3. South Saskatchewan District Conference (Herbert Kreis)
1909-1985.
32 cm of textual records.
Administrative history
Mennonite and Mennonite Brethren settlements were established on both sides of the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, and south of the South Saskatchewan River in the first two decades of the twentieth century – somewhat later than in North Saskatchewan. Unlike the North Saskatchewan area, the prairies west of the city of Moose Jaw were bald and treeless, and this may have been a reason for late settlement. Whereas most MB pioneers in the Rosthern area had come from Minnesota and Nebraska, a considerable number of the settlers in the South District came from Manitoba and North Dakota, with a sprinkling of immigrants from other states and from Russia.
The following congregations were organized in the Herbert area during the pioneer period: Main Centre in 1904 under the leadership of elder Benjamin Janz, Herbert in 1905 with J.J. Martens as first leader, Gnadenau (near Flowing Well, now extinct) in 1907 with John F. Harms as first leader, Elim (near Kelstern) in 1907 with Peter Penner (an ordained minister from Russia) as presiding minister, Woodrow in 1909 with G. Reimche as first leader, Greenfarm (now extinct) in 1912 with J.W. Thiessen as first leader, Bethania (now extinct) in 1913 in the Turnhill school district with Johann W. Neufeld an ordained minister from Russia as first leader and Fox Valley (now extinct) some forty miles north of Maple Creek in 1914 under the direction of elder Benjamin Janz.
In Fox Valley as well as in several other congregations many members had come from North Dakota. With their Volga-German (and in some instances Lutheran) background, they lacked a knowledge of Mennonite Brethren principles and practices. As a result, misunderstandings and tensions often arose, and brethren from the more established congregations of Main Centre and Herbert were called in to help resolve these tensions.
Besides Benjamin Janz, the Herbert District profited greatly from the rich spiritual ministry of several other prominent leaders. Heinrich A. Neufeld (1865–1933) who moved to the Herbert area in 1911 travelled extensively as evangelist and Bible expositor. C.N. Hiebert, with his unique gifts in evangelism, was used of God in many churches to call sinners to repentance and encourage believers.
The above material is taken from A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church: Pilgrims and Pioneers by John A. Toews, p. 159–160.
Available minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference begin in December, 1909. The 1909 conference took place in Herbert under the leadership of Benjamin Janz with P.P. Kroeker as secretary. Other early conference leaders and secretaries were Heinrich A. Neufeld, Johan W. Klassen, S.L. Hodel, J.F. Redekop, John P. Wiebe, and H. Regehr. In 1945 John E. Priebe was moderator and John D. Goertzen was secretary. Moderators between 1946 and 1953 were John Siemens, J.M. Neufeld, H.F. Klassen, and J.M. Neufeld. Other leaders were E.J. Lautermilch, J.J. Thiessen, and Jacob Schmidt. Meetings eventually took place semi-annually, but were held more often at first. Some of these meetings appear to have been
Vorberatungen (prepatory session) for the Northern District Conference (later known as the Canadian Conference). Delegates discussed such items as home and foreign missions and prayer week. In addition to missions, topics for discussion were issues pertaining to the Canadian Conference, colportage and itinerant ministry, relief work, local church concerns, youth, Bible school, and music.
At a meeting held on June 6, 1945 a motion was passed to amalgamate the North and South Saskatchewan Districts. In the following year joint meetings of representatives from both districts were held to bring about the amalgamation and in 1946 the first Saskatchewan Conference of the Mennonite Brethren Churches was held in Saskatoon. The two districts worked together on city mission, Western Children’s Mission and Canadian Conference concerns.
In 1965 a paper outlining the proposed steps of procedure for amalgamation was sent into the churches for study. At the June North District Conference the delegates voted one hundred percent in favour of amalgamation. They passed a motion to elect a six-member steering committee with equal representation from North and South to give guidance and direction in the forming of one provincial conference. (See
Yearbook of the Northern Saskatchewan District Conference of MB Churches, June 1965, p. 22).
