This issue of Courier is a taste of the 500th anniversary
Inspired by Zwingli’s famous invocation to “do something courageous!”, MWC gave the theme “The Courage to Love” to our 500th anniversary year. We marked it with a registration-free event in the streets of Zurich, Switzerland, on Ascension Day, 29 May 2025.
It’s also the 100th anniversary of MWC since it was the celebration of 400 years of Anabaptist that provided the pretext for the gathering of the first Anabaptist leaders (page 25).
After a full day of choir performances (page 15), workshops (page 21), a panel discussion (page 22), video screenings and art exhibits (page 8), minutes of pealing bells called the tired crowds to the worship service (see page 3).
While the movement that started 500 years ago resulted in schism within the universal church, what characterized the anniversary event was gathering. The day in Zurich was not only attended by more than 3 500 Anabaptists from around the world; it also featured fellowship and worship with representatives of 13 global communions and 3 multilateral ecumenical organizations.
Most notably, the Reformed Church of Zurich (perceived as an enemy to the early Anabaptist martyrs) was a generous collaborator. Use of the Grossmünster – whose poor sightlines and limited seating meant too many eager attendees were turned away once capacity was reached – was a gift from the Reformed Church. Leaders of that global communion also participated meaningfully in the reconciliation service that closed the event (see page 10).
The “disruption” (see page 6) in the service jolted the audience to attention after a long day of traversing the downtown in the hot sun or cramming into packed seminar rooms. But it was also a reminder of how the first Anabaptists made room for God’s Spirit to surprise and discomfort, leading them to develop fresh perspective on what it means to be the church in the world. It was also a model of how listening, confession and openness to alternative forms of action can shape renewal movements into willing participants in God’s mission together with each other and other members of the global communion. And these invitations extend to us today.
Contributors to the written liturgies for the worship service in Zurich which you will read here included Jürg Bräker, Rainer Burkart, César García, Anne-Cathy Graber, Jakob Fehr, J. Nelson Kraybill, Larry Miller, Thomas R. Yoder Neufeld, John D. Roth, John Rempel.
The event followed the triennial meeting of the General Council and was followed by the Global Youth Summit (GYS) which occurred on a triennial basis for the first time. This ensured representatives from some 60 countries were presented in Zurich alongside the thousands who tuned in online to watch the livestream in real time or to view the service in the days, weeks and months that followed.
We invite you take a journey with us to that day in Zurich. Through looking back, may we also look ahead. May the courage to love shape our movement for another 500 years of following Jesus together.
Karla Braun is editor of Courier and writer for Mennonite World Conference. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada.