Rockway Mennonite Church

Classification scheme:

III-44

Title: Rockway Mennonite Church fonds

Dates of creation: 1960-2006
Note: Further accruals are expected

Physical description: 80 cm of textual records

Administrative history: The Rockway Mennonite congregation in Kitchener, Ontario began services and formally organized in 1960. The congregation met at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate until 2005. In that year, it moved to the Zion United Church in Kitchener where it occupied the former Zion Bible School at the rear of the building. In September 2016 it moved to a former United Church building at 47 Onward Ave. in Kitchener. It had purchased the building in July 2015.

Edgar Metzler is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through outreach by First Mennonite Church in Kitchener.

In 1965 there were 60 members; in 1975, 65; in 1985, 103; in 1995, 119; in 2000, 124. The congregation has been affiliated with the Mennonite Conference of Ontario (1962-88), the Conference of United Mennonite Churches in Ontario (1976-88), the Mennonite Church (1962-1988), the Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada (1975- ), and Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (1988- ). The language of worship is English.

Pastoral leaders have included Edgar Metzler (1960-1961), Howard Good (1961- February 1966), John W. Snyder (January 1967-1990), Glenn Brubacher (Interim, 1990-1992), Allen Rudy-Froese (1992-1999), Mary Burkholder & Christina Reimer (Interim, 1999-2000), and Scott Brubaker-Zehr (2000-

Custodial history: The materials were donated to the Archives by the church at various times.

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

Notes: Original description created by Sam Steiner, November 2003
See also: Worship service tapes in Sound Recordings -- Worship Services
Related photographs are located in Hist.Mss. 10: Photographs and Slides.

File list:

Series 1: Formal records

Constitutions
Undated
1961 (several versions)
1980 (draft only)
1992, 1995
Bylaws, 2005
Congregational meetings and reports
1959-1991, 1993, 1995-2015, 2017
Church Council/Church Board minutes
1960-1994/95
1995-1997 (incomplete)
1997/98-2007/08, 2016
Stewardship Committee
1961-1964, 1966, 1976
Worship/Resource Committee
1976-1980/81
Building Committee
1963-1967
Rockway School & Rockway Church Committee
1963, 1966, 1968-1969
Directories/Membership lists
1960-1974, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1986/87, 1989/90, 1992/93-2018
Membership/Commitment Statement Committee
1969
Church Study Report and Meetings
1983, 1989
Ministry Council
1983
Student Aid Program
1990-1995
Site Planning Committee
1976-1978 (includes some architectural drawings)
Facility Management Committee & Lease with Rockway Mennonite School
1979-1981

Series 2: Informal records

Correspondence
1960-1967
1968-1969
1970-1975
[19--], 1976-1985 (incomplete)
Programs
1962-1990
Clippings
1969-1974
Presentations, Sermons & Position Papers
(Miscellaneous lectures presented; some in "Church and Word" series, as well as position statements by congregation on Local Government, etc.)
1963-1977, some n.d.
Baptismal Vows
Typed copy of vows used in 1968
History
"Three-minute" history of Rockway Church by Eleanor High done in 1970s
"Rockway Mennonite Church: Are Its Members Still 'Mennonite'?"
Notes: This folder contains the original undergraduate paper by Sam Steiner done in 1973, a copy that circulated to members, and notes from interviews. See also interview tapes at Hist.Mss.22.9. Both the notes and tapes are restricted in that no individual interviewed may be specifically quoted or have his/her name used in any form of publication in accord with the understanding at time of interview.

Series 3: Church Bulletins

1960-1965 (almost complete)
1966-1970
1971-1973 (a few missing, especially 1973)
1974-1975 (almost all missing)
1976-1981 (most present, but incomplete)
1982-1988 (almost complete)
1989-2017