South and North Districts, however, continued to meet separately to discuss local matters until 1978. The South continued to be responsible for the Herbert Senior Citizens’ Home and the Westbank Bible Camp. In 1986 the South District officially and legally dissolved. Existing boards for Westbank Bible Camp and Herbert Senior Citizens’ Home operated as autonomous boards. (See letter from John Klassen to the churches in Southern Saskatchewan dated 11 March 1986.)
Scope and content
This fonds consists of the following series:
- South Saskatchewan District minutes (BF210) and
- South Saskatchewan District official constitutions (BF215).
- There are the following sub-fonds:
- South Saskatchewan District Executive (BF221),
- South Saskatchewan District Reference and Counsel (BF222),
- South Saskatchewan District Board of Directors (BF223),
- South Saskatchewan District Herbert Bible School Committee (BF229) and
- South Saskatchewan District Senior Citizen’s Home (BF232).
Custodial history
Some of the minutes other materials came to the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies in 1996 from the Bethany Bible School in Saskatchewan where they had been housed. Some of the photocopied minutes had been collected previously and were already at CMBS.
Notes
- Location: Volumes 310-311.
- Title based on the contents of the fonds.
- Finding aid: The records are classified under the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches inventory BF200.
Series description
South Saskatchewan District Conference minutes. – 1909–1985.
18 cm of textual records.
This series consists of a fairly complete set of minutes, much of it photocopied from books of the Saskatchewan Mennonite Brethren in the Southern District (
Herbert Kreis). From 1909 to 1947 the minutes are in the German Gothic script. Between September 1947 and 1960 they are still in German with Latin characters, and from 1960 to 1969 in English. There are no available minutes between 1969 and 1971 and between 1971 and 1978. Included with the conference minutes between 1935 and 1954 are minutes of South Saskatchewan District Conference
Kreis(Executive) Committee minutes,
Ausschusz (Outreach) Committee minutes, and Missions Committee minutes.
- Finding aid: The records are classified under the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches inventory BF210, South Saskatchewan District Conference list 1–16a.
South Saskatchewan District Conference official constitution. – 1953, 1965?, 1978.
2 mm of textual records.
This series consists of an incorporation document for the Saskatchewan MB Conference (1953), a bill to change the name of the Mennonite Brethren Church of Saskatchewan to “the Saskatchewan Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches” (1978) and proposed constitutions for the South Saskatchewan District Conference. A paper, probably written around 1965, about amalgamation of North and South Districts is also in this series.
- Finding aid: The records are classified under the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches inventory BF215, South Saskatchewan District Conference list 17.
South Saskatchewan District Conference Executive sub-fonds. – 1921–1971, 1986.
7 cm of textual records.
Administrative history
In 1947 the Executive Committee was a small committee of five within the
Kreiskomitee. The
Kreiskomitee was composed of all South Saskatchewan District church leaders, the
Kreisleiter, the secretary, the treasurer, and the chairman of the Missions Committee. From 1947 to 1948 the Kreiskomitee met five times and the Executive Committee met separately for two additional meetings. The
Kreiskomitee was responsible to choose itinerant ministers to visit the South District churches. This committee discussed issues pertaining to the Bible school, relief work, and the Conference treasury. (See minutes of the
Jahresberatung, 29 May 1948). The
Kreiskomiteechose dates and set agendas for the
Vorberatung (preliminary planning session) and the South Saskatchewan District Conference. The
Kreiskomitee working together with all conference committees discussed all items pertaining to the South Saskatchewan District Conference and was actually an interim conference. They sometimes met for special sessions to address unusual issues.
The Executive Committee in 1947 was made up of the Kreisleiter, the secretary and three other members. The mandate of the Executive Committee was to oversee evangelism in the South Saskatchewan District. In 1950 they regulated plans for home missions in the South District and
Predigersaustausch (pulpit exchange).
In 1968 representatives of the Youth Committee, the Music Committee, the Senior Citizens’ Home, the Missions Committee, the Camp Committee, the Sunday School Committee and the Board of Directors reported to the Executive. The Executive continued to exist until 1986 when the South District officially dissolved.
Scope and content
This sub-fonds consists of photocopied minutes in the German and English languages. The minutes are located in chronological order within the Conference minutes until 1954, after which they are located in an Executive file. This sub-fonds also contains correspondence of the Executive secretary and the North Saskatchewan District Conference, the Canadian Conference, the General Conference, and the provincial government. Early letters are in the German language.
