ENNONITE Central Committee was created in 1920 because we Mennonites wanted to extend a helping hand to our relatives in Russia . We ended up embracing the world. That in itself is an evolution with celebrating.
With this issue we mark the 75th anniversary of MCC, particularly Mennonite Brethren involvement in it. In our lead article, Katie Funk Wiebe combines selected historical developments with observations of Mennonite Brethren participants, then and now.
Following that, June Suderman tells the riveting story of her MCC service in war-ravaged Vietnam (page 12) If you think offering your life in Christian service is a pale alternative to military service, think again.
Finally, we are pleased to run an interview with MCC's next "boss," Ron Mathies (page 16). He'll assume the role of MCC executive secretary in June 1996. Mathies reminds us all that service done "in the name of Christ" will be given sufficient vision and resources to meet whatever challenges that lie ahead.-DR
COMING
• OCTOBER 27-29-Central and Southern districts joint convention; hosted by Tabor College
"We must, therefore, forget ourselves and think together for a little while about an organization which apparently was not premeditated. It sprang from a necessity which encountered minds dominated and controlled by the Spirit of Christ. A movement designed for a great purpose which finds a twofold expression and realization, namely assistance to needy members of the human race, and as an important byproduct, the development of a society centered on 'others,' modeled after the example set by Christ our Lord, who declares that 'the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for many. "'-P. C. HIEBERT UPON HIS RETIREMENT AS MCG's FIRST CHAIR, IN 1953
From Russia to Rwanda
75 years of Mennonite Central Committee service
7n the name of Christ'
A Rwandan mother and child hurry into a refugee camp in Ranzania before dark. (1994)
ENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE, THE SERVICE AGENCY for Mennonites and Brethren in Christ in Canada and the United States, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Trying to define the ministry of MCC is like the seven blind men who tried to define an elephant by feeling a different part of its body-every part is unique and important, but the sum of the animal is far greater than the mere sum of its parts. MCC is an agricultural volunteer in Bangladesh and a service worker in Belle Glade, Fla. It is an administrator on the scene of a natural disaster and an accountant in the home office. MCC is tens of thousands of people in North America who do voluntary labor in fundraising events, contribute financial and material resources, encourage and nurture workers, and pray that God will be honored through their service and witness. All "In the name of Christ."
The administrative offices for MCC are located in Akron, Pa. This year's Money magazine's survey of the heads of 111 large U.S.-based charities named MCC and Habitat for Humanity International as among the best charitable organizations, even though they're also among the smallest. Money magazine also ranked MCC as the second most efficient relief and development agency. Over the past three years, MCC has spent 88.2 percent of its income on programs, while other aid agencies spend closer to 75 percent of their income on programs.
John A. Lapp, executive secretary of MCC, writes: "We believe our task is to walk alongside the church wherever it is. To be compassionate is to 'suffer with.' To be a partner also means to have others help define how we respond. We continue to believe the best resources MCC has are qualified, dedicated people."
Mennonite Brethren (U.S.) have been involved in Mennonite Central Committee from its beginnings in Russia. The following is a record of selected events that have contributed to MCC's growth in the last 75 years and related comments by a sampling of Mennonite Brethren.
DID YOU KNOW:
• In 7953 the German government presented MCC chairman
P C. Hiebert with the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit, an award comparable to the American Congressional Medal of Honor, in recognition of the relief work MCC had done in the country following World War 2
Thi
rte en m e n r e presenting v ario us Menno nite confere nces met July 27-28 , 1920, in Elkhart, Ind., and pledged to work together to aid hungry people, including Mennonites in Russia and the Ukraine. Mennonite Central Committee was born . Today some
and another family, to continue to be involved with relief sales in Nebraska, Oklahoma and South Dakota as we print T-shirts on site. Our contributions alone would be small, but when compiled with the other relief sales in the United
15 church conferences make up MCC. ........ States and Canada, we can add our small candie of light to others to radiate hope in the darkness of despair and injustice."
Lynette Block of the Henderson (Neb.) MB Church and a Mennonite Brethren representative on the MCC board, writes: "As a young person, I remember my grandmother spending one day a week working at the West Coast Relief Center sorting and bundling clothing items to send overseas. My grandmother and parents' interpretation of giving 'in the name of Christ' was their way of living out Christ's life of servanthood, not out of P.C. Hiebert: 33 years of MB leadership.
The•first three American workers were sent to deliver aid to Russian and Ukrainian villages. Food kitchens were established. Later, tractors were sent to help with land cultivation.
P.C. Hiebert (1870-1963), Hillsboro, Kan., the first chair of MCC, served for 33 years He wrote: "Mennonite Central Committee, the first successful organization of the various Mennonite groups in North America, through its representa- choice, but as a responsibility.
"My involvement with MCC began in Reedley, Calif., at the Pepsi booth for the West Coast Relief Sale. My uncle Willie Thiessen recruited his high school and college-age nieces, nephew and friends for this yearly event. The boundaries of denomination, age, socio-economic status, race, culture and gender, seemed to disappear as people worked together for a common cause. This model of Christ's love in action has prompted my husband and me, with our two daughters
tives in Europe and Asia was able to greatly ease the need there through their voluntary gifts. The gifts of money and clothing surpassed the sum of one million dollars and revealed that the interest and participation in this work of love was both great and nearly universal" (Die Hungersnot in Russland , by D.M. Hofer) .
Later in 1920, Mennonites in Herbert, Sask., raised $1,100 for MCC by auctioning donated goods. After World War 2, more and more communities began holding regular sales to support MCC's work. Today North American communities hold relief sales, raising more than $3.5 million annually for MCC's work. To date, more than 700 relief sales have been held; $55 million has been raised for MCC.
Bill Braun, College Community Church, Clovis, Calif., and chair of the West Coast Relief Sale, writes : "I am motivated by the joy of the enterprise. Consider these characteristics of the sale: unlimited opportunities for hands-on participation, varieties of activities but one focused goal, a general mood of celebration and thanksgiving, and an opportunity to mix with people whom one usually doesn't (interchurch, interdenominational, Christian/ non-Christian). Everyone is there to serve in the name of Christ.
"I am convinced that the satisfaction and joy coming from my MC C involvement translates directly to involvement in the congregation. The vision of diverse people working
Typifying the countless hours of volunteer labor involved in MCC's annual relief sales, women from the Dinuba MB Church baked 457 pies for this spring's West Coast Sale held on the campus of Fresno Pacific College. The 25 sales held across the United States brought in almost $2.64 million in 1994. Pictured above are, from left, (front) Helen Reimer, Jean Wohlgemuth. Arlene Klassen. Frieda Walls. Janet Warkentin, Maxine Hoeflinger; (back) Alma Heinrichs. Louise Fast, Helen Isaak. Phyllis Enns and Ann Smith. (1995)
DID YOU KNOW:
• Of the three largest Mennonite bodies who comprise part of of MCCs supporting constituency, Mennonite Brethren have the lowest percentage of volunteers. Of the 889 MCC workers (service and salaried) currently on staff, 87 are Mennonite Brethren. Of those, 18 are U.S. citizens, 66 are Canadian and three are international.
mental health association at the national level, and a body of advocates for the mentally ill ."
Me n nonit e chu r ches e stabli s hed the Peace Section , lodged in MC C, to counsel conscientious objectors to military service and to educate about peace. Today MCC has three departments devoted to peace work : MCC u .S. peace and justice ministries, MCC Canada peace and social concerns and the MCC overseas peace office.
Werner Kroeker, a transitional pastor living in Reedley, Calif., is the Mennonite Brethren representative on the Peace and Justice subcommittee. He writes: "My older brother might have lived during the famine following the Russian Revolution if food had come sooner. Most likely he would have lived, if this had not been a time of revolution and horrible injustice _ Sometimes I think about what it would have been like to grow up with an older brother. Maybe I would be different if he had lived.
"Standing on the bank of a rushing stream, tossing out life preservers to person after person being swept by, is vitally important. But you start wondering who's pushing them in After a while, walking upstream to fmd out and trying to prevent the pushing makes good sense. That's what MCC's Peace and Justice activities are all about forme."
SELFHELP Crafts o f the Wo rld was born when Edna Ruth Byler brought n eedlework from Puerto Rico to sell in North America. Today SELFHELP Crafts, an MCC craft marketing program, creates the equivalent of 12,000 full-time jobs yearly for Third World artisans in more than 30 countries.
Allen Kliewer, a member of the Belleview Acres MB Church, Littleton, Colo., became involved with More for Less, Denver's SELFHELP Crafts store, in 1988. He has served on the board of directors as member, secretary and board chairman for five years. During his term with the store, they have relocated the store and doubled craft sales . The board is considering opening a second store.
"I am involved because I see the SELFHELP Craft program doing a tremendous job helping people help themselves," says Kliewer. "I also see the entire program working as a team to reach Third World people for Christ."
MCC began mental health programs in three small U.S. hospitals. In 1989 this program evolved into MCC U.S. Mennonite Health Service (MHS), which advised 23 health institutions, including hospitals and homes In 1993 MHS separated from MCC. Today MHS is accountable to an inter-Mennonite board
MCC launched the North American Voluntary Service Program to provide channels of service beyond CPS for youth. In 196060 Menno-
A Palestinian olive wood carver from the West Bank works on a project he will sell through Selfhelp Crafts_ The program has created the equivalent of 12,000 fulltime jobs yearly for Third World artisans in more than 30 countries_
During World War 2, some 4,600 members of MCC constituent groups chose alternative service rather than join the military effort. Pictured are men in Akron loading bundles of clothing bound for Europe. Other conscientious objectors to war administered relief and refugee programs in Europe. Mennonites learned they could express their belief in peace in a positive way, not just as refusal to participate in war. MCC's commitment to assisting all people in need, regardless of race, class, politics or religion, deepened. (19405)
nite Brethren were involved in MCC voluntary service . Today the MCC U.S. Service Program places some 50 volunteers in five rural and urban sites where they provide friendship, support and technical assistance for people with spiritual and material needs in the United States. More than 50 also serve at MCC headquarters.
Larry and Cheryl McJunkin, First MB Church, Wichita, Kan., are volunteers in the Akron office. Larry is an accountant, Cheryl is a cook. "We always felt we wanted to do some volunteer work at some point in our lives, but we'd always thought it would be later, like when the kids would be out of school," Larry says. "Circumstances at my former place of employment prompted us to consider it sooner. But we didn't think MCC could use our skills. After all, we didn't have the kind of expertise required for most overseas field assignments. But we called them anyway and said, 'Here's what we do . Can you use us?' They said yes, and here we are.
"For me, it's been fulfilling to work with the money that goes for overseas ministries. I feel like I'm doing my part, even though I'm not on the field. The same thing is true for Cheryl. She enjoys meeting the people who are preparing to go overseas or are returning from an assignment It's been a great experience."
MCC continued a ministry to Me nnonite re fugees fle e ing from the Soviet army after World War 2. Among the w orkers were Mennonite Brethren Cornelius and Agnes Wall of Hillsboro, Kan., who ministered to the spiritual and emotional needs of the refugees and were instrumental in starting the Bienenberg Bible School in Switzerland.
Cornelius Wall (1893-1985): "Through the open balcony of [our] room [we] saw the camp half a block away where hundreds of refugee families lived side by side, with only blankets for partitions. These people had been driven from their homes in Russia. In the panic of flight mothers, fathers and children had been wrenched apart.
