II-5
Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference, 1854-
Records, 1845-1995
85 Boxes; 81 linear feet
| Photographs and Audiovisuals, 1954-1972 | See Hist. Mss. 4-136 |
| Tapes, 1971-74 | See Hist. Mss. 6-50 |
Table of Contents
Series and Box Listing
Scope and Content
Historical Sketch
Administrative Information
Inventory Listing [Found under each Series]
Name and Subject Tracings
Appendices
Series and Box Listing
| II-5-1 | Annual Conferences, 1864-2000 | 6 Boxes (1 Long Green, 2 Large, 1 Green, 1 Gray) |
| II-5-2 | Executive Committee, 1947-89 (Includes documents from 1845, 1920, 1920-46) |
3 Boxes (Large) |
| II-5-3 | Mission Board, 1911-70 | 12 Boxes (3 Large, 9 Long Green) |
| II-5-4 | Mission Commission, 1970-89, 1995 | 1 Box (Large) |
| II-5-5 | Sunday School Conferences, 1892-1942 and Christian Workers Conferences, 1917-71 and Christian Education Cabinet, 1964-70 Records, 1892-1971 |
5 Boxes (2 Large, 2 Green, 1 Oversize) |
| II-5-6 | Nurture Commission, 1970-89 | 3 Boxes (Large) |
| II-5-7 | Gospel Evangel, 1919-95 | 5 Boxes (1 Large, 3 Green, 1 Gray) |
| II-5-8 | Bethany Christian Schools, 1954-86 Records, 1946-1986 |
6 Boxes (1 Green, 5 Large) |
| II-5-9 | Finance Commission, 1970-87 Records, 1969-87 |
6 Boxes (Large) |
| II-5-10 | Mennonite Aid Association of IN and MI, 1911-88 Records, 1947-1988 |
1 Box (Large) (shared with II-5-12) |
| II-5-11 | Amigo Centre, Sturgis, Michigan, 1957-2003 Records, 1950-2003 |
15 Boxes (14 Large, 1 Oversize) |
| II-5-12 | Ministerial Leadership, 1913-71 | 1 Box (Large) (shared with II-5-10) |
| II-5-13 | Church Life Commission, 1967-93 | 4 Boxes (2 Large, 2 Gray) |
| II-5-14 | House of Simon | 1 Box (Large) (Quantity: 1”) (Shared with II-15, II-17 and II-18) |
| II-5-15 | Justice, Peace and Service Commission, 1965-89 Records, 1965-89 |
1 Box (Large) (3” of materials) (Shared with II-14, II-17, II-18) |
| II-5-16 | Women's Missionary & Service Commission, 1920-88 | 5 Boxes (2 Large, 3 Gray) |
| II-5-17 | Region IV, 1971-85 | 1 Box (Large)(2” of materials) (Shared with II-14, II-15, & II-18) |
| II-5-18 | Congregations, 1926-82 | 1 Box (Large) (6” of materials) (Shared box with II 14,15,&17) |
| II-5-19 | Personnel, A-Z (Restricted) | 1 Box (Large) |
| II-5-20 | Official Office Records, 1980-93 | 11 Boxes |
Scope and Content
The Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference Collection consists of 66 boxes of archival textual records, or 60 linear feet. Specifically the records include, annual reports, constitutions, programs, minutes, data, and correspondence of various committees.
The records are arranged to reflect the organizational structure of the Conference as well as the functions carried out. Records created by the annual conferences (both of the Mennonite and the Amish-Mennonite and then the combined after the 1917 merger) form the first group. This includes minutes, moderators correspondence, some conference sponsored publications, and ad hoc committees – most notably the Committee on Divorce and Remarriage (1952-56) and on a potential separate Michigan Conference (1950-58).
In 1970 the Conference was reorganized into five commissions: Church Life, Finance, Mission, Nurture, and Peace & Service. Each commission file contains minutes, reports, correspondence, and data pertaining to its role in the Conference. These commissions are all responsible to the Executive secretary. The Executive Committee records include minutes, the executive secretary’s correspondence, and the central data files for the Conference.
Prior to 1970, the Conference’s Mission board was primarily responsible for much of the work, along with the Executive Committee. this file contains all pre-1970 financial and missions materials. In the reorganization, the Mission Board’s functions were largely assigned to the Finance and Missions Commissions. Some pre-11970 data may be found in these files as well, as some work carried over into these commissions.
The Sunday School Conference, 1892-1942, and the Christian Workers Conference and Christian Education Cabinet, 1943-69, were the forerunners to the present Nurture Commission. These files contain the Sunday School, Summer Bible School, and Mennonite Youth Fellowship records. The Nurture Commission also has a significant amount of material relating to the Teacher-Disciple program, 1977-83.
The Ministerial Committee worked with ministers in many aspects which included examination for the ministry, ordination, and oversight. The Church Life Commission took many of these functions in the 1970 reorganization. The Conference Minister and Area Council records are in this file.
The Peace and Social Concerns Committee for which there are few materials, became the Peace & Service Commission in 1970, and in 1983 the Justice, Peace and Service Commission.
There are also various groups within the Conference which don’t have commission status, but are attached to Conference. These include: the Conference publication, The Gospel Evangel, Bethany Christian High School, Mennonite Aid Association of Indiana and Michigan, WMSC, and the House of Simon (forerunner to the Victim-Offender Rehabilitation Program). Region IV and congregational materials relating to Conference both have separate files as does the Personnel, which are restricted.