Custodial history
Some of the correspondence and minutes came from Bethany where they had been housed while some had come to Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies earlier.
Notes
- Finding aid: The records are classified under the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches inventory BF221.
- Finding aid: South Saskatchewan District Conference list 18–28.
South Saskatchewan District Conference Reference and Counsel sub-fonds. – 1967 1969.
2 mm of textual records.
Administrative history
Within the minutes of the South Saskatchewan District are minutes of a
Komitee für den erbaulichen Teil der Konferenz, which may have been the forerunner of the
Fürsorgekomitee, the early name for the Board of Reference and Counsel. After 1960 when the South Saskatchewan District began to write their minutes in English, the
Fuersorgekomitee became the Board of Reference and Counsel. This committee helped local churches with various congregational problems and spiritual concerns. In 1949 the Kreis Fuersorgekomitee was composed of three elected members for a specified time and the
Kreis Prasidium (Executive). (See minutes of annual meeting 25 May 1949). On 31 May 1952 at the annual meeting in Herbert, a Fuersorgekomitee of four members was elected – two for three years, one for two years, and one for one year (p. 431). In 1961 the Board of Reference and Counsel met nine times to answer questions from churches and individuals. They also organized a ministers’ and deacons’ conference and planned a centennial celebration of Mennonite Brethren churches. A recommendation in 1961 was that the Board of Reference and Counsel should consist of the executive (chairman, vice chairman, secretary, and treasurer), and an additional three members. All ordinations of ministers and deacons were to be channelled through this Board.
Scope and content
This sub-fonds consists of photocopied minutes of the Board of Reference and Counsel for 1967 and 1968. Earlier minutes are located with the minutes of annual meetings in chronological order.
Custodial history
Most of these minutes were already at Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies and a few have been added from the materials that came from Bethany.
Notes
- Finding aid: The records are classified under the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches inventory BF222.
- Finding aid: South Saskatchewan District Conference list 29.
South Saskatchewan District Conference Board of Directors sub-fonds. – 1939–1976.
3 cm of textual records.
Administrative history
Early financial matters appear to have been regulated on the conference floor. In 1948 the treasuer worked with the
Kreiskomitee. He was responsible not only for the treasury but also to let the churches know how they were faring in regards to giving. A.P. Janz was treasurer for ten years, after which B.C. Schellenberg was the treasurer for many years. At the May 5th, 1951 annual meeting a Board of Directors consisting of four members was elected – one member for three years, one member for two years and two members for one year. In addition to conference finances and collection of monies for special building projects, the Board of Directors (Direktorium) looked after legal matters such as land titles on which conference buildings were erected and incorporation and constitutional documents. They were the signing authority for the conference.
Scope and content
This sub-fonds consists of files of financial records as well as one bound account book.
Custodial history
These financial records came to Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies from Bethany Bible School where they had been housed.
Notes
- Finding aid: The records are classified under the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches inventory BF223.
- Finding aid: South Saskatchewan District Conference list 30–32.
South Saskatchewan District Conference Herbert Bible School Committee sub-fonds. – 1916–1932.
3 cm of textual records.
Administrative history
Of special significance for the whole
Herbert Kreis was the establishment of a Bible school in the town of Herbert in 1913. This institution, the first of its kind in Canada, was largely the fruit of the vision, courage and labour of John F. Harms. Harms had been engaged in educational efforts in Kansas some years earlier. When he settled on a farm at Flowing Well south of Herbert in 1908 he began to teach classes during the winter months. In 1913 the hopes of the Northern District Conference became a reality when eighteen students enroled for studies under Harms. When Harms moved back to the United States in 1918 the school had to be closed because of financial difficulties. In 1921 it was reopened under the capable leadership of William J. Bestvater. Teachers and students of the Bible school helped to promote a greater interest in Christian service and mission in the entire constituency. The Herbert Bible School closed in 1957 and the building was sold to Miller Memorial Bible Institute, dismantled, and moved to Pambrun in 1961.
Taken from A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church: Pilgrims and Pioneers by John A. Toews, p. 160.
