This file contains a sampling of the glass slides collected and used at Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church in the 1940s. Some of the slides were created from photographs of church activities or supplied to the church by mission organizations. Others, mostly texts of hymns, were ordered from the United Church Publishing House in Toronto and used in informal worship services. All slides in this file bear the United Church Publishing House label (not visible in scans), which would indicate that this publishing house did the work of transforming all of these photographs into slides.
Several mission and service activities supported by the congregation are highlighted. They include: 1) The Stirling Crusaders program whereby children and youth grew produce, raised livestock, collected recycling and did odd jobs to raise funds for war relief and missions projects; 2) the activities of missionaries Lillian and Cyril Forth of the Sudan Interior Mission (a non-Mennonite mission in Nigeria supported by the congregation); 3) the House of Friendship in Kitchener. These slides were used by the congregation in meetings and informal services to highlight these mission and relief activities.
Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church (Kitchener, Ontario)
This photograph shows a group of poor people in the Province of Samara, Russia, holding their containers to get food from the kitchen set up by the Mennonites from the Molotschna Colony in 1906.
Negative also. Used in CM 13-37-8 with MCC photos for 45 years of service. Of the 3 men, two eat out of soup bowls. The man at left wears a peaked fur hat. Likely Hungarian refugees in Vienna, Austria. Negative was with those photos.
Note on back: "Otto Grunsky, one of our Austrian workers hands out supplies to one of the needy mothers." He is giving her MCC canned food. Ohio is on the label. An MCC poster with logo is on the wall as well as a Bible verse. Taken in the 1940s?
Note with photo: "First symptoms of malnutrition… The physical state of this little girl, too, gives sad evidence of post-war hardships." Mr. Kreider is written on back of photo. Possibly Robert Kreider, MCC Germany 1946-1948, was the donor.
4 photos show the process of unloading boxes of food for relief. All 4 have # 1737 on back. # 1-4 were assigned. In #1 boxes are in the hold & a man is attaching a rope. In next 3, boxes are being moved from the ship. In # 2 & 3 a man (an MCC or other relief organization official?) holds a list while watching the process. The boxes are from Columbus, Ohio (see #4). Likely in Kiel harbour where 2001-14.152 was taken.
3 photos show the process of unloading food sacks with the MCC logo on them. All have # 1820 on back. # 1-3 were assigned. In #1 boxes are in the hold & a man is readying them to be lifted out. In 2 & 3 the sacks are being moved from the ship to a waiting truck. Likely taken in Kiel the same as 2001-14.152.
Second copy of photo, 11.5x8.5. Note on back of larger photo: "A scene in Ludwigshafen showing one of the kitchens where meals are being prepared for our Child Feeding Project. Note: The typical MCC emblem & slogan `In the Name of Christ' attached to the post." Both men & women are working in this large kitchen. Donated by an MCC worker? Published in John D. Unruh's MCC history (1952), p.116f.
View taken from the stairs, looking down on the room where the child feeding program was carried out at Neustadt by Charlotte Regier. The children are seated at tables, either waiting for their food or just finished it. A number of adults are also in the photo. Donated by Charlotte Regier? Her MCC term was 1947-1948.
Note attached to photo: "These children at last for once (endlich einmal) have the chance to have enough to eat (satt essen) - the most wonderful, sweet oatmeal porridge, such a rarity! at home they never get this. These children know from their parents and teachers, that people in the USA are ready to help them and do much good for them." A young woman, a Red Cross worker & an older boy, smile as a boy eats his porridge. Many other children are seated at the tables as well. Taken in Germany?
Note on back of photo: "A relief distribution of Christenpflicht in the city of Heilbronn. MCC supplies are used." Three women in uniforms (2 from the Red Cross?) are shown with food, canned corn & some in bags, while people are lined up to receive it.
2 small photos also (9x9.5). Flour from USA & canned goods from Canada delivered to MCC distribution center in Heilbronn, Germany. A young man hands a case of food to a woman in the doorway.
This photo is of two little children of the Neuland refuge tent camp standing next to a bag labelled "Food For Relief In The Name Of Christ From Mennonites In America." Used in the book" Garden in the Wilderness", by Edgar Stoesz p. 74.
