count it a privilege to be a citizen of the United States. Many people in other countries can only long for the good things including economic and political benefits that comprise my everyday life simply because this country is my home.
Citizenship also brings responsibilities. This issue of the Leader helps us Anabaptist evangelical Christians think about how we carry out these responsibilities. What characteristics should we Christians exhibit in our actions as national citizens? What unique contributions do Mennonite Brethren bring to the discussion of what constitutes good citizenship? Given the recent war in Iraq, how can we who promote peacemaking in all situations support the men and women who serve in the military and their families? The common theme that runs through the collection of articles in the first half of the magazine is this: Let us pledge anew our allegiance to God, our Lord and King, and to letting his priorities impact how we think about and express our national citizenship.
This issue of the Leader recognizes the contributions of Henry and Elvera Schmidt to MB Biblical Seminary. This month Henry concludes 10 years of service as MBBS president and completes his 34th year of service to the seminary. MBBS faculty member Jim Holm pays tribute to Henry in a guest editorial.
The June issue also marks the departure of Carmen Andres, who has energetically served as editor of this magazine for the past five years. Thank you, Carmen, for your service to the Leader and the Mennonite Brethren church. We wish you and your family well as you permanently make your home in Montgomery, Ala.
Due to Carmen's departure, a new editorial team has produced this issue of the Leader. The Board of Communications has asked me to serve as interim editor, and Nadine Friesen of Hillsboro, Kan., is serving as the editorial assistant. Nadine currently works part-time as co-manager of a Christian bookstore. She is a member of the Southern District Conference executive committee and has almost 26 years of pastoral staff experience. She is the author of two Bible studies published by Kindred Productions, the MB publishing ministry. In addition to her writing gifts, she brings to the Leader an understanding of and familiarity with the local MB church and our denominational ministries. -CF
COMING
• JUNE 26-29-Central District Conference convention, Omaha, Neb.
• JULY 28-AUGUST I-Basic Institute of Conflict Management and Mediation, Oklahoma City, Okla.
• AUGUST I-3-Southem District Conference convention, Oklahoma City, Okla.
• AUGUST ll-I7-Mennonite World Conference Assembly in Africa
• SEPTEMBER I9-2I-North Carolina District Convention, Lenoir, N.C.
Printing by Valley Offset Printing, Valley Center, Kan.
4 Our ultimate allegiance
Are love of country and loyalty to Christ compatible? Jesus' words in Mark 12 provide a guide. BY LARRY MARTENS
7 The flag and the cross
The American flag represents the U.S. The cross represents Christianity. How do we understand the differences between the two? BY
MARTIN LEHMAN
8 Being truly Christia"n in times of conflict
What should characterize Christians in the present international climate? This list of five characteristics with catching God's vision of salvation and healing. BY JOHN DERKSEN
12 When Johnny comes marching home
Ten years ago the Pe(sian Gulf War gave this journalist the opportunity to learn firsthand the challenges troops face when they return home. These lessons can benefit us today. BY ROBERT
RHODES
14 Military mom and peace prof find common ground
The soldier's mother and local peace activist held opposing views on issues of war and peace. But over a cup of coffee, the two women find much in common.
LEADER
VOLUME 65, NUMBER 6
15
Life
and
death matters of good citizenship
Ordinary Christian citizens are called to think carefully when national' issues are international in scope. A son's history project offers three lessons. BY CAROL VELDMAN RUDIE
INTERIM EDITOR Connie Faber
Ph'lip Side by Philip Wiebe 18
• An old fashioned revival Chuck's Corner by Chuck Buller 19
• Introducing... Team 365 Inquiring Minds by Marvin Hein 20
• Purgatory and Jesus' descent into hell On the Journey by Rose Buschman 21
• Read a good book lately? Bodylife ".................................. 22
• Schmidt honored as faithful servant 22
• Denver ministry offers women R&R 24
• Leader survey says. 26
• Zimbabwe affirmed as site for MWC Assembly 28
•
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Nadine Friesen
BOARD OF COMMUNICATIONS: Harold Loewen, chair; Peggy Goertzen, Reggie Hunt, Phil Neufeld, Moises Tagle, Dalton Reimer, Kathy Heinrichs Wiest.
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.
The editors invite free-lance article submissions, essays to Forum and letters to the editor. Forum is open to members or attendees of Mennonite Brethren churches. The essays can address any issue of relevance and interest to the faith and life of the Mennonite Brethren Church and should be no longer than 800 words and include the home church and occupation of the writer. A SASE must accompany articles and forum essays.
The ,Christian Leader is a member of the Evangelical Press Association and Meetinghouse, an association of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ editors.
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As we ponder our relationship to God and human governments, Jesus' words in Mark 12 provide an important gUide.
lTJ THE UPSURGE OF PATRIOTISM SINCE 9-11 recently with the Iraqi war, I have struggled as er of Christ with how to express my allegiance and e for my country. Patriotism is a complex and sometimes controversial subject. People have different ideas about what it is and how to express it. Some express their patriotism by displaying the nation's flag, celebrating national holidays and singing the national anthem and patriotic songs. Others are uncomfortable with these public expressions and confine their patriotism to being law-abiding citizens, paying taxes and con·
tributing to their community. The recent debates about our country's actions in Iraq raise conflicting questions. Do patriotic citizens always agree with their nation's policies and decisions? Or is the best form of patriotism to critique the decisions made by public officials? Or yet again, is any expression of patriotism antithetical to one's loyalty to Christ? Are love of country and loyalty to Christ compatible?
Allegiance to country in the First Century
One day in an attempt to embarrass Jesus, the Pharisees and Herodians ask him a trick question: "Should
CITIZENSHIP
by
Larry Martens
we Jews pay taxes to the Romans who occupy our land and rule our country?"
It was an especially touchy issue and the Pharisees and the Herodians hoped to trap Jesus with the question. There could hardly be two groups with more opposing views! The Pharisees had strong convictions.about being faithful Jews. They viewed cooperation with the Romans as disloyalty to God. The Herodians, however, believed that supporting Rome was good for the Jews. They could argue, "Just look at the aqueducts and roads, plus the irrigation and sewer system we enjoy. It would have never happened without the Romans."
The Pharisees represented resistance to Rome; the Herodians stood for accommodation. The Pharisees could be viewed as first-eentury right.wing conservatives, the Herodians as left·wing liberals. But these two were cemented together by their mutual hatred for Jesus. The Pharisees hated him because he was disrupting their reli· gious agenda. The Herodians hated him because of his political agenda.
So, the first century right-wingers and the first century left-wingers try to place Jesus on the horns of a dilemma. "Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" they ask (Mark 12:14). HJesus says, "Pay taxes to Caesar" the Pharisees would see him as a traitor to their cause. H he says, "Don't pay taxes to Caesar," the Romans would see him as an insurrectionist. This seemed like the perfect trap!
Jesus of course was fully aware of their hypocrisy. ''Why are you trying to trap me?" (Mark 12:15). He then asks for a denarius, a small silver coin. One side bore the head of Caesar with an inscription: "Tiberius Caesar, son of the divine Augustus." On the other side was the inscription, "Chief Priest." Rome imposed an annual poll tax on all men and women living in Judea. Jesus asks, "Whose picture? Whose name?" They reply, "Caesar."
In the ancient world coins were understood to be the property of the person whose picture and inscription were on them. So Jesus said, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" (Mark 12:17). The emperor should have what belongs to him, but is God getting what belongs only to Him? Some writers suggest that this verse is the single most influential statement in Scripture that guides us in understanding our relationship to God and to human governments.
.Jesus says that governments have a legitimate God-given role in society. "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's" (Mark 12:17). Caesar occupied the land, had his coinage and asked for taxes. Jesus validates the Godgiven roles of governmental authority that make claims on our behavior. We are to be responsible citizens who give civil authorities honor and respect, who pray for them, obey the laws of the land and who pay taxes (d
Rom. 13:5-7; 1 Pet. 2:13-14). We are to give to Caesar what is Caesar's.
• While Caesar has a legitimate role in society, followers of Jesus have a higher allegiance. "Give to God what is God's" (Mark 12:17). The statement, how· ever, raises questions. Is Jesus saying that Caesar and God have legitimate roles in our lives, and that these two spheres are of equal influence? Are we to give Caesar and God equal loyalty?
Clearly Jesus is concerned with more than just paying taxes. He is shifting the discussion to a deeper level. Who has ultimate authority in our lives? The coin was Caesar's because it bore Caesar's image. We are God's because we bear God's image. Caesar has a legitimate role in society, but he does not have ultimate authority. That is reserved for God alone. Christ's followers have a higher allegiance than Caesar. God is God and Caesar is not!
Our Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith expresses it this way: "The primary allegiance of all Christians is to Christ's kingdom, not the state or society. Because their citizenship is in heaven, Christians are called to resist the idolatrous temptation to give to the state the devotion that is owed to God."
The Bible does not suggest that these are two nicely divided and equal spheres of responsibility: the state and God's kingdom. Caesar has authorityonly because God has given Caesar authority. Governors and presidents are human and not divine and have authorityonly because God gives it to them. In the New Kingdom followers of Christ will not give their ultimate allegiance to any government or political party. Caesar has some authority and we must give him the allegiance he is due, but ultimate authority belongs only to God.
• Allegiance to Caesar and to God should not be confused. But at times they are. We are not as clear as we should be about our loyalty and we are tempted to give to Caesar what does not belong to him. Patriotism, the love we have for our country, in a day such as ours can become confusing.
To love our country does not mean that we will always agree with its actions. The bumper sticker slogan of.the Vietnam War era, "Love it or leave it!" was wrong. So was President Bush when he said, "You are either for us or for the terrorists." Like parents who love their children, and yet are critical of their behavior, so we can love the United States and yet critique the decisions made by our government. After all, if parents truly love their children, they will do their best to see that the children do what is right.
One of the most tempting false gods for people in any age is the worship of the nation. To be patriotic does
not mean that we make the nation or a political party our god. Being patriotic as a Christian means that we can respect our president and national leaders, but it does not mean that we must agree with or approve of all their policies.
We often hear the statement "Religion and politics don't mix." The statement is both true and false. Our faith is to affect every part of our life, including our politics. We never completely separate patriotism from our faith, nor should we. But, we must always approach questions about politics and country from the perspective that God is God and Caesar is not.
• In the event of conflict between the realms, God's rule takes precedence over Caesar. ''We must obey God rather than men" Acts 5:29.
The book of Acts includes a story of the persecution of the aposdes. They were given strict orders to not teach in the name of Jesus. Peter's response was emphatic: "We must obey God rather than men" (5:29). Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, advised the religious leaders of the day, "Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God!" (5:38-39). Even Gamaliel knew that God is to
receive our ultimate allegiance.
Recendy our congregation moved into a new worship center. Our church board engaged in considerable discussion about whether the American flag should be placed in our new place of worship. The discussion centered on the kind of symbols we should use to express our faith. The board concluded that we should have three symbols: the cross which stands for our ultimate loyalty, Jesus Christ; the pulpit which symbolizes our commitment to the Word of God; the communion table which reminds us of Christ's shed blood and-broken body, and of our fellowship and unity as Christ's body. We felt that in the place where we worship, we should not place a symbol that represents a secondary allegiance.
As followers of Christ, we are to bear the image of God. That image is to be deeply stamped upon us. We are to be first and foremost followers of Jesus Christ. That identity shapes all our choices, detennines all the courses of our life, and declares our ultimate allegiance .•
Larry Martens is the senior pastor at North Fresno MB Church, Fresno, Calif. This article is adapted from a sermon preached March 9, 2003.
Article 12: Society and State The State as Instituted by God
We believe that God instituted the state to promote the well-being of all people. Christians cooperate with others in society to defend the weak, care for the poor, and promote justice, righteousness and truth. Believers witness against corruption, discrimination and injustice, exercise social responsibility, pay taxes, and obey all laws that do not conflict with the Word of God.
God has given governments authority to maintain law and order and to punish wrongdoers. Followers of Christ respect and pray for those in authority so that peaceful order may prevail. We deplore the loss of life in the exercise of state-sanctioned violence.
Christian Allegiance in Society
The primary allegiance of all Christians is to Christ's kingdom, not the state or society. Because their citizenship is in heaven, Christians are cilled to resist the idolatrous temptation to give to the state the devotion that is owed to God. As ambassadors for Christ, Christians act as agents of reconciliation, and seek the well-being of all peoples. Because Christ forbids the swearing of oaths, we simply affirm the truth in legal transactions. Believers do not participate in secret societies which demand the swearing of oaths or which otherwise conflict with a Christian's allegiance to Christ and the church.
Exodus 20:13, 16; Leviticus 19:11; Psalm 82:3-4; Jeremiah 29:7; Daniel 2:21; Daniel 3:17-18; Daniel 4:17; Matthew 5:1316, 33-37; Matthew 6:33; Matthew 17:24-27; Matthew 22: 17-21; John 15: 19; John 17: 14-18; Acts 5:29; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13; 1 Corinthians 6:14-18; Ephesians 5:6-13; Philippians 1:27; Philippians 3:20; 1 Tunothy 2:1-4; Titus 3:1-2; James 5:12; 1 Peter 2:13-17.
Reprlntfd from the Confession offaith of the General Conference ofMennonite Brethern Churches
TheF a and the
E
MERICAN FLAG REPRESENTS THE UNITED STATES of It symbolizes American ideals of liberty, independence, and national interests. It represents one nation under God rty and justice for all. Because of this symbolism many .c Americans wear the cross and pledge allegiance to the flag. cross represents Christianity. It symbolizes Jesus' life and death. It represents the power of his suffering and death, the length, breadth, height and depth of his love and the grace and forgiveness of God. Jesus gave his disciples no alternative to bearing the cross. Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Mark 8:34).
The flag is for all Americans, not just for American Christians. Jewish Americans honor the flag but not the cross. Muslim Americans honor the flag but not the cross. Atheists and agnostics honor the flag but not the cross. Adherents to New Age, Mormons, Baha'is, Jehovah's Witnesses and others are under the protection of the American flag. The flag unites people of many national origins, languages and religions into one nation.
The flag protects us from each other. In many nations an established religion is given preferential treatment, while other religions are forbidden or restricted. But under the American flag, religions may try to convert each other, but they may not deny each other the right to believe and practice a chosen faith. The flag protects Christians in America but refuses to allow believers in the cross to dominate those who do not believe.