"What could we tell people who must live with destruction day after day? In the courtyard stood a group of people singing to their fellow refugees: 'Oh God, I want to be at peace.' Now we knew that if these refugees could sing in the midst of their problems, then we could enter the work joyfully" (Adapted from Something Meaningful for God by Christine R. Wiebe).
In Kansas a Sunday school picniC discussion on how to demonstrate love for one' s neighbor gave birth to the forerunner of Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) , which was part of MCC from 1962 to 1993. Today MDS continues to mobilize workers from congregations to clean up and rebuild after earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters.
Marvin Toews, Zoar MB Church, Inman, Kan., is a member of the MDS national board. He writes: "Forty years ago, in 1955, I helped clean up after the Udall, Kan., tornado that killed 80 people. I couldn't believe the destruction, the problems, the frustration. It was mind-boggling. I've been helping ever since. In the early 1970s I became a member of the state committee and am now on the national MDS board.
"People ask me why I continue with MDS. It's one way of sharing God's love with people who are hurting. It's a way of getting close to all kinds of people, some of whom you could never get close to otherwise.
"All ages can be involved with MDS for a short or longer time. Hurting people need other people to be associated with them at many stages of the disaster. Trauma sometimes lasts for years.
"I also work for MDS because it binds the
DID YOU KNOW:
• MCC relief work in Japan, Germany and Austria following World War 2 opened the door for evangelism and church planting by the Mennonite Brethren Our church growth in South America was aided by MCCs efforts to relocate Mennonite refugees after World Wars 1 and 2.
DID YOU KNOW:
1.M. Klassen, a member of the Steinbach (Man.)
MB Church was the first executive secretary of MCC Canada, serving from 1964 to 1971. MCC
Canada was born in 1963 and assumed the responsibilities of at least six former interMennonite agencies, including Canadian Mennonite Relief Committee and the Canadian Mennonite Relief and Immigration Council
MDS workers add sheathing to a new home in Elwood, Kan., helping to replace housing lost during flooding in 1994. The work of MDS has created tremendous goodwill and a witness for Christ in the communities it has worked. In fact, Mennonite Brethren were invited to begin a church in Rapid City, S.D., as a result of MDS work following a flood there. Today the Bible Fellowship Church has a membership of around 200 (1995)
various Mennonite and Amish groups together. Love in overalls doesn't ask questions about what church you go to."
The PAX (p eace) progra m idea w as born afte r World Wa r 2 to further r espond to wo rld need . The value o f CPS-type service was too real and dynamic to be forgotten. Initially PAX men constructed houses for refugees in Europe. Later, they served in many locations. Zaire had the largest program with 50 volunteers in the late 196Os. By the mid-1970s PAX programs had merged with other MCC involvements.
Clarence Hiebert, Hillsboro MB Church, is the former pastor for about 70 workers in Europe following World War 2, including PAX workers . "What I cherished in my many MCC experiences, which included three summers working in hospitals treating the emotionally ill, being on the Peace Section and the Prairie View Board, was 'the other Mennonites' I learned to know," he writes. "They shared with me some creative other ways of explaining and expressing Anabaptist/Mennonite emphases in theory and in practice. The Europe years and my encounter with European Mennonites (1959-61) extended that influence and enriched my faith life with broader understandings. "
The first MCC thrift shop opened in Altona, Man Today abo ut 84 thrift sho ps throughout North America s ell recy cled goods and raise funds for MCC. Some also carry SELFHELP crafts. More than 8,000 volunteers from local churches staff the shops.
Jake Ewert, a member of the Hillsboro MB Church and manager of the Etcetera Thrift Store there, writes : "The great thrill in managing a thrift store comes when a mother enters the store to look for school clothes. She walks to the bin with jeans and picks up three or four pairs and exclaims she has money left over to buy some T-shirts and maybe even a jacket or two. Her worried look about how to afford new school clothes for her children turns into a smile of joy, for she has found a place where she can afford nice clothes. I feel good about operating a thrift store "
Wo men o n the MCC Peace Section board fo rmed a task force to explore the role o f w om e n in peace-related activities. Today MCC Canada and U.S. staff publish a newsletter, give attention to violence against children, and highlight women's contributions to theology and peace
MCC s pons ored p ublication o f th e MoreWi th Less Co okbook out o f an ongoing concern to address world hunger. To date more than 720,500 copies have been sold. Living More With Less, A Practical Guide to Simple Living, was published in 1980.
MC C U. S. w as fo unde d in 1979 . T oday MCC U. S. oversees Peace and J ustice Ministries, se rv ice programs and resource development. MCC U.S. also has four regional offices with their own boards .
Ron Braun, member of the Koerner Heights Church, Newton, Kan., served in Bangladesh from 1978-81 and is now director of the MCC Central States Office in North Newton . He writes: "'Why do you help someone you do not even know?' 'I appreciate your sharing with us
In the valley of the shadow
by JUNE SUDERMAN as told to Connie Faber
HE FEAR WAS OVERWHELMING. A BURST OF ARTILLERY
fire sent me hustling once again from my makeshift bed on the bathroom floor to the hard chair in the open bunker underneath the house. It was February 4, 1968. Since coming to Vietnam 18 months earlier, I had learned to live with fear. Or thought I had. The Vietnam War had no battlefronts-the entire country was engulfed in conflict. When I first arrived, I heard every bomb drop and noticed each burst of mortar fire. But within a few days , I accepted it all as part of our daily existence Sometimes it frightened me to realize how hardened I had become to the mayhem of war.
But now fear had broken through anew and nearly consumed us Six other Mennonite Central Committee workers and I had been hiding from the Viet Cong for five days as the Tet Offensive raged overhead and outside the door The previ· ous day, we learned the Viet Cong had murdered
six Christian and Missionary Alliance missionaries at Banmethuot The news had staggered me. My appetite was gone, my senses heightened. I was very alert but at the same time very tired. In the evening I was exhausted even though we hadn't done anything aU day but sit and wait.
Not every worker who volunteers with Mennonite Central Committee has an experience as harrowing as June Suderman's But her service in Vietnam in the midst of war does embody MCCs historic commitment to serve hurting people regardless of circumstances. Her story also illustrates the uneasy tension that has accompanied MCCs vision for radical service. By keeping its workers in Vietnam, MCC confronted U.S government policy and modeled an alternative Christian response to national military service. At the same time, U.S. armed forces were instrumental in leading June and her fellow workers to safety. This is her account of that difficult time. - the editors
A week earlier, January 30, the house had been filled with laughter as our unit ate lunch together during the Tet (new year) holiday. The early morning artillery fire we heard the next day wasn ' t unusual. I had lived through artillery attacks before, always with a quiet certainty that God had called me to serve here as a home economist The certainty of my call eased the anxiety of living in a country at war and gave my parents back home a strong assurance of God's care for me
But when we looked outside on that daybreak, we realized the neighborhood had been overtaken by the Viet Congo I knew immediately we were in danger. The VC had established a supply depot less than a block from our house In the course of the next five days we heard radio reports that American officials had been captured and watched in horror as VC explosives blew up an approaching truck carrying two American Marines . We witnessed intense street fighting ; to pass the time, we counted the rounds of artillery that exploded around the house . Clouds of smoke filled the street as DC-3 aircraft, equipped with three mini-guns and a cannon, flew overhead.
Occasionally , we caught glimpses of how
these attacks affected the people living in Hue. Now refugees, many took to the streets hoping to fmd a safe place in which to sit out the next attack. Carts carrying the bodies of those who failed passed by daily
Initially we imagined that after a few days we would be free to leave the house and resume our work. I had been assigned to Vietnam Christian Service (yCS), a relief and service agency created by MCC, Church World Service and Lutheran World Relief to serve refugees and others in emergency need. MCC administered the program in Vietnam for the three cooperating agencies.
In Hue, I was on loan to the World Relief COmmission, which operated a vocational training center in partnership with the Evangelical Church of Vietnam. I served as an adviser in home economics instruction and helped at several nearby refugee camps. We also worked with university students in Hue . My house, where we were now hiding, was our unit headquarters.
But now, after five days in the thick of fighting, fear had taken over with debilitating effect. I wasn't frantic with worry. Rather, lethargy enveloped me like a great blanket. I didn't think I'd get through another day alive .
In the sixth day of our confinement, we agreed to ration our food to two meals a day and our water to three swallows per person Later, my cook stopped by to warn us the Viet Cong were not only in the compound directly across the street, but also around our house. Now the breezeway was off-limits. After dark, the fighting was so intense we didn't bother going to bed. We spent the night sitting on chairs in our 10foot by 5-foot bunker.
Every night we recited Psalm 23 together. Those familiar words from Scripture took on new meaning and became the glue that held us together. For us the valley of the shadow of death was real. We heard the gunfire at night and saw the wounded being carried to the hospital the next morning. Often, those same victims passed by later in the day, covered by blankets; they were dead.
As the psalmist testified, God cared for us daily in the presence of our enemies. God fed us spiritually and provided for us physically. We weren't hungry or thirsty. We didn't notice our dirtiness. Our future was out of our hands.
Peering outside the windows on the ninth morning, we could see children playing in the rubble and civilians walking in the street The Viet Cong were not at their posts or in the streets The situation had apparently improvedbut was it safe?
('For us the valley of the shadow of death was real.
We heard the gunfire at night and saw the wounded being carried to the hospital the next morning. Often, those same victims passed by later in the day, covered by blankets; they were dead. "
June, dressed in traditional local garb, with two Vietnamese friends.
• A broadened worldview. My vision of who makes up the body of Christ was enlarged while I was with MCC. I grew up feeling we Mennonites were the only ones who really understood Christianity. Then I met wonderful Christian people while serving with MCC; they enriched my life . We didn't always agree about doctrine, but we were able to talk about our differences. I examined my own faith more closely. To this day, I realize I'm not only a Mennonite Brethren, but part of a much larger Christian community.
• A greater sensitivity to human need. My work with MCC showed me I must respond when people are hurting-wherever they may be or whoever they are. I don't want to be restricted only to the needs of my own family or congregation. I must widen the circle. Today, when I listen to the news, I can relate to the people in Bosnia and other war-tom areas I realize brothers and sisters in Christ are living with uncertainty and death while I sit safely in my tranquil Kansas farmhouse I haven't felt God leading me to volunteer again as an MCC worker, but I support MCC fmancially. I know that's important. I couldn't have served with MCC 27 years ago if people hadn't volunteered their checkbooks.
• The discovery of God's sufficiency. After a brief recovery period following my experience in Hue, I sensed the Lord calling me to continue with MCC, though not in Vietnam. I spent two years in northeast Brazil working among severely malnourished children Having lived in a country at war and then among people enduring extreme poverty, I saw in these people how God's grace is sufficient for each day. That's something I try to remember even now We westerners tend to plan too far ahead and carry around far too much "worry weight. "
• The realization God can use anyone. The last nine days I spent in Hue convinced me God uses ordinary people in his work I had always looked at people for whom God did miracles or through whom he worked in extraordinary ways as "perfect" people. But I know now that isn't true. God doesn't ask us to be perfect before we serve him. He uses anyone thoroughly committed to him-each in some small way. e!2
June Suderman grew up in Pennsylvania, where she taught high school home economics before joining MCC in 1966. She met her husband, Don, white both served in Brazil; he was an MCC accountant/bookkeeper. Today they farm near Hillsboro , Kan., and are members of the Ebenfeld MBChurch.
