Sharing through song
07/10/2025
Church minutes combined with hymns and popular songs of the decades brought to life the Mennonite women's service, faith and evolving theology.
Celebrating Mennonite Women through Song and Story
Bluffton University’s spring commemoration of Anabaptism at 500 culminated on Friday, June 20, with a heartfelt and humorous performance of “One Hundred Years of Mennonite Women through Story and Song” at First Mennonite Church in Bluffton, Ohio. The event was conducted by Wendy Chappell-Dick, MBA ’08, and brought together history, music and community celebration in a unique and powerful way.
The performance was part of Anabaptism at 500, a commemorative series marking 500 years since the beginning of the Anabaptist faith tradition. All events in the series were free and open to the public, generously supported by Lowell and Marty Hostetler.
Written in 2019 by Chappell-Dick and Joanne Niswander ’51, the production marked the 100th anniversary of Mennonite Women nationally and was performed publicly for only the second time during the 2025 Anabaptism at 500 event. Through narration and music, it told the story of Bluffton’s local Mennonite Women’s group throughout the 20th century, drawing directly from a century’s worth of meeting minutes.
“A historical record of women’s organizations at First Mennonite Church, set to music,”
Chappell-Dick stated, describing the premise of the event.
Each decade was brought to life with a carefully selected hymn and a popular song
from the decade, both with lyrics rewritten to reflect the themes and spirit of Mennonite
women's service, faith and evolving theology. The result was a performance that blended
musical theater, historical review, and spirited storytelling, provoking laughter,
reflection and even audience sing-alongs.
Chappell-Dick added that the hymns and songs selected for the production were deeply tied to their times. “Each hymn verse was chosen for its inspirational message—one that spoke not just to the women of that decade but continues to resonate today. These songs trace cultural waves that shook, challenged and strengthened Mennonite Women’s sense of purpose and place.”
Those who missed the performance or wish to revisit it can find videos, lyrics, narration, and a previous news release at: https://mennofolkmusic.com/projects/mennonite-women/