However, the cross is larger than the flag. The cross extends across all boundaries of race, language, education, economic status, political party, denomination and other social groupings and brings all Christians into one universal kingdom. The flag is a national symbol, the cross is a universal symbol. The people of the cross confess an allegiance to the cross higher than the allegiance they give to the flag.
These differences between the cross and the flag are not always understood. Those who hold the cross above the flag are often a disturbing factor in society. Jesus disturbed the religious and civil rulers of his day because he claimed to be a king. First century Roman authorities were disturbed because the followers of Jesus would not acknowledge Caesar as a god. Anabaptists disturbed society in the 16th century because they denied the legitimacy of the union of church and state. Leaders of the American Revolution were disturbed by nonresistant followers who were not at liberty to break their promise of loyalty to the king of England or to take the lives of their enemies in war. There is tension between
bnstill. in times of Being
Iver since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and espeda1ly now with war in Iraq, nervousness is up, militarism is up and polarization of the world into "good guys" and "bad guys" is up. In such a world, what should characterize Christians?
.. .., To be Christian in times of conflict is to be more than "Christ-Hke," which is a descriptive phrase. To be Christian in our actions and attitudes points to our identity and identity runs deeper than description. Let us consider five ideas of what it is to be truly Christian in times of conflict.
GOD'S VISION OF SALVATION AND HEAUNG
To be Christian in times of conflict means to catch God's vision. According to the Bible, God yeams for the salvation and healing of all. In a nutshell, the biblical story is something like this. In the beginning God created a good world. The people were God's people, and all creation lived together in harmony. But humanity rejected God, and the world became unglued, disordered and in need of healing and restoration. And since that time God has been working to heal, renew and restore this fallen creation. God's saving and renewing process shines most
brighdy in Jesus. In his life and ministry Jesus proclaimed God's reign of peace by healing the sick, liberating the oppressed, eating with outcasts, forgiving sin and loving his enemies. On the cross, Jesus absorbed the sin of the world and let evil do its worst to him. He forgave his enemies rather than fight back. To redeem people from evil and death, God did not inflict violence; rather, God absorbed violence.
The cross also announces peace between enemies. Jews and Gentiles (all humanity) were at enmity. When Christ was crucified on behalf of all humanity, enmity was crucified with him. Thus Christ broke down the dividing wall and opened a way of peace to bothJews and Gentiles, that is all divided peoples (Eph 2: 13-17 NRSV). The cross trumpets God's desire for salvation and healing.
In the resurrection God vindicates the way of enemylove. The resurrection is God's great "Yes'" to the healing, loving way that Jesus lived and taught. In the life, ministry, cross and resurrection of}esus, God's vision for reconciliation and healing shines out.
God holds the same vision today. Several years ago there lived in Canada a black man from South Africa named Joseph*. Joseph had long hoped and prayed that one day blacks and whites would live together in peace, that one day whites and blacks would share the Lord's Supper together in love. But he had never experienced it.
In Canada he lived in the home of a white Christian family. This family had a five-year-old boy with light, blond hair. Joseph and this boy soon became good friends. And one day, for the first time in his 22 years, Joseph did what had been forbidden in his native South Africa: he placed his hand on the white boy's head. Inside, Joseph trembled, and thought, "This is how life should be."
One glorious day, God's healing work will be complete. The prophet Isaiah dreamed of God's coming age this way: "On that day the wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fattling together, and a little child shall lead them" (11:6 NRSV). HIsaiah had lived in modem South Africa, he would have added: "On that day the black man will place his hand on the head of the white boy, and they
will eat together at the table of fellowship."
When reconciliation and peace break through, whether big or small, we share and taste God's vision. Every time we help people make peace with God or with each other, we offer the world a taste of that day when "the wolf shall live with the lamb and a little child will lead them." To be Christian in times of conflict is to catch God's vision of healing for all creation.
I" 2 IN THE WORLD
CREATIVE ENGAGEMENT
Being Christ-like in times of conflict means to creatively engage the world. Many Anabaptists, and later Mennonites, separated from the world rather than engage it creatively. But some Anabaptists differed. One socially-involved Anabaptist around 1530 was Pilgrim Marpeck, who believed that since Christ engaged the world actively, Christ's followers should also engage the world, even as they reject violence in favor of God's loving way.
Jesus engages the world creatively. When Jesus says, Give your oppressor not only your coat but also your shirt (see Luke 6:29; Matt. 5:40 NRSV), Jesus is not caving in. He is being creative. The scene is in court. Someone is suing you for your coat. The jury is watching. It; after handing over your coat, you also give your oppressor your shirt and stand shirtless, especially in winter, the whole court will see how cruel your oppressor is. He may be surprised, caught off guard, shamed and may even see his cruelty. Jesus is not caving in to oppression; rather, in a creative, nonviolent way, he is calling the oppressor to see the light and change his ways.
Creative engagement in the world continues today. At one point in World War II, Hider sent troops into Denmark and demanded of the king that allJews in Denmark wear a yellow star. The king of Denmark knew he could not stop Hider's troops. So on radio he announced, "In accordance with Hider's decree, I order allJews to wear the yellow star; and I call on all other Danes also to don the yellow star, beginning with the king of Denmark himself" By the thousands, Danish Gentiles donned the yellow star, and thus protected the Jews in a legal, creative way.
Today there is an organization that flies Palestinian and Israeli children from the Middle East to the U.S. for summer camp. Of course these chil-
by John Der'ksen
<iren become friends. This is a legal, creative way to nourish reconciliation in the Middle East. Being Christ-like in times of conflict means creative engagement in the world.
COMMUNICATION
of conflict
'- ", means emphasizing communication and relationship. In the Pentecost story of Acts 2, the Holy Spirit does two things. First the Spirit translates, causing people of 17 languages to hear of God (vv. 8-11) in their own native tongue. The Spirit does not demand that everyone understand Aramaic or Greek, but translates so that all can understand, and God's healing is available to all.
Second, the Holy Spirit reverses alienation. In the Tower of Babel story (Gen. 11), the people lose the ability to communicate because of pride and ambition. They are scattereq and alienated. Now at Pentecost, shouts Luke, with the coming of the Spirit, people who were scattered once again communicate and understand. In causing people of 17 languages to hear of God's work in their native tongue, the Holy Spirit reverses age-old alienation. Today, wherever there is misunderstanding, mistranslation and alienation, the Holy Spirit calls us to translate, and to open doors so that opposing sides- may understand each other. I
In the 1990s I taught in a seminary in Beirut, Lebanon. In 1995, four years after the first Gulf War against Iraq, we had a delightful, bouncy student named Nadia* who came from Iraq. On faculty we had a Christian education instructor, Mrs. Smith* who came from the U.S. Shortly before Mrs. Smith returned to the States, I asked her, ''What was most important to you about your time in Lebanon?" She answered, "I got to know Nadia. I had never met an Iraqi before."
The human encounter transformed Mrs. Smith's vision. She became able to see Iraqis, not as the great Satan or the axis of evil, but as human beings made in God's image, and in Nadia's case, deeply devoted to Jesus. Relationships shatter stereotypes.
The same applies to complex international relationships. Some years ago Colombia and Peru were on the brink of war over their disputed border high in the mountains. Up in these mountain jungles Colombian troops faced off against Peruvian troops again and again. Negotiator Roger Fisher, co-author of Getting to was called in to see what he could do. Both presidents told him, "I can't back down, for I have elections coming up the next year and I dare not look weak or lose face. But you can meet with my top officials." So Fisher brought
together the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Ministers of Defense, the top generals and others from both countries. Before commencing with business, he paired them off with their counterparts and asked them, for one-half hour, to get to know each other, and to then introduce each other to the larger group.
When introductions began one-half hour later, Fisher began with the two military chiefs of staff They were not even ready; they had gotten so engrossed in their conversation that they hadn't gotten around to the introducing part. ''You see," the general from Peru had said to his counterpart, "I almost couldn't make it today becauseI had trouble arranging for my mentally challenged daughter." When the general from Colombia heard this, he had exclaimed, ''What? I too have a mentally challenged daughter!" And for the next half hour the two generals had shared with each other the trials and joys of raising their special daughters.
Needless to say, the ice was broken, good will was in the air and these 12 officials together resolved the conflict in a wonderful way. They agreed that the entire disputed border area would become a large international park, and that no military personnel would be allowed in the park. And so, through communication, relationships and goodwill an international conflict was resolved to everyone's satisfaction. Being Christ-like in times of conflict means communication and relationships.
PATIENCE FOR THE LONG HAUL
Embracing nonviolence today means patience for the long haul. The apostle Paul is a great example. Paul's vision for equality and justice is clear: "There is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:28). But Paul cannot realize this vision overnight; he needs patience.
When Paul writes to Philemon about Onesimus the runaway slave, and asks him take Onesimus back as a brother, Paul knows he cannot overturn the social structure of the whole Roman Empire and abolish slavery. So with patience he plants seeds that will germinate and bear fruit 1,800 years later thanks to abolitionists like Sir William WJ1berforce (1759-1833) and Abraham Lincoln (1809-65) in Europe and North America. Paul exercises patience for the long haul.
Sometimes it takes nearly as long to get out of a fix as it took to get in. The Crusades happened 900 years ago, and the walls they created between Muslims and Christians are still high and hard. It may take nearly 900 years of peacemaking to bring these walls down. Being
Christian in times of conflict means patience for the long haul.
WORSHIP AND PRAY
Finally, to be Christian in times of conflict means to worship and pray. Worship declares our allegiance to God, and this threatens the powers that be, whether political or economic. In China, for example, simply going to church is a political act. It declares an alternative community with loyalty and allegiance to a non-Communist God, and so is seen as subversive.
Worship renders to God the praise God deserves but it also moves us in God's healing direction. Worship gets us thinking differently. When we sing the song from Isaiah 52:7, "Our God Reigns," we also sing between the lines, "Our God reigns-and not Hitler, not superpowers and not terrorists. Not oil or the dollar." To sing "Our God Reigns" is a political act.
But, we ask, how can that be? It's only a song. How can a song break us free from vicious cycles of violence? The Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. had roots in songs-African·American spirituals. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 began with songs, prayers and candles and spilled from churches into the streets. In worship people think differently. In worship, people
declare themselves free for the God of healing. Worship is more than a political statement that focuses on content and the verbal. Worship not only says something; worship does something. In a deeper, more committed sense, worship is a political act that moves us in God's healing direction.
Similarly, prayer opens us to God and God's heal-. ing vision. Prayer aligns our will with God's healing will. In prayer we realize we belong to God, not this world. And so, with hands free we engage the world rather than flee from it.
With minds free we find creative ways to oppose evil without adopting its methods and becoming like the evil we hate, for we belong to God. Worship and prayer are essential to being Christian and to following Jesus in a nonviolent healing direction.
In times of conflict, may we catch God's healing vision. May we engage the world creatively. May we open doors for communication and relationship. May we have patience for the long haul. May worship and prayer keep us true. May we be truly Christian.•
* Names have been changed in this article.
John Derksen teaches conflict resolution at Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg, Man. He is a member of the Elmwood MB Church in Winnipeg.
BFL asks churches to pray for peace
In early March, as war with Iraq seemed a certainty, the U.S. Conference Board of Faith and Ufe sent a letter to pastors encouraging Mennonite Brethren churches to pray for peace. "We are persuaded that it is appropriate for the church to unite to ask God for peace and justice in the midst of this strife-filled world," wrote BFL chair Lynn Jost.
Prayer guide
God has called us to make "supplications, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity" (1 Tim 2:1-2).
Let us pray that
• we would be faithful as peacemakers in our homes, community and world.
• clear proclamation of the Gospel in the Muslim world would not be disrupted by war involving the U.S.
• God would protect defenseless, innocent people in the path of war.
• God would bring the leaders and people of Iraq to faith in Jesus.
• Christians of the world might be armed with the spiritual armor, especially having the shoes on our feet that will make us ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.
• President Bush would have wisdom to use restraint in the exercise of military force.
• the leaders of Iraq would be open and responsive to opportunities for peace.
• Christians in America would repent of the idolatry that causes us to depend on military violence rather than divine presence for peace and security.
• God would equip us to comfort all those separated from their loved ones by the war, especially those who have been forced to leave their homes involuntarily.
U.S. Conference Board ofFaith and Life letter to pastors, March 2003.
,'()IINNY Illlll II
U TIL THE FAll OF 1990, IRAQ FOR MOST AMERICANS was just another frontier led ya vague potentate, poised and menacing on our dim periphery. This was also ranked with the people of tiny Lincoln, Ark., a town of Macintosh orchards and poultry farms not far from the Oklahoma border.
But this would change that November when Lincoln's National Guard unit-part of the 1,loo-member 142nd Field Artillery Brigade, headquartered in Fayetteville-was sent to Saudi Arabia for the Persian Gulf War. After that, the people of quiet Ozark towns like Lincoln, where the brigade's 2nd Battalion Service Battery was based, became minor hands in the circle dances of Middle Eastern politics. Their greasy-spoon roundtables became 6 a.m. think tanks, but with only three goals worth voicing-bomb Saddam, come home alive and finish the job so we don't have to go back in another 10 years.
So much for the last one, or any of them.
With its mix of schoolteachers, car dealers, state troopers and poultry-plant workers, the 142nd in 1991 was an able unit. It had seen action in both world wars and in Korea and was a source of local pride.
But with the brigade's call-up in late 1990, a desperate, impassive gloom spread across the Ozarks. And as they prepared to deploy overseas, the men and women of the 142nd carried with them the collective fears of everyone they knew.
They also shared those fears, just like the soldiers who are retracing many of their steps in Iraq today, in this distant year: death, defeat, capture and poison gas-though not always in that order. In 1991, the 142nd escaped all four. But now; who can say how they would fare?
I remember thinking, dUring the first Gulf War, how like the Civil War this was, when entire towns might lose all their able-bodied men in one searing flash of hellish combat. If just one of the 142nd's batteries had taken a big hit, I thought, how like one of those
by Robert Rhodes
bloody afternoons at Antietam or Vicksburg. This didn't happen, of course, but what if it had?