Committed through thick and thin
MENNONITE Central Committee sent its ftrst four workers to Vietnam in 1954 in response to the urgent situation created when people fled communism in the north and moved south. Both the u.s and Vietnamese governments supported and encouraged the Mennonite relief efforts.
In 1968, when June Suderman served with Vietnam Christian Service, 34 MCC volunteers were working with refugee and development concerns. The end of the Vietnam War in 1975 also brought about a temporary halt to MCC's presence in the country. For the next 15 years MCC maintained an informal relationship with Vietnam through its workers in the region and continued to supply humanitarian aid in spite of government pressure to discontinue doing so.
In 1990, MCC was the ftrst North American humanitarian agency granted permission to open an office in Vietnam, attracting a high level of attention and scrutiny. Its programs were influenced for several years by what activities were permitted for a North American nongovernmental organization (NGO).
MCC's status in Vietnam continues to evolve. Today, MCC is one of the smallest among dozens of NGOs and multilateral organizations working in this east Asian country of 73.1 million people. Eight MCC workers currently live and work in Vietnam serving primarily in education, health and community development. MCC is in the process of shifting its emphasis from supporting projects carried out by large-scale government institutions to working at the village level.
"We are glad that the war and its aftermath are over, and that the Vietnamese are rapidly building their homeland into a modem nation," write country representatives Bruce and Betsy Headrick McCrae in the 1994 MCC Workbook.-Connie Faber
Fred Brenneman gives an eye examination in Vietnam in 1966. Some 117 MCC workers served in Vietnam from 1954 to 1975; relief materials valued at S:4.3 million. di.stributed. MCC workers pondered whether they could Simply administer aid and development programs without advocating an end to the war that was causing the suffering.
MCC's man for a changing season
Mennonite Brethren Ron Mathies has been selected to lead Mennonite Central Committee into the next century. He sees 'Significant reconfiguration' ahead.
Itna1d JR. Mathies, a member of the Kitchener (Ont.) MB Church, will become Mennonite Central Committee's next xecutive director, the sixth chief-executive-officer in the agency's 75-year history. He will assume these duties in June 1996. Mathies, 55, is no newcomer to MCC He and his wife, Gudrun, served with MCC in Africa for some 12 years Since 1989 he has chaired the MCC executive committee. In a recent interview, Mathies shared his vision for MCG's future.
What gives you hope, strength and vision as you look forward to directing MCC?
Stories of faith throughout the ages and from around the world show the work of the Spirit of God Throughout MCC's 75 years of existence, from Russia in the 1920s to Rwanda in the 1990s , Mennonites and Brethren in Christ have been active in the world, walking with the church in seeing suffering and injustice transformed into something redemptive .
Church leader Desmond Tutu used to challenge the political oppressors in South Mrica to "join the winning side." I visited that country recently and was inspired by the change that has occurred, and by the profound role the church played in that change. Similarly, the commitment and persistence of those involved with MCC-in North America with Mennonite Disaster Service, Thrift and SELFHELP Crafts stores and at home and around the globe in various service assignmentsprovide a powerful witness of hope in a hurting world
Describe the spiritual journey that has led you to this point.
Stories of pilgrimage were very much a part of my growing up years. I was nurtured to faith in a small dual-conference (General Conference/ Mennonite Brethren) church in New
People wanted to respond to the needs of others in
Hamburg, Onto Most of the adult members had been helped by MCC to flee practical, meanfrom Russia to Canada to fmd refuge in
the homes of Waterloo County Mennonites. A generation later my wife, Gudrun, and her family had the same experience fleeing from war-ravaged Europe. It was thus not unusual that we chose to enter MCC service within weeks of our mar-
riage, joining the MCC Teachers Abroad
Program in Africa.
ingful ways and Mee offered ways
to respond.
Our years in southern Africa had a profound, ongoing impact on our spiritual pilgrimage. Membership in Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches , and working with c hurches across the ecumenical spectrum, taught us much about the power of prayer, the richness of active wo rship and the strength of prophetic witness
Whatis the most crucial global challenge facing people in the next 10 y ears? How do you anticipate MCC will respond t o this challenge?
Futurists tell us the w orld is being tom by contradictory processes On the one hand , an all-pervasive and inexorable economic and infonnation globalization is reshaping the world. While this is occurring at the macro level, communities, societies and nation-states are fragmenting and disintegrating in violent tunnoil
Throughout all of this , MCC' s mandate as part of the global church is to celebrate God 's call to mission : to provide passionate compassion in the midst of suffering, to be a witness "In the name of Christ " in the midst of struggle
YOU will be leading MCC into the next century. How will MCC need to change in order to remain effective?
The challenges for Christian missio n as we m ove toward the 21st century are enormous. MCC has changed and evolved in its self-understanding, its mission and its structures in the last 75 years. The exact dimensions and shape of the changes that will be required in the future are not clear, but it is probable that MCC, along with other church and secular institutions, will experience significant reconfiguration. New forms of governance will be required to make the agency both more global and more local at the same time
These and other changes will need to capture the imagination of the supporting churches for service at home and abroad, at the same time offering new forms of programming that are flexible and versatile yet have longterm credibility and integrity.
How important is it for North Americans to be better connected to people overseas? What do you think your overseas partners expect of you?
One of the truly remarkable gifts of the 20th century
has been the emergence of the global church. The hymn writer says it well: "We are strangers no more, but members of one family ; strangers no more, but part of one humanity." Within our North American communities as well as through our international contacts , we are aware of the necessity, indeed the richness, of crosscultural and inter-religious interaction. But while bridges are being built across these divides, the economic and social gaps between the world's haves and have-nots
are increasing.
The chu rch will only be able to commend the good news with integrity if it reaches out across these divides This will re quire learning and teaching, listening and speaking, receiving and giving in a humble spirit of mutuality.
With governments in Canada and the United States cutting back on domestic programs that assist poor people, how w ill MCC achieve a balance between m eeting n eeds overseas and needs at home?
There is increasing p ress ure within Canada and the United States to isolate ourselves from the needs of others, whether they be near at ha nd or far away. Economic downturns seem to have th e effect, even within the church , of turning our concerns inward. This direction needs to be given biblical scrutiny
It seems clear that we have the resources and the ability to respond to more needs both at home and overseas As MCC seeks to discern where and how to respond, it will have to continue to ensure that the neighbor far away can be given equal voice to the neighbor near at hand.
MCC has enjoyed solid financial support from its constituents over the years. Why is that? Why should people continue to support MCC?
MCC's supporting churches have had a solid understanding of the scriptural injunction to put faith into action. People wanted to respond to the needs of others in practical, meaningful ways and MCC offered ways to respond.
In MCC's early years , many within the household of faith were the recipients of assistance from others, and felt personally the impact of this compassion. As this service "In the name of Christ" has reached out around the world, MCC has increaSingly experienced that servanthood is indeed a gift that can be celebrated
MCC belongs to the churches; it is an integral arm of the church Researchers tell us that agencies of compassionate service are the most visible face of Christianity in our world today For these and many more reasons, and in gratitude to God, we are challenged at this kairos moment to continue to make MCC a Christian resource for sharing God's blessing. i2.
a mismatch?
The appropriate and helpful attention given to long-term pastorates in the September issue of The Christian Leader prompted me to consider just the opposite occasions: times when the pastor just "didn't work out."
One of the most common explanations I hear when a pastor leaves a church under difficult circumstances is that pastor and congregation simply were "mismatched." This could be true in some instances, but dismiSSing the case as mere incompatibility is often a pat answer for more deeply rooted issues. If the pastor and congregation would examine more closely what the real problem might be, they might salvage a pastor's ministry and possibly avoid future problems
A flawed method of candidating may be the cause of aborted ministry. Far too often search committees make broad, general comments to candidates, such as, "We just want a pastor who can love us and preach the Word." Or, candidates may say, "There's nothing more important to me than winning the lost." These kinds of statements are like campaigning for motherhood and apple pie. But they are not strong enough when
issues of style, focus, control, teamwork and patience (or lack of it) get pushed to the forefront Search committees and pastoral candidates must be specific in identifying their needs and visions for the future of the church
Sometimes a match is made too hastily, either by the pastoral candi-
If individual agendas take priority over pastoral care of the whole church, no match, however good it may be, can survive in a healthy state.
date or the congregation. Pastors need an income, and churches need someone in the parsonage. When both are eager to have the position filled, important processes in the pastorchurch relationship can be neglected. Care must be taken to develop a relationship that can last.
About that cover photo...
Problems in the pastorate may develop after the pastor has begun to serve in the church. The ministry style and emphasis of the pastor may conflict with the church's expectations. Some pastors want to "change the world" in six months. Sometimes members also want rapid change. When such energies collide with the slower-moving energies of other members, destructive conflict is inevitable. If individual agendas take priority over pastoral care of the whole church, no match, however good it may be, can survive in a healthy state.
Finally, many pastors and congregations have never learned to practice Jesus's rules for effective conflict resolution. Nearly everyone believes themselves to be loving, patient, generous and flexible. But when individuals get pushed to the edge of their comfort zone, those wonderful Christian qualities often get forgotten. In order for pastor-church conflicts to be resolved, everyone involved must be willing to work at fmding a solution.
As a man and wife must be committed to make their marriage work, so must a pastor and congregation be determined to keep their relationship healthy and growing. The next time a
Thank you so much for my subscription to The Christian Leader. I am a student at MB Biblical Seminary and love to learn of the thoughts and activities of my contemporaries.
The July issue cover article, "The Church 's Contract With the Family," by Katie Funk Wiebe, included a wonderful photo of a racially mixed group of people on both the cover and again in the article. However, I could find no reference to these people, nor to any of the other photographs in the article. I work with racially mixed people and was greatly encouraged by this picture, but would love to know more. Who are they?
Sue Nylander, Clovis, Calif.
We purchased those photo illustrations from Cleo Freelance Photography. While the photos don't represent "reality"-that is, they don't depict a particular Mennonite Brethren congregation-we felt they captured the sPirit of Wiebe's article: that congregations define 'family" more by the faith commitment members share than by their bloodlines, race or marital status. Pray that God might lead us toward such a reality.-Eds.
pastor resigns in haste, don't be satisfied with the easy response, "It was just a case of a mismatched pastor." Rather, ask the question, "What do we still have to learn about growing up into Christ so the whole body can work together as one?"
Marlin Thomas, president Resources for Resolving Conflict Colorado Springs, Colo.
In response to your article on pastorallongevity, I submit that the greatest need within the church is to be taught and to experience true worship.
Over the years, worship forms have changed. Some of the changes are good, some may be questionable. I believe pastors have the responsibility to teach believers "how" to worship and then provide opportunity for the congregation to truly experience it.
Too often it appears that once a worship format is determined, each Sunday becomes routine programming. Maybe I'm out of touch, but many of the "professional platform activities" seem to be more for the sake of performance than worship. The "hoopla" is heavy and the substance lean. Whatever happened to standing in reverence for a responsive experience of reading Scripture together? Do singing a hymn and reciting a creed help us worship? What elements of a "worship service" are truly worship?
