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Linden Mennonite Brethren Church – Linden, AB

Proper Title

Linden MB Church fonds

Dates of Creation

1932–2024

Physical Description

63 cm of textual records, digital files, and 2 microfilm reels

Administrative History

The Linden Mennonite Brethren Church grew out of the Swalwell Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church, which joined the Alberta Mennonite Brethren Conference by conference resolution in December 1946. The congregation ratified the change at the end of 1947. The first meeting minutes of 1948 identify the group as a Mennonite Brethren congregation with 56 members. The congregation continued to gather in the meetinghouse near the rail station. In 1963, they completed a new meetinghouse in the town of Linden. This meetinghouse was expanded in 1975.

In 2000, the membership stood at 170; in 2105, it was 202.

The leading ministers of the congregation include: S. Ratzlaff (1948–1954, 1958, 1960), Peter J. Dörksen (1954–1957, 1959), Wm. E. Thiessen (1961–1964), Rudy Boschmann (1965–1968), David Epp (1969–1980), Arnie Neufeld (1981–1984), Ralph Klassen (1986–1990), Konrad Loewen (2000–2007), Daniel Beutler (2007–2008), Gary Burke (2008–2014), and Kris Peters (2015– ).

Scope and Content

This fonds consists of brief congregational histories (1933, 1963, 1979), congregational directories (1994, 1996), various meeting minutes (1932–2011 with some gaps), congregational financial records (1960–1963), congregational bulletins (1968, 1981–2024), and membership and family register (1930–1978).

Custodial History

Records were transferred to the Centre for MB Studies archives in Winnipeg, Manitoba on a regular basis. Some records were microfilmed in 1978 through the work of the Historical Commission of the Mennonite Brethren Conference. Some records have come on a yearly basis.

Notes

  • Location: Volume 337, 338, 348, 424, 444; Microfilm: R52, pp. 1508–2367, R53, pp. 1–310.
  • Digital files are located on CMBS server . . . electronic collections/provinces-electronic church records/alberta
  • Finding aid consists of a series description and a file list.
  • Formerly classified under the Canadian Conference of MB Churches inventory BA–510.
  • Described by Bert Friesen September 21, 2001; microfilm file list adapted from a previous finding aid by Leslie Wiebe June 2003; updated by Conrad Stoesz, February 3, 2004, January 17, 2006, July 10, 2007, May 12, 2009; updated by Tamara Dyck February 18, 2011; updated by Yvonne Snider-Nighswander October 17, 2011, March 12, 2012; updated by Jon Isaak March 2017. Updated by Emma Sorensen June 2018.
  • No restrictions on access.
  • Accession Nos. 1998–029, 1999–041,  2000–009, 2007–022, 2011–05, 2017–09, 2021-09.
  • Note: see record for Swalwell Evangelical Mennonite church: https://cmbs.mennonitebrethren.ca/inst_records/swalwell-evangelical-mennonite-brethren-church-linden-ab/

Series Descriptions

I. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church history.
1933, 1963, 1979.
0.3 cm of textual records.

  • This series consists of brief congregational histories (1963, 1979), newspaper clipping (1979), 50th anniversary history booklet (1979), 50th anniversary celebration invitation (1979), correspondence (1979), and documents related to the purcahse of land for the church (1933).

II. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church directories.
1994, 1996.
0.4 cm of textual records.

  • This series consists of congregational address and telephone directories (1994, 1996).

III. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church minutes.
1932–1978, 1995–2012.
18 cm of textual records and 698 pages of microfilm.

  • This series consists of meeting records with the materials 1932–1978 on microfilm. Congregational meeting minutes (1932–1967, 1972–1978, 1995–2011), church council minutes (1954–1957, 1964–1973) congregational Board of Spiritual Concerns meeting minutes (1995–1996), and congregational administrative team meeting minutes (1997–2000).

IV. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins.
1968, 1981–2021, 2022–
41 cm of textual records and digital files.

  • This series consists of congregational bulletins.

V. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church financial records.
1960–1963.
9 pp.; microfilm.

  • This series consists of congregational financial records (1960–1963).

VI. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church registers.
1930–1978.
39 pp.; microfilm.