As an editor of the daily newspaper in Fayetteville, Ark., about 25 miles from Lincoln, I tried to prepare myself for whatever turns the war might take. As journalists, it was our job to describe how the war had come to roost in our part of the world. I came to know the men and women of the 142nd rather well. I also got to know many of their spouses and children, especially those of the Lincoln battery.
Around Lincoln, the Guard families were close-knit and often interrelated to the degree that many small towns are. I didn't have to do anything to ingratiate myself to these people. They felt they could trust me, perhaps because I never misled them or tried to get them to cry like the 1V reporters did. I found that if I simply listened, they would talk about nearly anything-illnesses, family and marital troubles, money shortages.
What I often wrote about, and what lay at the depth of all this apparently easy trust, was the quiet fear these people faced every day-the fear that their children or husbands or mothers might not come back. They also came to fear, once the war concluded so quickly, what suddenly lay ahead. What 'would the ones returning be like? How would the war have savaged their psyches? Would the ones who were abusive or distant or drunk before the war come back even worse?
There were several divorces in this aftermath. There was also a boom of new children-including a few with birth defects. After awhile, these were blamed on the stillemerging mysteries of Gulf War Syndrome. I wrote about that, too.
During the first Gulf War, I did not have some of the convictions I do now. If anything, I was ambivalent about the war. I did not identify with it, nor did I cogendy oppose it. Instead, I saw the war reflected in the small towns waiting anxiously for their sons and daughters to return. From this angle, the war looked like a great burden visited on a few who only had been looking for security in a fragile economy-some extra job training offered by the Guard, or much-needed income from their monthly drill checks.
But what I saw emerge from that war-particularly the tragedies of others from our area who did lose their lives--opened my eyes to the truth of nonviolence, and even of the Gospel.
No matter their motivation for joining the military or their enthusiasm for the work of war, no one comes back from combat without being inwardly marked with the signs of violence. Sometimes these signs are invisible or vague. Other times, they are the gaping marks of depres-
sion and anguish, or worse.
I saw such dismay blooming in the eyes of some of the young men who returned from the war in 1991, having absorbed experiences they may still be trying to reconcile. During the war, the 142nd had been part of the U.S. vn Corps-the scythe of armor and mechanized infantry that swept behind the Iraqi army and killed it. Throughout the ground offensive, the 142nd's firing batteries destroyed numerous Iraqi targets.
Usually, artillery is fired from considerable distance, so there is a detachment between the gunners and their targets. But because the l00-hour ground war moved so swiftly, the 142nd came across many of its targets only hours after hitting them-while the ground was still hot, so to speak, before anyone could come and clean up or dispose of the dead.
The result was that many of the young men of the 142nd sa\v, close at hand, the devastation they had unleashed. Though not all could have been direcdy involved, enough of them were to make the guilt palpable-those who plotted the coordinates, loaded the gunpowder charges, or pressed the "fire" button that made the unit's massive howitzers jump and kick and vomit a sword of fire. It was something the unit's older members-many of them Vietnam veterans-had tried to prepare their younger comrades to deal with. In war, there is litde that is nevv, after all. But there is only so much that preparation can achieve, and this war had been remarkably brutal.
The war in Iraq today will be much the same. To a young soldier, war becomes a fusion of blood and bare nerves with the first acrid whiff of cordite. Once a soldier breathes the stench and grief of blood, no matter how well trained he is, war becomes a calculus of hyper-vigilant survival, and of immense concentration on killing.
Those of us who are nonresistant have a hard time relating to this, but,we are called to such understanding nonetheless. So even as we speak out and pray for the people of Iraq, let us also remember the warriors, and the lives these men and women will try to recover when they come home again.
Even with our disgust for the putrid realities of war-and even if we see these fighters as the culpable agents of invasion, who study and practice the grim arts of death-they also are fragile people with hearts and sane consciences. Though seldom acknowledged, they, too, are among war's victims .•
Robert Rhodes is assistant editor at Mennonite Weekly Revievv, in inter-Mennonite newspaper located in Newton, Kan. This article was first published in MWR.
Military mom &: peace prof find common ground
Dana how she experienced the letters and the antiwar movement as a military mom. Carolyn very quickly realized that the peace protests need to make the link stronger that opposition to war is actually a support of American troops abroad, not just a support of Iraqi civilians.
After recognizing that they are both mothers of sons, that they share religious connections and both want peace for the world, the women decided to write a joint letter to the local paper. The two wrote about their different views on this war, their commonalties and how talking with each other has "stripped away layers of assumptions and stereotypes."
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BEGAN LAST NOVEMBER WITH AN IMPASSIONED letter to local newspaper by a soldier's mother in Goshen, Ind., who fed up with "local pacifist rhetoric" and the lack of support sh felt for her son.
would ask all of you to stop and consider what your harsh words in the paper mean to a soldier who is sitting in a remote location reading his hometown newspaper and seeing such a painful lack of support for our troops. While you enjoy your holiday season, please have some compassion for those of us who won't be together for the holidays. We would prefer your prayers rather than your criticism." (Goshen News, Nov. 7, 2002)
Goshen is home to Goshen College, a national liberal arts college known for leadership in international education, service!learning and peace and justice issues in the AnabaptistMennonite tradition. In her peace courses at Goshen College, Carolyn Schrock-Shenk assigns her students the exercise of listening to "the other"-someone with the opposite views as themselves. After assigning this to her students several times, Carolyn said, "I read the letter and I just 'knew' what I had to do."
A day later, Carolyn phoned letter writerDana Schmucker inviting her to meet over coffee. Carolyn explained that she wanted to understand more fully why the pacifist letters were so painful to read and to hear more about Nick, Dana's son serving in Afghanistan. Carolyn told Dana she would not try to convince her of her point of view. Dana agreed to meet.
Nearly half of the two-hour meeting was spent getting to know each other and connecting personally. Then Carolyn asked
''We knew that we were on opposite sides when we agreed to meet for coffee, but talking felt like the right thing to both of us. What we both knoW; at a very deep level, is that we want Nick, and the others like him, to come home safely. ... We believe that our God of love is present with each one, all the time, no matter where they are or which side of a war they are on ....
"We will continue to respond to the current situation in ways that we feel called to respond, but we will do so with some differences since our meetings. It is our hope that by writing this letter, we can encourage others to see that it is possible to 'agree to disagree' without disrespect or malice."
In the letter, Dana pledged to respect "those who want to prevent this war. I would ask them to remember our sons and daughters who are trying to do the right thing and who are risking their lives to do so. I believe our troops need to know that we love them and support them, whether or not we support the war in which they are fighting "
Carolyn pledged to continue to oppose what was then an impending war ''with a new awareness of how much pain and fear and love military members and their families experience ... J understand more deeply that, at bottom, we want so many of the same things: peace, security, a world of promise for our children. It is these concerns that lead me to oppose this and other wars. " The letter was published in the November 24 Goshen News.
The response both women received from the community has "only been positive." One community member, Diane Hertzler, followed up their letter with one of her own and referred to their joint work as the "most important letter of the year."
As Carolyn recently planned another local peace protest, she asked Dana what she would think about a sign that read "Support our troops, oppose this war." Dana said it wouldn't offend her, or Nick, at all.-Goshen College news release
by Carol Veldman R u die
Life 11M "elllb mllllers of good rilizensbip
I'D NEVER HEARD OF ROY HANKINS.
Not until my son needed a topic for a histoproject. Then we remembered that our end had inherited a cache of historical orabilia about her mother's soldiering uncles and cousins. Of all those soldiers Roy Hankins captured our interest.
He was one of the Minnesota volunteers who swelled the ranks of the U.S. Army in the Philippines during the SpanishAmerican War. In 1899, the Army was having a tough time contending with the Philippine independence movement after having acquired the islands from Spain by treaty. So the call went out for more volunteers.
Roy Hankins signed up. By the time he arrived in Manila, a nasty guerrilla war was going on. Roy was assigned to an expedition into the steaming, swampy; forested province of Cavite. Roy left very little trace of his thoughts about these events or his motives for joining the Army. In the context of his Christian family and small-town Mid· west home, he seems an ordinary citizen. But he was one of the many who collectively created an extraordinary time for U.S. international policy making.
What possibilities for thought and action exist for ordinary Christian citizens when national issues are international in scope? A brief review of Roy Hankins' war gives us some clues.
Choosing the right name
Our first responsibility is to call some· thing by its right name. In our research attempts to locate Roy Hankins in the armies of the Spanish.American War, we discovered that we were looking at the wrong war. That war was over before Roy's ship docked in Manila Bay. Roy fought not against the Spanish but against Philippine troops.
The names given to this conflict are a study in historical perspectives. To call it
the Philippine Insurrection, as some historians do, labels the action as police work against rebels. Cataloguing it under the Philippine War of Independence signals that the United States was putting down a native independence movement and places the U.S. in the role of colonial oppressor. Today's historians prefer neutral names: Philippine American War. Some Philippine historians call these three years the American War; some U.S. historians, the Philippine War.
The names we give civic events matter. How we talk about public issues, policies and people makes a difference. Name-calling betrays and reinforces our biases.
And most of the time, as in the case of Roy Hankins' war, those names do not point to richness of perspective or to the complexity of issues. Instead civic names often flatten into a one-dimensional quality easily converted into emotion and action.
The kind of naming that happened in the world of Creation, when Adam looked at the animals and found just the right names for them, is a distant memory. Humans have only a broken capability for naming public events. Acknowledging our failings in this matter, selfconsciously striving for better naming and humbly recognizing our public limitations are ways ordinary Christian citizens can contribute to civic health.
Passing on the whole story
Ordinary Christian citizens also have the responsibility of passing on the whole story to the next generation. Part of the collection of primary materials that came to us for our research was a textbook printed in 1903, just three years after Roy Hankins returned home. Eagerly we turned to the section on the Philippine War, in the last chapter of the book. There, we were confident, we would read the correct interpretation of the conflict.
These textbook writers would have had access to the best primary sources. The section dedicated to the Philippine fighting frames the war in two sentences:"It must be remembered that the Philippines belonged to the United States by conquest confirmed by treaty. The uprising was rebellion against the United States and had to be suppressed."
Technically, of course, that state· ment is true. The Spanish treaty with the U.S. sold the Philippines to the U.S. But the Spanish did this so that their colony would not fall into the hands of the independence leaders, who assisted the American Army in the hope that independence would be the outcome.
As soon as the Philippine nationalists realized that the Americans were ilOt going to leave, they began to fight their former allies. The difficulty is not in the facts but in the justification of one of the parties that created the facts.
If we acknowledge that every event, including and especially wars,
Roy Hankins' nephew Curtis lost his life in World War II.
are multifaceted, we must also insist that their full story be told. Schools, which exist in part to pass down the past to the present for the future, put words, projects and analysis to our common civic experience. Our youngest Christian citizens need to be nurtured carefully and thoughtfully to recognize embedded perspectives. They need to recognize and develop the various possibilities of national conduct, submit that conduct to the standards of justice and call for better performance in the future.
Christian teachers should lovingly guide students into the complexity of historical situations, provide opportunities to see and experience several sides of a national event or issue and equip students to understand national injustice.
On the flyleaf of the 1903 textbook, we discovered the name Curtis. Several years after Roy Hankins came back from his war, his nephew was born. This textbook with its justification for the American-Philippine War belonged to that nephew. How much Curtis believed in its perspective we will never know;
Understanding national vision and interests
Ordinary Christian citizens are especially well equipped to understand the national vision, which guides and justifies a nation's actions. Every country operates with a concept of its "perfect world." Within this national identity and to further national purpose, civic leaders pursue and justify policies and actions.
Throughout most of the 19th century, the U.S. political vision meant isolationism. But the men who fought in the Spanish American War wanted to be part of an empire. Another group of 19th-century Americans held that economic principles governed national identity. President William McKinley's "Benevolent Assimilation Proclamation" announced that the United States' international role was to provide for the right acculturation and civilization of the newly acquired colony.
The ordinary Christian, however, knows that the national vision can never be as important as the global kingdom vision that proclaims Jesus as King. That kingdom mind-set frames all human culture building, including government. Within that frame, a country's political vision needs to be grounded in concepts of justice, for doing justice is the proper work of all the governments of God's world.
National vision also dictates what is in the national interest. For ordinary Christian citizens, the discussion of national interest is an important window into the heart of their country. At the turn of the past century the discussion of national interest illustrated the wide range of national visions possible. When the U.S. military delivered Roy Hankins to the Philippines, it was in the national
interest to end the last European colonial power in the Americas. By the time Roy left, the U.S. wanted to acquire the Philippines for trade possibilities. Finally, policy makers argued that the national interest required these islands for defense purposes. Many of Roy Hankins' fellow volunteers died for these national interests.
Ordinary Christian citizens possess the best possible yardstick for measuring our country's political vision, its definition of national interest and its rationale for international action. Our yardstick is God's intention for just human living. And when measured by those standards, we must admit that international efforts attempted outside of just means and for just ends don't measure up.
National identity reflects the same tensions present in all of human life. On the one hand government is a good gift from God meant to ensure justice in God's world. On the other hand government-every government from beginning to end-is broken by the Fall and therefore will be guilty of violating its call to act justly.
The good news for patriotic kingdom citizens, however, is that we, too, have a calling. Redemption from the Fall is-not just a matter of personal piety; it is also a matter of public policy. Our purpose as Christian citizens in whatever country we call home is to hold our government accountable to God's standards, to work against injustice, to reach out to victims and to model the peace that is the goal of all political efforts.
In the course of time, Roy Hankins' nephew Curtis also went to war. In 1940 Curtis, an expert in radios, joined the U.S. army. He, too, was shipped to Manila, where Nichols Field had the reputation of being the swankiest military base in the world. Dec. 8, 1941, Japan attacked the American Army in the Philippines. After violent fighting Curtis and his messmates surrendered in Bataan. He and a few friends survived a brutal death march to a prison camp. In 1944, he was one of 1,800 prisoners placed on a freighter bound for Japan. An American submarine torpedoed the ship. It sank. Only four men survived. Not Curtis.
Ordinary Christian citizens know that national agendas-what a country gives its soul to achieve-matter. What citizens are taught to believe about their country matters. How God judges political decisions matters. These are life-and-death matters, to the third and fourth generations. •
Carol Veldman Rudie is a contributing editor for The Banner, the publication of the Christian Reformed Church. Ibis article was first published in the May 2003 issue of The Banner and is reprinted by permission.
