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A powerful and eye-opening new exhibit is making its way to the Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) in Steinbach.
“On Fire for Christ", is a travelling exhibit titled 500 Years of Discipleship from the Anabaptists to Us. The display will be set up in the MHV auditorium from August 6 to September 6.
Senior Curator at the MHV, Andrea Klassen, says that the exhibit wasn’t created by the museum itself, but rather by a group of German Mennonite Brethren churches working together with other local churches. She notes that it has been travelling around southern Manitoba, and now MHV is stepping in to help share it with a wider audience.
“They got together and decided, you know, the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism is a significant milestone that they wanted to mark.”
The exhibit explores the history of Anabaptism, a radical Christian movement from the 1500s, and what it means for people today. According to Klassen, it does a great job of connecting the past and the present.
“It’s very in-depth about that history, but then also, what does it mean to us today? Especially from a faith point of view,” she said. “It’s an interesting way of not just looking at the history, but also how this is relevant to our lives today, and to our faith today as a community and as individuals.”
Klassen said that the exhibit is set up in MHV’s large auditorium space, adding that the exhibit includes artifacts, audio stations, and even some 3D-printed models, including a demonstration printing press.
“They have lots of different artifacts, different technological pieces to it, some 3D printed things that are quite neat,” said Klassen. “It’s quite a large exhibit and I think it’ll probably fill up most of the auditorium.”
Klassen first saw the exhibit at a church near Altona and said it made a strong impression.
“I saw it at that point and thought, ‘Huh, this is quite something.’”
Besides reading materials and displays, there’s also an audio tour available, plus guided tours led by members of the organizing churches. The guided experience runs about an hour and a half.
“They are so keen on telling this story that they are offering guided tours. So, we’ll be hosting the English version of the exhibit on display here, but they also do it in German at the various locations they’ve been to.”
As for whether it’s kid-friendly, Klassen recommends some discretion.
“There are some models, displays showing some of the ways that Anabaptists were killed,” she noted. “That’s something to consider… but that is history. For this display, I would say guardians should use parental discretion.”
Still, there is plenty that younger visitors may find visually interesting, and Klassen says she toured the exhibit with kids in her group.
Klassen says that the MHV will be open later on Thursday evenings for those who pre-register for these tours, as well as offering some availability during the day on Saturdays. Tours are limited to small groups of 10–15 people and must be booked in advance through the exhibit’s website: www.onfireforchrist.ca.
There are two ways to access the exhibit:
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During regular MHV hours — included with standard museum admission. Monday to Saturday 9 am to 5 pm / Sunday 11:30 am to 5 pm
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During evening guided tours — booked online, which come with a separate admission fee as the rest of the museum will be closed at that time. Thursdays from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm and Saturdays from 9 am to 3:30 pm
Klassen summed it up simply: “It’s bold. It’s informative. And it’s very worth seeing.”
