Danforth Mennonite Church

Classification scheme:

III-38

Title: Danforth Mennonite Church fonds

Dates of creation: 1899-2021

Physical description: 90 cm of textual records

Administrative history: The congregation, located at 2174 Danforth Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, has been affiliated with the Mennonite Conference of Ontario (1907-1988), Mennonite Church (1907-1999), Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (1988-) and Mennonite Church Canada (1999-). Danforth was the only Mennonite Conference of Eastern Canada congregation to decline membership in the Conference of Mennonites in Canada in 1995. The language of worship is English.

The congregation began services in 1910, and formally organized in 1958. The first building was occupied in 1910, with a subsequent building program in 1995. John I. Byler and M. Elizabeth Brown are considered the founding leaders of the group. The congregation originated through outreach by the Mennonite Conference of Ontario as part of its first urban mission. Danforth merged with Morningside Mennonite Church in 1973. For a time it was known as Danforth Morningside Mennonite Church.

Custodial history: The Danforth congregation has made periodic donations to the Mennonite Archives of Ontario. The Louida Bauman scrapbook was donated to the Mennonite Archives of Ontario by Muriel Purdon in December 2004.

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

Notes: For further information see: Bill Bryson, "The history of the Toronto Mission - now the Danforth Mennonite Church from 1907 to 2009 " (2010)
For photographs related to this congregation search the Mennonite Archival Image Database.
For sound recordings related to this congregation, see Hist.Mss.9.25.
Further materials related to this congregation may be found by searching the Archives.
An encyclopedia entry for this congregation may be found in GAMEO.
Archival description created 2002 by Sam Steiner.

File list:

Series 1: Formal records

Annual Reports & Congregational Meeting minutes
1962-1969 (reports are activities in previous year)
1970-1992 (Oct. congregational meeting only),1993-2023
Church Council minutes
1961-1972 (January)
1975-1999 (Incomplete)
2000-2014, 2016-2022
Other Administrative minutes
2010-2011
Financial reports
Cash journal, 1929-1931
Cheque distribution record, 1932-1938
Church & Sunday School Offering Register, 1931-1938
Offering notebook (Harold Groh), 1931-1937
Value of "In Kind" Donations of Food & Clothing, 1934-1946
Bankbook (Harold Groh), 1935-1945
Monthly Donation lists, 1938-1945
Monthly Reports to Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, 1938-1945
Tables Outlining Giving by Congregation, 1939-1944, 1951
Cash journal, 1961
Cash journal, 1962
Financial report, 1946, 1953, 1955, 1957-1960, 1962
Church & Sunday School Offering Register, 1951-1954
Church & Sunday School Offering Register, 1955-1957
Church & Sunday School Offering Register, 1958-1960
Women's groups
Cheerful Endeavor Sewing Circle
Minutes, 1945-1958
Minutes, 1959-1971
Financial records, 1946-1956
WMSA executive, 1969/70
Young People's Meeting records
Minutes & Financial Records, 1950-1954
Treasurer's records, 1951-1955
Sunday School records
Attendance, 1920-1939/40
Minutes, 1931-1946; attendance, 1930-1947
Home Department records, 1946-1947
Attendance, 1945-1948
Attendance, 1948-1951
Attendance, 1953-1958
Attendance, 1959-1961
Class books, 1944/45-1955/56, 1957/58
Annual reports to Conference, 1922-1959 (Incomplete)
Sunday School officers, 1970/71
Cradle Roll cards, 1940-1942
Sunday School prize lists, 1921-1969
Church directories
n.d., 1968/69, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984, 1986-1987, 1991-1999
2000-2002, 2004-2014, 2017-2022
Boys/Girls Club records
Wayfarers/Busy Bee Club attendance books, 1958-1968
Misc. Wayfarers records, 1960s
Kidsnite/Kidklub, Aug-Dec 2000
Summer Bible School
Attendance records, 1934-1965 (incomplete)
Advertising and Programs, 1940s-1960s
O'Connor Community Association
Materials related to Amzie Brubacher's work with community association, 1970s
Worship committee
Minutes, 2010-2022
Outreach Committee
Minutes, 1984-1994 (scattered), 1995-2005 (incomplete)
Personnel Policies (related to Outreach), 1999-2003
Reports, 1984-1991
Seniors Drop-In Program, 1995-2004
Mennonite Voluntary Service (MVS) Unit records
Minutes, 2002-2010
Blank application documents
Blank volunteer evaluation forms
Correspondence
Job Descriptions & Potential agencies for placement
Volunteers
Residential lease, 2003
Grant applications, 2003
Publicity
Membership certificates
Toronto Mission, 1930-1946
Building renovations, 1984-1989
Decision making
Congregational covenant, [1984?]
Memo on consensus process, [1987?]
Committee on Decision Making, 1991
Deeds Etc.

Series 2: Informal records

Pastor's record book, 1929-1931 (Lewis Weber)
Church Council correspondence, 1961-63, 1993-1994 (includes transition from Emerson McDowell to Osiah Horst, an issue of divorce and remarriage, and declining congregational membership in the Conference of Mennonites in Canada)
Christmas cheer lists, 1964-1978
Junior High Socials, n.d.
Programs, 1913-
News Clippings, 1947-
Historical manuscripts, most associated with 50th anniversary of congregation in 1961, including reflections by S. Honderich, Paul Burkholder, Henry Chapman, and list of persons invited to anniversary
First Report of Mennonite Mission, 1907
"History of Danforth WMSA," n.d.
"The origins and development of the Toronto Mennonite Mission: women were key players, but won few medals" by Ferne Burkhardt, ca. 1992.
"Brief history of mission work & Danforth Mennonite Church," 2004?
"Fact sheet about Toronto Mennonite Churches," [ca. 1970]
Louida Bauman Scrapbook given by members at Danforth when she left the Toronto Mission in June 1947.
Manuscripts associated with 100th anniversary of congregation in 2011
"The Mennonite Gospel Mission / Danforth Morningside Mennonite Church" by Bill Bryson
Various reflections by Muriel Purdon
Publicity brochures, including material on 1994 building project
Vistation notes kept by Danforth outreach workers, 1988-2003 (restricted)
Note: Unrestricted correspondence re the aquisition of these files by the Archives is located with the files