300th anniversary of the Brethren: Bits and pieces.

• Commemorative calendars for the 300th anniversary of the Brethren movement, dated Sept. 2007 through Dec. 2008 and featuring 36 large and inset contemporary photos of historical sites or items along with much historical information, are now available from the Church of the Brethren’s 300th Anniversary Committee. Several congregations plan to give a calendar to each church family as a unique teaching and learning resource, the committee reports. The 40-page calendar may be ordered through the Annual Conference Office or purchased during Annual Conference in Cleveland, go to the Anniversary Committee’s exhibit booth. Order forms for use prior to Annual Conference can be found at www.churchofthebrethrenanniversary.org. Individual calendars sell for $5 plus, $3 shipping; or may be ordered in bulk of 50 for $200, or 25 for $100, shipping included in the price of bulk orders. Go to www.churchofthebrethrenanniversary.org.
  
  
• Church of the Brethren member Al Huston is taking a 1776 Sauer Bible to any church that would like to see it, as part of the anniversary celebration. "He is offering this as a way to help us appreciate the importance of the Bible in our faith, and as a pilgrimage of prayer for the church as a whole," said Jeff Bach, chair of the 300th Anniversary Committee. Bach added that Huston and his son have developed a video that tells about the Sauer press, the connection of the press to the Brethren, and the Bibles that the press printed. For more information about the "Bible Visit" project or to schedule a visit to a congregation, go to www.biblevisit.com.
  
  
• Ed-Ventures Inc. is offering three different itineraries to Europe in the summer of 2008 that each include the 300th anniversary celebration in Schwarzenau, Germany, in early August. Each group will be accompanied by a Church of the Brethren pastor. Choose from Zurich-Amsterdam, Berlin-Zurich, or Munich-Amsterdam. Call 800-658-7128 or visit www.ed-ventures.com.
  
  
• A Faith Heritage Tour on July 26-Aug. 9, 2008, including anniversary celebrations Aug. 2-3 in Schwarzenau, Germany, is offered by Mark and Mary Jo Flory-Steury. The tour includes visits to sites related to Martin Luther, the birthplace of Pietism, and Anabaptist sites in Germany and Switzerland. Contact Mark and Mary Jo Flory Steury, 4017 Wagner Rd., Kettering, OH 45440; mflorysteu@aol.com.
  
  
• Manchester College professor Ken Rogers will offer free walking tours of religious sites in Marburg an der Lahn (near Schwarzenau) to Brethren groups in the summer of 2007 and again in the summer of 2008. Each tour will last about three hours and visit sites such as the Elizabeth Church, the Old University, the medieval town, the city church, and the castle. The tours will be educational, with Rogers drawing upon years of study and teaching of church history and theology. Those taking the tours will need to pay nominal admission fees at some sites, and will be asked to consider a voluntary contribution to the "Project for German-American Understanding" sponsored by the theology department of Marburg University. Write to HKRogers@Manchester.edu.

Source: 2/28/2007 Newsline