If the church neglects the gift of art, both the artists and the congregations suffer BY KATIE FUNK WIEBE
8 Called beyond a dream
Esther L. Vogt followed her dream and God's call to become a writer of fiction books. BY DARLENE VOTH SCHROEDER
10 A way to the true self
Poet Jean Janzen talks about her growth as a poet in the Mennonite constituency-and beyond. BY DEBORAH PENNER
13 A most excellent gift
Larry Warkentin concluded that expressing music was more than a luxury-it was a ministry. BY
16 In the hands of God the Potter
A potter sees the creative forces of God at work in her craft. And shares them with us . BY MAXELIN WIEBE
DEPARTMENTS
Inquiring Minds ..
• Forgiving others
• Laying hands on new members
by Marvin Hein 18
Ph'lip Side by Philip Wiebe 19
• Over the edge
Bodylife.
• Immigration is a challenge for the church 20
• Japan's deadly earthquake 21
• Laurelglen Bible Church's Romania connection 22
• Mennonite mission agencies' funding woes 23
Musings
• Rebirth of an evangelist
by Jim Holm 29
Miscellanea , ,
Editorial ,
• Crossbearing in a cross culture
by Katie Funk Wiebe 32
ART CREDITS: Cover design by Brenda Hamm; page 4, Religious News Ser· vice; page 8, staff file photo; page 10, Jean Janzen; page 13, Fresno Pacific College; page 14, personal photo; page 16, Orley Friesen; page 22, MCC photo by Amy Tripp; page 24, Laurelglen Bible Church.
Katie Funk Wiebe
Connie Faber
EDITOR: Don Ratzlaff (on sabbatical)
BOARD OF COMMUNICATIONS : Ron Braun (chair), Noelle Dickinson, Jeanie Klaassen, Herb Schroeder, Kathy Heinrichs Wiest
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THE CHRISTIAN
by KATIE FUNK WIEBE
Artificial
implant or natural body part?
with a new friend, I commented on the beautiful crocheted tablecloth adorning the table. My hostess explained that earlier, during a difficult time in her life, she had longed for something to bring hope to her drab existence. As she crocheted the tablecloth, she dreamed that some day she would have a house and furnishings that matched its beauty. That tablecloth symbolized hope to her.
If the church neglects the gift God has given in the arts, both the artist and the congregation suffer
A hunger for beauty exists everywhere. Despite poverty and the scarcity of materials, early pioneer women made beautiful quilts out of cloth scraps. They did not let the world shrink to the size of their cabin, but expanded it through their creativity. To create, to know beauty, is a human need.
All yearning to see people find and know Christ as Savior, or for peace and justice, to establish a stronger place in the world is in essence a pursuit of beauty, harmony and unity in relationships with God and one another
If the church neglects the gift God has given in the arts, both the artist and the congregation suffer, for art can bring an unexpected shining glory to corporate life.
In some ethnic groups, art is an integral part of life Art is not something hung on the wall and contemplated from a distance as is done here when, on a free afternoon, people stalk the halls of a museum to pass judgment on the art .
In some tribal groups, art belongs in the functional realm. It is part of daily life. For example, a carved wooden mask is not complete unless worn by a person in a dance.
Part of our problem with art is that we tend to judge a painting hanging in isolation on a cold wall or a hymn in a hymnbook instead of when it has become familiar and is being sung by a particular congregation for a particular occasion.
ConSidering the value of hymns in context may help us understand why older hymns are more meaningful to older adults. The stages in their life cycle at which the hymns were sung make the difference. A weak, mediocre hymn
can achieve dignity, purpose and beauty for the singers when it becomes part of the ongoingness of life. Because today's newer hymns have little or no connection to some older adults ' passage through life, they reject them.
I believe art should be something that has to do with life's dailiness, encouraging, and bringing hope and joy, as in the parable. Art should not have to do just with religious embellishments. I see art as a way of seeing, a way of knowing, an attempt at rebirth, at self-cleansing, at recapturing the good and the beautiful.
Let's be more convinced that we can shape our environment in the direction of peace, joy and harmony when we encourage the pursuit of beauty through art.
When is art an artificial implant in the body of Christ?
• We make art an artificial implant when it becomes part of the frills of congregational life, a garnish to make worship attractive, or to titillate religious sensitivities , the way we add a fancy dessert to a full meal. It is an artificial implant when we value an energetic musical piece only as a spectator performance, which we applaud for its entertaining showmanship, and remain unresponsive to other music .
Yet it need not be that way . One morning I visited the Mennonite Church of the Servant in Wichita , a small house-church based congregation that emphasizes spirituality and service outreach. As I entered the small meeting room, I was surprised and refreshed to hear a small string ensemble playing the prelude and later accompanying the singing. They had lacked a pianist so they used the available gifts of their members. Art releases the spiritual gifts of all church members, not just of a few .
• We make art an artificial implant when we substitute the worship of art for the worship of God and it becomes part of congregational life for art 's sake, not to glorify Christ
Some people are snobs in their attitude toward anything not classified as art, especially music. Some congregations can't sing a hymn that hasn't the name of some famous composer attached to it. Others won't sing it if it has. Snobs are impressed with Congregation X because they have an organist who plays classical music for the prelude, and appalled at Congregation Y that relishes sentimental schmaltz .
Yet before judging any congregation's music, we should find out where the congregation is in its journey toward beauty of worship. It is important to be on that journey and not stagnating.
An artist can teach us all how to risk, to break habits that lock us in, to help us escape the chains of ((We never did it that way before" in the spirit of the child unafraid of new frontiers.
pursue God's calling.
• Art is a natural part of the church when we nurture the artists among us and listen to them. People ask why the new hymnal does not include more Mennonite Brethren hymn writers. Probably because as a church we have not nurtured the poets and the hymn writers and listened patiently to their poems and sung their songs in the local congregation when they were fumbling artists . Most artists need and want affirmation more than they want money, although money helps. An artist needs an audience and tolerant supporters
Some of our congregations already have worship committees who bring a creative approach to worship, introducing the splendors of the visual and auditory arts. I hope the future will bring a renewed emphasis on worship through workshops and courses for lay leaders that expand their understanding of how worship that includes the various art forms can bring the congregation into a broader understanding of them.
• Art is a natural body part when we allow an artist to threaten our comfort level, or our sense of tradition An artist doesn't look for answers to discontent and problems in formulas, rules and regulations. An artist may give us insight into human nature, but usually not blackand-white answers
An artist can teach us all how to risk, to break habits that lock us in, to help us escape the chains of "We never did it that way before" in the spirit of the child unafraid of new frontiers.
Children are daring star trekkers and explorers. They conquer kingdoms. An artist can teach us the joy of risking-in worship, in life, in new understandings of God's truth . Artists can show us that deep water and drowning are not the same thing.
In the movie Parenting, Steve Martin portrays a father who wants his son to be perfect At a school play, his younge st son, a 3-year-old,
Parable of the sons
ONeE UPON A TIME there was a village chief who had three sons. Each had a special talent. The oldest raised olive trees and traded oil and wood for tools and cloth. The second was a shepherd. Under his care the sheep thrived and he sold much wool. The youngest was a musician, poet and dancer When the people were discouraged or tired, he cheered them up with his poetry, his music, and his dance
One day the chief decided to go away on a long journey He called his sons to him and said: "Take care of my village until I return."
At first things went well. But when winter came, it was much colder than usual. Because of the terrible blizzards and intense cold, the olive t rees froze and cracked with the cold People ran out of firewood to keep themselves warm. At first the oldest son refused to let them cut down the olive trees to use as firewood, but eventually gave in
The intense cold made it impossible for the people to go over the mountain pass to the next kingdom for food. What to do? "Let's eat the sheep," the people said The second son argued that then they would have no livelihood next year "But what good is a livelihood if we are dead?" they replied. So they killed and ate the sheep .
And so the people got through the winter. But in spring, they were disheartened because they had no olive trees or sheep They left the village to seek a living elsewhere.
In spring, when the chief returned to his village, he saw no smoke rising from any chimney except his. What had happened? The sons explained and talked about the terrible winter. The oldest son explained how he had finally allowed the people to cut down the trees to keep themselves warm The second son explained that he had allowed the people to kill and eat the sheep to stay alive
The father replied, "Don't be ashamed, my sons You acted wisely in these circumstan ces But what about you?" he asked, turning to his youngest son
"Life was so hard," said the youngest son. "The people had so little to eat and so little firewood I didn't think my little poems and my music and dancing would help much It would have been insensitive and improper to dance and sing, so I kept silent."
