Title: Erb Street Mennonite Church fonds
Dates of creation: 1852-2008
Note: Further accruals are expected
Physical description: 175 cm of textual records
Administrative history: The
congregation has been affiliated with the Mennonite Conference of Ontario and
Quebec (1851-1988), the Mennonite Church (1898-), the Mennonite Conference of
Eastern Canada (1988-) and Mennonite Church Canada (1995-). The language of
worship transitioned from German to English in the early twentieth century. The congregation began services in 1837, and formally organized in 1851. The first building was occupied in 1851, with subsequent
building programs in 1902, 1950 and 1980. David Eby is considered the founding
leader of the group. The congregation originated through immigration from Pennsylvania. The early settlers included David Eby, Jonas Bingeman and Samuel
Schantz.
Pastoral Leaders who served the David Eby/Erb St. Mennonite congregation, have included:
Jacob M. Oberholtzer (1840-1879), Elias Schneider (1874-1889), Jonas Snider
(1892, Bishop, 1895-1944), Noah Hunsberger (1900-1920, 1923-1929), Newton S.
Weber (1921-1923), Jesse B. Martin (1929, Bishop 1947-1964), Milton
Schwartzentruber (1964-1970), Galen Johns (1970-1976), (Doug Snyder, Interim,
1977), Wilmer Martin (1977-1991), Richard Yordy (Interim, 1992/1993), Renee
Sauder (1993-2003), Allan Rudy-Froese (-2004), Laurence Martin (Interim, (2003-2004), Eleanor Epp-Stobbe (2004- ), Sandi Hannigan (2004-2007), Matthew Bailey Dick (2005-2007), Tanya Dyck Steinmann, Interim (2007-2008), Gord Alton (2008- )
In 1900 there were 100 members; in 1925, 165; in 1950, 290;
in 1965, 298; in 1975, 269; in 1985, 292; in 1995, 321; in 2000, 314. Two long-serving deacons were Noah Weber (1908-1948) and
Clare Shantz (1948-1980).
Custodial history: The Erb Street congregation has made periodic donations to the Mennonite
Archives of Ontario.
Scope and content: There are five series: Formal records, Informal
records, Books, Church
bulletins and Newsletters.
Notes: See also the Worship
Services listing in Sound Recordings for Erb St.-related services.
For further information see: Albert and Greta Hunsberger, A brief history
of the David Eby Church and Erb Street Mennonite at Waterloo, Ontario from
1851-1976 (The Church, 1976); L.J. Burkholder, A brief history of the
Mennonites in Ontario (1935), 95-98.
For cemetery records, see Waterloo Cty. - Waterloo Twp. Erb Street Mennonite Church,Hist.Mss.5B.106.
Archival description originally created in 2001 by Sam Steiner.
File list:
- Deeds, legal documents
1902 Deed
Assessment notices, 1910, 1912
Mennonite Aid Union evaluation, 1979
- Congregational constitutions
1963, 1968, 1972, 1979, 1986, 1987, 1996
- Congregational meeting reports/minutes
1889-1915 (Book; Includes financial records)
1916-1937 (Book; Includes financial records)
1938-1963 (Book; Includes financial records, cemetery accounts and Board of
Trustee minutes (1950-1969)
1934-1936, 1938-1940
1941-1948 (Financial reports only)
1950-1959
1960-1965, 1967-1969
1970-1979
1980-1982, 1984-1989
1990, 1998-1999
2000-2008
- Church Council/Church Ministry Council
1951-1958 (Book)
1958-1968 (Book)
1968-1970 (Book)
1951-1973 (typed copies - Deacon E. Clare Shantz file)
1968-1983
1997, 1999-2007
- Trustee Board/Board of Property
See congregational minutes above for 1950-1969
Meeting book with actions on building a new church building, with expenses, 1901-1903
Minutes, 1961-1963, 1973-1978, 1997, 1999-2001
- Board of Christian Education
1960-1964
1975-2004
- Board of Missions and Service/Christian Witness Ministry
1974-1977
1997-2001
- Board of Elders
1972-1976
Documents, 1999-2003
- Stewardship & Finance
Minutes, 1976-1977
General Expense account books, 1948-1965
Offering record book, 1945-1960
- Personnel Committee
1974-1977
- Pastoral Committee
1969-1977
- Worship Committee
1993-2001
- Long Range Planning
1992, 1994
- Building Committees
1949-1951 (includes record of donations)
1949-1951 (blueprints)
1970-1980 (misc. minutes of facilities committee)
1998-2000
- Young People's Bible Society/Mennonite Youth Fellowship
Constitution, n.d.
Record book, 1945-1953, 1952-1972, 1972-1977
Program book, 1955-1965
Financial records, 1952-1969
Member's list, 1968/69
- Cemetery Committee
Cash book, 1942-1960
Burial contract and regulations
- Sunday School
Constitution, n.d.