Am I alone on this, or are there others who feel a need for more formal, worshipful time rather than "stand up, sing, sit down, stand up and greet, sit... "?
I guess I feel overprogrammed. Don Buller Fresno, Calif.
The terror of uniqueness
In your editorial, "Identity in the Balance " (September), you stated, "Perhaps we Mennonite Brethren have been too concerned to establish our uniqueness in the Mennonite community "
I don ' t think so . What Mennonite Brethren have been concerned about is establishing their similarity to the conservative evangelical community For the most part MBs aren't obsessed with uniqueness, they are terrified of
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TI-4E \"O\.t) CLI\SS "iHIlII 1\= WE STUOY OOQ BI1:!>u:.S, WE MIC,HT C:7ROW uP TO t3e A MINISTE'R .LIKE ,",ItiI..
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it Hence, their ignorance of the larger Mennonite community.
Can Mennonite Brethren rediscover balance? I doubt it Too many believe they already have Mark Jost Ames, Iowa
Walking for prayer
I liked the article about Lyn Hanusch' s participation in the California Prayerwalk (August). The energy, vigor and spirituality which her experience exhibits is inspiring. Beyond that, the call for prayer from Scripture, the pulpit and from modeling is one we do well to heed. Some encouraging developments in our city are emerging, thanks to the spirit of prayer and intercession.
Elmer A. Martens Fresno, Calif.
A of
I was interested to read the reports about the many things accomplished at Fresno '95 (August). The articles reflected a desire that more delegates would have attended the convention. This convention, held during the nrst part of July, came at a very busy time. It was harvest and planting time in many states, like Kansas, Oklahoma and Colorado.
If the convention could have been held in fall-like in October or November-as it has in the past, more delegates might have attended.
I have considered it a privilege to be a delegate for many years.
Dan]. Foth Hillsboro, Kan.
Right
In response to the discussion on conditional forgiveness (Musings, July), I do not think "conditional" is
the right terminology.
The instant I forgive I am forgiven . But it takes time for us to recognize God's convicting power. During that time Psalm 32:1 -6 describes us completely.
When we have an unforgiving spirit we put ourselves in prison spiritually, emotionally and sometimes physically We pay dearly for the luxury of carrying a grudge. It's not worth it! The instant I say "I forgive," Psalm 34:1-9 becomes my psalm.
In Jesus's parable, the father had forgiven the prodigal son, but the son could not know that until he came home The son recognized he was wrong and, remorseful, went home to ask forgiveness. He could have felt the remorse forever but unless he went home, how could he have known and experienced his father ' s forgiveness?
God the Father knows our needs before we do, but he wants us to ask. "You have not because you ask not," according to James 4:2,3.
Forgiveness and the peace that comes with it are among God's miracles and proof that God lives. Forgiveness is a miracle that I cannot explain. But I have experienced it. Thank God for miracles.
Doris Siebert Fresno, Calif.
Thankful for heritage
Although none of us is currently in a Mennonite Brethren church, I was raised in one. I am extremely thankful for the heritage given me and want to keep my children informed of the Mennonite Brethren activities You have an outstanding publication. Keep up the good work.
Stanley A. Ratzlaff Westlake Village, Calif.
QRecently evangelicals have been repeatedly hoodwinking private and institutional investors with slick money-making schemes. What's wrong with the evangelical community when such practices are so common? (ARKANSAS)
ASomeone once suggested to me that an entire book could be written about the financial scams in which Mennonites have been involved, either as perpetrators or victims, in our short history in the United States and Canada.
The more recent incidents to which the inquirer refers remind some old-timers of other schemes, such as the group of midwesterners who sold their land and moved to California to get in on the farming "gold rush" in the Shafter-Bakersfield area. Only too late did they realize they had signed their property over to a man who owned nothing in California. They were left high and dry-and the perpetrator disappeared.
The latest and most broadcast scam involves New Era Foundation's wonderful risk-free opportunity to "place money with us and it will be doubled in six months by a matching gift." Some Christian schools lost anywhere from $1 million to $16 million. A fellow Anabaptist/evangelical college is staring at a $2 million loss. Fortunately, no Mennonite Brethren schools were involved, but it is only fair to say they were tempted by the supposedly easy money. The revelation by a government agency of the scam may have been the only thing that prevented us from being badly embarrassed.
The latest in this series of unhappy stories is that of a former Mennonite pastor who headed a Florida "Gospel Crusade." In that capacity, he collected large sums of money after claiming miracles, mass conversions and martyrdoms among Arab Muslims in Israel and the West Bank.
I
His efforts resulted in contributions of a half million dollars, most of which went to the construction of a new house for the pastor and "prizes" to his cronies His stories have now
BY MARVIN HEIN
been shown to be false: no conversions, no martyrs, no widows of martyrs fed and clothed. How does the pastor defend his claims?
"You're not qualified to do this job if you don't see by the Holy Spirit," he says.
Why do so many of us fall so often for such schemes?
The answer is quite simple:
money! It has a strange charm over us-especially large quantities of it.
I used to think (and preach) that money was amoral-neither good nor bad I always said it ' s how you use money that counts I'm beginning to believe money has a mysterious, subtle, evil nature about it. It seduces. It promises, but doesn't fulfill. It is intoxicating.
The Bible says the love of money is the root of all evil. I have to wonder if that's not a stronger statement than we usually assume.
I confess I am fascinated by money. I love to figure and calculate. I watch the stock market. I'm a very modest investor, but maybe that's only because I have very modest means. Give me a million dollars to play with and I might be no better than that British banker who recently lost billions for his bank in the Japanese stock market .
I'm not saying anyone with large sums of money becomes a special target of Satan. Sometimes the poorest of us is also the greediest When I hear the "non-rich" talk about the sins of the wealthy, I often wonder: What would they do differently if they were the ones with wealth at their disposal? I'm not certain any of us are immune to the power of money.
And lest we think we are too smart to get caught, let me remind you that people a lot smarter than most of us checked into New Era Foundation and its founder and proclaimed everything "squeaky clean "
The promise of money is a dazzling temptation against which many people cannot stand . Remember the tornworn truth : "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! "
Do you have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference pOlicy, or other spiritual issue? Send it to "Inquiring Minds, " c/o Marvin Hein, 4812 E. Butler, Fresno, CA 93727.
QWho is right? James Dobson, who feels we must actively and aggressively fight evil with "war" language, or those who feel such tactics are self-defeating?
AOK, I confess. This is my question. But I think it's a good one Evangelicals are fighting over how vigorously you should talk or write when condemning evils. Dobson says it's a war, so you need war language. He is defended by those who say we need to speak with conviction, courage and truth, and to do otherwise is to acquiesce to a wimplike defensive posture.
I was struck recently by comments to this effect: The Romans of Jesus's day were gUilty of the same sins as American pagans today. But nowhere does the Bible quote Jesus condemning the Romans or their sins . Jesus apparently did not engage in antiRoman political activity. He reserved his fighting words for his brothers in the religious community
Someone else suggested that warfare rhetoric is intended for Christians. That kind of strong language is to be used in our "war-planning rooms" before we engage the enemy in the field. They are words designed for "locker-room talk" before we enter the playing field . Those fighting words are intended to inspire us, not the opposition.
There's room for debate on this one, but right now I'll cast my lot with more peaceful words, even when fighting an unpeaceful enemy. An abundance of fighting words in the public arena may sound a lot like an athlete's "trash talking. " t!2
BY PHILIP WIEBE
Ordinary life
RECENTLY MY newspaper carried a quiz that asked the question, "How thrilling is ;your life story?" To really score big, here are some of the life experiences I should be having:
• Hang gliding, sky diving, bungee jumping, rock climbing, cliff diving, ocean voyaging.
• Seeing ghosts, being abducted by UFOs, having out-of-body experiences.
• Winning more than $10,000 at a time gambling or in a lottery.
• Committing a crime, having an affair, joining a gang, doing time in prison.
• Getting on TV.
In the fmal scoring, those of us who haven't experienced these or other thrills are given the dunce cap: "You've lived a quieter, gentler life than some, but don't feel bad. We can't all be Indiana Jones ."
Don 't feel bad? Believe me, I don't. In these times, living a "quieter, gentler life" makes me feel like part of some flaming radical fringe group. I'm married to my first wife, raising my own kids and am basically satisfied with my job, church, government, social standing and net worth. I have no dark secrets or mysterious past. Just what kind of weirdo am I, anyway?
Just an ordinary weirdo, thanks.
So, what's wrong with being ordinary? Plenty, I guess. Not long ago I saw a cartoon picturing a carnival tent with the banner, "BELIEVE IT OR NOT!" Beneath the banner was a selection of circus freaks, each bearing a deSCription of their shocking abnormality: "NO TATTOOS. LIKES JOB. NEVER HAD BODY PARTS PIERCED. DOESN'T OWN A TV. HAPPY TO PAY TAXES. NEVER SUED ANYONE."
I got a kick out of that. These days it seems extraordinary to meet someone ordinary. Normal isn't normal anymore.
But maybe it never was. A few years ago I was moved and challenged by Luke 3, where John the Baptist comes on the scene "preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins " (v . 3) . "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance," John admonished. "The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fIre" (8,9).
Reading that, I was ready to ask with the crowd, "What should I do then? " Join a monastery? Wear sackcloth and ashes? Become a missionary to Antarctica? Move to the wilderness
and munch bugs? Well, not necessarily . Essentially John answered, "Share, be honest, don 't steal, and be content with your pay" (vv. 11-14).
Huh? That was it? Be generous, truthful and thrifty? Was this a call to repentance or Boy Scouts?
That's when it struck me that extraordinary faith began in ordinary life . That many of the qualities I thOUght of as "normal" really weren't. It hit me again when I read through the elder qualifications from Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus. In summary, a leader in the church needed to be on fIre, Spirit filled, brilliant, talented, charismatic, cutting edge... er, no, I guess that was my list. Paul's list was mostly made up of words like temperate, respectable, hospitable, sober, gentle, honest, congenial, disciplined. It's hard for me to think of those as really progressive kinds of leadership qualities. They seem so...ordinary.
But of course they're not. Never have been "Help, Lord," lamented David thousands of years ago, "for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished" (ps. 12:1). "A faithful man," Solomon noted, "who can find?" (Prov. 20:6) The ordinary, everyday, faithful few in every generation before and since have wondered the same thing . There was a time when I thOUght I'd rather be anything than ordinary. Great things for the Lord, that's what I wanted to do. Assuming, of course, there would be great things in it for me too. I had more to learn about less; that in the Kingdom, last was first, little was big. A little faith went further than a lot of money, talent, market strategy or media coverage. I still struggle with that. In our commercialized, strategized, materialized age, I think the church does too.
An author once said he didn't think of his "muse" as some wispy angelic being who whispered inspirations in his ear. His muse, rather, was a stocky crewcut guy in overalls who dragged him to the desk every morning and said, "Get to work, pal. " Somewhere I still harbor the notion that the ideal spiritual life should be an endless state of divine inspiration. In reality, it's probably more like, "Get to work, pal." The Christian walk could be described, as they say about writing, as "10 percent inspiration and 90 percent perspiration." Less Sunday morning than Sunday afternoon through Saturday night. Not in the thrill of victory but in the agony ofthe feet.
