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Kronsgart Mennonite Brethren Church – Kronsgart, MB

Proper Title

Kronsgart Mennonite Brethren Church fonds

Dates of Creation

1894–1972

Physical Description

8 cm of textual records and 1 microfilm reel

Administrative History

The church began when some members of the Winkler Mennonite Brethren Church bought some farms 8–12 miles northwest of Winkler, Manitoba. The congregation organized with John Heide as pastor. It began with 13 members in total. A church building was erected after 1917, after using schools for meeting places. The building was half a mile north of Kronsgart. The church was a member of the Manitoba Provincial Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Church.

In 1954, the congregation constructed a new meetinghouse.

The leaders of the church included: J. B. Penner (1927–1931), Peter Labun (1932–1933), J. B. Penner (1934–1943), A. A. Hyde (1944–1966), and John Redekopp (1967–1973).

"The trend of urbanization made itself felt in the rural area, and after discussing the matter and praying about it, the congregation decided by vote to close the church and join neighbouring congregations. ... As of January 1973 the Kronsgart MB Church will cease to exist" (pp. 87–88 in congregational membership book).

In 1973, the church building was moved to the campus of the Winkler Bible Institute (Winkler, Manitoba) to serve as a chapel.

Scope and Content

This fonds consists of membership, family, and marriage registers, membership transfers, and church meeting minutes.

Custodial History

Some of the records were microfilmed in 1978 through the work of the Historical Commission of the Mennonite Brethren Conference. In the fall of 1984, the minutes from 1957–1972 were given to Pastor Walter Janzen of the Winkler Mennonite Brethren Church by Ken Schaak who had found them among Garden Valley School Division records. In August 2018, Ed Lenzmann donated a file of building committee meeting minutes from 1954.

Notes

  • Volume 511.
  • Finding aid consists of a description and a file list.
  • Language: German and English.
  • Accession number: 2018-09.
  • No restrictions to access.
  • Finding aid for microfilm: R85, pp 1–136; R90, 771–806.
  • Microfilm file list adapted from a previous finding aid by Leslie Wiebe June 2003.
  • File description updated by Jon Isaak, September 2018.
  • See photo of the newly constructed 1954 Kronsgart MB Church building at NP020-01-30.

Series Descriptions

I. Kronsgart Mennonite Brethren Church membership, family and marriage register.
1894–1953.
2.5 cm of textual records and 34 pp (microfilm).

  • This series consists of the church membership, family and marriage register, some membership transfers, a marriage notice and a brief history of the church chronicle.
  • Finding aid: Kronsgart Mennonite Brethren Church files, nos. 1–2.
  • microfilm R90, pp 771–806.

II. Kronsgart Mennonite Brethren Church business meetings.
1933–1972.
5.5 cm of textual records and 136 pp (microfilm).

  • This series consists of congregational, church business, building committee meeting minutes.
  • Finding aid: Kronsgart Mennonite Brethren Church files, nos. 3–5.
  • microfilm R85, pp1–136.

File List

Volume 511

  1. Membership, Family, and Marriage Register. -- 1894–1953.
  2. Membership Transfers. -- alphabetical.
  3. Congregational Minutes. -- 1933–1957.
  4. Church Business Meeting Minutes. -- 1957–1972.
  5. Church Building Committee Meeting Minutes. -- 1954.

Microfilm file list

Reel 85

  • Congregational Meeting Minutes (Book I). – May 1933–Mar.1957. – pp. 1–136.

Reel 90

  • Brief “Church Chronicle” (Book V). – [19--]. – pp .803–806.
  • Membership, Family and Marriage Registers (Book V). – ca.1894–ca.1953. – pp. 771–802.
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