© Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba

(Last updated 13 March 2009

• Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba -- Manitoba Women in Mission

Retrieval numbers: Textual: Volumes 670-673, 1402-1403, 2774-2776, 3263, 3305-3306, 4135-4136, 4171, 5113. Videocassettes: No. 194, 195

Series Title: Manitoba Women in Mission
Dates: 1942-1990
Extent: 97 cm of textual records
Extent: 2 videocassettes (ca. 180 minutes) : VHS 

Historical note

The first Mennonite women's charitable organization began in Gretna in 1889. By 1892 they had adopted the name Wohltätigkeitsverein (benevolent society). They sewed articles for poor, local families, supported the Gretna school (Mennonite Collegiate Institute) and supported missions. The group's name later changed to Gretna First Mennonite Mission Aid. This was the only women's group tracing its beginning prior to the 1920s, that related to the 1990s Manitoba Women in Mission.

In 1942 Mennonite women from all over Manitoba chose to honour the memory of Margarethe Toews (wife of David Toews) through an annual scholarship the Gretna school. In 1944, the women officially organized the Manitoba Provincial Women's Conference. By the time the scholarship was discontinued in 1977, 20 girls had benefited from this scholarship. From this first project, the women's efforts multiplied and they continued to contribute to various Mennonite organizations locally as well as globally. It was in this way that the women's conference became an important part of the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba.

It was through the Women's Mission Association that the voices of Mennonite women in Manitoba were heard at the Conference level. The first report was heard from the newly renamed Manitoba Women's Mission Association at the conference in 1971 and by 1973 they had two members on the Missions and Service Committee. In 1976 they changed their name to Manitoba Women in Mission.

During the 1980s and 1990s many women became more involved in the workplace and had less time for women's groups. In some congregations interest in women's groups dwindled, in others it was encouraged and strengthened. However women were also holding more positions in more areas of the church and conference. Women in Mission was no longer the only voice of women in the congregation as the opportunities to speak up on conference committees and at delegate sessions grew.

Presidents over the years have been:
1971-1973 Justina Baerg
1971-1974 Kathleen Driedger
1975-1981 Anita Froese
1981-1984 Helen Hildebrand
1984-1985 Phyllis Wiebe
1985-1989 Hedy Dyck
1989-1991 Helga Froese
1991-1992 Helen Friesen (Treasurer)
1992-1994 Katherine Bergen
1994-1999 Jolanda Friesen

Scope and content note

The Women in Missions records begin in 1942 and continue until 1990. These records were generated by members of the executive committee of the women's organization. They consist mainly of minutes, reports and programs. The records will be of interest to anyone studying the missionary work of Mennonite women in Manitoba during the 1940s through the 1990s.

Index terms

Creators

• Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba -- Manitoba Women in Mission

  Adjunct descriptive data

  Finding aids

  Inventory file lists available.

  Notes

  Language

  Material mostly English, some German

  Restrictions on access

  There are no restrictions on access.

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  Inventory file list for CMM Women in Missions records

  
  Volume 670
  1. Notebook containing MWM executive committee meeting minutes and MWM annual women's conference minutes. -- June 1965 - May 1968.
  2. Notebook containing three-part record--
     a) MWM member-ship list by local groups
     b) MWM executive committee meeting minutes and MWM annual women's conference. -- June 1961 - May 1965. (German)
     c) Financial records. -- May 1961 - May 1965.
  3. Notebook containing MWM executive committee meeting, minutes and annual women's conference minutes. -- May 1959 - June 1961. (German). Also contains miscellaneous financial records (German.)
  4. Notebook containing MWM executive committee meeting minutes, annual women's conference minutes and programs, lists of those who attended annual conferences, various financial records. -- May 1949 - May 1959. (German).
  5. Notebook containing annual report of 1942 to Canadian Conference; includes financial reports for 1945 - 1947, 1952- 1953. Most written in German in Gothic script.
  6. Notebook containing financial entries. -- February 1956-May 1961 (English and German).
  
  Volume 671
  7. MWM Annual Conference Program Books. -- 1947 – 1984. (German and English)
  8. MWM Annual Conference Minutes, 27th Annual, 1969-41st Annual 1983. History and Development MWM (German).
  9. Memorial File.
  10. Newspaper clippings regarding reports of MWM events (German and English).
  11. Annual Retreat--registration forms, Invitational posters, memos. -- 1974 - 1983.
  12. MWM Executive Committee Meeting Minutes. -- October 1966- March 1984.
  
