"WE
WELCOME HIM as the first Mennonite from overseas to see God's miracles in Congo." Masolo Manunga's comment startled me. I had just arrived in Kikwit and was being hosted at a reception by area pastors.
On the one hand, I was surprised - and honored - to be the first visitor in the country after Zaire became the Democratic Republic of Congo in late May. But I also realized, with some foreboding, my responsibility as a reporter. I was here to tell an important story. And it was up to me - and only me - to tell it.
I carried that burden with me when I returned to Kansas in early October Frankly, it was a heavy one. I was overloaded with information and impressions, and overwhelmed with urgency of what I had heard, seen and experienced. That's why this issue comes to your home several days late. It took time to get it out and get it "right." I can only hope I have done the assignment justice.
My 13-day Congo trip was the most physically demanding reporting assignment I have undertaken And the most exhilarating. As I planned which stories to write, I debated whether to include accounts of my personal adventures in this volatile African nation. Anecdotes about mortar shellings, vehicle hijackings and encounters with the Congolese version of the CIA would make for interesting reading, I suppose. But in the end I decided they would also detract from the real story: the difficult but inspiring life and witness of our Congolese brothers and sisters.
At a practical level, this assignment presented several journalistic challenges. Ten days spent in two areas (Kikwit and Kinshasa) does not an expert make. Also, because they are in a different area of the country, I had almost no contact with members or ministries of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference (CEM). I realize gross generalizations and misleading conclusions are real possibilities.
Then there is the matter of African names. In Congo, the surname usually precedes a person's given name - but not always. And sometimes I wasn't told which was which. I apologize in advance to my sisters and brothers if my references to them are not what they'd prefer.
Finally, I faced the challenge of working through interpreters, a necessary evil since I don't understand Frenchor any of the dozens of native languages and dialects spoken in Congo. Choosing direct quotes becomes a dilemma: How accurately did the interpreter communicate what the speaker intended to say? Regardless, I am deeply indebted to my team of interpreters for their wealth of help and patience: Epampia mbo Wato, Pelete Ngunz and Ann and Bruce Campbell-]anz.
This assignment was sponsored by Mennonite Central Committee with funding help from Meetinghouse (a North American association of Mennonite editors) and the ChristianLeader. My sincerest thanks to all involved - especially to our gracious and courageous sisters and brothers in the former Zaire. Lead on -DR
COMING
• NOVEMBER 7-9-Southern District Conference convention, Ramada Plaza Hotel, Edmond, Okla.
• NOVEMBER 7-8-Pacific District Conference convention, hosted by Bethany Church, Fresno, Calif.
• NOVEMBER 14-16-Central District Conference convention, hosted by New Hope (Minn.) MB Church.
• FEBRUARY 22, 1998-"Peace Sunday" for u S. Conference churches.
• MARCH 13-15, 199B-Annual meeting of U.S. Conference boards, Phoenix, Ariz.
• MARCH 15, 1998-First public worship service of Copper Hills CommUnity Church, the new Mission USA church plant in Phoenix, Ariz.
• JULY 17-20, 1998-U.S. Conference biennial convention, LaMirada, Calif
Papa Kiwoma and his grandson, Joel, of Kikwit.
Page 20
Spiritually strong but materially weak, Congo Mennonites live a kingdom paradox: Christ's churc h grows in adversity.
The Mennonites of Congo suffer because the country suffers. An overview of the challenges and conditions, post-Mobutu.
Somewhere between the past and future
Two North American missions began the Mennonite church in Congo . What role should they play now? Focus articles:
6 Profiles of courage and cooperation: The Mennonite conferences of Congo
8 Worship when there's nothing to give but yourself
10 From Sudan to Kinshasa: God's man on the lam 12 Masolo : Leading with sincerity and quiet warmth
14 Spared in the hour of crisis
15 Planting seeds for a future harvest
16 Where the value of training is the training of values
18 Congo women work to expand the ir role in church and home
19 In hard times, the church opens its heart to Brazzaville refugees
20 Lumeya: Peacemaker in the justice system
21 MCC: From pipeline to facilitator
22 Taking steps toward more cooperation
23 Fimbo: Big man with a big heart
24 Students bear a 'situation of misery'
Side
ARTCREDITS:Coverandpages 4 24, Leade r photosbyDonRat· zlaff,"Congomap,page 7, byRichPreheim, Me n n o n i t e Week ly Review," page 33, LeaderphotobyConnieFaber,'page 31, FPU photobyWayneSteffen
EDITOR Don Ratzlaff ASSISTANT EDITOR Co nnie Faber
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Though civil war, political corruption and a devastated economy have pummeled their country, the 190,000 Mennonites of the Democratic Republic of Congo are vibrant, growing and ministering to others. It's "God's miracle" for a church ...
•in,.. on
HE CHURCH BUILDINGS ARE PRIMITIVE, BUT CROWDED with worshipers. Suffering is widespread, but the singing is celebratory. The country wallows in a perpetual tale of woe, but the testimonies of members ring with perseverance and gratitude. In the end, the visitor can conclude only one thing: The Mennonites of the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) are living a profound kingdom paradox: In the soil of adversity, Christ grows a thriving, vibrant church.
Pastor Khelembo of Kikwit and the future of Congo
The growth can be quantified statistically Congo is home to more Mennonites than any other country outside of North America. Just how many is difficult to verify, but the three autonomous conferences claim a combined membership of almost 190,000 baptized believers - and an annual increase 3 to 5 percent over the past three very trying years .
The Mennonite Conference (CMCo*) is the largest body in Congo with around 80 ,000 members, the Mennonite Brethren (CEFMC) have 71,000 and the Evangelical Mennonite Conference (CEM) has between 35 ,000 and 40 ,000
The suffering, though, is much more difficult to quantify - in part because it is so pervasive. But, unlike in many other parts of the world, the source ofthe church 's struggle is not religious persecution In Congo, Christianity is the majori-
ty religion, incorporating an estimated 70 percent of the population.
Hardly a clandestine movement, evidence of Christian influence can be found almost anywhere. Family-owned small businesses in Kinshasa, for instance, proudly bear names such as "Grace of God Pharmacy" or "The Wonders of Our Lord Hardware Store."
Rather than being at odds with their environment, the Mennonites of Congo suffer simply because they are part of it. "We live in a developing country - and the church shares the problems ," says Leonard Lumeya, a CEFMC lawyer in Kinshasa "All are affected here "
But the very factors which underlie Congo's ongoing economic and political crisis are the same factors that have also contributed to its growth "My only explanation for the growth is that because of all the trouble, the only place people have to go , to hide, is to God ," says Maso10 Manunga, general secretary of the CEFMC. "This period of crisis is very good for evangelizing. "
And it helps that evangelism is the "priority of priorities," says Muaku Kinana Sosay, a CEFMC leader in the Kinshasa region "This period has enabled the gospel to enter hearts that had been closed before. When someone has lost hope, they are open to listen to God . People had hope in (former President) Mobutu and our leaders . We found out we couldn't put our trust in people. We must put our trust in God."
And in each other, Muaku adds . In contrast to the individualism that characterizes much of Western society and Christianity, the communal orientation of Mrican life, expressed most strongly by a commitment to the welfare of the extended biological family, is enhanced by the traditional Mennonite emphasis on interdependence within the church.
"We live a community life," Muaku says. "The church becomes extended family for the believer "
Mutual support and material sharing have been of necessity during these years of economic, social and political crisis Leonard Lumeya's congregation is a typical example Of the 300 adults who are part of the parish, maybe 70 have
* NOTE: Acronyms used i n these articles reflect the French names used in Congo.
IN CONGO
"Thank you for waking me up ." - Acommon Congoleseprayer expressingthanksfor dailylifeintheface of "death"(sleep)
been able to find jobs Of those, 50 or so haven't been paid for several months. Of the 20 or so adults who draw at least a modest salary, most are obligated by tradition to care for extended family who have no means of support.
Clement Bende-Bende and his wife, Mbuyi Antoinette, are typical in that regard. He eams a good living by Congo standards as a buyer and seller of industrial diamonds from around Tshikapa.
But they have also assumed primary fmancial responsibility for a "family" of around 2S people. In addition to their own seven children , the Bende-Bendes look after the families of two of Clement's brothers who have died. They also contribute financially to the needs of other extended family, too.
Because Clement has been successful in the diamond business, the Bende-Bendes are still able to support the work of the church. In that sense , their situation is atypical.
"Most of our members are teachers and peas-
Profiles of courage cooperation: The Mennonite conferences of Congo
WHO ARE the Mennonites of the Democratic Republic of Congo? They form three "commun it ies" or conferences, each the result of the work o f two North Amer ican m ission agenc ies
• The Mennonite Conference of Congo (CMCo) The largest of the three groups, CMCo has around 80,000 members in 900 parishes (congregations) organized into 57 districts The group traces its h isto ry to the efforts of Afr ica InterMennonite Mission (AIMM) . CMCo churches are found in the Western Kasai and Eastern Kasai reg ions as well as the Bandundu and Kinshasa reg ions
• The Mennonite Brethren Conference of Congo (CEFMC) With around 71,000 members in 400 parishes, the CEFMC is t he secon d largest group. It traces its roots to the p ioneer work of Aaron and Ernesti ne Janzen in t he Bandund u region Today t he con f e rence is d ivided i n t o three regions, includ i ng the Kw il u and Kwango areas of t h e Ba ndu n-
du region, and the city of Kinshasa. Other key centers are located in Kenge, Bandundu , Kajiji and the Bateke Plateau. The CEFMC has its headquarters in Kikwit. The conference still relates to MB Missions/ Services and to its sister national conferences through the Internat ional Committee of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB).
• The Evangelical Mennonite Conference of Congo (CEM) With around 40,000 members, CEM is the smallest group It is also more geographically isolated from the other two. During the civil war of 1960, Mennonite refugees from the Western Kasai region found asylum in the Bakawanga area of Eastern Kasai. Since 1962 they have been formally independent from the i r pa rent body, AIMM The CEM headquarters in located in Mbu ji-Mayi, Eastern Kasa i. CEM also works in Western Kasa i, Shaba, Uppe r Zaire and Kinshasa regions
Aside from their history and stat istic s, the three groups are far more sim i la r than
different. That's particu larly true on doctrina l issues. "There isn't really a difference," says Kumakamba Roussel, who works closely with all three groups as inter im executive director of the National Inter-Mennonite Committee (CONIM).
The groups share a common Anabaptist theo logy and an app roach to mission that integrates evangelism and socia l ministr ies. Congolese Mennonites, for instance, responded q ui ckly i n recent years to the needs of refugees who poured into the country when civil wars broke out in Angola, Rwanda and, most recently, the Republic of Congo. Churches have resulted from their humanitarian witness
A II three conferences see peace and l1.reconciliation as an i ntegra l part of that witness . "We're known as partisans of nonviolence," says Muaku Kinana Sosay, a CEFMC leader in Kinshasa "Everywhere we go, we try to mark our presence w ith works of peace."
Even though CEM is current ly embro iled in a bi tt er inter-church leadershi p d ivision, t he other two Mennonite conferences have not had serious conf licts. "In some (non -Mennonite) churches, the re are eve n f ist f ig hts," Muak u
Typical of many Mennonite parishes in Congo, members of CMCo's Inga congregation in Kikwit must make do with a meetinghouse that has a thatched roof and bamboo pews.
ant farmers ," says Fimbo Ganvunze, general secretary of CMCo. "Teachers haven't been paid in months, so people make only enough money to eat. They can ' t support the church . They come to pray, and they need to give, but they have nothing "
The extent of the need - and th e persistence of workers - is most clearly seen in the institutional life of the church A representative sample from th e Kikwit and Kinshasa areas:
• A 32-bed CEFMC medical center in Kikwit operates with one microscope, a lOa-watt bulb in its spartan operating room, and a pharmacy comprised mostly of empty shelves. Still, the staff, most of whom have not been paid for several months, see as many as 350 patients a
month. That includes an average of 37 deliveries in their maternity
ward, where it is not uncommon
says "B ut we have o ur own way to solve conf licts. It's a cu lture of peace that we can preach to others " Kumakamba Roussel says each of the three groups has ind ividua l strengths and cha ll enges:
• CMCo and CEFMC have existed longer and have had stronger partnership re lationships with the i r respective North American missions They also inherited more resources when those m iss ions p ull ed out in the 1970s As a result they have stronger medical and educat ion programs. CEM, meanwhile , started with minimal outside resources
• Economical ly, CEM may be the strongest conference today The Baluba people, who comprise most of the membership, are known as successful entrepreneu rs i n Congo and CEM members tend to share mo re with the church ,
• CMCo is the most geographically spread out - which is bo th a strength (for evangelism) and a wea kn ess (for identity and part icipa t io n).
• CE FMC has more hi gh ly educated person nel and a better organized conference inf ras t r uctur e.
W it h so m any common ti es and complementa ry st reng th s, wi ll t he thr ee
for two newborns to share one bed.
• A CMCo primary school in Kikwit tries to teach 100 students in dilapidated buildings and without sufficient books and supplies . Churchoperated Bible institutes and secondary schools tell a similar story. In many cases, Congolese pare n ts are simply too poor to pay educational ex penses and the conferences h ave insufficient m oney fo r scholarships.
• Church buildings are an important component of a parish' s identity. A few meetinghouses in the Kinshasa and Kikwit regions have wooden benche s and permanent tin roofs Far more, though, make due with bamboo-pole "pews " and thatched roofs - if they have roofs at all . In the past, when members had means, they were able to build the walls, pou r the cement floors and
.aiC'i '..
;' \-.
Democratic Republic of Congo
Mennonite Conference of Congo (CMCo) Mennonite Brethren Conf. of Congo (CEFMC) Evangelical Mennonite Conference (CEM) (All three conferences are represented in Kinshasa.)
gro u ps ever become one? "The wish has been expressed, " says Kumakamba Rousse l. "But at th e functional level, it could create even mo re problems in regard to confl ic ts about power and holding leade rsh i p pos it ions "
Ot her pract ica l issues, such as h istory, trad it ions and separate lega l ide nt iti es with the government, work aga ins t merger , he says The goa l for the f o reseeab le f utu re is increasi ng co mmun ica ti on and coo perat io n •
provide furnishings while North American sources funded permanent roofs. Now that is not possible, say leaders. One Kikwit pastor said his congregation's "building fund" accumulates only enough to buy a single sack of cement each year.
"We hope the change in our country will change our social situation," Fimbo Ganvunze says. "Unfortunately, the changes aren't happening as quickly as people hoped. We are even regressing. Those who had possibilities now have none."
Despite the barriers, the Mennonites of Congo are working at ways to help themselves through these difficult times. Because of their context, churches approach spiritual and social
Worship when there's nothing to give ... but yourself
THELONG, block building is only about half full when the morning service begins at Kikwit #2, the largest CMCo congregation in the city Once the singing starts, though, it doesn't take long for the building to fill.
And the music starts with energy. A children's choir kicks things off with several full-throated harmonies, with hands clapping and bodies swaying. Before the service is over, several choirs of young
and older adults will contribute their anthems, too
Choirs are big among Mennonite congregations in Congo. They are a key way of attracting and involving young people in the life of the church. And they raise the roof in celebration from week to week.
This congregation happens to meet in a building with a permanent tin roof, a concrete floor and wooden benches. It is a modest structure by North American standards, but far more developed than many others in Congo, where thatched roofs, dirt floors and bamboo pews are the norm.
As much pride as congregations take
ministries more wholistically. Development is on par with evangelism and Bible training as a legitimate spiritual concern.
The CEFMC, for instance, has a ministry organiZation (DESADEC) devoted to starting and supporting church-related development projects, particularly in the area of agriculture In addition, Mennonite women in all three conferences are organized in most congregations to encourage literacy and carry out income-generating projects such as making soap, raiSing chickens and salting fish.
The older generation of leaders recalls with nostalgia the days when a lot of church structures were supported with North American mis-
in their buildings, "church" is really about people. Full participation is the key. Those attenders who aren't part of a choir join in lively congregational singing. Some songs are familiar North American hymns translated into local languages; other choruses have a distinctly African sound. When the offering is taken, everyone goes forward, one row at a time, swaying and clapping in rhythm. Even if they have no money to place in the basket, they still come forward - to give themselves Everyone gives something
At a CEFMC service in the Kimpwanza
church in Kikwit, time is set aside for brief testimonies One woman reports that she was ill, but now is "covered with health." Someone else gives praise for protection from a marauding gang. Another feels she is being tormented by demons and asks for prayer. The congregation eventually goes to prayer, murmuring their petitions and praise.
Even the preaching is interactive.
Admonitions from the pulpit are affirmed by the congregation : "Alleluia?" asks the preacher; UAmenf" responds the
CEFMC members sing praises at the Kimpwanza church in Kikwit
sionaries and money. But a new generation of leaders is pushing for solutions from within the churches themselves, such as training pastors not only in theology - which was the traditional strategy of the missions - but also in development, nutrition and agriculture. This would not only enable pastors to support themselves, but also help them develop economic resources within their respective congregations.
" W e can no longer afford to train pastors who can only preach," says one young CEFMC leader, echoing a common sentiment.
Some institutions are changing. The Kikwit congregation.
Today the preacher speaks on unity and love. "Jesus showed love on the cross, so we should also love everyone," he says. "That's why we should help those who are suffering by sharing our food and clothing w ith them Let us do what is good."
Their services communicate love and unity, but Mennonite congregations in Congo struggle with many of the same generational issues their counterparts do in North America.
The older guard wants to uphold the traditional ways of "doing church" established by the missionaries. Meanwhile, a younger generation pushes for more expressive worship, more involvement by women in leadership and more consciousness of their respective tribal identities
Despite their material need and the day-to-day, year-to-year trauma of social upheaval - or perhaps because of itMennonite worship services in Congo communicate a faith that is strong, unified and vibrant.
To be sure, it is a faith of the James 1 variety : "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance " (w. 2-3)
As one pastor put it: "For me, the period of crisis we've been living through has helped us become strong spiritually It's persecution that helps us to know God better " •
Bible Institute, for instance, has recently added courses on human rights, agriculture and leadership to its curriculum because "the country is changing," according to headmaster Shindany Vincent.
But conference leaders say their meager fmancial resources prevent them from doing much more than they presently are. "Our biggest challenge is money," says Fimbo. "The church is not able to build buildings or support the work necessary to help the church become stronger. "
Which leads to the question asked in one form or another by many, many Congolese Mennonites: Where are their affluent brothers and sisters in North America during this time of crisis?
