Schmidt, John M. (1918–2008)
Proper Title
John M. Schmidt fonds
Dates of Creation
1943–2008
Physical Description
2.88 m of textual material, 116 photographs, and other materials
Biographical Sketch
John M. Schmidt was born on April 6, 1918, in Krasnopolj, Siberia. He was the son of Jacob Schmidt and Elizabeth Born. His family left Russia and landed in Canada in 1926. They travelled straight to Coaldale, Alberta, where the family farmed sugar beet fields and eventually operated a blacksmith and welding shop.
After high school, John attended Coaldale Bible School and then Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta. He strongly believed that someday he would become involved in ministry. When he’d finished his studies, John went to Calgary Technical School where he learned electric and acetylene welding. He returned home and entered into his father’s welding business.
World War II broke out in 1939 and John registered as a conscientious objector (CO) in 1941. John was stationed in Jasper, Alberta, at Camp Geikie (Alberta) and 21 Mile Camp near Radium Hot Springs (B.C.). When the camp closed, John was ordered back to the South Burrard Shipyards in Vancouver, B.C. The graveyard shift took a harsh toll on John and, under doctors orders, John requested a transfer. He was moved to a dairy farm in Kamloops, B.C., until further notice. John applied to the Military Medical Corp as a non-combatant CO (something only opened to COs in 1943) and within a week was reporting to headquarters of Little Mountain Army barracks in Vancouver, B.C.
John was fortunate to receive weekend leaves and on one occasion was asked by a Mennonite Brethren minister to give his testimony at a morning worship service. John agreed. To do so in a soldier’s uniform was unheard of in the MB churches at that time. After a time, John’s father underwent a serious operation and John was released from service in 1944 and sent home to Aldergrove, B.C., to work on the family farm.
Upon his return home and while attending North Abbotsford MB Church, John met Mary Nikkel (1925-1994). They were married July 15, 1945. During the war, John’s earlier goal of ministry had been forgotten, but John and Mary soon gathered enthusiasm for the work again and received an invitation to serve at Little Grand Rapids, a Soto Indian Reserve in Northern Manitoba. They went in January 1947. When Mary became pregnant with their second child, they decided to return home to Aldergrove. John got a job working at Buckerfields going from field to field maintaining their machinery. They attended and participated in the East Aldergrove Mennonite Brethren church plant.
In 1949, Mary and John left Aldergrove to attend Mennonite Brethren Bible College (MBBC) in Winnipeg. In the spring of 1950, John became director and speaker of the Gospel Light Hour, a radio ministry program that became fully supported by the Manitoba Mennonite Brethren Conference in 1954.
After completing his studies at MBBC in 1952, John continued working with the Gospel Light Hour and also became the new full-time city missionary with Winnipeg’s Mennonite Brethren City Mission. The Conference had purchased the old Swedish Baptist Church at 406 Logan Avenue in 1949 to house the Mission. The outreach programing flourished through John’s encouraging work and, by 1956, it had become known as the Gospel Light Mission Church. Further growth necessitated a relocation in 1959 to larger facilities at 760 McMillan in Fort Rouge. Eventually, the Fort Rouge MB church moved south into the Fort Garry area into a new construction named the Fort Garry MB Church, which opened in 1963.
The radio ministry grew rapidly. Under John's leadership German, Low German and Russian radio programs were added and a new building to house the ministry was constructed at 188 Kelvin Avenue (now Henderson Highway) in 1960. But his wife Mary was ill and this led him to resign from both the radio ministry and his position as pastor of the Fort Rouge MB Church.
On July 10, 1963, John left the Radio ministry and the City Mission and accepted a position in the Vineland Mennonite Brethren Church in Ontario. For the next 25 years, through into their retirement years, John and Mary served as the minister couple in several churches. The churches were often experiencing difficulties and John worked hard to encourage and revive them. The churches included Vineland Church in Ontario, St. Anne’s in Ontario, Winkler Mennonite Brethren Church, the MB church in Tofield, Alberta, and the Waldheim Mennonite Brethren Church in Saskatchewan.
When John reached the age of 65, he and Mary hoped to retire. But this was not to be. John’s ministry lasted well into his seventies. In Winnipeg, he served as interim ministers in the Morrow Gospel Church, The Westwood Mennonite Brethren Church, and Portage Avenue Mennonite Brethren Church. At Portage Avenue M.B. Church, John was instrumental in guiding some of its members to help with starting The Meeting Place. Finally, after all his hard work, John was able to retire.
During the years 1973–1975, John became involved in the Noah’s Ark project. The plan was to build a huge centre near Niagara Falls, displaying the grandeur of God’s work through nature and science. However, it never became fully realized.
