Mennonite
Historical
Society

of Alberta

Coaldale Mennonite Church fonds

Accession 2002.021, 2008.023 filed at 2002.021

Title and Physical Description

Coaldale Mennonite Church fonds. — 1968-1989. — 23 cm of textual records

Administrative History

The Coaldale Mennonite Church began its services in 1926 and formally organized in 1928. Initially services were conducted in the local United Church. A building program began in 1931 and services were held in the basement. The completed building was dedicated on January 10, 1937, with a subsequent building program in 1957. P.P. Dyck is considered the founding leader of the group. The congregation originated through immigration from the Soviet Union. The congregation was affiliated with the Conference of Mennonites in Alberta from 1928 to 2000, Conference of Mennonites in Canada from 1929 to 2000, and General Conference Mennonite Church from 1929 to 1999. In 2000 the congregation withdrew from the Conference of Mennonites in Alberta (and by default, from the soon-to-be-established Mennonite Church Canada) because of disagreement with the conference’s approach to calling congregations to accountability on theological and lifestyle issues. Until the 1960s, the language in use was German; thereafter, the languages of worship were English and German.

Custodial History

The records were transferred to the Mennonite Church Alberta, Peter P. Janzen,  and the Mennonite Heritage Centre

Scope & Content

The fonds consists of a constitution, annual reports, bulletins, and statistics

Source of Acquisition

Gift by Mennonite Church Alberta through Henry Goerzen, Conference of Mennonites in Alberta Archivist, Peter P. Janzen, and Mennonite Heritage Centre.

Associated Materials

Records associated with the Coaldale Mennonite Church fonds held by Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg.

Related Materials

For records related to the Coaldale Mennonite Church fonds, see Mennonite Church Alberta fonds

Notes

Accession 2002.021, 2008.023 filed at 2002.021
Sources of Additional Information

Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia On-line
Canadian Mennonite (30 May 1958): 1
Mennonite Reporter (7 March 1994): 13.
Jubilaeumsbuch der Mennoniten Gemeinde zu Coaldale, Alberta: Erinnerung an die Dank und Gedenkfeier des 25 jaerigen Bestehens dieser Gemeinde. ca. 1953.
Klassen, Bev. “Coaldaler Mennonitengemeinde: a Statistical Review.” Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1978, 27 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre
Dick, C.L. The Mennonite Conference of Alberta: A History of its Churches and Institutions. Edmonton: The Mennonite Conference of Alberta, 1981, 147 pp.
Funk-Unrau, Neil. “Coaldale Church to Leave Conference, Tofield to Withhold Funds.” Canadian Mennonite 4 (3 April 2000): 13.

Last updated 24 Jul 2008 – Judith Rempel
Revised February 2015 – Jim Bowman

File List

1-1 Constitution – 1968-1971
1-2 Annual Report – 1985
1-3 Annual Report – 1986
1-4 Annual Report – 1987
1-5 Annual Report – 1988
1-6 Annual Report – 1989
1-7 Bulletins – 1983
1-8 Bulletins – 1984
1-9 Bulletins – 1985
1-10 Bulletins – 1986
1-11 Bulletins – 1987
1-12 Bulletins – 1988
1-13 Bulletins – 1989
1-14 Bulletins – 1968-1970
1-15 Bulletins – 1971-1973
1-16 Bulletins – 1974-1976
1-17 Statistical reports : Mennonite churches of Lethbridge and Coaldale – 1965-1996