"We're making an effort to solve our problems here," says Leonard Lumeya. "Minor problems, we can handle. When we have major problems, we want to report those problems to (Mennonites in) North America and Europe ."
IN CONGO
Cultural iss ues in Congo that challenge Menno-nite church life, as listed by students of the International M is sio log y Center in Kinsh asa :
• So rcery
• Tribali sm
• Custom s (such as po lyga my)
• Second -class treatment of women .
• Rise of other relig ions and ph ilosophie s, especially Islam
Leaders in Congo are well aware of the history which forced Mennonite Brethren MiSSions/ Services (MBM/S) and Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM) to rethink their strategy when the country gained independence from Belgium in 1960 (see story, p 20). They also know that
A children's choir on the move at Kikwit #2.
with a history of more than 60 years, they are no longer a "mission" church. And they are aware of North American fears about creating dependency in overseas churches. But the question lingers
have dignity," says Pidi, headmaster at an agricultural institute in Kahemba. "I know our friends in America don 't like to help us, but in my mind 1 can't accept it."
"We feel abandoned," says Kiwoma A. Galunga, a 77-year-old CEFMC pastor who fondly recalls the involvement of well-trained and wellfunded North American missionaries. "Because of our social and political situation, we don't feel the church can grow properly. The church of Congo is affected by war - not just guns, but life (in the aftermath) is a permanent situation."
The a.ft1uence of North American Mennonites is not lost on Congolese believers . Neither is the apparent generosity with which the Catholic church supports its ministries in Congo
"People here are told Mennonites around the world are wealthy," says Fimbo. "When they come here, the people here are poor, even compared to Catholics. To be Mennonite here is to be poor. Congolese are wondering, is this a Mennonite church or something else because Mennonites (elsewhere) are rich."
While many leaders of the older generation tend to envision help through nostalgic memories of paternal assistance, a new generation is "We don't like to appear as a beggar. We
From Sudan to Kinshasa: God's man on the lam EMMANUEL
Ali EI Shareff is
a marked man - by God for ministry and by the Sudanese government and Muslim hard-liners for death.
All in all, Emmanuel has decided to take his chances with God
"God has freed me from prison and from the power that kept me from seeing the truth," he says with a smile. "Why should I not serve him 7"
He was born in Sudan as Al i EI Shareff He added "Emmanuel" when he converted to Christ ianity in August 1995. By that time, he was already on the run from the Nationa l Islamic Front in Sudan, which seized power in
1989 and proclaimed jihad against all who opposed their mi litary regime, regardless of religion The resulting reign of government-endorsed terror has resulted in the death of more than 1.5 million and forced the displacement of more than 5 million
While attending university in his homeland in 1987, Emmanuel initially shied away from political involvement, leery of the two parties that fueled Sudan's seemingly endless civil war. Eventually, though, he decided to enter a student election as a thirdparty candidate - and won.
But he also lost his anonymity and eventually his
freedom. He was arrested three times and tortured for information about his comrades Emmanuel turned himself in the third time after officials arrested his mother to force him out of hiding
"I was supposed to die," he says To buy some time, he pretended to cooperate with his captors, hoping for a chance to escape . He got the opportun ity when he and sev-
era l of his newfound "associates" attended a soccer match. When they left him alone for a few minutes, he left the stadium and boarded a bus. He had no money and really no plan.
Eventually, he went to a doctor-friend who found a place for him to hide. When Emmanuel's fam i ly gave him permission to flee Sudan, he went first to Chad and then to Germany, where he opened a successful restaurant.
But the Sudanese government eventually caught up with him and kidnapped him. Thanks to the help of a Christian soldier, Emmanuel escaped again He met a woman from Kinshasa who helped him find a way into Zaire in November 1993.
Emmanuel spent his first few years learning the lan -
Women in prayer at the Ngaba church in Kinshasa.
Emmanuel: Spreading his joy.
more interested in forging a partnership connection with their North American brothers and sisters_
The partnership begins when Congo conferences reevaluate their ministry strategies and structures. "The economic situation in the country should not be an obstacle to funding our program in this country, " says Pakisa Tshimika, who is the quarter-time regional secretary for MBM/S in Africa and a part-time consultant and advisor with DESADEC. Tshimika says too many leaders want to perpetuate traditional but unsustainable structures instead of seeking new, creative ways to empower the church
"It seems to me that with a little effort ofthe will, the (CEFMC) conference could raise more than the funds that MBM/S provides them now with the exception of social ministries," he says
Rither than receiving financial support for pastors, a hallmark of the missionary era, he new generation wants technical assistance with development projects that can enable the church to generate its own funding. That may involve money from North America, but what's needed even more, they say, is personnel
guage and practicing his Muslim faith. "I was a Muslim and was doing everything I needed to," he says "But did not have peace . "
One day he met Nzash Lumeya, a Mennonite Brethren educator and church leader who had developed an interest in the many refugees coming into Zaire Emmanuel had been aware of Christian ity, but had questions about the divinity of Jesus and the concept of the Trinity But Lumeya challenged him to study the life of Christ as recorded in the New Testamen t In August 1995, Emmanuel came to the conclusion, based on John 1: 1, that Jesus was indeed the Word of God "I accepted Jesus as a way to worship God," he said , and began to think of himself as a "Christian Muslim."
with expertise who can also provide a sense of presence and solidarity with the church in Congo.
"That's what brotherhood is, to have contact with human beings, " says Leonard Lumeya . "How can you have brothers who don ' t see each other?"
Tshimika agrees that the right kind of personnel could be a big help . "The conference needs people who can help it think through issues facing its members: war, corruption, leadership for a new era, breakdown in family values, AIDS and ministry, marriage and divorce, remarriage and infidelity and so forth It also needs technicians in special kinds of ministries such as health, youth ministry, urban evangelism in a highly Christianized nation and Muslim ministry."
Despite the obstacles and challenges, most Mennonite leaders in Congo are optimistic about the future of
Nearly 50 percent of the country 's 49 million people are under 18 yea rs of age
the church , regardless of the accomplishments or failures of a new government.
"I think the church will grow, " says Papa Kiwoma "God will not let it fall "
Emmanuel began attending Lumeya's church and eventually came to the conclusion that he needed to accept Christ fully into his heart When he did, "I felt fully free for the first time in my life." He was baptized in April 1996
Filled with newfound joy and convinced through a dream that God was calling him into service, Emmanuel began telling his Muslim acquaintances about Jesus . Among them were several Shiite Muslims who had noticed that Emmanuel was no longer coming to the mosque He told them of his faith in Jesus By doing so, according to their strict interpretation of the Koran , Emmanuel had pronounced his own death sentence . In the months since,
Emmanuel has been threatened repeatedly Once a group of Muslim thugs sat outside his house most of the night.
"We have killed bigger people than you," they taunted . Eventually, while Emmanue l prayed , they left
Today, Emmanuel lives in a Mennonite Brethren-owned guest apartment in Kinshasa He is spearheading a ministry to Muslims and participates with Lumeya in a radio show aimed at refugees from Brazzaville living in a camp outside of Kinshasa
Despite the danger, he would like to return to Sudan someday But for now, "I w ill stay here in Kinshasa in order to tell people about God ' s Word ," he says . "God will not allow anyone to kill me if the vision he has given me is true " •
"Godhasfreedmefrom prisonandfromthe powerthatkeptmefrom seeingthetruth.Why shouldInotservehim?"
-EMMAN UEL All EL S HARE FF
IN CONGO
And neither, hope native leaders, will their brothers and sisters in North America. "Whether Mrican or American, we are all one," Muaku says. "When you are one, discrimination can never exist. If we are really one, we have to have love for our neighbor. In that moment, we become brothers . A brother always has one ear listening for what is happening to his brother, through good times and bad "
but a Christian obligation. It is a matter of obedience rather than of choice. We cannot be brothers and sisters without involving ourselves in the lives of each other."
But he and a growing number of forwardlooking leaders are quick to say that involvement means more than funding. "I look forward to the day when true partnership will not depend on how much money we gave or was received from each other, " Tshimika says. "That requires new ways of thinking and perceiving relationship
"The North American churches must be involved in the lives of their brothers and sisters in the Congo," Tshimika adds . "It is not an option between different conferences." •
Leading with sincerity and quiet warmth
KILLING a dog is not the most severe atrocity ever committed in Congo, or any other land for that matter But the guilt it provoked was enough to bring Masolo Manunga to Christ
In that case, the dog did not die in vain . Masolo ' s conversion set him on a path of faithful and effective service as a teacher and pastor . Today, he is th e general secretary of the Mennonite
Brethren Conference in Congo (CEFMC).
"An evangelist came to our village and preached on John 3 : 16," Masolo recalls. "I tried to figure out how God could love someone like me who had purposely killed a dog. The fact of killing a dog, though it sounds funny, brought me to Jesus."
The tender conscience and gentle nature which caused a young boy to grieve a dog's
death decades ago, characterizes his leadership style today . More than for fiery oratory or an aggressive personality, he is known and respected for his sincerity and quiet warmth Masolo was teaching in Kinshasa when he sensed a call to t he pastorate. It was a tough choice. Teaching provided a livelihood for him and his family; be ing a pastor probably wouldn't. "I felt
inner pressure to quit teaching and give my life to serving God," Masolo says.
liMyonly
ment. The upheaval, unrest and suffering of the past few years has strengthened the church And it has brought in more people . Membership of the conference has grown annually by around 3 percent over the past three years to 71,000. On an average Sunday, he says, more than 100,000 people worship in CEFMC congregations
explanationfor thegrowthis
"My only explanation for the growth is that because of all the trouble , the only
He yielded to the pressure - w ith no thatbecauseof allthetrouble, regrets "I've been theonlyplace place people have to go, to hide, is to God," he says "This period of crisis is very good for evangelizing." happy in service," peoplehave to he says "I have no
Through its development programs, the conference tries -MASOLO MANUNGA to help members concerns about (the go, to hide,is to decision) ." During his 11 years (197384) as a pastor and God.II area leader in Kinshasa, the number of parishes grew from seven to 24.
Masolo, who now lives in Ki kwit, was elected general secretary in 1991 In that role, he coordinates the activities of the conference and serves as liaison and legal representative with the government
He characterizes the CEFM C as having a strong faith in a difficult environ -
meet basic material needs It is also trying to help people "feel the peace of God within themselves" and to grow But it is a significant challenge, Masolo says Even more than material assistance from North America, Masolo asks that Mennonite Brethren there make themselves aware of Congo's plight and pray for the churches "We need to feel their presence with us," he says •
Masolo in front of the CEFMC headquarters in Kikwit.
Congolese Mennonites have a ready explanation for their perseverance in hard times:
'We live by miracles'
IX MORNINGS A WEEK, KAHOUMA
Kazangiye rises with the sun at 5
Her husband , Denison, a nurse at the local Catholic hospital , is on the job by 7:30 a.m. His salary amounts to 10 cents a month, but he and other workers
0' clock. She prepares a light haven't been paid in more than a year and a half Off at midaftemoon, Denison rides his Yamaha to the fields, where he will toil in the soil until dusk. These
breakfast for her family, then walks the eight miles from her home in the fields of manioc, peanuts and com offer Kazamba district of Kikwit to work in the fields. With a brisk pace, she can
the only real means of sustenance and support for the Kazangiyes and their six children
Kahouma, meanwhile, leaves the fields around 3 p.m. and walks home to cook a simple meal of luku and saka saka (manioc root and leaves); occasion· make it there in three hours.
ally she adds meat, usually salted fish It is dark by the time the family sits down to eat . A lantern provides the only light; Kikwit has been without electricity for many months now.
"Life has been difficult," Denison admits. "Because we farm , we can survive We have just enough to get by " He and his family are among the fortunate, he adds . "Life is more difficult for others. "
Just how difficult, the visitor can only imago ine. But it is clear that the Kazangiyes - and the other 190,000 or so Mennonites who live in the Democratic Republic of Congo (ROC*) - have not been spared the hardships of living in this expansive but exhausted African nation formerly known as Zaire.
"We live by miracles" is a frequently heard assessment among Mennonite believers. Spend any amount of time with them, listen to their stories, and you have to believe it .
Mere survival has been no small miracle For the people of Congo, Africa's third largest nation in area and fourth largest in population, the past several years have been a season of suffering . Potentially one of the continent's wealthiest nations because of its vast natural resources, Congo is instead one
IN CONGO
"Kin shasa la belle , Kinsha sa la poubelle " - A Frenchplayonwords describingthedeteriorationofthecapital cityinrecentyears underMobutu'srule
Translation:"Kinshasa thebeauty,Kinshasa thegarbageH
Battling the effects of malnutrion, this boy from Matende exemplifies the perserverance of a courageous people
Spared in the hour of crisis
KAPAY WA-MU NA TI NORBERT thought he was a dead man Sold iers of former Pre si de nt M o b ut u Sese Seko , on a loot ing spree as t hey retreated from the forc es of Lau rent Kabila , had gun s pointed at his head The soldier s had cli mbed the wall of the CEFMC office compound in Kinshasa and were demanding valuables
" All we have is Bibles ," in sisted Kapay , who had worked at the compound as a sentry for six years
"We do n't believe you ," the so ldiers replied angrily. Kapayas sumed he was mer e moments from dea t h
But he was wrong. The soldi ers backed down and eventually fled Kapay had su rviv ed a third wave of pil laging and looting that had swept through the capital city durin g the past three years This time , though , it was by the slimm es t of margin s
"It is a miracle I am alive ," says t h e father of 10 children One son , Delphi, is a CEFMC church planter in Kinsha sa and teache s at the International Missiology Ce nter (ClM)
Another son , Jul es, works partt i me as a consultant with Mennonite Central Committee, overseeing agricultural projects Kapay (arms folded, far right) back home around the city with his family in Kinshasa
Kapay is one of many Mennonite s who feel they experienced a miracle during the political transition in Congo earlier this year Several Mennonite homes were looted and burned and a Mennonite-run ho spita l in Tshikapa was trashed But leaders ar e no t aware of any death s or serious injuries among the Mennon ite community
As Kabila ' s troop s closed on Kinshasa in May, emotions w ere mixed. "When there ' s war, everyone is afraid," says Muaku Kinana So say, who is the CEFMC regional director in Kinsha sa Weary of Mobutu' s exces ses, people realized that confrontation was inevitable if a change in government was to occur. "People were almost anticipating hi s arrival ," Muaku says Fear of a final and futile bloodbath eased when Mobutu fled hi s seat of power rather than fight for it. Prayer groups met throughout th e ci ty , asking God to "confuse" Mobutu 's forces so they would not fight back on their own , Muaku says Though the ensuing looting traumatized families, people credit God with a mira cl e.
" For me , this period of crisis we ' ve been living through has helped people be strong spiritually ," Muaku says "This p eriod has enabled the gospel to enter hearts that had been clo sed befo re People had put hope in Mobutu and othe r leaders But we found out we couldn ' t put our tru st in people We mu st put o ur tru st in God ." •
of the world's poorest. Political corruption, fiscal mismanagement, revolution, social unrest and disease have pummeled a proud but persistent people .
"Even though we ' re independent, North America should consider our country and its impact on the church as being a disaster area ," says one pastor from Kinshasa.
A new government, a new name and even a new flag signal a season of hope for a better future in Congo. Laurent Kabila, whose army drove former President Mobutu Se se Seko from the country in May, has promised democratic reforms, economic development and an end to corruption. But here in a land reeling from more than 30 years of despotic and deviant rule, hope itself is corrupted by the memory of misplaced confidence in the Mobutu regime.
"Those in power now, we don ' t know them ," Denison says, echoing a common sentiment. "They have promised change, but we don ' t see changes yet. We are observing them, but we are skeptical. They give us the impression that they are doing things like in the past."
If so, that can't be good for Congo's economic future. The Kabila government inherits a
Mama Sylvia poses in the middle of the garden project she coordinates with neighborhood women in the Kimwala district of Kinshasa Mennonite Central Committee supports several such projects in the city so families can raise food and generate income. Kapay Bumy Jules, MCC consultant, inspects some spinach leaves in the background.
nation neglected, abused and left bankrupt by a fonner leader whose primary interest was to enrich himself. Mobutu's luxuriant excesses are legendary. Chartering a supersonic transport plane to deliver a son's birthday cake from New York City is a more typical than extreme example.
"Mobutu ruled Zaire like a king rules his fiefdom;" says Bruce Campbell-janz, who with his wife, Ann, are Mennonite Central Committee's country representatives in Congo. "He saw everything in this country as his personal property. To his mind, anything he gave back to the people was a gesture of his magnanimity."
Those gestures were mostly token; Mobutu didn't give back much. Though he is grudgingly credited with helping to create a sense of national unity among the country's 200-plus ethnic groups, he is also held personally responsible for as much as 80 percent
of Congo's significant foreign debt.
What Mobutu didn't waste in lavish living, he is presumed to have stashed in secret foreign accounts. The excess of his greed and corruption, magnified in the face of an increasingly impoverished populace, opened the door for Kabila.
When the exiled Mobutu died in August of cancer, few but a handful of his cronies took note. "I would not have killed the man," said one Mennonite church worker, "but I did not mourn his death." While Mobutu's days of pillaging may have finally ended, only the most optimistic of Congolese hold much hope that any of his pirated fortune will be returned to the people. Some say it is too well hidden; others presume it to be spent or divided among surviving family and cohorts. Though his motivation was likely self-serving, Mobutu's fmal favor to the people was to vacate the country with minimal resistance as Kabila's forces closed in on Kinshasa, the capital city But Congo's large Christian majority - 70 percent of the people call themselves Christian - accept the relatively bloodless transition as a gift of God, not Mobutu. "God gave us a miracle," says one Mennonite pastor . And the people pray for more .
Kabila's Congo is basically bankrupt and without the infrastructure to recover without massive foreign assistance. Other countries, leery of the instability in the region, have been slow to invest. Many people fear their new leader will not have sufficient funding to carry out his vision even if he has the resolve to do so.
In Congo, even basic transportation is an enormous challenge. For instance, the highway between Kinshasa and Kikwit, a 300-mile primary artery to and from the interior, once took only a few hours to drive Today, because of the proliferation of potholes and ruts, the same trip takes three to four days. The road is passable only because citizens take it upon themselves to maintain the worst of it with shovels and sand.
IN CONGO
Manioc, th e stap le of the Congole se diet, is not native to Africa It wa s brought over from South America
Planting seeds for a future harvest
DOBERT NAKASILA MBEO is obviously J. of the agricultural project he oversees outside the small village of Matende, located some 70 kilometers east of Kikwit.
