Classification scheme:
III-7
Title: Bloomingdale Mennonite Church fonds
Dates of creation: 1879-2005-
Physical description: 100 cm. of textual material
Administrative history: Bloomingdale was known as the Snyder Mennonite Church until 1960. The name derived from pioneer Jacob Snyder, an 1806 immigrant. The first meetinghouse was built in 1826 on land conveyed by Jacob Snyder the same year. It was likely destroyed by fire in 1872. The present brick building was erected in the 1870s. The congregation suffered a division and the group that came to be known as the Mennonite Brethren in Christ possessed the building from 1874-1879. A family also left at the time of the Old Order Mennonite division in the late 1880s.
Pastors have included Henry Weber, Moses Erb, Jesse Martin, Howard Stevanus, John W. Snyder, Harold Groh, Earl Myers, J. Laurence Martin, John Shearer,Orland Gingerich, Bertha Landers, Arthur Boers, Maurice Martin (Interim), Glenn Zehr (Interim), and Mary Mae Schwartzentruber.
Custodial history: Accessions from the Bloomingdale congregation have been received at various undocumented times.
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 L.J. Burkholder, A brief history of the Mennonites in Ontario (Mennonite Conference of Ontario, 1935), p. 89-90; Bloomingdale Mennonite Church, 1806- 1996 (Bloomingdale, Ont. : The Church, 1996); Sam Steiner, "Effects of the 1870s New Mennonite division on Bloomingdale Mennonite Church," Ontario Mennonite History 15 (April 1997), p. 28-31.
Original archival description created by Sam Steiner
Series 1: Formal records
- Property records.
"Conveyance: John Snider et al w/ the Trustees of Sniders Meeting House Mennonite Congregation", 1879
"Josiah Snider et al to Jacob S. Snider, Daniel Shantz and Albert Snyder Trustees of Snider's Meeting House Mennonite Congregation: Convenance", 1882
"Victor R. Reist and Elizabeth Reist to the Trustees of Snider's Meeting House Mennonite congregation: Quit Claim Deed", 1975
"In the matter of the Title to Lot No. part lot 7... : Deposit", 1975
Minor Variance Application, 1985 - Sunday school financial records, 1951-1960
- Sunday school offering, attendance and organizational records, 1947-1964 "Constitution and by-laws of the Bloomingdale Mennonite Sunday School" [n.d.]
- Congregational meeting and cash book, including records for cemetery, 1927-1947
- Constitutions, 1956, 1969, 1982, 1990, 1997
- Membership lists, 1960; bulletin mailing lists, 1962, 1969; Directories 1990, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2005
- Financial reports, 1955-1961; Sunday school reorganization lists, 1957-1961
- Annual meeting reports, 1960-1977
- Annual meeting reports, 1978-2003
- Church Council minutes, 1971-1983 (few random minutes from 1960s)
- Church Council minutes, 1984- Feb. 1988
- Church Council minutes, Mar. 1988-Mar. 1992
- Church Council minutes,
1992-1994
1995-1996
1997-1998
1999-2000
2001- - Mennonite Youth Fellowship minutes,
1950-1958, 1973-1980 - Worship Committee minutes
1985-1999 - Christian Education minutes
1992-1999 - Shepherd Ministry minutes
1994-1999 - Elder Ministry minutes
1997-1999 - Facilities Committee minutes
1995/96 - Fellowship Ministry minutes
1992-1995 - Gift Discernment minutes
1996-1999 - Stewards and Trustees
1995-1999 - Community Life Ministry
1996-1999 - Enrichment Leave Planning Group
1998-1999 - Photo Directory Planning Group
1998 - Anniversary Committee, 1996
- Congregational Profiles, 1983, 1991, 1992, 2002
Series 2: Informal records
- Questionnaires, copies of vows, obituaries, birth announcements and membership transfers, 1950s-1961
- Misc. programs and announcements, 1920-1963
- Summer Bible School records, 1953-1974
- Correspondence, 1955-1963, 1989-1997
- Religious Film Fellowship information, 1959-1961
- Photo album created for 1961 celebrations
- Dorothy Sauder, Trail's end: the Oxbow (Bloomingdale : The Church, 1972)
- Sunday school lesson picture cares, 1902-1932 (most 1915-1916, 1928)
- Historical materials gathered at time of 1972 centennial celebration.
- Calendar of Events, 1994-1999
- BMC Prayer Matters, 1998
- News & Notes, 1995-2002, 2004-2007
- Handbooks
Handbook, April 23, 1997
Guidelines, May 1998
Newcomer Packet, 2001 - 200th Anniversary, 2005-2006. Including a copy of Gratitude for the Journey: a future with hope, 1806-2006/ by Sally Warrington and Les Warrington [eds.] Bloomindale : [the Church], 2006 ; a script for Journey, a play by Bertha Landers about early Mennonite settlers at Bloomingdale performed by the congregation in 2006.
- Bible Survey Course : Sunday School Teacher Training of the Mennonite Church; Unit III : New Testament Studies - 2nd ed. / by Chester K. Lehman. Scottdale, PA: Mennonite Publishing House, [1940]. [Removed]
- Stewardship for Mission Program, 1964
- Newspaper clippings featuring members of the congregation
- Historian's reports
Series 3: Bulletins
- Bulletins, 1955-1970, Sept. 1971-1981, 1982 (partial), 1983-2003