  Volume 672
  13. MWM President's letters to local MWM groups. -- September 1961- January 1984.
  14. MWM President's letters to local presidents and to provincial nominating committee. -- October 1972 - January 1976.
  15. Constitutions. -- 1952 - 1975.
  16. MWM membership certificates; membership Certificates awarded to MWM; correspondence from MWM groups wishing to pull out of Provincial organization; correspondence requesting general information regarding MWM.
  17. Listings of all local presidents. -- ca. 1966 - 1982.
  
  Volume 673
  18. Projects undertaken by or participated in by MWM.
  19. Issues--anti-pornography petition; television awareness; inclusive language; scattered issues of MCC Peace Section: Task Force on Women Reports.
  20. Annual questionnaires sent to individual local Groups regarding annual activities. -- 1963 - 1981.
  21. Minutes of Women in Mission groups of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and southern Ontario. -- 1974 -1979. (incomplete).
  22. Interprovincial Women in Mission correspondence.-- November 1961 – June 1970.
  
  Volume 1402
  23. Correspondence, minutes from Canadian Women in Mission organizations.-- July 1961 - January 1984.
  24. General Conference Women's Missionary Association, later General Conference Women in Mission reports, minutes of Executive Council, correspondence. --November 1964 - February 1976.
  
  Volume 1403 - Publications relating to Women in Mission
  
  Volume 2774
  1. Manitoba Women in Mission Executive committee members. – 1978-2000.
  2. Manitoba Women in Mission minutes. – 1983-1996.
  3. Manitoba Women in Mission mailing list. – 1983-1995.
  4. Manitoba Women in Mission financial statements. – 1983-1994.
  5. Manitoba Women in Mission retreat materials. – 1983-1997.
  6. Manitoba Women in Mission retreat materials. – 1998.
  
  Volume 2775
  1. Manitoba Women in Mission nominations. – 1990-1997.
  2. Manitoba Women in Mission job descriptions. – [198-?]-1996.
  3. Manitoba Women in Mission annual report forms. – 1983-1995.
  4. Manitoba Women in Mission resource material. – 1984-1989.
  5. Manitoba Women in Mission constitution. – 1985-1995.
  6. Manitoba Women in Mission correspondence and speeches. – 1984-1991.
  7. Manitoba Women in Mission workshop programs. – 1993.
  8. Manitoba Women in Mission poems and readings. – 1984-1994.
  9. Manitoba Women in Mission president’s correspondence. – 984-1994
  10. Manitoba Women in Mission membership certificates. – [199-].
  11. Manitoba Women in Mission annual conference materials. – 1993-1994.
  12. Manitoba Women in Mission minutes of annual conferences. – 1987-1997.
  13. Manitoba Women in Mission annual conference report books. – 1987-1999.
  
  Volume 2776
  1. Manitoba Women in Mission statistic questionnaires. – 1985.
  2. Manitoba Women in Mission statistic questionnaires. – 1986.
  3. Manitoba Women in Mission statistic questionnaires. – 1987.
  4. Manitoba Women in Mission statistic questionnaires. – 1988.
  5. Manitoba Women in Mission statistic questionnaires. – 1991.
  6. Manitoba Women in Mission statistic questionnaires. – 1992.
  7. Manitoba Women in Mission statistic questionnaires. – 1993.
  8. Manitoba Women in Mission statistic questionnaires. – 1994.
  9. Manitoba Women in Mission memorial service materials. – 1986-2000.
  10. Manitoba Women in Mission archival inventory as of 1984.
  
  Volume 3263
  1. Women in Mission - Manitoba Annual Meeting programs. -- 1970-1983.
  
  Volume 3305 - Manitoba Women in Mission
  1. Statuten der Manitoba Frauenorganization. – 1952.
  2. Einnahmen der Manitoba Frauenkonferenz. -- 1961-62.
  3. An aile Vereine unserer Frauenkonferenz. -- November 1963
  4. Report on Women's Missionary Conference, form letters, etc. – 1964.
  5. Canadian W.M.C. Highlights, questionnaire, etc. – 1966.
  6. Canadian W.M.C. material. – 1967.
  7. Canadian W.M.C. material. -- 1968
  8. Manitoba W.M.C. material. -- 1969
  9. Canadian W.M.C. material. -- 1970
  10. Manitoba W.M.C. material. -- 1971
  11. Material from provincial conferences. -- 1972
  12. Canadian W.M.C. material, Mennonite Reporter Clippings, misc, financial materials. – 1975.
  13. Saskatchewan W.M.C. material, Washington Seminar on the family Program, memos, financial statements. – 1976.
  14. Canadian W.M.C. constitution, misc. material from provincial conferences. –1975.
  15. Mennonite Reporter clippings, Manitoba W.M.C. and financial material. – 1976.
  16. Periodical issues, Manitoba W.M.C. material. – 1977.
  