On this day, he leads a band of visitors past a five-acre field of cultivated manioc - 3,366 sticks were planted, he tells the group. This new F-100 variety will produce food within six months instead of the usual 12 months , Further down the path, he points towa'rd several open patches where
shrubs and grasses are smoldering from land-clearing fires. Within a few weeks, new fields of beans, maize and peanuts will be planted here, he says.
Robert leads the group to a primitive but sturdy corral made of myeta trunks. It took 250 of the trees to build it, he says He hopes to get 20 head of cattle shortly; the cattle the villages once had were killed by soldiers during the war. The new stock will be "rented" to individuals who will raise replacements. Those, in turn, will be rented to others. The hope is to provide more protein for the local diet by helping villagers start their own herds
From the corral, Robert leads the group to three newly dug fish ponds. Each will be stocked with 300 tilapia fingerlings The ponds are formed to allow for easy drainage; the fish will be harvested by hand once the water is gone.
Robert was trained in an agricultural college on a scholarship from the CEFMC. But the pride he takes in this project is more than simply showing off some newly acquired expertise , He knows he is making a difference for Matende and the surrounding villages by helping the people feed and support themselves.
With each stick and seed planted, each calf and fish fed , Robert Nakasila Mbeo is growing a better future for his church, A nd country , •
Field of dreams: Robert Nakasila Mbeo surveys his field of hybrid manioc near Matende.
The result is more than mere inconvenience. The flow of food and goods is interrupted, creating serious difficulties for both consumers and producers While many Congolese are lucky to have one meal a day, food rots in the fertile interior because too few trucks can get through to transport the harvest to market
In the midst of this disaster, Congolese survive mostly on various forms of subsistence farming. In the interior, families like the Kazangiyes have access to fields to grow a variety of food stuffs, including manioc, a staple in the Congolese diet that provides bulk to the diet but not a lot of nutrition. In cities like Kinshasa, people grow basic foods like pigweed, com and spinach in open lots designated as neighborhood gardening plots. Some grow enough to sell to neighbors or local markets
Where the value of training is the training of values
V ADINDA SHANDUNGO was visibly and maybe embarrassed
The lunch he had arranged for noon was two ho urs late - and counting. Since midmorn ing, he had waxed eloquent and en t husiastic about his vision for a vibrant, fu ll y accredited Prot estant university that would he lp inst ill a new value system in an economica ll y f loundering Congo. This value system would emphas ize faith, efficiency, teamwork and excellence - includ ing time management.
And now his own kitchen staff had let hi m down
Kadinda shook his head and sighed : "To change the cu lture of a people is very tough ."
But that's exact ly w hat Kadinda, a Mennonite, is se tt ing out to do as rect o r of th e Ch ri st ian University of Kins hasa (UCKi n ), a new interdenom ina ti ona l i ns titu t io n tha t sees
-
Meat, particularly chicken and fish, is available in Congo, but it's a luxury for the vast majority of families According to a recent report, the average Congolese consumes less than four pounds of meat a year A more common source of protein is nuts, particularly peanuts, which can be grown at home or purchased in markets.
Like food production, much of Congo's predominantly "informal" economy is rooted in subsistence business enterprises. Small, family-operated stores and market booths abound . For instance, drivers in Kinshasa can buy gasoline from corporate-owned stations. But far more prevalent are family "stations" that peddle the precious fuel in plastic pint and quart bottles along city streets In the interior around Kikwit, where few people can afford vehicles, the family stations are predominant.
The struggle for day-to-day survival spills over into church life Mahouma and Denison
values reeducation as important as any academic deg ree
The school opened its doors in fall 1995 on t he grounds of the former Evangelical Theologica l School of Kinshasa, which closed a year earlier Kadinda and his team of associates have established academic departments in economics, development, bus i ness administration and medical training
But the real educational cha ll enge w i ll be to raise students' expectations of what they can achieve through what Kad inda calls "Protestant values." Doing so may be the single most important key to a better economic future in Congo, they say "If we can train students (in values),
then it would be better for the whole country," Kadinda says. "There's a sign the government is look ing for morals that can be provided at this particular time "
Kadindasaid UCKin wants to train people for practical service, not theoretical agility. "People in most schools can make great speeches They can tell you how to solve problems, like how to build a bridge (across the expansive Congo River) to Brazzaville," Kadinda says. "But where they live, there is a small riverand no br idge. We want our students to build that small bridge first."
Kadinda received his doctorate from Vanderbilt University in the United States. While there, he became an astute student of values that contribute to excellence and economic success . He was especially impressed by several fellow students from Korea, who exemplified hard work, selfdiscipline and teamwork .
"Success in part happens not just because of resources, but because of culture - the shared values of a people," he says.
He wants UCKin to teach and model what he calls those "Protestant values" of faith, efficiency, teamwork and excellence In Congo, he says, they are largely lacking
The Kazangiyes with three of their six children
Kadinda Shandungo (pointing) and his administrative team feel their campus is adequate for the task
if they can keep the doors open
Kazangiye are pillars in their parish, which is located in the Misengi area of Kikwit What little spare time they have, they give to the church community. They also contribute from their meager financial means and have taken it upon themselves to encourage others to do the samethrough house-to-house visitation if necessary.
"Our members are faithful , " Denison says . "They give themselves for the church, but they don't have enough material means to support the church."
Despite the Kazangiyes' encouragement, offerings generate few resources for ministry. Several years ago the parish managed to raise the walls of a humble meetinghouse. But in these hard times, money to complete the project has not come in
For now, a thatched roof, bamboo-pole pews and a crumbling mud-caked pulpit must suffice. Services and meetings are vulnerable to inclement weather, especially in the rainy sea-
Of those core va lues, faith is most important of all "Many people in t his country have lost their faith," he says "They don't believe in anything People have to believe in something. And not just in word; you have to live that way "
The school has al ready caught the attention of many observers, including government leaders.
Kadinda's theories, published in a booklet called "The Philosophy of a University of Development," have been featured in the pub lic media But Kadinda and his team still face the same obstacle most other ventures face i n Congo : inadequate funding.
Students have had trouble paying tuition, and supporting denominations haven't followed through on their financial commitments As a result, staff salaries haven't been paid for several months .
"It's tough on us ," Kad i nda admits Concerned but undeterred, Kadinda and his team keep the vision alive " Li fe is not so simple ," says Kwasi Ugira, UCK in' s academic dean. "You don't get what you want without suffering If this is our fate to suffer so that the future can be better, then we accept it. "
At UCKin, t he modeling has already
son. But the Kazangiyes persist and Denison keeps pushing fellow members to give He says it would dishonor him personally to see the church give up.
"I committed myself to that job," he says "What will happen to (the parish) if I don't do it? "
The Kazangiyes' experience and the enduring struggle of their congregation are all the more inspiring because their stories are shared in varying degrees by so many Mennonite families and parishes in Congo
With few exceptions, these believers have proven themselves faithful in the midst of difficulty, vibrant and creative in the face of adversity, and growing numerically in an environment where little else can It happens one day at a time
As miracles go, the day-to-day variety may be th e most am azing of all. '
IN CONGO
Two North Ameri can Men n on ites, Mel Lo ew en and Ern est Dyck, are spearhead in g plan s t o create a "Ch rist ian Bank of the So uth ." The purpose of t he ins t ituti o n w i ll be to provi de savi n g and lend in g se rvi ces appropriate w it hin t he Congol es e context - for individual s as we ll as f or church-related projects. Organi zers are in the capitalization stage , seeking investors in North America an d
Congo " Wi t h three or fo u r similar p roj ects, we won't have to ask for money aga in," says Leonard Lumeya , a Mennonite lawyer in Kin shasa ," begun.
• Eyes of hope in Kikwit
Congo women work to expand their role in church and home
" THE WORK God gives to the church is not just for men , but also for women." Mama Kadi's statement reflects the depth of women's involvement in the Mennonite congregations and conferences of Congo in the past - and a conviction about expanding the breadth of their role in the future
As director of the CEFMC Women's Work program, Kadi spearheads what have been traditional women -to-women ministries in Congo : evangelism, Bible study and myriad development projects such as literacy, nutrition and the production of domestic goods and dyed cloth
But as an evangelist and a teacher of theology, she also represents the present and future of Mennonite women in Congo : full partners with men in leadership, preaching and teaching.
"God wasn ' t stupid when he created Adam and Eve," Kadi says with a mischievous smile "He gave us all work to do "
The Women's Work program is organized in both the CEFMC and CMCo at the parish (congregational), district and regional levels Literacy is a high-priority project
"Illiteracy is higher among women," Kadi says. "But the work of women in building the church is greater than men "
A more recent i nvolvement is to encourage microcredit enterprises that can
generate funds to support families, empower the entrepreneurial spir.it among women and help support other Women's Work projects
By necessity, women are having to find ways to raise money for their own programs
"Because of the economic crisis, husbands don't have paid work," Kadi says. "Women find it hard to make contributions to our projects "
Arelated goal of Women's Work !\is to find and distribute appropriate technology to assist women in their enterprises They need items such as mills to grind casava, presses to make palm oil, and deshellers for processing peanuts
Congolese women are grateful for past assistance from their North American sisters. But without more help, they say, acquiring this kind of equipment will be extremely difficult.
Women's Work is also seek ing scholarship money to train women in rural areas. One woman, a missiology student, says , "There is a saying here : 'When you train a woman, you are train i ng a whole
mission.' Women have been neglected to this point."
"We emphasize the Word of God," ad ds Mama Kadi. "But we also integrate activities to help women develop themselves It's tiring to always ask for help."
In the CEFMC, women can train to be pastors and they perform every pastoral task in the church except baptisms. But they have not been given parishes by conference leadership - yet.
" It will change here," Mama Kadi says . "The women will change it."
Ironically, women say male leaders in the CEFMC are ready to change it too, but are waiting for their North American counterparts to take the lead. Currently, the North American Conference of Mennonite Brethren does not · allow women to be senior pastors.
The church isn't the only place the role of women is changing. In the home, wives are by necessity becoming "breadwinners" because husbands are often without salaries. The change isn't easy for some men But it has prompted many couples to rethink their relationship
"Wives are really partners now," says Mama Kadi. "Men are respecting their wives more, not treating them as inferior."
In the Congolese context, modeling a "partnership marriage" has a positive impact outside the home, too In many families, the husband is "the big chief" of the household, dictating all family decisions. In some tribal cultures, a woman doesn't even have the right to speak in public.
Mennonite couples who model mutual love and sharing attract attention "It's a way of witness for Christian families in their neighborhoods," says Djimbo Charlotte, who works in the DESADEC office of the CEFMC "It surprises people It's an awakening for them " •
Carrying their fair share: A woman in Matende carries a basket of food to her home.
Mama Kadi: "It will change here."
In hard times, the church opens its heart to Brazzaville refugees
Irs THE CIVIL WAR North
Americans know almost nothing about
While Western news media have mostly ignored t he vio lence and b loodshed in the Republic of Congo, Mennonites in Kinshasa haven't had the luxury of doing so Their lives have been endangered by the crossfire and their compassion for refugees has moved them to action.
To be honest, most North Americans probably don't even realize that the Repub li c of Congo exists as a separate country from the Democratic Republic of Congo (former Zaire). The only th i ng that separates these two nations - and their capital cities, Brazzaville and Kinshasa - is the mighty Congo River.
Since June, two ethnic-political forces have been f ighting for control of the Republic of Congo In mid -October, soldiers with the Cobra militia of former dictator Gen Denis Sassou -Ngues so finally captured Brazzaville from the forces loyal to President Passcal Lissouba
But by then, not much of Brazzaville was left to possess. The city was all but decimated by the prolonged fighting and the vast majority of its citizens had fled
About a mile or so across the river, the sounds of exploding mortar shells could be heard almost daily in Kinshasa In early October, more than a dozen shells from Brazzaville fell in Kinshasa , killing 25 people, including 16 children One shell hit within a few blocks of where Mennonite Central Committee staff members live
Many Kinshasans suspect the "accidenta l " bombing was the
work of former Mobutu loyalists hoping to destabilize the tenuous poli t ica l transition in the RDC. After Kabila ordered retaliatory shells fired into Brazzaville, Kinshasa was not attacked again, and life there returned to a state of relative normalcy
But the incident was a vivid reminder of the precarious nature of daily existence in this part of the world "There is no safe place in our country and our Central African reg ion," says Pakisa Tshimika, a CEFMC leader and physician
It also brought to mind the suffering of the many Brazzaville citizens who crossed the Congo River to find refuge in a camp established in Kinko le, outside of Kinshasa .
Thecamp, built to accommodate between 1,500 and 2 ,000 people, had drawn more than 30,000 by early October Efforts by the United Nations and the International Red Cross to provide adequate food and medical assistance were minimally adequate .
Mennonites in Kinshasa, facing economic challenges of their own, were moved to help . Nzash Lumeya of the CEFMC, with assistance from Tshimika, has spearheaded efforts to raise local awareness, coordinate prayer services, recruit volunteers and gather contributions of food , medicine, money and clothing. Lumeya also hosts a radio program of Christian witness and encouragement that is beamed into the camp
The response has been helpful , but not overwhelming The mo st recent citywide, cross-denominationa l prayer service , held Oct. 5 in
the spacious Protestant Cathedral in Kinshasa, drew fewer than 100 people But those who came donated more supplies than previous gatherings that had drawn several times more people Lumeya was philosophical about the turnout. "The people who came are those who are serious about showing Christian compassion. And that is what we need " •
IN CONGO
The Democratic Republic of Congo is home to the world ' s second largest rain fore st Only th e Ama zon region of South America is larger Mo stly because of Congo 's poor transportation infrastructure , the natural re source s within their rain fore st generally have not bee n exploit ed f o r the countr y's economic advantage .
Two volunteers sort through clothes donated for Brazzaville refugees.
Peacemaker in the justice system
TEONARD lUMEYA is a lawyer by profession and a peacemaker by Lconviction Profe ssio nally, he specializes in domesticconflict5 and estates By conviction, he focuses on protecting the rights of womenwhich are legally provided for in Congo but generally overlooked .
"I feel it's a Ch ri stian vocation to help People fight for their rights ," says Lumeya, who has been practicing law in Kinshasa for 13 years. He often does so at reduced fees because of a deepty felt notion about serving those in need He 'attributes that notion to his education in Mennonite schools
Born the son of a CEFMC pastor, lumeya chose a different occupation than his father But he feels they do a lot of the same work: converting people and then encouraging them to behave like good Christians.
''I'm not a pastor, but by the way I live 1 hope people see that I'm different," he says. " When I see someone, anyone, who has a problem , 'I try to see them as a child of God. I know that person has rights, too, like anyone else ."
Unlike the sten!otypes of his counterparts in Lumeya: There to North America , lawyers in Congo are generally help the churCh. not rich. "Third-world lawyers reflect the economy of their country," he says with a smile , " '
Located in the capital city, Lumeya has found himself drawn to human rights issues - during and, after {VIol;>utl!'S re9:ime "As a Mennonite lawyer, my role is not 'What is my government doing?' but What am 1doing?'" he says
He was a member of a pOlitical party that 'preSsured Mobutu to recognize basic human rights . He also headed an association that monitored press coverage of human rights and other justice issues In the latter assignment, lumeya was wamed by Mobut,\,I'S administration to "be careful."
lumeya feels it is too early to tell whether Kabila will follow through on promi ses to protect human rights in Congo, but people are watching dosely lumeya says because Kabila personally from the work of human rights organizations - and may even owe his life to themthe new president seem s more supportive.
lumeya's interest in peace and justice spills over into his church invofvement. As a lay leader in his congregation and as moderator of the CEFMC regional assembly in Kinshasa, lumeya is <:aUed upon to mediate occasional- conflicts within the parishes. t:Je als-o handles the legal affairs of the conference .
Mennonites in Congo are known for theit stand on peace, lumeya says with some sati sfaction His personal ambitioll is (0 be trained in peacemaking and perhaps someday launch a' peace center in Congo that would work not only (oeaDy and nationally, but alSo globally.
" I feel that whenever the church needs me, fm there to help ," he says . ..
Many Congo Mennonites look to North American mission agencies for help, but that day may be history.
Somewhere between the past and future
By Connie Faber
WO NORTH AMERICAN· based mission agencies have invested resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo through the years for a single reason: to grow the church of Jesus Christ. Now both parties are wondering: Has it grown up enough to care for itself?
Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission and Mennonite Brethren Missions/ Services both see evangelism, church planting and leadership training as their mandate. AIMM works in partnership with five Mennonite groups, including MBM/S, in six African countries. While the two agencies have some joint projects in Congo, including the church planting effort in Bukavu, they also work independently through their respective national conferences.
Both mission agencies have pioneer Mennonite Brethren missionary couple Aaron and Ernestine Janzen to thank for beginning their first stations in Congo In 1912 , the Janzens arrived in
what was then the Belgian Congo as missionaries with Congo Inland Mission, the forerunner of A1MM. Congo Inland Mission had been organized only one year earlier.
The Janzens and other North American per· sonnel settled in the province of West KasaL Their ministries in evangelism, church planting, education, agriculture and health gave birth to the Mennonite Conference of Congo (CMCo), which today numbers 80,000 members and is the largest Mennonite conference in the country The Evangelical Mennonite Conference (CEM), also a product of AIMM efforts , has between 35,000 and 40,000 members.
After serving with Congo Inland Mission for about seven years, the Janzens asked to be released in order to open a Mennonite Brethren station Their request was granted; the Janzens eventually opened a mission center at Kafumba in Congo's Kwango province.
By 1960 , 70 Mennonite Brethren missionaries operated out of seven centers Various schools including a Bible institute, two hospitals and several dispensaries were in operation. Some 6,000 believers had been baptized and churches
MCC: From pipeline to facilitator
MENNONITE Central Committee has seen its role in the Democratic Republic of Congo change in the years since the first volunteers arrived in 1960 In the aftermath of the civil war, MCC provided relief supplies and hands-on assistance to a newly independent nation
In many ways, the conditions of the country these days aren't much better than they were then But MCC has chosen to be less of a pipeline for foreign resources and more of a facilitator of local action. Rather than material goods, MCC prefers to offer moral supportand advice, when asked - to a variety of church -related organizations and projects
"We try to communicate solidarity by being physically present, and that's important," says Bruce Campbell -Janz He and his wife, Ann, MCC's country representatives in Congo, are the only North Americans currently serving on the team.
were organized. Today the Mennonite Brethren conference (CEFMC) numbers 71 ,000, making it the second largest conference in Congo.