"Then give me a poem and dance and sing for me now, for my village is empty and so is my heart. Fill it with joy and courage once again, " said the father .
The third son got up, but his legs were stiff and his voice was rusty from not using it. And all that he could recite were stiff little jingles.
"Ours was once a strong village . It could have survived the want of fuel and food but it could never survive without hope Because you failed to use your talent wisely and well, our people gave up what little hope they had left. So now the village is deserted and you are crippled Your punishment has fallen upon you ," said the father.
(Adapted
unable to grasp that he is watching a play, rushes to the stage to defend his older brother who he mistakenly thinks is being attacked by the other players. In the confusion, the stage scenery tumbles down and the play comes to a screeching halt Everyone in the audience is laughing at the boy's antics except the father, who is drowning in his embarrassment.
Suddenly the youngster's father remembers what his mother told him about life being either a roller coaster or a merry-go-round Those who view it as a merry-go-round live staid, settled lives but never get anywhere. They never do anything new. The roller-coaster people have the thrills, but they have to risk, even with child-raising. And so he laughs with the audience at his son. Being an artist means taking roller-coaster rides and not always being sure the roller coaster will return to where it started.
The true artist never actually fears not surviving or not being successful or even of not finding the answers. An artist can handle ambiguity. He or she fears only not being able to create-not being able to work in God's kingdom with his or her gifts.
Creating is a tremendous risk. It is always accompanied by a spirit of powerlessness. The purpose of any kind of creative expression is not to control but to give a gift to the world: "Here is my poem, my painting, my story I give it to the world . Do with it what you will. "
Artists will always be a puzzle to the world as the disciple Mary was to the men who watched her anoint Christ. Yet they attract others into the kingdom for they model true freedom When God created the world, he stopped and said, "That's good." Creativity in the Christian life is arranging one small part of God's world in such a way that others say, "That's great! That's good!"
At a poetry reading by Mennonite Brethren Jean Janzen last winter, a pastor turned to me and said, "Katie, this is the ftrst time I have ever attended a poetry reading . Why haven't I ever gone before?"
Yes, why? Was he afraid of being bored? of being stretched? He went home invigorated by what he had heard. He was introduced to one artist ' s vision of life and learned joy and hope.
Art can also lead us to sin and darkness. But that possibility shouldn't keep us from looking for and creating beauty that reflects God's holiness. Like the third son in the accompanying parable, unless we let art nurture us even as we nurture it, the church opens the door for deadness to enter. e2
Called beyond adream
Combining a call from God with lots of hard work, Esther Loewen Vogt has become our most prolific fiction writer
by DARLENE VOTH SCHROEDER
Esther Loewen Vogt: "The Lord has given me this gift."
T SEEMED TO ME THE LORD
JUST
grabbed me by
the neck
and set me up straight in my chair and said,
"You'd better get busy and use your talent or you'll lose it,'"
says
Esther Loewen
Vogt of Hillsboro, Kan. In the early 1950s, she had been reading Matthew 25 for her
devotions and remembers her children were playing on the floor when the revelation came to her.
"I didn't hear the words but the impact of that Scripture was so great I simply said, 'OK Lord, I will if you provide the opportunities.'"
Her early childhood years had been spent on a farm in Eastern Oklahoma but her family moved to Kansas when she was 8 years old. After graduating from Tabor College in 1939, she taught in a one-room country school for three years before marrying Curt Vogt, who died in 1975.
She always loved to read and dreamed of writing the kind of stories she enjoyed. But she felt she was just a Kansas farm girl, a nobody, and authors were somebodys.
She expressed her feelings on paper but kept them to herself. Every hill and valley in her community was named and her mother called her the dreamer "Du draemst aul vada," her mother would say in Low German. (You're dreaming again.)
She sold her first story to an obscure children's paper. Holding a check for $6.37 in her hand, Vogt excitedly told her neighbor, "Look, I'm an author!"
She set a goal of writing one story a month for herself and achieved it. In 1956 she began writing children's stories for "The Junior Leader" section of the Christian Leader and continued to delight adults as well as children with a story for each edition until 1980 when "The Junior Leader" was discontinued .
Encouraged by her friends, she decided to try writing a book. Cry to the Wind was published in 1965, the first of many books to follow.
"If you've written one book, it's like salted peanuts," she says. "You have to have another. "
Her rust award-winning book, Turkey Red, won the David C. Cook Juvenile Book Contest in 1975. She wrote it as a children's book, but it contains historical information about Mennonites immigrating to the United States in 1874. A sequel, Harvest Gold published in 1978, an.d Turkey Red have been recommended by the Kansas Reading Circle as good sources of Kansas history.
Before she writes a historical novel, she does extensive
research. Splendid Vista relates the story of German Baptist Brethren living in the Dunkard settlement when a Civil War battle is fought in their community. They believed war was wrong, but were caught in the midst of a battle which killed or wounded 23,000 soldiers in a single day. Historical photos of the church show scars of bullet holes.
The artist painting the picture for the cover of Splendid Vista said he visited the battlefield and of all the stories he had read about the Civil War, he thought Vogt's was the most accurate and compelling.
Vogt feels God has directed her footsteps from a small beginning to being the most proliftc Mennonite Brethren fiction writer. One of her books, Edge of Dawn, has been translated into German.
Her 21st book, The Wandering Trails, third in a series of Kansas historical fiction, is coming out this spring. It was purchased by the publisher before even reading the manuscript.
Most of her novels include a romance and all contain Christian main characters. Vogt's writing has been compared to that of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Bess Streeter Aldrich, and Willa Cather.
Splendid Vista (Herald Press) won the Silver Angel Award for Religion in Media in 1990. The Enchanted Prairie (Horizon House) was awarded the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award from the Kansas Authors Club in 1992.
Esther Loewen Vogt is researching facts to be used in her next books as she keeps her promise to use her talent if God will provide the opportunities. "To me , writing is my call, entertainment with a message. The Lord has given me this gift and I want to useilt for him." i2.
Darlene Voth Schroeder is a free-lance writer from Goessel, Kan.
JEAN JANZEN is considered by many to be the leading Mennonite poet in America. She also teaches poetry at Fresno Pacific College Jean and her husband, Louis, are members of the College Community Church of Clovis, Calif. Deborah Penner, former assistant editor of the Leader, sat down with Janzen a few months ago to talk about the creative process. Here are excerpts from that interview.
PENNER: Although you don't use Christian jargon in your poetry, the reader comes away from your work with a strong sense that it stems from deep spiritual experience. Can you explain how this happens?
JANZEN: Poetry is very close to prayer; you get to your truer self. We are such an enigma to
Away to the true self
For Jean Janzen, poetry gets us close to the discovery of what God intends us to be
Jean Janzen: "Poetry is very close to prayer."
THE ARTS
ourselves That's one reason I write-to figure out what I'm thinking and who I am. Poetry gets us close to the discovery of what God intends us to be . In some sense, almost all poetry has some which becomes transformed, if it is a good poem . For a Christian, this experience of creating the poem feels like the movement of the Spirit.
PENNER: You have published several books with Mennonite publishers, but also seek to publish in the secular press. In light of the spiritual source of your poetry, do you find acceptance or resistance from non-Christian publishers?
JANZEN: Some editors are not interested in my work, probably because it is too religious. But the editors of Poetry and The Gettysburg Review [two leading literary journals] are not threatened by this and print my poems . Some of my non-Christian friends and mentors probably feel I'm limited by my orthodox belief; the admiration for agnosticism is most accepted in the academic world. Some would say, "I'm sorry that you hang on to that.» But others say, "I envy you your faith.» I feel it is important to be a voice in the secular publishing world .
PENNER: Although you are interested in publishing in the secular press, you also have a deep love for the church. What are some ofyour ideas about how poetry can be used in worship?
AFfER THE PRUNING
The vineyard has never been so clean. Stripped to the elemental, now air and light enter full-shaft
where last autumn all was weight and must in the dusty shade And where the knife cut with its double
edge, all is delicacy and lift , a jig in the breeze , as though no terrors exist, as though nothing could stop
JANZEN: In our church, I have occasionally done a poetry reading in place of the sermon, grouping my poems on a theme, and making a few comments about them . I have also read a few poems as an offering of worship, like a testimony They have been very well received. William Stafford said , "What do you mean, 'Poet-
UP AGAIN
Cat's wails, sirens, the breaking of glass, no matter which city, means the shattering of sleep . I awaken to these in Karaganda and rise from a lake of dreams, think riots, thieves , the KGB, but see nothing, only stark moonlight on pale shards.
the green flow now that the dead and unnecessary is gone , now that the wounded eyes have healed shut .
