EVERY SO OFTEN, we put together a feature section that includes a variety of articles on different topics-this is one of them. The first two articles deal with the role of the church in societal trauma and welcoming the poor, the next two with prayer and the last two with leadership. All three topics are relevant and important to us as Christians, and I hope you find them both thought-provoking and helpful.
This issue also includes the debut "Chuck's Corner," a column by newly hired u.S. Conference executive director Chuck Buller. The column will appear quartly for one year, with updates and reflections from Chuck.
BodyLife includes news about our upcoming national youth conference, church planting and both MB and interMennonite ministries. The Anabaptist world is full of events, stories and news-far too much to be included in our news section. I hope you will take the time to sample what your brothers and sisters are up to in the u.S. and around the world.
God bless. -CA
COMING
• FEBRUARY I6-Peace Sunday, sponsored by the u.S. Conference Peace Education Commission
• FEBRUARY 24-26-New Pastors' Orientation, ECCO Retreat Center, Central California
• FEBRUARY 28-MARCH I-U.S. Conference All-Boards Meetings, Fresno, Calif.
• MARCH 22-25-National Youth Conference, Estes Park, Colo.
• MAY 22-24-Baptism and Church Membership Study Conference, Winnipeg, Man.
• JUNE 26-29-Central District Conference convention, Omaha, Neb.
• AUGUST I-3-Southern District Conference convention, Oklahoma City, Okla.
• AUGUST 11-17-Mennonite World Conference Assembly in Mrica
ART CREDITS: Cover, PhotoDisc; Pages 1-16, PhotoDisc except for page 9, 10 and 11, Eyewire.
Printing by Valley Offset Printing, Valley Center, Kansas.
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BOARD OF COMMUNICATIONS: Harold Loewen, cochair; Kathy Heinrichs Wiest, co-chair; Peggy Goertzen, Phil Neufeld, Moises Tagle, Dalton Reimer.
The Christian Leader (ISSN 0009-5149) is published monthly by the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, 315 S. Lincoln, Hillsboro, KS 67063. The Christian Leader seeks to inform Mennonite Brethren members and churches of the events, activities, decisions and issues of their denomination, and to instruct, inspire and initiate dialogue so members will aspire to be faithful disciples of Christ as understood in the evangelicaVAnabaptist theological tradition. However, the views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the position of the Christian Leader, the Board of Communications or the Mennonite Brethren Church.
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Carmen Andres
EDITOR Connie Faber
BIRD WAS rHE FIRST PERSON I KNEW WHO WM MUIIDJlIlED.
Bitd was his street name. His mother was a friend olom fatnily. I'd been Bird's Sunday school teacher wb¢n he was in junior high. He was a talented young artist who'd taken a lot of early blows-sepantion from his parents during their immigration; the sudden, untimely death of his father; struggles at school. In all this turmoil, Bird looked for validation and meaning. He wanted community. He thought he'd found it in a group called CYS (Crazys). Apparently, CYS had enemies, and one of them shot Bird in the stomach as he got out of his car to go to a party in the wee hours of a Sunday morning.
We got the news when we arrived at church. We cried. We prayed. We tried to show special kindness to his mother. Yet in many ways, Bied's death was commonplace. It didn't make the news. It didn't even make the sermon.
Bird's death was the first in a string of losses. In the next seven years, seven people I knew were murdered, and three were convicted of murder.
As I'm writing, I'm remembering that this is the 10th anniversary of the civil unrest in Los Angeles, which comes in a year that feels like it began on Sept. 11. As a people, we've been through a lot of trauma between those two events. Oklahoma City. The first World Trade Center bombing. Columbine. Not to mention all the never-made-the-network-
BY RUTH VUONG
news local traumas like Bird's murder. And I expect there is more to come.
If extreme situations force individuals to see who they really are and what really maners, the same holds true for churches. We've heard more than once how unprepared the churches in the vicinity of Ground Zero were to respond to the needs of their devastated community.
I wonder how many churches would be prepared to respond-even to trauma on a far less massive scale. Do our churches have leaders with courage and depth? Are their members deeply rooted in the community and therefore able to organize quickly? Do church leaders know their colleagues in neighboring churches well enough to get past competition and suspicion so that they can create networks among the churches, other religious communities, relief organizations and civil officials?
And then there's theology. Are preachers searching the deepest truths of the Christian faith? Are they respectful of the mystery of suffering? Can they help their congregations stand against social evil as well as individual sin? Are they able to give voice to the deep cries of the human heart and inspire their hearers to respond with concrete expressions of God's justice, mercy and love?
In the season of loss that began with Bird's death, I observed more than one church respond to its members' traumas. I saw young people rally
Do the poor feel welcome at your church?
THE VISITORS' CLOrHES are worn, their haircuts dcHtyourself jobs. As a member of a mlddl&-1ncome congr. gatlon you wonder, Will this family feel welcome here?
Your concerns are soon put to rest. Church members go out of their way to be friendly, and the family retums. When the Sunday school class plans a hayride, several people Invite the newcomers. You're delight· ed when the couple dedicate
their baby. They must be feeling right at home.
Then, a few weeks later, they just stop coming. What went wrong? Didn't they feel welcome after all?
No, they didn't. I know, because this call them Ray and Sandra Thompson-were friends of ours who attended church with us at our Invitation. I appreciated, of course, other church members' efforts to make our friends,
who were obviously poor, feel at home. The friendliness was genuine, but It wasn't enough. To truly make the family feel accept· ed required something more-a new way of seeing.
Using new eyes
Our family began to learn this new way of seeing when we returned to Oklahoma after three years away. I was working as a freelance writer, a job that yielded
Bird's death was the first in a string of losses.
In the next seven years, seven people I knew were murdered, and three were convictedof murder.
high personal rewards but low and Irregular Income. We went back to the same mlddl.class church we had attended before, where we had felt loved. But after a year of regular attendance, we stili didn't feel part of the body.
The difference? We were poor now. And as a poor family attending a middleclass church, we had run Into an obstacle course of barriers that kept us on the
outside looking In.
around their friends, attempt to protect and counsel them, even in dangerous situations, sometimes without adult support. I saw an individual put a friend's funeral on a personal credit card. I saw another friend deal with police, coroner and other officials so the family didn't have to in those first harsh hours. I saw several people provide food, transportation and other practical support to a grieving family.
I also saw some church leaders who were more preoccupied with the size of the worship band, the state of the sound system or the health of the budget than they were with the health of the neighborhood around them. I met several church leaders who were afraid the church "would have trouble" if they
Though we had worshiped at the church for years, we'd never noticed the barriers. In fact, we could now see how we had unknowingly raised similar barriers In a youth program we had directed In that very church. Only when we saw the church through the eyes of the poor did these banters tHacome visible.
Barrier #1: A price tag on Christian fellowship
On the evening of the Sunday school hayride, Ray was at our house, anguishing over whether to take his family. He wanted to make friends and tHa a part of the fellowship, but the hayride would cost $4.50. He was forced to choose--go on the hayride or buy milk for his children.
We'd gladly have taken them as our guests, but we had even less money at the time. Our family couldn't even consider going. In the end Ray stayed home and bought milk. The price tag on Christian fellowship was simply too high.
The next month, our Sun-
day school social was within walking distance of our home. No expense for gasoline. Admission was just $1 for our whole family. MaytHa we could go. But, no, It came during a time when our only regular Income was the $70 a week my wife was earning from a part·tlme Christmas job, and we had less than $15 a week for groceries. On a budget that tight, $1 Is a lot. We stayed home and used the dollar for baby fonnula.
That's why, after a year at our old home church we stili felt like outsiders. Though our Sunday achool class had frequent social events where we could have renewed friendships, most cost money for admission, child care or both. That left us out. While worship and Sunday school were open to everyone regardless of Income, those unable to pay for Christian fellowship were often excluded.
The leaders of a women's Bible study my wife attended found some creatIve ways to eliminate financial barriers. The church provided free child care during the Bible
employed a person trying to leave a gang, counseled an anguished youth or took on the needs of a traumatized family. Mostly, I saw good Christian people individually trying to do the best they could with what they had.
I'm left wondering what more might have happened, both for the people who suffered loss and the church, if there had been stronger leadership, wiser counsel, better organization and preaching that was less timid, more viscerally connected to the immediate reality.
We filed past Hird's casket to pay final respects, then stepped one by one into the bright afternoon outside the church. I was near the last of the line, and when I came outside, most people had moved
study. Once a month, when the small groups ate lunch together, the women brought brown-bag lunches rather than going to a restaurant. SCholarships were available on request for the $10 fee for materials.
But while that removed the last financial barrier It raised another banter In Its place.
Barrier #2: Offers of help that hurt
In our society, tHalng poor carries a stigma. Even though Jesus called the poor blessed and singled out the wealthy for stem warnings, the world's glorification of the wealthy carries over Into many churches. The result: To admit to being poor, even In church, can be terribly humiliating. To admit you can't even afford the $10 for a Bible study notebook Is a humiliation few will volunteer for.
To get around this, some groups eliminate fees In favor of suggested don. tlons. That's better, but stili less than Ideal. When I haven't been able to give the full suggested donatIon, I've
sometimes come away feelIng guilty or second class. The challenge Is to find ways to share that don't hurt or humiliate but Instead cornmunlcate love and afIIrm dig· nlty.
We later attended a church that did an excellent job of this. While expenses for the year's all-church retreat were covered on a donation basis, nobody mentioned a "suggested don. tlon." Instead, the announcement mentldned the approxImate cost per person, but emphasized that everyone's participation was wanted. Those who couldn't pay were made to feel just as welcome as those who could cover more than their own expenses. As a result, retreat participation was almost as high as Sunday momlng worship attendance, and donations covered all the expenses.
The exact method Isn't Important. What's Important Is to find ways for those who can't pay to participate on equal terms with those who can-not on a "special case" basis.
on. In the quiet, I heard what I thought were sobs coming from behind the building.
I stepped off the path and walked slowly toward the sound. Behind the church, a tough-looking, muscular man with bare, tatooed arms leaned alone against a wall, weeping. I approached him from behind, not quite sure whether I should be there.
Finally, I touched his arm gently. "I'm sorry about your friend," I said. He turned his face toward me, wide open and unguarded. Through tears he whispered, "Thank you." Nothing I've said before or since has met with such naked gratitude.
The man told me his name was Lobo. His "thank you" dispelled any doubts I'd had about whether I should be there. To Lobo, I was the church. And
Barrier #3: Pradlces that say ·You don't belong"
VIsiting a predominantly mlddle-lncome congregation can be uncomfortable for a lower-lncome family. To make the less affluent feel welcome, the congregation must become aware of lifestyle differences and adopt practices that embrace diversity.
On the Sunday the Thompsons dedicated their baby, my wife and I also dedicated our first child. As I dressed that morning, I debated: Should I wear a suit to fit In with most of the other fathers who would be stanclIng before the congregation or a sports shirt In case Ray didn't have a coat and tie? I compromised. I wore a sweater.
Ray showed up without coat or tie. Sandra wore the same dress she'd wom the previous six Sundays-no doubt her only Sunday dress. I could Imagine how conspicuous they felt. I hoped what I was wearlnc made them feel a little less so. But to make them feel truly c0mfortable many In the c0ngregation would have needed to
even though the church isn't sure what to do or how to do it, our first responsibility is to step off the path and move toward the cries. Our next is to let Lobo be our guide, trusting that God is with us .•
Ruth Vuong is dean of students at Fuller 1beological Seminary. She and her husband, 1buan, volunteered for six years in the juvenile justice system as advocates for young people, particularly Asian immigrant teenage boys. 1bey've also learned much from their neighbors in Los Angeles. 1bey have a teenage daughter, Syremol. 1bis article first appeared in a Fuller community newspaper.
change from dressing for success to dressing for the social comfort of others.
Does this mean banning coats and ties? Hardly. That would only make more affluent visitors feel out of place. But when visitors can look around Sunday morning and ftnd blue jeans as well as suits, they won't feel conspicuous no matter how rich or poor.
Social customs can also hinder fellowship.
Once, when our family was looking for a home church, we began attending an affluent suburban congregation shortly before the annual ladles' luncheon.
JUdging from the description In the bulletin and the place settings displayed In the lobby, It was to be quite a formal affair. The price of one ticket was more than I'd ever spent on a single meal, more than we usually spent for our entire family to eat out.
One woman, trying to include my wife, not only Invited her to the luncheon, but suggested she decorate one of the tables. This reqUired china, crystal and
silver for :10, a round linen tablecloth and a centerpiece. She didn't know, of course, that our "china" consisted of ftve mismatched plastic plates, our "crystal" of plastic tumblers picked up at the dime store to get us by until we could afford to move our household goods.
Her attempt to make my wife feel welcome had just the opposite effect. In assuming that everyone attending the church would have fine dinnerware and could afford the ticket price, the women planning the luncheon were saying to my wife and others, "This luncheon wasn't planned with you In mind."
We didn't feel welcome In that church.
Putting out the welcome mat
Making the poor feel at home takes more than friendliness and good Intentions. It requires learning to see through their eyes, to examine every aspect of church life to see If It Includes or excludes. To le8m to see this way, we will need to Involve the poor In
decisions that shape the life of the body. With their help, we can ftnd ways to remove the price tags on Christian fellowship, to avoid offers of help that hurt and to modify practices that say to the poor, "You don't belong." We can learn to make all the body'. basic ministries available to everyone, on the same basis, In settings where people of different socioeconomic levels can be comfortable.
As poor and non-poor come together, not only will the poor benefit from being Included, not only will the non-poor grow througJl their new relationships with these brothers and sisters, but our life together win cIernonstrate to the world the Gospel's power to break down the walls that divide us, the power to make us one••
by Eddy Hall of Goessel, Kan., a senior consultant with LiVing Stones Associates (www.Livlng-stones.com). a consulting team that helps local churches enhance ministry through consulting, coaching and leadership equipping events.
KEN GIBBLE
WIIBN AND WHI'ft DO WE PRAY? AT THE UMn OF DUll OWN POWER.
I'm not .referring to prayers of thanksgiving or con&$sion. I'm referringto the most common prayers of all: those in which we ask for something, when we cry, "'{) God, help me."
But we say, most of our prayers aren't all that desperate. We ask God for health, for wisdom, for strength to meet the challenges of our lives.