Feet that walk faithfully through ordinary life. <'f2
In these times, living a "quieter, gentler life" makes me feel like part of some flaming radical fringe group.
Philip Wiebe lives in Salem,
Ore
BY JIM HOLM
A failure of imagination
NTHOR Eugene Peterson has an interesting angle on Jonah chapter 4 This is the art of the Jonah story where the prophet perches himself on a hill outside Nineveh to wait for the coming of the judgment which he has prophesied. As Jonah waits, he has this frustrating experience with what Peterson calls the "unpredictable plant " The plant grows up one night and gives beautiful shade to Jonah the next day. By the following morning, however, a worm has chewed its way through the stalk of the plant, and the sun is burning the prophet's skin so ruthlessly that he wants to die.
Jonah isn't just hot on the outside He's burning with anger too Inside he is carrying on a raging argument with God, quarreling with the Almighty Actually, Jonah isn't the first person to do this Moses has, David did, and Job was adept at it. In the New Testament, Peter quarreled with Jesus when the Lord announced he was going to Jerusalem to die.
Biblical people aren't the only ones who have argued with God. I have practiced it; perhaps you have too. People quarrel with God for a simple reason: because he doesn't behave the way we expect him to Jonah is arguing because his idea of what God should do, and what God actually does, differ radically.
Peterson suggests that Jonah's problem is not caused by a theological error In fact, Jonah 4 :2 shows that Jonah's doctrine is quite orthodox Rather, his anger comes from a failure of imagination. Jonah can't imagine that God could do something other than what Jonah ' s logic tells him God should do.
When I was 25, my wife and I left seminary to begin our first pastorate The people at our new church were wonderful and being a pastor was exhilarating. The salary was meager, but I didn't know how meager until the day we went to see the real estate folks to buy our first house Thereby began one of the most depressing experiences of my life
With eager though apprehensive hearts, we sat in the salesperson's office. We had never dreamed of borrowing so much money before, but we were excited about all the neat houses we expected him to show us
I'll never forget that day. The salesperson asked us a lot of questions-name , address, etc. Then he got to the important ones . Where did I work? I named the church . What was my
monthly salary? I told him. A moment of silence followed. Looking at me over the top of his glasses, he said, "Are you the janitor?" I was shocked I timidly informed him I was the senior pastor He replied, "With a salary like that, I can 't show you much "
He was right! We spent the afternoon traveling the city, looking at houses: one built in an alley here, another tiny one there, a real "fixerupper" over there It was depressing.
Later, as we were driving back to our apartment, my frustration and anger poured out I was angry with our church Why did they pay me such a salary? And I was angry with God Why did he let things work out like this? Why had he put us in such a situation? Why had he let us, who wanted to serve him, be so humiliated?
I was in a full-fledged quarrel with God .
I'm not suggesting a profound comparison between Jonah's story and mine, only that we both suffered from a failure of imagination. Jonah had no idea what God was doing He waited for judgment to fall on the Ninevites, while God intended to use the situation to show his great mercy and his amazing grace. Jonah didn't want a gracious God In fact, Jonah would rather die than see that
Sometimes I think we need to ask ourselves if God might be doing far larger things in our lives, and have far larger plans for our churches, than we have ever known or given him credit for. When we expect or even think we deserve one thing from God, perhaps he is doing something else, far more gracious than our piddly expectations
My story has a good ending. My wife, looking through the paper a few days later, found a beautiful house for sale. The seller, by the grace of God, nothing else, accepted our offer, and we moved in God has provided wonderful places for us to live ever since.
And Jonah? How did his story end? We don ' t know, but I like to think he stayed on in Nineveh , basking and reveling in the surprising grace of God, opening himself wider and wider to the great things God wanted to do .
Quarreling with God? We've all done it, I suppose. But maybe we ought to think again. Perhaps God is doing something really gracious, for larger purposes than we have ever imagined, something that would be a shame to
When we expect or even think we deserve one thing from God, perhaps he is doing something else, far more gracious than ourpiddly expectations.
Jim Holm is from Reedley, Calif.
New links in the armor of God
BY LORI CLAASSEN
• The church finds its place on the Information Highway
WITH THE raging expansion of on-line computer services, several Mennonite Brethren organizations are tapping into the opportunities of computer links.
Mennonite Brethren all over the world have the potential to use computer networks to exchange informa· tion, share prayer requests, market new books and materials, and simply keep in touch
Several Mennonite Brethren agencies and institutions are joining the computer-linked world. MB Missions/Services, MB Biblical Seminary, Tabor College and Fresno Pacific College are all involved in various on-line services such as America Online, CompuServe, and the Internet and are anticipating expanding their involve· ment in the future.
MBM/S began electronic-mail (email) in June 1994 and is now looking into forming a home page on CompuServe and the Internet. They release two to three press releases a month on the Internet, to which anyone can sub· scribe.
According to Craig Hallman, secre· tary for media, about one-fourth of the missionaries working with MBM/S have e-mail It sometimes serves as the only method of communication the missionaries have with the U.S. for weeks .
MBM/S has also made its bimonthly magazine WITNESS available on the Internet. Through this readers can find out about the efforts of Mennonite Brethren missions in the world and be encouraged to become more involved, says Hallman.
Meanwhile, MB Biblical Seminary has hooked up with America Online and hopes to have a home page on the Worldwide Web They now have a folder in Christianity Today's America Online in which they do some correspondence.
"We definitely don't think it's a fad. It's something we're looking into pretty seriously," says Kent Gaston, director of communication. "By the end of this semester, I think we'll have a page on the Web, where people can learn a little bit about us Our main interest is how people can correspond with us better and what is the future for putting materials or classes on the Internet."
The two Mennonite Brethren col· leges, Tabor and Fresno Pacific, are both involved with on-line services. FPC is linked with the Internet
through which students can take advantage of e-mail. Tabor also has email available to students and is intending to create a home page on the Web in the future.
Mennonite Central Committee already has a home page on the Web, enabling millions of people to fmd out more about who the Mennonites are.
"For Mennonite Central Committee, the Internet means establishing a presence on the Worldwide Web," John Longhurst, MCC Canada, recently told the Mennonite Reporter. "The most immediate effect of this is our ability to reach 30 million plus people We have become more accessible to people since people who might not think of MCC as a place to get information about the death penalty, for example, can find us via that topic. The Internet is about how we make ourselves more available to people. It's another way of being where people are. "
SomeMennonite connections have sprung up informally MennoLink began several years ago when a group of Mennonites interacted over a certain on-line service. Since then, it has developed into a set of services for anyone interested via the Web.
The central component of MennoLink is a discussion forum, known as "menno" for short. It is operated by Jon Harder of Minneapolis, Minn.
Finding your way on the Info Highway
HERE ARE the "addresses" needed to tap in to the above-named Mennonite cyber sources.
• MMNET: listserv@mennolink.org (then type : Info mmnet)
ON AMERICA ONLINE:
• MBBS e-mail: MBSeminary@ad.com
• MBBS Forum page: From Main Menu, choose Clubs and Interests, then Chr istianity Online. Next, select Message Boards, then Church Leaders Forum, then Seminaries and Co ll eges, then the MBBS folder (bibl,sem.folder).
Those who subscribe to the forum receive all messages that are sent to a central electronic address, including announcements, questions, or any other Mennonite-related information. MCC, Mennonite publishers, and Mennonite colleges that are on-line are able to send out announcements and press releases through MennoLink.
The Mennonite Missions' Network (MMNEn is a sub-list of MennoLink which began in June and is open to all Mennonites interested in cross-cultural missions. MMNET is a forum for Mennonites involved in missions to
discuss issues and exchange news, information and resources related to cross-cultural missions. Messages include discussions of topics related to missions, press releases from mission agencies and church news services, mission newsletters produced by mission agencies, news submitted by missionaries and mission agency staff, prayer letters and prayer requests.
Lori Claassen is a Leader student intern. Peter Blum also contributed to this article.
GATHERINGS
Districts to try new formats this fall
• soc and CDC to meet jointly; POC to meet by regions
IT WON'T BE business as usual when the three largest U.S. district conferences hold their annual gatherings this fall. All three will be experimenting with new formats.
The Pacific District is holding regional rallies on seven consecutive weekends as an alternative to the traditional unified convention. The rallies are scheduled from Oct. 1 through Nov. 12.
For the first time, the Southern and Central districts, will meet for a joint convention. The event will be hosted by Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan., Oct. 27-29.
Pacific District
The Pacific District rallies will focus on fellowship and local church involvement and de-emphasize business, according to chair Harold Enns.
Each rally will include worship, musiC, conference reporting and a
See "Coming" [page 2) for :lchedule of 'egional rallies.
message by Henry H. Dick, district minister. Dick will speak on the theme, "He Appeared in a Different Form," taken from Mark 16:12. Enns says each rally will have a unique flavor, given each region's local speakers, board members and host pastor
The main reason for having several rallies instead of one convention is to get more people involved, says Enns, district chair "It's been our sense that high percentages of people in the
local churches are not involved in conference activity, and it's been our concern that they may not even be aware of a conference at all or what our Mennonite Brethren conferences do," Enns says. "We thOUght it would probably be useful to at least make an attempt to take the message to the people rather than expect the people to come to some central point."
Enns said the PDC took its cue from the Southern District, which has used the regional rally format twice . "That turned out to be a good idea, and we decided this was the year to do it."
Elections have already been conducted through the mail in order to limit business to a quick overview of ministries. Enns hopes the atmosphere at the rallies will create a format for people to fellowship, share ideas and be inspired.
Southern/Central districts
"Marketplace Ministry," the theme for the joint convention, will be addressed by three keynote speakers:
• Ray Bystrom, associate professor of pastoral ministries at MB Biblical Seminary, Fresno, Calif., will speak on "Serving to Learn in the Marketplace" at an open assembly Friday morning and at the conven-
tion-ending Sunday morning worship service .
• Chuck Buller, chair of the Board of Mission USA and pastor of the Neighborhood Church in Visalia, Calif., will speak at a Friday evening banquet
• David Brandt, Tabor preSident, will address the topic "Learning to Serve in the Marketplace" at a joint assembly Saturday morning.
The two districts will separate for five business sessions and come together for one. In addition to U.S. and General conference reports, the joint session will also provide an opportunity for delegates to discuss and evaluate the Senate governance structure of Tabor College.
The public is invited to the Friday evening banquet to hear about the progress of Mission USA, the new church planting and renewal thrust of the U.S. Conference.
Other activities include a breakfast for pastors on Saturday morning with David Brandt and a men's luncheon with Ray Bystrom. Women from the two districts will also gather for a luncheon. Tabor music and drama students will present the musical "Into the Woods" on Saturday evening.
A workshop on conflict will be held Friday afternoon . Lon Fendall, Tabor's newly appointed academic dean, will provide an overview of the topic and lead small-group discussion.
Jack Braun, newly appointed vice president of institutional advancement at Tabor, feels the college's role as host will help students become more aware of the constituency which supports them-and vice versa.