BY PHILIP WIEBE
An old-fashioned revival
There is more to life than the fad of the moment -
IN GENERAL, I'D SAY I'M FAIRLY "with·it" regarding the latest trends and technologies. I'm good with computers, know my way around the Internet and have no problem programming the various gadgets in our entertainment cabinet. I keep up on the news, maintain general knowledge of pop trends (if only for amusement value) and stack mostly contemporary music in my CD rack. I think the cell phone is a great invention, especially at those times when I need to make urgent contact with my wife about what movie to rent or which kind of cheese to buy.
However, while I'm quite comfortable with modem technology, I'm not overly crazy about it. Cell phones have their uses, but not during church services or band concerts, to name a couple of places their rings have annoyed me lately. The web is wonderful for locating information and services, but it doesn't tempt me at all to spend hours surfing just for fun. After working on a computer all day, why would I want to glaze my eyes even further in the evening? The same goes for watching DVDs, or playing video games with my kids. They're pleas· ant diversions occasionally, but I'd choose other activities first, such as reading a book, playing a board game or getting out for some tennis.
I guess I'm a bit old-fashioned that way. My preferences run toward simple, timeless amusements rather than trendy, technological ones.
Myoid-fashioned streak shows up in other ways too. For example, I've gotten really tired of sex. I mean the kind splashed all over movies, ads, talk shows, the Internet and everywhere else. Count me among those who feel all this, well, exposure dilutes the wonder and intima· cy right out of it.
Some might call that a repressed point of view; but I don't think so. Toward this sex-obsessed generation, I don't feel condemnation but sadness. In today's casual environment, many will never discover the joy of lifelong connection and commitment. That's why a revival of some good old·fashioned honor and modesty about sex would do our culture a lot of good.
Language is another area in which I'm decidedly old·fashioned. It's been said that to otherwise wholesome movies, producers often add unneces· sary cursing so the movie won't get the dreaded G rating. Apparently the general public stays away from G movies because they're too clean. Plus if moviemakers didn't put in raunchy language and con· tent, they'd have to rely on other means to attract audiences, such as having an interesting story and plot. You may think I'm joking, but I'm not.
Gratuitous language in otherwise good movies is something that bothers me, as does the growing problem of public obscenity. Whenever someone sprays foul language in my direction for no par· ticular reason I wonder: Do they really not care if those around them might be , offended? It doesn't seem so. Here too, an old·fashioned revival of taste and civility would be greatly welcomed.
There are other realms in which I'd like to see old·fashioned manners make a comeback. There's a series oflV commercials for a fast·food chain that fea· tures people eating hamburgers. They tear into those burgers loudly and crude· ly, slopping food all over themselves and chewing as if over a PA system. This, I guess, is supposed to be appetizing.
Not for me. I'm no Mister Manners, insisting on the correct salad fork and soup utensil. But a little grace and polite-
ness still go a long way in the pursuit of lunch. Unfortunately, manners seem to have gotten lost in the rush of modem life, as people pursue their own agendas and individuality more than places of community and camaraderie, such as the family dinner table.
In calling for a revival of things old· fashioned, don't get the impression that I'm longing for the good old days. To my knowledge, there were never any good old days. Only old days that held some good, along with the usual dose of bad. Just like any generation. I have no desire to go back to the past. In many ways things are much better thanthey used to be, starting with the simple fact that I'm not writing this column with a typewriter or fountain pen.
But I do think there are old·fashioned values that would greatly benefit this modem age. More cherishing and nurturing of relationships, for example. More reading and reflection. More listening. More walks through the countryside. Less bluster and noise. Less chasing after money and material things. Less publicity every time a celebrity burps. Less electronic babbling and more substantial, face·to-face communication.
Jesus was quite progressive in his day, but occasionally revealed old-fash· ioned tendencies. In Luke 12 he talked about turning back from the rushing around and self·absorption of everyday existence. "Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Ufe is more than food, and the body more than clothes (Luke 12:22-23).
That's what an old-fashioned revival would be about, in my view; There's more to life than the need or fad of the moment, and sometimes we just need to reach back and find it. •
J·oinTearn.365
Give to the Mission ot the U.S. Contel
Team 365 is an initiative cr.eated by Chuck Buller, Executive Director, U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches to support ·tne -mission of the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Ehurches ,
,
Joining Team 365 is a way to support a national conlerence of churches that encompasses Seven distinct ministries the MB Biblica( Seminary, MBMSI, MB Foundation, Board.of , Communications, Mission USA / Integrated Ministries; Board of FaUh and Life, and Board of Trustees. These various institutions are often taken ·for granted until they are needed to meef a' specific need. We need to keep each of these entities healthy s.o their expertise is available when needed by local churches. What we perceive as today's needs might not be the same as tomorrow's needs. .... ,
For instance, a church that wants to buy land or build suddenly needs our Foundation for a loan. Yet, money is available for loans only as church members invest their resources with our • Foundation. It is this type of synergy that is required to build a growing and healthy denomination in many different ways.
We ask that you become a member of Team 365 y choosing one day of the year to "sponsor." On your chosen day we would ask thDt you lend your financial support of $1000 on that day, or your support through prayer on that day.
Join Team 365 and help us "make disciples of all nations." Matthew 28:19
e of Mennonite Brethren Churches
ways to· help:
• Pay for a day •
• Pay for part of a day
• Pray
If y u'd like to support the, mission financially, please c ose at least one day where you would give $1000 to
core budget. Join family.and fri·ends to share a day, or buy part of a day: If you'd like to support us in prayer, please clwose at least one day where you pray and fast for our various minlstries ..
6 areas
mancial support will supplement our core budgei and help
• Administration and Travel
• Conference Networking
• Church Planting / Renewal-
• Leadership Development
• Faith and Life
• Communications r--",,:-,llJoard$' need prayer (and many more
groups):
.
If u have chosen a day to pray, please pray for our ministries:
• Board of Church Ministries
• Board of Communications
• Board of Faith and Life
• Board of MislUon USA / Integrated Ministries
• Board of Trustees •
• MB Foundation
• MBMSI •
• MB Biblical Seminary
• National Youth Commission
• Peace Commission
• Historical Commission
100 to iy, or buy lease at IS miniStries. ' Id help
Ilinistries: 'ies
"As former chair of the U·.S. Conference Board of Trustees, I am ver . aware of current trends in charitable giving in which giving to specific projects is an increasingl popular model: In this environment cllurch and mis,sion agencies still need to figure out to keep the lights on and the telephones ringing. Team 365 is a way for donors with an overall . vision to contribute to the entire lJlission of the Conference, supplementing and supporting the emerging and equally valid approach of giving to specUic projects."
Ken Neufeld, Fresno California
Forme! Chair ofthe U. S. Conference Board of Trustees
I'd like to support the missi.on of the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches in the following way: •
D Pay for a day: _1_·_ is my day!
o $1000
D Pay for part of a _1_ is day!
D $250
D $500
.D $750
D Pray and fast: _1_ is my day!'
LJ Board of Church Ministries
.D Board of Communications
D Board of Faith and Life .
.D Board of Mission USA / Integrated Ministries
D Board fT rustees
o Other:
..
Message from Chuck Buller, I U.S. Conference of MennonitE
"I'd like 10 invite you to join Tear through paying or praying. I'm 10 the year to offer support through require' both efforts to build a hE . To bi Chuck I
,
Please 'make 'check payable to the U.S. Conference of •Mennonite Brethren Churches, and mail to: 315 S. Lincoln, PO Box 22Q'Hillsboro, KS 67063 .
Our Mission is to be a.growin( God by serving Christ and His ( 20, Matthew 22:37
Our Vision is to define vibranc)l, biblical faithfulness, (
Our Strategy is to cdmmunica commission servants and churc
Message from Chuck Buller, Executive Director
U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches
"I'd like to invite you to join Team 365 and support our through paying or praying. I'm looking for one person for each day of the year to offer support through either prayer or support. It both efforts to build a healtt-ly We need your help."
. To become a member of Team 365 mail in the attached form or contact Chuck Buller at (559) 199-8964 or email himatchuckusmb@hotmail.com
Our Mission is to be a growing and healthy. Evangelical/Anabaptist denomination that seeks to glorify God by serving Christ a"nd His Church'in its mission of evangelism and discipleship. Matthew 28:1620, Matthew 22:37 .
Our Vision is to define growth and health as consisting of numerical increase of churches, spiritual biblical faithfulness, organizational efficiency, and financial stability. Colossians 3:12-17 .
Our Strategy is to communicate our mission, celebrate our uniqueness, commit our resources, and cart/misSion servants and churches to live and share the good news. Acts 1:8' .
BY CHUCK BULLER U.S. CONFERENCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Introducing ... Team 365
Ibis is the beginning of a new season and the formation of a new team
IT WILL BE EXACTLY 30 YEARS AGO this fall that I had the privilege of being an "Immanuel Eagle." Many of you outside of Central California are surely wondering what that is. I attended Immanuel High School in Reedley, Calif, and our school mascot was the eagle. More importantly, my senior year Immanuel fielded its first championship football team. This was no small feat for our small Mennonite Brethren high school.
Immanuel had for years been a basketball school. After all, that sport was more in keeping with our Mennonite heritage of peace. Obviously this was pre-Shaq. But in the fall of 1971, Immanuel began to play football. Actually, that is stretching the truth quite a bit. We basically learned the sport of how to get beat up on a Friday night and call it a football game. We were the team other schools chose for their homecoming game. It was almost certain victory for the opponent. And yet we persevered. Somehow I think the subtle evangelical theological assumption that if you are having fun it could well be that you are sinning helped get us through.
Then came the fall of 1973. Our expectations really hadn't changed much. But we had become better football players without really noticing it. Much like the process of discipleship, I might add. To make a long story shorter, we only lost one game. IntereStingly, following our first victory on the second game of the season we met on the 50-yard line for prayer and covenanted that we would do so, win or lose, for the rest of the season. In God's infinite mercy we never lost another game. We became Valley Champions, a feat which has been repeated many times since at Immanuel.
I often tell people that I learned as
much about being a pastor as part of that football experience as any other educational opportunity I have experienced. I learned the value of a coach who refuses to give up, and a team that sticks together through good times and bad. I learned
I learned that good seasons are often built on the foundation of seasons better forgotten. And I learned that this year's defeat or victory is not the end of the story.
that while our team had a few stars that got the headlines, it was everyone doing their part that made the difference. I learned that good seasons are often built on the foundation of seasons better forgotten. And I learned that this year's defeat or victory is not the end of the story. Seasons come and seasons go. If time permitted I could preach a sermon on each of those lessons to illustrate how a church or denomination operates on exactly the same principles. And there would be a great deal of biblical material to support the proposition.
Instead, I am making an invitation., This summer marks the beginning of a new season for the U.S. Conference and I am announcing the formation of a new team. It is called Team 365.
The title only contains two words: Team 365. Easy to remember, and I hope a team you will consider joining. To be a growing and healthy evangelical/Anabaptist denomination requires that many people play their specific role in support of a collective purpose. There may be a few "star ministries" that we highlight, but none are really more important than the others. We are a team. You can join this team by choosing to do your partto play your position. I am asking you to consider taking one day a year-that's where the 365 comes in-to either support us in prayer and fasting, or financially.
The cost of doing ministry as a conference works out to about $1,000 per day in addition to our church contributions. If 365 of you would accept this challenge we could do all the things we do on your behalf with very little additional fund-raising.
You will notice an insert next to this column that invites you to join Team 365. In simple terms, it is an invitation to pray or pay. I know that might sound a little too direct, but I can't think of a way to better get the point across. If you can't afford to support an entire day then do what you can, either financially or in prayer. Remove the insert and examine the invitation. Pick a day that's easy to remember, fill out the card and send it in. You will become part of a special team that celebrates a victory already won on the cross and supports a set of important ministries in all four seasons. •
INQUIRING
BY MARVIN HEIN
Questions about faith 8c life
Recently it was noted that Mennonite Brethren have not often spoken of purgatory and Jesus' descent into hell. We may not have, but author C.S. Lewis did. I have asked Wllfred Martens, a retired Fresno Pacific University English professor, to share Lewis' views on these two subjects. Martens' doctoral dissertation, completed in 1999, was on the works of C.S.
QLewis.Whatis purgatory?
Alike many Christians, C.S. Lewis believed in Jesus Christ as the crucified and risen Son of God. All other beliefs are secondary, he suggests in his book Mere Christianity. Lewis identifies himself as "a very ordinary layman of the Church of England." Unlike many Protestants, and most Evangelicals and Anabaptists, he believed in purgatory.
Purgatory has been part of Catholic doctrine since the 13th century, and was officially adopted in the 16th century. It is a response to two beliefs: no sin can enter heaven, and human beings, including Christians, die in sin, both original sin and accumulated sins, and are in need of purification before entering into a perfect heaven and the presence of a perfect God.
Purgatory is an interim state between death and the final judgment in which believers are purified and reach a state of perfection. It involves suffering but not the eternal suffering which unbelievers experience in hell. It is a refining process (Malachi 3:2-3 in which God is referred to as a "refiner's fire.') that results in purification, the final stage of sanctification.
When are believers perfected? Some believe this occurs before death (see Eph. 4:11-12; and Col. 1:28). Others believe it occurs at death when God's mercy and atonement intervene. Those who accept purgatory believe it occurs after death.
Though it is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, the concept of purgatory is derived from references in Scripture that seem to suggest an intermediary state between death and heaven. For example, Luke 23:43 refers to paradise (Jesus to the thief on the cross); inJohn 20: 17 Jesus is in some sort of intermediary state (he says to Mary: "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father ... .'); and Luke 16:22 places Lazarus in Abraham's bosom and the rich man in hell.
In 1999, Pope John Paul II attempted to correct misconceptions about purgatory as a bleak place of imprisonment by reminding the faithful that those in purgatory "are immersed in the love of God." It is merely a purification process, he suggested, for those who have lived imperfect lives but have died in the love of God.
QWhat is meant by Jesus "descending into hell" between death and resurrection?