In the 196Os, CMCo and CEFMC began assuming responsibility for the ministries begun by missionaries. Congo Inland Mission began the process of turning over its work to CMCo in 1960. The effort was well underway when missionaries were forced to evacuate the country later that year CMCo was legally recognized by the government in 1965 ; six years later all property and decision-making responsibilities were transferred to the national conference.
In 1972, the country was renamed the Republic of Zaire, prompting Congo Inland Mission to also change its name. Because the agency was working in several Mrican countries , the name Mrica Inter-Mennonite Mission was chosen .
While considerable groundwork had been laid for shifting programs from Congo Inland Mission to CMCo, MBM/S efforts to do the same were not as far along in 1960 . The evacuation of missionaries following independence forced
Epampia mbo Wato is the MCC-Congo administrator.
MCC had as many as 17 adults on the team in the late 1980s The number has dwindled primarily because of the changing nature of the work and partly because of the political instability of the region.
"If it isn't boiling, it's simmering," Bruce says.
Aside from funding its office, which operates under the auspices of the ECC, the umbrella organization for all Protestant churches of Congo, one of MCC's highest funding and program priorities is the National Inter-Mennonite Committee (CONIM). Campbell-Janz says, "I think CONIM's work is important." But the lack of financial support from the three partner-conferences may force MCC to rethink its funding strategy for the future
In consultation with its partner conferences in Congo, MCC will focus its future involvement on three key agendas: women's ministries and concerns, rural areas and better communication between conference leaders and members
Show of solidarity: the Campbell-Janzes.
For MCC in the 1990s, taking orders is more important than giving them
"MCC's goal," Bruce Campbell -Jan z says, "is to walk with our partners and attend to their vision " •
IN CONGO
" O ur objecti ve is not t o be we ll-li ked , b ut t o suppo rt people i n th e i r process of growth , wh e ther t h ey like it or not. In the sh ort ru n, many persons wou ld rather be dependent than alive and growin g. So we can't j ust d o whatever people say they want us to do . In the long run , per sons appreciate the ones who help them grow, not t he ones upon whom they ha ve be co me dependent. " -Fromasmall,handmade posteronthedoorofthe MBMjSofficeinKinshasa
CEFMC leaders to assume a level of administrative responsibility for church, educational and medical activities for which they were not prepared, according to Mennonite Brethren historianJ .B. Toews. ers over North American missionaries.
By 1971, CEFMC was legally recognized by the government and the conference formally came into its own Subsequent evacuations caused North American workers to reduce and interrupt their involvement with national conference ministries A major crisis in 1991, for example, prompted MBMjS and most Protestant agencies to evacuate all workers
Currently, AlMM and MBMjS both have guidelines regarding the type of North American workers it will send to other countries. For example, both agencies encourage the use of local evangelists. But MBMjS policies are more specific in encouraging the use of national work-
MBMjS is presently subsidizing the salary of local personnel rather than supplying long-term North American workers to Congo. Dave Dyck, MBMjS program director, says MBMjS subsidies help support dozens of Congolese CEFMC health, development and church workers . "The absence of long-term missionaries does not mean no missionary presence at all," says Pakisa Tshimika, MBMjS regional secretary for Mrica. He is the only MBMjS employee currently in the country. "There have been many people coming for fraternal visits and contributing to work here as much as long-term missionaries had done in the past "
DYCk says, "Just because there are no missionaries in a country doesn't mean there aren't issues to work on with a national conference." For that reason, MBMjS has hired Tshimika to serve as a liaison between the agency and the national church. Tshimika works quarter-time for MBMjS and is also employed in health and development work for CEFMC
Taking steps toward more cooperation
THETHREE Mennonite conferences in the Democratic Republic of Congo have a lot i n common . History, tradition and practical realit ies keep the groups apart - as they do on othe r continents where different Mennonites coexist. But shared needs and oppo rtunitie s are bringing Congo Mennonites together in a growi ng partnership.
The National Inter-Mennonite Committee (CONIM) was created in 1987 to facilitate cooperation, coordinate projects of mutual concern and generally to elevate the Mennonite/Anabaptist identity within and outside the conferences
Through CONIM, the three groups (CMCo , CEFMC and CEM) and a fourth partner , Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), have sponsored numerous seminars and consulta t ions on Mennonite/ Anabapt ist theo logy and identity
But increas ingly , CONIM is taking a leaders h ip ro le in coord i nating projects and addressing i nternal concerns. The most amb itious eff ort is called the Great
lakes Project, a new church -planting thrust in the Bukavu area along the eastern border of Congo . The project is an outgrowth of efforts by Mennonites in Congo to respond to the needs of refugees of ethnic fighting in Rwanda within the past two years
Because Bukavu is geographically removed from traditional Mennonite centers, and because the initial relief effort was a shared venture, conference leaders decided to cooperate in the formation of congregations, too. Africa -Inter Mennonite Mission (AIMM), MB Missions/Services (MBM/S) and GAM, a layorganization for businesspersons in Congo, have joined CONIM as partners To this point. the project entails a couple working onsite and a budget of $13,500
A nother emerging area of CONIM .t\;nvolvement is the bitter leadership rift that has erupted in CEM The conference current ly has two independently selected leadership councils vying for con -
trol of church affairs CONIM , trusted by both sides, has become the primary vehicle to mediate the conf li ct.
The miss ion is a delicate one, admits Kumakamba Roussel, CONIM ' s full-time interim executive director, because both sides are motivated by personal pursuit of power and honor as well as tribal interests. One of CONIM's tasks is to broaden that perspective "If everyone had in their mind that we are working fo r the church and not ourselves, we would have no conflicts," he says.
CONIM is not without its own internal challenges The leadership problems in CEM have complicated that conference's participation in CONIM - which is why Kumakamba's role is "interim "
But the greater concern is funding CON 1M's $12,000 operating budget is evenly divided among the four partners, but only MCC has met its full obligation in recent years .
The three conferences have not given anything this year, a fact that reflects economic realities to some degree but also raises questions about the seriousness of the conferences' commitment to CONIM's mission •
Two artisans in Kinshasa work on wooden boxes for sale through the Ten Thousand Vii/ages program in Canada. MCC-Congo serves as a liaison between the two parties as a way to encourage income-generating jobs for local artists and craftsmen.
through it s DESADEC organization. He also works for a Christian non·governmental organization based in Belgium.
AlMM has two missionary couples based in Kinshasa working primarily in leadership development. Both may discontinue their work by the end of this summer and no replacements are identified at this time, according to Leona Schrag, AlMM assistant executive secretary.
Richard and Marilyn Steiner are involved with Evangelical Resources, which provides a year-long concentrated course of study in either evangelism or Christian education. They plan to retire this summer. Richard Derksen teaches at the Christian University of Kinshasa (DCKin) and relates to local congregations. Derksen and his wife, Marilyn, have not announced their plans about continuing .
At present, neither agency has given a high priority to placing North American workers in Congo but both have chosen to support CMCo and CEFMC in other ways The focus on evangelism, leadership training and church planting guides funding decisions for both AlMM and MBM/S. "We have to keep in mind why we're there, " Schrag says.
In the case of MBM/S, because CEFMC is healthy and growing, MBM/ S funding will remain relatively stable over the next 10 years and will focus on leadership training and social ministries.
Big man with a big heart MERElY
BY HIS PHYSIQUE, Fimbo Ganvunze radiates an aura of leadership Well over six feet tall and with an angular build , he fills a room .
But it's the size of his heart that gives Fimbo stature as general secretary of the Mennonite Conference in Congo (CMCo), the largest of three Mennonite groups with around 80 ,000 members . He is a big man who is in touch with the needs of the " little " people
"Spiritually, we are growing," he says of the CMCo parishes " Socially and materially, we are weak Our members are poor. They give the impression that all is well, but they may have only one meal a day or nothing at all ."
Families that car,! barely put food on the table have little money to support church and conference ministries, Fimbo adds . "They come to pray, and they need to give, but they have nothing ."
As general secretary, he feels a personal responsibility for the church But CMCo leaders have few financial resources at their disposal. "When I look at the life of members - not getting paid, the lack of food - it makes me feel very sad," he says
Fimbo was elected to his position in 1995 and now lives in Tshikapa, a key center of
CMeo activities . Prior to that he served as a pastor and school chaplain As general secretary, he coordinates the activities of the confe rence it in negotiations with CMCo ' s agency partners and the government
He says one of the biggest challenges the conference faces is finding pastors for its 900 or so parishes He says they could use as many as 450 new pastors . But again, economics is a significant obstacle .
"That's why people don't serve the church, because the church can't support them, " he says
Fimbo hopes the transition in government leadership signal s a new day for Congo, but he mirrors the skepticism of many "Unfortunately, the changes aren't happening as quickly as people hoped," he says "We are even regress ing Those who once had possibilities now have none "
As a result , Fimbo looks for help from brothers and sisters in North America . 'We need self-supporting activities so people can support themselves .... The best way of giving is to fund projects - not just money, but also experts ."
CMCo members and leaders aren ' t the only ones waiting to see how the global Mennonite community responds to their need, Fimb o says Other groups are watching , too "Congolese are wondering (about CMCo) : Is this a Mennonite church or something else, because Mennonites are rich ." •
flmbo Ganvunze shares his views with MCC', Epampia mbo Wato
IN CONGO
MB Missions/Services funds
earmarked for Congo during the current fiscal year (U S dollars) :
GENERAL BUDGET
Support service s (office) $46, 870
Evangelism/outreach $22 , 940
Leadership train in g $48,325
Social development $138.722
TOTAL:$256,857
SPECIAL PROJECTS·:
Church roofs
Women's ministries
Literature work
Emergency/medical
$13,000
$7,054
$7 ,000
$15,000
glvmgoutsideofcongregational norms
MBMjS funds go toward evangelism and Christian outreach activities, leadership training and social development ministries. Additional special projects include funding for pennanent roofs on church buildings, women's ministries, literature work and emergency and medical needs.
MBMjS is working in more than 28 countries. Given its mandate to plant churches worldwide, Dyck says, "We've made the right decision n to increase funding for evangelism and churchplanting in Asia over the next decade.
In addition to approving a geographic funding shift toward Asia, the MBMjS board anticipates a shift in program spending. In general, evangelism programs will be decreased by 10 percent and leadership-training programs will be increased by the same percentage.
Students bear a 'situation of misery'
IF THERE IS a way out of Congo's economic and political morass, it will be paved by education At least that's the conviction of many, many Congolese Mennonites
It's one reason numerous Mennonite parishes operate their own primary and secondary schools The CEFMC , for exam -
AIMM's historical commitment to church ministries influences CMCo leaders as they distribute the agency's annual subsidy to conference ministries, says Garry Prieb, AIMM's executive secretary. While church leaders detennine how the subsidy will be spent, "they know how we used to designate it," says Prieb
.N.arge amount of the subsidy is typically designated for the Bible institute with dditional money supporting the Theological Education by Extension program, Christian education activities, literature distribution, leadership-training seminars, and university scholarships.
CMCo leaders also submit a list of prioritized projects which are funded by AIMM as special projects. As is the case with subsidy funds, the national conference is sensitive to historical AIMM funding patterns and they prioritize the projects accordingly
Recent special projects have included church construction, educational seminars, medical projects and literature
AIMM and MBMjS are using their limited
dormitory rooms. Eating is a lUXUry. Some have to get up as early as 4 a.m just to get a seat in over crowded classrooms
pie, sponsors 124 primary and secondary schools in their regions, involving more than 17,000 students
But education is not an easy path to take these days Supporting so many schools is an economic burden for the conferences because Congolese parents and parishes are poor. Teachers are seldom paid and teaching supplies are scarce In Kikwit, classes were canceled because of teachers striking for wages - not higher wages, just wages
It doesn't get any easier for students moving on to universitieswhich often occurs when students are in their mid -20s and support families of their own Even when parents and extended family manage to scrape together tuition, most students arrive on campus with little or no money left for books and supplies - or to live on Many live in crowded and primitive
University life is a "situation of misery," says Noel Kuka, a CEFMC member who is studying counseling at lPN, a teacher's college in Kinshasa. Kuka is the institution's student body president and a leader in FEM, an inter-Mennonite student organization formed to provide spiritual and academic encouragement.
"In other countries, students can work to support themselves," Kuka says "Here, it's nearly impossible, given the unemployment." One goal of FEM is to start small businesses that could employ students But it is a diffi cult goal to achieve because even basic enterprises like gardening require at least some capital for land and tools.
Mennonite students wish the conferen ces would offer scholarships in areas other than theology - especially when the church desperately needs people trained in development-related fields In the end, the conferen ces may pay a severe price for not doing so "The church
Members of FEM chat with Bruce Campbell -Janz on the campus of a national teachers' college in Kinshasa. Noel Kuka is on the far left (white shirt).
resources to address more than church ministries in Congo. Dyck and Schrag agree that the ongo· ing crisis requires ongoing relief work.
"Given the terrible needs in Central Mrica, I don't think we'd ever do enough," Dyck says. Currently, Congo receives more funds for economic development than any other country with which MBM/S works, Dyck says - and that funding priority will continue.
The MBM/S budget ofneady $140,000 (which includes Canadian International Develop· ment Agency matching funds) for health and development projects "is for us a very substantial amount," Dyck says .
Hoping to provide both food and work, Dyck anticipates that MBM/S will increase its support of food·for·work programs as weU as providing funds for purchasing relief supplies .
Referring again to the MBM/S mandate to plant churches , Dyck says, "If we were a relief· and-development agency we should be putting far more into Congo. "
MBMjS is concerned that their relief funds are used wisely, Dyck adds . "Whether our funds are going to the right places or not is an ongoing
has forgotten people studying other things," says one CMCo student. "Because the conference didn't help me, why should I serve CMCo (after graduation)?"
Difficult living conditions make univer· sities tinderboxes waiting to ignite . "There's a lot of violence on campus because people are suffering," Kuka says. FEM works to promote nonviolence and conflict resolution
When a soldier shot and killed an IPN student early in fall and other students threatened retaliation, FEM members con · tacted the local military to help work out a peaceful solution.
The adversity students endure today would be more tolerable if they had a reasonable expectation of getting a job once they graduate But they don't. Still they persist, placing their faith in a God who has provided for them to this point.
"The world is difficult," says Kuka. "It's humans who must change the world We have the desire to change the world We have no other place to go. But what is difficult is that we don't have the material means to change the world in a way would like to."
•
dialogue (between MBM/S and national leaders). "
Even though AIMM has his· toricaUy funded spiritual min· istries, the agency wants to min· ister to the total person, accord· ing to Schrag. "When (CMCo) has the kinds of setbacks they have currently had, we do help with material aids."
Recently, AIMM has helped fund several CMCo medical pro· jects When a pharmacy and hos· pital in Tsbikapa were looted and a vehicle destroyed during the past civil war, AIMM raised funds to replenish medical sup· plies and repair the vehicle.
Two medical doctors from North America have volun· teered to visit the Congo this faU. In addition to encouraging national medical personnel and helping with day·to·day medical needs, the physicians will help AIMM assess the need for future medical projects
IN CONGO
Hyper inflation during the 1980s and 1990s wreaked havoc with currency in Zaire/Congo When th e exchange rate reached 500 ,000 zaires for one U S dollar,
the Mobutu government issued newzaires (NZ) with an initial exchange rate of three NZs for one U S dollar The inflation rate is cu rrently stable in Congo, but not until the exchange rate had risen to the current rate of 120,000 NZs for one U.s dollar Be cause Mobutu helped himself
to the as sets within the financial inst itutions in his country, people generally don't trust banks and conduct almost all transactions in cash That' s no small accomplishment. It takes a stack of NZs more than a quarter inch thick to pay for a simple restaurant breakfast
AIMM is currently cofmanc· ing a five year grant received by the Mukadi village medical work through the Bel· gian government via a European charitable agen· cy
Given the many members and spiritual health ofthe Mennonite parishes in the country, many consider Congo a success story in Mennonite missions. The current challenge, say mission executives, is to develop a true partnership between agency and national conferences and between North American and Mrican believers.
MBM/S and AIMM representatives agree it won't be easy. When Prieb, Dyck and MBM/S board chairman Neil Fast visit Congo in January to consult with local leaders, they will come as equal partners, Dyck says. But he realizes nation· al conference leaders may leave the discussions with a different feeling. He wonders, "Do they feel that we consult with them or does it feel heavy handed?"
Says Tshimika : "I look forward to the day when true partnership will not depend on how much money we gave or received from each other That requires new ways of thinking and perceiving relationships between our different conferences I do be lieve that we are on the right track in our involve ment in the Congo ." •
BY PHILIP WIEBE
A fair time
Too many Christians are looking to improve their spiritual techniques rather than deepen their relationships with God and others.
THE FAIRS, carnivals , expos and other such extravaganzas I've attended in my life have all had a bit of a cheesy element to them, which is partly why I go .
Where else but a at fair can you view the winners of a "Weird Vegetable" contest?
At our recent Oregon State Fair I was :unused to discover a first-place ribbon tacked on a braided carrot. Somehow this single carrot split into two roots which had wrapped themselves artistically around each other Runner-up ribbons were stuck on a right-angled zucchini, a spiral jalapeno pepper, and a turnip that looked like Elvis Presley OK , I'm kidding about the turnip But Elvis was present in many other places- like loud posters, velvet wall hangings , tacky jewelry and so on . There were other ominous displays as well, such as the pumpkin as big as a beanbag chair and the two-story sunflowers. I wanted to tum off the lights to see if these items glowed from radioactive fertilizer, but security wouldn ' t let me get near the switches
Beyond strange flora and Elvis, there were other low-tech attractions such as bone-jarring fairway rides, endless livestock displays, greasy food booths, a thousand tie-dyed items for sale and a million ways to lose your money trying to shoot baskets through a rim smaller than the actual ball. And, of course , every kind of miracle gadget known to humanity was being demonstrated somewhere, from knives sharp enough to chop diamonds to toe massagers proven to cure asthma . The reason I got to thinking about
fairs and such is because I saw an advertisement for the Northwest Christian Expo, said to be the first event of its kind in the nation. It appears the expo is set up along the lines of a
trade show, with booths and seminars covering a
variety of Christian themes
As I surveyed the lengthy list of speakers and topics and wares, however, I admit I felt a twinge of disappointment. Rather than fmding a lot of cheesy stuff to make fun of, I noticed that the listings looked fairly straightforward and no-nonsense.
My eyebrows did raise a little, though , when I read that a helpfulsounding seminar covering "Seven Critical Points When Your Missionary Needs You " was being led by Robert "Bud" Childs. Could you trust someone named Robert "Bud" Childs to be serious? It's kind of like taking a money-management class from Mack "The Knife" Jones.