"We're looking forward to having (delegates) on our campus." he says. "Hopefully we'll get people on the campus who don't have an opportunity to come here very often and see what goes on here at Tabor."-Lori Claassen
Bartel: Beijing conference a forum for addressing 'desperate needs for help'
• MB participant cites gains and
VOICES promoting the sanctity of life, family and religious freedom could be heard amid those that advocated radical feminism as women from around the world gathered in Beijing, China, Aug. 28-Sept. 15.
"It was an incredible experience," says Winnie Bartel, a Mennonite Brethren who attended the U.N . Fourth World Conference on Women. "People are searching for something, searching for truth. Women came with desperate needs for help and rights of every kind.
"Our group was disappointed [that more was not done], but we were so thankful that delegates agreed to language in the platform regarding religious liberties and religion's central role in the lives of millions of women. That was our number one cause, to work for this religious freedom."
Bartel, a member of the Shafter (Calif.) MB Church, served as chaplain for a 13-member team that represented the Institute of Religion and Democracy. The team sought to articulate Christian values regarding human rights for women worldwide at the forum for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), which convened prior to the official conference.
At the NGO forum, women debated diverse positions on issues of religious liberties, family, gender and abortion. "Every side who received permission to have a caucus was given opportunity to present their views to conference delegates who attended the workshops and forum meetings," Bartel says. "When the conference convened on Sept. 4, the official delegates went into caucus meetings to hammer out the U.N platform (on women's rights)."
Conference decisions are significant. According to Bartel, Donna Shalala, secretary of the U.S . Department of Health and Human Services, told delegates that the Clinton White House is committed to implementing the Beijing platform . The platform approved by delegates becomes the
disappointments
official U.N. policy that holds countries and governments around the world accountable for their treatment of women and girls.
At the NGO sessions, attendees faced logistic obstacles of transportation, language, less-than-satisfactory facilities, and surveillance by Chinese government officials. The meetings were located in Hairou, a 30- to 45minute drive from Beijing
"It took the grace of God to have the stamina to go where we needed to go," Bartel concedes. "To get around was a variable every day. We didn't know if a taxi would run or if the bus would run. Some days we walked 20 miles to go from one registration site
'People are searching for something, searching for truth.'
- WINNIE BARTEL
to the other. If it wasn't for the concierge in our hotel, we wouldn't have been able to get anywhere because people just don't speak English."
Caucuses and workshops met in huge tents set up on 25 acres of leveled rice fields. On the second day, the rain began. "On the outside [of the forum site] were the booth tents, made out of nothing more than parachute materials that didn't hold water," Bartel says. "Everything was constantly wet." By the second week, hastily constructed sidewalks of stone and cement crumbled.
According to Bartel, all events occurred under the watchful eye of Chinese government security. "We had police outside our door, on our floor of our hotel. They monitored every time we came or went ."
On the third night rumors were
heard that a secret coalition, dubbed by Bartel as the "United Coalition," was meeting in the back room of a certain Beijing hotel. Bartel and two team members joined the group-a united effort of 150 people from various countries. She says the group prayed and formed strategies to infiltrate and lobby for particular issues in the various caucuses. An adjacent room housed a copy machine, computers and fax machines that were used to print notices handed out to delegates.
"We lobbied for pro-life causes and religious freedom ," Bartel says. "It was a wonderful thing to see this underground church be so influential. The Christians were united on a cause, praying and strategizing together."
The Sunday before leaving China, permission was received to hold a 30minute public religious meeting. "We made fliers the night before and that morning," Bartel says. As chaplain, Bartel lead in song and worship at the service.
"We had a fantastic time," she says "For 30 minutes we sang hymns of the faith, Holy, Holy, Holy and Amazing Grace and ended with How Great Thou Art. We read Scripture and prayed openly You could hear us singing throughout that whole 25 acres, like a huge choir, like a megaphone over the whole conference."
Before returning home, Bartel received unanimous affirmation from her group. When asked by the team leader whether they would be willing to do this again, the response was, "Yes, but only if Winnie goes along."
Bartel is quick to recognize the source of her impact. "That wasn't because of who I was," she says, "but because of who I served. I had a chance to share my walk of faith and the daily reality of God's promises."
Now home, Bartel reflects on her Beijing experience. "I want to thank publicly the people who sponsored and sent me there, primarily the Shafter MB Church. I don't know what my next step is, but somehow I know that the Church has to be involved. That means something different for each person, but we need to reach out and get more involved in the larger arena of life . We have to make that step to be salt and light in the world and work for what's right "-Aleenj. Ratzlaff
Racism to be focus of 'Peace Sunday'
• January 21 suggested for reconciliation emphasis
How DOES racism undermine efforts of peace and reconciliation? How can Mennonite Brethren individually and as a denomination address racial concerns?
The Peace Education Commission of the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches invites all congregations to set aside Jan. 21 as Peace Sunday to address the theme "Christ calls us to reconciliation with all races."
By setting aside a day to focus on reconciliation, the commission hopes to raise awareness of racial concerns in the Mennonite Brethren denomination. Commission members believe such a special emphasis can open the
door to a new teaching focus on other issues of injustice and violence. Congregations are encouraged to study, pray and discuss racial concerns as they relate to their congregation, their community and the Mennonite Brethren denomination
The commission is planning to send each congregation "Sunday for Peace," a packet of material prepared by Mennonite Central Committee. It includes stories, readings, prayers, a festival program and other resources. Also included is a set of Peace Statement brochures and a bulletin insert for congregational reading of the affumation of faith. The packet is also available from MCC, 21 South Street, PO Box 500, Akron, PA 175010500.
The January issue of The Christian Leader will offer a selection of articles on this topic.
Members of the Peace Education Commission are Dalton Reimer, Fresno, Calif., Sam Resendez, Del Rey, Calif., Don Isaac, Hillsboro, Kan , and Katie Funk Wiebe, Wichita, Kan.
TRAINING
Claassen compl etes Leader internship
• Program designed to encourage, develop writers
LORI CLAASSEN, a member of the Ebenfeld MB Church, Hillsboro, Kan., completed a four-week internship at the Christian Leader during September. Claassen, a junior at William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo., is the second college student to participate in the internship program.
The program is designed for six weeks during the summer. The Claassen intern will be exposed to the various components of religious journalism, including interviewing, writing, editing and design. The intern earns a scholarship stipend of $500.
Claassen worked for only four weeks in fall . "We want to keep the program relatively flexible to meet the needs and schedule ofthe intern," says Don Ratzlaff, editor. Claassen will study for a year at Oxford University
in England, beginning in October.
The program considers candidates according to the following priority:
1. MB students attending Fresno Pacific College or Tabor College.
2. MB students attending other colleges or universities.
3. Non-MB students attending FPC orTC.
An advantage of a Priority 1 intern, says Ratzlaff, is that the two Mennonite Brethren schools will match the Leader's $500 stipend.
"Our internship program is an attempt to encourage and develop journalists and writers in our constituency," says Ratzlaff. "Lori's good work during September confirms the value the program can have for the magazine as well ."
Students interested in applying for an internship in summer 1996 should send a letter of inquiry to the Christian Leader, Box V, Hillsboro, KS 67063
IN BRIEF
• The new church in Panevezys, Lithuania, baptized its first six believers in June Twenty-eight gathered to witness the celebration. The cell group started in 1991 and has increased through Bible studies and worship services. Bob and Susan Gulack, MB Missions/Services Good News Interns who arrived in January, are learning the language . Tim and Carolyn Gartke, newly appointed workers, are expected to arrive this month in Siauliai to begin language learning. After one year they will assist one of the emerging cell groups. (MBM/S)
• Otto and Marjorie Ekk, MB Missions/ Services team leaders and church planters near Lisbon, Portugal, report that eight people were baptized in May and June. Church growth in Portugal has been a slow process. Some of the persons recently baptized had hesitated for years to declare their faith openly despite attending church and Bible studies. The church has grown considerably since its first "meeting" eight years ago which was attended by one young girl. Today as many as 60 gather to worship, learn and grow, say the Ekks. (MBM/S)
• At least 70 Khmu have made commitments to Christ, with three new churches formed and two more in progress, according to Russell and Elizabeth Schmidt, MB Missions/Services workers in Thailand. Earlier this year, MBM/S made a 15-year commitment to formally begin church planting work in the country. A Youth Mission International team worked in the Khmu villages all summer, living in Thai homes. Fritz and Susi Peters, new MBM/S missionaries, will arrive and undertake language training in January 1996. They will eventually join the Schmidts in Nan Province (MBM/S)
• Clint Seibel has been appointed director of the annual fund and church relations at Tabor College, effective Nov. 1. For the past nine years, he has been pastor of the Belleview Acres MB Church in Littleton, Colo Seibel worked at Tabor in admissions from 1969-74 . (TC)
IN BRIEF
• Aft e r an extensive search, M B Mi ssio ns/Se r vices has named Jo hn F Bergman as its new director of supr---r-----..., port services. Bergman, from Visa lia, Calif., has an extensive admin istrat ive experience in personne l , finan ce and faci lit y manage ment. He began hi s n ew assign'----;::;....;:'----" ment Se pt 15 and w ill serve in th e Fres no, Ca lif ., office. John and his w ife, Do ri e, are members of Neighb or hood Ch urch i n Visalia (MBMjS)
• Greg Camp has bee n app o i nt ed professor of bibli ca l and religi o us studies at Fresno Pa ci fi c Co ll ege. He recen tly finished course wo rk f o r his docto rate in New Testament at Gra duate Theologi ca l Union at the University of California in Berkeley. He earn ed his master of divinity in world missio n an d theology from MB Biblical Semi nary in Fresno Camp worked as director of financ ial aid at Fresno Pacific Co ll ege from 1989 t o 1993, an d has serve d as ad j unct i nstr uct or i n b i bli ca l studi es since 198 7 He is a m embe r of the Bethany MB Church in Fr esno . (FPC)
• Tabor Co ll ege dedi cated its new ly renovated Chapel Se pt. 10 in co njun ction with it s annual fall Bibl e co nference. Thr o ugh th e yea rs, th e Chap el ha s se rve d as th e p rim a ry m ee t i ng pla ce f o r co nvoc ati o ns, wo rshi p se rv ices and var io us spec i a l eve nt s A massive r enov ati o n pr oj ec t , cos ting around $3 33, 000 (includin g mai nt enance end ow ment) ha s removed th e pe rman e nt st ag e and b alc o n y and r es t o r e d th e r oo m 's character i st ic st ain ed gla ss w ind ows . (rC)
• MB M iss ions/Serv ices Goo d News Interns Andrew an d Julie HersheyBergen arri ved in st. Pet ersburg A ug . 31 to begin a year of lang ua ge stud y bef o re t eaching Bibl e and co un seling at St . Petersburg Chr is tian Uni ve rsity . Th e Hers hey -Bergen s ar e th e fir st MB M/S w orkers se eking t o ha ve a long-term ministry in Ru ssi a. (MBM/S )
ETHICS
Us e of profit fo cus of MEDA gathering
• Annual convention scheduled for Nov. 2-5
WHO WINS when a business does well? Does all profit go to the owner, or does some go to employees , the community and the church?
"Just Rewards : Who Benefits from Your Business?" is the theme of this year's convention of Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) , Nov. 2-5, in King of Prussia, Pa
Profit can be controversial in church and business circles, convention planners say . Some successful businesspeople may feel accused of "laying up treasures," when in their view they are investing in productive
assets that have spin-off benefits for many people.
