Elim Mennonite Church (Grunthal, Manitoba, Canada)
Mennonites from the Soviet Union settled in the Grunthal, Manitoba area in the 1920s, many on land previously farmed by Old Colony Mennonites who had recently migrated to Mexico. Initially they worshiped together in the Chortitzer Mennonite Church. In 1927 the Mennonite Brethren formed their own congregation and were then followed by the General Conference group organizing the Elim congregation on 27 February 1927. There were 35 charter families. Johann J. Enns became the first leader of the congregation in 1927. Since the members were scattered in the area and travel was difficult, several meeting places were organized. The meeting places were in Barkfield, Rosengard, and Chortitz. The leaders for these groups were respectively Jacob Penner, Heinrich Olfert, and Heinrich Janzen in Grunthal. These groups met in private homes and the Grunthal and Rosengard Schools. In 1933 a building was purchased and renovated for the Grunthal group.
In 1931 the church was served by three ministers. The church had 181 congregational members, a total of 407 members and adherents, and 78 families.
By the mid-1940s transportation had improved to the extent that they could all worship in a central meeting house. In 1949 a new, larger meeting house was completed. In 1961 this meeting house was destroyed by fire and that same year, 1961, another meeting house was completed.
The language of worship is English; German services ended in October 2003.
Bibliography
Canadian Mennonite (10 March 1961): 10.
Elim Gemeinde, Grunthal, Manitoba, 1927-1972. Grunthal: Elim Gemeinde, 1972, 140 pp.
Friesen, Gerald. "Elim Mennonite Church of Grunthal, 1979-1985." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1986, Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Grunthal History 1874-1974. 1974, 241 pp.
Konferenz-Bericht der 26. Konferenz der Mennoniten im mittleren Canada, abgehalten in Rosthern, Sask., den 2., 3. end 4. Juli 1928.
Wiens, David. "The History of the Elim Mennonite Church." Research paper, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 1980, 20 pp. Mennonite Heritage Centre.
Archival Records
Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, MB: Elim Mennonite Church (Grunthal, Man.) fonds.
Additional Information
Address: Box 269, Grunthal, MB, R0A 0R0
Telephone: 204-434-6905
Denominational Affiliations:
Conference of Mennonites in Canada / Mennonite Church Canada
General Conference Mennonite Church (1929-1999)
Elim Mennonite Church Ministers
| Minister | Years |
|---|---|
| Johann J. Enns, Elder | 1927-1943, 1943-1965 |
| Abram A. Peters | 1927-1934 |
| Heinrich H. Janzen | 1928-1930 |
| Heinrich J. Olfert | 1928-1930 |
| Jacob K. Penner | 1928-1935 |
| David J. Fast | 1934-1953 |
| Abram H. Froese | 1934-1970 |
| Wilhelm J. Peters | 1934-1943 |
| Wilhelm Heinrichs | 1937-1946 |
| Heinrich A. Warkentin | 1944-1953 |
| Nick A. Janz | 1961-1982 |
| Cornelius M. Froese | 1959-1982 |
| Frank J. Klassen | 1970-2006 |
| Henry D. Warkentin | 1979-2006 |
| Diedrich Gerbrandt | 1985-1990 |
| Herb Franz | 1992-2000 |
| Robert Warkentin | 2001-2003 |
| Bryan Ens | 2003-2005 |
| Jarrod Chamberlin | 2005-2013 |
| Harold Peters-Fransen | 2013-present |
Elim Mennonite Church Membership
| Year | Members |
|---|---|
| 1927 | 35 |
| 1931 | 181 |
| 1946 | 199 |
| 1950 | 227 |
| 1965 | 277 |
| 1975 | 226 |
| 1985 | 211 |
| 1995 | 195 |
| 2000 | 184 |
| Author(s) | Jacob J. Enns |
|---|---|
| Marlene Epp | |
| Richard D. Thiessen | |
| Date Published | May 2012 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Enns, Jacob J., Marlene Epp and Richard D. Thiessen. "Elim Mennonite Church (Grunthal, Manitoba, Canada)." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. May 2012. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Elim_Mennonite_Church_(Grunthal,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=132000.
APA style
Enns, Jacob J., Marlene Epp and Richard D. Thiessen. (May 2012). Elim Mennonite Church (Grunthal, Manitoba, Canada). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Elim_Mennonite_Church_(Grunthal,_Manitoba,_Canada)&oldid=132000.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 185. All rights reserved.
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