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Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church – Vauxhall, AB

Proper Title

Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church fonds

Dates of Creation

1934–2006

Physical Description

17 cm of textual records and 2 microfilm reels

Administrative History

Mennonite immigrants had come to Alberta in the late 1920s. In the early 1930s, they began to move into the Vauxhall area. In 1934, the congregation officially organized at the home of Peter Langemann family with 12 charter members. They met in these years in congregational members’ homes. In 1936, they built a meeting house with recycled lumber and began worshiping in January 1937 in it; the site being on a member’s property. A Bible school also operated in this building for about 3 years.

In 1940, the Mennonite Brethren meeting house as well as the Conference of Mennonites in Canada meeting house, only some 6 kilometers away, were both destroyed by fire set by arsonists. In 1941, a new site was chosen nearby and a basement was constructed. In 1949, the upper sanctuary was completed. In 1955, the membership stood at 100. In 1965, the congregation adopted the pastor system. In 1974, the building was expanded. In 1984, another new meeting house was completed in the town site. The membership stood at 151 in 1984. In 1988, this congregation began another congregation in Hays, a result of nearly 30 years of efforts in this area.

The leaders of the congregation were Peter Langemann (1934–1943), Peter Redekopp (1944–1945), Henry Rempel (1946-[194-?]), David Baerg ([194-?]), David Petkau ([194-? or 195-?]), D. J. Thiessen ([195-?]), Ben Epp (1957–1959), Henry Unruh (1955–1956, 1960–1965, 1969), Abe Esau (1966–1968), Wally Kroeker (1970–1975), Gerhard Reimer (1975–1977), Dewayne Isaac (1977–1982), David Nightingale (1982–1987), Adam Wiggins (1988–1992), Leo Siemens (1993–1997), interim Rudy Heidebrecht (1998), Bill Glasspell (1999–2004), interim Harry Heidebrecht (2004–2005), Elroy Senneker (2005–2013), Harold Reimer (2016–2020), interim Kevin Carruthers (2021– ).

The language of worship is English.  The transition from German occurred in the 1960s.

Scope and Content

This fonds consists of historical sketches (1967, 1968, 1974, 1986), congregational directories ([ca.1967], [198-?], 1994), church minutes (1934–2002), membership and family registers (1934–1978), congregational financial records (1939–1977), newsletters (1978–1982) and congregational bulletins (1977–1982, 1993–1999).

Custodial History

Records were transferred to the Centre for MB Studies archives in Winnipeg, Manitoba on a regular basis to 2000. Some records were microfilmed in 1978 through the work of the Historical Commission of the Mennonite Brethren Conference. In 2008, bulletins and newsletters were deposited by the Centre for MB Studies in Hillsboro.

Notes

  • Volumes 340, 341.
  • Finding aid consists of a series description and a file list.
  • Arrangement: The 2001 and 2002 materials included all church committee meetings and were kept this way rather than separating as the series listing organizes the records.
  • Formerly classified under the Canadian Conference of MB Churches inventory BA-514.
  • Finding aid for microfilm: R49, pp.1361–2294, R50, pp.1–1193.
  • Described by Bert Friesen 17 September 2001, microfilm file list adapted from a previous finding aid by Leslie Wiebe June 2003; updated by Conrad Stoesz October 21, 2003 and October 28, 2008.
  • No restrictions on access.
  • Accession numbers: 2008-026.

Series Descriptions

I. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church history.
1967–1986.
1 cm of textual records.

  • This series consists of congregational historical sketches ([197-?]) and brief congregational histories (1967, 1968, 1974, 1986).

II. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church directories.
[196-?], [198-?], 1994.
0.3 cm of textual records.

  • This series consists of congregational address and telephone directories ([196-?], 1994) and a congregational pictorial directory ([198-?]).

III. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church minutes.
1934–2002.
5 cm of textual records and 1505 pp of microfilm.

  • This series consists of congregational meeting minutes (1934–1978 on microfilm) meeting minutes (1978–1988), Hays Gospel Chapel congregational meeting minutes (1986), and church council meeting minutes (1996–2002).

IV. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins and Newsletters
1977-1982, 1993–1999.
10.4 cm of textual records.

  • This series consists of congregational bulletins (1977-1982, 1993–1999) and newsletters entitled "The Lamplighter".

V. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church registers.
1934–1978.
164 pp.; microfilm.

  • This series consists of congregational membership register and family register which includes data on birth, baptism, marriage, and death (1934–1978).

VI. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church financial records.
1939–1977.
494 pp.; microfilm.

  • This series consists of congregational financial records (1939–1977), and mission contributions (1943–1977).

File List

Volume 340
3. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church newsletter "The Lamplighter." -- 1978–1982.
4. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1977–1979.
5. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1980–1982.

Volume 341

  1. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church history. -- 1967–1986.
  2. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church history. -- 1995.
  3. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church directories. -- [ca.1967]. [198-?], 1994.
  4. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church minutes. -- 1978–1988.
  5. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church congregational and church council minutes. -- 1996–2000.
  6. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1993.
  7. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1994.
  8. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1995.
  9. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1996.
  10. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1997.
  11. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1998.
  12. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1999.
  13. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church membership meeting minutes. -- 2001.
  14. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church council minutes. -- 1989–1995.
  15. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church membership meeting minutes. -- 1989–1995.
  16. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church council and membership minutes and reports. -- 2001.
  17. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church council and membership minutes and reports. -- 2002.
  18. Vauxhall Mennonite Brethren Church council meeting minutes. -- 2006.

Microfilm file list

Reel 49

  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. – Mar.1934–Dec.1938. – p.1066–1123 (+36). – Note: It is unclear what this number represents, but is included because it was in a previous finding aid.
  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. – Dec.1938–Dec.1943. – p.1511–1706.
  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. – Dec.1943–Nov.1949. – p.1707–1995.
  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. – Dec.1949–Dec.1956. – p.1996–2294.

Reel 50

  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. – Jan.1957–Oct.1966. – p.1–300.
  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. – Dec.1966–July 1978. – p.301–571.
  • Membership and Family Register, Book I. – 1934–1978. – p.1066–1123.
  • Membership and Family Register, Book II. – 1934–1978. – p.1124–1193.
  • Financial Records. – 1939–1944. – p. 572–649.
  • Record of Mission Contributions. – 1943–1977. – p.650–773.
  • Record of General Treasury. – 1944–1966. – p.774–957.
  • Record of General Treasury. – 1967–1977. – p.958–1065.
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