AEph. 4:9 notes that Christ "descended into the lower parts of the earth." The Apostles Creed states that "He descended into hell" (some versions modify it: "He descended to the dead.') 1 Peter 3: 18-20 includes "being put to death but made alive in the spirit; in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison." Of this latter reference Luther commented, "This is a strange text and certainly a more obscure passage
Have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference policy, or other spiritual issue? E-mail Marvin at mheinl@fresno.edu or send your question to "Inquiring Minds, " c/o Marvin Hein, 3036 East Magill Avenue, Fresno, CA 93710.
than any other passage in the New Testament. I still do not know for sure what the apostle means." Many agree.
C.S. Lewis accepted Christ's descent into hell and preaching to the dead as doctrine. In order to understand his position one should note two principles. First, God desires that every person in human history-past, present, futurebe saved (1 Tim 2:4 and 2 Peter 3:9). Second, places in the spiritual world are timeless; human time and space cannot measure them.
When did Christ's descent occur? It occurred between his death on the cross and his resurrection. Where did he go? Lewis is not clear, though he believed in an intermediary state after death. Early church tradition allowed for intermediate states between death and the final judgment, when sinners are relegated to eternal perdition (Gehenna) and saints to heaven.
Why did he descend to the dead? Scripture seems to offer two reasons: to declare victory over Satan, and to proclaim his gospel to all.
If one accepts Lewis' speculation about the "timelessness" of heaven and hell, then everyone who has lived in the past and will live in the future will arrive after death in the spiritual world at the same time, which is God's timelessness. When they meet Jesus, their response will destine themto eternal separation from God or eternal life with God. All hear the Gospel and all have a choice. No one has an excuse of never hearing the Gospel. Jesus is the one way. None are excluded from the invitation.
Of this doctrine Lewis concludes, "I don't think we know the details; we must just stick to the view that (a) all justice and mercy will be done, (b) but nevertheless it is our duty to do all we can to convert unbelievers." •
BY ROSE BUSCHMAN
Read a good book lately?
Missionary biographies take readers "into all the world"
HAVE YOU READ A GOOD as Mennonite Brethren missionaries there. missionary book lately? No? You are not Eons developed a new evangelistic outreach alone. It seems not very many people read- program, Thrust Evangelism, 'using a tent missionary biographies these days. In a con- ministry team. This proved to be highly versation last winter with a major Christian effective in bringing the gospel to thousands publishing company representative, I was of people. Today there is a vibrant confertold that they don't publish many mission- ence of churches and believers in Paraguay ary books. ''They don't sell," he said. who are reaching out to their unsaved SpanChuck Colson, in his book ]be Body, ish-speaking neighbors. A Bible school trains cites a survey which found that "the books new leaders and radio and 1V ministries selling in Christian bookstores are the reach many more. They even have a flour'touchy.feely' ones that focus on self-esteem, ishing church inside the walls of a national self.fulfilJment and self-analysis while devo- prison. The phrase ''whatever it takes" cer· tionals and missionary biographies gather tainly describes the Eons' dedication and dust on the shelves." willingness to serve.
When a Christian book catalog arrived Albert and Anna grew up in the Ukraine at our house this winter, I looked through it in neighboring villages and left that area duro to see what was for sale. I found entire ing the German retreat 100m Russia in World pages for Words ofWJSdom for Men (1) and War ll. Anna and her family were allowed to for Women (2), Personal Growth (2), Mar- go to Canada. Albert was not and so he riage Enrichment (2), Inspirational Reading ended up in Paraguay. Both felt called to be (1), Christian living (2), Defending the Faith missionaries. How they courted by mail and (2), Church Ministry (1),Theology (2) and made the decision to marry is a drama in Christian Classics (1). There was one four· itself Anna's willingness to leave her com· column page devoted to Discipleship & fortable home in Canada, go down to Evangelism. Included on this page was a Paraguay and marry Albert sight unseen is a small2.5-inch section of one column called lesson in courage and dedication. Books on Missions.
Dorothy Siebert has done an excellent
When I looked at my own reading job of collecting pertinent information and habits I realized it had been several years writing in a style that is easy to read. I found since I read a missionary biography myself the bookinspiring and a testimony to God's So I decided to change that. In the past few grace in the lives of a couple dedicated to months I have looked for and read a nwn· serving Him. bee of missionary books. And guess what?
Another book that had my undivided They are not dry and boring at all. In fuct, attention was Neil Anderson's In Search of most have been exciting books that were the Source (published by wycliffe Bible easy to read and hard to put down. Translators). Neil and Carol Anderson have Whatever It Takes, written by Dorothy invested over 20 years translating the ScripSiebert (published by Eons Family Founda- tures into the Folopalanguage of Papua tion and available 1ium Kindred Produc· New Guinea. In this narrative Neil takes us tions), is the fdscinating story of Albert and through the nitty-gritty of Bible translation. Anna Eons who pioneered mission work He documents his own frustrations and triamong the Spanish-speaking people of wnphs as he struggles to learn the language Paraguay. For over 30 years they have served and translate portions of Scripnue. What I
found particularly fascinating was his description of the people's reactions when they heard the Bible stories for the first time. Can you imagine the soap-opera drama of Joseph's story when the adults first heard it? Everyone in the village had to be given a daily update on what happened next. Anderson writes, "Day after day the men camewatching to see how Joseph would get out of prison and become second in command." When dealing with Benjamin's possible imprisonment "the men were silent, sitting cross-Iegged on the floor some shirtless, expressions dark, chests heaving. I saw one brush a tear 100m his eye."
Even more dramatic is the description of the Folopa's reaction to the flogging of Jesus before his crucifixion.
''You mean to say they did 1HAT to Jesus?"
''We used to do that. But we only did it to our enemies, and then just before we were going to kill them."
Anderson writes "Heads were down Theywere seeing a deeper vision of the abject cruelty someone they had grown to respect These men knew what torturing and flogging were all about That this Jesus would come to suffer like this was just too much to take in. we had to stop for the mom· ing." As I read this I felt as though I was there in the Bible House experiencing this translation moment with them.
I'm amazed at how reading these books has changed my thought patterns. Instead of thinking about me and my problems I find myself remembering details of experiences I have read about I thank God for the missionaries who have answeredJesus' call to "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creanue" (Mark 16: 15) .•
Schmidt honored as faithful servant
Henry Schmidt concludes 10 years as MBBS president
150 FAMILY MEMBERS,
.ends, 0 eagues and the MB Biblical emin d of Directors honored eparting M BS President Henry Schmidt ta dinner eld April 11 at Bethany urch, no, Calif Testimonies, stories p entations, each one highlighting a different aspect of Schmidt's tenure at MBBS, comprised the evening's program. Schmidt is leaving the presidency after serving in that capacity for 10 years. MBBS board chair Cal Bergen presented Henry and his wife Elvera with a plaque to commemorate the evening. Schmidt was also honored at MBBS/ACTS seminary graduation ceremonies April 21. Schmidt will complete his duties June 15.
Schmidt became the sixth president of MBBS, then with one campus in Fresno, Calif, in 1993, after serving on the faculty for 34 years. In announcing Schmidt's resignation in September, Bergen said, "It is with profound regret that we accept Dr. Schmidt's resignation. He has been a strong leader over the past decade, and
has reshaped the seminary, bringing it closer spatially and philosophically to our constituencies. We give thanks to God for Henry and Elvera and pray that he will grant the Schmidts many years of good health and productive kingdom ministry."
Although he entered the office of the president reluctandy, Schmidt grew into the role and distinguished himself as a leader in changing times, says Bergen. Faculty, staff: students and constituents alike found him to be deeply committed to personal, spiritual and institutional growth and characteristically candid with his convictions. He remained true to his pastoral heart during his 'presidency and demonstrated a genuine interest in people.
Past MBBS board chair Ron Toews, who served on the board for nine of Schmidt's 10 years as president, says, "I first met Henry in the mid- 70s when he came to preach in our Saskatchewan church. I was farming at the time, and was struck by his practical preaching, approachability and zest for life. Later,
when I was called to leave the fann to study to become a pastor, it was natural that I would turn to Henry for help in discerning the meaning of such a call. He became a trusted and godly mentor, so that much later, after I had graduated from seminary and was asked to serve on the Board of Directors, it was both my love for the seminary and its cause, as well as my respect for Henry which predisposed me to accept the assignment with joy."
Bergen says highlights of Schmidt's tenure include: an open door into the hearts and minds of MBs throughout North America; the recruitment and development of an effective Board of Directors; attracting younger faculty while retaining the experience and wisdom of veterans; the creation of a comprehensive donor development plan; the securing of a $1.6 million grant from Lilly Foundation for the development of a system calling young women and men to consider vocational ministry in the church; and the re-engineering of the MBBS educational delivery system from that of a single campus in Fresno to multiple campuses in Fresno, Langley, BC, and Winnipeg, Man. This affords students greater regional access to seminary-level education while at the same time promoting denominational synergy and connectedness, says Bergen.
Schmidt was born into a Grande Prairie, Alta., farming family July 2, 1940. Undoubtedly the remoteness of northern Alberta, the farming community's intimate connection to the land and the long winters shaped Schmidt's values. To this day, Schmidt has a need forprivate space and community, a deep respect for farmers and their common sense approach to life and a love of hockey.
Schmidt graduated from Grande Prairie High School in 1957 and studied at Coaldale Bible School in Coaldale, Alta., (1957-58), Bethany Bible Institute in Hepbum, Sask., (1958-1960) and earned a bachelor of theology from MB Bible College in Winnipeg (1961-1964).
In 1960, Schmidt married Elvera A. Langemann. After graduation the couple and their daughter Debra moved to Onida, S.D., where from 1964 to 1969 Henry served Emmanuel MB Church as pastor. Second daughter Laura was born during this time. Schmidt enjoyed pastoral min-
istry and to this clay speaks with fondness of this chapter of his life.
In 1970 the young family moved to Fresno, where Schmidt graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology from Fresno Pacific College. After graduation, he walked across the campus to MBBS, where in 1972 he received a master of divinity degree. Schmidt distinguished himself while at MBBS, receiving the Academic Award as well as the Sermon Award from Decision Magazine. While at MBBS, he also served as interim pastor atNeighborhood Church in VISalia and Rosedale Bible Church in Bakersfield.
Schmidt always assumed that after graduation he would return to the pastorate, but instead was asked to become executive director of evangelism for the U.S. Conference. He served in this capacity, and as conference evangelist, between 1972 and 1977, traveling widely throughout North America and beyond. He was the recipient of an Outstanding Young Men of America Award in 1977. From 1972 to 1978 he also served as adjunct professor in evangelism at MBBS.
In 1977, Schmidt began doctoral studies at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, graduating in 1981 from the religion and social ethics department. He then returned to MBBS full-time, teaching in the field of world mission from 1978 to 1993. His areas of teaching included missions, urban studies, culture and social ethics. In 1985, he was appointed director of the Center for Training in Mission/Evangelism, and until 1992 convened a variety of consultations related to the global mission of the church. He became the first professor of the J. B. Toews' Chair of Evangelism/Mission at MBBS in 1988.
Schmidt was not content to only teach principles of evangelism and church planting. Between 1982 and 1985, he served as part of a church planting team for Fig Garden Bible Church in Fresno. Nor was he inclined to isolate himself from his students. Schmidt had a deep and pastoral interest in students. For a good part of his career as evangelist and professor, he met consistendy with a group of three to five handpicked students on a weekly basis for mentoring, prayer, interaction, support and study. He also often invited students to accompany him in local church and
constituency ministries.
Those who know Schmidt well are accustomed to hearing him lament his lack of administrative acumen, yet his contribuI tions to MBBS committee work are illustrative of the fact that Schmidt understands that the building of effective teams is paramount in carrying out kingdom mission. The committees on which he served include Hispanic Studies, MBBS Board of Directors as the faculty representative, Missions, Long Range Planning, Task Force for Review of Mission Program, Strategic Planning and Administrative Team.
His contributions to denominational and community work have been wide and varied. He has been a board member of the Cabana Recreation Association in Fresno, vice-chair of the planning committee for the Inter-Mennonite Evangelism Alive '85 Conference, chair of the U.S. Conference, a member and president of the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity Fresno and a member of the Fresno Area Mission Network Commission.
Schmidt has a hunger for intellectual stimulation and growth. He has been a member of various professional groups and has given priority to professional conferences and seminars. Rarely is Schmidt without a book in his briefcase. He reads voraciously and his bookshelves spill over onto the floor as volumes yet to be read pile up.
Schmidt has made his own authorial contributions. He edited Conversion: Doorway to Discipleship (Hillsboro: Board of Christian literature) in 1980 and Witnesses of a Third Way: A Fresh Look at Evangelism (Elgin: Brethren Press) in 1986. He has contributed chapters to various volumes and has been a frequent contributor to various denominational publications. In all, Schmidt has contributed more than two dozen articles over the last 20 years, in diverse and varied subjects. His articles are typically candid, confessional and pastoral at heart.
Schmidt's career has been marked by travel, with him often logging more than 150 days away from home annually. Whether as professor, preacher or fundraiser, Schmidt has touched many MBs and he loves to make time for interaction in his travels. His overstuffed luggage on numerous flights around North America often
include gifts of books, oranges, grapes or pistachiOS for friends old and new; This travel schedule has resulted in friendships forged far and wide. He has traveled to many American states, Canadian provinces and to Russia, Indonesia, Germany, England, Spain, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Africa. Schmidt is widely known and respected in MB constituencies in North America and beyond. His 6'3" frame, angular gait and trademark white wavy hair set him apart from his peers.
Schmidt's travel schedule, coupled with irregular hours, eating habits and exercise patterns have taken their toll on Schmidt, says Bergen. Now Schmidt and his wife hope to enjoy a more regulated lifestyle and ministry, as well as travel together, says Bergen.
Schmidt is quick to recognize Elvera as the one person who has shaped his life more than any other. Her constant love, support, encouragement and prayer have sustained him through the highs and lows of public office. Schmidt says her willingness to evaluate and challenge have sharpened his perception of himself and issues. Her gifts of hospitality have made their home a welcoming place for guests, as well as a place of refuge for Schmidt after his long and frequent absences.
