Global celebrations honor MB sesquicentennial

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North American events slated for Vancouver

Celebration 2010 news release/Connie Faber

In 2010 Mennonite Brethren worldwide will be marking a century and a half since their beginnings January 6, 1860 when 18 men living in a small village in what is now Ukraine signed a document declaring their intention to secede from the Mennonite Church. National celebrations will take place in India, Panama, Brazil, Japan and Paraguay, as well as in Germany, which will host International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) meetings and celebrations.

North America will host Celebration 2010: The 150th Anniversary of the Mennonite Brethren July 12-18, 2010 in British Columbia, the world stage for the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. During this weeklong celebration, Mennonite Brethren will explore where they have been, where they are going and what they have learned along the way.

Opening this international event will be Renewing Identity & Mission: A Mennonite Brethren Consultation (RIM). The RIM consultation begins Monday evening and runs through Wednesday afternoon and will feature Mennonite Brethren from around the world. 

A Celebration Service Wednesday evening, July 14, marks the beginning of the four-day North American anniversary event. Thursday will be devoted to ministry updates from MB Biblical Seminary, MBMS International, Historical Commission and the International Community of Mennonite Brethren. A second Celebration Service is scheduled for Friday evening. Celebration services and binational and international business sessions will take place at Chandos Pattison Auditorium, located on the campus of Pacific Academy in Surrey. 

The 2010 U.S. Conference National Convention, the biennial gathering of Mennonite Brethren living in the United States, is incorporated into Celebration 2010, as is Gathering 2010, the Canadian Conference convention. Gracepoint Community Church will host the U.S. Conference National Convention and North Langley Community Church will host Gathering 2010. Delegates to the two national conventions will gather Thursday evening and Friday morning and afternoon at their respective locations. 

Saturday Celebration 2010 participants are invited to “Experience Vancouver,” an urban immersion experience. The North American anniversary party will close with a Saturday afternoon rally following Experience Vancouver. 

All Celebration 2010 participants will be staying at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel, a comfortable and economical hotel and located close to all Celebration 2010 venues.

Additional information about Celebration 2010, including registration materials, will be published in the Feb/March issue of the Christian Leader. Information is also available online.

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