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Maidstone Mennonite Brethren Church – Maidstone, SK

Proper Title

Maidstone Mennonite Brethren Church fonds

Dates of Creation

1926–1968

Physical Description

7 cm of textual records and one microfilm reel

Administrative History

The Maidstone Mennonite Brethren Church, located in northern Saskatchewan, was a member of the Canadian Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches, Rosthern District. It was organized in 1926 with twelve members under the leadership of John Bettcher. The congregation bought a house in 1937 that they used for a church. They moved this building into the town of Maidstone in 1943 and rebuilt it. In 1954, there were eight members with W.W. Martens as leader. In the early 1960s, the church split and some members joined the Baptist Church for several years.

The Northern Saskatchewan district made attempts to amalgamate the Maidstone and Lashburn Mennonite Brethren Churches in 1964. But they did not unite because the distance between the churches was too great and because there was a feeling that Lashburn could not serve Maidstone effectively. Throughout 1965, the Lashburn Baptists used the Maidstone facilities. Maidstone MB members suspended their own services but retained their MB memberships. The church was dissolved in 1967. The church building was sold to a private citizen and later to the Plymouth Brethren. The money was distributed to missions.

Leaders at Maidstone were: John Bettcher (1926–1949 and 1952–1953), Emil Gripp (1950–1951), W.W. Martens (1954–1956), Abram H. Dueck (1957–1958), Frank Dueck (1959–1960), Edwin Zimmerman (1961–1963) and David Balzer (1963–1964).

The language of worship is English.  The transition from German occurred in the 1940s.

Scope and Content

This fonds consists of the following series: Minutes and financial records.

Custodial History

Many of the records were microfilmed in 1978 through the work of the Historical Commission of the Mennonite Brethren Conference. The textual records came to the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies in 1996 from the Bethany Bible School in Saskatchewan.

Notes

  • Volume 613.
  • Formerly classified under the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches inventory BF516b.
  • Finding aid for microfilm: R14, pp. 859–976.
  • Microfilm file list adapted from a previous finding aid by Leslie Wiebe June 2003.
  • Finding aid consists of a series description and a file list.
  • No restrictions to access.

Series Descriptions

I. Maidstone Mennonite Brethren Church minutes.
1937–1964.
5 cm of textual records.

  • This series consists of one book of congregational minutes in the German language until 1957 and from 1957 to 1964 in the English language. The series also contains one book of Church Council minutes 1960 to 1964 in the English language. Also in the series is a file of historical information.
  • Finding aid: Maidstone Mennonite Brethren Church list 1–3.

II. Maidstone Mennonite Brethren Church financial records.
1960–1964.
2 cm of textual records.

  • This series consists of one book of records of Sunday school offerings, disbursements, donations and pledges.
  • Finding aid: Maidstone Mennonite Brethren Church list 4.

File List

Volume 613

Series I: Minutes

1. Historical notes. -- After 1968.
2. Book I: Minutes of congregational meetings. -- November 1937 to December 1964.
3. Book II: Minutes of the Church Council. -- February 1960 to January 1964.

Series II: Financial records

4. Book III: Financial records. -- 1960–1964.

Microfilm file list


Reel 14

  • Congregational Meeting Minutes (Book I). – Nov.1937–Dec.1964. – p.859–908.
  • Church Council Meeting Minutes (Book II). – Feb.1960–Jan.1964. – p.909–976.
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