A long-standing annual gathering dedicated to harmony, healing, and reconciliation will once again take place on the grounds of Antietam National Battlefield. Organizers have announced that the 56th Annual Dunker Church Service is scheduled to welcome visitors to the historic Dunker Church located in Sharpsburg. The event continues a multi-decade custom of gathering at the site to share a message of hope.
Scheduled for 3 p.m. on September 20, the gathering is held on the Sunday closest to the anniversary of the Battle of Antietam. By convening at a location closely associated with one of the most notable military engagements in American history, the service seeks to offer an atmosphere of quiet contemplation. According to a community announcement, the program provides attendees an intentional opportunity to reflect upon concepts of peace, healing, and shalom.
The service draws deeply from the rich heritage and spiritual practices of the German Baptist Brethren. Members of this religious movement originally acquired the colloquial name "Dunkers" due to their traditional practice of performing baptism through full immersion. This distinctive ritual formed a central aspect of their faith identity and contributed to the common name applied to their meeting houses and historical sites.
The historical roots of this faith tradition trace back more than three centuries to Europe, where the movement began in Schwarzenau, Germany, in 1708. Over the succeeding centuries, the original movement evolved and branched into several modern denominations, including the Church of the Brethren. Throughout this development, the tradition maintained its core commitments to communal faith and nonviolence.
Within the broader landscape of Christian history, the Brethren movement is recognized as one of the historic peace churches. Alongside other notable traditions such as the Quaker and Mennonite communities, the Church of the Brethren has historically prioritized peacemaking, nonviolence, and reconciliation as central pillars of its religious theology and public witness.
Those attending the upcoming service will experience a structured order of worship designed to evoke the spirit of the historic tradition. The planned liturgy includes an opening welcome, a formal call to worship, congregational singing, scripture readings, special musical presentations, and collective prayers. Together, these elements are curated to guide the congregation in meaningful reflection.
A featured highlight of the service will be a message delivered by Denise Kettering-Lane. An accomplished scholar within the denomination, Kettering-Lane will address the gathered congregation, bringing insights informed by extensive study in theological education and denominational history.
Kettering-Lane currently serves as an associate professor of Brethren studies at Bethany Theological Seminary, where she also holds the administrative leadership role of director of the Master of Arts program. Her institutional work places her at the center of modern Brethren theological scholarship and graduate education.
Her academic research and scholarship have focused extensively on the areas of German Pietism and gender studies. Over the course of her academic career, she has held notable research fellowships, including appointments at the University of Iowa as well as the Institute for European History located in Mainz, Germany.
In addition to her instructional and research responsibilities at the seminary, Kettering-Lane serves the wider academic and faith community as the editor of the scholarly publication "Brethren Life and Thought." She currently resides in Dayton, Ohio, where she lives with her family.
The significance of the ongoing annual tradition was underscored by Paul Mundey, who serves as the chair of the Dunker Church Service Planning Committee. Mundey emphasized the deep historical resonance of holding the service on ground marked by past conflict, pointing out the enduring impact of the gathering across multiple generations of participants.
"For more than half a century, people have made a pilgrimage to the Dunker Church on the Sunday closest to the anniversary of Antietam," Mundey stated in the event announcement. He noted that within this sacred space, visitors encounter a compelling alternative to the violence that has so often shaped human history, glimpsing instead a vision of reconciliation, healing, and peace for all.
The annual observance is officially sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic District of the Church of the Brethren. The district works in conjunction with planners and battlefield coordinators to ensure the preservation and continuation of the historic commemorative service each autumn.
Organizers have noted that the event is completely free and open to members of the general public who wish to participate. However, because seating inside the historic Dunker Church meeting house is limited, individuals planning to attend in person are strongly encouraged to arrive early in order to secure a seat inside the building.
For those who are unable to travel to the battlefield in Sharpsburg, remote participation options have been arranged. A live video broadcast of the full service will be accessible online through the official Annual Dunker Church Service Facebook page, allowing a wider audience to take part in the event.
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