Avon Mennonite Church

Title: Avon Mennonite Church fonds

Dates of creation: [195-]-2009
Note: Further accruals are expected

Physical description: 84 cm of textual records; 1 object

Administrative history: In July, 1951, the mission board of the Ontario Amish Mennonite Conference sponsored a Summer Vacation Bible School in a tent at the corner of Romeo and Albert streets in Stratford, Ontario. In the spring of 1952, the conference mission board purchased a house at 464 Brunswick Street and regular church services began that September. In 1953, Ephraim Gingerich was appointed overseer of the meetings; interested members of the Poole, East Zorra, Steinmann and Wellesley Mennonite congregations supported the venture.

In 1955, Jake Spenler became the congregation's first pastor. Youth programs were begun and a Women's Missionary and Service Auxiliary (WMSA) group inaugurated. In 1961, a new church building was built on a lot adjacent to the house. The congregation occupied this building until 1994, when they moved to a new church home at 90 Greenwood Drive. Here the congregation is part of a larger complex which includes the Greenwood Court Seniors Complex operated by Tri-County Mennonite Homes.

Custodial history: A major transfer of records from the congregation to the Archives took place in 2010.

Scope and content: Contains formal and informal records of the congregation, as well as the Vacation Bible School registration cards. Files are listed below.

Notes: For photographs related to this congregation search the Mennonite Archival Image Database.
For sound recordings related to this congregation, see Hist.Mss.9.25; for audiovisual recordings see Hist.Mss.26. 
Further materials related to this congregation may be found by searching the Archives.
An encyclopedia entry for this congregation may be found in GAMEO.
Additional records for this congregation in microfilm form are listed in Hist.Mss.11.2 Reel 19.
Original archival description created 2012 by Laureen Harder-Gissing.
 

File list:

Series 1: Formal records

1. Constitutions, proposed, adopted 1963
2. Annual reports,
   1964/1965-1981/1982 (not complete)
   1982/1983- 2003/2004
3. Congregational meetings and correspondence
   Note: Includes Congregational Covenants from 1990, 1997 and 2001; questionnaire for congregational review, 1978; membership list, 1998.
4. Church council minutes, 1966-1968, 1972-1973, 1978-1979, 1982, 1985-1988, 1990-1991 (scattered)
5. Property records
   Permit to use lot for garden purposes, 1952
   Dingman property purchase, 1971
   Drawing showing Avon church's location in Greenwood Court
6. Insurance records
   Amish Mennonite Fire and Storm Aid Union 1964 valuation, 1976 rules and regulations
7. Sunday School records
   Pupil record book, 1983/1984-2000/2001
   Note: Sunday School attendance records from 1958-1993 were in poor condition and deemed of minimal value. They were not kept.
8. Directories
   1986, 1989/1990, 1997, 2000
   Note: also includes two undated membership lists; the 1986 directory includes historical information.
9. Financial records
   Account books, 1964-1966
   Note: Annual financial statements are filed with annual reports.
10. Scrapbook, 2001 anniversary
    Note: Contains some formal documents not found in other files.
11. WMSA/WMSC
    Minutes, 1958-1961, 1968-1983
    Directories, 1972/1973-1975/1976, 1977/1978-1980/1981, 1982/1983, 1984/1985
    Note: The directories include yearly schedules of activities.
12. Wayfarers, 1959-1968, 1975-1983
    Note: Includes a copy of the Wayfarer's Guidebook, 1957.
    A Wayfarer's scrapbook, [1961?] and vest with badges are located in Hist.Mss.4/8.
13. Congregational profiles
    1977
    1988
    1999
    2004

Series 2: Informal records

1. Youth activities
   Avon youth group venture prayer cards, 1997, 2000
   Games galore : fun tested games for all boys / Boy Scouts of Canada. - Ottawa : [the Scouts], [19--].
2. Special worship services
   Meetings with Ralph Lebold, [19--]
   Parting for Vernon Roth, 3 Jul 1973
   Service in new building, 9 Oct 1994
   50th anniversary service, 20 Jun 2002
   Worship leader/sermon text, [197-?]
   Ordination service for Winston Martin, 19 Jul 1970
   Baptismal testimony of Yvonne Gurney, 31 Mar 1990
3. Guest books, Jan 1963-Nov 1968, Jan 1996-Mar 2000
4. "Lord builds the house" CD project
   Note: file includes copies of church logo

Series 3: Vacation Bible School records

1. Pupil registration cards, 1950s
2. Pupil registration cards, 1961-1963
3. Attendance records, 1955-1980

Series 4: Bulletins

1966-1974, 1978-1979 (random issues), 1981-1996, 30 Aug 2009