  Volume 3306
  1. Canadian W.M. minutes, etc., various periodical issues, misc. items. – 1978.
  2. Provincial and Canadian conference material. – 1979.
  3. Canadian and Manitoba W.M.C. materials. – 1980.
  4. Canadian and Manitoba W.M.C. materials. – 1981.
  5. Misc. Canadian and Manitoba W.M.C. material, financial. – 1982.
  6. Manitoba W.M. material. – 1983.
  7. Manitoba and Canadian W.M.C. materials and executive minutes. – 1984.
  8. Financial reports from Manitoba W.M.C. churches. -- 1966-1981.
  9. Memos, letters, printed material, misc.
  10. Constitution, order forms, misc.
  11. Miscellaneous financial material
  
  Volume 4135
  1. Correspondence. – 1962-1966.
  2. Correspondence. – 1967-1968.
  3. Correspondence. – 1969-1971.
  4. Correspondence. – 1972-1974.
  5. Correspondence. – 1975-1977.
  
  Volume 4136
  1. Correspondence. – 1978-1980.
  2. Correspondence. – 1981-1984.
  3. Minutes, local groups. – 1968-1980.
  4. Minutes, other provinces. – 1976.
  5. Minutes, GCMC. – 1977.
  6. Minutes, Canadian. – 1964-1976.
  7. Minutes, Mission and Service Committee, CMM. – 1975-1978.
  8. Minutes, Council of committees, CMM. – 1975-1976.
  9. Minutes, Annual conference, Manitoba. – 1975-1981.
  10. Minutes, Manitoba. – 1968-1982.
  
  Volume 4171
  1. Annual women in Mission (Manitoba) report books and programs. – 1978-1986.
  2. Minutes of annual conferences. – 1978-1984.
  3. Canadian women in Mission, We Commit Ourselves to Declaring God’s Love Thirty-Third Annual conference report and program book. – 1985.
  4. Widening the Circle Through Prayer: Devotional Guide program packet. – 1990-1991.
  5. Widening the Circle women in Mission program packet. – 1989-1990.
  6. Canadian Women in Mission lists of council members, correspondence, and clippings. – 1985-1990.
  
  Volume 5113
  1. Minutes and correspondence. – 1993.
  2. Minutes and correspondence. – 1994.
  3. Minutes and correspondence. – 1995.
  4. Minutes and correspondence. – 1996.
  5. Minutes and correspondence. – 1997.
  6. Minutes and correspondence. – 1998.
  7. Minutes and correspondence. – 1999.
  8. Canadian WIM constitution, minutes, newsletter, policy manual. – 1993-1994, 1996.
  9. Financial statements. – 1993-1994.
  10. Financial statements. – 1995.
  11. Financial statements. – 1996.
  12. Financial statements. – 1997.
  13. Financial statements. – 1998.
  14. Financial statements. – 1999.
  15. Retreat, October 1. – 1993.
  16. Workshop, November 6. – 1993.
  17. Constitutions. – 1985, 1993, 1995.
  18. Revenue Canada. – 1986, 1996-1997.
  19. Ledger: receipts and disbursements. – 1987-1993.
  20. Ledger: receipts and disbursements. – 1993-1995.
  21. Ledger: receipts and disbursements. – 1995-1999.
  
  Volume 5366
  18. CMM Women in Mission address lists. – 1978-1980.
  
  Videocassette File List
  194. Manitoba women in Mission 50th anniversary celebration and conference, Morris, Manitoba/taped by Henry Patkau, part 1 of 2. – May 2, 1992. – 1 video cassette (90 minutes) : VHS.
  195. Manitoba Women in Mission 50th anniversary celebration and conference, Morris, Manitoba/taped by Henry Patkau, part 2 of 2. May 2, 1992. – 1 video cassette (90 minutes) : VHS.