Classification scheme: III-43
Title: Calvary Church Ayr (Mennonite) fonds
Dates of creation: 1961-
Physical description: 88 cm of textual records
Administrative history: The church is located at 173 Northumberland Street, Ayr, Ontario. The Mennonite work in Ayr began in 1954 as an outreach by the Mannheim Mennonite Church and the Mennonite Conference of Ontario. The congregation formally organized in 1961, the same year it obtained a building. There was a subsequent building program in 1990.
The founding pastor was Osiah Horst, who was also the pastor at the Mannheim Mennonite Church. When Horst accepted a call to Toronto, Howard Schmitt became the pastor. The congregation has served as a community church in the Ayr community. Pastoral leadership has been provided by Osiah Horst, Howard Schmitt, Darrel Jantzi, Dan Burkholder, Tom Warner, James Sider, Reynold Kipfer, Bruce Sawatsky, Phil Wagler, Dennis Bells, Pat Murphy, Ardith Frey and Lloyd Oakey.
Calvary Church left Mennonite Church Eastern Canada on 30 June 2019. It became a campus of the Calvary Pentecostal Assembly based in Cambridge, Ontario. Calvary Church had limited participation in Mennonite Church Eastern Canada, and had considered other denominational options for several years.
Custodial history: Accessions have been received from time to time. Latest acquisition in 2025.
Scope and content: There are four series: Formal records, Informal records, Church Bulletins, and Newsletter.
Note: Original description created by Sam Steiner 17 March 2008 and updated by Quinn Andres in 2025.
See also the architectural drawings in Hist.Mss.19.3.4. Also with the collection is a "time capsule" to be opened 4 November 2029
Series 1: Formal Records
- Annual Reports
1978-2018, 2019 (congregational meeting only) - Business Meeting Minutes
1966-1973 - Church Council minutes
1961-1977 (photocopy)
1963-1973
1985-1993
1995-August 2005 - Membership Roll
1961-1977
Baptisms, 1986, 1993, 1998 - Bylaws
2004 - Constitutions
1980, 1992, 1997, 2004, 2009 (includes bylaws) - Congregational profiles
1984, 1995, 2002, 2005 - Ministry Leadership Team
2007, 2009-2019 - Building Task Force (includes minutes, floorplans, and financial records)
1987-May 1990 - Financial record books
1966-1989 - Membership transfers
- Marriage records, 1989
- Personnel
Pulpit Committee, 1980 - Deacons, 1983-1984
- Child dedications, 1992, 1994, 1996-1997 (restricted file)
- Sunday School
Teachers meeting minutes, 1977-1978
Series 2: Informal Records
- Directory
1996, 1997 - Programs and Brochures
Dedication service, December 3, 1961
Installation - Howard Schmitt, 1964
Installation - Reynold Kipfer, 1985
Misc. brochures - Misc. forms
- "Favourite choruses of the Ayr Sunday School" / n.d.
- Calendar
2006, Summer 2011 - Clippings
- Time capsule "to be opened November 4, 2029"
- Funeral programs
Series 3: Church bulletins
October 1966-April 1974
1975-1976
June 1978-1979
1981-1994
1995 (incomplete)
1996-2010
2011-2014 (incomplete)
Series 4: Newsletter
Calvary Chronicle
Mar 2011-2016 (incomplete)