Brussels Mennonite Fellowship

Title: Brussels Mennonite Fellowship fonds

Dates of creation: 1980-2019

Physical description: 80 cm of textual records

Administrative history:  Located at 239 Turnberry St. at the north end of the village of Brussels, the congregation began services in January 1980 with six core families that had been part of the Listowel Mennonite Church and Dungannon Christian Fellowship. In effect the Listowel congregation planted the Brussels congregation at a time when its own space was crowded. Brian Laverty, pastor at Listowel, provided leadership for the first half year. Doug Zehr began pastoral responsibilities in July 1980. The congregation purchased a home in June 1981 and renovated it for worship. The formal organization and charter membership took place in 1981.

In 1984 a chapel and  basement were added. In 1987 an addition was made of a fellowship hall, kitchen and office. For further information see Douglas J. Zehr, Catching a vision: the first ten years of Brussels Mennonite Fellowship (Brussels, Ont. : The Congregation, 1990).

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

Scope and content: There are three series: Formal records, Informal records, and Church bulletins.

Notes: For photographs related to this congregation search the Mennonite Archival Image Database.
For sound recordings related to this congregation, see Hist.Mss.9.25 . 
Further materials related to this congregation may be found by searching the Archives.
An encyclopedia entry for this congregation may be found in GAMEO.
Original description created January 2000 by Sam Steiner

File list:

Series 1: Formal records

1. Constitution and bylaws, n.d. (1981?), 1990, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2002 , 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009 (bylaw revision)
2. Handbook (job descriptions, etc.), 1989
3. Church Council minutes,    
       1979-1985 (includes photocopies of minutes from early meetings)
       1986-June 2017, January-May 2018, January-November 2019
4. Church directories, 
      1986, 1988, 1991, 1996 
       1997 update
       2000 plus updates 
       2005, 2011, 2016
5. Christian Education Committee, 
       1991-1999
       2000
       2006, 2007
6. Missions Committee, 
       1990-1999
       2000
       2006
7. Elders, 
       1994-1999
8. Worship & Music Committee, 
       1994-1999
9. Property Committee, 
       1994-2001
10. Youth Ministry Team, 
        1994-2000
11. Telephone/prayer chain lists, 1980-1990, 1994-1999
12. Kids' Corner Planning Committee, 1982-1988, 1999
13. Canadian Foodgrains Bank Project, 1998
14. Project Reach-Out records, 1993-1994
15. Life Project, 1990-1993
16. Ad hoc Committee minutes (building), 1982-1983
17. Tenth anniversary committee, 1989
18. Annual meeting report & minutes
        1990-1992, 2000-2018 (some early years filed with Church Council minutes)
19. Worship, Christian Education and Missions Committee
        2001-2005
20. Membership list
    1989
    1996, 1998
    2002, 2003, 2004, 2006

Series 2: Informal records

1. Doug Zehr, Catching a vision (Brussels, Ont. : The Church, 1990)
2. Correspondence, 1980s
3. Prayer calendar, 1981-1999, 2001-2007, Mar 2009-May 2010, Aug 2010-Nov 2013, 2014 (some missing), Jan-Jun 2015
4. Huron County Family Crisis Centre materials, 1982-1983
5. Sunday school class lists, 1982-1993
6. News clippings, 1980-1983, 2012
7. Media ministries radio spots correspondence, 1980s
8. Programs, brochures, etc.
9. Wendy Martin, "BMF exploding into the 90s"
10. Printed inkjet photographs of pastors and various stages of the building.
11. Congregational profile
    Including summary of congregation's history, ca. 1995

Series 3: Church bulletins

1981-July 2012, 2013-2019