What’s New at Pacific Northwest Mennonite Historical Society?

notification of events and updates of interest to PNMHS members and friends


2022 PNMHS President’s Report

Read about the many activities of the historical society during 2022.

Read Report

Remembering Margaret Shetler
The historical Society lost a dear friend and dedicated volunteer with the passing of Margaret Shetler on Monday, June 13. Margaret was part of the formation of the Oregon Mennonite Historical and Genealogical Society in 1988. For over twenty-five years, Margaret committed both time and energy to organize the archives, first at its location at Western Mennonite School, and later at its current location. Margaret also served for many years as the Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference historian, encouraging congregations to appoint a church historian to preserve and gather their church records. She was recently honored when the archives storage file room was named in her honor.

Margaret’s Memorial Service will be 11am Friday, June 24 at Zion Mennonite Church 6124 S Whiskey Hill Rd, Hubbard, OR 97032.

Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference
Historical Center Open House
Saturday, June 18 from Noon to 3:30 p.m.
 
This will be your opportunity to come and explore our extensive library of Anabaptist-related books and numerous family histories and genealogies. You will also be able to visit our Maragaret Shetler Archives climate-controlled storage room containing congregational, institutional, and personal collections related to the Amish/Mennonite presence in the Pacific Northwest.

Yesterday’s Wisdom for Today: Anabaptist Conversation Series

 

Build peace through listening and discussion on October 12, 26 and November 9. During engaging Zoom events, experts from North American Anabaptist Heritage organizations will show historic documents relevant to current issues. Also, hear perspectives from people close tothe issues. Following presentations, attendees can join facilitated discussions in breakout rooms. Topics include: Virtual Relationships Past & Present, Racial Harm & Harmony Among Mennonites, and Remaining Community-Minded in an Individualistic Culture. Co-sponsored by TourMagination and Anabaptist History Today, a collaboration among 16 North American Anabaptist heritage organizations.

MORE DETAILS https://tourmagination.com/events/

Register for Presentations:

1. Virtual Relationships Past & Present. Tuesday, October 12, 8 PM ET.  REGISTER ON ZOOM
 
2. Racial Harm and Harmony Among Mennonites, Tuesday, October 26, 8 PM ET.  REGISTER ON ZOOM
 
3. Remaining Community-Minded in an Individualistic Culture, Tuesday, November 9, 8 pm ET. REGISTER ON ZOOM

Board Updates

Archives Welcomes New Board Members
The PNMHS board has welcomed two new board members to support the work of the archives.
– Carol Shank is from Hubbard, Oregon and is a member of Hopewell Mennonite Church. Carol became interested in history listening to her Grandpa Shank telling stories of growing up Mennonite in Virginia. She currently works in an accounting position and served for many years as an Administrative Assistant for Christian Light Publications.
– Jay Beaman from Portland, Oregon and a member of Portland Mennonite Church is a retired professor of sociology and an avid researcher. He has researched and written about the history of pacifism, especially in World War ! and has an extensive database of draft records of conscientious objectors.
 
Archives Board Reorganizes
At its March meeting the board reorganized for the coming year. After many years, Pat Hershberger stepped down as board chair  She will continue serving on the board. Lin Rush will assume the chair position with Rod Fretz serving as Vice chair. Jerry Barkman continues as Treasurer and Gloria Nussbaum as Secretary.
 
 
 

New Additions to our Library Collection

We are thankful to the kind and generous donations of Mennonite Authors and PNMHS members and friends for the addition of more than 240 new titles to our library collection of which these in this list are 2015 publications.

Our Library is open Wednesdays 9am to 3pm


Your Story Matters~October 18, 2015 @ 2:30

Everyone has a story that matters and is worth sharing. The Pacific Northwest Mennonite Historical Society invites you to join us for an inter-generational, interactive workshop, “Your Story Matters,” as we share stories and discover ways to record/preserve them. And, if possible we’d love to have you come with a member of your family from a generation other than your own . . . a granddaughter, a son, a grandmother . . . you get the idea! In addition to learning things about your family member, this will also be an opportunity to learn more about the incredible resource that is the Kropf Heritage Center. We’ll meet at the Center from 2:30—4:30pm on Sunday, October 18, 2015. Please RSVP to pnwmennonite@canby.com by October 10, 2015. Refreshments will be served.

Hope to see you there! Kropf Heritage Center 6030 S Whiskey Hill Road Hubbard, OR   503-266-6447 view flyer

OMFWR-logoSpring Event ~ 2:30, Sunday, April 19, 2015OMFWR-quilt

Lebanon Mennonite Church, 2100 South 2nd Street, Lebanon, Oregon

Join us for a celebration of 30 years of Faithfulness in Raising Funds for MCC through Oregon Mennonite Festival for World Relief.

click here for a promotional flyer for this event check back for updated information


First PNMHS Annual Meeting – January 31, 2015

Recordings and Photos of this event

Announcement  |  By-Laws  |  Program  

This annual meeting will be held at noon on January 31 at Zion Mennonite Church (6124 S. Whiskey Hill Road, Hubbard, Oregon). The featured speaker at our meeting will be Marisabel Gouverneur, a native of Venezuela and a member of Albany Mennonite Church.

Events of Previous Years


November 20, 2014 – Added new Page to our Website – Research Projects


July 26, 2014 – 50th Anniversary of Iglesia Menonita Pentecostes


July 19, 2014 – 100th Anniversary of Filer Mennonite Church


Sunday, July 13, 2014

Eugene Mennonite Church will celebrate its 50th Anniversary, Sunday, July 13. Worship will be at 10:00 a.m. with Gayle Sheller preaching. Following the service, an 11:30 lunch will be provided. (Please RSVP to friesenll@aol.com if you plan to have lunch.) Then from 1-3:00 p.m. there will be time for stories and sharing. Please join the celebration and bring your photos and memories to share!


