Wanner Mennonite Church (Cambridge, ON)

Classification scheme:

III-25

Dates of creation: 1810-2021
Note: Further accruals are expected.

Physical description: 1.75 m of textual records

Administrative history: Located on Beaverdale Rd. at the intersection of Maple Grove Rd, 1725 Beaverdale Rd., Cambridge, Ont.

In 1900 there were 25 members; in 1925, 45; in 1950, 110; in 1965, 113; in 1975, 133; in 1985, 140; in 2000, 136. The congregation affiliated with the Mennonite Conference of Ontario until 1988. It joined the Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada in 1988 and Mennonite Church Canada in 1995. Wanner Mennonite is part of the Mennonite Church segment of the Mennonite "family." Services began soon after 1800. The first building was occupied in 1829 as a union meetinghouse with other churches. The first building at the present location came in 1837, with a subsequent building in 1938. The congregation originated through immigration from Pennsylvania. Historically it has been associated with Preston (Hagey) Mennonite Church.

The first meetinghouse had two Mennonite and two Tunker (Brethren in Christ) trustees, and was also used as a school from 1829-48.

Pastoral Leaders who served the Wanner Mennonite congregation, have included: Joseph Bechtel (1804-1838); Martin Baer (1808-1845); John Bear (1838-1874); David Sherk (1838-1882); Jacob Gingerich (1878-1921); Absalom B. Snyder (1892-1936); S.M. Kanagy (1932-1941); J.W. Witmer (1942-1958); Merle Shantz (1949-1959); C.F. Derstine (Interim, 1960/61); Howard Schmitt (1961-1970); John Hess (Interim, 1971); Herb Schultz (1972-1981); Paul Martin (1981-1990); Eric Hiebert Rempel (1991-2000); Gerald Good (Interim, 2000/2001), Don Penner (2002-2012), Glyn Jones (Interim, 2012- )

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

Notes: See also the Worship Services listing in Sound Recordings for Wanner-related services.
For further information see the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online entry.
This fonds includes a restricted file.
Original description created February 2001 by Sam Steiner

File list:

There are five series: Formal records, Informal records, Books, Church bulletins and Newsletter

Series 1: Formal records

Church deeds, mortgages and legal papers
Richard Beasley to Henry Wanner, 4 June 1810 (copy)
Henry Wanner to Jesse Clemens, Abraham Clemens and John Bear, 15 Oct. 1837
Henry Wanner to Jesse Clemens, et al, 13 July 1861
Sarah Martin & John W. Martin to Henry Witmer et al, 4 Dec. 1880
Joseph B. Hagey, et al to Joseph Shantz et al, 22 Nov. 1893
Joseph S. Shantz and wife to Joseph S. Shantz, Anson Groh and Jesse Bechtel, 16 Sept. 1921
Joseph S. Shantz, Jesse Bechtel and Anson Groh and Ontario Board of Mennonite Finance, 28 June 1928
Ammon Junia Shantz to Ammon Junia Shantz, Irvin Schiedel and Elton Bechel and Clara Shantz, 27 Oct. 1954
Ammon Junia Shantz, et al. to Mennonite Mission Board, 10 Feb. 1955
Ammon Junia Shantz to Gordon Lichty, Wayne Gingrich, George Bechtel, 25 June 1970
plus drawings and misc. letters
Annual meeting reports
1958-1976 (also financial statements for 1977-1979), 1981-1990 (Finance meetings for early in the year, plus 1983, 1986-1990 business meeting reports), 1991-2019, 2020 (financial statements only), 2021
Congregational meeting minutes
1894-1977, 1979-2021
Includes presentation by Synergy group, 2019
Church Council/Leadership Team/Leadership Team Plus
Minutes, 1962-2022
Christian Education Board minutes
1963-1968, 1988-1990, 2004, 2006-2007, 2009, 2011-2013
Mission and Service Board
Notes: Minutes file includes a summary document of missions and service at Wanners, 1937-2012. Only a sampling of correspondence received from various Mennonite and non-Mennonite organizations was kept by the Archives.
1962-1971, 1984-2016 (minutes, incomplete)
1983-1990 (correspondence)
Financial statements
1942, 1948, 1955-1957
Organizational Structure
1971, 1977
Church Planning Committee
1958
Amigo Sewing Circle/W2W.com
1947-1976, 1993-2006
Treasurer's records, 1966-1971; 1972-1977
Executive meeting, 1962-1968
Sunday school records
Class roll - 1933
Primary classes, 1924-1931
Perfect attendance record book, 1943-1957
Sunday School class record books (sample only), 1970s-1980s
Elizabeth Kanagy Girls' Club
Minutes, 1957-1961
Torchbearer's Boys' Club
Minutes, 1961-1965
Programs, 1970-1972
Mennonite Youth Fellowship/Youth Ministries Committee
1916-1970, 1976 (Mennonite Youth Fellowship)
1989-1990, 1994, 2004 (Youth Ministries Committee)
Hagey-Wanner Young People's Meeting
Minutes, finances, 1929-1948
Programs, 1907-1945
Programs, 1945-1946
Summer Bible School
1943-1948
Schedule, 1962-1966
Church directory
1974, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997- 2017, 2020, 2022
Church building, 1938
Specifications, bills, time book
Financial record book, 1938-1939
Parsonage, 1953
Plans
Building and renovation committees
Christian education wing, 1968/69
Basement renovation, 1975
Committee on Land Use, 1988
Renovations, 1994-1995
Proposed renovation, 2014
Contract between Church and Pastor, 1984, 2005
A Covenant of Membership, 1976
Report of committee to investigate the purpose for which monies were willed to the Church by Henry Wanner, 25 Aug 1897
Constitution, 2013, 2020
Elders minutes and corresondence
1986-May 1997 (minutes)
1986-1990 (correspondence)
Board for Gifts Discernment, 1991-1994
Student Aid Fund, 1997, 2010, 2013
Trustees/Stewardship and Finance Committee/Support Ministry
Special events
Neighbours '84
Christmas community event, 1995-1998
Wanner family weekend, 1999
Refugee sponsorships (restricted), 1987-1989
Policies, etc.
Resource Manual, 1991, 2006, 2011
Worship Committee
1981-1981, 1988-1989, 1994-1998, 2002-2009, 2012, 2015, 2017 (minutes, incomplete)
1998 (worship survey)
Congregational information form, 2019

