©Mennonite Heritage Centre 2003
Last updated 09 April 2015                  

Mennonite Heritage Centre Archives
Winnipeg, Manitoba

Title: Zion Mennonite Church (Swift Current) fonds
Dates: 1960-2010, 2012-15
Extent: 44 cm of textual records

Historical note

Mennonites from Manitoba first settled in the area south of Swift Current, Saskatchewan around 1905. More settlers came when the railway was built in the area after 1911. In 1913 the Conference of Mennonites in Canada began a work in the area to serve the families in the Wymark, Blumenhof, and Neville areas. The first baptisms occurred in the following years. In 1928 a congregation was officially founded with about 75 charter members. This was a multi-congregation church (Gemeinde) with a meeting place near Wymark and another in Swift Current. It was called the Emmaus Mennonite Church. By 1940 the membership had reached 224. In 1959 the membership was 270. It was then decided to form two churches so in 1960 the congregation in Swift Current was called the First Mennonite Church. In late 1960 it changed its name to the Zion Mennonite Church. In 1963 it had 191 members. The membership stood at 286 in 1976 and in 1986 it was 215. In 2000 it was 210. The leaders of the congregation were: Abe Neufeld (1960-1969), David Wiebe (1970-1971), Edwin Brandt (1972), Abe Hiebert (1973-1976), Barry Lesser (1979, 1983-1991), Ken Schrag (1980-1982), Ray Friesen (1992-1993), Dennis Fehr (1994-1996, Sylvia and Ray Friesen (1997-2005).

Scope and content note

The fonds contains bulletins (1960-2002), annual reports (1972-1993), congregational meeting minutes (1973-1977), church council meeting minutes (1973-1975), programmes (1973-1984), newsletters (1989-1990), a 1990 membership list, and a 1992 directory. The records go back to the beginning of Zion Mennonite Church as independant and separate from the Emmaus Mennonite Church. They document the activities and development of this congregation, its leaders and participants.

Finding aids

Inventory file list available.

Notes

Restrictions on access

No restrictions on access.

Other notes

Textual records have been deposited by the congregation on a regular basis at the Mennonite Heritage Centre. Described by Bert Friesen 5 March 2002.

Zion Mennonite Church (Swift Current) fonds file list:

Volume 78

  1. First Mennonite Church bulletins (1960), Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1960-1961)
  2. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1963)
  3. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1964)
  4. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1965)
  5. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1966)
  6. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1967)
  7. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1968)
  8. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1969)
  9. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1970)
  10. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1971)
  11. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1972)

Volume 79

  1. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1973), annual reports (1972, 1973), congregational meeting minutes (1973), church council meeting minutes (1973), installation programmme (1973), song festival programme (1973)
  2. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1974), church council meeting minutes (1974)
  3. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1975), church council meeting minutes (1975), Sunday School staff list (1975)
  4. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1976), annual reports (1976)
  5. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1977), congregational meeting minutes (1977)
  6. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1978)
  7. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1979)
  8. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1980)

Volume 2923

  1. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1981)
  2. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1982)
  3. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1983)
  4. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1984), SCBI programme (1984)
  5. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1985)
  6. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1986)
  7. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1987)
  8. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1988)
  9. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1989), newsletters (1989)

Volume 4023

  1. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1990), annual reports (1990), membership list (1990), newsletters (1990)
  2. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1991)
  3. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1992), directory (1992)
  4. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1993), annual reports (1993)
  5. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1994)
  6. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1995), directory (1995)
  7. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1996)

Volume 4676

  1. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1997)
  2. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1998)
  3. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (1999)
  4. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2000)
  5. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2001)
  6. Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2002)

Volume 2232

1.  Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2003)

2.  Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2004)

3.  Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2005)

4.  Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2006)

5.  Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2007)

6.  Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2008)

Volume 5462

1.  Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2009)

2.  Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2010); annual reports (2010)

3.  Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2012); annual report book (2012)

4.  Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2013); annual report book (2013)

5.  Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2014); annual report book (2014)

6.  Zion Mennonite Church bulletins (2015)