History came alive at the Henderson Mennonite Heritage Park on Sunday evening when the “Living the Anabaptist” story was reenacted to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism. Here is Menno Simons, played by John Quiring, one of many leaders of the Anabaptist movement who shared their stories.
Around 80 visitors gathered at the Ag Building Sunday evening, April 27 for the 2nd Annual “Living the Anabaptist Story” reenactment program.
Suzanne Ratzlaff, president of Henderson Heritage & Tourism, opened the event, welcoming everyone and giving instructions for the reenactment. Pastor Andrea Wall from Bethesda Mennonite Church presented a brief overview of the history behind the Anabaptist movement and its importance during the Reformation period.
Each person was given a paper with the name and information of an actual Anabaptist. Their fate would be revealed after participants returned to the Ag building.
After the singing of a German hymn, a loud knocking was heard on the door, and in came Martin Luther, played convincingly by Leroy Goertzen. He proceeded to tell the crowd his story of how he came to be convinced through his reading of the New Testament that salvation can only be gained by Faith through the grace of God, not by indulgences practiced by the Catholic Church.
He went on to explain that he could not recant his writings and that he had been excommunicated from the church. He exhorted everyone to continue, like other leaders, to “fan the flames” so their ideas could spread.
Everyone was then divided into five smaller groups and led by volunteers around the park to the other live reenactments. They were warned to be on the lookout for officials who might arrest them!
At the Country Church, a reenactment of the debate between Conrad Grebel, portrayed by Kim Siebert (in favor of infant baptism), and Huldreich Zwingli, portrayed by Larry Roberts (against infant baptism), took place.
A reenactment of the first adult baptism was held at the General Store featuring George Blaurock (Arlin Hiebner) being baptized by Conrad Grebel (Berdon Epp) and Felix Manz (Norm Yoder). Afterward, they each shared their stories of how they each met their deaths by burning at the stake, drowning, and imprisonment at very young ages.
Pastor Luke Haidle played the jailor at the train depot dungeon. Upon entering, everyone was required to write their family names on pieces of paper. He then took a few from each person. Next, he began picking one paper at a time, reading the name and then deciding their fate. If it was drowning, he dipped the paper in a glass bowl filled with water until it sank to the bottom. If they were to be burned at the stake, he held the paper over a lit candle, burning it to ashes. The few names the guests still had represented their family members who were still alive. He warned them he would be coming for them soon.
Menno Simons, played by John Quiring, appeared in the barn loft. He shared his story of how he was raised in the Catholic Church and eventually became an excellent priest. After 14 years as a priest, he broke away, believing the church should be free of the state and the sword.
The last stop was a moving account by two women, Elisabeth Dirks (Cindy Friesen) and Hadewyck (Marcia Regier), who endured many trials and persecutions for their beliefs. Dirks shared how she was tortured with thumb screws and shin screws breaking her legs, but she still refused to betray anyone in the brethren. She was eventually drowned for her beliefs, but her friend Hadewyck managed to escape.
The event concluded back at the Ag building, where Heritage volunteer Aldena Siebert explained the Anabaptist papers. On the back of each paper was a series of dots that identified the fate of each particular martyr. As each number of dots was called out, the recipients raised their papers as Aldena told them of their specific fate: beheaded, burned at the stake, died in prison, drowned, executed, hanged and burned, drowned in the sea, with only one dying of natural causes.
After a short question-and-answer time, visitors were treated to coffee and cookies. This event was a great way to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism.
