Celebrating Your Church’s Anniversary:
Tips and Tricks for a Memorable Commemoration

Whether your church is celebrating 25 or 250 years, an anniversary offers opportunities to make meaningful and creative connections with your congregation's mission and story–past, present, and future. It is a time to learn more about the people who founded and led your church and about the events that have shaped its unique identity.

This roundtable discussion features people from across the continental United States and Hawai’i who have recently helped to plan and lead church anniversary celebrations. They will share their experience and advice on how to research your church’s history, balance planning and implementation, and engage your church and broader community.

Join us for this program to be inspired for your next church anniversary, or just to hear some great ways Congregational churches are celebrating their community histories!

The event is free to all, but registration is required via this link: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_egLIwJJVSWSzGcdEzjF4zw

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about the webinar.

For more information, please email programs@14beacon.org.

SPEAKER BIOS

Keiko Dembeau is a grandmother and retired Army officer who has been a member of Kawaiahaʻo Church for 40 years. Between volunteering at her church and working on a federally-funded grant (also at her church), Keiko spends her time making memories with her children and grandchildren.

Rev. Norm Erlendson has been pastoring Congregational churches in Washington State and Connecticut since 1990. Norm was the pastor of the First Congregational Church of Snohomish, WA during its Centennial Celebration in 2003. He is currently the pastor of First Congregational Church of Stonington, CT, (The Road Church), which is in the midst of a year-long celebration of its 350th anniversary that began in June 2024.

Linda Lacy received an interdisciplinary BA degree with emphases in Art, Education, and Communications from Chadron State College. As an Artist in Residence with the Nebraska Arts Council for the past 25+ years, Linda has received and instructed numerous painting and pottery workshops for children and adults in schools and communities across Nebraska. She has also been a member, treasurer, and landscape manager of Ashby Congregational Church for the last eight years.