October 2001

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FIRST WORDS ••• from the editor

WE WERE IN THE FINAL WEEK of production for this month's issue of the Leader when the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D.C. occurred. In the midst of the shock and horror, I suddenly wondered if we should scrap the entire issue and start from scratch.

Then I realized (with a little help from my friends) that the articles in this month's issue hold truths that withstand the events of September 11, 2001. Where is God when we are weary? How can we be effective witnesses? What does Jesus mean by "Blessed are the poor in spirit" or "Blessed are they that mourn"? All of these questions are ones we are asking in the wake of the terrorist attacks, and all of these questions are explored in this issue

While the feature section stayed relatively the same , other sections did not. In What Readers Say, we expanded the pages to include touching and encouraging letters in response to the attacks from our brothers and sisters from around the world. We also carved out several pages to report on how MB churches and organizations responded in the first two weeks after the attacks. While the news will be dated by the time you receive it, we thought it important for you to know what our brothers and sisters are doing. Because of the additional material, we had to cut Church News and Notes and the Forum sections. Look for them in next month's issue.

While our nation's leaders call us to return to our daily and "normal" lives, there are parts of our lives that will be altered The Leader is no exception In the coming months, we will follow closely what our church leaders, organizations and local churches are doing in response to the attacks and share that information with you in BodyLife In addition, our annual peacemaking issue in January 2002 will explore in depth the questions of how we as Christians are called to respond in the wake of September 11.

In the meantime, do not hesitate to share your responses in What Readers Say and the Forum sections. Also, we encourage you to let us know what your church is doing.

In closing, I echo David Reimer's statement (page 19), calling us to "realize that Christians differ in how to respond to the events of September 11." Jesus tells us to love one another, and Paul calls us to "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Eph. 4:3) Peace be with you. -G4

COMING

• OCTOBER 25-27-Spiritual Warfare Study Conference, Calgary, Alta.

• OCTOBER 26-28-Central District Conference Convention, Lincoln Hills Bible Church, Sioux Falls , S.D .

• NOVEMBER 9-10-Pacific District Conference Convention, Reedley MB Church, Reedley, Calif.

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BOARD OF COMMUNICATIONS: Kathy Heinrichs Wiest, chair; Peggy Goertzen, Harold Loewen, Phil Neufeld, Dalton Reimer.

The Christian Leader (lSSN 0009-5149) is published monthly by the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Br ethren Churches, 315 S Lincoln, Hillsboro, KS 67063 . The Christian Leader seeks to inform Mennonite Brethren members and churches of the events, activities, decisions and issues of their denomination, and to instruct, inspire and initiate dialogue so members will aspire to be faithful disciples of Christ as understood in the evangelical/Anabaptist theological tradition. However, the views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the position of the Christian Leader, the Board of Communications or the Mennonite Brethren Church

The editors invite free - lance article submissions, essays to Forum and letters to the editor. Forum is open to members or attendees of Mennonite Brethren churches. The essays can address any issue of relevance and interest to the faith and life of the Mennonite Brethren Church and should be no longer than 800 words and include the home church and occupation of the writer. A SASE must accompany articles and forum essays

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B Y NAN C Y PER K

I WAS 45 THE DA Y MY HUSBAND DIED. I brought him some lunch, kissed him good-bye and went to the grocery store. The next time I saw him he was stretched out on our family room floor with patamedics frantically attempting to restart his heart. My life came to a screaming halt. Family and friends gathered around me and carried me through the activities of the next few days. I held tight to oqr three children and promised them I wouldn't leave and that we would be okay. At night I cried tQ God in sadness, fear and anger. How could this have happened? How could Spencer be gone from my life forever?

As the shock began to wear off and the painful realities of loneliness and survival sank in, I turned inward and found to my relief and comfort that God was still there. At the core of my being was a deep peace and reassurance of God's eternal and abiding presence. He was there in the strength I needed to face each day and in the tears that flowed at night. His love and grace were realities that I could count on to face even this-the death of my soul mate and friend.

Looking back

About two years before Spencer's death, I experienced a sort of faith crisis. I was ready to throw in the spiritual towel. I was anxious and stressed to the max, negative and angry and disillusioned with the realities of my life. I had tried to do all the right things and I felt I deserved better

I grew up in a Christian home, prayed to receive Jesus at age 12 and pretty much walked on the straight and narrow from then on. I had made some radical choices along the way: spending two years in another country as a volunteer; mOving into a black neighborhood in Jackson, Miss.; marrying the oldest son of a well-known African American activist; living in intentional community; speaking out for the cause of racial equality and reconciliation I felt I deserved a few rewards, you know-blessings. Why was life such a struggle for me? Why did I feel so powerless? Why were my sins so in my face?

"Maybe you should get some help," my frustrated husband encouraged me.

I began meeting with a friend for some spiritual guidance. Sitting on Lisa's patio, tears streaming down my face, I despaired. I was dOing, ministering, fixing and trying, and it wasn't good enough. Week after week Lisa listened and encouraged and spoke of God's incredible love for me, his precious daughter.

I tried to hear, but I was too entrenched and

entangled in all the baggage and contingencies that had been attached to that love. Besides, it couldn't be that simple. God isn't just about love. What about all God's laws and commandments? What about obedience and holiness?

I continued in my despair until one day Lisa reminded me of the story of Abraham.

An old story

In the book of GeneSiS, God promises to birth a great nation from Abraham's seed: "All people of the earth will be blessed through you" (Gen. 12:3). The Bible calls Abraham a man of faith, but at age 75 we can't blame him for wavering a bit in believing that promise. Around age 86 Abraham decides to assist God in fulfilling the promise: he fathers a child by his wife's servant Hagar.

Thirteen years pass and again God speaks to Abraham of the mighty nation that will come from his offspring. Abraham, most certainly discouraged by the passing of time and silence, offers God the work of his own dOing: "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing" (Gen. 17: 18).

The birth of Isaac, God's chosen seed, could be viewed as an epiphany moment. But for me, God's response to Abraham's offer ofIshmael was what became life changing: Ishmael is a good boy, and I will bless him, God says, but my covenant will be

God's presence is constant even when answers seem elusive. His face is always turned toward me in love-sometimes I even see tears in his eyes. I am his and he is mine-forever.

established through Isaac, the son of promise. In these words I could feel the love of the Father toward his child Abraham:

My son, bless your heart, you thought you had to do this yourself. Ishmael is the outcome of a night with your wife's servant, but this is not the son ofpromise. This is my gift to you. Through the promised child I will establish your name forever and bless all the world. Isaac is the gift whose birth will establish my covenant with humankind.

A new outlook

As I listened to Lisa telling this story, God spoke to my heart. Ishmael was standing at the center of my life. I was doing great things for the Lord. I was involved in radical ministries, influencing many people, saying many profound things and regularly reading my Bible and Christian-life books. When I was discouraged, tired and burned out, I referred God to my list of good things. "Please accept them, o Lord, and find favor with me."

But now I heard my Father's words: Jesus, the Son ofpromise, is my offering to you, my beloved child. You thought you had to work to be rewarded with my love? Come unto me, and I will give you rest. Jesus is the good news of my love to your weary and longing heart. Your performance does not determine the depth of my love. It's all there for you-unconditional, no strings attached.

That night, as tears streamed down my face, I knew I had accepted a substitute for the real deal. All the service, all the sacrifice, all the good things meant nothing. I wanted peace-not peace that depended on happy circumstances but the peace that passes understanding. I had come to a fork in my journey, and I chose the real deal: God's unchanging, abiding love.

My life changed. I began to learn more about myself. I became aware of how anger came naturally to me and how many times I allowed it to wound and hurt even those I loved . But I also began to understand how, at the moment of its inception, God could redeem my anger and give me truth with love . I became aware of my need to control. But I also began to experience release and freedom from that need. I saw my self-righteous bent and felt the Spirit's gentle reminder of God's righteousness alone. I

began to understand that ministry and service are not something I contrive to do for God. Rather, they flow naturally from a heart that's learning to know God.

I began to understand more about truth. God's love for me is the ultimate truth-the truth that sets me free. I learned that as I began to understand God's love and to live in the reality of that love, out of me would flow rivers of living water. And who can resist that water? The woman at the well in Samaria couldn't resist Zacchaeus couldn't resist. Mary Magdalene couldn't resist. I believe that is all the ministry we need. Good works are good things. But they are Ishmael. They are not the way to peace and life. Isaac is the real deal. Isaac is God's love to me-an epiphany of grace.

tiring in God's love

How grateful I am that in his grace God allowed me to discover the truth of his love before I went through the tremendous challenge of faith following Spencer's death. As I consciously decided to embark on this journey of grief as a healing and redemptive faith walk, I knew that in the middle of the pain and sadness I would know God's love.

As I face life after Spencer's death, I often crawl into the lap of my heavenly Father and feel his arms of love and compassion wrap around me. I often bring only my sadness and my tears. He requires nothing but that I come. His love is sufficient, even through the valley of the shadow of death.

I still face many hard-to-answer questions, and anger and loneliness are frequent enemies. I read the Bible through eyes that have experienced loss and grief, and the words sometimes seem heavy with contradiction. I am a single mother of three-two of them teenagers. I am often frustrated and weary, but I am learning to bring it all to my Father.

God's presence is constant even when answers seem elusive. His face is always turned toward me in love-sometimes I even see tears in his eyes. I am his and he is mine-forever. Nothing shall separate us from the love of the Father, which is in Christ Jesus (see Rom 8:39) .•

Nancy Perkins belongs to Crossroads Mennonite Church in Lancaster, Pa She assists in fund development for a teen center in Lancaster This article was first printed in The Banner, a publication of the Christian Reformed Church.

Love What can we learn from Jesus about evangelism? your neighborsor them.

B Y JEANNE WILLIAMS

I HAD FINALL Y GOTTEN ANDREW down for a nap and had my feet up-a cup of hot tea in one hand and a book in the other-when I glanced out the front window and saw them coming up my walk. Some local church people were out canvassing the neighborhood and "witnessing."

My first thoughts were of how to get rid of them. It was too late to pretend I wasn't there because they'd seen me through the window. I could say I was busy-could we talk another time? But I really didn't want to lie. I didn't want to be outright rude to them either. After all, what if they found out I was a "church person," too? My bad behavior would only prove to them that I really did need their religion to find the "true peace I was longing for."

So I reluctantly opened the door to their knock, blocking the doorway with my body and trying to be reasonably polite in view of how annoyed I was. I smiled insincerely as they commented on the toddler toys in my yard and asked about my family. Yes, I have two sons. Oh, you have children too? That ' s nice. Yes, it is a lovely day. Yes , I do believe in God. No, I'm not really intere sted in dIscussing my religious views right now But thank you for asking . Yes, you have a nice day, too. Good-bye.

When I finally shut the front door, I heard a wail from Andrew's room. So much for my quiet reading time. At that moment, I was feeling rather offended. What gives those strangers the right to disturb my privacy like that? I was offended at the assumptions on which their visit rested. They were at my door because they had "something to offer me " Do they think they are better than me? They don't even know me. They don't know whether or where I go to church They don't know what kinds of tragedy my life has seen or how I've handled it.

This struck such a strong chord with me because this little company of people at my door was doing just what I have always been taught to do in the name of evangelism "There ' s a lost and dying world out there. Do you love them enough to go share the Good News?" Well , If that's what we're supposed to do, why do I often feel assaulted when it's done to me? Why don't I feel like I've encountered Jesus when I finally get to shut the door? Do those who don't know Jesus feel the same way?

Perhaps I could learn something from watching Jesus How did he approach people who were lost? What were his "tricks " of evangelism?

Meet: well

Jesus broke everyone's rules of engagement at Jacob's Well in Samaria Oohn 4:4-32). Many have pointed out how he cut through at least three social taboos by conversing with a woman who was a Samaritan and had a sordid history of remarriages and cohabitation.

We can learn a lot about evangelism by observing his approach to this woman.

Jesus was sitting at the well when the woman came up to draw water. This was someone he came across in the course of his day-not someone he sought out specifically for the purpose of witnessing. This is someone he would not have encountered unless he had put himself in an uncomfortable location

Jesus asked her for a drink. He began his conversation with her by putting himself in a position of relying on her rather than taking the superior posture of having something to offer.

_Jesus pointed out her history with men, but did not make any moral comments on it. The only statement of the Gospel he made was "I am [the Messiah]"- a simple statement. No need to drill it in or to expound on the implications of it in her life. In met, in the next verses we see that she got the implications loud and clear. She goes back to her village directing crowds of people back to see Jesus-also

in a simple, noncoercive way.

Go "inner

When Zacchaeus climbed the tree to see Jesus, he presented a perfect opportunity for Jesus to let others know where he stood on issues of unjust wealth, fraud and oppression of the poor. Many of us have been taught that one of the first points of evangelism is to make people aware of their sin .

Once again, however, Jesus did not approach Zacchaeus by pointing out his need. Instead, he did a very relational thing-he invited himself over for dinner.

As with the Samaritan woman, Jesus allowed Zacchaeus to be the one to provide for some of his needs. And, as with the Samaritan woman, simply being in the presence ofJesus drew Zacchaeus to repentance-not a repentance of wQrds alone but repentance shown to be real by its immediate promise of restoration to those whom he had wronged.

Jesus ran the risk of shocking people by developing real relationships with the worst of sinners-and people were shocked-but his love for and presence with these sinners drew them into true commitment to him.

st:ones

The crowds were primed for a show-down when they caught a woman in adultery and brought her to Jesus. They expected to trap Jesus between Jewish

Are yOU living to "rotect the lea.4?

IN MANY SPORTS, the team that Is winning a game, especially near the finish, starts to play In a way designed to protect the lead. Football has the most obvious example of this when the team that Is winning will surround their quarterback and together fall Into a big pile on the ground. The result Is that the clock runs out, and the lead and the victory are protected. The problem is that when "protecting the lead" begins to dominate, the game becomes boring and uninteresting and the fans head for the exits.

For many Christians, the problem is the same. They live their lives as If the goal of the Christian life Is to "protect the lead." They develop a kind of "hang on till Jesus comes" mentality. Consequently, the Christian life becomes boring and uninteresting Jesus never meant for us to live our lives like that . Look at the life of Jesus and you see someone who had a goal and refused to let anyone deter him from reaching It When Jesus was told Herod wanted to kill him, he said "Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons

and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal' •••• for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!" (Luke 13:32-33). Jesus' goal was to give his life on the cross of Calvary.

