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A celebration of reconciliation
The bells rang out across the city that full of Anabaptists. An estimated 3 500 or more people filled the streets of old Zurich on Ascension Day 29 May 2025 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism. “Today, as Mennonites in Switzerland we are a small community,” said Gladys Geiser and Lukas Amstutz, co-presidents, Konferenz der Mennoniten der Schweiz, opening the worship service. The host city is the location of the first known adult baptisms of…
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The Courage to Love
She was a young, enslaved girl. We don’t know her name, but we do know that she was a prisoner of war. We can only imagine the vulnerability, loss and trauma she must have endured as a displaced person – an enslaved refugee in a foreign land. The story is told in 2 Kings 5. Naaman, a…
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The Courage to Love
Some of us have a tendency of thinking that we should define right doctrine and from there go to practice. Scripture first; experience next. But in many ways – in our history and in our current reality – experience pushes us to think theologically to make sense of what is happening.
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A celebration of ecumenism, joy, confession and hope
We invite everyone to worship with us! The worship service marking the culmination of Mennonite World Conference’s 500th anniversary event in Zurich, Switzerland, will be livestreamed. The event takes place Thursday, 29 May 2025, at 15:00 UTC. (Please note an earlier version gave the incorrect time. 15:00 UTC is when the service begins; tune in…
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Activities for thinkers and movers
There will be something for everyone at The Courage to Love, a one-day event to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism, 29 May 2025. Activities for the registration-free event in Zurich will include a panel discussion and a “story trail.” A world on fire “Most early Anabaptists advocated for nonviolent witness in a context of…
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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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Courage to love those who are different
“The love for Jesus Christ inspires us and motivates us to overcome all kinds of fear,” said Sushant Nand. The International Exchange Program coordinator and project officer with Mennonite Central Committee, India, spoke on Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday 2025 at Mennonite Church Korba, a unit church of Bhartiya General Conference Mennonite Church, India. “The early…
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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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“The Courage to Love” activity
Anabaptist World Fellowship Sunday 2025 Luke 6:32 says if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Human beings have the tendency to love those who love them. It is easy to love those who love us or who are good to us. But Jesus teaches us to love those who…
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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…