Henry has taken special delight in Elvera's career and accomplishments. The two studied together at Fresno Pacific College, where Elvera earned bachelor and teaching degrees. She taught part-time until 1982 when she assumed a full-time position at Fresno's Lane Elementary. Schmidt often slips into her kindergarten classroom to meet her young students or teaching colleagues. In 1998-99 Elvera was recognized by Fresno County School Board as Lane's Thacher of the Year. The timing of Elvera's resignation from Lane coincides with Schmidt's resignation from I MBBS.
"We give thanks to God for Henry and Elvera, for faithful servants who have shared freely and transparently of their hospitality, faith, lives, and love," says Bergen. "They have touched young and old, and have been marvelously used of God to inspire greater faithfulness in the Church to her mission in our time. For this we bless God."-MBBS press releases
Denver ministry offers women some R Be R
Church and ministry enjoy unique partnership
DAY NEW YORK CITY'S
'n Towers fell is hardly a day most ould associate with rest, renewal and the 'nning of something good. But in a re kable example of God's timing, it is the day one woman's vision and one local church came together to establish R & R Retreats, a unique ministry for women.
On that night, Diane Andrews was scheduled to present the vision of R & R to the leadership team of Belleview Community Church in Littleton, Colo. She recalls feeling that it was the wrong day to start something ne-w, but the church leadership asked her to keep the appointment.
Andrews says, "God was still working on a very hard day and saying yes to great and mighty things." Of all days, she says, it was
the right time to focus on renewal.
Seven retreats and nearly two years later, the church and some 145 women have benefited from the partnership born that night. R & R Retreats has become an
effective way to meet the needs of women and a model of a unique approach to ministry.
Thevision for R & R Retreats began as Andrews talked with women who were struggling to move forward in their faith. Andrews says she felt a need to help women grow spiritually. As she prayed for an entire year about how to meet that need and then talked to many people, the idea of a women's retreat ministry began to grow.
R & R's stated purpose is: "Women
finding rest and renewal through Christcentered intimate retreats." R & R organizes retreats for women from all walks of life. The retreats are designed to provide time to rest, connect with other women and re-connect with Christ. Each retreat is limited to 20 attendees because larger retreats and conferences for women are already available, while a smaller setting "feels safe, so they can begin to open up, share their hearts," says Andrews.
Each weekend retreat has a theme, such as "A Prayer Retreat," "Write from the Heart," or "A Call to Rest and Renewal." During the retreat, "journey women"women who have experience and expertise with the theme-lead interactive sessions designed to not only teach, but also allow each woman to "have a voice and a safe place to be heard," according to Andrews. Free time is built into the schedule and carefully protected because, as Andrews says, ''We [women] just don't rest!" She says, ''You cannot find renewal until you stop and rest." In addition, each attendee is made to feel special through small touches such as flowers, massages or gifts.
The retreats seem to work. One Belleview member who attended a retreat says, "I did feel rested and renewed." Another writes, "My quiet times with my AbbaDaddy were the most moving encounters in quite a while. God spoke to me in ways 1 knew 1 needed." Still another Belleview member was prompted to begin work on a book while at an R & R retreat. R & R board member Adele Funk has seen firsthand the difference the retreats make in the lives of women. time women can get away and be alone with God," she says, "God shows up."
Retreats are open not only to members of Bellevie-w, but also to women in the larger Denver community, so that the attendees at a given retreat do not neces, sarily know one another. But, says Andrews, "in a mysterious way, through Jesus," the women come ready to "be real," and strangers are able to be open with one another.
Because the majority of women who
attend are not members of Belleview; R & R is not only a ministry to the church members, but also an outreach to the com· munity. Belleview's senior pastor Mike Andrews calls R & R "a gift to the commu· nity." Although it is not the kind of out· reach that results in increased Sunday morning attendance, Diane Andrews says, "I think God delights in churches quietly reaching people." She says, ''When a woman is changed, that goes back and changes their husband and their family. ... We don't see that or meet them, usually, but we understand that that's a bigger picture."
In addition to reaching out to women, R & R provides a model for a unique rela· tionship between a ministry and a local church. R & R ministers under the umbrella of Belleview Community Church, both legally and in the minds of the congregation, yet the ministry has independent finances and leadership.
R & R is run by a board, which currently consists of Diane Andrews and three carefully chosen women, two of whom are also church members. Those three board members are all volunteers, all donors to the ministry and all committed to the vision. They undergo training in running a nonprofit organization in order to, as board member Adele Funk says, "put things in the proper order so that God can bless it." As founder and director, Andrews is accountable to the R & R board, while the board is in tum accountable to the church leadership.
R & R raises its entire budget, which includes a small salary for Andrews, through grants and private donations. R & R takes fund-raising seriously because, as Andrews says, " we don't want to fade away" for lack of funds. One effective example of fund-raising was a benefit dessert held in November, 2002 in a private home. The board was able to share the impact R & R has had on women and to raise a signifi-
cant portion of the needed budget. Although some church members have chosen to donate to the ministry, R & R does not actively raise funds within the congre· gation. This arrangement guarantees that the ministry will not become a financial drain on an already-tight church budget.
'1ust to be under the church is a huge gift," says Andrews. The legal umbrella of the church allows R & R to start slowly and to focus on the women it wants to reach, rather than wade through the sea of paperwork and legalities reqUired of an independent nonprofit organization.
Mike Andrews calls this model of ministry a ''win-win situation," one that fits beautifully with Belleview's philosophy of ministry, which is that "every member of our church is a minister." He says that once a member has a legitimate leading from God for ministry, "We feel like a huge part of our responsibility as a church is to come alongside that person and help facilitate that ministry." That means providing as much support, accountability, financial resources and encouragement as possible. Mike Andrews says that when the church so equips its members, the church's efforts
are multiplied.
"Because of the way God has structured the church and because of the diversity in the church, I think local churches are in a unique position to do this kind of thing," he says. "I think we ought to be doing more of this."
As R & R lays a solid foundation now; they look to the future and dream. R & R hopes to grow by one retreat per year until they reach eight retreats by the year 2005. The board is working on five-year and 10year plans, with specific financial and ministry goals. They would like to hold retreats aimed at specific needs-like a retreat for unwed mothers or for mission· ary wives. They dream of owning their own retreat facility someday, in order to bring the cost down for attendees and to make facilities available for other groups. "We want to be here in 20 years," says Diane Andrews, "financially healthy and still reaching women".
As for Belleview; Mike Andrews says, "There is a great deal of joy in knowing we can help support a ministry that ministers to our own women and the women of our community. "-by Myra Holmes
Leader survey says
Readers affirm magazine, offer suggestions
•••
survey done by The Christ- appreciate the time people took to complete ian Leader in the summer the survey and have already made some of 2002 confirms that the decisions about the magazine based on the magazine meets the survey results. For example, several of the intended goals and needs themes Carmen selected for 2003 were sugof the readership, editor gested in the survey.» Faber says the results Carmen Andres told the of the survey will be made available to the Board of Communication at its spring meet- new Leader editor and can guide this indiing. The survey was sent to a random sam· vidual in the continuing process of improvpie of one in 10 readers (about 1,000 pea- ing the magazine. pie) with a return of33.1 percent. Since 1985, the Leader has conducted "It is affirining to learn that this maga- regular direct·mail surveys to gather feedzine has the strong support of its readers,» back from readers. The original questions says Connie Faber, interim editor. "We were developed with the help of a research
specialist and the same questions have been used for four consecutive surveys. "Running the same survey; with perhaps a few adjustments, enables us to look at changes over time,» writes Andres in her summary report. The survey asks questions about the content of the magazine and for general information about the respondent.
Magazine content
Responses reveal the magazine is well read and respondents feel the Leader plays an important role in the denomination. When asked how often they read the Leader, 81 percent indicated they read every (43 percent) or most (38 percent) issues. When asked if the Leader has an important role to play in the U.S. Conference, 91.5 percent of the responders answered yes. When asked what that role is, respondents' written responses most often referred to informing,
"As the son of a 103 year-old mother living in a care home for 34 years, I appreciate intensely those organizations and caregivers who provide quality care we children could hardly given.
To provide a dignity of life for the elderly is a worthy Godly task."
Marvin Hein
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communicating, connecting and unifying. 'JYpical responses were: 'glue' of communication that holds us together." "It keeps members informed about what's happening in the MB family of churches." "It gives us a perspective of what MBs think and believe and grapples with tough issues." When asked if the Leader is fulfill· ing its role, 78 percent answered yes; 15 percent did not answer this question.
When asked to evaluate the Leader's reporting, 91 percent said they feel the Leader covers issues in a fair and objective manner: Of those who answered no, 39 percent said the magazine is too liberal, 18 percent said it is hard to understand and 15 percent said it lacks variety. Responses that the magazine is too conservative, sim· plistic and no answer were each at nine percent.
The survey listed the various components of the magazine and asked the reader to indicate what he/she reads and to indicate those components they value most; multiple responses were allowed. Responses indicate that opinion pieces, and that includes letters to the editor, columns, the editorial and essays, are most valued at 70 percent. One respondent wrote, "I would like more letters in "What Readers Say." News and people-related articles (67 percent) and features (40 percent) were the sections of the magazine that ranked second and third.
Over half of respondents, on a regular basis, read church news (68 percent), obituaries (57 percent), letters to the editor (56 percent), Marvin Hein's column "Inquiring Minds" (55 percent), church and conference news (55 percent), In Brief (55 percent), features (54 percent) and the editorial (52 percent).
When respondents were asked what topics and features they would like to see more common suggestions were themes related to family life such as divorce, marriage, parenting, children and youth. One respondent wrote, "Help me understand my 15·year-old daughter." Dis· cipleship, global issues and the worldwide church, contemporary, social and daily issues, church news including how churches are involved in the community and church profiles were repeated suggestions. Respondents also asked for more personal stories and stories in general, Bible stories and related articles and practical application articles.
The survey asked respondents to list
what they would like to see less of in the magazine. Responses to this question were varied and included conference reports and politics, columnists and church news. One respondent wrote, "I go to an MB church, but we have no 'roots' in it so all the conference stuff is of little interest to us."
In some cases, what one respondent listed as a positive another gave as a negative. For example, some respondents asked for more articles written by Mennonite Brethren educators, pastors and lay people while others requested more articles from authors outside the denomination. One respondent wrote, "I love them (Leader issues) all. I read the last page first and then the front page next." Another wrote, "Some of the articles are too long for my busy schedule. I might read more if they were shorter and more concise."
Profile of the respondents
Respondents were 61 percent female, and 39 percent male. In age, 39 percent were over 65, 48 percent were between 41 and 65 years old and 13 percent were under the age of 40. Respondents were mostly college-educated with annual incomes over $30,000. 'l\venty-nine percent were retired, 15 percent listed their occupation as educator and 14 percent as homemaker. Fifty-two percent describe the area in which they live as a city, 31 percent as a town and 17 percent as a farm or rural setting.
Over half of the respondents (56 percent) have attended an MB church for 31 or more years, with 24 percent attending between 11 and 20 years and 20 percent attending 10 years and under. FOrty-four percent attend a church with 301 or more members, 40 percent with between 101 and 300 members and 16 percent with 100 members or less.
Responses were received from all five districts of the U.S. Conference: 44 percent from the Pacific District, 24 percent from the Southern District, 20 percent from the Central District Conference and the North Carolina and Latin America districts at 0.3 percent each. Eleven percent of the respondents indicated they do not attend a Mennonite Brethren church.
When asked whether one can infer that these statistics reflect the profile of the Mennonite Brethren church, Andres says this information only reflects the makeup of the individuals who completed the survey.
Ministry Ouest
The challenge Is great because the call to leadership Is great.
The expectations are high because the expectations on are high.
Join Ministry Ouest Clear the bar
If you are
• growing in your faith
•a leader
• interested in ministry as a vocation
• 16-18 years of age
Check out Ministry Quest at www.ministryquest.com
To participate in Ministry Quest you must be nominated by your church leadership. Please talk with your pastor or youth pastor about your participation.
• Ministry Quest is an initiative of MB Biblical Seminary
Zimbabwe affirmed as site for MWC assembly
Alternate arrangements made in South Africa
Mennonite World Conference executive officers, meeting late March in Fresno, Calif, once again affinned holding .Assembly Gathered in Bulawayo in August. They based their decision on a thorough assessment of the current situation in Zimbabwe by senior staff and the continuing firm invitation of the host Brethren in Christ Church in Zimbabwe.
The officers agreed to hold open alternative sites near Honeydew; northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa, because difficulties in Zimbabwe continue. A site for Assembly Gathered was held until late May, and sites for smaller meetings such as the General Council or the Youth Summit can be held through July.
In the unlikely event that it becomes clear after May 31 that no meetings can be held in Zimbabwe, MWC will cancel Assembly Gathered and switch the smaller
meetings to South Africa. Assembly registrants could be observers and participate in worship services at these meetings.
MTS Travel and MWC have already determined that lodging and transportation for a significant number of observers could be arranged on fairly short notice.
Every effort would be made to arrange sightseeing visits in southern Africa and to have some people make a "solidarity" visit with brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe if the Assembly could not take place in Bulawayo, say MWC staff members.
MWC strongly encourages people to continue planning to come to Zimbabwe, realizing that there is some financial risk should a late change be required.
The MWC website (http://wwwmwccmm.org/mwc) will carry updates, and information will be mailed to registrants no later than June.
Assembly Gathered worship to have international flavor
u.s. musician enthusiastic about Africa worship experience
Singing will be at the center of worship at the Mennonite World Conference Assembly in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in August. Among worshippers will be Mary K. Oyer, an enthusiastic octogenarian from Goshen, Ind., who is a church music specialist. Oyer has studied international music for decades and has played a key role in broadening worship music repertoire to include songs from around the world.
Anabaptists from around the world have been inspired by Oyer's enthusiastic song leading at largemeetings like World Conference gatherings in Wichita, Kan., Wmnipeg, Man., and Calcutta, India. From her broad
international experience, she has helped participants learn each other's songs, many of which will be sung from an international songbook planned for Africa 2003.
Oyer has been to Zimbabwe several times, trips she says were "so instructive to me." There is no wavering in her resolve to go back this year for Africa 2003 in support of the Zimbabwean people, she says. "It is important to go to give us {Westerners] some feel for what they live with."