There came a time when Jesus was tempted to "protect the lead." On Palm Sunday, the crowds followed Jesus shouting, "Hosanna! ••. Blessed Is the King of Israeli" Even Jesus' enemies said, "Look how the whole world has gone after him!" (John 12:13, 19). Jesus could have tried to protect his popularity. He went Into

the garden of Gethsemane and prayed: "My Father, If It Is possible, may this cup be taken from me." But then He continued, "Yet not as I will, but as you will" (Matt. 26:39). In accepting the "cup," Jesus was giving up his "lead" of Palm Sunday In order to die for the forgiveness of our sins.

Jesus reached his goal, and the God of Love rewarded him by raising him from the dead and giving him the power of an Indestructible life (Heb. 7:16) That Is a "lead" that needed no protection. In the same way Jesus wants his followers to

law-which demanded death for adultery-and Roman law-which did not allow Jews to carry out the death penalty. They took the unnecessary step of bringing her out for a public hearing, possibly hoping to shame her in the process.

The one thing that stands out in this encounter is that when no one steps forward to stone her, Jesus says, "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more." This is striking. You would expect Jesus to say, "If you go and sin no more, then I won't condemn you." But instead, Jesus gives his mercy unconditionally and leaves the final decision up to her.

'W'hc:&t we CAn leArn

Here were three opportunities to let people know right and wrong, but in none of these encounters did Jesus directly say: ''You are a sinner. What you are doing is wrong. You need to repent." Yet neither did he skirt the issue of sin. In each one of these stories, the sinner walked away clearly aware of her or his sin. Is Jesus to be imitated in our lives? One of our Anabaptist distinctives is the belief that Jesus is our primary model in matters of faith and practice. In the above encounters we see that Jesus showed love to sinners. He did not feel the need to point out their sin at every opportunity His encounters with sinners were not forced-they came in the natural course of his day. He was not worried about being seen with

them on social occasions for fear of seeming to condone their sin. He made a point of being a part of sinners' social lives. He did not coerce anyone to follow him through guilt, manipulation or in any other way. It was his own life and unconditional acceptance and mercy in the middle of their sorry situations that made these people stop, take a look at their own sin and want to have it washed away with the love ofJesus.

Jesus, who is perfect and sinless, has the right to point to the sins of those who are lost. But instead, he chooses a posture of humility and servanthood. He alone has the right to dole out judgment, but instead he freely gives forgiveness, mercy and love. Cannot we, who understand the bondage of sin from personal experience, come to our neighbors and those we come across in the course of our day with the same attitude of no-strings-attached forgiveness, mercy and love?

Let us say, "We come to your door, not to coerce you into our way of thinking. We come to be friends. To ask for a drink of water. To show love and mercy. To be, for you, a picture of Christ. And we choose to let the Holy Spirit take over from there." •

Jeanne Williams is studying counseling at the Denver (Colo.) Seminary and provides child therapy to urban children. She attends Garden Park ME Church in Denver.

jesu' encounters with sinners were not forcetlthey CAme in the nAturAl course of his t1a.y.

realize that, "Whoever Insisted on leaving her Chris- April 20, when two killers May 31, 1999 reported In a loses his life for me and for tlan school. ". have to go to entered the Columbine High two-page article that the gospel will save It" the public school," she told School library and asked Cassie's life had sparked a (Mark 8:35) . one friend, "to be a witness Cassie, "Do you believe In revival among thousands of Cassie Bemall was one of teens, many coming to the 12 students killed In the Christ for the first time shooting at Columbine High

Are we as Christians IIvSchool In Littleton, Colo At Ing to "protect the lead" by 14, Cassie was a rebellious playing It safe so we can teenager who was Into keep what we have? Or do drugs and black magic and we have the goal of being was contemplating suicide witnesses for Jesus, who Her parents decided to has given us a victory we enroll her In a Christian can't lose? • school and send her to a church youth group At a Christian retreat , Cassie

Ted Klassen is senior pasaccepted Christ, and her life for Jesus to those kids " She God?" Cassie answered, tor of Hyde Creek Communiwas transformed She decided not to protect the "Yes," and they shot her ty Church in Port Coquitlam. became a bright, happy girl new "lead" In the life the through the head . B C This arti cle first who wanted to rescue some Lord had given her but to Old Cassie Bemall's life appeared in the Mennonite of her old friends from the focus on the goal of being a on earth accomplish the Brethren Herald. a publicadrug culture she herself witness for Jesus . Then goal of being a witness for tion of the Canadian Conferused to be In Finally she came 11:00 a m , Tuesday, Jesus? Time magazine on ence of MB Churches

The ethic taught by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is unique in its absurdity. What is the point of an ethic no one can follow?

CHETT MITCHELL

tHE S BilMON ON THE MOUNT is probably as close as we will ever get t ril life hear i ng the voice of Jesus. The Sermon on the Mount is the S !detailed discourse by Jesus in the Bible. And it begins with a bang: mysterious pronouncements we call the Beatitudes.

. ; ri\ message of the Sermon on the Mount concerns a new kind of goodhat Jack Kingsbury calls "the greater righteousness." Not spotless, mistakeless virtue but a goodness that is true to the core of a person. It is not enough to keep all the "thou shalts" and "thou shalt nots;" you have to love your enemies and (apparently) never be angry or covet. The ethic taught by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is unique in its absurdity; what is the point of an ethic no one can follow?

This ethic of radical love seems to create two problems for anyone foolish enough to take it seriously. First, it seems to demand an impossible control over one's inner life. It seems human nature for anyone to feel angry or lustful. We would have to be a different kind of person to live this way.

Second, the ethic of nonresistance seems almost suicidal in a world of violence and exploitation. We would have to live in a completely different kind of world for the Sermon on the Mount to make sense as a way to live.

That is exactly the point. Like John the Baptist, Jesus is the herald of a new world, the kingdom of God. Jesus' first message is, "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand" (or "is breaking in" in some translations). There are a number of ways to respond to such a message. We can wait helplessly with hope (or dread). We can ask either, "What can I do to bring this kingdom?" or, "What can I do to stop this?" as we struggle to become part of the story. Or we can simply wonder what it will be like.

I have struggled with these responses in my waiting for a different kingdom . As a lifelong liberal Democrat, I spent the 1980s in an unhappy state I was living in the wrong kingdom My kingdom, the Democratic kingdom, had been taken away. I could only hate the present and hope for something pew.

I was living in hope of a new kingdom that was not really new at all--only different. When my kingdom returned, the Republicans went out and the Democrats came in to sit in their still-warm seats. Same story, different faces Everything changed, but in the way of the world, everything stayed the same.

The story of Israel has thjs same quality of endless repetition. The Hebrews were slaves in Egypt. God led the m out of Egypt and gave them a new land, the land promised to their ancestors. They thanked God, then enslaved the original citizens of their new land . They had learned a powerful lesson from their enslavement: make sure somebody else is the slave . Though a king had made their lives miserable and tried to destroy them, within a few generations they were clamoring for a king of their own. When their land was burned and they were taken away to Babylon, they kept the dream of return alive Eventually they returned, but it was never the same Alexander the Great was followed by Mark Antony, and the kingdom of Israel became a banana republic ruled by a series of tyrants, each more cruel than the one before.

Still, the vision endured. Someday God would come back and straighten this whole mess out. The Jews would return to Israel and be on the top of the heap instead of the bottom. The world would tremble at the spectacle of Israel instead of snickering. The whole world would see that Israel was truly blessed by God .

God's favorites

There is a difference between blessing and being blessed. When a father says to his child, "I bless you," he performs an act. But someone can be recognized as blessed even ifwe don't know how they got that way. Some people have an amazing talent for picking the right parents and the right talents to be born with. If God runs the world, then there is a simple equation: Blessed people have been blessed by God; they are God's favorites. Conversely, suffering people are the stepchildren of God: Either they've been bad or there's just something wrong with them. When Israel suffered, they knew it to be the consequences of their disobedience to God. Despite the prophets, the kings of Israel found it all too easy to think in the opposite direction: Their power and success was proof that they were God's favorites.

Those who heard the Sermon on the Mount knew what Jesus was preaching: the coming of a new kingdom They would have expected Jesus to tell them about it And he did, but not by writing editorials He told stories about vineyards and sons and pearls and seeds growing in the ground They would have expected him to say what he expected of them. And he did, though every generation is shocked and puzzled by his rule book. Finally they would have expected him to say whom this new kingdom was for. Who are the citizens and soldiers of the kingdom of God?

Those who are called to become the citizens and soldiers of the kingdom of God are, without a doubt, blessed by God . And Jesus gives us a list: "Blessed are .

• the poor in spirit .. .

• those who mourn

• the gende

• those who hunger and thirst for righteousness

• the merciful

• the pure in heart . . .

• the peacemakers

• those who suffer and die for the kingdom "

These are the people the kingdom of God is for, and these are the people who do the work of the kingdom. Their leader was omnipotent yet chose to spend his life healing the sick, raising the dead and bringing the outcasts back into their communities He accepted being imprisoned and tortured to death in the ugliest and most humiliating way when he had the power to stop the entire universe dead in its tracks

The kingdom of God is not for "the children of Israel," the Aryan race or a few good men Nobody gets in by an accident of birth or simply for being a member of a particular group. The kingdom is not for the strong or the talented or even the virtuous. The kingdom is not for the oppressed or the rejected. When the kingdom comes, it will not fix everything by making those on the top switch places with those on the bottom. The kingdom is not about payback or even justice. It is something new. The test is not what you are but what you want.

Purity of heart

The kingdom of God is for those who feel in their hearts the pain of living in the wrong kingdom. It is for those who feel the profound hollowness of this world and its rulers as intense poverty. It is for those who mourn a world that ignores God. It is for those who hunger to see God fill the world the way sunlight fills the sky after a hurricane passes. The kingdom is for those who, in their pUrity of heart, desire one thing only, "to dwell in the house of the Lord" (Psalm 27:4b)

When the WIlleS. it willnolfix those on plaeeawith those on the "hottoRl. The iinol about p"'aekor even Justiee. It is new.

The Sermon on the Mount

Jesus is choosing his words. The time is short, the sky gray. The twelve listen, absorbing, even Judas with black halo .

The plaster is beginning to dry. What are the essential words? His face is in shadow, his words are becoming the mountain. It is glowing. The disciples do not know they are sitting on fire. His face grows darker, the last pigments sinking in.

excerpt from "The Frescoes, Fra Angelico " in Tasting the Dust © 2000 All rights reserved Re printed by permission of the author and Good Books

How will God build this kingdom? Through his power and through the work of his soldiers in the kingdom of the world. These soldiers fight the kingdom's battle with the power of love. God does not want to swoop down and save the meek; he wants them to help build his kingdom out of their meekness. After all, the meek and the weak are not the same.

The meek are the gentle, the merciful, those who make peace. Their power makes no sense in the kingdom of the world but is the only power that makes any sense in the kingdom of God. It is a power that heals and restores, not a power that divides and destroys.

The pure in heart know that the only answer to "same story, different players" is a power that carefully and gently unties the knot of the world. These peacemakers are the children of God because they bring God's love into the kingdom of the world.

The Lamb's war

The principalities and powers that rule our world are ancient, subtle, powerful and profoundly evil. They will not simply fold up their tents and skulk away. The Lamb's war has lasted 2,000 years already and may last many more, for all we know. Somebody is bound to get hurt.

Those who serve the kingdom of God should not be surprised if they are persecuted, hated, misunderstood or ridiculed. Perhaps the cruelest fate of aU is to be ignored or to never see the fruits of one's work. All the same, no act of love or devotion is ever wasted. The kingdom is coming, and God's will will be done.

As I reflect on the blessed, I am struck by two things: how much they are like Jesus and how little they are like me. Often I am aware that the deepest desire of my heart is to be right. I hunger and thirst after more income and a faster Internet connection. I mourn for not having everything I want right now. I am better at keeping score than making peace .

To me, the blessed are like firefighters. lowe them a great deal but find it hard to want to be one. Yet I am painfully convinced that Jesus really meant what he said on the mountain: This is what he wants from those who bear his name.

A wise man once said, "The struggle for freedom is the struggle of memory against forgetting " May God help me remember every day who he needs me to be. And may God help us all remember who the blessed are .•

Chett Mitchell is a member of Prairie Street Mennonite Church in Elkhart, Ind. This article first appeared in the Mennonite, a publication of the Mennonite USA denomination.

WHAT READERS SAY

TERRORIST ATTACKS

Prayers from MBs in India

Loving greetings inJesus' name. We are shocked to know about the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington On behalf of myself as the Church Extension Workers Program director and lecturer of the Bible College and on behalf of the Mennonite Brethren Church ofIndia, our deep condolences to the dear ones who lost their near and dear ones. Terrorism is a social and political evil that is creating a great loss to humanity-which in India we have been experiencing for many years-and needs to be eradicated. Our prayers are with you as you are trying to cope with the present situation.

Editor's Note: The Church Extension Workers Program of the India MB Conference coordinates the work of the national evangelists and church planters in India.

Finding peace

It is Friday morning, September 14, 2001 The president has called for a day of prayer and mourning for the tragedy that struck America on Tuesday Many are saying that all Americans are angry. I am not angry.

I turned on the 1V Tuesday just after the second World Trade Center tower collapsed. I was devastated and overcome with shock at the potential massive loss of life of people on the ground and in the adjacent buildings. I was overwhelmed with the anger someone must have had to plan such an attack over several years and to carry it out. What caused those individ-

We will remember Y-

In the wake of the ter- forever be

uaIs to hate Americans to the degree necessary to hijack several airplanes and crash them into buildings with the potential of killing 50,000 people?

From the first moments watching the unfolding scene on the 1V screen I knew it could be related to the Palestinian question Those assumed to be responsible for the terrorist attacks on America Tuesday are known to be supporters of the Palestinian cause. I thought of the mothers of the people who carried out the attacks. What was it like to raise their children in a dusty refugee camp with limited water and electricity? What was it like to have a husband separated by war, just a few miles away on the other side of the line, but continually refused access to return to their family home? I thought of children knowing violence and war nearly every day of their lives for 54 years. I thought of the anger building in their hearts over the years against Israel and the U.S I realized again that we are not innocent.