Yes, but let's take a closer look at such prayers--the prayer for health, for instance. All of us dread the prospect of illness. Rooted deeper is our dread of death. Death is the ultimate condition of being out of control, and one of the most frightening things about illness is the losing control of our bodies, which reminds us that death is lying in wait.
So when we pray for good health, it is not quite as innocent a prayer as it might at first seem. For what we are really praying for is something we cannot have: We want not to die. We want the power to control our destiny. In religious doctrine this is called immortality and omnipotence-two attributes that belong only to God.
You and I want to be in control. We want to order the world to our own purposes. Though you may never have thought of it this way and would never say it aloud, the truth is that you want to be God. So do I.
I grew up in farm country, and I learned how important good weather is to the farmer's welfare. One summer there was a long stretch of dry weather.
The com suffered in the fields on surrounding farms. My dad's large vegetable garden was facing disaster. Our family prayers included petitions for rain. Then at last a promising weather forecast came our way. There was a good chance for rain on Saturday.
My heart sank. Saturday was the day of the picnic, a time for me and my buddies to enjoy good eats, a ball game and a plunge in the pool. I remember wondering if it would be all right to ask God to hold off the needed rain just one more day. I don't remember what I concluded, but I recall fantasizing that if I were God I would arrange for rain to fall over everything except for the picnic grounds.
I'm not saying it is wrong to pray for health or rain or happiness. To pray for such things-fur a loved one who is very ill to get well, for peace when war threatens, for any number of things that we earnestly desire-is not wrong. Scripture assures us that God knows the desires of our hearts, so our prayers are not telling God anything God doesn't already know. When we voice our deepest longings, we are no longer holding anything back from the one who loves us, the one who says: "Cast all your cares upon me." There is great value in praying for these things.
But there is also great danger in praying to have the world be as we want it to be. The value of such prayer is its honesty, and God desires our honesty. The danger of such prayer is that our prayers are often disguises for our secret desire to be in control and order all things according to our wishes.
Praying with your spouse
HAROlD AND SARAH had been married for over 40 years when they came to see me for marriage counseling. TheIr relationship had become one of constant arguing and name-calllng; both were about ready to call It quits. Yet after nine sessions, they were talking regularly, servIng one another and enjoying each other's company In a way they hadn't for decades. What made the difference? It wasn't leamlng about communication, forgiveness and serving, althOUgh all these helped. The vital step that made
such a dramatic difference was leamlng how to pray together dally.
That makes sense, doesn't It? After all, the BIble says, "Unle8s the Lord builds the house, Its builders labor In vain" (Ps. 127:1). AI Harold and sarah sought God er, he gave each of them a desire to serve the other, a growing humility and a ...... tlvlty to one other.
This couple was not unique. When completlng marriage counseling with couples, I often ask, "What made the difference? Why Is your marriage so much
healthier now?" The most common answer II, "Praying together."
The Bible calls us to devote ourselves to prayer (Col. 4:2) and never give up (Luke 18:1). Prayer makes a difference (James 5:16), yet many couples never discover the special power of two pe0ple agreeing In prayer.
"AgaIn, I tell you that If two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, It will be done for you by my Father In heaven. For where two or three come together In my name, there am I with them" (Matt.1B:1&-20).
Thereisa danger in praying to have the world as we want it to be-our prayers are offen disguises for our secret desire to be in control and order a" things according to our wishes.
A prayer routIne-the same one I share with pies In my ofIice-can help you and your spouse focus your prayers and avoid c0mmon pitfalls. I suggest three short prayers (three to five minutes each) together each day. You can jump right In or start with one or two prayer times andadd more later.
Morning prayer: For each other.
One of my favorite times each day Is when my wife Skeeter and I pray together In the morning (Ps. 5:3, 88:13), something we do every day
Fortunately, there is a remedy to this danger.
On one occasion the disciples ofJesus said: "Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1). No doubt the disciples expected a "how to" lesson fromJesus, instruction on where and when to pray and guidance on exactly how to go about it. What they got instead was a short sample prayer, which eventually came to be known as "The Lord's Prayer."
Had I been there, I think I would have been disappointed. Surely there must be more to praying than this, I would have thought. I likely would have been puzzled when he said that if earthly fathers give their children good things, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. And his comment: "Ask and it will be given you, seek and you will find" wouldn't have helped a whole lot either. I would have wondered about the times when I had asked for something and wasn't given what I asked for or the times when
befOre either leaves home.
Our pattern Is simple: EIther of us says, "00 you want to pray now?" Then one asks the other for two or three prayer requests. If I pray first, Skeeter may ask me to pray that she win be produe> tlve and organized, walk close to God and encourage a friend she Is going to visit. After I pray for her, Skeeter asks me for prayer requests. I might ask her to pray that I will have God's wisdom as I counsel, find time to work on my books and get on top of my paperwork. We also ask for prayer for help In times of disappointment, depression or anxiety.
After praying for each other, we take turns praying for our children, their spouses, our grandchildren, relatives and various other people. There's an added bonus to praying together. As we talk and pray, we share our hearts one with another. It helps us not to drift apart, unaware of each other's dreams, fears and needs.
When I suggest morning prayers to couples, many start
out the next day. Others waf. tie, making excuses:
• "We',. COO busy. " ThIs prayer time can take as little as ftve mlnutes-or less. Every time I talk with s0meone who says there Isn't enough time to pray, we always come up with a solution. If you make prayer 8 prlorItY, you too can find a solution. For example, If you think you are too busy to pray together befOre going to work In the morning, you can make time by getting up 8 little earlier or reading the newspaper a few minutes less.
• "My mate Is s'eeplng wIren , go to ...... "If you have contIIctIng schedules or you know your spouI8 will be sleeping when you leave, you can pray the "momlng" prayer before going to bed at night. Or you could pray over the phone later In the morning.
• "My spoutlB gets mad at my pnlyetS. " If you aren't careful, your prayers can souncIllke sermons. I stiR remember one morning when Skeeter said, "Doug, that wasn't 8 prayer. That was 8
I had gone seeking and didn't find.
Sometimes it takes the space of weeks, months and even years for us to see that we have prayed for the wrong things. There have been times in my life when I was sure what I wanted or needed. I longed for it and prayed for it, sure that what I was praying for had to be what God wanted for me. Only later, looking back, did I learn that what I was praying for was the very thing I did not need at that point in my life.
How hard it is to learn to pray with Jesus the perfect prayer. He prayed it in a lonely garden after he had first made another prayer. His first prayer was "Remove this cup from me" (Matt. 26:39). But he followed this first prayer with the perfect prayer: "Not my will, but thine, be done" (Matt. 26:39).
You and I don't want to pray that prayer. We prefer any number of other prayers that all come out sounding pretty much alike. They are a variation on the prayer which goes along the lines of,
lecture." She was right. I was sure I knew what she needed to do and wned her to get the point 88 I prayed. After that, I limited myself to prayIng only for her requests, not what I thought she should do.
Early evening prayer: For a servant's heart. Evenings are dIfIIcuIt for many couples. Each person Is worn out and wants support fIom the other. Maybe you're hungry but no one wants to make dinner. Or you hope your spouse wIH volunteer to atve the children 8 bath, 80 you can lit down for 8 while.
It's normal to think about OlD' own desires, yet God wants us to adopt an entirely dltferent attitude, an eagerness to serve others (PhIl. 2:3-7). PrayIng together after work Is 8 good WfJt1 to ... adjust your attitude.
Pray within 8 few minutes of when you both are home. When you pray, ask God to help you, personally (not your mate), be the best hU8bancl or wife you can be. Ask him to help you be sensitive to your
spouse and to have 8 servant's heart. If you have children, ask God to help you be the parent theY need. Then your spouse can pray Ilk. wise. 1beIe pray can be one or two minutes long. One beneftt to the earty everdng prayer Is that you are not only asking God for help, you also are making 8 mltment about how you will spend the evening. God will help you follow through.
Bedtime prayer: For God's protection
Pray together before you go to sleep. Ask for God's pr0.tection over your home and for each member of your fan1IIy, your relatives Md others with needs.
You also may want to take ona "prayer project" that c0ntinues over several months or years. For example, a ye.- or 80 after we became Christians, Skeeter and lleamed of the great penI8CutIon Christians faced In Eaetem Europe and what was then known as the SovIet Union. We were horrtfted. That night, we
"Lord, may my will be done. May everything I want and hope for come to pass. Please give me and those I love happiness (and, oh yes, make it happiness as I define happiness)."
Of course you and I don't say it quite that way. But isn't that really what we mean in so many of our prayers? And even when we do occasionally mutter, "Thy will be done," do we mean it? Or are we keeping our fingers figuratively crossed for what we really want--our will to win out in the end?
The Apostle Paul wrote, "In everything God works for good with those who love him" (Rom. 8:28). Do we believe that? Do we believe that in everything God works for good?
I want to believe it, and in some of my all-too-rarebest moments I do believe it. But so often my faith falls short. I mostly don't want to be told that God can bless me as much through a "no" to my prayers as through a "yes." I still have my present day equivalents
a PIUJect of""""'for our bloIher$ .............. ttIoee countrtee, a1Jf8Ctlce we continued for &bout 20 ye8IS. When the Iron CurtaIn fell .... God brought gre8ter fNedom to the SovIet &.-tern EuIopean Cta1stJ8I., we were tidied. We knew that God had _weNd our pmy8IS the pmy8IS.of countIe8a sands of other belleY81'S.
Two .... latIons: If you do not go to.bed 8l the same time, the one who goes to bed first C8II 18Y, "I'm going to bed now. Let's pray." If you halVe trouble staying awake as you pray, get up and pray on your feet. It's unlikely that you will faII p standing upl
Guidelines
I have shared these guidelines with couples as they develop their preyer life together.
• Elthe, fl8l'8on csn suggest It I. time to pray. A common problem In many marriages Is that neither spouse brI. up praying together or the one who does feels like they are nagging.
of praying for the rain to fall on the parched fu.rmers' fields, but please not on my picnic, not on my parade.
But that kind of prayer has got to go. And the good news is that it can go. In fact, whether we believe it or not in no way changes the truth that "In everything God works for good with those who love him." That's simply a given because God is God, because God is rich in mercy, abounding in steadfust love. It's only our blindness, our failure of nerve, our feeble faith, that gets in the way of our seeing it, trusting it and living it with joy.
What good is prayer? Not much, if by our prayers we insist on imposing our will on the world and life. But if we repent of that folly, if we pray as the Spirit helps us to pray-"Not my will, but yours, 0 God, be done"-then prayer is the greatest good, a blessed gift from the Holy Giver.•
Ken Gilble is a freelance writer
One solution Is for each spouse to tBke the b1llty to Initiate prayer at cer· taln times. You might be responsible for the momlng prayer, while your spouse Is In charge of the early evening preyer. Or you could let circumstances dictate who Is responsible for specIfied prayer times. The second person who returns home could be responsible to walk In the door and say, "Honey, I'm home. Let's pray."
The main thing Is to be sure to pray. If your spouse does not suggest praying when It Is his or her responsIbility, don't feel hurt or angry. Just take the Initiative yourself.
• IIW1te YOU' spouse to pray. Don't be pushy.
If you ask your spouse If he or she would like to prey and the answer Is "no," don't respond with pressure or anger. Simply pray by your· self and Invite him or her to Join you next time.
• Both husband and wife should pray out loud Instead of the same person always
praying while the athe, " tens. Although we do not have a formal pattem, Skeeter and I take turns voicing our prayers. I might pray for two of our children, then Skeeter will pray for the third. If your spouse wants to pray together, yet Insists you say all the prayers, don't be upset. This Is better than not preying at all. In time, he or she may be willing to particIpate more actively.
Other guidelines Include
• Don't pray so long that It pushes your spouse away. You don't have to pray a long time for God to hear you (Matt. 6:7-8). Discover an amount of time that Is c0mfortable for each of you.
• Don't let your children distract you from prayingyour example Is a great gift to them.
• Pray even If you are angry-take time to pray prlvately, confess your sin, ask God to restore your love and peace and then join your mate to pray about your anger.
• Pray on the phone If you are away on a business trip.
• ConsIder a preyer chart to remind yourselves to prey.
• Pray throughout the day (1 Thess. 5:17; James 5:13)-tf needs arise, don't walt for your scheduled prayer time. Invite your spouse to join you In preyer right then. Along the same lines, If you need to talk about a dlfftcult topic, It may be a good Idea to pray together before you talk, ask· Ing God to help you speak courteously and wisely••
by Doug Britton, a marriage and family therapist In Northern California since 1980. He is the author of 17 books on marriage and other counseling topios, Inoludlng Marriage by the Book (a series of eight workbooks that apply biblical principles to all aspeots of marriage) and Strengthening Your Marriage: 12 Exercises for Married Couples. For more information, visit www.biblesource. net. This article is adapted from Making Christ the Cornerstone, the second book in the Marriage by the Book series.
BY LEADERSHIP DERRICK MUELLER
Ar "".llME OR ANOfJIER, many of us find ourselves in positions of leadership in the family of God--be it a Sunday school teacher, a youth sponsor. a teacher, a ministry leader, pastor or leading sbmeone to Jesus. At some point, we find God has entrusted US with caring for someone else.
Sometimes we find ourselves ill-equipped to deal with the situation. We start wondering how to lead the way God wants us to. How can we help others grow? How can we help others as they walk with God?
No matter what your leadership role, learning the art of coaching in leadership will not only strengthen your ministry but also encourage and empower those under your ministry care.
What is coaching? It is the process of caring for people who have been entrusted to us and pointing them to God in everything we do. It is a style of leadership that invests in others through instruction, training, guidance, teaching and personal involvement. It is a process that is both formal and informal and involves two or more people interacting in mutual conversation. It is adaptable, as each situation demands a different style or approach to those in our care. It is also servant oriented where the community and mission are the focus and not the leader. And it is transformational-the coach and follower are changed in the process with the result being growth.
Coaching walks alongside individuals and involves the leader in relationships. In essence it is a relationship in which one person seeks to influence the thoughts and behaviors and values of another person by being involved in their life.
So, how does coaching work?
