FERNHEIM COLONY, PARAGUAY
Pastor Dave R. Schmidt of Fernheim Colony, Paraguay has just announced a worldwide ‘Eras Tour’ during which he plans to preach sermons and sing songs representing 500 years of Mennonite history and theology.
“We’re going to represent each and every schism with its own song,” said Schmidt. “Plus every migration story. It’s going to be epic. You should see the song I’ve got lined up capture our journey to the Chaco. It’s called ‘Look What You Made Me Do.’”
The Mennonite Eras tour will feature songs about everything from the origins of Anabaptism in 16th century Switzerland to the worldwide multicultural church that it is today.
“Plus you should see the merch we’ve got for sale,” said Schmidt. “We’re handing out colourful bracelets with verses from Sermon on the Mount and selling oversized sweatshirts that list all the Latin American colonies on the back.”
The Mennonite Eras tour will also feature songs about a wide range of theological issues that have divided Anabaptists over the years.
“We’ve got a Button vs. Hooks song, a Mode of Baptism song, and a Women in Ministry song,” said Schmidt. “Not to mention the Influence of Evangelicalism song and the What Does it Really Mean to Be a Pacifist song.”
Tickets are already on sale for European tour stops in Geneva, Amsterdam, and Gdansk.
“Some were hoping I’d add a date in Munster,” said Schmidt. “But, to be honest, that was an era I’d rather forget.”
Every concert will begin with the singing of Nun Danke Alle Got and, after a 3-hour whirlwind tour through Anabaptist history will end, appropriately, with a performance of Taylor Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down.”