- J. Kevin Miller (9 May 1989)
- Slightly revised and updated,
Dennis Stoesz (8 September 1997)
Historical Sketch
| 1840’s | Mennonites settled in Harrison Township |
| 1853-54 | IN-MI Conference organized |
| 1854 | First log meetinghouse built at Clinton Brick |
| 1862 | John F. Funk at age 27 visited annual session of Indiana Conference – estimated membership 400-500 |
| 1869-71 | Jacob Wisler withdrew and began Wisler Mennonite Church |
| 1873 | Daniel Brenneman expelled and began United Missionary Church |
| 1867-80 | Sunday Schools began |
| 1888 | Indiana Amish Mennonite Conference was formed. |
| 1889 | Total Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan , 1800 |
| 1892 | A.B. Kolb conducted a singing school at Prairie Street |
| 1894 | Elkhart Institute was established by H.A. Mumaw, a Mennonite physician of Elkhart |
| 1900 | First Sewing Circle was organized at Prairie Street |
| 1901 | J.W. Yoder held singing school at Howard Miami |
| 1911 | IN-MI Mennonite Mission Board formed Also Mennonite Aid Association |
| 1916 | Indiana-Michigan Amish Mennonite Conference and Indiana-Michigan Conference merged. |
| 1916 | 3600 members in IN-MI Mennonite Conference |
| 1916 | Mennonite Historical Society began |
| 1929 | Belmont Mennonite Church began as an outpost of Prairie Street |
| 1946 | Michigan Mennonite Bible School began |
| 1949 | Mennonite Youth Village began Also Mennonite Youth Fellowship was organized for youth |
| 1954 | Bethany Christian High School began Also Hope Rescue Mission began |
| 1955 | Mennonite Disaster Service began |
| 1960 | Total Members in IN-MI Conference, 9400 |
Beginning Historical Timeline, written by Mary Swartley, June 10, 2004
Administrative Information
Records were deposited into the archives from 1952-1997.
This archival collection was begun in 1952 when J. C. Wenger transferred the original minute books of the Conference, dating from 1864-1947, into the Archives. Other larger deposits of material occurred when Galen Johns deposited 20 boxes into the Archives in 1967, and when Lloyd Miller deposited 16 boxes in 1988. During the 1990s, it has been Sherm Kauffman, Lois Kauffman, Donna DeVito and Charlotte Long who have transferred the more recent central files of the Conference, 1980-92, into the Archives.
Through the years many other persons also have added significant materials to this collection. These persons are (in alphabetical order): Robert Baker, Ezra Beachy, Oleta Bollman, Ruby Bontrager, Ada Brubacher, Rachel Fisher, Susan Gingerich, Levi Hartzler, William Hooley, Oren Horst, Marian Hostetler, Marlin Jeschke, Calvin Kauffman, Russell Krabill, Robert Kurtz, Mrs. Marion A. Lehman, Ruth Liechty, Fern Massanari, Harold Mast, Mose A. Mast, Robert Mast, Paul M. Miller, Perry Miller, Dorsa Mishler, D. C. Myers, Jacob Slabaugh, John R. Smucker, Hubert Swartzendruber, and Ora Yoder.
Collection was processed and Inventory prepared by J. Kevin Miller, May 9, 1989. Official records series (II-5-20) updated by Dennis Stoesz, September 8, 1997. Inventory typed into computer, December 13, 2005, by Marilyn Voran. Inventory posted on web, March 28, 2006, by Israel Ditzler.
Name and Subject Tracings
(II-1 through II-19; as of May 9, 1989)
| Beachy, Ezra | II-5-7 Box 1 passim |
| Bethany Christian High School | II-5-8 |
| Camp Amigo | II-5-10 |
| Divorce & Remarriage | II-5-1 Box 4 |
| Dress | II-5-2 Box 1 folder 55 |
| Flag Salute | II-5-2 Box 1 folder 57 |
| Forks Mennonite Church | II-5-18 Box 1 folder 12 |
| Froh Brothers Home | II-5-3 Box 2 folder 26 |
| Gospel Evangel | II-5-7 |
| Hope Rescue Mission | II-5-2 Box 1 folder 60 |
| House of Simon | II-5-14 |
| Johns, Galen | II-5-2 and II-5-3 passim |
| Johns, Ira | II-5-22 Box 1/60; Box 2/9-14 |
| Koch, Roy | II-5-13 Box 1 folders 16-32 |
| Maple Grove Mennonite Church | II-5-18 folder 20 |
| Mennonite Aid Association of IN-MI | II-5-10 |
| Mennonite Girls Center, Goshen, IN | II-5-3 Box 2 folders 35-43 |
| Oaklawn Psychiatric Center | II-5-3 Box 2 folder 49 |
| Region IV | II-55-17 |
| Steiner, John S | II-5-8 passim: II-5-13 Box 2/1-3 |
| Wenger, John C | II-5-1 Box 3/30-38 II-5-2 Box 2/1-4, 15-27 |
| World War I | II-5-2 Box 1 folder 73 |
| Yellow Creek Mennonite Church | II-5-18 folder 32 |
Appendices
Indiana-Michigan Historical Display, used for Gathering '2000. See following pages
March 28, 2005 / Posted on web, Israel Ditzler
December 13, 2005 / Typed into computer, Marilyn Voran
File: "II-05-00 Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference Title.doc"
Mennonite Church USA Archives-Goshen, 1700 S. Main St., Goshen, Indiana 46526
