Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1927-2016 (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
16 cm of textual records
1 reel of microfilm
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
Mennonites settled in the Grunthal, Manitoba area in the 1920s, many on land previously farmed by Mennonites who had now migrated to Mexico. Initially they worshipped together in the Chortitzer Mennonite Church. In 1927 the Mennonite Brethren formed their own congregation and were then followed by the General Conference group organizing the Elim congregation. There were 35 charter families. Johann J. Enns became the first leader of the congregation in 1927. Since the members were scattered in the area and travel was difficult, several meeting places were organized. The meeting places were in Barkfield, Rosengard, and Chortitz. The leaders for these groups were respectively Jacob Penner, Heinrich Olfert, and Heinrich Janzen in Grunthal. These groups met in private homes and the Grunthal and Rosengard Schools. In 1933 a building was purchased and renovated for the Grunthal group. In 1949 a new, larger meeting house was completed. In 1961 this meeting house was destroyed by fire and that same year, 1961, another meeting house was completed.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
the congregation
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This fonds contains bulletins (1959-1973, 2010-2016), directories (1969, 1978, 1994), annual reports (1969, 1977-1979, 2010-2014), congregational meeting minutes (1927-1979, includes reports 1969-1979), attendance records for membership meetings (1958-1969), church board/council meeting minutes (1978-1979, 2013-2016), annual statistical reports (1927-1979), position paper on baptism (1932), MCCC refugee programme guide (1979), miscellaneous correspondence (includes certificates of citizenship, 1927-1979), membership and family register (1927-1979). The records pertain to the beginning and development of the Elim Mennonite congregation at Grunthal, Manitoba and they document who the leaders and participants were in the congregation.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Much German
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Inventory file list
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Some files microfilmed in 1980.
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Acc. No. 1995-076
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
By Bert Friesen 11 December 2001. Updated by Andrew Klassen Brown in July 2020; Selenna Wolfe in March 2021.