50th Anniversary Open House to be held at General Offices.

On May 13, a 50th Anniversary Open House will be held at the Church of the Brethren General Offices in Elgin, Ill. "What do these stones mean to you?" (Joshua 4:6) is the theme.

The Open House will begin at 1:15 p.m. on May 13 with building tours. At 2 p.m. "Worship in Word and Song" will be held in the unique stone-walled chapel, led by Wil Nolen and the choir of Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren. The speaker will be Annual Conference secretary Fred Swartz. At 2:30 p.m. a program of "Stories of Living Stones" will be led by Howard Royer, manager of the denomination’s Global Food Crisis Fund and a church staff member in Elgin for more than 50 years. A reception will follow, and another opportunity for tours of the building.

On April 8, 1959, the building was opened on Dundee Avenue after the church moved its offices from a previous location on State Street in downtown Elgin. This year also marks the 110th anniversary of the church’s move to the city.

Currently the building houses Church of the Brethren denominational staff, the Brethren Benefit Trust, the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Living Gospel Church of God in Christ. Around the building are expanses of lawn, and behind it lie a section of community garden plots.

Source: 5/07/2009 Newsline Extra