A Guide to the Archives of the

General Conference Mennonite Church

1970-2002

compiled by John D. Thiesen

February 1995

Mennonite Library and Archives

Bethel College

North Newton, Kansas

VII.       General Conference 1970-2002

              A.          Commission on Overseas Mission (241.2 cu. ft.)

              B.          Commission on Education (214.95 cu. ft.)

              C.          Commission on Home Ministries (159.9 cu. ft.)

              D.          The Mennonite (23.55 cu. ft.)

              E.          Conference sessions (5 cu. ft.)

              F.           Treasurer and financial records (53.2 cu. ft.)

              G.          Poverty Fund (4.9 cu. ft.)

              H.          Ministerial Leadership Services (19.1 cu. ft.)

              I.            General secretary (staff position) (43.75 cu. ft.)

              J.           Conference secretary (elected officer) (no holdings)

              K.          News Service (7.2 cu. ft.)

              L.          Faith and Life Press (178.4 cu. ft.)

              M.         Youth (6.35 cu. ft.)

              N.          Women in Mission (17.3 cu. ft.)

              O.          Higher Education (15.15 cu. ft.)

              P.           Faith and Life Radio and Television (6.55 cu. ft.)

              Q.          Peace and Social Concerns (20.3 cu. ft.)

              R.          Voluntary Service (116.25 cu. ft.)

              S.           Mutual Aid Services, Inc. (1.75 cu. ft.)

              T.          Stewardship activities (13.95 cu. ft.)

              U.          Communications coordinator/director (29 cu. ft.)

              V.          Historical Committee (.7 cu. ft.)

              W.         Spiritual Emphasis Committee (.15 cu. ft.)

              X.          Division of Administration (Division of General Services) (22.7 cu. ft.)

              Y.          Church Extension Services, Inc. (.15 cu. ft.)

              Z.          Mennonite Men (1.05 cu. ft.)

              AA.       General Board (3.6 cu. ft.)

              BB.        Faith Communities Today research project (1 cu. ft.)

              CC.        Staff Council (.15 cu. ft.)

              DD.       Human Sexuality Study Committee (.6 cu. ft.)

              EE.        Statistical reports from congregations (4 cu. ft.)

              FF.         Mennonite Biblical Seminary (12.15 cu. ft.) (see also V.97)

              GG.       Conference of Mennonites in Canada (.15 cu. ft.)

              HH.       Personnel Office (1.75 cu. ft.)

              JJ.          Audio-visual items (1 cu. ft.)

              KK.       Transformation/Integration items (.15 cu. ft.)

              LL.        Program Committee (.15 cu. ft.)

              MM.      Mennonite Indian Leaders Council (2.75 cu. ft.)

              NN.       Development Office (3.45 cu. ft.)

              OO.       Vertical file (2 cu. ft.) (This a temporary holding spot for these. These are files pulled from the MLA vertical files. They need to be sorted out by date (many will go in the pre-1970 Gen. Conf. records) and by organization (many are items from triennial sessions, for example).)

(Total volume 1237.4 cu. ft., 19 % of it is COM.)

In 1968 the General Conference underwent a major reorganization, so the General Conference archives are split into 2 categories, MLA.I for the period 1859-1969 and MLA.VII for 1970-2002. Since some positions carried on through the transition, it has not been possible to make a perfect division by time periods. If documents you want come from the 1960s or 1970s, you will need to look in both categories to have complete coverage.

Dates and locations of General Conference sessions