This summer marks the 175th anniversary of the founding of the first Mennonite church in the Bluffton and Pandora communities. 

Several events will commemorate the anniversary. The Swiss Community Historical Society of Bluffton and Pandora is the sponsor of the celebration.

The Icon will provide historical material, which retells the story of these early pioneers. This is the first installment.

A celebration will be held on Sunday, Aug. 30, at the site of the original church, which was located midway between today's Ebenezer and St. John churches on Putnam County Road 4. That church, no longer standing, was built in 1840.

Charles Niswander of Pandora is the committee chair of the anniversary celebration. 

The celebraion will include a worship service, lectures, displays, hymns and a traditional Swiss meal under a big tent from 3 to 8 pm.  Myron Augsburger will be featured speaker.

Music

Jim Oberhaus will lead participants in hymns throughout the ages.The first Mennonite hymnal that was published with harmony was not until 1875. The focus of his presentation will share the experience of singing hymns the way 19th century Swiss Mennonites would have sung hymns. 

Worship

Myron Augsburger, born in Elida, and an authority on Swiss Anabaptism, will provide an afternoon lecture describing Anabaptism.

Religious history

Gerald Mast will present a lecture “The Piety of the Swiss Mennonites,” exploring what the spirituality of the early Swiss settlers was like. On display will be a collection of  devotional books brought by the Swiss settlers, providing a window into the spiritual life of the people, and the community that worshiped here.

Local church history

Perry Bush will tell the story of how the Swiss congregation grew from the original congregation.

Youth activities

The afternoon program will have interpreters at stations where children can try activities from different eras of church history.  Color a fraktur, learn a Bible verse in Swiss, earn a Sunday school pin, and lots of other events.

Froschauer Bible

Carrie Philips will lecture on the Froschauer Bible, a translation of the Bible published in 1744 in a Swiss dialect, which was spoken by the early settlers to Bluffton. Musselman Library has the largest collection of these bibles in the world. Examples of this massive and ornate publication will be on display.