating to Rev. Isaac's involvement with the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba. Included in this series is material associated with Elim Bible School, the Education and Program/Nominating Committees, annual meetings, radio ministry and Camps with Meaning.

Conference of Mennonites in Canada (CMC). -- 1958-1977. -- 11 cm of textual material.

This series consists of minutes, reports, notes and correspondence of committee, programs and conference relating to Rev. Isaac's involvement with the Conference of Mennonites in Canada. Included in this series are Conference and Annual reports, Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC) files, and material from the Canadian Mennonite Youth Organization.

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). -- 1988-1989. -- 5 cm of textual material.

The material in this series consists of reports and correspondence relating to Frank and Susan Isaac's service in Germany with MCC Europe.

General Conference (GC). -- 1952-1978. -- 3 cm of textual material.

The material in this series focuses on missions and evangelism. Included in this series is material from several Inter-GC Missions and Evangelism Conferences.

Steinbach Mennonite Church. -- 1951-1975. -- 21 cm of textual material.

This series consists of minutes, reports and correspondence relating to Rev. Isaac's duties as church minister at the Steinbach Mennonite Church. Included in this series are minutes from the Steinbach Young Peoples, correspondence with missionaries and colleagues, Rev. Isaac's involvement with the Steinbach Ministerial Association and his involvement in several local crusade initiatives.

Springfield Heights Mennonite Church. -- 1977-1985. -- 8 cm of textual material.

This series consists of minutes, reports and correspondence relating to Rev. Isaac's duties as church minister at Springfield Heights Mennonite Church in Winnipeg. The majority of material included in this series are minutes of congregational meetings and Church Council and the Youth Committee executive. Other material included is associated with the church's Sunday School program.

Frank Isaac fonds file list:

Volume 4858

CONFERENCE OF MENNONITES IN MANITOBA (CMM)

  1. Constitutions. -- 1938, 1947, 1959, 1961, 1971, 1972, 1980.
  2. Residential College Study Commission, reports and correspondence. -- 1964-1965.
  3. Notebook used at conferences. -- n.d.
  4. Elim minutes and reports. -- 1959, 1977, 1985.
  5. Elim minutes and reports. -- 1963, 1964, 1965, 1974, 1975.
  6. Elim Study Conference, notes and correspondence. -- 1974.
  7. Elim minutes and correspondence. -- 1975-1976.
  8. Elim board minutes and correspondence. -- 1975.
  9. Elim executive, staff and board minutes. -- 1976.
  10. Elim staff, board and miscellaneous minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1976, 1977.
  11. Elim staff, board and miscellaneous minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1977, 1978.
  12. Elim staff, board and miscellaneous minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1978, 1979.
  13. Elim minutes and reports. -- 1977, 1981.
  14. Education Committee reports and correspondence. -- 1959, 1960.
  15. Education Committee minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1959-1977.
  16. Education Committee minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1960, 1961.
  17. Education Committee minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1961, 1962.
  18. Education Committee minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1963.
  19. Education Committee financial reports and correspondence. -- 1963, 1964.
  20. Program/Nominating Committee minutes. -- 1979, 1983, 1984, 1985.
  21. Program/Nominating Committee memos and correspondence. -- 1984.
  22. Program/Nominating Committee minutes, memos and correspondence. -- 1985.
  23. Manitoba Mennonite Youth Organization (MMYO) minutes and a report. -- 1952, 1960.
  24. Manitoba Youth Organization (MYO) minutes and reports. -- 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960.
  25. Falcon Lake Rehabilitation Camp minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1962, 1963, 1964.
  26. Missions Reports. -- 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966.
  27. Manitoba Conference Radio Mission radio messages, correspondence and reports. -- 1956-1961.
  28. Radio Committee minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1957-1965.
  29. Faith and Life minutes and correspondence. -- 1971-1973, 1975-1976, 1986.
  30. Frohe Botschaft Messages. -- 1962-1966.

