By Kevin Williams
Each year the Old German Baptist Brethren gather for five days of fellowship, worship, and family reunion. The event combines church business and doctrinal meetings with relaxed social time, drawing thousands under a single large tent erected on the first day. That main tent can accommodate over 3,000 people, and additional smaller tents serve food and concessions. A few shady shelters provide relief from the late-May heat and create comfortable spots for conversation and rest.
What stands out is the careful organization. From parking to child care, every detail is planned. Numbered parking rows help visitors remember where they left their cars, and volunteers guide traffic with glow sticks when needed. Practical services include a Brethren-staffed first aid tent, a nursery for young children, a lost-and-found, and a quiet room where anyone can rest or catch a nap. Even diaper disposal and other basic needs are thoughtfully arranged. The result is a smooth, welcoming gathering that balances spiritual focus with the practicalities of hosting thousands of attendees.
The rhythm of the meeting shifts throughout the day. Between services the benches lie empty and still, but when services begin the main tent fills with people—men traditionally on one side and women on the other—creating a powerful sense of community and shared purpose. Meals following church services are free and open to everyone, but with so many people attending, food remains a constant need. To help meet demand, concession tents operate for most of the day; proceeds typically support the local congregation that staffs the stand.
Volunteers play a central role in making the event run smoothly. Local church members rotate through roles such as meal preparation, directing traffic, staffing the first aid and nursery areas, and maintaining the grounds. This cooperative effort reinforces community bonds and ensures that visitors of all ages are cared for. There’s also an atmosphere of gentle hospitality: neighbors catching up, relatives reuniting, and new friendships forming under the canvas roofs.
The setting is simple but vibrant. After a rain shower, children delight in jumping in puddles while elders sit nearby and converse. Snack tents and shaded benches provide places to relax between sessions. Photographs capture moments of connection—a child making a new friend, rows of benches ready to receive the next service, volunteers at work in a concession area, or families strolling together toward the food tent. These images reflect both the scale and the intimacy of the gathering: thousands present, yet personal interactions remain central.
For attendees, the annual meeting is more than a schedule of talks and votes. It’s a time to renew faith, strengthen family ties, and enjoy simple pleasures together. The logistics, handled with care by the Brethren community, allow participants to focus on fellowship and worship without worrying about everyday details. The result is a well-ordered, warm event that brings people together year after year.
Aster makes a fast friend with a young Brethren girl, bonding over a mutual enjoyment of jumping in puddles after the rain!
A sea of empty benches between services, but during services this will be filled with 3000 people, men on one side, women on the other….
The main meals after church are free and open to all, but with 3000 people in attendance, food is a constant need, so a “concession stand” is open most of the time, with proceeds going to the local church that staffs the tent.
Aster and Rosanna head to the concession tent.