We have not searched for peace with all our hearts. We have chosen the quick

LETTERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

From the unfortunate incident that has rorist attaclcs of September deeply etched Angola MB hit your beloved country ", MBMS International in our hearts Conference We continually pray that (the global mission agency and minds It is We, the God, the father of all mercy of North American MB difficult to find members of the and compassion, would conchurches) received letters, words which conference of sole your troubled hearts and e-mails and faxes from our adequately Mennonite give you his peace during this brothers and sisters around express our Brethren of difficult time for the Amerithe world expressing their sorrow and Angola, learned can people That his grace sympathy and condolences. sympathy with constema- and peace be with you, Below are several of those Today, we tion and fol - Pastor Segueira Luzemho, responses. gathered lowed with hor- President, IEIMA together as a ror the terrible Pastor Masolo Mununga, From St. Petersburg university faroi- images of the Missionary

On behalf of the adminis- ly to remember terrorist attacks tration, faculty, staff and stu- in prayer those perpetrated on Another from Angola dents of St Petersburg Chris- who have been the 11th of My wife and I want to tian University, I would like affected by the tragedy September against your two express our sympathy to all of to extend to you our heart- Please know that we will great cities of New York and you regarding the terrorist felt condolences and prayers continue to remember you Washington . attacks that New York, Washduring this time of great all in our prayers

We want to present to you ington D .C and Pennsylvania tragedy for all citizens of the all our condolences and join recently experienced. We are United States and people Fiodor Mocan with you in a spirit of frater- horrified at the wanton around the world The Rector,PCU nal solidarity We sympathize destruction and total disreevents of Sept 11, 2001, will with you as you deal with this gard for the sanctity of

solution of responding to violence with violence. The Palestinian question is a very complicated one compounded by fundamentalist beliefs on many sides, but I also believe the answer is a simple one . It is a question of forgiveness and of brothers, Isaac and Ishmael, living together. Repentance and forgiveness can only come from a humble heart.

Tuesday night our pastor read from Psalm 121:

"[ lift up my eyes to the hillsFrom where will my help come?

My help comesfrom the Lord, who made heaven and earth. "

The hills represent the high places of traditional worship. In today's world we could call them the high towers of finance, and the towers of security built by the police, metal detectors, FBI and armed forces. Nothing could save us Tuesday morning. It all failed. But, if God didn't remind us of our fallibility how could we ever be aware of his grace? We should fall on our knees before him and beg for mercy, to repent of the evil in our own hearts and to plead with him for the grace to walk out of the darkness.

Our help can only come from the Lord,

The Christian Leader welcomes brief letters on topics relevant to the Mennonite Brethren ChurCh. All letters must be signed and will be edited for clarity and length. Send letters to Christian Leader, 101 N. Capitol Parkway, Montgomery, Alabama 36107 (e-mail: chleader@jps.net).

human life.

the Creator.

Today I pray for our president, that he would humble himself before his Creator and before the nation God has given him to lead. I pray for our leaders that they would humble themselves before the Lord and seek to know his solution to this tragedy. I pray for the mothers of the people who carried out this attack, that God would show his grace in their lives. I pray for our nation that we would not respond to anger with anger. I pray that we would not squash Mid-Eastern pride again with our crushing military might, but that we would work with the local authorities to solve the current problem with all of its underlining roots. I pray that our fears would draw us to the Comforter, the Lord God, and that we would find peace in the shelter of his arms. Amen.

Mark Rogers Hillsboro, Kan.

Editor's Note: This author submitted this response as a Forum article. Due to space considerations, it is being printed in this section.

AUG. 2001 RESPONSE

Rightly handling the word of truth

I want to thank you for your feature articles on fuith and science in your August 2001 issue. So often churches avoid dealing with the issues of science

because they are afraid of the controversy they may bring. Or a church will bring in a Christian organization to teach polarized, anti-science views. Unfortunately, neither of these approaches helps to educate Christians to ask intelligent questions about the world God created, and how it fits with what God revealed in his word. I was especially pleased to see that several of the articles had various books recommended for further reading. In this area as well as any other Christians can take to heart the inspired words of 2 Tim. 2:15: "Study (or do your best) to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

Dismayed but contending

I have received complaints from church members over the theme and articles of the August 2001 Christian Leader. I read the article by Carey Johnson (''What can we agree on?'') to see what all the discontent was about. I take exception to much of what I read, but I was hardly surprised. I recognize the common compromised, tolerant and "lukewarm" (Rev 3: 16) positions that are the spirit of our day In that spirit people say that in our battle with a hostile, God-denying world which crucified Christ-and He warned us before the cross the world would reject and oppose us-we need to call a truce. We need

known in the U S , the Middle person can give us peace I pain .

We live in a hurting East and in Angola 2 Cor tried to understand this world, where terrorists attack 4:7-12. Yours in Christ, event , and I asked myself

Maurice Matsitsa and wars are waged against why terrorists killed many Contact for MBMSI in Congo innocent civilians We know Fidele Lumeya innocent people I realized first hand of your pain We and Krista Rigalo that all my thoughts were From Indonesia are currently serving with MCC Country Representatives vain In Ephesians 2 : 14a, it My brothers and sisters, It MCC in Angola, a country Luanda, Angola says "Christ himself is our was with shock that I watched plagued for more than 40 peace " When I read it , I on CNN the terrorist attacks years by war. Due to the From Congo understood that all things in New York and WashingtOn. recent escalation in the fight - I heard of the American's on this earth are unuseful. My deepest sympathy for you ing between government and tragedy very late yesterday. I wanted to encourage and especially for those rebel forces in the rural areas It was bad news for all Con- you to continue to pray for directly affected by this tragic where several Mennonite golese who heard this news. your country and to pray for and cowardly act churches are located, Men- I followed this event during all our enemies who have We do not know what will nonite churches have been the night Many comments many ideas on how to exter- happen in the next couple of attacked and many members were made by journalists minate innocent lives In the weeks, but we are sure of his of these congregations are about these terrorist same way, please accept my provisiOns and care for his living in the bush in fear for actions . You know that condolences for those inno- children. Grace be with all of their lives . we're Christians, and we cent lives lost while this you . We weep with God's peo- understand that we don't event happened . Mennonite pIe We join our voices with have peace under this sky members are with you and Frits Trlman,Chair the Mennonite churches here God is the only peace and in are expressing their love to Indonesia Mennonite in Angola, praying that the his hands we could have all Americans May God bless Church Mission Board peace ofJesus Christ be that peace Without him no you during this period of

Roger C. Wiens Los Alamos, N.M

"peace" with the world, so let us be more tolerant about "truth." Like Pilate, today we say, ''What is truth?" Just a matter of subjective biblical interpretations-let's all be tolerant.

I strongly object to Mr. Johnson's statement that "I am trying to be fuithful both to the authority of Scripture and"-what he puts on equal footing-"to what I understand of God's creation through science." That is typical Tabor College (an MB liberal arts college in Hillsboro, Kan.) doctrine that is undercutting its support from churches that read their Bibles and so quaintly and ignorantly as to believe what they read.

Christ quoted from the first chapter of the Bible and said "Have ye not read " (Matt. 19:4-6), but of course, they were not enlightened enough in their day to understand you don't take the creation account in any literal sense. That was quasi-symbolic literature for fools until our age of scientific enlightenment. Today the church even undercuts the authority of Christ even though he repeatedly endorsed the words of Moses as infallible Scripture.

Soon these "last days" trials will be over, and we shall give an answer to the Christ who in a last prophetic warning said to that final church of lukewarmness (compromise), "These things saith the Amen, the fuithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God " (Rev. 3: 14). Many today will not heed his warnings there. They are too modem for repentance and too blind to see (Rev. 3:18-19). In fuct, many today would reject the word and style of Christ or a "too intolerant" John the Baptist. But I echo the Scripture, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" (Rev 3:22).

May we beware, lest when that master of deceit (antichrist) arises, we do not embrace him out of a spirit of peace, "cooperation with the brotherhood of man" and "Christian" toleration. Dismayed but contending Oude 3),

Compromising biblical

creationism

"How long halt ye between two opinions?" demanded the prophet Elijah to the people of Israel, straddling between Jehovah and the idols of their neighbors (1 Kings 18:21). Elijah could as well have been talking to Christians who make a virtue of compromising on biblical creation in order to appear open-minded and intellectual, who try to squeeze Genesis into an evolutionist framework.

There really is no conflict between science and Scripture, no need to rest one foot on evolution and the other on the Bible. Good science makes good Bible interpretation

The most fundamental law of physics is the conservation of matter and energy: ''You can't get something from nothing." Bad science says the universe sprang from nothing, for no cause, "just one of those things that happen," suggested evolutionist Carl Sagan. Good science says a self-existing causal agent of unlimited power and determined purpose, God, created the world (Gen. 1: 1) . The most fundamental law of biology is the law of biogenesis: Life comes from life only. Period. Bad science says life sprang from lifeless ooze. Good science says in Jesus was life. "All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made" Oohn 1:3). Good science has predictive power. The bad science of Darwin's day predicted that fossils would soon be found demonstrating transitional forms between successive forms of life. The Bible correctly predicted no such fossils would ever be found. It stated plainly beforehand that God created every creature "according to its kind" and that each multiplied "after its kind." Two hundred years offossil hunting have verified the Bible's prediction and utterly falsified evolution's.

Genesis is the very foundation of the Gospel. One doesn't understand salvation unless he accepts creation. Evolution says that man is a form of ape, erstwhile pond scum, improving slowly, gradually, little by little, by the process of killing, eating and mating-never finished, always slowly getting better and better. This contrasts strongly with the gospel message. For mankind, having fullen from a ''very good" initial state , Jesus died to redeem us from

sin. If we were instead born part of "nature, red in tooth and claw," how could we be blamed? And if we had been on a course of improvement already, why would Jesus need to die? Doubted Genesis equals an unbelieved Gospel.

Christian morality, likewise, depends on the full acceptance of Genesis. Chimp and gorilla males regularly employ infanticide, genocide, murder and rape to propagate their own genes at the expense of others. Compromisers propose that God used a similar ethic to produce Adam. How may they then preach against selfish reproductive behavior today? He who doubts Genesis has no right to preach morality.

Not only Genesis, but Jesus taught special creation of men and women from the beginning (Matt. 19:4). Wasn't he with God from the beginning? Weren't all things made through him? Doesn't he tell the truth? Is not Jesus our Lord? If, to appease the world, we abandon Jesus here, can we uphold him when significant moral issues test our mettle?

Can compromise really appeal to unbelievers? James doesn't advise any deceitful form of seduction. He writes, "Unfaithful creatures! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" Oames 4:4).

Can a good-will desire to make the Gospel appealing by allying it with evolution please God? Not according to Hebrews: "For by fuith the men of old received divine approval. By fuith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear" (Heb. 11:2-3). Paul counseled Timothy against playing on popular theories: "0 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid the godless chatter and contradictions of what is falsely called science" (1 Tim. 6:20).

In 00, a scientifically minded person, fur from being repulsed by a Christian who argues a creationist view, may be delighted to learn that belief in the Bible is perfectly consistent with scientific rigor. If he were, instead, to gather that Christians don't really care about the truth of their Bible, he would think Christianity bland pabulum indeed. The past 30 years of creation evangelism have seen thousands of renowned scientists come to Christ, people who never would have put their trust in the Bible if they had understood it to be allegory. True religion puts the brain to taskrigorous, informative and above board.

In view of its profound significance to continued on page 33

Being Number Two

ONCE AGAIN THE GREAT MINDS of science are turning their attention to a deep and cryptic mystery that has haunted humanity for centuries. Plans are in place to perform global research regarding the abiding and crucial question: What is the world's funniest joke?

Yes, this is a genuine scientific study about to be launched as I write these words. I should add that it's not all fun and games-the stated goal is to discover brainwave response to jokes and if there is such a thing as universal humor that transcends culture and background.

Of course it wouldn't take much research to conclude that the notion of finding the world's funniest joke is, well, laughable. To state the obvious, humor is highly subjective There are many factors involved in whether someone finds something funny or not. Some believe puns , for instance, are the pinnacle of sophisticated humor, while others (such as myself) want to flee the room when the punning starts. Some are fond of obscene humor, while fortunately there are still a few who find it offensive long before the punch line. Many men reportedly love to watch the Three Stooges, while many women would just as soon watch mold form And it's evident that jokes rarely if ever translate well into other languages. Different cultures simply treat different things as humorous or otherwise . What intrigues me most about all this is that someone would undertake to discover the "world's funniest" in the first place. Maybe it's a sign of our times. We live in an age obsessed with what is first, best, biggest, tops. Right now we're in the season of football

polls and shouts of "We're Number One!" On the subject of sports, I always find it interesting when pro teams draft skilled college players or trade for some superstar. The speech that often accompanies such transactions is, "I'm here to help this team win a championship." In reality few teams ever win championships, however, so if most of these players were more honest perhaps they'd say, "I'm here with no idea what will happen but I hope to play decent and fit in with the team and not break my leg in next week's game."

The thing is, those really aren't bad goals for an athlete or for anyone going off to work in the morning It's not so terrible being Number 2, or 20, or 202. In fact, the Bible recommends it.

Scripture says at least two things about being Number One. To begin with, most of us know Jesus ' words about many who are first ending up last, and many who are last ending up first It's the humble and meek, not the rich and famous, who inherit the Kingdom It's the servants, not the barons and magnates, who are the greatest These are profound words to live by, and I can certainly say that I try my best to not completely fail to live by them, though mostly I do . Because my nature as a human, especially a modem American human, is to be Number One and look out for Number One It just sounds all wrong to go out declaring, "Today my goal is to be Number Two."

Yet that's exactly what the Bible tells us to do "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" (phil. 2:3-4).

Perhaps a second thing Scripture says about being Number One helps a little with the first thing. The Bible never calls us to be the best, only to do our best with what God has given. InJesus' parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14-30) , there's a master who gives "five talents of money" to one servant, two to another and one to a third, for each to invest "according to his ability " The first and second servants double their money. The first servant actually makes more than twice as much as the second, but here is the interesting thing. There is no Investor of the Year award or trip to Hawaii given for the effort. The first and second servants, though differing in abilities and results, receive exactly the same reward: a hearty "Well done" and more responsibility! And so in a spiritual sense, it's encouraging that our talents, limited though they are, really can benefit God's people and purposes-if we use them

But a discouraging thought strikes me as well. I can't help suspecting that today the "well done" reward of the parable would mostly be met with gripes of, "That's all I get?" because I can't shake the sense that too many modem Christians dwell far more on what they think they deserve for themselves rather than what they might give of themselves. The What's In It For Me? virus has encountered surprisingly little resistance in today's church body. I suppose that clarifies who's really Number One in the lives of many churchgoers-and it apparently isn't God or others •

INQUIRING MINDS

Questions about faith and life

Biblical fasting and spiritual blacktnail on the Internet

. .

