Swiss-German Anabaptist Genealogy Workshop

SAGA is a nonprofit organization that promotes and facilitates genealogical research among members with Swiss Anabaptist ancestors. (Membership costs $10 per year.) The organization hosts 64 online databases containing 7.5 million records.
SAGA will hold its 2026 Annual Conference on April 17-18 at Lindale Mennonite Church north of Harrisonburg. The conference will coincide with several open houses at Mennonite and Brethren historical sites throughout Rockingham County, including Rocktown History.

Merle Christner grew up in Northern Indiana with an Amish background and an early—and lasting—interest in family history. As a printer in Hesston, Kansas, he was involved in several family history/genealogy book projects, including updating and publishing a large volume for his mother’s side of the family tree: The William J. Yoder Family. Merle discovered SAGA while doing research for that book and has become increasingly involved in the organization. Since retiring as a Mennonite pastor and moving to VMRC in Harrisonburg, he has had more time to pursue his interest using various websites and databases. His current family includes his wife, Evie, three children and their spouses, and seven grandchildren who he hopes to inspire to carry the genealogy bug into the next generation.