Accounting executive Preston Hofer and social justice advocate Ronald Sider will examine how business success impacts lifestyle and spiritual outreach. William Pollard, chair of The Service Master Company, Wheaton, m., will speak on "How Do We Invest, Not Bury, the Talent?"
Panels will debate "Caring for Employees and the Business" and "Caring for Neighbors Near and Far . " There will also be 10 different workshops ranging from vocational stress and responsible investing to management issues and Mennonite clothing fashions.
The Annual General Meeting will give comprehensive updates on MEDA's latest efforts to provide business-oriented help to the poor in North America and abroad, including new MEDA initiatives in Cuba and Zimbabwe.
More information is available by calling 1-800-665-7026
Pacific
poses with matics professors from the University of Cantho who are presently studymg Enghsh language m preparation for enrollment in a graduate program in math and science education at Fresno Pacific College. Tran Than Thi Thui and Bui Anh Kiet are the first Vietnamese scholars to study at FPC and among the first Vietnamese to study in this country. This educational exchange, sponsored jointly by FPC and Mennonite Central is part of ? longer of Mennonite involvement in Vietnam In 1990, MCC was the first North American humanitarian agency granted permission to open an office in the country following the end of the Vietnam From 1990-93 MCC placed two teachers at the University of Cantho and is involved in the University's medical and agricultural departments. MCC provides financial support exchange and hopes it will develop into a long-term relationship between FPC and the UniverSIty of Cantho (FPCjMCC)
Fresno
College president Richard Kriegbaum (left)
CHURCH NOTES
• Baptisms/membership
DELFT, Minn. (Carson)-Patricia Meier was baptized and accepted as a new memberAug 20.
CLOVIS, Calif. (Mountain View)-The congregation baptized 10 people through the summer months. They were Bob and Pam Custer, Rusty and Patty Rasmussen, Melissa McClintock, Kelvin Olivas, Scott and Diane Myers, Michelle Berry and Matt Berry
TOPEKA, Kan.-Bob Nugent , Kim Berg, Matt Eshbaugh, Tanya Eshbaugh, Nathan Faul, Joseph Faul, Michael Neufeld, Anna Neufeld, and Steven Lee were recently baptized and received into membership . Steve and Lori Yoder, Beth Ediger, Steve and Tammy Zurbuchen, William and Wendy LeFils, Michelle Hostetler, and Kelsey Kreider were also received into membership.
• Celebrations
BUHLER, Kan.-The congregation broke ground Sept. 24 for a new family life center According to the congregational vision statement, the facility addition is being built with the intent "to fulfill God's leading to reach out to the community, nurture the youth, and provide opportunities for adults and families to fmd Jesus as their Savior and grow in their relationship with Him."
BODYLIFE
DALLAS, Ore.-Ted and Esther Fast celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Aug. 20 at Grace Mennonite Church.
REEDLEY, calif.-The congregation celebrated the beginning of a new church year on Homecoming Sunday, Sept. 10 . Activities included an arts and crafts display in the sanctuary, ministry and fellowship time on the church green, and a music talent festival in the evening, followed by a dessert social.. Two couples recently marked 60-plus milestones in their marriages. Bill and Erna Goossen were married 61 years ago June 3. Jacob and Anna Unruh celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary July 3
BAKERSFIELD, calif. (Heritage)-Flowers were placed in the sanctuary in honor of Vice and Juanita Heier's 55th wedding anniversary July 9.
FRESNO, Calif. (Bethany)-The family of Arnold and Rose Prieb commemorated the Priebs' 50th wedding anniversary with flowers in the sanctuary July 16.
WEATHERFORD, Okla. (Pine Acres)-A reception was held in honor of Rudolph and Edna Klaassen's 60th wedding anniversary July 16.
BAKERSFIELD, calif. (Heritage)-Flowers were placed in the sanctuary July 23 in honor of Herb and Jessie Penner's 50th wedding anniversary.
IDLLSBORO, Kan. (Ebenfeld)-A program and open house marked the 50th wedding
anniversary of Alvin and Ruth Neufeld July 23.
SHAFfER, Calif.-Dick and Bettye Barber celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Aug 5.
CORN, Okla.-John and Velma Hoock celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Aug. 5.
HENDERSON, Neb.-An open house Aug 13 marked the 50th wedding anniversary of Ed and Esther Ediger.
HILLSBORO, Kan.- The children and grandchildren of Wesley and Lucille Prieb hosted an open house and short program Aug. 13 in honor of their parents' golden wedding anniversary.
FAIRVIEW, Okla.-The church family was invited to help Edwin and Mary Kliewer celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary Aug 13.
CIMARRON, Kan. (Valleyview)-Clarence and Ann Penner celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Aug. 27.
• Fellowship
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Laurelglen)-This year's men's outing was held Sept. 22-24 as a "Channel Island Adventure" on The Rapture, a lIS-foot luxury yacht . The men participated in a time of renewal and relaxation, developed friendships and participated in snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, and water skiing
ONIDA, S.D. (Emmanuel)- The church declared July 30 "Casual Sunday." Members were invited to dress casually for church as a reminder that nothing can be done to eam God's love, but that God accepts and loves everyone just as they are.
MOUNTAIN LAKE, Minn.-The congregation enjoyed an all-church camp out and church service Aug 12-13 Following the Sunday morning service, members met for a picnic and an afternoon of pontoon boat rides, horseshoes, volleyball, mini golf, canoes, and paddleboats
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Lincoln Glen)- The church held a Fall Festival Weekend Sept. 8 -10 to mark "back to church" time, the end of summer and the beginning of a new year of ministry. Events included concerts, softball games, morning worship and opportunities for outreach and ministry
ENID, Okla.-A Mennonite Country Fair was held Sept. 30 at the church . Activities included a cake walk, foot races, hand crafted goods, quilting and a bake sale.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (Heritage)-The Moestas, a couple who have been singing and traveling throughout the United States
through Scott Goossen and Jason Quiring, their interns, this summer
• Youth
INMAN, Kan. (Zoar)-Ammie Carlson, Kat· rina Hull and Cheryl Rice served with a SOAR Team July 23·Aug 12 The team worked with World Impact in the inner city of Fresno , Calif.
WICHITA, Kan. (First)-Senior high stu· dents performed a musical, "Ants'hillva· nia," at Community Bible Church, Olathe , Kan.,July 16
FERNDALE, Wash. (Good News)Melanie Owen spent the summer with Youth With a Mission, involved in street evangelism and drama.
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (Garden Valley)-Pup· peteers from grades 4·6 performed "Fruits of the Spirit" at a local retirement home Aug. 1 . Jeremy Wissink, Aaron Zeller, Nathan Piper, Ty Cook, Matt lightner, John Daily, Amy Siebert, Olivia lightner, Hannah Paxon, Miranda Rowden, Shannon Schwindt , and sponsors Mike Adams , Jonathan lightner and Steve Ensz participat· ed in Mission Mexico this summer.
CIMARRON, Kan. (Valleyview)-Ryan Kopper, Jocelyn Penner, Meghan Davis and Mary Kopper joined the youth group from Garden Valley MB Church, Garden City, on a service trip to Mexico in July
ENID, Okla.-To prepare youth for outreach and the challenges of the coming school year, the Great Escape Youth weekend was held Aug. 11-13 Chris Addington, Monica Gossen, Alyssa Gossen, Trish Healy, Joel Hendricks, Chrissy Kelley, Teresa Kroeker, Jeannette Kroeker, Diane Mays, Angela Nightingale , Lacy Skaggs , Terrill Unruh, Jamey Unruh, Randy Unruh, Daniel Voth and sponsors Roy and Rosalie Mays and Mike Miller participated in a service and missions trip to DOOR in Denver this summer.
OLATHE, Kan. (Community Bible)-The Hesston MBY puppet and drama team presented "Electrified for Christ " Aug. 11.
Community Bible Church (MB), Olathe , a growing congregation with varied backgrounds, in a rapidly grocing KC. suburb, invites applications for the SENIOR PASTOR position
Send resume to: Search Committee
P_O. Box 232
Olathe, KS 66061
. DEATHS
GIENGER, CLAYTON GARY, Blaine, Wash., a member of Birch Bay Bible Community Church, Blaine, Wash., was born Jan. 28, 1944, to AI and Selma Koehn Gienger at Lynden, Wash., and died Aug. 21, 1995, at the age of 51. On April 26 , 1986, he was married to Peggy Freeman, who survives He is also survived by two daughters, Tara Gienger of Siocan, B.C., and Niki and husband Dane Cossett of Blaine; one son , Kelly and wife Traci Gienger of Blaine; parents , Albert and Selma Gienger of Bellingham, Wash.; four grandchildren; one sister and one brother .
GOERTZEN, JUNE KLINGENBERG,
Shafter, Calif., a member of Shafter MB Church, was born June 19, 1914, to Edward and Mary Heier Klingenberg at Bakersfield, Calif., and died July 19, 1995, at the age of 81. On Nov. 1, 1942, she was married to Pete Goertzen, who survives. She is also survived by three sons, Philip and wife Phyllis of West linn , Ore., James of Redding , Calif , and Donald Goertzen of Washington, D.C.; one brother, Clarence and wife Agnes Klingenberg of Fresno, Calif.; and two grandsons.
HIXON, LOYD, Grant, Neb., a member of New Life Fellowship, Grant, was born Sept. 29, 1947, to Vern and Virginia Woods Hixon, and died July 31, 1995, at the age of 47, due to Wegner' s Syndrome, a rare disease that attacks the auto
immune system On Sept 20 , 1968, he was married to Sandie Lovenburg, who survives. He is also survived by a daughter, Jeana, and a son, Matt, of the home; his mother, of Grant; and his sister, Shirley and husband Delvin C1aymon of Amherst, Neb.
LANGE, SUSAN REIMER, Reedley, Calif. , a member of the Reedley MB Church, was born May 30, 1901, in Bingham Lake, Minn., and died Aug. 13, 1995, at the age of 94. On Aug. 13, 1925, she was married to Peter R Lange, who preceded her in death. She is survived by two sons , Paul and wife Betty Lange of Hillsboro, Kan. , and Jerome and wife Martha Lange of Clovis, Calif.; one daughter, Dorothy and husband Dale Schapansky of Reedley, Calif.; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
LONG, DORIS UNRUH, Shafter, Calif., a member of Shafter MB Church, was born Jan. 27, 1927, to W.W. and Irene Unruh and died Aug. 30, 1995, at the age of 68. She is survived by her husband, Bill Long; one son, Robert Long of Shafter; two daughters, Shirley and husband Bill Farmer of Shafter, and Lynn and Karl Waggener of Fresno, Calif ; her mother, Irene Unruh of Shafter; three brothers; and three grandchildren.
STROH, PAULINE WAHL, Lodi, Calif., a member of the Vinewood Community Church in Lodi, was born Nov. 5, 1901, in Menno, S.D., and died Aug. 2, 1995, at the age of 93. On Sept 27, 1918, she was mar-
ALASKA'96
majestic beauty: shimmering glaciers, deep fjords, soaring eagles, thundering caribou, 1,OOO-mile cruise and much more with Mennonite friends from all oller North America.
ried to Jacob J.Stroh, who predeceased her. She is survived by two daughters, Lorraine and husband Reuben Gartner and Velda and husband Eugene Seibel, both of Lodi; two sisters, Annie Schlect and Ruth Hochhalter, both of Lodi; two granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.
