© Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Last updated January 31, 2003)
Retrieval numbers: Vol. 2109-2
Title: Nikolai N. Friesen fonds
Dates: 1968-1989 , predominant 1977-1988
Extent: 2.5 cm
Nikolai N. Friesen, church leader, teacher and farmer, was born on April 15, 1901 in the village of Kamenetz, Neu Samara Colony, South Russia. He was the fourth child born to Nikolai J. and Margaret (nee Dyck)Friesen. His mother died as the result of miscarriage when Friesen was four years old. When his father remarried, his stepmother became Kathrina Stobbe. His father's second marriage produced two children. Friesen moved to Schwerebkowo, Odessa in 1906 when his father became the minister and director of the forestry there. His parents had concerns about the influence of the camp on their son and as a result he was sent to live with his stepmother's family in Ischalka in 1908. In 1912 he once again went to live with his father when his father took a teaching position in Ischalka and began farming. Friesen attending the village school from 1912-1914 and after completing the seventh class went on to study at Lugowosk Oberschule where he completed three years of study in two year and received his teaching certificate. Friesen was baptized on June 2, 1922 by Aeltesteer David Boschmann. He married Elizabeth Duerksen two years later on March 11th. Their marriage produced six children, including three sons and three daughters. Under pressure from family, Friesen and his family reluctently immigrated to Canada in 1925. They first settled in Mayfair, Saskatchewan where Friesen was ordained in 1928. In 1939, he received a call to pastor the United Mennonite Church in Black Creek, British Columbia where he served until 1954. In 1953 he was ordained Aeltester by Johannes Regier and A.A. Harder. He served the Aldergrove church in British Columbia as lead pastor between 1954 and 1966 and then as associate pastor until his retirement in 1980. Nikolai N. Friesen died on September 28, 1995.
This fond contains 33 sermonettes and poems based on a variety of scripture passages including: John 3:1-8, Luke 2:15, Matthew 14:13-21, Hebrews 12:22-24, Mark 15:1-20, Romans 12:9, and Isaiah 6:1-8. They were written for a number of different church days including Christmas and Easter.
Friesen, Nikolai N., 1901-1995
No other finding aids currently available.
Collected by David and Trudy Schellenberg of Winkler for the Christian Heritage Library.
Typed and Hand-written German.
Described by Sharon H. H. Brown December, 2002.
None
Acc. no. 97-150