Together, Mary and John had seven children: Elvina Rosalind, 1946; Linda Esther, March 1948; Dorothy Elaine, December 1950; Edward Robert, November 1953; Shirley Lois, July 1955; John David, August 1958; and Grace Marlene, April 1962.
In early 1994, Mary died. He married Olga Pries Dueck on December 29, 1994. They spent the first years travelling to Ontario and B.C. to visit relatives and to Amman, Jordan, to the Black Hills in South Dakota, and to Europe.
In 2001, John wrote an autobiographical book called The Lord’s Donkey. John was known to be bold in sharing his faith, and over many years he led people to Christ. In later years, he suffered much pain from bone disease, but remained full of hope and love for God. John spent his last years in Donwood Manor in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and passed away peacefully on July 10, 2008.
Custodial History
The sermons were created by John M. Schmidt. He donated the material to the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies in August, 2002 along with two boxes of used books. Most of the remaining materials were donated in 2010 by John's daughter, Dorothy Siebert.
Scope and Content
The John M. Schmidt fonds consists of sermons on a variety of topics as well as various other documents from Schmidt's life. The sermons were written for church services, weddings, funerals, and radio ministry in Manitoba, B.C., and Ontario from 1943–1997. The sermons are organized alphabetically by topic and book of the Bible. There are two alphabetical arrangements based on format. The first set of folders consists of smaller pages, the second set of regular 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper.
The other materials consist of photographs, vital statistic documents, recordings, and memoirs, documenting Schmidt's involvement as a conscientious objector, radio host, pastor, and preacher.
Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds.
- Description by Tamara Dyck, April 10, 2008.
- Updated by Carmyn Campbell, July 13, 2011; Jon Isaak, April 2020.
- No restriction on access.
- Finding aid consists of a file list.
- See MAID online photo collection #1 (NP181-01) at John M. Schmidt photo collection #1 and photo collection #2 (NP191-01) at John M. Schmidt photo collection #2.
- Finding aid for autobiography The Lord’s Donkey is: J.A. TOEWS 289.7092 S452 lor.
- Accession No.: 2002-021, 2010-008.
- Location: Vol. 1244-1248, 1330.
