Who We Are

The Global Mennonite Encyclopedia Online began in 1996 as a project of the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada (under the name Canadian Mennonite Encyclopedia Online). It was intended to be a dynamic source of information about the Anabaptist-Mennonite groups in Canada. It emerged from a congregational database created by Marlene Epp for the three-volume Mennonites in Canada history series. Later the Society obtained permission from Herald Press in Scottdale, PA to copy and modify entries of the four-volume Mennonite Encyclopedia published in the 1950s, and a supplemental fifth volume published in 1990. In 2005 two partners -- the Mennonite Brethren Historical Commission and the Mennonite Church USA Historical Committee -- joined the project, and expanded it to become a English-language Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO). Mennonite Central Committee joined the partnership in early 2006 and Mennonite World Conference in January 2007.

The project in time will include the full text of the print Mennonite Encyclopedia, and will add new content both from North America and around the world. Additional partners will be added as possible, and content in non-English languages is possible at a future time. Because of this expansion it was necessary to move to a new website, devoted entirely to GAMEO.

Articles in GAMEO are assigned and editorially reviewed before upload; GAMEO is not a "Wiki"-style project. Encyclopedia subjects include, but are not limited to, history, statistics, biography, education, the arts and family history. The Encyclopedia Search provides for a word or phrase search on the Encyclopedia's content, or browsing an alphabetical index.

If you have corrections or suggestions for an encyclopedia article, please contact the Managing Editor. Be specific in your comments and give the exact name/address of the article (this can be copied from the bottom of each article).

Our Mission

The Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online provides reliable, freely-available English-language information on Anabaptist-related congregations, denominations, conferences, institutions and significant individuals, as well as historical and theological topics. Secular subject articles from an Anabaptist perspective and full-text source documents are also included.

Donations

If you would like to make a donation to the ongoing development and expansion of GAMEO we'd be glad for your help! Donations from within Canada should sent to the Treasurer of the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada and designated for the Encyclopedia. Donations from within the United States can be directed to the Mennonite Church USA Historical Committee, 1700 South Main Street, Goshen, IN 46526-4794 and designated for the Encyclopedia project. Donations from other countries should be directed to the Canadian office.

Corrections and Suggestions

If you have specific corrections to articles or suggestions that should be added to the encyclopedia send them to the GAMEO's email address at admin@gameo.org. As a volunteer organization we are unable to respond to questions on Mennonite history or genealogical questions of any kind. For questions of that type, please contact a local genealogical society, or check with a Mennonite historical library or archives.

Volunteers

GAMEO has appreciated the volunteers who have assisted in bringing the print Mennonite Encyclopedia to the web. It would not have been possible without the assistance of Richard Thiessen, David Giesbrecht, Victor Wiebe, J. J. Neufeld, Larry Kehler, Ammar Naseer, Adolf Ens, Abe Dueck, Susan Huebert, Ernie Braun, Alf Redekopp, Bert Friesen, Kevin Enns-Rempel, Peggy Goertzen, John D. Thiesen, Andrew Klager, Sam Steiner, and anonymous Columbia Bible College students.

Management and Editorial Committees

Alternatively you can contact any member of GAMEO's Canadian or U.S. editorial committee members listed below.

GAMEO Management Board (November, 2008) : L-R: Richard Thiessen (Associate Managing Editor), Don Isaac (Mennonite Brethren Historical Commission), Pakisa Tshimika (Mennonite World Conference, Ken Sensenig (Mennonite Central Committee), Sam Steiner (Managing Editor), Rich Preheim (Mennonite Church USA Historical Committee), Bert Friesen (Mennonite Historical Society of Canada, Chair of Management Board).

The Management Board for the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online is: Bert Friesen (Chair) (Winnipeg, MB), Ken Reddig (Winnipeg, MB), Dale Schrag (North Newton, KS), Kenneth L. Sensenig (Lancaster, PA), Pakisa Tshimika (Fresno, CA), Sam Steiner (Managing Editor, Waterloo, ON) and Richard D. Thiessen (Associate Managing Editor, Abbotsford, BC).

The U.S. Editorial Committee is composed of Rich Preheim (Chair, Elkhart, IN), Kevin Enns-Rempel (Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies, Fresno, CA), Peggy Goertzen (Center for Mennonite Brethren Studies, Hillsboro, KS), Beth E. Graybill (Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society, Lancaster, PA), Rich Preheim (Elkhart, IN), David Rempel Smucker (Lancaster, PA) and John D. Thiesen (Mennonite Library and Archives, North Newton, KS).

Canadian Editorial Committee: Front, L-R: Linda Huebert Hecht, Lucille Marr, Bert Friesen (chair), Sam Steiner; Back: Victor Wiebe, Richard Thiessen, Alf Redekopp, Peter Penner, Ted D. Regehr, Richard Lougheed, Ken Reddig. Absent: David Giesbrecht

The Canadian Editorial Committee is composed of Bert Friesen (Chair) (Winnipeg, MB), David Giesbrecht (Abbotsford, BC), Linda Huebert Hecht (Waterloo, ON), Richard Lougheed (Montreal, QC),  Lucille Marr (Montreal, QC), Ken Reddig (Winnipeg, MB), Alf Redekopp (Mennonite Heritage Centre, Winnipeg, MB), Sam Steiner (Waterloo, ON), Richard D. Thiessen (Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford, BC) and Victor Wiebe (University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK).

GAMEO Partners

Our partner organizations relate both to national Mennonite denominations, and to regional and local Amish and Mennonite historical groups. Follow the links to the websites of each partner to learn more about their programs and lines of accountability.

	Mennonite Historical Society of Canada
	Mennonite Brethren Historical Commission
	Mennonite Church USA Historical Committee
	Mennonite Central Committee
	Mennonite World Conference

Last Revised 1 May 2009