Shirley Showalter Event – Sunday, July 6, 2014 at 7 pm

[Photo Album, Video Recording and Audio Recording of this event on our Semiannual Meetings and Special Events page.] Shirley Showalter will be sharing from her new memoir, Blush: A Mennonite Girl Meets the Glittering World, on July 6 at the Ivan and Pearl Kropf Heritage Center in Hubbard, Ore. The event starts at 7 p.m. with a reception following Showalter’s reading. In Blush, Showalter, the former president of Goshen College, narrates her experiences growing up in Lancaster County. Her well-received memoir was recognized as one of the best spiritual books of 2013 by the Spirituality and Practice website. Showalter, who now lives in Harrisonburg, Va., has chosen the Ivan and Pearl Kropf Heritage Center as one stop on her west coast book tour. Hoping many of you can participate in one of the five stops on Shirley Showalter’s Pacific NW tour which have now been confirmed. Please share the information with your friends. They are: • July 6, Worship service and talk-back, “I Love to Tell the Story,” Portland Mennonite Church, Portland, OR. • July 6, 7 p.m. Book talk and signing, Pacific Northwest Mennonite Historical Society, near Zion Mennonite Church • July 9, 7 p.m., book talk and signing, Third Place Books, Seattle • July 11, 7 p.m., Book talk on “Writing as Spiritual Practice” with April Yamasaki and Danny Unrau, House of James Book Store and Café, Abbottsford, BC, Canada. • July 13, book talk and conversation, Vancouver, BC, Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship


June 28-9, 2014 – Prince of Peace Mennonite Church – 25th Anniversary

Program  |  View Photo Album here  |  Church Website The folks in Anchorage will celebrate the congregation’s 25th Anniversary June 28-29. A service project is planned Saturday morning followed by an evening of reminiscing. A potluck will follow the morning worship service on Sunday. If you have photos or stories to share, contact pastor John David Thacker pastor@popmc.org or call 907-346-2909


Sunday, March 30, 2014 – 2:00 – 4:00 – PNMHS Spring Event at  Albany Mennonite Church

Drift Creek Camp: Thanks for the Memories:  program | photos

Events of Previous Years


November 20, 2014 – Added new Page to our Website – Research Projects


July 26, 2014 – 50th Anniversary of Iglesia Menonita Pentecostes


July 19, 2014 – 100th Anniversary of Filer Mennonite Church


Sunday, July 13, 2014

Eugene Mennonite Church will celebrate its 50th Anniversary, Sunday, July 13. Worship will be at 10:00 a.m. with Gayle Sheller preaching. Following the service, an 11:30 lunch will be provided. (Please RSVP to friesenll@aol.com if you plan to have lunch.) Then from 1-3:00 p.m. there will be time for stories and sharing. Please join the celebration and bring your photos and memories to share!


Shirley Showalter Event – Sunday, July 6, 2014 at 7 pm

[Photo Album, Video Recording and Audio Recording of this event on our Semiannual Meetings and Special Events page.] Shirley Showalter will be sharing from her new memoir, Blush: A Mennonite Girl Meets the Glittering World, on July 6 at the Ivan and Pearl Kropf Heritage Center in Hubbard, Ore. The event starts at 7 p.m. with a reception following Showalter’s reading. In Blush, Showalter, the former president of Goshen College, narrates her experiences growing up in Lancaster County. Her well-received memoir was recognized as one of the best spiritual books of 2013 by the Spirituality and Practice website. Showalter, who now lives in Harrisonburg, Va., has chosen the Ivan and Pearl Kropf Heritage Center as one stop on her west coast book tour. Hoping many of you can participate in one of the five stops on Shirley Showalter’s Pacific NW tour which have now been confirmed. Please share the information with your friends. They are: • July 6, Worship service and talk-back, “I Love to Tell the Story,” Portland Mennonite Church, Portland, OR. • July 6, 7 p.m. Book talk and signing, Pacific Northwest Mennonite Historical Society, near Zion Mennonite Church • July 9, 7 p.m., book talk and signing, Third Place Books, Seattle • July 11, 7 p.m., Book talk on “Writing as Spiritual Practice” with April Yamasaki and Danny Unrau, House of James Book Store and Café, Abbottsford, BC, Canada. • July 13, book talk and conversation, Vancouver, BC, Point Grey Inter-Mennonite Fellowship


June 28-9, 2014 – Prince of Peace Mennonite Church – 25th Anniversary

Program  |  View Photo Album here  |  Church Website The folks in Anchorage will celebrate the congregation’s 25th Anniversary June 28-29. A service project is planned Saturday morning followed by an evening of reminiscing. A potluck will follow the morning worship service on Sunday. If you have photos or stories to share, contact pastor John David Thacker pastor@popmc.org or call 907-346-2909


Sunday, March 30, 2014 – 2:00 – 4:00 – PNMHS Spring Event at  Albany Mennonite Church

Drift Creek Camp: Thanks for the Memories:  program | photos

Previous Events


VanessaCheck out Vanessa Kauffman’s Graduate Research Thesis on our new Research Projects page.

BlushA Very Special Event… Shirley Showalter will be sharing from her new memoir, Blush: A Mennonite Girl Meets the Glittering World, on July 6 at the Ivan and Pearl Kropf Heritage Center in Hubbard, Ore. The event starts at 7 p.m. with a reception following Showalter’s reading.

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