Series 2: Informal records

Newsclippings
Programs, 1906-2000
Pastoral needs survey, 1971
Sunday school anniversary/plaque, 1961-1963
Sesquicentennial celebrations, 1987
Minutes of planning committee
Reflections by Anson Groh, 1915
Newsclippings
Drama, "Wilderness to Wide World" by Eben Cressman
Ken Bechtel, Strangers within the gates (Cambridge, Ont. : Wanner Mennonite Church, 1987)
List of books in Wanner library, 1958
"A dream comes true" by Eben Cressman, 1983 (drama about the beginning of Vacation Bible School)
Correspondence, 1902-
Breslau Bible Society, 1885-1985 (Wanner was affiliated)
Congregational historian items
"Mennonite education in Ontario through Sunday Schools" by Eben Cressman, 1986
Edward & Glennys Snyder Scrapbook, 1975-1994 (clippings, etc.)
Printed copy of letter from Christian & Elizabeth Bauman to George Bechtel, 1846
Several short papers by Ivan Groh on "Early Clergymen in Waterloo County," "To the Memory of Catharine, Wife of Eli Clemens," and "John D. Groh"
Photographs (most unidentified)
Girls Club photo album, 1976-1977
150th anniversary album
Dramas written for various events
Summer Bible School materials,
Miscellaneous materials, 1943-1988
Summer Bible School scrapbook, 1970
Sunday school attendance books
Few copies from 1940s, 1950s, 1960s
175th anniversary presentation, 1837-2012. - PowerPoint Presentation. - print copy in file, PowerPoint copy and pdf/a copy located in electronic archive. - File also includes a copy of "Wanner Mennonite Church: 175 Years."
Miscellaneous writings
"The Lord's Supper: a Biblical and historical review of its special place in the context of a covenanting community of Christians....," n.d. (1984) by Ivan Unger.
"The Life of the Spirit in Corporate Decision Making," byJ. E. Gingrich, [19--]
"Edward and Glennys Snyder," by Edna Bowman, 27 Nov 1988
Wanner Mennonite Church slide collection list
Note: This collection is further described in the Mennonite Archival Information Database. Slides are physically located in Hist.Mss.10.46.
185th anniversary album compiled by Dennis Flaming, Dec 2022

Series 3: Books used by congregation

Great revival hymns no. 2 (Chicago : Rodeheaver Co., n.d.) "J.S. Shantz" inscribed on title page
L. J. Burkholder, A brief history of the Mennonites in Ontario (Ontario : Mennonite Conference of Ontario, 1935). Copy of 1st ed. with dust jacket
The peep of day (London : T. Nelson and Sons, 1902) "A.J.S. 1903" on flyleaf (A.J. Shantz)
Holy Bible (Oxford : University Press, 1876) "Presented to the Mennonite Church by John W. Martin, Dec. 29th, 1877" on flyleaf (rebound)