Six fundions of coaching
Over the last 20 years of working with staff, volunteers and parishioners, I've broken it down into six key elements or functions with different goals depending on the situation. Understanding these functions can help you in your leadership role
• TeaJDing-with the goal of unity in tasks. triple-braided cord is not easily broken" (Eccles. 4:9-12 NL1) The first function of coaching is teaming with others. Every leader no matter what the ministry situation needs staff, volunteers and people in the congregation to work together in order to function toward unified goals and create participation between members. Proper team coaching includes much interpersonal communication and less leader control. It is the process of group problem solving.
Teaming involves the servant leader empowering others and sharing visions and dreams. It is based on trusting others and having individuals take owner-
ship of the results. It creates an atmosphere where people are allowed to fail and learn from their failure. In the teaming approach the leader delegates and enlists the commitment of others. It is open in its communication and vulnerability.
The key in coaching in a team setting is that you are always affirming the potential of each person in the group. You prepare the group to work together on a solution. The main goal is to tap and facilitate the abilities of each person. Teaming is concerned with trusting and empowering others for maximum productivity of the group. Essentially it is doing together what cannot be done alone.
• CowueHng-with the goal of personal care giving. praise to the God and Father of our Lordjesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us"( 2 Cor. 1:3-4 NL1). The second function of coaching is counseling or caregiving. The servant leader as coach and counselor is involved in giving advice or opinion on various matters concerning an individual. It is a process of exchanging opinion and caring for one another. Advice may come in the form of direction, development of a strategy planning or caregiving. Counseling is an informal way of giving guidance and helping others become aware of different issues and gaining a deeper insight into their behavior, attitudes or goals.
In counseling, the servant leader functions primarilyas a shepherd and caregiver. He or she becomes an instrument of healing, guidance and love and is more concerned with the individual rather than the task. It becomes a time of listening, giving advice, consulting, encouraging and showing compassion. Teaming is interested in the group but, counseling is interested in the individuals and their diverse personal needs.
• ModeHng-with the goal of demoJUtra.. tion. "And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good deeds of every kind" (Titus 2: 7 NL1). Sometimes a coach is called upon to demonstrate or model a behavior or principle. Modeling gives others the opportunity to observe an example.
It is through modeling that a person can identify with what is being required. For example, if a pastor exhorts others to be involved in outreach or hospitality but refuses to do so himself, his example produces doubt or resentment. The key in modeling is to allow others to observe the desired behavior, identify with it and then imitate and internalize it.
We model both by what we do-and what we don't do. I remember a farmer coming up to me after a sermon on evangelism and rebuking me. He
No matter what your leadership role, learningtheart of coaching in leadership will not only strengthen your ministrybut also encourage and empower those under your ministry care.
said, ''You young pastors preach a lot about evangelism and reaching out to people but no one ever shows us how to do it." On the other hand, I learned how to pray because an elder in our church took me as a 17-year-old to a prayer seminar where we both learned how to pray effectively.
Modeling is something that is often caught by others whether or not we intend it. Who we are flows from our character and values and is reflected to others. Coaches are serious and intentional about modeling and offers themselves as a valida-
tion of experience to others. To model as a coach is to be yourself for others, transparent and real.
• Confronting-with the goal of resolving. "If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the/au/t "(Matt. 18:15-17 NL1). The fourth function of coaching as a servant leader is confrontation. As unique individuals we differ in how we approach situations and people. Because of this diversity there will always be the potential for conflict and the need for confrontation.
Confrontation essentially holds people account-
Walking with them in the Way
HER NAME WAS KEU. She had a past. For all that I knew, she had never been through the doors of a church In her life. But here she sat In the pew next to me, giving her heart to the Lord.
I had Invited her to attend the service, not out of obligation but because her daughter had shown an Interest In spiritual things. Her little girl was best friends with my youngest daughter and very open to the things of God. Sure, Kell and I were frlends-but not the sort that hung out at church together. We were more of the "see you at the next SOC> cer game" sort of friends. Our daughters played together and enjoyed each other's company. I was thrilled that her daughter wanted to come to church but wasn't exactly sure how I felt about Kell coming along too. It wasn't that I had negative feelings about It. It's just that I hadn't really planned for It. And yet, here she sat, responding to the pastor's Invitation, and all I could think was, "What do I do now?"
I must admit, I was tempted to just "get her saved"
and then drive her back home, hoping that the rest would work out for the best. Surely God had something else-or someone else-ln mind to walk this road with Kell. After all, I had a large family to tend to and she was, well •.• she was a real piece of work. There just wasn't room In my life for this sort of complication.
Wrong. My obligation to Kell began the moment I walked her through the doors of the church and wouldn't end until we were parted some years later. Once she came to the saving knowledge of Christ, my work was just beginning. I didn't understand It then, but I certainly do now-and I count It a privilege.
God calls us to mentorlng new Christians. When we play a role In leading someone to Christ, we have a personal obligation to walk alongside them as they begin their new joumey. There are so many things that they simply don't know or yet understand. They need guidance and teaching. In Kell's case, she needed a lot of reassurance that her
prior life was forgiven and cleansed by the blood of Jesus. She needed to know that she was accepted by Christ and by fellow bellev..... She also needed to recognize that she must begin to resist the temptation to go back to her old ways.
My husband and I started our mentorlng journey by makIng sure Kell was given the opportunity to be In church as often as she could be. We knew that the teaching she would receive there would be priceless. We Introduced her to people who were strong In the Lord, and did our best to make her feel like pert of the family. When we were t0gether outside of the church walls, I became much more vocal about my faith and found myself opening up to her. She was very receptive to all that was happening but stili continued to struaJe In her personal life with some of the same old temptations. I watched as she took baby steps and then began walking on her own.
Kell and her daughter became permanent fixtures In our home, as much like family
as anyone could be. Though our lives have since taken different paths, I will be forever grateful to God for his willing. ness to use someone like me to help a new Christian In her walk with him. It w. a wonderful experience that I will truly treasure.
It was also an experience that taught me to be prepared and willing to be used again and again In this area.
I'Ye always prayed that God would "use me," but I never really thought much about "how." I just wanted to make sure I was ready and willing. My experience with Kell answered the "how" question. He wanted to use me to walk alongside new Ohrlstlans. Now the only question left Is "Who? Who will the Lord send my way today?"
Mentoring new Christians
So, what exactly should a Ohrlstlan do, If granted the opportunity to mentor a new Christian? Here are a few suggestions:
• Pr8y for God'. dIrec> lion, for boIdneu ..... for vision. Just because he's
able for their actions and interactions with others. The leader as coach confronts with an attitude that is concerned for the individual and community of followers. The confrontation role in coaching is used to benefit the community and encourage unity.
Confrontation is the process of addressing a perceived problem. When confrontation is used in the coaching process, the key is to gather information, address problems honestly, rebuke and then resolve the problem. If problems are not addressed in the early stages, they become harder to address in the
used you In one particular way In the past doesn't mean It's going to be the same this time around. Different people require different approaches. Be prepared for God to use you In new and exciting ways.
• Make sure you have a spiritual "covering." Have a spouse, pastor or a strong spiritual friend standing In the wings to assist you when you need assistance. You may often find yourself calling on them for help.
Go back and nH'88d all of those verses you clung to when you were a new Chit&tlan. Memorize as much of Romans as you can. Share the SCripture verses In easytCHlnderstand versions of the Bible.
...
"'*""-"Y ,..".,." to .",. wItIJ "". ,.,.., fw tIJe "''''''t but doII't Off "-t you eM Remain committed to the relationship until God releases you from It. Don't allow yourself to be manipulated but be willing to understand that they haven't got It all together yet. I've had to walk with new converts who praised God one minute and cursed the next-not because they didn't love God but because they simply
,"-.. /\
OOACH t
didn't have a full understandIng yet. They were stili on a leamlng curve. Ironically, so wall. .Expect
tlons or concerns about Issues and always seem to get around to the "Why do bad things happen to good people?" question. Study the SCriptures 80 that you are prepared to answer
In a new believer that you can never erase.
cIous with your You will often be required to "share your space" with people who need a shoUlder, a conversation or a cup of coffee. Make your home available. Make sure the 0thers who live there are comfortable with that arran ment and make sure to strike a balance.
• Remind tile new COfto VM th8t you 1If1IPtg for .......,. Also remind them that God has great things In store for them.
• Don't be 8fraId 01 nd8tIIk_1n front 01 those you .. mentort.... They will probably find you a lot more likeable If you don't hide all of your tIaw8 from them. Be real. Be yourself. I remind myself otten to trust that God knows what he Is doing when he sends pie Into my path. He's not
drop all of their old habits In a these questions when they asking me to tum water Into day. You are not the Holy are asked. wlne-to change them Into SpIrit. Only God can bring verr c.eful not to something they are not. He conviction. You Just keep loy.. n.gMively 8bout simply wants me to walk wtth Ing and encouraging them your pIIStor, SUnday scIIooI them In the Way•• and let God be God. te8cIIer or any ea.-
• Be prepared for the new v., even you convert to misunderstand or feel yon h8Ye • rIgbt to be misapply SCriptures. They ........... or ........ this Inevitably have sertous q..... can plant Ideas and opinions
by Janice Thompson, a freelance writer and author of
two novels and multiple magazine articles.
A good coach ••.
• must live a blameless life (Titus 1:6-9)
• must show faithfulness and reverence to God (Neb. 7:2)
• must have a servant's heart (Matt. 20:26)
• has a heart for prayer (2 Chron. 32:20)
• accept responsibility for their actions (1 Chron. 21:8)
• emphasize Christ not him or herself (John 3:30)
• Is consumed with doing what Is right (Micah 3:1-11)
Whether you are a Sunday school teacher or pastor, ministry leader or Bible study leader, you are involving yourself in an incarnational ministry.
.Is not threatened by the skills of others (1 ebron. 12:1-2)
• listens and Is accountable to others (Prov. 12:15) .Is slow to criticize and quick to encourage (Rom. 14:10)
• is tender hearted and forgiving (!ph. 4:32)
• Is not jealous of others (Prov. 14:30) .Is humble (Matt. 18:4)
later stages. The coach as servant confronts problems in love, offering possible solutions and guidance to the situation. The key in confrontation is first to take personal ownership of the problem and, second, to have a sustained high level of ministry performance and spiritual growth.
The servant leader as coach is concerned with growth and development of the individual in the leadership context. Clarification and identification of problems help people improve personally and ministry wise. Ministries need followers who are willing to learn and grow with the ability to change with the ministry for the glory of God.
• Tutoring or teacbing-with the goal of learning. " .. Be an example to all believers in what you teach, in the way you live " (1 Tim. 4:11-12 NL1). The fifth function of coaching as a servant leader is tutoring or teaching. This includes discipling, the spiritual aspect of teaching and investing in people. The aim is to help others leam-to increase competency and skill in a particular area as well to increase breadth of understanding.
The purpose of teaching is varied, including increasing a knowledge base, skill development, personal development or learning to do a task well. The object is to have one both learn as well as commit to leaming.
The context of teaching is also varied. It can be done in a group or individual context. It can involve clinics, seminars, classes or demonstrating a skill. The process can be long or short term, sometimes involving a simple one hour demonstration of how to use a piece of equipment.
The coach as servant assumes the role of teacher and the other person as student. This tutoring or teaching can be formal or informal in its approach but tends to be academically inclined. The goal is personal development and betterment in one's task. Servant coaches are concerned with performance of those in their care and the success of those in their ministry context. Teaching is used as a way to increase performance as well as help individuals grow .
• Mentoring-with the goal of mutual transformation. iron sharpens iron, a friend sharpens a friend" (Prov. 27:17 NL1). The final
function of coaching as a servant leader is mentoring. The coach uses mentoring as the informal part of teaching.
Essentially mentoring is a voluntary relational experience in which a coach shares himself or herself with others. They share themselves as resources for growth and seek to give wisdom and instill values. Coaches are actively involved in formingcharacter, building character and assisting informally with living in life as believers in Jesus. The goal is to increase maturity in leadership.
Mentors are trusted and respected for their advice and counsel. They are seen as a confidant and friend in good and bad times. Coaches mentor as a way of developing a relationship between themselves and those under their leadership. This aspect of coaching is concerned with the connection of leader and follower for the purpose of learning and connecting two lives together-and the process is transformational for both the leader and for the follower.
Being a servant leader
People have a way of becoming what you encourage them to be--or not to be. As a servant leader, using a coaching approach to leadership develops a synergy between you, your staff and your congregation or ministry. The effects of this coaching synergy are greater effectiveness, accomplishment, cooperation and personal relationship with people.
Coaching as a servant leader is that process that allows you to be involved relationally with others.
Whether you are a Sunday school teacher or pastor, ministry leader or Bible study leader, you are involving yourself in an incamational ministry. Do it with prayer, forethought and dependence on God .•
Derrick Mueller is the new president of Emmanuel Bible College in Kitchener, Ont. He has a master of arts degree in organizational leadership and a doctor of ministry. Mueller has had
including pastor, executive director of Youth for Christ Calgary, resource director for Bethany College and leadership consultant for non-profit organizations.
Faith and science
Several years ago there was something about science and religion in the Leader (August 2001). Some of the opinions were disappointing for a couple of reasons. First, no one identified the tenus. And second, some Christians actually believe in Darwinism, which ironically a growing num· ber of atheistic scientists are discarding. I'd like to open up a matter that needs to be clarified: Before we can talk intelligently and calmly about science and Christians, we need to have clear definitions of the words "science" and "Christian." We must not assume that we all have the same or even similar understandings of the tenus.
To begin with the supposedly easier tenu "Christian," we need to define our theological perspective-that is, our view of Scripture and our view of God. Secondly, in this instance, it deals with our view of Christian principles and personallifestyle. We must answer the question: What are the nonus for each, and how do we establish them?
The other tenu, "science," is more complex. In popular use it seems to be somewhat of a replacement for God or perhaps a special gift God has given to us humans to solve our problems. In an attempt to define it we do well to minimize the use of the tenus "science," "scientific," or "scientist." They are too loaded with false connotations.
• Science in itself means "knowledge." However, especially in certain fields, the communicators of new infor-
The Christian Leader welcomes brief letters on topics relevant to the Mennonite Brethren Church. All letters must be signed and will be edited for clarity and length. Send letters to Christian Leader, 101 N. Capitol Parkway, Montgomery, Alabama 36107 (e-mail: editor@usmb.org).
mation all too often use conjecture as real "science." At their best, the best of scientists in any field can only "know in part." And a conscientious scientist will admit that to himself and to others when he reports on the results of his investigation. Science means: knowledge in part of temporal matters as we understand them now.
