MHSA Archival Description Record
Title and Physical Description
Bergthal Mennonite Church (Didsbury) fonds. -- 1927-2001, predominant
1969-2001. -- 67.5 cm of textual records
Administrative History
The Bergthal Mennonite Church began it's services in 1901 and formally
organized in 1910. The first building was occupied in 1903, with a subsequent
building program in 1948. Isaac Giesbrecht is considered the founding
leader of the group. The congregation originated through colonization
by Manitoba Sommerfelder Mennonites. In 1912, they became affiliated
with the Mennonite Church Canada. In 1929, they became the first congregation
in the Mennonite Church Alberta, and became affiliated with the General
Conference Mennonite Church in 1938. Until the 1960s, the language in
use was German and it was known as the Bergthal Mennonitische Gemeinde,
when there was a transition to the use of the English language and it's
current name. It is located 3 miles south and nine miles east of Didsbury.
Custodial History
The records were transferred to the Mennonite Church Alberta.
Scope & Content
The fonds consists of five series: A) Governance, B)
Bulletins, C) Food Committee/Ladies Committee,
D) Sunday School and E) Youth and Other
Newsletters.
Source of Supplied Title
Title based on the contents of the fonds
Source of Acquisition
Gift by Mennonite Church Alberta through Henry Goerzen, MCA Archivist.
Access Restrictions
None known
Finding Aids
See Series Inventory
Associated Materials
Records associated with the Bergthal Mennonite Church fonds held by
Mennonite
Heritage Centre, Winnipeg.
Related Materials
For records related to the, see Mennonite Church Alberta fonds (MHSA
Archives) and The Mennonite Conference of Alberta: A History of its
Churches and Institutions by C.L. Dick, 1980 (MHSA Library)
Accruals
Expected
Notes
Accession No. 2002.017
Language: early records are in German
Bibliography:
- Mennonite Church Alberta Yearbooks
- Canadian Mennonite Encyclopedia, "Didsbury."
- Canadian Mennonite (1 July 1955): 11.
- Mennonite Reporter (7 August 1978): 15; (13 November 1989):
B2.
- Brown, Helena M. "Will Bergthal Mennonite Church Survive Another
20 years? a Short Historical Sketch." Research paper, CMBC, 1974,
14 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
- Brown, Helena M. "Bergthal Church (Didsbury, Alberta), 1903-1978."
Research paper, CMBC, 1978, 18 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg,
Manitoba.
- Goerzen, Robert E. "The Bergthal Mennonite Church of Didsbury."
Research paper, CMBC, 1978, 14 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg,
Manitoba.
- Dick, C.L.The Mennonite Conference of Alberta: A History of
its Churches and Institutions. Edmonton: The Mennonite Conference
of Alberta, 1981.
Last Updated 7 Jan 2004 - Judith Rempel
Series Inventory
A. Governance. -- 1927-1991, predominant 1969-1999.
-- 19.5cm textual records
The series consists of bylaws & constitutions, minutes, and
annual reports. Arranged by date
Box 1
1-1 Bylaws - n.d.
