Classification scheme:
Hist. Mss. 1.253
Dates of creation: [195-]-1995
Physical description: 1.3 m of textual materials
Biographical sketch: Vernon Roy Leis, pastor, was born 23 November 1933 on a farm near Petersburg, Ontario to John S. and Catherine (Wagler) Leis. He was the oldest son and third child in a family of three daughters and two sons. On 2 July 1955 he married Arvilla Anne Schultz. They had four sons and one daughter. Leis died 26 February 1994 in a traffic accident near Baden, Ontario.
In the 1950s a pioneering group of young men from the Ontario Amish Mennonite Conference sought seminary-level theological training to prepare for pastoral service. Leis was one of this number—he studied at Eastern Mennonite College (B.A.), and Goshen Biblical Seminary (B. D.), graduating from the latter in 1961. In 1983 he completed a D.Min. at the University of St. Michael 's College, Toronto School of Theology.
Ordained in 1962, Leis entered his first pastorate in the small Blenheim Mennonite Church (1961-1966). He later served large congregations at Elmira (1966-1980), Stirling Avenue (1980-1988) and East Zorra (1988-1994).
His many involvements in the Mennonite community include editing the Ontario Mennonite Evangel, and serving as the last moderator of the Inter-Mennonite Conference (MAO XXVIII)and first moderator of the Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada. Ecumenical in outlook, he encouraged active inter-church ministerials, and frequently participated as a pacifist in community Remembrance Day services. He also instituted an interpretive program (tours, dinner, film, discussion about Mennonites) at the Elmira Mennonite church for the many tourists who visited the Waterloo Region to see Old Order Mennonites. Up to 5,000 persons a year participated in this program.
Scope and content: The fonds is largely composed of sermon notes composed by Leis in over 30 years as a pastor. Other smaller files include clippings of his published articles, pastoral resource materials, and his action research proposal for the Toronto School of Theology. An additional accrual of correspondence and other files (files 25-38) were added to the Archives in 2021.
Notes: Photographs of Vernon Leis are located in the Mennonite Archival Image Database.
See also Steiner, Sam. "Leis, Vernon (1933-1994)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. November 2003.
More information about restricted files is included within the files.
File list:
- Sermon notes
Eastern Mennonite College
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Samuel, Nehemiah, Ruth Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Jeremiah, Daniel, Jonah, Micah, Isaiah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, I Corinthians, II Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, I Timothy, II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, I Peter, II Peter, I John, Revelation
Funeral sermons
Marriage sermons
Miscellaneous sermons
Last sermons, 1993-1994
Sermon lists - Writings
Note: The following were not kept as part of the fonds, but copies are located in the Milton Good Library: Ontario Mennonite evangel v. 8 n.11 (Nov 1963), v.8 n.12 (Dec 1963), v.9 n.5 (May 1964), v.9 n.7 (Jul 1964), v.10 n.11, v.10 n. 5 (May 1965), v.10 n. 6 (Jun 1965), v.10 n.7 (Jul 1965), v.10 n.8 (Aug 1965), (Nov 1965), v.11 n.5 (May 1966), v.11 n.6 (Jun 1966), v.11 n.7 (Jul 1966); Herald adult Bible studies : peacemakers in a broken world v.62 n.2 (April/May/June 1968); Herald adult Bible studies : the story of God and his people - part iv v.64n.2 (April/May/Jun 1970); WMSC Voice v.59 n.9 (Mar 1984) - News clippings
Note: Includes articles kept by Vernon Leis; several were written by him. - Bulletin covers
Note: Back cover prayers and mediations were written by Vernon Leis - Programs of various celebrations and special services
- Correspondence, 1961-1995 (restricted)
- Storytelling
Action research proposal, Toronto School of Theology, 1981
Storytelling as ministry to families : a written description of the research project in ministry, Sept 1983
Storytelling courses
Storytelling readings
Storytelling journal
Storytelling in the congregation - Prayers
- Current prayers
- Peace
- Humour
- Current issues (sermon)
- Advent
- Healing ministry of Jesus : initial study project for associate members in the International Order of Saint Luke the Physician / International Order of St. Luke the Physician. --[s.l.] : [s.n.],1982
- Bible quizzing
- Retreats
- Servanthood
- Small groups inter-faith course
- Church structures
- Theological issues (head covering, membership and communion)
Note: Removed from file: Liberation and the fleshpots of Egypt: towards a pedagogy for the oppressor / Arnold Snyder [unpublished paper], [198-?] - Women in Leadership Ministries
- Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church (restricted)
- Family Mediation Advisory Council
Note: An advisory council of Community Mediation Service in co-operation with Catholic Social Services and the Kitchener Interfaith Pastoral Counselling Centre. - Tributes and obituaries
- Conflict at East Zorra Mennonite Church, 1992-1995 (restricted)
- Education and curricula vitae
Goshen Biblical Seminary
Institute for Advanced Pastoral Studies
Doctorate of Ministry incl. Ministry Base Group - Constructive conflict resources, 1981, 1987-1994
- Miscellaneous personal reflections
- Mennonite tours of Elmira and St. Jacobs, 1980
- Marriage Enrichment retreat, 1979
- Pastoral care resources
- Growth Groups, 1970s-1980s
- Consensus decision making, 1987-1988
- Family Cluster support groups at Elmira Mennonite, 1979-1980
- Conversations on the family at Stirling Avenue, 1981-1982
- Elmira District Secondary School, 1982
Note: Handouts from an in-camera meeting of the Waterloo County Board of Education, 8 Jul 1982, were not kept by the Archives. - Inter-Religious Dialogue between local Mennonite and Jewish leaders, 1971, 1977-1983
- Current issues
Lotteries and gambling
Civil disobedience
Agriculture and the environment
Capital punishment debate, 1985-1987
Persian Gulf War, 1991-1992
Papers from "Toward a Mennonite Self-Understanding" conference, 1986