Steinmann Mennonite Church (Baden, ON)

Title: Steinmann Mennonite Church fonds

Dates of creation: 1932-2008

Physical description: 1.1m of textual records; 1 pitcher

Administrative history: This church was originally part of the Wilmot Amish district conference, organized about 1826. It is located at R.R.#2, Baden, Ont., NOB 1G0. Worship services were held in private homes until 1884 when a frame meetinghouse was built on land donated by deacon Daniel Steinmann. The original frame meetinghouse was replaced with a brick edifice in 1946. An educational wing was added in 1976.

Sunday services alternated between Steinman and St. Agatha until 1939 when concurrent services were held weekly. The two churches continued to function as one entity known as Wilmot Amish Mennonite until 1957. A congregational polity was adopted in 1963.

Custodial history: Accessions have been received from time to time.

Notes: For further reference see Lillian Kennel, A History of the Wilmot Amish Mennonite Congregation (Baden, Ontario: Steinman Mennonite Church, 1984.
See also Steinmann items in Worship Service sound recordings.
Original description created by Sam Steiner.

File list:

Series 1: Formal records

1. Church Council / Vision Focus Team Minutes 
       1970-2018
2. Annual/Program Review reports, 
       1963-1965, 1969-1977, 1979-1981
       1990, 1995-2018
3. Congregational meeting minutes (annual reports usually also contain minutes of previous year)
      1961, 1965-1968, 1982, 1987, 1990
4. Ministerial Committee,
       1982-1995
5. Leadership Team,
       1994-2000, 2003
6. Worship Committee
       1982-2012
7. Mission & Service Committee/ Outreach and Service Committee
       1985-March 2005
   2009-2010 (incomplete), 2014-2017
8. Personnel Committee 
       1983-1995
9. Gift Discernment Committee,
       1996-2004
10. Christian Education Committee / Christian Formation Team 
    1995-June 2004 
    2006-2007
11. MYF Executive Minutes 
        1954-72, 
        1983-1989, 
        1998-1999
12. "Focusing our Vision" / Vision Action Committee
        1995-1998
13. Wilmot Cluster Refugee Support Committee, 
        1996-1997
14. Facilities Study Committee
        1987
15. Good Samaritan Fund
        1986
16. Historical Celebration committee
        1983-1984
17. 175th anniversary committee
        1998
18. Intrust Mission Project
        [196?], 1965-1991
        Financial statements
        Correspondence
        Mission Note certificates
19. Steering Committee
        1990-1992
20. Student Mutual Aid
        1985-1994
21. Youth Advocacy Program
        1989-1995
22. West Hills Emerging Church Reference Group
        1991
23. Music Committee
        1991
24. Pastoral Search Committee
        1993
25. WMSC / Mennonite Women records
        1959-1970, 1988/89, Sept. 2003-2014, 2016
    Note: Correspondence of the Stewardess WMSA and Master's Followers sewing circle is also located in this file.
26. Building Committee
        1998, 2006
27. Church directories
        1979, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1989, 1994, 2009, 2015, 2017
28. Congregational profile
        1980
29. Photography Committee
        1986-1993
30. Misc. MYF records
        1981-1988
31. Elder's Job Description
        1990s?
32. Men's Breakfast planning
        1998/99
33. Area Vacation Bible School Committee
    1997, 1999-2006
34. Members' Handbook, 2002
35. Steinman-St. Agatha Combined Mission Project Committee, 1962-1969
36. Sewing Circle records
    1939-1941
37. Master's Followers Sewing Circle
    1942-1960, 1966-1969
38. Stewardess WMSA
    1961-1970
39. Missionary Maids GMSA
    1959-1965
40. Towards Resolving our Facilities Issues
    by Ken Bechtel, 2002

Series 2: Informal Records   

1. Correspondence 
       1980-82
       1982-84
       1984-86
       1987-90
2. Programs
       Note: Includes program of dedication, 1948
3. News clippings
4. Papers about the congregation
       Pauline Steinmann, "Congregational history of Steinmann Mennonite Church," 1977
5. Sketchbook of Architectural Drawings (1980s?) (long, wide, flat box)
6. "Midnight Star" Literary Society "newspaper"
   1949-1959
7. Correspondence re pitcher of consecrated communion bread, 2011
   Note: See also V-5.5/1 Realia.
8. Notes from Ontario Amish Mennonite Bible School held at Steinmann Church, 1934
   Scope and content: Course notes taken by Ruth Brenneman of R.R.#2 Haysville, Ontario, February 1934.
9. Publicity brochures
   1996

Series 3: Bulletins

Bulletins, 1965-1977, 1980-2018

Series 4: Newsletter

Congregational Communicator Newsletter, 1980-2018

Series 5: Realia

1. Pitcher of consecrated communion bread
   Administrative history: Oral history conveys a tradition in Ontario Amish Mennonite communities of saving pieces of leftover consecrated communion bread. Barbara Steinmann, daughter of Bishop Steinmann, said her father saved the leftover bread because church members would ask him for pieces to place in the attics of their homes or up in the barns.   There was a belief that a piece of this bread protected the building from lightning strikes.
   Custodial history: Owned by Bishop Daniel H. Steinmann (1857-1935) and given to his daughter, Barbara Steinmann. Recieved by the Archives from Fred Lichti, former pastor of Steinmann Mennonite Church.

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