©Mennonite Heritage Centre 2002
Last updated April 17, 2002

Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Title: Bethesda Mennonite Church (Langham, Sask.) fonds
Dates: 1908-1948
Extent: 8 cm of textual records

Historical note

Mennonite families emigrating from Nebraska and Kansas settled in the Langham, Saskatchewan area in the early years of the first decade of the twentieth century. They organized a congregation in 1903 after having worshipped together for three years. They built their own meeting house in 1907. They joined the Conference of Mennonites of Middle Canada in 1908. The congregation's membership grew slowly. In 1931 the membership stood at 82. In 1938 it was 147. Then the membership declined to 95 in 1943 and 48 in 1948 when the congregation was dissolved. The leaders of the congregation were: Heinrich Balzer ( -1935), Johann Peters ( -1940) [ both of these were there already at least in 1928], Jacob Peters (1933- ), Johann Balzer (1933- ) [ both of these were there at the date of dissolution].

Scope and content note

It documents the leaders and participants in the congregation. The fonds contains congregational meeting minutes (1925-1947), programmes (1927-1928), financial records (1908-1948), and membership records (1908-1944). The records pertain to the founding and development of the Mennonite congregation in Langham, Saskatchewan.

Finding aids

Inventory file list available.

Notes

Restrictions on access

No restrictions on access.

Other notes

Textual records were deposited in 1993 at the Mennonite Heritage Centre. Described by Bert Friesen 23 January 2002.

Bethesda Mennonite Church fonds file list:

Volume 4240

  1. Bethesda Mennonite Church congregational meeting minutes (1925-1944)
  2. Outline of children's program, Christmas program (1927-1928)
  3. Bethesda Mennonite Church congregational meeting minutes (1937-1947)
  4. Miscellaneous financial notes (1921-1948)
  5. Ledger book with membership list (1908), income and expenditures (1908-1935); minutes of membership meetings (1917-1924)
  6. Journal of income and expenditure (1908-1926) ACCESS_NO: 93-087
  7. Membership dues records (1924-1944), general ledger (1925-1947)

Microfilm

(MHC Project No. 144; MHC Microfilm no. 434)