File List
VOLUME 1244
1. Abundant life. – [ca. 1943-1969].
2. Achievement. – [ca. 1971].
3. Anniversaries. – [ca. 1989-1993].
4. Angels. – [ca. 1972].
5. Assurance. – [ca. 1953-1962].
6. Baptism. – [ca. 1958-1987].
7. Bible. – [ca. 1944-1997].
8. Chance. – [ca. 1969-1971].
9. Children. – [19--].
10. Christ. – [ca. 1957-1997].
11. Christian Education. – [ca. 1957-1983].
12. Christmas. – [ca. 1963–1997].
13. Church. – [ca. 1956 –1961].
14. Comedy. – [ca. 1977].
15. Commitment. – [19--].
16. Communication. – 1972-1977.
17. Communion. – [ca. 1969].
18. Conscience. – [ca. 1968].
19. Conversion. – [ca. 1967-.1972].
20. Counseling. – [ca. 1966-1968].
21. Courage. – 1968-1972.
22. Cults. – [19--].
23. Deacon. – [ca. 1985-1990].
24. Death. – [ca. 1947–1998].
25. Dedication. – [ca. 1964-1990].
26. Discipleship. – [ca. 1968-1985].
27. Discouragement. – [ca.1969-1981].
28. Divine Guidance. – [ca. 1965].
29. Doctrine. – [ca. 1933-1972].
30. Drugs. – [ca. 1966-1972].
31. Easter. – [ca. 1965-1984].
32. Elijah. – [ca. 1981].
33. Ethics. – [ca. 1967-1968].
34. Evangelism. – 1952-1980.
35. Evolution. – [ca. 1961-1972].
36. Faith. – [ca. 1976].
37. Family. – [ca. 1968-1991].
38. Fear. – 1981-[1991?].
39. Footwashing. – 1969.
40. Forgiveness. – [ca. 1984].
41. Funeral. – [ca. 1994].
42. Freedom. – [ca. 1946-1970].
43. German messages. – [ca. 1990-1991].
44. Gifts. – [19--].
45. Grace. – [19--].
VOLUME 1245
1. Happiness. – [ca. 1966-1975].
2. Heaven. – [ca. 1937-1975].
3. Hell. – [ca. 1942-1998].
4. Holy Spirit. – [ca. 1959-1996].
5. Humour. – [ca. 1964-1969].
6. Ladies Aids. – [19--].
7. Local Church issues. – [ca. 1966-1981].
8. Loneliness. – [ca. 1963-1972].
9. Lordship. – [19--].
10. Love. – [ca. 1943-1982].
11. Man. – 1965-1972.
12. Marriage. – [ca. 1966-1996].
13. Maturity. – [19--].
14. Mind. – [ca. 1980].
15. Minister. – [ca. 1970-1983].
16. Miscellaneous. – [ca. 19-- -1991].
17. Missions. – [ca. 19-- –1991].
18. Modernism. – [ca. 1967-1968].
19. Mothers. – 1970-1991.
20. Music. – [19--].
21. New Year. – [ca. 1963-1989].
22. Nonresistance. – [ca. 1955-1964].
23. Old age. – [ca. 1963-1971].
24. Peace. – [ca. 1943-1968].
25. Sermons: Later years. – [ca. 1980-1997].
26. Sermons: Later years. – [ca. 1970-1999].
27. Westwood Church. – [ca. 1988].
28. Biography. – [ca. 1947-1986].
29. Prayer. – [ca. 1959-1981].
30. Priority. – [19--].
31. Evangelism. – [ca. 1964].
32. Plays. -- [19--].
VOLUME 1246
1. Poems. – [ca. 1959-1985].
2. Prophecy. – [ca. 1950-1984].
3. Psychology. – [ca. 1965].
4. Relationships. – [19--].
5. Repentance. – [19--].
6. Revival. – [ca. 1965-1990].
7. Sabbath. – [ca. 1970].
8. Sanctification. – [ca. 1954-1981].
9. Satan. – 1968.
10. Science. – [ca. 1960-1989].
11. Second Coming. – [ca. 1969-1995].
12. Sermon on the Mount. – [ca. 1984-1991].
13. Sermon themes. – [19--].
14. Sex. – [ca. 1952-1981].
15. Special days. – [ca. 1995].
16. Statistics. – [ca. 1968-1971].
17. Stewardship. – [ca. 1943-1982].
18. Suffering. – [ca. 1959-1993].
19. Sunday School. – [ca. 1980].
20. Time. – [ca. 1975].
21. Thanksgiving. – [ca. 1969-1989].
22. Television. – [ca. 1965-1981].
23. Temptation. – [19--].
24. Tofield Messages. – [ca. 1970-1984].
25. Ushers. – [19--].
26. Unity. – [19--].
27. Vacations. – [ca. 1957-1972].
28. Vice Drugs. – [ca. 1954].
29. Vocations. – [ca. 1982].
30. Witnessing. – [ca. 1971-1982].
31. Worship. – [ca. 1971-1985].
32. Worry. – [ca. 1957-1971].
33. Youth. – [ca. 1963].
34. Victorious living. – [ca. 1967-1984].
35. Morrow Gospel. – [ca. 1952-1989].
36. Abundant Life. – [ca. 1986].
37. Acts. – [ca. 1957-1959].
38. Atonement. – [ca. 1962-1967].
39. Backsliders. – [ca. 1952-1960].
40. Baptismal Course. – [ca. 1986-1989].
41. Bible Study. – [ca. 1969-1992].
42. Character. – [ca. 1951-1963].
43. Charismatic movement. – [ca. 1963-1985].
VOLUME 1247
1. Christ. – [ca. 1951-1961].
2. Christmas. – [ca. 1950-1970].
3. Faith. – [ca. 1950-1962].
4. Church. – [ca. 1954-1971].
5. Church statistics. – [ca. 1981].
6. Colossians. – [19--].
7. Communion. – [ca. 1959-1966].
8. Conscience. – [ca. 1973].
9. Counseling. – [ca. 1968-1969].
10. I Corinthians. – [ca. 1950-1983].
11. II Corinthians. – [19--].
12. Cross. – [ca. 1954-1963].
13. Dating. – [19--].