Even night unlocks its iron gates and allows the moon to enter the vineyard where she spreads her white gown and loosens her hair.
-jean janz
en, from The Upside-Down Tree
Karaganda means "black hole,» cousin Kolya has told me, these acres of emptiness over a gutted earth, coal stacks spewing black ribbons day and night. Near here Aunt Margaret and her children were pushed off freight cars onto the plains . Autumn 1942, a dirt hut quickly dug before the blizzards, a diet of vermin, and hymns rising in the dark , tones they clung to like a rope. Finally a drift of sleep like threads until baby ' s cry, or her own muffled cry, and she was up again, bare feet on this cold earth .
Now the cool tile under my feet, and silence , before I lie down again into the tidal sounds of the years, the chain of Kyries and the answering Gott ist die Liebe, moonlit and swirling in the dark
-jean janzen, from The Upside-Down Tree
A most excellent gift
For Larry Warkentin music is more than the 'whipped cream of life, ' it's a way to minister
by KATHY HEINRICHS WIEST
HEN I GOT TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD PLAY
'Heavenly Sunshine' as good as the guy on the Old-Fashioned Revival Hour, my parents were satisfied, but by that time I was hooked," recalls pianist and composer Larry Warkentin. As a young pianist he found it wasn't quite enough to be skilled at playing hymns and choir accompaniments. "We each have an aesthetic container inside ourselves," he explains. "At some point our container is full and running over." As he grew more skilled in
Warkentin: His aesthetic container is running over.
music, "my view of what music could be was expanded, and when I wanted my cup to run over I had to have a greater challenge." The challenge and discipline of classic compositions filled his expanded cup to overflowing.
Through his years at Immanuel Academy in Reedley, Calif., and as he began pursuing an English major at Tabor College, Warkentin accepted many opportunities to accompany church and school choral groups while pursuing his own interest in classical music at the piano. His practical mind, however, would never allow him to consider music as a vocation.
He couldn't imagine music providing a reasonable income, nor did he view being a musician as a legitimate Christian calling. "Music was kind of the whipped cream in life; it wasn't the roast beef," he reasoned . So he would plan a career in something solid and significant like teaching, and consider his music only a pleasant diversion.
At Tabor College, reason begarr to give way to the living examples of musicians who took a different view. The lives of Benjamin Horch, a music teacher at Immanuel, and instructors Herbert Richert and Paul Wohlgemuth from Tabor's music department, made Warkentin reconsider.
((There are times when I've thought Why can't I quit composing?' andltry to quit, but it doesn't work."
"All three of them had a sense that music was a divine calling, that there was something more than entertainment," he says.
"I began to see that it was in fact a way of ministering. It had all the components 1 think a Christian calling should have " Sensing his own inner call from God he decided "I'd rather be poor and happy," and chose to pursue music as a career.
Now a music professor himself, Warkentin wants his students at Fresno Pacific College to understand that music is more than the whipped cream of life. The world needs musicians just as much as it needs doctors, he asserts. "Sometimes I have thought that music is even more important. A doctor just gets you fIXed up and you die anyhow; but music makes life worth living."
Musical expression as a divine calling has its roots in the Bible, Warkentin tells his students. "I don't think it's by chance that we think of heaven as angels singing and playing harps So many of the real high points in the biblical accounts are accompanied by music," he notes, pointing to Jesus's birth and John's revelation. "Those are there for a purpose. They tell us something.
"When it says in the Bible we were created in the image of God, one of the things it means is that we were created to be creators," he added. As an artist, "In a sense I'm trying to create a Garden of Eden in which, before the fall, everything worked perfectly. The closer one gets to that kind of perfect creation, we consider that person to be a greater artist."
While being a musician may be a divine calling, Warkentin doesn't always count it a blessing. "Sometimes I almost consider it a burden. It's very time-consuming and I have enough to do in life ." The burden also comes in the personal nature of the creative process. "Each time I compose, it's like a testimony or a confession and therefore, if someone doesn't like the piece, it feels very personal.
"There are times when I've thought 'Why can't 1 quit composing?' and 1 try to quit, but it doesn't work."
From Warkentin's pen-and more recently from his computer-have flowed a wide variety of musical fOmls. His compositions include religious hymns and cantatas, string quartets, works for the piano, and even a piano score for ballet.
Among his most recent works is the hymn "God of the Lion," which won ftrst place in the hymn category at Church Music Seminar XI in Winnipeg, Man , in January. Fresno Pacific Col -
lege's 50th anniversary celebration in November opened with the powerfully jubilant fanfare "Lobe den Herren" for choir, bell choir, brass ensemble, string ensemble and organ, composed by Warkentin for the occasion.
Audiences throughout North America have heard Warkentin's work in churches, concert halls and on the radio via the Canadian Broadcasting Company The Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra performed "Koinonia," a symphonic essay, and in 1992 he performed his "Concerto in G for Piano and Orchestra" with the local Tulare Symphony Orchestra.
Whether for secular or church audiences, Warkentin's compositions are an
His home congregation, College Community Church in Clovis, has been one place where his unique musical expression has been nurtured "College Community is a wonderful church for me. There is a love there for the music I love. We do a lot of traditional things, but are also willing to take a few creative risks."
"My music is
a
testimony. I don't think you get a sincere testimony
In the larger church, Warkentin has observed the changes in church music with some concern. "[The Apostle] Paul instructs us to 'sing with the spirit and with understanding ' The best church music has the best balance of intellect and emotion," he says, expressing concern that current trends place a heavy emphasis on the emotional side_ expression of his testimony_ The "Concerto in G," for example, was presented ill a secular setting, but the work grows out of Warkentin's spiritual roots. The three movements of the concerto reflect the preaching ministry of J-B. Toews, who, as a pastor and college professor, has influenced the composer's spiritual development.
"The first movement is this big, pulpit-pounding thing," says Warkentin The second movement, based on the hymn "How Firm a Foundation," is more reflective, as in a mid-week prayer meeting meditation _ A flamboyant third
if you're looking to see what people want to hear."
movement depicts Toews's evangelistiC preaching style with its simple, direct message conveyed in a variety of ways.
The ideas for Warkentin's compositions often come from his reading_ In addition to Scripture, he has found inspiration in poetry, essays, even some works of Spanish poetry by Fresno Pacific College colleague Hugo Zorrilla. Warkentin's daughter , Rhonda Langley, selected and helped translate the three Spanish poems he set to music.
Warkentin recognizes that the complex and often dissonant-sounding music he composes does not appeal to a broad audience. "I have found it difficult to get my serious works published," he admits
But Warkentin is unapologetic about the kind of work he creates. "I have written things that express who I am without concern for whether they would be published," he says. "My music is a testimony. I don't think you get a sincere testimony if you're looking to see what people want to hear."
Technology is opening up many musical opportunities, Warkentin said, but also has its pitfalls. The temptation with electronically produced sound is to use it "as an excuse for not using the real thing. '
Quite eager to experiment and use current technology in music, he contends that it should be used to produce new sounds that expand the possibilities of expression, rather than substitute electronic sound for
traditional instruments
He explored the expressive potential of synthesized music in his "Pentecost Anthem_" Blending the music of choirs and organ and a reading by the congregation, Warkentin used a synthesizer to "create those undefinable sounds that were probably part of [the Pentecost] experience."
In light of shifting priorities and changing technologies in church music, how does Warkentin defme what is "good" church music? Good church music does not necessarily come in one specific style, he says, but it will share one common denominator-excellence.
"Throughout the Scripture we are encouraged to bring an offering without spot or blemish," he says "Whatever style becomes the best vehicle for our worship expression needs to be tested by that standard."
With integrity and sincerity Warkentin's life and work exemplify his admonition: "We each need to find the most excellent gift we can. " ef2
Kathy Heinrichs Wiest is a free-lance writer from Kingsburg, Calif.
hard clay, all illustrating sin. If these impurities are in the small piece, they will also be present in the larger piece, so the whole hump must be reworked and wedged.
The potter's patience is long-and so is God's, in that he chooses to continue to show mercy and grace. Every other generation turned from God to do what was "right in their own eyes." The defection ratio was so high that God tells the prophet to take an earthenware flask and shatter it outside Jerusalem's Potsherd Gate, the location of Baal worship and the sacrifice of children (19:10-11). This was a prediction of disaster for those who "were stiff-necked and would not listen to words" (v. 15).
