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Anniversaries, fellowship and consensus
Around the world, Anabaptists are marking 500 years of our Jesus-following movement with worship services, historical lectures and regional gatherings. For Mennonite World Conference (MWC), the anniversary year coincides with the triennial meeting of the General Council. Additionally, 2025 is a double anniversary: it also marks 100 years of MWC drawing together Anabaptists into one…
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Commemorating 500 years of Anabaptism
Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday 2025 Part A: Origin of Anabaptism in 1525 Part B: Origin of Anabaptists/Mennonites in your own country Part C: WCRC and MWC Common Statement of Confession, Gratitude and Commitment Part D: A Responsive reading of gratefulness, based on Psalm 136 This content is provided to give context for Anabaptism@500 years –…
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History of MWC
The Anabaptist movement dates its formal beginnings to 21 January 1525, when a group of young people gathered in a home close to the Grossmnster cathedral in Zurich, Switzerland, to commit adult baptism, a subversive act at the time.
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Anabaptism@500 tours
*For the most up to date information, see the event subsite:* Self-guided tours Tours with Tourmagination Tours with Weldon TourMagination: Historian and former Hesston College professor John Sharp will lead the 15-day Celebrate 500: Classic Anabaptist Heritage Tour, May 19 – June 3, 2025 TourMagination: Dutch Mennonite Ayold Fanoy will lead the 15-day…
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Counting on love
In 2025, the global Anabaptist movement looks back over 500 years of existence. Mennonite World Conference invites all to a major event on Ascension Day,29 May 2025, in Zurich, Switzerland. Even as we look back on a long past, the focus of the commemoration is on the current reality of the Anabaptist movement. Who are…
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500th anniversary website revealed
“Anniversaries are a time to stop and reflect: we remember where we have come from, consider who we are today and anticipate where God is calling us to be,” says César García, MWC general secretary. “The courage to love” is the theme for Mennonite World Conference’s anniversary year in 2025. For more information on MWC’s…
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Courageous choirs sing of love in Zurich
Anabaptist Christians in a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood of 137 000 residents in Nairobi practice “The Courage to Love” on a daily basis. “Our modest Anabaptist congregation faces acceptance, evangelism and cultural fusion difficulties,” says George Ochieng, director of Eastleigh Fellowship Centre (EFC) Mennonite Church Choir. “Even so, we have been summoned to exhibit courage through…
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500: The courage to love
Commemorating 500 years of Anabaptism on Thursday, 29 May 2025 (Ascension Day) in Zurich, Switzerland.
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Music opens window to Anabaptist worship across cultures
Five vocal ensembles display God’s love in the diversity of culture through music in 10 concerts at 500 anniversary event in Zurich “Dalam Yesus…” For many Assembly participants, the multilingual, multicultural music of plenary worship sessions is one of the most memorable parts of this global family encounter. Rashard Allen wants to expand on that…
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Young adults will be Empowered by Love
Global gathering of young people for quincentenary Global Youth Summit (GYS): a time for worshipping together, reflecting on faith across cultures, learning about the local culture, and growing understanding through relevant workshops – and love. The local GYS planning committee meets for the first time in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany, 31 May to 1 June 2024 to…
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Mennonite World Conference commemorates birth of Anabaptism in 2025
On 29 May 2025, Mennonite World Conference (MWC) will welcome guests from around the world to The Courage to Love: Anabaptism@500. The day-long celebration commemorates the birth of the Anabaptist movement in Zurich, Switzerland. Following workshops, concerts, a panel discussion and self-guided historical walking tours, participants will gather for an ecumenical worship service at the…
