Arnold Gingrich

Classification scheme:

Hist. Mss. 1.23

Title: Arnold Gingrich fonds

Dates of creation: 1939-1970

Physical description: 2 m of textual records

Biographical sketch: Arnold Gingrich (18 Dec 1910-4 Oct 1970) was born to Enoch and Rebecca (Witmer) Gingrich. He married Gladys Shantz; they had two children. Gingrich was ordained in 1935 for the Bothwell Mennonite Church. In 1960 he moved to London to serve as president of the London Rescue Mission Board (1960-1964) and field secretary for the Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario (1961-1969). In 1968 and 1969 he was president of the London Council of Churches, later called the Inter-Church Council.

Gingrich conducted a weekly radio broadcast ("World of Missions") on Chatham radio station CFCO from 1946-1963. From 1969-1970 he was as executive secretary of Ausable Springs Ranch. He was on the London Folk Arts Council (1966-1969) and the board of the Canadian Bible Society (1960-1970).

Custodial history: The fonds was donated to the Mennonite Archives of Ontario by Gladys Gingrich in the 1970s

Scope and content: The fonds includes correspondence from his professional and volunteer connections, broadcast scripts, sermon notes and a family account book.

Notes: For photographs related to Arnold Gingrich search Mennonite Archival Image Database.
An encyclopedia entry for Arnold Gingrich may be found in GAMEO.
Arnold Gingrich's records as field man with the Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario are in the Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec collection.
Original description created by Sam Steiner.

File list:

The fonds is divided into four series:

  1. World Missions broadcast scripts and records
  2. Committee files from other volunteer work
  3. Sermon notes
  4. Personal records

Box 1

Series 1: World Missions broadcasts

  1. Obituary, 1970
  2. Typescripts of broadcasts, 1946-1960

Box 2

  1. Typescripts of broadcasts, 1961-1963
  2. World Missions broadcast letters, 1946-1963
  3. Talks, materials on Jack Miner bird sanctuary
  4. Mailing list, financial statements, final correspondence re: close of broadcast, 1952-1964
  5. Correspondence with Leslie Harwood, 1957-58
  6. Chane Indian Project, 1948-1951
  7. Rhodesia Bible Training School project, 1949-1952
  8. China Boat Mission project, 1946-1948

Box 3

Series 2: Files from Volunteer work

  1. Mennonite Hour correspondence, 1969
  2. Inter-Church Council on Radio and TV, 1969-1970
  3. Messages, 1959-1970
  4. Correspondence with John A. Hostetler, n.d.
  5. Canadian Council of Churches, 1965
  6. Indian/Eskimo Association information, 1966-1967
  7. Mennonite Central Committee recruitment drive, 1967
  8. Oshawa Men's Hostel minutes, etc., 1967-1969
  9. Mennonite Conference of Ontario Personnel Committee correspondence, 1969
  10. London Mennonite Student Fellowship materials, 1961-1967
  11. "The story of Old Fairfield," by Arnold Gingrich, 1959
  12. Creative Arts Festival, 1968-1970
  13. Hanover happenings, 1964-1968
  14. Fine Arts, 1965
  15. Fine Arts, 1966
  16. Fine Arts, 1967
  17. Fine Arts, 1968
  18. "Pawns in a game" script, n.d.
  19. Blue Water Conference, 1948-1950
  20. Missionary Conference material, 1958
  21. Missionary Conference material, 1959
  22. Slides for "Ecclesiastes" (Fine Arts program, 1968)
  23. "An evangelical look at the ecumenical movement," n.d.
  24. Notes on civil rights and the Selma, Alabama march, 1965
  25. Spiritual life Committee, 1961-1962
  26. Bulletins from Mennonite Church
  27. Dramatic scripts
  28. London Folk Arts Council
  29. Mennonite Student Services
  30. Mennonite Student Services

Box 4

  1. Mennonite Council on Mass Communications, 1969-1970
  2. Mennonite Council on Mass Communications, 1969-1970
  3. Mass Communications
  4. Mass Communications
  5. "Breakthrough" television series
  6. Bethel Mennonite Church materials
  7. Field man expenses, 1965-1970
  8. Inter-Mennonite correspondence
  9. Inter-Mennonite correspondence
  10. Inter-Mennonite correspondence
  11. Notes and messages
  12. Mennonite Mission and Service Board
  13. "What's wrong in Montreal?"
  14. Field man reports
  15. Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario
  16. Mennonite Mission outreach in Northern Ontario

Series 3: Sermon notes

  1. Sermon notes, undated
  2. Sermon notes, undated
  3. Sermon notes, undated
  4. Sermon notes, undated
  5. Sermon notes, undated
  6. Sermon notes, 1939-1949
  7. Sermon notes, 1950-1957
  8. Sermon notes, 1958-1960
  9. Sermon notes, 1962-1969

Series 4: Personal material

  1. Misc. church and personal correspondence

Box 5

  1. Family account book, 1940-1960
  2. Records relating to Bothwell Mission
  3. Photocopy of Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario questionnaire
  4. Notes of Frank H. Epp's interview with Arnold Gingrich for Canadian Mennonite

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