Even though God used the smashed vessel to demonstrate his judgment on sin through Jeremiah, we can also see God's mercy demonstrated in the work of the potter. When the finished vessel is placed in the kiln, it is a time of great anticipation for the potter. Firing is a matter of intense concern because of the many uncertainties. Placing it in the kiln is a surrender, a giving up to the metamorphic forces of fire. The clay undergoes a chemical change and shrinks, weakening the structure. At 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit, the vessel is fragile; all organic matter in the clay is burned out. With my best work in limbo, I stay close by, controlling the fire and the intake of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
After 12 hours of "cool down" time, I open the kiln with great anticipation. Even after all this time, the temperature inside is still more than 1,000 degrees. Too fast a cool down, even at this point, would break the wares. The firing is critical, and when it is successful, I reap the fruit of all other processes in shaping the clay.
The suspense of waiting for those final results is central to the potting experience. As a potter, I echo Peter's words: "I should not be surprised at the fiery ordeal...for I share in the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejOicing, so that also at the revelation of his glory, I may rejoice with exultation" (1 Pet. 4:12-13).
On the flip side of this exultation is the destructive work of the kiln. As much as 25 to 50 percent of my work does not make it through the firing process. These vessels remain on the shelves for months, even years, before I destroy them. Eventually, I take them out to the pit and smash them beyond all use, lest someone come and use them for another purpose. A defective vessel is a dishonor to me and my creativity.
But even though many pieces wind up smashed to pieces, destruction of a vessel is never a consideration at the time of its creation.
It goes against the very nature of the potter to think in such a way. To break is the opposite of building and creating. For me, the trip to the pit is not a time of rejoicing, but a time of weeping and remorse. If I cannot use the piece for its designed purpose, then I do not want anyone else to use it. Judgment is painful . Christ illustrated it best when he looked over the doomed city of Jerusalem and wept.
Just because some useless vessels end up shattered in the pit, one might assume that the potter's own pots would be the pick of the litter, the top of the line or the most marketable. Not so. At my house, the most valued vessels are those which are a delight in my eyes only-the bean pot without a lid, the oil lamps that cannot hold oil, the discolored cups. They delight my sense of design, color, ideals, form and purpose, even though they are not uniform and would not sell in the marketplace.
But they were not made for the marketplace, with its narrow ideals about size, color and purpose. A free form is desired, but not too free . Some vessels are made for me, to live with me, not with others. In Exodus 4:10-11, Moses tells God he did not make him right. God takes full responsibility by telling Moses, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes him dumb or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" God makes one-of-a-kind people who are special and unique. Problems arise when we go to the marketplace and let the buyers decide what is beautiful and useful on the basis of unifOrmity alone.
God the Potter is different from all earthly potters. Would anyone consider becoming the substance of his or her work? As a potter, I would never think of becoming the clay on my wheel. Yet we know that is exactly what Christ became (Phil. 2:7-8). God took on the form of our human "clay." The creator of this universe became the perfecter of faith in this way and considered it joy! (Heb. 12:2).
God has placed a mass of living clay into time and space. But he has also chosen to be with us, to walk in our shoes. Our experiences of victory and pains of defeat are also his. God is a merciful and faithful high priest (Heb. 17: 18).
God the Potter pulls me from the pit, comes into my life, forms me, sets me free, gives me maturity even in spite of my rebellion, and then puts a shield around me, giving me his glory. God the potter has held nothing back. 62
Maxelin Wiebe is a potter and painter from Lee's Summit, Mo ., where she and her husband, Gary, are Mennonite Brethren church planters.
BY PHILIP WIEBE
Over the edge
IT HAS OFTEN been said that today's church should be on the "cutting edge." I suppose I agree. In our dense info -jungle, the church should be blazing new trails toward better ways of thinking and relating, working and living. Sometimes, though, it seems like the Church of the Cutting Edge is less interested in promoting better ways of living than new ways of singing.
I don't mean to be facetious I like contemporary worship music, and not just because it's more fun to play on guitar and bass To state the obvious, contemporary songs speak the musical language of modern culture And, as also should be obvious but often isn't, we can't expect to reach modern men and women with antiquated language. The good news won't do much good if nobody can understand it
However, at times contemporary worship philosophy seems to posit that if we merely assemble the worship band and toss out some media bites, they will come. Well, maybe they will, but they probably won't stay. Back in my early days as a worship leader, someone advised me to plan services in the spirit of television. "Since TV is our main competition," went the logic, "we need to equal or surpass it." To which my response remains: Why aim so low?
Let's face it: Television is not the most substantial medium going. Rock icon Bruce Springsteen sang for many when he growled, "Fiftyseven channels and nothin' on."
People may be channel surfing their way through prime time, but they don't necessarily like it Neither, I think, do most folks care for church surfing. Contrary to popular belief, the search for substance hasn't been canceled. Recently a medieval vocal ensemble called "Anonymous 4" explained the current popularity of "Chant" and other chart-topping albums of ancient church music: "People's lives are so complicated and noisy, they're looking for something simple and reflective and deep ."
In my view, the church should jump on that like a loose football during the Super Bowl. We can get so busy cloning cultural trends, we forget that our real calling is to counter them. So I've been wondering: does today's church need to be more cutting edge, or less? I guess it depends on how you define "cutting edge " Again, if it means setting the pace in areas of relationships, human worth and the meaning of life, of course the church should be cutting edge. If it means
keeping up with all the style trends, then you have a debate.
Style is not irrelevant. Marshall McLuhan may have overstated the matter when he pronounced, "The medium is the message," but admittedly the medium is some of the message How we say what we say says a lot. But style without substance is like that first bite of cotton candy. "It looks a lot better than it tastes," Mom and Dad kept telling me one year at the fair. But I had to have some, and finally got hold of a big blue wad and took a bite. Nothing
"Nothing" is a pretty good description of what passes for "cutting edge" these days. Two recent movie reviews come to mind . "Pulp Fiction," widely hailed as one of the year's best films, was called "stylish and hypnotic." "Shadowlands," a film loosely based on C S Lewis's late-life courtship and marriage, was "thoughtful and meaningful." "Pulp Fiction" could be described in its entirety as "hip gangsta's toting guns." "Shadowlands" was merely about life and death, love and spirituality. The verdict? "Pulp Fiction" was cutting edge; "Shadowlands," oldfashioned Style is cutting edge; substance, oldfashioned?
To those following him around after he fed five thousand, Jesus essentially observed: You're not really looking for me, but for the perks and pleasures surrounding my presence. He challenged, "Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life" (In 6:27). God elaborated through Isaiah, "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare . Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live" (Is . 55:2,3).
Before we slide too far down the cutting edge , let's remember that our first call is to commitment. There's a word you don't hear much anymore. Yet it's the one thing, the only thing, that matters in the end . When we flirt with people's senses without engaging their hearts, we are not near to the heart of God As Richard Foster pointed out in Celebration of Discipline: "Superficiality is the curse of our age The doctrine of instant satisfaction is a primary spiritual problem. The desperate need today is not for a greater number of intelligent people, or gifted people, but for deep people " Amen. May we get over the edge, and delve into the deep.
When we flirt with people's senses without engaging their hearts, we are not near to the heart of God.
Ore
Philip Wiebe lives in Salem,
Friendly faces in a new land?
• MCC aids immigrants coming to western shores
ON ANY GIVEN Sunday in the United States, Mennonite Brethren worship in about 10 different languages. Mennonite Brethren congregations across this country now represent Indian, Slavic, Latino, Japanese, Korean, Ethiopian, Hmong and Khmu people. Many of these congregations are on the West Coast.
Immigrants to the western shores of the United States find a friend in the church and local Mennonite churches are supported in their efforts by Mennonite Central Committee.
West Coast MCC shares Christ with immigrants by sharing groceries and parenting tips and by trying to change the increasing anti-immigrant sentiment in that region.
Sharing Christ by sharing groceries
West Coast MCC's ongoing grocery sharing project allows coordinator Mary Elizondo an opportunity to meet the immediate needs of immigrant families while at the same time demonstrating Christ's love. Elizondo works with refugee and immigrant issues with West Coast MCC.
When a winter freeze hit California in 1990, Mennonite Disaster Service donated funds to help buy groceries for some affected families including the Wenceslado and Saloma Bejar family.
Touched by the gesture, Saloma and her younger children began attending EI Buen Pastor Church, the Mennonite Brethren church in Orange Cove, Calif. Later Wenceslado began
attending and later still, the couple's teenage children -a son involved in gangs and daughter Maricela. They all eventually accepted Christ.