• Knowledge, by itself, even in great volume from massive research, cannot directly lead to a moral judgment on an issue. We may, however, draw some inferences from what we learn. Just because something is possible to make or do, and has even become acceptable to the majority, does not make it ethically correct or morally right. Only God's Word, the Bible, can give absolute judgments and correct moral guidelines on what to do with what we know and what we can make. This is precisely where we as Christians run into conflict-NOT with true science (real knowledge), but with some of the interpreters and communicators of scientific research. The discoveries we have made of the universe, from the microcosm to the macrocosm, are only partial and very likely only an infinitesimal part at that. And our understanding will soon need to be revised.
The things that God has pennitted us to discover about the world in which we live are mostly good and for our good. We are thankful for these discoveries and have benefited greatly by them. I am alive today because a surgeon gave me a mechanical heart valve. I can see with both eyes because an eye surgeon implanted a lens in my right eye. These people and others have worked together with a God-created human body and we go on living and working.
Now, what are the ethical and moral concerns about which we have doubts?
Paul Friesen Peru
The land of our forefathers
The January 2002 "Inquiring Minds" column about what's happening in the land of our spiritual forebears reveals a rather narrow understanding of Anabaptist evangelical witness by Slavic Mennonite Brethren. If the article is to reflect on the DutchiGennanic MBs of the Slavic nations that is the criteria of what is transpiring it is lacking in the powerful impact that Slavic congregations of our conference are having in the C.I.S. (fonner USSR).
Our Slavic churches have by their report planted over 100 new churches in the C.I.S. in the last 10 to 12 years. A number of these churches have hundreds of members and are not just home-based Bible studies but vibrant congregations. Yury Chernyetsky, one of our Slavic leaders, travels frequently to Russia and the Ukraine and has an international Power of the Cross telecast that reaches across the c.I.S. In the U.S., Slavic church reports indicate that a conservative count of Lord's Day services reveals we have well over 14,000 adults in attendance and indicates that at least that many attend the churches planted by our U.S. Slavic churches. So it is necessary to infonn and educate our U.S. churches that the evangelical Anabaptist Slavic churches are reaching multiple thousands in the C.I.S., which we call the land of our spiritual forebears. The church plantings and evangelism are almost totally funded by our U.S. Slavic churches. The message of our spiritual forebears is potent, alive and growing in the Ukraine and other regions. Albeit these are not the ethnic Dutch and Gennan messengers, the message is the same and these are our people. I think at times we tend to think too narrowly about who the evangelical Anabaptists really are in the 21st century. Our American Slavic churches have the passion, the language and the culture to propagate the Great Commission in the C.I.S. even if it does not fit our precise patterns.
LoyalA
Funk Director, Integrated Ministries
U.S. Conference of MB Churches
BY PHILIP WIEBE
The unlearning curve
A bit of unlearning would do us some good
AT ONE POINT DURING A basketball practice for my son's fifthgrade team, I noticed the coaches were primarily teaching players to not use certain skills during the game. I don't think that was their plan. The boys were just being a bit wild with their dribbling and passing and shooting. It looked like they were trying to emulate the flashy moves of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, rather than playing sound team basketball.
So the coaches encouraged them to back off a little. Play in control. Don't just dribble thoughtlessly into a crowd of defenders, look for an open lane. Don't launch up impossible shots, pass to the open man. Don't constantly try to steal the ball on defense, stay in front of your opponent so he can't get to the basket.
These are basic basketball skills, but they're easy to overlook in a sports culture saturated with gaudy replays of NBA dunks and spin moves. Most kids want to play like Kobe and Michael, forgetting that Jordan was an individual star for years before his team meshed well enough to win championships, and that Bryant had to learn to play team ball with Shaquille O'Neal before the Lakers could win titles.
I've heard this has become an issue in basketball programs involving everyone from youth to pros. Players develop great playground skills copying their favorite stars, but many haven't learned fundamental, team basketball. To teach that, coaches apparently have to help players "unlearn" various habits.
It occurs to me that "unlearning" could be a growth-industry in our age. A culture saturated with information and entertainment puts a lot of stuff in
people's heads they don't really need. For instance, school children these days seem to have an amazing ability to recite line after line of popular movies and 1V shows. Yet it's well documented that students' grasp of history, geographyand other "real world" subjects has drastically declined. One wonders if some un-learning of pop-culture trivia would free up brain space for more meaningful subject matter.
But it isn't only kids who could use a little unlearning. Sad as it sounds, there are a lot of adults who seem to know more about the personal lives of celebrities and Reality 1V stars than they know about their own neighbors, colleagues and pew mates. Some are up-to-the-minute on the big news headlines and happenings, but don't even know what's on the mind of their spouse or kids. Mainly because they haven't checked as often as they've consulted that news web site or cable channel. Perhaps a little less interest in celebrities and crime statistics could create more interest in the fascinating people who live right in their own homes and communities.
Another area where unlearning might do some good has to do with shopping and buying. We are a culture that knows very well where to get the good deals and great buys. We know how to outfit our homes and businesses with all the latest gadgets and comforts. Give us a stack of ads or a computer and we'll find the best product at the best price. Whether we need it or not. The trouble is, a generation so well-educated in building wealth seems rather mystified about building character and integrity. I would gladly trade our culture's great consumer savvy for a little more wisdom about things of the heart.
I've also thought politics is a realm that could use a dose of unlearning. While I'm certainly a supporter of good character in political candidates, the current style of ads and flyers has gotten completely out of control. After watching dozens of campaign spots, I usually know nothing more about real issues and facts than when the whole thing started. Opponents have become so obsessed with pointing out each other's real or imagined flaws that there's no time left to say what they stand for, if in fact they stand for anything. Personally, I don't need to know most of the stuff candidates tell me. Say less about the other guy and tell me more about who you are and what you plan to do.
In a way, Jesus talked a lot about unlearning during his ministry on earth. The religious leaders of his day had piled on so many extraneous regulations, Jesus said in frustration, "They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them" (Matt. 23:4). Jesus advised, "Do not do what they do" (v. 3). One gets the impression here and in other Scriptures that Jesus wanted people to unlearn many religious assumptions so they could pursue true faith and discipleship.
That's still the case. We can pile many extras onto our faith that Jesus never intended. Oswald Chambers once wrote that Christians can get so busy doing things for God, they neglect God himself. When we get so caught up in religious rules, traditions and checklists, simple faith and service can get buried under piles of busy work. That's when it's time to unlearn the things we thought we knew, to learn the things we need to know.•
BY MARVIN HEIN
Questions about faith 8c life
Learning about the Hebraic Roots movement
QHow should we respond to the movement In ..... of our church circles known as .........c Roots? (California)
ANot having become personally acquainted with this organization, except for a bit of hearsay, and thinking that most readers will have equal nonknowledge, I will share some of what I understand to be the movement's beliefs, as learned from their website (often direct quotes). I will then postpone my response to next month's column.
Hebraic Roots of Christianity is an evangelical movement that believes true biblical scholars should begin their studies by understanding the Hebrew roots of our faith and the culture that no longer exists but was the seedbed for the church. The movement insists that we need to understand Israel's geography, culture, language, family life styles, correct history, Jewish idioms (slangs), poetry, politics and much more.
The Hebraic Roots of Christianity Global Network represents a group of ministries and individuals who are dedicated to restoring the Hebraic roots of Christianity. They say that Jesus (Yeshua) was a Jew, the disciples were Jews and both the Jewish and non-Jewish first century believers in Jesus kept the Sabbath and the biblical feast days. Special emphasis is given to understanding the spiritual significance and importance of the Sabbath and the biblical feast days.
This global network is dedicated to standing with the Jewish people, fighting anti-Semitism and believing that the
God of Israel made an eternal covenant with Abraham promising the Jewish people the land of Israel. Moreover, they support Jerusalem being the eternal undivided capitol of the state of Israel as established through David 3,000 years ago.
Hebraic Roots goes to great lengths to attempt to show that Christianity generally follows nonbiblical holidays (Christmas, Easter) adopted in the fourth century from pagan practices, while the biblical feasts were dropped from the church's calendar as a result of worldliness in the church. They point out that the "holy feasts" mentioned in Lev. 23: 1 are feasts of the Lord, not feasts of the Christians. Therefore they should still be observed. There is an insistence that Paul observed the feasts, even in Gentile churches and they quote: "For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: therefore let us keep the feast ... " (1 Cor. 5:7-8).
Historical record confirms, says this movement, that the cessation of celebrating biblical feast days by the followers of Jesus was brought on by a growing anti-Semitic spirit that invaded the church by the second century. So by Constantine's time (fourth century) he forbade the recognition of anything that remotely smacked of Jewishness. Passages such as Gal. 4:9-10, Col. 2:16, Rom. 14:5-6 and Eph. 2:15-16, they say, have been grossly misunderstood and speak more to a warning about judging and turning back to pagan practices than about returning to Old Testament feast observances.
It is only fair to say that this movement stands firm in the belief that salvation is a free gift of God made available
Have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference policy, or other spiritual issue? E-mail Marvin at mhein1 @fresno. edu or send your question to "Inquiring Minds, c/o Marvin Hein, 4812 E. Butler, Fresno, CA 93727.
only through Jesus. Salvation is by grace. To be "under grace" means to be a recipient of Yahweh's mercy, grace and favor; to have one's sins forgiven and to be no longer under the death sentence of the Law.
The foregoing paragraphs are obviously a very brief description of Hebraic Roots beliefs. Little has been said of Sabbath observance, which is a critical element in this belief. I would encourage anyone interested in the subject to investigate further on the website at www.hebroots.org.
If you have a response to this column, please feel free to communicate with me (preferably bye-mail at mheinl@fresno.edu), and I will return to this subject in the March column.•
BY ROSE BUSCHMAN
Making a floor plan
Leaving ?our
RECENTLY, IN A SUNDAY school class at my church, a group of us were sitting around the table drawing floor plans of a childhood home we remembered. We were to choose one from before the age of 10 and the assignment was to "enter each room and get a mental picture of the furniture of that room and the location of the windows and doors. Notice important features of the yard." As we drew we were to jot down any memories that came to mind of things that happened in each room or in the yard.
At one point one of the women started laughing and said, "I remember we had a propane tank behind the house and when my cousins came over we would play 'horsy' on it." Another woman looked up from her drawing and grinned, "I did that, too."
One woman remembered the scare she had when the ceiling tiles above her bed gave way and fell on top of her with lots of dust all over her bed. These were the dust bowl years in western Kansas and the weight of the dust that had blown into the attic caused the tiles to break and create a big mess.
While I was working on my floor plan I suddenly realized that I couldn't remember where we had lived while my parents built the little house I was trying to draw. Later I called my Aunt Margaret to see what she knew. Oh, yes, she remembered. Evidently our family of five lived in a nearby small rental for several weeks, sharing it with my grandparents and their two teenage children (including my Aunt Margaret).
As you may have guessed by now, ours is not your usual Sunday school class. I am part of a group of women
who are working our way through Richard Morgan's book, Remembering Your Story: Creating Your Own Spiritual Autobiography. Each Sunday we pick a specific segment or topic of our life, write our own stories and then share some of them with each other. It is a fun class, and what makes it even more special is the fact that we are creating a legacy for our children and grandchildren.
My father left me such a legacy. A year before he died he wrote about his early years in Russia. His parents were homesteaders in Siberia having left the overcrowded Mennonite colony of Sagradovka in the Ukraine. He wrote that when the group arrived at their new site, "The house each settler built was called a simlin. It was a hole dug into the ground and sod placed around it fonning a wall two feet high. Over this a type of truss (mostly willow branches from nearby small bushes), was laid. More branches were laid across these trusses and sod piled on top. By evening it was ready. As a door, a blanket was spread over the opening and boughs and grass were used to make beds. A fire was lit outside on which water was boiled and soup prepared for supper. Needless to say, the family slept quite well for their first night in their new home."
Life for these people was hard. They were pioneers and had to do without electricity, phones, doctors or hospitals, but Dad wrote: "We trusted the Lord and everybody was willing to help and assist [each other] as best we could.
"Families were quite large, seldom less than four children. My parents had eight. Of these, four died at an early age. The fifth, Abram, died at age 16.
Having no medical attention, people expected to lose a number of their children hoping that some would be spared. So our family was left with three boys: Bill, Ben and David."
Since I know some of the details behind the tragic deaths of Dad's siblings, this paragraph is especially poignant for me.
Then, there's his story about apples that I treasure. Dad writes: "The climate was not good for fruits such as apples. We had to be satisfied with looking at pictures of apples. I well remember how I would look again and again at the one picture which depicted an apple, red on one side and yellowish on the other. It embedded itself in my mind and I can still see the beautiful apple. It was a choice book to me."
I never tire reading his memoir and now, when I think of my father, I see a little boy dreaming of eating an apple.
It is my desire to leave such a legacy for my children and grandchildren. I want them to know how I accepted Christ into my heart in the berry patch at age six and why the church moved my baptism from the usual river event to an indoor church in a nearby city. I want them to know how I, as a little girl, built my dream home in our sandbox that included an indoor bathroom, something we never had until I was 12 years old.
For me the winter months are a good time to write. The Christmas activities are past and where I live it's still winter so yard work isn't possible. Are you planning to leave your children and grandchildren a priceless treasure? Drawing a floor plan of the houses you lived in is a good way to jog your memory and to begin writing.•
BY CHUCK BULLER U.S. CONFERENCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Off of the sidelines Be onto the field
GOLFER CH' CH'RODRIQUES
popularized the saying, "The older I get the better I used to be." That pretty much summarizes how I feel about not only my high school athletic endeavors but also other past activities, including my years in the pastorate.
Hindsight is a wonderful partner as one grows older. It is also the reason that it was with some trepidation that I agreed to consider becoming the U.S. Conference executive director. I must be honest. It's much easier to be on the sidelines than in active leadership. Much easier to critique what is going wrong than to describe how it might be done right. For the past three years I have been "on the sidelines" of the MB church, happily working for Mennonite Mutual Aid in capital fundraising. But something happened to me this summer at the U.S. Conference convention in Abbotsford, B.C., that I could not deny. I felt some of the same stirrings I used to feel at Hartland Camp when I was a teenager considering God's call on my life into fulltime ministry.
