Wanner Mennonite Church (Cambridge, ON)

Classification scheme:

III-25

Dates of creation: 1810-2021
Note: Further accruals are expected.

Physical description: 1.75 m of textual records

Administrative history:  Located on Beaverdale Rd. at the intersection of Maple Grove Rd, 1725 Beaverdale Rd., Cambridge, Ont.

In 1900 there were 25 members; in 1925, 45; in 1950, 110; in 1965, 113; in 1975, 133; in 1985, 140; in 2000, 136. The congregation affiliated with the Mennonite Conference of Ontario until 1988. It joined the Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada in 1988 and Mennonite Church Canada in 1995. Wanner Mennonite is part of the Mennonite Church segment of the Mennonite "family." Services began soon after 1800. The first building was occupied in 1829 as a union meetinghouse with other churches. The first building at the present location came in 1837, with a subsequent building in 1938. The congregation originated through immigration from Pennsylvania. Historically it has been associated with Preston (Hagey) Mennonite Church.

The first meetinghouse had two Mennonite and two Tunker (Brethren in Christ) trustees, and was also used as a school from 1829-48.

Pastoral Leaders who served the Wanner Mennonite congregation, have included: Joseph Bechtel (1804-1838); Martin Baer (1808-1845); John Bear (1838-1874); David Sherk (1838-1882); Jacob Gingerich (1878-1921); Absalom B. Snyder (1892-1936); S.M. Kanagy (1932-1941); J.W. Witmer (1942-1958); Merle Shantz (1949-1959); C.F. Derstine (Interim, 1960/61); Howard Schmitt (1961-1970); John Hess (Interim, 1971); Herb Schultz (1972-1981); Paul Martin (1981-1990); Eric Hiebert Rempel (1991-2000); Gerald Good (Interim, 2000/2001), Don Penner (2002-2012), Glyn Jones (Interim, 2012- )

Custodial history: The Wanner congregation has made periodic donations to the Mennonite Archives of Ontario.

Notes: See also the Worship Services listing in Sound Recordings for Wanner-related services.
For further information see the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online entry.
This fonds includes a restricted file.
Original description created February 2001 by Sam Steiner

File list:

There are five series: Formal recordsInformal recordsBooks,  Church bulletins and Newsletter

  Series 1: Formal records

  1. Church deeds, mortgages and legal papers
    Richard Beasley to Henry Wanner, 4 June 1810 (copy)
    Henry Wanner to Jesse Clemens, Abraham Clemens and John Bear, 15 Oct. 1837
    Henry Wanner to Jesse Clemens, et al, 13 July 1861
    Sarah Martin & John W. Martin to Henry Witmer et al, 4 Dec. 1880
    Joseph B. Hagey, et al to Joseph Shantz et al, 22 Nov. 1893
    Joseph S. Shantz and wife to Joseph S. Shantz, Anson Groh and Jesse Bechtel, 16 Sept. 1921
    Joseph S. Shantz, Jesse Bechtel and Anson Groh and Ontario Board of Mennonite Finance, 28 June 1928
    Ammon Junia Shantz to Ammon Junia Shantz, Irvin Schiedel and Elton Bechel and Clara Shantz, 27 Oct. 1954
    Ammon Junia Shantz, et al. to Mennonite Mission Board, 10 Feb. 1955
    Ammon Junia Shantz to Gordon Lichty, Wayne Gingrich, George Bechtel, 25 June 1970
    plus drawings and misc. letters
  2. Annual meeting reports
    1958-1976 (also financial statements for 1977-1979), 1981-1990 (Finance meetings for early in the year, plus 1983, 1986-1990 business meeting reports), 1991-2019, 2020 (financial statements only), 2021
  3. Congregational meeting minutes
    1894-1977, 1979-2021
    Includes presentation by Synergy group, 2019
  4. Church Council/Leadership Team/Leadership Team Plus
    Minutes, 1962-2022
  5. Christian Education Board minutes
    1963-1968, 1988-1990, 2004, 2006-2007, 2009, 2011-2013
  6. Mission and Service Board
    Notes: Minutes file includes a summary document of missions and service at Wanners, 1937-2012. Only a sampling of correspondence received from various Mennonite and non-Mennonite organizations was kept by the Archives.
    1962-1971, 1984-2016 (minutes, incomplete)
    1983-1990 (correspondence)
  7. Financial statements
    1942, 1948, 1955-1957
  8. Organizational Structure
    1971, 1977
  9. Church Planning Committee
    1958
  10. Amigo Sewing Circle/W2W.com
    1947-1976, 1993-2006
    Treasurer's records, 1966-1971; 1972-1977
    Executive meeting, 1962-1968
  11. Sunday school records
    Class roll - 1933
    Primary classes, 1924-1931
    Perfect attendance record book, 1943-1957
    Sunday School class record books (sample only), 1970s-1980s
  12. Elizabeth Kanagy Girls' Club
    Minutes, 1957-1961
  13. Torchbearer's Boys' Club
    Minutes, 1961-1965
    Programs, 1970-1972
  14. Mennonite Youth Fellowship/Youth Ministries Committee
    1916-1970, 1976 (Mennonite Youth Fellowship)
    1989-1990, 1994, 2004 (Youth Ministries Committee)
  15. Hagey-Wanner Young People's Meeting
    Minutes, finances, 1929-1948
    Programs, 1907-1945
    Programs, 1945-1946
  16. Summer Bible School
    1943-1948
    Schedule, 1962-1966 
  17. Church directory
    1974, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997- 2017, 2020, 2022
  18. Church building, 1938
    Specifications, bills, time book
    Financial record book, 1938-1939
  19. Parsonage, 1953
    Plans
  20. Building and renovation committees
    Christian education wing, 1968/69
    Basement renovation, 1975
    Committee on Land Use, 1988
    Renovations, 1994-1995
    Proposed renovation, 2014
  21. Contract between Church and Pastor, 1984, 2005
  22. A Covenant of Membership, 1976
  23. Report of committee to investigate the purpose for which monies were willed to the Church by Henry Wanner, 25 Aug 1897
  24. Constitution, 2013, 2020
  25. Elders minutes and corresondence
    1986-May 1997 (minutes)
    1986-1990 (correspondence)
  26. Board for Gifts Discernment, 1991-1994
  27. Student Aid Fund, 1997, 2010, 2013
  28. Trustees/Stewardship and Finance Committee/Support Ministry
  29. Special events
    Neighbours '84
    Christmas community event, 1995-1998
    Wanner family weekend, 1999
  30. Refugee sponsorships (restricted), 1987-1989
  31. Policies, etc.
    Resource Manual, 1991, 2006, 2011
  32. Worship Committee
    1981-1981, 1988-1989, 1994-1998, 2002-2009, 2012, 2015, 2017 (minutes, incomplete)
    1998 (worship survey)
  33. Congregational information form, 2019