Ialso noticed that the most popular seminar topic of the expo seemed to be home schooling There were sessions on "First Steps to Home Schooling," "Time Management for Home Schooling," "The Father's Role in Home Schooling" Os it a writ of home schooling that Mom is the main teacher?) , and "Just the Facts, Ma'am: Home Schooling Works!"
This prompted a mischievous impulse to call the e x po's information line and ask, "So, are you having any seminars on home schooling? " But I decided it wouldn't be nice to exasperate an innocent receptionist.
In the time-warp category, the seminar topics "Chalk Art for Chil-
dren's Ministry" and "Balloon Animals Made Easy" had me checking my calendar. Yes , this was still the '90s. Didn't they do that kind of stuff when I was a kid ?
Frankly I wasn't sure that chalk art or balloon animals would go over so well with today 's hip , high-tech kids But with nostalgic stuff like bell-bottom jeans and platform shoes being back in style, I suppose anything could make a comeback.
In the puzzling topic diviSion , the winner was "Techniques That Will Not Be Forgotten. " Techniques for what? There was no explanation At least Dr. Ruth wasn't leading the session, so I could probably rule out that topic . In an interesting twist of scheduling , a couple of seminars were booked for the same time in adjacent rooms : "Debt-Free and Prosperous Living" and "The Church and the Needy. " Of course , I didn't know what the practical emphases of these sessions would be, but how appropriate it seemed that one had to choose between "Getting Rich" and "Giving to the Poor."
Finally, my favorite seminar title was "The Music Doesn't Affect Me, Doesn 't Affect Me , Doesn't Affect Me " This session was about the influence of rock music on youth , but I thought the title was also apt for adults denying the impact of our omnipresent entertainment culture: It doesn't affect me, it doesn't affect me, it doesn't affect me _ Sure.
For the most part, the Northwest Christian Expo looks to be an informative and well-run affair. But the idea of having a Christian trade show still seems strange to me, as if Christianity is just another technology like computers or kitchen remodeling . I think that is, in fact, a common misconception these days. Too many Christians are looking to improve their spiritual techniques rather than deepen their relationships with God and others. I know someone like that myself, and sometimes it frustrates me to look him in the mirror
INQUIRING MINDS
BY MARVIN HEIN
QWe have a woman on the staff of our church who is called "Pastor. " She serves in the pulpit and at communion. Have we rationalized, reconciled or flouted this in light of 1 Corinthians 14:3435? (CALIFORNIA)
AThe passage to which the inquirer refers instructs the Corinthian church not to allow women to speak in the church but rather to remain silent in submission. The debate on the relevance of such direct advice to contemporary church life continues among us, but I will choose not to advance the arguments on both sides of this issue. I will rather respond in terms of what our conference has determined as guidelines for action with respect to women in ministry.
A check of yearbooks records that in 1981 the convention agreed that "women should be encouraged to play significant roles in Mennonite Brethren congregations, but that they should not be ordained to pastoral leadership " The 1984 convention reaffirmed the 1981 decision but also urged "more encouragement and more open doors for service be given to our sisters. "
That exhortation to open more ministry opportunities to women was made even more specific in 1987 when women were affirmed for deciSion-making, evangelizing, teaching and preaching, pastoral counseling and serving as associate pastors, but still not as leading elders or pastors.
In 1990 in Winnipeg, Man., the convention defeated a recommendation from the Board of Faith and Life (BFL) opening the senior pastorate to women as a "local option" of individual churches
Some have indicated that the defeat of the foregoing recommendation took us back to pre-1981. It did not. The decisions of 1981, 1984 and 1987 still stand. A statement in Win-
nipeg by BFL said: "We also continue to affirm the 1981 resolution. We understand this to mean that women are encouraged to exercise leadership on conference boards, in pastoral staff positions, and in our congregations, institutions and agencies We ask them to minister as gifted, called and affirmed "
Together with that statement was an encouragement to local churches to be increasingly alert to the gifts of women and to become more active in calling them to minister.
The present BFL still holds to the above statements. Some persons and even congregations have not agreed with this position, but it nevertheless remains the official position of the conference . As an example-and I trust I can refer to this without condemnation or unfair criticism-one congregation recently voted that women cannot serve on the church council BFL would say that such a church is in violation of the spirit of our conference decisions just as much as a church that would allow a woman to be senior pastor.
So, to answer the question of the inquirer, in the light of conference decisions on women in ministry, the local congregation in question is not rationalizing, reconciling or flouting the Scriptures .
QHow do you explain the brutal story injudges 19 about the man who cut his concubine in 12 pieces and sent one portion to each of the 12 tribes of Israel? (CALIFORNIA)
AThe incident to which the inquirer refers is the climax to the story about some sons of Belial who surrounded a house where hospitality had been offered and asked that a stranger be handed over to them for sexual purposes . The owner of the house protested,
Have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference poitcy, or other spiritual issue? Send it to "Inquiring Minds, " c/ o Marvin Hein, 4812 E. Butler, Fresno, CA 93727.
which only served to increase their insistence. The host then offered his concubine or daughter-or both. Not able to appease them, he finaUy pushed the concubine outside and left her to the evil whims of the visitors. The next morning she was dead.
The master of the house took the concubine to his house, divided her body, flesh and bones alike, and sent the 12 portions "into all the coasts of Israel" Oudg. 19:29).
The only way to understand this brutal action is to understand a ritual act of people in that time. The motivation for such action was to stir the anger of the Israelites against the offending Benjamites.
Pagans and Israelites both resorted to such behavior to multiply anger. An example is found in 1 Samuel 11:7, where Saul slays some oxen, cuts them into pieces and sends the parts to the surrounding tribes. Another illustration can be found in 1 Kings 11:31-39, where Abijah of Shiloh does a similar act.
While hearing about such unbecoming behavior by those called God's people confuses us, it also makes clear how different the gospel of grace is from the Old Testament system oflaw.
Perhaps the one redeeming aspect of the story is that God is willing to reveal the perverted brutality of one segment of Israel's life. There is nothing chivalrous about a man offering his concubine to strangers for sexual misbehavior. But now and then in the Bible God lifts the veil on real life in Israel and shows us a sordid picture of perversion and disorder. It can teach us something about the unplumbed depths to which the human spirit can plunge.
We should not forget that the Bible also reveals the unscaled heights to which our spirits can climb when linked with God's Spirit . It was to redeem life--the kind revealed in Judges 1 and the kind sometimes gruesomely revealed in contemporary life-that Jesus came into the world
ON THE ]OLRNEY
BY ROSE BUSCHMAN
Touched by a story
I have always enjoyed a good story. Some... have such an impact that they make a lasting impression.
THIS PAST SUMMER , as part of a family reunion, we sat around the table reminiscing about our childhood days
"Remember when Dad used to tell us stories in the raspberry patch, so we would pick berries and how the stories would stop if we stopped picking?" one brother said . Another brother and I certainly remembered! Berry-picking wasn't much fun after awhile, but the stories were special and, as a 7-year-old, I was motivated enough by them to continue picking. By the hour we would pick berries and listen to exciting tales. Most of them, I suspect, were stories Dad made up as he went along His stories always had a moral to them . It was his way of teaching us many a truth that helped shape us into the people we have become I have always enjoyed a good story. Some are good for a laugh and then they are forgotten . Others have such an impact that they make a lasting impreSSion Here are some that I keep remembering
Following Mother Teresa's death , Mennonite Weekry Review reported on the 40-year connection MCC had had with her in India. MCC provided Mother Teresa and her nuns with material resources such as milk, soap, clothing, blankets, leprosy and tuberculosis medication . She, in tum, wrote letters to customs officials which saved MCC thousands of . dollars in import duty.
At one point after her death, the current MCC staff in India shared with each other their favorite memories of Mother Teresa I particularly liked the story about the group of visiting U. S dignitaries who spent
several days volunteering in her home for the destitute and dying . MWR reports that they thanked her and said ttte experience had
transformed them
Later Mother Teresa remarked to the sisters of her order: "Something must be wrong with us. We struggle and struggle to be transformed, and they come here and in two days are transformed! "
I was deeply touched by a story coming out of the recent death of Princess Diana. I watched an interview with a homeless man in a shelter the princess had visited with her two sons This man told how she introduced herself when she got there: "Hello, my name is Diana, and these are my two sons, William and Harry We have come to visit with you and see how you live "
During the viSit, when someone referred to her as "princess," she asked them not to use the terms "princess" or "prince" since she and her sons were "people like you are."
I was moved by the man's respect for the princess and how proud he was to have been asked to walk in the funeral cortege behind the coffin on its way to Westminster Abbey. I still have a mental picture of how tall and straight he stood, and with what respect and admiration he spoke . Her visit had given him a lasting feeling of self-worth in spite of his homelessness . And then there is the story I just can't forget that I read some time ago in a small book titled , Random Acts of Kindness
As the story goes, a young boy came into a sporting goods store one
day and saw a base ball mitt he really wanted He tried it on and fondly put it back on the shelf. He left the store without saying anything Over the next few months he came back to the store two or three times a week and silently repeated his routine.
Finally, the day came when the 7year-old showed up in the store with a box full of coins and a big smile. He announced that he wanted to buy the baseball mitt. Confidently he counted out $19 98 in coins
The store manager looked at the price tag which in reality read $79.98. He noticed that the " 7" was not very clear at all and could easily be mistaken for a one . He took the boy's coins, carefully counted them and announced, "Yep, exactly $19.98 " He wrapped the mitt and gave it to the boy .
This story still brings tears to my eyes . A story I heard in England this past summer continues to haunt me. It is the story of Margaret, a young woman who lives in Uganda The AIDS epidemic in Uganda has left many children orphaned. Margaret is responsible for the care and upbringing of 43 children whose parents have died of AIDS
Many of these c hildren continue to live in their homes with older children taking care of younger ones. They attend school, look after their home and grow their own food. Children who do not have older siblings end up with other families or in makeshift orphanages
Margaret sees to it that the children she is responsible for have school supplies and get medicines when needed, and she takes care of other needs as they arise.
She checks on these parentless homes on a regular basis . Money needed for school uniforms, fees and occasional gifts of food come from a mission organization in England which provides supp ort fo r Margaret in her work.
As I said, this story continue s to haunt me
Praparingto Raach thalost in Phoanix
Church planters Brad and Elfie Klassen and Wayne and Debbie Loewen are anointed for ministry as the MISSION USA Board prays for the Copper Hills Community Church and its leaders .
Tim Sullivan, Fred Leonard, Brad Klassen, Elfie Klassen, Debbie Loewen, Wayne Loewen, Mike Schuil, Randy Steinert (bock to camero)
With the first public worship service at Copper Hills scheduled for March 15, 1998, MISSION USA continues to lead Mennonite Brethren in their national mission to plant new churches and encourage the renewal and growth of existing churches . Current projects include:
• New church plants with leadership in place at Copper Hills Community Church in Phoenix, Arizona and Rolling Hills Church in Papillion, Nebraska. Additional sites are being studied and potential church planters have been interviewed .
• Churches targeted for renewal and growth in Weatherford, Oklahoma and Omaha, Nebraska continue to expand their ministries.
• Fifteen U.S. Mennonite Brethren Churches are enrolled in the Mission Analysis program.
Executive Director Ed Boschman and Choir Chuck Buller prOvided leadership at the MISSION USA Boord held its first meeting at its Phoenix headquorters Oct 9· JJ
111111. USA .IUD:
Ed Bosdunon, Phoenix, AI.
Chuck Ruler, ,,_, CA
Rick EshIaJgh, Topeka, KS
Ernie Friesen, WkhiIa, KS
filii Geddart, Fresno, CA
Phd Glanzer, New Hope, MN
Lorella Jost, Aurora, NE
Fred leonard, Oovis, CA
Howard Loewen, Fresno, CA
Stephen Reimer, Shafter, CA
Clarice Rempel, Buhler, KS
Mike Schuil, Reedley, CA
om Seibel, HiIsboro, KS
Randy SIeilert, Bakersfield, CA
Tim Sullivan, Hillsboro, KS
Ex Officio Members:
Henry Dick, Fresno, CA
Clinton Grenz, Bismark, ND
Roland Reimer, WKhita, KS
Revised draft to reflect changing world
The General Conference Board of Faith and Life (BFL) has been in the process of revising the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith since 1993. Rather than spread the process over a 10-year Period as originally planned, the board decided to put it on the 'fast-track." After significant effort during the past biennium, BFL presented a completed draft at last summer's convention in Waterloo, Ont. The board is now in the process of gathering feedback about the draft.
BFL invites your participation in this important process. With this issue we begin a series that will focus on several of the new or most significantly revised articles included in the draft. In this first installment, Lynn lost, BFL chair, answers some often-asked questions about the project and then highlights Article 1 of the confession, titled "God. "-The editors
Why revise the Confession of Faith, anyway?
I'd identify at least three reasons for moving ahead with a revision.
First, the context of our world is changing. Some may say, "The Bible hasn't changed Our beliefs haven't changed. So why do we need a new confession?" The Confession of Faith is a bridge between the Scriptures and our context. How do we interpret the Bible for the post-modem new millennium? This confession attempts to answer that question.
Second, we have "new" issues to address. Mennonite Brethren confess basic agreement on key issues facing this changing world. We include these central faith statements in the confession. In the new confession you find new articles on issues such as creation, stewardship, evil, a high view of human life, and other faiths.
Third, our language is changing. In 1975-the last time the confession was revised-most of us understood a term such as "man" to include both genders. New sensitivities alert us to the need to speak more clearly. So we are using terms like "humanity," "people," and "men and women" to reflect contemporary forms .
Why is the Confession of Faith so comprehensive?
How much should be included in our confession of faith? Shouldn't we just confess a minimum of orthodox
doctrine? What if I disagree with some statement? Am I no longer a full Mennonite Brethren?
While the confession does not seek to address every question, it does go beyond basic Christian orthodox statements about God, humanity and
the church. As Mennonite Brethren, we confess general agreement regarding the important issues mentioned earlier. It is important for both new attenders and long-time members to know how the church reads the Bible on central issues .
When members dissent, we hope their attitude is one of openness to further light and dialogue, and that they agree not to teach views contrary to our common understanding.
How does the revision process work?
BFL has written a revision draft of the 18 articles of the confession (in accordance with the mandate of the 1993 conference). The draft has been circulated to all 389 Mennonite
MENNONITE BRETHREN CONFESSION OF FAITH
Article 1 : GOD
WE BELIEVE in God , the one, true , living God, etemal spirit , creator of heaven and earth, who reigns over all things visible and invisible We confess that God is loving , holy, merolful , just, powerful, wise , slow to anger and faithful in covenant love
The Scriptures reveal God as redeemer , refuge, protector, king , deliverer, counselor , lawgiver. God is like a mighty warrior , a guiding shepherd, a nurturing mother, a faithful husband God enters covenant relationships with humanity , judges and forgives , and keeps the divine promises to provide , guide and restore With the New Testament we confess God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
God the Father
• God is love God the Father, the source of all life , creates a family in heaven and on earth
Through Jesus Christ, the Father adopts all who respond in faith to the gospel and enters into a new covenant with them God hears the prayers of his children and forgives those who repent from their sin God's creative and redemptive love sustains the world until the end of the age
God the Son
God the Son took on human nature to redeem people Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and bom of the virgin Mary Jesus revealed the fullness of God through his obedient life and teaching , and triumphed over sin through his death and resurrection God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him as Lord of creation and the church Christ, the Messiah, through whom all things were created and who holds all things together , is the image of the invisible God. The Savior of the world invites all to be reconciled to God , offers peace to those far an<;l near, and calls them to follow his example Until the Lord Jesus retums in glory, he intercedes for believers, acts as their advocate , and calls them to be his witnesses
Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, the gift of the risen Christ to the church , empowers the people of God and gives new life in Christ. The Counselor leads people to God and glorifies Jesus by convicting them of sin and guiding them into truth By the Spirit believers are baptized into one body The Spirit testifies that they are God 's children , gives them spiritual gifts for ministry and mission, and nurtures them into maturity The Comforter helps God 's children in their weakness and intercedes for them according to God's will
(Gen 1; Ex 15:2 -3; 34 :6-7 ; Oeut. 6 :4 -6 ; Ps 8 ; 23 ; 139 ; Is 55 :8 -9 ; Jer 31 :31 -34 ; Mt. 1:18-25 ; 5-7 ; 28 :18-20 ; In 1:1- 18; 15 :26 ; Acts 2 :1-4 ; Rom 8 :1- 17 ; 1 Cor 12 :4-7 , 13; 15:3-8 ; 2 Cor 5: 16- 21; 13 :14; Eph 1:15- 2 :22 ; 3 :14-21 ; Phil 2 :6- 11 ; Col. 1:15-20; 1 Tim 5 :15, 16 ; 2 Tim 2 :11 - 13 ; 1 Pet. 2 :21 -25; 1 In 2 :2 ; Rev 5 :5-6 , 9- 10 )
Jost
Brethren congregations in North America. Congregations and individuals are asked to send comments, suggestions, affirmations and concerns to BFL by Feb 15, 1998. Additional copies are available through the Internet. The e-mail address in the United States is: lynnj@tcnet.tabor edu Responses sent by regular mail should be addressed to BFL, c / o Lynn Jost, Tabor College, Hillsboro , KS 67063 .
Does the General Conference have the authority to write a Confession of Faith on behalf of the international Mennonite Brethren Church?
The ftrst Mennonite Brethren confession of faith was written in Russia in 1902. Since 1975 non-North American conferences have translated and revised the North American confession for their use. There is no single international Mennonite Brethren confession The present revision is for Canada and the United States exclusively. The revision has been submitted to the other 17 national conferences and to ICOMB for comment.
After the General Conference completes its work, we envision that ICOMB will be asked to approve the confession Other conferences will be free to follow similar procedures with their own documents.
The Canada-U.S. confession will be translated into the languages of the congregations in our nations (Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Russian) as needed .
Now to Article 1: "God." Why have an article on such a basic concept?
The starting point for any Christian confession is God, the subject and object of our faith Do Mennonite Brethren believe something unique about God? Perhaps not, but following a biblical theological framework rather than a systematic or philosophical structure influe nce s how we speak of God . We use biblical phrases to describe God .
"HowdoweinterprettheBible forthepost-modernnew millennium?Thisconfession attemptstoanswerthat question."-LYNNlOST
Describe the structure and key themes.
The opening paragraphs use images-biblical metaphors, similes and adjectives to describe God The editors have chosen from among these many word pictures the descriptors that appear here God is powerful , sovereign and a loving protector, as these images suggest.