QI am troubled that we hear so lit· tie mention of fasting anymore. There's a lot about prayer, but It appears to me we are glossing over the very exciting and biblical principle of prayer and fasting. (Kansas)

AThe inquirer gives testimony to how meaningful fasting has become in their life as a couple. They fast each week. They have tried to involve others in fasting, but with minimal success. Aside from the spiritual fruits of fasting, the inquirer has researched into the benefits of "physiological fasting" and found some interesting evidence. Apparently fasting can be beneficial to the human body and some research points to fasting as a possible means of preventing cancer.

When I received the e-mail with this question about fasting, I said to myself: "I know a lot about eating, but I know very little about fasting." That's not a boast, but an admission that I am probably guilty of what the inquirer fears is happening among us as Christians. I'd find it much more comfortable to write about which food to eat or not eat than about refraining from eating.

Being completely uninvolved in this spiritual diScipline, I turned to two friends I thought might have practiced fasting. Without saying how often or how long he fasted, one friend said Jesus gave fasting equal prominence with prayer and giving in the New Testament: ''when you give when you pray when you fast " Jesus was careful in Matt. 6:16-18 to warn that fasting was not to be done to impress others, but he seems to have assumed it was a

helpful discipline, or perhaps even a commandment.

When I asked a professor friend about this Matthew passage, he responded that Jesus used the three disciplines because he was talking with Judaizers (pharisees) whose theology made prayer, giving and fasting the three pillars of orthodox Judaism. His contention is that they are not equally commanded, but Jesus used the three because in this way Jesus confronted all the basics of the Judaizers' beliefs. Moreover, he observed that nowhere, to his knowledge, was fasting taught or commanded in the Pauline epistles. There are two instances (1 Cor. 7:5 and 2 Cor 6:5) where Paul refers to what some translations call "fasting," but other versions speak of "prayer" or "hunger." It is rather fascinating that aside from Jesus' words we have either little or no encouragement to fast.

Cruden's Concordance has a note that says: "It does not appear by our Savior's own practice, or any commands that he gave to his disciples, that he instituted any particular fasts, or enjoined any (fasts) to be kept out of pure devotion. It is however inferred he expected his followers would do so."

My first friend said fasting was a means of inverting the hierarchy of needs in our life-flesh and spirit. My second friend, who has fasted for as long as 40 days at a time, maintainl> fasting is a means of gaining a greater sense of God's direction in his life. He described in detail both his physical responses and the spiritual effects of fasting in his life.

So what shall we say? The silence of

Have a question about a Bible passage, doctrine, conference policy, or other spiritual issue? E-mail Marvin at mbein1@fresno edu or send your question to "Inquiring Minds, " c/o Marvin Hein, 4812 E Butler, Fresno, CA 93727.

much of the New Testament may be due to the fact that fasting was so much a part of that culture, both pagan and otherwise, that Paul and others assumed it would be practiced by believers. On the other hand, I see no mandate from Jesus or biblical writers that can be taken as a directive . I do not doubt that fasting can have its benefits, both spiritually and perhaps physically. I would think this would need to be over a longer period of time. I often go without a meal, but I see no virtue in that. Even my friend who fasted 40 days said that after he lost 27 pounds fasting, he regained 38 pounds.

QAre some Christians guilty of "spiritual blackmail" on the Internet?

AThis question arises out of a previous column in which I questioned the messages some of us receive via e-mail. Hardly a week goes by that I do not receive at least one "forward" in my e-mail box that tells a thrilling spiritual story and then asks me to forward it to four or 10 or a 100 other people What makes me wince is when I am told that, if I forward the message, I will reap certain benefits. Or worse yet, if I don't forward the message, dire consequences await me.

I refuse to be drawn into such unworthy endeavors. The Internet provides a whole new arena in which Christians (and others) not only shock, frighten and irritate people, but in many cases spread stories and fanciful tales that are pure gossip . It is so easy to spread this new variety of "urban virus" with the simple click of a "mouse," when we might think twice before we did it face-to-face •

Reach out and touch someone

I KNOW IT'S AWFULLY EARLY TO talk about Christmas but then I'm just part of a current trend. At the beginning of September there was an ad on local1V that included Santa Claus, snow, blowing wind and getting ready for Christmas. A few days later the local paper had a cartoon which showed a department store decorated for Christmas and the customer asking the clerk, "Holiday decorations already?" The clerk's reply was supposed to be funny, "It's worse than you think. These are for Christmas 2002 ." The ads continually urge us to plan early for Christmas, but mostly it's about shopping and spending money on things.

Several years ago our pastor challenged us in an Advent sermon to reach out to others during the Christmas season-to get out of our comfort zone and touch someone's life who was not necessarily part of our inner circle. We were admonished to find others who needed to feel God's love in a new way and invite them to join us in our Christmas celebrations.

FollOwing his suggestion, my husband and I decided to invite several Chinese graduate student families over for Christmas. It was a busy time for us but well worth the effort. What made it so special was that at one point we were asked to explain to them what Christmas was really all about. It was our opportunity to share Jesus with them!

That sermon also brought back memories for me of a Christmas when I needed someone to reach out to me. It was the Christmas of my senior year in college and things looked rather bleak for me. I was dealing with the aftereffects of a "Dear Jane" letter and my ride back home to Canada failed to materialize. It looked like I was going to spend

Christmas Day alone-in my upstairs aparttnent in this small Kansas townfeeling sorry for myself. However, a phone call I received several days before Christmas changed all that.

The woman who called that day was a stranger to me. "Our children aren't coming home this year," she said, "and my husband and I don't want to spend Christmas alone. I understand you won't be going home to be with your family, so would you come and join us? We would love to have you. "

Three of us "stranded" young women were their guests that Christmas. I have fond memories of that day: the elegantly set table, the wonderful food and the good company. I was deeply touched by their hospitality. What looked like a very lonely time away from my family turned, instead , into a fond memory that I still cherish.

One year my sister had a similar idea. She invited two sisters, friends of hers, to share in our extended family Christmas celebration. Disowned by their parents after they became Christians, these two young women were no longer welcome in their parental home We had a great time visiting with them and they were overjoyed to be a part of our celebration. After that they were "family"'and shared many other times with us

Reaching out to others from our bounty is something we can and should consider doing And sometimes, we also help ourselves in the process, just as the couple who invited me over did. We can tum our own loneliness into a time of sharing and blessing.

The worst Christmas of my life occurred during the early years of our marriage My husband was in graduate school and money was scarce A trip

back to either of our extended families for the holidays was out of question. We really hadn't planned ahead and so found ourselves on Christmas Day, alone and unhappy, feeling sorry for ourselves. It was not a fun time . I promised myself that day that "this will never happen again." The next year we asked around and found several other graduate student couples in our situation and organized our own Christmas "family" celebration. It was so special that we repeated it for a number of years.

Many years later we again faced spending Christmas alone Since Christmas Day that year was on a Sunday we decided to reach out to others in our congregation who might be alone also. All who wanted to were invited to join in a Christmas dinner at the church following the morning worship service. Several of us provided the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy. We asked the other guests to bring their favorite dish to add to the buffet Before the celebration was over we had shared our day with 67 people!

Traditionally, we think of Christmas as a fun time to be spent with family and friends For those for whom this is a reality it is a great time. However not all of us fit this picture . Sooner or later most of us find ourselves alone at a time when we need others. Sitting at home, alone, feeling sorry for ourselves should not be an option

Churches need to be sensitive to this need within their congregations and find ways to reach out at a time when many are vulnerable.

It 's not too early to begin planning. This coming Christmas, reach out and touch someone , either from your bounty or your loneliness . You will be blessed and so will those you touch .•

MBs respond to attacks

School, churches and organizations respond with

,. prayer, supplies and community effort

Like the ripples of a pebble tossed into a pond, the events of Sept. 11 reached beyond the World Trade Center buildings in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington D.C. and a field near Pittsburgh, Pa. More than 6,000 people lost their lives when terrorists used four commercial airliners as weapons of destruction. The ripples of this tragedy touched Mennonite Brethren, other Anabaptist believers and inter-Mennonite agencies.

Mennonite Brethren congregations were among the many which met for prayer Tuesday evening as well as Sept. 14, designated by President George W. Bush as a day of prayer and remembrance. Regularly scheduled events, like the Oklahoma Indian American Baptist Association monthly sing hosted by Post Oak MB Church of Indiahoma, Okla., gave participants the opportunity to share testimonies and pray for their country and those affected by the tragedy. About 150 people representing some 15 southwest Oklahoma churches attended the Sept. 16 sing.

Mennonite Brethren were also among the many whom wanted to respond to the needs of the survivors, those who lost loved ones and the workers who toiled amid the wreckage. Tom Smucker, Mennonite Disaster Service executive coordinator, spoke for many when he said, "We cannot simply sit and watch Our people want to do something." MDS volunteers were disappointed to learn that the

Federal Emergency Management Agency had requested that the nation stop sending volunteers and donated goods to New York City and Washington D.C. where recovery efforts were overwhelmed by an "outpouring of generosity," according to the MDS web site. While the recovery and counseling efforts didn't need people, it did need dollars and MDS quickly responded by establishing the Restoring Hope Fund.

We at the Leader cannot begin to detail the many responses by Mennonite Brethren and inter-Mennonite agencies. For updated and continuing coverage, visit the web sites listed throughout these pages. Also visit the Menrwnite Week(y Review web site at www mennowee1dy. org for weekly updates. The Leader will give continuing coverage over the next months. Information about local church or agency events and activities can be sent to staff by phone, fax or e-mail (see contact information on page 3)

Schools pray and give

Among u.S . Mennonite institutions holding prayer services follOwing the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were the three Mennonite Brethren schools: MB Biblical Seminary (www.mbseminary.org), Fresno Pacific University (www.&esno. edu), both of Fresno, Calif., and Tabor

u.s., Canadian leaders issue statements

U.S. STATEMENT

I would like to encourage the Mennonite Brethren Church In the U.S. to Join with other believers In prayer over the horrifying events of Sept. 11. We pray for peace, we pray for Justice and we pray for comfort In the shadow of a great tragedy. I realize that our faith calls us to be peacemakers. The Mennonite Brethren have a long history of giving witness to peace, s0metimes In very difficult situ.

tIons. Let us continue the struggle to find ways to mote love and non-violence as understood In our Confe&. slon of Faith:

• God's community of peace: We believe thllt God In Christ reconciles people to himself and to one another, making peace through the cross

The church Is a fellowship of redeemed people living by love Our bond with other believers of Jesus transcends all racial, social and natle»

t al barriers.

! • Christian peacemak( ing: Believers seek to be agents of reconciliation In all relationships, to practice love of enemies as taught by Christ, to be peacemakers In all snu. flons. We view violence In Its many different forms as contradlctot)' to the new nature of the Christian. We believe that the evil and mane nature of violence Is contrary to the gospel of love and peace. In

times of national c0nscription 01 war, we believe we are called to give alternative service where possible. AlleviatIng suffering, reducing strife and promotlng_ flee are ways of dem0nstrating Christ's love. (Exod. 20:1-17; Matt. 5:17-28, 3848; Rom. 12:9-21; 13:8-10; 1 Pet. 2:19-23}-ArtJc/e 13,

Confession of Faith

Let us also realize that Christians differ in how to respond to the events of

College (www.tabor.edu) in Hillsboro, Kan

MB Biblical Seminary participated in a citywide prayer service hosted Sept. 12 by Peoples Church. A seminary student led the 3,000 participants in prayer The MBBS weekly chapel highlighted the event with a time of prayer and a message by faculty member Jim Westgate On Friday, faculty and staff who were not already attending other services met in the Prayer Chapel at noon for a time of prayer.

Prayer services dominated the week at Fresno Pacific University. Students, fuculty and staff gathered during Tuesday's activity hour for prayer. Students organized a prayer vigil that began Tuesday evening. The College Hour on Wednesday featured a short message and then the service was opened for prayer and worship.

Members of the FPU community met Friday morning, Sept 14, at the Special Events Center 6agpole Students prOvided vocal and instrumental music and read Scripture; the American flag was raised and lowered to half-mast.

More than 200 Tabor College stu-

dents, fuculty and staff gathered for a prayer service organized by President Larry Nikkel Tuesday evening. Faculty members led the group in prayers and sCriptural responses.

While fuculty led the gathering, "it was mostly students who stood up to respond," said Daryle Baltzer, director of student counseling. He said the prayer meeting gave students an opportunity to "talk to each other about some of the things they were struggling with."

Tabor students also looked for avenues of service. The TC Christian Ministries Council organized a blood drive for the week following the disaster to help the Red Cross aid victims of the disaster. A group of Tabor seniors organized a fund-raiser that collected more than $2,000 for lmmanuel Community Church, a Mennonite congregation located near the devastation in downtown New York City. This urban Mennonite church was feeding about 1,000 rescue and volunteer workers a day during the days following the attack. Class members asked for donations at the Sept. 15 football game with Bethel College, a neighboring college in North Newton, Kan.,

Sept 11 As we seek ! with occasional Interrup-

affiliated with Mennonite Church USA A total of $1,843.65 was collected the night of the game. Money was still coming in the following Monday, raising the total to $2,264.65 with another $1,000 received by the MCC Central States office in North Newton. - Hillsboro (Kan ) Free Press article quoted in this story

A call to prayer

Henry J. Schmidt, MB Biblical Seminary president, issued this call to prayer follOwing the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"In the midst of the international terrorist tragedy that has impacted hundreds of fumilies, friends, and neighbors in New York and Washington, 1 am calling the seminary community and the Mennonite Brethren churches in the United States and Canada to prayer.

"I extend my sympathy, condolences, and support to those who have experienced indescribable loss We share in your pain and the tragic death of thousands of innocent victims at the hands of reckless religious funatics The Bible reminds us not 'to return evil for evil,' and 'to overcome evil with good ' Pray for understanding that the depths of

• This Is truly a time to wrath, for It Is written: "It Is peace In the days ahead, I tlons of peace listen to the Instructions of mine to avenge; I will ask that we pray for all peo- We live In troubled times , ScrIpture to pray for world repay, " says the 1.tH'd. On pie affected by conflict and Sadly, much of the trouble leaders and governments the contrary: "If you, enemy be gracious with others appears to be caused by rell- The responsibility of making Is hungry, feed him; If he Is that differ from us, using gIous extremists, thereby decisions and leading In thirsty, give him something these uncertain days to giving all of religion a bad times of crisis are heavy, to drink. In doing this, you "bind us together " name. In addition, by the and, in spite of the Inform&. will heap bumlng coals on , time you read this, It Is dlffi.. tion and advice that leaders his head. " Do not be over-

David Reimer, Chair cult to predict where Amerl- and govemments get, all will come by evil, but overcome U S Conf. of MB Churches can, NATO and world reac- require God's special wisdom evil with good tlon to the events of Sept as they fulfill their duties. Finally, It Is reasonable CANADIAN 11 will have taken us • Mennonite Brethren to assume that of our STATEMENT What Is the Mennonite are known as a people of 33,500 members In Can.

On Sept. 11, 2001, the Brethren response to all of peace, and we declare this da, and of the approximateworld experienced the reall - I this? I recognize there are in our Confession of Faith. Iy 55,000 people that reguty of a terrorist attack of many theologians and spirt- But that does not mean that larly attend our church serunbelievable proportion on tual leaders In our confer- we want evil to go unpun- vices, some will have had a the two World Trade Center ! ence who are much better Ished. Let us pray that God very personal connection to towers In New York and the equipped to answer this will help us to understand the tragedy of Sept 11. For Pentagon In Washington A I question than I am, but I and then apply his words you and your loved ones, week earli e r on Sept. 4, the would like to give you my found In Rom. 12:17-21: brothers and s i sters, on news showed Protestant personal view Do not repay evil tor evil• behalf of the Canadian Conand Catholic extrem i sts • God is In control of Be careful to do what Is terence of Mennonite squaring off over the heads world events, and while the right In the eyes of evel)'- Brethren Churches, I offer of frightened young children reason for many events is body. If It Is possible, as far our special thoughts and on their first day back at often beyond our under- as It depends on you, live at prayers during this time. school In Ireland In the , standing, the day will come peace with evel)'one. Do not meantime, the conflict In when all will be made clear . take revenge, my friends, Jascha Boge, Moderator the Middle East carries on but leave room tor God's Canadian MB Conference

human evil can only be overcome by God's forgiveness and power.

"Pray that God's people and churches may join hands in unity, solidarity, compassion and love during the days ahead. Pray that prejudice against races, religions and nations based on the actions of a few militant extremists may cease in our land.

"Pray for wisdom for the president, his cabinet, advisers and the Congress as they respond to these national crises. Pray for courage and determination for victims still alive, trapped in the rubble. Pray that churches may be at the center, not the margins, of helping families recover and rebuild their lives."

MBMSI workers on alert

For the first week following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington D.C., MBMS International (www.mbmsinternational.org) was in daily contact with Craig and Bridget Hallman, missionaries living with their daughter Mercy in Pakistan. Convinced from the first day that Pakistan would be deeply affected by the u.s. reaction to terrorism, MBMSI asked that the Hallmans review their plan for evacuation, pay close attention to their surroundings and keep in regular contact with the U.S. consulate in Karachi.

When protests were announced for Sept. 21 in Pakistan because of the Pakistan government's cooperation with the U.S ., MBMSI encouraged the Hallmans to leave prior to that Friday The Hallmans left for Dubai that Thursday night and were welcomed by an MBMSI mission associate family in the United Arab Emirates, reported Shelly Spencer

In a Sept. 17 e-mail to MB churches and MBMSI prayer partners, Spencer requested prayer for the safety of the Hallmans and other MBMSI missiOnary families living in the Muslim world. "Pray . . . also that they may continue to be beacons providing hope in this world of chaos," wrote Spencer

MDS opens Restoring Hope Projed Mennonite Disaster Service (www.mds.mennonite.net) opened the Restoring Hope Project to offer disaster relief, pastoral care and counseling services to victims of the attacks via MDS and its faith-based partner organizatiOns. New York City is home to 18 Mennonite congregations with a combined total of 830 members and the pastors of these

SPECIAL SECTION

congregations requested help from MDS in grief-counseling. Joe Steiner is the onsite coordinator

MDS is working closely with Menno nite Central Committee. As MDS provides face to face assistance, MCC is producing materials and resources for congregational use. The agencies encourage people to reach out to "those within their communities who might become the object of hasty, fearful and scapegoating anger, and if needed to offer support and protection."

While MDS and MCC join efforts to meet needs within the Mennonite community, MDS is also being called to join the ecumenical response to terror. Years of attending meetings and round table discussions with other faith-based agencies have poSitioned MDS to join an ecumenical effort led by Church World Service to provide spiritual and emotional care across the nation

Donations to the MDS Restoring Hope Fund can be sent to 1018 Main Street, Akron, PA 17501. MDS coordinates Anabaptist disaster relief efforts in Canada and the U.S. -from MDS news releases

MCC donates supplies

Mennonite Central Committee (www.mcc.org) donated six bales of socks plus one bale each oft-shirts, blankets and wash clothes for rescue workers in lower Manhattan following the attack and collapse of the World Trade Center

The bales were taken from existing stock in MCC 's Pennsylvania warehouse MCC did not embark on a drive for donated goods for this disaster.

Timothy House Ministries organized the relief effort and trucked the supplies to New York City where plans were to transfer the supplies to security officials who would distribute them to volunteers, firefighters and police working long hours at the rescue scene.

MEDA president refleds on attack

In a letter to Mennonite Economic Development (www.meda.org) supporters, Ben Sprunger, MEDA president, offered these reflections a week after tbe terrorists struck the eastern United States.

"As North Americans, we have empathized with people in other regions who suffer the terrorist's rage. Now, for us in North America, and especially those who are in the eastern part of the U S , it is our reality, too."

''We are grateful that, during this attack, all MEDA staffwere safe. Yet, just a few days before this terrible event, three of our Nicaraguan staff were ambushed while driving back from a project site with about $20,000 in loan repayments. The ambush failed, and we are grateful to God that they escaped serious harm. But it is a reminder of the danger that our staff can face as they do continued on page 33

Search for a nameless god ends in Christ

A pastor-who found Jesus as a nomadic youth-flees communist Ethiopia and finds a new home

He has suffered for his faith in ways that few today can understand: prison, threats of death , escape across a desert. Yet Endashaw Kelkele, pastor of Ethiopian Evangelical Church, a Mennonite Brethren congregation in Denver, Colo ., says , "I am thankful for every day of my life."

Kelkele's life journey began in Ethiopia during the 1960s . He was born to a nomadic family that moved from location to location in search of water sources and grasses for their livestock. ''We believed in a god," says Kelkele, "but [did not know) what kind of god. When we needed something, we would pray, ' Please God, help us.' But we didn't know exactly who we were praying to."

In 1982, when Kelkele's brother, Mesfin, returned home from university he did something that would change his family. "We sat down to eat, and my I brother said we were going to pray for the food," says Kelkele. "We all laughed "

Mesfin told his family he had come to know Jesus Christ as his personal Savior while at school. He had been praying for six months that his family would also come to know Christ.

Mesfin's prayers were answered when everyone but his mother was saved. In time, Kelkele's mother also came to faith Kelkele and his family now knew exactly to whom they were praying-Jesus Christ.

However, life as a Christian in Ethiopia was not easy. The communist government, which came into power in 1974, persecuted Christians and closed many churches. "There was no church except a few believers who met underground It was difficult for them to let me in their Circle," Kelkele says.

As Kelkele grew in his faith, he became quite bold in telling others about the Lord "I was very joyful about my new life. Never aQ:aid of the authorities, but telling about Jesus to everybody that came in my way, " says Kelkele. "This was what made the communists angry about me."

As a 10th grade student in high school, Kelkele began to experience rejection . Students at his school were told not to talk to or be seen with him. Kelkele asked God to take him away from school to a place where there , were no people. The next day, he found a job in an isolated location about 17 miles from the school.

For six months, he studied God's word. "I was by myself reading my Bible , from cover to cover (I) cried with Joseph as I read his life story, sang with David as I read how he defeated Goliath, " he remembers.

He began praying for a new challenge in his life and soon began working for International livestock Center for Africa "They were all white people and when the communists saw me with them, they were angry," he says.

One day while parked at a gas station, Kelkele was stopped by a police officer. The officer first prevented him from leavI ing the station, then took Kelkele to a police station and ultimately to jail

"The first night I came to prison, the policeman told all the prisoners that a

Christian fellow (me) would come today and that I would be executed the next day," says Kelkele. When Kelkele arrived, he could tell the prisoners felt very sorry for him. "I was singing, and one fellow told me, 'You will die tomorrow. Why do you sing?' I was even more happy," says Kelkele. "Itold them if I die I will go to live with Christ. They were amazed. I told them about the Lord until 5:00 a.m."

A knock on the door halted the conversation. The police had come for Kelkele. Although his fellow prisoners were sure Kelkele was walking to his death, he was not afraid. Rather than executing him, Kelkele was taken to the state capital prison 400 miles away from his home. The guard told him he didn't know why his orders had been changed. "I witnessed to this policeman all the way to prison, how God has saved his servant," Kelkele says.

Even in jail, God was with Kelkele. A well-known evangelist had also been imprisoned for his faith. "I took discipleship classes in jail," says Kelkele. "It was my first formal teaching of the Bible. The evangelist kept saying, if you continually pray and study God's word, you will be a man of God."

After six months, Kelkele was released upon the condition that he not return to his birthplace. Not knowing where to go, he prayed that God would open a door.

"Here came this British man who sat next to me [on the street comer] ," Kelkele recalls. "I told him I had been in prison because of the gospel ofJesus Christ. He listened and commended me for my courage and faith." He also offered Kelkele a job as his research assistant in central Ethiopia, where he worked for three years until the research was complete.

Then it happened again. Kelkele was arrested and put in prison, this time for organizing underground Bible studies. During his incarceration, Kelkele sensed the Lord telling him to leave Ethiopia.

As soon as he was released from prison, he traveled to his hometown to see his parents before leaving the country. "In Ethiopia, they have checkpoints every 20 miles, where they check your ID card I was concerned because I was not to go back to my hometown, '" says Kelkele. "No one stopped me No one asked me anything."

Once home, Kelkele told his parents

he could no longer live in Ethiopia. With many tears and a blessing from his father, they sent him on his way. Arrangements were made for a scout to take Kelkele across the desert of southern Ethiopia to Kenya. It would be a four-day journey by foot.

"[The scout] didn't know God," says Kelkele. "But every time there was a problem he'd say, 'Pray, please.' We had only five gallons of water on hand. In two days, we had no water. My feet were bleeding, but I was singing and worshipping. We have a song that says,

HI took discipleship classes in jail. It was my first formal teaching of the Bible. The evangelist kept saying, if you continually pray and study God's word, you will be a man of God. H
-Endashaw Kelkele

'When there's trouble in the country, God gives solace in the night.'

"The third day we still had no water. I was tired, my legs were bleeding. We sat down and I prayed, 'God, listen to me. I need water.' The heavens opened. It rained for two hours."

After two more days, Kelkele crossed the border into Kenya. For seven months, he lived at Thika Refugee Camp. During this time he was able to start a number of small churches in the camp.

Kelkele eventually got a job as a ranchman . This gave him time to evaluate his life and to think about the next step that he was to take. Meeting a fellow Ethiopian-a woman named Genet living in the area-proved pivotal.

Genet had come to Kenya with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), to study and train. She gave Kelkele numerous books and told him many missionary stories. Kelkele decided to become a missionary with YWAM as well.

Kelkele smiles, "Genet became my neighbor, and you know, the Bible says to love your neighbor as yourself. She soon became my wife."

Soon after, in 1989, they felt their ministry with YWAM was complete and

that God was calling them to go to America to pursue further training.

Miraculously, two days after their first visit to the American embassy, the Kelkeles were told they would be going to Colorado. They arrived in Denver in November 1989.

Their sponsors had arranged for the Kelkeles to stay in an apartment in a questionable neighborhood. "We had no curtains on our windows. Late that night, we heard loud noises and saw a bright torch (flashlight). The police were breaking into the apartment next to us. And here we were running from bed and hiding from that torch," says Kelkele. They later learned their neighbor was a drug dealer and the police had arrested him.

The next morning, the Kelkeles looked out their front window. To their amazement, they saw small white flowers falling from the sky. "Where do these flowers come from?" they wondered.

It was the first snow the Kelkeles had ever seen.

"In Ethiopia, we translate Isaiah 1: 19 as: 'Our sins are as white as milk, '" says Kelkele. "The snow gave us a new understanding of what that verse really means."

The Kelkeles began worshipping with a small Ethiopian church in Denver. The church asked Kelkele to serve as their pastor while attending school part-time and he accepted. In 1996, Kelkele received his bachelor's degree from Colorado Christian University in biblical studies.

Since then, the church has grown to over 300 attendees and was accepted in August as a member of the Southern District Conference After renting several church facilities, the congregation has recently undertaken a building project.

The communist government in Ethiopia was overthrown eight years ago. Three years ago, Kelkele was able to return to his homeland. Many of his communist friends have become Christians, including the scout that led Kelkele out of Ethiopia. "How prayer works," he exclaims.

The Kelkeles have two children. Mickias (which means, "There is none like God") is eight. His sister, Abigail, is seven.

Says Kelkele: "I cannot express the joy I am feeling It all comes down to one thing and that is a sinner like me saved by the grace of God. If Christ died for us, it is not that difficult for us to live for him." •

SDC budget increase pas se d, churches added

Southern District delegates inspired by stories during "working vacation"

he 2001 Southern District Conference convention was anything but conventional. "This will be a ,..... totally different convention than what you've experienced before," SDC chair Don Morris told delegates at the outset.

The biennial gathering of Mennonite Brethren from Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, north Texas and Arkansas usually takes place in late October and is hosted by a local congregation. This year, the convention was held in early August at the Palace Inn in Branson, Mo , a popular vacation destination known as "The Live Entertainment Capital of the World ."

Usually there are more delegates sporting gray heads than diaper bags. This year the crowd was noticeably younger. In fact, 70 children, infant through high school, participated in kid ' s activities at the hotel, in Branson and at nearby Table Rock Lake .

Most SDC conventions are characterized by business sessions at which district commissions report on their activities for the past two years and share their vision for the future Business sessions this year were streamlined and speakers were kept to their time limit by the ring of a kitchen timer.

There were no reports-just stories and lots of them The stream of stories told by lay leaders, district pastors and denominational representatives was as

steady as the cars moving bumper-tobumper down "The Strip," the two-lane street that is home to most of Branson' s shows and hotels, including the con-

in Weatherford , Okla "We need to get some fresh ideas. Why do we keep doing stuff that doesn't work?" he asked. ''We could keep doing things the way we always have-but I don't want to."

Storytelling was the avenue by which SDC leaders hoped to rally delegates to support denominational causes. The success of this approach depended on the various speakers.

Agency representatives proved to be good storytellers. Their stories put faces to the facts and figures supplied in the written reports included in delegate packets. Those faces were from Ethiopia and Central Asia, a Kansas farmyard devastated by a tornado, and the living room of a young family struggling financially.