Series 2: Informal records

  1. Newsclippings
  2. Programs, 1906-2000
  3. Pastoral needs survey, 1971
  4. Sunday school anniversary/plaque, 1961-1963
  5. Sesquicentennial celebrations, 1987
    Minutes of planning committee
    Reflections by Anson Groh, 1915
    Newsclippings
    Drama, "Wilderness to Wide World" by Eben Cressman
  6. Ken Bechtel, Strangers within the gates (Cambridge, Ont. : Wanner Mennonite Church, 1987) 
  7. List of books in Wanner library, 1958
  8. "A dream comes true" by Eben Cressman, 1983 (drama about the beginning of Vacation Bible School)
  9. Correspondence, 1902-
  10. Breslau Bible Society, 1885-1985 (Wanner was affiliated)
  11. Congregational historian items
    "Mennonite education in Ontario through Sunday Schools" by Eben Cressman, 1986
    Edward & Glennys Snyder Scrapbook, 1975-1994 (clippings, etc.)
    Printed copy of letter from Christian & Elizabeth Bauman to George Bechtel, 1846
    Several short papers by Ivan Groh on "Early Clergymen in Waterloo County," "To the Memory of Catharine, Wife of Eli Clemens," and "John D. Groh"
  12. Photographs (most unidentified)
  13. Girls Club photo album, 1976-1977
  14. 150th anniversary album
  15. Dramas written for various events
  16. Summer Bible School materials, 
    Miscellaneous materials, 1943-1988
  17. Summer Bible School scrapbook, 1970
  18. Sunday school attendance books
    Few copies from 1940s, 1950s, 1960s
  19. 175th anniversary presentation, 1837-2012. - PowerPoint Presentation. - print copy in file, PowerPoint copy and pdf/a copy located in electronic archive. - File also includes a copy of "Wanner Mennonite Church: 175 Years."
  20. Miscellaneous writings
    "The Lord's Supper: a Biblical and historical review of its special place in the context of a covenanting community of Christians....," n.d. (1984) by Ivan Unger.
    "The Life of the Spirit in Corporate Decision Making," byJ. E. Gingrich, [19--]
    "Edward and Glennys Snyder," by Edna Bowman, 27 Nov 1988
  21. Wanner Mennonite Church slide collection list
    Note: This collection is further described in the Mennonite Archival Information Database. Slides are physically located in Hist.Mss.10.46.
  22. 185th anniversary album compiled by Dennis Flaming, Dec 2022

Series 3: Books used by congregation

Great revival hymns no. 2 (Chicago : Rodeheaver Co., n.d.) "J.S. Shantz" inscribed on title page
L. J. Burkholder, A brief history of the Mennonites in Ontario (Ontario : Mennonite Conference of Ontario, 1935). Copy of 1st ed. with dust jacket
The peep of day (London : T. Nelson and Sons, 1902) "A.J.S. 1903" on flyleaf (A.J. Shantz)
Holy Bible (Oxford : University Press, 1876) "Presented to the Mennonite Church by John W. Martin, Dec. 29th, 1877" on flyleaf (rebound)

Series 4: Church Bulletins

1952-2022

 Series 5: Newsletter

Wanner Church family,  Vol. 9, no. 24 (Dec. 1981)-v. 13, no. 11 (June, 1985)
Wanner News & Views, 1991-1999, 2002-2010

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