When I left the Abbotsford convention my feelings, like those of others that were there, can best be described as concerned. At the convention I heard that we were a conference with cash-flow challenges, that we were fuzzy on our mission, and worst of all, that we lacked an identity as a denomination. That's when I knew that God might be speaking to me. I share some of these same qualities. In short, I too am an imperfect leader who knows what it's like to be short of cash, looking confused about my direction in midlife and questioning my own identity as a Mennonite in a postmodern world.
This is what I love about being Mennonite Brethren. We are a people of paradox and I am a person of paradox. We call ourselves evangelicalAnabaptists, of all things. "What's our
problem," people ask, "Can't we decide what we want to be?"
But that's just it. As people of the Book we embrace paradox. We love that God didn't make everything neat and tidy. That evangelism and discipleship look better on mission statements than in practice in most churches. That free will and predestination both preach well from the same Bible. That the God of peace often causes great conflict, that eternal security and whatever its opposite might be called seem inseparable as truths, that faith and works are opposite sides of the same eternal coin. Most of all, we believe that when we are faithless God remains faithful because he can't deny his own nature.
Our entire redemptive journey is more about God than us. That's good news! Ultimately, even when we struggle as a denomination, churches or individual believers, we enjoy paradox because of God's grace. Otherwise paradox might be mistaken for confusion. Grace is what allows us to serve a God who is willing to not make everything so plain that the story of redemption loses its mystery and passion. That would make God small enough for us to serve; large enough to save but not large enough to worship. God, I think, enjoys being larger than our limited understanding and yet not so much that he doesn't make the road to our salvation simple.
Ultimately it was this conviction about our immense God that led me to consider this position. Having all the right answers doesn't seem as important as I once thought. Knowing God's leading seems much more important. So goodbye sidelines, hello game.
As I begin my tenure as executive director I feel blessed. I am blessed to have been raised in the Mennonite Brethren family. More importantly I have the right Savior-who saves imperfect people like me as part
of imperfect communities, and then calls us into ministry and keeps us there in spite of ourselves and because of his mercy.
I also feel called. We are all called to the ministry, but I also believe that you should run as far as you can from full·time ministry without another call· ing in your life. It's too hard of a job to do without that. So, I carry the stake of calling that I have planted again and again in my life and am planting again now.
The first time I planted it I was 18. I had preached my first sermon in Greendale, B.C., at an evening service while a Bible school student. After my sermon, an old gentleman who looked like a young version of God to me, approached the pulpit unannounced, laid hands on my shoulders and prayed that God would set me apart for service. I still tear up when recounting this experience. My life was never quite the same again.
Being called didn't mean I never sinned again or never struggled to be faithful. In fact, my imperfections only became truly clear after I accepfed the call-and became clearer with each passing year. But thankfully I never go through life without that stake in my tool chest. And sometimes God asks me to pull it out and plant it again. And so I agreed to plant the stake with and for the U.S. Conference.
We are a denomination with a unique calling, one that asks us to embrace the polarity of sharing the good news while making disciples. To take the question "What would Jesus do" from the bracelets of Americans into real hearts and lives, where human hopes and hurts reside as king and where Jesus wants to reign as Lord. It's a humbling task, given by a loving God. Would you consider leaving the sidelines with me? Let's decide together in this generation how to best follow Jesus as the U.S. Conference.•
Living up to expectations
Organizers expect Estes 2003 to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for youth
BY CONNIE FABER
To say that Estes 2003, the upcoming national Mennonite Brethren youth convention, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for MB youth is not an exaggeration. National MB youth conventions, known generically as "Estes" because of the longstanding tradition of holding the event near Estes Park, Colo., are held once every four years and that means high school students have one chance to attend.
This year an estimated 1,300 Mennonite Brethren high school youth and sponsors will converge March 22-25 on YMCA of the Rockies near Estes Park for Estes 2003. The convention again promises to be one of the largest gatherings of Mennonite Brethren in the U.S. Since the first convention in 1975, the event has developed a reputation for being a life changing, mountain top experience.
"We have always witnessed God doing powerful things," says Estes 2003 chair Stuart Pederson of past conventions. "We joke that we (the planning team) come with all of our details and then we have to get out of the way so God can do what he wants to do."
Providing Estes attendees with the opportunity to be changed by God through worship is the goal of the Estes 2003 worship band, led by Hillsboro, Kan., pastors Rod]ost and Vaughn]ost. This is the fourth national youth convention at which Rod lost will play bass for worship. He is also the Estes 2003 planning team member responsible for organizing worship and in that role he recruited Vaughn lost as the Estes worship bandleader. For the past four years, Vaughn has led worship bands at Southern District youth events.
"Our goal is that the worship times at Estes will be a time when the youth can encounter God," says Vaughn.
Rod and Vaughn agree that a participant's familiarity with the music and the musicians plays an important role in one's ability to fully enter into worship. "Familiarity limits obstacles to worship," says Rod. "At a national youth event we want to draw the people into worship," he says. "There needs to be enough familiarity with the songs to unify 1,500 diverse people."
The seven-member worship band and the worship songs they will lead are already familiar to many Estes attendees thanks to a unique approach to Estes 2003 worship spearheaded by Rod. Rod's vision for worship at Estes includes helping students come to the national convention prepared to worship and using a group of musicians that have played together in other settings.
He and Vaughn have identified 20 songs for the band to learn that they hope will represent an equal mix of familiar praise and worship songs and new tunes written in the last two or three years. MB youth leaders from around the country were involved in the selection process and the final selections were evaluated from a theological perspective. "Choosing the music carefully is an important process because kids learn their theology from what they sing," says Vaughn.
"Worship is a central part of what we do," says Rod. "We want to prepare hearts, help people focus on God and
express their joy in worshipping together. And it can be frustrating when you don't know the songs."
To help youth groups learn songs that Rod and Vaughn anticipate will be least familiar, the Estes 2003 worship band made a live recording in November of 12 new songs, including one
A PREVIEW OF THE FUN TO COME
original song written by Mennonite Brethren musicians Paul and Candi Reimer of California. A CD of the recording has been mailed to all preregistered youth groups. Individuals interested in purchasing a copy should contact Rod at rodjbass@dtnspeed.net. Another goal was to bring together
an Estes 2003 worship band that was already familiar with one another musi· cally and personally. So Rod began recruiting Estes 2003 worship band members four years ago. For two years, he asked some members of the band to lead worship at the annual fall Southern District Conference youth convention
FAQs and answers about Estes 2003
FOR LEADER READSlS
who will find themselves at home March 22·25 rather than In the Colorado Rock· les, a full report of Estes 2003 will be published In the May Issue of this magazine. To give you a preview of the fun you will be missing, we offer a thumbnail summary of the 2003 convention.
• Who: Ninth through 12th graders from Mennonite Brethren congregations In the U.S. and their sponsors are Invited to the national MB youth convention. Organizers anticipate this will Include young pe0ple from 10 different et. nlc backgrounds, Including Korean, Slavic, a variety of Hispanic cultures and Ethiopian.
• When: The 2003 c0nvention will be held March 22·25.
• Why: The purpose of Estes 2003 Is to "bring high school students together to experience God In significant ways that will result In lifechanging conversions, commitments and unity In the body of Christ, " according to Estes material.
• Who: A team of 60 adult volunteers will be "working their tails off," according to Estes 2003 chair Stuart Pederson to pull off the four-day event. The 39-member planning
team represents MB district conferences, MB ministries and the various et. nle groups represented In the denomination. That squad grows to take care of a myriad of on-slte needs. Volunteers will coordinate program datalls, do cleanup and setup for main sessions, staff recreation sites, provide medical care, nate the convention prayer ministry, oversee on-slte transportation, offer counseling, run a snack bar, provide security, serve as men's and women's deans and host speakers, nar leaders and agency representatives along with other guests •
• Where: Since Its Inception In 1975, all but two national MB youth conventions have been held at YMCA of the RockIes near Estes Park, Colo. In fact, many folks refer to the national convention simply 88 "Estes." The facility offers a large meet· Ing hall, a chapel used for morning and evening worship times, seminar rooms, a dining hall, 11ft store, verlous on-slte recreation options and hotel, dorm and cabin housing.
• What: The schedule Includes six plenary slone featuring a time of praise and worship led by a worship band comprised of Mennonite Brethren m_
clans from three of the five district conferences. lori Sallemo, founder and CEO of celebration life Intern. tlonal, returns for her second MB national youth convention. Tom Tufts, former PGA golf professional, pastor and Staley lecture speaker, makes his first appearance.
A variety of late m0rnIng seminars will be led by representatives from ous Mennonite Brethren agencies such 88 Tabor College, Fresno Pacific University, MB Biblical seminary, Mission USA and Inter-Mennonlte agencies such 88 Mennonite Central Committee.
Aftemoons are open for recreation, many of which take advantage of the Rocky Mountain setting. On-slte recreation options Include hiking, crOS&oCountry skiing, snow shoeing, Indoor swimming, game room activities, roller skatIng and miniature golf. Offsite activities Include lng, vertical wall climbing, horseback riding, basket· ball and shopping In nearby Estes Park.
New to the 2003 youth convention Is a service proJect to Boulder, Colo., led by Youth Mission Intern. tlonal personnel and offered Sunday and Monday afternoons. This year's offering targets the outreach ministry In lenoir,
N.C., home to lenoir MB Church, a member of the North Carolina District Conference. The offering will help provide building materials for the MB youth center In lenoir.
Following the evening Ion, a variety of performers will appear on the main stage. Scheduled to appear are the electroIndustrial rock band let, the three-man satlonal team known 88 CPR Improv, and the comedy and musical group Mad Dogs and Englishmen. Coffeehouse settings at other sites on the YMCA grounds will provide other late night options •
• First&: Estes 2003 "firsts" Include a promotional video put together by Nell Bontrager of ta, Kan., and a website created by Phil Neufeld of Denver, Colo. A CD of worship music Is among a number of new efforts to better prepare kids for wor· ship. Youth Mission Internatlonalls coordinating a service opportunity In der. At the administrative level, an Internship for Tabor College and Fresno Pacific University students has gotten greater attention and adults Interested In helping at the event and Willing to pay their own expenses have been Invited to attend. -Connie Faber
and the summer high school camp. For the last two years, band members have led music at both the Southern and Central District youth conventions, as well as SDC senior high camp.
These efforts will payoff, says Vaughn. "Musically we are on the same page already," he says. "Our spiritual standing as worship leaders is also important. We know where we are at spiritually because now we know each other."
The Estes 2003 worship band will help prepare the crowd to hear from the two keynote speakers: Lori Salierno who returns for her second MB national youth convention and first timer Tom Tufts. Salierno, who received a standing ovation as an Estes '99 speaker, is the founder and executive officer of Celebration Life International, a ministry that equips people to improve their relationship with God, their friends and family. She has 20 years of speaking experience and is also an author.
The Estes 2003 website describes Tufts, a member of the Staley Lecture Series, as "one of the most effective youth and college speakers in the U.S." who uses comedy and truth to convey his power-packed and inspiring messages. He is a former PGA golf professional who is now an ordained minister and serves on the staff at Westwood Church in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Because Estes is a multicultural event, organizers want the national youth convention to represent the variety of worship experiences found in Mennonite Brethren churches in the 21st century. So early morning and late night worship services will provide an additional opportunity for convention participants to worship in a variety of cultural and ethnic settings.
The main stage will also feature late night entertainment while informal coffeehouse activities will be offered at other sites on the YMCA grounds. The four-member band Skillet, an electroindustrial rock band from Memphis, Tenn., will appear one night. Both of the band's albums have been nominated for Dove Awards, and their second album won the Alternative Rock Album of the Year 1999 from the Inspirational Network.
Two comedy teams will appear on the main stage. The three members of
CPR Improv are popular performers at major youth conventions, adult conferences and camps. Each CPR Improv performance is different since the audience shouts out suggestions for the places, characters and situations on which the comedians build the sketches for that occasion. Mad Dogs and Englishmen will mix improvisation, comedy, music and drama, according to the Estes 2003 website. Scripts and music are written especially for this comedy team and include Focus on the Family writers Marshal Younger and Paul McCusker and composer Hardy Hemphill, keyboardist for Shania Twain.
Estes 2003 is the first time a service project has been incorporated into the national convention weekend. Philip Serez with Youth Mission International is organizing "Love Boulder." Volunteers will travel to nearby Boulder, Colo., by bus where they will do "ran-
dom acts of senseless kindness" and work with area ministries as possible. Overseeing Estes 2003 is the 39member Estes 2003 administrative and planning team. This leadership group will swell to an on-site cadre of more than 60 people. While many other youth conventions are planned with the help of paid staff, "we do this all with volunteers," says Pederson. "They work their tails off but it is fun," he says of the volunteers.
National MB youth conventions have grown since the first one was held in the mid-70s, says Pederson. "The success of the past has allowed us to have a financial carryover that allows us to think big," he says.
"We have established a priority in most of the churches so that once every four years this is something we want our kids to participate in," says Pederson. "Estes has been spiritually and worldly successful," he says. •
The Christian Leader and Estes 2003 are looking for an experienced photographer to take photos during the Estes weekend, March 22-25. We will cover on-slte expenses, photo supplies and a fee for each published photo. You provide the camera and transportation to Estes 2003.
(620) 947-5543
Order your copy of the Estes 2003 Worship
Recorded live by the Estes 2003 worship band at the Southern District Conference youth convention
To order, e-mail Rod Jost at rodjbass@dtnspeed.net Cost is $10 plus shipping
Mexico church plants another
Pritchards lead Mexico City church planting team to ,. plant a daughter congregation
Five years old and already birthing a new church, La paz (peace) Christian Church in Mexico City is branching out and spreading the Gospel to a nearby city.
Jon and Juana Pritchard worked with two other couples to plant the La paz church in 1997. They now feel called to plant a daughter church in the nearby city of Pachuca. The Pritchards are missionaries with MBMS International, the global mission agency of Mennonite Brethren churches in Canada and the United States.
Two families from La paz have committed to ministry in the new church plant. One will focus on counseling and nurture, while another will use musical gifts. One family has decided to move to Pachuca and another already lives there.
The Pritchards plan to form and disciple a core team of ministers within the first year. "Though Juana and I see our· selves as team leaders and mentors, we want to be very intentional about carrying out the role of being 'church planter trainers,''' Pritchard says. "We want to equip and train our team to plant this daughter church and work with other gifted people from La Paz to bring depth to the work.