Last summer Maricela became involved with MCC's 1994 Summer Service program thanks to Elizondo. Maricela worked with the church's Kids' Club while earning money for college tuition. She has recently completed her first semester at King's River Community College in Reedley, Calif.
"Maricela's parents are from a
Ways to 'Welcome the stranger'
1. Avoid thinking and saying "we " and "they." Avoid generalizing when talking This Brazilian boy mugs for the camera, but he about another ethnic group. may not feel welcomed if he would immigrate to
2. Attend a church service the West Coast. Public discussion about Califord f f nia's Proposition 187, for instance, was at times of an ethnic group i erent "unchristian, dehumanizing, even hateful," accordfrom your own. ing to MCt's Stephen Penner.
3. Learn another language.
4. Select a particular refugee or immigrant group and learn more about them. Read, attend cultural celebrations, go to their churches.
5. In church, learn songs from another ethnic group. Read scripture m another language.
6. Invite a guest speaker from a refugee or immigrant group, with a translator if needed.
7. Plan joint meals, where people from various ethnic groups gather together to eat. .
8. For youth groups: plan an activity with teens from. another ethnic church. See the CBS Fox movie "EI Norte " available at most vldeo stores.
9. Learn your own family stories and history. Find out why and when your family immigrated. Write these stories for the next generation.
10. Learn to know on a personal basis a refugee or immigrant .
11. Offer to provide transportation to church or the doctor for a refugee or immigrant.
12. Volunteer for a local agency that works wlth refugees and tmmlgrants. b
13. Sponsor a refugee or a refugee family. Hold a grocery shower, ba y shower or household shower for a newly arrived immigrant or refugee.
14. Host an exchange student.
15. Adopt an international student from the local college/ university.
Adapted from West Coast MCCs list of practical steps individuals and congregations can take to express the spirit of Christ toward immigrants and refugees.
very rural area of Mexico. Her mother and father can read just a little Spanish It's really a huge step for the children of farm workers to be able to attend college," says Elizondo.
Maricela's brother "has really cleaned up his act," Elizondo relates. He worked in the fields last summer to save for college. He is now also attending college and hopes to work in corrections.
Elizondo is also developing a team trained in parenting education to present workshops in West Coast churches. The workshops are intnded to help newcomers discern what parenting methods to adopt from u.S. culture and what to keep from their own
"For the Russian and Ukrainian communities especially, the change is drastic. They come from places where they were told what to do to a place where they have to find their own future. The children adapt but the parents don't. The Hmong people and
Mexicans also feel a loss of control over their children," Elizondo says.
Toward a welcoming attitude
In addition to helping newcomers with practical needs, West Coast MCC encourages Christians to model a welcoming attitude. Increasing anti-immigrant sentiment in the region prompted West Coast MCC board members to pass a statement in September outlining "A Christian Response to Refugee and Immigrant Issues."
Some of the public discussion about Proposition 187 was "unchristian, dehumanizing, even hateful," says Stephen Penner, director of West Coast MCC. Proposition 187, which passed in California by a 2-1 margin in November, stipulates that people suspected of being in the United States without proper documentation may not receive medical and educational services and must be returned to their native country. The legislation is now tied up in the courts.
MB student reported killed in Japan's Kobe earthquake
• Area churches spared other casualties;
MBM/S and M CC try to assess need
A MENNONITE BRETHREN student was reported killed .1"'l..in the earthquake which devastated Kobe , Japan, Jan. 16. Pastor Tsujikawa of the Semboku MB Church in the Osaka metro area, reported to MB Missions/Services that one of their attenders, Wataru MOri, 22, attending the University of Kobe, died in the disaster. Because of the massive wreckage-41,000 buildings destroyed or badly damaged-his body was not found for several days.
Mori's parents are long-time members of the church, located 20 miles from Kobe , and he had attended there all his life. He had not yet joined.
Aside from the one death, Mennonite Brethren in Japan came through the quake with no other major damage to people or church structures. However, their hearts are burdened for neighbors and friends less fortunate. At press time, the death toll numbered more than 5,000.
The Japan Mennonite Emergency Relief Committee, headquartered in Northern Japan, announced that it "is appealing to all Mennonite Church, Tokyo Fellowship, Mennonite Brethren, Brethren in Christ and General Conference churches (in Japan) to raise money for the disaster and, if possible, send volunteer groups " to the devastated areas.
The statement calls upon the MCC U.S. constituency to look upon the situation differently, says Penner, adding that on the West Coast increasing numbers of Mennonite congregations are of newcomers. In just the past couple of years, some 3,000 Russian and Ukrainian immigrants have joined Mennonite Brethren churches in California, Oregon and Washington.
The statement points out that "many of our grandparents and greatgrandparents came to the United States" for the same reason as do immigrants today: "For protection from religious or political persecution and in search of freedom, peace and opportunity for their families. "
"Immigrants want to become economically self-sufficient and to make positive contributions to the land where they are living . As the children of immigrants we should welcome these new arrivals with Christian care and compassion," the MCC statement says -MCC and CL staff
At press time , Mennonite Central Committee and MBM/ S both were waiting for further information in order to assess the potential need for North American response. The Japan Evangelical Fellowship, a broad coalition of many evangelical groups with its own relief agency, appears likely to coordinate Christian participation in relief efforts , including MCC. A Mennonite representative is involved , according to Gary Hardaway of MBM/ S.
Meanwhile, the youth of the Japan MB Church are forming teams to help the government distribute supplies on bicycles to the stricken of Kobe. An estimated 310,000 people spent the night ofJan. 20 in shelters for the homeless, most without heat or running water. Roads are clogged with thousands walking to the suburbs to buy food and bring it back to their families.
Three of the 26 churches in the Japan MB Conference are located only a few miles from the earthquake's epicenter. MBM/ S has three English teachers in the Osaka area, about 20 miles from Kobe: Susan Sivertson of Burnaby, B.C. , Chris Braun of Hillsboro, Kan., and Dawn Hogan of Omaha, Neb. Braun and Hogan both report being awakened by the earthquake Braun also reported that his apartment building received structural damage.
About 80 percent of the Japanese Mennonite Brethren congregations are also located in the Osaka metro areas. MBM/S church planting couples Steve and Bobbie Friesen of Komaki, and Laurence and Leona Hiebert of Toyota, each live about 100 miles from Kobe. Doris Goertz, an MBM/ S English teacher from Winnipeg, also works in Toyota.-from MBM/S releases
NATURAL DISASTER
MISSION
Bakersfield congregation reaches out to abandoned children of Romania
• Congregation is sending mission teams to Romania to minister to the physical and spiritual needs there
IN THE DREARY rooms of a Bucharest orphanage, several women work diligently to bathe and clothe the children, while other team members teach a vacation Bible school.
Down the hall a couple of men, wielding hammers and paint brushes, busy themselves with a construction project. Outside, several others turn the ground in preparation for playground equipment.
It's all in a day's work for the Romania Project team from Laurelglen Bible Church in Bakersfield, Calif.
From the beginning, the LBC Romania Project has been a labor of love. Sparked by church member DeAnn
Sampley's mission trip to Romania with JOni Erickson Tada in 1991, LBC has developed a vital ministry working with a Bucharest orphanage known as Casa de Copii #7, meaning House of Children.
"My trip to Romania with JOni was such a life-changing experience, that when I brought it back to LBC, they embraced Romania and the LBC Romania Project was born," Sampley says.
Many Romanian children were abandoned during Nicolae Ceausescu's dictatorship, when families were heavily taxed if they produced fewer than five children. According to Ceausescu's reasoning, the more chil-
dren born in Romania, the stronger his work force would become . However, larger families created fmancial hardships for parents. As a result, many children were deserted because their families could not afford their care.
According to Grace Cabalka, LBC Romania Project team member, a few children are visited regularly by their parents. Many others, though, abandoned because of physical or mental deformities, know neither the love of people or God.
But LBC is striving to bring the love of God to the children of Casa de Copii #7 by sending mission teams to Romania to minister to the physical, health and spiritual needs of the children and orphanage staff. This is accomplished by providing essential needs such as milk, vitamins and medical supplies, and making repairs and improvements at the facility.
The first LBC team traveled to Romania in summer 1993. Other church members had already been to Bucharest on independent ministry trips, with the goal of providing essential medical treatment for those in need. Five Romanian children have been adopted into Bakersfield families as a result of those initial trips.
LBC has since sent five teams to work with the orphans and staff at Casa de Copii #7. Team members, although prepared intellectually for what they will fmd in Bucharest, can't help but be moved by the pitiful living conditions.