  • This series consists of congregational membership register and family register (1930–1978).

File List


Volume 337
4. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church history. -- 1963, 1979.
5. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church directories. -- 1967, 1994, 1996.
6. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church minutes. -- 1995–1996.
7. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church minutes. -- 1997–1998.
8. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church minutes. -- 1999–2000.
9. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1968.
10. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1981.
11. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1982.
12. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1983.
13. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1984.
14. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1985.
15. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1986.
16. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1987.
17. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1988.
18. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1989.

Volume 338
1. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1990.
2. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1991.
3. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1992.
4. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1993.
5. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1994.
6. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1995.
7. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1996.
8. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1997.
9. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1998.
10. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 1999.
11. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 2000.
12. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church congregational meeting and leadership meeting minutes. -- 2001.
13. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church congregational meeting and leadership meeting minutes. -- 2002.
14. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church congregational meeting minutes. -- 2003.
15. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 2001.
16. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 2002–2004.
17. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church congregational meeting minutes. -- 2004.

Volume 348
1. Linden Mennonite Brethren Congregational & Council Meeting Minutes. --1963–1964.
2. Linden Mennonite Brethren Congregational & Council Meeting Minutes. --1965.
3. Linden Mennonite Brethren Congregational & Council Meeting Minutes. -- 1966–1967.

Volume 424
1. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church congregational meeting minutes. -- 2006.
2. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 2005.
3. Linden Mennonite Brethren Church bulletins. -- 2006.
4. Land acquisition documents. -- 1933.
5. Bulletins and congregational meeting minutes. -- 2007.
6. Bulletins and congregational meeting minutes. -- 2008.
7. Congregational meeting minutes. -- 2009.
8. Bulletins and congregational meeting minutes. -- 2010.
9. Bulletins. -- 2009.
10. Bulletins, congregational meeting minutes, baptisms. -- 2011.
11. Bulletins and congregational meeting minutes. -- 2012.
12. Church council meeting minutes. -- 1954–1957.
13. Congregational meeting minutes. -- 1932–1945.
14. Congregational meeting minutes. -- 1946–1955.
15. Congregational meeting minutes. -- 1956–1958.
16. Congregational meeting minutes. -- 1959–1962.

Volume 444

1. Bulletins and congregational meeting minutes. -- 2013.
2. Bulletins, congregational and Annual general meeting minutes. -- 2014.
2a. Bulletins. -- 2015.
3. Bulletins. -- 2016.
4. Directory, Annual Meeting packet. -- 2016.
5. Bulletins, events calendar, spring newsletter, Christmas card. -- 2017.
13. Bulletins and Directory. -- 2018.
14. Bulletins and Directory. -- 2019.
15. Bulletins and Directory. -- 2020–2021.

Digital files

  • PDF versions of church bulletins. -- 2022.
  • PDF versions of church bulletins. -- 2023.
  • PDF versions of church bulletins. -- 2024.

Microfilm file list

Reel 52

  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. Feb 1932–Dec 1954. -- p. 1508–1738
    Note: Pages 1528–1539 have been misplaced and follow page 1564.
  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. Jan 1955–Dec 1958. -- p. 1739–1906
  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. Feb 1959–May 1965. -- p. 1907–2127
  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. Jun 1964–1965. -- p. 2137–2230
  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. Jan 1966–Dec 1966. -- p. 2261–2314
  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. Jan 1967–Oct 1967. -- p. 2331–2355
  • Church Council Meeting Minutes. Jun 1964–1965. -- p. 2231–2260
  • Church Council Meeting Minutes. Jan 1966–Oct 1966. -- p. 2315–2330
  • Church Council Meeting Minutes. Jan 1967–Oct 1967. -- p. 2356–2367
  • Financial Reports. 1960–1963. -- p. 2128–2136

Reel 53

  • Membership and Family Register, Book I. 1930–1978. -- p. 311–349
  • Congregational and Church Council Minutes. 1968–1973. -- p. 1–160
  • Congregational Meeting Minutes. Oct 1972–Jun 1978. -- p. 161–240
  • Church Council Meeting Minutes. Jun 1954–Dec 1957. -- p. 241–310
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