"Pachuca is currently Mexico's fastest growing city and is a wonderful site for a church plant," says Pritchard. "The socioeconomic area we are targeting is very similar to La Paz, so we believe that our people will feel very comfortable working in this new area."
Pritchard sees a benefit in planting a daughter church in a different city. "Being a separate city from La Paz gives the mother church a feeling that they are involved in multiplication and mission outside of their own context. At the same time, the location is just one and one-half hours away by car and we foresee much opportunity for La Paz's members to be involved in the church plant," he says. The new plant is supported through MBMS International, but La Paz is working on creative ways of financially supporting the new church themselves.
"We want to continue to foster a recognition that completing the Great Commission is a cooperative effort, but also maintain a sense that we as churches in Mexico are responsible to do our part, both locally and globally," Pritchard says.
Nine La Paz members are being mentored by the La Paz pastoral team, along with a Bolivian evangelist/church planter who lives in Mexico City, to take over leadership of the La Paz congregation once the last missionary couple leaves next summer. Each of these local leaders has developed a team of people to work with them in a specific area of ministry in Mexico City.
The Pritchards are excited about their next phase in ministry. "This is a very important step in reaching what is perhaps our biggest goal-the development of a self-sustaining, reproducing, Anabaptist church planting movement," says Pritchard.
As the pastoral team of La Paz looks back at key factors in the growth of the church, they say that the number one factor has always been prayer. "We attribute [the church's] growth to the developing prayer ministry of our congregation and to the tremendous prayer base that we, as well as our co-workers, have in our supporting churches, conferences and families," says Pritchard.
The Pritchards spent the fall in North America touring churches and gaining support for their ministry in Mexico. They moved to Pachuca at the end of December to begin their new ministry. -MBMSI
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Palm Village residents Leona Kroeker and her brothers Walter and Ernest Warkentin
Leader editor resigns
Board of Communications begins search for new ,. editor to start May 1
Cannen Andres will leave her position as editor of the Christian Leader, effective April 30, the U.S. Con· ference Board of Communications announced last month. BOC has begun the process of securing the next editor and will give significant attention to the search process at its board meeting later this month.
"Cannen has been a great asset to the Christian Leader and the Mennonite Brethren church," says BOC cochair Harold Loewen. "Her journalistic skills are excellent. As editor, she has captured the attention of readers. Her passion for Anabaptist thought has brought a renewed sense of what it means to be Mennonite Brethren in the 21st century."
. The decision to seek a new editor during 2003 was made this fall because Andres, her husband Richard and their daughter are living in a location that does not allow them to worship in a Mennonite Brethren congregation. The
family has been living in Montgomery, Ala., on a temporary basis since July 2001.
"The Board of Communications regrets Cannen leaving the Leader," says Loewen. "Yet, we believe part of the ministry of the Leader is to reflect the pulse of the churches. The editor should be among Mennonite Brethren other than at conferences and board
MilS to host youth seminar
March seminar is first event funded by $1.6 million ,. Lilly Endowment grant
Asmall focus group of young people will be meeting March 7-11 for a leadership training seminar hosted by MB Biblical Seminary on their Fresno, Calif., campus. The students will experience leadership training in the classroom, in neighborhoods and in Fresno's various urban ministry settings.
The seminar is the first event to be funded by a $1.6 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc., of Indianapolis, Ind. The private foundation has awarded a total of $57.3 million to 49 divinity schools and seminaries over the past decade as part of its Theological Program for High School Youth initiative.
The MBBS program, called Hearing the Call, is designed to encourage high school youth to consider God's call on their lives, with special emphasis on pastoral ministry and other church vocations. Seminary Dean James Pankratz wrote the grant proposal, and John Neufeld is directing the project from Fresno. Anne Friesen of Winnipeg, Man., is assisting Neufeld.
''We want to work with congregations and other agencies of the MB church to create a climate in which potential leaders can develop and thrive," says Rick Cox of MBBS. "Our hope is that the programs and resources offered through Hearing the Call will fuel the faith of
meetings. Having a staff person so far from an MB church was an integrity issue for us."
The board has worked with Andres to detennine the time line for the transition to a new editor, says Loewen. A combination of factors, including the opportunity for Richard Andres to work permanently in Montgomery, Ala., and the upcoming birth of the couple's second child in May, led them to detennine that this spring would be the most appropriate time for the transition.
Andres began her min· istry as Leader editor in October 1998, and established a West Coast office for the magazine. In addiU tion to managing the publi. cation for almost five years, Andres provided leadership to the process of establishing a website for the U.S. Conference. Prior to serving the Leader, Andres was the editor for King Hall Counselor, the alumni magazine for the University of California, Davis, School of Law where she also designed and managed the law school's website. She is a graduate of Fresno Pacific University and California State University, Fresno. -BOC
both young people and the adults who care about their spiritual and leadership development. "
The project has three goals: one each targeted at young people, churches and MB agencies. A two-year program called Ministry Quest, scheduled to begin this fall, is being developed to engage young people in theological reflection and ministry discernment. The program involves peer events, a mentoring relationship and service experiences and will be limited in size. Information about the program will be available soon, says Neufeld.
Hear the Call will support congregations in their efforts to develop leaders by providing seminars, working with leading youth, providing materials and coaching for church-based mentors and providing on-line resources through the MBBS website. MBBS will also partner with camps, schools and missions agencies of the MB church to identify and nurture young leaders. -MBBS
MCC helps HIV/ AIDS workers
World relief and development agency helps fund
training for workers
Editor's Note: 1be author of this article is Mennonite Brethren and Mennonite Central Committee worker She/ene Poetker of Clovis, Calif. Poetker does lab work and AIDS hospice care in Kampala, Uganda, through MCG's Serving and Learning Together program for young adults. She attends College Com· munity Church of Clovis.
Despite struggling with AIDS over the past two years, Rehema Nakiwala, ofWakiso District in Central Uganda, has contino ued to care for ill members in her com· munity and attend courses in community health work. Nakiwala, now bedridden, was given special recognition in Decem· ber when new health care providers were honored. Because Nakiwala was unable to attend the ceremony, a friend accept· ed the award in her name.
Nakiwala was one of 70 individuals from Uganda's Wakiso District who
recently completed a two-year health care training program funded by Men· nonite Central Committee and the Cana· dian International Development Agency. Most of the students participated in the course while providing for extended fam· ilies. Lameka Ssentumbwe, chairperson of the parish health committee, participated in the training while caring for 18 orphans, most of whose parents were lost to AIDS.
Staff from Mengo Hospital in Kam· pala, Uganda's capital city, taught the courses. Wakiso District has limited med· ical facilities, and the newly trained health workers hope to address primarily health care and education, particularly related to HIV/AIDS. Participants volun· tarily participated in both the course and subsequent outreach
The new health care workers were recognized Dec. 12 as part of Mengo Hospital's observance of World AIDS Day. The hospital joined communities in Wakiso for a celebration that emphasized
the importance of education and awareness in the fight against both the disease and its stigma. Twenty·five of the health care graduates were selected by their communities to receive bicycles donated , by MCC. CIDA funds will provide bicycles , for the remaining 45 graduates later this year.
The World AIDS Day event drew a i I crowd of locals and included especially composed songs about HIV/AIDS preven· tion and care. Students and supporters from the Protestant, Catholic and Muslim fuiths were present. Speakers empha· sized the importance of realizing that the fight against AIDS must extend across religious and social divisions and must be ! carried out in a spirit of unity and coop, eration.
The district director of health services, , a guest of honor at the event, concluded the celebration with a challenge to make fuithful use of the resources available, such as the bicycles and training program, and to continue to persevere in the fight against HIV/AIDS. -Shelene Poetker for MCC news service
Gifts Tent.' Women Creating Celebrating theology and the arts
May 16-18,
2003
Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA
This Is the sixth "Women Doing Theology" conference for women and men who are interested in exploring the theological voices of women. Drawing from such themes as shelter, intergenerational storytelling, and creative skill-making in the novel
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, this conference will explore the theology of welcome, of wonder, and of wandering.
For more information, contact Women's Concerns, MCC U.S., P.O. Box 500, Akron, PA 17501; email to tjh@mccus.org or see our website: <http://www.mcc.org/womendofngtheology>.
"Let me abide in your tent forever, find refuge under tbe sbelter ofyour wing. n Psalm 61:4 FEBRUARY 2003. 27
Disaster strikes twice
Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers respond storm damaged town
Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers spent the summer of 2002 replacing three homes in Columbus, Miss., destroyed by a windstorm in February 2001. Two months after the MDS homes were dedicated, on Nov. 10, 2002, a new tornado ripped diagonally across town, following a path that narrowly missed all three structures. While MDS clients escaped harm, the storm destroyed the MDS warehouse and volunteer housing quarters west of town. Local MDS volunteers responded immediately, attending to the needs of MDS and the surrounding community. These are the stories of those who were relieved, those who were devastated and those who responded when disaster struck the same town twice.
"Thank you, Jesus"
On the morning after the tornado, Elsie Harper wanted to go home. Her night had been spent in prayer, crouched in the house of a niece while the winds roared outside. Harper prayed that her new home, built months earlier by MDS volunteers, would be spared from the strong winds that destroyed her previous home in 2001.
Unfortunately, the field of destruction that greeted Harper on her morning drive did not look like an answer to prayer. Less than a block from Harper's home, downed trees obstructed the street and walls sat twisted on broken foundations. Entire rooftops were missing, sucked away by the storm.
"I said, 'Lord Jesus, just look at this,'" says Harper.
When she rounded the comer and her home came into view, Harper breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Jesus, you left it standing." The only damage to Harper's home was a broken window, struck by a piece of flying debris.
"The Lord took care of me"
Callie Griffen did not escape damage on Nov. 10. The elderly woman barely
escaped her home.
As Griffen sat in her front room at the foot of the bed that day, rain began coming in through the roof. When she crawled up against the headboard, the sprinkle seemed to follow her move. By the time she lay down on the couch, water was "showering" into the room. She tried to get out, but the front door was jammed. The storm had already ripped the roof from her home and the building was leaning to one side.
As Griffen moved around the room, trying to stay dry, a bolt of lightning struck her air conditioner and tiles began to fall from the ceiling. Blinded by darkness, she decided to head for the back of the house where another door opened from the kitchen to the backyard.
When she entered the kitchen where she cooked for three generations of children, Griffen was knocked across the back of her head by a plank that fell from the ceiling. She cried out in pain and crawled towards the back door. Her family eventually found her seated 40 yards away on a chair in the neighbor's carport.
"The Lord took care of me," says Griffen.
"It was an emergency"
Lester and Louise Schrock, MDS volunteers from Macon, Miss., were returning home from three weeks of service in West Virginia when their cell phone rang late Sunday evening.
Shortly beforehand, as they were approaching Tuscaloosa, they noticed a flashing light in the west. Lester wondered aloud if it was lightning. The call from their son confirmed the situation. Columbus has been hit by a tornado and the damage was severe.
"Usually when we come home from a project, I say that I'm not going to cook for a month. I'm going to sleep
in," says Louise.
Louise did not sleep in on Monday morning. In fact, she fed over 50 people that day. A phone call from Ottis Mast, MDS Region II Director, woke the Schrocks at 6 a.m. Mast shared the diffi· cult news-the MDS warehouse and volunteer housing quarters in Columbus were destroyed.
Like the Schrocks, many Mennonites sprang to action in response to the need in their community. "It was an emergency," says Lester. "People just took off of work and came."
While the Schrocks focused on the cleanup at the MDS property, other volunteers headed into town. Over 650 homes were damaged by the storm that so narrowly missed Elsie Harper's home and dealt a severe blow to the home of Callie Griffen.
"A hearty smile"
Jerry Klassen stood outside Callie Griffen's home Dec. 7, 2002, wearing coveralls and a hearty Canadian smile. Jerry and his wife Doreen traveled from British Columbia to provide the local MDS volunteers with a break from the endless days of emergency operations that unfolded after the Nov. 10 tornadoes.
As MDS project directors, the Klassens turned the MDS response in Columbus into a long-term repair and rebuild project. After the MDS property was back in working order, the volunteers turned their focus to CaUie Griffen.
On this particularly crisp Saturday morning, Klassen was not at work to build a new house for Griffen. Joined by a crew of three Manitoban volun· teers who had willingly surrendered their weekend to MDS, Klassen was helping the Griffen family tear down Callie's old home.
As crowbars pried and walls came down, Callie was nowhere to be found. The family decided that it would be best if she did not watch. "I remember little kids going to school out of that house," said Griffen about her home. "I'm going to miss it."
MDS planned to begin new construction on the Griffen home and others last month. The project will likely remain open for several months. Interested volunteers can call the Columbus project at (662) 241-5884. -Ted Houser, MDS Communications Coordinator
MilS teaches new missionaries
MBBS training part of three-year leadership " program for students interested in global mission
Their reasons for becoming seminary students vary but seven students enrolled at MB Biblical Seminary for the fall semester shared a common interest in global mission and a tie to MBMS International, the global mission agency of MB churches in Canada and the U.S.
Seven is a high number of potential missionaries to be studying at MBBS, says Ron Penner, MBMSI's director for personnel services. Three of the students are affiliated with MBMSI's Church Planting Residency Program and four are on scholarships from MBMSI. One student is working through the application process for future service with the agency, while another is completing a master's degree in intercultural studies while serving with her husband as a half-time resource missionary.
They are now part of Team 2000, a group of six missionaries and their children who moved to Thailand almost two years ago to begin a 10-year church-planting effort.
Katherine Henshaw completed the CPR program in the spring of 2001, and served her internship in Thailand. She has returned to MBBS to further her training in cross-cultural mission work.
Miguel Diaz, a recent Fresno Pacific University graduate whose long-term goal is to serve with MBMSI in a Spanish-speaking country, is attending MBBS for two reasons. "One, it's close to home and two, MBBS is a diverse campus in the middle of a largely diverse community."
"1 made a however he serve (God) wherever and
commitment to wanted me to."
MBMSI's CPR Program involves one year of seminary study and two years of field internship. Ideally the internship is designed to be completed locally, testing the candidates' skills without having to complete language study. If the candidates are already proficient in another language they can be given an overseas internship. After the two-year internship, the candidate is placed in a long-term church planting effort.
