Published: August 09, 2008 12:21 am         

History comes alive at local church service

The 300th anniversary of the Church of the Brethren denomination was recently celebrated at the Goshen City Church of the Brethren, corner of Fifth and Clinton streets.

The Goshen City worship team worked to provide a period worship Aug. 3, the day designated by the general offices in Elgin, Ill., as the official recognition of the first baptism.

Records show that early on an August morning, in 1708, Alexander Mack and seven other people defied laws of the land and chose to be baptized as adults. Thus in days following, a denomination of Brethren (which has expanded into several different denominations in the ensuing years) was formed.

Last Sunday, members of the Goshen City Church were encouraged to wear black or white simple clothing to worship. Many women came in prayer coverings, similar to those worn by all women in earlier times. Several men were attired in simple dress that included shirts without neckties.

Church members were seated so that men were on the left side as they entered the sanctuary and women were on the right.

A cappella hymns were led by Colin Yoder, a stark contrast from most morning worship times where a variety of music is included. John Tomlonson served as worship leader and took on the role of Brother Thomas Major, pastor and husband of Sarah Righter Major. Sister Sarah Major was portrayed by Pastor Yvonne Riege. Dressed in period clothing, Riege and Tomlonson acted in roles similar to the formality of the mid-1880s. Sarah Righter Major is credited as being the first female preacher in the Church of the Brethren.

During this worship service, “Sister Sarah” was welcomed to the pulpit and invited to preach in similar vein to years past with these words, “Sister Sarah, with the approval already given by the elders of our congregation, would you come forward and take your place in the pulpit?”

The congregation took communion - only after a similar statement recognized that the deacons’ visits for disciplinary reason were common. It also recognized that the presence of individuals in worship that Sunday indicated that they were in proper fellowship.

“Brother Thomas” said, “In the mid 1800s the deacons would have visited in all your homes to ask if you were in fellowship with your brothers and sisters in the church and with your neighbors. If not you would have been given opportunity to mend the fences. Since you are gathered here this morning, we assume that you have cleared the air and are in good fellowship with your brothers and sisters. We invite you to receive the communion as served by our deacons.

The deacons serving communion were also dressed in clothing reminiscent of the mid-1800s. Together, this congregation paused to recognize the past and at the same time recalled the importance of what brings us together. In the words of Kenneth M. Shaffer Jr., director of the Brethren Historical Library and Archives, “Today we Brethren are still called to center our lives on Jesus and our neighbors...”

This Aug. 3 worship allowed members of the congregation to pause and remember its Brethren beginnings as they look to ways of ministry into the future.