Over 200 people attended the Q125 Kick-off Faspa program this past Sunday afternoon at the Heartland theater. Dr. Lauren Friesen presented a very thorough and fully researched power point program entitled “Dutch Mennonites- Strangers in Strange Lands, From Holland to Poland, Russia and the Americas.â€
Dr. Friesen a 1961 Henderson graduate and professor of theater at the University of Michigan-Flint pointed out through pictures and careful documentation how the Dutch Mennonites made their way to Northern Poland in the 1530’s and eventually immigrated to Russia. Dr. Friesen’s presentation focused on showing how the Mennonites flourished in Russia with a great deal of information and photographs detailing their agricultural based lives in Russia. “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,†(Psalm 118:22) was the historic theme of the Mennonites that Dr. Friesen highlighted in his research.
It was a very enlightening program and it is archived on here for free viewing. An information table was set-up by the Q125 committee providing information about their plans for the 2012 celebration. Afterwards a traditional Faspa was served to those attending in the cafeteria hosted by Henderson Heritage & Tourism.
Shannon Siebert