Stories from Foundation, Tabor College, MB Biblical Seminary, MBMS International, Integrated Ministries and Mission USA highlighted cooperative denominational work while stories from Mennonite Central Committee, Prairie View, Inc. , Mennonite Disaster Service and Mennonite Mutual Aid helped delegates know how these inter-Mennonite agencies are changing people's lives

vention site .

The unconventional convention was billed as a "Vacation with a Purpose" and that purpose, according to MOrriS, was to "gain a unified vision as God's people to see lives changed." Morris also challenged delegates to be "ignited by stories of victory stories of lives changed "

Delegates should return home ready to make some changes in the way their church ministers to the community, said Morris, pastor of Pine Acres MB Church

Stories of district ministries focused on church planting, congregational renewal and two growing Ethiopian congregations . Women 's Ministries and the Faith and Life, Church Extension and Evangelism and Stewardship commissions led Saturday morning workshops highlighting their ministries. The Christian Education Commission and Youth Commission provided written reports District minister Roland Reimer and district youth minister Wendell Loewen spoke briefly of their activities . The 245 delegates and guests filled the Palace Inn, Branson 's largest convention facility, to capacity. The decor and close quarters created a unique and relaxed atmosphere.

Delegates met in the ''Jungle Room"

which was decorated with animal print chair pads and curtains; carvings of African animals, people and masks; mounted wild animal heads, large murals and an ornate fireplace and mirror. One seminar location was an outdoor patio decorated with fountains and animal sculptures.

The African decor provided a fitting backdrop for one convention highlight: accepting into the district two congregations made-up of African immigrants.

Assefa Alema, pastor of Ethiopian Christian Fellowship of Lenexa, Kan., and a prominent leader in the Ethiopian community in the U.S., was unable to attend the convention. Two lay leaders represented the congregation of 200. The congregation owns a facility it has outgrown so this summer ECF purchased just over four acres of land and is currently raising funds to build a new facility.

Robert Dick of Topeka was recruited by Loyal Funk of the u.s. Conference Integrated Ministries to assist ECF leaders in negotiations with the city council and zoning commission. Dick shared of his experience with the delegates and testified how the congregation's commitment to weekly prayer and fasting touched him and contributed to the success of the re-zoning request.

Pastoral couple Endashaw and Genet Kelkele represented Ethiopian Evangelical Church of Aurora, Colo. This congregation of 300 is also in the midst of a building project, having broken ground Aug. 26 for its new facility. Kelkele shared his life's story with delegates Sunday morning. (See page 22.)

Representatives from their sister congregations joined leaders from both congregations for a prayer of welcome and dedication. ECF is partnered with Buhler (Kan.) MB Church and EEC is partnered with Fairview (Okla ) MB Church.

Delegates also heard from church planter Mike Miller who told the story of Community Church of the Heart in Broken Arrow, Okla , a cooperative project between SDC, Westport MB Church of Collinsville, Okla., and Mission USA, the national MB church growth and renewal ministry. CCH held its official kick off Sunday Sept. 9.

Delegates were introduced to Rick Eshbaugh, former pastor of Topeka (Kan ) MB Church who has served on continued on page 26

Speaker inspires delegates

THE SOUTHERN District Conference convention Aug 3-5 was called a "Vacation with a Purpose " One purpose was to unite Mennonite Brethren congregations In the Midwest In their support of denominational minIstries. Business sessions-this year called ministry sesslonsfocused on this goal.

Convention organlz-

show's six-yea r Branson history. Since no events were planned for Saturday evening, most delegates attended the Saturday evening show

Gene Veal of Christian Counseling Services of SlngleVlslon MIn-

I istrles In Austin, Texas, was the featured speaker Veal attended the convention with his wife Lucy . The Veals, who specialize In marriage

ers also wanted to provide delegates with opportunities for praise and worship, Inspirational teaching, fellowship and recreation In Branson, Mo

Since no visit to Branson would be cornplete without a visit to one of the city's shows, delegates were to enjoy "The Promise," a musical telling of the life of Christ, as the opening convention event Friday evening. Unfortunately, Just minutes Into the show, technical difficulties delayed and eventually cancelled the performance . The next morning, SDC chair Don Morris applauded the group for being on hand for the only performance to be cancelled In the

counseling, led a marriage enrichment seminar as one of three workshops offered Sunday morning. Veal preached once on Saturday and shared the story of his recent Jail experience. In his first message, Veal contrasted single vision with double vision- the ability to tolerate both good and evil. Christians, said Veal, need to live with a single vision, • love fellow believers, call the unsaved to Christ and remember Satan Is a defeated foe-"don't waste your time on him. H

In a luncheon mest sage, Veal told of his struggles to practice what he preached In the first message when he

was recently falsely accused by a former client, arrested and Jailed. Veal shared how he was able to witness to other Inmates and of his miraculous deliverance by God.

He concluded by sayIng that because he was faithful In spite of his circumstances, six Inmates came to know Jesus.

"One man, Oscar, says he was arrested so that he would know Jesus," said Veal. Today, Veal and Oscar worship In the same congregation, eat Sunday lunch together regularly and meet for Bible study during the week.

Sunday morning, Veal encouraged delegates to remember that "the success of your life Is walking In the Spirit." Ustenlng to the Spirit Involves living with the knowledge that Christ Is always present.

Veal said, "You can't leave Jesus. You're always sinning In his presence Be present to him." That Is when habitual sin stops, said Veal.

Uvlng In the Spirit doesn't mean that life will be free of cares

Veal recounted two stories from the book of Daniel to remind delegates that "you will be delivered In your circumstances, not from them."

Veal closed by asking his listeners to let the peace of God "umpire" their hearts and minds continued on page 26

Two other districts plan for fall events

MENNONITE BRETHREN

will gather In regional conventions this fall to celebrate the ways that God Is working In their districts

The Central District Conference convention to be held Oct 26-28 will highlight the district's continued emphasis on church renewal and church plantIng, says CDC district minIster Roger Engbrecht Lincoln Hills Bible Church In Sioux Falls, SD, will host the convention

Omaha. New life Fellowship Church, located In northwest Omaha, will be welcomed Into the district as an emerging church.

The congregation Is currently worshipping In the Roiling Hills facility Saturday evening under the leadership of Paul Rowenhorst and Leonard Reimer Convention speaker Robert Radtke of Fresno, Calif. , will address the theme, "Building up to advance the Kingdom " Radtke has pastored a number of Mennonite Brethren congregations, Including Emmanuel MB

The Friday night banquet will highlight the church planting efforts at Roiling Hills Church in Papillion, Neb , a suburb of , Church in Onida, S.D. Dur-

the MUSA board and district CEEC committee. Eshbaugh is a consultant with Church Resource Ministries, an organization endorsed by the SDC and Mission USA that helps congregations address church health and growth issues. He has been retained by the SDC to work on a first come, first

Inspirati on can't

"When your peace Is disturbed, you know you're In the flesh," said Veal . "Don't viol ate that peace even If what you're going to do seems OK . "

Worship sessions also Included times of praise and worship led by Bruce Heyen of Hillsboro, Kan., accorn- , pan led by a worship band made-up of Individuals from across the district

Ing his tenure at Emmanuel the congregation grew, which led to the planting of Grace Bible Church In Gettysburg, S.D. Radtke currently works with the Haggai Institute, a ministry focusing on providing evangelism and discipleship training to leaders from developing nations

Reedley (Calif ) MB Church will host the PacifIc District Conference convention Nov. 9-10. The convention theme "Faithful to God's call" Is based on I Thes. 5:24. The convention speaker will be Paul Roble . Members of Roble's con-

served basis with congregations for one year. One of the congregations that has completed the CRM program is North Oak Community Church in Hays, Kan. NOCC pastor Ken Ediger told delegates of his congregation's experience with CRM and the Natural Church Development re-focusing program. Edi-

sented several thought-provoklng sketches Sunday mornIng. The team also assisted Joanne Loewen and Ellynne Wiebe of Hillsboro with the children's activIties Delegates enjoyed hearing tradIt i onal "hillbilly" gospel music when the Tuell Family Singers sang at the closing session . The family has ties to Martin Box MB Church

The Tabor College summer ministry team, Uncommon Acts pre1 In Marshall, Ark The convention i closed with a return to

an earlier call that the weekend would give witness to lives changed by God . Vice chair Tim Sullivan from Hillsboro, Kan , Invited delegates to audibly say the names of Individuals In their congregations and communIties who have been changed by God . When the room was silent, Sullivan said, "That's why God has called us

• • • That's why he's sending us from here " -Connie Faber

gregatlon In Draper, Utah, will share testimonies of their conversion to Christianity from Mormanlsm.

Instead of the traditional Home Missions banquet, a Home Mission Celebration Is planned for Friday evening. Retiring PDC minister Henry H. Dick will be honored that evening. Non-delegates are especially Invited to attend the Friday night dinner and program followed by dessert.

The Women's Missionary Service meeting and luncheon will be held Saturday momlng. -C onnie Faber

ger spoke of his own struggles in addressing the changes indicated by the NCD survey and described the congregation's efforts to shore up their prayer life and worship times and to rethink their committee structure.

The congregation has enjoyed numeric growth and meets for three worship services-two on Sunday morning and one Saturday night. Changes made within the church structures have prompted "more than enough" people to volunteer to assist with NOCC ministries.

"It's exciting to see the kind of growth we longed for happen," said Ediger.

The string of stories related to specific SDC ministries came to an end with Ediger's presentation. Next on the agenda was the discussion and vote on fiscal matters, including a recommendation to increase the 2002 budget by 2.1 percent over the current year but an 84 percent increase over what was raised in 2000.

The SDC Stewardship Commission's first recommendation was that each congregation forward three percent of its annual receipts to the SDC to create a "base-operating fund" allowing the district to both meet its financial com-

mitments and to take on new projects

"Perhaps the issue that will have the greatest bearing on the future of the conference, its growth and plans to plant and grow churches is the funding it receives from the churches," wrote stewardship chair Ted Goertzen of Ulysses, Kan. in his delegate report . "As churches have experienced an increase in receipts in the last 10 years, the amount passed on for the operation of the SDC has remained static or in some years decreased .»

The new policy will allow the SDC budget to "increase in proportion to the increase experienced by the churches of the district," wrote Goertzen. ''We are suggesting that the three percent norm for each church be shared with the conference on a systemic and regular schedule to assist us in the many commitments that we make that are often on a monthly basis."

The recommendation passed.

Delegates next considered the proposed budget of $281,900 for 2002 and $291,100 for 2003. Both budgets represented an increase over the current 2001 budget of$276,100 and a hefty jump from the $153 ,064 received from churches in fiscal year 2000 . A report on church giving included in the delegate packet revealed that at the half-way

point of this current fiscal year, congregations have given only $54,553 towards SDC ministries, less than a quarter of what is needed .

Morris gave ample time for delegates to ask questions and raise concerns. But delegates had limited access to printed financial information and reports displayed via overhead were difficult to read . Many of the questions raised by delegates focuse<i on specific line items included-or not iQcludedin the proposed budgets and were

addressed by Goertzen and other commission chairs.

Other comments addressed the larger issue of balancing vision and dollars. One delegate noted the disparity between historic church contributions and the projected income on which budgets are being built. Brent Warkentin of Buhler, Kan., wondered at the wisdom of adopting a budget "higher than we have a hope of reaching."

The budget passed with some opposition.•

mennonite Health Rssembly

February 28 to March 3, 2002 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel

CaU: The Healing Business

Serving donors for MB ministries

.. MB Foundation marks 10. years of financial ,. built on a century-long history of stewardship

Better late than never. When the Mennonite Brethren Foundation should have been planning its 10th birthday bash, staff members were at work providing stewardship and financial services to their clients and they were busy upgrading their computer services in preparation for Y2K.

"It just wasn't our top priority," admits MBF president Jon Wiebe.

That situation has been rectified and this year MBF is celebrating its 10th birthday - one year late . The celebration is nothing fancy-a thank you card to investors , donors and those with whom the agency works. That's typical of an agency that is more concerned with benefiting others than spending money on itself.

MBF may be having a belated birthday, but like most 1Q.year-olds, MBF is happy to be told it seems older than its years.

''Yes, we're young," says Wiebe. "We ' re also old."

Just how old?

"We have a tricky lineage," says Wiebe. The first endowment fund was

established 103 years ago to benefit denominational foreign mission work. In 1904, the frrst planned gift was recorded. The General Conference Board of Trustees was established 92 years ago to handle all North American financial and investment matters In the 1950s the Board of Trustees issu!!d the first charitable gift annuity and established the first investment account, one that MBF continues to manage.

In 1988, the binational stewardship ministries of Mennonite Brethren in Canada and the u.s. were transferred from the General Conference to each national conference. Fourteen years ago, the U S. Conference created a financial service agency that was incorporated in 1990 as Mennonite Brethren Foundation The foundation, headquartered in Hillsboro, Kan., is a not-for-profit Kansas corporation organized exclUSively for charitable and religious purposes.

While a private foundation solicits funds to benefit a single cause , MBF manages funds that benefit a variety of causes . This puts MBF in the "best position to work on the donor' s behalf,"

says Wiebe

"We're not soliciting gifts for our own benefit," says Wiebe. "We ' re a place where you can put funds that are going to benefit mUltiple causes."

Last year, MBF managed more than $38 million-and did so with a staff of eight Deposit accounts totaled $15,712,665 and endowment funds accounted for $13 ,257,803, says Dale Regier, who has served MBF for 10 years as vice president and treasurer. Assets in 2000 were more than double the $18.4 million managed by a staff of five 10 years earlier.

Wiebe and Stewardship/Planned Giving Advisors Lynford Becker of Enid, Okla ., and Ross Merritt of Fresno, Calif., describe MBF clients as generous men and women who love the church and desire to see its ministries continue.

Many times, when clients have a taxable estate, they want it to benefit both their children and the causes they value. "We help people accomplish their personal and family objectives," says Becker, who was the MBF founding president and is currendy vice-president.

"Some people don't have a taxable estate but they do h;tve 'an interest in supporting a charitable interest," says Merritt . "I sense that people have a real joy in giving."

MBF clients made it possible last year for the foundation to distribute more than $1 million to a variety of charities through endowment earnings, grants, estate distributions and various planned gifts Many-although not all-of those charitable causes are Mennonite Brethren ministries, including the ministries of the U.S. Conference, MBMS International, MB Biblical Seminary, Tabor College and Fresno Pacific University

Wiebe would like to develop an "even closer partnership between the foundation and the ministries we were designed to serve Our focus is not on growth in assets for our own benefit," he says. "If the number of dollars in assets we manage grows, it benefits the MB agencies we serve."