In addition to international worship songs, this Assembly will have a choir with members from around the world to lead congregational singing. Prominent in worship and in performance will be the rhythms and melodies of Africa.
African music is aural, explains Oyer. It is full of symbolism and complex rhythms that call the body to move. One experiences so much more when the entire body is involved than "in learning from a book that is deaf and dumb," she quips.
"It's not evil to move a little," says Oyer, who confesses that she used to have rigid ideas about what music was appropriate for worship. "I'm not so absolute anymore. Studying African music enlarged greatly my understanding... and opened new ideas about worship. We can't judge what is right or wrong. It's a matter of personal taste." If others find different music meaningful, she adds, we need to find out why.
Oyer has studied African music for more than 30 years and she has lived there for a total of five years, beginning in 1969 when she received a grant from a California university to study visual arts and music in Africa. Since then, she has spent time between school years and some longer periods in 12 different countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, Uganda, Malawi and Zambia.
Every country has its own kind of music as well as different instruments, from the drums of West Africa anQ the Congo to the mbira of the Shona tribe in Zimbabwe, Oyer notes. She's learnedto produce the mbira's unique sound by snapping its up to 22 metal strips held by a bridge over a flat piece of wood.
In some places, traditional African sounds and rhythms are being reclaimed and encouraged after decades of "trying to get it [worship music] right," as taught by Western missionaries. "Everything about African music tells about the people." says Oyer. "There is improvisation in music and in life. Small patterns go round and round [like Taize music] with no concept of prescribed length. 'How do I know when to stop?' is a Western question," she explains. "[African music] reflects a different sense of time without any sense of urgency."
Asian music, which she has also studied, is much more cerebral, reflective and introspective. Asians find moving the body hard, says Oyer. Westerners, who focus on harmony, tension and resolution, with less emphasis on rhythm, are somewhere in between, she observes.
"We've imposed our way as right," says Oyer. "We should try to be learners. But we have to find out what the people are like before we can understand their music."
Oyer "retired" in 1987 after a 42-year career as a music professor at Goshen (Ind.) College, where she also taught visual arts. She has played key roles in preparing the Mennonite Hymnal (1969), several other songbooks for special events, including international books for MWC assemblies. From 1987-89, she managed the project that produced Hymnal: A Worship Book international songs.-MWC newsre/ease
'Puf.!Jour faith infoVicbon
Witness door-to-door alongside Christians from other countries
PARAGUAY JuL. 03-20
$1600
ZIMBABWE JuL. 23-AuG. 10 $2700
PHIUPPINES 1 SEPT. 03-21 $1520
PHIUPPINES 2 SEPT. 03-21 $1520
UKRAINE AUG. 27-SEPT 15 $1775
MEXICO Ocr. 03-19 $1275
INDIA Nov. 05-23 $1900
NIGERIA Nov. 05-23 $2550
ECUADOR Nov. 28-DEC. 14 $1400
Subject to additions and changes. Additional campaigns may be approved pending funding. Tuition totals include flights from a major city center. Costs to city center are responsibility of participant.
Palm Village Puts Life In Assisted Living!
The Palm Village lifestyle offers our residents the opportunity to be as independent as they choose for today, tomorrow, and for life!
Clara En", and doughier Coral Reimer
From relief sales to missions overseas, Anabaptists have always woven charitable giving into the fabric of their faith. MMA is pleased to be part of this tradition.
Through the MMA Sharing Fund, millions of your dollars have been distributed to churches and others in need. Mennonite Foundation helps your charitable giving intentions accomplish the greatest amount of good. MMA's Life Planning Seminars show you how to organize your time and talent for God's use.
Giving, and helping others give, are important pieces in MMA's stewardship quilt. To find out all the ways MMA can help you share your gifts in the light of your faith ... call (_) 348-74&8.
MCC BOARD MEETS THIS MONTH
Budget cuts and relief aid dominate board agenda
THIS MONTH THE MENNONITE Central Committee Board will be meeting in Seattle, Wash. The U.S. Conference is represented on the board by Glenn Wiebe of Hillsboro, Kan., and Paul Toews of Fresno, Calif, and on the MCC U.S. board by Sam Resendez of Del Rey, Calif The boards meet annually.
In preparation for this month's meeting and for the fiscal year that began April 1, the 12-member MCC executive committee met April 11-12. Their discussion focused on budget cuts, the status ofMCC workers in the Middle East and providing food to . struggling African countries.
All departments have reduced budgets by about five and one-half percent due to the decrease in donations and other
income. This totals $1.2 million of the total $22.4 million budget. Dave Worth, resource generation director, says the I budget cuts will not be seen in wholesale program cuts but in small adjustments made where opportunities for savings arise.
It was reported that MCC staff in the Middle East region are safe and many have received extra support from
Itheir local friends and neighbors. Advisory committees have been established in all
YMI teams head to international assignments
YOUTH MISSION International will be sending ACTION teams to various international locations later this month.
ACTION Pacific is a sevenweek course to be held June 29 through August 15. Participants, aged 17-30, will have the opportunity to see God work through them in ministry to international communities. Prior to departing for :heir assignment, participants Nill be equipped to share and jve the gospel in creative ways :luring a training camp to be leld in Los Angeles, Calif.
Assignment locations may include a combined France, Spain and North Africa tour focused on outreach to refugees; relational and children's ministry in Bogota, Colombia and English classes and friendship in Japan where a team will be reaching out to youth. The assignment will be followed by a debrief retreat, during which teams rest, recover and reflect on their experiences and ways that they have experienced can be applied to life and ministry at home.-YMI
countries in the region to help make decisions regarding safety. MCC workers in report that much ofMCC's material aid pre-positioned in Iraq, including blankets, relief kits, medical supplies and more, is being • distributed by the Islamic Relief Agency; MCC's main partner in Iraq. The committee learned that the need for food and the challenges of distribution are great in parts of Africa, particularly, Zimbabwe. I MCC is providing food aid to countries in Africa experiencing severe shortagesincluding Ethiopia, Mozambique, Zambia,
Zimbabwe and Malawi-valued at $1.51 million. -MCC
MORE NEWS
MDS responds to storms
-As Mennonite DIsaster ServIce began widespread cleanup efforts following the paths of nearly 400 tomadoes that struck Kansas to Illinois to Tennessee, MDS leaders were already examining specific communities to determine where long-term volunteer response will be most needed. MDS Is accepting contributions to establish these long-term locations. Spokessman Ted Houser said May 12 that MDS was nearly overwhelmed by Its efforts to evaluate tomado damage. The storms killed at least 45 people In seven states. The tornado outbreak, which was accompanied by sertous flooding In some areas, was one of the biggest In U.s. history.
"this is the worst case I have ever seen In storms," said MDS Investigator Sam Hostetler from a cell phone In Missourt where he was managing 20 to 30 volunteers a day who have been Invited to help with the cleanup effort. MDS contacts in Jackson, Tenn, reported that "block after block" of homes have been damaged or destroyed. Cur· rent Information on the cleanup efforts Is available on the MDS Web site, http://www.mds.memonlte.net and via the number, 1-800-241-8111. -MDS
Irvine grant spurs ,. diversity efforts at FPU
-A grant from the James Irvine Foundation wlH help Fresno Pacific University achieve Its goal of Increasing racial and ethnic diversity among students and faculty. The th..-year, $350,000 award Is to help enroll students from underrepresented groups In proportion to regional hlg1Hlc:hooI graduation rates, graduate those students at the same ratio as other students and send more of those students to graduate school. The grant will also help FPU hire faculty and attract guest schoJ. ars from underrepresented groups and build a campus culture that values diversity while enhancing critical thinking.
While the university has made progress In attracting a student body as diverse as the community It serves, there Is a great need to recruit faculty of color, says Consuelo Meux, an organizer of the FPU Diversity Task Force.
The James Irvine foundation Is an Independent grant making organization dedicated to enhancing the social, economic and physical quality of life throughout California. -FPU
MCC PARTNERS DISTRIBUTE AID
Iraqi refugees in Jordan live in poverty
"SADDAMHAS already taken most of our dignity," says one of 305,000 Iraqi refugees living in Jordan. They left Iraq for economic or political reasons and now their difficulties have not disappeared and personal dignity is not easily found.
Iraqi refugees cannot legally work in Jordan or acquire residence pennits. Until recently, refugee children were unable to attend public schools. Refugees also pay higher prices for some services compared to Jordanians. Even if they regularly receive funds from family members abroad, many live in poverty, according to Selim Sayagh of the latin Catholic Church inJordan. "lhose who knock on our door, we try to help," he says.
Mennonite Central Committee supports the church's efforts to help, including medical, educational and travel assistance for Iraqi refugees as well as providing milk products to children and pregnant mothers. About 150 Iraqi students attend the church school staffed by
Iraqi teachers.
Ghada Najjar who runs a church project that helps provide employment for needy families says working with Iraqi refugees is always educational and emotional. "I know how much they suffered in their own country," she says, "and I know how much they suffer here."
PARAGUAY NOT ONLY has a new president, but a first lady who is a member of a Mennonite Brethren church in the capital Asundon. The election April 27 of Nicanor Duarte Frutos as Paraguay's tendota or chief executive comes at a time of political controversy in Paraguay. Duarte Frutos, 46, was the favorite to win the hotly con-
Many Iraqi refugees are now contemplating whether a tested presidential election, held amidaccusations of cor· ruption and incompetence against incumbent Luis Gonzales Marcchi. Duarte Frutos received 37.6 percent of the votes, a handy plurality in a field with eight other candidates, according to the newspaper, Ultima Hora. His election means the country's powerful Colorado Party will
return to their homeland is feasible. "It is too soon to tell," says Najjar. ''They will return when they are sure Saddam is gone, and if they are sure they can regain what they have lost." It is an extremely difficult time, says Bishop Sayagh. of them have relatives in Iraq, " he says, "and that is why they are very, very concerned about the situation."-MCC continue its unbroken rule, dating to 1947, for at least another five years. Duarte Frutos' wife, Gloria, is a member of Asuncion's Raices MB Church, where Duarte Fru· tos-a former sports journalist and Paraguayan education minister-is said to attend occasionally along with their five children. -Mennonite Weekry Review report
MB connection to new Paraguay president
CHURCH NEWS
CHURCH
Baptism/membership
Fresno, Calif. (North Fresno)Jonathan Cumbry, Brek Melton, Jeff Schrock, Hillorie Stark and Curtis and Clara Thiesen were baptized and received as members April 20. Jennifer Bailey, Ron and Joann Fast, Dave and Edyth Fennell, David and Sue Hiebert, Chris and Wanda Highfill, Grant and MaryLyn Jones-Wiebe, Kristen Kroeker, Richard Kubiak, Don and Mary MacNeill, Brian McCreary, Wil Short, Lizz Tapscott and Julie Uhl were also received into membership.
Salem, Ore. (Kingwood)-Ken and Pat Carman, Justin and Andria Kinyon and Alex Seden were received into membership.
Shafter, Calif.-Bill Anders, JohnMark Bergen, Logan Haworth, Cindy Jones, Jeremy Jones, Marnie Jones, Amanda Mestaz and Adam Starrh were baptized and accepted into membership June 9, 2002. Bob and Tanya Mitchell were also accepted as members by testimony. Elijah Bergman, Tiffany Bloemhof, Bradley Kroeker, DeeAnn Kroeker, Jared Peters, Megan Peters, Ryan Richard and Travis Unruh were baptized and welcomed into membership December 8. Howard and Pat Funk were also received into membership
Dinuba, Calif.-Beth Camp, Stacey Eirich, Lauren Froese, Emily George, Troy Greene, Daniel Guenther, Zachary Heinrichs, Jared Hixson, Kristen Isaak, Joshua Islas, Brian Jantzen, Bobby Martin, Ted Penner, Kylie Riddle, Ben Smith and Jaren Thiesen were baptized and received into membership April 20.
Garden City, Kans. (Garden Valley)Jason Maisog, Henry Hamm, Jeff Koehn and Nathan Longacre were baptized April 13.
Kingsburg, Calif. -Bryan Brandt, Brooke Garcia, Kelsey Golbek, Katie Hernandez and Joshua Lehrman were baptized April 20. Blaine, Wash. (Birch Bay Bible Community)- Dick and Lonna Love, Leroy and Janice Wiebe, Rose Abbaspour, Ella Kiaupa and JoAn Newby were received into membership April 20.
Fellowship
Fresno, Calif. (North Fresno)-"Come
Join the World of Tea" was a mother and daughter luncheon May 10 at which Liz Marcellin was guest speaker. Scripture and showing love in practical ways were highlighted as women heard about and experienced "taking tea" and ways in which it can be used in ministry.
Reedley, Calif.-The congregation celebrated Children's Day May 4 with special combined Sunday school classes for the children, a worship service featuring children and a picnic lunch served at a local park. Games followed lunch.
Fairview, Okla.-Senior students met at 5:30 a.m. in the MBY room for a breakfast prepared byparents. The graduates also received a meaningful gift from youth pastor Jason Quiring.
Edmond, Okla. (Memorial Road)The congregation visited the Oklahoma City zoo April 27 for their annual church family outing.
Ministry
Collinsville, Okla. (Westport)-The congregation will hold an auction June 22 to raise funds for furnishings for The Heart, a church plant in neighboring Broken Arrow. Groups within the church as well as individuals will contribute baskets filled with hand-made or purchased items that fit a theme. The basket auction will be proceeded by lunch and The Heart congregation is invited to attend the event.
Weatherford, Okla., (Pine Acres)The annual Easter pageant this year was attended by 1,493 people over five performances. Six individuals who completed response cards indicated they had made a firsttime commitment to Christ and 13 people indicated they were recommitting their lives. '
Bakersfield, Calif. (Laurelglen)-The congregation offered various activities in neighborhood parks and apartment complexes May 17 as an outreach. Activities included games, crafts and lunch for children and parents.
Enid, Okla.-The congregation prepared college care packages for
NEWS FROM OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS ACROSS THE
students. The packages included foodstuffs and a personal note and were mailed in early April.
TeachinglNurture
Yale, S.D. (Bethel)-Parents of teens were invited to attend a question and answer seminar April 14 presented by six pastors from five Mennonite churches in the area.
