PLACE AND TIME, THEN AND NOW, HONORED BY SWISS MENNONITES
150-YEAR CELEBRATION OF SETTLEMENT
Place and time, then and now,
honored by Swiss Mennonites
Salem, Salem-Zion Mennonite churches come together to honor
Anabaptist roots, migration journey of 1874 in weekend observance
JEREMY WALTNER
– EDITOR & PUBLISHER
There was assuredly great risk and no doubt some fear when several hundred Anabaptists made the decision to leave their villages in Russia and make the journey across the sea to the unbroken — and unknown — plains of Dakota Territory.
This community of German-speaking families, which in 1527 had adopted a confession of faith at odds with state churches and government control, had first been persecuted and chased from Switzerland and then, after finding refuge in Eastern Europe beginning in the 1770s, faced a similar threat in Russia.
They had to wonder: would another brand-new land in the westward expansion of the United States be any different?
The answer has been almost eight generations in the making.
Turns out the immigrants moving from Russia to Dakota Territory in the 1870s — both Anabaptists and other faith communities — found a permanent home here thanks largely to the Homestead Act of 1862 and freedom of religion guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution.
For the Anabaptists, that movement began in 1874, and last weekend, those who come from Swiss Volhynian Mennonite ancestry marked the occasion with a 150th anniversary celebration marking the settlement of the East Freeman community.
Held primarily at the Salem-Zion Mennonite Church — the location of the original Salem church built in 1880 — the observance was planned and hosted by those from Salem-Zion and her sister congregation, Salem Mennonite, known respectively as the North and South church. It featured an opening program Saturday night, Sept. 7 and a Sunday morning worship service; both were heavy on the Anabaptist heritage and what sets Mennonites apart from the larger Christian church, as well as the larger context of a biblical narrative.
“Throughout the Bible, God’s people have been on a journey — pilgrims seeking a homeland, searching for truth,” said Cory Miller, who grew up in the South Church and has served as pastor at the North Church since 2018. “There are many stories of traveling, wandering, and encounters with others. Through it all, whether reflecting on the Israelites’ journey to the promised land, the disciples’ journey with Jesus, or the Swiss-Volhynian Mennonites’ migration to a new land, these stories are more about God’s character than human behaviors. They highlight God’s relentless love for humanity, his gracious power, and his unwavering support through all seasons.
“Our forebears, by faith, left their homeland and persevered through difficult conditions to establish a new community,” he continued, citing a passage from Matthew about a mustard seed read earlier. “Like the small mustard seed that grows into a large tree, our faith family has grown and multiplied beyond what our forebears could have imagined.”
The weekend observance also included an ethnic meal following Sunday morning’s worship service, an afternoon tour of the historic markers erected in commemoration of the Swiss centennial of 1974, and a Sunday evening “A Celebration of Choral Music” concert presented by a 60-plus voice choir assembled just for the occasion.
“It’s surreal to be here in this season with these two congregations — such a blessing,” Miller told The Courier at the conclusion of Sunday night’s concert. “All weekend long, I was praying and listening and hoping that people would find ways to connect with each other and our story, and especially with God in their faith journey. As I saw that happening here and there, I was just elated; it just lifted my spirit.”