Beyond national and international ministries, the foundation has a significant impact among U,S. congregations thanks to its loan program .

"The conference has always been interested in investing in church buildings, church evangelism and expansion," says Wiebe "Our loan program

has snowballed in the last decade not because our focus has changed but because the nature of what it means to build churches has changed."

What makes MBF operate

this summer, M B foundation staff bers and field representatives spent a day together discussing the values and operating principles of the U.S. Conference stewardship and financial ministry which they serve. The outcome of that discussion Is a statement that will guide the F0undation in dealing with the Individuals, c0ngregations and agencies It

In the mid 1960s, the General Conference trustees reported 76 loans totaling $782,000. MBF currently has 100 church loans in place, an increase Wiebe doesn't consider significant. serves.

What is a significant change, says Wiebe, is the amount of money it takes today to purchase land and construct a building. In 2000, MBF had a loan portfolio of more than $20 million, with the majority of those loans going to local church building projects, and another $8,000,000 has been approved for church building projects.

"The increased need for capital puts a strain on our available funds. This has helped us focus on keeping more folks involved with us on an investment level through the Ministry Investment Fund," says Wiebe

Wiebe and his staff continue to look for ways they can encourage Mennonite Brethren to make use of MBF services because doing so impacts the denomination in more ways than one .

"MBF facilitates what I refer to as the financial community of faith," Wiebe says. ''What I mean by that is, with churches in North Carolina, Texas, the Midwest and the West Coast, we have a national presence. People invest money with us from any of these areas so we can tum around and make loans in all those same geographic regions. The loans benefit our endowments and the earnings from the endowments go to our schools and seminary and missions."

Wiebe says, "One of the primary reasons people put money with us is that they trust us We're part of the fellow-

Core Values

• TtUth-as exemplified by God and his

Word, truth finds expression In word and deed.

• Love-for God and his people.

• Service-to Christ, his church and

our fellowman Is a chertshed privilege.

i Operating Prlnclpl••

' Humlllty-slncere, servant, thankful

(Ps.25:9)

• Int8/l1lfy-above reproach, honest (1 Tim. 3)

• DlscemmentseIf-controiled, wise

• Sfewardshlpgenerous, slngle-mlnded (1 ehron. 29:1 0-18)

• WlllhW spiritgentle, patient, teamoriented (Col. 3:12)

that income outweighs expenses,allowing them to give to God and to do so worshipfully. The foundation does the same

"We have practiced restraint," says Wiebe, "and have not allowed our expenses to push us to the point that we are tempted to not be generous givers."

Because MBF is a ministry of the u.s. Conference, the foundation has directed most of its tithe to the conference Over the past 10 years, the U.S. Conference has received MBF grants (Phil. 1:9-11)

ship of Mennonite Brethren."

To that end, MBF staff continue educating themselves concerning fiduciary matters. Computer updates, prompted by Y2K, have provided MBF clients with better reports and more sophisticated accounting.

In recent years, MBF has had to wrestle with security and compliance requirements that were just in the development stage 10 years ago "An organization like ours is under more scrutiny due to mismanagement and fraud in the name of Christ, " says Wiebe. While the new state and federal regulations are at times cumbersome , Wiebe says they have been put in place to "protect the investors."

Providing seminars focusing on biblical stewardship principles in Sunday schools and for congregational leadership retreats is another way in which MBF serves the denomination. "It is a privilege to speak in our churches," says Merritt. "I learn as I teach and I am challenged."

The agency also provides individualized financial counsel and stewardship resource materials including materials for use with children and video curriculum.

Tithing is one stewardship principle that MBF both preaches and practices.

totaling $492,847. The conference has used some of these monies to support its work in evangelism and church planting with Mission USA, and in leadership training with MB Biblical Seminary in Fresno, Calif.

The rewards of working in the "financial community of faith" go more than one way, say MBF field personnel.

There are personal rewards.

"It is rewarding to have someone make a gift through the foundation and then thank you for helping them make that gift," says Becker.

There is fulfillment in assisting men and women in making charitable contributions to the ministries of their choice.

"Being involved in helping people see their charitable dreams realized and helping family members distribute endowment funds in honor of a loved one is a real privilege," says Wiebe "You can just sense the joy and satisfaction they receive."

Merritt recalls one situation in which a donation was so important to a couple that the donors, their attorney and Merritt posed for a picture to commemorate the occasion.

There is joy in being a partner with Mennonite Brethren agencies in their long-range financial plans. Wiebe hopes that in the next five years the amount of money channeled through the foundation to denominational agencies can double . "It wouldn't benefit us," he says. "But it would impact the ministries

"Our goal is to be an organization that tithes," says Wiebe "We want to be a model ourselves of how we encourage others to live," he says. Wiebe advises individuals, congregations and agencies to manage their financial resources so we serve." -Connie Faber

Celebrations mark opening

.. Nebraska church moves into new 9,000 square foot ,. facility complete with worship center, classrooms

This summer Rolling Hills Church in Papillion, Neb ., celebrated a milestone in its four-year history when the congregation moved from a storefront to a newly constructed facility. Church leaders anticipate their new location will help in their continuing efforts to reach people for Christ.

The 9,000 square foot building includes a foyer and several classrooms that fonn a u-shape encircling the 300seat worship center and was built for $722,000. "We broke ground in January 2001, and had occupancy on July 1, 2001," says pastor Rod Anderson . Several celebrations have taken place as the congregation continues its ministry in the new facility. A dedication service was held July 22 According to Anderson, "Conference officials and representatives from area churches were invited as we dedicated the building to God's service "

The congregation celebrated "Opening Day" Aug. 19 and invited local officials and leaders to Rolling Hill's worship service. A strong media push promoted the service in the weeks prior to the service A variety of dignitaries and other guests attended, including Papillion's city administrator, police chief, and county liaison. Jon Wiebe, president of MB Foundation, also made a presentation. Several taped congratulations were played for the congregation, including messages from James Eckman, president of Grace University in neighboring Omaha, and several local radio personalities

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to be hosted by the Papillion Chamber of Commerce will take place soon. Local business leaders and additional city officials will be invited to attend.

Rolling Hills Church began in September 1997 as a church-planting effort of the Central District Conference and will

continue on the CDC's church-planting budget on decreasing support for the next four years. Anderson says, "The Central District has provided strong support since the inception of Rolling Hills."

Mission USA, the national MB church-planting and renewal ministry, also financially supported the church plant in the beginning stages. MB Foundation, the stewardship and financial ministry of the U.S Conference, provided funding for the building project

Papillion lies in Sarpy County, the fastest growing county in Nebraska . Just across the intersection from the church, developers have received approval to construct a large mall. Once the mall is complete, anticipated traffic past the church's intersection will be 50,000 cars per day.

"Papillion is a growing community with few Bible-centered churches," says Anderson . "The more churches there are, the greater the likelihood that someone will come to know Christ and then grow in Christ. "

More infonnation about Rolling Hills Church can be found on their web site at www.RollingHillsChurch org -Ellynne Wiebe

WEEK-LONG FORUM HELD IN KINSHASA

USERV IN WASH., CALIF.

Inter-Mennonite consultation held in Congo Aiding church, camp

Mennonite Brethren were cal Mennonite, and Mennonite

among the 65 representa-

Brethren Churches as well as Mennon-

tives from Mennonite ite Central Committee in the Congo churches and agencies in Matthieu Shimatu, the executive secthe Democratic Republic of the Congo retary of CONIM, describes the spirit of attending an historic inter-Men- the gathering as having been nonite forum held in Kin-

exceptionally good Toss shasaJune 11-16 The Mukwa, an organizaCongolese Inter-Men- tional consultant nonite Committee and member of the sponsored the week- Mennonite long forum Partici- Brethren Church of pants discussed mis- the Congo, moder-

sion outreach, the role

ated the forum. of women in the church,

Financial support for the conflict resolution, the churches' meeting was provided by the relationship to international organiza- three Mennonite churches in the tions such as Mennonite World Confer- Congo, Mennonite Central Committee, ence, ways of involving youth more MBMS International (the global mission actively in the church and other issues agency of North American MB churchfacing the churches in Africa. CONIM is es) and Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission an agency of the Mennonite, Evangeli- -MWC

Graduate scholarship applications welcomed

G raduate students abilities Program are $ 1 ,200, are available In the U S and offering the scholar- from the Elmer Ediger Canada pursuing ships. Memorial Scholarship careers In mental The scholarships, Fund. Ediger was a health fields are Invlt- from $1,000 to founder of MHS and ed to apply for schol- the director of Prairie arshlps for the 2002- For application View, Inc., In New2003 academic year and information: ton, Kan , from 1957 M ennonite Health until his death In Services and Men- Call (219) 534-9689 1983 nonite Central Com- or v i sit Applications must mlttee Canada Men- www.mhsonline.org be received by April tal Health and Di s- 1,2002.

The Slavic Gospel Church has new facing on their sanctuary balcony as well as new library bookcases and restroom vanities thanks to the workmanship of USERV volunteer Ken Pannabecker from U ncoln Glen Church In San Jose, Calif. Pannabecker spent a month this summer In Bellingham, Wash , assisting the congregation with these projects. A member of the congregation made woodworking equipment and a shop available to Pannabecker, and a local business donated Imperfect sheets of plywood for the cabinets and bookcases that resulted In savings of $2,000 to the church.

USERV volunteers Don Loewen from Rosedale Bi ble Church In Bakersfteld, Calif , and John Smith from Dinuba (Calif ) MB Church gave thei r time to Hartland Christian Camp In late summer. The men upgraded the Eshom Creek Trail and added prayer benches along the trail They also replaced the steel bunk beds with wooden beds In some cabins. - USER V

Aid to Central America

As drought threatens 1.5 million people in Central America, Mennonite Central Committee is responding with emergency food aid in Honduras and Nicaragua. Some 700,000 people have lost at least half of their crops across the region. In Honduras, where the situation is most severe, MCC is organizing aid including com, beans and rice, all locally grown, with a total value of$1l7,000 In Nicaragua, MCC is funding food ( packets valued at $38 ,000 for rural families in 42 communities The packets will feed 2,300 families for two to three weeks.-MCC

;MORE INEWS I

Semi nar debuts

I -This fall, after a s uccessful test run I last November In Goshen, Ind., MMA Stewardship University will debut nationwide as a new educational ministry. Two of the 10 2001'()2 Stewardship University seminars are scheduled In communities with MB churches. Fresno Pacific University will be hosting the seminar March 23 and Hesston College In HesI ston, Kan., Is hosting the seminar Oct. 5, 2002. The seminar Is a daylong program that begins with a praise and worship service followed by a selection of two-hour seminars. Areas of study Include finances, family, wellness, business, the environment, time manag. ment, personal talents, congregational life and Bible study. The concept of stewardship education Is drawn from a first fruits theology that God gives us all things and our lives are to be a response to this generosity. For more Information, contact the Stewardship Education Center at (800) 348-7468, Ext. 576, or stewardshlp@mma-onllne.org. Reglstr. tlon Is also available online at www.stewardshlpunlverslty.org. Mennonite Mutual Aid, sponsor of the semI- I nar, Is a stewardship solutions organlza-

I tlon that seeks to help Anabaptists

practice biblical stewardship through Its expertise In Insurance, financial services, charltabl.glvlng programs, and fraternal benefits. -MMA

Exchange program

I -Young people looking for a way to share their gifts In an International setting will want to consider JOining YAMENI (Young Anabaptist Mennonite Exchange Networkl), a new Joint Mennonite World Conference and Mennonite Central Committee program to facilitate church to church youth and young adult exchanges and gift sharing. Paklsa Tshlmlka of Fre&no, Calif., Is the MWC staff person who will supervise the program while Uesa Unger of Karlsruhe, Germany, begins working this month as the director.

TABOR STUDENT GROUPS WORK IN KANSAS CITIES, TOWNS

Orientation involves service

For the ninth consecutive year, Tabor College students and faculty have served the needs of others as part of New Student Orientation at this Mennonite Brethren liberal arts college located in Hillsboro, Kan.

More than 130 people spent the morning doing yard work, painting, sorting clothes and various items, scraping and priming a house, playing with children, doing various home construction projects, drainage work and cleaning.

Five groups went to Wichita, Kan., to work with Haven of Hope, World Impact Village, Union Rescue Mission, Mennonite Housing and a site unnamed to protect those it serves. Two other groups worked for Morning Star Ranch, rural Florence, Kan., and Main Street Ministries, Hillsboro A faculty and

peer advisor led each group.

''We know we can trust Tabor kids when they come in because they're going to get to work, do what they're supposed to do and not

Saturday morning. That is a big help."

Project coordinator Ken Christie says service and volunteerism are integral aspects to a Tabor College education.

"We learn to work

just stand around," says DebraJackson, director of public relations and donor development at Haven of Hope "They can get a lot done on a

FOCUS OF MEDA CONVENTION IN NOVEMBER

Call to business

together as a group and learn what servanthood is all about," says Don Krebs, director of retention at Tabor and faculty advisor. -TC

World Vision International and I World Vision USA other conVetl-

B ecause God with Partne rs fo r States and deputy tlon activities calls some Christian Develo p- director of the Include comedians people to use ment, a Christian White House Ted Be Lee, semItheir talents and Reformed agency OffIce of Faith- nars on a variety resources to cr. for business peG- Based Be Cornmu- I of topics and ate employment, pie and others nlty Initiatives; tours of Chicago "Busi ness as a that were Inspired Amy Domini, presl- The convention Calling" Is the byMEDA dent of Domini will be held at the theme of the Keynote speak- Social Equity historic Congress annual Mennonite era Include Funds, the oldest Plaza Hotel Economic Devel- Richard C Mouw, and biggest For more Inform. opment AssocI- president of Fuller socially and envl- tlon about the ates convention, Theological SemI- ronmentally convention, or to be held Novem- nary, Pasadena, screened Index to register, call ber 1-4 In Chic. Calif.; Don Eberly, funds In the U S ; 1-80Q.665-7026 go, III MEDA Is deputy assistant and Roberta or visit www hosting the con- to the President Hestenes, minis- buainaasaaacallng. ventlon together of the United ter at large for GIg. -MEDA

MBsrespond

continued from page 21

their jobs."

"And now that civilian airliners have been turned into lethal missiles, it also gives us occasion for additional pausefor MEDA s¢f, flying is common occurrence. It's the way we do our jobs. As I write this, NQrth American staff are either in transit to or have arrived in places like Egypt, Haiti, Bolivia, China, Tanzania, Guyana and places in the u.s. and Canada. For all of MEDA's staff, we ask for God's mercy and protection."

