The Church of the Brethren traces its roots back over 300 years. In August 1708 five men and three women gathered at the Eder River in Schwarzenau, Germany for baptism, an illegal act since they had already been baptized as infants. They understood this baptism as an outward symbol of their new faith and as a commitment to living that faith in community. This new group simply called themselves “brethren.”
Though the early Brethren shared many beliefs with other Protestants, a number of issues separated them from the state churches. Relying on the New Testament as their guide, these men and women believed that Jesus had intended for his followers a different kind of life—one based on peaceful action, plain and compassionate living, and a shared search for truth. They also shared their faith enthusiastically with others, sending evangelists to other parts of Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
Due to growing persecution and economic hardship, Brethren began emigrating to North America in 1719. Most Brethren had left Europe by 1740. The first congregation in America was organized at Germantown, Pa., in 1723. Soon after its formation, the Germantown congregation sent missionaries to rural areas around Philadelphia. These missionaries preached, baptized, and started new congregations.
In the 21st century, the Church of the Brethren has about 100,000 members in about 1,000 congregations in the United States and Puerto Rico; as many as a million people attending services in Nigeria; and hundreds more in India, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
Lanark Church of the Brethren 