Volume 4859

CMM continued

  1. Conference related reports. -- 1961, 1962.
  2. Conference financial reports. -- 1967.
  3. Conference-related reports, memos and correspondence. --1971, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1978.
  4. Conference-related reports, memos and correspondence. -- 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978.
  5. Conference-related reports, memos, notes and correspondence. -- 1977.
  6. CMM Annual meeting minutes and reports. -- 1962, 1966, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1984.
  7. CMM Council minutes and agendas. -- 1963, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980, 1983, 1984.
  8. CMM Annual meeting notes and reports. -- 1982.
  9. Executive Committee minutes and correspondence. -- 1962-1988.
  10. Finance Committee statements and correspondence. -- 1958-1985.
  11. Camps with Meaning minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1957-1977, 1984, 1985.
  12. Camp Moose Lake and Camp Assiniboia Development Committee Minutes. -- 1957-1959, 1971, 1973.
  13. Camp Committee notes, reports and minutes. -- 1957-1959, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974.
  14. Camps with Meaning minutes and correspondence. -- 1980.
  15. Camps with Meaning and Elim material. -- 1985.
  16. Peace and Social Concerns correspondence. -- 1960, 1969.
  17. Preachers and Deacons Conference. -- 1968-1973.
  18. Preachers and Deacons Conference. - 1957-1962, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1977.
  19. CONFERENCE OF MENNONITES IN CANADA (CMC)

  20. Canadian Mennonite Youth Organization (CMYO) minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1958.
  21. Annual Meeting reports. -- 1960.
  22. Christian Education Conference papers and notes. -- 1964.
  23. Church Unity Committee church membership applications and correspondence. -- 1968.
  24. Conference minutes and reports. -- 1970-1973.
  25. Council of Boards program reports. -- 1975.
  26. CMBC minutes, publications and correspondence. -- 1975.
  27. CMBC Study Commission reports and correspondence. -- 1976-1977.
  28. MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE (MCC)

  29. MCC Europe reports and correspondence. -- 1988-1989.

Volume 4860

GENERAL CONFERENCE (GC)

  1. Board of Missions correspondence. -- 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956.
  2. Evangelism Workshop correspondence, notes and material. -- 1970.
  3. Inter GC Mission Conference reports, notes, publications and correspondence. -- 1971.
  4. Inter GC Mission Conference reports, notes, publications and correspondence. -- 1972.
  5. Inter GC Mission Conference reports, notes, publications and correspondence. -- 1974.
  6. Evangelism Conference reports, notes and correspondence. - 1978.
  7. STEINBACH MENNONITE CHURCH

  8. Steinbach Young Peoples minutes. -- 1951-1953.
  9. Steinbach Young Peoples minutes and a report. -- 1955-1958.
  10. Missionary Letters. -- 1956-1961.
  11. Pastoral Correspondence. -- 1970-1971.
  12. Pastoral Correspondence. -- 1972.
  13. Steinbach Ministerial Association minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1968-1969.
  14. Steinbach Ministerial Association minutes, publications and correspondence. -- 1970-1973.
  15. Steinbach Ministerial Association minutes, publications and correspondence. -- 1974-1975.
  16. Barry Moore Crusades publications, correspondence and notes. -- 1966.
  17. CMBC Conference on Evangelism publications, correspondence and notes. --1973.
  18. Rudy Boschman Crusade publications, correspondence and notes. -- 1974.
  19. Sunday School minutes, reports and material. -- 1956-1960.
  20. SPRINGFIELD HEIGHTS MENNONITE CHURCH

  21. Youth Committee minutes. -- 1977-1978.
  22. Church Ministerial folder including teachers lists, correspondence and notes. -- 1977-1978.
  23. Sunday School notes and agendas. -- 1977-1978.
  24. Church-related correspondence, reports and newsletters. -- 1977-1978.
  25. Congregational Meeting minutes and reports. -- 1978-1979.
  26. Congregational Meeting minutes. -- 1980-1981.
  27. Church Council minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1980-1981.
  28. Church Council minutes, reports and correspondence. -- 1981-1985.