The three captioned paragraphs follow New Testament trinitarian language-Father, Son and Holy Spirit These paragraphs discuss the unique ministry of each person of the one being God the Father adopts children into the cosmic family. The next paragraph traces the narrative which reveals God the Son. The final para-
graph expands earlier confessions to discuss the work of God the Holy Spirit as Counselor and Comforter.
What kind of comments or questions is BFL looking for?
For instance, does the article adequately express the "otherness" (transcendence) of God? Does it reveal God as "awesome"? Do we get the sense of God's grandeur, holiness, wrath , judgment? Conversely, does the article adequately reveal God's tender love?
An earlier draft included the words "[God is] neither male nor female." This draft uses both feminine and masculine biblical images. Is this balance appropriate to confess what we believe about God?
Are the separate paragraphs describing God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit sufficiently comprehensive? Does the prose describe God in clear yet elegant terms?
What additional Scripture texts, if any, should be included in the footnote? •
INAUGURATED: Allen Carden was inaugurated as the eighth president of Fresno Pacific University during an afternoon ceremony Oct. 3. Roger Poppen (center), chair of the Pacific District Conference, prays during the commissioning of Carden (bottom right) and his wife, Denice Car· den. From left are Ray Winter, student body president; Yvonne Freeman, faculty; Eugene Enns, board chair; Poppen; Kathy Gray, board member; and Clyde Cook, president of Biola University. More than 150 FPU faculty and delegates from colleges and universities across the United States, along with 30 international students, each carrying the flag of his or her homeland, participated in the opening procession (FPU)
Senior, associate role switch
clicks for Buhler congregation
•Personalities of pastoralpartnersandcongregation havemadeanunprecedentedstrategyworksmoothly
NICK REMPEL had been pastor of the Buhler (Kan.) MB Church for 20 years when he came up with an unusual idea. Three years later, Rem · pel's idea became a reality when he stepped down to become associate pastor, and his associate pastor, Brent Warkentin, succeeded Rempel as senior pastor
While it's not uncommon for an associate pastor to become the pastor
"I've
loved the Lord. "
As it turned out, Rempel's daughter was right about the match After Warkentin flew to Buhler to candidate for the position, the church council recommended that he be called as associate pastor.
Warkentin said he had had interviews at other churches to be a senior pastor "Initially I had to struggle with the call to be an associate pastor. But of the same church, switch· ing roles is believed to be an unprecedented twist for Mennonite Brethren But,
compared it to the farmer that [wife] Joan and I real· Iy feIt led to come here " after four years in the Buh- turns his farm over ler church, associate pastor
Warkentin began his new assignment in June 1990. From the beginning, Rempel and Warkentin had agreed that War· kentin would get some preaching opportunities. Rempel and senior pastor to his son, but he Warkentin have proven shows un every time such a switch can work. ,.,
In 1990, according to the combine cranks Rempel, the congregation of around 400 members was between associate pastors, so the church council up because he wants to be there where initiated a search for a sem- the action's at."
"I was at a stage in life and had just gone through some health stuff that I was ready inary-trained associate.
The search began at MB Biblical Seminary, where Rempel 's daughter, Valerie, worked in admissions. She put her father in contact with several students who were graduating that year and mentioned that she thought one of them, Brent Warkentin, might be compatible with Rempel.
"She said, 'I think you and Brent would work well together. But you may butt heads occasionally,'" Rempel recalls. "And that's where she missed, because we haven 't yet."
Meanwhile, Warkentin said he first felt called to the ministry when he was a junior in high school. "I was youth pastor for six years or so in various churches, but I always knew I wanted to be a senior pastor." He said when he was in seminary, he imagined himself initially becoming the pastor of a small church who "wouldn't mind a rookie pastor who
-NICKREMPEL to relinquish some of that," Rempel says . "I realized that I needed to slow down . So we started out with a onethird/two-thirds mix on Sunday mornings."
He and Warkentin also preached some series together
About two years after Warkentin's arrival, Rempel had some more serious health problems that kept him from the pulpit for two months He said this hastened his transition to associate pastor since Warkentin was forced to take the lead during his absence
"This was a good preparation for the congregation to say, hey, this thing could work differently," Rempel said
Rempel recovered from his health problem and returned as senior pastor for another year. During that time, he proposed first to Warkentin, then to certain groups within the church, that
THE CHRISTIA N LEADER
the two switch roles.
Warkentin said he remembers a conversation they had during that time "Nick just made the statement, 'Brent, it ' s time for you to lead the church with your vision. No one's going to know that you're leading, so if it's good I'll get the credit and if bad I'll get the blame ."
In January 1994, the church coun· cil recommended the switch to the congregation. According to Rempel, "They bought it 100 percent. There wasn't a dissenting vote. And that I think is significant because Brent at that time was only 29 years old."
Warkentin says the largest age group in the church is composed of people in their 30s, but an only slightly smaller group is composed of people in their 60s and 70s. Warkentin said he has appreciated Rempel's presence in the church because Rempel has had such an effective ministry with the older members of the congregation.
"I'm sure there will always be people to whom Nick is their pastor in our congregation, and that's never bothered me," Warkentin says.
Rempel said he is proud of the :way the congregation responded to Warkentin's leadership. "For our congregation to move from following the leadership of someone who's their peer to following the leadership of someone who could be their grandson was something that we grappled with-is it feasible? And we just took a leap of faith . That transition went smoother than I imagined . If there were any frustrations on the part of the people, we didn't become aware of them."
Rempel said after the switch from senior pastor to associate pastor, members of the congregation frequently asked him whether he had felt pushed out. "And I said, 'Not on your life!' I say, 'This was our idea.' I never felt like I was giving up; I felt like I was the one that was gaining. "
Warkentin said he believes Rempel's certainty contributed to the 100 percent affirmation by the congregation
"I've compared it to the farmer that turns his farm over to his son, but he shows up every time the combine cranks up because he wants to be
there where the action's at," Rempel says. "And I've gotten to do that, and so that's been real fun."
For example, Rempel continues to lead most of the funerals . Rempel said one factor contributing to the success of the switch was Warkentin's teachability. Said Rempel: "I've seen a lot of pastor-associate pastor situations break down because one will never consult with the other, and so they're going two different directions. Neither one of them is necessarily wrong, but they're different, and conflicts arise "
He said Warkentin frequently approached him with questions when he first took on the role of senior pastor. "That doesn't mean that he's not his own man; what it does mean is he's able to take counsel and he's teachable. He could have been intimidated and said, 'I'm not going to ask this old guy; I'm going to cut a new furrow.'''
Warkentin said the two have never had a serious conflict between them to speak of. "I wasn't intimidated by his experience and his maturity and his giftedness, and he wasn't intimidated by my energy and my youth and my giftedness. We weren't competing in any way. "
According to Warkentin, Rempel's decision to step down from his pastoral role was effective in large part because Rempel was willing to turn over his senior pastor responsibilities to Warkentin . He said, "He had every-
know that this wouldn't have worked if Nick wouldn't have been willing to step down. As much as an associate pastor might want to step up, unless the lead pastor gives up, it 'taint gonna work."
Warkentin believes the Buhler congregation's situation was special because the personalities of the congregation, and of Rempel and himself, as well as the history and stability of the church, were in harmony for the change. "If anyone of these things were missing," he says, "it wouldn't have worked as well as it did and it may not have worked at all."
Warkentin has been married for 12 years to Joan, who is a graduate of Tabor College. They have two girls, Janet, who is 8 years old, and Stacy,
who is 6 years old. thing to lose and I had everything to Rempel has been married for 42 gain " years to Clarice, who has been the Warkentin listed several other rea- church secretary nearly as long as sons he believes the transition was Rempel has been the pastor. The effective. He said he has never had Rempels also have two daughters: specific responsibilities with the Valerie, who now teaches at MBBS in youth at the Buhler church; his work Fresno, Calif., and Denise, who is marhas always focused on adult min- ried and has two daughters. Denise istries. and her family attend the Buhler
He also believes the church. congregation had a great "This transition The Buhler church was amount of trust in Rem- founded in 1878 by Menpel as a result of his 23 can't be written nonite Brethren families years in the pastorate from Russia. Since then, there Warkentin said about in a book the church has added to Rempel stood before the and somehow its buildings and now has congregation and said, an active congregation of "There isn't much more duplicated; people about 360. Most of the that would bring me and churches are families find employment more joy than to see a in education; the town, new senior pastor come too complex_ II with a population of only in without any trauma." 1,200, has four elemenRempel said he has -BRENTWARKENTIN tary schools and a high seen many retiring pas- school of 700 students. tors who leave both the church and Currently, Buhler MB Church is the community because people still building a family life center on the see the person in his pastor role. "The church campus. The new facility will old timers (in the Buhler church) still contain a nursery, library, 10 classafflrm the fact that I'm around. That rooms, offices and a gymnasium. happens almost weekly. The fact that According to Warkentin, "The I didn't run from the scene or leave dream started 10 years ago, and the the community or leave the church, Lord has just worked in his timing and that I was able to stay." the past five years or so it's really
Warkentin and Rempel believe taken off." He said the congregation their effective role reversal was has given $1 million to build the cenunique to their situation. ter, and they are building it debt free.
Warkentin said , "This transition The Center will serve church as well can't be written about in a book and somehow duplicated; people and churches are too complex. But I do as community members as an outreach ministry. -NataleeRoth,CLstudentintern
Warkentin (left) and Rempel: At Buhler MB Church, the pastoral partnership has been based on cooperation, not competition.
IN BRIEF
• ENROLLMENT: Despite what the full -t ime equivalency (FTE) figures indicate, fa ll enroll ment at Tabor College is up , accord ing to the regist ra r's office Tabor enrolled its larges t freshman class (129 students) i n five years , wh ich has he lped the college recover from the loss of a large graduating class th is spring Twenty-two students transferred to Tabor, bringing the total of ne w st udents to 151 Head count on the Hill sboro campus for the fall semester is at 440 compared to 435 in 1996 As of Oct 1, the combined head count at Tabor College-Wichita and the H i llsboro campus was 516 students compared to 492 a year ago . This figure doesn ' t include the 14 students enroll ed in the new degree-<:ompletion church ministries program which began meeting in early October However , due to a change in the college ' s enrol l ment reporting proce ss for degree-comp let ion students, the FTE figu re fo r thi s fa ll (466) is lower than last yea r' s (473) (rC)
• PROGRAMMING: Youth Mission Internat ional SOAR programs will be coo r di n ated regionally this summer, says Randy Friesen, YMI director . Wendell Loewen of the Tabor College Bible faculty will coordinate SOARTabor, the July 19-31 trip slated for the Texas/Mexico border area SOAR-Pacific will be coordinated by Philip Serez,of the Fresno Pacific University faculty This trip, scheduled for July 14Aug 1, will travel to Baja , Mexico, and urban Ca li fornia SOAR , an acronym for Sold Out And Radical , provides cr oss -c ultural mission experiences for high school young people (YMf)
PUBLISHED: Wally Kroeker, former ed itor of the ChristianLeader. is one of three authors of FaithDilemmasfor MarketplaceChristians. a resource for small groups. The book, published by Herald Press of Scottdale , Pa ., offers 13 case studies along with biblical background and discussion questions Ass isting Kroeker , director of Mennonite Econom ic Development Associates (M EDA) publications , in producing the book w ere Ben Sprunger MEDA preside nt , and Carol J. Suter vice-president for me mber resources (HP)
Stroke claims educator, 'Mr. MB Publications'
•WesPriebdevotedhiscareer to TaborCollegeandpublishing
WESLEY J. PRIEB, 75, remembered as a believer in words and ideas who served Mennonite Brethren as an educator and champion of the printed word, died Oct. 8 in Hillsboro, Kan., after suffering a massive stroke .
"Wes was, in a sense, Mr. MB Publications," says Wilfred Martens, professor of English at Fresno ,..------, Pacific University who served with Prieb on the U.S. Conference Board of Publications. "He had such a positive vision for publications in the conference and
beyond." Prieb
In his various roles, Prieb contributed to the publication of more than 30 books. He also assisted and inspired many budding writers. He served on the Board of Publications from 1974 until 1986 and was chairman from 1976 to 1983. During his tenure, the board worked with three ChristianLeader editors: Orlando Harms, Wally Kroeker and current editor Don Ratzlaff.
"As a 'boss' he was generous with affirmation and encouragement," Ratzlaff says. "As a brother in Christ, Wes Prieb was a mentor to many people and a gift to the Mennonite Brethren Church "
As a member of the Board of Publications for more than a decade, Prieb witnessed both the expansion of the U.S. Conference publishing program and its decline. When Prieb joined the board, the conference published the ChristianLeader along with a variety of books, hymnals, adult Sunday school curriculum and various other resources through the MB Publishing House and bookstore in Hillsboro.
When U.S . Conference leaders were faced with a financial crisis in the early 1980s, all commercial enterprises of the conference were sold, including the publishing house and bookstore. Prieb chaired the Board of Publications at the time and was forced to deal with the realities of
downsizing those programs.
Prieb also was committed to prt. serving the records of the Mennonite Brethren denomination and was appointed the first director of the Tabor College Center for MB Studies, a role he filled from 1977 to 1990.
For nearly 40 years, Prieb worked at Tabor College serving under 12 college presidents . His responsibilities varied from English professor to academic dean to interim pre sident. At the time of his death, Prieb was the curator of the Historic Church. In 1994, he was granted professor emeritus status by the college
Prieb served on various Southern District Conference committees, including the Faith and Life CommisSion, on the Mennonite Central Committee Peace Section and on the Mennonite Mental Health Services board.
Prieb was born Jan. 10, 1922, in Hillsboro. He received an associate degree from Tabor College, a bachelor's from Bethel College and a master ' s from the University of Kansas. On June 3 , 1945, he was married to Lucille Pauls, who survives. Prieb is also survived by four children, three sisters and seven grandchildren.-ConnieFaber
MBBS enrollment shows two-year upward trend
•MennoniteBrethrenstudents decreaseoversameperiod
PRELIMINARY fall enrollment figures at MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, Calif., show an increase in the number of students over the past two years.
Registrar Joyce Warkentin reports 138 credit students enrolled on the Fresno campus this fall, compared to 133 last September and 130 in 1995. Eleven additional students are enrolled at the British Columbia Centre compared to 17 in 1996 and matching 11 from 1995 Fifty-four students are auditing classes, bringing total enrollment to 203, compared to 199 in 1996 and 182 in 1995.
Full-time equivalency is at 91.6 students compared to 90.2 in 1996 and 88.7 in 1995. FTE on the Fresno campus is 89, about two more than last year and four more than 1995 The FTE at the B.c. Centre is 2.5 this fall,
compared to 4.4 last year and 5 9 the year before. The FTE is expected to rise when courses begin that are scheduled for later in the fall.
The percentage of Mennonite Brethren students decreased this year to 62 students, or 43 percent of enrollment. Last year, 68 Mennonite Brethren students, or 52 percent, were enrolled. The number of international students also decreased, from 25 to 13, with the number of other non-Anglo students remaining stable, 15 this year compared to 16 a year ago.
The number of part-time students has increased on the Fresno campus. This year there are 71 part-time and 67 full-time students. Last fall, there were 72 full-time and 60 part-time students. (MBBS)
.CHURCH NOTES
• Baptism/membership
WEATHERFORD, Okla. (pine Acres)-Tyler Heinrichs was baptized Oct 12. Scott and Natalie Gray, Rocky and Kelley LaMarr, Phil and Lori Thomsen, Shawna Chacon and Tina Barnes were welcomed into membership.
BUHLER, Kan.-Dara Cox, Sara Ensz, David Schroeder, Justin Riggs, Frances Schroeder and Allison Perry were baptized Oct 5 John Cox, Cynthia Cox, Ruth Hess, Joe Kaufman, Katie Kaufman, Shelly Nolte, Brad Potter, Virginia Potter, Lauren Sill and Wayne Sill were also accepted into membership
REEDLEY, Calif.-Scott Jackson, Bill Scharbach, Anthony and Soledad Taylor and Tom Warnshuis were baptized and received into membership . Also welcomed into membership in October were Brian Anderson, Curtis and Nancy Enns, Trinidad and Olga Fuentes, Vickie Prys, Rebecca Reimer, Darla Scharbach and Deborah Warnshuis
WICHITA, Kan. (First)-Doug and Joni Mann , Paul and Olga Penner, Don and Christi Robert and Sue Bransford were welcomed at a membership reception Sept 28.
BAKERSFIElD, Calif. (Rosedale)- Larry and Dale, Andy and Emily Drennan were weI· comed as new members Sept . 14 .... Cindy Neufeld, Agnela Destefani and JOSie Tijerina were baptized Oct. 5.
ENID, Okla.-Chase Woodard, Shona Helterbrake , Ryan Ediger, Chase Karber and Laura Ediger were baptized and received as new members Sept . 14 .
BALKO, Olda.-B C. Trentham was baptized and received as a new member Sept. 14.
CLOVIS, Calif. (Mountain View)-Laura Enns, Leah Berry, JeSSica Biklian, Rebekah Rutherford, Harvey Ficek and Ronna Haubelt were baptized Sept . 7 .
INMAN, Kan. (Zoar)- Ryan Fast who was baptized May 25 was accepted as a new member Aug . 24 .
MARSHALL, Ark.-Angela Martz, Kristy Martz and Jason Horton were baptized July 20 and accepted into church membership. Steve, Hollye , Jarrod and Bryon Scarborough joined upon their confession of faith .
Celebrations
BELUNGHAM, Wash. (Community Bible Fellowship)-The congregation hosted an open house Oct. 12 to celebrate their new location. On Saturday, members distributed invitations around their Birchwood neighborhood. A drama and message focusing on God welcoming back anyone who comes to him were part of the Sunday morning worship service Light refreshments were served and a self-guided facility tour was available
GRUllA, Texas-The congregation celebrat· ed their 50th anniversary May 9-10. About 300 people attended the celebration, includ· ing Ruben Wedel who received a plaque of appreciation for the years of service he and his wife gave the congregation
HILLSBORO, Kan. (parkview)-The children of Dave and Alice Krause hosted a 60th wed· ding anniversary reception Oct. 12.
HARVEY, N.D.-The family of Tony and Rose Faul hosted a 60th wedding anniversary open house Oct 12
ADAMS, Okla.-Sanctuary flowers Oct. 12 marked the 65th wedding anniversary of Albert and Alice Wiebe
YALE, S.D. (Bethel)-The congregation gave George and Bertha Stahl a card shower in honor of their 60th wedding anniversary Sept 23.