Grace Cabalka recalls her ftrSt reaction upon arriving at the orphanage: "It really smelled bad, like a combination of rotten food, a strong cleaning solution and urine. The walls were a dark yellow/brown color and very depressing . Many of the children were like little animals, totally out of control and using the yard as their toilet. "
The children of Casa de Copii #7, ranging in age from 3 to 9, have a very regimented life but they have nothing to do. They will often sit on a line in a big room for three to four hours at a time watching Romanian news broadcasts on television. Many sleep up to 16 hours a day out of boredom.
Team members soon discovered that many of these children are never called by their names . The natural reaction is to want to bring them all home, but team members know they
Team member Sarah Bird helps a child wash. Bird has been on two trips with LBe and spent three months in Romania with Chidren to Love, a missions organization reaching out to Romanian orphanages.
can be most helpful by working to improve the living conditions by completing the established goals for each trip
"We saw a real need for these kids to be held and loved," Cabalka says . "The kids need God ' s love, but you can ' t tell them that Jesus loves them when they are cold and hungry, so we try to meet their physical needs Hopefully by learning how to accept human love, they will be able to accept God's love. We also want to model for the orphanage staff that these kids have value, not just in our eyes, but in God 's eyes. "
According to pastor Ken McDuff, chair of the Romania Project Committee , "The LBC Romania Project is serving as an excellent vehicle to open the eyes of the LBC congregation to the needs of the world , and our ability to respond practically to those needs. The project also affords those who are considering involvement in missions the opportunity to experience a shortterm mission assignment on a crosscultural basis "
To draw the LBC congregation into the project, team member Karen McDuff suggested a prayer support network for the kids, but her plan soon grew in scope to include a financial support network Church members were given the opportunity to support a child at Casa de Copii #7 for $36 per year. LBC's desire to support the children both in prayer and financially became evident the day the sponsorship program was announced : every child had a sponsor by the end of the evening.
As the Romania Project evolves, one of the goals is to provide assistance and support to the Romanian community of believers in responding to the needs of their own people . Up until now the LBC teams have ministered directly to the children and staff of Casa de Copii #7 . Now they are beginning to incorporate the help of a local church in Bucharest, to minister to the direct needs of the orphanage Project team members are working closely with representatives from a Nazarene Church , whose members will visit the orphanage weekly and monitor the day-to-day ministry effort LBC will continue to send mission teams and to serve as a source of support .
"LBC's ministry at Casa de Copii #7 has been successful because there is love behind it, but we are really just learning as we go, " Ken McDuff says.
"The team members have become like favorite aunts and uncles to the children . Even if different people visit the orphanage each trip, the children always recognize where the visitors have come from , " Cabalka says .
As for the future of the project , "Even as the political climate in Romania changes, there is no end to what we can do for the children . We will find creative ways to meet our goals," McDuff says.-Marcia Hirst, LBC
CONSULTATION
Miss i ons share financial woes
• Mennonite agencies 'hanging on by fingernails'
WE'RE HANGING ON-by our fingernails . " That ' s what personnel from Mennonite and Brethren in Christ mission agencies told each other Dec 11 -15, at the annual meeting of the Council of International Ministries held in Chicago, Ill . Having focused on the world and the church in previous meetings, this year CIM turned its attention to itself with the theme: "The Health of the North American Mission Enterprise. "
Jack McClane of Brethren in Christ Missions, Grantham, Pa , was the first to use the fmgernail imagery He told of declining financial support, which has meant a decrease in the number of missionaries sponsored by his agency. Others picked up the theme MB Missions/Services, Fresno, Calif., reported that while it had a surplus of $600,000 in 1990, it will have a deficit of almost that much in 1994. Once projecting 200 overseas workers by 1995 , it has had to cut from 125 to the current 84 Mennonite Board of Missions, Grantham , Pa., Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference, Winnipeg, Man , and Commission of Overseas Mission (General Conference), Newton, Kan , all reported a decrease in overseas staff while Eastern Mennonite MisSions, Salunga, Pa., reported a 15 per-
cent budget cut .
For only one group have the past years been better than hanging on: the Evangelical Mennonite Conference, Steinbach, Man. They reported an increase of $300,000 in overall funding, mainly through the use of special projects. The number of missionaries with EMC has also remained constant, though many are "seconded" to work with independent mission agencies .
For some CIM members, the answer for lessening missions support can be found in a new generation of Mennonites that has not caught the mission vision of a previous one.
Others charged that the individualism and affluency of Western culture have diverted the church from its primary task . "Church members have changed from stewards into consumers," said Sylvia Ronsvalle of the Empty Tomb , Inc , a resource leader for the CIM gathering . Ronsvalle would shift the focus of the crisis away from agencies to the constituency. For Ronsvalle, a theology of money would relate stewardship to discipleship. She indicated surprise such a theology has not been developed in light of all the references to finances and stewardship in the Bible-"more than on prayer, " she said
When challenged that stewardship is more than money, she replied : "But (money) is a North American sin we need to deal with . If we let one little crack in the door and say our problem isn't money, everyone will stream out that crack."
"The well is not dry," said Harry Olfert , formerly an executive with MB Missions/Services who now runs a fundraising conSUlting service out of Winnipeg, Man Olfert challenged CIM agencies to get beyond thinking that money coming from congregations and conferences is somehow better than that from individuals.
Olfert suggested CIM agencies use a variety of methods in raiSing their funds-and value contributions from whatever the source .
"If we want the well to continue to flow and increase its flow, it probably will not be either working through the church or through individuals-but through both," Olfert said .
Hugo Zorilla, a member of the MBM/ S board and a professor at Fres-
CHURCH NOTES
• Baptism/Membership
CLOVIS, Calif. (Mountain View)-Mary Reed, Nicole Hamilton and Rick Briones were baptized Dec. 11. This is the third baptism held since the congregation began public services last May.
• Ministry
HENDERSON, Neb.-Garvie and Diane Schmidt, pastoral couple, were the featured speakers at the Colombian MB Mis· sionary Retreat held Jan. 2-4 in Cali. The Schmidts, along with their children, Nathan and Heidi, participated in the Colombian National Conference in Cali, Jan. 5-8, and then traveled to Bogota to visit Mennonite Brethren churches in the area until Jan. 14.
CLOVIS, calif. (College Community)-Pas· tor Stan Friesen, his wife, Delores, who teaches counseling at MB Biblical Seminary, and their daughter, Ingrid, traveled to Africa in late December as part of Stan's sabbatical. They spoke at a retreat for MBM/S, MCC and Mrica Inter-Mennonite Mission workers in Botswana. Stan will spend from Jan . 9 through Feb. 17 work· ing with a training school for church leaders in Accra, Ghana. Delores worked with him there untilJan. 23.
SHAFTER, Calif.-Pastor Dave Gerbrandt and his wife, Marilyn, traveled to Burkina Faso to build a house for missionaries Phil and Carol Bergen.
• Fellowship
MADERA, calif. (Bible)-Home Bible studies will be offered in 11 different locations on Sunday evenings for six months.
NEWTON, Kan. (Koerner Heights)-Tbe congregation set a goal for the next three or four months of having every family socialize with someone in the church they don't ordinarily visit. Church board members and elders began in January by inviting someone; those families will be asked to do the same in February.
HENDERSON, Neb.-An adult study and support group entitled "Transitions-Savoring the Seasons of llie," met for six weeks through January and February. The study focused on transitions and changes associated with adulthood.
FAIRVIEW, Okla.-All men and boys were invited to a Wild Game Supper Jan. 13 that featured pheasant, fish, quail, deer, etc., donated by church sportsmen
HILLSBORO, Kan.- The Parkview MB church joined with the Hillsboro MB congregation on New Year's Day evening to
We'd like your story...
SHOULD FAITH INFLUENCE where and how you work? Thomas Theocarides believes premarital sex is wrong. So the 38-year-old obstetrician-gynecolog ist from Elkhart, Ind , sent a letter to all his patients last month warning that after a one-year grace period he will no longer provide contraception for those who aren't married, citing the potential for serious health risks. When he asked patients if they believed in God, most said yes. When he asked if they thought being sexually active though not married was right in God's eyes, the vast majority (95-98 percent) said no.
Are you someone whose faith makes a difference in how you do your work, where you do it, and even what you do? Do you know of someone who falls into this category?
I'm calling on you to share your stories about how faith makes a difference in decision-making in your work. How does the church and pastoral staff, friends and family, support you in your work-related concerns and decisions.
