Maple View Mennonite Church

Title: Maple View Mennonite Church fonds

Dates of creation: 1933-1999

Physical description: 19 cm of textual records

Administrative history: Maple View Mennonite Church is located 1.5 miles northwest of Wellesley on 3rd Line of Wellesley Township.

The congregation began services and formally organized in 1859. The first building was occupied in 1886, with a subsequent building program in 1928. John Jantzi (1806-1881) is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through division from Wilmot Amish Mennonite congregation (Steinmann) due to travel distance and increasing size of the congregation.

Maple View was first known as the Wellesley Amish Mennonite (AM) congregation. Worship services were first held in homes until a meetinghouse was erected which was to be used only as a funeral chapel. When the house began to be used for regular worship services in 1886, a group opposed to the move withdrew to continue as Old Order Amish. They were joined by a group that withdrew the same year and for the same reason from the Poole Mennonite Church.

In 1912 another conservative group withdrew from the Wellesley AM group to organize a congregation called the Lichti Amish Mennonites, after their leader, Bishop Jacob Lichti. This group built a meetinghouse a half mile east of the parent church. It became known as the Cedar Grove Amish Mennonite Church.

The Poole Mennonite Church was a daughter congregation of Wellesley AM. It was formally organized in 1874.

Bishops who served the congregation prior to the use of meetinghouses included John Jantzi, Christian Gascho, Christian Wagler and Christian B. Zehr.

Pastoral leaders at Maple View have included John Jantzi, John Jausie, Joseph L. Lichti, Christian Gascho, John Wagler, Christian B. Zehr, Christian S. Zehr, Jacob F. Lichti, John Gascho, Daniel Lebold, Samuel L. Schultz, Samuel Leis, Samuel O. Erb, Christian Streicher, Christian O. Erb, Allen Y. Bender, Alvin Leis, Jacob Roes, Glen Jantzi, Victor Dorsch, Ray Erb and Bruce Sawatsky. Minister Bruce Sawatsky served in 2000 as a congregational leader. In 1900 there were 230 members; in 1925, 350; in 1950, 485; in 1965, 527; in 1975, 343; in 1985, 347; in 1995, 292. The congregation has been affiliated with the Western Ontario Mennonite Conference (1923-1988), Mennonite Church (1898-), Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada (1988-) and Conference of Mennonites in Canada (1995-). The language of worship is English; the transition from German occurred in the 1930s.

Custodial history: Accessions have been received from time to time, with some materials coming almost annually.

Scope and content: There are three series: Formal Records, Informal Records and Church Bulletins.

Notes: For more information see: Maple View Mennonite Church, 1859-1984 / [Book Committee: Brenda Knechtel (Lichti) ... et al] (Wellesley, Ont. : The Church, 1984).

See also Hist.Mss.20 Sound Recordings (CD/Digital).

Related photographs are located in Hist.Mss. 10: Photographs and Slides.  

Original description created March 2000 by Sam Steiner.

File list:

Series 1: Formal records

1. Congregational meeting minutes, 1986, 1988
2. Leadership Committee minutes, 1984-1988 (CONFIDENTIAL; located in Restricted Access)
3. Search Committee minutes, 1998-1999 (CONFIDENTIAL; located in Restricted Access)
4. Membership Listings
   Typescript, n.d.
   Pictorial directory, n.d. (1990s)

Series 2: Informal records

1. Misc. programs, 1933-1984
2. Manuscripts on history of congregation, 1984
   Edna Lebold, "Maple View Mennonite Church history narrative," 2 leaves
   Lorraine Roth, "Maple View anniversary," 3 leaves plus map
3. "Maple View Mennonite Church History Book: 1859-1984, 1984-2009"
4. "Family Favorites: Maples View Mennonite Church 125th Anniversary Year, 1859-1984" [cookbook], Third Printing, September 2009
5. "More Family Favourites: Maple View Mennonite Church, 2004" [cookbook]

Series 2: Church Bulletins

1965 (incomplete)-1966, 1981-1988
11 Mar 2001

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