Reorganization meetings, 1931-1957; 1957-1975
Sunday School Executive, 1955-1969; 1969-1979
Attendance books, 1931, 1934, 1960
Annual Attendance records, 1958-1979
Cash book, 1929, 1957-1973
Financial pledges and lists of teachers, 1929-1969 (incomplete)
- Waterloo Charity Circle minute and record book
1908-1916
- Junior Charity Circle minute and record book
1916-1925
1925-1932
1932-1937
1937-1941
1941-1944
1944-1951
1951-1967
- Senior Charity Circle minute and record books
1917-1927
1927-1935
1936-1938, 1942-1947
1938-1942 (treasurer records, 1936-1946)
1948-1952 (plus attendance book, 1948-1953); copy of constitution; treasurer
records, 1946-1954)
1954-1977 (financial records)
1952-1958
1958-1963
1964-1968
1968-1973 (records and correspondence)
1974-1981 (records and correspondence)
- Cheerful Sunshine Band minute books
1940-1944
1945-1957
1957-1976
1940-1976 (financial)
- Evening Group/Beacon Mission Circle minute and record books
1946-1950
1950-1956
1950-1963 (Financial)
1958-1973
1967-1983 (Financial)
1975-1983
- Women's Missionary and Service Commission (WMSC) minutes and records
1981-1993
1994-2008
102nd anniversary celebration, 20 Apr 2010 Note: Includes 8 photographs.
- Sewing Circle Joint Executive/Planning Meeting/Council
1955-1983
- Food Service menus and notes
1950s-1989
- Girl's Club record book
1976-1979
- Membership records
1909-1937 (with notes on missions offerings included)
1937-1944 (with notes on missions offerings included)
1926-1990 (typed lists)
Lists, 1966, 1969, 1976
Cards, 1940s-1970s
Church letters of transfer (1930s-1940s)
- Church directories (mimeographed and photo)
1971, 1978
1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
1990, 1995, 1997, 1998
2005-2007 (also 2006 photo directory)
- Library Committee
1998-2001
- Ministerial Search Committee
1991-1993 (selected minutes)
- Congregational Information Form
2007/08
Series 2: Informal records
- Historical Memorabilia
- Baptism and cradle role lists, 1930-1960 (J.B. Martin), 1940-1990
- Deacon Noah Weber biographical notes, membership notes in Weber's hand
- List of converts at D. Eby Church, C. Eby Church, Bridgeport Church,
n.d. (J.B. Martin)
- List of members, converts, 1910 (J.B. Martin)
- Correspondence, etc. re: Lewis S. Weber, 1940 (J.B. Martin)
- Noah Weber on obligation of church to deacon, 1948 (at Clare Shantz
ordination)
- Recognition of Noah Weber's 90th birthday, 1958 (J.B. Martin)
- Correspondence re: deacon ordination, 1943, 1948
- Funeral record slips, 1950s-1960s; Funeral cards for Clinton Shantz (d. 1918) and Gordon Schweitzer (d. 1912)
- Certificate of ordinations, Clare Shantz, 1948 (plus letter of
resignation, 1980)
- J.B. Martin retirement sermon text, 1964; materials related to
Martin's retirement
- Letter from Conference at time of Jonas Snider's death, 1944
- Short biographical note on Jacob Oberholtzer, 1976
- Notes on history of Erb. St. congregation, 1952 (including Noah Weber,
Eli Hallman, Joseph S. Weber, Moses Hunsberger and Albert Hunsberger)
- Background of Boy's Club, 1960
- 60th anniversary of WMSC (1968); includes photograph of "Fresh
Air" children at the home of Enoch Erb and a manuscript books with
1908 "rules and regulations" of the Charity Circle as well as
later notes on the history of the Waterloo WMSC.
- 10th anniversary of Laotian families in Canada, 1990
- A Brief History of the David Eby Church and Erb Street Mennonite at
Waterloo, Ontario from 1851-1976
- Path of a People: Erb Street Mennonite Church 1851-2001 / Karl Kessler, 2001
- Correspondence and photographs re the "Signature Quilt" presented to Galen and Edith Johns in 1976, 2009-2010
- Correspondence, including "Pastoral letters" 1964-1975
- Questionnaires used in the congregation, 1960s
- Programs, 1903-
- Summer Bible School programs and announcements, 1950s
- Letters sent to men in C.O. camps, 1942-1944
- Sermon texts sent to men in C.O. camps, 1942-1944
- News clippings
- "Erb St. Mennonite Church Research Project," by Mark Fischer, et
al, 1998 - Grade 12 project that included survey of worship and Christian Ed
hour.
- Print Blocks
Erb St. building (1902); David Eby Church (Drawing)
- 150th anniversary
Programs, tickets, bulletins associated with anniversary
- Manna Program Photo Scrapbook
- Volunteer Service for Seniors News and Views, 1989-1993
- Documents related to Volunteer Service for Seniors / Project H.E.A.R. Program, 1979-1993.
Of the Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis (London : Castell
Brothers, n.d.) "Jacob E. Groff, Jan. 1891 Waterloo, Ont." on flyleaf
Jubeltöne : eine Sammlung von Liedern und Melodien aus deutschen und
englischen Quellen zum Gebrauch für Sonntagschulen und den Familienkreis.
6. verm. u. verb. Aufl. (Cleveland, Ohio : W.F. Schneider, 1871)
"These kind of song books were used in the Sunday School, which was first
started in a vacant house formerly owned by William Bamberger, May 29th, 1887.
Later the Sunday School was held in the schoolhouse S. Section 21, which was
called the Martin's School. Some years later, the S. School was held at the
David Eby's church, and later the church at Waterloo was built, in 1902, and now
have Sunday School all the year summer and winter. Mrs. Ira S. Bauman" on
flyleaf
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Series 4: Church Bulletins
1951-2007
[Untitled Youth Paper] 1967-1968 (v. 1, no.1-v. 1, no. 4; v. 2,
no. 4-v. 2, no. 5)
Erb St. News 1975-1980 (v. 1, no. 1-v. 6, no. 2)
The Community
1980-1990, 1998
2001-2008
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Last modified
08-Dec-2011
by Laureen Harder-Gissing