Another topic we're interested in hearing about from you concerns the relationship of faith and leisure-time. How do you decide what happens during your leisure and vacation time?
I'd like to hear from you. Send your comments to Katie Funk Wiebe, 836 Amidon, Wichita, KS 67203 -3112 .-KFW
view the family film, "Power Play," with a fellowship time following.
NEW HOPE, Minn.-Tabor College president-elect David Brandt was the featured speaker Jan. 15. Tabor alumni and friends were invited to meet the Brandts after the service to eat, fellowship and ask questions.
• Proclamation
LITTLETON, Colo. (Belleview Acres)"Bringing Jesus to the City" was the theme of Missions Sunday, Nov. 20. Dwight Short of the Jesus Church ,was the speaker in the morning and Penny Kreibel from New Directions Counseling Services spoke at the evening banquet.
Mennonite Brethren Missions/Services
is accepting applications for the position of
Director of Support Services
Location: Fresno, California
Slarting Dale: June 1, 1995
Deadline for Applications: February 28, 1995
Duties:
• Supervise and evaluate department managers responsible for Personnel, Media, Office/Facilities Management, and Finance.
• Give leadership in the development and implementation of an annual budget for the agency.
• Administer employer/employee-related services for all staff. (Full job description available on request)
Qualifications Desired:
• Christian commitment and lifestyle consistent with the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith
• Membership in a Mennonite Brethren Church
• Relational and Administrative strengths to give leadership in the duties of this position
• Computer skills in word processing and data base management
• Masters degree or bachelors degree with significant experience
• Experience in financial and personnel management.
• Teaching/Nurture
FREEMAN, S.D. (Silver Lake)-The congregation is hosting the annual three-month "Mid-Week Joint Sessions" with two other rural Mennonite churches. The program features two joint rallies and two five-week teaching sessions for children, teens and adults.
TOPEKA. Kan.-The congregation hosted a preaching seminar Jan 5-7 for Southern District pastors. Allen Guenther of MB Biblical Seminary led the seminar on the book of Hosea.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Laurelglen)-Ron and Betty Wiseman led a marriage seminar Jan 15-17
COll..INSVILLE, Okla. (Westport)-A oneday women ' s retreat Jan. 21 featured music with Kris Schoeppey and workshops on the Christian life, skill development, home crafts and family helps.
MOUNTAIN LAKE, Minn.-The congregation hosted a "New Testament Walk Through the Bible" seminar Jan. 28 for the southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa area .
''VIENNA: MUSIC AND CULTURE" TOUR
MAY 30 - JUNE 13, 1995
Join Professor Wilbur Maust of Conrad Grebel College for a musical and cultural experience in Vienna, an international music center for centuries.
For more information on this tour or other tours, please write or call.
Tulip Time in Holland April 18 to May 1 Henry D. Landes, Pieter & Martha Gotwals Postma
Lands of the Bible May 10-23
john & Naomi Lederach
European Anabaptist Heritage july 5-21 john Ruth & Ruth jantzi
European PAX july 10-26 Cal Redekop & Henry D Landes
England/Scotland August 9-24
Wilmer Martin & Mary Rittenhouse Schwartzentruber
Mexico November 15-30 Cal Redekop
TOUR MAGINATION
22 King Street South, Suite 401 1011 Cathill Road Waterloo, ON N2J IN8 (Reg #1 567624) Sellersville, PA 18960 Tel. 1-800-565-0451 (U.S. & Canada)
WICHITA, Kan. (First)-The Music and Worship Ministries Team will host singers/songwriters Dick and Melodie Tunney Feb 25 The afternoon offers separate seminars for men and women as well as a joint seminar on marriage and family issues. The day closes with an evening concert by the Tunneys.
• Celebrations
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Lincoln Glen)- The Ethiopian Christian Fellowship joined with the congregation for a Christmas Eve candlelight service led by the Chancel Choir.
HILLSBORO, Kan. (Ebenfeld)-An undecorated evergreen tree was a visual reminder of the advent season until Christmas Day when church families decorated the tree with ornaments brought from home.
HESSTON, Kan.-Part of the Dec. 11 morning service was a celebration of the cancellation of the group's building loan. Lynford Becker of MB Foundation participated in the service
ADAMS, Okla.-In recognition of the I35th anniversary of the Mennonite Brethren Church, a portion of the Jan. 8 morning worship service focused on the past, present and future of the denomination.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Laurelglen)-Flowers were placed in the auditorium Dec 18 in celebration of the 58th wedding anniversary of Harvey and Fern Gaede
BUHLER, Kan.-The family of Marion and Anna Wichert hosted a 50th wedding anniversary celebration Jan. 1.
ENID, Okla.-The family of Mr and Mrs. Gideon Bertsch hosted a 50th wedding anniversary reception Jan. 1
.%e Tabor College Board of Directors cordially invites you to the inaugurati on of H. Davi d Brandt as the ele ve nth pres ident of Tabor Coll ege on Friday eveni ng , the sevent ee nth of Fe bruary, ni nete en hundred and nin ety -five, at se ven-thirty in the Tabor College Gym nasi um , Hillsbo ro , Kan sa s
SAN JOSE, Calli. (lincoln Glen)-Clarence and Clara Nickel celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at a family dinner given by their children. The Nickels were also recognized in the Jan . 8 morning wor· ship service and an arrangement of flowers was placed in the church in their honor by their family .
• Workers
LODI, Calif. (Vinewood)-Gary Wall was installed as senior pastor at an afternoon service Jan. 8 which was followed by a reception. He , his wife, Tami, and their three children were welcomed with a "Pantry Shower" as well as a "Casserole Shower" to help stock the cupboard and freezer.
MADERA, Calli. (Madera Bible)-Bob and Wanda Kroeker have announced their res· ignation, effective July 1. They will have completed 44 years of ministry in the Men· nonite Brethren Church, including more than 20 years in the pastorate, 21 years as missionaries in Zaire, and three years as directors of the U.S. Conference Evange· lism and Christian Service activities The Kroekers say they are open to other min· istry opportunities, including interim or associate roles
Your Job skills are needed now In Christian service!
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SENIOR PASTOR
to begin ministry May/June '95
Send resume to:
Pastoral Search Committee 4018 Centre B Street N.W. Calgary, Alberta T2K OW2 Phone: (403) 276-9396 Fax: (403) 276 3884
CHURCH PARTNERSHIP EVANGELISM (CPE) INVITATION
King Road MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C., is seeking volunteers for its Church Partnership Evangelism outreach to
PARAGUAY
March 7-22,1995
PERU, Piura & Sullana May 2-18,1995
RUSSIA, Zaporozje, Molotchna, Chortitza, Berjansk June 5-30, 1995
FIJI ISLAND July 10-28, 1995
RUSSIA, Odessa ..... . ........................ . Aug . 14-31, 1995
CANADA, Fraser Valley Sept. 7-21,1995
PERU, Chiclayo Oct. 3-19,1995
INDIA, Gadwal area Nov. 13-30, 1995
• Team up with national Christians and witness for Christ door to door.
• Some knowledge of the country's language is helpful.
• Each partiCipant must raise or contribute half of the cost: $1,500.
• Similar campaigns have resulted in 200-400 conversions.
• Come and be part of an enriching spiritual experience, discover what GOD can do through you
For further information, contact: Evelyn Unruh, 604-852-5744 or CPE 604-864-3941
Peter Loewen, 604-883-3173 or FAX 604-853-6482
Peter Huebert Missions Committee President
Peter Loewen Promoter
"I believe that ideas have consequences for how we live and act. As citizens of God's kingdom our students must learn to think clearly and carefully about the ideas that shape their lives. "
Dr. David Faber, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies
CLEARINGHOUSE
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
INSURANCE POSITION-Mennonite Aid Plan of the Pacific Coast (a fire and casualty company) is looking for a dynamic general manager with experience in marketing , knowledge of reinsurance, industry reporting requirements and ability to motivate people. Resumes accepted until 31 March 1995 Position will be filled prior to 1 June 1995. Offices located in Reedley, Calif., serving five western states . Qualifications and job description available upon request. Salary and benefits commensurate with experience and education. Reply to Vern Warkentin, 18685 E. Floral Ave., Reedley, CA 93654.
ART: Tabor College announces a position opening in art for the 1995-96 academic year. This is currently funded at half-time, with the possibility of expansion and/or combination with another parttime position at the college. This position requires a master's degree; college teaching experience is strongly desirable. The teaching assignment includes introductory courses in drawing, painting, watercolor, basic design and art appreciation Supervision of modest art gallery is also included. All faculty are expected to be able to articulate personal faith in Christ, and be supportive of the mission of an evangelical Christian college. Send resume and three professional references to: Dean of the Faculty, Tabor College, Hillsboro, KS 67063. The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found, so early application is encouraged.
