It was during the first week of August in 1708 when Alexander Mack “counted the cost” and defiantly baptized a small group of believers in Schwarzenau, Germany. That baptism began a movement that has resulted in hundreds of churches around the world.
Next year, those beginnings will be marked in Schwarzenau on August 2 and 3 and the Grace Brethren will be a part of the celebration. Representatives of various groups that trace their heritage to the 1708 baptism will be present for an event that includes worship service, speeches, and tours of historical sights.
The weekend is among the first stops on a two-week Heritage Tour that is hosted by Grace Brethren International Missions. The tour departs the U.S. on July 31 immediately following the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches conference and concludes in Paris, France on August 14.
Led by GBIM’s Dave Guiles and Ted Rondeau, the excursion also includes visits with Grace Brethren missionaries in Germany and France, a worship service at the Lyon (France) Grace Brethren Church (Europe’s largest Grace Brethren congregation), and a stay at the Chateau de St. Albain, a Grace Brethren retreat center in the Burgundy region of France.
Grace Brethren historian and pastor, Dr. David Plaster, will guide the group through both Brethren and Protestant historical locations and there will be opportunity to see the sights in Switzerland and Paris.
Cost is $2,500 plus airfare, per person for an all-inclusive land package. Promotional materials will be available in mid-October with registration beginning November 1. A limited number of spaces are available on a first-come, first served (by application received date) with a $500 non-refundable deposit.
For more information, contact Ted Rondeau at (574) 268-1888, extension 29.