14. Deacons. – [ca. 1950-1962].
15. Death. – [ca. 1957-1981].
16. Discipleship. – [ca. 1952-1956].
17. Disciple making. – [ca. 1985-1991].
18. Divine Guidance. – [ca. 1962].
19. Divine Healing. – [ca. 1960].
20. Divorce and remarriage. – [ca. 1985-1988].
21. Doctrines. – [ca. 1952-1983].
22. Easter. – [ca. 1950-1963].
23. Easter-Resurrection. – [ca. 1955-1971].
24. Ephesians. – [ca. 1954-1970].
25. Esther. – [ca. 1952].
26. Evangelism. – [ca. 1971-1984].
27. Fear. – [ca. 1952-1959].
28. Forgiveness. – [ca. 1960].
29. Genesis. – [ca. 1951-1959].
30. Evangelism-Personal. – [ca. 1971].
31. Evangelistic Services. – [ca. 1959].
32. Exodus. – [ca. 1951-1963].
33. Family Relationships. – [ca. 1956-1963].
34. German Radio. – [ca. 1952-1953].
35. Giving-Tithes. – [ca. 1960].
36. God and You. – [ca. 1955-1963].
37. God’s Power. – [ca. 1951].
38. God’s Will. – [19--].
39. Gospel Light Hour-Various. – [ca. 1953-1961].
40. Grace. – [ca. 1951-1963].
41. Heaven. – [ca. 1951-1960].
42. Hebrews. – [ca. 1956-1961].
43. Hell-Retribution. – [ca. 1951-1953].
44. Holy Spirit. – [ca. 1959-1977].
45. Hosea. – [19--].
46. Laws and Principles. – [ca. 1956-1961].
47. Library. – [ca. 1950-1962].
48. Life. – [ca. 1950-1963].
VOLUME 1248
1. James. – [ca. 1952-1984].
2. Jeremiah. – [ca. 1952-1963].
3. Job. – [19--].
4. John. – [ca. 1957-1961].
5. I John. – [19--].
6. Jonah. – [ca. 1952-1960].
7. Joy. – [ca. 1958-1959].
8. Judgement. – [ca. 1956-1962].
9. I Kings. – [ca. 1957-1961].
10. Love. – [ca. 1957-1963].
11. Mark. – [ca. 1959-1962].
12. Mennonite Brethren name. – [ca. 1970-1982].
13. Missions. – [ca. 1951-1960].
14. New Year. – [ca. 1950-1963].
15. Occult. – [ca. 1971-1981].
16. Paul. – [ca. 1951-1961].
17. Peace/Liberty. – [ca. 1952-1960].
18. Peter (the person). – [ca. 1953-1962].
19. Priorities. – [ca. 1970].
20. I Peter. – [ca. 1951-1955].
21. II Peter. – [ca. 1956-1980].
22. Philemon. – [ca. 1964].
23. Prayer. – [19--].
24. Prayer-Healing. – [ca. 1950-1960].
25. Proverbs. – [ca. 1959-1963].
26. Psalms. – [ca. 1960-1963].
27. Regeneration. – [ca. 1951-1961].
28. Revelation. – [ca. 1953-1963].
29. Revival. – [ca. 1952-1961].
30. Romans. – [19--].
31. Ruth. – [ca. 1958].
32. Salvation. – [ca. 1950-1963].
33. Sanctification. – 1956-1957.
34. Second Coming. – [ca. 1950-1981].
35. Stewardship of Money. – [ca. 1949-1964].
36. Temptations. – [ca. 1953-1961].
37. Soul. – [ca. 1951-1962].
38. Stewardship. – [19--].
39. Thanksgiving. – [19--].
40. Time. – [ca. 1952-1963].
41. I Timothy. – [ca. 1963].
42. II Timothy. – [19--].
43. Trials. – [ca. 1955-1962].
44. Unbelief. – [ca. 1956-1961].
45. Various. – [ca. 1952-1963].
46. Victorious Living. – [ca. 1955-1961].
47. Witnesses. – [ca. 1963].
48. Zeal: Spirit. – [ca. 1963].
VOLUME 1330
1. Vital Statistics documents including birth certificate of Mary Nickel (wife), Canadian Army Soldier's Service and Pay Book, Army Discharge Certificate, Certificate of Canadian Citizenship. -- 1925, 1944, 1946, 1963.
2. Mary Schmidt's handwritten accounts of beginnings and various ministry assignments written for her children. -- 1918–1983.
3. The Gospel Light documents including brochures and copy of Gospel Light Herald. -- 1961.
4. Noah's Ark Project. -- 1970–1975.
5. "French Fries and Solzhenitsyn." Winnipeg Free Press Article, Sunday, June 27, 2008. -- 2008.
6. Materials from John M. Schmidt's funeral: notes, cards, order of service, letters; Mennonite Brethren Bible College Yearbook 1951. -- 1951, 2008.
7. Photocopied pages from an album created by Harold and Dorothy Siebert as a memoir for John and Mary Schmidt. Oroginal photos found in the Photograph Collection (NP191-01). -- 2008.
ARTIFACTS
1. Pocket sized Salvation Testament - Inscription by J.M. Schmidt "This is the N.T. which I used in the city mission work." -- [195-].
2. Bible used by J.M. Schmidt on English radio programs of Gospel Light Hour. -- 1945, [195-].
3. Cassette Tape - Mennonite Brethren Communications 15th Anniversary Broadcast with J.M. Schmidt. -- [1962?].
4. VHS Tape - Re-telling of early Family Life Network History by J.M. Schmidt (70 minutes). -- [195-].
5. DVD - John M. Schmidt funeral service. -- July 15, 2008.
6. Gospel Light Hour record casing (no record enclosed). -- [1962?].