BIBLICAL STUDIES-Seeking qualified faculty member to teach in biblical studies and related courses in liberal arts college faculty. Old Testament emphasis desired Doctorate desired, master's degree required. Church-related ministry experience and Mennonite Brethren or similar church membership required Applications will be evaluated beginning Feb. 15, 1995, and appointment will be made as soon thereafter as a suitable candidates is secured Fresno Pacific College is a dynamic Christian liberal arts college of the Mennonite Brethren Church All candidates for faculty positions share the college's Christian commitment. For full description and application form, write or phone Dr. Gerald G Winkleman, Academic Vice President, Fresno Pacific College, 1717 S Chestnut, Fresno, CA 93702 ; (209) 453-2023. Position beginning Aug 15, 1995. Women and members of minority groups are especially encouraged to apply.
FOR SALE
FOR SALE: Two lots in Fresno, adjacent to Willow Gardens, near Butler Church and Fresno Pacific College Size ca. 70x125; $35,000 each Can build to suit. Elmer Martens, (209) 291-5904.
M.B. Singers
Singers 315 S. lincoln 159 Henderson Hwy Hillsboro. KS USA 67063 Winnipeg. MB Canada R2L IL4 Only pre-payment ordetS accepred-make checks payable to: M.B. SingetS
SOLD OUT AND RADICAL
(July 25 to August 13. 1995)
A new three week entry level missions experience in Mexico and Southern California for youth groups (ages 15 to 17) from across North America . Costs: $500 per participant (leader goes free with a group of 5 youth)
Why lie around next summer when you can Soar?
For brochures, posters or video contact: Youth Mission International 4867 E. Townsend Fresno, CA 93727-5006 (209) 456-4600 Fax:(209) 251-1432
For College age participants: Two month assignments with YMI to Austria, Thailand, Lithuania, Brazil, and Egypt as well as inner-city teams throughout North America.
LIFESTYLE
Counting the costs
Children living in homes headed by "cohabitating" parents fare worse economically than children in families with married parents, according to an analysis of census data by Penn State sociologists Wendy Manning and Daniel Lichter. The study estimates that 2 .2 million U.S. childrenroughly one-seventh of the children usually counted as living with a single parentactually live with a single parent and his or her unmarried partner.
But even when the income of this second potential breadwinner is added to family income, per capita income in families headed by nonmarried parents lags behind families with married parents.
Cohabitating households averaged $7,200 per capita, while the per capita income in married-couple families is almost $10,800. (EP)
IDEOLOGY
Morally nailed
Though author Camille Paglia identifies herself as a left-wing atheist, she admits that her ideological opposites have hit the nail on the head in identifying America's problems. "The
far right diagnoses certain failings in the culture right now, and what I'm telling the left is, 'Guess what? They're right!' The people on the right are seeing something real, something's terribly wrong in the culture; the young kids have nothing and are being given nothing, " she says. "This is why there's a movement back toward conventional religion. The left became spiritually empty in the last 20 years."
(EP)
YOUTH
But do they like the closing prayer?
Recently, GROUP magazine asked about 100 teenagers what they adore or despise about church. In a word, the chief thing they liked: friends. A number of kids also said they like learning about God, being with people who share their beliefs, and the fun activities they do
is a God, but I don't feel I belong in church. The idea is very good, but the church is too political. The actual outcome in today's society isn't practical.
• I don't like how the pastors and our youth group leader believe they know more about being a
But kids saved their juiciest answers teenager than we do. They have no for what they don't like about church. idea how many teens use drugs, Among their responses: alcohol and cigarettes Peer pres-
• Hypocrites, limited thinking, con- sure is a b-. formity, lack of realism. I know there
• I don't like long-winded
STEWARDSHIP
Way to give
Churches that emphasize giving as an outgrowth of the church's beliefs and traditions collect more money per parishioner than churches which don't, according to a Lilly Endowment-funded study of five denominations. The study of 10,000 church members found that Assemblies of God members gave $628 annually, Presbyterians
prayers/sermons/services.
• I don't like sitting so long (a popular criticism)
• Some of the adults keep to themselves too much-they need to be involved with the youth.
• It's boring (a popular criticism).
• Some adults seem judgmental
• I don't like having to dress up and people trying to shove their beliefs down my throat.
• I don't like the phony music.
• It destroys individualism.
• I don't like uptight old people who won't change.
Crossbearing in a cross culture
THE YOUNG MAN sitting in front of me at the concert wore a small gold cross in his ear. What was its signifIcance for him, I wondered.
At the not-for-profIt international gift shop where I volunteer, I placed a gleaming mother-of-pearl cross on a chain next to a row of silver ones. In five minutes a young woman had purchased it. The store manager commented, "I can't keep enough crosses on order."
We live in a cross culture. A cross makes a fashion statement when worn in ears and as pendants. It identifies a denomination when displayed on steeples, church furniture and gravestones. It symbolizes comfort when hung on the wall or used as a bookmark. The selection of form is great: Greek, Latin, St. Andrew's, St. George's, Celtic, Slavic, Russian and others. People like crosses for many reasons.
On March 1 the Christian church begins the season of Lent, that period of preparation through inner searching that leads to the cross of Jesus Christ. To the New Testament believer, a cross was no object of beauty. It brought up the immediate image of a condemned prisoner picking up and carrying the cross he was to die on. The cross was a death sentence. Only that. The bearer of the cross experienced animosity and suffering. The cross was ugly, a shame .
Yet the hymn writer writes, "When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died." He sees the cross as wondrous, as beautiful.
More likely, crossbearing means a willingness to suffer with Christ; the cross and resurrection created the church and defines its character. Christ's cross brings with it no halo of glory, only a daily denial of looking after self fIrst. It calls for reaching beyond oneself to touch and be touched by the needs of others.
Mieczyslaw Malinski writes: "It's easiest to see the cross on Jesus's shoulders It's a bit harder with our neighbor's cross Most difficult of all is seeing our own cross." And sometimes even more difficult is to see it on the shoulders of a congregation, especially our own congregation. Yet crossbearing is for the body of Christ, as well as the individual.
The church is a community under the cross, writes theologian Juergen Moltmann; it is called to participate in Christ's journey to Jerusalem, confronting
As I contemplate the cross, I grasp that its wonder is
the false powers that oppose God's rule and enduring the suffering those powers inflict.
I asked my Bible study class how crossbearing would evidence itself in the institutionallife of the congregation. It took some not in its
appearance, but in the Superglue of love that took
thinking before the answers came. A crossbearing congregation has an interior life that reveals itself in an exterior life, visible to others. They said it would show up in budget line items, by the amount spent for congregational concerns versus the amount spent for others.
Christ to the cross and held him there. Cross bearing would show up in the weekly schedule of events, giving evidence
What other objects do I call wondrous? While in one of the northern states one winter, I chanced upon some wondrous clusters of tiny frost-fashioned feathers attached to a metal grill. Some Superglue kept these miniature works of art suspended for hours. Yet they were so fragile a rough breath easily destroyed them. Yes, they were wondrously beautiful.
But Christ's heavy, splintery cross was not like these delicate creations of nature. It was ugly. A thing to tum from As I contemplate the cross, J grasp that its wonder is not in its appearance, but in the Superglue of love that took Christ to the cross and held him there. The only beauty of the cross for the believer is in crossbearing. Each of the Gospel writers mentions Christ's call for followers to pick up their cross daily and follow him. Crossbearing in a cross culture has come to have various meanings. For some it is only ornamentation. Some people refer to their cross as the heavy burden of sickness and difficult circumstances life loads on them. Perhaps Jesus meant that.
that the congregation through its weekly program of activities seeks to serve others, not just its own members. It would show up in the united voice with which a congregation speaks against sin and evil in the community in spite of opposition. It would show up in individuals who choose to make ministry a lifetime commitment.
With such open evidence of crossbearing, the cross is more than a glittering piece of ornamentation. It is beautiful.-KFW
We are looking for writers ...
PART OF MY TASK as interim editor is to find and develop new writers. If you are interested in making the Christian Leader part of your writing ministry, please contact me in care of this publication Give me some personal background, a writing bibliography (if you have one), topics you are interested in, and a writing sample. I can't promise you an assignment but J will promise you an answer to your letter and some encouragement.-KFW
