The bicentennial year is here!!!

by Jonathan Seiling
So many people have been undertaking projects and preparations leading up to this year so let the fanfare begin....

Currently there are web pages on the Mennonite Central Committee Ontario website on this topic.  They commemorate experience of the historic peace churches in Upper Canada, including Quakers, Brethren in Christ and Mennonites (otherwise known historically as the "Society of Friends", the "Tunkers" and "Menonists" in case you're looking for some oddly-spelled proper nouns for your next Scrabble match that accepts standard English words not in the dictionary!)

see: http://ontario.mcc.org/warpeace-1812

Visit the site and you’ll find: 1) an events calendar; 2) the texts and some photos of historic markers in Niagara (with translations into French); 3) a link back to this blog! 4) other materials to be added soon.

The historic markers can be visited in reality and, thanks to the MCCO website, they can be visited in virtual reality.
The Quakers' two memorial stones will be set in the spring, one in Port Colborne and one in Port Dalhousie. The Mennonite and Brethren in Christ plaques are located next to cemeteries where some the Menonist and Tunker pioneers who experience the War of 1812 are buried.

The historic markers are the result of planning and collaboration between Quaker, Mennonite and Brethren in Christ individuals and groups over the past couple years. The stones/markers are meant as starting points to discussions. They are potentially permanent additions to the landscape of Niagara so that when people run across these markers in post-bicentennial years, when the pioneers of peace in Upper Canada are once again threatened with extinction in our memories, people will see the markers and recall, 'Oh yeah, remember 2012, the year of rigorous discussion on that War Resistance in 1812 blog!"...