Scope and content
This sub-fonds consists of copies of the minutes of the Herbert Bible School Committee, mostly in the German Gothic script.
Custodial history
The contents of this sub-fonds did not come from the Bethany Bible Institute. They had been collected at Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies before 1996.
Notes
- Finding aid: The records are classified under the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches inventory BF229.
- Finding aid: South Saskatchewan District Conference list 33 and 34.
South Saskatchewan Senior Citizen’s Home Committee sub-fonds. – 1976.
1 mm of textual records.
Administrative history
The building of a Senior Citizens’ Home was first introduced at a committee meeting held on December 10th, 1960 (minutes, p. 2). At a District Conference on September 23rd, 1961, the decision was made to build a thirty-bed home in the town of Herbert. A Building Committee was appointed on December 10th, 1961 and plans were finalized at the Spring Conference in 1962. The official opening took place on October 20th, 1963. Houseparents were Mr. and Mrs. Nick Janz.
Scope and content
Although this sub-fonds contains only reports from 1976, much information about the Herbert Senior Citizen’s Home can be found in the minutes of the South Saskatchewan District.
Custodial history
These reports were at Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies before 1996.
Notes
- Location: Volumes 310-311.
- Finding aid: The records are classified under the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches inventory BF232.
- Finding aid: South Saskatchewan District Conference list 35.
South Saskatchewan District fond file list:
Volume 310
Series I: Minutes (BF210)
1."Account of the Founding and Development of M.B. Churches in South Saskatchewan" by Anna R. Redekop. C after 1976.
2.Miscellaneous programs, minutes, and reports pertaining to the South Saskatchewan District. C 1938-1942, 1950.
3.Minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference. C 1909-1934.
4.Minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference. C 1935-1940.
5.Minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference. C 1941-1943.
6.Minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference. C 1943-1945.
7.Minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference. C 1945-1953.
8.Minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference. C 1953-1954.
9.Minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference. C 1954-1958.
10.Minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference. C 1958-1960.
11.Minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference. C 1961-1962.
12.Minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference. C 1963-1964.
13.Minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference. C 1965-1971.
14.Minutes of the South Saskatchewan District Conference. C 1972-1985.
15. Selected resolutions. -- 1945-1965.
Series II: Constitutions (BF215)
17.Bill to incorporate the Mennonite Brethren Church of Saskatchewan. C 1953.
Copy of a bill to change the name of the Mennonite Brethren Church of Saskatchewan. C 1978.
Report: "Amalgamation of the North and South M.B. Districts." C 1965?
"A Proposed Constitution for Mission Churches Supported by the Mennonite Brethren Conference." C 1961?
"Proposed Constitution for the South Saskatchewan Provincial Conference of Mennonite Brethren." C1962?
Sub-fonds I: South Saskatchewan District Executive (BF221)
18.Minutes of the Executive. C 1954-1959.
19.Minutes of the Executive. C 1960-1965, 1968.
20.Executive correspondence. C 1921, 1934-1939.
21.Executive correspondence. C 1940-1941.
22.Executive correspondence. C 1942-1943.
23.Executive correspondence. C 1944-1946.
24.Executive correspondence. C 1947-1949.
25.Executive correspondence. C 1950, 1952, 1953.
26.Executive correspondence. C 1954-1959.
27.Executive correspondence. C 1960, 1961.
28.Executive correspondence. C 1962-1968, 1970, 1971, 1986.
Sub-fonSouth Saskatchewan District Reference and Counselds II: . (BF222)
Volume 311
29.Minutes of Board of Reference and Counsel. C 1939, 1949, 1954-1969.
Sub-fonds III: South Saskatchewan Board of Directors (BF223)
30.Financial records. C 1939-1941.
Volume 313
31.Oversized book of financial records. C 1959-1969.
Volume 311 (cont.)
32.Financial records. C 1966-1969, 1971, 1976.
Sub-fonds IV: Herbert Bible School Committee (BF229)
33.Minutes of the Herbert Bible School Committee. C 1916-1932.
34.Constitution and minutes of the Herbert Bible School. 1926-1932.
Sub-fonds V: Herbert Senior Citizens' Home (BF232)
35.Financial report and manager's report. C 1976.