Bakersfield, Calif. (Laurelglen)Addressing questions related to decisions regarding college majors and career paths was the focus of a Career Identification Seminar led by Pastor Ken Cross. The seminar introduces "Career Direct" by Larry Burkett, a program that helps people high school age and above identify God-given personalities and spiritual gifts.
Workers
New Hope, Minn.-Pastor Phil Glanzer has resigned after serving at New Hope for nine and one-half years. He and his wife Judy have not announced their future plans. A farewell fellowship meal was held for them April 13.
Dinuba. Calif.-A farewell service was held April 27 for Pastor Grayson Piepgrass and his wife Bonnie. Following dinner was a program of appreciation, including video messages from the congregation.
Worship
Denver, Colo. (Garden Park)-Craig and Fabiana Jost, MBMS International missionaries to Portugal, together with their two children, spent six days with various groups within the congregation sharing their mission experiences.
Enid, Okla.-Todd Franz, player for the Washington Redskins and a member of Pine Acres MB Church in Weatherford, Okla., spoke at worship services in April about witness opportunities he has as part of the NFL The congregation participated in a prayer walk at the Spaulding Gardens addition, a neighborhood in which they are praying for opportunities for outreach.
UNITED STATES
Buhler, Kan.-Lynn Miller was guest speaker for a stewardship emphasis day April 6 during which he spoke to a combined adult Sunday school gathering, morning worship and two sessions late afternoon and evening. Miller is a stewardship consultant.
Deaths
DIEMER. HELEN LOUISE, Buhler, Kans., a member of Buhler MB Church, was born to Roy and Myra Lutes Pennick February 5, 1920 at Mulvane, Kans., and died April 19, 2003, at the age of 83. In 1945 she was married to Warren, who died in 1995. She is survived by her daughter Marilyn and husband Errol Krehbiel of Moundridge, Kan; three sisters, Marie Pennick of Conway Springs, Kan., Hazel Kelley and Phyllis Jones, both of Mulvane, Kan., five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
EITZEN, JACOB C., Reedley, Calif., was born in Aulne, Kans., and died April 12, 2003, at the age of 95. He is survived by his wife Sarah McQueen Eitzen of Reedley; two daughters, Ruth Eitzen of Fresno, Calif., and Elizabeth Eileen Barsoom of Reedley; one son, Jim Eitzen of Laurel, Md.; one sister, one brother and one grandson.
GIESBRECHT, LORINE D., Shafter, Calif., a member of Shafter MB Church, was born January 28, 1911, to Manuel and Effie Silva at Coalinga, Calif., and died June 18, 2002, at the age of 91. On December, 10, 1931, she was married to Ben Giesbrecht, who predeceased her in 1976. She is survived by two daughters, Carol Smith and Sharon and husband Dirk Reynolds; one daughter-in-law, Miriam Robnett; two sisters, Lola Wallace and Alta Hall; one brother, Manuel Silva, nine grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
KLASSEN, JIM, Shafter, Calif., a member of the Shafter MB Church, was born January 24, 1923, at Fresno, Calif., to Jacob and Marie Klassen and died April 16,2002, at the age of 79. On April 26, 1946, he was married to Maxine Goertz, who survives. He is also survived by three sons, Bob and wife Debie, Phil and wife Pam, and Jerry and
wife Sue, all of Bakersfield. Calif.; one brother, Donald and wife Lavone. one sister, Josephine Bartel. all of Bakersfield, six grandchildren and one great grandchild.
LOEWEN. ELEANOR HELENA PETERS. Shafter. Calif., a member of Shafter MB Church. was born January 8. 1901. to Simon and Helena Peters in Waldheim. Sask., and died November 10,2002. at the age of 93. On November 11, 1937. she was married to Herb Loewen. who died in 1995. She is survived by one son, Stan and wife Deanne of Shafter; one daughter, Helena and husband Bill Born of Wasco, Calif., six grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.
ANDERSON. MARY M. RAl1WF NEUFELD·EPP , Shafter. Calif., a member of Shafter MB Church. was born April 19.1916, to Jacob D. and Sarah F. Ratzlaff at Bakersfield, Calif .• and died September 18, 2002. She is survived by one daughter. Norma Sherian of Fresno. Calif.; one sister, Hulda Haag of Bakersfield. and one grandson.
STRAUSS. DAVE, Bakersfield, Calif .• a member of Rosedale Bible Church. was born on MaY,9, 1908, at Hague, Sask .• to Abraham and Anna Loewen Strauss and died March 25, 2003. at the age of 94. He was married to Lenora, who preceded him in death. He is survived by two sons. Robert and wife Chris of San Antonio, Tex .• and Larry and wife Margaret of Fresno, Calif .• one daughter Diana and husband Neil Kliewer of Salem, Ore. eight grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
UNRUH. JOHN WALDO. Shafter, Calif .• a member of Shafter MB Church. was born March 7,1917, to John and Lillian Schroeder Unruh in Kansas City, Mo, and died April 20, 2003, at the age of 86. On June 24, 1941, he was married to Esther Hiebert, who survives. He is also survived by three sons, Jerry and wife Karen of Wichita, Kan., Dick and wife Carol of Meade, Kan., and Tim and wife Von of Shafter, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
WARKENTIN. MILTON. Tucson. Ariz .• was born at Hepburn, Sask .• July 28, 1915, to Aaron F. and Anna Mandtler Warkentin and died Nov. 19,2002, at the age of 87. On June 7, 1942, he was married to Clara, who survives.
WIENS, CLARA PAUUNE, Shafter, Calif., a member of Shafter MB Church was born May 20. 1917, to Cornelius and Louise Ratzlaff in
Balko. Okla., and died April 19, 2003. at the age of 85. In 1939 she was married to Ernest Wiens, who died in 1991. She is survived by one son, Gary and wife Beverly of San Jose. Calif.; two daughters, Karen andhusband Stan Enns and Kay Fraley, all of Shafter; 15 great grandchildren and two great great
Have a position to fill? Looking for a new employment or ministry opportunity? Have a gathering to promote? Reach U.S. Mennonite Brethren through a Clearinghouse dassified ad. The charge is 53 cents per word, with a $15 minimum. Withhold payment until an invoice is received. MB institutions advertising vacandes or position announcements may be eligible for a nocost ad. Contact the editor for more information.
EVENT
Training Institute
Mennonite Conciliation Services, Mennonite Central Committee Office on Crime and Justice and Eastern University are sponsoring a Summer Mediation and Restorative Justice Training Institute, July 13-18, 2003, at the National Christian Conference Center in Valley Forge, PA. The cost is $450 ($500 for registrations received after June 13); some scholarship assistance is available. For more information. visit www.mcc.orglusJ peaceandjusticeimcs.html or contact MCS at PO Box 500, Akron, PA 17501. 717-859-3889, mcs@mccus.org.
EMPLOYMENT - Mission USA
Director of Ministries
The Mission USA Board of the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches is seeking a full time director of its ministries. The MUSA Director shall lead a national vision for building Jesus' Kingdom through winning and discipling people into the family of God. The director will:
* work with the appropriate district leadership teams at their request in the planting of new churches
* work at developing a strategy for church health and growth for local congregations that request these services
* oversee and facilitate the Integrated Ministries of the U.S. Conference
* help facilitate the Leadership Development of emerging leaders in partnership with a variety of
grandchildren.
WIENS. ROSIE JEWEL, Shafter, Calif., a member of the Shafter MB Church, was born March 14. 1920, at Shafter to John E. and Lillian Schroeder Unruh and died May 5, 2002, at the age of 82. On May 11, 1941, she was married to Harold
CLEARINGHOUSE
Conference agencies.
The MUSA Director will report to and be accountable to the U.S. Conference Executive Director. Secondarily. the MUSA Director will relate to and help lead the MUSA board.
Qualifications include:
*A clear understanding of and commitment to the U.S. Conference of MB Churches and its confession of faith, demonstrated visionary leadership, excellent management skills and ministry experience.
* A full job description is available upon request. Applications should be submitted to Mission USA, loretta Jost, Chair, 1606 East 8 Road, Aurora, NE. 68818; Telephone 402694-3257; fax 402-694-5088; or email dljost@dtnspeed.net
EMPLOYMENT - MCC
Program Coordinator
Training Institute Program coordinators needed Mennonite Central Committee (MCq is seeking qualified applicants for the full-time position of Program Coordinator in Washington D.C. Start date negotiable. Position available June 2003. Qualifications include college degree or equivalent life experience, ability to utilize a variety of leadership styles; easy adaptability to varying needs and personalties of workers, skilled at organizing and prioritizing work, leadership qualities to administrate and coordinate worker placements; unit activities and logistical support, commitment to facilitate growth in the spiritual life of the group and in each of the workers, commitment to model and promote an anti-racist identity with the unit as well as the local community. As all MCC personnel, this person also needs to be a Christian, active church member and committed to nonviolent peacemaking. Contact Charmayne Brubaker, MCC. 717-8591151, <cdb@mcc.org> or your near-
Wiens who predeceased her in 1983. She is survived by two sons, Rodney and wife Karen of Shafter, and Gordon and wife LeAnna of Fresno; one brother, J. Waldo and wife Esther Unruh and one sisterin-law, Doris Unruh all of Shafter; two grandchildren and one great grandchild.
est MCC office for a copy of the job description and application form. Application review begins immediately.
Program Coordinator
Mennonite Central Committee (MCq is seeking qualified applicants for the full-time position of Program Coordinator in Porcupine, North Dakota/Oglala Lakota Nation. Qualifications include self motivation; flexibility and adaptability to changing situations; good interpersonal, administrative and organizational skills. well developed writing and verbal skills; understanding of the effects of European colonization on Indigenous people, willingness to learn the Lakota language and culture. Must have a valid driver's license with good standing. A couple will be preferred. As all MCC personnel, this person also needs to be a Christian, active church member and committed to nonviolent peacemaking. Contact Charmayne Brubaker, MCC, 717-859-1151, <cdb@mcc.org> or your nearest MCC office for a copy of the job description and application form. Position available May I, 2003. Application review begins immediately.
EMPLOYMENKHURCH
senior pastor
La Grulla MB Church of La Grulla, Texas, is seeking a full time pastor. As a rural congregation of 125 members, we are looking for a pastor with strengths in preaching, teaching, counseling and visiting. Qualifications: minimum education of Bible college or seminary, pastoral experience preferred, mature and married, bilingual (EnglishlSpanish). References required. Please submit your resume or call the Pastoral Search Committee by contacting Imelda Zarate (956) 487-7856 or Rolando Mireles, PO Box 34. La Grulla, Texas, 78548. e-mail rlrpi@ yahoo.com, fax 956-487-5201.
Committed to Building Churches
• Interest rate is 5.950/0 variable effective April 10, 2003
• No points or fees
• Partnership with denomination
• Committed to financial needs of all M.B. churches
Mennonite Brethren Loan Fund is dedicated to raising the capital necessary for providing loans to buy, build, remodel or refi nance Mennonite Brethren churches and affiliated M.B. organizations.
Through 70 years of ministry, we have provided over 600 loans to M.B. organizations, pastors and churches. Many of these loans have been made to new and growing churches who would be unable to locate capital through traditional sources.
Our commitment to the needs of the Conference and the local church, coupled with our partnership with investors, makes these loans a reality.
A PERSONAL TRIBUTE TO HENRY SCHMIDT
Henry J. Schmidt. Pastor. Teacher. Evangelist. Leader. Mentor. President. Friend. Each of these words describes Henry Schmidt, who is concluding ten years as MB Biblical Seminary president this month. During the final months of his presidency there have been and will be numerous official tributes paid to him and to his wife Elvera. I'd like to use this page to offer a personal tribute, using the words listed above. While the tribute is personal, the sentiments could be echoed by many.
• Pastor. My first connection with Henry came almost 40 years ago. He was a young pastor in South Dakota and I was in high school. We met at summer Bible camp. Though he was not my pastor, his heart for ministry to people was obvious even then. Henry is interested in people. I had no idea we would cross paths later, but I'll never forget those first impressions.
• Teacher. By the time I arrived at MB Biblical Seminary, Henry was a teacher there. I was his student in a class on personal and church evangelism. Long before people were using phrases like "God loves lost people," Henry was living the reality of those phrases. He always seemed to me to be just like Billy Graham.
• Evangelist. When I became a pastor, Henry was the itinerant evangelist for the MB Conference. He came to our church to teach a weekend seminar. Through his leadership, we became committed to Evangelism Explosion, and for years a group of us went out every week to share the Good News with people in our city. Through him I learned to share my faith, and to teach others to share theirs.
• Leader. Henry has always been called to leadership roles. As chair of evangelism in the U.S. Conference, as U.S. Conference moderator, as a church planter or as a seminary professor, Henry has been out in front. He has probably met and established relationships with more Mennonite Brethren people in Canada and the U.S. than anybody alive.
Hundreds of people look to him as a leader among us. He is recognized everywhere. Because Henry is so open about his life, including his mistakes, everyone who knows him has a story about him. Just ask. They'll be glad to tell you.
• Mentor. Henry has been a model for me, even when he hasn't known it. I learned much about preaching while watching him preach. I learned to desire his heart for evangelism. And as his colleague in seminary administration, I have learned about nurturing the people you lead, and learning to talk with those who wish to be your critics. With short statements and witty aphorisms, Henry drives home lessons that people seldom forget. I haven't.
• President. For the last ten years, Henry has guided the seminary through a time of enormous alterations. The makeup of faculty and staff has changed almost completely, the seminary has expanded to three locations in North America and a completely new system of governance has been adopted in response to the change in ownership between Canada and the U.S. Though all the transitions have not been easy ones, throughout he has kept to the course he saw God had set for the school.
• Friend. This last word is the most significant. Like many who call him a friend, I have been encouraged, chal· lenged and even corrected by Henry Schmidt. The specifics don't need to be repeated here. But, I'm a better person for it. I value the lessons learned and the friendship with Henry that I've experienced.
So now he rides out of the presidency, but not off into the sunset. He's just changing hats. What his next role will be may not have yet been determined, but he will be among us, leading, caring and encouraging. He can't do anything else. That is his nature. We haven't seen the last of Henry Schmidt, and for that we can be grateful.
Henry, we wish you well and God's blessing in your next adventure. Thanks for being our friend. -Jim Holm