1-2 Constitution
1-3 Constitution and Minutes - 1946-1974 [separated to Vertical File
Box 2]
1-4 Minutes - Translated - 1927-1954
1-5 Minutes - 1974-1990 [separated to Vertical File Box 2]
1-6 Minutes - 1983 and 1985
1-7 Minutes and Financial Report - 1983-1984
1-8 Minutes and Financial Report - 1986
1-9 Minutes - 1987
1-10 Minutes, Personnel and Other Notes - 1987-1988
1-11 Minutes - 1989
1-12 Minutes - 1990
1-13 Minutes - 1991
1-14 Minutes, Reports, Bulletins - 1991
1-15 Annual Report - 1966
1-16 Annual Report - 1969
1-17 Annual Report - 1970
1-18 Annual Report - 1972
1-19 Annual Report - 1974
1-20 Annual Report - 1975
1-21 Annual Report - 1977
1-22 Annual Report - 1978
1-23 Bergthal Mennonite Church Council Report - H.D. Goerzen - 1978
1-24 Annual Meeting - 1979
1-25 Annual Report - 1979
1-26 Annual Report - 1981
1-27 Annual Report - 1982
1-28 Annual Report - 1983
1-29 Annual Report - 1984
1-30 Annual Report - 1985
1-31 Annual Report - 1986
1-32 Annual Report - 1987
1-33 Annual Report - 1988
1-34 Annual Report - 1989
1-35 Annual Report - 1990
1-36 Annual Report - 1991
1-37 Annual Report - 1993
1-38 Annual Report - 1997
1-39 Annual Report - 1998
1-40 Annual Report - 1999
B. Bulletins. -- 1967-1991. -- 30cm. of textual
records
The series consists of Sunday morning worship bulletins, congregational
records & a telephone directory. Arranged by date
Box 2
2-41 Bulletins - 1967
2-42 Bulletins - 1968
2-43 Bulletins - 1969
2-44 Bulletins - 1970
2-45 Bulletins - 1971
2-46 Bulletins - 1972
2-47 Bulletins - 1973
2-48 Bulletins - 1974
2-49 Bulletins - 1975
2-50 Bulletins - 1976
2-51 Bulletins - 1988
2-52 Bulletins - 1989
2-53 Bulletins - 1990
2-54 Bulletins - 1991
2-55 Bulletins - 1992
Box 3
3-56 Bulletins - 1993
3-57 Bulletins - 1994
3-58 Bulletins - 1995
3-59 Bulletins - 1996
3-60 Bulletins - 1997
3-61 Bulletins - 1998
3-62 Bulletins - 1999
3-63 Bulletins - 2000
3-64 Bulletins - 2001
3-65 Bulletins and Congregational Records - 2001
3-66 Telephone Directory - 2000
C. Food Committee/Ladies Committee. -- 1962-1998.
-- 4 cm. of textual records
The series consists of menus, membership lists, and minutes. Arranged
by date
Box 3
3-67 Minutes - 1960-1984
3-68 Food Committee Menus, Members, etc. - 1962-1967
3-69 Food Committee Menus, Members, etc. - 1968-1972
3-70 Cookies Distribution Notes - 1971-1980
Box 4
4-71 Food Committee Financial Records - 1975-1984
4-72 Ladies and Food Committee Notes, membership and Minutes - 1978-1989
3-73 Kitchen Inventory - 1978-1998
4-74 Food Committee Menues,Members, etc. - 1982- 1987
4-75 Minutes - Ladies Annual Meetings - 1985-1991
4-76 Food Committee Menus - 1996
D. Sunday School. -- 1991-1997. -- 10.5 cm. of textual
records
The series consists of project descriptions, resources, program
information, evaluations, staff listings, minutes and notes. Arranged
by subject and date
Box 4
4-77 Teacher Handbook - n.d.
4-78 Sunday School Resources - n.d.
4-79 Resource Committee - n.d.
4-80 Summer Sunday School - n.d.
4-81 Evaluation of Teacher In-Service - n.d.
4-82 Sunday School - 1991
4-83 Christmas Eve - 1991-1993
4-84 Parent Newsletters, Evaluation Forms, Intent Forms - 1991-1993
4-85 Sunday School staff Meeting - 1991-1993
4-86 Curriculum Information and Other Resources - 1991-1994
4-87 Education - 1991-1994
4-88 Executive - Sunday School - 1991-1994
4-89 Promotion Sunday - 1992-1993
4-90 To do - 1992-1993
4-91 Possible Sunday School Projects - 1993
4-92 Sunday School Class Lists - 1993
4-92 Resources - 1993
4-93 Mini Teacher In-Service - 1993
4-94 Summer Sunday School - 1993
4-95 Yearly Staffing - 1993-1994
4-96 Sunday School Notes, Minutes - 1993-1997
E. Youth and Other Newsletters. -- 1967-1982. --
3.5 cm. of textual records
The series consists of newsletters written by Alberta Mennonite
Youth Organization, the Young People of the Bergthal Mennonite Church,
or other Bergthal Mennonite Church members. Arranged by subject and
date
4-97 Thanksgiving Newsletter - n.d.
4-98 Bergthal Bestseller - n.d.
4-99 Newsletter - n.d.
4-100 Thanksgiving Newsletter - 1967
4-101 Young Peoples Newsletter - 1969
4-102 Newsletter - 1969
4-103 Y.P. News - 1970
4-104 Bergthal News - 1973
4-105 Young People's Newsletter - 1973
4-106 deVine - 1974
4-107 Newsletter - 1975
4-108 AMYO Christmas Newsletter - 1982
|
