Classification scheme: III-4
Title: Bethel Mennonite Church (Elora, Ontario) fonds
Dates of creation: 1865, 1947-2025
Physical description: 1.61 m of textual material
Administrative history: The church is located about six miles northeast of Floradale. The congregation began in 1947 as a rural outreach of the Elmira and Floradale congregations. Reuben Dettweiler is considered the founding leader of the group. The church building was formerly owned by the United Church. Ministers have included Newton Gingrich, Gerry Vandeworp, Amsey Martin, Art Beyer and Darrell Jantzi. In 1950 there were 53 members; in 1965 104; in 1975 214; in 1985 247; in 1995 175. The congregation has been affiliated with the Mennonite Church (1948-), the Mennonite Conference of Ontario from 1948-88, the Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada since 1988 and the Conference of Mennonites in Canada since 1995.
Custodial history: Accessions from Bethel Mennonite Church have been received at various undocumented times. A major accession came in February 2006 via Bethany Seiling Leis. A major accrual was received in 2025 at the closure of the congregation.
Scope and Content: There are five series: 1) Formal Records; 2) Informal Records; 3) Bulletins; 4) Books; 5) Newsletters
Notes:
For photographs related to this congregation search the Mennonite Archival Image Database.
For sound recordings related to this congregation see, see Hist.Mss.9.25.
An encyclopedia entry for this congregation may be found in GAMEO
For further information see: Gospel Herald (29 May 1989), p. 12; Church records at MAO include unpublished 2 page history; "Mennonites buy Pilkington United Church"; Mennonite Historical Society of Canada Collection collection "MC (1830-Moorefield)" ; Linda Weber, "A Brief History of Bethel, Berea, Moorefield, Glen Allen, and Listowel," Research paper, CGC, 1971, 37 pp.
Original archival description created 1998 by Sam Steiner. Description updated in 2025 by Quinn Andres.
Series 1: Formal records
- Annual & Congregational Meeting minutes
1947-1977
1969-1987
1990
1992-1993 (annual reports only)
1995
1997-2024 - Church Council minutes
1954-1971
1971-1978 (notes)
1971-1991
1995-1998
2000-2024 - Constitution & Bylaws
1973, 1978, 1983, 2013 - Marriage Register & Certificates
1951-1997 - Financial Records
Treasurer's Account Book, 1947-1966 - Summer Bible School
Attendance & Offering records, 1947-1968 - Mennonite Youth Fellowship
Minute book, 1950-1970 - Congregational Profiles
1977, 1985, 1986, 1987 (includes organization chart), 1994, 1999 - Job Descriptions
Misc. committee job descriptions - Leadership Review
Leadership Review documents, 1989-1990 - Membership Records
Membership books, 1947-2013 (includes historical notes at front of book)
Membership certificates, 1950-1976 - Sunday School
Minute Book, 1947-1976 (incomplete)
Includes minutes of first exploratory meeting on the founding of Bethel Mennonite Church, 21 Nov 1947
Picnic book, 1978-2002 - Sewing Circle Records
Financial record book, 1952-1983
Senior circle minutes, 1948-1969
Busy Bee circle minutes, 1967-1979
Nightingale circle minutes, 1965-1974 - Annual Reports to Mennonite Conference of Ontario
1952-1979 - Building Expansion
- Directories
1997, 2003 - Fifty Plus group
Minutes, 1992-2004
Series 2: Informal records
- Clippings
- Surveys
Head coverings (prayer veils) for women, 1971
Musical instruments and hymn books, 1974
Worship, 1980s?, 1992 - Busy Bees
Program outline and event schedule, n.d. - Church Historian
Notes on weddings, baptisms, funerals, elections, pastoral changes, minutes of some meetings, etc., 1947-2003 - Anniversaries
40th (1987)
50th (1997)
60th (2007) Two audio tapes of service found in Hist.Mss.9.25.352
75th (2022) - Mission activities, miscellaneous
Salem Bible School program, [196-]
Nursing home volunteer certificate, 1987
Youth mission trip to Rockford, Illinois, 1996
Neighbourlink Central Wellington, 1996-1997
List of voluntary service participants, 1967-1997
Mission and learning trip to Meserete Kristos Church, Ethiopia, 2010 - Posters and special programs
2003-2007
Series 3: Bulletins
Bulletins, 1955-2024
Series 4: Books
Die Bibel, oder die ganze Heilige Schrift des alten und neuen Testaments. New York, 1865. Owned by Anna Weber, b. 20 August 1851. Fraktur entry in family register. Donated by Bethel Mennonite Church to Archives.
Series 5: Newsletters
Bethel Beacon, 1968-1969
Bethel Banner, Mar 1983-Winter 2010/2011