Arnold Gingrich

Title: Arnold Gingrich fonds

Dates of creation: 1939-1970

Physical description: 2 m of textual records

Biographical sketch: Arnold Gingrich (18 Dec 1910-4 Oct 1970) was born to Enoch and Rebecca (Witmer) Gingrich. He married Gladys Shantz; they had two children. Gingrich was ordained in 1935 for the Bothwell Mennonite Church. In 1960 he moved to London to serve as president of the London Rescue Mission Board (1960-1964) and field secretary for the Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario (1961-1969). In 1968 and 1969 he was president of the London Council of Churches, later called the Inter-Church Council.

Gingrich conducted a weekly radio broadcast ("World of Missions") on Chatham radio station CFCO from 1946-1963. From 1969-1970 he was as executive secretary of Ausable Springs Ranch. He was on the London Folk Arts Council (1966-1969) and the board of the Canadian Bible Society (1960-1970).

Custodial history: The fonds was donated to the Mennonite Archives of Ontario by Gladys Gingrich in the 1970s

Scope and content: The fonds includes correspondence from his professional and volunteer connections, broadcast scripts, sermon notes and a family account book.

Notes: For photographs related to Arnold Gingrich search Mennonite Archival Image Database.
An encyclopedia entry for Arnold Gingrich may be found in GAMEO.
Arnold Gingrich's records as field man with the Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario are in the Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec collection.
Original description created by Sam Steiner.

File list:

The fonds is divided into four series:

1. World Missions broadcast scripts and records
2. Committee files from other volunteer work
3. Sermon notes
4. Personal records

Box 1

Series 1: World Missions broadcasts

1. Obituary, 1970
2. Typescripts of broadcasts, 1946-1960

Box 2

1. Typescripts of broadcasts, 1961-1963
2. World Missions broadcast letters, 1946-1963
3. Talks, materials on Jack Miner bird sanctuary
4. Mailing list, financial statements, final correspondence re: close of broadcast, 1952-1964
5. Correspondence with Leslie Harwood, 1957-58
6. Chane Indian Project, 1948-1951
7. Rhodesia Bible Training School project, 1949-1952
8. China Boat Mission project, 1946-1948

Box 3

Series 2: Files from Volunteer work

1. Mennonite Hour correspondence, 1969
2. Inter-Church Council on Radio and TV, 1969-1970
3. Messages, 1959-1970
4. Correspondence with John A. Hostetler, n.d.
5. Canadian Council of Churches, 1965
6. Indian/Eskimo Association information, 1966-1967
7. Mennonite Central Committee recruitment drive, 1967
8. Oshawa Men's Hostel minutes, etc., 1967-1969
9. Mennonite Conference of Ontario Personnel Committee correspondence, 1969
10. London Mennonite Student Fellowship materials, 1961-1967
11. "The story of Old Fairfield," by Arnold Gingrich, 1959
12. Creative Arts Festival, 1968-1970
13. Hanover happenings, 1964-1968
14. Fine Arts, 1965
15. Fine Arts, 1966
16. Fine Arts, 1967
17. Fine Arts, 1968
18. "Pawns in a game" script, n.d.
19. Blue Water Conference, 1948-1950
20. Missionary Conference material, 1958
21. Missionary Conference material, 1959
22. Slides for "Ecclesiastes" (Fine Arts program, 1968)
23. "An evangelical look at the ecumenical movement," n.d.
24. Notes on civil rights and the Selma, Alabama march, 1965
25. Spiritual life Committee, 1961-1962
26. Bulletins from Mennonite Church
27. Dramatic scripts
28. London Folk Arts Council
29. Mennonite Student Services
30. Mennonite Student Services

Box 4

1. Mennonite Council on Mass Communications, 1969-1970
2. Mennonite Council on Mass Communications, 1969-1970
3. Mass Communications
4. Mass Communications
5. "Breakthrough" television series
6. Bethel Mennonite Church materials
7. Field man expenses, 1965-1970
8. Inter-Mennonite correspondence
9. Inter-Mennonite correspondence
10. Inter-Mennonite correspondence
11. Notes and messages
12. Mennonite Mission and Service Board
13. "What's wrong in Montreal?"
14. Field man reports
15. Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario
16. Mennonite Mission outreach in Northern Ontario

Series 3: Sermon notes

17. Sermon notes, undated
18. Sermon notes, undated
19. Sermon notes, undated
20. Sermon notes, undated
21. Sermon notes, undated
22. Sermon notes, 1939-1949
23. Sermon notes, 1950-1957
24. Sermon notes, 1958-1960
25. Sermon notes, 1962-1969

Series 4: Personal material

26. Misc. church and personal correspondence

Box 5

1. Family account book, 1940-1960
2. Records relating to Bothwell Mission
3. Photocopy of Mennonite Mission Board of Ontario questionnaire
4. Notes of Frank H. Epp's interview with Arnold Gingrich for Canadian Mennonite