©Mennonite Heritage Centre 2002
Last updated December 3, 2003

Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Title: Immanuel Mennonite Church (Rapid View, Saskatchewan) fonds
Dates: 1929-1990
Extent: 16 cm of textual records

Historical note

In 1929 a congregation with 26 charter members was founded in the Meadow Lake area of Saskatchewan. Since the Mennonite settlers in the area were quite scattered, a number of smaller meeting stations were started. They included stations at Beaverdale, Compass, Daisy Meadow, and Pierceland. In 1936 the membership was 65 and in 1947 it was 86. In 1961 Pierceland formed a separate congregation, Emmanuel Mennonite, but remained part of the Immanual group of congregations. During the 1950s the dominant congregation was the one formed in Meadow Lake in the 1950s. In the early 1970s this became an independent congregation, Grace Mennonite Church. In 1972 there were two congregations that made up the Immanuel Mennonite Church, Compass and Beaverdale. The following year, 1973, the multi-congregation church dissolved and they became two independent congregations. In 1975 only the Compass congregation remained, named the Immanuel Mennonite Church. In 1981 it changed its name to the Compass Immanuel Mennonite Church. In 1985 the membership was 46. This congregation withdrew from the conference around 1993. The leaders of the church were: Peter Friesen (1929-1974), Gerhard Elias (1936-1944), Isaak Epp (1936-1947), Jacob Dyck (1945-1960, 1961-1971 [in Pierceland]), Jacob Esau (1948-1983), David Friesen (1951-1974), Cornelius Funk (1952-1965), Fred Heese (1964-1966), Albert Esau (1975-1991), Wes Zacharias (1977-1992), George Dueck (1981-1985), John Janzen (1987-1989), Mike Ginther (1990-).

Scope and content note

The fonds contains church registers (1930-1990), position papers on baptism (1932-1963), cemetery records (1955-1969), constitution ([19-]), correspondence (1951-1971), financial records (1929-1974), congregational meeting minutes (1948-1956), reports to the Canadian conference Mission Board (1960-1970), library records (1945-1971), programmes for ordination and dedication (1944-1975), Sunday School register and committee minutes (1938-1947), and youth group records (1942-1946). The records pertain to the founding and development of the Mennonite church in the Meadow Lake area of Saskatchewan. They document the leaders and participants in the church.

Finding aids

Inventory file list available.

Notes

Language

Some German.

Restrictions on access

No restrictions on access.

Other notes

Textual records were deposited by the congregation at the Mennonite Heritage Centre. Described by Bert Friesen 18 February 2002.

Immanuel Mennonite Church (Meadow Lake / Rapid View) file list:

Volume 3684

  1. List of congregations and leaders in the Meadow Lake area (1960-1990)
  2. Baptismal records for Immanuel Mennonite Church (1930-1980)
  3. Studies on baptism (1932-1963)
  4. Immanuel Mennonite Church cemetery records at Barnes Crossing Cemetery (1955-1969), cemetery plans ([19-])
  5. Certificates of registration to solemnize marriages (1931-1974)
  6. Immanuel Mennonite Church constitution ([19-])
  7. Immanuel Mennonite Church correspondence (1951-1971)
  8. Immanuel Mennonite Church financial records (1929-1965)
  9. Immanuel Mennonite Church congregational meeting minutes (1948-1956), financial records (1948-1958)
  10. Immanuel Mennonite Church financial records (1958-1963)
  11. Immanuel Mennonite Church financial records (1966-1974)
  12. Immanuel Mennonite Church correspondence (1959-1966), reports to the Mission Board (1960-1966)

Volume 3685

  1. Immanuel Mennonite Church library records (1945-1971)
  2. Immanuel Mennonite Church marriage records (1936-1960)
  3. Immanuel Mennonite Church membership records (1930-1980)
  4. Immanuel Mennonite Church congregational meeting minutes (1929-1938)
  5. Immanuel Mennonite Church programmes for ordination and dedication (1944-1975)
  6. Immanuel Mennonite Church reports to the Board of Missions, Conference of Mennonites in Canada (1963-1970)
  7. Immanuel Mennonite Church statistical records of membership and finances (1936-1940, 1964-1971)
  8. Immanuel Mennonite Church Sunday School register and committee minutes (1938-1947)
  9. Immanuel Mennonite Church youth group records (1942-1946)
  10. Immanuel Mennonite Church, Pierceland station, correspondence (1959-1966)