Larry Ruffin and Matthew Herrmann share their reflections from Day 6 of the Youth Venture Anabaptism at 500: Looking Back to See the Future trip. The historical trip begins in Zürich, Switzerland and culminates at the Anabaptism at 500 Global Youth Summit in Württemberg, Germany.
Today, thousands of people gathered in Zürich, Switzerland to participate in Anabaptism@500. As attendants explored the city, they visited exhibits and heard thought-provoking seminars on a variety of topics. In hearing many languages and stories throughout the day, we were reminded by how diverse and, yet, connected the Anabaptist community has become.
Global music
A clear standout of the day for us was the music. We had the privilege of listening to the TIARA Choir, Indonesia; the Eastern Mennonite University Choir, United States; and the Eastleigh Fellowship Centre Choir, Kenya. Also performing was the Agape Band, Paraguay, and Songs of Peace, Switzerland. All groups helped lead music throughout the worship service, creating moments that were unifying and very moving.
Reconciliation
However, with every event throughout the day, we felt anticipation building for the service in the Grossmünster. We expected worship to be led primarily by Anabaptists and with rituals normally associated with that tradition. But lo and behold, the very denominations responsible for the persecution of Anabaptists 500 years ago had come to join this celebration. They brought with them their own liturgical additions, and most notably, their intent to look back with us in order to seek reconciliation.
The theme of reconciliation was explicated beautifully in the sermon given by General Secretary of Mennonite World Conference Caesar Garcia. He preached powerfully about what it truly means to have courage for God’s sake. It does not involve the courage to take up arms against our dissenters, as Zwingli once said, but involves the courage to fight for Love and a justice that seeks restoration, forgiveness, and healing. Perhaps even more profound was witnessing how Setri Nyomi, interim general secretary for World Communion of Reformed Churches, and Garcia washed each other’s feet as a sermonic response and tangible representation of their commitment to reconcile.
The profundity of this day cannot be understated. It inspires us not just to look to the past to merely see the future, but to believe that what we see will be full of God’s loving peace. Indeed, with the wars going on in Myanmar, between Ukraine and Russia, in Israel-Palestine, the Congo, and too many others, it’s not surprising that many only see a future that is hopelessly grim. But today was different. Today, we found the courage to love. To love how the story of Anabaptists inspires us to joyfully seek peace for the future.
