300th Anniversary bits: More anniversaries in 2008.

• Hammond Avenue Brethren Church in Waterloo, Iowa, is celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2008. On January 1, 1993, Waterloo City Church of the Brethren and First Brethren Church of Waterloo merged to form a new congregation. Both congregations share historical roots dating to the arrival of the first Brethren in Black Hawk County, Iowa, in 1856. The church continues its dual affiliation with the Church of the Brethren and the Brethren Church (headquartered in Ashland, Ohio), parent denominations of the two former congregations. Hammond Avenue Brethren Church and White Dale Brethren Church in Terra Alta, W.Va,, are the only two congregations dually affiliated with both Brethren groups who will jointly celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Brethren movement in Richmond, Va, this summer, reports pastor Ronald W. Waters.
  
  
• Arlington (Va.) Church of the Brethren is celebrating its 55th anniversary and the 300th Anniversary of the denomination. Arlington Church of the Brethren was founded in 1953 on the remnants of a dairy farm, but now serves a wide variety of cultures and geography, supporting people from Peru, Ecuador, and Mali, among other locations, with its facilities are used by both Cambodian and Hispanic congregations, reports the "Sun Gazette" Go to www.sungazette.net/articles/2008/06/07/arlington/news/nws58a.txt for the full article.
  
  
• Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren in Glen Arm, Md., is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The celebration will culminate with a homecoming weekend Oct. 25-26. Frank Ramirez of Everett (Pa.) Church of the Brethren will be the guest speaker.
  
  
• West Milton (Ohio) Church of the Brethren is holding its 100 Year Celebration on July 5-6. The variety of activities planned include children’s games, a petting zoo, an ice cream social, and Nashville-based singer/songwriter Shay Watson. Contact the church at 937-698-4395.
  
  
• The Brethren Home Community in New Oxford, Pa., also celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. It commemorated the occasion with a butterfly release and birthday cake on May 3.
  
  
• A photo gallery from the 140th anniversary celebration at Ankeny (Iowa) Church of the Brethren has been posted online by the "Des Moines Register." The event was held June 8, with a Celebration Service followed by a potluck lunch. Among those in attendance was Stan Noffsinger, general secretary of the Church of the Brethren General Board, whose father Ross served as minister of the Ankeny area country church. A photo of a group of past ministers pictures Vernon Merkey, Clifford Ruff, Ethmer Erisman, Mary Jane and Tim Button-Harrison, and Lois Grove. Go to
  http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=D2&Dato=20080609&Kategori=COMM&Lopenr=806090809&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=1&community=Ankeny to view.

Source: 6/18/2008 Newsline