WILLEMS, ANNA, Bellingham, Wash , a member of Birch Bay Bible Community Church, was born Dec. 22, 1903, to Cornelius and Helena Unruh Thiessen at Inman, Kan ., and died Sept. 4, 1995, at the age of 91. On May 9, 1926, she was married to Isaac Willems, who predeceased her in 1992. She is survived by two sons, Joel and wife Martha Willems of Boerne, Texas, and James Willems of Cashmere, Wash.; two daughters, Helen and husband Everett Boraker of Phoenix, Ariz., and Betty and Glen Hassebrock of Port Orchard, Wash.; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and two sisters. ff2
CLEARINGHOUSE
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
EDUCATION/PROFESSIONAL development specialist-Seeking qualified faculty member to provide academic support to the Professional Development Division, assist in curriculum development, work with school districts, and teach in the Administrative Services Program of the Graduate Division. Doctorate (or nearly completed degree) required. Applications will be evaluated beginning Nov 1, 1995, and appointment will be made as soon thereafter as a suitable candidate is secured. Fresno Pacific College is a dynamic Christian liberal arts college of the Mennonite Brethren Church. All candidates for faculty positions must share the college's Christian commitment. For full description and application form, write or phone Dr. Howard J. Loewen, 1717 S. Chestnut, Fresno, CA 93702; (209) 453-2023. Position begins Jan. 1, 1996. Women and members of minority groups are especially encouraged to apply.
CAREGIVER NEEDED: Single person or adult couple with primary responsibilities of general household duties and caring for a legally blind person with other limitations. A live-in arrangement preferred. Salary negotiable. If interested, please call (701) 475-2203 for more details.
MAINTENANCE/CUSTODIAL POSITION-The trustees of the Shafter (Calif.) MB Church are announcing a full or part-time position that can be combined or separated into three positions. They are: repair/maintenance, gardening and custodial. Housing available. For further information on requirements and salary, contact Bob Wiebe, board of trustee chairman, (805) 746-5417.
MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE is accepting applications for director of visitor exchange programs (Akron, Pa.). This two-year position is available Dec. 11, 1995 Qualifications include a commitment to Christian faith, active church membership and nonviolent peacemaking Applicants must be U S citizens fluent in English and have experience/training with intercultural relations and/or mediation among young adults. Bachelor's degree required, master's in relevant field preferred. Overseas living experience preferred. Interested persons should contact Dwight McFadden, 21 South Street, P.O Box 500, Akron. PA 17501-0500; phone (717) 859- 1151. Applications due Oct. 28 1995
Does Aunt Sarah really need another sweater this Christmas?
ThiS Christmas, MCC provides an opportunity for you to support MCC's partners and projects instead of traditional gift giving_ Money that would normally buy a sweater for "Aunt Sarah" can support our sisters and brothers around the world. A card provided by MCC tells Aunt Sarah of the gift given in her honor.
For information contact MCC or MCC Canada at the addresses below, or the MCC office nearest you.
Mennonite Central Committee
Mennonite Central CommlHee and MCC U_S_ 21 South 12th Street, PO Box 500, Akron, PA 17501-0500 (717) 859-1151 (717) 859-3889
Mennonite Central CommlHee Canada 134 Plaza Drive, Winnipeg , MB R3T 5K9 (204) 261-6381
CHURCH PARTNERSHIP EVANGELISM (CPE) INVITATION
King Road MB Church in Abbotsford, B.C., is seeking volunteers for its Church Partnership Evangelism outreach to _.
INDIA, Gadwal area. . .
. . .. November 13-30, 1995
NICARAGUA, Managua . . .................... _ . January 9-25, 1996
MEXICO, Baja California February 27 - March 14,1996
NICARAGUA, Managua _ April 30 - May 16, 1996
UKRAINE _ June 10-28, 1996
PARAGUAY _ _ July 2-18,1996
FIJI ISLANDS July 15 - August 2, 1996
PERU, Trujillo, Chiclayo August 13-29,1996
• Team up with national Christians and witness for Christ door to door.
• Some knowledge of the country's language is helpful.
• Each participant must raise or contribute half of the cost; the trip to Nicaragua and Peru requires $1,000 for each volunteer, Mexico is $700 per volunteer, and the rest of the trips are $1,500 per volunteer.
• Similar campaigns have resulted in 200 to 400 conversions.
• Come and be part of an enriching spiritual experience, discover what GOD can do through you
For more information, contact: Evelyn UnrUh, 604-852-5744 or CPE 604-864-3941
Peter Loewen, 604-853-3173 or FAX 604-853-6482
Peter Huebert
Missions Committee President
Peter Loewen Promoter
LITIGATION
Suing for rumors
Procter & Gamble is going to federal court once again to fight an unfounded but persistent rumor that the consumer products giant is owned by satanists and that its well-known "moon and stars" logo is a satanic symbol. In the last 15 years, the company has received nearly 200,000 calls and letters about rumored links to satanism. Procter & Gamble ftled a federal lawsuit to keep an independent distributor of Amway products from spreading the rumor. (EP)
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Conflict on content
Attempts to censor materials in public schools decreased slightly during the 1994-95 school year, but were more successful,
according to the 13th annual report on "Attacks on the Freedom to Learn" issued Aug.30 by People for the American Way (pAW). According to the report, 338 attempts were made to censor plays, books, newspapers and other materials in public schools, down from 375 the previous year. But of those 338 attempts, 50 percent (169) were successful, up from 42 percent (157) the previous year .
"Public education in America is under a sustained political attack that is unprecedented in our history," says PAW legal director Elliot Mincberg.
But Gary L. Bauer, president of the Family Research Council, said that "when a government restricts what its citizens can read, that's censorship. But when parents have input on what local officials do in schools, that's democracy." The
MARKETING
Symbols of the times ...
THE MCDONALD'S logo-an arched M-and the shell used by an international petroleum company ranked higher in recognizability than the Christian cross, according to a survey of 7,000 people in six countries. The survey found that the five linked rings of the Olympic movement was the most recognizable symbol in the survey.
Christopher Mayfield, the Anglican Bishop of Manchester, told the Daily Mail newspaper in London, ''The Olympic movement, Shell and McDonald's have a worldwide vision, so they are to be congratulated on getting their message across to the world. Christianity also has a worldwide vision, but we have not been so successful in communicating the faith, and we have got to do better." (EP)
Rutherford Institute agreed, dismissing PAW's report as a "thinly veiled attack on parental rights and religiOUS freedom in our public schools." (EP)
POPULATION
Believers holding steady
The number of Christians throughout the world is increasing but the percentage of Christians remains unchanged, according to a report published in Christian Info News.
In 1970, the number of Christians worldwide was about 1.25 billion; that number has increased to almost 1.94 billion As a percentage of the world's population, however, the number of Christians has
remained steady at 33.7 percent for the past 25 years. (EP)
SETILEMENT
Suit spurs donation
A settlement in a class action lawsuit involving low-income borrowers has resulted in a $1.23 million donation to Habitat for Humanity, a ministry which builds homes for lowincome people.
The donation resulted from a $6.5 million settlement of a lawsuit against ITT Consumer Financial, a loan company . The suit, ftled in U.S. District Court in St . Paul, charged ITT with forging borrowers' signatures to defer loan payments and adding charges to loan payment schedules
It's an MB world ... by Lorlie Barkman
Menno Simons begins writing the volume of his works.
without the pemlission of low-income borrowers.
Habitat will use $1 million of the donation to build 30 houses in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area during the next five years. About $100,000 will go to other Habitat projects in the Midwest, and $123,000 will be sent to Habitat for Humanity International to build an estimated 200 houses in other countries, where houses cost less to build. (EP)
EVANGELICALS
Teen morals slipping?
In preparation for his upcoming 50-city "Counter the Culture" tour, Christian apologist and youth speaker Josh McDowell polled 3,795 youth from evangelical backgrounds. This is what he discovered:
• 66 percent said they had lied to their parents or another adult in the last three months.
• 45 percent watched MTV at least once a week
• 57 percent said that no objective standard of truth exists.
• Only 15 percent disagreed with the statement: "What is right for one person in a given situation might not be right for another person who encounters the same situation."
Why do the moral standards of today's youth seem lower? "It's really not a conspiracy," McDowell insists. "It's just a natural progression of history. When you remove God from the center of truth then all truth becomes relative." Technological advances have also played a role, McDowell believes. "If you were born before 1927, you remember the first radio. Now with the baby boomers, you can't
imagine life without CD ROM. As a result, information is getting down on the lay level so much faster. So from the secular viewpoint, I think that's where we got to the point with our kids not believing in any absolutes whatsoever." (EP)
ABUSE
Imaginary diagnosis?
A psychiatrist from St. Paul, Minn., whose work includes the recovery of "repressed memories" and who believes some of her patients were abused by satanic cults must pay a former patient $2.6 million, a
Ramsey County jury determined Aug. 31. The case may be the first in the nation in which a psychiatrist was sued for suggesting false memories of abuse. During the trial District Judge Bertrand Poritsky ruled that memory repression theories have no scientific validity. (EP)
RELICS
One more Holy Grail
A mysterious religious order is claiming that they possess the famous "Holy Grail, " which, according to some, was used by Christ at the Last Supper. The Order
of the Knights Templar presented what they said was the grail at a press conference held at a rundown apartment in Rome.
But members of the order are not the only ones to claim ownership of the religious relic. British historian Graham Phillips says he has the real grail, which he found in the attic of a house in England. Three other churches in Europe also claim to have the Holy Grail.
The grail presented by the Knights of Templar has not yet been subjected to testing to determine age or origin. (EP)
'Born-again' voters defy political stereotyping
ANATIONWIDE survey of 780 registered voters discovered that "bornagain Christians" do not fit the stereotype assigned them by many political analysts. While journalists and media professionals often describe born-again Christians as a conservative Republican voting bloc, this appears to be an inaccurate portrait_ By a huge margin, people who identify themselves as born-again Christians are more likely to be conservative than to be liberal in their political and social views. However, these Christians are more likely to be middle-of-the-road in their views than to hold conservative views.
Overall, 48 percent of the born-again group defined themselves as somewhere between conservative and liberal; 44 percent say they are conservative; and just 4 percent called themselves liberal. In contrast, among those who do not fit the born-again criteria, 61 percent said they were moderates; 24 percent defined themselves as mostly conservative, and 12 percent claim to be mostly liberal.
While many use "born again" and "Republican" almost interchangeably, the data argue otherwise_ Among the bornagain subgroup, which represents about 36 percent of the adult popUlation, a plurality are Republican_ However, only 4 out of 10 born-again adults claim registration in the Republican Party (41 percent)_ Nearly as many are aligned with the Democratic Party (32 percent), with 18 percent independent_ Among the non-born again group, Democrats outnumber Republicans 37 percent to 25 percent, with 31 percent independent.
George Barna, president of the company which conducted the survey, says, "What we have today are three very distinct niches: the conservative Republicans, the moderate Democrats and unpredictable independents, who vote on the basis of a handful of issues, rather than in response to party loyalties or relationships ____ There is not a single Christian coalition but several that are forming today." (EP)