The CPR Program was established as part of a home missions church planting effort in the U.S. and Canada. MBBS, the Canadian MB Conference Board of Evangelism and Mission USA, the U.S. Conference church planting and renewal agency, cooperated in founding the CPR Program.
Rick and Karen Sanchez were the first to complete the CPR Program.
Sara
Diaz says, "My vision is to work with young people and empower and train them to be leaders in their community and in their church. "
When she was a senior in high school
Sara Fast, a full-time student in the Intercultural Mission program, first felt called to missions at Estes 95, the national MB youth convention held every four years.
"I made a commitment to serve (God) wherever and however he wanted me to," Fast says. "He has led me step by step in that calling. On a YMI (youth Mission International) trip to Bogota, Colombia, I had my first real taste of overseas missions and it made me hungry for more."
While the seven MBBS students all feel called to missions, Hone Kasdorf sums up her calling this way: "I believe that every Christian is called to ministry in one way or the other. My years at Fresno Pacific University were when I received confidence and affirmation of a specific call to global missions."
- Lisa Alvey for MBMS International
Fast full-time student in MBBS's International Mission program
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MBMSI SPONSORS PUBLIC EVENT
Concert series kicks off East Indian ministry
A SERIES OF CONCERTS featuring Hindi-inspired music was the first public event of a new outreach effort to the 70,000 people of East Indian origin in California's Central Valley. The concert series was sponsored by MBMS International and coordinated by Darren and Shahna Duerksen who joined MBMSI this past October as resource missionaries to East Indian people. MBMSI is the global mission agency of Mennonite Brethren churches in Canada and the United States.
The concerts featured the musical duo Aradhna, which is the Hindi word for worship. The group is made up of Chris Hale and Peter Hicks. Their music uses sitar (a traditional Indian instrument), guitar and Hales' vocals to express bbajan devotional melodies of India. The bbajans, sung in both Hindi and Nepali, center around the Psalms
and well known Gospel verses. Indian followers of Christ who are friends of Hale and Hicks composed many of the songs, and their central theme is the message of Christ.
The first two performances were concerts at Fresno Pacific University and MB Biblical Seminary. The third concert was an evangelistic outreach at California State University of Fresno with an attendance of about 30 people, many of East Indian background. A local Sikh tabla (Indian drum) player, Manjeet Singh, joined Hale and Hicks. Hale gave his testimony and Aradhna performed songs around the theme of God's love, humanity's desirefor the Lord and the sinfulness of humanity.
"The three concerts were aimed at different audiences and were a blessing to all that heard the wonderful musicianship," says Shahna Duerksen. "We
hope to have other cultural events such as this in the future."
In addition to leading the Fresnoarea outreach ministry, the Duerksens will also help to educate members of MB congregations on how to reach out to Hindu and Sikh neighbors. -MBMSI
Peace Sunday to be observed this month
U.S. Mennonite Brethren c0ngregations are Invited to observe Peace Sunday Feb. 16. In a letter to pastors, U.S. Conference Peace Commission Chair Dalton Reimer says, "We encourage churches to plan to celebrate on this day In a special way the peace of God and the ministry of reconciliation that he has entrusted to us." The Peace Commission spearheaded the feature articles In the January Issue of the Leader as a resource for Peace Sunday.-PC SURVEY COMPLETED. AD PLACED
MBBS continues search process
fhe MBBS Presidential Search Committee has completed the information gathering process it began in mid-November 2002. Of the approximately 700 surveys distributed, 45 percent were returned; half from Canadian respondents, the other half from U.S. respondents.
During a telephone conference meeting January 13, the committee reviewed the data tables compiled by its consultant, Rebekah Basinger. An extensive discussion of the results and their impact on the presidential profile produced a preliminary profile. Detailed survey results can be
viewed at www. mbseminary.com.
The emerging profile includes: a vibrant relationship with Jesus, professional and personal integrity, forward thinking, awareness of theological and church trends and team building. The profile was finetuned and completed last month.
The committee has also developed an advertisement for president and is placing it in several periodicals. -MBBS
BACK TO SCHOOL: E-Noi, second from right, and her friends at the Nong Sua village school in Laos received Mennonite Central Committee school kits at the start of their school year. Each hand-woven shoulder bag was filled with a notebook, colored pencils, eraser and ruler, all purchased locally. E-Noi attends one of the seven poorest primary schools in her district, where 600 MCC school kits were distributed in September 2002. -MCC
MORE NEWS
Upcoming conference
-u.s. Mennonite Brethren church leaders have been Invited by the canadian Conference of MB Churches to Join Its leadership In a study conference on baptism and church membership. The conference, sponsored by the canadian Conference Board of Faith and Ufe, will be held May 22·24 at canadian Mennonite University In Winnipeg, Man. Conference presenters are from both canada and the U.S. The presentation of each speaker will be f0llowed by two fonnal responses and small group discussion. A findings committee will draw the discussion together. A brochure about the study conference was sent to all U.S. MB churches In early December. The registration deadline Is AprIl 15. -eCMBC
Followers persecuted
-Christians In Ethiopia continue to be targets of violent acts In this country where Muslim and Eastern Orthodox relIgions are dominant and Mennonites In the African country are asking other Anabaptists to pray for them. F1kru zeleke, evangelism and missions secretary of the Meserete Krlstos (Mennonite) Church, says that the hostility against Christians has escalated In the last year. According to Zeleke, Muslims and Ethiopian Orthodox followers regard themselves as the only religions that have the right to expand their faith In the country and they target evangelicals who are engaged In aggressive mission efforts throughout the nation. The MKC has 83 missionaries working mostly among unreached groups within Ethiopia as well as International workers In three AfrIcan countries. The church, In partnership with Eastem Mennonite Missions In the U.S., plans to send two workers to Asia and Is In the process of accepting Into membership a church of East African Immigrants based In the Middle East. MKC Is asking Anabaptists around the world to pray for Its evangelistic and mission efforts, says Zeleka, especially In this difficult time of opposition. -MWC
CONGREGATIONS
Project targets African churches
MENNONITE WORLD Conference and Mennonite Central Committee are collaborating on a three-point fund raising project to assist churches in southern Africa. The first goal is to encourage people to stand in solidarity with suffering Christians there by coming to the 2003 MWC global assembly in Zimbabwe and to help Africans to attend. The project also includes money for emergency food aid and to address the AIDS pandemic.
"My country is in a lot
of pain. My people are facing Sickness, food shortages,economic hardship and unemployment, but God is our source of help," Doris Dube of Zimbabwe recently told MCC supporters in Canada. "We are called to celebrate and to give hope to the helpless," she said, underscoring the invitation of the Zimbabwe Brethren in Christ Church to the Anabaptist family to come to Bulawayo in August for the MWC global assembly. According to Zimbabwean tradition, an invita-
MCC ANNOUNCES TOPIC OF ANNUAL EVENT
tion extended must be accepted.
MWC and MCC welcome donations to the three-point venture. MCC plans to provide $1 million for education, medical supplies and care for people living with AIDS and orphans. Emergency food aid totaling $1.51 million will be distributed by churches in southern Africa. A gift of $83 will provide food for one family for three months while a $100 donation will support one assembly attendee from southern Africa. -MCC
Spring environmental seminar
THE MENNONITE CENJRAL Committee U.S. Washington OffIce will offer Its annual spring seminar AprIl 68. This year's seminar, "The Earth Is the Lord's: PublicPolley that Honors Creation," will explore Anabaptist perspectives on environmental policy and Includes times of worship, plenary slons and workshops. Participants are
encouraged to register by March 7. The registration fee Includes all mat. rials and two meals; lodging costs are extra. SCholarship money Is available for those with limited Income. Registration Infonnatlon Is available by contacting the MCC U.S. Washington Offtce at (202) 5446564 or mccwash@mcc.org. -MGG
NEWS FROM OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES
Baptism/membership
Newton. Kan. (Koerner Heights)-Allison Isaac and Abby Claassen were baptized Dec. 29. Drew Claassen, Emilee Claassen, Kelsy Hiebert, Kiley Nottingham and Jodi Enz were baptized and accepted into membership in December.
Weatherford, Okla .• (Pine Acres)-Kally Sawatzky, Alice Lackey, Georgiana Symons, Aron Felder and Keagan Flaming were baptized Dec. 22. Gina Grimes and Cara Williams were welcomed as new members.
Enid. Okla.-SCott, Debie and Kylee Hurst, Lisa Smith and Shannon Heath were welcomed as new members Dec. 8.
Bakersfield. Calif. (Laurelglen)Casey Fosdick. Deborah Fosdick, Zelma Frankhouser, Eric Garcia, Valeria Garcia, Linda Hernandez, Ryan Olsen, Chad Rosenlieb and Linda Salisbury were welcomed into membership during services Dec. 7 and 8.
Edmond, Okla. (Memorial Road)-The congregation accepted 15 new members Dec. 8; six by baptism and nine by testimony. Welcomed into membership were Eric Hulshizer, Ben Friesen, Rachel Foote, TimIshmael, Diana Ishmael, Gabrielle Canfield, Troy Strader, Jill Jantzen, Katherine Bones, Clay Strader, Delia Strader, Virgil Kroeker, Marilyn Kroeker and Jeremy Buller.
Dinuba. Calif.-Nathan Warkentin shared his testimony, was baptized and welcomed into membership Nov. 24.
Buhler. Kan.-Alden and Joan Dick, John and Rhonda Knapp, John and Michelle Dick. Penny Moore and Karen Anderson were welcomed as new members Nov. 24. Jonathon and Diane Loewen, Brad Schroeder, Ken and Melissa Hamby, Marlene Ferguson, Steve and Vera Sears, Brian and Jana Moler and Rachel Dick were received into membership Dec. 1.
Capitola, Calif. (shoreUfe)Mark Ward, Trish Ward and Cindy Murray received into membership Nov. 24.
Fresno. Calif. (North)-Lew and Lorene Boese, Jim and Donna Enns, Merrill and Priscilla Ewert, Frank
and Betty Willems, Loren and Tonia Dubberke, Bill and Wanda Lockie, Kristin Loiselle, Dale and Joyce Warkentin and Eliana Wiebe were received into membership Nov. 24.
Hesston, Kan.-lsaac Anayaand Bonnie Beck were baptized Nov. 24 and welcomed as new members. Yvonne Beck and Kennis Becker were also accepted as new members. Merle Nickell, Tim and Elaine Larson and Roger and Joyce Bastow were welcomed as new members Nov. 3.
Corn, Okla.-Jared Boese, Kenda Dyck, Travis Dyck, Tyler Dyck, Lane Gossen, Pate Gossen, David Kliewer, Arleta Nickel, Breawna Nickel, Keith Peters, Sandy SChmidt, Keith Warkentin and Lendon Warkentin were welcomed as new members Nov. 17.
Ministry
Broken Arrow. Okla. (Church of the Heart)-The church plant recently leased a building within
two blocks of over 200 apartment homes. This will allow the church to meet in its own place and to relocate church offices to the same site. The building is being remodeled to provide adequate space for worship and children's ministry. A coffeehouse atmosphere is being created to compliment the art-deco exterior. The church anticipates hosting an opening celebration in their new facility this month.
New Hope. Minn.-Family activities are being organized monthly by parents of preschool and elementary-age children. The purpose of the gatherings, the first one of which was held Jan. 11, is to offer "meaningful family and community building activities for young families with minimal budget implications."
TeachingINurture
Freeman. S.D. (Silver Lake)-The congregation is holding midweek classes for all ages in cooperation with two other area Mennonite
congregations.
Ulysses. Kan.-Pastor Nate Gift has challenged the congregation to join him in reading through the Bible in 2003. Calendar prayer guides were distributed and Gift has promised a free dinner to everyone who meets the goal. Fresno. Calif. (Bethany)-The congregation's adult ministries hosted a conference on spiritual warfare Jan. 12-13. The guest speaker was Pierre Gilbert, faculty member at MB Biblical Seminary and Canadian Menno-nite University of Winnipeg, Man.
Workers
Reedley, Calif.-Marlin Hiett was installed Jan. 19 as the minister of discipleship and equipping. Hiett has served in various pastoral assignments, most recently as senior pastor of Valleyview Bible Church in Cimarron, Kan. He, his wife Michelle and their four children live in Dinuba, Calif.
CALIFORNIA CHURCH RECOGNIZED BY MWC FOR EFFORTS
Africa 2003 focus of education efforts
COLLEGE COIIIIMUNITY CHURCH In Fresno, Calif., has been recognized by Mennonite World Conference for Its deliberate efforts to prepare the congregation for the upcoming MWC global assembly. Africa 2003 will be held In August and hosted by the Brethren In Christ congregations of Zimbabwe.
Children In the congregation Ieamed about the global Mennonite family at Vacation Bible school last summer. During one activity children sat on the floor around a table cloth from overseas to leam about MennonIteS from around the world who will sit together as one large family at the gathering. UveIy games of cooperation and c0mmunication emphasized how Christians around the world need each other.
Children collected money to help Mennonites from Africa "who are geographically near Zimbabwe but who are economIcally far away" to attend the conference," says CCC pastoral staff member
Mary Anne Isaak In a MWC press release. "We displayed a colorful African handbag for every $43 collected-the amount needed to sponsor registration, meals and accommodations for one participant from the global South for the seven-day assembly." The collection, enhanced by an extra offering In church the following Sunday, totaled $792.84, enough to bring 18 more people to Africa 2003.
This spring adults In the congregation wlllleam some of the history of Zimbabwe and discover more about the current situation In the country and church during a fourweek class to be held after Easter.
"Woza! Zimbabweans are Inviting us to come," says Isaak. "We believe that God longs for Christians around the world to Impact each other's worship, mission and lifestyle. We pray that God's Spirit will guide our preparation and participation as the global community gathers around Jesus Christ next August." -MWG
Lenoir, N.C. {Bushtown)-Terry Hunt began serving the congregation as their fulltime pastor Jan. 13. Prior to this, Hunt served the congregation while employed fulltime. Hunt is only the second pastor in the North carolina District Conference to serve fulltime.
