The final meeting of the Brethren Encyclopedia Board prior to the 300th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Brethren movement took place yesterday in the archaeology room of Ashland Theological Seminary in Ashland, Ohio.

Members of the board are comprised of representatives of six of the major Brethren groups descending from the baptism of Alexander Mack and his companions in the Eder River at Schwarzenau, Germany, in 1708.

The two-day celebration in Schwarzenau will be held Saturday, August 2 and Sunday, August 3, 2008, and has been being planned by the BE board for several years.

Approximately 15 American tour groups are expected to participate, including a group sponsored by Grace Brethren International Missions and led by Ted Rondeau. Also attending and participating will be members of the CHARIS International group, a gathering of leadership from the approximately 20 Grace Brethren Fellowships around the world.

Grace Brethren participants in the program include Dr. David Plaster of the Worthington, Ohio, church; David Guiles, executive director of Grace Brethren International Missions; Mboi Andre, president of the Grace Brethren churches of the Central African Republic; and Terry White, executive director of the Brethren Missionary Herald Company and treasurer of the Brethren Encyclopedia board.

Also playing significant roles will be former GBIM missionary to Germany and now Grace Theological Seminary professor Roger Peugh, who will provide the simultaneous translation Sunday morning for an address by Fredric Miller. Grace Brethren German church leader Rainer Ehmann will translate for Sunday morning speaker James Beckwith, as well.

The Schwarzenau celebration will begin with tours, meals, and a concert by the McPherson (Kansas) College Choir. The main anniversary celebration will be Sunday, August 3, with a 10 a.m. worship service followed by lunch and an anniversary program at 2 p.m. Speaker for the afternoon session will be Dr. Marcus Meier, author of Origins of the Schwarzenau Brethren.

The closing event of the day will be a 4:30 p.m. gathering at the Eder River where a short service will be led by Michael Miller of the Old German Baptist Brethren and Terry White of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches.

For more information log onto www.brethrenencyclopedia.org or contact Ted Rondeau at trondeau@gbim.org.