Classification scheme:
III-43
Title: Calvary Church Ayr (Mennonite) fonds
Dates of creation: 1961-
Physical description: 20 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.
Scope and content: There are three series: Formal records, Informal records and Church Bulletins.
Note: Original description created by Sam Steiner 17 March 2008
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
1985, 1986, 2005/2006 (financial statement only), 2007, 2008, 2010/2011 (financial statement only), 2012/2013-2016/2017, 2018 (congregation meeting only) - Business Meeting Minutes
1966-1973 - Church Council minutes
1963-1973, 1985/86
1961-1977 (photocopy) - Membership Roll
1961-1977 - Bylaws
2004 - Constitution
1980 - Congregational profiles
1984, 1995, 2002, 2005
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
- "Favorite choruses of the Ayr Sunday School" / n.d.
- Calendar
2006 - Clippings
- Time capsule "to be opened November 4, 2029"
Series 3: Church bulletins
October 1966-April 1974
1975-1976
June 1978-1979
1981-1985
1986-2006 (incomplete)
2007, 2008-2014 (incomplete)
Series 4: Newsletter
Calvary Chronicle
Mar 2011-2016 (incomplete)