Every 4th week-end of September, members of the Church of the Brethren gather at the Lebanon County Fairgrounds near Lebanon, Pennsylvania, for a three day effort to raise money for victims of natural and man-made disasters. This event is sponsored by the Atlantic Northeast & Pennsylvania Southern Districts which represents more than 130 Church of the Brethren congregations. It has been unofficially stated that the Lebanon Disaster Relief Auction is the largest gathering of Brethren in the United States except for their Annual Conference, a national week long gathering of the membership for denominational business and worship. While most people gather in the main auditorium, vendors representing broad areas of interest setup their booths to display crafts, foods items, literature, and educational materials. Livestock and agricultural items are sold in outside sheds.
It all started in 1977 as a small enterpise at the Root's Farm Market located near Lancaster, and has now become a significant contributor to disaster relief with having raised over $6,000,000 in the last twenty-five years.