WEATHERFORD, Okla. (Pine Acres)-Art and Evelyn Thiessen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Sept. 21 .
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Heritage Bible)Flowers in the sanctuary in September honored the 55th wedding anniversary of Marvin and Nadene Steinert.
• Fellowship
SALEM, Ore. (Kingwood Bible)-The congregation hosted a Pacific District regional con· ference Oct 26
FERNDALE, Wash. (Good News)-The con· gregation hosted four area congregations for a Pacific District regional conference Oct. 19. Participating in the program were Henry
I N BRIEF
APPOIN TED: Susan Yearwood , a mem ber of Greenhaven Neig hborhood ( MB ) Ch urch in Sacr ame nt o, Calif., has been appo i nted by Calif orni a' s Gov. Pete W i lson as the ward en o f Hi g h De sert Sta t e Prison in Susanv ill e, Calif. Yearwood has been w it h t he Califo rn ia Department of Corre ct ions sin ce 1968 and w as mo st recent ly chi ef deputy warden at San Quentin St at e Prison. In late June, Yearwoo d and her hu sband, Terry, were commiss io ned during a congregationa l p r ayer service The Yearwoods have moved the ir fa mi ly to Susanville
PUBLISHED : Ernest J Zarra III, a membe r of Lau relgle n Bibl e Chu rch in Baker sf ield , Ca li f ., is th e auth or of a new boo k publ ished by Baker Bo oks of Grand Rap ids, M i ch ItShouldNever HappenHere i s a practica l g uide t o minim izing the risk of child abu se in church ministries . It offers t ips o n how to form a screening co mmitt ee, ho w to run background che cks and ho w t o provide appropr ia te sta ff tr ai n in g Zarra has taught in Christian and p ublic schools for more t han 16 year s and has written Bible and ethi cs cur ri culu m for Chr istian schools He is c ur rentl y comp let ing doctoral work at t he Un iversi ty of Southern California
• SCHOLARSHIPS : MB Miss ion s/ Services is encourag ing young adu lts to attend Evangel '9 7 by offe ri ng $200 scholarsh ips for up to 10 in t ere sted per sons Those wan ti ng more information should contact Dale Warkentin or Sybil Blaauw at 209 -4 5 6-460 0 Evangel '97 is an inte rn ati on al yo u ngadult mission and evan geli sm co nference hosted by Global Di sci ple s, a ne twork of Anabaptist related d i scip leship-mission train ing program s. Th e conference will be held in down t own Atlan ta, Ga , Dec 28 , 1997 , to Jan 1, 1998 Cosponsors of the eve nt inclu de MBM/S and MB Bi blical Sem i n a ry Mennonite Bre th re n reso urce peopl e i nclude Randy Friesen , di re ct o r of Youth Mission Internat io nal, w ho w ill be the keynote speake r We dnesda y evening Jon Buller, f ro m W innipeg, Man , will be the wo rsh ip lea d er. (GO, MBMIS)
IN BRIEF
KillED: Co ntempo rary Christ ia n singer Rich Mullins , 42 , w as kill ed in a traffi c accident Se pt . 19 wh i l e d riving t o Kan sas to perf or m in Wi ch ita and at Tabor Coll ege. Th e concert at Tabor , scheduled for Sept 21 , became a memor ial servi ce fo r Mull ins About 200 p e op le att en ded the Tabor memorial servi ce that fea t ured song s wr itten by Mull i ns Concert ti cket s were either refund ed o r the mon ey forw arded to Compassion Internat ional.
• MISSION : Fam ilies w ith young children (age s 6 t hro ug h 14) are invited to Fam i ly Qu est , a new Youth Mission International pr o g r am de si gned to involve famili es in m i ssion s experience s The pro gram will run July 19-3 1 concur rent with th e SO AR -Pa ci f ic trip Participants w ill wor k in Cali f ornia and Mex ico along si de t een SO AR volunteers Norm and Lori Nickel, contact coordinat o rs, can be reached at 604852-1790(YMI)
• BAPTISMS : Ten i nd i vidua l s we re bapt ized int o the Mennon it e Church of the Great Lake s, Bu kavu , Co ngo , by pastor Philemon Begela late this summer The chur ch was planted alm ost two yea rs ago by Congo lese lay mi ssionaries as an outreac h program of t he Congole se M enn o nite ch ur ches The new congregation ha s attracted members from all ethnic groups and t rib es, a rarity in this region torn by ethni c te nsion , report s Krista Rigalo , a Menn on i te Central Co mmittee worker The congregati o n has not only surv ived a devastatin g civi l wa r but h as grown numeri cally . MB Mis si ons/Servi ces is a fund ing partn er in th e proje ct. (AIMM)
• THRIFT SHOPS: A new M ennonite Central Committee vid eo release d th is year high l ights M CC th r ift sh o p s. " Thrift Shop s: No End in Si ght ," an 18minute video , e x p l o res how thrift shops work , who the cu stom ers are and how volunt eer s can help Thi s video , like all M CC audiovi su al s and exhibits, is availabl e f o r fr ee loan, with the cost of return shipp ing Most MC C printed materi al s a re al so fr ee. Th e 1997-98 M CC re source ca t alo g is now availabl e f rom M CC at P.O . Box 500 , Akron , PA 17 50 1-0500 ( M CC)
Dick, PDC district minister, and Allen Car· den, Fresno Pacific University president.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Laurelglen)-Author and teacher Larry Osborne was the men's retreat speaker Oct 10-11.
ENID, Okla.-"Redeemed," a musical group from Fairview (Okla.) MB Church presented a program Sept. 28 Open Arms Fellowship, a young-adult ministry, hosted a worship retreat Oct. 2-5. Worship times were guided by a team from several Hillsboro, Kan , congregations led by Vann Trapp, youth pastor at Parkview MB Church. Evening messages were given by youth pastor Mike Miller.
DENVER, Colo. (Garden Park)-The congregation hosted the Colorado Mennonite Economic Development Associates meeting Oct 3. Carol Sutter, MEDA attorney, was the featured speaker
DINUBA, Callf.-During the month of October, the college group sponsored a tennis tournament open to the congregation.
HILLSBORO, Kan. (parkview)-"After Supper Club" groups began meeting in September. The purpose of the groups is to build multigenerational relationships through informal fellowship times.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (Bible Fellowship)Lavonne Masters was the speaker for the kick-off women's ministries luncheon Sept. ' 13 Masters and her husband lost three of their five children during the Rapid City flood in 1972. Her presentation was one of healing and encouragement.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Lincoln Glen)-The congregation hosted the ninth annual International Gift Faire Nov. 7-8. The event benefits Mennonite Central Committee.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (Manhattan Mennonite)-The 11 th annual German Mennonite meal and crafts fair Nov. 23 wiII benefit the work of Mennonite Central Committee. A meal of borscht , homemade bread and New Year's cookies will be served.
SALEM, Ore. (Kingwood Bible)-The congregation held a commissioning and farewell service for Paul and Virginia Tanner Oct. 19. They are missionaries with Mrica Inter-Mennonite Mission and have returned to Tanzania to work with a new church planting project.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Rosedale)-Pastor Steve Fast was a resource person Sept. 25-27 at a retreat for Mennonite Brethren missionaries in Mexico.
CORDELL, Okla. (Bible)-The congregation heard reports from several individuals who have recently had cross-cultural experiences. On Sept 28 , Ruth Richardson described her slimmer experience in Venezuela with Teen Missions A week earlier, John and Lori Kliewer talked about their visit with MB MisSions/ Services workers Russell and Elizabeth Schmidt in Thailand
SIOUX FALLS, S D. (Lincoln Hills Bible)Harold Ens, general director of MB Missions/Services, is scheduled to be the harvest thanksgiving festival speaker Nov. 16.
HILLSBORO, Kan. (Ebenfeld)-Jim Holm, dean of students at MB Biblical Seminary, preached Nov. 2 for Harvest Mission Sunday. Youth Mission International was featured during the Sunday school hour. A local ministry, Main Street Ministries, was highlighted at the evening service.
ULYSSES, Kan.-The harvest mission festival held Nov. 1-3 featured Vic and Marty Wiens, who have been MB Missions/Services missionaries in Sao Paulo, Brazil, since 1982. Other activities included a youth group pizza party, Sunday services and a morning prayer breakfast.
BRIDGEWATER, S.D. (Salem)-The guest speaker at the harvest missions festival, held Oct 19, was Dale Warkentin, secretary of constituency ministries for MB Missions/Services.
BUHLER, Kan.-Bob and Susan Gulack were harvest mission festival speakers Oct. 19. They serve with MB Missions/Services in Lithuania.
HENDERSON, Neb.-Phil and Carol Bergen, missionaries with MB Missions/Services in Burkina Faso, West Mrica, were guest speakers Oct. 12.
DELFT, Minn. (Carson)-The harvest festival Oct. 12 featured the ministry team of Faith Bible Church of Omaha, Neb., led by pastoral staff member James Epp.
HILLSBORO, Kan. (Parkview)-Missions emphasis Sundays in November will feature several Mennonite Brethren speakers, including Nzuzi Mukawa of the Mennonite Brethren conference in Congo and Steve and Bobbie Friesen, former MB Missions/ Services missionaries to Japan .. .. Ed Boschman, Mission USA director, preached Oct. 12.
INMAN, Kan. (Zoar)-Missions emphasis speakers for Harvest Mission Sunday Oct 12 were Bob and Susan Gulack, MB Missions/Services workers in Uthuania. Wendell Loewen, of the Tabor College Bible department, preached the Thanksgiving message.
YALE, S.D. (Bethel)-Harvest mission festival Sunday Oct. 26 featured speakers Craig and Bridget Hallman, miSSionary appointees to Pakistan with MB MisSions/Services
FAIRVIEW, Okla.-Using the theme "God
Keeps His Promises," a nursery fair Oct 6-10 offered preschool children a morning of Bible stories, crafts, hands-on activities and an indoor playground. Mothers were invited to attend a Bible study held simultaneously.
KINGSBURG, Calif.-Wednesday night workshops for adults are offering practical help regarding [mances, nutrition, parenting, cooking, meal planning and other resource management topics
CLOVIS, Calif. (College Community)- A workshop on the MB Confession of Faith was held Sept 27. Resource people were General Conference Board of Faith and Life members, including chairman Lynn Jost
ULYSSES, Kan.-Pastoral couple Loyal and Rosella Martin led a marriage enrichment seminar during selected Sunday afternoons September through November
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Greenhaven Neighborhood)-The VBS program this summer involved 72 youngsters and 40 adults. Mary Johnson directed the program which featured a construction theme As part of the missions emphasis the children collected items for Mennonite Central Committee.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Lincoln Hills)-Paul Ewing has joined the pastoral staff as youth pastor on a pact-time basis. He and his wife,
Malissa, moved to Sioux Falls so that Paul could begin studies at North American Baptist Seminary.
BETHANY, Okla. (Western Oaks)-Ken and Sara Flaming of Fairview, Okla , are serving as part-time interim pastoral couple through December.
HILLSBORO, Kan. (parkview)-Roy and Jean Keller were commissioned as visitation pastoral couple Sept. 21.
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HENDERSON, Neb.-An ordination service for pastor Stuart Pederson was held Oct. 5. Clint Grenz, Central District Conference dis· trict minister , and several church leaders partiCipated in the service , which was followed by a reception.
UTTLETON, Colo. (Belleview Acres)-Jim Paulus has accepted the part-time position as youth director. Paulus serves as an admiss i ons counselor for Tabor College and is based in the Denver area.
SALEM, Ore. (Kingwood Bible)-Brent Hudson began serving as youth pastor on a fulltime basis Oct 1.
IDLLSBORO, Kan.-Jan Terman will serve as a part-time children's ministry assistant for one year. A former schoolteacher, she has been involved in various children's ministries within the church.
CLOVIS, Calif. (Mountain View)-Randy and Paula Thompson began serving as youth pastoral couple in September.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Heritage Bible)-Ken Cross began his work as associate pastor of assimilation ministries Oct. 1. Over the past 22 years, Cross has served in various capacities at Hume Lake Christian Camps. He and
Have you considered volunteering at a Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) thrift store? Did you know MCC thrift stores all over North America raise millions of dollars each year for MCC work? This video provides a look at how thrift shops work, who the customers are and how you can get involved. Contact the MCC office nearest you for a free loan of this video, or purchase it for $30 Cdn.i$25 U.S from MCC in Akron 18-minute VHS
his wife, Peggy, have four children Tom Stutzman, who served as a summer intern in the college department and with the drama ministry team , will continue to work on a half-time basis.
DEATHS
BARKMAN, THOMAS J., Hillsboro, Kan., a member of Parkview MB Church, was born Jan. 17, 1907 , at Lehigh, Kan , to Jacob G. and Maria Barkman and died Sept. 29, 1997, at the age of 90 He was married to Helen Jost, who predeceased him in 1983. He is survived by two sons, Kenneth and wife Beverly of Longmont, Colo , and Jerry and wife Marg of Dallas, Ore ; three daughters , Betty of Hillsboro, Joan and husband Henry Siemens of Inman, Kan., and Judi and husband Lonnie Unruh of Amarillo, Texas; a sister, Anna Esau of Winton, Calif.; 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
ENNS, JACOB W., Reedley, Calif., a member of Reedley MB Church, was born Aug . 30, 1909, at Reedley to Dietrich and Sara Buller Enns and died Oct 6, 1997, at the age of 88. On Jan. 18, 1934, he was married to Elsie Unruh , who predeceased him in 1993 He is survived by four children, Robert and wife Ruth, Harold and wife Pat, Eleanor and hus-
band Wayne Brandt, and Ken and wife Jan; three brothers, Henry and wife Sue, Edwin ...a nd wife Dorothy, and Richard; two sistersin-law, Ruby Enns and Emma Just; 18 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
FAUL, ARTHUR, Harvey, N.D., a member of Harvey MB Church, was born Feb. 9, 1912, near Harvey to William and Marie Faul and died Sept 23, 1997, at the age of 85. On May 31, 1936, he was married to Ruth Fischer, who survives. He is also survived by a son, Curtis of Calley City, N.D.; two daughters, Kathryn Willert of Denver, Colo., and Barbara Skaurud of Fargo , N .D ; two sisters, Emma Faul and Lydia Faul of Harvey; 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren
FRIESEN, TENA, Reedley, Calif., a member of the Reedley MB Church, was born Aug. 21, 1903, at Henderson, Neb., to Henry and Agnes Grunau Goertzen and died Sept. 9, 1997, at the age of 94 On Dec. 17, 1922, she was married to Jacob Friesen, who predeceased her in 1994. She is survived by three sons, Harold and wife Ann of Concord, Calif., Edmor and wife Thelma of Reedley, and Irvin and wife Janie of Clovis, Calif ; two daughters, Ethel and husband Orval Ratzlaff of Fresno, Calif., and Verna and husband Charles Neufeld of Kingsburg, Calif ; one brother-inlaw, four sisters-in-law, 21 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren and one great-greatgrandchild
HAAG, WILLIAM JAMES, ' Bakersfield, Calif., a charter member of Laurelglen Bible Church, Bakersfield, was born Feb. 1, 1913 , at Bakersfield to James and Mary Kennedy Haag and died Aug. 26, 1997, at the age of 84 On March 11, 1938, he was married to Hulda Ratzlaff, who survives. He is also survived by two daughters, Carol Hagg and Beverly Southard; a brother, Edward and wife Maria; three sisters, Cecilia and husband Ken
Runyon, Myrtle Cason , and May McBride; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren _
KLIEWER, ABE F ., Dallas, Or e_, a member of the Dallas MB Church, was born Jan. 20, 1922, at Henderson, Neb., to George and Susie Franz Kliewer and died July 25, 1997, at the age of 75. On Feb. 1, 1943, he was married to Flossie Goertz, who survives He is also survived by four sons, Philip, Kenneth and Steve of Dallas, and Mark of Beaverton, Ore .; t wo brothers , Neil of Salem, Ore., and George of Inman , Kan. ; a sister, Ann Loewen of Marion, Kan. ; and seven grandchildren.
KOHLFELD, EMMA BERG, Reedley, Calif., a member of the Bethany MB Church, Fresno, Calif., was born May 11 , 1906, to Henry H. and Katherine Kroeker Berg in Gotebo, Okla., and died Sept. 13, 1997, at the age of 91. In 1945 she was married to Albert Kohlfeld, who predeceased her in 1984 She is survived by four sons , John of San Jose, Calif., Albert of Newport, Wash., David of Alhambra, Ill., and Paul of Sonoma , Calif. ; two brothers, Art Berg and wife Helen and John Berg and wife Esther, all of Fresno, Calif. ; two sisters, Esther Nickel and husband Edwin of Inola, Okla., and Ruth Friesen and husband Jacob of Reedley; and seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren
PRIED, WESLEY J., Hillsboro, Kan., a member of Hillsboro MB Church, was born Jan 10, 1922, at Hillsboro to John and Kathrina
Janzen Prieb and died Oct. 8, 1997, at the age of 75 On June 3. 1945, he was married to Lucille Pauls, who survives He is also survived by four children, Judy and husband
Keith of Hillsboro, Gordon and wife Mary of Edwardsburg, Mich. , Carolyn of Chicago, and Robert and wife Rho n da of Hesston, Kan ; three sisters and seven grandchildren.
European Heritage Tour
July 1 17, 1998 with John & Roma Ruth as leaders.
and other options:
• Guatemala and Belize, January 23 - February I
• Vienna: Music & Culture, April 22 - May 7
• Cities of the Apostle Paul, May 28 - June 8
• Lands of the Bible, June 7-22
• St. Lawrence Seaway Tour, July 12-21
• Alaska, July 15-27
• Majestic Canadian Rockies, July 18-31
• England, Scotland & Wales, August 5-19
Call 1-800-565-0451 TODAY for more information.
