Nairn Mennonite Church

Title: Nairn Mennonite Church fonds

Dates of creation: 1949-
Note: Further accruals are expected

Physical description: 26 cm of textual records

Administrative history: In the winter of 1947-48, several families from the Wellesley, Wilmot and East Zorra area with roots in the Amish-Mennonite Conference bought farms in the Ailsa Craig area with the goal of establishing a mission church. They purchased a Presbyterian church in Nairn with the assistance of the Conference Mission Board, and began worshipping there in 1948. Services were provided by the Mission Board until Wilfred Schlegel was ordained as the first minister on 6 Mar 1949.

The church has been intensely community-minded, sponsoring such projects as the Craigholme rest home, Goodwill Rescue Mission (see IV-3/6), Ailsa Craig Boys' Farm (Craigwood), Bethel Chapel in Parkhill, and the Mission Farm.

Custodial history: unknown

Scope and content: The records are arranged in four series: formal records, informal records (including anniversary celebrations and historical recollections), a newsletter and bulletins.

Notes: Any photographs related to this congregation will be housed in Hist.Mss.10 - Photograph database. 
See also: Audio tapes related to this congregation are listed in Sound Recordings -- Worship Services
For a history of the congregation, see A time of change : celebrating the 25th anniversary of Nairn Mennonite Church / by Ruth Arnel. --Nairn, Ont. : the Church, 1973. A copy is available in the CGUC library.

File list:

Series 1: Formal records

1. Annual meeting
   1949-1963
   1972 
   1980
2. Legal documents
   Mortgage, 28 Sept 1966 
   Assignment of lease, Oct 1966
   Discharge of mortgage, 31 Mar 1971 
   Agreement of purchase and sale, 14 Apr 1973
3. Church council minutes
   1969-1970
   1970-1971
4. Women's Missionary and Service Auxillary minutes
   1952-1956
   1958-1963
   1963-1971
5. Profile of Nairn Mennonite Church
   1984
6. Memo of Understanding with MCEC Mission & Service Commission
   1998

Series 2: Informal records

1. 25th anniversary celebration
   "Looking at Nairn Church" / by Ruth Arnel, [1972?]
   "Nairn Mennonite Church : a twenty-five year evaluation", 1 Feb 1974 
   Programs, 22,23,24 Jun 1973; 8,9,10 Jun 1973

2. Historical reminiscences
   Meditation / by Ruth Martin, 9 June 1990
   "Early settlement memories" / by Lorne Bender, 7 May 1990
3. A Time of Change: Commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Nairn Mennonite Church by Ruth Arnel, 1973.

Series 3: Newsletter

1. Mennair news
   12 Jun 1988 : 40th anniversary special edition

Series 4: Bulletins

1. Special bulletins
   27 Jun 1948 : Programme of the re-dedication
   13 Aug 1978 : Wilfred Schlegel memorial service 
   12 Jun 1988 : 40th anniversary service
   20 Sep 1998 : Installation of Dennis Watts
2. Weekly bulletins
   1971-1978, 27 Jun 1993, Sept 1999-Oct 2014

Return to congregations page

Back to top