A Brethren World Assembly, consisting of constituents and friends of
the Brethren groups descended from the German Anabaptist/Radical Pietist
religious leader Alexander Mack in the early 1700s, will be held in the
Dayton, Ohio, area Thursday-Sunday, July 11-14, 2013.
The meetings will be hosted by the Brethren Heritage Center in
Brookville, Ohio, with evening worship services at Salem Church of the
Brethren and Brookville Grace Brethren Church.
Utilizing the theme “Brethren Spirituality: How Brethren Conceive of
and Practice the Spiritual Life,” the program will include daily plenary
addresses, workshops, and panel discussions on such topics as “Brethren
Hymnody,” “Separation from the World and Engagement with the World,”
“Brethren Devotional Literature and Poetry,” and more. Friday and
Saturday afternoon tours will be offered to historic Brethren sites in
the proximity of Brookville and southern Ohio.
A planning committee for the event has been meeting regularly and is
being led by Robert Alley, immediate past moderator of the Church of the
Brethren. Other groups participating in the event include the Brethren
Church, the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches, Conservative Grace
Brethren Churches International, Dunkard Brethren Church, Old German
Baptist Brethren Church, and Old German Baptist Brethren Church, New
Conference.
The Brethren movement had its origin in Schwarzenau, Germany, in late
summer of 1708 when reformer Alexander Mack and seven others
participated in believer’s baptism in the Eder River. According to
Alley, the purpose of the gathering is to provide an opportunity for all
who value the Brethren heritage to join together in conversation around
a common theme. He said, “We would seek to balance study and worship,
to enhance dialogue among our Brethren bodies, and to acquaint Brethren
with their historic roots. Hopefully, there will be international guests
from some of our Brethren bodies.”
Registration will open at 9 a.m. on Thursday, July 11, 2013, and the
assembly will conclude with Sunday worship services at congregations of
the various Brethren groups. Further details regarding lodging,
registration costs, and specific program details will be released as the
event draws closer. Updates will be available through www.brethrenencyclopedia.org and through the Brethren Heritage Center at www.brethrenheritagecenter.org.
Source:5/16/2012 Newsline
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