TOUR MAGINATION
SAWATZKY, PETE JR., Com, Okla., a member of the Com MB Church, was born April 1, 1914, at Weatherford , Okla , to Peter A and Agnes Penner Sawatzky and died Oct. 11, 1997, at the age of 83. On March 21, 1937, he was married to Elizabeth Benke Toews, who survives. He is also survived by a son, Don and wife Gail of Oklahoma City, Okla.; a daughter, Ruth and husband Roland Miller of Newton, Kan.; a brother, Edwin and wife Beatrice; a sister, Agnes Schmidt; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren
THIESSEN, ABRAHAM D., Buhler, Kan., a member of Buhler MB Church, was born Oct. 14, 1906, at Conway, Kan., to Dietrich and Anna Willems Thiessen and died Oct. 22, 1997, at the age of 91. On April 19, 1934, he was married to Emma Louise Bergen, who survives He is also survived by four daughters , 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
WICHERT, LULA, of Hillsboro , Kan , a member of the Adams MB Church , was born Dec. 25, 1906, near Hillsboro to Peter K and Anna Nickel Schroeder and died Sept. 21, 1997, at the age of 90. On Oct. 28, 1928, she was married to Jacob Wichert, who predeceased her in 1987. She is also survived by five sons, Harold and his wife Anita of Hooker, Okla.,
Cecil and wife Betty of Topeka, Kan., Wayne and wife Evelyn of Basehor, Kan. , Chester and wife Carole of Denver, Colo., and Larry and wife Edie of Kremlin, Okla ; a daughter, Marcella and husband Gary Frantz of Hillsboro; 17 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren
WINTER, CARL ROBERT, of Okeene, Okla. , a member of Okeene MB Church, was born July 12, 1918, at Okeene to Jacob and Mollie Laubach Winter and died Oct 2, 1997, at the age of 79. On Nov. 11, 1938, he was married to Berniece Weinmeister, who survives. He is also survived by three sons, Don and Cleatus, both of Enid, Okla., and Larry of Okeene; one daughter, Janice Lubbers of Edmond , Okla ; one sister, Ruby Repp of Weatherford, Okla.; 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
ZWEIGLE, NETI1E, of Harvey, N D., a member of Harvey MB Church, was born March 15, 1913 , near Harvey, to George and Lydia Reimche and died Sept. 18, 1997, at the age of 84 On June 25, 1933, she was married to Roy Zweigle , who survives. She is also survived by two daughters, Jean Rust of Martin, N.D" and Donna Vinarski, San Antonio, Texas; two sons, Gary of Olympia, Wash , and Lowell of Kent , Wash.; one sister, Ruby Redekopp of Glasgow, Mont ; 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren •
"The MCC Resource Catalog is the best kept secret." -anonymous
Don't be kept in the dark.
Join other satisfied customers and order resources from the "1997-98 MCC Resource Catalog " Includes new, exciting posters, exhibits, videos and printed materials about lifestyle, peace and justice issues and more. A wide selection of children's materials available. Order your free catalog from any MCC office.
HEIGHTS CHURCH
in Abbotsford, B.C. (affiliated with the Mennonite Brethren Denomination)
invites applications for a full time position of
SENIOR PASTOR
This congregation with an average attendance of 1250 seeks to impact its surrounding community of 110,000 in S. W. British Columbia
QualifYing applicants will have strong leadership and motivational skills, sound Biblr.-based preaching and teaching, solid administrative abilities, a genuine heart for ministry, love for people and a zealous commitment to the Lord's work.
.. . Position open immediately...
Send Resumes with references to the: Chair of Search Committee, Central Heights Church. 1661 McCallum Road, Abbotsford, B.C. V2S 3M4. Phone (604) 852-1001, Fax (604) 855-6604, Email -bwillems@uniserve.com
STATE MENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION
Publication title : The Christian Leader. Publication number: 0009-5419. Filing date : 11-?-97. Issue frequency : monthly. Number of issues published annually: 12 Annual subscription price : $16 00. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: 315 S. Lincoln, Hillsboro, KS 67063. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business office of publisher: 315 S Lincoln, Hillsboro KS 67063. Full names and complete mailing address of publisher, editor and managing editor: Publisher : U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, 315 S. Lincoln, Hillsboro, KS 67063; Editor-Don Ratzlaff, same address; Managing editor-none. Owner: U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches, 315 S Lincoln. Known bondholders, mortgages and other security holders owning or holding I percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities: none The purpose , function and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes has not changed during the preceding 12 months. Extent and nature of circulation : the first number represents the average number of copies of each issue during the preceding 12 months (the number in parentheses is the number of copies of a single issue published nearest to filing date, the October 1997 issue).
a Total number of copies: 10,016 (10 ,055)
b Paid andlor requested circulation: 1. Sales through dealers and carriers, and counter sales. 0 (0); 2. Paid or requested mail subscriptions , 9,659 (9 ,737)
c Total paid andlor requested circulation: 9,659 (9,737)
d. Free distribution by mail : 68 (81).
e Free distribution outside the mail : 162 (206)
f Total free distribut ion : t62 (206)
g. Total distribution : 9,821 (9,943).
h. Copies not distributed: 1. Office use, leftovers, spoiled: 1950; 2. Return from news agents. 0 (0)
i. Total : 10,016 (10 ,055)
Percent paid andlor requested circulation : 98.3 (97 8)
I certify that all information on this form is true and complete
I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and i mprisonment) and l or civ il sanctions (including multiple damages and c ivil penalties) -(signed) Don Ratzlaff
nri: , 17: ") " w'on t .lQU,f For more information, call DAVID REIMER ExECUTIVE DIRECTOR (209) 638-6933
PALM VILLAGE
C.C.A.C. Lie. # 100404809 701 W. HERBERT P.O. BOX 1028 REEDLEY, CA 93654-1028
BAKERVIEW MB CHURCH
invites applications for
YOUTH PASTOR
Bakerview is a congregation of 600 located in Abbotsford, British Columbia. As part of a multistaffed pastoral team, the youth pastor has primary responsibilities for junior high and senior youth groups. The youth ministry is a growing and challenging aspect of our outreach. The successful applicant will have education and experience appropriate to the field, exhibit the qualities of mature Christian character, and demonstrate the ability to work with youth, parents and advisors.
Please send resume to: Search Committee, Bakerview MB Church, 2285 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford B.C. V2T 2X4
ZOAR MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH
is seeking a YOUT H PASTOR
Desire an experienced couple to lead and direct the youth ministry.
SEND INQUIRES TO: Zoar MB Church P.O. Box 126 Inman, KS 67546 Phone: 316-585-6999
Invitation: TO: Born-again Christians
KingRoadMBChurchinAbbotsford,B.C.,isseekingvolunteersforitsChurch PartnershipEvangelismoutreachto....
1. PHILIPPINES - Manilla, Roxas City Jan. 16 Feb. 9, '98
2. INDIA - Mahabubnagar Jan. 16 - Feb. 9, '98
3. PHILIPPINES - Davao Feb. 9-25, '98
4. NICARAGUA - Managua Feb. 7·23, '98
5. PERU - Lima , March 14-30, '98
6. PERU - Sullana, Trujillo April 4-27, '98
7. UKRAINE - Kiev, Tchernovtsky, Odessa May 2·25, '98 $1,600
8. CONGO· Kinshasha, Kikwit May 1-June 1, '98 $2,000
9. CUBA. June 5-22, '98 $1,000
10. FIJI ISLAND - Labasa June 5·22, '98 $1,300
11. PARAGUAY· Asuncion, Chaco. July 4·20, '98 $1,500
12. NICARAGUA - Managua July 4-20 , '98 $1,200
13. UKRAINE - Novomoskovsk, Pavlograd Berdyansk
July 25 - Aug. 18, '98 $1 ,600
14. PERU - Chiclayo, Talara Aug 1-24, '98 $1,200
15. NICARAGUA Nov 8-23, '98 $1,200
16. INDIA Nov 7-30, '98
Note: Dates may be subject to change, pending further confirmation of some campaigns. 'Canadian dollars
• Team up with national Christians and witness for Christ door to door.
• Some knowledge of the language of the country is helpful.
• Between 800-2,800 persons have prayed to accept Christ as their personal Savior and Lord during a two-week CPE campaign. Come and be a part of an enriching spiritual experience-discover what God can do through you.
For more information, contact: CPE office: Tel. - Fax: 604-864-3941, or Evelyn Unruh , 604852 - 5744; or Peter Loewen, 604 -853-3173 or FAX 604-853 -6482
ChurchPartnershipEvangelismis a "church-to-church"effortthatinvolveslaymembersinpersonalevangelism worldwide.YourapplicationtoparticipatewillbeforwardedtotheCP.E.ExecutiveCommitteeforprocessing
Peter Loewen CPEPromoter
Harold W. Ens
MBMISGeneralDirector
MEDIA MATTERS
BY BURTON BULLER
What Americans got for their free lunch was a one-sided programming diet that was designed to sell them something every 15 minutes.
USUALLY, it is the government that introduces television to its people. Governments worldwide have recog-
nized the potential television holds for educating, instructing and propagandizing the public . T elevision has been seen as too potent a mediurn to be given over to business interests.
Government-controlled television a d mittedly comes with its own set of pro blems. I for one get fed up rather quickly watching only programs the government feels are good for me. I wou ld rather choose the programs I watch from a more varied menu.
But at least conceptually, television h as been recognized by most countries as an important component in social engineering that demands control and vigilance. Not so in America. Here, television followed in the footsteps of radio By allocating certain frequencies for radio use, the government made money by licensing them.
Who bought these licenses? Those who saw a way of marketing their products. One of the early radio licenses in the Midwest went to what is now the Earl May Seed Company. Mr. May fe lt he could sell more nursery stock if he could pitch his plants on this new medium.
Programming was almost an afterthought . People soon got tired of listen ing t o license holders hawk their wares. Off went the switch So n ow, w ith a license to sell products, t hese businessmen discovered they would h ave t o illl the remaining time with programs people wanted to hear. Specialists ap p eared to take up the challenge of providing p rograms to licensees.
By the time television arrived on
the scene, the pattern was set. The government, rather than seeing television as an opportunity for increasing public discourse, instead saw in it a way to tum a profit. They allocated certain frequencies for television use and in 1941 put the first licens-
es to use them up for sale.
By the mid-1950s three networks had emerged to supply programs for licensees. These networks, for a price, would provide programs that would keep the viewers glued to the screen. Success was determined by a ratings system still in place today If a program received great ratings , the program producers got to do more programs and charge more money. If ratings faltered, programs died. Producers were out of work.
Television stations filled very little of the program day with their own creations. Mostly, they did the local news . They saw their job as supplying a signal that could deliver an audience to local and national advertisers who wanted to sell products to that audience.
A II of this had the effect of provid1\.mg cheap television for you and me. If we were willing to invest in a household appliance with a picture tube, we could enjoy "free" pictures in our living rooms
Television spread across the United States like a prairie wildfrre driven by dry summer winds. In 1949 only 2 percent of American households had TV. By 1955, 64 percent had at least one television set. By the mid-1960s, 93 percent had television . The frrst truly free lunch had arrived- and
everybody was bellying up to the trough. Or so we thought.
What Americans got for their free lunch was a one-sided programming diet that was designed to sell them something every 15 minutes.
It took 20 years for America to recognize that an alternative to "commercial" broadcasting may be a good idea. In the early 1960s, the Public Broadcasting Service was born.
Although commercial broadcasting continues to dominate the television industry, cable television and specialty channels are providing more alternatives in our TV diet. But we continue to live with the legacy of commercial television.
Children's programming provides a graphic example. For television purposes, the children's audience is composed of viewers between the ages of 2 and 12. Programmers live or die by their ability to deliver a mass audience that includes kids from the entire age span.
Television programmers actually found something that held the attention of this entire age span. Programs, they found, had to be fast-action, rapidly changing and violent. Take the violent component out and you get age-specific programming, like "Sesame Street" that does not appeal to the entire age group.
Cartoons provided the necessary ingredients Since we still insist on receiving our broadcast signals free of charge by putting the burden for television infrastructure on the backs of advertisers, we pay for our free lunch in the kind of programs we get.
U.S. television exists for one purpose-to sell products. From time to time since 1941 it has been tempered by the requirement to broadcast in the "public interest, " whatever that means at the moment of license renewal. But to this day, its basic mission has not changed .
So, if you get fed up with violent and inane television programs slotted during the time the kids are home, remember not to gag on our collective free lunch
LET'S TAlK ABOUT IT
A GUIDE FOR GROUP INTERACTION
SESSION 1 Growth and suffering
Basedon"HoldingOnByFaith, " page4.
GET READY - Gettingstarted
• Before reading this article, what was the last time and way you were in touch with events and people related to Congo (former Zaire)?
GET SET - Examiningtheissues
1. Identify 5-10 facts given in the article that you think are significant to better understand the present situation among Mennonites in Congo.
2. What is the "profound kingdom paradox" described by Ratzlaff?
3. How do the Mennonite congregations in Congo work through their challenges?
4. What similarities do you see between Mennonite churches in Congo and the description of the New Testament church as found in Acts?
GO - Applyingideas to thewaywelive
1. What would cause our churches in the United States to see "evangelism as the priority of priorities"?
2 What can we learn from our brothers and sisters in Congo?
3 How can we assist and support our Congelese brothers and sisters?
SESSION 2 Faith In hard times
Basedon'''WeLiveByMiracles, '" page13.
GET READY - Gettingstarted
• Identify one miracle you have participated in this week
GET SET - Examiningtheissues
1. What amazes you most about the conditions described in this article?
2. Identify ways in which the power of God is seen in the stories of these people.
3. What gives the Congolese believers hope? Is their source of hope different from yours?
GO - Applyingideas to thewaywelive
1. How can we work at confronting and responding to the vast differences between our way of life and that of our sisters and brothers in Congo and other developing countries?
2. Based on what you have read about Mennonites in Congo, what is the secret to the repeated emphasis on spiritual growth in hard times?
3. What does it mean for you to live by miracles?
4. What are the results of not living by miracles? Is it possible to have too much control of our daily lives?
SESSION 3 MISSion In a changing wOlld Congoarticlesgenerally,with a focuson"CongoWomen Work to ExpandTheirRoleinChurchandHome, " page18, and"SomewhereBetweenthePastandFuture, " page20
GET READY - Gettingstarted
• What is one of the best and one of the most challenging changes you have had to deal with recently?
GET SET - Examiningtheissues
1. Identify the various changes that have taken place among Congolese Mennonites in recent years.
2. Which of these changes have led to positive results and which ones to negative consequences?
3 How have North American Mennonites hindered or enhanced these changes?
GO - Applyingideas to thewaywelive
1 How do the changes that have taken place affect our mission work and the preparation of missionaries?
2 What guidelines would you suggest for North American mission personnel in knowing when to lead and when to let go?
3. What can you and your congregation do to encourage true partnership with our congregations in Congo?
4. Take time to thank God for the ministry of those who have shared Christ in Congo in the past and ask for continued guidance for ministry in the future .
SESSION 4 The Impact of teleVISion
BasedonMediaMatters,page42.
GET READY - Gettingstarted
• What are some of your earliest memories of television?
GET SET - Examiningtheissues
1 Review the differences between government-controlled and privately controlled telelvision in America.
2. What determines the success of TV programming?
3. In what ways have we been hooked by the influence and power of television? How are we paying for the socalled "free lunch"?
GO - Applyingideas to thewaywelive
1. How can we believers control the influence of commercial television rather than allowing it to control us?
2. How do you evaluate the impact television has on you and your family?
3. Are there ways we believers can or should hold each other accountable in our use of commercial television?
4. How does television influence the church? Can or should the church try to communicate the gospel according to the criteria used for reaching 2- to 12-year-olds?
Questions by Nadine Friesen.
In a world of trouble, we don't have a prayer?
T"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
HOSE ARE Jesus's words, you know And I've always believed them because they had the ring of truth: In this world you will have trouble. But now I'm wondering.
You see, I thought I knew what Jesus meant by "trouble" because I've had trouble in this world, too. Just as Jesus said I would. Bad times. Hard times I've experienced my share of disappointment, rejection, failure. I've walked through grief. I've felt the pain of
But of late I've had my consciousness raised
Persecution is a kind of trouble that you don't cause, like mine tends to be. And it's not even the kind that you breathe day in and day out because it envelopes you and everyone else around you, like in Congo.
Persecution is trouble that seeks you out. It hunts you down with one sole intent: to destroy you. And for no other reason than because of your belief in Jesus.
Contrary to the assumption of a lot of "troubled" North American Christians, persecution is not a coworker snickering at you for saying grace at the fast-food joint.
Persecution is being arrested and beaten by police, as criticism. I know what it's like to want, to feel profoundly shortchanged.
I thOUght that was "trouble."
It isn't. Not even close.
I've concluded that those things I once thought of as trouble are not trouble at all. At least, not as Jesus probably intended it to mean. No, as I think of it now, what I have called trouble is little more than the natural and necessary consequences of my own bad attitudes and choices. My selfishness. My pride. My arrogance.
Persecution is millions in China. It is having a mob burn your home and church, as in Pakistan. It is being blatantly discriminated against in education and employment and denied political representation, as in Egypt.
of Christians worldwide being
subjected to horrible, indescribable things because they love Jesus.
No other reason.
Trouble? To be honest, I have made my own trouble-if I can still use that word to describe it.
So I haven't experienced "trouble" as Jesus understood it. But maybe I have caught a glimpse of it. From a distance.
In Congo last month, I saw a form of trouble that comes to many people in this world. The kind that forces good people to live in bad circumstances, in an environment they did not create and are all but powerless to change.
Our Mennonite sisters and brothers in Congo wallow in the muck left behind by bad people. These believers go to bed hungry, they truly sacrifice to educate their children, they're sick because they can't afford proper health care - not because of the choices they've made, but because they have no choice. The choice has already been made for them by a select few who exercise the power to grab, steal, keep, waste and abuse.
I've earned my "trouble." Our sisters and brothers in Congo have had theirs forced upon them. And poverty is real trouble.
But persecution is even worse. I didn't see this in Congo because the country is predominantly Christian.
THE CHRISTIAN LEADER
Persecution is having your family broken up by the abduction, imprisonment, torture and execution of Christian men, as in Sudan. It is hanging a church leader and then having his body wrapped and sent as a Christmas present to his blind widow and four children, as in Iran.
Persecution is millions of Christians worldwide being subjected to horrible, indescribable things. Because they love Jesus. No other reason.
Our U.S. Conference leaders have asked my church and yours to join Christians around the globe in observing an "International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church" during the month of November. The effort is being promoted by the World Evangelical Fellowship and the National Association of Evangelicals.
To be honest, a call to prayer doesn't seem like much in the face of such widespread suffering. Prayer is what we do if we feel helpless to do anything else-a last resort. But it seems like prayer is the first thing Christians in real trouble ask for. I heard it dozens of times in Congo from our Mennonite faith family: "Please ask our brothers and sisters to pray for us."
And now the call comes for us to pray, too, for people we do not know and have not seen. But they are a part of us. And when one part suffers, we all suffer with it. That's not just a statement of consequence; it's a command of faithfulness.
Is a call to prayer too much bother? Too much trouble? Hey, we don't know what trouble really is. -DR