Mennonite Bicentennial Commission

Title: Mennonite Bicentennial Commission fonds

Dates of creation: 1982-1992

Physical description: 40 cm of textual material

Administrative history: The Mennonite Bicentennial Commission was established as a separately incorporated body in 1983 by the Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario for the purpose of planning a variety of special events, publications, etc. for the 1986 bicentennial of Mennonites in Canada. The Commission ceased in 1993 after establishing an endowment fund for the upkeep of the Bicentennial Memorial at Vineland, Ontario.Frank H. Epp was the organizational inspiration for the Commission, and served as its President until his death in January 1986.

The major projects of the Bicentennial Commission included:

1. MennoVan Canada
   Reg Good and Kathy Shantz travelled across Canada from 1984-1986 in a mobile home telling the Mennonite story in Mennonite churches and other contexts. This included a multi-media presentation on Mennonites ("People Seeking Peace" by Frank H. Epp and Donald R. Gordon)
2. Two books
   A biography of Jacob Y. Shantz by Sam Steiner, and Mennonites in Ontario: a Mennonite Bicentennial Portrait edited by Maurice Martin.
3. Bicentennial Memorial at Vineland, Ontario designed by Barbara Fauth and dedicated July 1, 1986
4. Concert of the "War Requiem" by Benjamin Britten performed at the Centre in the Square, Kitchener, on July 5 & 6, 1986 and directed by Bill Janzen
5. Music and Art Festival at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, May, 1986
6. Academic Conference on Mennonite Identity held at Conrad Grebel College in 1986, with the papers released in a monograph titled Mennonite Identity.
7. Harbourfront Festival on August 1-3 in Toronto.
8. Commissioned musical work by Leonard Enns to be premiered on Bicentennial Sunday
9. Created tour maps

Custodial History: The fonds was deposited at the Mennonite Archives of Ontario by the Mennonite Bicentennial Commission in the 1990s.

Scope and content: The fonds consists of minutes and correspondence of the Commission, as well as programs, etc.

Notes: Original description created by Sam Steiner 17 August 2006

File list:

1. Bicentennial Memorial Endowment Fund Agreement, December 31, 1991
   1a. Legal Documents
   Incorporation, Letters Patent, etc.
2. Executive Committee minutes
   1982-1986
3. Bicentennial Commission minutes
   1983-1991
4. Bicentennial Sunday committee
   1982-1986
5. Vineland Memorial documents 
   1984-1986
6. Commission Correspondence
   1982-1985
   Denominations & Conferences, 1982-1985
7. Music committee
   1982-1986
8. Hymnsing Committee
   1985-1986
9. Portrait of Ontario Mennonites
10. Jacob Y. Shantz Biography
11. Publications related to Bicentennial
    Bicentennial Bulletin, no's 1-4
    Mennonite Tour Map
    Mennonite Bicentennial Visual Arts Exhibit
    Bicentennial Notes, no's 1-7
    Guide to the Mennonite Bicentennial (insert in Mennonite Reporter, March 1986
    "Modern Reasons" (Bicentennial Drama by Paul Born) Programme only
    Mennonite Festival of the Arts programme (Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, May, 1986)
    Bicentennial Sunday programmes, July 6, 1986
    War Requiem programme, flyer and poster
    Bulletin cover used for Harbourfront service, August 1986 
    Posters
    Mennonite bicentennial Celebrations, Vineland (1 July 1986) pamphlet 
    Mennonite Bicentennial Events Calendar
    Mennonite Bicentennial Songbook
12. MennoVan
    1. Organizational materials
       1983-1985
    2. Summaries prepared by Kathy Shantz
       1984-1986
    3. Individual summaries of meetings and bulletins
       1985-1986
    4. Media contacts
       1985-1986
    5. Book presentations
       1985-1986
    6. Correspondence
       1984-1985
    7. People Seeking Peace A-V Presentation
       1983-1985
    8. Scrapbooks
       Note: Complied by Reg and Kathy Good. Received from Reg Good in 2023. One book of news clippings and one book of photographs with captions by the Goods.
13. Guideline Documents
14. Finances/Grant Applications
    Government of Canada
    Wintario
15. Concepts of Mennonites in School Curricula / by John W. Friesen, 1984
16. Academic Committee
    1982-1985
17. Mass Media
    1982-1985
18. Tours Committee
19. Harbourfront
20. Realia
    Bicentennial pins