"The MEDA convention, scheduled

the Gospel, morality, evangelism and fiUth and obedience, one would think God would have made the creation story very clear Indeed, he has made it crystal clear if we are willing to accept it But when we won 't accept it as written, then Genesis becomes an enigma, a topic for mere personal interpretation

Rather than compromise the Bible, I suggest that Christians bone up on good science For while evolutionism is an armchair science, full of stories, speculations, irrelevancies and hoaxes, creation science has libraries and museums filled with hard, often irrefutable, evidence. As a start, I suggest the link list found at www.fiUthinaction .org/creation.html.

Peter Stearns Lodi, Calif.

We need to be proactive leaders

Dr Michael Kunz 's article "Calm in the storm" (August 2001) was great This summer I had the opportunity to take a course at Fresno Pacific University by the name of "Introduction to Environmental Studies" from Dr Kuoz It has positively changed my view and made me aware of how my actions affect the environment. We need to remember that God created this earth for us to live We are degrading our environment and will soon not be able to live on this earth As Christians, we need to be proactive leaders in protecting our environment. Thank you

Brandt

God wants us to know truth

It is obvious that evolutionists are quite pestered of late by those persistent

for Nov. 1-4 in Chicago is still on. In fact, this gathering may be more vital than ever, considering what has occurred. After all, most of the people who died in the attacks were business people-people like you and I, going about their jobs. It is at times like this that we often need to gather as a community of like-minded people to seek solace, comfort and strength to keep going in our various ministries of daily life in the workplace."

"As I look back over the past week, I am persuaded more than ever that what we are doing through MEDA is the right thing. When people enjoy economic well-

WHAT READERS SAY

Continued from page 15

people with their creation theories . The underlying theme of your August 2001 edition was quite clear. That is, if creationists want to get real about life, they need to climb on board with "modem science" and get with the program Viewpoints scattered throughout the issue were a constant reminder of the evolutionary world view

First the term "fiUth versus science" is really illegitimate and is little more than an attempt to alienate the biblical viewpoint Besides, both sides claim that fiUth is the major ingredient needed to embrace the opposing point of view. But this debate has little to do with fiUth ; rather, it is a struggle for the definition of science. Will science be controlled by a particular ideology with a predetermined objective, or will it be an investigative tool where information may be viewed objectively? Will science theories be a consensus of opinions or not? To think that our view on this issue will not affect our view of life or our future is naive Second, we cannot hope to thoroughly understand environmental issues such as global warming, species extinction, or changes in weather patterns without understanding more accurately the mechanisms used to establish our world and the time frames involved Research on climate change, for instance , yields evidence that this situation has been thousands of years in the making and is the continuation of our planets attempt to right itself from the effects of some

being, stability and hope for the future they usually do not seek to harm others or cause unrest. In other words, MEDA isn't just helping people improve their lives economically-we are also building peace. Through your generous support, we are building bridges of hope and understanding across countries and cultures."

"I pray that God will continue to grant all of us protection, that our fiUth may be ever strong and that many will see Jesus as a result of your compassion and care for others through MEDA"

"If you have any questions, thoughts or reflectiOns, please feel free to share them with us at meda@meda.org." •

past event. To what degree man is responsible for the present situation can only be known by understanding what started it in the first place

Third, the renewed interest in creation science is not a result of an increase in biblical literacy, but an increased awareness of what nature is really telling us One writer stated that we need to understand the theory of. evolution- its strengths, the evidence for it and its explanatory power. But it is the very explanation of the evidence of its supposed strengths that has provided the greatest fuel for the creation movement. Why?

"Can a person be a fiUthful Christian and believe that God used evolution as a means of creating the life forms in our world?" Why is this question being asked? Perhaps a more appropriate question would be "Does God want us to know truth?" Obviously

Carl Von Metnitz Ferndale, Wash

The kind of dialouge we need

Thank you for the excellent edition of the Christian Leader of August 2001 devoted to science and evangelical Christianity The dialogue too often between science and evangelical Christians has been a "them and us" dialogue that accomplishes nothing. All of the articles were superb, but I found the article by Carey Johnson ("What can we agree on?") to be particularly helpful and on target for the kind of discussion that needs to take place more and more

Thanks again

Calif

DonDuifee Paso Robles,

HAVE YOU HEARD GoD'S CALL TO MINISTRY?

At Mennonite Economic Development Associates, we believe everyone is called to be a minister, no matter where they work learn more about your call to mtn1sby by reading The Marketplace, MEDA's awardwinning magaztne for Christians on the Job. One year (six issues) 125; two years, 145 To order. call1..[J(J()'665-7026

2001·2002

Itinerary and Invitation

CPE, under the sponsorship of MBM S International, invites born-again Christians to serve as vo l unteers fo r its evangelism outreach to:

NOTE: Dates may be subject to some changes, pending further confirmation of some campaigns .

- Team up with national Christians and witness for Christ door-to-door.

- Some knowledge of the language of the country is helpful.

- Between 800 and 2800 persons have prayed to accept Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord during a two-week CPE campaign. Come and be part of an enriching spiritual experience--discover what God can do through you

For further information, contact:

Church Partnership Evangelism office: telephone/fax : 604-864-3941

Peter Loewen (residence) fax: 604-853-6482

Church Partnership Evangelism is a "church-to-church" effort that involves all bornagain Christians in personal evangelism worldwide. Your application to participate will be forwarded to the CPE Executive Committee for processing

PETER LOEWEN

C PE Executive Director

HAROLD ENS

MBMS International General Director

COMMUNITY

Palm Village is more than a retirement community. It's a neighborhood of friends, living and working together. Located in Reedley, Calif, Palm Village serves more than 260 residents in nursing, assisted living and independent living Patio Homes. For more information, call

701 W. Herbert Reedley, CA 93854

www pal m village c om C C R C lie

Admissions

Clearinghouse

Have a position to fill? Looking for a new employment or ministry opportunity? Have a gathering or celebration to promote? Reach U.S. Mennonite Brethren through a Clearinghouse classified ad. The charge is 53 cents per word, with a $15 minimum. Withhold payment until an invoice is received. MB institutions advertising vacancies or position announcements may be eligible for a no-cost ad. Contact the editor for more information.

EMPLOYMENT-CHURCH

Full time pastor

Turpin Mennonite Church, Turpin, Okla., is seeking a full time pastor. Applicant would have the opportunity to minister to a congregation of varied ages and denominational backgrounds. Contact Shirley Eggers at (580) 259-6437 or Alan Hodges at (580) 778-3315.

Senior pastor

Millard Bible Church, a young MB congregation located in a suburb of Omaha, Neb., is seeking a full-time pastor to lead the church in "knowing Christ and making Him known." The congregation is committed to prayer, enjoys a contemporary style of worship and enjoys fellowship. The church has a vibrant youth group led by a parttime youth pastor. The pastoral candidate should have strong preaching and leadership skills to facilitate outreach and growth The church's excellent location in a growing suburb and friendly informal style make it ripe for fruitful ministry in the Millard community. Direct all resumes or inquiries to Millard Bible Church, 14345 Y Street, Omaha, NE 68137, (402) 8959596, beckyatmbc@juno.com.

EMPLOYMENT-VARIOUS

Administrator

CHOICE BOOKS OF WEST COAST, a new California Inter-Mennonite corporation is accepting applications for an immediate opening of a full time Administrator. Duties: To provide visionary leadership in building a strong distributor organization to market Choice Books to general market retail-

ers throughout state of California, and to administer daily activities of the organization. Qualifications: Prefer college or seminary degree and business experience, fiscallbudget and people management skills and computer proficiency. Shall be a member of an Anabaptist church with ability to relate to broad Anabaptist constituency. Salary and benefits commensurate with experience. Send resume or contact Jim Gaede, Chair, 603 N. Birch Ave. Reedley CA. 93654. Phone (559) 638-2455. Email jmgaede@psnw.com.

Chief Executive Officer

CEO needed for progressive rural retirement community in Michigan. Community Caring, Inc. of Fairview, MI seeks as their first CEO someone with a sense of mission, faith, vision and strong development and team-building skills. Must have at least 5 years administrative/leadership experience and a bachelor's degree. Prefer some graduate level work and that experience/education be related to healthcare, business or older adult housing and services. CCI is located in beautiful, northeast rural Michigan and has 60 nursing beds, including a dementia unit and 76 independent living units. We are expanding into assisted living as well. For information or to submit resume contact Mennonite Health Services, do Tim Stair, 234 S. Main St., Suite A, Goshen, IN 46526. Phone: (219) 534-9689. Fax: (219) 5343254. Email: tim@mhsonline.org.

FOR SALE-COOKBOOKS

Cookbooks

Great CHRISTMAS gifts! The Fairview Mennonite Brethren Church has new cookbooks for sale. At MMA, the best we offer is not

Your MMA counselor is an insurance and financial services expert. But more than that, he or she is someone who shares your faith, is committed to the community, and cares about your future. Our counselors choose to work for MMA because they share the vision of prOviding stewardship solutions to families like yours. To experience this personal service firsthand, see these MMA counselors in Iowa and Minnesota:

Kalona, Iowa (319) 656-3998

Stan

Wayland, Iowa (319) 256-4941

They offer over 1300 recipes including German foods. The cookbooks are $20, plus $3.50 for shipping and handling. Please send your order with a check or money order to: Women's Enrichment, Fairview Mennonite Brethren Church, 1600 East State Road, Fairview, OK 73737 .•

PLANNED GIVING ADVISOR

This full-time position is responsible for activity in the midwest and would be based in Hillsboro, Kansas.

DUTIES:

To encourage and assist Christians throughout the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches in faithful stewardship. Specific responsibilities include planned giving, charitable estate planning, individual counseling, stewardship education and other Foundation-related activity.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong interpersonal skills

• Demonstrated ability to communicate

• Aptitude for detail work

• Willingness to learn

• Christian commitment and desire to promote the work of the Mennonite Brethren

Larry Oswald
Widmer
Terri

The hour that changed my world

LIKE MOST AMERICANS, I WILL NEVER FORGET WHERE I was that Tuesday morning. I was at home, taking a day off work to spend with my three-year-old daughter. My husband was getting ready to leave for work, so I sat down to quickly check my e-mail while our daughter watched a cartoon.

As is my habit, I logged onto cnn.com while my e-mail downloaded. It was 7:57 a.m. in Alabama, and a photo of a smoking World Trade Center tower was on the home page. I turned on the radio, but the announcer didn't seem to know what was happening. I went to the living room and switched to CNN just in time to see video of the second plane explode into the second tower.

That was the hour my world began to change

Two weeks later the images are still fresh. Every photo, video or memory of that day-from the airliner incomprehensibly disappearing into the second tower to a sobbing father holding a photo of his young daughter in front of a news camera-strikes me anew like an unexpected blow. Ordinary things, like my daughter's smile or an off-hand comment made .during a phone call, still leave me with unexplained tears, exploding emotions or a stifled sob.

Many say the world itself is changed by that day. Maybe it is. For me, however, it isn't the world that's changed-it is me.

Like the blind man Jesus healed with spit and dirt, scales fall from my eyes in droves. But I don't like what I see, for I see a valley of death.

In this valley, I see Satan. His power to deceive is vast and deadly. If the deaths of 13 people at Columbine High School opened the door to this concept, the deaths of over 6,000 people in New York pushed me through. These men did not wake up one day and decide to hijack four planes and crash them into buildings Satan used what he could-anger, pain, bitterness, torment, selfishness, religion-from the moment they were born to get them to follow him.

But Satan didn't only deceive the terrorists. I allowed him to deceive me too.

I believe deeply in the truths America upholds, especially freedom and justice. My very job--editor of a religious publication of a denomination that often runs counter-culture-is possible because of our drive to make these truths a reality. We fail in miserable and dreadfully misguided ways, yet we still labor to find ways to live with each other justly. I am grateful to live in a nation that struggles to pursue justice and freedom for each person no matter their race, religion or beliefs.

But my faith in the power of freedom and justice was misplaced. In spite of the problems U.S. policies have caused overseas (especially in the Middle East), I believed that if people just had the chance to experience freedom, justice and education in America, that would be enough to "enlighten" those in "ignorance." But some of Tuesday's terrorists had lived in this country for years, apparently unaffected by freedom or educa-

tion. Freedom, justice and education are not the salvations I thought them to be.

In this valley, I also see those whose eyes have been open far longer than mine.

The second Sunday morning after the attacks, the church I attend in Montgomery focused on their missionary efforts around the world. The guest speaker was a pastor from Peru. His ministry is primarily in the hills and jungles-an area, he says, which knows terrorism all too well in the form of the Shining Path, a ruthless terrorist organization. Everywhere they go, he says, they bring death and sadness. They do not understand the wisdom and knowledge of God, he says. "Those that cause pain and death," he concludes, "are blind."

An e-mail from an MB brother in India (see page 13) arrived about a week after the attacks. His words not only brought fresh tears but the stark realization of how blind I was to the true impact of the terrors being endured by my brothers and sisters in places like Congo, India, Angola and Indonesia. News from and about missionaries-who have given years of their lives to Afghani and other Middle Eastern people groupsleaves me ashamed and repentant. These brothers and sisters have known for a long time what I am only beginning to see.

In this valley, I am overwhelmed. I want to cover my eyes. I want to be blind again. Death, evil, deception, my own shame-these are too much to bear. But as I lift my hands to my face, I see Jesus, my healer, standing before me.

Now I know that we are not alone in this valley of death.

When I weep for a world that doesn't know God, when I weep for the pain and anguish felt by those both on our soil and around the world, when I weep for my own failure and poverty of spirit, I suddenly find I am not alone. I never was. "Blessed are those who mourn," Jesus says, "for they will be comforted" (Matt. 5:4). The comfort is not a pat on the back, easy platitudes or even the promise that I will eventually stop feeling so deeply sad and helpless. The comfort is that he is God. Like the sun, he remains unchanged, always there, even when I can't see him. Nothing--death, Satan, present, future or anything else-can separate me from his love and presence (Rom. 8:38-39).

I feel his kingdom expanding inside me, like a brilliant light shattering the darkness. Now there is light where I could see only darkness. There is strength where I felt only fear, shame and pain.

I still flounder and stumble, trying to come to terms with my new eyesight. I still mourn. I am wounded, both as a citizen of this country and as a citizen of God's kingdom. But it is my citizenship in my beloved Lord's kingdom that gives me a way to grasp the pain and walk through the valley. In this kingdom I have comfort in the presence of a Person who holds the entire world-including me-in his unshakeable grasp. And it will be this kingdom I will look to for answers when I leave this valley of death.-CA

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