Deaths
BERTSCH, MABLE TSCHETTER, Freeman, S.D., a member of Salem MB Church of Freeman, was born Aug. 8, 1925, to David W. and Anna Glanzer Tschetter near Bridgewater, S.D., and died Oct. 30, 2002 at the age of 77. On Feb. 2, 1945, she was married to Gideon Bertsch, who survives. She is also survived by three sons, Darryl and wife Mary of Kansas City, Kan., Delmer and wife Pat of Watertown, S.D., and Emanuel and wife Jerry of Shawnee, Okla., 10 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
DICK. lENA. Hillsboro, Kan. of Hillsboro MB Church, was born Feb. 22, 1909, at Lichtenau, in the Molotschna Colony of South Russia to Peter John and Katharine Bergen Dick, and died Dec. 18, 2002, at the age of 92. On Oct. 9, 1932, she was married to John Dick, who predeceased her. She is survived by one son, John and wife Carol Dick of Hillsboro; three daughters, Frieda and husband Don Peters of Stillwater, Okla., Hilda Just of Rockwall, Tex., and Elsie and husband Roland Lekey of Bushton, Kan.; one brother, Jacob and wife Luella Dick of Lynnwood, Wash., eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.
DUERKSEN, LYDIA JANTZ, Hillsboro, Kan., of Hillsboro MB Church, was born Aug. 20, 1919, at Bloomfield, Mont., to Peter and Mary Thomas Jantz and died Dec. 13, 2002, at the age of 83. On Feb. 27, 1941, she was married to Menno Duerksen, who in 1989 preceded her in death. She is survived by two sons, Gerald and wife Jane of Abilene, Kan., and Gary and wife Janet of Lehigh, Kan.; one daughter, Laura and husband Dennis Huelsemann of Olathe, Kan.; one brother, Paul Jantz of Lake Havasau City, Ariz; one sister, Ruth and husband Robert Suderman of Newton, Kan.; four sisters-in-law, Helen Jantz of Marion, Kan., Mildred Jantz, Lovisa Duerksen and Ethel Bartel, all of Hillsboro; one brother-in-law, Howard Wedel of Hesston, Kan., 12 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.
DYCK. JOHN N., Cimarron, Kan., a member of Valleyview Bible Church of Cimarron, was born Feb. 10, 1925, near Corn, Okla., to David H. and Lizzie Nikkel Dyck and died Oct. 1, 2002, at the age of 77. On Sept. 19, 1946, he was married to
Ella E. Vogt, who survives. He is also survived by two sons, Kenneth and wife Debbie of Corn, and John D. and wife Cherry of Piedmont, S.D.; four daughters, Judy and husband Kenneth Kollmorgen of South Haven, Kan., Lois and husband Lester Voth of Newton, Kan., Marjorie and husband George Mattingly of Cimarron, and Kaylin and husband Duane Salmans of Dodge City, Kan.; one brother, David Dyck, Jr., and wife Donna of Reedley, calif.; two sisters, Elizabeth Kroeker of Corn and Marie and husband Elmer Jantz of Lynchburg, Va., 13 grandchildren, nine step grandchildren, two great grandchildren and nine step great grandchildren.
FIWR. TED, Harvey, N.D., a member of Harvey MB Church, was born April 2, 1912, to John and Magdalena Faul Filler and died June 2, 2002 at the age of 89. On Oct. 1, 1935, he was married to Bernice Wricks, who survives. He is also survived by two sons, Thomas and wife Gail of Chaseley, N.D., and John and wife Cathy of Miles City, Mont.; two daughters, Susann and husband Jerry Patzer of Harvey and Judith Neigel of Moody, Tex.; one sister, Esther Henne of Lodi, Calif., one step sister, Tonia Moore of San Pedro, Calif., 14 grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.
GLANZER. ANDREW S., a member of Salem MB Church of Freeman, S.D., was born April 12, 1910, to Samuel S. and Justina Gross Glanzer and died Oct. 31, 2002, at the age of 82. On June 16, 1936, he was married to Mary L. Hofer, who survives. He is also survived by one son, Donovan and wife JoLynn of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; one daughter, Karol and husband Robert Hofer of Marion, S.D., three grandchildren and four great grandsons.
GROSS, ANNA WlPF, Freeman, S.D., a member of Salem MB Church of Freeman, was born Jan. 28,1910 near Freeman to David J. and Katherina Kleinsasser Wipf and died Dec. 30, 2002, at the age of 92. On Aug. 29, 1937, she was married to David P. Gross, who predeceased her in 1990. She is survived by one son, Norman and wife LeAnne of Oneida, III.; one daughter, Joyce of Freeman; one sister, Susie Glanzer of Freeman; one sister-in-law, Ardella Gross of Freeman, two grandsons and four great grandchildren.
ISAAC. HENRY WINFIELD, a member of Reedley MB Church, was born June 1, 1913, in Alexanderpole, Russia, to Kornelius and Aganetha Penner Isaak and died Dec. 6, 2002, at the age of 89. On March 20,1942, he was married to Margaret E. Kliewer who survives. He is also survived by one son, Edward and wife Eileen of Coarsegold, Calif.; one daughter, Gwendolyn and husband Gary Penner of Grand Junction, Colo., four
grandchildren, three grandchildrenin-law and five great grandchildren.
MARTENS, ALBERT J., Fairview, Okla., a member of Fairview MB Church and an ordained deacon of the congregation, was born Feb. 13, 1908, to Jacob J. and carolina Ollenburger Martens at Fairview and died Jan. 4, 2003, at the age of 94. On Oct. 12, 1930, he was married to Minnie Wichert, who survives. He is also survived by four sons, Donald and wife Joyce, Marvin and wife Jeanette, Jerry and wife carol and Larry and wife Kathleen, eight grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and one great great grandson.
NACHTIGALL MAnLDA HOFER, of Goessel, Kan., a member of Silver Lake MB Church of Freeman, S.D., was born Sept. 16, 1898, to A.R.M. and Susanna Wipf Hofer near Freeman, S.D., and died Dec. 26, 2002, at the age of 104. On Dec. 4,1919, she was married to John A. Nachtigall. She is survived by four children, Alfred, Alice Ulrickson, Andrew and Mary Graber; one sonin-law, James Ulrikson,; one sisterin-law, Barbara Hofer, and 21 grandchildren.
YOGT, BERTHA ANN, of Parkview MB Church in Hillsboro, Kan., an ordained deacon with her husband at Enid MB (Okla.) Church, was born Feb. 24, 1909 at Provorst. Wuttenberg, Germany to Wilhem and Caroline Baum Shafer and died Dec. 11, 2002, at the age of 93. On Sept. 6, 1931, she was married to
Albert Vogt, who predeceased her. She is survived by one daughter, Edith and husband Arnold Regier of Marion, Kan.; one sister-in-law, Gretel of Germany; one sister-inlaw, Eva of Bakersfield, Calif.; three grandchildren and their spouses and one niece and her family of Germany.
Wiebe, Betty Friesen, San Jose, California, was born August 24, 1929, in Shafter, calif. and died Jan. 2, 2003, at the age of 73. She was married to Dan Wiebe, who predeceased her. She is survived by one daughter, Beverly and Wesley Bartell; one son, Bob and Sharon Wiebe; six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
WIEBE, MARGRET GOSSEN, Hillsboro, Kan., a member of Hillsboro MB Church, was born Oct. 1, 1907, at Turkestan, Russia, to Cornelius and Margret Wedel Gossen and died Dec. 9, 2002, at the age of 95. In 1932 she married Alton F. Wiebe, who predeceased her in 1983. She is survived by three children, Mike and wife Tena of Philomath, Ore., carol and husband Craig Stubblebine of Claremont, Calif.; and Gordon and wife Karen of Hillsboro; one siser, Bertha and husband Wesley Fast of Reedley, Calif., two sisters-in-law, Pauline Gossen of Corn, Okla., and Matilda Wiebe of Fairview, Okla., five grandchildren, five step grandchildren, five great grandchildren and seven step great grandchildren.•
The Board of Trustees and campus communities of Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary (MBBS) invite applications and nominations as they search for the Seminary's seventh president. The selected candidate will succeed Dr. Henry J. Schmidt, who has served with excellence as president since 1993 and on the faculty of MBBS for a total of 34 years. The appointment will be effective July 1, 2003, or as soon thereafter as possible.
From its founding in 1955, MBBS has provided pastoral and other leadership training for Mennonite Brethren (MB) in Canada and the United States and for other churches in proximity to its learning centers. The Seminary enrolls 230 students on its campus in Fresno, California, and as part of the Associated Canadian Theological Schools (ACTS) at Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia. MBBS also offers course work in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The successful candidate for president will be a passionate follower of Jesus Christ and a person of the highest personal and professional integrity. The search committee seeks a team-focused, visionary and energetic leader whose ready knowledge of trends in culture and the church will inspire confidence within the school's constituency for the programs and mission of the Seminary.
The president must share a commitment to the theological position articulated in the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith, and be willing to work collaboratively with church leaders in the development of a vision for theological education appropriate to the 21st century church. Additional infonnation about MBSS, the search process, and the qualities expected of successful candidates can be found at www.mbseminary.com.
Nominations, expressions of interest, and applications should be sent in confidence to: Mark Isaac, Chair, Presidential Search Committee, Koerner Heights MB Church, 320 N. Meridian, Newton, KS 67114-0511 or bye-mail at search@mbseminary.com. Review of applications will begin in early March and continue until the position is filled.
Ask anyone who has signed alegal agreement, and they will likely tell you that the ideal contract is one in which both parties win. And that is exactly the case with the Charitable Gift Annuity.
The Gift Annuity is alegal agreement between you and a qualified charity like Mennonite Brethren Foundation. In simple terms, it is part gift and part annuity. The annuity portion provides you a high rate of return on cash or certain assets for as long as you live. And the gift comes into play when, upon your death, the value of the agreement becomes a charitable contribution.
Charitable Gift Annuity rates are based on your age, with annuity payments as high as 12% for more senior persons. In addition to this attractive rate, the agreement carries a number of attractive tax benefits.
Variations on the Gift Annuity make it extremely attractive as a part of retirement planning.
For details on this and other planning options, call or write our office. All communication and correspondence is treated in complete confidence.
Mennonite Brethren Foundation P.O. Box 220 Hillsboro, KS 67063
(800) 551-1547
Fax (620) 947-3266
email: info@mbfoundation.com
*This offer is void where prohibited by state law.
Walking in true beauty
RECENTL Y , READ SEVERAL ARTICLES about the Navajo approach to religion. In the traditional Navajo way, there is no concept for religion as a sphere of activity, separate from daily life. At the heart of the traditional Navajo way is hozho-a concept of harmony and right relationship with the universe, nature and the Creator. In order to achieve hozho, faith for the Navajo must be the context of their life rather than a part of their life. It is then they "walk in beauty."
I thought for a moment after reading those articles. Do Christians see faith that way? Do we walk in harmony and right relationship with God, or do we see our faith as a sphere of activity, something we can separate from our daily lives?
Unfortunately, I live at times as though faith' is a part of life instead of living faith as life. And often I won't realize it until it is pointed out to me.
That happened several hours after I read the Navajo article while watching City ofAngels, a popular mm about angels made several years ago. In one scene, the angel Seth talks with Maggie, a heart surgeon who has recently lost a patient. Maggie is beginning to get the idea that she doesn't have as much control over life as she thought she did-that there is a higher power beyond her. Seth touches on this when he tells Maggie that the patient who died on her operating table is still alive, just not in the way she thinks.
"I don't believe in that," Maggie says, halfheartedly.
"Some things are true whether you believe in them or not," Seth tells her.
I hate to admit it, but it is secular films like this one that sometimes startle me back into the real world-that remind me that God exists always around me whether I think of him or not. There are times when I don't think once about God for many hours-much less acknowledge him or ask for his direction. I am so wrapped up in my own thoughts and desires that it takes a secular mm coupled with articles about another religion to make me realize that reality has escaped me.
God calls us to a different kind of faith. Eugene Peterson in his introduction to 1-2 Samuel in the Message writes that as we submit our lives to Scripture ''we find that we are not being led to see God in our stories but to see our stories in God's. God is the larger context and plot in which our stories find themselves."
In other words, we see life as it really is: created, designed and controlled by God. Life contained in and full to the very detail of God. We are not to fit or find God in our lives but instead find where our lives fit into God's. For Christians, there can be no concept of faith as a separate sphere of activity. Faith is life.
This is a significant shift in perspective. It is moving from the minute to the grand, from illusion (that God is a part of
my life and the world) to reality (that I and the world are part of God's life). When we grasp that, then I think we begin to walk with the awareness of God's presence, power and love. We begin walking in harmony with God-true beauty.
So how do we get to that spot, where we walk in constant awareness of and harmony with God? I have found it a delicate balance between God's revelation and my own effort.
First and foremost, I can know nothing of God unless he chooses to reveal it. I am dependent upon him for knowledge. My father, who is in his late 60s, recently characterized his walk with God as one revelation after another. That makes sense to me. My walk is similar. Periodically-and sometimes in cascades-literal scales seem to fall from my eyes and I see life and world as it really is. I rediscover in some new way that true reality is God-created, God-filled, God-directed.
But there seems to be something reqUired of me as well. In the normal way of things, it seems I must somehow seek God, ask after him, knock at doors and open doors under my control. The best ways I have found to do this are to spend time in and really get to know Scripture; pray, fellowship and experience accountability with other believers; and make efforts at an assortment of things Jesus did and Scripture describes that we have come to call "diSciplines." It is by spending time in the Word, with God and other believers and putting into practice what I learn that my awareness seems to increase.
But it is not the actions themselves that do this. They are just doors or windows-the natural ways through which God pours his revelations into us. It is a delicate balance, like that described by Paul in Romans 8: "Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to using it in real life. Those who trust God's action in them find that God's Spirit is in them-living and breathing God" (Message). Earlier, Paul describes this as "simply embracing what the Spirit is doing in us."
Of course, God can and does act without our use of the disciplines, but most often he seems to work through them. I have found the most wonderful, glorious thing about asking, seeking and knocking is that I will find, receive and doors will open. God promises to reveal himself to those who seek after him-and as he reveals himself he reveals true reality. He reveals the way life really is. When I accept that and begin walking accordingly, I walk in right relationship with him.
I regret that it takes an article about another religion or a secular movie to jolt me back into reality, but I also find joy and excitement in these moments. They bring me back to truth. They bring me back into awareness of true joy and life. I come back into the awareness of God. I am no longer walking in illusion. I am walking in true beauty. -CA
